#Gonna be checking out that new update for 4

[azriona]

Trustfall, Prologue

Winter Soldier!Bucky x fem!Reader, 9 chapters plus prologue & epilogue. Explicit for sexual contact, which considering it’s the Winter Soldier should be considered vaguely dub!con within an established relationship. Updates will be Tuesdays & Thursdays until complete.

Summary:

Hydra attacks the Tower, fully intending to regain control of their Asset. But Bucky Barnes has a plan. Bucky Barnes has you.

A/N: Inspired by this Tumblr post by @calzone-d, but then it took a life of its own. The working title for this was “Hostage to the Winter Soldier!” (complete with exclamation point, because it’s funnier that way, and if you don’t imagine that title in one of those 1950s B-movie fonts, you’re doing it wrong), but by the time I finished writing, I had Pink’s song stuck in my head, and it’s probably a better fit.

Full notes on AO3, but please note the Trigger Warning for Dub!con above.

Prologue ~ Chapters 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9 ~ Epilogue

MCU Masterlist

“Oh come on, they’ll never hire me,” you protest, laughing. You have to shout it to be heard over the noise of the bar. “And anyway, I’m happy in the ER.”

“But it’s Avengers Tower,” groans your best friend Steph, her slightly tipsy head dropping onto the bar. “You have to—ow. Who made bars so hard? That hurt.”

You pat her shoulder. “I like the ER. It’s fast-paced, it’s exciting, I’m doing exactly what I always wanted.”

“Two words. Super. Heroes.”

“That’s one word, Steph. And come on, superheroes aren’t that interesting. They probably do their own stitches and skip their regular check-ups.”

“Is she still bothering you about the Avengers job?” asks the bartender, Chet, as he hands Steph a towel full of ice from behind the bar.

“Yes,” you groan as Steph mumbles a thank you and plops the iced towel on her head, still lying on the bar. “And it’s not an Avengers job. It’s just a job at the Tower. I probably wouldn’t even see them. I bet I’d be giving SI employees their immunizations and checking for fevers in the on-site daycare.”

“Or working with Bruce Banner?”

“There’s no guarantee of that!”

“Oh yeah? Is there a security clearance involved?”

“Well, yeah…”

“Working with Bruce Banner,” says Chet sagely. “And you know, wiping snotty noses in the daycare and chasing down superheroes for their yearly check-ups.”

“I like the ER,” you insist.

“We know you do,” says Chet. “But we like seeing you, and this is the first time you’ve been out since you got the job two years ago.”

“I miss you,” moans Steph to the bar. Well, in the direction of the bar, but presumably to you. “You’re my best friend and the only way I see you is by breaking my ankle.”

“Oh my God, Steph, tell me you didn’t do that on purpose.”

“Just apply,” says Chet. “If nothing else, it’ll give you bargaining power when your contract comes up again.”

“It does have better hours. And dental.”

“Dental,” sighs Steph longingly.

*

“I got the job!”

“What?” Steph yells back. Clearly, hunting down Steph while she’s on the dance floor was a bad idea.

“I. GOT. THE. JOB!!!”

“Oh my God!” shrieks Steph, encasing you in a huge hug. “My best friend’s gonna be an Avenger!”

You burst into laughter, glad no one else can hear you over the music. “Not an Avenger, Steph. Just a nurse working in the medical bay in the Tower. I probably won’t even see them.”

Steph holds your shoulders firmly. “You are not allowed to replace me with Black Widow.”

“As if!”

Chet gives you a free drink, as do a few others nearby who overheard the part about “new job.” Only one of them actually asks where the job is.

“Stark Industries,” you say, because it’s basically true. “Probably not as exciting as the ER was, but the hours are way better and so’s the pay and benefits.”

“I hope you enjoy it,” says the man, lifting his glass in a toast. He’s got a really pleasant accent, wire-rimmed glasses, the scar on the side of his face barely noticeable in the dim light. You’d like to keep talking to him, but Steph distracts you for a moment, and when you turn back around, he’s gone.

*

Okay, so you hadn’t really lied to Steph. You don’t see the Avengers very often, but that’s only because you don’t work nights and they only ever show up in the med bay when it’s dark outside. Or seem to, anyway.

But you’ve met just about all of them for one reason or another, and so far, every encounter has shown them to be pleasant and friendly as can be.

Until one afternoon, about six months after you started working, when you overhear two very loud, very shouty voices, in the hall outside the nurse’s station.

“I DO NOT NEED STITCHES.”

“You’re worse than Clint! Get in there!”

“Come on, Stevie, they’re gonna heal up on their own in ten minutes.”

“Not if you don’t get the broken glass out first.”

Broken glass? You immediately reach for the kit with the tweezers and a pair of nitrile gloves.

“So you do it.”

“I can’t do it, I have to go brief Hill.”

“I’ll wait.”

“Yeah. For the nurse.”

“Stevie,” groans the guy. “Is this what it all comes to? Saving me from the clutches of Hydra only to make me relive my worst nightmares? You’ve seen the nurses here, Stevie, they all look like my Uncle Maurice.”

“Not true, Buck.”

“They’re cold, heartless bitches, Stevie, the lot of them.”

“Hello,” you say cheerfully, entering the room where Captain America straddles a second man, face-down on the floor and long past fighting. “I’m the attending cold heartless bitch who looks like your Uncle Maurice, I hear you’ve got some glass embedded somewhere?”

“A plate glass window attacked him,” Captain America tells you. “It was brutal.”

“You should’ve seen the window,” grumbles the man to the floor.

“I’ll be sure to send a sympathy card,” you say, setting up your tools on the tray table. “I can do this on the floor, but it’d probably be more sanitary up here.”

“Right,” says Captain America, and he gets off the floor.

The man immediately makes a break for it.

“Nope,” you say, and grab one of the conveniently-placed straps on his leather coat. He spins and stares at you in shock.

He’s cute, you think, or would be if it weren’t for the gaping wound in his forehead. It sparkles, though that’s probably the glass catching in the light.

“So that’s what the straps are for,” says Captain America, impressed, right before he grabs the guy by the ear and hauls him up on the examining table.

“OW.” The man glares at Captain America, who doesn’t seem the least bit concerned. Even though that glare’s probably the scariest thing you’ve ever seen.

“Hold still,” you tell the glare, and start removing the glass from his forehead.

It’s a nasty wound, too. You work as fast as you can, fully aware of how the man you’re treating is—despite all outward appearances—scared to death.

Not that he’d admit it, or even realize you know it. But you worked in an ER for a while. You’ve seen everything, from spaced-out junkies to suicidal octogenarians to homeless vets.

You know which this guy is most like. The way he’s not shaking or trembling, the way he’s so tense and unable to breathe. Not just not breathing, but actually, physically, unable to take a breath because he’s working so hard to keep from screaming.

“The only way out is through,” you murmur as you pull another shard of glass from his forehead.

“Hmm?” asks Captain America, but the guy watches you: wary, assessing every move, even as you telegraph them as plainly as you can.

Calm, almost, despite the now-shallow breaths.

“Nothing,” you say. “One more piece.”

You pull it out, cleaning the area again. “Now, unless I miss my guess, you’re both thinking he’s going to self-heal fairly quickly?”

“By suppertime, probably.”

You nod. “I’d still recommend a steri-stitch or two. Just to keep it clean until the healing’s done. You don’t have to return to remove them, either.”

“Perfect,” says Captain America gratefully, and after a few more minutes, they’re both gone.

But the next morning, when you come in, there’s a bouquet of flowers sitting on the counter with your name on it, and a note written in perfect copperplate handwriting.

I’m sorry I said you looked like Uncle Maurice. You’re much prettier. –JBB

The smile on your face is so big, it stays the rest of the day.

to be continued...

[mydearzero]

The Babysitter | Robert 'Bob' Reynolds x fem!Reader - Chapter 5 | City Lights

Summary: You didn’t have any superpowers, nor were you even qualified for the position, yet somehow a mishap between Alexei and Yelena ends up in getting you a new job. Bob-sitter. 

Contents: No Y/N, fem!reader, college student!reader, themes of depression

Read it on AO3 | Chapter 1 | Chapter 4

1.9K words

It was nearing nightfall, and the team had yet to return from whatever it was they were doing. Bob also had yet to return from his bedroom. For a man who claimed to always be hungry, he was staying suspiciously far from the kitchen. You tried to coax him out twice, but knew not to push it. 

You were sitting on the couch watching a movie when you got a text from an unknown number:

We won’t be back tonight. Can you stay the night? There’s a free room next to Bob’s

It’s Ava btw

Yeah sure. Anything else? 

Not for now, we’ll keep you updated and let you know when we’ll be back. 

Well, you might as well get comfy and put on some sweatpants. Maybe have a shower while you were at it, too. You gathered the extra clothes you’d packed in case something like this were to happen and walked down the hallway, past Bob’s room. You contemplated knocking on the door, but due to your little mishap this afternoon you knew you didn’t have to knock, really. He’d probably heard you already. Your fist ghosted in front of the door, but before you could knock, it opened. 

“Ava texted me. You’re staying the night?” Bob asked, not addressing the fact he’d avoided you pretty much all day. You nodded and held up your clothes. 

“Was just about to go take a shower. You got any spare towels?” You looked him over now that you had the chance. His hands were noticeably shaking. You had to suppress the urge to just give him a hug and tell him it was all gonna be okay. 

“Yeah, there should be a few in the bathroom. I think we share one, assuming you’re next door?” 

“Ava said the room next to yours, so I’m guessing we’re neighbours, yeah,” you confirmed. You knew there was a bathroom for every 2 rooms. Rich people bullshit. Well, you could’ve had your own bathroom, that’d be even richer. 

“You can use some of my soap, if you want. Should all be there. Enough towels to go around, too.” Bob offered. You thanked him and made your way next door, checking out the bedroom before heading into the bathroom and locking both entrances. 

You turned the shower on and got undressed as you waited for the water to get warm. The shower was nicer than any one you’d been in before. You could get used to this. Probably Tony Stark’s doing while this was still his tower. 

The hot water took some of your worries with it, relaxing your muscles. You still couldn’t keep your mind from Bob and what had happened. The cut on your cheek stung when the warm water hit it directly, but other than that was completely fine. You understood his worries, but he couldn’t live in fear they’d happen or he’d never leave the house or talk to a soul again. Valentina also didn’t seem like a very intimidating threat. The team had her wrapped around their fingers, even if it was unwillingly. She couldn’t bribe you to sell out Bob to her grimy hands. 

You were appalled at the sight of the 3-in-1 body wash and shampoo Bob apparently settled on for his routine. Men. You’d have to take him shopping sometime soon and buy him some actual shampoo, conditioner and soap. It did smell nice, you had to give him that. Smelled like him. 

You turned the shower off and toweled yourself dry. You quickly got dressed and made your way back to what would be your bedroom for the night. A long sigh escaped your lips as you let yourself fall on the luxurious bed. Soft, but not too soft. Sturdy enough to support your back but more pillows than a girl could ever need. Good bed. 

Your mind wandered to Bob once more. He could likely hear you in the room, you realised. 

“Bob? I know you can hear me, so I’m gonna talk even if you don’t want to face me to hear it,” you tried. Worth a shot. You got no reply, not that you’d expected one. 

You sat up on the bed and gazed at the clock. 10 P.M. 

“I get that you’re afraid and that there’s parts of you I don’t understand yet. I also know there’s parts you’ll never let me see, but you can’t coop yourself up in your bedroom and just hope everything and everyone goes away until all eternity.” It felt strange, talking into an empty room. 

“I don’t have any intentions of hurting you, or handing you over to someone who might have such intentions. If I’m being realistic, I’m being paid to keep you company and I’m not really succeeding at that right now. So if you’ll just let me do my job and not get me fired, that’d be great.” 

You heard shuffling on the other side of your door, followed by a small, hesitant knock. You opened it in an instant, faced with a timid Bob. He was obviously feeling conflicted. 

“Can I come in?” He asked. You nodded and gestured for him to sit on the end of the bed. You joined him, pulling your legs up and facing him to let him talk. 

“It’s sweet, what you’re doing. Even if you’re being paid to do so. I just can’t see how this arrangement can work longtime. I appreciate that you’re keeping me company and I know what the team is trying to do. I know I need help, I just-” he looked at his hands, which up until now had been folded in his lap. They were still shaking. 

He took a deep breath before he continued. “I needed help even before all this. I’m not… I don’t wanna put everything on you right now. This team? These people? They’re trying to be the best people they can, despite their pasts. I know they’re trying their best for me, too, but I don’t deserve it.” 

You moved to put a comforting hand on his hunched shoulder, but he flinched away violently. You quickly put your hand back on your lap. “And you. You’re just a part of this all. I don’t need a babysitter. I don’t need someone on suicide watch.” He scoffed. Something was off. He was starting to sound different. He’d refused to look at you up until now. His expression was one you hadn’t seen from him before. You couldn’t place it. 

“And really, what are you gonna do? When it goes wrong, you can’t stop me. None of them can. It’s only a matter of time. I’m a walking time bomb and you’re only putting yourself in the area of detonation.” He got up off the bed and walked back to the hallway, slamming the door as he went. It fell off the hinges, wood splinters falling to the floor. 

You let out a shaky breath. Bob had scared you. This was not what you’d intended when you tried to coax him to talk to you. Was this what Yelena had talked about? Was this what happened when he was alone for too long? Was this why you were here in the first place? 

You tried to push the fear down as far as it would go and got off the bed. You stepped over the splintered door and looked down the hallway. Bob hadn’t gone into his room, the door still wide open. 

You walked back to the living room, with the penthouse windows overlooking the city. Bob was standing there, still as a statue, looking outside. You kept your distance, but you knew. You knew that he knew you were right behind him. 

You wanted to speak. Wanted to tell him it was all going to be okay. Ask him if he’d just go to bed and sleep it off. No sound left your lips. 

“Have you ever felt so empty you don’t think you’re actually feeling anything? Like you’re slowly being overtaken by a parasite that takes control and no matter what you do, your conscience gets sidelined by this being that’s hellbent on breaking you down bit by bit? Yet you know, logically, there’s no parasite. It’s all just… you. And the only way to make it stop, to finally make it quiet…” 

He didn’t have to finish for you to understand. You wish you knew what to say, how to make the pain go away. Wish you’d kept him distracted and engaged long enough to stop him from spiralling.

“Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life?” Bob finally turned around to look at you. His eyes… They were different. 

“Hasn’t everyone?” You finally answered. 

“There is none. An answer, I mean. Because there is no meaning to life. You get born, deal with the cards you’re dealt, live life and then you die. Your memory lives on for a couple of generations, if you’re lucky. But most of us? We’re like a nostalgic scent you pick up on a random afternoon; You know you remember the smell, but won’t ever remember what it is.” He rambled. He turned back to look out the window. He gazed at the cars passing, the lights in the buildings. 

“Nothing matters. Yet everything does. I just want it to stop,” his voice cracked. You felt tears well up in your eyes. He understood his feelings, yet the thought of them ever changing was inconceivable. 

He’d appeared angry before. What you were scared of initially was his anger. You knew now there was only one thing you had to fear. The darkness. The heartache. The hopelessness. 

Spiralling was easy. Climbing back up? That was the hard part. 

You walked into the kitchen and put on the kettle, pulling out two mugs and dropping teabags into them. You added an extra teaspoon of sugar into his before pouring the boiling water. He didn’t speak as you made the tea. 

You walked back into the living room and handed him a mug, joining him in gazing out the window. He took the mug and when you sat down on the cold floor, he joined you. 

You sat there in silence, looking out on the New York skyline, for what felt like hours. There was nothing you could say, nothing you could do that would solve what he was going through. 

He drank the tea when the temperature allowed it. You sipped your own and tried to find a constellation in the sky, but no stars were visible above the bright city. It was ironic, in a sense. All Bob had to do was find the stars to guide him home. But how could he do that when the sky was polluted with light? 

It was on the floor where he eventually fell asleep. You felt your own eyes drooping, too. You kept watch over him as he slept. He needed it. You grabbed a few pillows from the couch along with a blanket and made him as comfortable as you could without waking him up. 

Your tea had long gone cold when you placed your mug on the counter along with Bob’s. The loud city was somehow peaceful when you looked at it from this high up. You could understand why he sought it out as a place of solace. It could’ve been minutes or hours before the night finally took you, but you stayed right there by his side, on the floor.

CHAPTER 6

TAGLIST: @jason-todd-fangirl-14 @hopes-peak-akademy @rattheraddestrat @i-shall-abide @puer-aurea @kennywantskfc69 @spectacled-studies @hiddlebatchedloki @chimchoom @spidermiraculous-blog @s00ty-feet @28cnn @tinythebunni @softpia @roeroeroeyourboet @secretkittydreamland @cultish-corner @greenbean-4ever @t-rexs-world @thebitchiestnerdtowalktheearth @ifilwtmfc @renren-006 @10ava01 @kawaii1369 @hawkinsavclub1983 @paleepeaches @lnmp89

[subliminalghoest]

Safe house 3

Ghoap x f!reader (read part one & two)

-the third instalment is hereeee

-Warning: Slow-burn, fluff, we getting real angsty with this part (you've been warned)

———————————————————————————

You didn't believe it—not really. But there it was in the scope. A perfect shot.

“Bloody hell,” Price said behind you, voice low with something between disbelief and pride. “That’s 1,750 metres. New team record.”

He clapped a hand on your shoulder. “What’s the reward, then, Lieutenant?”

All eyes flicked to Ghost. He was still looking through the spotting scope, unmoving. Like he needed to double-check that what just happened... actually happened.

It took a second before he spoke, like the words had to boot up. “…Bragging rights.”

It’s a tradition in the team that they never hand out literal awards for new records and such, only the bragging rights over the rest of the team. Nobody wanted trophies turning into reminders of those who didn't make it home.

You rose, still in quiet disbelief, and each member clasped you on the shoulder, offering their kudos—Soap practically lifting you off the floor in excitement, “Christ, I’m never hearin’ the end of it, am I?” he chortled as you helped him up.

You shoved his shoulder. Grinned. “Only fair.”

“Hell of a shot.” You blinked at Ghost quietly packing up the equipment, “You really are as impressive as your file said.”

Your cheeks heated, Simon had never really spoken to you out of choice—only ever orders or corrections during training. You were still relatively new to the team, still figuring out your place with them, and Ghost... Ghost was a fortress. But hey, the harder they are to break, the sweeter the victory.

You smirked, mock saluting. “Just getting started, Lt.”

A deep chuckle escaped him as the finished with the gear, straightening up and confirming that, yes, you still were unaccustomed to his sheer size.

“You are already solid. Don't waste your time proving yourself,” he hesitated “…and call me Simon.”

You didn't know this at the time, but you would grow to become one of the three people with the privilege of seeing the man under the mask.

Back then, it was all about bragging rights. Now... it felt ridiculous to care for something so insignificant.

This was the kind of record nobody celebrated—other than grim understanding of what it meant.

This was the longest anybody had been comms silent and came back to claim their title.

Soap was still out there.

His mission had been a solo recon assist—a quick in-and-out, they said. You and Ghost weren’t on the roster, just supposed to wait it out, keep things running here. But now it was 4 days later—no update. You weren’t on the mission, but your head replayed every worst-case scenario like you were living them anyway.

Your heart thudded heavy in your chest. You stared harder at the screen. Like maybe you could force your thoughts away if you glared long enough.

“Staring isn't gonna bring him back any faster.” Price startled you from your spot curled up in a chair in the tech room, which you had spent more time in than out of the last 4 days.

Rubbing your sore eyes you straightened yourself, “It’s my shift, Captain.”

Confusion crossed his face before he glanced above your head and saw Ghost entering the room, the same dark purple marking his eyes as yours.

“I’m not having two of my best dragging arse if we get the call.” Price pointedly looked between the both of you, “Off the clock means off. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“But we—” a sharp glare in your direction cuts off your objection. Price was your Captain, his word was the law to you, no loopholes.

You gathered the rubbish on the desk from your snacks and began to leave, noticing Ghost had left without waiting for you or uttering a single word—strange.

Sleep evaded you into the early hours of the morning, the base silent around you. Too quiet. Without Soap here it felt like your world axis had been shifted and there was a gap that wouldn't fill until he returned. He would return, he had to. Claim his record title and brag your ear off about it far into the future.

The ceiling began moving as your eyes unfocused from staring at it too hard, pressing your palm into the sockets to try and alleviate the sting.

Then—

A knock.

You sat up instantly, heart leaping into your throat. For one impossible second, you thought it might be Johnny. Back, smiling like always, grinning through dirt and blood.

“I’d like to see you last 4 days in the wilderness with no comms, fucking majestic I was—wish you could've seen it, eh?”

But the knock came again—slower. Heavier.

Not Soap.

“…Yeah?” you called, already getting up knowing who it would most likely be.

You cracked the door open, and Ghost’s hulking figure filled the space.

He lingered in the doorway, half-lit by the hallway light. “Sorry,” he said quietly. “Didn’t know where else to go.”

You blinked at him. “You okay?”

He stepped inside and shut the door softly behind him. He looked more tired than usual. Heavy. Not in a physical way, but in the way he carried the silence around him.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said. “Didn’t want to sit in my head all night.”

You nodded and motioned to the bed. “Sit. I’m up anyway.”

He sat down without a word, elbows braced on his knees. You stood in front of him, waiting.

Ghost wasn’t one to spill his thoughts easily. But he looked up at you now, his voice raw in a way you rarely heard.

“I keep thinkin’ the worst,” he admitted. “Every time the comms go dark like this, I wonder if I’ve already seen him for the last time.”

Your breath caught. You hadn’t let yourself say that out loud. Not yet. But Ghost’s voice cracked something open in you. Tore off the bandage you’d put up.

“He’s smart,” you said, gently. “He’s been in tighter spots than this.”

“I know.” He paused. “Still... it’s different when it’s someone you—” He cut himself off. Looked away.

You blinked. Love, thats what he was gonna say—not in the brother in arms, die for eachtoher way. They lovedeachhother.

Still, you kept your voice soft. Steady. “That’s why you’re scared,” you said. “You love him.”

Ghost didn’t respond right away. Just stared at the floor between his boots. Then—barely audible—“Yeah.”

A silence settled over you both, you didn't know how to respond. Already too emotionally raw from the past few days to fully fill in the gaps of what this meant in your head. You didn't need to though, Ghost continued, “We’ve been together. For a while.”

A while.

Oh.

You nodded slowly, but it felt like something inside you had been suddenly carved out.

You thought the safehouse night had been the start of something. Some messy, fragile maybe. But this?

They’d already had their beginning. And maybe an entire middle, too. And you... you’d just been a brief detour.

Your stomach twisted.

You moved closer, just slightly, and let your fingers brush over his shoulder. “He’ll come back,” you murmured. “To you.”

Ghost lifted his head at that. His eyes were unreadable behind the mask, but he reached out—slowly—and caught your wrist. Gently pulled you forward until you were standing between his knees.

Then his arms went around you, and he tugged you into a hug—tight, grounding.

You stiffened for a split second, then let yourself melt into it. Even with your heart aching, you didn’t pull away.

He needed comfort. And despite everything, you wanted to give it to him.

You stayed like that for a long moment. Your cheek pressed to the top of his head, his hands curled around your waist. His breath steady against your stomach. You let your fingers run gently through his hair where his mask didn’t cover it.

The moment stretched on as you held each other, bordering on the kind of intimacy you had been working so hard to forget.

Finally, he shifted, tilting his head up. “Can I stay?”

You hesitated. Then nodded. You couldn’t resist sliding your palm against his cheek, your heart squeezing slightly when he leaned his head into your palm and smiled softly. He looked so beautiful in that moment, it almost hurt to look at him.

He peeled away with a kiss to your palm, pulled away and climbed into bed. Your bed. You joined him, keeping to the edge at first, unsure. Your back to him.

But then his hand found your hip.

He hesitated. You could feel it in the way he held his breath.

Then he gently tugged.

You let him. Took what was given.

His arm came around your waist. His body curved against your back. Cocooning you in a warmth which quieted your mind.

Peaceful.

He pressed his face into your hair, and you could feel the tremble in his chest. Like even now, even after everything, he was still coming undone.

You let yourself be held.

Neither of you spoke for a while. Just the quiet sound of breathing in the dark.

Then Ghost said, voice dry, “You remember the safehouse?”

You let out a soft sound, half-laugh. “Kinda hard to forget, Simon.”

“Hm.” He nudged your temple with his nose, “Didn’t take you for a cuddler back then.”

“I’m not,” you muttered. “That was survival. You two were warm. That’s all.”

“Right,” he said, clearly unconvinced.

You tilted your head back enough to look at him. “You started it, anyway.”

“Hmm, don’t blame me—Soap was the one practically drooling on your neck.” he added, almost fondly.

You laughed, and he chuckled low behind you. It warmed something inside you that had gone cold earlier.

But then he shifted again, and his fingers traced the curve of your neck—your breath hitched. “Don’t regret it, though. Best night sleep I’ve had in years.”

He remained there for a moment, testing your reaction to his hand tracing patterns on your neck. Cataloguing each hitch or stutter to your breath—how your legs softly shifted when he found a sensitive spot behind your ear.

He moved his hand higher, gripping your chin and tilted your head toward him slowly. Gently.

Your body shifted to face his, settling against each other just as easily as you had in that safe house.

Ghost stared at you like he was waiting for you to pull away first—like he was giving you the chance to take it back.

You didn’t.

You leaned in, just enough, and his eyes shuttered closed.

When his lips met yours, it was soft. Fragile. A question, not a demand. You answered with the same quiet need, sinking into him, one hand fisting in the fabric of his shirt.

He kissed you like he didn’t know if he was allowed to want this—but couldn’t stop himself anyway.

It deepened, gradually. Mouths pressing firmer, breaths quickening. His hands tightened at your waist, fingers twitching with restraint.

You could feel the rough fabric of his mask brushing your lips. A barrier stopping you from feeling him fully.

And then, without thinking, you reached up—gripped the edges—and pulled.

He stilled, just for a moment. But he didn’t stop you.

You peeled the mask off and tossed it to the side—didn’t care where it landed. You wanted him.

And he gave in.

The kiss broke for half a breath—just long enough to see his eyes, wide and searching—and then your mouths crashed together again.

No restraint now.

Your hands buried in his hair, his tongue sweeping against yours, slow and warm and desperate. He groaned into your mouth, raw and wrecked, and the sound shattered something in you, sent heat pooling in your core.

You didn’t hold back.

You let yourself get lost in it—chests pressed, bodies tangled, breath stuttering between kisses that bled together. Hands grasping at your hips pulling you further into him, feeling the need for you against your core. Twisting, his body now half on top of you as he pushed you deeper into the mattress. There was no precision. No careful rhythm. Just aching mouths and shaking hands and raw, quiet desperation.

You kissed like you were the only thing keeping each other grounded.

You kissed like it meant everything.

And maybe… maybe for a moment, it did.

But then—reality.

You felt it before you thought it. A crackle of guilt. A flash of doubt.

Reality crashed in.

You pulled back.

Not all at once. Just an inch. Then another.

Ghost chased you for a second, eyes still closed, lips parted—until he felt the absence and opened his eyes.

Hurt flickered across his face, subtle but unmistakable. His hands didn’t let go, but they loosened, unsure. Shifting back so he was no longer laid on top of you.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, breathless. Touching your fingers to your swollen, sensitive lips. Feeling to make sure that had just happened, but also maybe a barrier to stop it from continuing, “I shouldn’t have…”

He shook his head, voice rough. “No. Don’t be. I shouldn’t have—”

“Let’s just not, okay?” You rested your hands against his chest, smiling softly to reassure him.

He didn’t press further. Just rested his forehead against yours.

“Okay,” he murmured.

He lay back, pulling you with him until your head rested on his chest. One arm stayed firm around you, hand rubbing slow circles against your spine.

You curled your fingers into the fabric of his shirt.

Neither of you spoke again.

Eventually, your breathing synced.

Tonight, you were just two people lost in the quiet, holding on to what comfort and warmth you could find while your friend was gone.

The morning came slow.

Sunlight leaked in through the blinds, painting thin golden lines across the sheets. The room was quiet—still wrapped in that rare hush that only came after long, heavy nights.

You stirred first.

For a second, you didn’t know where you were. A solid wall infront of you giving you no clues as your brain struggled to wake itself up. Then you felt the weight of his arm around your waist, the warmth of his chest against your back, the steady breath brushing the back of your neck.

Ghost.

Your heart kicked up again—but not with panic, not quite. It was a soft ache. Bittersweet.

You didn’t move.

Didn’t want to.

He was still asleep. You could tell by the way his fingers twitched now and then against your stomach, relaxed in a way he rarely let himself be. His face—half buried against your shoulder—was bare still. His mask lay abandoned somewhere on the floor, like it hadn’t mattered last night. He’d let you see him when the rest of the world couldn’t.

You didn’t know what this was. What it meant. But you knew what it had felt like.

You settled further into his arms, carefully threading your fingers through his resting in your stomach, bringing his hand up to the centre of your chest. Letting yourself enjoy it. Just for a little longer. You weren’t ready for the world outside this bed. Not yet.

But reality never waited long.

Ghost’s phone buzzed.

The sound was sharp—too loud in the stillness.

You felt him jolt slightly behind you, his breath catching. Then the arm around you tightened reflexively before pulling away altogether.

You watched him move in silence.

He rolled over, reached for his phone. Pulling you with him with his other arm, tucking you in firmly against his side. A short kiss pressed into your hairline, sweet, soft, a side of Simon you hadn’t experienced before but seemed so natural to him you wondered if this is what he would be like, waking up with him every morning, the thought felt dangerous.

Screen glow lit up his face. You saw the moment it happened—the second everything changed.

The message on the screen must’ve hit him like a shot to the chest.

“Johnny’s back,” he said, voice flat. Distant.

Your heart surged. Relief swept through you fast, hard—but it was eclipsed almost instantly by the shift in him.

“That’s good,” you managed, voice low. You sat up slowly, the sheet wrapped tight around your chest. “He okay?”

He sat up fast. Swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Started grabbing his things, pulling on his boots, his hoodie, reaching for the mask. “I assume so. Just got a general update. I’ll check on him.”

He didn’t look at you.

You ran your fingers through your hair, trying to shake the quiet, the stillness that had turned suffocating.

“So…” you tried, a bit too casually. “You heading straight over?”

“Yeah.”

Silence.

Nothing more.

“Simon—” you started.

He just kept moving like the night hadn’t happened. Like the warmth you’d shared was some illusion.

You sat up straighter, sheet clutched to your chest. “Ghost.”

That finally got a pause out of him.

Half-dressed, mask still in his hand, he stood at the foot of the bed, back still to you.

“I shouldn’t have come last night,” he said. Quiet. Measured.

You flinched like he’d hit you.

No mention of the way you’d kissed him. No acknowledgment of the way he’d held you like he might fall apart if he let go. No sign of the soft, raw version of Simon that had laid beside you in the dark.

You bit your lip. Swallowed hard.

He looked over his shoulder—just barely. His eyes were unreadable again, that wall going up inch by inch. The wall you thought he’d let you behind for a moment.

Then he turned away. Pulled the mask back on.

The man who’d kissed you like he was drowning was gone. Replaced with the Ghost the world always saw. Cold. Sharp. Untouchable.

He reached for the door and suddenly you couldn’t let him leave like this. You knew once he left you would never build the courage to ask him what this meant. Would never know.

“Wait,” you said, voice cracking. “So that’s it? We just…” You didn’t know how to finish the sentence and the weight of it hung heavy in the air.

He hesitated—hand on the doorknob. The silence stretched.

Then, finally, “I can’t.”

And he left.

The door clicked shut behind him.

Silence.

You sat there for a long time.

The room still smelled like him. The sheets still held the imprint of his body. But he was gone. You were alone.

Your throat burned.

You dragged the blanket off, beginning to recollect yourself—get ready to face the day, whatever state Soap had been found in.

And deep down, you weren’t sure which cut deeper—the fear of finding Johnny…or the certainty you’d already lost Simon.

You let the quiet crush you.

Next part here

[the-paranomaly-hotline]

A project in the works.

Hi, this is Atari! We are the Paranomaly Hotline (like paranormal and anomaly, cool right?!?), we help people when they deal with places or creatures (or even people) that aren't exactly...normal, for lack of a better vocabulary. There's several of us, but we're the main ones who'll be taking calls!

Have a good day, and I hope you guys have no need to call us!

(Oh, our sign offs! Here they are below!)

📝 -Atari (it/they/mem/crys, tolerates she/her) 💫 -Rune (hex/mystic/xey/they) ✈️ -Ev (he/it/ball/nine) [mostly a bit, wont really appear in the story] 🔅 -Moss (he/her) 💠 -Whip (she/her or they/them) 🍀 -Clover (he/him) 🎀 -Milo (he/him) 🎈 -Piper (she/he/they/it)

I'm still gonna keep posting the actual project on my main (@s0lar-ch3ri), but if you wanted to talk to the characters or something, well, here!

If you wanted to see updates about this little story project, just follow the #Paranormal Callings (And How We Got You Out) on my main. Out of characters, I use he/her/it/sol! Uh, yeah bye bye lol

oh also any ooc things are gonna be tagged "#paranomal shutdown"

for my reblogs of the written out chapters, check "#written entity handling"

for my reblogs of the drawn out chapters, check "#drawn entity handling"

the story will always be tagged "#Paranormal Callings (And How We Got You Out)"

because it is a hastel to tag all the posts, any non-actual story (like random office things or whatever) are gonna just be tagged "#backstage of the hotline"

if i give a lil detail about the hotline or whatever, itll go under #fun ph factoids

new characters coming as i work on this lol (maybe tags too idrk)

so fun thing, asks with little things can be for any fandom and shit, and theyll have their own side plotline things (not canon to the main story, but canon somewhere) so yeah!

finished side story things will get put in the pinned to look thro later :3

#cat-otic demons - An anon called in, talking about a peculiar demon who's been talking to their cat, Toothpaste.

#wooded elks - An anon called in about a mysterious elk who had been watching them in the woods.

#demonic possibility - Mysterious shop owners who might be a bit more than human!

CHARACTER TAGS BECAUSE I CAN:

#mossed up posting - moss

#gathering magics of runes - rune

#ataris time shining - atari

#whips up - whip

#interning piper! - piper

#marble bows milo - milo

#4 clover posting - clover

#newer friends to organize - for when i make new guys for this shit and just am too lazy to make a new tag for em

[hyperpopelinnn]

Haven't been here in a while...

Description:Joost imposed the idea of going to fryslân for a week in the summer. What happens there though...?

MDNI, 18+ POST

Warnings/tags: fluff, like slow burn to soft sex, p in v with condom, p in v without condom, creampie,

Authors note: Not proof read!,reader isn't implied to be Dutch but is implied to be able to speak Dutch,Google translator Dutch and frisian, hope you enjoy my first fic :>pls note that English isn't my first language so plssss forgive any mistakes! :)

Word count:1,732

Joost was thrilled. The past few days he's been constantly buzzing with energy - texting you every little Update, sending you the weather reports from Leeuwarden like it was breaking news

When you got on the train from Amsterdam to Leeuwarden, he was basically bouncing up and down in his seat,it was adorable to say the least.

After two and a half hours of him not letting you sleep, you finally arrived in fryslân.

You stretched your arms with a yawn, still a bit dazed from the ride, when Joost gave your hand a gentle squeeze.

"Wolkom yn Fryslân," he said,not being able to contain his big, giddy grin.

You couldn’t help but laugh. "Hope you won’t forget Dutch here," you teased, your faint chuckle barely being heard. He chuckled, already pulling your suitcase along like he was on a mission.

His response?"Hope you’ll learn some Frysk here," playfully bumping his shoulder into yours while talking.

You gave him a look — the kind that said "don’t push it" but also "you’re kinda cute for trying."

"Let’s just find the hotel first," you muttered, trying (and failing) to hide your laugh.

After finally waving over a taxi (after 4 failed attempts) you arrive at the hotel

Joost held the hotel door open with a small, over-the-top bow. "After you, mijn koningin."

You stepped inside with a huff of amusement. "You’re so unserious."

The lobby smelled faintly of lavender and wood polish, warm light spilling onto the tiled floors. It was calm, quiet — a sharp contrast to the buzz of the train and Joost’s constant narrating of every passing cow.

"Not bad," he said, nudging your shoulder as you both walked to the front desk.

The check-in didn’t take long. Joost chatted casually with the receptionist in Dutch, tossing you a little smile now and then like he was proud of showing off. Within minutes, you were riding up in the small elevator, Joost humming softly beside you.

The hotel room wasn’t huge, but it was clean and warm. A big bed sat in the middle, fluffy duvets folded neatly, and a small window gave a peek at the street below.

As soon as the door shut behind you, Joost flopped onto the bed with a dramatic groan.

"You’ve been here five seconds," you said, setting your bag down by the chair.

"And yet," he replied muffled into the pillow, "I am one with this bed now."

You let out a quiet laugh, slipping your shoes off. "I’m gonna freshen up quick. Then maybe going out for dinner?"

He raised a thumbs up without moving. "Only if I don’t fall asleep first."

"don't worry i'll wake you up" you say, walking off to the bathroom.

"can't make any promises I'll wake up" he joked, his face now turned to side on the pillow.

As you got out of the bathroom and settled in front of the mirror they had on a desk, his eyes watched you intently, after a minute he spoke up "Hey, can I help..?"

You looked over your shoulder, raising a brow.

"My face isn’t a canvas for experiments, Joost."

He grinned, already getting up and walking over. "Oh come on, I’m very precise. Steady hands. Musical hands, actually."

You rolled your eyes, but handed him the blush anyway. "Alright then, maestro. Impress me."

He took it with exaggerated seriousness, tapping a bit too much powder onto the brush. His tongue peeked out slightly as he focused, gently dabbing your cheek.

"That’s not bad," you said, checking the mirror.

"That’s not great either," he replied, examining his work critically. "Round two?"

A laugh bubbled out of you as he leaned in again, totally absorbed.

"Okay okay," you said, taking the blush back.

"That’s enough artistry for one afternoon."

He flopped dramatically onto the bed again, arms stretched out. "Now I need to get ready."

You smirked, tossing a clean shirt at him. "Then chop chop, sleepyhead."

While you were finishing up your makeup, he pulled his suitcase open and started carefully inspecting each item, fingers grazing the fabrics like he was making an important decision. You glanced over your shoulder. He looked almost too serious about it.

"Planning a fashion show?" you teased.

He didn’t even look up. "This is a fashion show."

A beat passed, then— "Liefjeee, can I pick your outfit today?"

You raised an eyebrow in the mirror. "You trust yourself with that responsibility?"

He gasped dramatically. "Excuse me? I am a visionary."

You chuckled, and before you could even respond, he was already halfway into your suitcase like a man on a mission. Holding up one top, then another, squinting like he was analyzing the emotional backstory of each piece.

"Okay but this color? This would eat. And with those jeans? No one’s ready."

He kept going—five whole minutes of pure hype, throwing compliments like confetti while tossing clothes onto the bed. "You don’t understand how lucky the world is to witness you in this fit," he said, placing his hand over his heart like it physically pained him.

Eventually, you just flopped back on the bed, laughing. "You should be illegal."

"And yet," he smirked, offering you the chosen top like it was sacred, "here I am."

Before you could even argue, he was already halfway into your suitcase, flipping through your clothes like a stylist on a tight deadline. He held up a top, squinted dramatically, then tossed it aside. Then he froze with another in his hands, turned to you with a grin, and in the most exaggerated American accent said,

"Okay but this color? This would eat. And the jeans? No one’s ready."

"let's just go out already"

Arrived at the restaurant, it was soft, cozy, the lights dim, the chairs mismatched, the air reeking of good food, the sound of people talking all over the place.

Joost looked around and let out a satisfied little "Hmm", nodding to himself.

"This is niceeee," he grinned, sliding into the seat across from you. "You see that lamp? It’s crooked. That means the food slaps."

You laughed, shaking your head. "That’s not how restaurants work."

"It is exactly how restaurants work," he shot back, already reaching for the menu but barely glancing at it. His eyes flicked up to meet yours again.

He reached across the table, gently plucking a crumb off your cheek with a teasing little smirk. "Messy eater," he said softly, but his thumb lingered just a second longer than needed.

You rolled your eyes with a quiet laugh, but your skin still burned where he’d touched. "Better than loud chewer," you shot back, watching his grin deepen.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The clatter and chatter around you blurred out, like you were sitting in your own little world. You could feel his gaze settle—slow, thoughtful, warm.

He leaned in just a bit, arms crossed on the table, voice lower now. "Did I tell you how happy I am you’re here?"

You smiled, heart catching a little. "You might’ve mentioned it once or twice."

It made the candle between you flicker like it knew something was about to bloom..

To finish off you each got a glass of wine, or eventually it'd turn into two..?

He raised his glass slightly, "To Fryslân—and to having you here."

You clinked yours against his. "To Joost dragging me to the middle of nowhere."

He laughed, that full, carefree kind that always made your chest flutter. "Rude, but fair."

A few sips in, the buzz started kicking in—warm, cozy, a little light-headed. He rested his chin in his hand, eyes soft as they scanned over you. "You look really good tonight," he said, casual but sincere.

Your cheeks flushed. "That the wine talking?"

He grinned. "Nope. That’s been brewing all day."

You tried to fight the smile tugging at your lips, but it was no use. The mood had shifted—still playful, but there was something else simmering underneath. His hand found yours across the table, his thumb brushing over your knuckles.

The air outside had cooled, but neither of you felt it—your cheeks warm from the wine and something heavier hanging between you. He called an Uber, his hand brushing your lower back as he guided you in.

. His hand slid over, resting gently on your thigh. Warm. Intentional. You didn’t look at him—just leaned slightly closer, and that was enough.

His thumb started tracing slow circles. Not fast. Not urgent. Just… there.

You glanced down at where his hand sat. "Getting bold, aren’t we?"

His voice dropped, barely above a whisper. "Been thinking about you since before dinner. You looked too good."

The car turned a corner, headlights casting brief shadows over his face. His expression didn’t change—still that same soft hunger.

You bit your lip and said nothing.

The rest of the ride was quiet.

Heavy with silence that wasn't awkward—it was charged. Anticipation threading between glances, between breaths.

When the driver finally stopped in front of the hotel, Joost didn’t move right away. He looked at you. You looked at him. And this time, you were the one who reached first.

"Let’s go."

Entering the hotel, he grabbed your hand, interlocking your fingers with his before stepping into an open elevator, pulling you in behind him.

The elevator ride? A whole experience.

He picked you up effortlessly, lips crashing into yours—he didn’t feel like bending down when he could just hold you instead. You melted into it, your mouths moving fast, kisses messy, eager. Tongue brushing your bottom lip, asking—no, begging—for permission.

The elevator dinged.

He stepped out like it was nothing, still holding you, still kissing you when he could. At the door of your suite, he fumbled with the card, finally managing to unlock it without letting go of you.

The second you were in the room, he kicked the door shut behind him and carried you to the bed—surprisingly gentle, like he’d been rough with everything except you.

"God, been waiting all day for this, schatje," he groaned, climbing onto the bed with you. His hands cupped your cheeks as he pulled you into another kiss, deep and eager. One hand trailed down to the neckline of your dress, tugging it down your shoulders, his fingers a little shaky with anticipation.

He broke the kiss for a breath, a string of saliva still connecting the two of you. "You know you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen," he murmured, eyes drinking you in. That smile you gave him was his favourite.

You didn’t reply—just crashed your lips into his again. Your hands worked at his belt, fumbling slightly from the rush. He grinned into the kiss, helping you unclasp it with one smooth motion, letting you unzip his pants. He lifted his hips slightly, letting you slide them down with ease, leaving him in his boxers

Finally separating for some much needed air, he was quick to take off his shirt, leaving him in only boxers. But his eyes never left yours. "Y’know I think this is a bit uneven," he murmured, voice dropping as he laid you back against the pillows, trailing kisses from your collarbone downward. His fingers moved to unclasp your bra with practiced ease, and once it slipped off, his boxers were gone too—when, you didn’t even notice.

His eyes lingered, dark and hungry, fingers lightly tracing down your sides. "Zo fucking mooi…" he murmured, voice low and hoarse, like he couldn't believe you were real. His mouth followed his hands, lips pressing hot kisses down your chest, nipping gently, sucking a mark just above your heart.

He decided to take it a step further, putting one of his hands on your little panties, pushing it to the side, thumb circling your clit.

When your breath hitched, he grinned against your skin. "Je houdt hiervan, hè?"

(You like this,don't you?)

You could only nod, whimpering a soft "Joost…"

His hands slid lower, palming the back of your thighs before yanking you closer with a strength that had you gasping. "Been thinking about this all fucking day," he muttered, voice rough now, impatient. "Every time you smiled, every time you leaned in—I wanted to ruin you right there."

Then he hooked his fingers in the waistband of your underwear, pausing just long enough to tease, "Mag ik…?" (Can I...?)

The way you whispered "alsjeblieft"—needy and breathless—had him growling low in his throat.

As his fingers dipped under the waistband, he paused again—just for a moment—pressing a kiss to your hip. Then he leaned over, opening the bedside drawer like it was the most casual thing in the world. His hand returned holding a small silver packet, flashing you a grin that was far too pleased with himself.

"You put those there?" you asked, breathless, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

He chuckled, tearing the foil with his teeth. "Misschien," he said with a shrug, his accent thick and teasing. "Let’s just say… I had a good feeling about tonight."

"You’re unbelievable."

"Unbelievably smart," he corrected, leaning in to kiss you again, slower this time. “And definitely not about to take chances with the prettiest girl in Fryslân.”

He laid you down on your back, pulling back from the kiss.

He tore the wrapper open fast with his teeth, sliding the condom on with a low grunt. His eyes met yours, pupils blown wide, and for a second he just looked at you—like you were the only thing in the world he could even see.

But halfway through, when you were clinging to him, gasping into his mouth, he pulled back slightly, panting hard.

"kan het niet meer, schatje.. " (can’t do it anymore, baby.. ) he whispered, voice breaking into Dutch from the haze "Baby.. mag ik.." “Zonder… wil je dat?”

(Without… do you want that?)

The need in his voice made your stomach flip. You nodded, tugging him closer again. He pressed his forehead to yours for a second, breathing shaky, before pulling off the condom and slipping right back in—both of you moaning at the feeling of it, raw, real.

You could feel the knot in your stomach forming, nails digging into his back, god, this felt good. You barely had time to think before he spoke, voice rough against your ear,

"On your hands and knees, liefje."

You blinked up at him, not immediately reacting, your mind hazy from what you had just experienced. He chuckled lowly at your dazed state, his hand sliding down your back.

"Kom op, op je handen en knieën," he repeated, firmer this time,the Dutch rolling off his tongue so easily made you crazy.

Without even giving you a second to recover, Joost gripped your hips, lining himself up again.

You barely caught your breath before he pushed into you in one deep thrust, knocking a whimper out of you.

Joost’s fingers dug into your hips, hard enough to leave little bruises for tomorrow.

You barely had time to catch a breath again before he pulled you back onto him, forcing himself deeper inside you than you thought was even possible.

The new angle had you arching deeper than ever before, a broken cry spilling from your lips.

It was overwhelming, the stretch, the fullness, the wet heat between your legs — your mind went entirely blank.

"Fuck," Joost groaned above you, his voice wrecked and low. "Taking me so good, schatje."

You could only whimper in response, thighs shaking, body helpless against the way he used you — still so gentle, still so loving, but so goddamn much.

He slowed down for a second, keeping you pinned there, buried as deep inside you as he could go.

His thumb found your clit again, rubbing sloppy, desperate circles, pushing you over that edge again, before you even had a chance to recover.

The only thing you could hear was his heavy breathing, the obscene sounds of your bodies, and the low, messy praises falling from his lips.

"mooi... mijn meisje," (Pretty... my girl) he groaned, voice absolutely wrecked with need.

His fingers dug into your waist, guiding you back onto him, setting a brutal pace, the sound of skin slapping filling the room.

Your arms gave out, forehead pressing into the mattress as he rutted into you, the stretch almost overwhelming.

You barely registered his hand snaking around to your front, rubbing messy circles over your clit, chasing your second orgasm.

“Kom voor me, schatje. Laat me voelen.”

(Cum for me, schatje. Let me feel you.)

His words were low, desperate — begging.

When you finally came, clenching around him, Joost cursed under his breath, thrusts growing uneven before he buried himself deep one final time, spilling inside you with a broken moan.

He stayed inside for a moment, panting against your back, almost collapsing over you.

When he finally pulled out, he couldn't help but watch, hypnotized, as his cum slowly leaked out of you, thumb gently pressing against your entrance to push it back in.

"Zo vol van mij," (So full of me.)

Your body was shaking by the time he thrusted into you again, and again, grinding himself deep inside you, spilling into you with a broken groan against your neck.

The feeling of him filling you up had you shuddering, tipping into another orgasm you didn't even know you could reach anymore — a third, messier, sloppier high that left you sobbing into the sheets.

You could feel it, his cum leaking out of you already, your thighs trembling from the overstimulation, but he didn’t pull away immediately — he stayed there, chest pressed to your back, his hand still splayed wide over your stomach like he was claiming you.

Finally, after a few heavy breaths, Joost pulled out with a groan, and you whimpered at the loss.

He smirked, grabbing a tissue half-heartedly from the nightstand to wipe you down a little — though his thumb still lazily spread the mess over your inner thigh with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Ruined you," he murmured, the grin on his face visible.

You were too fucked out to argue.

Instead, you just flopped back onto the bed, boneless and hazy.

Joost chuckled softly, rolling over onto his back next to you.

He reached over to the nightstand again — this time, for a crumpled pack of camel blue.

He lit one, took a slow drag, and then turned his head to look at you, messy and glowing in the soft hotel room light.

He offered the pack toward you with a satisfied look on his face.

“Want one?”

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Why so much on right now?

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

NOV 2024 Week 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

Your Sky (Sun iQIYI) ep 1 of 12 - Classic old school Thai BL. Of course I love it. Naïve sunshine freshman vs strict older protective boy (who already likes him but refuses to show it). Is he grumpy or just gay and tired of all of these women? We don’t know. We don’t care. We just want to see them fake a relationship. And that’s what we’re getting. I love it. I also love the friendship group, and that the younger brother is in it and he has some of the same magic BL-hottie superpowers as his older brother. It’s great.

Love Sick 2024 (Sun iQIYI) ep 10 of 15 - Phun actually turns into dangerous babygirl when he is flirting, who knew? (Dangerous Babygirl is a new archetype I have just invented by the way. Yes, I am pleased with myself.) Noh, who is a nice boy, doesn’t stand a chance. Neither does Jeed, since this new babygirl superpower gives Phun a damn near perfect “back off bitch” face.

The arm drape public claiming, it gets me every time. Has done since SOTUS. Nong Mick is hero-level in this version, hands-down my favorite character this time around (and a non-entity last time). I love him so much I can’t stand it. I haven’t updated my 1:1 comparison yet this week, didn’t have time to rewatch 2014, but I will later tonight.  I'm chronicling my experience with 2024 as compared to 2014 here. 

Kidnap (Fri Gaga) ep 12 end - What an absolutely excellent final episode. Smiley kisses! 

Conclusion 

A cute if patently absurd little show about a stuntman who is somehow convinced to kidnap a rich kid except they fall in love. It takes itself a little more seriously than it deserves for such a silly plot and some crappy stunts and contradictory content, but it was a pleasantly romantic experience all around, and I enjoyed myself. Extra credit for Q in that perfect blue color throughout. No complaints, a solid BL. 8/10 

The Heart Killers (Weds Gaga) ep 1 of 12 - Jojo directs FirstKhao & JoongDunk in an action romcom about assassin brothers (Khao & Joong) who meet a tattoo artist (First) and a cocky mechanic (Dunk). I'm highly amused that Joong plays the older brother to Khao and that we have a take on the Taming of the ShrewBL. This has all GMMTV's best chemistry in one BL and some fresh concepts that I've only seen tackled in m/m romance novels (check out Amy Lane's Racing for the Sun, thank me later). My only quibble is Jojo, I like his style but his characters can get unreliably messy so…... this gonna be interesting.

Buckle up buttercups I got thoughts:

Frankly, I haven’t decided if this is good or so bad and so camp that it’s good? The latter I suspect. Either way, I’m enjoying it very much, but I had very little doubt that I would. This falls into so many of my wheelhouses. Not just the premise but the casting and the approach and the script. They pretty much knocked it out of the park with the first episode: one night stand + safe sex + linguistic negotiation = I’m in! During the opening sequence I spent the entire time worried about how many fingerprints Bison was leaving everywhere. And then I realized this show is going to require DEMAND we turn our brains entirely off.

We are in KinnPorshce / The Sign territory people. Take emergency precautions! Do not engage brain meats!

Kiss Me Kate only gay and hitmen? Frankly, it sells itself. The music is extremely stupid though. (Brain, stop it!) I gotta say that FirstKhao are good because…… FirstKhao. But JoongDunk are absolutely perfectly cast. Like: couldn’t be a better pair in these roles. Dunk, in particular, is slaying. I did not have Dunk as Petruchio down on my “best casting choice of all time” BL bingo card, but apparently there he is. Awesome. 

Fourever You (Thurs YT) ep 8 of 16 - I’m warming up to the second couple a little bit. I actually don’t mind a bully romance the way some do. But this isn’t quite hitting the notes that I want from one. Still, I found this week more engaging than last week. 

Secret Love (? YT?) 1-12 of 81 eps - They dropped 12 eps at once randomly on YT totaling about 20 min. So of course, I watched it. Because I have no self-control and STEPBROTHERS! Adopted into a rich family, boy falls in love with heir. But when he is made the heir instead, everything goes wrong. Now enemies the two boys reunite and sparks! I hate this format but dammit I love this utter dross. It’s very early Chinese BL feeling but from Thailand. I don’t care. It’s so stupidly great. This is my kind of BL.

Caged Again (Fri Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - There is something sweetly innocent and earnest about this show. It reminds me of Takara and Amagi or even Light On Me but less stiff - this one is quintessentially quirky and casually Thai about it. It’s interesting that this has an 18+ rating, which means it’s either gonna go very violent or sexy or both. Right now I can’t imagine that, it doesn’t suit. But I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes. Junior with his Mean Girl crop top moment is the goddess of the week though. Fierce queen penguin.

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun YT?) ep 4 of 24 - I love the side couple so damn much. How are they so adorable? Still not wild about the mains, and not likely to get there anytime soon. That said, I did like seeing the “sleeping in your boyfriend‘s class while he gives you his jacket” trope drop. We haven’t had that one for a really long time. My Engineer maybe?

Every You Every Me (Mon Gaga) ep 7 of 8 - I did find this installment kind of boring. I just don’t like actors as main characters. Much as I’m enjoying this show and I think the actors are doing a good job, I really do wish it was more like what we had been sold on: Connected reborn characters fated to be together over and over again. Not this weird little mishmash of whatever. I’m now annoyed by a format I was initially charmed by. 

Jack & Joker (Mon IQIYI) ep 10-11 of 12 - still on hold until it ends or I can cope with the pain.  I just can’t go into darkness right now.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Youth AKA Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu (Japan Tues Gaga) ep 3 of 11 - SNIFF TEST! But done by Japan so it’s that much better and more kinky. The way H looks at M pretty much defines naked lust. “I got extra beat up so you’d take pity on me and then I admitted it to you” is so damn warped I can’t even with this boy. This feral kid is gonna drive me feral. The power and the control and the execution of this show is just spectacular. I keep thinking about it after its done and telling people IRL about it. (I rarely talk BL IRL.) It’s classy. I do love it when Japan does classy BL for us. 

See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 6 of 13 - so completely and utterly adorable. The learning sign language thing! I loved it so much.

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 10 of 12 eps - Possibly one of the best confessions of the year I have to say. Also a wonderful character growth arc for our lawyer. Exactly as one might hope. The plot twist was slightly predictable but still adds a delicious note of tension to our final episodes.

Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (China Sun iQIYI) eps 7-8 of 12 - You don’t want me but you won’t let anybody else have me either. The song of the repressed seme. I did like the irrational jealousy moment and a few other bits, of course the crying kiss. You know I love a crying kiss. Even if it’s a somewhat censored one. But this is also leaning a little bit darker than I want at the moment. This being China, I anticipate the darkness and doom getting worse not better.

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 9 of ? - The incredible migrating lip injury continues. Could we please get on with the BL aspect of this show? I’m getting frustrated as well as slightly bored at this juncture. Pacing darlings. Pacing.

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan (Japan Sat Gaga) ep 4 of 10 - Still not sure. I think I like this better than the original, but I’m confused. I did make disgusted scoff noises and say “oh dear” a couple of times. Which makes me sound like a World War II grandpa (only the housemate's cat noticed), but is also classic me when profoundly disappointed by a piece of media. That’s said, the sex scene was pretty good. In the end, I wasn’t as frustrated by this version of these characters, but they didn’t have as many highs or lows as the original. So first half probably works out about the same in my all-purpose rating system. The true proof in the pudding is going to be couple number 2 tho......

It's airing but......

Winter Is Not The Death of Summer (Weds YT) ?? eps - Criminals who meet in prison fall in love. I did find it on YouTube, but I did not find any English subs for it. The first episode seems to be only six minutes long. It is very pulp. But it is intriguing. So I hope it gets some sort of international or something at some point. for now I’ll put it to the wayside.

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) 10 eps - I DNF'd at ep 7, I couldn't make it. I am weak. Life is hard enough right now, this show is making it harder. It’s not what I want from my entertainment.

Bad to Bed (Taiwan Sat YT) 10 eps - This is a little too low production value even for me + just very very odd. DNF

In Case You Missed it

Love for Loves Sake got some kind of special on 11/9. Not sure what, why, or where. Only the rumor that it...... is. I'll believe it when I see it...... literally. Let me know if you found it.

The Bangkok Podcast covered Marriage Equality in Thailand: More Complex Than it Seems. They missed some of the point and all of the queer perspective. But it's a local lawyer talking about it and how it was implemented, which is quite interesting.

Dominant Yakuza and Wimpy Corporate Slave AKA Ore-sama Yakuza to Hetare Shachiku: Kuni wo Koeta Jingi Naki Dekiai, Japan YT. A 30 min slice of ridiculousness. This mini walked out the back of one of my 1999 yaoi (you know those little shorts they always had along with the main story?) and randomly got cut together by some helpful malcontent, tumbled into my YT feed like a Taiwanese prat fall, and I couldn't be happier.

This is the Cliff's notes of a story that could have been amazing, but I adored it anyway. Basically what it says on the tin: office cutie from Taiwan working in Japan runs across hot AF mafia hit man beating up lesser thugs. Falls instantly in love, turns out so does the yakuza. They end up together for...... reasons? (one is cute and the other is cool?) That's it. It's dumb and I loved it. 7/10 because it really isn't good, but it lives on in a very warped corner of my shriveled old heart.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Still to come:

11/28 Spare Me Your Mercy (Thai Thurs iQIYI) 8 eps on OneD (no word on inter) - Increased rates of deaths in terminal patients has a police captain investigating the palliative care doctor with whom he's fallen in love. Their relationship deepens but the mystery persists, driven by mistrust. Adapted from the novel "Euthanasia" by Sammon (Triage, Manner of Death) stars some old guard BL actors: Tor Thanapob from Hormones as the doctor and (fuck me YES) Jaylerr from Great Men Academy and goddamn Grean Fictions as the captain!

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

We stan a smitten seme who's too reserved for his own good. Sunshine is gonna have this boy wrapped around his little finger in no time. (Well in 12 eps, but we know what we like!) Your Sky

King behavior.

Dangerous Babygirl behavior.

Both Love Sick 2024.

(last week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

[genericpuff]

So I guess Daily Pass is going away and instead ads will take it's place. Saw that it was a new update on Webtoons. Thoughts?

Just ran to check and I'll be damned, you right-

(don't come into my inbox asking me about this webtoon, i just clicked the first daily pass series i could find lmao)

----

I have mixed feelings about this honestly, on the one hand the DailyPass system is dumb af in its implementation, it annoys the piss out of people when they can't just binge a completed series all the way through (esp when that's how these series are often marketed) and it's always been unnecessarily complicated.

But seeing as how they've gutted DailyPass but still have it set up through the other options... welp, this is probably gonna piss people off for obvious reasons, because now there's no daily freebie option.

Frankly I think DailyPass was a good idea but just poorly implemented, as a lot of series didn't offer up bulk alternatives like purchasing a series outright. That said, that option is available for a lot of DP series now, so if anything, this at least looks like Webtoons has been noticing all the feedback from its users and are starting to shift more towards what people were hoping for?

There are definitely readers who will complain esp when it comes to not being able to read for free, but frankly, the expense of accessing these series for free is as little as sitting through an ad, and as much as a dollar per episode. I can't very well sit here and preach about how creators deserve to be paid fairly for their work and then throw a fit when freebie options are reduced/removed altogether. Originals was always meant to be for the comics that had potential to generate profit, so this just seems like a step back towards that business model and away from the blurred - sometimes even indistinguishable - line that separated it from Canvas, which in and of itself has always been the go-to place for free, indie works.

This has been foreshadowed for a while now, Webtoons is clearly realizing how up shit creek they are after spending years building their platform on freebie content - now they have to pay out not only their private core investors, but their public investors too, so they're gonna be looking for ways to make money by any means necessary. Whether or not this will work though remains to be seen, as god knows when people are used to getting webcomic content for free, they'll find it elsewhere.

From a business perspective, I'm not necessarily shocked by their decision or even condemning it - capitalism's gonna capitalism, and freebie digital content like webcomics alone have never exactly been a consistent business model capable of generating millions like film or television.

From a reader perspective... it's one less option for reading, but it was an option that was frankly just as annoying and restrictive as AdPass and most of all, didn't benefit the creators who had spent upwards of years creating the content that readers enjoy.

How this actually pans out in the long run, guess we'll have to wait and see. I have practically no horse in this race anymore as there are maybe 4 comics total that I still read on Webtoons, and only two of them are Originals. It's definitely very telling (and frankly hilarious imo) how much Webtoons is now trying to backpedal on their own decisions over the course of the last decade - decisions that made them what they are today - because they realized none of those decisions were benefiting their bottom line.

Welcome to the world of webcomics, Webtoons - it's never been a capitalist's game.

[makeitmingi]

When Flowers Bloom In The Dark [Chapter 9]

Genre: Romance, Mafia!AU, Violence, Angst, Slow burn

Pairing: Hongjoong x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Florist!Reader, Mafioso!Hongjoong, Mafioso!Seonghwa, Mafioso!Yunho, Mafioso!Yeosang, Mafioso!San, Mafioso!Mingi, Mafioso!Wooyoung, Mafioso!Jongho

Summary: When you appeared and wept at his mother's funeral, Hongjoong found himself wanting to find out more about you. A regular girl, who owns a flower shop in his territory and has a relationship with the mother that he hasn't spoken to in years, why hasn't he ever noticed you before?

[Warning(s): 18+ for violence, use of weapons, smoking, alcohol consumption, slight gore, gang affiliation, tattoos and character deaths. Minors DNI. This is a work of fiction and does not represent the Ateez members in real life.]

Word count: 3.2K

Chapter warning(s): Mentions of corruption, bounty-assassination .

Yunho had a satisfied, albeit evil, smile on his face as he hung up, putting his phone back on the desk.

"What are you smiling about?" Jongho raised an eyebrow, noticing the taller from the corner of his eye. Yunho shook his head with a playful shrug before continuing his work.

"If you get in trouble, don't make me complicit." Jongho warned with a chuckle.

"I won't. Don't worry, dear maknae." Yunho giggled. Jongho sighed, Yunho was always mischievous and messing around but got away with it because of his charming smile. Seeing how he had pulled up Hongjoong's phone location, he didn't want to know what he did to manipulate the captain.

"I'm done with my tasks for the day. I need a breather." Jongho yawned and stood up, stretching his limbs.

"Go ahead." Yunho hummed as Jongho grabbed what he needed and exited their computer cave.

"San hyung, I finished vetting all the potential investors for the casino. Here are their profiles." Jongho handed San the stack of folders with all the background checks of the investors.

"Thanks, Jongho ah." San took the first file off the top and skimmed through the contents.

"I'll take 5 and give the rest of Wooyoung." San snickered.

"He'll chew your head off if he finds out." Jongho shook his head. San shrugged, he has worked with Wooyoung long enough to know how to handle his tantrums.

"Hongjoong said there was an issue with the gardener?" Seonghwa walked in, eyes trained on his phone.

"Yeah, he was sketchy, taking photos and stuff. We suspect he's a spy so we fired him but Yunho hyung said he can handle it so I left him to it." Jongho explained. Seonghwa nodded, it was just hiring a new gardener, not a big deal that he needed to get involved in.

"Where did you go dressed up so fancily, hyung?" San asked, turning his body slightly to face the second in command. Seonghwa looked up from his phone.

"Meeting with the chief police commissioner. I needed some updates on the ground sensing." He blinked.

"Is it true that the smaller gangs are joining forces?" Mingi and Yeosang came in, having just finished their workout downstairs.

"It's too early to say for sure but they have noted a decrease in gang disputes in certain areas. There could a peace treaty or truce somewhere." Seonghwa informed.

"We should find out. I'll get my men on the ground." Jongho said.

"Thanks." Seonghwa cracked a small smile, heading up to go to his office to continue working.

"The chief police commissioner's gonna have to retire soon. We should get our hooks into the new potential candidate before he's elected in." Yeosang said.

"Hongjoong hyung's already working on that. But the current chief's influence sways the vote so we still have to maintain good graces with him. If they decide to elect someone else, like one of those upstanding justice types, it'll be tougher to get a foot in." Mingi crossed his arms.

"I'm hungry. I want a sandwich." San stood up from the couch and headed to towards the kitchen.

"Me too!" Mingi raised his hand

"Make that 3! After my shower." Yeosang chimed in.

"4!" Jongho added with a snicker. San spun around to scowl at the 3 before marching towards the kitchen to get the staff to make them all sandwiches.

"Okay, time to shower." Yeosang groaned and went upstairs. Mingi nodded in agreement and went to take his shower too.

"I'm home~!" Wooyoung declared as he entered the mansion, doing a spin and flipping the end of his jacket.

"I got a new suit." He smirked and spun around to show his outfit. The glittery on his jacket was subtle and sparkled the moment he stepped into the light, it complimented his figure well.

"How many black suits do you have?" Yeosang asked as he chewed on his sandwich. The others nodded in agreement, making Wooyoung's face fall.

"This is special. New silk lining." Wooyoung lifted one his of his jacket to show them the silver silk lining. San reached out to try and touch it but seeing his dirty fingers, Wooyoung scoffed and slapped his hand away. San yelped like a reprimanded puppy.

"Dirty hands!" Wooyoung scolded, making San glare at him.

"Mr Song, there is a visitor for you. Shall I let him through the gate?" The butler came in. MIngi frowned in confusion and checked his phone.

"Oh yeah... Okay, let him in. Have him wait in the living room area. I'll go get changed." Mingi waved.

"What visitor is this?" Jongho asked.

"The jewellery and accessories for the gala are here so I need to check them through." Mingi finished his sandwich and wiped his mouth, standing up to leave.

"Someone help me call Joong hyung to let him know." Mingi yelled to one of the remaining boys before running upstairs.

"Let me know what?" As if on cue, Hongjoong walked in.

"Mingi says his jewel guy is here with the accessories for the gala. Wanted you to check it out with him." Yeosang informed. Hongjoong nodded and left the dining room.

"Sir." The male stood up and bowed when he saw Hongjoong, knowing he was the head of the group. Hongjoong gave a curt nod and sat down. The staff came with a tray of hot coffee for Hongjoong, already prepared the moment he entered. Mingi came down in proper clothing.

"Hey. You're here, hyung." Mingi smiled to Hongjoong and sat beside him, giving an acknowledgement nod.

"Following Mr Song's request for white gold accessories to match dark, royal purple. These are what I have procured for your family." He took out trays from the box.

"Very nice." Hongjoong scanned through the tray and nodded in approval.

"This is yours, Mr Kim." The jeweller took out a velvet box and opened it, showing the necklace that Hongjoong requested.

"Asscher cut diamond with white gold, as per requested." The male said proudly. Mingi whistled while Hongjoong lifted it up, looking at the diamond right in the middle, surround by smaller diamonds.

"Nice, very well done." Hongjoong smirked.

"Wooyoung will like his new earrings." Mingi said to Hongjoong, showing him the diamond earrings.

"He's like Seonghwa, both like princess cut diamonds." Hongjoong scoffed and checked the diamonds, using the loupe from the jeweller to check the diamonds. Mingi, who usually had the keener eye for jewellery, took over to look at it.

"Damn." The other boys all came, seeing all the sparkly pieces laid out on the coffee table. Hongjoong gave out each piece to the designated owner, as per his plan.

"Nice." Yeosang smiled happily as he wore the white gold cuff on his wrist, stacking with a tennis bracelet.

"What do you think?" Wooyoung held up the collar chain in front of his shirt, showing the two diamonds at the end.

"Mmm, looks good. It'll match well." San gave a thumbs up, admiring his best friend. Seonghwa held his hand out in front of him, admiring his new ring.

"I'm glad you like it, sirs." The jeweller stood up to bow to them. Mingi smirked with confidence.

"Told you I only get good stuff." He scoffed.

"Yeah, yeah." Yunho slapped Mingi's shoulder. Once everything was settled, the jeweller packed up and took his leave.

"So, Yunho said he updated you about the gardener issue? Turns out he was being suspicious, worried that he's a spy for someone." Seonghwa asked Hongjoong as they were about to head upstairs to their offices. Hongjoong nodded his head in confirmation while Yunho snickered secretly.

"I settled it already, don't worry about it." Hongjoong replied, checking his phone. He and Seonghwa didn't hear Yunho's snickers, too caught up in their own conversations.

"You didn't have to busy yourself with that. We can survive without a gardener for a bit." Seonghwa pointed out.

"It's fine. Easily settled." Hongjoong shrugged, smiling gratefully to his best friend.

"Okay. Do you need Jongho or Yunho to vet the person?" Seonghwa asked. Hongjoong shook his head, walking alongside Seonghwa to return to their offices.

"What are you laughing about?" Mingi blinked in confusion.

"Nothing~" Yunho sang, stacking his jewellery boxes and bringing it up to his room.

"Dude, sometimes you're so weird, it's scary." Mingi said to his best friend as they walked together. Yunho turned to his best friend with a raised eyebrow.

"Coming from you?" Yunho taunted with a scoff. Mingi shrugged and turned to return to his room. It was purely coincidental that Yunho called Hongjoong about the gardner while he was at your shop. He totally didn't hope that you would overhear their conversation.

Meanwhile, Hongjoong was working at his desk, going over the number from the businesses that Ateez oversaw as a group, making sure everything was in order and there were no discrepencies.

Before he left, he had slipped his business card onto your work table, just in case you needed his number.

"Real smooth, Hongjoong." He scoffed at his actions. Would you even see the card?

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Come in." Hongjoong looked up from his computer to see Jongho at his door. Jongho came in with a small, displeased frown on his face. He didn't say anything, merely sliding Hongjoong a piece of paper.

"What's wrong?" Hongjoong was confused but took the paper, unfolding it and reading the contents.

"What? Is this real?" He looked at the youngest in disbelief.

"Yeah, I was getting my informants on the ground to check for the change in gang related activities when this information came in. It's reliable, San hyung confirmed it on the network." Jongho explained, nodding over to the paper. Hongjoong let out a curse, standing up, he went over to Seonghwa's office.

"Thanks, Jong." Hongjoong said as he entered Seonghwa's office. Seonghwa knew it would be the leader, he was the only one that would enter without knocking.

"What's wrong, Joong?" Seonghwa raised an eyebrow. With the same piece of paper, he slid it to Seonghwa.

"You're kidding..." Seonghwa frowned as he read the paper's contents.

"No, I'm not. Jongho came to me after his informants got that, confirmed it with San too. He saw it on the network." Hongjoong crossed his arms.

"Sh*t. I was just there." Seonghwa cursed.

"We can't ask San to take the job, it's too obvious. It'll raise suspicion and be worse for us." Hongjoong said.

"Let's call the others." Seonghwa sighed, taking his phone and sending a text to the other Ateez members. Luckily everyone was home and they quickly gathered in Seonghwa's office.

"So, to let everyone know, Jongho's informants got new information. And San confirmed it on the network. There's a bounty on the current police commissioner's head." Hongjoong informed. The others all nodded, not saying anything yet.

"The bounty's payer is anonymous, according to the network. And you know the network will never give out the info." San said, leaning against the wall.

The network, a place where information and bounties were exchanged amongst all the underground organisations.

"Seonghwa hyung, you were just there. Anything?" Mingi asked. Seonghwa shook his head.

"I doubt he knows, he was too relaxed if he knew. This bounty is fresh, Jongho just gave Hongjoong to information." Seonghwa replied. Jongho nodded in confirmation.

"Can we ask him to hide then? Come back when the new commissioner needs to be elected." Yeosang raised his hand.

"No. We can't ask San to take the bounty too, it's too obvious of our involvement. It'll not end well." Hongjoong said.

"What can we do then? We need his vote for the new commissioner election. If that anti-corruption guy gets elected, it'll be harder for our businesses." Yunho sighed.

"For now, we need more info, get all your informants out on the ground. Any update, alert us immediately. I want to know where this bounty came from. Wooyoung, we'll need you to stake out the poker games. Any piece of information is useful. We'll contact our guys in the police to keep an eye out." Hongjoong decided.

"Yes, captain." All 7 replied.

"I'll go call my guy to get me a buy in for the next poker game." Wooyoung said, excusing himself to make the call.

Wooyoung was one of those that went to high stake poker games for high profile people. All kinds of people were there and all kinds of information was exchanged there.

"San, keep an ear out in the network. That's the best way to keep track of the bounty status." Seonghwa added.

"Yes, hyung." San saluted and walked out.

"We cannot alert the commissioner yet. But Jongho and Yunho, I want surveillance." Hongjoong looked at the two. They nodded and left the room.

"Would it be ironic if the anti corruption, "clean up the city" dude was the one that initiated the bounty?" Yeosang chuckled.

"I wouldn't put it past him, the whole thing with no more corruption and no more gangs is all a front. If he was the one that posted that bounty, I want proof that he did and we'll use that to sink him." Hongjoong said.

"Should I let Hyunmin know about this?" Hongjoong asked the remaining men in the room. Hyunmin was the candidate that was most likely going to be the current commissioner's successor.

"He's a blabbermouth, can we trust that he won't tell the current commissioner?" Mingi asked.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but Mingi's right." Seonghwa said with a small smile on his face. Mingi rolled his eyes at that comment.

"I'll keep it on the DL for now then. I have a lunch with him in two days. I really hope this issue gets sorted quickly." Hongjoong sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Thanks." He waved and left Seonghwa's office with Mingi and Yeosang in tow.

"San? I don't want to alert the network that we are investigating who posted the bounty, okay?" Hongjoong said to the male who had emerged from his room, dressed in gym clothes.

"I know. Don't worry, hyung. I'll be careful. I won't ask them anything directly or raise any warning flags." San smiled, knowing exactly what Hongjoong expected of him. Patting the captain on the shoulder, San walked towards the exit of the mansion to go to his fight club to work out and work.

"Captain, I got something extra for you." Mingi entered Hongjoong's office. The shorter male turned around, blinking at the taller.

"This is for you. From us." Mingi grinned, taking a velvet box out of his inner suit pocket and handing it to Hongjoong. Hongjoong took with confusion on his face.

"Oh, wow." He was speechless. There was a ring with his captain crest, studded in diamonds, on it.

"For the head of the family, the captain." Mingi explained.

"This is amazing. Thank you, Mingi ah." Hongjoong smiled softly, wearing the slightly heavy ring on his finger immediately.

"No problem, hyung. We're all here thanks to you." Mingi grinned and waved before leaving the office. Hongjoong sat at his desk, looking at how the diamonds sparkled under the sunlight.

This was his mark, a sign of Ateez's power and his own power. Hongjoong had a tattoo of this crest on the back of his left shoulder and always had a captain's band on his arm, clipped onto the sleeve of his jacket, but this ring meant something so much more.

"We're all here thanks to you."

Hongjoong and Seonghwa formed Ateez from nothing. It took the effort from all the boys, their determination and strengths coming together to get to where they are today.

Although everyone says Hongjoong is the prince of darkness, his past was the reason for that. He wasn't always like this.

"I see you got your present." Seonghwa's voice interrupted his train of thought.

"Yeah... I love it. Thanks, Hwa. I know it must have been your idea." Hongjoong gratefully smiled at his best friend. Seonghwa shrugged it off but mirrored a similar smile.

"I forgot to give these to you earlier when you were in my office. You need to sign off on these." Seonghwa put the stack of files down.

"Ugh. Can't you do them?" Hongjoong whined.

"That was our deal remember? I handle illegal signings and you handle legal signings. You need to check the property acquisition contracts." Seonghwa raised his eyebrow. Hongjoong nodded with a sigh and Seonghwa took his leave. Taking the first file off the stack, Hongjoong looked at the contents.

"Hyung, I got my buy in." Wooyoung came into Hongjoong's office. Hongjoong looked up at Wooyoung and nodded.

"Do you need to brush up on your poker skills?" Hongjoong raised an eyebrow with a chuckle.

"No! I run casinos, that's an insult." Wooyoung scoffed. He plopped himself down on the chair opposite Hongjoong and took one of the files off the pile, flipping through it.

"We're really buying that vineyard Jongho wanted?" He laughed.

"Birthday present for him. It's the only thing he wants." Hongjoong sighed. He felt like a dad buying his kids expensive presents.

"So if I want horses and stables on the property, I can ask for them for my birthday?" Wooyoung asked with bright eyes. Hongjoong shot him a flat look.

"A vineyard is a good investment. I'm not sure how horses are a good investment for us." Hongjoong said.

"Boo, you're no fun, dad." Wooyoung stuck his tongue out at the captain. But seeing how Hongjoong was alone with so much paperwork, he stuck around to keep him company, chatting with him and weighing in on certain issues.

"Want one?" Wooyoung held up the crystal glass, helping himself to Hongjoong's bar cart. Hongjoong nodded and Wooyoung poured whiskey into two glasses.

"Thanks." Hongjoong took a sip, leaning back in his chair tiredly.

"These words and papers are making my head hurt." Wooyoung groaned and Hongjoong grunted in agreement.

"I should tell Hwa to give out some of these to the rest of you to do some too. Then both of us won't be stuck with moutains of files." Hongjoong said.

"No way, please. I'm already up to here with all the account books for the casinos." Wooyoung held his hand above his head.

"Remind me what's the charity we're donating to this quarter?" Hongjoong asked.

"Children's heart foundation." Wooyoung replied, sipping the remainder of the whiskey in his glass. Hongjoong hummed and signed off on the cheque that they will be cashing, putting it in an envelope. He looked at the huge pile that was still there, it never seems to get smaller.

"Ah! Hyung, let's take a break! We've been here for so long and the sun is setting already!" Wooyoung suddenly exclaimed, making Hongjoong jump.

"Your idea of a break means leaving the work entirely." Hongjoong pointed out.

"Exactly! Let's go." Wooyoung tugged Hongjoong out of his chair.

"Where are we going?" Hongjoong asked as Wooyoung pushed him out into the hallway, turning off the lights in his office and closing the door so Hongjoong wouldn't re-enter.

"Anywhere but here." Wooyoung laughed. He sent a text to everyone that they'll go out for dinner tonight.

"If Seonghwa gets mad that I didn't finish the work, I'm blaming you." Hongjoong threatened but of course, Wooyoung didn't care.

"I already texted the others. Go get changed, we're going for dinner and drinks." Wooyoung left Hongjoong in the hallway and ran to his own room to change.

"Yah! Jung Wooyoung!" Hongjoong yelled.

~

Series masterlist

[glowettee]

°❀⋆executing your comeback plan (the actual doing part) - part 4/5 °❀⋆

1st post 2nd post 3rd post

posted by: glowettee

hey study angels! ♡

okay so we have this gorgeous plan, but now comes the real tea - actually making it happen! don't worry though, i'm going to break down exactly how to execute your academic glow-up strategy. this little guide will help you make this comeback actually stick!

♡ week one survival guide

this is literally the most important week:

day 1:

set up your study space (make it cute but functional!)

organize all materials by subject

create your new schedule in your planner

gather all missing notes/materials

reach out to study buddies

first week priorities:

stick to your new schedule (even when it's hard!)

document everything in your progress journal

identify early challenges

celebrate small wins

adjust as needed

♡ making the daily grind actually work

consistency is literally everything:

morning routine:

wake up 30 mins earlier than usual (i know it's tough but trust me)

quick review of today's goals

prepare your study space

get in the right mindset (i do positive affirmations in my mirror)

organize materials for the day

during study sessions:

start with the hardest subject (when your brain is fresh!)

use the pomodoro technique (25 mins study, 5 mins break)

actively engage with material (no passive reading!)

take aesthetic but useful notes

check understanding after each session

evening wrap-up:

review what you learned

prep for tomorrow

update your progress tracker

clean your study space

set intentions for tomorrow

♡ active learning techniques that actually work

just reading isn't it, bestie:

the explain-it method:

teach concepts to your stuffed animals, family or friends

record voice memos explaining topics

write explanations in simple terms

create examples from real life

make connections to things you know

practice makes perfect:

solve problems without looking at notes

create your own practice questions

do past exam questions

explain concepts to study buddies

make concept maps

♡ dealing with motivation dips

because they're gonna happen:

when you're feeling unmotivated:

look at your progress tracker

remind yourself why you started

take a cute study break

change your study location

reach out to your study support squad

do something small but productive

emergency motivation boosters:

change up your study playlist

try a new study spot

use different colored pens

take a short walk

message your study accountability partner

reward yourself for small wins

♡ handling setbacks

they're part of the process:

when things go wrong:

take a deep breath (seriously, do it)

identify what happened

adjust your strategy

reach out for help if needed

remember this is temporary

get back on track immediately

prevention strategies:

regular progress checks

weekly schedule reviews

maintaining backup plans

keeping support contacts ready

staying ahead of deadlines

♡ progress tracking system

make it cute but keep it real:

daily tracking:

concepts mastered

time spent studying

questions/confusion points

wins (big and small!)

areas needing more work

weekly review:

compare to previous week

adjust study methods

celebrate improvements

plan next week's focus

update long-term goals

execution is where most plans succeed or fail. it might feel weird at first, but stick with it and you'll see the glow-up!

xoxo, mindy 🎀

[silentstyx]

where reader wears to school one of ethan's shirts he gifted to her and he completly loses his mind and falls more and more in love? im a absolute suckerr for your mbav writtings!!🩷

lost in the way you wear me

tw: sexual implications (boner mostly), talks about fainting, swearing.

guys keep sending in recs i luvvvah it.

you walk into school with your new shirt, still soft from the softener your boyfriend used before he gave it you as well as it being soaked in his cologne. it was one similar to his. it was tan and had a design on it. it also said 'Affliction' on the front of it? whatever that means. matched it with some baggy blue jeans that you and ethan bought together.

you go to the cafeteria, seeing as the bus dropped you off early before school truly started for the day. but 4 minutes later Benny, Ethan, and Rory walked in. already arguing about something and this time Rory and Benny looked to be on the same side and opposing side from Ethan.

Rory then giggles and points to you and you know your silence from before is over. Benny laughs too and slaps Ethan's back. as he walks over here, rolling his eyes, you can hear long and exaggerated kissy noises.

Ethan yells at them, "at least i can get a girlfriend!"

they boo him, Benny saying, "low blow dude".

Ethan doesn't care though. he turns back to face you after rolling his eyes. he then gets a good look at you. he looks at your outfit. the shirt. the shirt he got you. the one that cost him like 40 bucks? you wore it. you're wearing it.

is he having a heart attack? someone check his pulse! god he can't breathe. is this how rory felt when he had asthma?!

"helloooo? hi, pretty boy. you back with me now?" you ask, trying to get him to talk to you, "do you like my outfit, pretty boy?"

oh my god he's going to faint. you can't call him that nickname and also wear the shirt he got you. he can smell his cologne coming from you. holy shit, he's going to faint right here.

the room got hot. he felt sweaty, on edge, and his pants suddenly were super tight. all he could imagine now was you and him at his house and if you wore that shirt. how much faster he would've-

"ethannnnn?" you ask out again, "you with me or do i have to get a nurse?"

Benny and Rory come over to sit with you both. they look at Ethan, each other, back at Ethan, at you, at Ethan, then each other again. the second look at each other though was smug and knowing, the first was confused and somewhat concerned.

"hey, E? what's in your pants that's so hard right now? i mean we know the pants aren't too small." Benny says knowingly with a shit eating grin. Ethan elbows him in the ribs, making Benny groan.

"mm that's whats wrong.. didn't i have to fix that last time?" you whisper to him, making sure the other boys couldn't hear.

"i'm gonna pass out if this conversation goes on any longer, love." Ethan admits, "you look so good, [insert reader's name]..."

you smile sweetly while the other two grimace and leave.

"mm, so thats how you get em to go away, huh?" you chuckle

he laughs softly, "yeah. just be gross and they go away really.... love, you really do look... gorgeous. and i wasn't joking, i might pass out."

you both laugh.

update: you kissed him on the cheek at lunch and he passed out for a good minute or so before waking up again.

©️ silentstyx please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my work with out my permission. thank you!

[koimethehorizon]

A Major Critique on Deltarune Ch 3-4's Shadow Crystals (maybe for future chapters as well)

(Massive Deltarune Chapter 1-4 spoilers!)

UPDATE (6/7/25): Thanks, dreams-narrator for pointing out that you can actually beat secret bosses on separate save files, then pick the crystal up at the random cliff in Castle Town in the next one.

Oh, it's the wrong number! The wrong number song! I'm very very sorry that I got that wrong!

...I do still think the points-of-no return issue is still very much of game design issue, but a lot of this is fortunately alleviated.

Hi, enormous Deltarune fan here who loved these new chapters. I'll be singing praises about this release and dropping Deltarune-shaped brain chunks out of my ears til 2026's Deltarune tomorrow.

Gonna say it straight up, Ch 3's secret boss requirements sucks and I think the frequency of points-of-no-return spells a bad precedent for the future of this game.

WHY TOBY???

One of the first NPCs you meet before Tenna's game tells you not to worry about what rank you get = a total lie, and if you commit to S ranking Round 2, Ramb will still let you play an unwinnable game then tell you "If only you'd gotten the S rank earlier".

SCREW YOU!!!!

So yeah, you gotta restart the whole chapter over.

And I'm damn sure that most people had to do this because S ranks for your first run at fighting the new enemies/getting used to the rank requirements/first time controlling the minigames is kinda unreasonable.

Yes, there is an NPC who can help you get from A to S with 1500 points but again, if this is your first time, you probably won't have enough to buy this. You might even spend a lot of it on the B rank gacha machine or the A rank Susiezilla minigame out the same curiosity you had trying to find the damn secret in the first place!

If only there was a way to convert dark dollars to Points... oh wait there is! IN THE S RANK ROOM!!!

Gerson's is fortunately far more forgivable and if you're curious enough, you'll get it without even realizing he's the secret boss... but still. Unlike Jevil and Spamton, you are locked out if you leave the first version of Dark Sanctuary.

Why even have so many warp points if we can't even do this...

The Issue with Replayability

This trend is troubling. Toby's games have always had an issue with being games that encourage replayability and secret hunting but, and I hate to admit this, they're not very engaging games to replay unless you're committing to a completely different route.

With Undertale, a boring replay (until the new content) and a fading emotional investment of the game is the MAIN THEME of the True Pacifist and Genocide routes. But most of all, Undertale was a short game so it wasn't going to be mundane walking through the same beats.

This is not the case for Deltarune. This game is [BIG]. If you miss something, you gotta go WAAAAY back to check something again. Worse, by the end of every chapter, you get locked out of that chapter's Dark World permanently.

When replaying a chapter, most of the time is spent either reading or skipping dialogue, and most fights are going to play out pretty much the same way. The reason why this shallow gameplay is mostly passed off is is because Undertale/Deltarune's humor, writing, and gameplay gimmicks are so varied (and good!) that you'll never be stuck on one beat for a very long time.

Fortunately, there aren't as many Undertale-level deviations in the narrative that require you to restart, other than the Weird Route. A lot of the missable items and conversations are mostly flavor text that you can look up later.

If you were restarting a chapter from the ground up, you were probably one of those sickos who tried to hoard every individual item available to see what Ralsei, Susie, and future playable characters would say about them... or an EGG hunter. (I can't believe I restarted for those teas...) This is NOT true with Shadow Crystals.

A Future Problem

These are unquestionably important missable items that the game WANTS you to get every chapter that requires not only a whole chapter reset to get, but MULTIPLE CHAPTER RESETS if you happen to miss the crystal in previous one!

And I want to emphasize, if you miss these, your ass has to reset SEVERAL HOURS back to get the one you forgot.

In the far future, when Deltarune completes and we find out what having all these crystals do and we have no QoL measure to get them all... and everyone misses the Chapter 3 one because of how unfriendly it is for blind runs.... we're in for a huge drag.

I really hope this is an issue that's on the Deltarune team's radar and that we can go back to some abridged sections to get these again. I'm a sicko so I have all these + the eggs and... god I hope the eggs aren't important too.

PS. Some might include the Roaring Knight being the secret fight into the BS I mentioned.... and I disagree.

Praise incoming!

The Roaring Knight is bullshit and hard as hell, but it should be! This is the first real fight in Deltarune that actually made me consider my equipment and battle strategy multiple times.

The Shadow Mantle turning an unwinnable JRPG stomp fight into a real-winnable fight is a genius misdirect that shows the first tangible evidence that Susie and the player might be able to defy the prophecy.

In Undertale, our struggle against Sans was made fun of because we were forcing ourselves through a frustrating fight purely to find out what happens at the end of the Genocide run. But here, even Gaster roots us on, hoping that the determination we show here will amount to something greater.

I think it's seriously understated how game-changing and brilliant this twist is with what it implies.

And come on, everything with Susie during this fight is so cool.

[nortsauce]

Hey guys! I’m gonna answer a few FAQ’S here about Myth!

But i’ll ask y’all to ask questions that don’t involve the story or plot here on our main blogs so we don’t clog up the blog with random questions!

1) “Will ____ Be in the story?”

- we’ll do our best to include as many characters from the original (that aren’t oc’s ) in it as possible. Many will have reprised roles but they’ll be there.

2) “Are [new character] in this?”

- I’ll be honest, Fly wants to include all your suggestions but i am the one who’s mostly enforcing the limitations on what characters we add or don’t add. If they have nothing to do with rubber-hose cartoon history then expect that they wont be characters. But if they are at least cartoon characters, then they’ll at least be in the background.

3) “Where is the discord link”

- https://discord.gg/W29XqWYvzA

4) “Will any ships be canon?”

- We’ll see where the wind takes us. But as long as you aren’t shipping anything weird or illegal, then go for it! Hell ship your oc’s with them! We don’t mind.

5) “Can we make oc’s?”

- PLEASE!!! TAG US AND @myth-of-the-machine TOO WE WANNA SEE!

6) “Can we make fanart?”

- YESS!!!! TAG “#art of the machine” AND @myth-of-the-machine AND ME AND FLY IN IT WE WANNA SEE!!!!!!!

7) “Are you affiliated with bl*gthegreatr*gue”

- No. And we never will be.

8) “Can we do comic dubs?”

- YES!! With proper credit to us and links to where to find us, PLEASE DO!!!

9) “Will the comic be posted anywhere else?”

- We post important comics on our instas and tiktoks but the main story will be here on tumblr. It makes it way easier with the ask feature. Apologies to all insta/tiktok only ppl but you’re gonna get comics out of context LOL

10) “Is anyone else working on the comic with you guys?”

- Nope! Just me, fly, and a dream!

11) “Can we join the team or help out in any way?”

- You guys are real sweet! But unfortunately its just fly and I working on it. You guys are already helping out a lot by participating in this! That’s all we could ask for! Your support means the world!

12) “You didn’t answer my ask! Why?”

- Sorry! THERE ARE OVER A THOUSAND OF YOU! We can’t get to everyone! We’ll mostly reply to anything story relevant, questions for characters present, or anything that catches our eye!

13) “Where is shelly?”

(She has a cool story leading up to her! Please be patient, trust us it will be worth it!)

Thats all the questions I could think of! We’ll update this post as time goes on! Thank you all for reading @myth-of-the-machine ! :]

@flygutzz @nortsauce

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Someone New 4

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include angst, pining, romcom tropes, and some darker elements later in the series. Some triggers may not be specifically tagged. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This fic will contain explicit content. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You’ve had a crush on your best friend for years, but you’re slapped in the face with reality when he takes things to the next level with his girlfriend.

Characters: Steve Rogers, Thor

Note: I got like insanely sick suddenly and I still feel off.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

“Sam, that paradise punch was a bad idea,” you groan as you struggle to get your bag out of the trunk of the taxi. 

“Whatever,” Sam slurs as he comes around, “I tipped the driver extra. Bud, you think you can get this out for the lady?” 

The driver is all to helpful as he comes around you take the handle from you and swiftly plants the bag on its wheels. It’s everything you have that isn’t bundled up into storage or sacrificed to the dumpster. You thank the man and swallow a belch. 

“Have a safe trip, miss,” the driver nods and turns to slap Sam’s arm, “and you, sir.” 

Sam salutes the man and pushes away from the cab, your carry-on slung from his shoulder. The two of you clumsily lift the bag over the curb. You look up at the airport as the roar of jet engines cuts through the dusky air. 

“I feel like I’m drunker,” Sam snickers. 

“Uh huh, me too,” you murmur. Two hours on his couch was barely enough. If anything, it’s just set your vision askew. “They’re not gonna let me board if – hiccup—I'm blasted.” 

“Don’t worry, we can get water,” he blathers and yanks your bag onto its wheels, “off to the land of vikings! Skol!” 

“Skol?” You follow him in a clamour. 

“It’s what they say, isn’t it?” He chuckles, “I saw it on a show or whatever.” 

“I... yeah, usually while they drink, not stumbling drunk,” you rebuff. 

“Sound pretty sober to me with all that whining,” he rebukes. 

“Whatever,” you roll your eyes and follow him through the automatic doors. 

He veers off and you follow him in confusion, glancing back at the check-in counter. He stops before a bright vending machine and feels around in his pocket. He taps his card and focuses intently on pressing the button. 

“Waterrrrr,” he drones and leans on the machine to reach through the slot. 

He hands it over and you unscrew the cap. You chug half the bottle and let out an obnoxious belch. You cover your mouth in embarrassment and offer him the rest. He finishes it off and you linger by the machine as you let the cool flow settle in. 

“Feel any better?” He asks. 

“A little. I’ll have a coffee on the plane.” 

“Nah, you should sleep.” 

“Maybe,” you take out your phone and tap the side button. Nothing. 

“Anything from Mr. Carter?” Sam asks. 

“No,” you black the screen and shrug. “Come on, I gotta check my bag.” 

“You should check that boy,” he blathers as he stands straight and once more yanks the bag after you, “tell him what’s what.” 

“Sam, he’s busy--” 

“He’s your best friend! At least, he likes to say so then do nothing.” 

“Quit,” you beg him, “this is hard enough.” 

“This is what you need--” 

“I know!” You throw your hands up and face him as you come up before the counter. “I know. Okay. I’m stupid and---” you shake your head and let the truth sink back into the depths of your soul. You face the clerk and sigh, “I’m sorry, I’m here to check my bag.” 

You pull out your wallet and slide your passport across the counter. You show your boarding pass and pay for the extra weight. Your bid a safe journey and carry on with only the smaller bag still on Sam’s shoulder. 

Wordlessly, you sit in a row of seats. You look up at the clock. You’ll have to go to the boarding area sooner than later. He won’t be able to come with you. 

“Sam, I’m sorry. I just... is it that obvious?” You croak. 

He puts his hand on your back and rubs it gently. It’s soothing. The tension trickles down your sides and seeps out. It feels good to admit it aloud yet mortifying just the same. 

“No, I just sense these things. I know Steve, I know you, and I know he doesn’t deserve you. Even as just friends.” 

“Ugh,” you put your head in your hands, “I am so stupid.” 

“No, you’re not. You’re human. It stinks. Our brains, our hearts, they aren’t logical, as much as we like to pretend,” he huffs, “trust me. We’ve all been there and if we haven’t, we’ll get our turn.” 

“Yeah, I guess,” you sit up as your eyes glisten, “I just... he said he’d be here. I thought I’d at least get that--” 

Your name echoes through the airy space and you wince. Right on cue, just before you can collapse completely. You turn as Steve rushes toward you. He wears jeans and grey sweatshirt. He remembered! 

You stand as Sam sighs. You smile, only halfway before you see the figure trailing behind him. Peggy looks less than excited to be there. Her sleepy lashes flutter as her wave hair is pinned back in a messy chignon, still elegant despite the carelessness. She wears a dark green trench over a silver satin nightie. She must’ve rushed out with him. 

“Hey,” Steve nears, “sorry I couldn’t make it for drinks, but I couldn’t miss take-off.” 

“Mmm, they don’t have any afternoon flights,” Peggy mutters. 

“They do but landing doesn’t line up with the train,” you shrug and glance at her briefly. Her glare darts back at you. You wonder if that work dinner was so impromptu after all. 

“Are you excited?” Steve drops into the seat next to you. 

“Uh, yeah, nervous,” you smile as the weight lightens from your chest. He came. Maybe Sam is wrong. Maybe friends isn’t that bad. 

“It’s going to be great. You have to send me updates, oh, and I’ll be sure to send you all the wedding news!” He grins, “I still can’t believe you’re going to be so far away.” 

“It’s a good opportunity,” Peggy intones as she sits on his other side, resting her hand on his forearm, “in her line of work, I’m sure they don’t come often.” 

You press your lips tight and look down, “yeah, not really.” 

“She can get out. Make new friends. Some girl friends, maybe,” Peggy remarks. 

“I’m sure she’ll make all the friends,” Sam interjects, “I hear there isn’t much sunlight over there, she’ll be a breath of fresh air for those grumpy vikings.” 

“Mm, yes,” Peggy grumbles as she trails her hand down to Steve’s. “Too bad you won’t make the engagement party.” 

“Or the wedding,” Steve adds. 

“Well, we’ve a full wedding party as it is,” she shrugs. “There’ll be lots of pictures.” 

“Right, yeah, I’m sorry to miss it all,” you frown. “I...” you sit back and nearly choke, “I’m gonna hit the bathroom.” 

You stand as Sam puffs out heavily and to your surprise, Peggy swiftly gets to her feet, suddenly very awake. Your soberness is setting in along with a pulsing headache. You really don’t want to deal with her. If you knew he’d bring her, you’d have told Steve to stay home. 

“I’ll come with you. I’m splitting at the seams,” she trills. 

“Alright,” you agree with a tint of uncertainty. 

She twirls and you walk parallel to her towards the bathroom signs. You chalk it up to the feminine habit. It isn’t unusual to visit the toilets in pairs, even without much kinship between you. It does however spoil your attempt at respite. You less so want to empty your bladder than clear your mind. 

You don’t say a word as you enter the bathroom. You go into a stall and she does the same. Your mind clogs your biology and you have to sit and focus before you can get a flow going. By the time you’re trickling into the bowl, she’s done. A toilet flushes and you hear her unlatch the door and approach the sinks. 

She’s in heels, even at this hour. The sink sprays out water and you listen to her hum as she washes her hands. You finish up and flush, coming out meekly to use the sink next to her. You focus on the simple task as she watches you in the mirror. 

Sensing her gaze, you look up and pull your hands out from under the censor-activated faucet. You meet her eyes and nearly wince at the steely intensity. You stand straight and move past her to retrieve some paper towel. 

“This is a wise decision,” she says, “well-needed.” 

You look at her again as you dry your hands, “thanks.” 

“Oh, I’m not congratulating you. About time you got some sense,” she sneers. 

You wince and crumple up the towel. You drop it in the bin and cross your arms, “okay, well...” 

“It’s better you’re not here for any of it. He doesn’t need the distraction.” 

You chew the inside of your lip as venom drips from her voice. You’re still slightly tipsy and too tired to process this. You have no response. 

“The distance will help you get over it. Finally,” she snips, “you know, I thought it was almost endearing at first then it just became pathetic.” 

You swallow. You’re humiliated that even she could see right through you. You can hardly blame her for her spite. After all, she’s his fiancée, not you. 

“He thinks it’s silly. He laughs.” 

You flinch then. Hard. Your chest rents and your stomach boils. 

“He knows. It’s obvious. I mean, it’s convenient, isn’t it? You’ll do anything for him and really it was rather helpful. Took a lot off my plate and his but it’s time for all of us to grow up. I will be his wife and he doesn’t need some girl to measure out his laundry detergent or remind him to eat.” 

You blink and look away. You cross your arms and push your shoulders up, “got it.” 

“So why don’t you go ahead and just put him on mute now?” 

“Peggy,” you whisper. 

“We’re getting married. You know you can’t stop it, that’s why you’re running away. So end it.” 

“You don’t have to be cruel,” you mutter. 

“I could be horrid. I could have been for all these years. I believe I’ve had remarkable restraint with you,” she points a manicured nail at you, “you should be thanking me for having the grace to do this in private.” 

Your lip trembles and your cheeks tug painfully. You nod and turn away, “don’t worry, Peg, you won’t hear from me. He won’t either.” You make your way to the door, “I wish you both the best.” 

“Mm, I pray you find some clarity and perhaps some maturity along the way,” she retorts as she follows you, heels clicking loudly across the tile, “perhaps you might find someone too. Someone you deserve.” 

Her last words sting. The derision is pungent enough to make your nose crinkle. Someone you deserve... because you could never ever be good enough for Steve Rogers. 

💟

You don’t look back as you go through the gate. You can’t. It’s too painful. The tears have receded but the pain is only deeper. Peggy’s words reverberate in your head, nipping at your ears as your nape burns hotter and hotter. 

She’s right. Sam too. This is overdue. It’s exactly what you need to do. You know it. It’s the reason you chose this. That moment when you were faced with being the eternal wobbly third wheel, you made up your mind. It’s over. That part of your life is behind you, but you don’t know that you’ll ever stop feeling this way. 

It’s hard to settle in your seat, even knowing you have ten hours of flying ahead of you. Disembarking alone will be another hour at least, then finding the train station, another few hours... It’s a lot of time to think and you just can’t stop. 

You don’t take the book out of your bag or touch the screen in front of you. Instead, you sit, slumped down in your seat, eyes drifting back and forth, as you wallow in your self-pity. You stay like that through the flight. You decline the mid-flight meal and the snack cart. You don’t even get up to use the bathroom. 

You close your eyes and float away into memory. You can feel the scene around you. You can smell the stale air freshener forgotten on the shelf above the desk and hear the muffled thrum of music through the walls. You sit on the bed, your textbook open in your lap and your laptop open by your leg. Steve’s on the other end, phone in hand, texting as his golden hair flops forward over his head. 

He’s younger. That rosiness still kisses his cheeks as subtle freckles speckle his pale skin. Yet he’s just a well-built as ever. Broad shoulders, chiseled jaw, long legs. He’s the very picture that should appear next to ‘hunk’ in the dictionary. Every girl’s dream. Your dream. 

“Huh,” he chuckles and drops his phone, “this girl in my history class wants to meet up.” 

Your heart plucks and you force a smile, “a girl? Meet up?” 

“Oh, yeah, she lets me copy off her pop quiz every lecture. Guess I kinda owe her.” 

“Wow,” you utter, the only noise you can eke out. Owes her? Funny, you did his laundry last week and helped him print out his term paper... what do you get? 

“Yeah, so uh, do you think you could send me a copy of your notes?” He pushes himself to the edge of the bed. “I probably won’t be back tonight.” 

“Right,” you nod and hide your embarrassment at the insinuation. 

“You can crash here if you wanna. Long way across campus at night,” he shrugs casually as he grabs his varsity jacket. 

“No, I’ll... I’ll just go now,” you get off the bed and close up your books. 

“Probably a good idea. Just in case she wants to come back here,” he chuckles, “see ya in poli sci?” 

“Sure,” you keep your chin down. “See ya.” 

Your eyelids lift as you come out of the dazed memory.  

New York is gone. Steve is gone. You’re all alone. You’ve left it all behind but that home was never a home. It was all a farce you built on a childish hope. You’re done lying to yourself. It was never going to be. You didn’t miss any chance at all. You just wasted your own time. 

You just languish there in the airplane seat. It’s still hard to believe it’s all real. It isn’t until the wheels bounce and hit the tarmac that it fully sinks in. 

You’re not doing that again. You’re better off alone. You have to be, right? You don’t really know. You don’t even know yourself. You just know the girl who only wanted to be what he needed. 

But what do you need? What do you want? Can you figure it out? Is there anything in this land for you that you couldn’t find in New York? 

At least you’ll have lots of time to figure that out. Intimate hours with yourself to dwell and cringe and regret. Time to think, time to move on, time to cut him out. 

As you join the line to have your Visa stamped, you pull out your phone and turn off airplane mode. You swipe through to Steve’s last message. It was weeks ago. That makes it easier to hit that button; ‘mute’. It’s a start. Maybe in a few weeks, you’ll be ready to hit ‘block’. 

[namelessdumbass]

The Nameless Ghouls guide

This one will be almost identical to one i wrote last year. Slightly updated for all the new listeners and those who still struggle with identifying them.

As per usual a warning: there's gonna be a lot of text, silly collages and typos. English isn't my first language...isn't even my first foreign language either 🌚

Another warning: this post will be updated during the tour!

If you want videos/gifs of the Ghouls/Ghoulettes, pls check the links in the older post! UPD: i added a few links and videos with Ghouls/Ghoulettes vocals!

Enjoy!

99% of the names, Ghouls/ Ghoulettes have, were given by fans. The only Papa who called them by their names/alchemic elements was Terzo (aka Papa III).

The first 3 (Opus Eponymous, Infestissumam, Meliora) eras only had 5 Ghouls on stage. Prequelle had 7, Impera and Skeletá - 8.

There are many ways to tell them apart:

-how they are placed on stage -their alchemic symbols (important for Opus, Infest and Meliora eras! check out my Meliora guide where i shed more light on this topic) -their height and body types -their instruments -jewellery -date of the photo/video

Opus Eponymous era (October 23, 2010 - december 15, 2012)

(from left to right: Omega/Quintessence #1, Chain/Water #1, Earth #1, Air #1, Alpha/Fire #1)

There were only 5 Ghouls: Fire/Alpha, Quintessence/Omega, Chain/Water (later Lake), Earth #1 and Air #1. Since 2011, Ghouls were placed in certain areas on stage: Quintessence and Earth on Papa’s right, Water in the middle, Air and Fire - on Papa’s left. All of them wore plain black robes and masks.

Their alchemic symbols are visible on their robes, but it's sometimes hard to see them due to the quality of pictures and videos from this era. The best way to identify them - is to look at their instruments.

Alpha aka Fire Ghoul #1

Lead guitar. Had fire symbol sticker on his white-n-black Gibson RD. Skilled motherfucker. Taller than Papas, looked bigger in first 2 eras. Was a bit reserved in era 1, but became quite active and naughty in era 2. Has blue eyes, started to wear a ring in era 2 and got tattoos in era 3. If you see a ghoul who often shows a ✌ sign - that’s Alpha :) Secondo's favorite ghoul. Hangs out with Omega, River, Delta, Pebble and Mist on stage. Enjoys attention, quite popular among fans. Can speak Italian, has strong accent.

Joined in october 2010, left in november 2016

Omega aka Ether/Quintessence Ghoul #1

Rhythm guitar, black Gibson RD with Omega sticker. Tall, stompy, was quite confident from the very beginning, graceful hand movements (trust me, you won’t confuse him with any other ghoul). Has cutest laugh. The Perfect Ghoul™. Has beautiful eyes, chunky silver rings (he wore them in every era), is the reason the Ghouls got their alchemic symbols. Papa III’s favorite Ghoul, that’s why he was always praised and his butt was always touched/smacked during Year Zero solo by Terzo :) Did interviews in era 2 (sometimes together with Alpha or Special Ghoul) and 3.

Joined in october 2010, left in july 2016 :(

Chain aka Water Ghoul#1

Bass, black IBANEZ. Mysterious and metal AF, wore a chain as a belt and painted black bones on his hands, had Grucifix on metal necklace (which was later worn by Omega after Chain left). Was quite active and actually the shortest ghoul of era 1.

Joined in october 2010 (first appeared on stage on 23th october), left in early 2011

Earth Ghoul #1 aka Old Earth

Drums. Had no other specific name. Tall (same height as Omega), slim, has blue eyes. Despite being in Ghost for like 4 years, is soooo underrated. There’s not much we know about him. The only earth ghoul of Ghost who did an interview (together with Alpha). Was a badass

Joined in october 2010, left in 2014

Air Ghoul #1 aka Aero

Also had no specific name, though some fans prefer to call him Aero/Aeon. Synthesizer, keyboard and keytar. The tallest ghoul (a bit taller than Omega), dark eyes. Modest, very calm, didn’t move much. Loved showing horns and stared at fans sometimes. Had badass Mummy Dust solo 👇

Joined in 2011, left in november 2016

Lake aka Water Ghoul #2

Bass. Played white-n-black Squier by FENDER and Rickenbacker 4003 (in Opus Era). Joined in 2011 after Chain left. Middle height, dark eyes. Quite calm. Played two different guitars in era 1. Had cool black lenses in era 2, wore a ring sometimes. Also quite underrated. Fun fact: Remember Year Zero mv when Secondo flashes us? Well, it was this Water in Papa’s chasuble, not Tobias :)

Joined in 2011, left in 2014.

Infestissumam era (december 15th 2012 - June 3, 2015)

How are Ghouls placed on stage? Same way as in Opus era. Same Ghouls, different outfits and masks. Their alchemic symbols became more visible and ghouls opened up more on stage. There was only one change of the lineup: Lake left in 2014 and was replaced by River.

River aka Water #3

Bass. Played Lake's black-n-white and sometimes plain Squier by FENDER. Middle height, dark blue eyes. Was quite chaotic and weird on stage. Held his bass in a suggestive way, humped it sometimes. Interacted with Alpha a lot, was a bad influence. Definitely had fun on stage, enjoyed attention. See a ghoul with wide-legs-stance? Yeah, that’s him! The tallest of the Water Ghouls.

Joined in 2014, left in 2015 (before Meliora era began).

Meliora era (june 3, 2015 - september 30, 2017)

Placed on stage? Same way as in previous two eras. This is when a lot of changes happened. In 2015, Fire, Quintessence and Air Ghouls were the same, but Earth#1 and River left and Delta and Pebble were introduced. This era confuses a lot of people that's why you should always take a look at the top of their uniforms. Ghoul's respective element is always highlighted!

Delta aka Water#4

Bass. Played white-n-black Fender and black Gibson. A bit shorter than Papa III, cute, has blue eyes. No visible tattoos or rings. Skilled, filled in for Apha and Omega (and also played his guitar!) couple times for a few rituals and acoustic shows. Loved interacting with Alpha and Pebble on stage.Became Quintessence Ghoul in july 2016 when Omega left, played rhythm guitar.

Joined in June 2015, left in november 2016

Pebble aka Earth#2

Drums. Despite being the shortest and smolest in the band, played the shit out of drums. Was the most active Earth ghoul of Ghost. A show off. Loved interacting with fans. Played a brief solo before Stand by Him. Had a ring, his mask looked a little bit too big for him. Slim, light green eyes. Loved interacting with Alpha and Water.

Joined in June 2015, left in november 2016

In july 2016 Omega left Ghost, Delta took his place and Mist, the first Ghoulette of Ghost, played bass.

Mist Ghoulette aka Water #5

Bass. The same, as by previous Water Ghouls. The first Ghoulette of Ghost! Tiny, has blue eyes, a tattoo and ring on her finger. Cute as hell. Was quite calm and modest. Loved by fans. Her mask looked too big for her. Same could be said about the guitar. Since people still confuse her with Dew (due to small height i guess), the quickest way to identify her is to look at her finger nails. They were always painted :)

Joined in september 2016, left a the end of Popestar tour in november 2016.

In 2017 all of the former ghouls and Mist left and the new pack of Ghouls was introduced. All of them (except for Mountain) were +- same heigh as Terzo, so identifying them isn’t hard.

Ifrit aka Fire Ghoul #2

Lead guitar. White Fantomen.  Hyperactive, full of energy, jumps, spins and moves a lot on stage. Papa III’s hype man. Loved interacting with fans, gestures a lot. The ghoul that can’t stand still. Has blue eyes, no visible tattoos or rings. Ray of sunshine (no really, he’s very sweet). Quite popular among fans. Loved interacting with Zephyr, Aether and Dewdrop.

Joined in march 2017, left in september 2017

Aether aka Quintessence #3 aka Banana ghoul

Rhythm guitar. Black Fantomen. A bit taller than Ifrit and Papa III. Loves bananas. Has dark eyes, bracelets and a ring. No QE sticker on his guitar. Beefy, friendly. Also spins, dances and jumps a lot on stage. Was present in Terzo, Cardinal and Papa IV eras. Interacted with all of the Ghouls on stage. Was Cardinal’s favorite Ghoul. Was bullied by Sodo, but also annoyed him too sometimes. He and Sodo had pre Cirice guitar battles. Did backing vocals in Prequelle and Impera (in 2022) era.

Joined in march 2017, left in may 2023.

Dewdrop aka Water #6 aka Fire #3

Bass, used by previous Water Ghouls (only during Meliora/Popestar era!) and lead guitar. White Fantomen during Prequelle era and white Fender Stratocaster since Impera era. A bit shorter than Papas and the rest of the ghouls. Slim. Popular among fans. Stompy, was naughty in era 3, but became muuuuuuch worse later. Horny i would say and even more aggressive. Ghoul equivalent of chihuahua. Shows middle finger, throws picks when he’s angry or annoyed by Aether. Was a Water ghoul in 2017, became a Fire Ghoul #3 in 2018 after Ifrit left. Licked his guitar, picks, tried to lick Rain, Aether and bullied Cardinal sometimes. HORNY during Mummy Dust. Vapes on stage, interacts with fans, loves choking Rain. Once hurt his finger, didn’t give a damn and continued playing guitar smearing blood all over it. Can also be a gentleman, is nice to Ghoulettes. Managed to break his leg on stage during Skeletour (he stomps!)🙃

Joined in march 2017 and is still in Ghost (as of april 2025).

Zephyr aka chAir Ghoul #2

Keyboard, synthesizer, keytar. Same height as Papa III, blue eyes. Quite active on stage, but can also be calm. Sits on chair a lot, but starts moving when he’s feeling it. Interacts with Ifrit and Aether. Cute as hell. Wears a ring Keytar solo - 👇

Joined in march 2017, left in september 2017.

Ivy aka Earth #3

Drums. Dark eyes, wears bracelets, has a tattoo. Same heigh as Ifrit. Even though he had been in the band only few monhs, he did an amazing job. Was present only during EU leg of the Popestar tour in 2017.

Joined in march 2017, left in june 2017.

Mountain aka Earth #4

Drums. Tall, slim, has grey eyes and a tattoo on his finger. Hates shoes. Quite popular among fans. Pretty calm, especially comparing to Pebble. Nice fella. Was present in Papa III, Cardinal and Papa IV era. Is now Perpetua's ghoul. Normally wears a hat, but can also wear a coif sometimes.

Joined in june 2017 and is still in Ghost (as of july 2025)

Prequelle era (april 6, 2018 - march 3, 2020)

The number of ghouls on stage has increased. Instead of 5 there were 7 ghouls. And this is the year when we got not one, but two Ghoulettes! How are they placed on stage? Like this:

New ghouls of this era:

Rain aka Water #7

Bass (same as by previous Ghouls) and black Fender Jazz bass. A bit taller than Dewdrop and Cardinal/Papa VI. Has dark eyes, beautiful hands, slim. Wears a ring. Quite calm comparing to the others. Opened up a bit more in Impera era. The only adult on stage, beside Ghoulettes and Mountain. Has to step in when Dew becomes a pain in the ass, also allows him to choke him during Year Zero. Wears a coif/veil just like Swiss and the Ghoulettes during Skeletour. Also became naughty

Joined in january 2018 and is still in Ghost (as of april 2025)

Swiss aka Multi Ghoul

Baritone (black Hangstrom) and acoustic guitar, tambourine, backing vocals. Plays cowbell during Umbra. Tall, slim, has dark eyes and biiiiiiiiiiiiig smile. Dances on his platform, tries to seduce other ghouls, acts possessed. Is in your walls. A manace to society. Vapes on stage. Loves interacting with fans and other ghouls. Known for his powerful shimmies. The horniest Ghoul of Ghost. Annoying the shit out of Sodo aka "jerking him off" was his main hobby in 2023. Also went to Aurora’s (see below) and Cumulus’ platforms. The most chaotic ghoul. In Skeletá era he also wears the same headpiece as the Ghoulettes! Kissed Papa Perpetua at his last ritual. Was quite calm during Skeletour

Joined in january 2018, left on april 22th 2025.

Cumulus aka Multi Ghoulette

Backing vocals, synthesizer, tamboutine. Short, curvy, has amazing voice. No visible tattoos. Loves interacting with fans and other Ghouls/Ghoulettes. Dances and slays. Cirrus' bestie

Joined in january 2018, left in 2024/beginning of 2025

Cirrus aka Multi/Air Ghoulette

Keyboard, synthesizer, tambourine, keytar, backing vocals. Tall, slim. No tattoos. Active on stage. Loves sticking out her tongue during Mummy Dust solo. Comes to the center of the stage since Impera era. Literal queen. Keytar solo 👇

Joined in january 2018 and is still in Ghost (as of april 2025)

Impera era (january 25 th, 2022 - october 7th, 2023)

There were also a few changes in this era: new Ghouls and slight changes in the stage setting [see my older guide as tumblr only allows 30 pictures per post!]. In 2022 one more Ghoulette joined the Prequlle pack.

Sunshine aka Multi Ghoulette

Backing vocals and tambourine. A bit taller than Cumulus, but shorter than Cirrus. No tattoos and rings/bracelets. Cutie. Dances and acts funny on her platform. Stood on Papa’s left.

Joined in 2022, left in may 2023.

In 2023 Sunshine and Aether left and were replaced by Aurora and Phantom. The rest of the Ghouls/Ghoulettes remained the same.

Phantom aka Quintessence #4

Rhythm guitar. Black Fantomen and black Fender Jaguar (in Lachryma mv). Tall, slim, dark eyes. Loves interacting with fans and loves bats. A show off and a little bit chaotic. Quite confident despite being a newbie. Joins Rain and Sodo for epic into of Square Hammer and outro of Rats. Loves annoying Papa IV during Year Zero outro. Loves going to Aurora's platform and dancing with her. almost No visible tattoos, has black tapes on his fingers. Interacts with every ghoul/ghoulettes on stage. Entertains the crowd and also plays acoustic guitar in Skeletá era. Annoys the shit out of Perpetua

Joined in may 2023 and is still in Ghost (as of april 2025)

Aurora aka Multi Ghoulette

Backing vocals, tambourine. Also plays keyboard instead of Cumulus during UK/EU leg of the Skeletour. Full of energy. The shortest Ghoulette. Loves interacting with Swiss, Rain, Phantom, Haze, Cumulus and Dew. Plays cowbell during Umbra on US/LATAM tour

Joined in may 2023, is still in Ghost (as of april 2025)

Here's a small compilation Ghouls/Ghoulettes vocals:

Skeletá era (March 5th, 2025):

There also has been a change: Cumulus has left Ghost and her place is now taken by Haze ghoulette.

Ghouls/Ghoulettes are placed on stage the same way they were in Impera era. They wear black skin tight sparkly costumes with bones. Their masks are silver with the grucifix of this era matching Papa Perpetua. The also wear kinky collars with bows

Every Ghoul's/Ghoulette's mask has different details: Dew has a mustache, Phantom a mole, Rain has his nose™, Mountain has longer mask/smile lines, Aurora has rounder face, Cirrus has a tear streak under her right eye, Haze - black upper lip.

Source Dew, Phantom, Mountain wear hats and Rain, Swiss, Cirrus, Aurora, Haze - coif.

Haze aka Tempest aka Nimbus aka Multi Ghoulette

Backing vocals + tambourine. She's taller than Aurora and slim. Stands platform next to Aurora, behind Dew (on Papas left). Calm, loves showing her bat wings, dances, blows kisses to Ghesties. Hangs out with Aurora, Dew and Phantom. Played cowbell during Umbra since Swiss left during european leg of tour.

Joined in February/March 2025

Storm aka Thunder aka Air/Multi Ghoul

Keys, tambourine, backing vocals. Beefy, but a bit shorter than Mountain. Stands on Aurora's/Cumulus' previous spot, on Papas left. Adjusts his jacket often, does little cute dances, shows horns. Also wears a coif/veil. According to fans has clear vocals

Joined on July 9th, 2025

Honorable mentions:

Special Ghoul aka Phil aka Tobias

Showed up for interviews and to grab some awards. Talked about albums, meanings of songs, ghildo and Papas. Worships cats, loves Abba. Slim, has green eyes. Wore Alpha’s uniform. Was present in Primo, Secondo and Terzo eras. Makes a lot of silly sounds.

Hasn’t been active since 2017

Cowbell Ghoul

Plays cowbell in “Ritual” and “If you have Ghosts”. A freaking legend. Tall, has a posture of a shrimp. Always got shooed by Papa III. Only showed up at the end of Popestar tour in 2016. Brought many people joy with his presence.

And that was it….till the next era lol

Thanks for reading 🖤💜

[callsign-muffin]

Heal Together: Chapter 1

(Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw fic)

I've been lurking on here for a while, reading Top Gun fics and I recently got inspired to write one of my own. Hopefully someone reads it and likes it!

Note about the format: Between every header is a change in the point of view :)

Summery: When Rooster was med-evaced back to San Diego from the mission field, the last thing he expected was to wake up with a tube down his throat and the most beautiful woman he's ever seen at his bedside.

Masterlist

Word Count: 2.1k

“Hey Carly, I’m taking over for room 4 today. Are you ready to give report?” You ask the cute blonde night shift nurse, she looked about 12 years old. What in the hell was she doing in the ICU of a military hospital? Hell, you should be asking yourself the same question. You hated it here at this boys club where nurses were ignored as a female dominated profession, despite being the people who spend the most amount of time at the patient’s bedside in a 12 hour stretch. But you were only one week into this eight week travel assignment and the money was great, so you just had to grin and bear it and make as few enemies as possible.

“The census is low, is this gonna be your only patient?” She asked.

“Yeah.” You pulled out your report sheet and pen, “Let’s hope it stays that way.”

You could tell Carly was fresh off of orientation by how nervous she looked before beginning to speak.

“Hey,” You placed a comforting hand on her knee, “take your time, tell me what you know, and if I have any questions I’ll ask them when you’re done. You just finished a long shift, it’s okay to be a little out of it. We’ll get all the info we need together. No pressure, okay?”

“Okay,” Carly nodded and took a deep breath, “This is Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw, 35 year old male, full code, no known allergies…”

You quietly took down the pertinent information about Lt. Bradshaw as Carly spoke. He was a pilot, recovered after a crash, and was stitched back together pretty well on the aircraft carrier, he went septic and was transported back to the states to your hospital. Pretty standard stuff. He was currently on a ventilator for breathing support but all seemed to be going in a positive direction despite the shitty circumstances.

Carly finished her report with a sigh of relief, you had a feeling the staff nurses weren’t as respectful when receiving report from a new graduate. “Any questions?”

“Any family  at the bedside?” You asked.

“No, no family. Apparently a guy named Pete Mitchell calls daily for updates, they’re not related but he’s included on the patient’s medical information release forms, so we can talk to him. Chart says he’s single, no siblings, and both parents have passed away.” Carly yawned, she was beginning to fade after a long night. You didn’t want to hold her up anymore than necessary, she needed to get home and go to bed.

“Okay,” You clicked your pen, “Sounds good. Let’s go check lines and meds so you can get out of here.”

She paused for a second as you got up from your chair at the nurses station, “Y/N… thank you for being so nice… I’m only a week off of orientation and things are still so new…”

You smiled at the compliment, “We’ve all been there. Every nurse on this unit was new at one point and I think sometimes they forget that. Hell, I’m a traveler and this is only my second week and there’s so much that’s new to me too. You’re doing great.”

You spent the first part of your morning before rounds with the care team just cleaning up the patient, organizing the room, all that good stuff. Though it wasn’t necessarily considered “professional”, you played some music softly from your phone as you worked. You found that music or just talking to patients on vents helped with agitation. You couldn’t imagine anything more tortuous than listening to repetitive beeping and alarms all day long and nothing else. Though most managers didn’t like it, that didn’t stop you. What were they gonna do? Fire you? Hospitals hire travelers at such a high price point when they’re understaffed and desperate. They needed you more than you needed them.

█ ✪ █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█ ✪ █

“When the sun goes down, we’ll be groovin’

When the sun goes down, we’ll feel alright

When the sun sinks down over the water

Everything is hotter when the sun goes down…”

Who the fuck listens to Kenny Chesney anymore? Rooster thought to himself.

He knew he was sick, the docs on the ship told him that before they knocked him out to shove the tube down his throat. They told him he’d be med-evaced back to San Diego because the hospital where he was overseas didn’t have the capabilities to take care of someone as sick as him. He didn’t know how long he had been there, all the days run together when you’re too weak to open your eyes. He was used to having things done to him, he was past the point of getting agitated about it, because he knew they’d just sedate him more.

“Alright, Bradshaw.” A confident voice said, “All of your lines are untangled, your room is clean, and your initial assessment is done… How about we have a little spa day? You’re smellin’ a little… ripe.”

RUDE! 

“HA! You can hear me! You raised your eyebrows!” She giggled, damn it was a cute giggle. Rooster honestly hadn’t realized he was moving his face. But he believed her because that’s what his face usually does when he’s surprised. “You’ve been caught. No more playing dumb.”

Water started running, splashing, and the suction was turned on… that sound usually meant his mouth was gonna get cleaned and he was gonna feel something funny down his throat. He hated it.

“Carly told me you were getting agitated during mouth care last night. Since you can hear me, I’m going to tell you everything I’m doing, so don’t get sassy with me.” She said, “Deal?”

Anything for the first person not to treat me like a damn vegetable. This was the first time someone actually talked to him and told him what the fuck was happening since he got here. It was a welcome change.

The kind yet sassy voice interrupted his thoughts, “Okay, mouth care. I’ll be quick, I promise.”

She didn’t lie to him, she was quick and the stupid suction caused him minimal discomfort. Maybe it was because he could brace himself, or maybe it was because she was just really good at her job.

“I’m about to give you a full body bath, so how about we get to know each other a little bit.” She said as she adjusted his sheets and pillows to reposition him, placing a towel under his head, and rinsing his hair with warm water.

Rooster’s whole body relaxed.

“My name is Y/N Y/L/N and I’m obviously your nurse today and will probably be for the next few days…” Nurse Y/N went on about where she’s from, her hobbies, how she’s not making many friends in this new hospital she’s been contracted out to.

Welcome to the military, it’s a boy’s club. He wished he could say that to her. He imagined medicine was similar to aviation, full of egos.

Before Rooster knew it, his whole body had been washed from head to toe. He hadn’t felt this clean in what felt like years.

“So Lieutenant… not to be crude but… I gotta clean your bits. But at least we’ve really gotten to know each other.” Nurse Y/N said, “Your girlfriend will thank me later.”

Ha! Rooster laughed to himself, What girlfriend?! My dick hasn’t been played with in months!

Like with the mouth care, her cleaning was quick and respectful. And damn, being clean felt so good. She went on to change his gown, sheets, and blankets. Rooster truly felt like a new man.

“Lieutenant Bradshaw, you’ve never looked better.” She said with a satisfied sigh.

That’s a damn lie, but I’ll take the compliments wherever I can get them at this point.

“Hey Y/N,” Another female voice said, “They’re starting with you for rounds. Are you ready to present your patient or should I stall?”

“Nah, I’m ready. Tell them to come in whenever.” Nurse Y/N said, then her voice got low and she whispered to Bradley, “I’m gonna try to get them to lighten your sedation and move towards trials of turning the ventilator off. It’s not gonna be comfortable but the sooner we start working towards getting that tube out of your throat, the sooner you can get the hell out of here.”

Rooster wanted to make sure she knew he heard her and that he was on board, it took every ounce of strength in his body, but he nodded.

█ ✪ █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█ ✪ █

“No way.” The resident physician said simply after you gave your recommendation with your presentation of Lt. Bradshaw

You were dumbfounded. What the hell did he mean no?!, “This patient was more than ready to move towards extubation.” 

“And what makes you the expert?” the resident asked.

Oh lord, this fresh out of med school asshole was turning rounds into a dick measuring contest.

“The fact that I’ve been at his bedside for the past three and a half hours, I assessed him, bathed him, turned him, and he is showing signs of progress. The next step is spontaneous breathing trials and extubation. The longer he stays on the vent, the more likely he is to get pneumonia, as we all should know, Doctor.” You explained coolly but made sure to add his (probably newly earned) title. 

“I agree with…” The attending looked at you and scanned your badge, “... Y/N… What do you think from a Respiratory Therapy standpoint, Brent?” He looked over at Brent, the RT.

Brent smirked and narrowed his eyes at the resident, “I also think moving towards extubation is a good thing. If he has two successful trials, he could be off the vent by the end of the day.”

The attending physician nodded, “Then it’s a plan. And I think this is a really good lesson for the residents and medical students with us on rounds, the nurses know more about the patient than we do. We should always consider their recommendations because they have the most valuable view on the patient, simply because they spend time with them.”

You tried to dim the glow that was on your face.

 “Thanks, Dr…” You scanned the attending’s badge the same way he did yours.

“Carter, Brendan Carter.” He extended his hand and you shook it, “Glad to have you here.”

That was the most welcome anyone had made you feel in the last week here. Who would’ve thought a wrinkly old attending doctor with dancing eyes would be the person to stand up for you and make you feel secure in your clinical decision making.

█ ✪ █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█ ✪ █

Rooster wasn’t sure how much time had gone by since Nurse Y/N told him she was turning down his sedatives but it felt like he could open his eyes almost instantly. It was so… bright. Once his eyes adjusted, he scanned his surroundings, the lights weren’t even on but the sun shining through the large window felt blinding. He looked to his left and saw the machine that the tube in his throat was attached to, the machine that had kept him alive for God knows how long. He looked to his right and saw multiple IV poles that attached him to lines and lines of medicine and fluid. Further to his right, he saw a woman standing at a computer, typing away furiously, her face was serious yet beautiful, was that Nurse Y/N?

“Good morning, Lt. Bradshaw.” She said quietly, “You’re still attached to your breathing tube, so you can’t talk. Now that you’re awake we’re one step closer to getting you off that thing. Sound good?”

Rooster nodded slowly, wishing he could thank her for everything. For talking to him, bathing him, treating him like a human-being.

“Do you feel strong enough to write?” She asked, “Can I get you a whiteboard?”

He nodded again.

“I’ll be right back.” She swiftly left the room. 

Rooster couldn’t help but love watching her walk away. Along with a beautiful face, he could tell she had a great body hiding underneath those scrubs. It had been so long since he’d seen a pretty girl.

She returned quickly with a whiteboard and a marker, handing it to him, “What’s on your mind Lieutenant?”

Call me Bradley. He scribbled, 

“Nice to meet you Bradley.” She smiled down at him, “How are ya feelin’?”

Better now that I’m clean and awake. He wrote.

“There’s something healing about a bath and being taken out of your drug induced sleep, huh?” She giggled.

Rooster nodded and started writing again, Thank you for everything.

“No biggie. I’m glad to see you doing so well. Is it okay if I do a full assessment on you, just since you’re awake now?” She asked.

He nodded, this girl could do anything she wanted to him. She was basically his angel.

[macabr3-barbi3]

Unexpected Attractions (Vox/Reader SFW)

(Hell's Greatest International Women's Day Fic #4)

Welcome to fic #4! Yet another reminder (sorry guys I promise this is the last one) that I'll personally be donating $3 to the Lilith Fund for every 15 notes that the fics with this banner are receiving 💗find fic #1 (RadioStatic NSFW) here, fic #2 (innocent Alastor x Reader NSFW) here, and fic #3 (promiscuous reader x Alastor NSFW) right here! I'll stop counting notes around 12PM EST on 3/10/25 so we can get our final tallys in.

Check out @hellsgreatestevents to see how we're doing so far and get updates on future events like this one for the Lilith Fund!

Tags: Lu Lu World, Vox is a businessman; he's also a simp; Meet Cute; Vox resolves other people's trauma instead of his own; Out of Character Vox? Kinda but who cares lol; Amusement park date

A huge thank you to my darling @fraugwinska for basically writing the last couple of paragraphs for me since I got stuck; I owe you my entire heart and soul 💕

One day, the lack of basic respect that he got as an Overlord would be a problem. Not for him, of course, but for the shitbags that ran establishments like Lu Lu World and thought that his time was expendable and could be wasted without so much as a ‘fuck you.’

Vox was courteous enough to arrive early for his meeting with the security team to discuss installing new cameras and sensors all over the park. They, however, couldn’t even be bothered to let his assistant know before he made the fucking trip that they would be pushing the meeting back by three and a half hours, effectively trapping him at this shitty theme park for the sake of convenience- why bother going home when he would just have to come back?

He was going to gouge their prices, he decided. Double and a half what they had initially discussed just for the fuck of it- if they wanted to play games then he would too. Let them spend exorbitant amounts of money for the sin of pissing him off; see if Vox gave a shit. Maybe he would use the extra time to take a look around the park and see what areas could be improved upon by security measures- the entrances and exits, of course, and stationed outside employee areas to keep an eye on the comings and goings of park staff. He could charge them even more for the use of his time if he was actually doing something rather than just sitting around waiting for hours.

Someone slams into his side, a giggling couple that races off without a backwards glance at the man they shoulder-checked, and static sparks between his antennae in anger as he brushes himself off. “Oh no, excuse me,” he mutters sarcastically. “People die and their fucking manners are the first to go, huh?”

“Oh, they’re always like that,” he hears, and looks over to see you seated on a bench, the heel of your hand rubbing across your eyes as you look at him. They’re rimmed in red, but still bright and interested when you meet his gaze. “I could apologize for them, but I don’t think they’d care either way- I’m supposed to be their friend and they don’t care about hurting me, why would a stranger be any different?”

“What, they blow you off or something?” He watches you roll your eyes in irritation, a frown overtaking the pretty features of your face. 

You shrug, looking past him to watch your friend's backs fade in the distance. “Yeah, but nothing new. It was supposed to be a group hang- despite saying they were fine with it before, they didn’t want a third wheel anymore. So now I’m gonna have to spend a fuckton of money to get home since, of course, they were also my ride.” You smile but it doesn’t reach your eyes, an expression he’s too familiar with. 

“You could stay- do your own thing while you wait for them to finish,” he offers, and you shoot him a look that suggests he’s a fucking idiot.

“What kind of loser hangs around an amusement park by themselves?”

He had been there when he was alive; middle and high school years spent waiting for friends that always seemed to be one seat short, one movie ticket shy of enough for the whole group. “We’ll get you next time,” and then the next time never came. Always the last one called, the first one singled out, the last minute ‘you can come if you want’ invitation until he had finished college and actually made something of himself. How many times had he sat on a bench like this watching his own friends walk away from him, without a care for how he felt having to watch them have fun as they left him behind?

Vox hadn’t thought about those feelings in years, having shoved them down deep when he grew up, came to Hell and pushed himself farther than he ever could have gone when he was alive. He had an empire now, a business not bound by morals and laws, people that respected and feared him.

He still remembered what it felt like to be where you were.

It’s a split second decision, but he had time to waste- he figured taking you with him on his personal tour wouldn’t put too much of a damper on his plans with the meeting being pushed back, and having someone to talk to, barring any punishable offense on your part, would probably make the hours pass faster.

“Why don’t you hang out with me for a while?” He asks, and extends a hand out to you. When you don’t take it, he flashes you a winning smile. “I have some stuff to do around the park- join me.”

You eye him warily, but take his hand and let him pull you to standing. “You really don’t have to do that,” you tell him, but you don’t resist when he tightens his grip against your fingers. “What would people think of the VoxTek CEO hanging around Lu Lu World with some random Sinner? What are you even doing here?”

“Business,” he says simply, gesturing around them. “Business that is lent credibility if I’m actually doing things at the park instead of just observing.” And that was mostly a lie that he had thought of on the spot, but he felt like he needed to convince you now, to make this day better for you like no one had even done for him when he was topside. “And what kind of loser hangs around an amusement park by themselves? You’d be doing me a favor, honestly.”

Your eyebrow creases in suspicion at him using your words against you. “Really- I’m fine just going home.”

“And letting your shitbag friends know that they can do this to you whenever they want? Come on- have some fun with me. Don’t let them ruin what should have been a good day.” When you frown and look again in the direction that your friends had gone, he lowers his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Come on. Just until I have to go to my meeting. I can get us a Fast Pass so we can cut the lines. Imagine their faces seeing you get to jump to the front. Worth it, huh?”

And with this you smile- genuine and pleased and a little mischievous. “I might be able to be persuaded for that,” you say, and let him pull you along to the entrance gate to be fitted with the bracelet that would allow the pair of you to cut the lines.

Bracelets affixed, you walked slowly through the rows of vendors and games, the silence between you not entirely uncomfortable. He hadn’t been to an amusement park in years, and between looking for security risks around the park while you walked around together and trying to decide on a ride to go on together, he wasn’t too impressed. Neither of you seemed particularly excited at the prospect of one of the huge roller coasters- not that he was scared, of course, but with his head being made up of fragile electronic components he was… reasonably cautious. He would have been down for some of the easier rides, something like the Ferris Wheel or one of those funky little spinning teacups or something that couldn’t do much harm.

Then he had seen your face drop when you noticed your friends towards the middle of the line for the largest, most popular ride in the park and, well…

That was too good an opportunity to pass up.

“Hey.” He reached over and tugged at the band on your wrist. “Paid an arm and a leg for these for a reason, doll. Let’s go.”

Your smile lit up your entire face, and that was almost worth the money on its own. Watching your friends’ expressions sour when he brought you to the front of the line for the operator to let you pass for the next cycle of the coaster took it the rest of the way to ‘worth it.’

The ride itself wasn’t bad- more fun than he had anticipated, and your shriek of laughter at his side when you hit the first drop made him smile more genuinely than he had in a while. Your grip on his forearm was firm through the whole ride, still holding on when the cart eventually slowed and you exited the ride together, still holding on when you saw your friends still not at the front of the line and stuck your tongue out at them as you left together.

Your hair was windswept and wild, pieces flying into your face when you looked up at him with eyes like stars and asked, “what’s next?”

The mirror maze is dangerous with his face, but he lets you lead him through by the hand, always in front to walk into any mirrors that stand in the way. You never seriously hurt yourself, always bouncing off the glass with a laugh that echoes through the space when you look back at him to make sure he’s following.

The other roller coasters are disappointing compared to that first one, but apparently your friends were adrenaline junkies; you got to watch their excitement dwindle every time the pair of you approached one that they were in line for, cutting to the front each time and leaving them stewing in their jealousy.  Vox liked watching you look at the images after each ride, surreptitiously handing the booth attendant his credit card to pay for small copies of the photos the two of you were in so you could take them home with you when the day was over- something to remember him by, and to remember the day you got to put your friends in their places. 

The Ferris wheel is lackluster, but a necessary component for an amusement park trip to be complete. He buys a thing of popcorn and you spend the slow trip to the top and back down throwing kernels over the side at unsuspecting guests, and trying to coax a couple weird birds to eat out of your hand before one of them snagged the whole bag and dumped it on the crowd below.

When you eventually tire of rides, he takes you back down the strip to play arcade games. To his chagrin, he’s fucking awful; no amount of hypnotism has any effect on his ability to throw a couple rings over a goddamn bottle neck or blast water at a Lucifer-Duck target so he can win you the fat shark plush that dangles over your heads. Even worse, you’re scarily good with the water pistol, so solidly aimed at the center of the moving targets that the game vendor eyes you suspiciously when he reaches up to unclip the stuffed animal and hand it to you after the bell sounds to alert passersby that you’ve won.

A few feet away from the booth, you turn and shove the shark into his arms, trailing your fingers through the soft fur that covers it. “It’s customary to win the prize for your date, right?” You ask, and flush from your hairline to the neck of your shirt when he smiles wide and steps closer to you.

“Is that what this is now, sugar?” He says quietly, and the noise of the park fades away as he focuses on the way your breath catches at his proximity. “A date?”

And Satan, he has to admire how you straighten your shoulders instead of backing down. “It could be,” you tell him, and step away, removing your hands from the shark when something catches your eye. “It depends on how it ends.” And the shark joins you at the next couple of failed games, until you lead him to the final attraction, a huge, heart-shaped door under a sign that says ‘The Tunnel of Lust,’ with a caricature image of Osmodeus in the corner.

He’s a little nervous about the water that splashes at the sides of the boat as you step in together, but the sides are high enough that he thinks he’ll be okay. And he’s not ready to end your time together, if he’s being honest. He had initially just wanted to cheer you up, he thinks, as the boat starts moving and terrible romantic poetry starts playing over the speakers, animatronic cherubs dropping from the ceiling and shooting arrows on strings towards the walls before winding them back up to their bows.

Then the boat hits the darkest part of the tunnel and he looks at you, illuminated only by the glow of his screen as everything else fades away, and he thinks you look beautiful. A happy smile on your lips that meets your eyes, unlike earlier, and your shoulders are relaxed and you just look… pleased to be with him, in a way that few people ever really were.

He opens his mouth to speak, but there aren’t any words that come forth that can adequately fill the silence- none that can explain how oddly fulfilling his time with you had been, healing something inside of him that he had thought he was over after all this time. How could he have known that in helping you give a satisfying ‘fuck you’  to your shitty friends that he would feel this sense of relief? Of satisfaction?

You tilt your head in wonder as he stares at you and he slides closer, removing the shark from his lap to place it on the bench next to him. He lets a hand come up to card gently into your hair, and you suck in a breath but don’t pull away as he leans in, breath ghosting across his screen as your lips part-

Music fills the tunnel- not the cheesy, romantic shit that was playing through the ride, but the EDM ringtone he had set for his assistant that he had left back at Vee Tower when he came out here today. He’s tempted to ignore it, but you’ve already seen the call flash across his screen and you’re pulling away from him, putting a couple inches between your bodies as his hand falls limply from where he had been holding you.

“Go ahead,” you whisper, “it seems important,” and he sighs and turns away to answer.

“What do you want?”

“I’m sorry, sir, you know I wouldn’t call if it wasn’t an emergency- but the Lu Lu World team called and said you had never arrived for the meeting. You’re twenty minutes late.”

Fuck. He had completely forgotten about the meeting in favor of spending time with you- he hadn’t even done any of the surveillance he had planned on doing while you went around to the different rides, played arcade games, gave him that sweet fucking smile. He should have set an alarm or something to remind himself of his goddamn obligations today, instead of letting himself get swept up in some impromptu date with a random sinner because they reminded him a little too much of himself.

“Mister Vox, sir?”

“Chill the fuck out, okay? Tell them they’re lucky I’m even still coming after the shit they pulled today and I’ll get there when I get there. Give me, uhhhh…” He wasn’t actually sure how much longer this ride would be but he didn’t imagine the park runners would make something called the Tunnel of Lust too long of a ride and risk people making good on the name. “Ten minutes, tops.”

His assistant starts to agree as Vox ends the call, and when he looks back over to you you’re watching the decor of the ride pass in silence. Smiling still, but you’ve reverted back to how you were earlier- it didn’t light up your face the same way, more polite than anything else, and he longed for the comfortable silence and contentment of a few mere minutes before. He thought about apologizing, but he wasn’t really sure for what, exactly- fulfilling his goal of staying with you until his meeting? Taking you on rides and to games on his dime? Not kissing you in a dark tunnel as a virtual stranger?

He let the silence reign until the ride was over a few minutes later, grabbing his shark by the fin with one hand and offering the other to you to help you out of the boat, walking behind you as you stepped back out into the crowded day.

“I apologize-”

“I’m so sorry-”

You both try to speak at the same time, and the blank looks you give each other when you stop talking at the same time breaks the awkward silence like glass, your laughter once again gracing his audio processors. “I was going to say, I’m sorry for making you late to your meeting,” you offer, your smile a little disappointed, and he waves the words away.

“Not at all! I  was going to apologize for having to cut our time so short- if we’re being honest,” he adds quietly, “I would much rather spend the rest of the day with you than go to this meeting. I’ve had a great time.” 

He would probably never see you again, he realized, and that makes him feel something he doesn’t want to look at too closely right now. If he offered you his number and you declined he would look like a fool, and he wasn’t in a position where he was offering anyone that kind of power over him. He had the photos from the coasters in his pocket, but if he gave them to you and you left then what would he have to memorialize the day?

“I did too! Not bad, for a date I didn’t plan on having today.”

He chuckles. “Still a date then, despite that ending?” He lets you reach out to run your fingers through the soft fur of the stuffed shark again.

You look up at him through lowered lashes, suddenly shy and reaching for his spare hand to pull him towards you. “We’ve still got a few minutes left,” you say quietly, and he bends low and closes his eyes as you bring your lips to meet his.

It's too soft, too sweet, and over too soon. You pull back with a smile, unaware how badly he wants more, and gesture to the shark as you step back. “Gotta say, I think I’ll miss this little guy,” you quip, and Vox is confused about the sudden change of topic until you add, “I know I said I was winning it for you, but I don’t suppose you'd be willing to have joint custody?”

His smile is soft and fond, and he pushes the shark into your arms. “Tell you what- you take him for now. Let me have someone take you home- and then I’ll stop by in a couple days and we can figure out the logistics of that.”

“I would like that.” You press another kiss to his screen, fleeting and soft, and squeeze the shark to your chest. “Thank you, since I haven’t actually said that yet. I hope to see you soon.”

Then you’re walking away from him, and the photos sit heavy in his suit pocket as he dials his assistant while he walks to the main building for his meeting. His assistant knows better than to ask why Vox is ordering him to save your address in his cloud contacts, and after receiving the ping that it's secure in his system he straightens his bowtie. With trained professionalism he rolls his shoulders and tucks the softness that he’d been harboring for the day away for now, his smile turning predatory as he enters the meeting room. 

Vox loved the scent of opportunity - personal and professional alike - but there was business to be taken care of first. The irritation from earlier still lingered at the staff’s disregard for his time, and while you had been a pleasant distraction he wouldn’t let that affect his negotiation now. The stuffed shark he had sent with you hadn't just been a perfect ruse to see you again- it reminded him that there was blood in the water.