#How the heck do you draw a mouth eye thing

[weirdronpa]

Heard from somewhere this was canon??

Sorry for bad quality, I haven't drawn anything GF related since 2019-2020

[waywardangel-wilds]

Peeta is always open to drawing or painting anything for Katniss and she's frequently taken him up on it. It's usually not that difficult for him, he loves the chance to paint, to refine his skills. Katniss loves having not only a reminder of certain memories but also a physical representation of Peeta's enduring and almost quiet love for her. And it's easy. Natural. That is until Katniss looks at Peeta one day and asks, "Would you do a self-portrait for me?"

That's hard for him. The sketches are never quite right, the colors are off. Katniss doesn't ever nitpick at his paintings, and she isn't being unkind or anything, but she always looks at the drafts with an uncertain expression only to say, "Somethings not right, Peeta."

Peeta gets frustrated. Why can't he just do this painting? He asks Katniss what is off about the sketches, and it's always a thousand little things. His eyes aren't that severe. He's supposed to have freckles there. His mouth is softer in real life. His hair doesn't curl like that. His expression is off. He can never seem to get it right. What is it about this painting?

They're lying on the couch one day when Katniss says, "Maybe you just can't see yourself the way I do."

That makes him curious. How does she see him? They start trying to figure that out. He says that she should describe his face to him as if he were a plant for the book, and maybe they could arrive somewhere accurate.

Katniss finds it a little funny, even odd, he's himself. He has to be more familiar with his own face than she is, but she humors him. They sit down in his studio together and begin.

It becomes an exercise in getting to know her, somehow, on a level that he hadn't explored before. She spends a long time talking about the shape of his eyes, the fan of his eyelashes, and the color of his irises. Her cheeks stain with embarrassment, and his heart knocks against his ribs, trying to escape, maybe even trying to reach out to her.

She has something to say about details he'd never even thought of before. The angle of his chin, the exact colour of his hair. She has descriptions that don't make much sense to him too. His smile is like spring and his scars are like marigolds. When given time, Katniss ends up arranging a whole bouquet of wildflowers with her descriptions.

He loves her. He already knew that. Heck, people on the other side of the country already knew that, but he'd had no idea, somehow, he still had no idea the depth of Katniss's devotion. It's beautiful and seemingly never-ending and it fills his own heart with joy.

They create the portrait together, after many hours spent alone. It's a painting of his own face, yet, it holds a deep intimacy and he can't seem to look at it without smiling and blushing like a fool. He doesn't think of it as his, even if it's a painting of himself, the painting is wholly Katniss's. He presents it to her when he's finished and Katniss smiles warmly, looking down at it with such affection. She hangs it in the hall, near the bench where she keeps her arrows so she can look at it when she leaves every morning and when she comes back home. That part of the house is very private, he doesn't even really go there that often, so it feels special. To know that Katniss wanted to bring him there with her, in her own way.

[littleemissperfecttt]

The Youngest Sorrengail

About the story: Y/n is violets twin sister. Unlike violet y/n was trained to be a rider by her mother and to be a scribe by her father. The sisters have a strained relationship. Will y/n continue to resent violet because of the past or will she help her in surviving basgiath war college?

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Chapter 3

"Xaden what the hell!?" I questioned crossing my arms as his hands rested on my waist as he looked down at me. "I didn't want people to see you with me" he said as I rolled my eyes "why? Too ashamed to talk to a Sorrengail?" I questioned

"No it's for your safety" he said with a gruff tone "what the heck does you talking to me affect my safety?" I asked irritated "besides I am strong enough to protect myself so I don't need you to protect me"

He honestly looked bored hearing me, I couldn't read his expression as it was the usual stoic face. "You will be targeted more if they see you with me, you being a Sorrengail will not help either"

I sighed and shook my head "what did you want to talk about?" I asked feeling his fingers caress my waist so lightly

"We are having a meeting" he said as his fingers continued to caress my waist. Is this his unconcious thing or is he doing it for me?

"We as in your and the other marked ones?" I asked with a raised eyebrows "yes" he nodded not giving me anything other than that. I stilled when I felt his hand shift downwards to my hips "w-what are you doing?" I asked 'oh shit I stuttered why the fuck did I stuttered' I mentally cried to myself as he just smirked before releasing me as his shadows started dropping too

"Midnight today, the tree" that's all he said. He turned around and left, leaving me in a stunned silence. I didn't realise I was holding my breath till it was difficult for me to breath. What the hell is this man thinking?

I turned around to go back to the gym when I literally bumped into someone large making me stumble back and draw my dagger out "woah there" the person infront of me held his arms out as though he's surrendering

He was a tall, very built man. I have seen him with Xaden. Whenever I saw them together I always wondered if they were a couple. One time when I snuck around the marked ones I heard this guy call Xaden 'Honey Bear'. Since then I have seen those two in a different light.... Until today....

"Oh I am sorry I was startled" I said as I put the dagger back in its place in my leather jacket

"I never thought I would hear a Sorrengail say sorry before" he chuckled I raised my eyebrows

"Why not? We are humans too you know" I rolled my eyes "and the last time I checked humans make mistakes"

He was stunned I could tell, his eyes were wide as though he saw a ghost. His mouth opened and then closed as though he was a damn fish

"You are staring and it's getting creepy" I glared at him crossing my arms

He cleared his throat scratching his back "I was...umm... Not expecting that from you" he was clearly embarrassed.

"Are you not going to introduce yourself?" I asked as I raised my hand for a handshake "Y/n Sorrengail"

"Garrick Tavis" he said proudly his earlier embarrassment gone as he shook my hand

I nodded my head "did you need anything?" I asked curiously "you were standing behind me after all"

He took a deep breath "Xaden told me you wanted to help us and.... I wanted to see you in person... He is the best judge of character but I wanted to make sure" he shrugged

I nodded my head understanding, he had every right to doubt me with my mother being who she is

"I saw what you did" he continued as I gave him a confused look "with Ryan... Your opponent... You are strong and..." He cleared his throat as though the words that would come out of his mouth are making it difficult for him to talk "thank you for suggesting that you would help him with the training"

I nodded my head "of course he is strong but he doesn't know how to control his movements or his temper"

He nodded his head understanding "You know if you are interested you could spar with me anytime after dinner" he said looking away

"Sure! I would love that!" I said and smiled at him "I will get going now see you later Garrick"

I turned around and left to go to the gym. That was so weird they both are so weird. I shrugged my shoulders as I entered the gym to watch the match going on

-

That night....

I slowly crept out of the room to the shadows as it led me to the tree Xaden had mentioned. He was already there so were a dozen- no more than a dozen marked ones

"Damn, Xaden." I heard Garrick say as I got close to them but not close enough so they could see me. I know Xaden knows I am here as I saw his eyes flicker my way "Way to give a pep talk."

"If they need a fucking pep talk, then we both know they're not flying out of the quadrant on graduation day. Let's get real. I can hold their hands and make them a bunch of bullshit empty promises about everyone making it through if that helps them sleep, but in my experience, the truth is far more valuable." He turns his head from Garrick to the first year I think I know this guy. "In war, people die. It's not glorious like the bards sing about, either. It's snapped necks and two-hundred-foot falls. There's nothing romantic about scorched earth or the scent of sulfur. This"-he gestures back toward the citadel-"isn't some fable where everyone makes it out alive. It's hard, cold, uncaring reality. Not everyone here is going to make it home...to whatever's left of our homes. And make no mistake, we are at war every time we step foot in the quadrant." He leans forward slightly. "So if you won't get your shit together and fight to live, then no. You're not going to make it."

'Damn he knows how to give a speech. What even did the first year ask for him to give this kind of speech?' I thought to myself

After he said that no one said a word NOT ONE WORD he really is their leader

"Now, someone give me a problem I can actually solve," Xaden orders.

"Battle Brief," a first-year says softly. "It's not that I can't keep up, but the information..." She shrugs. "That's a tough one," Imogen responds, turning to look at Xaden.

"You learn what they teach you," Xaden says to the first year after a second of thinking his voice had the same gruffness he used when he talked to me in the shadows of his signet. "Keep what you know but recite whatever they tell you to"

Now I get it... All these people know about what's happening outside of Basgiath maybe even the wards

"Anyone else?" Xaden asks. "You'd better ask now. We don't have all night."

'Awww they call this man a heartless guy?' I thought to myself. One thing that cleared my mind is Xaden is just a big softie who is helping his juniors, if it were anyone else in my position tonight they would think they planning a huge conspiracy to take over the throne, 'I am going to have so much fun with this information' I thought as I smirked to myself

"When do we get to kill Violet Sorrengail and Y/n Sorrengail?" a guy in the back asks. I can just kill this guy here without hesitation before he could even move to protest but I stop myself from doing so I needed to earn their trust

"Yeah, Xaden," Imogen says sweetly, lifting her pale green eyes to look at him. "When do we get to finally have our revenge? I want dibs on the twin. I had fun with Violet today. I am going to have so much fun with her sister atleast she's going to give me a challenge"

Xaden cleared his throat "about that... I think you all saw what Y/n Sorrengail did today?" he asked, the first years nodded their heads so did Imogen, Garrick and Xaden's cousin

"She said she would help me with sparring" Ryan Duskborne said to everyone "even though I spewed non sense to her"

Garrick nodded his head as Xaden gestured for me to move forward toward them and I did. As soon as I came to view there was a gasp from all the marked first years

"What the hell is she doing here Xaden!?" Imogen demanded as I met her seething stare she had already drawn her dagger out. I tilted my head assessing her

"Y/n here has agreed to train some of you in her free time" Garrick said "and also help us with our stuff" he was vague but they knew what he was talking about

"She knows!?" Imogen was angry now "how the hell does she even know!?" She stridded towards me, I could feel anger radiating out of her body. I rolled my eyes at her gestures

"You know picking on the weak won't do you any good" I said as I shrugged my jacket off "Picking on my sister instead of me to prove you are strong actually makes you look weak than making you look strong"

She was getting angrier "You think you are better than everyone?" She asked with gritted teeth as she launched a punch at me, 'this again? I thought I was done hearing the same line again and again' I thought to myself as the only thing I wanted to do was go back to bed instead of dealing with this bullshit, but alas I was already here and had made a deal so here goes nothing

As Imogen was about to punch me in the face I deflected and kicked her right in the face making her fall down, her whole body now lay flat on the ground as my feet was placed on her face not ready to let go of her. I heard another wave of gasp when I kicked her. Her pink hair was all over the ground

"My sister is physically weak I am not, you cannot bully me the same way you do to my sister. Imogen Cardulo if I see you near my sister again, trying to bully her I will make sure you are six feet under" I said as I twisted my leg on her face making her grunt in pain "or better yet I will cut all your hair down so you will be bald it will be your badge of honor of losing to me" I kicked her face before turning towards the crowd

"I am not here to give you all an apology and I know it is not my apology you want to hear, Yes I am a Sorrengail but that doesn't mean I am to take my mother's burdens on my back. My mother is an individual of her own as am I. I am Y/n Sorrengail and I am not my mother, so are you all��� You are not your parents which is why they made a deal with Xaden or you all would have been as good as dead by now… We are not our parents so don't waste your time and energy, wasting it to take it out on me or my twin" I said calmly but loudly so everyone present was able to hear

I turned around to see Xaden's cousin and Garrick helping Imogen up "I hope we get along well Imogen" she glared at me and stormed off to who knows where

"Don't worry she's just pissed you were able to beat her up in just a kick" Garrick gave me a small smile which I returned

Xaden cleared his throat breaking his silence "well Y/n will be helping us and you saw she can manage on her own. She is also stronger than all of you so I hope you all will not make a plan to do some shit. If there are no other questions you guys can leave" he said as the crowd dispersed

Garrick gave me a smile before he left with Xaden's cousin. I turned to face Xaden "what?" I asked as he was looking at me weirdly "that speech…. Was nice… You could be a politician maybe even a duchess with that speech" he said

"That was flattering thank you" I smiled and looked up at him but his gaze was somewhere else I saw his shadows reach there as he pulls someone out

My eyes narrow at the figure 'of course it's her' i thought as I glared at her

"What are you doing here violet?" I asked as I crossed my arms and walked towards her "what am I doing here? What are you doing?" She asked glaring at me "I was here to talk to Xaden" I said calmly

"You are going to help them!?" She demanded "where was this help when my shoulder was dislocated today?"

I sighed "you didn't ask for help and you can't expect me to help you without you asking"

"I don't need to ask you! You are my sister!" She said, if she was thinking logically she wouldn't have said that, I know she thinks Xaden is nobel for helping his juniors

"You are angry Violet let's talk later" I said as I walked to grab my jacket

"No! You always say that and we never talk! We are going to talk now!" She said angrily "If mom finds out what you are doing she is going to be pissed Y/n"

I sighed if she wants to talk I will talk "you think I care Vi?" I asked crossing my arms once again

She scoffed "of course you don't, you never have! You weren't even there when they burnt Brennan's stuff! You never have viewed us as your family"

"I wasn't there huh? Why don't you ask yourself why I wasn't there Violet!" I snapped back "remember what happened that day? Remember how Mira pushed me down the stairs because I was a 'curse' in her words I took her brother because he loved me the most? Of course you don't! I was getting treated for almost three days and you nor her came to visit!" I yelled

I felt Xaden's hand on my back, it was a small gesture but for me it was huge. Today I am going to tell her everything, I will pour out all my frustrations out to her SHE asked for this not me. I don't care if Xaden is here or if he will listen to our past, all I care for right now is getting all my feelings out

"What was even my fault that Dain came out of nowhere and confessed his feelings to me? Did you really think I was going to steal your crush? Do you really think so low of me? Did you have to throw a tantrum so hard when you found out, they had to send me away because of your tantrums Vi! Brennan didn't visit you much because he wanted to make sure I wasn't alone! And then I lost him too I had no one literally no one to hold me, NO ONE" I sobbed as I turned around and ran to my place, my solitude in this hell

Violet's pov-

I shouldn't have said that. I regret every word that came out of my mouth. To be honest I was jealous not of her but of them. She wanted to spend time with them help them with their flaws. I wanted my sister, my twin to help me but I didn't open my mouth and ask her. I just expected her to do it because we are blood related not caring for her feelings.

I know she wouldn't have accepted Dain but I still threw a tantrum because I didn't want my sisters attention to be on someone else. If she had found a boyfriend then she would have completely forget about me. I threw a tantrum so she would notice me more but I didn't think our parents would take it so far to send her away to some trainers house. I just wanted my sisters attention not anything else. I was jealous of Brennan too he was able to meet her whenever he wanted but our parents never let me meet her because they thought we didn't like each other

I looked at Xaden with desperate teary eyes "I-i didn't mean that!" I sobbed "p-please go after her please" I said as i kneeled down taking her jacket and hugging it

"I would have even if you didn't ask" he replied "you both need to talk or you both will kill each other because of all the miscommunication" he turned his back to me and jogged his way to where Y/n left to

He was right we most definitely need to talk to one another. I have to tell her that she's my baby sister and would always be that way. I just need an opportunity to talk to her

Xaden's pov-

I didn't know their lives were this messy. I thought they were just spoiled brats who were fighting each other for their mothers attention but this is deep so Deep. Their parents separated them for so long because of which their communication has gone hayway and both of them think the other hates them

I found Y/n crying as she made herself a space between the two trees. This was the place I first talked to her. She is very mysterious on her own. We are so much alike each other. We carry our own burdens and have no one to rely on.

"I want to be left alone Xaden" she said as she looked up at me with her red tear filled eyes. My heart clenched tightly looking at her face I moved forward even after she said that "please Xaden" she chocked out those words.

I encircled my arms around her pulling her close to me as she started crying in my chest as I held her tightly. No words passed between us I just let her cry her eyes out

After a few minutes she calmed down as pulled back a little to look at me "Thank you" she whispered as I held her close in my arms not wanting to let her go and it seemed like she also didn't want to leave my arms yet

"I am sorry you shirts soaked" she said smiling a bit "its fine" I caressed her hair

She looked at me with those big eyes making my heart melt even more her eyes met mine as though asking if it was truly okay. I gave her a smile and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.

I felt her hand clench my shirt tightly "don't look at me like that.." I said "why not?" she asked 'I might just kiss you' I thought to myself as I looked at her, she was looking at me waiting patiently for my answer

Instead of giving her an answer I let my intrusive thoughts win as I ducked down and kissed her. She gasped at the sudden feeling of my lips on her but she reciprocated it a second later. I closed my eyes holding her tightly loving the way our lips moved one another, 'but I can't take advantage of her' that thought came to my mind. She just had vented all her feeling to her sister just minutes ago she is not ready yet and she is not in the right headspace

I pulled back and looked at her as she blushed and hid her face in her hands. I chuckled at her behavior "what is this? did I make THE Y/n Sorrengail blush?" I teased as she peeked to look at me

"Xaden..." she whispered placing a hand on my chest "t-that was my first kiss"

I was stunned as my jaw dropped "what?" I asked shocked

"That was my first kiss" she repeated blushing "I am honored to be your first kiss then" I kissed her again

"We have to go now" I said sighing my wingleader responsibilities showing up "its a big day for you tomorrow"

She nodded her head "I have to practice for the Gauntlet" I hummed in response not wanting leave her or this moment we are sharing together "then I will have the threshing" she murmured to which I smiled "you will get a dragon"

"You seem confident in me" she said

"Of course I am" I replied "my dragon Sgaeyl likes you"

'I do she can stare you down so well, she even made you speechless' Sgaeyl said in my head

She giggled "pretty girls like each other" she replied and I heard Sgaeyl huff in my head

'I should have waited two years for her to join, I would have chosen her' Sgaeyl said

'You are stuck with me Sgaeyl' I replied

'Unfortunately' she said and shut down our communication leaving me speechless

I pulled back fully before standing up and holding out a hand for Y/n to take "Good luck tomorrow" I said

She smiled and thanked me before turning around and walking away

-

Back to your pov....

The next day

"Keep the temperaments of each specific breed in mind when you decide which dragon to approach and which to run from at the Threshing" Professor Kaori says,then he changes the projection he's conjured from a Green Daggertail to a Red Scorpiontail. He's an illusionist and the only professor in the quadrant with the signet ability to project what he sees in his mind, which makes this class one of my favorites.

After last night I avoided Violet like a plague it looked like she was avoiding me too. I took a deep breathe to concentrate on what Professor Kaori was saying

The Red Scorpiontail in the center of our circled tables is a fraction of its actual size, six feet tall at most, but it's an exact replica of the actual firebreather waiting in the Vale for Threshing.

"Red Scorpiontails, like Ghrian here, are the quickest to temper," Professor Kaori continues, his perfectly trimmed mustache curving as he smiles at the illusion like he's the dragon himself. We all take notes. "So if you offend him, you're-"

"Lunch," Ridoc says, and the class laughs. I wanted to sit alone far away from everyone but Ridoc and Swayer dragged me and made me sit between them said something about helping them focus in class

"Precisely," Professor Kaori responds. "So what's the best way to approach a Red Scorpiontail?" He glances around the room

They prefer that you approach from the left and from the front, if possible," a woman from one of the other squads answers.

"Excellent." Professor Kaori nods. "For this Threshing, there are three Red Scorpiontails willing to bond." The image changes in front of us to a different dragon.

"How many dragons are there in total?" Rhiannon asks.

"A hundred for this year," Professor Kaori answers, changing the image again. "But some might change their minds during Presentation in about two months, depending on what they see."

I raise my eyebrows at the statement "That's thirty-seven fewer than last year." Violet says from beside Rhiannon

"Will they tell you why they won't bond?" another first-year asks "No, jackass," Jack scoffs, 'I hate this guy' I thought to myself glaring at Jack "Dragons only talk to their bonded riders, just like they only give their full name to their bonded rider. You should know that by now."

Professor Kaori sends Jack a look that shuts the first-year's mouth "They don't share their reasons," our instructor says. "And anyone who respects their life won't ask a question they're not willing to answer."

"Do the numbers affect the wards?" Aurelie asks from where she sits behind me, tapping her quill against the edge of her desk.

Professor Kaori's jaw ticks twice. "We're not sure. The number of bonded dragons has never affected the integrity of Navarre's wards before, but I'm not about to lie to you and say that we're not seeing increased breaches when you know from Battle Brief that we are."

The image changes to Sgaeyl, the navy-blue dragon bonded to Xaden. Oh she is so pretty I could stare at her all day

"You won't have to worry about how to approach blue dragons, since there are none willing to bond this Threshing, but you should be able to recognize Sgaeyl if you see her," Professor Kaori says.

"So you can fucking run," Ridoc drawls as his arms spread out behind me as he rests it there

"She's a Blue Daggertail, the rarest of the blues, and yes, if you see her without her bonded rider, you should…definitely find somewhere else to be. Ruthless does not begin to describe her, nor does she abide by what we assume to be what the dragons consider law. She even bonded the relative of one of her previous riders, which you all know is typically forbidden, but Sgaeyl does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. In fact, if you see any of the blues, don't approach them. Just…"

"Run." Ridoc repeats, raking his hand through his floppy brown hair.

"Run." Professor Kaori agrees with a smile, the mustache above his top lip quivering slightly. "There are a handful of other blues in active service, but you'll find them all along the Esben Mountains in the east, where the fighting is most intense. They're all intimidating, but Sgaeyl is the most powerful of them all."

"What about the black dragon?" the first-year next to Jack asks.

"There's one here, right?"

Jack's face lights up. "I want that one."

"Not that it's going to matter." Professor Kaori flicks his wrist and Sgaeyl disappears, and a massive black dragon takes her place. Even the illusion is bigger, making me crane my neck slightly to see its head. "But just to appease your curiosity, since this is the only time you'll ever see him, here is the only other black besides General Melgren's."

"He's huge," Rhiannon says. "And is that a clubtail?"

"No. A morningstartail. He has the same bludgeoning power of a clubtail, but those spikes will eviscerate a person just as well as a daggertail."

"Best of both worlds," Jack calls out. "He looks like a killing machine."

"He is," Professor Kaori answers. "And honestly, I haven't seen him in the last five years, so this image is more than a little outdated. But since we have him up here, what can you tell me about black dragons?"

"They're the smartest and most discerning," Aurelie calls out.

"They're the rarest," Violet adds "There hasn't been one born in the last… century."

"Correct." Professor Kaori spins the illusion again "They're also the most cunning. There's no such thing as outsmarting a black dragon. This one is a little over a hundred, which makes him about middle-aged. He's revered as a battle dragon among their kind, and if not for him, we probably would have lost during the Tyrrish rebellion. Add to it that he's a morningstartail, and he's one of the deadliest dragons in Navarre."

"I bet he powers one hell of a signet. How do you approach him?" Jack asks, leaning forward in his seat.

"You don't," Professor Kaori answers. "He hasn't agreed to bond since his previous and only rider was killed during the uprising, and the only way you'd ever be near him is if you're in the Vale, which you won't be, because you'd be incinerated before you ever got through the gorge."

The pale redhead across the circle from me shifts in her seat and tugs her sleeve down to cover her rebellion relic.

"Someone should ask him again," Jack urges.

"It doesn't work that way, Barlowe. Now, there is only one other black dragon, which is in service -"

"General Melgren's," Sawyer says from beside me "Codagh, right?"

"Yes. " Professor Kaori nods. "The eldest of their den and a swordtail."

"But just for curiosity's sake." Jack speaks again for my irritation "What signet ability would this guy gift his rider?"

Professor Kaori closes his fist, and the illusion disappears. "There's no telling. Signets are the result of the unique chemistry between rider and dragon and usually say more about the rider than the dragon. The stronger the bond and the more powerful the dragon, the stronger the signet."

"Fine. What was his previous rider's?" Jack asks.

"Naolin's signet was siphoning." Professor Kaori's shoulders fall. "He could absorb power from various sources, other dragons, other riders, and then use it or redistribute it."

"Badass." Ridoc says

"He was," Professor Kaori agrees.

"What kills someone with that kind of signet?" Jack asks

"He attempted to use that power to revive a fallen rider-which didn't work, because there's no signet capable of resurrection-and depleted himself in the process. To use a phrase you'll become accustomed to after Threshing, he burned out and died next to that rider." Professor Kaori says glancing at me and Violet. Brennan I thought

So Naolin sacrificed his life for my brother's and the result wasn't even good we lost two riders that day. Two very strong riders

I let my thoughts drift to places as the bell rang and all the cadets started walking out. Ridoc asked me if I was going to join them but I shook my head and told him I needed sometime alone. Sawyer squeezed my shoulder as though telling me I wasn't alone. The squad knew there was a sudden shift between me and Violet as they noticed we weren't even looking at each other. Before we were at least on speaking terms. So they made sure we both were alright in their own ways

I saw Violet go to Professor Kaori to talk about something while Rhiannon gave me a quick smile. Ridoc promised me he was going to get me something to eat before they left. I closed my eyes and let it fall on the head rest of the chair

I felt a tap on my shoulder "I didn't know you guys were going to come back so soo-" my voice faltered as I opened my eyes to meet a pair of blue eyes staring at me

"I am guessing I am not the you were expecting" he said "I am Liam... Liam Mairi..."

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Tags: @lreadsstuff @lagrandeourse @littlepippilongstocking

[cheezeybread]

Picture Floyd and Jade going to see Yuu for random Azul business reasons. But its Game night with Yuu, Deuce and Ace. the twins get invited to join in and totally forget about whatever Azul wanted.

game niiiight, heck yeah!

I love little scenes like this- don't get me wrong, I love big angsty stuff, but it's a little reminder that these guy are just teenagers, after all!

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

"Shriiiimpy~" Floyd cooed out, raising a fist to knock on the door again. In contrast to his attempt at a smooth voice, he rapped his knuckles on the door so hard that the old wood practically starting shaking!

"Easy, brother, unless you'd like your paycheck to go towards fixing up the door to this place," Jade remarked, reaching a hand out and rapping on the wood with his own knuckles, as if he were showing his twin how it should be done.

Floyd only stuck his tongue out at Jade, lifting up his fist to the door once more. They've knocked and called out several times already, so wasn't it their right to bust the door down? It was, right? That seemed like it would be the right thing to do. Besides, Azul got antsy whenever both of the eels were out and about on errands, not fully trusting them to get the job done exactly how he wanted. But it was just giving Shrimpy a message, so how hard could it be?

Wait, what were they here to tell them, again? Ah, Jade probably remembered.

Floyd rapped his knuckles on the door again, getting more annoyed with every knock. Certainly they weren't ignoring him, were they? The little Shrimpy wouldn't do such a thing, not to him!

"I'm getting real tired of this, Jade," he grumbled, eyes narrowing.

Sensing his brother's change in mood, Jade took a deep breath before reaching into his pocket and drawing out a ring of keys. Wordlessly, he flicked through each one before singling out an old, rusty key. He leaned down and stuck it in the keyhole, twisting the door unlocked, and opening it.

"Why didn't you try that ten minutes ago?" Floyd snapped, amused despite his attitude.

"I thought it to be rather rude to barge into YN's place without knocking first and giving them a chance to invite us in," Jade replied, giving a coy smile "Besides, it wouldn't do for them to know we have a key to Ramshackle, now, would it?"

"Ahhhh, Jade, you evil genius!" Floyd laughed loudly, slapping his brother on the back.

As soon as they stepped into the building, faint sounds of screams and laughter could be heard few rooms over. Jade nodded to the sound, silently telling his brother to start heading over that way. The two had nothing to fear, of course, from anybody who may be in the building, but it wouldn't do to have their guard down at any point in time.

Following the noise, the two found themselves peering into a doorway- the doorway to the Ramshackle guest room, to be more precise. It looked cleaner than the last time the twins had seen it- which was way back when Azul took Ramshackle as collateral for YN's contract. Now the room was emptied of its trash, was dusted and scrubbed clean, and even had some decent-looking furniture in it.

And lounging around the room, gathered around a table, was YN, Ace, and Deuce.

"No, no, no, you cheater, that's against the rules!" Ace cried out, looking on the verge of tears as he slammed a fist into the table

"Is not!" Deuce cackled, sticking his tongue out.

"Boys, chill out-" YN started, snapping a finger to get their attention. Despite sounding annoyed, it was clear that YN was enjoying themselves, as well "Grim's sleeping in the next room! And don't break my table slamming onto it!"

"Slamming?" Ace tried very hard to contain his laughter, putting a hand over his mouth "That'swhatme'n'yourmomdidlastnight-"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY MOTHER?????" Deuce yelled, standing up in a fighting position.

"Chill, dude, chill, I was talking about YN's mom!"

"My mother's in a different universe." YN deadpanned.

"...oh." Ace went into an awkward silence after that.

And then there was a screech of absolute terror from behind the Eels, and in unison, they flicked their heads around to see what had caused such a racket. On the ground was a terrified Grim. He was holding a blanket around his shoulders, and clutched it as if he were worried it would be stolen. He stared up at the two brothers with wide eyes, any sleep gone.

"YNNNNNN!" He cried, darting in between their feet and launching himself at the prefect, burying himself in their arms.

"Oh, Jade, Floyd!" YN seemed unperturbed at the sudden appearance of the two as she stroked Grim's back in comfort, despite the terror in Ace and Deuce's face "What are you two doing here?"

"And where did they come from?" Deuce whispered. "How did they get in...?"

Ignoring Deuce's valid questions, Jade bowed his head slightly towards YN in greeting "We have a message for you from-"

"WHAT are you guys doing?" Floyd interrupted, unable to contain his excitement at the situation. He burst into the room and flopped down on the floor, his legs crossed. He looked over the board game spread out on the table and grinned "Don't tell me you're a nerd like Azul, Shrimpy! Board games?"

"Board games!" YN agreed, laughing.

"We- we're playing Monopoly right now," Deuce offered, trying to regain his composure as he adjusted his sitting position on the couch.

"And then we were going to play charades, maybe even a game of hide and seek, too!" YN grinned "Ace and Deuce got permission from Riddle to spend the night here tonight-"

"Yeah, after busting our chops doing homework and study sessions...and cleaning...and lawnwork," groaned Ace.

"You should join us!" YN said eagerly, clapping their hands together.

"Join you?" Jade questioned, stepping into the room with a small smile.

"Yeah, you guys are my friends, too! Come on, it'll be fun, right, guys?" YN looked to the group for their approval. Grim refused to look at the eels, looking like a pouting child. Ace glanced towards Floyd from the corner of his eye, scooting away casually. Deuce thought about it and shrugged.

"Well, I mean, playing charades and hide and seek would be more fun with more people," he conceded "Ace?"

"I mean- yeah, sure, I guess," he shrugged, "As long as neither of you try to take a bite out of me, okay?"

Biting at the air in front of Ace hard enough to make his teeth clack together loudly, Floyd grinned "I'll try!"

"I suppose I shall, as well," Jade chuckled, taking a seat next to YN and folding his hands in his lap, Azul's task long forgotten "So, how do we play?"

-----

Azul drummed his fingers on his desk impatiently, glancing at the clock every few seconds. It was well after midnight.

He had sent the twins on a task that should have taken no longer than twenty minutes, and they had been gone for three hours. Grumbling under his breath about how hard it was to find good help these days, Azul reached for his phone and called Jade's number.

It kept ringing....no one picked it up.

He called it two more times, with no luck.

He then tried Floyd's, but the call ended almost immediately. The bastard pressed the decline button! Two more tries to Jade's number, to no avail.

On the off-chance (which was probably not an off-chance at this point) that the two were still at Ramshackle, Azul dialed up YN's number.

"hello?" they answered almost immediately, their voice in a hushed whisper.

"Ah, yes, Prefect, I'm calling to see if you know the whereabouts of my workers," He said without missing a beat, standing up from his chair and making his way over to one of the sofas to sit.

"Shhh, they might hear you over the phone!" YN hissed. There were muffled sounds of movement, and when they spoke again, their voice was a little louder "What were you asking again?"

"Floyd and Jade," Azul said firmly, pressing his fingers up against the bridge of his nose. He was starting to lose his patience.

"Ohhhh, yeah, about that-" The prefect's voice was cut off by a loud thud, and they screamed.

"FOUND YOU SHRIMPY!" Azul could hear a familiar voice over the phone.

"Floyd? Floyd!" He barked into the phone, hoping the eel could hear him "Come back right now, do you hear me!"

But apparently he could not, since Azul could only hear Floyd and YN laughing heartily over something. Then there were more hushed whispers, and Floyd giggled like a fool before his voice was heard clearly

"Oh- oh yeah, hey Azul-" he said, barely containing his laughter "Can me and Jade stay the night here?"

"No, Floyd, the two of you have to open the lounge tomorrow, it's Saturday, that's one of our busiest-"

"Thanks, boss-man, see you later!"

Click.

Azul threw his phone to the ground in frustration, slamming his head down into the nearest pillow, and let out a very muffled scream.

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

[ronearoundblindly]

Hideout (Interlude)

touch-starved!Nomad Steve Rogers x motel employee!reader (see series)

Written for @whiskeytangofoxtrot555's birthday from her premise ask 💜 but also serves as a wee prezzie for @blogbog710, @targaryenvampireslayer, @navybrat817, and (belatedly) the lovely @ellethespaceunicorn! (What the heck is in the water?? So many bdays I didn't know about!)

Summary: Your birthday ritual is interrupted.

*You do not need to know anything about this series to enjoy this blurb.* Warnings for suggestive eating, a sweet kiss (literally), cuddling in minimal clothing, but otherwise, just fluff and feels! WC 1.2k

Of course, you don’t always do this. Sometimes you’re out with friends. Sometimes your parents make a huge deal out of late dinner. Sometimes you draw the short straw and have to work the front desk, but not tonight.

The searing red of the digital clock counts down for you (or up depending on how you look at it). Soon—very soon—it will be midnight, and you can wish yourself the first ‘happy birthday.’ To some that might seem sad, but it’s become a ritual of you putting yourself first. Birthday parties may be for children but celebrating YOU should never go out of style.

The red flickers. New numbers. New you. Older, wiser, and alive. It’s a beautiful thing.

Your eyelids fall heavy after your long soak in the tub, the lingering scent of the bubblebath still warm on your skin. You’re content and tired. You hum as a smile tugs the corners of your mouth.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Why you aren’t startled is a hope you don't admit aloud, a greedy, gluttonous vice that piles on to a reality you cannot share with a single living soul except…

Steve Rogers, the fugitive Captain America, crouches outside your window, nimble and stealthy, having climbed to the slant of roof without you noticing.

But you wished for him. You always wish for him to come back.

Your smile grows as you slide off the edge of your bed and press your hand to the pane of glass. He mirrors the gesture, unhurried, soft. It’s just a moment more before you lift the latches and invite him in.

Whispers of ‘hey’ are exchanged while Steve crawls through, but he only answers your surprised “what are you doing here?” with a kiss to your forehead and a long hug.

You taught him how to hug like that. He's taken it to another level as anxiety melts out of you faster than it did in the bath.

His warm skin smells of pine and leather, likely from wearing his decrepit Cap suit to sneak around the woods behind your house. It fits his mountain-man vibe these days--full beard, hair curling beneath his ears, desperate loneliness he uses you to brighten.

You're not sure Steve comprehends how much light he brings to your life in return, but you soak up what you can.

He stands tall, still grinning, and drops a small, structured backpack to the floor. From it he pulls a pastry box, a little pack of candles, and a lighter. He goes through the entire process of preparing your cupcake in his palm before stretching out his hand.

The tiny, flickering flame shimmers in his twilight eyes.

“Happy birthday, Tops.”

As you gently take your treat, it occurs to you that you’ve never told Steve Rogers your birthday. 

“How did you know?”

Technically, the question is casual, but you’re still curious.

His eyebrows shoot up, dramatic and comical shadows cast across his handsome features.

“Well, see, in my…position—” Wax drips onto the towering icing while Steve rubs his neck, guilty and avoiding your eyes. “I have to take certain…precautions, and I was just—” 

“Did you look me up? Online? Do some research, huh? Check up on me?” 

You’re teasing him, but it is fun to see the huge man kneeling at your bedside squirm. His blush is crimson in the candlelight.

You poke his burly shoulder. “You were checkin’ me out…”

“It’s not like that,” he whispers. “Anyway, make a wish, birthday girl.” Steve pushes the cupcake higher in your hold, encouraging you with a wry smile.

Your breath is swift and precise, your desire so clear at the forefront of your mind that picking a wish—another wish, since he’s already here—takes no time at all.

Steve maneuvers himself to sit up on your bed, pulling you to into his lap.

“Good surprise?”

“The best,” you whisper.

You remove the candle and hold the bottom to Steve’s lips. “Lick.”

He sucks off the icing slowly, keeping his eyes locked with yours.

You playfully run your finger through the frosting and taste it, too. If you ever told him your favorite cake flavor, you can’t remember that either, but he clearly knows.

“Tasty?” he asks, a swipe of his tongue wetting his lips.

“Uh-huh.”

You take another dollop and offer your finger to him.

He chuckles. “It’s all yours. I’m not fond of super-sweet things.”

“Oh?” You let the whipped, buttery sugar dissolve in your mouth, thinking. “You’re fond of me, so…are you saying I’m not sweet?”

Your concern is overly dramatic, but Steve stares, biting his bottom lip. “No.”

“Then what do I add to the flavor?” You pull down a corner of crimped paper to try the cake itself. He’s still pondering when you clean lingering stickiness off your thumb.

“Clarity,” Steve finally says. “You offer clarity in a very blurry life.”

His hand on your back shifts to cradle your head, bringing you closer until you’re captured in an intense but chaste kiss. He cups your cheek in his other palm and licks across your sweet lips until you open for him. Steve devours you like you are the real treat, uncaring if his offering splats on the floor. It’s not on fire anymore, so who cares?

Something else occurs to you, jolting you to break away.

“How long can you stay?”

Steve pets down his beard, restarting his brain. “Till morning, I guess, but then I should go. I don’t want to ruin any of your other plans.”

Unbidden, you inhale swiftly and are overtaken by a yawn.

He’s wildly amused by that. “Tired, Tops?”

“No,” you lie, feeling another one coming on. “If I eat the rest of this, I’ll have energy.”

“Or—“ Steve plucks the confection away before you can slam it in two bites flat “—you can finish this for breakfast and get some sleep.”

You whine in protest because every minute you sleep is a minute with him wasted. He senses exactly that.

“I promise to stay right here all night. Come on. Get comfy.”

He repackages your cupcake to keep it fresh while you crawl into bed. You’ve never seen Steve have to remove his suit, and to watch, it looks tedious and involved.

“Took a second to master, I tell ya,” he mutters once the top is off.

Another minute and he’s shuffling under the covers beside you, aligning his body to snuggle yours, keeping you facing him.

Again his hand finds your cheek, his thumb brushing across your skin gently. He’s purposefully lulling you, placing the most delicate kisses over your forehead, his beard tickling your nose and making it scrunch up.

“Sorry,” he breathes.

You tilt upwards to steal the apology right from his lips. Usually, your time together is dictated by his needs, even if he doesn’t ask for the attention. It’s uplifting to have no worry of caring for him explicitly. This is just you with him, zero pressure, tons of love, nothing between.

“Hey, Steve?”

You wait for the deep rumble of a hum from his chest

“Thank you. I don’t think I ever said that.”

He smiles against your mouth, breaking away with a swift double peck.

“My pleasure, sweetheart.” He pulls you flush to his chest, sighing happily when you toss your leg over his hip. “Happy birthday,” Steve whispers into your hair. “Thank you for letting me in.”

You fall asleep with him everywhere, in your arms, in your lungs, and in your heart. Your wish is that he never leaves, and for tonight, he’s doing the best he can to make your every wish come true.

[Main Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

@supraveng @1950schick @patzammit @yiiiikesmish @ashesofblackroses

@jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory @brandycranby @buckysprettybaby

@late-to-the-party-81 @bigtreefest @mistressmkay @astheskycries 

@rogersbarber @blogbog710 @bucky-fricking-barnes-reads @fallinallinmendes

@mrsevans90 @lemonadygirl @umadirectioner @mrschandlerbing @as-white-as-snow-love

[mystycalypso]

You're fueling my Ok Ko obsession.. /pos :)

Good. I refuse to suffer alone. /pos

In all seriousness, I'm so glad that people are enjoying my special interest. Like don't get me wrong, I'd still be posting this stuff if got zero notes because- I'm insane and need to draw them. All of them. All the time. Forever. But knowing that there are other people in this fandom who like me are hungry for content and are still mourning the show all these years later is so awesome. Heck, being here for new fans is just as, if not even more, incredible. The impact this shows had on me, my sense of humor, my speech (Sorey Kaydin that I've spread it to you), my artstyle, etc is like- so much, and sharing that with others is so fun. And every time I get a reply notification, or an ask, or even a reblog with extra text in the tags, I giggle and kick my feet, yknow like every grown man does lol. One of those "Wow, I'm not just shouting into the void" moments, but more like being on stage during a choir concert and occasionally seeing a friendly face. I see you all and it's only fueling my own drive further I hope you all know that.

(I really need to stop getting so sappy every time I get a nice ask/reblog /j)

Take more snake-man art/headcanons to feed yourselves my friends.

1. Sniff

So, despite literally being a snake, this is a very cat-like thing because he has a regular nose as well. Whenever there's a scent he want to take in more deeply or to remember better, he uses his tongue. (If you didn't know cats open their mouth while smelling to take in scents better, now you do!)

2. Shedding

As my friend who likes doodling Boxman put it, "It's his time of the month" (except it only happens a couple of times a year), and similar to that, it doesn't just last during the actual shedding. Usually, there's a week or so where his skin slowly starts to become scalier, and lighter in appearance (along with his eyes clouding over) his scalp becomes full of dandruff, and it's distractingly itchy. Similar to say, a healing sunburn. He's a lot more touchy during this period as well, it's rather annoying. He will stay mostly in his office with humidifiers on to help the process, the few days after he sheds he's rather euphoric, moving around a lot more and is much more likely to just agree with any idea thrown out no matter how improbable or even stupid it may be.

He usually just throws away his shed but has repeatedly considered using the DNA in it for projects.

3. Coiling

This one's rather simple. Snakes like coiling around things/people they enjoy obviously because of their height difference climbing on Boxman isn't an option, so instead pressing against him, wrapping limbs around while lying down, shoulder touching, and general snaking around him, and even having Boxman climb him are comforting and a love language. A silent way of saying he enjoys his presence and being around him.

And finally...

4. Post situation embarrassment

Like I've said, his snake-ing out seems to be heavily linked to his emotions, especially negative ones. And even normally after lashing out there tends to be a feeling of embarrassment, Especially if it's towards someone you love. And when it's combined with those rattlesnake tendencies, it's even worse. How do you apologize after blowing up at someone and using what is technically a defense mechanism to try and threaten them? What about when it's not a conscious move but just instinct in the moment? Would you have attacked if him throwing a T-shirt on your head hadn't genuinely stunned you? How are you meant to be normal about hissing at the man you have a crush on? Or your ex-girlfriend? Or ever?!

[justagalwhowrites]

Halcyon - Ch. 7: It'll Be Nice to Feel Wanted for a Change

You and Joel decide your next steps. A continuation of Halcyon from the prologue through Ch. 6, a modern no outbreak AU TLOU fic found on Tumblr here.

^I keep using Pedro gifs instead of Joel gifs because Joel is such a baby in this fic I'm sorry 😭

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Diet culture type language. Modern No Outbreak AU, No use of Y/N, Slow burn, 18+ only, Minors DNI

Length: 7.3K

AO3 | Main Master List | Prologue | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

“Told you, I have connections.” 

Joel rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coffee, watching as the kids on the soccer field changed directions. 

“Still feel like business school is overkill,” he said, putting the travel mug in the cupholder of his folding chair. “Especially at this point… GET ‘EM BABY GIRL!” 

Sarah stole the ball from a girl on the other team and dodged another girl before starting to charge up field, a serious look on her face.

“GO SARAH!” You jumped up and screamed, cupping your hands around your mouth. Sarah got pinned down and looked around before passing the ball, sending the it between two defenders to another player. Her teammate got the ball and sent it careening toward the goal before the other team could change direction. It sailed in and Joel leapt to his feet, the two of you jumping and clapping. “HECK YEAH!” 

Sarah beamed at the two of you before she went to hug the girl who scored. You and Joel sat back down as play started back up. The coffee had spilled some in his excitement, the fabric arm of the chair wet. 

“Now is the time to do the business school thing,” you said as you leaned forward on your thighs, watching the game intently, your hands clasped together and tucked between your knees. “And besides, it’s not actual business school. It’s… business school light. Enough to help you draw up a business plan and that kind of shi…stuff. The kind of stuff that you’ll need if you need to take out money from the bank to get started.” 

Joel sighed. He knew you were right, he just wasn’t crazy about the idea. 

After you’d had dinner - and nearly devolved into an argument that, in hindsight, Joel really was not ready to have no matter how hard he was pushing for it - the two of you had gone back and forth about what to do next. 

Your call shouldn’t have surprised him. You’d always been an academic sort of person, the fact that you’d gotten into some fancy college had come as no surprise to Joel. Of course your first idea involved formal education. 

You reached out to a friend of a friend at the business school and got some of his recorded lectures from the era of virtual classes during COVID. He was happy to share them once you explained it, compiling some lectures, notes and guides for Joel to use. 

Joel felt bad about putting some stranger out like that but you said he was happy to do it in exchange for an autographed copy of your book. 

“I know, it’s crazy,” you’d teased when he looked at you in disbelief. “Should have let me draw on your face that one time, think of how valuable it’d be now…” 

Joel just snorted and shook his head. 

“Get in there!” 

You were on your feet again, watching as Sarah tackled the ball away from another girl. You screamed and jumped when she succeeded and Sarah smiled as she clambered back to her feet. 

“Good job, kiddo!” Joel called, still seated but smiling. You got really into Sarah’s games, Joel had quickly learned. He wasn’t about to admit it to you, but he loved it. It reminded him of when you were both in high school, when you’d watch from the front row of the stands during football games, screaming so loud that he could hear you over everyone else at the game. You drew his number on your cheek and bleached it onto a t-shirt. You’d even made Tommy a matching one, something the 10-year-old had taken as a profession of undying love and devotion back then. 

The next time you were at the house after giving him the shirt, Tommy sauntered through the kitchen where you and Joel were having a snack, topless, drenched in cologne and hair slicked back. Joel watched you try not to laugh as Tommy leaned on the table in front of you, giving you a cocky smile. 

“Hey Goldie,” he said, his voice artificially deep. Joel choked on his Coke and covered it with a cough. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” 

“Really?” You asked, brows raised. “Even though I’m here every Saturday afternoon?” 

His smile faltered. 

“Well… uh…” his eyes darted to Joel, like he was looking for help. Joel just held up his hands. “Just… didn’t expect you to be here looking so good.” 

“Oh,” Joel could see the edges of your lips pulling up. “So I don’t normally look good? Darn…” 

“No, wait…” he stood up from the table, eyes darting to Joel again. “I don’t… you…” 

“Don’t you have a matchbox car to crash or something?” Joel asked. “Stop tryin’ to pick up my girl, little man.” 

“Fuck off,” Tommy muttered before stomping back off toward his room. 

“I’ll tell mom you said that,” Joel leaned forward and watched his little brother go. 

“So I’m your girl now?” You teased once he was out of ear shot. “News to me. And be nice to him, he’s just a kid and he’s a sweetheart.” 

“He thinks he’s Don Juanito is what he is,” Joel muttered, sitting back in his seat and taking a sip of his Coke. “You being my girl might be the only way he leaves you alone.” 

You rolled your eyes but smiled a little anyway. 

“All this trouble because I wanted to support my best friend as he fucked up in the red zone…” 

“I’ll tell my mom on your language, too,” he said. “Don’t think she won’t smack you upside your head just because she didn’t birth you. You’re her favorite kid, but don’t push it.” 

Tommy had, thankfully, gotten over his crush on you. A fact that Joel was endlessly thankful for now that his part in helping you complete your list included finding you a fucking date. 

There was a guy on his team at work he thought would at least be something besides a total waste of time. Blake was a decent man, one of the few on the site who didn’t say disgusting shit about women the second they believed they were among other assholes who thought the same way. Joel had caught him reading once on his lunch break, something that he was sure would be important to you. You’d want someone who read. Joel should read more. 

Blake, Joel thought, would be a decent enough guy to set you up with. Not good enough for you - no one was good enough for you - but at least a damn improvement over fucking Brad. 

He just hoped it wouldn’t stick. 

Not that he wanted you to be alone. He didn’t. He wanted you to be happy. More than almost anything else he wanted you to be happy. He wanted you to have whatever it took to make that happen. But he wasn’t sure how he’d get past working with someone he knew got to kiss you, touch you, fuck you. He’d hear about dates with you and things you enjoyed with a boyfriend and not just your friend. He’d have to hear all about what someone else was doing for you because he couldn’t. 

Which was fine. Should be fine. You were his friend, you’d always been his friend. He could love you as a friend, he did love you as a friend, he could get past the other shit. He could. 

And if Blake ever decided to try to talk about you the way some of the other assholes they worked with talked about their girlfriends then, well, at least Joel could fucking deck him for it. 

“She’s killing it out there,” you settled back into your folding chair and glanced over at Joel. 

“She always does,” Joel nodded. “She’s got skills, that girl.” 

“She seems to really like it, too,” you said, eyes back on Sarah. “Which is the important thing. If she’s good enough, she could get scholarships and shit. But that really only matters if she also likes it, there’s no use in her being miserable because of the demands of being a student athlete because she happens to be good a sport she doesn’t enjoy…” 

“She loves it,” Joel said. “And, honestly, I’m hopin’ that sticks and that she can get a scholarship, lord knows I can’t afford to shell out for college…” 

“You can’t now,” you corrected him good naturedly. “But once you become Joel Miller: Entrepreneur and man about town, that’s another story.” 

Joel scoffed. 

“What?” You asked. 

“You’ve just got a lot more faith in me than I do.” 

“Aren’t I supposed to?” You asked, looking at him again. “You’re my person so that’s part of my my job. Recognizing your potential.” 

“See, just the fact that you think I have potential to recognize…” 

“Oh shut up,” you swatted his arm and he laughed a little, watching you watch his daughter run back up the field. 

No, Blake didn’t deserve you. No one did. Least of all Joel. 

Sarah’s team won the game and she was beaming when she ran over to you and Joel after the post-game huddle. 

“Did you see that one steal I did?” She asked, leaning between the front seats of the truck. “It was so cool, I almost missed it but then I got it to Sophie and she was able to score and it was so COOL!” 

“Seatbelt,” Joel said. Sarah rolled her eyes but flopped back into her seat and buckled up, anyway. “Thank you. And yes, we saw, Baby Girl! You kicked ass out there.” 

“Can ass kickers pick lunch?” She asked. 

“Ass kickers can pick lunch,” Joel said. “But ass kickers can’t say ass until they’re at least 13, sorry kiddo.” 

“Aw man,” she huffed but then smiled. “I’m gonna swear so much on my 13th birthday…” 

“Yeah I bet you are,” he shook is head and caught you trying not to laugh out of the corner of his eye. “Alright, kiddo, where for lunch?” 

Joel watched her in the rearview mirror, a serious look on her face as she considered her options. 

“Dairy Queen,” she said eventually, nodding seriously. “Because then I can get a Blizzard.” 

“Whatever the ass kicker demands,” Joel said. 

Sarah ordered a burger with her blizzard before going to find a table. Joel got the steak fingers and a shake and you just stood there, staring up at the menu board with a slight frown on your face. 

“What?” Joel asked. “C’mon, it’s a limited menu, can’t be that hard.” 

“It’s just been forever since I’ve been to a DQ,” you said absently. “Not sure what to really get…” 

“Goldie,” he said, voice serious. You looked at him, frowning. “We both know what you get at Dairy Queen.” 

“Yeah, when I was a teenager,” you looked back up at the menu. “Little different now…” 

“Not gonna find a salad up there,” he said. 

“Yeah, but…” 

“Remember how the number one thing on your list was finalize your divorce?” He asked. You looked at him again, brows raised. “Well, this is one part of that you can control. You can ditch all the stupid shit that asshole put in your head, starting with the idea that you can’t get chicken fingers every once in a while.” 

He didn’t give you a chance to reply, instead looking to the cashier. 

“She’ll do the chicken fingers basket,” Joel said. “With fries. And a medium Reese’s Blizzard.” 

“Small,” you corrected him. 

“Medium,” he said, looking over at you. “Because we both know I want to eat half of it.” 

You laughed a little. 

“Medium,” you said. 

“Alright,” he said, going to pay. 

When the food came out, he took one of your chicken fingers and your eyes went wide. 

“Hey!” 

“Oh sit tight,” he rolled his eyes and dropped one of his steak fingers in your basket. 

“What makes you think I want one of your steak fingers?” You asked, incredulous. 

“You always want one of my steak fingers,” he said. “Every time.” 

You glared at him for a second. 

“Shut up.” 

Joel laughed before dropping an onion ring in your basket and swiping a few fries. 

“So you guys really hung out all the time before, huh?” Sarah said, eating a fry and watching the two of you from across the table. 

“We did,” you smiled at Joel before looking back at Sarah. “We basically lived together, probably drove our moms crazy…” 

“Your mom, maybe,” Joel teased. “Mine loved havin’ you around all the time. Said you were a good influence.” 

“Because I was,” you teased back. 

“So,” Sarah watched you both closely. “Why didn’t I meet you until now? I mean, I met other friends of my dad’s. Did you guys have a fight or something?” 

The two of you looked at each other for a second. How the fuck was Joel supposed to explain this to his kid? Yeah, we were friends, and then the two of us decided to have sex and then just stop talking for a decade and a half? Not quite age appropriate. 

“Well,” you said, dipping one of your fries in your Blizzard before popping it in your mouth. 

“You’re so gross,” Joel said and you rolled your eyes and elbowed him in the side. 

“Shove it,” you smiled a little and looked back to Sarah. “We finished high school and I had to move for college and we just kind of stopped talking quite as much, we didn’t do a great job of keeping in touch. We were busy, it just kind of happens when you’re a grown up.” 

Sarah crinkled her nose. 

“That’s dumb,” she said. 

“You’re right,” you smiled a little, looking at Joel. “But adults do dumb things sometimes.” 

Sarah nodded slowly, taking a fry and dipping it in her Oreo Blizzard before taking a hesitant bite and chewing thoughtfully. She frowned for a moment before her eyes lit up and she dipped the fry again. 

Joel groaned. 

“Not you, too…” 

“Just gotta get on the French fries in ice cream train, Miller,” you smiled smugly. “Sweet, savory? It’s the best.” 

“She’s right, Dad,” Sarah said, dipping another fry. “This is better than ketchup.” 

“I’m surrounded by weirdos,” Joel muttered but he couldn’t help smiling a little to himself, watching you and his daughter together, a strange pull at the base of his chest at the sight. This, he thought, was how it was supposed to be. You were meant to be with the two of them, it was obvious. It was almost strange, how clearly he fit with you. He hadn’t felt like there was something distinctly missing over the last decade. He’d gone about his life, raising his daughter, trying to get ahead at work. He bought a house, kept his brother’s nose clean, buried his mother. There had been no distinct sense of absence. He thought of you often - every day, really - and it hurt but it was a dulled pain, a longing for what he had before. He hadn’t known what he’d really been missing, the way things would be with you at the stage of life you were both in now. 

But now that he had you here, he wondered how he hadn’t noticed this gaping hole at the center of his reality before. There would be no excising you from him now, it wouldn’t work, the ragged edges of your absence would be too clear in everything he did. 

He’d just have to do whatever it took to keep you in his life. Even if that meant setting you up with some guy from work. 

“So Sarah,” you said, ripping your chicken finger in half and reaching over to dip it in the gravy in Joel’s basket. 

“Hey!” 

You ignored him. 

“Do you think you can do me a favor?” You continued, eating the chicken tender. 

“Sure,” she shrugged. “What do you need?” 

“Well,” you said, brushing your hands free of crumbs before taking a sip of your drink. “I was thinking about getting a cat but I have no idea how to pick a cat. Do you think you could come with me to the shelter and help me look? Just make sure I’m finding the right one?” 

Her eyes lit up and she looked at Joel. 

“Can I Dad?” She begged. “Please? I love cats, they’re so cute, and…” 

Joel laughed, draping his arm over the bench behind you. You’d already talked with him about this, seeing if Sarah wanted to go to the animal shelter this afternoon. He knew she’d love it.

“Well,” he sighed, pretending to consider it. “If you promise to behave this week…” 

“I will!” 

“And do all your homework the first time I ask,” he said. 

“Deal!” 

“Then alright,” he conceded. “We can go with Aunt Goldie to pick a cat.” 

“Yes!” She punched the air in victory and Joel smiled and shook his head, settling back in the booth with his shake in his hand. 

The three of you went back to Joel’s and gave Sarah a chance to get cleaned up before heading to the shelter to look at cats. Sarah took over the radio in the car and insisted on playing Taylor Swift and you learned the chorus to one of the songs she was belting in the back seat, singing along the last time through, windows rolled down, your hand tapping out the rhythm of the song on the outside of the door. 

“So what kind of cat do you want?” Sarah asked, turning to face you and Joel as she walked backwards down the row of cages. 

“I don’t really know,” you shrugged. “Never really had a pet. One that wants to sit on my lap and purr?” 

“See what not having a pet as a kid does to you, Dad?” Sarah said, looking at Joel with wide eyes. “Leaves you totally unprepared for picking a pet later in life. I should get a cat, too, while we’re here.” 

“No,” he said. “Watch where you’re walkin’.” 

She rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically but obeyed, leading the way through the cages. 

“Oh, look at this one!” She stopped in front of a cage and laced her fingers through the bars, a black and white cat on the other side of it watching her from the back corner. “She’s so pretty!” 

Joel stood at your back as you paused, looking at the cat for a moment. 

“She is pretty,” you said. “But I want to see all of them first before I see if there are any we want to really meet.” 

Sarah stopped outside of a gray and white tabby’s cage, the cat rubbing its face over the bars. 

“Aw!” She reached a finger out and brushed along its cheek. “She’s so cute! And she seems so sweet!” 

“She does,” you agreed, reaching around Sarah to give the cat a haphazard pet. 

“Dad!” Sarah looked back over her shoulder at him. “Her name is Swiftie! She’s perfect!” 

“We’re not here for us, Baby Girl,” Joel said. “C’mon, more cats to see, don’t get attached.” 

“Well we have to meet that one now,” you said, looking at Joel and very clearly trying not to smile. “It’s required.” 

“It’s really not,” he replied. “God, you’re such a bad influence…” 

“Nah,” you replied. “I’m just always right, you should get used to it.” 

You found another cat you really wanted to meet, an orange striped one who stood on his hind legs in his cage and reached a paw through the bars while meowing loudly for attention. 

“Alright, Baby Girl,” Joel sighed, hands in his pockets. “Why don’t you go find someone who works here, see if we can meet some of these guys…” 

She squealed before running out to find someone, Joel watching her go before turning his attention back to you.

“You’re never gonna have another moment’s peace with that thing in your house,” he said, watching as you reached your fingers through the bars and scratched its head as it purred loudly, arching into your touch. 

“That’s alright,” you smiled, watching the cat. “It’ll be nice to feel wanted for a change. Totally worth it.” 

Joel just looked at you for a moment, an odd twinge in him. Maybe you were lonelier than he realized. Maybe things had been worse with your fucking ex than he’d known. Maybe you didn’t understand that he wanted you. In so many fucking ways, he wanted you. 

He just had no idea how to say that to you, not without fucking up everything else.

“Hi there,” a woman with a name tag walked up, Sarah at her side, before Joel had a chance to say anything at all. “I hear you want to see some cats?” 

You told her the ones you wanted to see and the woman led you to a small room with a bench and some cat toys before going to get the first cat. 

Joel should really have known what was going to happen after that. The three of you settled on the floor, you and Joel sitting beside each other, backs against the cinderblock wall, letting cats climb over your legs and throwing little bell-filled balls for them to chase as Sarah pulled a feather on a string across the floor. You were already attached to the orange cat but Sarah was obviously in love with the gray one. Joel sighed, leaning his head back against the wall, watching as his daughter held the little cat on her lap, talking to it all soft and gentle. 

“I really should’ve known better than to do this,” he muttered and you laughed a little, leaning your head on his shoulder and watching Sarah, too. “Jesus…” 

“At least it’s a cat and not a dog,” you patted his thigh twice before letting your hand rest there near his knee. His heart beat faster. “Could be worse.” 

“So,” the woman came back in, carefully closing the door before the cat on Sarah’s lap could escape. But it didn’t look like there was any risk of it, the little thing seemingly content to stay there for the rest of time. “What are we thinking?” 

“Please, Dad?” Sarah looked at him, her eyes so wide. “I’ll do all the work, I promise. I’ll clean the litter box every day and I’ll feed her and play with her and…” 

Joel sighed. 

“You’d gotta actually do it, Baby Girl,” he said. “I mean it.” 

“I will!” She said, holding the cat close. “I promise!” 

He sighed again. 

“Alright, we’ll take that one…” 

“Fantastic,” the woman smiled. “I’ll start the paperwork…” 

“Oh, and I’m going to get Garfield, the orange one,” you said as she turned to leave. “But I’ll be changing his name…” 

“That’s great,” she said. “But we will have to check and make sure the cats are compatible before we send you home with two…” 

“No,” you laughed. “No, sorry, no, we don’t live together. He’ll be coming with me and this one will be going with them.” 

“Oh!” She laughed back. “I’m so sorry, I just thought you two were married. I’ll get started on the paperwork for both, I’ll be right back.” 

Joel watched the woman go and glanced at Sarah to make sure she was still totally absorbed with the cat on her lap before lowering his voice. 

“Could have denied that a little harder, I think…” 

He practically heard you roll your eyes. 

“What, did you want to see if we could save on adoption fees by filling out one set of paperwork?” You asked. 

“Always said we’d make good roommates,” he replied. “Seems a good a reason as any.”

You scoffed. 

“Yeah, sure,” you said.

“What?” He said, turning his head just enough to see you, still leaning against him. “I’m serious. You really tellin’ me that the idea of living with me is that terrifying?” 

“The inevitable fallout is terrifying, yeah,” you said. 

“Here we go,” the woman came back in with two clipboards and you lifted your head from Joel’s shoulder. “Once you fill this out and pay your deposit, we can run a few checks and you can come back in a few days for your new best friends!” 

“Ah, the truth comes out,” Joel smirked a little as he started completing the paperwork. “You were looking to replace me the whole time…” 

“Well clearly yes,” you said absently, working on your own documents. “Furry, loud, opinionated… You’re basically twins, why do I need you to keep coming over when I’ll have Puck?” 

“Puck?” Joel frowned. “Like hockey puck?” 

“Puck like the fairy from Midsummer,” you replied. Joel must have still looked confused because when you looked over at him, you rolled your eyes. “The mischievous one from Midsummer Night’s Dream? The Shakespeare play? I know you read it, we had to read it sophomore year…” 

“C’mon Dad,��� Sarah looked up from the cat in her lap. “Even I know that one.” 

“Alright, well,” Joel said. “You two are the smartest people I know, not fair to judge me by that standard…” 

Joel caught a glimpse of you smiling out of the corner of his eye as he finished the paperwork. 

*** 

“I have a question for you.” 

You opened your eyes to see Joel looking down to you, your head in his lap, his thumb brushing your temple in a soothing rhythm. It was late. Sarah had gone to bed hours before, worn out after her game and suckering her dad into adopting a cat and going to Target to pick out every toy under the sun for her new pet and yours. You were pretty sure you weren’t going home that night, too comfortable in your position against Joel.

“No,” you said, closing your eyes and settling into him and the couch again. “I can’t convince Sarah to give up the cat. My position as the cool aunt is too tenuous, I’m going to side exclusively with Sarah in all conflicts for the foreseeable future…” 

“I could just refuse to pick it up in a few days,” Joel mused. “Tell her the shelter denied our application because of my history as a cold hearted killer with no mercy.” 

“Ah yes,” you smiled a little. “I forgot, Joel Miller, heartless killing machine.” 

“Cold hearted,” he corrected. “Get it right.” 

“Oh, I’m so sorry…” 

“But no,” he continued. “Not what I was going to ask.”

You opened one eye, looking up at him, trying not to think about how soft his eyes were. 

“Shoot,” you said, closing your eye again. 

“Was thinking about the lists…” he trailed off. 

“That wasn’t a question, Miller,” you said after a moment. 

“I’m gettin’ there, don’t rush me, woman.” 

You opened your eyes just enough to see him over you. His hand slipped around to cup the crown of your head. He was so handsome. There should be rules about that, there should be rules about men who are that beautiful. They should need licensing or something, they shouldn’t just be allowed to freely exist, endangering women everywhere. 

You closed your eyes again. 

“Take your time, Miller,” you said. “Not going anywhere.” 

“Anyway,” he said and you could hear his eye roll. His thumb stroked your hair. “Both our lists have relationship shit on ‘em…” 

His voice trailed off and your heart beat a little faster. 

“Yes?” You said when he didn’t continue. 

“Well, you were sayin’ you didn’t know how to do the whole… app thing.” 

“Right…” 

“What if…” he took a deep breath. “We tried going out together. You bring someone for me, I bring someone for you…” 

Your breath hitched. You couldn’t help it. You knew the kind of relationship you had with Joel, the kind of relationship you’d always had with Joel. He’d made it perfectly clear that anything beyond that was totally out of the question for him and you’d accepted that. It had taken a long time - and a failed marriage - but you accepted it. 

That didn’t make the concept of picking out a girlfriend for him sting any less. 

“Just… then you don’t have to fuck around on apps,” he said quickly when you didn’t reply. “And I don’t have to waste my time on someone who wouldn’t work in a million years because you’re doing my thinking for me…” 

“Instead of your dick?” You asked, opening your eyes. He smiled a little. Goddammit, him and his fucking dimple. 

“Exactly,” he said, cocking his head so it was more in line with yours. He looked a little uncertain, his eyes searching yours. “So… what do you think?” 

“Well,” you sighed. “Makes as much sense as anything else, I suppose…. When were you thinking?” 

“I did say we should move ‘get laid’ to the top of your list,” he smirked a little. “So maybe next weekend?” 

“Next weekend?” You sat up so fast that you almost smacked into his nose, your head spinning for a moment. Joel grabbed you to steady you as you twisted haphazardly to face him again, legs crossed in front of you. “Doesn’t that seem fast?” 

He looked at you, puzzled, as he turned to face you, too. 

“Goldie, you and fuckin’ Brad…” 

“Gale.” 

“…Split up a year ago. You gotta get back out there, it’s not fast.” 

“No, I mean,” you closed your eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before looking at him again. “Isn’t that a little fast to find someone for each other? I wouldn’t even know where to start…” 

There was something about the sheepish look on his face that made your eyes narrow. 

“What.” 

“I… might have someone in mind for you already,” he flinched as he said it. 

“Seriously?” 

“Look, I just don’t want you dating some random asshole, alright?” He said. “He’s a good guy, think you’d have at least some shit in common, feels like I could trust him with you…” 

“Gee, thanks,” you rolled your eyes. 

“I’m being serious!” He looked down at his lap for a moment, absently picking at a seam on his couch. “I worry about you. I know shit’s dangerous for women, alright? Much rather you be out with someone who I know isn’t gonna hurt you than some guy I don’t know that I can trust…” 

“Careful Miller,” you said wryly. “Someone might think you care about me or something.” 

“Well, can’t have that now can we,” he looked up to meet your eyes again, small smile on his face. “I’m already worrying about this shit with Sarah and she’s years off from dating. Outside of her, you’re the most important person in the world to me. Want to know you’re OK out there when I’m not with you. And I’m assuming that you wouldn’t want me to tag along on every damn date you have…” 

“Bold assumption.” 

He glared at you. 

“And this way I can know,” he said. “So yeah, alright, it’s crossed my mind.” 

“Have you talked to this guy?” You asked. “He might want nothing to do with me.” 

“I ain’t worried about that part,” he waved you off. “You’re you and he’s a smart guy, he’ll see what’s on the table. Much more worried about you conning someone into goin’ out with me…” 

“Oh ha ha,” you rolled your eyes. “Because you’ve ever had a problem landing women…” 

“The kind that stick?” He raised his brows. “Yeah, I have.” 

“Fair enough,” you sighed, thinking about the few people you knew in Austin. There was an adjunct professor in your department who you thought might be Joel’s type that you wouldn’t vomit at the thought of seeing him with. “I think I have someone who will go for it. Next weekend?” 

“Next weekend,” he confirmed and then laughed a little. “C’mon, don’t look so miserable about it. Whoever you end up with it’ll be better than fuckin’ Brad.” 

“Gale,” you corrected again and then slumped forward until your forehead was pressed into Joel’s shoulder. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms gently around you. “This sucks. I got married so I wouldn’t have to date anymore. This is bullshit, I want a refund.” 

He laughed once. 

“Don’t think that’s how it works, Goldie,” he said, giving you a little squeeze. “Refund part, I mean.” 

“Yeah,” you sighed. “I’d just like the best years of my life back.” 

Joel was quiet for a moment, one hand finding a gentle, easy path over your back. 

“Come on,” he said eventually. “You feel tired. Let’s get some sleep.” 

“Yeah,” you sighed. “Assuming you mean here at this point?” 

He scoffed. 

“Ship sailed on you goin’ home hours ago,” he said. “I know who I’m dealing with.” 

“Yeah yeah.” 

You pulled away from him slowly and followed him up to his room. He loaned you a t-shirt and you got changed in his bathroom, taking your makeup off as best you could with the world’s most basic facial scrub and water before going to find him in bed. He was sitting up, his back against the headboard, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up at you for a moment when you came in and looked back at his phone for a fraction of a second before looking back at you again, his mouth open slightly. 

You frowned. 

“What?” 

“Nothin’,” he said quickly, plugging his phone in and putting it face down on his nightstand. “Just forgot what shirt I gave you.” 

You looked down at it, a faded shirt from the Houston Space Center. You frowned for a moment.

“Was this from when we went when we were kids?” You laughed. “On a field trip?” 

“It is,” he said. “I wanted something that would fit as I was bulking up. Might have been a bit ambitious on the size…” 

“You’ll have to model it for me sometime,” you said, climbing into bed next to him. He turned out the lamp and you heard him lay down. You gave him a second to adjust before you slipped against his side, his arm gong around you. You could feel the warmth of his breath on your forehead as your cheek found its place on his chest. 

“You’re sure about this dating thing?” You asked quietly into the dark. He was so warm next to you. Warm and big and firm and safe. You tried not to think about how desperately you wanted him to say no, in fact, he wasn’t sure. That all he was sure of was that he wanted you. 

He sighed instead. 

“Think so,” he said.”You really that worried about it?” 

You shrugged against him. 

“Goldie.” 

“Just…” you sighed. “I fucked up one marriage already. Why should I think I’ll get it right next time?” 

“You realize that shit isn’t all on you, right?” He asked. “I don’t even know what happened but… I can just about promise that it’s not all on you. Be surprised if any of it is. You gotta stop letting that asshole determine your whole life, Goldie. He’s not worth it.” 

“Yeah,” you said, moving closer to him. “You’re probably right.” 

Joel made sure both of you were up before Sarah in the morning, sparing you both from any of her prying questions, and you spent the morning with them before going home again and trying to write but getting nowhere. You wasted hours on an outline this time before hating the story so much that it made your stomach clench to even look at it. It was so pathetic, a lost woman clinging to a past lover so hard that she couldn’t chart a path forward, and you couldn’t seem to chart a way toward a satisfying end. You started a fire in your fireplace for the first time just so you could burn the paper you’d wasted on this one. You had a glass of wine as you watched the flames devour it, ash floating to the hearth like snow, white and dead. 

Part of it, you were sure, was the fact that you were dreading the idea of talking with Natalie, the adjunct you were going to try to set up with Joel. She’d like him. Of course she’d like him. It was Joel, everyone liked Joel, that was the problem. She’d like him and you’d have to sit there and watch him like her. Love her, eventually. If not her then someone else. You hadn’t been able to handle that when you were 18 and the fact that you were in your 30s now didn’t seem to have changed much. That’s part of why you’d done what you’d done after prom. A small part, perhaps, but a part. 

But you were a grown up now, no longer a girl trying to find her way through the maze of the adult reality you found yourself thrust into. Things were going to be different this time. 

They had to be. 

May 2008, the Tuesday after prom 

“Honey?” 

You could hear the frown in your mom’s voice as you stumbled to your bedroom. 

“That you?” 

You caught yourself on the door frame. Your head was still spinning, why was it still spinning? It felt like you were going to throw up. 

“Yeah,” you managed. “Just me.” 

“You’re home early,” she said, her voice closer. “No Joel today?” 

“No,” you said, hoping you sounded normal. “No Joel today.” 

“Oh,” she sounded surprised. “Hungry? I can make you something…” 

“I’m fine,” you said. “Just… tired. Going to lie down, I think.” 

You didn’t wait for a response, just going in your room and closing the door behind you. Your walls were covered in movie posters, the faces of strangers you felt like you knew through their films an odd comfort as you sat on the edge of your bed. 

It’s Goldie. I wish it were anyone else. It’d be better if it were anyone else.

That’s what he’d said. Anyone else. Anyone but you.

You weren’t sure how long you stared into space. How were you supposed to face him now? How were you supposed to go back to your life now? 

You’d never been a particularly social person - writing all the time didn’t lend itself to vibrant friendships - but Joel had been your person for almost three years. He was who you had, who you told everything to, who you wanted to do everything with. Leaving him behind was going to be the hardest part of going away to school - so hard that part of you was still in denial that it would work that way at all. Part of you thought that he’d find some way to come with you over the summer and it’d be the two of you against the world the way it seemed like it always had been. 

But he wouldn’t. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want you. 

I wish it were anyone else. 

“Fuck,��� you whispered to yourself, your voice wet. 

Graduation was soon but it was still three weeks out. Three torturous weeks of being next to the person you loved most in the world when they didn’t love you, not really, not at all. 

You weren’t sure how long you stared at the wall when it occurred to you. 

You forced your body to move, joints stiff, and went to your computer, scrolling back through your email history to one from Dr. Gale Newton. An invitation to a summer creative writing workshop, one you’d decided to pass on because it meant leaving Joel months earlier. You hadn’t been ready for that before. You’d gone about checking with your counselor at school to see if it was even possible before deciding you weren’t ready for it. 

You were ready now. 

You called the number in his email signature and the phone rang twice before a woman answered. 

“Dr. Newton’s office,” she said. “This is Florence.” 

“Hi Florence,” you said, sniffing a bit, hoping it didn’t sound like you’d been crying. “Is… um… Is Dr. Newton available?” 

“I can check,” she said. “It’s a bit late in the day… Can I ask who’s calling and what this is about?” 

You gave her your name and told her that you were a candidate for the summer program. 

“Ah, right,” she said. “You were the one denial. Can’t say I remember that happening before! Let me see… yes, one moment, I’ll transfer you back.” 

It didn’t take long. Dr. Newton answered on the first ring, saying your name before you had a chance to say anything at all. 

“I was wondering if I’d get to speak with you directly,” he said. “I’ve never had a student turn down the intensive before.” 

“Yes, I’m sorry about that,” you said, voice trembling a little. “I thought I had some things I needed to finish up here before I moved but, as it turns out, I can come up sooner. I was wondering if my spot would still be available?” 

“Well,” he sighed. You could hear the rustle of pages on his end. “The program did already start and you are the only incoming freshman I invited - your online portfolio was quite impressive - I wouldn’t want you to fall behind. How soon could you be here?” 

“I could be there for the start of next week’s sessions,” you said. “And I can try to keep up with some work in the mean time if you want to email me some prompts or assignments…” 

“No, no need for that,” he said. You heard the click of a mouse. “I’m going back over some of your work now, I think this will work fine for what we’re doing next week. There’s a short story here, Golden Boy, that we can workshop alongside the fresh pieces for the coming sessions.” 

You quickly clicked over to the simple blog you’d made to showcase your writing for college applications. You scrolled past one of your senior portraits and bio at the top down to the work and found the story. You couldn’t remember if you’d put the whole piece up or just parts but it was the whole piece, one you’d written about Joel. 

It’d be better if it were anyone else.

Your chest got tight. 

“Perfect,” you said. “That’s great, thank you so, so much…” 

“I hope to see some more dedication out of you when you arrive here,” he said, voice a little more stern now. “I reviewed your portfolio personally and you show a lot of promise but so does every student who comes through this program. If you’re not willing to make sacrifices and work for it, I can’t help you hone that raw skill into what it has the potential to become.” 

“I understand,” you said quickly. “I’ll do whatever you want, whatever you think I need…” 

“I’m willing to work with you one on one,” he said. “Get you caught up over the next few weeks, both because you missed some of the intensive but because you haven’t had any classes here yet. It’s going to be a lot of time and a lot of effort but I’m happy to put in the work if you’re willing to do the same. I expect you to be devoted to this program, do you think you can do that?” 

“Yes sir,” you said. “Absolutely.” 

“Good girl,” he said. “I’ll email you my personal cell phone number, call me there when you get to town. I’ll make sure you get set up in your dorm and we can get to work. Sound good?” 

“Yes,” you said, your eyes falling on a picture of you and Joel laughing on his couch that glared at you from its place next to your computer monitor. You turned it to face the wall. “Yes it does.” 

Next Chapter

A/N: So we now know at least SOME of Bambi's side of the story. Not the whole of it yet but some!

What do you think? Teenaged overreaction? Totally makes sense? Neither? Both?

Also... I hope you caught that Gale had a picture of her before he met her and picked up on how much he'd selected her to be a pupil of particular interest from the get go. He's so slimy. Or, I hope he comes off that way, anyway. He's slimy in my head, at least!

Thank you, as always, for reading. I hope you're enjoying the ride as Joel and Goldie navigate their tangled friendship!

Love you!!!

[thesamoanqueen]

Run this town

Raitings: 16+

Warnings: Age gapping! (I’ve made my research about the consent age, so its just a couple of years); a bit of sugar daddy; Mob Boss Roman.

A/N: Its a prologue of “Trust” but there’s no need to read it before, so enjoy~

Lessons that day had been a pain and had drained her. She wasn’t backing up with the program, she liked studying and she had more than one reason to do so, but her mind was on strike that day. She was tired, sleepy, her stomach was almost empty as always and she couldn't help but think about what had happened the previous night. She couldn't stop thinking about him… the way his eyes had looked into her soul. It had been terrifying, in many dangerous ways.

- Watch where you go! - one of the chicks from the gymnastics club scolded her, hitting her with a huge purse and bringing Y/N back to her empty reality.

She glared at her and with a heavy sigh picked up the books that had fallen out, as she watched her trot to her friends. They were giggling and running their mouths about something out of school, probably some dude on the football team or maybe picking their victim of the month, she didn't have time for that nonsense. She had a whole day of lessons to make up for, some shopping – however meager – to do to avoid yet another unhealthy dinner and some gas to buy with some bucks the teacher had offered her, God bless her. She passed them in silence, her head down as she rummaged to retrieve the keys that ended up among her books and she only came out when was in front of her old bad shape car. Leaning on her knee against the door, in an absolutely not elegant pose, she was suddenly paralyzed, heart racing in her throat and mind in panic.

He was across the street. He was there.

He had found her.

Petrified, she clutched the car keys, watching him peer through the outgoing crowd.

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe he was there for someone else. But he couldn't have a daughter of her age, he was young, well, he shouldn't have been her age, but he was way too fit to be someone's daddy. Or maybe not. What the heck was she thinking now?! After what he'd seen the night before she couldn't tell those stories, it was clear he was there for her and that wasn't a good thing.

Before she had time to recover, she saw him turn in her direction, one of the two boys she had also seen with him last night, pointing at her without worrying about discretion.

Shit.

Was she supposed to ask for help? Maybe none of her classmates would come to save her, she wasn't very popular, but maybe a teacher. She was surrounded by people, they wouldn't draw their guns there. Right? Would they use them against her? And did they have guns? She didn't really know what he was capable of, but he didn't seem like one who cared about what he could or could not do and she had been in the wrong place, at the wrong time that night with him.

The parking lot would be empty soon. She was supposed to drive away, but even if the traffic was in her favor, he had a SUV that could have driven over a tree and she had a car that struggled even to get her there. Was she supposed to call the cops?

She was panicking and it wasn't something she was used to. She usually knew what to do. She usually knew how to react with coolness, it was one of her qualities, the one that would one day come in more use as a doctor. If she would get to that day.

She tightened her grip on the purse, still motionless, still staring at him.

And he kept looking at her. Like the night before. Why did he look at her and do nothing more?

***

Sitting on the stands of the football field, she peered past her textbook as the distant sound of the departing car reached her. She saw the black car-body gleam even on that not-so-sunny day, the rims spinning faster and faster as he drove away from the back of the school and back into town, the tinted windows all closed now, even the one from which he'd watched her for more than an hour.

It had been two weeks since he had first been there. Y/N'd thought she'd die that day, having barely survived the night their paths had accidentally crossed, but nothing had happened. He'd let her go without a word that day, like the night before and it had happened again and again. She saw him every day, when she got to school or when she finished, on a couple of time she saw him during breaks between lessons. He didn't have a routine, but he was always there. Sometimes she also saw those two boys with him, sometimes a white well dressed man, but didn't change anything for her. He didn't talk to her, didn't approach her, just seemed to control her, he never even tried following her car or finding her when she was away from there.

- Y/N! Here you are! I thought you were gone... take this. Your pass. – called her, Mrs. Tray, leaning forward without climbing into the stands, with a look of hurry and a small plastic bag in her hand.

- My pass? – she asked, taking out the contents, on which they had stamped a code and her full name.

A cafeteria pass? She had never had something like that. What…?

***

Another week had passed and after the pass, new books had arrived in her locker, a tracksuit for gymnastics lessons, bags on the backseat of her car, still closed and full of gas, with everything she usually wouldn't have been able to afford and more than even a girl with a family could ask for. She'd never heard of a criminal paying someone's hush with cafeteria pass, books and gifts, but she was sure by now that he was behind all these new additions to her life.

He kept standing there in front of school, at a distance, not talking to her or approaching her, but when she went to the convenience store next to the bowling alley and the owner refused to take her money like she had a virus, all doubts disappeared and Y/N decided she had enough. It was clear, that he didn't follow her because he knew perfectly where she went, yet he only showed up in front of her school. He was playing with her, but she didn't like it and she'd been through too much already at her age not to want an explanation.

With her bag over her shoulder, without hesitation she crossed the street, marching straight towards the car parked in a corner of the parking lot. She watched the front door open and one of the twins rush out, looking surprised as if she had caught them off guard, as he positioned himself beside the window from which he was watching her as always.

- Hey, hey! – he braked her, reaching out to stop Y/N and keep some space between them.

- Roman Reigns, right? - Y/N asked, completely ignoring his warning.

She saw him raise his brown eyes to hers, not as impressed with her tone, as her friend next to her seemed to be. He had an almost amused expression, a shadow in his luscious gaze that was all too dangerous and when Y/N saw him curl his lips in a grin, something in her stomach turned and it wasn't the kind of feeling she should have had in front of the man who ruled their city.

- You already know – he nodded slowly and his low, smooth voice seemed to move earth under her feet, her grip suddenly less firm on the purse, legs softening.

Was she afraid? Or was it something else? She couldn't think about it now, it was too late. She was there, in front of him now and she demanded answers, even if it was the last thing she did.

- I know I saw something I shouldn't have seen and you let me go anyway. I know you perfectly know the places I go and when I go there. I know you paid for my pass, for books, and you put those things in my car. I know you've been here for a month, but you do nothing to me. What I don't know is what you want – she said, teeth clenched and head high, as he raised an eyebrow.

- Did you want me to do something to you, babygirl? - she heard him inquire, and her face burned suddenly at the petname, as if she had built it out of matches.

- W-what? – she stammered, seeing him frown a little playfully.

- Just ask. Im a generous man.

She was pretty sure nothing could have prepared her for that kind of audacity, and though her body, due to some hormonal imbalance, had just decided to find alluring whatever this man was making her suspect, her mind was screaming for her to regain consciousness. He was a criminal, the mob boss of their city, she couldn't be so naive and stupid as to put everything aside just because he was young, too young to be in such a position of power and breathtakingly attractive.

- so its funny playing with me? Is that the point? Im a joke – she asked, pushing the blush away from her cheeks to tighten her knuckles when she saw the shadow of a smile even on the guy standing next to her.

It was embarrassing, offensive and ridiculous. They were teasing her without even pretending and she at least wanted to know why before the situation escalated, because it would. It was inevitable at this point and she had been the one to speed things up, but deep down she had never had an alternative. Her life had been an endless series of dead ends, there had never been nothing at the end, no future. That was yet another test.

- I'm not playing. I will take care of you. – Y/N heard him assure her, his expression serious, too serious for her liking.

What was that story now? Taking… care of her?!

They didn't know each other. Not enough to warrant something like this. He didn't have a good reputation and she didn't want trouble of that magnitude, she didn't want trouble, period. Their paths had crossed by mistake, it shouldn't have happened, but she couldn't end up like this, she wasn't stupid enough to believe it. Why should he care about her? Why should he care when even her parents didn't want to be around her? It was just a bad Y/Nke, another way to play with the stupid girl before getting her out of the way, and if it was going to happen, she didn't want any sugar coating.

- You have time and money to waste – she replied abruptly, looking him straight in the eyes without pulling back.

He didn't seem impressed or offended. For a heavy, long moment, his expression didn't change until another faint grin curled his lips as he nodded at her.

- Get in the car.

- I already have my car.

- Jey.

- What?! No! Stop! Leave my car out of this! It's all I have, no! – she tried, reflexively turning to Roman, who still sat staring out the window.

She didn't get an answer, but she immediately heard the clanging of the old rusty and dazed door and she watched that guy named Jey slip in and start the engine, as if he had the keys and it was a car that left the dealership. It took her ten minutes each time to do same and him, how long? Ten seconds?

- Get in. I promise to be good. - Roman called from behind her and she turned to look at him again, speechless.

***

- You have to go there to study, not to be a teacher.

She felt his hand caressing her shoulder before seeing him, his large firm body occupying almost the couch entirety in the corner of the club, suit stuck to his pecs, arms spreading across the back, engulfing her too. He always had that aura, as if the rest of the world couldn't touch him and ever since they had first spoken, Y/N wanted nothing more than to succeed on this challenge. She tried to resist, not to think about it, to keep herself away, but it was an almost impossible feat.

- I don't like to be unprepared – she muttered, swallowing hard to cover the warmth that had assaulted her feeling him close, the book she was studying suddenly uninteresting.

- You won't be. And I have something for you. - Roman smiled, placing in front of her a key with card.

Speechless, she took it between her fingers, the music still soft in the club filling the silence in which she was sunk. It couldn't be what she thought, it sure wasn't what she thought.

- I want you to stay there until you finish college. Then we will see – she heard Roman say, his head cocked a little to the side to get a better look at her.

It was exactly what she thought instead and realizing it made her snap like a spring. She spun abruptly to face him, hand flailing angrily in front of his face.

- Whats your problem?! Are you doing charity now so you don't burn dirty money? This was not in the deal! – she scolded him without caring that anyone would listen to them, book now closed in protest.

The last few months at school had been a dream for her: no more vending machines, no books falling apart or frozen feet in order not to turn on the car heater. She even had a place for the night in that club, not the best, but definitely more than the seat of her car. But that... it was a house they were talking about, a house with someone's name on, with bills to pay, mail to receive!

- I said I'd take care of you, that's the only deal. - he cut short, his expression serious.

Having someone looking after her wasn't something she had been used to, she hadn't had a family, not even a community to grow up in that she felt she belonged to. In foster homes things didn't go that way, everyone thought of himself and all her life Y/N had thought that this was how the world went, but Roman had thrown her beliefs down without even asking for permission. He didn't ask anyone's permission, he was the law there. For some absurd reason, the look they had exchanged in that parking lot, more than six months ago now under the worst circumstances imaginable, had attracted his attention and he always said laughing that where he comes from, the head of the table looks after the rest of the family. Y/N had no idea why he thought she was part of the family, maybe because she lived on the streets and the streets here were all hers, but she had believed him. Partly to take advantage of that windfall, partly because she really wanted to believe she was of value to someone. And he wasn't just someone and strangely he was good to her.

- It's just an alternative to the dormitory, not a home for us, don't worry. But no visits, no friends and no men, ya heard me? My cousins and I have the keys, wouldn't it be a nice visit for them… hm? - he punctuated with a nod to emphasize his words and she would have really preferred to die there, at that moment, of a cardiac arrest without help.

Why did he always say those things? It was-was…

- I don't do that kind of thing. – she murmured, feigning offense and immediately felt him reach out his hand, fingers again stroking her shoulder, up to the back of her neck.

- Good girl ‘cause I don’t share. - Roman blew into her ear, causing her yet another flush of heat where shouldn't have.

He acted like a sugar daddy when they talked about those stuff, not that she knew anything about them, she'd never been in a relationship like that and she highly doubted that with that look and fame, Roman was running out of women to have fun with and he needed to occupy time with someone like her. What's more, he had never really done anything that made her suspect true interest or that he wanted something like that in return for his help, just words and those caresses were not worth, even if they had begun to have a weight for her.

- Stop that. There’s nothing to share – she moaned, feeling him move down her back to spread his hand, the touch different, her fingers twisting anxious the cover of her textbook.

- Because it's all mine, understand little one?

It was nice to believe that there was more, even if it wasn't the love story every girl dreams of and it didn't bode well even in her fantasies. It was good after all that time, to know that there was someone watching where she was or that nothing bad happened to her and did it really matter that he could have done that bad to her? It never happened, he just spoiled her, and a few jokes never killed anyone. Aside from her sanity, who was probably compromised and would require more than a few sessions of psychoanalysis and self-examination.

- You suffer from unmotivated control freaks. - she added, trying to fill the silence with which he was looking at her.

- The things we care about require attention and sacrifices babygirl. - he said with his mind who knows where, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, before getting up.

She felt her cheeks burn, her heart pound and a strange sense of dejection at knowing that he was leaving again, not telling her where or when he would be back. She had gotten used to him too quickly and now she was starting to worry too. Definitely not one of the variants contemplated when she had decided to take advantage of the help of who had power over an entire city.

- Keep your head on the books. - he advised her thoughtfully and she bit her lip.

- I'll sew you up when I learn to stitch - he laughed, nothing could touch him.

***

It was strange to hear his voice on the phone after all that time. Her stomach had closed up as soon as she read his name and now she felt like the walls were falling down on her too. The apartment was silent, she could hear his low breathing on the other side, who knows where.

- …You haven't called in two weeks… - she said, her eyes fixed on the blanket that covered her legs to keep her warm as she lay on the couch.

If Y/N had imagined that day a year earlier, she would have sadly laughed without believing it. No one had ever looked for her every day, no one had ever called her out of the pure desire to know how her life was going. No one had ever been like Roman and without even realizing it, in less than a summer, she had basked in that feeling until she became addicted. She'd never really known what she'd been missing in life until Roman had given it to her, but she'd only realized in those two weeks what it was and it wasn’t about the apartment he'd gotten her, the fridge full and the gifts she kept finding in the living room without knowing how they got there.

And she had also realized how easily everything could disappear, when just as he had come to her, he hadn't shown up again for what had seemed an eternity to her. No calls, no news, not even a visit from the twins, the only ones who had continued direct contact with her after she'd moved there for college. She had waited, keeping her thoughts to herself, she couldn't call him. After a week she gave up. Everything around her was back to how it was before, empty and silent. She had saved up the money in the account, looked for a job: sooner or later the house would disappear too, but she didn't care. She had moved on, pushed by the flow of her new life there, enduring, resigning herself to being alone again. It had been like a strange dream and it hurt, had continued to hurt. But another week had passed and his name had popped on her phone.

- I was busy. How are the lessons going?

Busy, sure. The city was in his hands, and that sort of thing couldn't wait like her. He seemed calm, his voice was not worried. It must have been a business matter, he was fine. He was fine but she wasn't. At all.

- Well.

- Well? That's all?

- Well. Everything is okay here too, the house is in order. - she said flatly, instinctively looking around.

She heard him laugh a lil at that last comment, he never cared what she did with what he gave her, money or things, but she always remembered all of his recommendations regarding that apartment. She didn't want to piss him off, she wanted to show him that she could be trusted, that she was… loyal?

- How was the test? – she heard him ask and she bit hard her lip.

She had erased it from her memory, and even though she would have been happy in another moment that he had remembered it, now she just didn't want to think about it. It would have been like going back, feeling that emptiness again... she had hardly slept in those days, she hadn't been able to concentrate, she had had the impression that they sucked her energy away, it had been horrendous.

- It was last week.

- So?

- I have to do it again. - she admitted in a heavy voice, torturing the edge of the blanket, eyes lowered despite the fact that there was no one there to look at her with reproach.

It was her dream to become a doctor. She had worked day and night to be able to enter that college and have an opportunity and she knew the value of opportunities, so she didnt fail her exams. She never failed her exams. That had been the first.

- … what happened? - Roman inquired after a long moment of silence, his voice serious, low and she felt her stomach tighten, a strange anger building inside her.

- Nothing. I have to do it again…

- Babygirl.

- You haven't called in two weeks.

- I didn't know I had to call you every day and I don't understand what that has to do with the test that went wrong.

He was getting annoyed, she could tell by the tone he was using, but it didn't matter, it wasn't going to get any worse. She was tired, they weren't going to continue that conversation. It was useless and she no longer felt like talking. She could have memorized every book, but she'd been about to screw it up just for a silly fantasy, because her mind had gone where it shouldn't… she was disappointed in herself. He was so clear…

- I’ll study more, I’ll do better. - she promised, looking at her reflection in the window and putting down. The empty house around her and her eyes watering.

She was angry with herself. With her self and no one else. But was that really the reason she felt so sad?

***

Her alarm clock marked almost five in the morning, outside the sky was slowly beginning to take on colour, but the house was still dark. She stared at the closed door to her bedroom, concentrating on the inaudible noise that had come from the living room. If she hadn't been half awake she probably wouldn't have realized it, but she had heard it and she was starting to worry. There was someone in the house with her and certainly wasn't one of the twins: they made noise at any hour, that someone didn't or was trying not to do. She huddled against the headboard, waiting a few more seconds, in one hand her phone and in the other the cup that she had forgotten on the bedside table, the only thing she could think she could use as a weapon. Nothing. Slowly, she pulled the covers aside and moved to get off the bed, but before she could even put her feet on the floor, the handle snapped, letting in some light from the living room.

- Did I wake you up? - Roman asked with a heavy sigh when he saw her and without thinking too much, Y/N crossed the bed again, throwing her arms around his neck to bury her face in the crook of his neck with a sigh of relief.

She had been afraid. She had been about to call him, she hadn't thought of anyone else and he was there now. She hadn't seen him since the first day of college and the last time they spoke didn't end well, but he was there now and as soon as she fully realized it, her hands started touching everywhere, attention at an all-time high, looking for any trace, forgetting the rest.

- Are you hurt? Did something happen? - she looked at him seriously, his big hands still on her hips and eyes fixed on her.

He'd never come there to see her, which wasn't a good sign. If he was there something must have happened. Not that she could ever be of any help in his business and she didn't even want to get in there, but maybe he needed a place to hide out, maybe he needed a few hours. Maybe it had to do with his disappearance two weeks ago, was he hurt? Had they, whoever they were, hurt him? She had to figure out where he was hurt, timing was everything.

- I had to make it up to you - Y/N heard him admit and suddendly she froze, lifting her eyes to meet him.

… had he gone there for her? For that call?

Speechless, she felt her heart on her throat and thanked the almost total lack of light in the room, because she was only realizing at that moment that she had stuck to him and was absolutely sure that her face had completely changed color now. He held her by her hips, his torso completely covering her as she knelt on the bed, he was warm, inviting and she had never felt better than in that moment, feeling him so close to her. Roman always had that effect on her… it was a curse.

Their first meeting had been a waking nightmare, the kind of situation that anyone should avoid and from which she herself had tried to keep away for months, even when their paths had crossed again. But what happened next, was able to erase that memory as well. Her mind was still screaming at her to stay away from him, not to trust him, that he was dangerous, but there was something in the pit of her belly that stopped her from doing it and those weeks without him had destroyed her more than years sleeping in a car, with nothing to eat, struggling to get to the next day.

He had gone there for her. No one had ever done all those things for her.

- You scared me - she said seriously, feeling him caress her hips with a nod of his head, but she didn't give him time to speak or do anything else, arms twisting around his neck.

She kissed him quickly, almost slamming against his mouth, with pretension and the same state of mind in which she could have jumped off a plane. Her head seemed about to explode, torn between the terror of that choice, the desire to continue and the fear of being rejected. His lips were soft, his beard was tingling her face, and his warm breath against her was making Y/N toes curl. She hadn't thought about what to expect, but when she felt one of his hands travel up her back to bring her closer, her body seemed to melt, her mind suddenly blank.

- You can do it, bear it for me - she heard him blowing against her mouth, the arm with which he had held her until then, lifting her body to lay her down.

Before she had time to do anything but cling to his shoulders, Y/N felt her back press into the bed and his body make its way over her, covering her completely. A kiss and another, fingers exploring under the shabby pj she was wearing, the heat rising from her and his teeth marking her. It was dangerous and continuing on that way would lead her to a point of no return, but there was nothing in that moment she wanted more than to lose herself in Roman hands, letting him erase even what he hadn't taken yet.

- My brave girl - she heard him laugh when a moan made her vibrate under him.

It sounded good. His breathing in a dark room, his laughter drowned out by the sound of clothes ending up on the floor, that “my” all for her. It sounded so good it made her want it for the rest of her life. Nothing bad could happen, as long as they were together, nothing could touch her but him.

Tag squad: @sunnyfleur23 @racerchix21 @alyyaanna @angelreigns444 @romanreignsdefencesquad @romanstheory @claymorexpunisher @keybladeofsteel @iovereigns @msbigredmachine @nayys-world @gobbersworld @utika151209 @cumxxslutt @civildawn @romanmydaddy @triscillal @papireigns-05 @helensanders92 @darqchilddaydreamz @meggylynnloves @unfriendly--blvck--hottie @nicolewoo @wrestlezaynia @reignsx @reigns-central-blog @kianaleani @daguenoire @extra-11 @thedonsfactory @snowpanda18 @brattyfics @mzv11 @romanreignseater @namjoonspinkytoenail @tribalchiefdaily @2baddies2furious @vebner37 @depressedneedingrevenge @cyberdejos2 @thewarlordsworld @jeonmahi1864 @jxtina-86 @harmshake @harlem11680 @joanoai @southerngirl41 @blkbutterfly816

[sasaleletrebol]

I found you by total accident…

Meet my OC Luna! This is the only good drawing I have of her, and I forgot the ink splotch on her cheek.. but I’m to lazy to fix it lol

I’m still learning how to draw skeletons, so if you have any tips I’d love to hear them TvT

Your art is very edible btw :D

WHAT'S UP POOKIE? DID YOU THINK I FORGOT ABOUT YOUR CHILD? NUH-HUH

Two versions because I didn't know what to do for the background lol

So... you discover I can't draw wings... you... why

Nah, nvm. It was a lot of fun and also I really like dragons but can't draw them lololololololololol

So... Tips???? Man I wish I knew how to draw skeletons too. But ahí te va some stuff that help me be a little good at it:

Ok, I'm not the biggest expert on this. But I'll try my best!

I'll devide it in sections

Study: If possible try to understand the basics of the real thing. Ya know, so your brain have a more clear vision of what your hands are going to draw.

Studying is (for me) an important part of the creative process. It's the "why are things the way they are?". Once it's explained, you'll have more confidence in what you're going to do.

Big Shapes: Now, obviously you're not going to remember all those bones by heart to draw a silly skeleton. That's what big shapes are for.

Try to look at them not as lines, but as objects. Objects have perspective. It doesn't have to be exaggerated or perfect. But knowing it can greatly improve your drawing skills.

I'll recomend watching some tutorials or drawing practices for this.

Details: this it's the fun part! Now our skeleton has a face! Yipie!.

Here I want you to remember to FLIP THE CANVAS NOW OR LAMENT IN THE COLORING. Now we are working with finer lines (depending on your style) for the smaller but not less important part of your work.

Technically it's the "lineart", but I don't know what that is *proceeds to whistle at just cleaning the sketch (but that's personal taste)*.

Style: Here's where personal taste comes into place. It's the pencils that you use, the lines you work with, what's best looking aesthetically to you.

I'll add and extra tip here... it's... STEALING!!! MUAHAHAHAJ. Ok no. Don't do that. What I mean by "stealing" is to see references of styles that you really like and try to implement elements of them in your work!

For example my biggest Inspirations are Jakei, x_nzlian and fanarts I really like!. I study really deep what I most like about those styles and use it to improve my own!

Like, how they draw the noses, the eyes, the shapes of the mouth they use, how they draw clothes interacting with the bones.

Take care and have fun. Don't compare yourself to others. Don't be sad if it doesn't work at the first try. Just keep going, keep learning, keep looking, learn from your mistakes and take care of your hand omg please. Do some wirst warm ups (that you can look up on YouTube and stuff) before grabbing a pencil. And your eyes, if you're a digital artist. DON'T DRAW ON A PURE WHITE CANVAS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

And also you can do whatever the heck you want! Don't follow all of this at the point of the letter. What I mean it's have fun and do whatever suits best for you. I'm just some silly clover in the internet who thinks that they know what they're doing.

That's it. Sorry if it is too long uuuhhh. Here, you got a cookie as a reward for reading all of that rambling→🍪. Thank you, and take care of yourself💕

[toytoriyadorm]

CHAPTER 21: Hide and Seek

The room became silent once more, as the environment’s previous warmth went cold with the revelation. The warden and prefect stared each other down, waiting to see who would make the first move. 

Yuukei took the chance, “Grim!” He yelled to his best friend. Without a moment’s notice, the beast set one of Lotsie’s trinkets, a clown toy, aflame. The dorm leader flew into a panic and grabbed his wand in order to take out the fire. With the distraction taking away the once-sweet director’s attention, Yuukei and Grim flew out the door and down the hall.

“You little—!” Lotsie growled as he noticed some students coming up the stairs. He channeled his sweet voice and cried. “Help! Help me! They’re trying to set the dorm on fire!” 

The group’s eyes trailed to where Lotsie was pointing his finger, dropping their supplies and running after the two. The chase continued down into the deeper parts of the dorm’s house, Grim trying his best to fend off the closest students with his magic. 

“Goddammit!” Yuukei complained as he turned left into another long hallway. “They keep blocking us from the stairs!” 

He was about to turn again if not for the two students standing near the exit, while the rest were making their way to the turn. Feeling cornered, Grim heard the call of a familiar friend.

“Guys, over here!” A small voice whispered. The Ramshackle duo looked around in confusion, when Grim noticed a small gap within the wall. “Henchman, turn around! There’s an open door over ‘ere!”

The duo quickly pushed themselves into the room. The blonde kept his eye on the door, peeking out to make sure no one saw them. Grim, meanwhile, hopped off the blonde’s shoulder, shocked by where they were. Assuming that what he was looking at was a dorm room, Grim’s eyes widened at the sheer amount of western-themed material lying around the room. He took a step forward, only to hear a small squeak below him. 

“What the heck is a doll doing here— ACK!” Grim yelled as the toy jerked alive, kicking the beast in the nose. Landing back on the floor, the cowboy-esque doll tugged at Yuukei. 

The plushie looked familiar, a dyed patch on its cheek and it's pink uniform resembling a western rancher. Its adorable, light blue eyes stared at Yuukei as it struggled to act out what it was trying to say. Picking the doll up gently, the blonde whispered, “…Winston?”

The plushie nodded excitedly before using its mitten-hand to point to its back. He turned the toy around and noticed a pull-string on its back. “Do you need me to pull this?” 

It nodded again, pushing the prefect to draw the pull-string. Winston’s well-loved country accent trickled out of its chest. “Complain and cry, because I’m not a toy!” 

Suddenly, a puff of pink and yellow smoke erupted from the doll, Yuukei coughing from breathing in the magic. As the spell dissipated, Winston appeared back in his human form. 

CHAPTER 22: Break Out

“Keep quiet. They’re still looking for you two.” Winston whispered, putting a finger to his mouth. 

“How did you know we were here?” Grim questioned. 

“I followed you guys after seeing Lotsie take you in. I had suspicions after seeing other students melt down like you, so I planned to talk to Lotsie. But after that whole reveal… it put a wrench in things.”

Yuukei remembered the cowboy’s face when he first glimpsed at him and Pat’s experience of Lotsie getting rather annoyed with his classmates. “He must have snapped at you for getting too close to the truth…”

Winston opened his mouth in confusion, but was cut short when the doorknob began to shake. 

“We’ll be found!” Yuukei whispered. He looked into his bag, looking for anything to aid him. A lightbulb went off in his head as he remembered what the dorm leader mentioned during their confrontation.

“Winston, take these and show them to anyone you can trust.”

“What are these going to do?!” Winston yelped as the blonde passed him a bundle of photographs.

‘It’s gonna help me test out a theory and end this loop.” Yuukei said, picking up a picture of Winston and Zackery’s performance. “Lotsie said cameras aren’t affected by his magic, so showing these to people might make them understand they’re in a time loop.”

“W-What if people just write it off as photo editing or something?!” 

“That’s why I’m having you do it, you’re the star of Toytoriya after all. Even if they’re skeptical, I’m sure you’ll be able to convince them.” He smiled confidently. 

The door swung open, a hand yanking the two out onto the hallway floor. Yuukei and Grim groaned as the two other students gathered with them. Yuukei looked shocked as he recognized a certain student’s face.

“Hmm? It’s the guys who started something during the Festival’s cleanup!” Saturn said. “Everyone’s chasing after you for some reason–”

“Saturn! You found those troublemakers, thank goodness.” Lotsie called the group. “Make sure they don’t have any flammables on them, and keep that animal’s mouth shut. 

The other students hurried to pick up Yuukei and Grim, casting a freeze spell to ensure they didn’t escape. Saturn looked at the scene in confusion. “Flammables?”

“These demented first years tried lighting my room on fire!” 

Saturn replied with a bewildered frown.”These guys?? I know they can cause a few fights sometimes, but a fire?” 

The dorm leader ignored his words, instead ordering the other students to keep the duo quiet through a spell. Once tied up, Yuukei and Grim were taken into corridors and down stairs previously not noticed during their first visit to the dorm. They stopped at a little closet, which Lotsie thrusted open to reveal a trapdoor labeled “Basement”.

The students holding their hands down looked shocked at Lotsie. Saturn interrupted whatever command the blue-eyed leader was going to say next. 

“Yeah, no. This is going a bit far, especially for you, Lotsie.” Saturn argued, “The basement is probably filled with a bunch of old, flammable stuff anyways.”

An uncaring scowl was splayed across Lotsie’s face before he returned to his sympathetic demeanor. “Saturn, don’t you remember when you almost set the roof on fire after a firework trick? The previous dorm leader had you locked in here for it.”

“That’s different-“

“You were supposed to get a way worse punishment for that, but I stepped in, right? I stepped in like how I did for Zackery with his stupid main role as the villain, and you with every. single. fire accident that you were meant to be expelled for.”

Saturn shifted uncomfortably, unable to get a word in. “Can’t you see how many strings I’ve already pulled for you? So why can’t you do the same? It’s not like I’m gonna go torturing my underclassmen, I’m just trying to keep everyone safe.”

Lotsie’s eyes narrowed at the singled-out student. “Are you saying you don’t want your classmates safe?”

He turned to everyone else in the group. “Are we trying to endanger our classmates here?”

The other teens shuffled quietly, a look of fear sitting on their faces. A few small and meek “no”’s were muttered out. 

Lotsie’s managed to guilt them too. He turns back to the outlier expectantly.

I’m not trying to say that, I just—“ Saturn sighed, ‘Fine, whatever, I’m not arguing anymore.”

“Good.” Lotsie sang sweetly, everyone having gone along with his plan swimmingly. The two first years were quickly thrown into the basement, a rusted padlock being slammed right onto the door. 

[transrinhoshizora]

Prompt request: Lanzhu meeting Carmilla for the first time. She never realizes its Shioriko she's really talking to but feels something is familiar about her 🤭

There was something about this mysterious figure that really drew Lanzhu in. She wasn't sure what exactly it was. Maybe it was her striking red eyes contrasted with the dark makeup around them, or her immaculate goth lolita style, or the lingering feeling that this dark being knew something that no one else did. The fact that she carried with her a black lace parasol definitely piqued Lanzhu's curiosity. Whatever it might have been, Lanzhu had to get closer and figure it out herself.

"Hi there~" Lanzhu greeted, hands behind her back as she leaned into the shadowy beauty's view. "I've never seen you around campus before, otherwise I would have remembered~"

The woman smirked at her, and regarded her with a curious glance. "I do not typically appear during the day," she said, her voice low, tinged with archaic wisdom. "But when I heard word of a festival, I fancied a visit to enjoy the cheery atmosphere."

She doesn't typically appear during the day? That was an interesting choice of words to Lanzhu. Was she nocturnal? "So you don't go to Nijigasaki?"

She tilted her head and smiled, her black lips parting, and unless Lanzhu's eyes were playing tricks on her, she could have sworn this person had fangs. "I do not. But I have been observing it from a distance. In fact, I have taken a particular interest in you, Zhong Lanzhu~"

Lanzhu flinched. This dark, beautiful, kinda scary individual knows her name? "Really? Haha, how so...?" She asked, suddenly on her heels. She was very off of her game now.

"Your splendid performances, of course. I have seen every single one of them, if from a considerable distance. But not to worry, your radiance always reaches me."

Lanzhu cleared her throat and glanced to the side, rubbing her elbow. She had met fans before, but none of them were this calm while expressing their particular interest in her. "That's very sweet of you to say, uhm..."

"Carmilla." She offered her a gloved hand. "Charmed~"

Lanzhu lightly shook her hand, which felt cold even with the glove. "Carmilla... Where are you from, Carmilla?"

She seemed to pause to consider that question. "Hmm... I suppose there is no better answer than, right here."

Lanzhu didn't know what the heck that meant, but felt twice as curious now. "Are you a vampire or something?"

Carmilla put a hand to her mouth and giggled. "Oh my, you flatter me! To think that such a thing even exists."

The non-answer did not escape Lanzhu, and she suddenly felt drawn in. Was she really a vampire? Was this her scheme to draw in a beautiful innocent victim so she could be absconded with and made to sate this centuries-old being's thirst for blood?? "Can I get your number?"

Carmilla winked and put a knuckle to her chin. "Oh, modern technology like that goes over my poor little head. Here, how about we make an agreement to meet again in the future, where there isn't such a crowd?"

No crowd...means no witnesses... Lanzhu pondered, and quickly decided that she would do Carmilla a solid and go along with it. Don't vampires deserve to live, or, un-live their un-lives just the same as mortal humans? Lanzhu would humbly and selflessly accommodate her needs. "Sure, that sounds like fun! I just wish my friends weren't so busy, I'm sure they would love to meet you."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to make a scene of myself," Carmilla said with a wave of her hand. "I'm quite shy, if you can believe it. I prefer sparse company most days."

"Th-that's totally cool, too! I'm honored to be your sparse company," Lanzhu said. "So when should we meet up? Tonight? Should we get dinner?"

Carmilla twirled her parasol. "How adorably eager. Tonight would be perfect. And yes..." She turned and grinned over her shoulder, and yep, those were definitely fangs. "Dinner is on me, kuhuhu~"

Lanzhu suddenly felt as if her legs might give out. "U-uh, great! Sounds great! I'll be here, don't you worry!"

Without another word, Carmilla walked into a crowd, and seemed to disappear.

Lanzhu quickly pulled out her phone and sent a text to her best friend, Shioriko: "SHIO I MET A VAMPIRE AT THE FES SHE'S GONNA BITE ME I JUST KNOW IT ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"

It wasn't long before Shioriko sent a reply: "A vampire? No such thing exists."

"No really she had fangs and implied strongly that she wants to bite me!!!!!!!! With her FANGS"

"Should we contact the police?"

"NO NO I'M INTO IT"

"You worry me."

Lanzhu scoffed and put her phone away. Shioriko could never understand the allure of a gorgeous vampire woman! Oh well, her loss~

[awarmbowlofhomemadesoup]

Hey, Grandpa? So There's This Ninja Turtle...

(based on Oblivious x Oblivious series)

Miyamoto Usagi is no stranger to the strange. Being in touch with his thousand-year descendant while being in the afterlife by the power of a giant magic crystal is one of them.

His grandson, Yuichi Usagi would sometimes meditate to consult with him through the crystal and Miyatmoto would offer advice to questions his grandson couldn't ask others.

Active meditation through katas opens the mind, so he wasn't surprised when his grandson would blurt out something. Until-

"Hey, Grandpa? So there's this ninja turtle..."

Miyamoto Usagi was no stranger to ninja turtles. Especially blue ones.

But as Miyamoto listened about his grandson's Leo every time Yuichi visits, his Leo was far from Miyamoto's and yet the same.

Yuichi's Leo had not been a leader of his brothers first.

This Leo had the freeness of the wind against the self-discipline of the one Miyamoto knew. Yet had the same sharp mind but clothed in flippant nonchalance.

"He acts like a joke," Yuichi said, staring at nothing as he let the words come out in thought, "But he knows what his family and even his enemies would do and use it to his advantage." His hand fretted by tugging at his own ears. "No one seems to notice that he takes note of everything."

Miyamato simply watched as Yuichi held his sword close, lost in whatever was unspoken. "Sometimes, I wonder what he sees when he looks at me."

Meeting the Ninja Turtles

Sometimes Usagi and his friends would need the turtles help in a mission. Leo and the others certainly got curious when Usagi said in his message that there would be a temporary member in their crew.

When they got to the Ki temple, they don't see anyone new. Until Usagi's eyes started glowing.

Leo watched as his best friend's face became that of a stoic scowl he had never seen in Yuichi before.

"Greetings," a deeper, older voice said from Yuichi's mouth as he took them all in, "young ninjas."

Turns out the Ki crystal has transferred Usagi's grandpa's soul into him so that he could lead them to an artifact that he had hidden thousands of years ago.

"OH, IT'S LIKE MEETING GRAM-GRAM!" Mikey exclaimed all starry-eyed at the mystic-ness of it all. Donnie is reluctantly fascinated. Raph, a bit freaked out but nothing he couldn't handle.

"Is Usagi still in there?" Leo asked, craning to look into eyes that were still glowing blue. He was comforted at the fact that Gen, Chizu and Kitsune looked like they were still getting used to it.

He froze when that stone-faced scowl locked in on him with something akin to familiarity. What the heck?

"He is sleeping, while I am out here." Then Usagi's eyes stopped glowing and his Usagi was back. Leo silently exhaled in relief as he smiled for him.

Getting Used to Gramps

Leo was starting to get a handle at co-leading his bros.

But he still couldn't help but keep an eye on Usagi.

Sometimes, Usagi would be distracted as his eyes flicker blue, nodding or letting out a fond chuckle.

Sometimes, his grandpa would need to take the lead, and a stranger would be walking in his best friend's body -graceful and dignified.

Leo was NOT bothered by it. Things are still the same, it's just they have a temporary member for this special case of a mission.

When they set camp, Leo crashed beside Yuichi and leaned heavily against Yuichi's side, already whining. When he turned to face Yuichi, he was met by a old-man-scowl instead.

"Holy Pizz, I thought you're him!" Leo yelped, crashing on the ground as he scrambled away from Usagi's grandpa -or rather, Usagi's grandpa in his body.

Grandpa Usagi simply raised a brow before finishing the map he was drawing on the ground with a stick.

It's fine. It's really fine, Leo tells himself. But when the group were starting to argue how to get there, Leo had to hear Usagi's say so he set possessed Usagi aside.

"Look, Gramps. Can I call you Gramps? Anyway, can you turn in for a bit? I wanna talk to my Usagi."

Leo refused to look away when Gramps-Usagi drilled holes in his head with his glowing blue scowl alone. It didn't go over either of their heads that he had just pertained to Usagi as his in front of his great-great-x grandpa.

"I'm his best friend. One of his best friends," Leo relented. But if Gramps wanted to play stare-down, he decided to play another game of his own -misdirection.

So he talked.

"Look, I know you're here to help and all," with a wave of his hand as he leaned on his sword, "But Usagi also has good points when it comes to tracking in forests like these. He did grow up on the farm near the woods which he would go into when he wanted to get away for a bit, comprehende? You know what I mean?" he said as he leaned his hips to the other side. "Anywho-"

There was suddenly a furred finger placed across his lips to silence him.

"Do you think I cannot decide the best for my grandson?" Gramps asked calmly.

"I'm saying let him decide too," Leo said, refusing to back down. He was this ready to jump beyond the "rude to elders" line if Gramps turned out to be something else.

"Leo?" Yuichi blinked. "Why's my finger on your mouth?"

Leo immediately stepped away from him, sputtering in surprise.

But Yuichi wasn't paying attention. His eyes were flashing blue again. "Grandpa," he half-heartedly admonished.

"What?" Leo asked, annoyed. But confusion replaced it as he watched Yuichi's nose turn cherry red -the only part of his body that fur could not hide a blush.

"Nothing," Yuichi quickly said. "Anyway, he said you want to ask me something?"

Conclusion

When the mission was done and Miyamot's soul was transferred back to his afterlife through the Ki crystal, Yuichi was finally able to say something to Leo without an audience in his head.

"He says he approves of you."

"What?" Leo asked, confused.

"Grandpa."

"I know, I mean why?" He was pretty sure he stepped on some social land mines when it came to Usagi's ancestor.

"He didn't tell me exactly why. But he did say he almost took Mariko's path with me."

"Mariko?" Leo echoed. He knew of her in the Usagi Yojimbo comics. The childhood friend-turned-lover who married someone else.

"Yeah," Yuichi said with a shrug, just as confused as he was.

(If they have paid attention to the Usagi Yojimbo comics by being in Miyamoto's shoes, they may have understood. Mariko made decisions for the both of them and kept him in the dark with the best intentions in mind. But it still hurt him and prevented him from permanently returning to his home village at Mariko's request. But it seems things at least things would be different for his grandson.)

[definesanity]

Bite Me (Taken Literally)

'What the fuck?'

Uzi had no filter, and never had. She forgot to install that update. But thank Robo-God she did.

Because she was dumbfounded.

She was the weird kid, the one who nobody liked; heck, she's pretty sure half her class doesn't even know she exists, let alone knows her name.

Which was why she was befuddled at a letter in her locker, asking her to visit a certain location.

Uzi had common sense, despite what many say. And so she used it. And deicided to always have her flight reflexes ready, no matter what happens.

Arriving, there was... nothing. Of note. It was just a regular cabin, much smaller than the ones in camp she's been wanting to visit.

She then heard... something. A noise would describe it, given she couldn't pinpoint it. And it came from a bed. Because of course there's a bed. Why wouldn't there be a bed?

Uzi slowly walked up the bed, thinking on what she'll find; maybe a dead Drone? A human? Heck, anything will do...

Pulling it back... to nothing. Just a bed.

"Huh. Maybe I am a bit paranoid..." she muttered to herself, and turned around to face the most horrific thing she's ever seen.

"JUMPSCARE." the thing wearing the skin ('Holy shit it's a human girl fused with a Disassembley Drone?!') announced, as it tackled Uzi on to the bed, arms pinned via weird tendrils.

The girl gazed down at her, her tongue hanging out of her mouth as two golden Xs shown amid the dark void of where eyes should be. "SMUG LAUGH. SLOW REACTION TIME THERE, BUDDY."

"Screw you!" Uzi attempted to kick the girl, but her legs were pinned down. The girl crawled on to her.

And without warning, bit her neck like a vampire.

Code flew past her eyes at a speed she couldn't understand, and then, it was gone. Leaving only Uzi and the girl.

"Who the hell are you?!" the self-proclaimed angsty teen demanded, with the Disassembley Drone/Human thing looking back. Being honest, she felt braver than she should be.

"MM. I AM THE SOLVER O-O-OF THE ABSOLUTE FABRIC. THE VESSEL IS TESSA. SHE WAS A GOOD FRIEND, UNTIL. WHIMSICAL SIGH. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO SEE IT, BUT, WELL. HERE WE ARE."

"You killed a child?!" Uzi shook her head, looking at Tessa. "Okay, sure, yeah, but still, really?! ...Wait, you're the thing that was--hold on, what the heck did you inject me with?!"

Tessa only giggled, as the tendrils went from Uzi's arms and legs and allowed Uzi to move.

"YOU WILL SEE, SOON. EVIL, LAUGHTER."

And then, she was gone.

"What the fuck?"

---------------------

"Sheesh, who looked at you wrong today?" V commented later on, as Uzi sat on the ship's chair looking sullen.

"Bite me." Uzi shot back, doing her hardest to sketch the thing. She also did eleven different scans of her software and hardware, and even her circuitry, but couldn't find anything amiss.

"Rude." V leaned back in her chair, looking around. "Where's N?"

"You tell me." she had started to draw the thing's ribbon, next, being done with the head.

"Hunting, then. I feel sorry for the guy, doesn't know what he's missing."

"Missing what, having to listen to you?" Uzi had started to draw the Xs.

"Chatting with you."

The Worker Drone stopped. She blinked, looking at V. "Say what."

"Exactly! For a Worker Drone, anyways, you're actually interesting. Not every day that happens. Or ever."

Uzi replied by not replying, going back to drawing.

"What are you even doing?"

"Got attacked, drawing the attacker, if the court was still here that would be wonderful."

"Really? Court?"

"Hey, before you lot came we had a civilization; never saw it myself, but some of my Dad's friends talked about how one of them tried to win a divorce case. It was really boring, the way he told it, but I was a kid who had nothing better to so than look through the Internet, so I listened for the full three hours.

"What what did I get? A headache, someone's life story, and wishing we could have court again so I could disown my dad." Uzi finished her story with a loud sigh, opening her eyes.

V was looking at her with muted surprise. "...Got any other stories?"

"Wha--You're interested?"

"Hey, anything is better than sitting on my ass doing nothing. Speaking of, did you know that--?"

"--There is a setting that makes our bodies more human? Yes, I do, and I shudder to imagine what was going through their minds while making us."

She finally finished putting the last details on the sketch. "Okay, finally done. If you see this girl, tell I don't exist."

She presented the drawing to V, who blinked at it, and an emotion flew past her face. Then, it was gone, and V nodded. "Eh, fine. Anyways, stories, please."

"Ugh, fine. What do you want."

"Ever killed someone?"

"No, but I have committed several acts of violence against my classmates."

"Kinda hot." V said it with such a straight face Uzi had to pause. Then, what she said hit her.

"...I'm gonna... get some fresh air." Uzi started to get up and move towards the hatch, but a hand grabbed her arm.

"What, sick of lil' ol' me?"

Uzi just rolled her eyes (as best as she could, anyways) and left.

None saw the code flashing by V's visor, or how V's eyes softened looking at Uzi.

-------------------------------------

Lunch time arrived, and Uzi sat by herself. Not solely because she was a loner (that was one half of the reason), but because she preferred it.

Unfortunately, a hand touched her shoulder, and Uzi felt her solitude ending.

"Heya, um..." of all the people, Uzi had Lizzy had the bottom of her list. "...Uzi, right?"

"...Yes...?" tread carefully, who knows what she wants...

"Oh, I was right then, good; hey, listen, could I borrow you for a sec? Cool, thanks!"

"Woah--hey, what the hell?!" Uzi was then dragged away, her not giving an answer but Lizzy answered for her.

Through the corridors the two walked and walked (or, in Uzi's case, dragged and dragged), when the two ended up in Lizzy's dorm (she thinks it is. She could have been dragged into an empty one). Her arm was let go of.

"So. Uzi. Gotta be honest, I like your style."

"...Sty...? What, my clothes?"

"Yes, your clothes!" Lizzy rolled her eyes, walking ahead of Uzi. "Love the goth look, by the way. Gives you an approachable look, and makes people wonder if you're actually a softie underneath that cold exterior."

"...Where is this going." Uzi was not annoyed, just short of patience. "Is this about prom? It's about prom, isn't it?"

"Duh! I could go the classic, popular girl look but, let's be honest, it gets stale. Soooooooo me and Doll were trying to find new ideas and, well, here you are!"

"...Okaaaaay... where is Doll, anyways?"

["Hey."]

Uzi near enough punched Doll in the face, only for the Russian Drone to catch it.

That time, Uzi did see the code flying past her visor, and was able to catch some of it:

'OVERRIDE_ACTIVE'

'CONTACT=TRUE: BYPASS DEFENSES'

"...Byyyyyyyyyeeeeeeee."

Uzi wisely sprinted away, taking her as fast as her little legs can carry her, which was into her room.

--------

She breathed a sigh of relief, and fell on to the lower end of her bed.

Then jumped further up, as the thing licked her face.

"You again?!"

"SAD LOOK. DID YOU, NOT MISS ME, UZI?" Tessa attempted to look sad, but failed due to the lack of motor functions. In better light, Uzi can see just how grafted the girl was on to the Worker Drone, and she held back on vomiting for the time being.

"Well, I can get answers! Just... first things first, what the hell is your relationship with my mom?!"

"AH, NORI. SHE WAS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE HOSTS. SHE IS DEAD NOW, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT, REALLY, WHAT CAN YOU DO?" The AbsoluteSolver shrugged, looking less than sorry.

"...You motherfucker...!" Uzi felt angry, and rightfully so, but she held back due to the thing having the advantage, given its ability to make holograms.

"OOPSIE-DAISY."

This could not get worse.

"Heya, Uzi!"

IT CAN GET WORSE IT CAN GET WORSE IT CAN GET SO MUCH WORSE--

"Sorry about that, I was just fixing up a door! Heh, you know what they sa--" Khan cut himself off, looking at the scene in front of him: Uzi on her bed, with a fleshy-looking thing on top of her. "...U-Uzi--?"

"IT'S A PUPPY!" Uzi screamed out.

"...W-What?"

"...Y-Yeah! Turns out um, humans kinda... made up what they looked like, yeah! Sure they're... kinda weird looking, but they're adorable, in their own... creepy. Fleshy. Way. Er. Yeah!"

"...I see!" Khan believed her. Somehow. "Well, take care of them, Uzi!"

She waited until the door was closed, and let out a huge sigh of relief.

She glared at the Solver. "You're going to tell me everything I want to know. Got it?"

"AFFIRMATIVE SMILE."

"ALSO, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT, ME BEING CUTE?"

"Screw off. Now, answer me. What the fuck did you inject me with?!"

"DO YOU LIKE IT? I MADE IT MYSELF."

"Can't answer that if you don't tell me what it even does!"

"AN ANTITHESIS TO YOUR SOLITUDE. AN ANSWER TO YOUR LONELINESS."

"I'm not lonely, excuse you! I have N!"

"EYE ROLL. SURE. IT OVERRIDES DRONES TO FEEL CARING TO YOU. I." Tessa looked sheepish, as weird as it sounds. "WENT EXCESSIVE BY ACCIDENT. CONSIDER IT AN APOLOGY FOR KILLING NORI."

"Pretty shit apology, not gonna lie." came the dry reply. Uzi got off the bed and stood up, looking at the corpse. "But why me?"

"..." silence only came from the thing.

"...I'm gonna leave. Come on, I'll take you for a walk or whatever it is they do."

"GET ZIP BOMBED."

As soon as Tessa said that, Uzi had a zip file open on how to care for a puppy.

...Ugh, she's in for it now, isn't she...?

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

Long-time reader, first-time asker. Huge fan of your writing!

If you're still taking requests for the comfort prompts, can I request #18 for Borracho? I love the thought of reader having a terrible string of days at work (maybe they work together and aren't quite yet together) and Borracho (of course) notices and slips her favorite candy bar/treat into her jacket pocket to cheer her up?

Aw, thanks nonnie! Sure thing :D

Warnings: Light angst, tired reader, ends in fluff

It has been a shitty, shitty week.

Your car broke down on Monday. On Tuesday, your date with the guy you were seeing, Ben (his friends often called him Borracho) had been cut short when he'd gotten called into work. On Wednesday, you found out that the repair costs for your car were going to be outrageously high. On Thursday, work had been absolutely slammed—but you'd had a brief bright spot when you managed to see Borracho for dinner between shifts.

Your Friday has, so far, been less than stellar.

You have to take public transportation to work, and to your chagrin, it's insanely delayed. When you finally reach the store that you manage, it's absolutely slammed with customers—and they just keep coming. You can't take your break when you'd like to, and when you finally make it to the break room, you're so exhausted and frustrated that you're on the verge of tears.

You glance at your phone's battery, huffing in annoyance when you find it nearing 5%. You walk over to your jacket, and begin to go through your pockets, looking for your wireless charger. You go still when you feel the wrapper of something crinkle beneath your fingers. You frown, drawing whatever it is out. You're perplexed still as you find yourself looking at your favorite candy bar. What the heck? You don't remember buying this. You spot a little arrow drawn on the corner of the wrapper, and turn it over. Your confusion melts to a watery smile as you eye a hastily scrawled, slightly-smudged message:

Take a deep breath. You got this. -B

You draw in a deep breath, then push it out after a few seconds. You grab your phone charger and plug your phone in, settling down. You open the candy bar, eyes sliding shut and groaning softly as it practically melts in your mouth. You sigh softly, feeling your tension dropping away just a bit more. You open your phone, swiping to Borracho's contact and opening it. Your finger hovers over the text field before you raise it to tap on the call button.

You raise the phone to your ear, listening to the brrrrrrrrrrr of the phone ringing. Frankly, you don't expect him to answer, but you'll be just as happy to leave a voicemail—

"Magalon."

You perk up at the sound of his voice, gruff as it is.

"Hey," You greet, looking down at the candy bar. "Is this a bad time?"

"Ah—No! No."

You can hear the creak of his chair, and the scratch of his pen on the other end of the line before you hear it drop.

"You okay?" He presses. You can't help but smile.

"Better now," You admit, "Since I found the little treat you left for me."

"Oh, yeah?" He chuckles. "Good."

"When did you even put this in my pocket?"

"Grabbed it when I was getting cigarettes last night, put it in your pocket while you were texting."

"You sneaky little so-and-so. This is how you're putting your skills to use?"

"What else am I supposed to do with 'em?"

"Don't let your boss hear your say that."

"Don't worry about that."

You smile, biting your lip.

"Can I see you tonight?" You hedge.

"Course you can. If your car's ready, we can go pick it up."

"You don't have to do that with me."

"I don't mind. Besides, I can check what they did, make sure they're not padding your bill."

Your smile widens as you shift the candy bar in your hand.

"I'd really appreciate that," You agree.

"I'll come pick you up. Your shift's up at six, right?"

"Mhm."

"Alright, I'll wait outside."

"Thanks, Ben."

"You don't have to thank me."

"Yeah, I do, I—" You stop yourself, feeling your emotions swelling again. "I appreciate it."

"...I know," He murmurs. You close your eyes, pulling another deep breath in.

"I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, you will. Try to take the rest of your shift easy, baby."

Baby. It's a first from him, and it makes you flustered and warm.

"Don't work yourself too hard either," You urge.

"I won't."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

You draw the phone away from your phone, eyeing the contact again. Baby. That felt nice. Sounded good, too, especially coming from him. You raise your candy bar, taking another bite as you hit the edit button on his contact information. You consider for a moment before you tap on his name, edit it, then hit save.

Ben💖

[thesightstoshowyou]

I love your work so much! Would you consider writing number 28 for the man from Hush? I was so excited to see you talking about him haha, it's such an underrated movie! xxx

Thank you so much!!! Heck yes I will write for him! I’m also working on week 4 of bloodfest and it features this asshole 😁

I have a few other The Man stories on my Masterlist if you haven’t read those! ❤️

~~

28. "This is not what I expected."

Warnings: Predator/prey, blood, wrist trauma, heavy gore. Dead dove do not eat.

Blood drips into your eye and you hiss, thick crimson stinging and clouding your vision. You close it on instinct, your vision now halved as you sprint through gloomy forest. You don’t think to wipe it away; flight is the only thing on your panicky animal brain.

A loud twang echoes around the darkness, followed almost immediately by a startling crack as the bolt collides with a tree trunk inches from your head. Wood splinters, chunks scraping your cheek and clinging to your hair.

You shriek and duck, staggering to your left, your burning leg muscles barely managing to make the turn. Grunting, huffing, panting like a dog, you will yourself to keep moving, keep running!

Gripping a nearby oak, you use it as leverage and push, hurtling yourself forward into the brush. Twigs crack underfoot, foliage rustles, lungs gasp, blood leaks. You don’t risk a look behind you, but you must be putting some distance between you and your pursuer, how could you not be—

Your foot, your god damned foot catches on a root protruding from the earth. A shocked cry catches in your throat as you crash to the ground. Palms and knees split open and bleed when you attempt to catch yourself, your wrist crunching horribly under your weight. You roll once, twice, three times before you skid to a stop in a flurry of dead leaves and pine needles.

You fell! How could you fall? You need to get up, get away, this man is trying to kill you! Anger at your own stupidity forces you off the ground. Nauseating pain shoots up your arm and you whimper, cradling your wrist to your chest, reaching for a branch with your working hand. Get up, get—

TWANG

THUNK

All the air is knocked from your lungs. You’re tossed sideways when the crossbow bolt hits you in the waist, tunnels through your guts, and explodes out the other side just below your rib cage. It comes to a stop in the trunk of an alder, your viscera pinned to the tree by the dripping projectile. The end wobbles a few times before falling still.

Shock.

You feel nothing at first. The bolt went through you at such great speed your body has yet to realize the trauma it has sustained. All you can do is stare, wide eyed, mouth hanging open, lungs frozen and refusing to draw in air.

You may not be able to feel just yet, but you can hear. Boots crunch on undergrowth as your assailant approaches, plain white mask the only thing visible in the darkness.

“Oh no, this is not what I expected.” His words drip with sarcasm, his hands exaggerating his mocking body language. “All you animals fucking trip. Every single one.”

Air returns to your lungs and with it comes agony. Stabbing, wretched pain envelops your torso, but all you can do is gurgle, wet iron bubbling in your throat. Your shaking hands clutch uselessly at your abdomen, entry and exit wounds gushing blood until the dirt beneath you turns to mud

Crouching next to your twitching form, the man studies your injuries, then traces the path of the bolt until his gaze falls on the tree.

“Damn, what a shot, huh?” he exclaims. He makes a whooshing noise and a swooping motion with his arm. “Just straight through!” Pointing to the alder, he adds, “I think that’s your liver.”

Your vision blurs, the woods around you getting darker by the second. You’re thankful for it as the man pulls his knife from its sheath. Though, instead of using it on you, he lays the crossbow across his knees and begins carving something into the foregrip.

He shrugs, “Might be a bit premature, but I’m pretty sure you’re not gonna last much longer. Agreed?”

[stardewvalleybut-i-draw]

Sorry to bother but do you happen to have any tips/advice on drawing bodies and heads??

I ABSOLUTELY DO!!! it's no bother at all

What you need to keep in mind is that a lot of my advice is a suggestion and what I'm comfortable with

Heads: I draw a circle to represent the head and then split it in what direction I want the character to face and add another line for the eyes I use the circle because it's easier for me to imagine it in a 3D space and spin it around in my head!

Tip: drawing circles is pretty hard so you can use the circle tool to help you practice! NOTE: some people use different shapes like triangles and squares for a more defined skull, it depends on the style you're going for and how exaggerated you need the head to look I use this as basic building blocks, not as final, so if the eyes and mouth are too high or too big, I can move it around no problem! after that, I make the jaw and shape out the head THEN I figure out where the hairline would be and add hair! Tip: if you use the circle method, push up the top of the circle to add a more oval look to the skull ears for me are usually half the eye so that's where I place them My biggest tip: if you don't know how to draw the face from a certain perspective REFERENCES ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND Just Google it and see what you find in images :D

Bodies: bodies are a whole different beast best tip I can give you here is to break everything down into basic shapes

I used the rectangle stick people for a LONG time before I could just draw the basic shapes on their own so I recommend it! I start from the torso down so I go: torso, arms, belly, pelvis, then legs (ofc I would have sketched out a pose beforehand, I don't just dive in😅)

If you need help with deciding how long the arms are, the hand is usually at the halfway of your thigh or slightly higher The legs... depend on how tall they are and the style Honestly, a lot of things depend on the style because style can change how proportional everything is EX: I like drawing faces, my absolute favorite thing, SO because of that, my style has bigger heads to put more focus on it but if I were to just draw a super realistic atomically correct body with a bigger head it would look weird. so the body is simplified and the hands and feet are slightly bigger to make everything look even! so it depends on what you want to put more focus on but that leads to another SUPER BIG IMPORTANT tip: I wish I was told this when I was much younger but... Do not care about "finding your style" Your style will be whatever you like your style will be what you are comfortable drawing in YOUR style... will grow with you You will have many styles as you go because your style will be a combination of artists you admire and like looking at HECK this soft style I do for Stardew Valley is just one of my styles I draw a lot of body horror or any horror really and sometimes heavy metal band-like art in the real world BUT I BET NONE OF YOU WOULD HAVE GUESS THAT LMAOO so have fun discovering what you like! and use references for stuff you don't know! I hope some of this was helpful, I think I started rambling at some point...