#Cap the Cannonball
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Station Introductions
Next are the Station Sketchies!!!
These are the Sketchies who stick to specific stations around the park, and while they are always seen, they are rarely seen outside of their station
There are 5 Station Sketchies. The 5th is currently out of commission, due to an incident. He will be back eventually.
Sugar the Cotton Candy
“Sugar.. as you’d expect, he’s a sweetheart. He befriends practically everyone he meets. He could never hate anyone, and has a hard time correcting people whenever they mistake him for a girl. I honestly thought he was a girl too.” - ???
Sanity:▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ Stealth:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Intelligence:▫️▫️▫️ Speed:▫️▫️▫️ Energy:▫️▫️▫️
Station: Candy Stand #1
Zilch the Candy Corn
“Zilch. He was hated when he was made. The other Artists called him ‘Zilch’ to show that, and it stuck. There are only 2 that liked him: Sugar, and the Artist that made him, [PRIVATE INFORMATION]. It’s a shame, too. He didn’t even do anything wrong, and now his trust is gone.” - ???
Sanity:▫️▫️▫️ Stealth:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Intelligence:▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ Speed:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Energy:▫️▫️
Station: Candy Stand #2
Puffs the Marshmallow
“Puffs… she’s quite the… “princess”, she’d call herself. She thinks everyone should like her, and everyone does. I don’t. She’s stuck up, and quite a brat. I’m surprised nobody else sees this.” - ???
Sanity:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Stealth:▫️▫️ Intelligence:▫️▫️▫️ Speed:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Energy:▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️
Station: Candy Stand #3
Squeaks the Water Balloon
“I guess I see why his name is Squeaks… but he barely even does that. He got along well with the guests, though. The kids really found it funny when he’d spit out water. If you think about it, it’s quite gross, but if it works, it works.” - ???
Sanity:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Stealth:▫️ Intelligence:▫️▫️▫️ Speed:▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ Energy:▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️
Station: Amusement - Water Dunk
Cap the Cannonball
“Cap the Cannonball is currently out of commission. Due to a child sneaking in a home-brought watergun, full of real water, he has been damaged. He will remain in his room until he is fully healed. He seems shaken up still, even with the new patch for his eye. I hope he’ll still be friends with Squeaks, at least, and that he won’t have a fear of any type of water.” - Documentations
“…Cap… he’ll never be the same again.” - ???
Sanity:▫️ Stealth:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Intelligence:▫️▫️▫️▫️ Speed:▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ Energy:▫️▫️▫️▫️
Station: Amusement - Pirate Ship (closed)
#The Sketchies#Station Sketchies#Sugar the Cotton Candy#Zilch the Candy Corn#Puffs the Marshmallow#Squeaks the Water Balloon#Cap the Cannonball#Edupark#Sketchie Escape#Sketchie Art#Sketchie Lore#The Shopkeeper
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⛥゚・。 bmf
synopsis: zoro doesn't take kindly to you being disrespected... at all.
cw: supposed to parallel piña colada, fluffy fluff, comfort, ZORO DOES NOT PLAY ABOUT YOU, protective zoro, decent amount of profanity in this one, zoro is mr. handle it.
a/n: I LOVE LANA SO MUCH I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF ZORO WHEN I HEARD THIS SONG <3 i suggest you listen to it while reading for the full experience.

"This is insane!" a random onlooker exclaimed, hand gripping his hair in disbelief. "Are these guys even human?!"
His shouts of surprise were followed by howls of excitement from the other passerby, everyone packed tightly around your net and towels to get a glimpse of the action.
Originally, the boys had been taking on challengers in four-on-four volleyball matches, but when they kept kicking everyone's ass, they opted for two on two between themselves instead.
The current match was Sanji and Usopp vs. Zoro and Franky.
And the entire crowd was on the edge of their seats.
"C'mon, Sanji! Get your head in the game!" Nami exclaimed, slightly tipsy, as she gripped onto her wad of cash. "If you lose this, I'm out thirty thousand berries!"
"Yes, Nami-Swan! Your wish is my command!" the lovesick cook squealed, completely stopping what he was doing to gawk at her, his eyes turning heart-shaped.
With a smirk, Zoro took the opportunity to launch himself in the air, meeting Franky's set perfectly and spiking the ball into the sand with a deafening slam, the force creating a small crater.
"Yes! Good job, Zo'!" you cheered, pumping your free fist in the air while the other held your swordsman's sake.
"SANJI!" Nami growled, furious.
With a small chuckle, Robin glanced up from her book, eyes carefully examining the navigator's puffed cheeks and childish pout.
'Adorable...'
"Nami, this is supposed to be a vacation..." you snickered, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you relax?"
"I would be relaxed if I was making money!" she huffed, crossing her arms over his chest. "I ask him to do one thing, and he can't even do that!"
"This is for the win! One last rally!" Chopper announced, happily jumping atop his lifeguard chair.
"C'mon, Sanji, you gotta help me on this!" Usopp exclaimed as he grabbed the cook by his shoulders, attempting to shake him out of it. "There's no way I'm stopping them if they pull that move again!"
"Nice work, bro!" Franky commended, giving your moss-haired swordsman a high-five as he approached the service line, ball in hand.
"Thanks," he nodded, a cocky smirk settling on his lips as he turned to face the net. "Now, let's finish this... I got a nice bottle of sake waiting for me."
Out the corner of his eye, he glanced at his towel, where you sat, reapplying your sunscreen.
Carefully, you squeezed a glob into your palm, closing the cap before rubbing your hands together and massaging it into the flesh of your legs.
Like a dog with a bone, he watched, mesmerized, as you caressed your skin, the sunscreen giving you an alluring shine and making your legs look ripe and tender for the grabbing.
'Goddamn...'
He grinned, taking in the light (f/c) of your bikini, along with the waist beads hanging lazily over your stomach, and the gold anklets and bracelets that jingled with your every movement.
You looked oh-so sexy, and he was oh-so ready to join you.
"Let's hurry this up!"
Tossing the ball in the air, he served, sending it flying over the net with the force of a cannonball.
"Sanji!" Usopp shrieked, eyes wide with fear as he slapped his hands on his cheeks.
"Diable Mouton Shot!" Sanji spat, jumping into the air and hitting the ball with a flaming kick, sending the it right back.
The damned thing caught on fire with his force, and was headed straight for the sand.
"What a weak serve! I'd expect that from you, moss for brains!"
"HAH?! YOU WANNA SAY THAT AGAIN!"
"I got it, bro!" Franky dove, extending his fist in the nick of time and saving the ball, letting it bounce into the sky. "All you!"
Pissed, Zoro broke into a running start before launching himself into the air once again, the crowd going wild as he wound up his arm for one monster slam.
Suddenly, something called his attention to the sidelines, his eyes instantly landing on the (h/c) head of hair that belonged to his girlfriend.
You were smiling from ear to ear, beaming with pride, hands clasped together as you watched him soar through the air.
Finding his eyes, you gave your swordsman a firm nod, your expression encouraging him to push forward.
That was all the confirmation he needed.
With renewed vigor, Zoro turned to the ball, your support turning his drive into pure, molten fire.
He roared, striking down on the ball, executing a perfect spike.
"Ow!" a random woman winced as she walked past, lifting up her foot. "Stupid seashells..."
"Do you need help, my dear?! I'd be glad to carry you wherever you need to go!" Sanji offered, practically teleporting to her side with a lovesick grin.
"SANJI!" Usopp screamed, terrified, as the ball came careening toward him.
Frantic, he dove out the way, just barely saving his ass as it slammed into the ground with a thunderous crack, a large burst of sand shooting up from the ground.
For a moment, the crowd was silent, before erupting with roars of joy and excitement.
Everyone rushed Zoro as he landed, Franky letting out loud whoops and howls of victory.
"SANJI!" Nami shouted, dropping herself face first in her towel. "My berries!"
"Zoro and Franky win! Way to go, Zoro!" Chopper cheered, jumping off of the lifeguard chair.
"That move was killer, man!" one of the onlookers exclaimed. "I could barely see the ball!"
"You should go pro! You'd make a killing!" another added.
"Great game!"
"Good job!"
"You're the best player I've ever seen!”
"That last spike was insane! A little higher and you could've jumped over the net!"
The women were next to swarm, pushing past the men and surrounding him on all sides.
"Nice game, hot stuff!"
"You're really strong, aren't you?"
"You doin' anything later tonight?"
Zoro rolled his eyes, unamused, as he attempted to maneuver around them, one thing on his mind.
You.
Though, as he managed to peer past the crowd of girls, he caught sight of a man next to his towel.
He was large for an average guy, muscular and decently good-looking with shaggy brown hair.
But that wasn't what bothered Zoro.
What bothered Zoro was the way he was talking to you, forcibly positioning himself to tower over your sitting form and using a sharp tone that sparked a few embers of anger in the swordsman's chest.
Who the fuck did he think he was talking to?
"You got a name, handso—?" "Move."
Pushing past her and the other girls, he power-walked toward your umbrella, getting close enough to actually make out what you were saying.
"Look, whatever your name is, I'm trying to help you out," you sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. "I can't promise your safety if my boyfriend comes back here and catches you acting like this."
He'd been at this for fifteen minutes...
After Robin left to go get a drink, and Nami ran off to kick Sanji's ass, he swooped in like a vulture on the hunt, attempting to put the moves on you.
He used every line in the book, laying it on thick as he bragged about his weight-lifting stats and obnoxiously flexed his muscles in your face.
"My safety?" he scoffed, letting out a haughty chuckle at your outlandish statement. "Sweetheart, if anything, your boyfriend's the one that should be worryin' about safety. I guarantee you I'm twice the man he is."
You paused a moment, almost disbelieving, lifting up your shades and waiting to see if the man was serious.
He was.
Deadly serious, actually.
'HA!'
You threw your head back in a burst of uproarious laughter, the sound causing the man to jolt with surprise, and slight confusion.
He'd never seen your expressions range anything past disinterest, so seeing you so amused by the idea of him beating up your boyfriend was... jarring, to say the least.
But you couldn't help yourself.
Zoro, the man with a bounty over one billion?
Zoro, the master of the sword belonging to the king of hell?
Zoro, the man who has moved literal mountains with his bare hands?
It was almost too much.
The man's brows furrowed, face burning at the mockery.
"The hell is so fuckin' funny?!" he huffed, growing anger.
Attempting to regain your composure, you wiped a tear from your eye, slightly clutching your stomach as your laughs died down.
"You wish," you snickered into the rim of your fruity drink, taking a sip as you attempted to muffle your chuckles. "He'd kill you... like actually."
Furious, the man took a harsh step forward, completely invading your personal space and smacking your drink out your hand, knocking the cup into the sand.
"You think I'm some kind of joke, bitch?!" he exclaimed, the veins in his neck bulging.
"Pick it up."
Zoro's voice traveled through the air like a wave of ice, quelling the slight pangs of worry in your chest like water to a fire.
Feeling tough, the man snapped his head around, meeting your swordsman with a harsh glare.
That is... until he realized who he was talking to.
Instantly, the wind left his sails, eyes widening and heart sinking like a rock in a river as it all finally clicked.
Your boyfriend was one of the most wanted men in the New World.
"Y-You... Y-You're... Pirate Hunter?!"
"I said... pick it up," Zoro pressed, tone leaving no room for argument, eye sharply trained on the bastard in front of him. "Before I make you do it myself."
"Look! I didn't know she was your girlfriend!" the man blubbered, practically shaking as he scrambled to pick up your glass, frantically handing it to you. "I didn't mean it! I don't want any trouble!"
"Then get lost," Zoro spat, harshly, brows cinching with anger. "You come around here again and I'll show you who's the real bitch."
The man didn't have to hear it twice.
Like that, he was gone, running back to his friends with his tail between his legs.
Finally able to sit, Zoro plopped himself down next to you, muttering and grumbling to himself in annoyance as he watched the man run away.
He let him off easy—only because you chewed him out the last time he "went overboard" and caused an island-wide incident, forcing the crew to evacuate.
He nearly murdered the island's sovereign for calling you out of your name, and doubling down when he told him to watch his mouth.
Tenderly, you grabbed his chin, pulling him in and placing a thankful kiss on his cheek as you handed off his sake.
"My hero," you cooed, teasingly.
With a grumble, he popped the cork with his teeth, taking a large swig with puffed cheeks, before breaking off with a harsh sigh.
As he wiped the excess with the back of his hand, he glanced at the man once again, anger flaring in his chest when the bastard hid behind his umbrella.
Like a goddamn child...
Zoro scoffed, taking another swig of his sake.
"Fuckin' pussy..."

#zorosangell#one piece#one piece x reader#roronoa x reader#roronoa#roronoa zoro x reader#roronoa zoro#zoro#zoro x reader#op
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Brothers and sisters. Great words. Just not for those who have a brother and/or sister. Billy can speak from experience.
Mary:*holds Billy in a chokehold*
Freddy: Mary! Mary! Mary!
And even in their Champion forms, his dear sister and dear brother don't hesitate to hit him. Billy responds to these attacks, too. And in the end, you can see how the three heroes are clinging to a bunch of arms and legs. Biting, pinching and spitting. The usual.
Except the League thinks that the Captain is their father. And they see how he acts with them.
Junior:*flies laughing under his breath, thinking of something nasty*
Billy:*brother's senses activated*
He throws lightning at Junior, causing him to fall to the ground. As Billy later learned, Freddy wanted to steal Batman's batarangs and hide them in Marvel's room to frame the Captain in front of Batman. Everything would have been fine, but Superman witnessed the scene.
Batman witnessed Captain dragging Mary Marvel by the leg while her face was stuck in the floor. Flash watched as Marvel used Junior as a cannonball to knock down a flying villain. There were many other instances where the heroes saw Marvel abuse his "children." So they gathered and talked to Marvel.
Diana: Brother, the way you treat your children is inappropriate.
Billy: Children?
Barry: Yeah, man, Mary Marvel and Junior, don't play dumb. We figured it out.
Bruce: We want you to give us partial custody of the kids.
Billy: *looks at the League and smirks* Fine. I agree. I'll leave them in your care this weekend since I have some work to do and they won't be supervised.
Barry: What's so hard about babysitting?
A few hours later.
Barry: WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY TRYING TO OPEN A PORTAL TO HELL?!?!
Billy:*calmly sipping juice while playing poker with demons* How did you even get through to me?
Barry: It doesn't matter! ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!
Billy: They do that a lot. Check the ingredients, usually a sacrifice is required to open a portal.
Barry: What?! Nightwing is missing! And Kid Flash too! OH MY GOD!!
Billy: So they didn't get it right the first time. Bye. I have things to do.*hangs up phone*
Demon: You dumped Junior and Mary Marvel on them?
Billy: Yeah. I need a goddamn vacation. All in.
In a few minutes.
Hal: What do unicorns eat?!
Billy: Ambrosia, but you can give them candy. They like that. What happened?
Hal: Mary brought a unicorn to our base! She said you always told her not to bring a unicorn home! Why does that thing look like it came out of hell?!
Billy: Trust me, the unicorns from hell are much prettier than these. Don't let them bite you. The hallucinations are worse than drugs. Bye.
In a few more minutes.
Bruce: Captain. How long will you be gone?
Billy: *on the golf course with Black Adam* Uh, until Monday? I told you I'd leave them to you. If Junior is going to try to create a body for his dead brother again, tell him I forbid him to do so, the laws of magic forbid him to do so, and Kit himself forbids him to do so. Last time it was a mess of bones and flesh.
Bruce: What? No, that's not it. Mary Marvel has been staring at the wall for several minutes now, unmoving.
Billy: That's fine. She's just talking to the Gods.
Bruce: Gods? But which ones?
Billy: I don't know. Bye.
Adam: You dumped Mary and Freddy on them? Did you get them coins to swim across the river? I don't think they'll survive.
Billy: The supernova hasn't happened yet, so we're good.
Billy eventually shows up at the Watchtower, energized and strong. The League is silent as the hellfire burns in the center of the conference room, roasting a hellish boar.
Billy: Mm, barbecue. Why didn't you tell me? I could use some of the tears of sinners. Perfect for that kind of meat.
Barry: Cap, are these really your kids?
Billy: No, these are my older brother and sister. Thanks for looking after them.
He takes the boar and leaves, while the League looks on in mute horror.
#billy batson#dcu#dc captain marvel#captain marvel#shazam#fawcett city#fawcett comics#jl#mary bromfield#freddie freeman#I have a younger brother and sister#If you didn't fight#you just wasted the day.
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scribbles
"( – ⌓ – ) ⎯⎯ he lets you draw on his skin, yeah thats pretty much it.
ft. malleus, vil
malleus
it was... a breach of your patience.
the lesson, was awfully boring. the more you listened to the apparent 'heroic' doings of certain individuals. the more it strips away your attentiveness to the words spilling out of professor trein's mouth. no matter how many times you will your ears to make out the incoherent lecturing of the man... it remains deaf.
so you decide to sate said boredom.
how? of course you need to bother your seatmate!
your intentions remained within the circle of yourself of course. your eyes stuck to the stray marker over your paper so you silently twisted the cap off and scribbled on your paper—then it was your palm—and now, malleus' arm.
"child of...?" man. malleus finishes in his mind, his attention suddenly snapped away at the sudden tug of his arm. definitely not his own decision to even make it move in the first place. usually it would remain stiffly beside his body like usual and even if someone tried to pry it to them it would remain still. but without his attention, his body lets you.
without another word. you peel open his fingers, palm open to you and it's a notion he allows. and he stays silent when you tug his gloves off. perhaps with a curious huff, malleus drifts closer to you. to accommodate your actions that he's yet to get an explanation for.
... and suddenly there's very bright flowers drawn on his palm.
said owner of the palm might just be toe darkest person in the room so it's quite out of place.
but it's from you so he likes it.
he peeks at it, with a fond smile on his face. I should enchant it to remain there forever. he thinks to himself, the curve of his lips growing wider at his thoughts, like he'd proud of the idea. the idea of being able to carry around something made exclusively by you might as well shove him into a cannonball and send him to cloud nine.
it's adorable. you're adorable.
his world grows a little more blue the more he stares at you. and if it weren't for the searing glances the professor sends your way malleus would just let his eyes engrave you into his memory forever, so he laments over it and reluctantly peels his gaze off you. mind speaking a thousand memories, the very same reason he somehow can't hear anything trein says.
you draw a strange looking lizard beneath his ring finger, one that looks a little like him and he thinks that you're asking him for marriage.
that can be arranged... he ponders, oblivious.
vil
drawings, doodles, painting— art. a reflection of the soul.
vil is great at makeup.
every brush on your face, a step to beauty. that is his reflection. you are his soul. he wants to make you look—no, make you feel like you're beautiful cause the canvas he's standing in front of is his greatest piece of art, he'd want to put you on the tallest pedestal there is. the grandest one just so the rest knows your beauty is parallel to none, something they can see and admire but not reach.
but he also wants to keep you in his own room, because only he knows what he felt when he painted you. only he should be the one given the grace.
this... he doesn't know what to consider.
perhaps vil should be bothered, if not then a little peeved at the several colors across his skin. a myriad of doodles, some words, and some simple drawings. a poor portrait of him is drawn next to one he assumes yours, the 'fairest' word on the right side of his hand, and flowers.
he's sure though. you're definitely no artist.
the thought cracks a smile at him, and you steal a glance midst the cool tip of the pen dancing along his skin. "I'd thought you wouldn't even let me do this," you admit, chair having been moved over closer to him so you wouldn't have any leaning problems. a suggestion by vil you gratefully took up, though you doubt it was just another excuse to have you closer.
"why?"
"dunno," you shrug. "it looks unseemly compared to you."
he huffs, flashing you a light smirk. "so my face is, hmmm..." vil ponders for a moment, and your face twists to the realization that you possibly just exposed what you think. but you suppose it isn't really a problem since it was basically common sense that vil is...
"gorgeous." you finish for him.
his aura brightens. (probably will be for the rest of the week.)
your hand retracts from him, the marker gripped between your fingers. and he takes a look at your 'art.' he doesn't know if he should consider it as one since there are a heap of sloppy lines, and the color bleeds into his skin. some smudges that you accidentally brushed against that makes it seem like a messy picture of chaos.
vil strives for perfection, but it's only natural there are flaws. to love oneself, you must love all parts. and to love you, he loves whatever the ink on his skin is.
well, what the heck.
"pass it to me," he stretches his hand, and you quirk a brow. questioning but curious so he indulges you. "I'll show you how it's done."
note. ngl idk what I wrote for vil it's currently 12 AM rn ☠ <- newer note, this has been rotting in my drafts for weeks and I couldn't decide whether to post it cause I wasn't sure about vil's but here hehehe
#ㅤ◜◡◝ . . signed !#twst x reader#twisted wonderland x reader#twisted wonderland#twst#twisted wonderland imagines#twisted wonderland scenarios#twisted wonderland headcanons#twst fluff#malleus draconia x reader#malleus x reader#vil schoenheit x reader#vil x reader#x gn reader
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Off Limits
Summary: JJ Maybank has always had a crush on John B’s sister, and the feeling is mutual. But when JJ finally musters the courage to ask John B for permission to date her, the answer is a firm no. Determined not to ruin his friendship with John B, JJ pulls away completely, leaving her confused and heartbroken.
Pairings: JJ Maybank x Reader, John B & JJ friendship, Pogues & reader friendship, John B & Reader Siblings relationship
Warnings: Angst, drinking, hurt/comfort, protective sibling, pining, unresolved feelings
Author’s note: There might be another part, I’m not sure yet.
The sun hung low in the sky, painting the Outer Banks in shades of orange and pink as the sound of waves echoed through the marsh. You sat cross-legged on the porch of the Chateau, fingers tracing patterns into the worn wood, watching JJ Maybank argue with Pope about some ridiculous bet he’d lost earlier that day.
“Admit it, Maybank, you lost,” Pope taunted, waving a dollar bill in JJ’s face.
JJ snatched it back, flashing his signature grin. “It was a technicality, man. You know I had that cannonball beat if the current wasn’t so strong.”
You laughed softly, barely hearing the conversation because all you could focus on was the way JJ kept stealing glances at you from across the deck. It wasn’t subtle — it never was with him. His blue eyes lingered, his smirk lingering just a little longer each time you caught him staring.
“Hey, you good?” he called out, tilting his head toward you.
You nodded, trying not to blush under his gaze. “Yeah, just enjoying the chaos.”
JJ winked. “We keep it interesting, huh?”
That was how it always was with JJ. Constant teasing, pet names like princess and sweetheart tossed around like they meant nothing. But they meant everything to you.
And he knew it.
It had started small — the hand-holding during bonfires, his arm always finding its way around your waist when he walked you home after late nights at the beach. He’d tuck loose strands of hair behind your ear, fingers lingering on your jaw. It was like he couldn’t help himself.
The feelings were undeniable. And honestly, you thought he’d confess any day now.
But then came that conversation.
“Dude, I gotta talk to you.”
JJ stood in the Chateau’s kitchen, nervously rolling a bottle cap between his fingers. John B, completely oblivious, was shoving chips into his mouth like the human garbage disposal he was.
“Yeah? What’s up?”
JJ hesitated. This was harder than he thought it’d be. He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding his best friend’s eyes.
“It’s about your sister.”
John B froze mid-bite, narrowing his eyes. “What about her?”
JJ’s throat felt dry. “Look, man, I care about her. Like, really care. And I… I wanted to ask if it’s cool, you know? If I took her out sometime. For real.”
John B set the chip bag down with a thud. His face shifted from confusion to something colder.
“No.”
JJ blinked. “Wait, what?”
John B shook his head. “I’m serious, JJ. She’s not some hookup, man. She doesn’t need you messing with her head.”
JJ clenched his fists. “I’m not messing with her, JB. I—”
“I’ve seen the way you are with girls. I know you, JJ. And I’m not letting you screw up our friendship over this. She’s off limits. End of discussion.”
The finality in his tone made JJ’s stomach twist.
“Dude—”
“I said no.”
And just like that, everything changed.
JJ kept his distance. No more flirting, no more lingering touches. No more playful pet names. He acted like you were… just there. A regular person.
It hurt.
And you didn’t understand why.
Days passed. Then weeks. You noticed the way he avoided your gaze, the way his jokes were no longer meant for you but for everyone else. He stopped walking you home. Stopped holding your hand during bonfires.
He was acting like you didn’t exist.
And it was killing you.
A week later.
The party was loud, the music too much, the smell of beer thick in the air. You weren’t even sure why you were there anymore. Probably because you knew he would be.
JJ was sitting on the back deck, red solo cup in hand, head tilted back against the railing. His face was flushed, hair messier than usual, and his smile? Faded.
You hesitated, but then John B appeared, blocking your view.
“Hey,” he said. “What’s wrong?”
You blinked. “You mean besides your best friend acting like I don’t exist?”
John B’s face paled slightly, but he recovered quickly.
“He’s… just being JJ.”
You scoffed. “No, he’s not. He’s avoiding me.”
John B sighed, glancing toward JJ, who was now standing up, swaying slightly as he finished his drink.
“He’s drunk,” John B muttered. “Let me handle this.”
You shook your head. “No. I will.”
You found JJ leaning against the fence outside, eyes closed, lips pressed in a thin line.
“JJ.”
His head snapped up, and for a second, that softness was there again — the way his eyes searched yours like he was trying to memorize your face.
But then his face hardened.
“Hey. Thought you’d be inside with… you know, your actual friends.”
Your heart sank. “Why are you acting like this?”
He exhaled shakily, running a hand through his hair. “I’m just tired, Y/N. Go back inside.”
You stepped closer, ignoring the ache in your chest. “No. Not until you tell me why you’re avoiding me.”
JJ’s jaw tightened. “Ask your brother.”
Before you could respond, John B appeared, tugging JJ away from you. “Dude, you’re wasted. Let’s go.”
But JJ wasn’t done.
He shoved John B’s hand off his shoulder, voice cracking.
“You think this doesn’t hurt? You think it’s easy to just… shut her out?!”
John B stared, stunned.
JJ’s voice rose. “You told me to stay away from her! So I did! But it’s killing me, man! I—” His eyes flicked to you, glassy and vulnerable. “I’m in love with her. And you made me feel like I wasn’t good enough to even try.”
Silence.
You felt like the world had stopped spinning.
John B swallowed hard. “JJ… I didn’t mean—”
JJ’s voice broke. “Yeah, you did.”
And with that, he pushed past both of you, disappearing into the night.
#outer banks x reader#outer banks#jj maybank angst#jj maybank x reader#jj maybank#jj maybank x you#jj maybank x routledge!reader#john b routledge#pope heyward#jj maybank x pogue!reader#john b’s sister
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Gone with the Leaves
Pairing: Tommy Shelby / Wife Reader
Summary: Despite your happy marriage to Tommy, you feel an undeniable jealousy towards Lizzie. Perhaps a day in the forest will do you some good.
ao3 link
A/N: I'm starting a tag list, comment if you want to be added :)
-
“You write like you’re running out of time,” mused Lizzie Stark, former prostitute, now Tommy’s secretary. “They have typewriters for those types of things, y’know?”
You saw the volley of cannonballs that launched and subsequently landed on Tommy’s desk as the words left her mouth. It wasn’t that you expected more of poor old plain Lizzie, but you thought that the time she had spent lying on her back staring past the shoulder of a customer at the ceiling would have taught her to read a room. Nevertheless, she stood there, quite amused with herself, smiling stupidly at your husband.
Tommy, who had been sitting at his desk all afternoon attending to letters, the ledger, and god knows what else, peered up from the paper. “What did you say?”
This time, it was your turn to be amused. He pointed accusingly at Lizzie, who by then had realised her impetuous mistake. Her wide eyes fluttered to you desperately, like a bee that had indulged itself in so much pollen that it became stuck in its own honey. No, that was putting it lightly. She looked to you like a frightened child who knew exactly what kind of trouble they were in.
You made sure you looked the other way.
“It was only a silly joke,” came her spluttering apology.
Tommy squinted, and his mouth curled into a frown. Smoke chased the deep exhale from the cigarette hanging between his lips. Your husband carried this terrifying look to him that many feared. Without the peaky cap to cover his striking blue eyes, you saw his glare cut away the cords in Lizzie’s throat with just one look. How could poor Lizzie defend herself from eyes that had witnessed nightmarish things?
“I’m not clear. Is it funny that I sign my letters by hand, or are you above using ink now that you have graduated from the bed to the desk?”
Lizzie’s mouth wormed into a thin line, yet she still looked to you for help. Of what help she thought you would possibly spare, you weren’t sure. For once, Lizzie used initiative and showed herself out.
Your heels clacked across the wooden threshold of your husband’s office. Now that no one was there to disturb you both, you sat down on Tommy’s lap. By then, he was leaning back on his chair, work abandoned for the time being until he could wash the sour sight of Lizzie Stark from his eyes.
“You know I don’t like her,” you said plainly.
There was no need for fake smiles or lies with Tommy. You knew him, and he knew you.
Tommy exhaled loudly, stubbing out the last of his cigarette on his ashtray and taking a swig of whiskey before his calloused hand found your waist.
He clears his throat. “It’s only business with her.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean I like her any less.”
Tommy loved you, not Lizzie Stark, yet you couldn’t stomach the undeniable jealousy that arose with her presence. Perhaps it was a natural inclination women had toward their lovers. Lizzie had never done anything outwardly wrong to you. So, what was it then that turned your plain teeth into hissing fangs?
Everyone knew that Tommy was one of her paying customers before you met him, but so were all of Small Heath. You never felt insecure in your relationship with Tommy; there was no need to feel threatened by a prostitute. Yet that wouldn’t stop the catty feline that emerged from its slumber when Lizzie’s wandering eyes battered at your husband.
No. Lizzie Stark would never know what it felt like to be loved by a man like Tommy. What you held in your hands each night was a transcendental, unconditional type of love—one that surpassed the heart and soul, which drew two beings together in the most unconventional yet fitting way. The way that covers kept you warm at night, Tommy watched over your hearth and kept the fire burning, even if he were on the other side of the country.
You closed your eyes, leaning into the valley between Tommy’s neck and shoulder as you listened for the bah-dum-bah-dum of his heart. They sat together in silence, cherishing each other’s presence, while Tommy rested his cheek on your head. Outside, the world waited, barking at their front door and scratching at the delicately carved wood. Even the rain lashed at the windowpanes, playing together like one elemental orchestra.
The hand not resting on your waist rose to gently stroke up and down your arm. You shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold.
“I think you have some work to attend to in the bedroom,” you mumbled into his neck.
Your nose searched for the spot where he applied his aftershave.
“Eh?” Came his gruff response.
Your hand wandered down his suit in answer.
-
The sheets were bundled around Tommy’s naked waist when you sauntered back over to the bed with his case of cigarettes in hand. Gratefully, he took the case from your hand, wrapping an arm around your shoulder to pull you into the warmth of his chest. Then he began the usual routine. He fished out a cigarette to offer, but you shook your head no, so he slid it once, then twice, across his bottom lip. On the bedside table, he grabbed the half-empty matchbox to light the cigarette.
Tommy was the resident chain smoker in your house. With an appetite for tobacco and whiskey, you often wondered just how he sustained himself throughout the day. Of course, there were the home-cooked meals at Arrow House waiting for his return, although that didn’t stop you from worrying any less. It was pathetic, really, sitting all alone in his study, twiddling your fingers, and sitting beneath his portrait like you were praying to him. Tommy was no god, no matter how much he tried to convince everyone else. Yet whenever headlights passed the window and lit up the office momentarily, you would stand up and peer out, hoping to spot your husband exiting the car.
He cleared his throat, drawing your attention back to the present. You loved watching the way the cigarette shifted between his lips when he spoke, even more when his hooded eyes looked over at you. Tommy was a man of few words, simply because he didn’t need language to communicate. His body spoke for him in tongues for all his enemies to understand. And more importantly, in a way your body understood.
Your hand abandoned his tattoo to stroke a thumb across his full bottom lip. Lust swelled there, eager to chase the rest of the night away into a haze of pleasure until the sun rose. As tempting as it was, you sighed at the thought. You would rather spend this time taking in your husband, remembering the fine details across his face and body, from the scar in the hollow of his cheek to the rough texture beneath his shoulder blade where a bullet was once lodged. You wanted to trace the sockets of his eyes the way a blind person would, treasuring each valley, mountain, and cut of skin as if it were to disappear the second you stopped touching him.
“You’re beautiful,” you decided, bathed in candlelight, tangled up between the sheets and Tommy’s arms.
Tommy’s brows furrowed, and the cigarette hung dangerously loose from where his lips curled into a frown. He grunted, clearly dissatisfied with your words. Tommy wasn’t beautiful. He was hard, ambitious, and unmovable force.
Beautiful was a conventional word savored for the finest women. To you? It meant so much more. Crafted in a way that would cause people to stare, sure, but there was also a poetic sense to the word. The type of beauty you would use to describe a well-written novel or heart-wrenching poem. Thomas Shelby stood for something, and that was beautiful.
“Then what are you, eh?”
A lazy smile floated onto your face, so much so that you had to bite your lip to refrain from looking devastatingly pleased at his answer.
A woman, a dreamer, a friend, a reader, an achiever. “A wife.”
He huffed, raising his eyebrows playfully.
Why was it that most women felt like they could only fit the frame of one? With Tommy, you were never limited to the endless possibilities. You treasured being a wife the same way you treasured your other roles. Marriage wasn’t the end all be all. Perhaps that’s another lie men spun—that perfectly capable women stopped existing as soon as a diamond ring slid onto their finger. How sad, you thought, to waste away all that potential when men were still free to pursue stupid ideas like war and dog fights.
Tommy was unbothered by traditional ideas like that. Change powered his ambition; he had no time for parallel lines. You could be his wife, a writer, a singer, or a mother—whatever you wanted—and he wouldn’t think of you any less.
You hummed, chasing that cigarette from his lips and stubbing it out in the ash tray by his bedside table. Tommy didn’t seem too heartbroken about it. In fact, there was some mirth in his gaze. His hands traced up your naked spine, pulling your body further into his until you could smell the smoke in his breath.
“Yes,” he breathed in loudly through his nose, “my wife.”
-
The following day, you were invited to the Basnett's hunting party. You would’ve been more enthusiastic to write about your excitement to attend if the whole ordeal hadn’t been so troublesome. Because a few days prior, when you were visiting your husband’s office, you had caught sight of the letter on Lizzie’s desk, a letter that was supposed to reach you days earlier.
“What’s this?” You asked.
“Oh, nothing interesting,” Lizzie had said, too occupied with filing her nails while on the clock.
You kept your composure for the sake of keeping the peace. You didn’t wish to disturb Tommy if he were to walk by.
“This is a letter addressed to me,” you pressed.
“Oh.” She stopped for a moment, then leaned over to read the letter you had pulled from the messy pile. “No, it’s addressed to Tommy.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Shelby,” you hissed quietly, with emphasis on the missus.
“Hm, I didn’t notice.”
“You are paid to notice.” You fought the urge to comment that she was paid for other things not long ago. “How long has this been sitting here?”
Lizzie tapped her cigarette ash into the tray. “The post boy dropped that lot off yesterday.”
Even if it was only two days late to reach your hand, by society’s standards, that may have well been taken as you snubbing the invitation. Frustratingly, you had to cancel your plans that day and personally deliver your letter to the Basnett’s door, citing some excuse of it having been lost in the post.
“That woman is up to no good.” You said glumly that night into Tommy’s chest.
“I’ll speak to her,” he promised in that stoic tone of his.
Whether he had been true to his words, you weren’t sure because Lizzie made an effort to avoid you when possible.
“Oh! Mrs. Shelby! How wonderful for you to join us! Come in, come in. The men are readying their rifles for the hunt outside. How exciting!” Gushed Lady Basnett, shooing you into the atrium of her lavish mansion.
Your riding boots clacked across the floor before being muffled by an intricately woven rug. You stared up at the chandelier, childishly wondering if it would hit you if it were to fall at that moment.
“Right this way, Mrs. Shelby!” Lady Basnett ushered excitably.
You debated if all her energy was for show—to please her husband and be the good wife he expected of her. After she showed you through to the veranda and down to the circle of wives who had gathered under the trees while their husbands readied for the hunt, you decided that no, she must truly enjoy planning social occasions like this, as evidenced by the way she kissed Sarah’s cheek in greeting with a wide grin.
It pleased you to know that Lady Basnett found joy in something. Ever since her eldest died in the war, she has been known to be a bit of a recluse.
“Oh, what a beautiful ring! May we see it?” Doe-eyed Catherine asked.
She was one of the younger wives, like yourself. Catherine married an older man, twice her senior. Many of the wives here faulted her for it behind her back, but not you. You saw more of yourself in her than you did in any of the other women. Because, despite the age gap, the girl seemed to be utterly head-over-heels in love with a man society deemed old-fashioned for her. And how could you blame her when you swore an oath to a gangster of all people?
You obliged and let the wives twist and turn your hand to better inspect the diamonds on your ring finger.
“It’s perfect!”
“How many carats?”
“My Mary would be so jealous!”
After dutifully showing your wedding ring, you noticed the men beginning to mount their horses.
Catherine hooked her arm around yours. “Come on, we are going to be left behind!”
She jovially pulled you along the stone tiles at a speed that made you grateful for wearing riding boots. The backyard was grand in the sense that the acres they owned stretched vastly into the nearby forest. Although there were impressive features, like the hedge they had grown into a maze and the trees that were shaped into birds.
“Lady Basnett owned an aviary of budgies. Dear little things they were, she was devastated when they all escaped one night after the groundskeeper forgot to close the door,” Catherine commented, having noticed the way your head was turned.
You laughed, because you could precisely picture Lady Basnett as the type to fawn over little budgies.
Catherine led you to the horses, where some of the wives were already perched, waiting for the party to leave. None of them carried rifles, but rather wicker baskets strapped to the saddle for the picnic they planned to have at the top of the hill while they waited for their husbands to finish hunting.
Together, you set off, having mounted the back of Catherine’s mare. Deeper into the forest you went, the black mare trotting over loose dirt and rocks. Both of you remained at the end of the pack, preferring to keep to yourselves in light conversation.
Then it all happened so suddenly. One of the rifles went off up ahead, and a flock of birds rushed at you from the break in the foliage, startling your mare. You gasped in shock and reached for Catherine’s jacket to hold on, but only skimmed her. She went face first into the dirt while you were swept into the air like a leaf and fell with the grace of a rock. The ground thundered as the mare galloped into the distance.
“Fuck!” Catherine spat.
(On her fall she had taken a mouthful of soil and leaves.)
“They’ll come back,” you tried to reassure her.
-
Hours later, the two of you still had not been found.
“I was a prostitute before George found me, y’know.”
No, you didn’t know.
“That’s why I’m so young and he so old,” she smiled fondly, laughing as if it were the most normal thing.
You couldn’t find it in your heart to dislike her because of her circumstances. She was your friend, and a true one at that.
What was it that Tommy said? The past is the past.
-
The sun began to set when one of the men from the hunting party found you both huddled together under a tree. Kindly, he let the two of you ride the rest of the way back despite your hesitance to mount another horse.
When you returned to Lady Basnett’s, with Catherine in arm, the sun had been set for at least two hours. You hadn’t realized what trouble you had gotten yourself into until you noticed Tommy’s Bentley parked in the crowded driveway of the mansion. Men stood at the gate, armed and waiting. Catherine opened her mouth to remark how ridiculous it was, but you kept your lips sealed after recognizing the guards to be Peaky Blinders.
Tommy had to be beside himself.
A young boy who was playing between the cars popped his head out when the gates squealed open. His ears perked up, and he ran inside, clutching his peaky cap, to probably inform the adults inside of your arrival. People pooled out onto the front steps, the women covering their hearts and sighing with relief, and the men holding their hats to their chests. But when your husband, Tommy, came storming out, they parted like the red sea.
He stalked across the gravel like a predator, his eyes trained on you with an unblinking stare.
“Are you hurt?” He ignored Catherine, cupping your face and frantically looking between both your eyes as if you would disappear.
Upon further inspection, his eyes were bloodshot, and the white sleeves of his blouse were bundled into the golden garters. Your hands itched to muse his disheveled hair into place, but with all the curious onlookers, you thought better of it.
“No.”
George, Catherine’s husband, was quick to whisk her away inside. You heard Lady Basnett’s voice trailing after them: “Oh my, what a terrible thing. Come now, let me pour you some tea.”
Unfortunately, tea wouldn’t make up for any lost ground with Tommy.
“We’re going.”
You knew better to open your mouth to disagree. This was Tommy being afraid and carrying on. He retreated into himself. It didn’t look pretty or like he cared, but he cared; you knew he cared. It was only that no one else was allowed to know that the great Thomas Shelby felt any emotion.
At Arrow House, he swallowed two glasses of whiskey before saying a word. You were pulling at the hem of the overcoat that Tommy had shook off his shoulders to give you for the ride home. Your fingers just couldn’t stand the anxious silence that rang throughout the room.
“What the fuck happened?”
He stood in front of you, stoic as a soldier but cracking around the exterior thanks to his hand, which itched for the cigarette case inside his pocket. (A nervous tick of his.) You grab his hand between your own before he can fish out the case.
“The horse got spooked. It bucked Catherine and me off, but we’re fine.”
His thumb rubs across your knuckles as he looks past your shoulder out the window.
“Do you know where I was when I got the call? Eh? I was handling some business when Lizzie came in and told me some posh old woman was on the line, saying you were missing.”
He exhaled sharply, dropping his gaze to you, where you noticed his eyes soften.
“I thought…” He broke off.
His chin dropped, and he went to itch his nose with his other hand.
“What did you think happened? Is there something I should know about?” Concern leaked into your voice.
“No,” he huffed, clearing his throat. “It doesn’t matter. You’re home, and you’re safe.”
You bit your lip to stop yourself from saying anything that might push him over the edge. He was fragile in a state like this in the sense that he pushed the stronger, more vivid feelings to the side because you were his wife, not a Peaky Blinder. No, you would never be, even though you married one.
Often, you would wish you could turn into the leaves that swept off the pavement and into the air. Imagine then how much easier life would be for you both—to forget the animosity of life and rise above it all, breathe in that crystal air, and then finally exclaim the truth because up there no one could hear them or cared enough to try anyway.
Cautiously, you let go of his hand and traced your fingertips up to knead away the tension in his jaw.
“Thomas… Do you remember what you asked of me? To help you with the whole fucking thing—”
“From now on—”
“Thomas—”
“From now on, let me know where you are going. I will organize a guard to watch over you.”
‘You write like you’re running out of time,’ Lizzie’s poorly placed joke from the start of the week reverberated in your skull.
Was he?
“I need you,” he breathed, the smell of whiskey fanning over your senses.
You nodded, pressing up on your toes to kiss him. A soft breath escaped him when you pulled away.
“You have me.”
#tommy shelby#thomas shelby#tommy shelby x reader#thomas shelby x reader#cillian murphy x reader#cillian murphy#peaky blinders#tommy shelby x you#tommy shelby fanfic#tommy shelby imagine#thomas shelby x you#thomas shelby imagine#cillian x reader#cillian murphy fanfiction#cillian x fem!reader#peaky blinder fanfic#peaky blinder imagine#peaky blinders x reader#fanfiction#fanfic
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YEAH OH MY GOD I’ve had a post in my drafts about wishing they could combine power-ups but I never thought about a separate power-up that would be able to allow it!
I really wanna see the double cherries mixed with the vanish cap, so there’s a bunch of clones but none of them are visible—sneak attack from every angle
And then I imagine certain combinations could be absolutely catastrophic, specifically i’m thinking the giga bell and mega mushroom combo (what happens if you just become TOO big? 👀)
If u could create a new power up for a Mario game what would it be
The Combiner Cap.
I'm undecided on what the lore would be, but it's essentially a cap that– if you stuff almost any two powerups into it– combines them into a single powerup.
Sometimes the results are predictable: elephant fruit + fire flower turns you into an elephant that can shoot fire balls, mega mushroom + cat bell turns you into a giant cat, etc.
But other times, the results are something completely new: ice flower + fire flower gives you the ability to shoot firehose-strength jets of water. Elephant fruit + drill powerup allows you to break open massive chasms and create earthquakes. Tanuki suit + cloud shroom allows you to create cyclones that destroy enemies and powerful updrafts.
There are some combinations the hat rejects, of course. Any 1-up you collect immediately goes into your stash of lives and can't be used in the combiner cap. Superstars are so powerful they immediately negate any other powerups you attempt to combine it with. Mega mushrooms + mini mushrooms just end up neutralizing into your usual super mushroom.
You get the idea.
#Mario#headcanons#also anything combined with the metal cap would be fun#metal elephant#mini metal mario#throw that dense mf’er around like a cannonball
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Seven minutes of heaven with your tomboy cousin Ryujin turns you from best friends to incestuous fuck buddies
Seven Minutes Of Heaven
Ryujin X Male Reader
Tags : Cousin-Love, Tomboy Ryujin, Sweet, Lovey-dovey, Lustful, Teasing, Lots of sex, Teens, Young and Free
Words : 6,868
Hope you guys liked it. More Requested Fics, On The Way.
You hadn’t been back here in years.
The train hissed as it pulled into the station, the countryside stretching endlessly behind it — all green and gold, the scent of pine trees and dry grass sneaking in through the open windows. Cicadas buzzed like they were trying to drown out your thoughts, and the heat pressed against your skin like a heavy blanket.
You grabbed your bag and stepped onto the platform, blinking against the sun.
And there she was. Leaning against a pole with a piece of candy in her mouth and an annoyed look on her face, Ryujin didn’t even wave. She just gave you that same look she used to give when you stole her last bite of ice cream as kids — equal parts unimpressed and vaguely amused.
“Yo.” Her voice was raspy, a little lower than you remembered, and filled with a casual confidence that hadn’t existed when you were both twelve.
You stared for a second. Ryujin had changed.
Her once bowl-cut hair was now shoulder-length and messy, tucked under a faded baseball cap turned backwards. A white tank top clung to her frame, loose and stained near the hem. Her jean shorts looked like they’d survived three wars. And her knees were bruised. Still as tomboy as ever.
And yet, there was something else now — something grown-up, something wild in her grin. “I almost didn’t recognize you,” you said.
She popped the candy out of her mouth with a click. “That’s ‘cause I got hotter.”
You snorted, shouldering your duffel. “Still annoying, I see.” She bumped her shoulder into yours. “Still slow.”
And just like that, it was like nothing had changed. The walk back to the house was filled with awkward silences and the crunch of gravel under your shoes.
“You got taller,” she muttered, stealing glances at you.
“You got more violent,” you muttered back, rubbing your shoulder from where she hit you.
Ryujin laughed, loud and unfiltered, like she wasn’t trying to be polite. “What, did you expect me to run into your arms or something? Cry tears of joy?”
You shrugged. “I expected you to at least pretend to be happy to see me.”
“Dude, I am happy,” she said, grinning sideways at you. “I just don’t do the whole emotional ‘hug me, cousin I missed you!’ crap.”
“Clearly.” The sun beat down on your back as the familiar house came into view — the same wooden gate, the same rusted wind chime that made that off-key ting whenever the wind blew.
A part of you had been scared to come back. After everything. After growing up.
But Ryujin made it feel easier. Even if she was a chaos goblin in denim shorts.
You dumped your bag in the guest room. Same futon. Same tiny fan.
Your aunt and uncle were both still at work, so it was just you and Ryujin for the afternoon.
You hadn’t even finished unpacking when she barged in without knocking.
“Come on,” she said, arms crossed. “We’re going out.”
You blinked. “Going where?”
“Anywhere but here.” She rolled her eyes. “You didn’t come all the way out here to sit around and sulk in a dusty room, did you?”
You opened your mouth to argue, but she was already halfway down the hall.
You sighed, grabbed your phone, and followed.
She took you to the lake. You remembered this place — vaguely. A giant reservoir hidden behind a mess of trees and tall reeds. Back when you were kids, your parents never let you swim in it. Too dangerous, they said. Too deep.
Now?
Ryujin stripped her tank top off like it was nothing, revealing a black sports bra beneath. She toed off her sneakers and stood barefoot in the grass, eyes bright.
“I swear to god, if you don’t jump in, I’m pushing you.”
You hesitated. “I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”
“Neither did I.” She took a running start and cannonballed into the water with a scream.
You cursed under your breath — but something about the way she laughed, like the world couldn’t touch her, pulled you in.
The water was cold and sharp and perfect.
You surfaced beside her, blinking water from your eyes, and she immediately splashed you in the face.
“Ryujin!”
“Come on, loser! Fight me!”. And you did. You wrestled in the water like kids again, laughing until your sides ached. Until you were both floating side by side, the sky spinning above you.
Ryujin let out a sigh. “Told you it’d be worth it.”
You looked at her, water in her lashes, a soft smile on her lips.
“…Yeah. You were right.”
That night, you both lay on the roof, eating watermelon and pointing at stars.
“I thought you’d be boring,” Ryujin said, mouth full.
You rolled your eyes. “You say that like it’s a compliment.”
“It is. Boring guys make the best straight men for chaos.”
“You planned this, huh?”
She grinned. “Hell yeah I did.”
A silence settled between you — not uncomfortable, just familiar. Easy.
You glanced at her. “You’ve really grown up.”
Ryujin didn’t look at you.
“You haven’t,” she said. “Still soft. Still kind. Still trying to keep up.”
You smiled faintly. “Is that a bad thing?”
She turned her head then, just a little. Her voice was quieter when she answered. “No. It’s not.”
And under the stars, with the scent of watermelon and the cicadas screaming into the night, you felt something shift.
Something small.
But undeniable.
You wake up to a text from Ryujin.
7:03 AM wake up, slowpoke. we’re racing today. 🏁🚲💨
Your eyes squint at the screen. You’d stayed up until nearly 2 AM last night after stargazing, barely speaking but not wanting to go inside either. It was… nice. Peaceful.
This, however? This was war.
You step out into the hallway and immediately get hit by something soft — a rolled-up pair of socks smacks you right in the face.
“What the hell—”
Ryujin grins from the end of the hall, one foot planted on the wall behind her like she’s modeling for a 90s skate brand. “You looked too comfortable. Thought I’d fix that.”
You throw the socks back at her. She ducks.
“You said we’re racing?” you ask, brushing your teeth while she leans against the doorframe.
“Yeah. Bikes. Old route. You remember the one behind the rice fields?”
Your brain flashes to a dirt path cutting through green, sharp turns, dragonflies darting like missiles. “Barely.”
“Perfect,” she says, already slipping on fingerless gloves and tying her hair up. “No excuses when I destroy you.”
You end up on your uncle’s dusty old mountain bike, and Ryujin’s already two blocks ahead by the time you start pedaling.
“You absolute demon!” you shout.
She cackles over her shoulder, long legs pumping, wild hair flying out from under her cap. “You snooze, you lose!”
She cuts between trees like a local. You try to keep up, but she’s always just a little ahead. You catch glimpses of her through branches — the flex of her back muscles, her voice echoing through the woods.
It’s like she belongs to the chaos.
Eventually, you both stop at the top of the old hill overlooking the river.
She hops off, panting, and plops down in the grass.
“Told you I’d win.”
You collapse beside her. “That wasn’t a race. That was attempted murder.”
“Same thing, really.”
You’re sweating. She’s glowing.
You steal a glance at her — sun on her face, lips slightly parted as she catches her breath. Her sports bra clings to her skin, and you look away fast, heartbeat doing weird gymnastics.
“Hey,” she says suddenly.
You turn.
She grins. “You were looking at my chest just now, weren’t you?”
You sputter. “N-No!”
“I didn’t say it was bad,” she teases, leaning closer. “Just surprising. Didn’t think you had the guts.”
You nearly fall backward. She just laughs.
God, she’s trouble.
That afternoon, Ryujin drags you to the local store.
You haven’t been there in ages, but it smells the same — dusty wood, candy wrappers, and sun-warmed soda.
“Two mango sodas and those shrimp chips,” she says, tossing everything on the counter. “He’s paying.”
“Wait, what—?”
She elbows you. You shut up and pay.
On the walk back, she tears open the chips with her teeth and sticks one between your lips.
You blink at her. “I can feed myself.”
She shrugs. “I’m spoiling you. Don’t get used to it.”
That night, Ryujin barges into your room with a flashlight.
“Come on,” she says, tossing you a hoodie. “Bonfire time.”
Outside, near the riverbank, she’s already stacked twigs and paper and broken-up boxes. You help her light it.
She hands you a bottle of cheap cola. Sits close.
Too close.
The fire crackles. Her eyes shimmer orange in the glow.
“You remember that time we both fell into the koi pond?” she asks out of nowhere.
You smile. “You pushed me.”
“You pushed me first.”
“Yeah, because you cut my hair in my sleep!”
She laughs, full and loud. “It was a prank! You looked great.”
You shake your head. “You were a menace.”
“I am a menace.”
She falls silent for a beat. Then:
“But you never got mad. Not really.”
You look at her. Her expression is unreadable, the flames dancing in her eyes.
“You just… stayed.”
After the fire dies down, you lie on your backs in the grass. It’s cold. You can feel her elbow barely brushing yours.
“Truth or dare?” she whispers.
You snort. “Seriously? How old are we?”
“Pick.”
“…Truth.”
She turns to face you. “Do you like anyone right now?”
You freeze.
There’s a long pause. Then:
“…Maybe.”
She smirks. “Ooh, city boy’s got secrets.”
“Your turn.”
“Truth.”
“Same question.”
She turns away from you, staring at the stars.
Her voice is soft. “Yeah.”
You hold your breath.
She doesn’t elaborate.
Neither do you.
The next day is different.
The air feels heavier. The sky is clouded, and Ryujin’s unusually quiet. She doesn’t poke fun at your sleepy face. Doesn’t make you race her again. Just walks beside you, hands in her pockets, eyes somewhere else.
Eventually, you sit together on the porch, the sky threatening rain.
“You okay?” you ask.
She shrugs. “Just thinking.”
“You? Thinking? Must be serious.”
She laughs, but it’s a little hollow. “You ever feel like… the older you get, the more fake everything feels?”
You look at her.
She continues, “Like we’re all pretending. Pretending to be okay, pretending we know what we’re doing.”
You nod slowly. “Yeah. I feel that.”
She looks at you then — really looks.
“…But when I’m with you, I don’t have to pretend.”
The wind shifts. The first raindrops fall.
And for a second, you want to say something.
But she’s already standing.
“Race you to the shed,” she says, taking off.
You chase her.
Because that’s what you’ve always done.
Inside the tiny garden shed, both of you soaked, she tosses you a towel.
You dry your hair, heart pounding.
She sits on the bench, knees pulled up, watching the storm rage outside.
It’s quiet.
Then she says, “I liked you. Back then.”
You freeze.
She doesn’t look at you. “I don’t know if it was a cousin thing, or just because we were always together. But I liked you. Like, liked liked you.”
“…Ryujin.”
She finally turns.
And smiles — not her usual smug one, but something smaller. Sadder.
“I don’t think it ever went away.”
You don’t answer.
Not yet.
Because you don’t trust your voice.
Instead, you sit beside her, the rain thundering above you.
And she leans her head against your shoulder.
Just like that.
No teasing.
No jokes.
Just closeness.
And maybe — just maybe — you feel the same way.
Summer keeps going.
Days blend into nights, and the air grows thicker with each passing sunset. You fall into a rhythm with Ryujin — a rhythm of late-night bike rides, lazy mornings, watermelon slices, and quiet little wars in the form of teasing remarks.
But something’s changed.
You feel it in the way her eyes linger a second too long when you’re laughing. In the way she’ll shove you, but then her fingers curl around your wrist just to hold it there a moment longer. In how her silence now feels heavier — more charged — like there’s something always on the tip of her tongue.
And maybe you're the same.
Maybe you’ve started watching her too closely. Memorizing the lines of her smirk, the freckles on her shoulders, the way she throws her head back when she laughs like she doesn’t owe the world anything.
Maybe you’re starting to fall.
No — not starting.
You already are.
It happens on the third Thursday since you got here.
You’re helping Ryujin patch a flat tire on her bike, grease staining your fingers. She's crouched beside you, hair tied up in a haphazard bun, an ice pop dangling from her lips like some sort of bribe.
"You know," she says casually, "I don’t hate having you here."
You glance up at her.
She’s not looking at you. Just focused on the tire.
"That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said to me all week," you joke.
She shrugs. "Don’t get used to it."
But her voice is soft. The kind of soft she only uses when she means something and doesn’t want you to know she means it.
You hand her the wrench.
She takes it — and her fingers brush yours.
And she doesn’t pull away.
Neither do you.
That night, there’s a fireworks festival in town.
Ryujin shows up at your room in denim overalls and a sleeveless black crop top, holding two cans of soda like it’s no big deal. Her hair’s still a mess. Her nails are chipped. Her lips are cherry red from the popsicle she had earlier.
You’ve never seen anything more beautiful.
“You gonna keep staring, or are we leaving?” she says.
You don’t answer. You just walk beside her.
The festival is all noise and color — lanterns strung between trees, kids running barefoot, the smell of grilled squid and sweet syrup hanging in the air.
You and Ryujin sit on the hill above the main square, legs stretched out, shoulders almost — almost — touching.
The first firework explodes overhead.
Ryujin tilts her head back, lips parted in wonder.
You should say something. You should tell her.
Instead, you ask, “What’s your biggest fear?”
She blinks. Then laughs. “What kind of firework-date-question is that?”
“Come on,” you nudge her. “Humor me.”
She’s quiet for a moment.
Then: “I’m scared I’ll lose the people who make me feel real.”
You glance at her.
She’s not watching the sky anymore.
She’s watching you.
Later that night, you’re walking back.
The fireworks are over. The town’s lights are dim. The cicadas have returned in full force.
Ryujin reaches out and loops her pinky through yours.
She doesn’t look at you when she does it. Just keeps walking like it’s the most casual thing in the world.
Your heart nearly stops.
The air between you and Ryujin feels charged, like the moment before a thunderstorm. Her pinky is still looped through yours, a small but undeniable connection. You don’t pull away. Neither does she. The cicadas hum in the background, their rhythm steady, almost hypnotic. The night wraps around you both, heavy and warm, and for once, there’s no teasing, no sarcasm, no chaos. Just this.
Just Ryujin.
You glance at her. Her profile is sharp in the moonlight, her jawline softened by the faintest curve of her lips. She’s not looking at you, but you can feel the weight of her presence, the way she seems to anchor the entire world around you. It’s unnerving. It’s exhilarating.
“You’re quiet,” she says suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. “That’s new.”
You swallow, trying to find your voice. “Just… thinking.”
She laughs, a low, raspy sound that sends a shiver down your spine. “Dangerous.”
“You’re one to talk,” you shoot back, your voice steadier than you feel. “You’re the one who started this.”
Her grin falters for a split second, and she finally turns to look at you. Her eyes are dark, unreadable, but there’s something in them—something raw, something vulnerable—that makes your chest tighten.
“Maybe I did,” she says quietly. “But you’re the one who’s still here.”
The words hang in the air, heavy and electric. You don’t know what to say. You don’t know if you can say anything. All you know is that Ryujin’s hand is still linked with yours, and for some reason, that feels like the most important thing in the world.
She breaks the silence first, her voice lighter now, but not quite careless. “Race you back?”
You blink, caught off guard. “What?”
She smirks, the familiar mischievous glint back in her eyes. “You heard me. Last one to the house is a rotten egg.”
Before you can respond, she’s already taken off, her laughter trailing behind her like a challenge. You stare after her for a moment, stunned, before snapping out of it and sprinting to catch up.
She’s fast—faster than you remember—but you’re not about to let her win. Not tonight. Not when it feels like everything’s on the line.
You’re both breathless by the time you reach the house, Ryujin collapsing onto the porch with a triumphant laugh. “Told you I’d win.”
You lean against the railing, trying to catch your breath. “You cheated.”
She shrugs, unbothered. “All’s fair in love and war, right?”
You don’t miss the way her voice hesitates on the word love, the way her eyes flicker to yours for just a second before looking away. It’s subtle, but it’s there. And it’s enough to make your heart race all over again.
She stands, brushing herself off, and heads inside without another word. You follow, your mind still spinning, still trying to make sense of everything that’s happened tonight.
But when you step into the living room, Ryujin’s already there, leaning against the couch with that same unreadable expression on her face. She doesn’t say anything, just watches you, her eyes dark and intense.
You stop, feeling like you’re standing on the edge of a cliff. “What?”
She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she takes a step closer, then another, until she’s standing right in front of you. Her presence is overwhelming, her warmth seeping into your skin, her scent—citrus and something wild, something uniquely Ryujin—filling your lungs.
You can’t breathe. You can’t think. All you can do is stare at her, your heart pounding in your chest as she tilts her head slightly, studying you like you’re a puzzle she’s trying to solve.
“You’re different,” she says finally, her voice soft but firm. “Why?”
You swallow, your throat dry. “I don’t know what you mean.”
She raises an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. “Yes, you do.”
You don’t answer. You can’t. Because the truth is, you do know. You’ve always known. And now, standing here, with Ryujin so close you can feel her breath on your skin, it’s impossible to ignore.
She reaches up, her fingers brushing against your cheek, and you close your eyes, trying to steady yourself. Her touch is light, almost hesitant, but it sends a jolt of electricity through your entire body.
“Tell me,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
You open your eyes, meeting her gaze, and for the first time, you don’t hold back. “I’m thinking about you.”
She doesn’t say anything, but her eyes soften, her smile fading into something more serious, more intense. And then, without warning, she closes the distance between you, her lips brushing against yours in a kiss that’s both tentative and undeniable.
Your breath hitches, your hands instinctively finding her waist as she deepens the kiss, her fingers tangling in your hair. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, it’s everything Ryujin is—and it’s perfect.
When she finally pulls away, you’re both breathing heavily, your foreheads resting against each other. She looks at you, her eyes searching yours, and for a moment, you’re afraid she’s going to pull away, to laugh it off like it’s just another one of her pranks.
But she doesn’t. Instead, she smiles—a real, genuine smile—and says, “About time.”
You laugh, a little breathless, a little dazed. “You’re impossible.”
She grins, her usual mischief back in full force. “Yeah, but you like me anyway.”
And the thing is, she’s right. You do. You always have.
But before you can say anything, she’s already pulling away, her hand slipping into yours as she tugs you toward the stairs. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” you ask, though you already know the answer.
She looks back at you, her grin widening. “You’ll see.”
And just like that, the chaos begins again—but this time, you’re ready for it.
Ryujin stops abruptly at the foot of the stairs, her fingers tightening around yours. She turns, her gaze locking with yours, and there’s a flicker of mischief that makes your stomach twist. “Actually,” she says, her voice low and teasing, “let’s go this way instead.”
Before you can even process her words, she’s pulling you toward the kitchen. The house is silent except for the sound of your footsteps and the faint hum of the refrigerator. Your heart pounds as she leads you into the dimly lit room, her grip firm, almost possessive.
She stops in front of the counter, her back to the sink, and turns to face you. Her eyes are dark, intense, and they never leave yours as she steps closer—so close you can feel the heat of her body against yours. You swallow hard, your breath catching in your throat, as she presses you back against the counter.
“Ryujin…” you start, but she silences you with a finger on your lips.
“Shh,” she whispers, leaning in until her lips brush against your ear. “I’ve always wanted to do this.”
Her hands slide down your chest, slow and deliberate, and you shiver under her touch. She smells like summer—like sunscreen and sweat and something sweet, something distinctly her. Your hands find her waist almost instinctively, anchoring yourself as she tilts her head, her lips grazing the side of your neck.
“Do what?” you manage to ask, though your voice comes out hoarse, barely audible.
She pulls back just enough to meet your eyes again, her lips curling into that familiar smirk. “This.”
And then she’s moving, stepping away just long enough to reach into the pantry. She pulls out a jar of honey, holding it up like it’s some kind of prize. Your brows furrow in confusion, but before you can ask, she’s already unscrewing the lid.
“Ryujin,” you say again, your voice trembling. “What are you—?”
She doesn’t answer. Instead, she drizzles a thin line of honey down your chest, starting just below your collarbone and letting it trail down to your stomach. The sensation is cold at first, sticky and strange, but then she sets the jar aside and leans in, her tongue following the trail.
You groan, your head falling back against the cabinet behind you as her lips and tongue move over your skin, warm and wet and electric. She takes her time, savoring every inch, her hands gripping your hips to keep you in place. Every stroke feels like fire, lighting up every nerve in your body.
“Fuck,” you breathe, your fingers tangling in her hair as she works her way down. Her tongue flicks over a sensitive spot just above your navel, and you jerk involuntarily, your hips pressing forward.
She chuckles against your skin, the sound vibrating through you. “You like that, huh?”
“You’re such a menace,” you mutter, though your voice is shaky, and you’re pretty sure you’re not fooling anyone.
She pulls back just enough to look up at you, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “And yet, you’re not stopping me.”
You don’t have a response for that—mostly because you’re too busy trying to remember how to breathe. She smirks, clearly pleased with herself, and then she’s back at it, her tongue tracing patterns on your skin that leave you gasping.
“Ryujin,” you manage to say, your voice strained. “This is—”
“What?” she interrupts, looking up at you with those dark, teasing eyes. “Too much?”
You shake your head, your hands tightening in her hair. “No. Just… not enough.”
Her grin widens, and she shifts closer, her body pressing against yours as she licks the last traces of honey from your skin. “Good.”
She leans in then, her lips brushing against yours in a kiss that’s soft and slow and utterly maddening. Her hands slide up your chest, sticky from the honey, and you can’t help but groan as she deepens the kiss, her tongue sliding against yours.
You’re not sure how long it lasts—seconds, minutes, hours—but when she finally pulls away, you’re left breathless, your chest rising and falling rapidly. She looks at you with a mix of satisfaction and something else—something deeper, something that makes your heart race even faster.
“You taste sweet,” she murmurs, her thumb brushing over your bottom lip.
You laugh, though it’s shaky and uneven. “That’s the honey.”
She shakes her head, her smile softening. “No. It’s you.”
You don’t know what to say to that, so you don’t say anything at all. Instead, you pull her back in, your lips crashing against hers in a kiss that’s hungry and desperate and filled with all the things you’ve both been too afraid to say.
Her hands slide down your back, gripping the hem of your shirt and yanking it over your head before tossing it aside. Her own tank top follows, leaving her in just her sports bra, and you groan at the sight of her skin—smooth and golden and perfect.
“God, you’re beautiful,” you whisper, your hands skating over her sides, feeling the warmth of her beneath your fingertips.
She smirks, her hands sliding up your chest again. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
You laugh, but it’s cut short as she pushes you back against the counter again, her lips finding your neck as her hands explore your body. You’re helpless against her touch, your hips pressing forward as she grinds against you, her breath hot against your skin.
“Ryujin,” you gasp, your hands gripping her waist tightly. “We can’t—someone might—”
“No one’s home,” she interrupts, her voice low and filled with promise. “It’s just us.”
And just like that, any lingering hesitation evaporates. You kiss her again, hard and deep, your hands roaming over her body as she does the same to you. The kitchen falls away, the world narrows to just the two of you, and for once, everything feels right.
She pulls back just long enough to grab the jar of honey again, and this time, she drizzles it down her own chest, her eyes never leaving yours. “Your turn,” she whispers, her voice dripping with challenge.
You don’t need to be told twice.
You don’t hesitate. Your lips crash into hers with a hunger that surprises even you. Her hands tangle in your hair, pulling you closer as your tongues dance in a fiery rhythm. The taste of honey on her lips is intoxicating, sweet and sticky, and you can’t get enough.
Your hands move on their own, sliding down her back, feeling the heat of her skin beneath your fingertips. She arches into you, her body pressing against yours in a way that makes your breath hitch. You grip her hips, lifting her onto the counter with a strength you didn’t know you had. Her legs wrap around your waist instinctively, pulling you closer, and you can feel the urgency in the way she clings to you.
She moans softly into your mouth, a sound that sends a jolt of electricity straight to your core. Your hands roam her body, exploring every curve, every dip, committing her to memory. Her nails dig into your back, sharp and possessive, and you groan against her lips, the mix of pain and pleasure driving you wild.
You grind against her, the friction between your bodies sending waves of heat through you both. She whimpers, her head falling back as you trail kisses down her neck. Your teeth nip at her collarbone, and she gasps, her fingers tightening in your hair. “More,” she breathes, her voice a desperate plea.
You don’t need to be told twice. Your hands move to her chest, fumbling with the clasp of her sports bra. It comes undone with a soft click, and she shimmies out of it, her breasts spilling free. You take a moment to admire her, the way her chest rises and falls with each ragged breath, the way her nipples harden under your gaze.
Leaning down, you take one nipple into your mouth, swirling your tongue around it as she gasps and arches her back. Her hands grip your shoulders, her nails leaving faint crescent marks as you give her the attention she craves. You switch to the other nipple, your teeth grazing it gently, and she lets out a low moan that vibrates through your entire body.
“God, you’re—” she starts, but her words dissolve into a whimper as your hands slide down her sides, settling on her hips. You grip her tightly, pulling her closer as you continue to work her with your mouth.
Her legs tighten around your waist, and you can feel how much she wants you, how much she needs you. It’s intoxicating, the way she responds to you, the way she melts under your touch. You’ve never felt this kind of connection before, this kind of raw, unfiltered desire.
You pull back just enough to meet her eyes, her lips swollen from your kisses, her hair a wild mess around her face. “Ryujin,” you murmur, your voice rough with need.
She looks at you, her eyes dark with want, and smiles that mischievous smile that always drives you crazy. “What? Got something to say, city boy?” she teases, her voice a little breathless.
You smirk, your hands moving to the waistband of her shorts. “Just wondering how much trouble I’m about to get into.”
She laughs, low and throaty, and pulls you back in for another kiss. “You have no idea,” she murmurs against your lips.
You undo the button of her shorts, sliding them down her legs along with her underwear. She kicks them off, and suddenly, she’s completely bare before you, her skin glowing in the dim light of the kitchen. You step back for a moment, just to take her in, and she raises an eyebrow at you. “Like what you see?” she asks, her voice laced with amusement.
“You’re perfect,” you say, your voice hoarse with emotion. And you mean it. Every inch of her is perfection, from the way her hair falls over her shoulders to the way her chest rises and falls with each breath.
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a hint of a blush on her cheeks. “Enough staring. Get over here.”
You don’t need to be told twice. You step back between her legs, your hands on her hips, and she wraps her arms around your neck, pulling you down for another searing kiss. Her legs tighten around you, pulling you closer, and you can feel how wet she is, how ready for you.
You reach down between your bodies, guiding yourself to her entrance, and she gasps as you press against her. “Ryujin,” you murmur, your voice thick with need.
She looks up at you, her eyes dark and filled with desire. “I’m ready,” she whispers, her voice trembling slightly.
You push into her slowly, giving her time to adjust, and she lets out a soft moan, her nails digging into your back. She’s so tight, so warm, and it takes every ounce of self-control you have to keep from losing yourself in her completely.
“You feel amazing,” you murmur, your voice rough with need.
She laughs softly, her breath hitching as you start to move. “You’re not so bad yourself,” she teases, her voice a little shaky.
You start to move, slow and steady at first, letting her get used to the sensation. But then she digs her nails into your back, and the sound she makes is enough to make you lose control. You start to thrust harder, deeper, and she moans, her head falling back as she arches into you.
Her hands roam over your body, exploring every inch of you as you move together. Her fingers trace the muscles of your back, your shoulders, your chest, and every touch sends a jolt of electricity through you.
“Faster,” she breathes, her voice filled with need, and you oblige, picking up the pace. Her legs tighten around you, pulling you deeper, and she lets out a low moan that sends a shiver down your spine.
You can feel the tension building in her body, the way she clenches around you, and it drives you wild. You grip her hips tightly, pulling her closer as you thrust into her, and she lets out a cry, her nails digging into your shoulders.
“I’m close,” she gasps, her voice trembling with need.
You lean down, capturing her lips in a searing kiss as you drive into her, the sound of your bodies coming together filling the kitchen. She moans into your mouth, her body trembling as she reaches her peak, and you follow her over the edge, the force of your release leaving you both breathless.
You stay like that for a moment, your foreheads pressed together, your breaths mingling as you both come down from the high. She smiles up at you, her eyes soft and filled with something you can’t quite place.
“So…” she says, her voice teasing, “was that worth the wait?”
You laugh, pulling her closer. “Absolutely.”
She grins, her fingers tracing patterns on your chest. “Good. Because I’m not done with you yet.”
You raise an eyebrow at her, a smile tugging at your lips. “Oh yeah? What’s next, then?”
She leans in, her breath hot against your ear. “Let’s just say… you’re about to find out.”
And just like that, you’re pulled back into the chaos, the heat, the endless, breathless spiral of her. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.
Her fingers tighten around your wrist as she pulls you down the hallway, her bare feet padding softly against the wooden floor. The house is quiet except for the faint hum of the ceiling fan in the kitchen, still spinning from your earlier escapade. Ryujin glances over her shoulder, her hair falling in a messy cascade, her lips curving into that familiar, mischievous grin.
“Where are we going now?” you ask, your voice low, still catching your breath.
“You’ll see,” she says, dragging you toward her bedroom. The door creaks open, and she shoves you inside, following closely and shutting it behind her with a soft click.
Her room is exactly how you remember it — chaotic in the most Ryujin way possible. Clothes are strewn across the floor, a skateboard leans against the wall, and posters of bands you’ve never heard of cover the walls. The scent of her — something sweet and wild, like strawberries and pine — fills the air.
She turns to face you, her eyes dark and playful. “You’ve been holding out on me, cousin.”
You raise an eyebrow. “How so?”
She steps closer, her hands sliding up your chest, her touch sending shivers down your spine. “You’ve been acting all innocent, like you didn’t know exactly what you were doing back in the kitchen. But I know you. You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?”
You swallow, your throat suddenly dry. “Maybe.”
She laughs, soft and low, and presses herself against you. “Good. Because so have I.”
Her lips find yours again, eager and demanding, and you sink into the kiss, your hands tangling in her hair. She tugs at your lower lip with her teeth, pulling a soft groan from you, and then she’s pushing you backward until the back of your knees hit the edge of her bed.
“Sit,” she commands, her voice thick with desire.
You obey, your heart pounding as she straddles your lap, her thighs pressing against your hips. She leans in, her breath warm against your neck, and whispers, “You’re mine now.”
It’s not a question. It’s a statement. A claim. And you don’t argue.
Her hands roam over your chest, her touch feather-light but electric, and you can’t help but shudder under her. She kisses you again, deep and slow, her tongue teasing yours, and you lose yourself in the taste of her, in the heat of her body against yours.
“Ryujin,” you murmur against her lips, your hands gripping her hips.
“What?” she whispers back, her voice teasing.
“You’re driving me crazy.”
She smirks, pulling back just enough to look into your eyes. “Good. That’s the point.”
Before you can respond, she’s sliding off your lap and standing in front of you, her fingers hooking into the waistband of her shorts. She wiggles out of them slowly, deliberately, her eyes locked on yours, and then she’s standing there in nothing but her sports bra, her skin glowing in the dim light of the room.
You stare, unable to look away, your breath hitching in your throat.
She grins, her hands on her hips. “Like what you see?”
“You know I do,” you say, your voice rough.
She steps closer, her hands sliding up your chest again, and then she’s tugging at your shirt. “Fair’s fair, cousin.”
You pull it off, tossing it to the side, and she lets out a low whistle, her fingers tracing the lines of your abs. “Damn. You’ve been working out, huh?”
You smirk. “You’ve noticed.”
She laughs, shaking her head, and then she’s pushing you back onto the bed, climbing over you until she’s sitting on your hips. Her hands brace on your chest, and she leans down, her lips brushing against yours. “You’re not gonna be able to walk straight tomorrow.”
You groan, your hands sliding up her thighs. “Promises, promises.”
She kisses you again, hard and hungry, and you respond in kind, your hands roaming over her body, memorizing every curve, every dip. She pulls back, her breathing heavy, and reaches behind her to unclasp her bra. It falls away, and you’re left staring at her, your chest tight with want.
“Ryujin,” you say, her name a prayer on your lips.
She smiles, slow and wicked, and then she’s leaning down, her lips trailing down your chest, your stomach, until she reaches the waistband of your pants. Her fingers undo the button, the zipper, and then she’s pulling them off, leaving you bare before her.
She looks up at you, her eyes dark with desire. “You ready?”
You nod, unable to speak, and she grins, her hands sliding up your thighs. “Good.”
Her touch is electric, and when her lips wrap around you, you swear you see stars. Your hands tangle in her hair, your hips bucking against her, and she hums in approval, her tongue teasing you in ways that make you forget your own name.
“Ryujin,” you gasp, your back arching off the bed.
She pulls back, her lips slick, and grins up at you. “Not yet.”
Before you can protest, she’s climbing back up your body, her lips finding yours again, and then she’s guiding you inside her, her breath hitching as she sinks down onto you. She moans, her head falling back, and you grip her hips, helping her move, your bodies moving in perfect sync.
“You feel so good,” she whispers, her hands braced on your chest.
“You’re incredible,” you say, your voice strained.
She picks up the pace, her movements becoming more desperate, more urgent, and you meet her thrust for thrust, your hands roaming over her body, pulling her closer, deeper. Her nails dig into your chest, and you groan, the sensation only driving you wilder.
“Close,” she gasps, her voice trembling.
“Me too,” you say, your grip on her hips tightening.
She cries out, her body tightening around you, and you follow her over the edge, the world shattering around you as you both collapse into each other, breathless and spent.
Her head falls against your chest, her breathing ragged, and you wrap your arms around her, holding her close.
“That was…” she starts, her voice muffled against your skin.
“Amazing,” you finish for her.
She laughs, soft and sleepy, and presses a kiss to your chest. “Yeah. Amazing.”
You both lie there, tangled together, the room hushed except for the sound of your breathing. After a moment, she lifts her head, her eyes meeting yours.
“You’re not gonna be able to walk straight tomorrow,” she says again, her grin returning.
You laugh, shaking your head. “Worth it.”
She leans in, her lips brushing against yours. “Good. Because we’re not done yet.”
#kpop#kpop x reader#kpop x y/n#x male reader#beautiful#update#kpop smut#cousin#love#cousin love#tomboy girlfriend#sexfriends#itzy#itzy ryujin#itzy smut#itzy shin ryujin#ryujin smut#shin ryujin smut#tomboy ryujin#romance#teasing#kissing
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TAZ Dashboard Simulator 2 (Part 1)
🔥 lup-da-lup Follow
be back soon 💋 im gonna go fight this guy for my relic
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Ubmrella
#girl help #im trapped
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In your orbit!
🪩 avi-the-ball-guy
↻ woe-is-johann
🤼 best-fantasy-prowrestler-tournament Follow
Round 4: Semi-Finals
Jeff Angel Propaganda:
from @.ango-mcdango: I <3 JEFF ANGEL HE’S SO COOL AND HE ALWAYS CALLS HIS DAD
Jess the Beheader Propaganda:
from @.bagnus-murnsides: jess literally has a dope ass axe
#jess sweep
(379 notes)

🚀 cap-n-port
↻ you-know-from-tv Follow

┌───────────────────┐
😎 Anonymous asked:
Your captain looks gnc as fuck
└───────────────────┘
👖 lactosewarrior5000
YOU'RE INSANE
#Thank you very much!
(29,399 notes)
🐱 Sponsored by Fantasy Costco

You Don’t Need All of Your Blood; Here’s Why
The Director doesn’t want you to know this…


🎻 woe-is-johann
↻ avi-the-ball-guy

🪩 avi-the-ball-guy
cannonball system liveblog
🪩 avi-the-ball-guy
ball
🪩 avi-the-ball-guy
ball

🪩 avi-the-ball-guy
other. ball
#babe we gotta get you a fidget toy or something #clearly you're getting bored at work
(23 notes)

📔 sheesh-creesh
↻ lup-da-lup Follow

💋 lesbian-orc-lover Follow
lucretia was 18 when the ipre mission left??!? she should've been at the club!!

✨ you-know-from-tv Follow
oh trust me one of the planes we went to was a giant disco and lucy was freakin it sensitive style day and night

🔥 lup-da-lup Follow

real footage of lucretia at the club ↑↑
#I'm actually going to kill both of you #mutuals #queue never know what you'll find #reblogs
(35,095 notes)

❄️ neverwinter-heritage-posts
↻ magic-brian-with-an-i Follow

┌───────────────────┐
🚂 jerreeeeee asked:
is magnus burnsides gay??
└───────────────────┘
📖 dailycalebcleveland
why would you ask us, a caleb cleveland blog, this
#neverwinter heritage posts
(109,837,936 notes)

🧣 weaver-of-fate
↻ raven-queen-official

🐦⬛ raven-queen-official
i loev my beaugifyl wife so muchnohmygod

🐦⬛ raven-queen-official
where is smy wife i wanst to see herh

🐦⬛ raven-queen-official
hiiiiiiiidjiiii omg shge. is here :D
#apologies guys we hung out with pan and she got FUCKED up #you know how poker nights get #wife tag
(74 notes)

🐦 7-bird-watcher
↻ not-a-shitty-wizard Follow

🪄 mage-guy-19274637 Follow
people who actually like bugs are absolute freaks

🕷️ magic-brian-with-an-i Follow
wrong! spider attack
🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️
#sent to me
(6,074 notes)

🌈 lucretiaadventurezone
hi
#i simply had to make another one it was way too fun#can you spot all the references?#long post#fake tumblr post#taz balance#the adventure zone#a sydney original#taako#lup#barry bluejeans#davenport#istus#the raven queen#avi#johann#johavi#istus/the raven queen
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OK SO IM USED TO PEOPLE SHOOTING GUNS FOR THE 4TH IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR ITS NORMAL
BUT WHY IN THE NINE CIRCLES OF HELL AM I HEARING
FUCKING
CANNON FIRE?????????
CAN YOU GUYS STOP SETTING OFF FIREWORKS
ITS NOT THE 4TH OF JULY YET
ITS THE FIRST
YOU ARE WASTING YOUR FIREWORKS FOR NOTHING
-me, to literally everyone in town because fireworks have been going off for the past 2 hours
#tw caps#gunshots are normal#theyre annoying but not a big deal#this#this is not that#its happened 4 times now but they seem to have run out of cannonballs#edit to that last tag: they did not run out of cannonballs..#♡⊱a talks#4th#4th of july#fourth of july#07/04/23
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TW: Blood, Injury
Blood-splattered doublet of King Christian IV. of Denmark, ca. 1644 On the first of July 1644, King Christian participated in the sea battle of Kolberger Heath. He was badly wounded when a cannonball hit the cannon next to him, which exploded. The King lost one of his eyes, and several metal splinters pierced through his clothing. After the battle, the wounded King decided to keep his garments from this faithfull day as a memento. This includes his shirt, his velvet chest cloth, his cap and this velvet doublet with attached linen collar and cuffs. To this day, small fragments of metal still hide between the layer of fabric inside the doublet - where the exploding cannon had launched them in 1644.
This garment is exhibited at Castle Rosenborg in Denmark.
#historical fashion#historical costuming#fashion history#renaissance#renaissance fashion#history#17th century fashion#17th century#danish royal family#danish history#velvet
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Summary:
A smile takes hold of Elio’s features as Oliver’s doting gaze shifts between Jesse - currently pacing a bone-dry mudflat - and Noah, who’s shimmied up the gnarled tree trunk, itself; determined fingers stretched to where the course fibres of the rope’s other end are wedged firmly in the pendulous canopy.
THE BEST LAID SCHEMES OF MICE AND MEN
The late-afternoon shimmers with stationary heat; the muggy air typical of the syrup-slow days of August. The turquoise sky is equally photogenic - essentially cloudless where it skirts the remote, mountain peaks - and wiping the pollen from his tinted Persol’s Elio savours the fragrant aroma of basil and juniper as a gentle breeze rustles the stunted cedars that pepper his secret spot.
Though nowhere near as secret as it used to be, he’ll admit, scooping Little Ollie under one arm to clear a patch of brambles: his curiosity piqued by the intermittent hollers drifting beyond the ridge. The shadows have unspooled around them - his nine-year-old brother having scoured the wildflower meadow for butterflies, finches - and an occasional womp rat - and plucking a twig from his corkscrew curls Elio spins the budding X-Wing pilot over a clump of vibrant poppies; retracing their steps to the grassy riverbank upon which they’d sprawled out earlier.
The closer they get, the more boisterous the laughter becomes, yet brushing aside some trailing wisteria it’s Oliver’s magnetic energy he’s drawn to first: calmly treading water beneath a partially uprooted willow; a thick coil of rope tied snugly about his hips. Achelous personified, he’s like something from a dream, and a smile takes hold of Elio’s features as Oliver’s doting gaze shifts between Jesse - currently pacing a bone-dry mudflat - and Noah, who’s shimmied up the gnarled tree trunk, itself; determined fingers stretched to where the course fibres of the rope’s other end are wedged firmly in the pendulous canopy.
“The boys figured they’d make a swing,” Micol informs him, unscrewing the cap from a bottle of San Pellegrino.
“Edoardo spared some old moor line,” Miranda remarks, jerking her chin at the twin-hulled fishing boat trawling the westward cove.
With practised ease, she bundles Little Ollie into her lap - reapplying a generous layer of sunscreen no matter his squirming protestations - and Elio can only assume the project is going badly, albeit enjoyably, as Jesse lets loose a resounding whoop; Noah having successfully released his prize before launching himself at the Alpi Orobie in a haphazard cannonball.
“How long have they been at it?” he asks, rifling through their picnic basket for Mafalda’s homemade apricot juice.
The circuitous trek to the harbour was no quick ride, for starters.
Micol shoots him a smirk. “Half an hour in the river,” she says, distracting Little Ollie with a docile dragonfly. “Most of which they’ve spent wrangling the rope.” A beat. “When Ols wasn’t chasing it downstream, of course…”
“Of course,” Elio agrees, bemused and somewhat blinded by the Star of David glistening at the other man’s throat. “I guess that explains the belt, then?”
“Teamwork makes the dream work…” Micol murmurs, frowning at Jesse who’s attempting to scrabble up Noah’s back.
Still, at five foot five, and graced with a rower’s physique, she and Oliver’s eldest proves to be a friction-free surface, and the slippery silt sends Jesse tumbling; jolting his brother sideways in one, last heroic effort. They both emerge sputtering - raking the dark-blond hair from their foreheads - and Elio’s eyes turn automatically to their father: maintaining his place at the deeper centre despite the deceptive current.
Sun-kissed shoulders burnished in the dappled light.
Naked chest broad as ever; dusky nipples inciting memories of mapping that same flush of colour with his teeth.
But it’s more than that, however - more than just the physical - and Elio bubbles with happiness at the unselfconscious manner in which he carries himself; the confidence he’s fought hard to master since his life-altering return to B.
To him.
“Perhaps I should offer some advice…” he wonders aloud, recalling the untold salvage digs he’d partaken as a teenager.
Sure, there’s no bronze Boxers to dredge up here, but Micol just hums in faux consideration when Oliver’s forced to intervene: Noah holding Jesse captive via a hearty headlock. “What? And miss out on all the fun?” she says, New England accent rich with devilment. “Nothing wrong in keeping them humble, I’ve learned. Besides… this is better than the Summer Olympics.”
“Or the Three Stooges.”
“I heard that, Perlman!”
He’s grinning though, is Oliver, so kicking off his espadrilles Elio drops his shirt and glasses to the tartan blanket then wades into the shallows; gathering the fugitive rope en route to haul it after him. “Honnêtement! You need to lift and counter the undertow,” he says, biceps already straining when he transfers it over. “Reduce as much tension as possible, ouais?”
An anchoring grip finds his waist below the water; calloused thumb circling his navel in an absent-minded sweep. “Is there anything you don’t know?”
Elio snickers at Oliver’s coy expression. “Behave,” he mutters, untying the loop from his midsection. “I’ll climb, you’ll be my ballast,” he instructs, before tossing it to Jesse, also. “Once I’m in position, all you’ll have to do is pass that back, then help Noah steady your father for good measure.”
“Aye aye, Captain!” the agents of chaos chorus, and Oliver snickers in undisguised amusement as he hunkers lower; presumably studying their choice of branches ‘til Elio wriggles his toes against his thigh.
“Give me your hand, mio amato.”
Noah plants his feet whilst Oliver’s cheeks flood a pretty rosé; but be it from exertion or arousal he can’t quite tell. “Isn’t that my line?” he asks with a wink, the onyx engagement ring at Elio’s knuckle glinting as they make a common fist.
“Pronto?”
A huff. “Andiamo, Italiano.”
Elio braces his fingertips on Oliver’s sternum; a moth to his siren flame. “Uno, due, tre…”
Straight away, the pull of muscle flexes beneath golden skin, and Oliver grunts as he bears his weight; bunching the seat of his cargo shorts to aid his vertical momentum. They soon hit the tipping point of Oliver’s balance, regardless, yet their lurching stagger is somehow avoided when Elio slaps the rough-hewn bark with the heel of his palm.
“Jesse…”
“Ready when you are, Pro,” the younger man says, so Elio sets his jaw then gestures for the rolled-up moor line.
It takes a bit of wriggling - Oliver’s forearms wrapped securely across Elio’s trembling calves - but focused on their united purpose he hooks the prospective rope swing over a suitably angled bough; leaving the requisite amount hanging with which to circle the sturdy limb.
“Accidenti,” he grouses, foiled twice in as many minutes. “I can’t reach far enough to fasten it.” Swiping the sweat from his prickling brow, he bites his bottom lip. “I need to go higher.”
“Higher?!” Oliver asks as Jesse rises to the challenge; looping both arms around his abdomen.
“Sì, higher.” Elio props a knee on his fiancé’s shoulder. “Comparative adjective of Germanic descent. Regional derivative of the Old English hierra and hera.”
“I’ll show you a derivative…” Oliver growls - an intimate tease that has no business outside their bedroom - then grumbles something else it’s best Little Ollie doesn’t hear the moment Elio hoists himself upwards; trusting the mettle of his newfound family to keep him safely aloft.
“Almost there…” he assures, catching the furthest end with the crook of his elbow, and not wanting to strangle the growing tree he fumbles a running bowline, adding a simple double knot to the dangling length in order to boost the traction. “E finito!” Elio bellows, giving it an experimental tug, and both boys groan dramatically when Oliver steals a victor’s kiss; peeling to the side in such perfect synchronicity there’s zero hope of stopping the cart-wheeling plummet that follows.
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Klaus von Klinkerhoffen

≫i used to hate Klaus so much but ive started to love his character a lot actually Klaus headcanons requested by @mimpinightmare !! I hope this gets you in a good mood!!!!
general headcanons:
demi boy, asexual, gay, he/him pronouns
german!!!
the sweetest boy you’ll ever encounter
candies are his comfort food, especially the red ones with sour candy on top
has the prettiest blonde ever, sometimes paparazzi ask him what he does to keep his hair so golden (he just laughs, says that his aunts hair remedies are very good and goes on a rant about how her aunt is the best)
HAS FRECKLES
adores farm animals, animals in general
HUGE green flag
autism and social anxiety
childhood headcanons
grow up in a farm, with the help of his cousins they built a small football field
got injured ALL THE TIME
very sensitive kid, he wasnt born to live in the countryside
wore braces at some point
used to have a beautiful, long hair. Sadly, his parents made him chop it off
got made fun of a lot, crying in his room was a part of his daily routine
when he was bored he did some type of hairstyle, absolutely loved pigtails!
collected bottle caps, still does it
once almost drowned in a lake, developed a fear to swimming since that and didnt grow out of it until he joined the team (North helped him a lot with it)
how I think he’d dress
he gives me a lot of cottage vibes, but also a downtown brownish vibe too! I think he’d love scarfs and handmade sweaters. Such as


anything that reminds him of his grandma really
music taste
likes all kinds of music, doesnt really pay attention to the lyrics
some examples of his music taste are
Walk like an Egyptian (The Bangles), Honey, Honey (ABBA) cannonball (The Breeders) Blitzkrieg Bop (Ramones)
well, first request completed! I’m sorry if I take a long time to make your request, but I’m so excited to see people requesting!! Thanks a lot
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(turns out McKay's DIDN'T have Mad Max cars lying in wait on the last leg of the trip to protect their prize money by taking out anyone who made it that far)
The family and I did the Ultimate McKay's Road Trip Challenge and had a great time. McKays had clearly prepared, and probably to the capacity that they could've, but the sheer volume of folks participating far outstripped what they were capable of handling according to their original plan and they were working like crazy to pivot as conditions changed from store to store, lines and parking situations became unsafe or unmanageable, and supplies ran out (ink for the stamps, paper for the forms, etc, in addition to the prizes).
Despite all this, and despite the chaos, almost everyone we encountered (and we encountered a lot of folks) was excited to be there, grateful for the store's generosity, and, for those that made it all the way across, elated to have completed it and received the wildly large grand prize.
The grand prize, BTW, was $800 in credit to be used at any of the stores. I've bought hundreds of books over the years from McKays, mostly priced between 75 cents and four dollars; At their prices, $800 is essentially a lifetime supply of used books.
And they didn't have a cap on the number of winners; if you did it, you got it.
The challenge was to celebrate their 50th anniversary, and I hope that the logistical challenges, which were many & staggering (though far moreso for the stores than the participants, save for the heat for those susceptible to it), don't cast a negative light on a branch of bookstores for whom so many thousands and thousands of people have such enthusiasm and affection as to prompt their participation in a 500+ mile cannonball run in the middle of a july worksweek.
I'm sure that the customers wish some things had been done differently and planned for differently, but not nearly as much as do the McKays folks. But this wasn't a Fyre Festival, this was a Woodstock.
Anyway, it was stressful at times, and we fretted over the possibility of its completion, but McKays bent over backwards to try and make it to where if folks were committed to making the whole trek, they got the whole prize. They made tons of allowances as situations changed.
If you haven't been to a McKays, and are ever passing along I-40, I hope that the mania surrounding this event gives makes clear how beloved this shop is to folks who live in Tennessee and North Carolina, and outsiders (like me) who pass, and stop at, it frequently, and makes you wanna see why.
It's the best used bookstore I've ever been to (no individual McKay's store has the scale and scope that does Powell's or the Strand, but their prices are DRAMATICALLY lower than either). I'm incredibly grateful for their prompting and hosting such a great adventure with my fellow readers, and their generosity in prizes in celebration of fifty years.
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* * * *
TRUMP CRASHES THE CLOWN CAR
TCinLA
Dec 18, 2024
From Punchbowl News:
News: President-elect Donald Trump cannonballed into the government funding battle at the 11th hour, trashing Speaker Mike Johnson’s 1,547-page CR and calling on Congress to raise the debt limit just days before the federal government is slated to shut down.
In a long statement on X, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance called on Congress to pass a debt-limit bill on “Biden’s watch.” Republican leadership on Capitol Hill hadn’t considered including the debt limit in any recent negotiations, although Trump has been griping about having to deal with the borrowing cap for weeks.
Federal agencies shut down Friday at midnight if Congress doesn’t act. The House announced that there are no more votes this evening.
Trump’s statement was the final blow to a CR package that was already a hugely embarrassing setback for Johnson. The House Freedom Caucus had been bitterly opposed to the bipartisan package, which includes $100 billion in disaster aid, $30 billion in support for farmers, health care and trade provisions and even a pay raise for lawmakers, a controversial move.
It’s an inauspicious start to Trump’s relationship with Johnson who, theoretically, is his governing partner. Trump privately trashed Johnson to senators, saying the speaker “mishandled” the situation, according to GOP sources.
“Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025,” Trump and Vance said. “The only way to do that is with a temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling. Anything else is a betrayal of our country.”
The stopgap funding bill, which congressional leaders released Tuesday night, was indeed a monstrosity. It was an 84-day spending bill that included dozens of provisions completely unrelated to general government operations. As we noted this morning, the legislation was far too broad and sweeping for a short-term spending bill.
Yet Johnson felt he had to give into Democratic demands on a host of provisions because the speaker insisted on the inclusion of economic aid for farmers. Democrats took advantage of Johnson’s position and scored a number of key wins.
What’s next? As of right now, there’s no clear path forward on how Congress plans to avoid a shutdown in just two days.
House GOP leaders have been weighing a Plan B – a clean CR – but House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled Democrats aren’t inclined to bail Republicans out after Johnson backed out of their bipartisan funding deal.
“You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow,” Jeffries said on X.
One Democratic lawmaker said if Nancy Pelosi were the party’s leader, she’d make Republicans pass the bill on their own.
Whatever Republicans decide, they need to move quickly – and with Trump’s blessing. The House and Senate both have to pass a bill in two days in order to avoid even a technical shutdown.
And what about Johnson? A face plant of this nature could imperil Johnson’s political future. The anger – and the anger in the ranks is very real right now – could blow over. We get it. But the speaker election is Jan. 3. That’s just 16 days away.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) already said he wouldn’t back Johnson for speaker. Massie had been leaning that way but said this latest CR debacle was a “tipping point.”
And we hear from multiple sources there are more Republicans – at least two – who are in Massie’s camp. Some Johnson critics are already privately floating names behind the scenes of alternatives they’d prefer for speaker, such as House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan or House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Jordan and Emmer both ran for speaker after the conference ousted Kevin McCarthy. They both lost. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise could also be in the mix.
Arizona GOP Rep. Eli Crane told us he was “undecided” about voting for Johnson and confirmed there’s talk behind the scenes about a potential alternative. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) is leaning “no,” we’re told. Reps. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) have been non-committal. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) is always a wild card.
Johnson can only afford to lose three Republicans on the floor, given former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) resignation and assuming all Democrats are present.
And how about Musk? Elon Musk, Trump’s buddy and the mega-billionaire, posted early and often on his platform X today about the bill.
Musk said that any “member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Remember that Musk spent hundreds of millions of dollars electing Trump. He can spend several millions of dollars and have outsized impact in House primaries.
We also heard he’s been in direct contact with several members regarding the CR throughout the last 24 hours.
Johnson and the GOP leadership in D.C. elevated Musk as the leading figure on cutting government waste. And now that is coming back to bite them.
Welcome to Trump’s Washington.
- - - - - -
My analysis: This is an excellent example of the way things are going to be for the next two years. Trump hasn’t got the brains to swat flies, and his acts are all against any form of intelligence. Even when they get back their three votes, The Gang That Can’t Work And Play Well With Others will continue to shoot themselves in the foot.
My prediction: the government will shut down at midnight Friday, and these clowns will be stuck all through Christmas week with nothing to distract the news from watching them careen from fuckup to fuckup. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving collection of scum and villainy.
They can’t find their collective ass with both hands on a clear day with a two hour advance notice. This is going to be the case with all the bullshit and buffoonery they say they want to inflict on us.
My holiday message to the Trumpscum: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, you collection of worthless motherfuckers. May you continue to trip over the shoelaces you don’t know how to tie.
#This Modern World#Tom Tomorrow#Christmas#empathy#political cartoons#TCinLA#Trumpscum#Government Shutdown#FAAFO#Trump's Washington#dysfunctional House of Representatives
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bts as my favorite jellyfish 🫧
. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.
+ cool jellyfish facts
(another list no one asked for. shark list can be found here)
☆ jin: moon jellyfish

probably don’t need an explanation for this one, simply for the fact jin in the moon and pretty like jellyfish
moon jellyfish can survive in both warm and cool waters!! they’re very social and travels in groups, also known as ‘smacks’ (that’s so silly). some members of the moon jellyfish species live without brains, ears, hearts, blood, eyes and pretty much anything we’re used to having as humans: they have 3 main elements to their existence, they’re 95% water, a mouth and a digestive system. they have their own version of a nervous system though, and without any lungs they breathe through their membrane
☆ taehyung: upside-down jellyfish

upside-down jellyfish are hella unique, taehyung is hella unique. basically a perfect match if you ask me
the different colors seem in upside-down jellyfish comes from their intake of algae. aquarists can tell captive jellyfish from wild upside-down jellyfish, the wild jellyfish have more of a muddy brown color where as the ones in the aquarium are usually a blue, black, white, green or purple!!! they’re rarely found alone, and flips upside-down alongside others of its kind. their little oral arms point up to the sun, looking like a little flower!!! :D
☆ yoongi: cannonball jellyfish

cannonball jellyfish are cute and yoongi is just a cutie kinda guy. i don’t make the rules
they’re carnivorous, eating fish eggs, red drum fish larvae and planktonic larvae of mollusks and snails. they use their little oral arms to move!! when the jellyfish is disturbed, they dive deeper into the water and release toxin-containing mucus! they can sense light gravity and touch. though communication between them isn’t understood really well, sometimes the jellyfish will form larger groups :D they can reproduce both sexually and asexually: they sexually reproduce in the medusa state (what we all commonly know as jellyfish) where they lay eggs that develop into planulae (basically swimming jellyfish larvae)
☆ jungkook: mushroom jellyfish

i kinda love the the little mushroom mullet jungkook used to have hence he is the mushroom jellyfish
their common name refers to their shape of them in the medusa stage: mushroom cap!!!!! they’re often confused with the canonball jellyfish as they both lack oral arms. the mushroom jellyfish is much flatter, softer and larger as it can grow up to 51cm. mushroom jellyfish survive off plankton parts which are pushed out of their umbrella by the water and caught between their sort of finger like appendages!! they don’t really pose as a stinging threat to humans because of their lack of tentacles. however their stinging cells reside within their little bell :D
☆ hobi: lion’s mane jellyfish

lion’s mane jellyfish look cool as hell, and hobi is probably one of the coolest people i can think of 🤨
lion’s mama jellyfish use their stinging tentacles to capture and eat fish, zooplankton, sea creatures and other smaller jellyfish. kingfish will hide within the stinging strands and feed on the leftover jellies until they’re big enough to venture out into the ocean. lion’s mane jellyfish can grow up to 120 feet. they don’t actually have a very long lifespan, only living for around a year :( they can have up to 1200 tentacles. they also have neurons, a ring of nerves within their hoods. without an actual brain and eyes they rely on these nerve cells to perceive and respond to threats. they poop out of where they eat, and eat out of where they poop :D
☆ namjoon: portuguese man-of war


okay so for this one, i watched a long ass video on jellyfish one time and the way they described the portuguese man of war was like kinda super cool and the big boy jellyfish. so to go hand in hand with my choice of shark for namjoon, this one felt fitting
kinda a cheat one because they’re not really jellyfish even if they look very alike. however are featured in jellyfish videos and lists alike so they count on this list too. they’re actually siphonophores, which is essentially a cluster of organisms called polyps that depend on each other for survival!! despite being a slightly scary creature they themselves have predators, (which are super smart). the violet sea slug uses a bubble raft to float close to the surface of the water. they have dark purple undersides which help them camouflage in the darker waters. sea slugs also eat the man-of-war, using a similar strategy, however!! they can also repurpose the stinging cells of their meal for their own self defense!!! the float on the portuguese man-of-war is partially filled with carbon monoxide. and was named after its resemblance to ships :D they also kinda just drift, riding the current with no means of propulsion
☆ jimin: flower hat jellyfish


flower hat jellyfish are pretty, and so is jimin. need i say more
(again they’re technically not jellyfish despite the name, they’re classified as hydrozoa). flower hat jellyfish usually live close to the sea floor with kelp and sea grass. they’re native to small areas of the western pacific ocean with smaller groups individually scattered elsewhere. they prefers moderate moderate depths and warmer temperatures :D they mainly feed on varieties of small fish, where most will occasionally consume small marine invertebrates which they’ll scoop from the ocean floor!! they’re actually quite powerful predators who don’t have many predators of their own however, they have been known to consume one another :(
okay that’s all thank you for reading !!!!
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