#Custom Backing Cards Packaging

[crime-scene-psychic]

never thought I'd type out the sentence "my Kingdom Hearts game got stuck in an Amazon Locker" but here we are

[fear-is-truth]

જ⁀➴ HOW THEY CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY WITH YOU

ft. bruce wayne ‧ dick grayson ‧ jason todd ‧ damian wayne ‧ tim drake — headcanons

a/n: happy valentine’s day !! ♡

BRUCE WAYNE doesn’t really care about valentine’s day. he cares about you, though, which means he acknowledges it, even if he’d rather ignore the whole ordeal. a private dinner, away from prying eyes, in a restaurant where the lighting is low and the waitstaff are paid to be invisible. at some point, he slides a gift across the table—carefully chosen, either indulgent or deeply personal. a diamond necklace, or maybe a signed first edition of your favourite book—something you’d mentioned in passing months ago, tucked away in a conversation. he remembered. later, in the limo, bruce pulls up the partition before finally, finally catching your mouth in a kiss.

DICK GRAYSON loves valentine’s day. loves love. loves you. so he goes all out. you wake up to breakfast in bed: heart-shaped pancakes smothered in syrup with strawberries piled high. the card he hands you has a corny pun, but devastatingly sweet. he pairs it with an enormous teddy bear (too big to fit on the bed) the whole day is an adventure—ice skating, movie, rock-climbing, and when the sun starts to dip under the horizon, he leads you to the rooftop, setting up a picnic under the stars with an overpriced bottle of wine.

JASON TODD thinks valentine’s day is bullshit. it’s a scam designed to separate idiots from their money over overpriced chocolates and flowers that die in a week… but if it matters to you, then it matters. so he shows up at your door, a second helmet in hand, jerking his head toward the motorcycle without a word. he takes you on a ride through the city, the wind whipping past, your arms wrapped around his waist. when you get back, instead, when you get back, he orders greasy takeout—nothing fancy, just what you both want. the food barely lasts ten minutes before it’s abandoned, containers shoved aside, forgotten as he pins you onto the couch. the whole night was just prelude to this.

DAMIAN WAYNE does not partake in artifice or frivolity. no, he doesn’t acknowledge valentine’s day at all. the flowers, chocolates, saccharine bullshit irritates him. but you wake up to find a oblong wrapped package on your nightstand, and when you open it, it’s a weapon. a beautiful, custom-forged blade, perfectly balanced, your initials engraved into the hilt. when you ask him about it, he barely glances up from his sketchbook. if you are to be involved with me, you should be properly equipped. but you think you can see the tiniest flicker of satisfaction when you tell him you love it.

TIM DRAKE planned the entire thing weeks in advance. he’s always been an overthinker, and wants everything to be perfect for you. he shows up at your door slightly frazzled, running on caffeine and pure determination. over dinner (the reservation booked since christmas), he hands you a small velvet box. inside, a minimalistic yet stylish bracelet—just when you‘re about to thank him, he just smirks and presses the clasp. it’s not just jewelry. it’s a custom-built device, wired with a discreet GPS tracker, a silent distress signal, and—his personal favourite—a high-voltage taser disguised as a charm. just in case, he tells you, like it’s an afterthought.

 fear-is-truth 2025 — all rights reserved. do not modify, repost, translate, or plagiarise my content.

[yanderedrabbles]

💕 Yandere Valentine's Day Gifts ♥️

Prompt: You own the local flower shop. It's Valentine's Day. Which customers will be popping in?

Yandere! Sugar Daddy calls you two weeks before Valentine's to order fifteen separate bouquets for his darling. Every exotic and rare shade that roses come in.

"I want them delivered fresh. Early morning please."

"Yes sir, I can manage that," you tell him, still reeling at the ridiculously large amount he just paid you.

On Valentine's Day, his maid let's you and your crew into his penthouse. You can't help but let out a low whistle when you see the size of the place.

He directs you to set the bouquets out around the living room. The morning light from the floor to ceiling windows catches on the glitter you dusted across the arrangements.

He has a sort of nervous energy - arranging and then rearranging the flowers. You sometimes hear a thumping, banging sound from deeper in his penthouse but when you ask him about it he says its just the building creaking. You don't know much about skyscrapers this high and so you let it go.

When it's all finally to his satisfaction, he tips you and your crew very generously. As you leave, you see him setting out a whole slew of iconic Tiffany jewellery boxes.

His darling will be showered with the most expensive love money can buy. Whether they want it or not.

Yandere! Bisexual Best Friend breezes into your shop like a true haute couture diva. He looks over his designer sunglasses and snorts with disdain at the traditional red bouquets.

"Nothing so cliche for my girl," he tells you.

He orders pink and white camellias, with sprigs of baby's breath. He has you wrap the stems in matching pastel paper. When you ask him if he'd like to include a card, he writes his message in a beautiful, looping cursive.

'I know no boyfriend will get you flowers that you actually like. That's why you have me. Happy Valentine's Day gorgeous.'

"Very elegant," you tell him.

"Thanks. I'm meeting her for brunch and drinks after this."

He shows you his other gift for his darling. A bottle of expensive perfume, in a glittery blush pink box.

When you ask him if his friend has any dates planned, he tilts his head and smiles without any warmth at all.

"Not if I can help it."

Yandere! Actor doesn't come into the shop or call you directly. It's his hurried, harried assistant that places the order.

"Five dozen roses in a single bouquet. I'll bring you some chocolate that he wants between the flowers. Oh, and a card. Don't forget the card."

When she drops off the chocolate for you to use in your arrangement, you can't help but want to look up the price. Everything from the packaging to the hefty weight of each chocolate screams luxury artisanal brand.

The final arrangement is beautiful, but in a looking-good-on-camera sort of way. You don't know the order is for him until his assistant accidentally let's it slip who her boss is. Your eyebrows shoot up but you manage not to ask any questions. A billionaire and now a celebrity. Seems like everyone wants to be extra romantic this year.

"What does he want on the card?" you ask, pen poised.

"Oh, he sent one for you to use." She hands you a card printed on thick cream paper, elegant in its minimalism. You glance at the writing before you can stop yourself.

'A star like you deserves all the flowers. Happy Valentine's dollface.'

Cute. The exact sort of thing you'd expect from a heart throb like him.

It's only when you see him and his darling on the red carpet later that night - his arm around their waist the entire night - that you begin to wonder if there's more to their relationship than meets the eye.

Yandere! Werewolf shows up right before you close, hands on his knees while he catches his breath. He ran straight to your shop after football practice and there's still grass stains on his chin.

"Oh god, tell me I'm not too late for roses." He looks so worried that you take pity on him and agree to look in the back for any bouquets that might have slipped under the radar.

He must be supernaturally lucky, because you manage to find a dozen red roses. When you get back to the front, he's taken out the rest of his gifts from his backpack.

There's an overstaffed werewolf plush, an extra large leather dog collar, some pre-packaged bones and a chew toy.

"Interesting selection," you say as you ring up his flowers.

He rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah. They uh... have a dog. It's mostly for the dog."

You get the sense he isn't being entirely honest, but you're not the type to pry. When you're done, he shoots you a gorgeous smile.

"I totally owe you one. You really kept me out of the doghouse."

He's just about to leave when he suddenly remembers something. He digs in the pocket of his letterman jacket and pulls out a clear packet of candy hearts. You look closer and realise he must have picked out individual sweets just for their message. They're repeated again and again.

'Be mine.'

'Yours forever.'

'Kiss me.'

"Do you think these are canine safe?" he asks you. You think about it for a second and then nod.

It's only after he's left that you wonder what sort of dog would want to eat candy like that.

[feminist-space]

Please remember if you need to call a business, go to their actual website (or for example for credit cards, use the number on the back of the card) to get their official phone number.

Do NOT trust the number you find on a Google search. Some of those are going to be scam numbers.

For example:

-folks have called in to what they thought were airline customer service to troubleshoot a canceled flight, only to be prompted to pay for new tickets or rescheduling fees, only to discover later that they had just given credit card information to a scammer instead of the airline

-folks have called in to healthcare facilities to schedule or change appointments and ended up giving their ssn information to what turned out to be scammers instead of actual healthcare phone operators

-folks have called in to troubleshoot missing packages only to be asked to download an app by a scammer, who uses that app to access their devices

It's worth the time and critical scrutiny to make sure you're calling the correct number. With the new administration coming in being hell-bent on dissolving the CFPB, this is only going to get worse going forward, and we all need to look out for it.

[aventurineswife]

Could I request Jing Yuan, Dan Heng, Aventurine and Ratio with a very generous and doting partner who makes them an abundance of gifts?

New weapons, a couple plushies, and many more

Gifts of the Heart

Tags: Jing Yuan x Reader, Dan Heng x Reader, Aventurine x Reader, Ratio x Reader, Fluff, Gifts, Tender Moments, Soft Romance, Lighthearted, Emotional Vulnerability, Comfort, Slice of Life, Found Family.

A/N: why was I listening to cure while writing this? 💀

Jing Yuan's office was a sanctuary of calm amidst the chaos of the Xianzhou Luofu. However, today it was anything but calm. Piled high on his usually immaculate desk were an assortment of meticulously crafted gifts: a new weapon stand made of polished silver, embroidered cushions for his chair, and a plush lion that looked suspiciously like Mimi.

You walked in with another package, your cheeks flushed with effort and excitement. "I thought you might like these," you said, setting down the final bundle—a lightweight, beautifully designed cape lined with reinforced threads, perfect for both combat and ceremony.

Jing Yuan leaned back in his chair, his eyes glimmering with amusement. “Dozing General or not, I fear I might soon become the spoiled General if this continues.”

You smiled, brushing off his teasing. “It’s not spoiling if you deserve it.”

He reached for the plush lion and held it up, a rare chuckle escaping his lips. “Even Mimi has a twin now. Truly, you leave no detail overlooked.” His tone softened, and he leaned closer, his expression uncharacteristically tender. “You’ve made my world a much brighter place. Thank you, truly.”

Dan Heng was used to silence. It was his comfort zone, a shield against the chaos of the universe. But lately, the quiet in the archives had been punctuated by the rustling of gift-wrapped packages.

At first, he had been perplexed. Who needed a custom-crafted spear attachment inlaid with celestial patterns? Or a weighted blanket embroidered with stars and constellations that mirrored his room’s nightlight setting? And the plushies—one resembled Cloud-Piercer, another was an adorable caricature of his own stoic self.

You stood behind him, watching as he carefully examined a new spear stand. “Do you like it?” you asked hesitantly.

Dan Heng turned, his expression unreadable but his eyes softer than usual. “You don’t have to go to such lengths for me.”

“I want to,” you said simply. “You deserve to feel cared for.”

He hesitated, then reached for the plush Cloud-Piercer and placed it on his desk. “Thank you. I… appreciate everything.” His voice was quiet, but the sincerity in it spoke volumes. For the first time in a long while, Dan Heng felt that his solitude wasn’t a burden he had to bear alone.

Aventurine’s office was a chaotic display of opulence and extravagance, but now it had taken on a more personal touch. Golden dice-shaped ornaments dangled from the corners, a new set of playing cards lay on his desk, and a plush peacock sat proudly atop his chair.

“Another gift?” he asked, his signature smile playing on his lips as you entered with a set of intricately designed cufflinks shaped like roulette wheels.

“Only the best for you,” you replied, setting the box down. “I noticed your old ones were scratched.”

Aventurine picked up one of the cufflinks, holding it up to the light. “These are exquisite. You truly outdo yourself every time.”

You shrugged, grinning. “I just want to see you happy.”

His expression flickered, the mask slipping for a brief moment as he regarded you with something raw and unspoken. “You know, most people give me things expecting something in return. But you… you just give.”

“That’s because I care about you,” you said gently. “No strings attached.”

Aventurine chuckled, sliding the cufflinks into place. “You’re a dangerous one, you know that? Making me feel things I thought I’d buried long ago.”

Ratio’s lab was a temple of precision and order. Each piece of equipment had its place, every book meticulously cataloged. And yet, amidst the sterility of science, there was now a peculiar warmth: a plush owl perched on his desk, custom bookmarks tucked into his volumes, and a set of tools engraved with his initials.

“Another package?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as you entered with a sleek case.

You opened it to reveal a new set of instruments, polished to perfection and designed with ergonomic grips. “I thought these might help with your work.”

He inspected them with a critical eye, his expression unreadable. Finally, he set them down and turned to you. “You have an uncanny ability to surprise me.”

“I just want to make your life a little easier,” you said, smiling. “You work so hard; you deserve it.”

Ratio’s gaze softened, the sharp edges of his intellect giving way to something more human. “It’s rare for someone to see beyond the intellect and treat me as a person. You’ve done more than that—you’ve made me feel valued in ways I didn’t think possible.”

He reached for the plush owl, holding it up as a small smile tugged at his lips. “Even this has its charm. Thank you, truly.”

[threadbearsweater]

Divorced dad Nanami who still pines after his ex wife until he meets you, the adorable bakery owner who makes the best focaccia he's ever tasted. He tells himself it's just the bread. The warm, inviting atmosphere of your storefront. The way you smile at him when he starts visiting several nights a week on his way home from the office, like you've picked up on some ulterior motive of his that even Nanami himself isn't aware of.

He visits one Saturday morning with a cute, small companion with the same sharp brown eyes you've come to find yourself daydreaming of in moments alone. She presses her tiny face against the glass case where all of your sweets are displayed and points to a giant chocolate chip cookie.

"That one, daddy. Please?" She looks at him and pokes her little bottom lip out. As if she'd ever have to beg him for a thing.

You're busy packaging up her cookie and a loaf of rye and making polite small talk with the girl when you hear the bell above your front door ring.

"Welcome in! I'll be right with you," you call with a smile. The new customer doesn't say a word to you, but you look up to see a very put-together woman with a deep frown on her delicate features. She crosses her arms over her chest and positively glowers at Nanami.

"So it's her," she says simply.

The little girl turns around, chocolate already smeared across her cheek from the giant cookie in her hand. "Mommy!"

Nanami seems to stand straighter, and his cheeks flush a brilliant pink. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't play dumb," the woman says. "You haven't stopped raving about this bread for weeks." She nods curtly to you. "I doubt if it's the bread, Kento."

Caught in their crosshairs, you announce the total price for Nanami's purchases. He seems to blink himself out of a trance and hands you his card with a mumbled apology. You wonder why he feels the need to apologize on this woman's behalf, and suddenly, you feel as if you're intruding on some intimate argument. There's history here, and you smile sympathetically at their little girl, who seems totally unbothered by the tension between her parents.

"Doesn't matter, I guess. It's not like we're married anymore," the woman says with a look toward you that you can't read. "Maybe now you'll finally leave me alone and move on." She's haughty, with her nose in the air and bitterness in her tone.

Nanami looks at you as if he wants to say something, but seems to think better of it. He grabs his daughter's hand and nods to you in thanks, then steers her toward the door.

"Bye, mommy!" she calls through a mouthful of cookie, waving a little hand as her father guides her away.

"Two baguettes, please." Your attention is drawn back to the woman at the counter, whose lips are spread into a thin, mirthless smile. "And don't let him waste your time."

You can't help but bark out a laugh. "I beg your pardon?"

"We've been divorced for 2 years," she confides as if she's letting you in on some grand secret. "He hasn't moved on, clearly."

You nod, trying to conceal your grin. "Clearly."

She pays you for the bread and leaves without another word, and you have to brace yourself against the counter when she's gone.

What? Was that?

The next time Nanami visits, it's to buy another cookie for his daughter.

And slip you his number when he pays with cash.

[junnylunny]

Cafe Owner ˚

! synopsis: you specifically order two matcha lattes every morning for your boss. however, one day, the cute café owner's kind gesture breaks your repetitive schedule and begins a new chapter with him.

! word count: 722

=======================

you hurriedly got in line, relieved to see the short line in front of you.

"next in line, please," a familiar face welcomed the customer: it was the café owner.

a week ago, the café opened on the first floor of your company. in contrast to the past cafe's unpopularity, employees rushed to get a cup of coffee and especially a look at the café owner's face. his charismatic smile could only attract more customers, warming the café, with his built figure defining more clearly as he poured the drinks.

despite also finding the café owner cute, your daily mission was to get back to your desk with two iced matcha lattes in your hand; one for you and your boss.

you looked down at your watch to check the time: 8:30. you had exactly 30 minutes before making your boss cranky- which was the absolute worst.

"i can help the next person," the owner's eyes lit up as he called for you next.

you walked up to the register, being welcomed to a smell of warm coffee from him. 

"hi, how are you?" he greeted you with a charming smile.

"i'm doing well, how are you?" you asked back.

"i'm doing well too," his direct yet gentle eyes made you freeze as he looked down at the screen to input your order.

"would you like your regular today?" he asked, wanting to confirm despite it being your daily order. you stayed silent, your eyes not wanting to track off his face.

"two matcha lattes?" he looked up from the screen after your silence.

"um, yes please," you embarrassingly smiled. you looked away, wondering if he just saw you as the girl who only ordered matcha.

"and order for y/n..." he muttered as he plugged your order and name into the system. hearing him mutter your name, you couldn't help but look at his name tag: jay, you quietly said under your breath.

"yes?" he said, looking puzzled.

"oh, no. sorry," you awkwardly laughed. embarrassed he heard you. "you have my name memorized but i think it's the first time i've ever seen your name tag," you said.

"no, i understand. i see you're always in a rush, and i couldn't miss a regular customer" jay laughed. "and you know what, i'll have your drink covered today."

"what, are you sure? i use the company card anyways,” you looked puzzled at his kind gesture.

"yeah, i'm sure. it's on me." jay assured you.

"okay, thank you," you thanked him.

although it was nice of him to pay for your drink, you were curious to whether or not this occurred to other regulars. is he interested in me or am i reading the signals wrong? you thought to yourself.

anticipating to be discouraged with his answer, you shyly asked, “do you usually do this for other regulars as well?”

he laughed at your question, finding it silly. “not at all.” a small smile appeared on your face, making you feel special, even if it wasn’t true.

"your drink will be out soon," he said. you nodded and left to wait at a table.

within minutes, he came with a tray with your two drinks and a small packaged cookie. "here's your order!" he placed the tray down carefully. "the cookie is for you so don't forget to eat it."

"thank you. i needed this." you said, appreciating his thoughtful gesture.

happy with your response, jay gave you a genuine smile and left to go back to work. as he left, the corner of lips raised as you curled your lips in. unable to hide your smile, you grabbed the cookie and saw the note attached to it.

"i see you come to the cafe every morning and i think you're really cute. i want to get to know you better! i was wondering if i take you out on a date today after work if you have time. :)"

you looked up from the note to look at him working behind the counter. he noticed you looking at him and raised 7 fingers, mouthing the words, "is 7 pm okay?"

you nodded, happily agreeing to the date. you looked down at the note one more time, anticipating that maybe, you weren't going to find ordering two matcha lattes as a chore anymore.

=======================

[the-most-humble-blog]

10 Things That Make No Sense - But We Accept Anyway🤹‍♂️

Life is full of absurdities—things we just go along with even though they defy all logic. From tipping culture to daylight savings time, society seems to operate on a shared agreement that we’ll just smile, nod, and pretend these things are totally normal. But let’s break the silence. Here are 10 things that make absolutely no sense—but for some reason, we all accept them anyway.

1. Tipping Culture

Ah yes, tipping. Why do we pay extra for services that people are already being paid to perform? And why does the guilt hit hardest when the little iPad flips around, and the barista stares at you while you decide if making your $6 latte deserves another $2?

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why not just pay service workers a livable wage instead of making customers do financial gymnastics?

Why does tipping vary so much by country? (Ever tried tipping in Japan? Prepare for awkward refusals.)

2. Credit Scores

“Want to borrow money? First, prove you don’t need it.” The credit score system is basically the adult version of a trust fall—but instead of falling into someone’s arms, you fall into debt.

Why It Makes No Sense:

A late payment from 7 years ago can haunt you like a bad ex.

Closing a credit card hurts your score because… you’re too responsible?

The formula is so secretive that even experts just shrug and hope for the best.

3. Daylight Savings Time

Twice a year, we collectively agree to mess up everyone’s sleep schedule for no good reason. “Spring forward, fall back” sounds cute until you’re driving to work in the dark, questioning your life choices.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Originally meant to save energy, but studies show it doesn’t actually work anymore.

Farmers (often blamed for DST) don’t even like it.

Why are we still pretending this is necessary in 2025?

4. The Price of Bottled Water

We’re literally paying for water. WATER. The thing that falls from the sky and comes out of taps for (almost) free. Yet somehow, paying $3 for “artisanal spring water” in a plastic bottle feels normal.

Why It Makes No Sense:

It’s 1000x the price of tap water and often the exact same thing in a fancier package.

Why does “alkaline” or “purified” make it taste the same but sound more expensive?

5. Streaming Service Overload

“Cut the cord,” they said. “It’ll be cheaper,” they said. Now you’re subscribed to 7 different streaming platforms, paying more than cable ever cost, and half the time you can’t find what you want to watch.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why can’t one service just have everything? (Looking at you, Disney+ and Netflix.)

The “new” season you’ve been waiting for? It’s on a platform you didn’t even know existed.

6. “Convenience Fees”

Oh, so you want me to pay extra for the convenience of doing all the work myself online? Whether it’s concert tickets or paying your bills, these fees are the ultimate slap in the face.

Why It Makes No Sense:

You’re charging me extra for using a system that saves you time and money?

How is this legal, and why are we all okay with it?

7. College Textbook Prices

College tuition is bad enough, but then they hit you with a $300 textbook… that you’ll only use once. And don’t even think about buying a used copy because this edition has two new sentences.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Most of the “new editions” are just rearranged paragraphs.

Why do professors require books they wrote themselves? Double-dipping much?

8. “Shrinkflation”

You’re not imagining it—your favorite snacks really are smaller than they used to be. And no, it’s not because your hands got bigger. Shrinkflation is when companies reduce product sizes but keep the price the same (or higher).

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why are chip bags 70% air?

How did a “family-sized” box of cereal become single-serve?

9. Influencer Culture

We used to idolize astronauts and scientists. Now, we’re giving millions of followers to people whose biggest accomplishment is being hot on Instagram. And somehow, they’re the ones living in mansions while the rest of us struggle to pay rent.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why do we buy $40 candles just because someone we don’t know said it “smells like confidence”?

Why do influencers get free stuff… even though they can already afford it?

10. Luxury Brands Selling Ugly Stuff

Why are we spending thousands of dollars on stuff that looks like it came from a middle school art project? Balenciaga sells $1,500 trash bags. Gucci made dirty sneakers that cost $870. And Crocs, well… they just exist.

Why It Makes No Sense:

The more absurd it looks, the higher the price tag.

Who decided that expensive = fashionable?

Conclusion

We’re all guilty of going along with things that make zero sense because, well, that’s just how the world works. But maybe it’s time to start asking questions—or at least laughing at the absurdity of it all.

What’s something you’ve accepted as “normal” even though it makes no sense? Let’s hear it in the comments!

🔥 Like what you see? Don’t just hoard it—Reblog it. Spread the gospel. Amplify the chaos.

📌 Follow for more—I drop this kind of gold daily. Don’t be the last one to catch on.

🔁 REBLOGGING IS FREE and legally required* (*not really, but spiritually, yes).

[breakmeoff]

Never Apart │The Boy Next Door (drabble)

pairing: bang chan x fem!reader

warnings: none!

word count: 1k ish

synopsis: you come home to find chris sent you a beautiful gift; even more special knowing that it can make the long distance seem not so far after all.

drabble sequence: falls between The Boy Next Door chapters 9 and 10

note: i recently saw an ad for these and thought the idea was so sweet. we know chris would step up his game though and have something customized specifically for those two. let me know if you have any suggestions for other drabbles!

thx for reading :)

Masterlist

It had been about two weeks since you’d left Chris in Manhattan.  Going back to your normal routine was mundane, but the one thing that gave you a new reason to smile was the rush of a newly defined relationship.

The silly text messages sent back and forth made your heart skip a beat, and receiving his phone calls or face times was the best part of your day.

With Chris still on tour and traveling all over North America and Europe, the timing of his calls were always a surprise, but even if it was in the middle of your night, you’d still sleepily answer with a smile.

Then, one afternoon on your commute home, you received a text that sparked your interest.

Chris:  hey, you made it home yet? You:  no, why? Chris:  no reason…

“Weirdo…” you smirked to yourself, holding onto the handlebar hanging from the ceiling of the tram.  Looking out the window of the moving vehicle, you scanned over the familiar buildings and reached forward to push the button, indicating you were wanting to get off at the next stop.

As the tram screeched to a halt, you hopped out of the opened door, and jogged across the street to the front of your building.

Once inside the lobby, you dug your keys out of the side pocket of your purse, and moved to your mailbox.  Pulling out the contents, you couldn’t help but frown seeing nothing but trash and bills.

Sifting through the envelopes, you stepped inside of the elevator and pushed the button for the third floor.  Idly perusing through some free magazine, you rode the carriage up the few levels and hearing the dig after it stopped, you stepped outside into the hallway.

Rounding the corner, you tucked the envelopes under your arm and stopped short when you saw the flash of pink right outside your apartment door.

Unable to hide your smile, you walked closer and bent down to pick up the beautiful bouquet of pink roses and white baby’s breath.  Bringing the flowers to your nose, you inhaled the sweet aroma briefly before noticing the small gift box left on the floor.

You picked up the package and looked at it curiously, fumbling with your keys.  With the door finally unlocked, you stepped inside, hip checked it back closed, kicked off your shoes and went to the kitchen island, setting down the bouquet and the small present.

Anxiously, you dropped your backpack onto one of the stools surrounding the island, and grabbed the white Fendi box.  Noticing the small envelope tucked into the black satin ribbon, you quickly opened it and read.

Sweetheart- “Here’s a small gift to help us stay connected, even when we’re far apart. Just touch the pendant whenever you miss me—and I’ll feel it, right against my heart.”  - Romeo

Just the simple fact that he addressed the card in such a way made your heart flutter, and giddy excitement sweep through you.

Placing the card down, you reached for the box, untied the ribbon, and lifted the lid.  Inside was a stunning piece of jewelry - a princess cut diamond pendant hanging from a simple gold chain.

Your breath hitched as the stone caught the light, sparkling radiantly against the velvet black.  With a shaky hand, you lifted the necklace out of the box to examine it closer. Then, your fingertip grazed over something small and unusual on the back of the pendant.

Turning it over, you saw the small touch plate on the back.  Lifting a brow curiously, you looked down at the box to find a small business card sticking out.

This pendant is linked to your mate’s. When you touch it, theirs will gently vibrate—no matter where they are. And when they touch theirs, you’ll feel it too. A quiet signal, just between the two of you.

With the necklace still in your hand, you gently placed your fingertip on the plate for 2 seconds, and waited.  

Not entirely sure what to expect, you stood there, holding the necklace like it might explode.  But shortly thereafter, it buzzed in 3 short bursts, lightly shaking in your palm.

Your face lit up, and laughed hesitantly, having a hard time believing that it worked. 

Seconds later, your phone rang with a FaceTime call.  Grabbing it quickly, you answered, Chris’ handsome face filling your screen.  “Looks like you got home safely?”

Holding the necklace up for him to see, you nodded your head. “I did…”

Chris grinned brightly, holding up the chain of his own Fendi necklace.  Proving its efficacy once more, he held the touch plate on the back of his own pendant, and instantly yours began to gently buzz.

“This is so amazing…” you giggled, looking at the piece of jewelry in awe.

“I’m glad you like it… now we don’t have to feel so far apart all of the time.” Chris said softly, so pleased with how much you seemed to like the gift.

“Hang on,” you mumbled, placing the phone down on the counter so the camera pointed up to the ceiling. There was a few seconds of quiet rustling before you picked the phone back up, and showed off your new necklace, hanging from your throat with the pendant now resting gently on your chest. 

“I love it, Romeo.  Thank you.”  Touching the back of your necklace again, Chris chuckled lowly as his necklace vibrated over his heart.  “You’re welcome, Sweetheart.”

Later that week, you stood in the kitchen again, doing dishes while live-streaming the Stray Kids’ concert from some fan-cam on TikTok.  

Not paying attention to the screen of your iPad, you focused on washing a particularly stubborn pan in the sink when your necklace began vibrating against your chest.  

Quickly looking up to the live-stream, you saw Chris on stage, in his black dress pants and blazer, lazily reclined in the metal chair swathed in red lights, one hand on his necklace, and the other gripping his microphone, belting out the lyrics to “Railway.”

tag list: @angel-writes-skz-here @idkimobsessed @queenofdumbfuckery @mfcherry @downingmorphine @pixie-felix @d3kstar @lveegsoi @ebnabi @nebugalaxy @babystay724 @mmarusa @imagine-all-the-imagines @erisuna @beabidoobee @hanniesbubuwife @bbykaixx @riri53 @jinniesgirl @alx-wyjsr @skzswife @hwangjoanna @stephanieeeyang @minnysproutgriffinteddy

[emotionalsupport-ljh]

Focus

All I see is you.

Woozi x fem!reader x Hoshi

BISEXUAL THREESOME!! Happy Birth Month Woozi!!!! You deserve the world and even more.

AO3 link

Word Count: 3.7k

CW: M/M anal sex, cunnilingus, 69, blow job, light rimming, cum swallowing, hand job, anal fingering and Jihoon receives all that applies to him

˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🎂 ꒱ ˎˊ˗

Jihoon is gathering all of the presents that lie around discarded gift paper and decorative boxes. Some jewelry and clothing, a few gift cards, some PR packages from various companies, and the cute, custom decorated guitar case you got him make up the haul of birthday gifts that he now has to find a place for in his room. He places each item back in its original packaging carefully, enjoying the silence. It wasn’t a huge party or anything, just his members and some producing friends of his that stopped by to drop off gifts and give well-wishes. But still, when you invite 12 rowdy boys and your mischievous girlfriend to a party, things will get loud.

Now, with everyone gone, it’s finally quiet. Well, almost everyone is gone, and it’s almost quiet. Jihoon’s thoughts are interrupted by giggling in the corner followed by loud shushing. He looks over to see you and Soonyoung whispering to each other in the corner. Conspiring. Jihoon doesn’t have a good feeling about this. You and Soonyoung are giggling quietly and whispering to each other. You hit Soonyoung lightly on the shoulder after he says something and winks. Jihoon’s eyebrows furrow; he’s very confused about what the two of you could possibly be talking about that, apparently, he wasn’t allowed to know.

You turn your gaze to see Jihoon is staring with a confused and cautious look on his face. You say something, and Soonyoung turns to look at Jihoon as well. Then, you both smile. It’s a wide grin that is somehow sinister to Jihoon. He winces under your gazes. Soonyoung starts to move toward him and you follow. You get up close to Jihoon where he stands next to the coffee table piled high with birthday presents, and you cuddle up to his arm while Soonyoung faces him. 

“What?” Jihoon says to break the silent anticipation that’s only making him more nervous.

“We have a surprise for you,” Soonyoung starts. Jihoon instinctively tries to back up, but is anchored by you holding onto his arm.

“One last gift for your birthday,” you add. It doesn’t surprise Jihoon that you guys are up to something together. You and Soonyoung are a lot alike. You are both outspoken when you need to be and wildcards in most situations. You are both chill enough, though, that you can be comfortable with minimal effort. You fit easily into Jihoon’s comfort zone, and you know exactly when to bring him out of it. He needs you both in his life to balance him out.

But when you two get together, it’s a double dose of crazy for him that’s usually scary in the beginning, but when he gets used to the idea, ends up having a very good time. This is one of those situations; Jihoon can feel it. 

“It’s not gonna hurt, is it?” Jihoon asks earnestly.

You chuckle at the sweet question, “No…” then you pause, “Well, maybe just a little, but you will like it so much.”

You start to walk, still holding onto Jihoon’s arm, leading him to his bedroom. Soonyoung follows along, pushing gently at his reluctant shoulders to keep the train moving along. Once you all get in the room, you sit Jihoon down while Soonyoung closes the door. Jihoon is so nervous, he thinks he hears the click of a lock sounding when Soonyoung turns back toward you guys to join you sitting on the bed.

“Don’t look so nervous,” Soonyoung laughs and gives Jihoon a friendly slap on the back. 

You take his hands in yours and look him in the eye. You start talking slowly, “We were just wondering…” you trail the sentence and look deep into his eyes, “if you wanted to have a threesome with us. For your birthday.”

Jihoon lets out a deep sigh. He was holding his breath for so long that he doesn’t remember when he started. He doesn’t know what he was expecting, but it’s just a proposition for sex. Sex! He’s done that. He likes that. And he’s done it with both of you at the same time before: A wonderful night in a hotel, coming out of being tipsy, horny, and surrounded by his girlfriend, the most attractive girl in the world, and his best friend, a pretty damn handsome guy.

“Oh, thank god,” he breathes, now cracking a small smile. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

Jihoon reaches over and places a hand directly on the crotch of your pants. He’s leaning in to kiss you until you move his hand from you to hold it. He looks in your eyes, confused, and you smile sweetly at him. A little too sweetly. 

“I know you usually focus on me, but it is your birthday, Ji. We want to focus on you.” Your voice drops to a sultry tone for the last part of the sentence as you lean over to kiss him. Immediately, you get his mouth open and your tongue finds its way all over his. The kiss is a simple spark that gets Jihoon going. He’s hungry for it, distracted by it. So distracted, he almost doesn’t fully register what exactly you said.

A hand from the other side of Jihoon reaches for the crotch of his pants. It’s Soonyoung rubbing at his cock through his black joggers. It’s a surprise. Jihoon opens his eyes, but doesn’t disconnect from your lips. He looks down and sees Soonyoung working at his drawstring. You disconnect from Jihoon panting, trying to catch your breath. Your hand finds where Soonyoung is pulling at Jihoon’s joggers to get them down. You snake your hand to rest over his underwear which causes him to mewl.

Jihoon turns his gaze toward Soonyoung and is met with his hooded eyes. Sometimes, he does look like an apex predator, ready to sink his teeth into his prey. He leans into Jihoon; he looks like he’s going in for the kill. He captures his lips in a hungry kiss as his hands work Jihoon’s pants down his hips and legs. You move down in front of them to situate yourself between Jihoon’s legs. Your warm breath tickles against his clothed cock. Jihoon shivers at the feeling and scoots forward toward the stimulation.

Your mouth meets his underwear, leaving wet spots on the bulge of his shaft, head, and balls. He gets harder and harder under your care while Soonyoung continues to strip his freshly caught prey; his hands have found the hem of Jihoon’s shirt and trail up his stomach to his chest, pulling the garment up with it. Soonyoung pauses for a moment just to tweak a nipple and hear Jihoon gasp into their still roiling kiss. 

You watch as Jihoon’s shirt does finally come off and Soonyoung’s hands are all over him. He pushes Jihoon’s shoulders down until they reach the bed where he can mount the smaller boy, capturing him in a trap of a kiss that just gets hotter and hotter. You take this progression as a good sign to finally remove the obstructing piece of clothing in front of you so that you can do some real work. Your fingers hook into Jihoon’s underwear and quickly slide them down his legs, exposing his fully hard dick standing proud. From your perspective, that thing looks like it’s a mile long. You eagerly take the tip into your mouth and wrap your fingers around the base. You stroke him slowly, all the way from the base up to meet where your mouth is attached at the tip. Your grip is strong and steady and you suck hard, tasting bits of salty precum that land on your tongue.

Jihoon’s moan is so explosive that his mouth falls completely open leaving Soonyoung licking inside, still hungry. He moves to latch onto the boy’s neck during the moan, feeling the vibrations of a pure voice on his wet lips. Jihoon’s body is just as electrified as a live wire. He jolts and shakes as if his nervous system has stopped its regular functions and needs a good reset. His brain is offline except for the sensation of the absolute pleasure of four hands and two mouths roaming his body and cock until every inch is explored and mapped thoroughly. And both you and Soonyoung are still fully clothed.

You lift your head to smile at him from between his legs, and keep a steady pace with your hand stroking his length. Soonyoung meets your gaze and joins you, placing his hand on the parts of Jihoon’s dick that you can't touch. Jihoon clocks the both of you communicating with just your facial expressions. He surmises that you're still conspiring, and he can’t imagine what the hell else you’re planning to do with him.

“What?” Jihoon whines out this time, propping himself on his elbows. He’s leveling an exasperated look at you then to Soonyoung. It’s like he’s begging to be let in on a secret.

“Nothing, Jihoonie, just sit back and enjoy,” you try to get him a little relaxed about the situation. Truly, he has nothing to worry about at all because you and Soonyoung will be doing all the work.

“You guys are working together against me!” Jihoon breathes out in staggered breaths. Soonyoung’s hand remains on his length while yours travels south to massage his balls. “There’s still something you're not telling me!” he lets out through a groan.

Soonyoung speaks up, “We told you everything, Jihoonie. You are the focus tonight, so we’ll do everything to you. Whatever you want.”

Jihoon takes a moment to let the words soak in. The movement on his crotch hasn’t ceased or slowed in the slightest which scrambles his brain enough that it takes a moment for him to form cohesive thoughts. The angel on his shoulder is telling him to interrogate you and be let in on everything you’re not saying. The devil on the other side is telling him to let himself be surprised, and maybe start demanding more of what he wants. It is his birthday, after all.

“Whatever I want?” He listens to that little devil.

“Yup, baby, whatever you want,” you reply, nodding excitedly.

Jihoon bites his bottom lip before continuing with his one request, “Then why don’t you come over here and… take a seat.”

You raise your eyebrows, “You wanna eat my pussy?”

“I always want to eat your pussy.” Jihoon finally relaxes a little and lays all the way back down, readying himself. You stand up and strip down completely. Your panties are the last things to hit the floor, and you position yourself on the bed, knees on either side of his head and your wetness right above his face. Soonyoung reaches his free hand out and you take it. Now steady, you slowly sink down until you feel a tongue slither between your labia, lapping up all the wetness you had accumulated. You grind down, riding Jihoon. With your hand still in Soonyoung's you give him a silent look then look down at where his hand is still taking its time working on Jihoon’s length. 

“Now?” Soonyoung asks.

You nod, “Yes, now.”

If Jihoon were to ask you if you were purposefully trying to tease him with the secrecy and covert plans you and Soonyoung made, you wouldn’t lie. It’s funny to see him a little frustrated, curious, and scared. You would never harm him, but he tends to anticipate the worst. So, this three-word exchange is just another jab at the man currently licking inside of you. Jihoon makes sure you know how he feels about it by giving you a good slap on the ass, never breaking his rhythm. You grind down harder on him in response, hoping to suffocate him. 

Soonyoung starts to enact the next phase of the threesome plan. He takes his shirt off which gives you a nice view that makes you a little weak in the knees. You brace your hands on Jihoon’s built chest and continue riding his face fervently. Soonyoung chuckles low in his chest then grabs a little bottle and brings it back to the bed. He takes the position you had assumed, right between Jihoon’s legs. You help him by bringing Jihoon’s knees up while you sink down, your mouth now very close to Jihoon’s cock. Soonyoung is spreading a cool thick substance on his fingers.

Two things happen to Jihoon at the same time. The first thing he registers is a familiar warm and wet sensation on the majority of his cock as you attempt to take the entirety in your mouth at once. You suck hard and make sure your tongue lies flush against it, sending shivers down Jihoon’s spine. He’s moaning into your pussy, now more determined to lick and suck and fuck into it. The other thing hits Jihoon like a brick. A long, slender but strong finger pokes around his hole, massaging around the rim, before it slithers inside and pumps a few times as a test. Jihoon’s breath hitches in his chest. You feel him pause, and you smirk as much as you can with his dick in your mouth.

“Before you protest, Jihoonie, just think about how good it’s going to feel when I find your g-spot,” Soonyoung says, trying his best to diffuse whatever Jihoon must be thinking right now. “I mean, you have a girl on your dick and a pussy in your mouth. I’m just covering all the bases,” he continues to reason. His finger begins to pump in and out of Jihoon like a demonstration of his point.

Jihoon has already made it this far, and he’s stopped long enough that you start wiggling your cute ass in his face waiting for him to keep on going. It’s not like he hasn’t had things inside of him before. He decides at this moment, while his brain runs on pure libido, to trust Soonyoung. When the tongue resumes its assault on your pussy with a long lick from your clit back to your hole, you give a long moan that’s well-muffled by Jihoon’s big cock.

Soonyoung almost watches the wheels turn in Jihoon’s head. He hears him give you the proverbial go-ahead and says, “Good choice,” then he punctuates the words by adding another finger to stretch the hole a bit more. He’s a little jealous watching the two of you have a good time with something in your mouths, so he decides to sink down right in front of you and begin sucking on Jihoon’s balls, his last neglected part. Now that he’s given his two pumping fingers and his curious tongue something to do, he can focus on finding the right angle to have Jihoon completely undone.

Jihoon gasps against your pussy. Soonyoung finds his target and gives only a calculated few more jabs into it before adding a third finger and spreading them apart. The assault continues and all you feel is Jihoon’s deep breathing on your most sensitive region as he inches closer and closer to climax. You lock eyes with Soonyoung who is still working Jihoon’s balls with his mouth. You both listen intently to Jihoon get more and more vocal and then – 

Jihoon tries to sit up a little but is only able to move his head around because you have moved to take a firm seat on his chest, pinning him down. He can’t see anything in front of him with your back blocking the view. All of his stimulation disappeared at the same time: no mouths, no hands, nothing. 

“What happened?” He sounds desperate. His voice is strained in distress.

“Can’t have you coming too soon, Jihoonie. We’re not done yet,” you say trying to sound innocent. You finally lift yourself from Jihoon’s chest and un-straddle him. Soonyoung reaches for his hands and pulls him into a close embrace. He kisses Jihoon, then you kiss Jihoon, too. The look on his face is adorable. He’s flushed from his denied orgasm, he’s confused by your behavior, and he’s excited for whatever will happen next. You deepen the kiss, and Jihoon allows you to poke and prod around his mouth with your tongue, tasting all of the slick you left behind. You turn him to face you and he grabs your shoulders, then your breasts, then firmly grips your waist.

Soonyoung pulls Jihoon from behind until he’s sitting in his suddenly naked lap with his back pressed flush against his chest. He attaches his mouth to the side of Jihoon’s neck and, in between kisses and bites, says, “I’m going to fill you up now, okay? Will you let me do that, Jihoonie?” He’s stroking his own cock, coating it with the same lube he used to get Jihoon ready.

Jihoon breaks your kiss and sees the grin you have on your face. You're anticipating his answer excitedly, banking on the fact that he’s super horny and has already been denied an orgasm. He grabs your hands and interlocks your fingers with his. He swallows once then a soft, “Okay,” slips from his red, glistening lips. Everything stalls for a beat then he adds, “Please.”

Soonyoung’s hands are gripping Jihoon’s hips and guiding him to sit on his hard cock. Jihoon finds the initial stretch uncomfortable, but he powers through it, glad he was at least prepared thoroughly. His hands squeeze yours to brace for the sensations. Once he’s sat completely, Jihoon gets used to the feeling. He actually enjoys it. It’s been too long since his last real dick. He’s only had access to toys lately, so it feels good to have a real, long, thick, and warm one inside of him. Soonyoung’s cue to start moving comes when Jihoon begins to restlessly squirm on top of him. He holds Jihoon steady and bucks up into him at a controlled pace. You find yourself almost drooling just watching your boyfriend get fucked by his hot best friend. Your rapt by the way Soonyoung just slides in and out with ease.

The air is hot and heavy as pure sex permeates every corner. Somehow, you end up very close to all the action. Jihoon’s moans shake your eardrums while Soonyoung grunts with each thrust. A rhythm is created from the skin slapping against skin. You lean closer and closer to the two boys until you find yourself licking up Soonyoung’s shaft as it’s exiting Jihoon’s hole. Both men are shocked at your actions though the constant sounds coming from both of them do not falter in the slightest. As you kiss and lick the exposed cock, the volume only increases. Your tongue travels up until it reaches Jihoon’s stretched hole. You lick around what you can get to and stimulate both Jihoon and Soonyoung in the process. Your moans come out as hums, but the extra vibration has them going crazy. 

You pepper soft, wet kisses to Soonyoung and Jihoon, and Soonyoung’s pace increases. You take a moment to glance at them and see that they are both on the edge of climax. Determined to help Jihoon come first, you take his dick in your mouth and suck it while Soonyoung continues fucking into him. Jihoon’s eyes roll into the back of his head; he’s consumed with the feeling. Soonyoung finds his g-spot and ruts up against it. Jihoon goes silent as he comes into your mouth. His mouth hangs open, and his eyes are screwed tightly shut. He rides out his explosive orgasm with his hands in your hair until he pulls you up to give you a searing kiss. Soonyoung bounces Jihoon on his lap a few more times before pulling out and coming on his back in thick streams.

You watch as the two men slump over, breathing heavy and exhausted from their climaxes. Your eyes are hooded and the fire inside you still burns incredibly bright. You let them have their time to rest, though, you can always take care of yourself later. It’s not about you tonight; you understand that. 

There is no way that either Jihoon or Soonyoung would let you go without coming. They both seem to have regained their strength, and they use it to pounce on you, kissing and touching until you, too, have a leg-shaking orgasm. For a while, you all fall and lay back on the dirty sheets, resting. Jihoon is sandwiched between you and Soonyoung and you’re showering him with post-coital praise. 

“That was so fun, Jihoonie!” you exclaim, breathlessly. “Thank you for letting us play with you.”

“Yeah, thanks, Jihoonie. You were so good!” Soonyoung adds.

“I should be thanking you guys. I haven’t fucked like that in a while,” Jihoon pants. He leans over to kiss your cheek and releases with a loud smack of his lips.

Soonyoung begins kissing the back of Jihoon’s shoulder and says, “We should definitely do this more often.”

“Shut up,” Jihoon groans half-jokingly. 

You giggle at the two boys, “It has to be an occasion again, next time. It makes it more special.”

Soonyoung pouts and moves to spoon Jihoon, huffing about the infrequency of your threesomes, and Jihoon rolls his eyes. You’re all still snuggling in the warm bed, catching your breath. It doesn’t matter that a sheen of sweat covers your bodies, or Jihoon still has remnants of Soonyoung sticking to him, or you have a slippery mess coating your inner thighs. You can always shower and change the sheets, but the feeling of being able to provide something for your boyfriend is the most important feeling right now. You can only imagine what Jihoon is thinking right now, but facing him, you see his eyelids start to fall. He has a blissed out look on his face with a subtle smile gracing his lips. You snuggle close, pulling him into your arms as well resting them under Soonyoung’s. The last thought you have before you let sleep overtake you is just a question.

How the hell am I going to top this next year?

[medusa12346]

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[thefugitivesaint]

A host of 'Star Wars' advertisements from magazines published in the late 70s and early 80s. 'Star Wars' toys, games and tie-ins have become the most profitable franchise merchandise ever sold. There was a time when 'Star Wars' merch was inescapable. It was everywhere. Ubiqituous. Of course, no one thought that would happen. After 'American Graffiti' became a hit (it became one of the most profitable movies ever made), Lucas was afforded greater leverage over the pre-production of 'Star Wars'. Most of the profits he got from 'American Graffiti' went into the pre-production of 'Star Wars'. He created Industrial Light and Magic, hired artists to help create the aesthetics of the original film, and eventually waved his directing salary in favor of receiving greater control over the production of 'Star Wars' (plus any sequels) and over all the ancillary rights of the film. One of those ancillary rights was merchandise. George Lucas sought out toy makers like Mattel and Mago to produce toys in advance of the release of 'Star Wars', only to have company after company turn him down. Lucas eventually cut a deal with Kenner (then a division of cereal maker General Foods) for a flat fee of $100,000 per year, indefinitely. "The designers knew they wanted to make toys of the spaceships, but the usual 8- or 12-inch dolls would make that impossible, so they instead created 3 ¾-inch plastic action figures that would become the new industry standard."

The crazy thing is, Kenner didn't expect the popularity of 'Star Wars' and that means they didn't anticipate the demand for 'Star Wars' toys. They ended up selling a kind of IOU to customers, what they called an ‘Early Bird Certificate Package’ which could be redeemed later for four 'Star Wars' action figures. Given that popularity, between 1977 and 1978, Kenner sold $100 million worth of 'Star Wars' toys. As of me writing this very truncated history of 'Star Wars' toys (for no real reason), the merchandise makes around $3 billion a year. The one thing I do remember as a wee lad was mailing out for an early version of the Boba Fett action figure before the release of 'The Empire Strikes Back' in 1980. I was one of the fortunate kids who actually got a figure in the mail while other kids received an apology letter promising them a figure ASAP (one of my friends was a recipient of one of these cards). That Boba Fett figure was the only surviving toy from my childhood and I had it up until 2014 when it disappeared one day never to be seen again. Where did it go? I have no idea. The world's an impermanent place and all things are transitory (I should note, before I go, our culture's entire economy being predicated on producing an insatiable appetite for consumerism is collectively killing us. Just saying.)

[555aturn]

Whispers of Zaun⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

chapter one

summary- As the apothecary navigates another day in Zaun, tending to customers, reminiscing about lost loved ones, and adopting a stray black cat named Hex, she finds solace in the quiet routines of her shop. But when a bloodied Sevika appears at her doorstep in the dead of night, it marks the beginning of an unexpected entanglement-one that neither of them is prepared for.

warnings- talks about death, injuries, and blood (nothing too graphic i promise my sweets) SLOW BURN

minors do not enter!!!

word count- 2.1k

The shop was always quiet on Thursdays. Only a couple of customers trickle in and maybe one or two women hoping to escape the evil men that remain in their lives. I was putting away my tarot cards when the bell rang at the entrance of my shop, indicating someone had come in. I sigh and walk towards the front, walking through the beaded curtain that separates me from my home and my business. 

It was Ran, one of Silco’s henchmen. Ran is actually one of the few people from Silco’s squad I tolerate; they're always very nice and have great manners… unlike the rest of the bunch.

“Ran! Darling, what do I owe the pleasure?” I stood behind the wooden countertop. “Ah well, I wish it was just to chat, but Silco said he wants a few potions.” Ran said while messing with their jagged black hair. 

“Hm, of course… duty calls. What does he need?” I asked. Ran handed over a thin brown paper with a lengthy list of things he wanted. I sighed.

“Well honey, would you like some tea while you wait? A new shipment of lavender came in.” 

Ran nodded, and I smiled, opening a fresh pack of lavender. As I handed Ran the steaming mug I took the list from my pocket and got to work. 

The familiar motions of measuring herbs and bottling mixtures usually kept my mind steady, but today, my thoughts drifted.

Maybe it was the scent of lavender—Vander always said it reminded him of simpler times. Or maybe it was just the weight of Zaun pressing in, the way it always did when things got too quiet.

It has been about a year since Vander died and Silco officially ran the lanes. It was tragic, Vander’s passing, and he gave the people of Zaun hope. I haven’t been to The Last Drop since he died. The memory of him still haunts me; but, I can’t hear his laugh anymore, and I’m starting to forget what color eyes he had. Vander and his kids used come to my shop, and we’d catch up. Vander was older than me by almost ten years, but he helped me get up on my feet when my dad died. My dad was all I had, and Vander reminded me of him. 

Powder and Vi once knocked over a whole shelf of edible glitter dust, and it was the best day ever. I closed early, and we spent the day cleaning up. A tear slid down my cheek at the memory. I hear rumors that Vi and Powder are dead or that they fled Zaun together but something always washes over me whenever I think about the two young girls. Like a warm sheet, it cocoons by body almost like Janna wants me to know they are alive. I hope it’s true.

“Alright, so I’ve got everything Silco asked for. I packaged the peppermint, lavender, and chamomile in separate bags, and the blood harrow philtre is this glass bottle. You must be careful with this vial, Ran; it is a venomous liquid, understand?” Ran nodded, and I handed over the items to them. 

“That will be 7 valors, please.” Ran handed me the paper notes and waved me goodbye. 

I sighed as I sat on my burgundy sofa that’s placed to the left of my wooden counter. All that thinking back on the past made me want to smoke a cigarillo. That is one nasty habit I picked up after Vander’s death. I reached into my skirt pocket for my lighter and then into the drawer of the table adjacent to the sofa. 

I took a long drag and leaned back, my right arm finding solace on the back of my sofa while the other was occupied with holding my cigarillo. I have grown to love the bitter taste of the tobacco that lingers in the back of my throat for the rest of the day. 

Three more customers in need of my services came by the shop, now it’s closing time. 

It is unfortunate with Silco roaming around and him having me in his clutches, but, with me being one of his ‘allies’—that is what he called it. I had some special advantages as well. He set me up with a connection to Piltover so I can get regular shipments for products or ingredients. Last year I got a bathtub. It was definitely one of my selfish requests, but I was chatting with one of my clients from Piltover, and I was amazed when she mentioned she took baths regularly. 

I turned the faucet to where the water would be lukewarm. I reached under my sink for the bag of rosebuds I keep for occasions like this. I took a handful and sprinkled them into the water, then I undressed.

I slipped into the warm water and let out a sigh of content. The floating rosebuds made the bath water a very light pink color, which made the bath all the more soothing. Having a bath almost makes me forget the struggles I’ve been through and how the city I live in could be destroyed at any moment. The many scars that litter my body bring me back to the brutal reality. 

Even after a nice long bath, my mind refuses to settle.

Sleep can’t seem to want me tonight. I begrudgingly slip out of bed to sit outside on the curb to smoke another cigarillo. I sat there zoning out for a long ten minutes, as I was about to stomp it out; something soft brushed against my leg. I froze up and looked down. It was a black cat; the feline couldn’t be more than a year old.

“Well, hello, sweet baby, what are you doing out so late? It’s not safe.” I cooed at the creature as if it could understand the words I am saying. “You should come inside.” We fell asleep cuddled up to each other. 

Two weeks have gone by since I have officially or unofficially adopted the cat from the curb. I found out the feline is a female. So I named her Hex. Hex likes to terrorize and hiss at almost every customer that walks through the door. Since she is so little, no one seems to mind.

Hex has settled into my shop as if she's always belonged here, weaving between shelves and perching on the counter like she owns the place. She's become my little shadow, a comforting presence in the quiet moments. But quiet never lasts long in Zaun.

Last week, two of Silco's men came by, demanding twice the usual order.

Something must not be going his way at headquarters. The thought almost made me smile—nothing pleases me more than a powerful man being knocked down a peg.

The day has only just started. The morning has always been my favorite. The undercity is never truly silent, but the early hours are as close as it gets—just the distant clatter of pipes, the hum of chem-lights, and the rhythmic drip of condensation from overhead metal beams. 

I go grab a candle to light at the entrance of the shop, a habit from old Zaun, a quiet offering to the wind. Then I got to work. 

Dried herbs rustle as I sort them into neat bundles. Glass bottles clink as I arranged them on shelves. The air fills with the scent of lavender, dried citrus, and something earthier: Zaun-born remedies, meant to soothe the people the chem-barons would rather forget.

Hex watches from her perch, tail flicking in lazy approval. I giggled at the feline. “All chipper because no one has come yet, hm? Did you scare away all my customers?” I jest with the cat. I must have spoken too soon because my bell jingled. One of my regulars, Seraphine, a bubbly young woman who comes in at least once every other week. 

“Seraphine! My dear, welcome back.” I walked out from behind the counter to hug her. “Hi! Sorry I didn’t come by later. I have plans…a date, actually, which is why I’m here.” Seraphine said to me with a pearly white smile. 

“A date? Oh my goodness, darling, that’s marvelous; good men are hard to come by here.” I smirked at her knowingly. Gosh, I have had my fair share of horrible men. Thank Janna; I like women too.

“Yeah, I know; he’s from Piltover.” Seraphine squealed at the top of her lungs. Hex hissed at her. I was shocked, my eyes wide. “Wow, honey, that’s something…So what do you need from me for this date?” I walked back behind the counter. “Well, miss, I was hoping you had some sort of pheromone perfume or something. I want this man to be obsessed and head over heels for me.” She said with another big smile. 

“Well, hun, I have just the thing.” I said with a wink as I disappeared into the back. “Use it wisely, dear; remember, a little goes a long way. I handed her a red elixir in a heart-shaped glass vial. “Don’t put it on yet; wait at least five minutes before you see him.” I said with a warm smile. 

“Thank you so much!” Seraphine jumped up and down and gave me a hug. “Of course, dear, it’s on the house, you'll pay me with the whole story next week. I want all the details!” I say as she practically runs out the door, her bubblegum pink hair bouncing as she goes. 

Today had been good, so I rewarded myself with another lavender bath. Once I got to bed Hex jumped up, she curled up beside me, her tiny body warm against mine, and we drifted off together.

Until there was a heavy knock at my front door.

I threw a robe over my body, since I was only in a pair of panties, and walked to my door. I looked through the peephole; shockingly enough, it was Sevika. Silco’s right hand. I reluctantly opened the door. She was bleeding.

“What do you need?” I said, moving out of the way to let her through. Gosh, she was so tall.

“Hmpf, well, I am obviously bleeding.” Sevika said in a gruff, matter-of-fact tone.

“No shit, you’re ruining my clean floors.” I muttered to myself as I gathered the proper materials to bandage her wound and some remedies to help with the pain.

Shimmer was always a last resort for me. I hated the thought of using it. Silco had me keep it for him at the shop. His men frequently took it. 

Sevika has sat herself on one of my chairs and thrown her red cloak onto the floor, coincidentally soaking up her puddle of blood. Was she trying to be helpful? I shook my head and kneeled beside her. The wound was, in fact, more than that. There was a huge gash on her flesh arm. Very deep from the looks of it.

“What caused this?” I asked as I started pouring rubbing alcohol into the gash. She didn't answer my question, just clenched her jaw and stared at the floor. Whatever had happened, it wasn't just another job gone wrong.

“Fuck—” Sevika cursed as I tightened her bandage. “Alright, you’re all, uh, patched up; you can sleep on the sofa; it pulls out—” “I’m not staying.” Sevika cut me off. “But you’re in no condition to go anywhere else just for the night.” I insisted, and Sevika rolled her eyes but made her way over to my sofa on the left side of the store. “Here, let me help.” I said as I pulled out the second half so she could properly lay down. “Would you like some tea?” I asked her and yawned. “I don't wanna take any of your potions.” Sevika scoffed. “It’s not a potion, just chamomile tea to help you sleep and help with the aches. I can give you hibiscus in the mornin for the swelling.” As I finished my sentence, Sevika was already snoring. Guess she didn’t need it. The only other sounds that could be heard was Sevika’s prosthetic arm making soft whirring sounds and Hex purring at my feet.

I unfolded the fuzzy blanket I had on the sofa and laid it over her. I just realized I never really interacted with Sevika much before this; yeah, she was Silco’s right hand, but she has only come to the shop twice and didn’t say a word to me. Until tonight, I wondered why she came to the shop and not to Silco directly.

go read chapter two

[gatorbites-imagines]

Bakugou x male reader where Bakugou got a thing for lingerie so he buys some to try on but is a little self-conscious and kinda runs away to bathroom to hide so reader don't see him, reader comfortes/reassures him that ofc he's beautiful and pretty. after comes the fucking

Katsuki Bakugou x male reader

Headcanons

(Aged up characters, obviously)

Im not dead, how is everyone? Trying to get back into writing now that I have time. Not too smutty, more focused on the fluff, but I hope that’s still enjoyable.

Reader is based vaguely off Hiromi Higuruma from JJK, cuz im a sucker for tired lawyer type dudes.

Katsuki has always been the type of person to put on a tough front, that didn’t lessen after you two started dating. You met after he graduated UA and set up his own agency, when he needed the best legal help to set it all up.

He didn’t really know how to act around you in the beginning, with your dry humor and the fact that you didn’t take him too seriously. You had a quirk license, but you never once planned on being a hero, since the system was corrupt and broken in your eyes.

This also led to your guys first major argument, way before you started dating. But being forced to work together for months meant you guys grew closer. At this point Katsuki also learned about your quirk, which was the ability to see and use people’s karma against them.

This meant you could “see” when people were lying, but it was more of a sense than sight, but that’s the easiest way to explain it. it was also how you were able to point out quite early on that he was lying through his teeth when he snapped that he didn’t like you.

Being with somebody who could easily point out when he was bluffing or trying to hide how he really felt, was something Katsuki wouldn’t like in the beginning, since it meant he couldn’t use his usual defense mechanisms.

But as time passed, Katsuki was able to be himself more and more around you, seeing as you could always sense to some degree when he was hiding something, and all your court work meant you could easily tell when there was something he wanted to say but couldn’t get himself to do it.

It meant that Katsuki finally allowed himself to start exploring other parts of himself and his interests. Being soft and harmless has never been something the explosion hero had seen himself as, but with you it just came easy.

And if he imagined being your cute little househusband who would greet you when you get home form a difficult case, who would undo your tie for you and massage your shoulders, only to show you the silk pieces he wore in your favorite colors, then it was just for Katsuki.

Katsuki can’t explain what came over him when he bought the lingerie pieces he had been glancing at for months. Maybe it was the extra hours of hero work that left him loopy and exhausted, or it was that deep urge to be small, soft and pretty, instead of big, tough and strong,

He could deny ever having bought it, since you guys had your own personal finances. That was until it came in the mail, in a nondescriptive box that just looked like any other package. It had Katsuki thinking it was something random he had bought, until he opened it up and was met with soft pink tissue paper and a personalized “thank you for supporting my small business” card.

The stickers, raspberry candies, and a guide on how to wash and care for the lace, was shoved aside. Bakugou went bright red as he pulled the tissue paper open and saw with his own eyes the pieces custom made for his build, in the softest of pinks and whites.

Part of him wanted to just throw it away, even if hed spent way too much money on it. but another part of Katsuki was excited, a soft shudder run down his spine as he rubbed the material between his calloused fingers. Maybe he could just… try it on. That didn’t mean he had to use it for anything, right?

It didn’t take Katsuki long to move into the bathroom across from your shared bedroom. It was large enough for both of you to have your space, but most importantly, it had a large mirror where you could see yourself with ease.

In his nervous excitement, Katsuki didn’t realize the guide for caring about said lingerie had been brushed to the floor, just barely tucked under the kitchen table where hed dumped the other packages you guys had received.

The blonde was a blushing mess as he tucked the lingerie on, breathing shaky and uneven as he felt the soft delicate lace and fabrics brushing against his muscular scarred body. Hed always looked strong and dangerous, but like this he could almost see himself as… delicate.

The shape of the lingerie made his already small waist seem smaller, whilst also supporting his pecs and squeezing around his thighs in ways he knew would have your hands twitching with the urge to grab.

Katsuki was too distracted with admiring himself to notice you arriving home, your tired voice calling out to him as you knew he would be around. His silence had you raising a brow as you tucked off your coat and tie.

The pile of packages wasn’t anything new. Being a hero meant Katsuki got a lot of mail shipped directly to him, and you got things every now and then too, though it was normally thank you gifts from clients.

The soft pink paper under the table caught your attention, and after picking it up you could help but huff softly in interest. Was Katsuki trying to surprise you? How sweet. Better not keep him waiting then.

Your quirk allowed you to see vague splashes of color and waves, each color and swirl showing different feelings and intensities of said feelings. His embarrassment and arousal had you softly chuckling to yourself. The shame and fear mixed into it was worrying though.

It wasn’t hard to figure out where he was. If the light under the bathroom door wasn’t enough to tell you, then the intense swirls of colors radiating through the doors cracks was another sign. This truly made him feel good, you could tell. It also meant you felt bad that he hadn’t come to you with this before, as it clearly made him feel some type of way.

“Katsuki?” you pipe up, knocking softly on the door, eyes locked onto the swirls of color and waves that seemed to twist and turn, wanting to gauge his reactions and feelings. The flashes of new colors and erratic waving made you frown. Why was he scared? Self-conscious?

You didn’t say anything about what you had found in the kitchen, instead letting Katsuki take all the time he needed to answer. A gruff but meek “what?” snapping through the door.

Inside the bathroom Katsuki started to feel horrible, wrapping his arms around himself. Hed been so distracted oogling at his body and the lace that he hadn’t even noticed you coming home, what type of hero was he to not realize?

The self-conscious feelings welled up, the imperfections he couldn’t see before almost blowing up to a much larger, much more noticeable scale. Why would you find him attractive like this? All muscles, sharp edges and ugly scars?

“What are you doing, honey?” you hum, keeping patient and open. Sure, you were jittery with the want to see him in whatever he had bought, but it was clear Katsuki was uncomfortable, mostly with himself than anything.

“Just- fuck. Go away for a moment, ill be out” he snapped, voice raising a few octaves that told you he was starting to get distressed. Katsuki couldn’t figure out why his eyes were welling up, or why he felt so weak and vulnerable like this. But the very thought of you seeing him like this and rejecting him felt worse than any wound he had ever gotten.

“What if I want to see” you mumble, close enough to the door to know he would hear you. Your quirk let you see the rapid fluctuations in the colors and swirls. Shock, annoyance, depressive self-hate, self-consciousness, begrudging acceptance.

He clearly wanted to demand to know how you knew what he was wearing, but Katsuki grumbled a little to himself. Of course you knew, you knew everything, you weren’t heroes go-to lawyer for no reason.

You took a small step back as the door unlocked, and nothing could have prepared you for the sight that would meet you. A hot breath was puffed out your nose as Katsuki stood so meekly before you, scarred arms still protectively wrapped around himself.

The longer you went without speaking, the more distressed your lover seemed to get, his red eyes

flicking from your face to the wall to the floor as he worried at his lip.

Finally, your explosive lover seemed to snap, throwing his arms out in a frustrated “say something for fuck sake!”, his eyes wide but shiny in a way that spoke of tears. His usual posturing and loud tone didn’t really have the same effect when he was wearing that pretty lingerie, and he was flushed so prettily in the face.

“you’re so pretty…” you finally muster out, his still locked to his face and body, hands clenched at your sides as familiar heat bloomed inside you like hot syrup. It wasn’t the usual ravenous hunger that had you bending him over the kitchen counter, or shoving him under your desk in your office, but it was similar.

He scoffed at your words, but his redder face and the bright colors swirling around him made it clear he felt flattered and noticed, a soft whimpered noise leaving his clenched lips when you finally started to touch him.

It was strange to have your usually self-assured and decided lover shuddering and gasping weakly from your hands just running up and down his sides, brushing against the delicate lace and the different stitches and patterns.

“s-stop saying stupid shit” he mumbled, his voice even sounding softer and more vulnerable than Katsuki normally allowed himself to be. The tone of Katsuki’s voice jumped up into a yelp as your hands grasp at his pecs, petting at his nipples through the sheer fabric, already so hard and sensitive from all his self-admiration earlier.

“If you don’t believe me, let me show you” you grumble out, finally looking Katsuki in the eyes with the look of a wolf about to eat its prey. The explosion of bright colors around Katsuki was euphoric in your eyes, even as he yelped when you picked him up with ease. The bedroom was right across the hall, but that wouldn’t stop you from carrying him there.

Katsuki wrapped his arms around his chest again as you laid him carefully on your shared bed, too flustered to look you in the eye. But you knew he wanted too, he was just to shy to allow himself to feel this way, which just meant you had to show him.

The gasped yelp that left him as you slide his thighs apart brought a hungry smirk to your face, Katsuki’s wide red eyes finally snapping to your own as you slowly slide lower and lower between them. You would make sure Katsuki felt more confident before the night was over, that was a promise.

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

this is a slight detour from your usual subject matter but i'm very curious about your experience renting a high-quality camera lens? how did you go about doing that and have you been pleased with how it worked out? (the changing of hands i mean, it's clear you're happy with the lens!)

i didn't know this was a Thing before and now i'm wondering if i might be able to try that myself!

Oh yeah, it's absolutely the best thing if you can't afford fancy lenses / want to try out new gear / just need something for a special occasion.

There are places you can rent online that will ship you gear, and depending on where you live you can often also rent from local camera stores. I've done both!

Right now my main practice is renting lenses from LensRentals, which is an online company that ships out of Tennessee. They've got pretty reasonable rental prices, and they don't charge a deposit - but you do sign a thing saying if you damage or lose it, they can charge you. You can also pay for insurance on the rentals against damage or loss which would mitigate a lot of that cost if something went wrong. I've heard a range of opinions about them, but I've pretty much always had a good experience with them and gotten stuff on time that worked correctly, and their customer service has been really responsive for me when we had some snafus with shipping stuff back lately. One thing they do that I really like is their system is set up with an option to ship directly to FedEx stores for you to pick up, which means I don't have to worry about a package containing pricey gear getting stolen or rained on.

LensRentals also is willing to let you buy their rental gear, which is what I'm hoping to do before I send the really nice huge telephoto lens I've been using back tomorrow. They'll take some of the price of your rental off the purchase cost - it isn't a ton, but it generally covers sales tax and maybe a little more. I like it as a way to purchase used gear because I can see the condition before I commit, and I've had it in my hands and gotten to use it a bunch. That's how I bought my first real digital camera like a decade ago, and where I got my current camera and starter lenses.

If you've got a local rental store, I absolutely encourage going through them! I've done that when traveling - there have been some times I wanted a specific piece of gear to test on a habitat - and it's worked out really well. Plus, supporting local businesses is always the right choice. They'll often all operate a little differently, but it's nice to know people IRL who can help you decide what gear to use or just nerd out with you. Sometimes local places will ask for some type of deposit to make sure you bring the gear back, and TBH if that's within your budget it's perfectly reasonable.

Unfortunately, the local rental place in my area charges a deposit to your credit card for the entire worth your rental until you bring it home, and my credit limit isn't high enough that I can float a hold for that (e.g. upwards of four thousand dollars for the two lenses I'm using lately) and still be able to, y'know, use my card, so I go with online rentals. It drives me up a wall! I'd really like to support local businesses and minimize shipping costs / carbon emissions.

If you think you'd like to rent some gear to try out, I recommend it! Just make sure you know what's compatible with your camera, you've got a safe way to transport and store the rental when you're not using it, and that you know the terms up front. It's been such a fun way to play around and see what I like and what works well for me.

[overtake]

old playing cards!!

I managed a fic under 1k. Please clap.

DECEMBER 2022

Daniel’s fingers tap on the glass table and leave smudges from the sweat and oils coating them. He pulls the sleeve of his shirt over his hand and tries to wipe away the evidence, but he only succeeds at blurring the fingerprints into a hazy circle.

He curls his fingers into the meat of his palm instead, hidden safely inside the too-long cotton cocoon, and stares blankly down. Through the glass, he can see his knee bouncing up and down, just centimetres from banging into the table and bruising his skin.

He startles when a bowl lands in front of him. It’s that eco-friendly cardboard stuff they’ve switched to in the factory cafe, and it’s stuffed to the brim with some kind of chicken and rice dish. Just the smell of it makes Daniel’s stomach churn, and he pushes it to the edge of the table. He ignores Simon’s admonishing glare and crosses his arms across his ribcage.

“Well?” he asks. He knows the sim session didn’t go well. He could hear it in Simon’s constant feedback. He could feel it in his corner hesitation, slamming the brakes like he could fuck the sim into an actual wall and subsequently bracing for impact.

Simon doesn’t answer. Instead, he pulls something from his pocket and passes it across the table to Daniel.

It takes Daniel a second to register what he’s looking at, and it draws a laugh out of him for the first time that day.

“You still have these?” Daniel asks. He picks up the old deck of cards and pulls them from their package.

It’d been a tradition every race weekend since he’d become Daniel’s engineer for the two of them to play a round of war before every session. Daniel refused to call it a superstition, but it was their thing.

He’d bought this particular deck for Simon as a farewell gift in 2018, a joke packaged in amongst the real gift of the expensive watch that still decorates Simon’s wrist to date. Simon had become temporarily obsessed with the Real Housewives franchise, a secret he told Daniel to take to the grave, and Daniel had custom-made him a deck of cards with the housewives’ faces on it.

The pack has clearly only been opened once, the day he received it, and Daniel delights in shuffling them for the first time. The fresh edges are stiff against his hands.

Simon doesn’t speak until the cards have been dealt.

“When are you headed back to Perth?” he asks conversationally. He’s never been one to speak around the matter at hand. Daniel must have really stunk up the sim, then.

“Tomorrow.”

They each flip their first card. Simon’s eight takes it to Daniel’s three.

“And Max?”

Daniel turns over a queen, but Simon shows a king.

“After the holiday party. Are you really that invested in our winter break plans?”

Simon shrugs, unbothered by the bite in Daniel’s words. “Yes. I think you should spend time with your family, eat lots of Christmas ham, and stop thinking about the sim.”

Daniel finally takes a round.

“Is that your way of saying today was so bad, we can never speak of it again?”

Daniel flips over an ace. Simon rolls his eyes and slaps down an ace with Lisa Vanderpump’s smiling face, and they begin doling out cards for war. “We’ll talk about the data in a bit. I just want to remind you to take it easy, alright? Trust yourself. We both know your talent didn’t disappear. You just have to let yourself breathe a little.”

Daniel bites down on his lip, hoping the sharp edge of his tooth in skin will stop the burn in his eyes. “You almost sound like you care about me,” Daniel teases.

Simon shakes his head, but Daniel can see the bemused glint in his eyes.

“Get fucked,” Simon says solemnly when he wins the war and sweeps the pile into his deck.

They play the rest of the game in peaceful silence.

MARCH 2025

“Ready?” Max asks. His race suit is only half-zipped, allowing Daniel to lewdly admire the way his white fireproofs hug the frame of his body. Max sees Daniel mentally objectifying him and sticks out his chest a little.

“Almost,” Daniel promises. Simon’s only got about two cards left in his pile. He refuses to bring the Real Housewives deck, so they’re using a boring one for now, but Daniel plans on finding a themed deck for every other city this season.

Max collapses into the chair next to Daniel and spins himself in lazy half-circles until Daniel takes Simon’s final card and wins the game.

“Let’s go,” Daniel crows, doing a little fist pump.

“I let you win,” Simon lies, like it’s not a game of chance. Daniel boos him, and Max joins in.

“I didn’t miss you two being teammates,” Simon says, waving his hand between the two of them, which only increases their boos. Simon cracks his neck and stands up from the table. “Are you coming?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Daniel says, collecting the cards neatly back into the little box. Max offers him a hand up and lets his fingers linger on Daniel’s skin for a second too long, gently tracing over the four card suits tattooed over the puckered scar on his left hand. “Let’s do this thing.”