#I just need to get one para done before my meeting

[vaciena]

Okay. I can do this.

[simphornies]

Hello, I would like to make a request about Husk x male reader, where the Male reader is a sinner who managed to become an Overlord by creating a company selling weapons. The Male reader arrives at the hotel at Alastor's request and, during this visit, he meets the hotel's residents, becoming enchanted by Husk. Once he finishes the visit, he decides to come to the hotel from time to time to relax after a stressful day, bonding with everyone, especially Husk.

Una noche, están tomando una copa en el bar y los sentimientos afloran, desencadenando una noche de pasión (+18). Por la mañana, ambos se alegran de la presencia del otro. Saltaremos en el tiempo al capítulo donde Husk se enfrenta a Alastor y este lo amenaza.

El lector Masculino ve esto y decide comprar el alma de Husk para poder ser libre, pero decide quedarse trabajando en el hotel, ya que le agrada la gente de aquí. Decides quedarte a vivir en el Hotel ayudando.

Husk: Bottom/Uke

Male reader: Top/Seme

A/N: I don't understand/speak spanish so I hope the translation got it right! Apologies if I got some things wrong 🥲 I also could not write Husk as a bottom...I'm sorry it just didn't go that way for me. He gives off such top energy-- If you need me to make a second part where the reader tops, I'd be glad to!

Word count: 2.5k (2,538)

Hell's Blessing [ Husk x M!Overlord!Reader ] NSFW!

MINORS DNI

You walk into your office, absolutely exhausted from your day dealing with the sinners under your control. You knew what the costs of becoming an overlord was but at the end it was all worth it. Power and safety. You decided to get ready to head out and visit the Hazbin Hotel, per Alastor’s request. You put on the best suit and tie you owned, making sure your hair was slicked back, not a hair out of place.

Upon arriving, Alasto greets you at the door with his signature smile. “Y/N! Glad you could make it here. Quite a pleasure. Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel.” You walk in and he gestures to the lobby, “Come meet our lovely staff. This is Charlie Morningstar, founder of the hotel, princess of hell and heir to the throne.”

Charlie runs over to you, eagerly shaking your hand, “Hi! Welcome! Nice to finally meet you!” She smiles, “This is my girlfriend, Vaggie!” She gestures to the one eyed angel next to her who waves in response.

Another resident walks up to you, leaning an arm on your shoulder with a seductive grin. “Hey there. I’m Angel Dust.” He winks, “You look like a fun night~” He purred into your ear. You quickly stepped away and dusted off your shoulder before you walked over to the bar to meet the others.

“Hello! I am Sir Pentious! Builder extraordinaire!” He saluted you, “It’s an honor to meet you! I adore your weapons.” A smaller figure runs from behind him, climbing up your suit to smile closely to your face, giggling maniacally.

“I’m Nifty! I clean.” She laughs as she stares into your eyes. You laugh awkwardly and put her down on the ground to which she immediately scurries away. You glance at the bar and as soon as you lay eyes on the bartender, you feel your heart pound faster.

“I’m Husk. Bartender. Want a drink?” He hands you a glass filled with whiskey which you take as you sit down.

“Pleasure to meet you all. Please, please, continue on with regular matters. I’m just here to visit and check the place out.” You say. Alastor phases next to you, grinning with what you assume to be delight.

“So! How do you like the place? Charming isn’t it?” He asks you, eagerly awaiting your response. You take a sip of your drink and nod.

“Charming indeed. A good endeavor, I’m sure.” You glance up and observe Husk cleaning a glass before turning your attention back to Alastor, “I believe this is a good establishment for me to invest protection weapons in if need be.”

“Wonderful! I’ll leave you here to settle in! Drink, Y/N!” He gets up and phases away into his shadow.

Husk rolled his eyes, “How do you know the boss?” He asks, leaning against the bartop.

“We’ve done business before,” You nervously fiddle with your glass, “He’s yet to do me wrong so I decided to entertain his invite. The atmosphere here is definitely better than the atmosphere in my side of the city.” You gaze into his eyes, seemingly entranced.

He scoffed, “Yeah? Well that makes one of us. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to be.” He grumbles. You didn’t pry on his statement, not wanting to push too far considering you just met. Instead you just continued to make small talk, drinking the night away.

After your first visit, you frequented the hotel and always hung around Husk at the bar. You spent time with everyone equally but something about Husk just triggered something in you. You formed a deep bond with him, often ranting about the customers you’ve had to deal with everyday. He always made you your drinks the way you like it, listening to you intently. He went from being closed off to looking forward to your next visit.

After an extra stressful day, you stumbled into the hotel, eager for a drink. Husk had already prepared you your usual before you even sat down. “Rough day, huh?” He chuckled, “You’re late today. I thought you weren’t even coming. Everyone else either went to bed early or fucked off somewhere.”

You groaned, “The customers today were extra annoying,” You hissed, downing your glass immediately. “I need a couple of bottles tonight.” You rubbed your temples and sighed, “I want to just lay down and drink the night away. I don’t want to think about those little shits.”

“Well lucky for you, your closest friend here is a bartender.” He slid a bottle to you, “Didn’t think tonight was a drink-to-forget kind of night. Tell me all about it.”

You ranted about your day from the Karens of Hell to the weirdest orders to the most impatient of customers that insisted they get their order as soon as they paid you. Husk sat down next to you, listening intently. What you didn’t notice during your rants was how he looked at you with admiration.

As the night progressed you both had drank too much a bit too much and shared absolutely anything and everything. “You know…” You begin, “...I’m glad I accepted Alastor’s offer to visit. I’m glad to have met everyone here but especially you.” You confessed, playing with your drink swirling it around in your cup.

“Yeah. I’m glad I met you too.” He chuckled, “I think I’ve gotten used to you, Y/N. I like being around you.” You blushed at his statement, thankful that it wasn’t obvious thanks to the alcohol.

“I like you too.” You spoke a little too fast. You forgot to add in a couple of words but before you could correct yourself Husk spoke up.

“What?” He blinked at you, taken aback at your words.

You feel your face warm up a bit more, “What! I meant…I meant I like being around you too! Haha…” You laugh awkwardly. It was quiet for a moment and you felt your heart begin to sink, scared that he didn’t return your feelings.

Husk grabs your hand and pulls you close to him, kissing you with passion. You held onto him as he lifted you up onto his lap. The two of you only pulled away for air and as you were gasping, he lifted up your chin so he could look into your eyes.

“I thought you’d never say that.” He smiled, kissing you again as soon as you caught your breath. The two of you ended up in his room, kissing with such hunger. Soon enough, both of your clothes were on the floor and the door was locked. He got on top of you and kissed your neck, making his way down to your chest to leave a trail of hickies. You humped up against him, begging for friction to which he chuckles.

He reaches down and strokes your cock, slowly to tease you. You whined at the speed, jerking your hips for more attention. He held your hips down and unwrapped his hands from you. “Somebody’s eager.” His deep voice sent shivers down your spine. You look down and see his own hardon, twitching and leaking with pre-cum.

You get up to give him attention, hungrily taking him into your mouth and earning a deep moan in response. He placed a hand over your head, petting you for your good work. You bobbed your head up and down while your hands reached down to give yourself pleasure.

He pulled you off, a pop sounding from your mouth. You were a drooling mess, looking at him with lust filled eyes. You lay down with your ass up, eager to take him in. “H-Husk please…” You begged. He enters you with no hesitation, your spit lubing him up enough to make the entry effortless. You shivered with delight and moaned as he thrusted into you at a steady pace. His hand went up and down on your dick causing you to moan louder in pleasure.

You felt him twitch inside of you, his rhythm fading away into fast paced thrusts. He moans in your ear and you swear that the sound of him almost sent you into climax. He grabbed your hips tighter, “Fu-Fuck…Y/N…” He moaned, “I’m going to-”

You were drooling in pleasure underneath him, feeling your own climax inching closer and closer. It wasn’t long until the knot in your stomach snapped and you released all over the sheets underneath you. Husk felt your walls tighten around him, sending him to the edge. You feel him fill you up to the brim. He leaned over your body, purring in pleasure. After a while, he slowly pulls out of you, the cum dripping out. He chuckled at the sight of you, a powerful overlord, being a drooling mess on his sheets. He grabbed a wipe to clean you off before cuddling up to you. You sigh happily, nuzzling your head into his neck as you listen to his low purrs.

“You’re…amazing. You know that? In every sense.” You speak softly. You feel him hold you even closer. “I’ve been enchanted by you since I first laid eyes on you. I believe I’ve fallen head over heels for you, Husk.”

“I love you too, Y/N. You melt my cold little heart.”

The two of you drifted off to sleep in each others’ arms, happy and content.

The following day you woke up before him. Your mind was still foggy from waking up but memories from the night before came flooding in as soon as your eyes focused and you saw a sleeping Husk in front of you. Your face flushed a bright red and went even brighter upon realizing you’re both naked. In bed. Together. Husk woke up soon after you and gave you a smirk upon seeing your flustered self.

“H-Husk! Good morning!” You laughed nervously. You turn your head as to not face him but he gently guides your face back to look at him.

“Good morning, babe.” If you could short circuit like the other overlord, Vox, could you would most definitely be short circuiting right now.

“Sorry I-” Your voice cracked, “I’m just…”

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” He smirked, pointing to himself. You couldn’t help but laugh at his pun.

“I’m just nervous. That’s all. I just…You know…Last night we.” You stutter out. Before you could continue, Husk kissed you, shutting you up. You closed your eyes and leaned into him happily.

He breaks away from you before getting up, “C’mon. Let’s go take a shower together.” He winked.

After you two dried off and got dressed, you headed off to the lobby so Husk can start his day. You wave everyone goodbye and give Husk a kiss before leaving. You run out, escaping the questioning they certainly gave him, not wanting to meet the same fate, laughing.

.

It’s been a couple months since you and Husk spent a night together. You two had officially been a public couple, even letting your relationship be known to your people. If you weren’t already frequenting the hotel back then, you were certainly turning into a regular now, even coming in during work hours whenever you make a delivery close by. Today was one of those days, you were a couple of minutes away and decided to stop by and say hi to everybody. To your surprise, the lobby was empty of people. Charlie and Vaggie were out, Angel Dust was at work, Sir Pentious was nowhere to be seen and Nifty was most likely chasing bugs on a different floor.

“Hello?” You call out to no response. You head towards the bar to only find that empty as well. You wandered the halls until your ears caught two voices from around the corner. Before you could run over there you hear Alastor yell. You stopped and peeked around the corner.

“How many times do I have to remind you to never mention such things to me?” He growled. On the floor in front of Alastor was Husk, shaking in fear with chains around his neck. You hold yourself back from gasping. “Do not forget. You’re on my leash. And you’re getting quite pesky to deal with…” Alastor wraps the chains around his hand, pulling Husk closer and closer to his demon form.

Before anything could happen you jump out of the corner, “Alastor!” You yelled, your own demon form coming out. His neck snaps 180 degrees to look at you, his body unmoving. “What are you doing?”

His eyes squint towards you, his smile getting wider. “My! Who do we have here?” He speaks, voice laced with his radio filter. “To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you here today, Y/N?” 

“Let’s make a deal, Alastor.” You state, “I want his soul. I will pay you for his soul. Fund this hotel, make it better and promise you my company’s undying loyalty and protection. In return, I want his soul.” Your voice distorted at the last word, staring him down with confidence and pride.

Alastor glances down at Husk, still terrified out of his mind before looking back to you. He phases out of his demon form, turning back to normal and you do the same. “Hmm…” He considered, “Well he is getting a bit difficult to deal with. And I would hate to find a different bartender if I were to get rid of him so…fine.” He extends his hand out to you, glowing green. You shake it and the green chains around Husk’s neck disappear from Alastor’s hand. The chains turn a yellowish white as it gets passed to you. The opacity turned more translucent.

You dismissed it and grinned at Alastor. “Pleased to be doing business with you, old friend.”

“Quite a pleasure indeed! Now! I have a radio show to broadcast. Enjoy~” He hummed before disappearing into the shadows.

You run over to Husk shaking on the floor, “Husk…I am so sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I’ll give you back your soul, I just…I didn’t know.” He gave you a quiet hug, a hug that lasted a while.

He pried himself off of you and gave you the most heartfelt smile you’ve ever seen him give, “Thank you, Y/N. Thank you.” He gave you a kiss filled with passion. You felt him melt against you with his wings wrapping around you both. “Keep my soul, Y/N. But…I can’t leave the hotel. I’ve gotten used to life around here and I don’t think I can move in with you…I’m sorry.”

You shake your head, “Nonsense! I would never ask for such a thing. I’ll give you back your soul-”

“No. Keep it.” You blinked at him, confused and shocked, “Take it as my dedication to you, Y/N. I love you.”

Your shock expression melted into a heartfelt one. “Thank you…Husk. Don’t worry about moving anywhere…” You hugged him, head resting on his chest, “I’ll move here. I can run my business away from my building. I want to be with you and the people here at the hotel. I’ve grown accustomed to it.”

He held you, purring as he did so. “Thank you, Y/N. You’re a blessing in this Hell."

[boo-seb]

DW Interview with Sebastian Vettel [2024-10-30] English Translation ↴

[How would you describe what you saw flying over the forest? And what was the purpose of this flight?]

It wasn't just a flight. Over the last two days, I visited the Amazon and the indigenous people in the heart of the forest. I had never been to the Amazon before, so it was very much a first for me. I've always read about the rainforest, the people who live in it and their spirits. Now, I really had the chance to meet, get to know and talk to them. The flight was very impressive. At first you see a lot of forest, a lot of trees, on the horizon.

But it's also very worrying, because there are a lot of soy farms, a lot of land that looks like it's already been moved and taken out of the forest. You can see where there's a clear cut between the forest and the farms, either for livestock or for soy. On today's flight, we could also see the gold mining that is destroying the forest. So, as much as it was an inspiration, it was also a shock. There were very positive things, meeting the people, spending time with them, but also negative things, in terms of seeing how humans are changing the landscape, and not for the better.

[Was this something you expected to see or did you think it would be something different?]

Yes. Obviously I prepared myself a bit, I took a look at what to expect. But it's still shocking when, on the one hand, you see trees on the horizon and lush greenery. And then you see how the colors change and how the landscape has been altered by humans, bulldozers and machines. As well as the contamination of the land, with elements that are polluting the waters and also people and animals. I could have imagined it, but yes, it's a surprise when you see it. It's much more impactful to see than just to read about.

[And you said that you had already researched this before. What exactly sparks your interest in the Amazon rainforest and indigenous peoples now?]

Well, I have a general interest in the environment. I grew up in a very privileged region in Germany, where you get free education and can choose to become whatever you want, where doors are open no matter which direction you're looking in. And I come from a very different background with racing.

But one thing that racing has allowed me, and I think it's a privilege, is to travel the world, meet different people, get an insight into different cultures. And that teaches you a lot of lessons, as long as you're attentive. I think that's the biggest challenge of our lives, and probably the biggest challenge that human beings have ever faced, to ensure that we have a future and a future that allows and enables the next generations to enjoy as much as we do. I think that's fair. So I'm willing to use my platform, my voice, to make a positive impact and raise awareness. And that's also the purpose of the trip.

[You've talked about racing and, in other interviews, you've touched on what Formula 1 could do and what other drivers could do more for the environment. How can these two realities fit together?]

There are many subjects that, at first glance, don't fit together. But I think that's exactly the challenge we're facing. There are so many things that don't fit together and we have to find a solution between them. Racing is my passion, and I'd love it to exist in the future too. But for that to happen, they need to change, they need to adapt. In that sense, perhaps they are a good example of how this can be done.

[And what do you think developed countries like Germany can do to help protect forests and the traditional populations that live in them?]

That's a difficult question, but I think raising awareness and helping other countries, whatever they are, to move in the right direction. Germany has a lot of homework to do. All countries have a lot of homework to do. But I think this is also a problem that we won't solve just by looking at our own problems, within our own countries. It's something we have to look at globally.

First, we need to listen to the real experts, who are the people who have lived inside the forests for thousands of years. They have established a way of life according to how the forest needs to be in order to have a future. So it's only fair to protect their land and stop deforestation, as well as return some of the land that has been taken from them illegally. And how can countries, especially rich ones, help? We need to find a way to really appreciate the value of the forest and also monetize that value in order to be able to protect it. Because protecting it is expensive, and the short-term interest of private companies has obviously led to land exploitation. Even if you never travel to Brazil, you will be harmed if the Amazon disappears.

[Do you think that people in Germany or in other countries are aware of the importance of the Amazon rainforest for the whole environment and the planet?]

No, and I don't think you can expect every individual, you know, to become aware and take action. Politics and governance need to come into play and the world's leaders need to get together and come up with public policies and solutions. I'm not saying it's easy, but I'm also saying it's possible. It's been done before and it can be done again.

On a global level, there is also reason for hope. So, as devastating as land grabbing is and looks when you fly over and see it, it's also true that, globally, there are many projects, many people who are working hard and making sure that we're moving in the right direction. We just need to do it much faster. That's where I believe raising awareness helps, because if people are asking for the right things, they will drive policies in the right direction.

[You posted photos on Instagram with indigenous leaders Raoni Metuktire and Megaron Txucarramãe. What was it like meeting them? What are the most important things you learned from them and from the other Kayapó indigenous people you met?]

The fact that our two worlds don't collide, but meet. I think I was impressed by how tolerant and open they were with me and with people from outside the forest. For our part, we need to act in the same way. We don't expect them or the communities inside the forest or the indigenous peoples to live in the same way as us. They have their own fair way of living and existing. There are so many things we need and should learn from them, instead of taking away their land, the basis of their very existence.

[How would you summarize this experience in one sentence?]

How indigenous peoples live with the land, not just on the land. I have the feeling that sometimes we live on the land and not with the land. So I think that's a great inspiration.

[siriusleee]

your choice

Rodolfo Para x f!reader For @glitterypirateduck's Fall4Rudy challenge. Prompt: It's your choice A/N: I typed this on my off period at work. To see others in this series, you can find them at my masterlist here.

You’re not sure when the two of you fell asleep; between the warmth of Rudy pressed against your back and the heaviness of the comforter, you fell asleep faster than you had in weeks.

When you wake, you’re curled into his chest, one leg slotted between the two of his, and your hands pressed against his chest. Rudy’s hands have slipped beneath the extra large shirt you’ve been sleeping in, so hot against your skin.

It’s worrying to shift, to wake him. You’ve only seen him asleep a few times when the two of you worked on joint operations years ago and had to spend a few nights locked in an office with the other agents. He looks so much younger when he sleeps, ten years of worry erased off of his face.

You think of what Laswell would say about the two of you curled together in a dark and nearly-dingy hotel room; not that she could judge much. You remember the day she’d met her wife in the office - how it was secret meetings everyone helped cover until the realization that no one cared came through. But you wonder if it would be enough to have her reassign you under the premise that you’re not paying enough attention to the work that needs to be done.

Rudy shifts, his leg sliding higher between the two of you, pulling you in closer to him.

“Stop staring; go back to sleep.”

He’s too hot. Too rough; holding you too gently beneath the blanket. His breath is warm and tickles the baby hairs at the nape of your neck. You try to wiggle away, to get some room to breathe, but Rudy holds you tighter.

“Be still.”

His voice is still soft, but it’s grown an edge that wedges inside of you. Suddenly the hands at your back have curled in, his fingernails digging lightly into the sensitive skin.

“Rodolfo-” you whine, his nails pressing just incrementally harder. You wonder if he, like you, is tipsy from the heat and the proximity of each other.

“Rudy please.”

You must still be half asleep, you think, because you have no idea what you're asking for - just that you need more of it. Rudy shifts again, this time so that he’s barely hovering above you, hands still under your shirt. The material shift with him, pulling up until it’s barely below decent. One of his hands moves to grab the back of your head, pulling your hair gently until you’re forced to make eye contact with him.

You lose the ability to breathe when you look into Rudy’s eyes. He doesn’t look so young anymore, now there’s just a sharpness, a hunger to the way he hovers over you.

“Is this what you want?” He punctuates his question by sliding his knee up higher, and you grind down without thinking. “Is this why you wanted to see me?”

His question down turns at the end, another unspoken question tacked on.

“I wanted to see you, Rudy.”

And you did - wanted to talk to him about anything other than work, hear the way he laughed. But you had been too scared to send a message, instead waiting until he made the first move.

But this time he waits for you to make the first move, so you do. Fingers working up the soft fabric of his shirt until you can pull him down to kiss him, pressing yourself upwards so that you’re pressed fully against him.

“Is this what you want?” Rudy asks, breath mixing with yours. You nod, grinding down against his knee again, moaning into his mouth. But Rudy doesn’t move.

“Say it.”

Your hands still against him for just a moment before you speak.

“Yes, this is what I want.”

[lordmartiya]

This prompt done by someone literal minded... What am I gonna do now?

Day 6: Injury (Hurt/Comfort)

Marinette had one weird day as Ladybug. First she had to go to the police with a gas mask to retrieve the pair of Miracolous, then, since she hadn’t been involved in the fight, had to wash them the hard way rather than use magic (thankfully Lila had shared the recipe to remove what remained after the tomato juice), then she had to go to Master Fu’s massage parlor, where Master Su had taken residence, drag him away from the tv, and explain what had happened, or at least what she knew.

And now that Lila had finally left the Prefecture (because the mess was too big for anything less than the headquarters of the police to handle, even without the whole “daughter of a diplomat” thing) she was supposed to meet her in front of Place des Vosges and get a full explanation, except she was sitting over the piled up bodies of four of Adrien’s stalkers waving her diplomatic passport, symbol of the diplomatic immunity she was taught not to use unless necessary, to Roger Raincomprix. Only good thing was that she was wearing MARINETTE’S dress, the one she had given her for the modeling job that changed their relationship. That, and the cop seemingly accepted he was more useless than usual, given Lila left him to deal with the stalkers.

“Ok, what the fuck.” Marinette demanded.

“They decided this morning’s events were part of a cunning plan to get Adrien all to myself, and tried to stop me without being able to handle the pain from a spleen shot.” Lila explained with a smile. “Hope I ruptured them.”

“No, I mean this morning!”

“Well, I was making my usual report to Gabby when he noticed my new decoy necklace, the one I had you make to hide the fact I wear the Fox Miraculous as a belt under the dress, and he asked if he could see it. I didn’t like him handling it so I said no, he threatened my job, I told him my mom’s lawyer can beat his lawyers, he said “Nooroo, Dusuu, unify”, and I sprayed him right as he was done transforming. Then I ran out of the room, closed the door, and called the police, and some idiot soon to be unemployed must have blabbed to the press since it got out so quickly. Oh, I also swiped his ring, there’s a thing I need to verify. It’s stupid and unlikely, but considering YOU have an embarrassingly plain costume…”

“Can you just let it go?”

“Giammai.” that being Italian for “never”, only hammier.

Marinette didn’t know if she should be angry or laugh. Or how they had gone from sworn enemies to this. Whatever it was that made Lila’s teasing so amusing rather than irritating, that made her want to spend as much time as possible with her. To just make sure she would never be lonely.

Before she could decide how to react, however, a smart stopped near them, and Nathalie Sanscour came out.

“This is for Gabriel and Emilie.” she said as she pulled a small pistol – and shot Lila in the chest.

“NO!” Marinette screamed as her pretend girlfriend fell. She then turned to the attacker and demanded: “Why?!”

“Because Gabriel was just trying to save Emilie. She was put in a coma and almost killed by the broken Peacock Miraculous, and-”

“And the fucker couldn’t just ask for help.” Lila’s pained voice replied before taking a deep breath – immediately imitated by Marinette, she knew what was coming.

After Nathalie got skunked, the two girls moved to safety, with Lila in clear pain and a hole in the dress but no wound. Only when they were far enough from the skunked shooter Marinette asked how Lila survived.

“A guy in Mexico makes normal-looking bulletproof clothes, there’s where my mom bought my shirts in bulk and where I just got a few undershirts.” Lila explained. “Already got shot once for an ad, though the guy had the decency to use a small .22 Long Rifle from some distance, not shooting me at point blank with a Para or larger! Seriously, that’s a Beretta Storm subcompact, it only has the 9 Para or the .40 Smith & Wesson.”

Marinette didn’t know what kind of madman made those ads, only that she felt dying when Lila was shot – and happy beyond belief when she turned out almost unharmed. How? How had she fallen for this girl?

 Afterword

Yep. Got Lila shot. I was initially planning to have one of the fan club do it, but this is Western Europe, guns are more controlled than that. Thus Nathalie did it, and is going to jail skunked.

For the bulletproof clothes… They exist, and wealthy people do buy them. Go on YouTube and look up “I was shot by Miguel Caballero”, that madman actually makes ads by shooting his customers (and his wife) at close range with a target pistol to show off that yes, his products do stop small cartridges flat (literally).

[merrymerielle]

Not Dead Yet | Self-Para

The night before had started out as restless at best. Merielle hadn't been able to sleep, which at the point was becoming a regular occurrence. She eventually made her way to a viewing room to watch the Games, hoping it would distract her from the nightmare scenarios her brain was so good at creating. The room was empty as expected, so she settled into one of the comfy chairs with a coffee and blanket.

Despite the screen's bright glow, nothing exciting seemed to be happening, and she could feel herself fighting to stay awake any longer, placing her half-finished coffee on the floor. Though she knew she'd wake up with a backache, she was too tired to care about moving.

It was the change in lighting that woke her up. The flickering of the arena display that eventually went dark. She sat up so quickly she ended up kicking over the discarded coffee mug and swearing as she bent to pick it up.

She could only stare at the screen as the walls of the arena crumbled, the jarring white of the snow being replaced with smoke. Merielle found herself standing up at the second set of explosions, as if there was anything she could have done, as if she could have crawled through the screen to help. Her brain went so quickly into overdrive that she was frozen where she stood, unable to force herself to move.

A noise from behind her shook her from her daze and she whirled around, mug in hand, to find herself staring at...well, she didn't know who she was staring at. It wasn't a peacekeeper, or one of her friends, so the only logical explanation left was the Vox. If she'd been more aware of what exactly was happening she might not have reacted in the way that she did and gone peacefully since she wasn't in any danger.

All she could hear was ringing in her ears so whatever the intruder was saying was lost on her. The adrenaline coursing through her veins made her feel like a terrified fourteen year old again, but this time she knew how to get out. So she launched the mug at the Vox soldier, hearing it shatter as it made contact with them, and ran.

It was chaos, and she could hear that, but she couldn't make sense of it - and she wasn't about to slow down to try. She made it further than she thought she would, taking the stairs two at a time, but just as she was about to reach District 3's floor someone grabbed her ankle. The stairs rose up to meet her far too quickly and everything went black.

The world faded in and out, upside down and the wrong way around, until she was unceremoniously dumped in a chair, opposite another person she didn't recognise, whose mouth was moving but Merielle couldn't see well enough through the blood and sweat to lipread, and she couldn't hear anything over the ringing in her ears that hadn't stopped.

She raised her hands and signed slowly, I can't hear you, I don't know what you're saying, what is happening?

The room was still for a moment, and then someone must have said something because one unfamiliar person was swapped out for another.

We want to talk to you. signed the new stranger, we know you haven't been involved with the recent propo's coming from the Capitol, but your friends have been, so we need to make sure you're going to be on the right side.

Merielle raised an eyebrow, blinking slowly before laughing despite herself, this is an interrogation? Who the fuck are you?

There was a pause, no confirmation either way, and the signing continued.

My name is Max. You ran after attacking one of-

What was I supposed to do, Max? Ask the stranger with a weapon if he was a good guy? This whole thing is bullshit.

She slammed her hands down on the table before looking around the room, all of these people likely recognised her, most of them would have seen her win her Games, she was a threat just because of that.

Do you know what it's like to be a fourteen year old fighting other people - more experienced people - to the death? Do you know what it's like to win and still have your family threatened if you don't cooperate? Do you know what District I'm from?

Confusion passed over their face for a moment, Four?

Four. She confirmed. I was born and raised in a district known for doing very well in any Games that are water based or involve any level of swimming. But because of my Games, I can barely shower without having a panic attack.

She winced as the ringing in her ears intensified for a moment before almost disappearing, sounds of the real world filtering back in.

If you think for one moment that I'm about to choose sides based on the Games, I will be choosing the side that keeps my family and friends safe. Do with that information what you will.

Max nodded before standing up to leave again. Merielle glared at the guards in the room, did she really need this many? How much had a well aimed mug scared them?

She wasn't sure how long she'd been left in there, it could have been minutes or hours, she'd started picking dried blood out of her auburn hair, trying to distract herself from her hearing attempting to return to normal. Eventually Max returned with the original stranger.

We have made a decision.

Merielle simply tilted her head, waiting for them to tell her where she'd be rotting for the rest of her life.

You will be pardoned. You pose no threat to the Vox and we believe that you can help us, and we will help you in return. This decision can and will be overturned if necessary. You may return to your room, we will be providing medical care for the injuries you sustained earlier today. Do you have any questions?

Pardoned? It didn't make sense, but she knew better than to look a gift-vox in the mouth. She didn't care about whatever injuries she'd picked up, there was only one question that came to mind.

Where are my friends?

[zyrafowe-sny]

For the writer snippet ask game, could I request 5, 8, and 25?

From this ask game

5 — with description I'm proud of

Description my beloathed! (Not actually actually beloathed, but it's definitely not a strength. Except when writing drabbles.)

Here's a preview from the next chapter of phantom limb pain:

His arm came off with a soft click, and he shuddered before carefully securing it. Ballister tried to focus on pleasant sensations — the forceful water beating down, the heat easing the pain in his ribs, clean skin emerging from the grime as he scrubbed (one-handedly), the texture of the penny tiles under his feet, the (achingly) familiar scent of lavender — but an undercurrent of anxiety motivated him to keep the shower short. The soft towels still felt like heaven, and as soon as he was sufficiently dry, he popped his arm back in. The relief was instantaneous. (It was mostly relief. His current prosthetic arm was a little lighter than his very first prototype, but there was still room for improvement. He’d optimized for dexterity, strength, and sensitivity — not physical comfort.)

8 — that hurt my own feelings to write

Hrm. While some of my fics seem objectively more angsty, I think it hurt more when I tried getting in Ballister's head between the Antlered Serpent and confronting Nimona in is the cop or am I the one that's really dangerous:

He knows she couldn't possibly have orchestrated the assassination. She would have needed a second shapeshifter to pretend to be the Director to fake that confession — or split herself in two somehow — and either option seems both unlikely and altogether a far too complicated plan for little miss "something something we win". Unless that was all a ruse to throw him off and she's actually a tactical genius. He thinks of her delight in chaos and destruction. He thinks of how many knights she's injured (killed? modern armor is strong but not invulnerable). He thinks of all the innocent bystanders she put in harm's way. And that girl in the monster in the scroll looks uncannily like the girl he grabbed from atop a stolen motorhorse. Could Nimona really be Gloreth's monster? Could she have destroyed their city when it was in its infancy? Did she want to burn it to the ground again? Is she capable of sowing (false) distrust to make the Kingdom harder to defend when she makes her big move? Did she identify him as the weak link in the Institute that would bring it all down? (Maybe he's questioning everything now, but her loneliness seems real. He can believe she wants an ally, someone to talk to, someone to fight with, even if she always just planned on using him.)

25 — that I consider a favorite

I'm fond of the opening of Intervention, a The Owl House fic that just had its ficaversary:

Luz reaches up to touch the sun. It's a familiar ritual — she's done it for years and years. Luz remembers being excited when she and her dad attached the glowing stars to the bottom of the top bunk. The dangling ones seemed like the coolest things ever. She must have been six. Maybe seven? It wasn’t too long after they moved to Gravesfield. Her new room seemed so scary in the dark and she kept having nightmares, so Pap�� wanted to make sure she’d always have a little light. “Luz para mi Luz,” he used to joke. (And it never failed to inspire a smile and/or a good-natured groan. Until he wasn't there to say it.) Dad loved the night sky so much. He’d take a telescope along every time they went camping and would point out distant planets and constellations. They were supposed to go backpacking somewhere far away from light pollution where they could see even more stars, but first she was too young and then he was too sick. After he was gone, it was nice to have a comforting reminder of him as she drifted off to sleep. But now? Now the centerpiece — a crescent moon overlapping the sun — reminds her of all the terrible things she set in motion by helping Philip meet the Collector. Who started breaking apart the Boiling Isles almost as soon as he was freed. (She refuses to remove the sun — it might be more of an accusation now than a sentimental memory, but her dad still put it there and she won't undo his work.)

[crystalmarred]

GET TO KNOW YOUR ADMIN !!

name — Allen, but some call me Joker.

pronouns — They/Them, but He/Him works.

preferred comms — Depends! I use Tumblr IM until I figure out if I'm actually going to talk to the person. I have, way too many times, added someone to Discord and later removed them when they didn't seem interested in talking. So I stick to Tumblr IMs for a while, then switch to Discord.

name of muse — I'm a multi-muse, so that's a list that's getting a little long. Primary canon muses are Erenville and A'aba Tia. Original characters are A'atahni Tia, Liun'a Jakkaya and X'kijin Lyzej—who is sometimes a Warrior of Light, depending.

experience in RP — I've been role playing since I was... 9? Might have been a bit earlier. Started in an old Inuyasha chatroom before upgrading to forums where I got used to routinely writing 800+ word replies, since it was a requirement in some of those RPs. Moved to Tumblr in... 2014, I think? Been here off and on since.

best experiences — I would hesitate to call anything the best, but probably one of my best experiences would be role playing as of late. I came back to Tumblr with, initially, the intent to write only with existing friends. Instead, I met two people that have become such good friends, that have really rekindled a lot of the love for RP that I used to have. Meeting two people completely by chance and having that friendship extend beyond RP, beyond the ships we share, into playing games, watching movies, partaking of things the others like is really nice and not as common as I feel it used to be.

pet peeves / dealbreakers — Negativity and aesthetics are the obvious ones, as those are in my rules. Apart from that, I hate it when people are passive in their interactions and assume my characters will blindly chase after them. If I receive a starter where a character is sitting quietly, not speaking to anyone, I didn't get a starter. I got exposition so that I could come up with a situation and write a starter for someone who didn't want to write one.

muse preference ( fluff, angst, smut ) — I don't really write smut, but I love fluff and angst. Where angst is concerned, I prefer something along the lines of hurt/comfort, not just angst. I find angst and only angst to be a bit overwhelming sometimes.

plot or memes — Either! I like to plot things; I also like winging it. I can usually do either, even for muses that I don't know. The big thing for me is that threads still need to have substance. If things don't feel like they have direction or devolves into pointless small talk, I get bored.

long or short replies — I have a preference for multi-para replies. I feel like anyone following me should know this, just based on the replies that I do. Short replies don't last long for me. I have my fun with them and stop replying once they begin to bore me. I consider them good for testing the waters, but not much else.

best time to write — Late nights. I struggle with being able to focus, so late nights being slower with less going on is probably why I find it easiest to write when it's late. I tend to get more done quicker.

are you like your muse — I like to think most people have something in common with their muses. I definitely share bits and pieces with mine, like X'kijin and I are both chronic nappers. Liun'a puts on a strong front because of trust issues. A'aba is a little on the obnoxious side. Nok'to is commonly referred to as "the anxiety cat". So on and so forth.

Tagged by: @more-than-a-princess (thank you, Rae!!) Tagging: @hyaciiintho, @vierandancer & @starsasunder, if y'all want to! Also @oathofpromises & @diademreigned since I mentioned y'all's lovely selves already.

[randofics]

Just hanging around pt.2

Bucky Barnes x southern reader

The day after Bucky stayed over you ask for his help in your shop. This part is kinda short but I wanted to continue the last bit in pt.3

You woke on a warm solid body and it took you a moment to remember the night before. Jay had saved you from your scaffolding accident and you had offered your couch to him after getting to know him. You still had to do those repairs outside and you also had some work to do in your shop but you didn't want to get up. His flesh arm was slung around your back and his metal one was hanging off the couch touching the floor. Your legs were tangled in his as you lay on his torso arms on either side of him. As you nuzzled into him trying to go back to sleep against your better judgment he sturrs. You look up at him as he wakes. "Mmh what time is it?" His deepened voice from sleep is definitely attractive. "Mornin' Jay and I mean that both literally and as a greeting." "Oh hey morning to you too sleeping beauty." You nuzzle into him again making him chuckle. "You cold or something?" "Mmh I don't wanna get up! And you are warm." "You want breakfast? I can cook if you want. I'm kinda hungry anyway." You sit up a bit at his offer much more awake than before. He smiles up at you and you lean down giving him a peck on the lips. "I'd love that darlin'. "

You slide off him and head into the kitchen to make sure you have enough food to cook with. He smiles as he watches you walk away. "I think I've got enough for us. I bought fresh eggs the other day." He gets up and follows after you. Seeing the eggs next to the stove along with some veggies and a loaf of bread he nods to himself. "Yeah I can work with that." You open one of the cabinets and attempt to grab the pan on the top shelf but you're just too short. So standing behind you with his metal hand on your lower back he reaches up and easily grabs it. His dog tags touch the back of your shoulder. "You know I think that really was the best sleep I've gotten in a long time." As he places the pan on the stove and sets the temperature you stand on your toes, caressing his jaw give him a peck on the cheek. "That's great Jay." As he cooks you get to washing the weeks dishes which with just you living there it isn't a lot.

"So about your dog tags were you or are you military?" He hesitates for a moment before answering you. "I'm a sergeant in the army though I'm not called on very often any more." "My daddy was in the 82nd airborne for a little while. He never entered combat thankfully but after he met my momma I think he quit? He's never really said much about that but I have been to a couple of his reunion's with his buddies." "Cool I've had more than a few Para drops in my time with the army. Made a few good friends in the airborne units."

"I'm sure he'd be tickled to get to know you." "If we still like each other this much after dating for a while then I'm sure he'll get to meet me." You finish up with the dishes and put them up to dry. Leaning against the counter next to him you give him a smile. "That smells and looks delicious!" The french toast in the pan sizzles slightly and the sweet smell wafts around the apartment. Jinx walks into the kitchen letting out a pitiful meow. Picking her up you nuzzle your face into her black fur. "Hey darlin' did you smell the food? I'll fix you a little somethin' just hold your horses." You set her back on the floor and grab her food bowl pouring some of her kibble and setting it back down next to her water. She crunches the kibble pieces as you watch.

"It's done y/n." You reach into the cabinet again after washing your hands and take out two plates and two glasses. He puts the french toast on both plates and turns off the burner while you take out the tea. "You have anything planned for today or are you free?" "I have a meeting with my therapist late this evening but for the rest of the day I'm free, why do you ask?" "Well I still need to repair what I was trying to last night before you found me and I have some other stuff to do in the shop. I could use some help." "Sure I can help but let's eat first." You follow him with your plate and drink to the table sitting down across from him. As you dig in, his phone that's laying on the end of the table with his jacket and gloves, rings. "Hold on I've gotta take this." He answers with a friendly voice. "Hey Sam what's up? Yeah I'm kinda on a date right now." You hear laughter on the other end though it's muffled. "Ok I'll be there thanks for the heads up." With that he hangs up grumbling. "What was that all about?" "My buddy Sam said that I'm needed for another mission tomorrow so I'm going to head over to his place in the morning I guess." You suddenly become a bit worried. "Do you know if it'll be dangerous?" He takes your hands in his and gives you a small smile in reassurance. "Hey I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm not going alone, and if it makes you feel any better I'll make a call so you can see me off." "Ok yeah I'd like that thank you." "Now let's finish eating and get to work on those repairs doll."

A little while later and you were setting up again outside with James helping you. You'd given him an old welding apron that you hadn't trashed yet and one of your extra welding masks. "Turn that dial just a smidge higher please." You lined up the stick and sparked it starting the weld. Ever so slowly you drew the molten metal over the crack doing miniscule loops to help get better weld penetration. Once you finished the weld you waited a moment for it to cool before knocking off the slag. The foot long weld was pristine and you shut off the welder. "Done with that." He looked at you perplexed. "Wait really that's all you had to do?" "Well I have to put the panel back over it but I'll do that when I get the new one. As far as the weld goes yeah, it may not look like much but this is a structural beam and it needed to be welded. That weld may not look it but it's plenty strong enough to hold."

He helped you get the welder back inside where you flipped on the light switch illuminating the shop. There was heavy equipment along the walls and tool boxes next to the door. You rolled over the welders cart and he slid it into place on the metal frame. "Alrighty let's get started! I'm working on a metal American flag for a customer to put over their mantle. And some construction equipment parts that need fixing for another client." "Maybe we should work on the equipment parts first that seems higher priority to me." You nod in agreement. "Sounds like a plan." For the next few hours you and James grind clean and weld the parts back into working order. With him helping adjust clamps and hold pieces in place your work goes much quicker. You even teach him a little about welding and give him a chance to practice on some scrap parts you use to warm up. You help him with the different weld patterns and how to tell if a weld isn't good. Eventually you get to the flag project and you take to welding again. It was almost finished anyway so it didn't take long till you were done.

The both of you having gotten dirty and sweaty from the extreme heat of the welding took separate showers. You went first and offered to give his clothes a quick wash and dry while he showered. You waited patiently for him to leave his clothes outside the door. After a quick wash and dry you folded his clothes neatly and knocked on the door. He opened it a crack and peaked through, his hair and skin still wet from the shower and his dog tags hanging from his neck. "Thanks you're an angel doll." "You're welcome darlin'. " You handed him the folded clothes and he shut the door. Taking a seat in the living room you turned on the TV and just chose something random to occupy your mind. An interview with captain america was what you landed on. You weren't very interested until a picture of a guy that looked just like James popped up on screen. He had much longer hair and the photo was taken from far away but then a name popped up under the pic. *James Buchanon Barnes*

[ofmagicandblood]

a killer trip || past self-para

I can feel the magic, thick and unyielding, controlling every breath, every step. Klaus’s compulsion is like a hand wrapped around my throat, but it isn’t tight enough to choke me—it’s tight enough to remind me I have no control. He doesn’t just want blood; he wants me to see Damon like this. Ruthless. Savage. And he wants Damon to see me the same way. He wants the masks to slip, the morals to be washed away and the control to be no longer of reach. Fitting.

I glance at Damon from across the wreckage. Tonight, I’m not just Katherine Pierce, the runaway survivor or Klaus’s pawn. Tonight, I’m once again THE apex predator, standing beside Damon, and for once, he’s entirely mine. He’s already tearing through the helpless crowd like a storm, eyes wild and beautiful. I wonder if he’ll remember this. A small part of me hopes he doesn’t. If there’s one thing Damon doesn’t need, it’s another excuse to hate himself. He’s already too good at that. But there's another part that thinks he deserves it... all of it. The more he suffers, the more he'll need me. It's called a toxic relationship for a reason, isn't it?

But me? I don’t get to hide behind compulsion. Not really. Stefan would call this an excuse, wouldn’t he? He’d tell me I had a choice before Klaus got inside my head. That I should have run, fought harder, died before letting myself be used again. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’ve been running from choices my whole life. But then again, Stefan never had to watch someone murder his family and laugh while doing it. I. Deal. With. It. I dealt with my family's death, I dealt with betrayals... I betrayed, I killed, I lied, I schemed - and look at me still alive and kicking. Not bad, not bad at all.

Damon tears through a man, and our eyes meet for the briefest second. I feel it—the pull, the unspoken language between us. Even now, he’s all fire and defiance, glaring at me as if to say, “Fight it.” But there’s nothing to fight. Nothing except Klaus’s voice in my head, whispering that I’ll never be free... and a small voice of my own liking the idea of living life like that for the moment. If it meant I'd be safe and with my heart still within my ribcage, I'd tear through a dozen small villages. Hell, I'd turn every single werewolf into a hybrid. The more, the merrier. The sight ignites something in me, something wild and untethered. For a moment, I forget about Elena and her self-righteous morality. I forget about the centuries I’ve spent running, the weight of Klaus’s gaze drilling into my back. All I feel is the rush—the freedom of giving in.

Klaus’s laugh echoes in the distance, and I realize it isn’t the carnage he’s enjoying—it’s this. Watching me drown in my feelings for Damon or Stefan... or both, drowning in my inability to ever choose which life I want to myself simply because the options are always taken away from me, in the parts of me I can’t kill no matter how hard I try. He knows how this will end. He’ll walk away, leaving me with blood on my hands and Damon’s haunted stare burned into my memory. “You’re hesitating, Katerina.” Klaus’s voice snakes into my ear. I turn to face him, baring my fangs in a smile that drips with venom and defiance. “Just savoring the moment...” I reply sweetly, matching his tone but refusing to meet his eyes. I’m not afraid. Not really. Fear is an emotion I’ve worn like a mask for centuries. Beneath it is something far more dangerous: patience. Klaus will pay for this one day. He’ll pay for all of it. “Well done, Katerina,” Klaus murmurs from behind me, his voice velvet and poison. “But don’t slow down now. We’ve still got work to do.”

But tonight isn’t about Klaus. It’s about Damon, his eyes meeting mine across the chaos, a flicker of shared understanding passing between us. Here, there’s no Elena, no judgment, no one to pull him away from me. Here, it’s just us—two monsters who understand the thrill of the hunt and the lie we tell ourselves when we say we hate it. I dart into the fray, silencing a scream with a sharp twist of my wrist. The warm spray of blood is intoxicating, the air thick with adrenaline. Every step I take brings me closer to Damon. He’s grinning, a glint of something wicked in his eyes, and for once, it’s directed at me, not her. I laugh—a sound I haven’t heard from my lips in years, full and unrestrained.

“Having fun?” Damon asks, tossing a limp body aside like it’s nothing. His voice drips with mockery, but there’s something else there, too. Recognition. Acknowledgment. For this brief moment, we’re equals. No pretending. No masks. “Always, Damon.” I purr, stepping over the carnage to stand beside him. Blood pools around our feet, and for the first time in ages, I feel something close to contentment. Damon is here, Klaus’s compulsion be damned. Right now, I have him, and he has me. Klaus’s voice booms over the screams, calling us back to his side. The spellbinding fear of him remains, coiling in my chest like a serpent. But it doesn’t matter. One day, I’ll have my moment. One day, Klaus will see what it means to lose everything. For now, I smile, turning to Damon with a coy tilt of my head. “Shall we?” He smirks, offering me his hand. I take it, knowing full well this dance with the devil will cost me later. But for tonight, I let myself revel in it, because Damon is mine, if only for now. And for Katherine Pierce, now is all that matters.

[fi-fitz-flynn]

Hiding In The Shadows {Flynn & Smee}

Flynn & Smee meet up and make a plan to move some stolen goods.

Set Mid to Late October.

Prior Reading: How could I refuse? {Self Para}

@apirateslifefor--smee

FLYNN

Flynn had all the contacts from Alex, except for a name. A meeting time, a place all in NTO since it was local to both of them. And Flynn never admitted to her that he was living in Swynlake just incase it came back to haunt him when it came to the RAS.

But it looked like Swynlake was trying to haunt him considering one Smee was turning up.

And yet he was wearing exactly what his contact was supposed to wear.

Waving him over, Flynn grinned pushing the earlier discussed coffee toward him. “Looks like Swynlake holds a lot of secrets.”

SMEE

Smee typically would have done a bit more digging, asked for a few more details before taking on a client who was so local. Especially someone he hadn’t worked with before. It was risky, after all, especially with what a small town Swynlake was. But it wouldn’t be long before Smee left this place behind. And once he did, it really wouldn’t matter if he left a few loose ends behind, would it?

Besides, Alex had assured him this fellow was talented. Reliable. Speedy. From an established family. There was really no reason to doubt him.

“Full of secrets? My boy, I thought you already knew that,” he chuckled, good-natured as ever despite the reasons for being here. “Tell me, how is the blender working out for you?”

FLYNN

Of course he already knew it but honestly he hadn’t expected fencing to be part of what people did in Swynlake. Where was the market? What was the market. Plus why let so many people know you.

The downfall for him was this very fact.

Smee knew Flynn wasn’t Nick. 

A risky venture.

But at least they were the same person.

“You know pretty good, tried out some new recipes, helped wake up my roommate at ungodly hours. The fun things you do with a blender.” Flynn smirked, all those other factors couldn’t matter. Not right now.

SMEE

“Excellent, I’m happy to hear it,” Smee replied with an amused twinkle in his eye. He was so used to these sorts of meetings that he didn’t see them as any different from a typical business coffee, complete with the typical pleasantries. However, he didn’t have all afternoon, so he supposed he ought to get down to business.

He took a sip of his tea. “Now, I’m not sure how much our colleague Alex has already told you, but we’re not looking for anything particularly elaborate. It’s quite a speedy turnaround time we’re looking for. So if you have to cut a few corners, that should be fine. Our appraiser understands that authenticity is not a top priority for our clients.”

FLYNN

Flynn shrugged, letting Smee talk, it was better to let him talk and figure out where he fit into this. It was better to give less information and be the one in a better position. 

“I’m known to be quite fast, either with finding contacts or getting things out of certain areas.” Flynn mused talking a sip of his drink. “You were looking to get a certain group for an auction correct? Mixed with legitimate items?”

SMEE

“Essentially, yes. Don’t worry too much about the details. You’ll be paid either way,” Smee explained. He hoped Rider wouldn’t have too many more questions. That was the main thing that caused Smee to sever ties with a contact: inquisitiveness. Alex had assured him this lad was discreet, and he hoped she was correct about that.

He took a neat sheet of stationery out of his briefcase, without a single wrinkle or curl, and slid it across the table. “You’ll find full instructions for each piece here. Some of them are more exact than others. But feel free to be creative with it. I’m sure you’ll enjoy that.” He gave the lad a smile.

FLYNN

That was his job wasn’t it? To not worry about the bigger picture. It was because he worried about the bigger picture that he got into this situation. Sometimes all you needed to know was when and where.

“I do like to be creative.” Flynn accepted the paper not turning it over yet. He didn’t need the prying eyes on it. “You have a secure line if I have any information for you?”

SMEE

“Yes, naturally. I assumed Alex would have given it to you, but that’s alright if not.” He produced a business card from his briefcase, one that he only gave to certain trusted individuals. Unlike a normal business card, it didn’t list his name or any personally identifying information— just a phone number, a fax number, and a PO box. “Here it is. Phone is probably easiest, but feel free to write me any time as well.”

FLYNN

Write him? Now Flynn didn’t care for texting all day every day but he wasn’t the type to write people either.

Oh well.

This was the problem dealing with old people.

“Sounds good. I’ll have more information for you soon.”

[benefits1986]

RGB//RBF

Always ask yourself: Will this matter a year from now?  Today has been a DONE DEAL kind of day. Divine intervention lang talaga saka intention ang baon natin. Just got off a really, really long call kasi I can’t sleep pa even if I know I need some dasurv shut-eye. Mannnnn. Thank u, universe talaga kasi “the stars, they shine for you” era na po ata talaga tayo. LOL. I know sobrang basic lang naman ng gusto ko: a well-lived life, but simple things are a series of well-curated complex and compound things and sentences, too.  I can’t divulge much pero siguro para mas may direction naman at impit etong deluge of eme na ‘to, let’s try answering and questioning a common topic: HOW TO NEGOTIATE. Pero, this time, gawin nating HOW NOT TO NEGOTIATE kasi dyslexic nga ako 5evs.  Do not worry about your voice --pitch, tone and the works.  One of the best TED Talks I’ve come across with is about how a slight change in tone and volume is a game-changer. Since sobrang flat and naturally mataas ang tone ng voice ko, Iaging parang may gulo or gustong mang-warshock, I’ve been working on modulating my voice. ‘Di pa siya perfect because I hate na mababa boses tapos parang wala talagang pake at all. Funny how, one of my bros before ho*s officemates chat me na bakit ang lambing ng boses ko sa meeting at ano bang kelangan kong itawid. HAHAHAHAHA. Since geek na normie si kuys and vibin’ kami because of New Amsterdam, ‘pag may ganaps and sunogs, matic na ‘yan. LOL. I try my best na ‘yung voice ko, kahit panget, depends sa situation. ‘Di naman kelangan sweet and juicy voice. ‘Yung intentional lang. Also, ‘pag galit na ako, dun talaga ako tahimik and super low voice. Dati kasi sigawan barda mode ako ‘pag galit. So, the past decade, though may mga times pa rin na putok na putok ako sa rage, mga 80% of the time, ‘pag triggered na ako, sobrang baba ng tone and volume ko. Try this out, too. And need ko pang mas maging sedated and calm voice very soon, like yesterday.  Put your RBF and keep it that way.  ‘Pag sa calls and videos, nag-social experiment kuno ako. ‘Pag RBF ako, I can’t get a good number of messages and deadlines talaga. LOL. Lalo nung past life ko. ‘Di naman din ako part ng bigger meetings which is super oks lang because we want work-life balance pero forda bills, ‘pag may meetings and stuff after work na need talaga ng matindeng persuasion, inject a string of emotions, mga mhieses. LOL. Nung client acqui and folio building days ko, shet na introvert ako much kaya hassle talagang hindi mag-RBF. But, I realize na a tiny smile and a little wave goes a long way. And that basta real and raw emotions mo basta nasa hulog, mas engaging sa’yo at pati na rin sa kung sino mang kausap mo. ‘Wag ka na tumingin sa salamin.  Look people in the eye. Agad-agad. All the time.  Mhie, eto naman ‘yung isang natutunan ko sa mother dragon ko ng declamation, oration and extemporaneous speech, debates days nating pabebe. When in a crowd, look af people’s foreheads. Syempre, stepping stone ito sa pag-look people in the eye, eventually. I learned this mga 5 or 6 years old during my first year in school. As in Kinder Summer. Then, tuloy-tuloy na. The Taurus mom and tito made me do this shit. Hassle talaga kasi sobrang terror nitong two na ‘to, but, it has been a really good training ground sa akin. These days, lalo, with OL comms running our days and nights, getting a good eye to eye is a rarity talaga. Saka there’s something about being able to look at the eye na nakikita mo na kung dilated ba or no pupils nung kausap mo that’s magical and mundane. EMS. Easier said than done but can be done.  Be safe about your self-worth.  Being timid is a very Asian thing lalo na sa Pinas. People tend to undermine themselves talaga to the point na, mag-settle na lang sila and mag-bow down sa kung sino mang kausap nila. ‘Wag ganun. There’s a thin line separating knowing your worth and doing it for your ego. Puwede naman a healthy mix of both, pero, bottomline is: alamin mo kung sino ka in the same manner that you ought to know who you’re not, too. LELS.  Leave the party when it ends.  Cliff hangers are meant to keep your audience on their toes. ‘Di mo need maging polished communicator to do this. What you need is the “audience of one” mindset. Sino ba ang bull’s eye target audience? Sino ba ang isang tao na gusto mong kausapon. Ano ba ang mindset niya? Anong biases niya? Anong common grounds n’yo? Neutral grounds? Non-negotiables? ‘Di mo rin need i-stalk much ‘yung kausap mo, kasi, cliff hangers are usually birthed sa curious convo pivots along with non-verbal cues. EMS. Date, work, family, friends, etc. lahat ‘yan same principle lang. So, kung garbage in, garbage out ka sa friends, umasa ka na, olats ka rin sa ibang aspects ng life mo. Or magaling ka talagang mag-compartmentalize. :D Cliff hangers are questions, insights and reactions that will keep the goldfish attention span out of the negotiating table.  Touch Move, Place Move And Iyak-Tawa Mindset Being dyslexic, I often missend messages, forget important bits sa email trails, and yes, I usually forget to reply even to my closest peeps. Heck, even nung namatay na lola ko, very few people lang in the office, niheads up ko. Then, poof. Just this week, my best friend A and I told me na bakit ‘di ko sinabing wala na lola ko. I really thought na nasabi ko na sa kanila.  When you’ve forgotten or missed out a context, don’t worry. Lahat puwedeng daanin sa usapan. As in lahat. I remember when I had my first car accident na total wreck car ko... Damn. I needed to go to work because I had a specific task na ako lang puwedeng gumawa. LOL. Lean team e. So, what did I do? I checked if kaya ko maglakad. Oks naman. I checked the time and calculated how much time I need to get this car wreck out of sight. Syempre, sobrang tindeng nego skills tayo dito. Walang lagay. Walang padulas. I spoke rekta sa traffic police and saks, nagyoyosi. HAHAHAHA. So in between, yosi puffs and huffs, sabi ko is may need talaga akong gawin and ayaw ko ng hassle. Wala naman akong nabangga or na-damage so, according to the law, wala naman akong kasalanan. Even obstruction of traffic, wala kasi steady ang daan noon. After this plea, the traffic police went back to his desk. He told me he kept his promise --I can keep my license. He didn’t even look at it for so long. OPAK. Hahahahaha. Thanks daw sa yosi break. Sabi ko, sagot ko na Fundador and Baliwag nila. LOL. Sila na rin nag-guide sa akin kung anong lalagay sa police report para bulletproof ang insurance claim ko. HAHAHAHA. I did all this alone kaya, this Tiger earned a huge stripe. If na-stress ako, mhie, wala naaaa. Wala na akong naggawa at umiyak na lang ako. Walang touch move, place move sa nego. Watch where you’re kausap is heading to then align with your intent and pop it. CHZ.  There’s only black and white.  Medyo far stretch ‘to pero my eye is strained and medyo ‘di super nagaadjust lenses ng eye ko agad-agad. LELS. Pagod na talaga. Defy gravity, not, moment tayo. I have high regard for sealed deals that are in black and white. PERO, laging may fine print. May exemption. Think Suits. CHZ. ‘Yung earlier seasons to be specific. Lahat puwedeng gawaan ng nego basta alam mo ang play area and battle field mo. Since, I have innate inclination to the law, ang galing lang nung mga lusot sa black and white. Pati exemptions, may exemptions din. Imagine. Ang any photo has an RGB scale. Meron din CMYK. Kahit black and white pa ‘yan, meron ‘yang values na ‘di lang black and white. May solid white, washed out white. Reddish black, Greenish black, etc. So, ‘wag ka mag-settle lang sa black and white. Go beyond it. Question the answers. And answer the questions. Para may impact naman whatever usapan na haharapin mo.  So, tutuloy na ba natin ang digital law dream sa 2024? :D CHZZZZ. G na G na naman dad ko kasi baka raw kung mapaano ako sa sungit at tapang ko pero kung gusto ko raw, e ‘di go.  Again, lahat nadadaan sa usap. Basta alamin mo why and why not mo.  I will try to sleep because mhie, need natin ito in life talaga. The deal is done. The deed is done. Now, we move forward inch by inch.

[justkeepdancing-nemo]

I posted 798 times in 2022

That's 467 more posts than 2021!

94 posts created (12%)

704 posts reblogged (88%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@ashlee-bonfamille-lyons

@robbie-ryeo

@a-merman-not-a-guppy

@moon-yeongtae

@jimimn

I tagged 798 of my posts in 2022

#just keep queuing - 307 posts

#gif chat - 190 posts

#para - 164 posts

#sharkbait oo ha ha - 97 posts

#namtae - 89 posts

#romo - 82 posts

#bffs - 82 posts

#tiny dancers - 74 posts

#dance - 58 posts

#about - 50 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#i wasnt gonna keep this gif here it was literally a place holder but then  was like actually that captures the cat energy so nemo ur special

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Step by Step || Tiny Dancers

Nemo: ASHLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! LKFJALKFJKLj

Nemo: GUESS WAHT 

@inperfection-ashlee 

16 notes - Posted February 27, 2022

#4

Q&A || Fast Car

Just when one assignment was over for his fellowship, there was another. And another and another, just a whole pile of stuff to do that was threatening to topple over and crush Nemo underneath it. 

But this time-- he was determined not to wait until the last second like he’d done his first essay. He needed to get interviews with three magicks-- three! That was so many! At least part of this assignment seemed fun though, if only cuz he could pick whoever he wanted...

All it took was asking Cruz if famous Magick Grand Prix winner Lightning McQueen would be up for it, and bam: interview scheduled!

Nemo still had some interview jitters though as he walked into the dining room of the inn. Ah, this was the closest he’d ever gotten to a real celebrity! He gulped, then took a deep breath. Just keep it breezy!

“Um-- hi! Y-you’re Lightning McQueen? I’m Nemo Bae, from the uh, the Pride U magicks fellowship! Thanks so much for meeting me!” 

@lightning-kachow​

22 notes - Posted October 5, 2022

#3

5, 6, 7... || Tiny Dancers

Thorns thorns thorns, he was late! 

Nemo had been trying to study... again... but agh, he’d fallen asleep, face smushed up on his book! He’d woken with a start at the hornet-mad buzzing of his phone near his head and when he’d grabbed it, there was Ashlee-- sending texts, even calls, that he’d totally missed.

And so Nemo had scrambled up and gone running across campus to the dance studio. He burst in, lungs heaving-- 

“Sorry, sorry! I’m here! We-- we still got the space right?!” he said, running a hand through his hair. 

@ashlee-bonfamille-lyons

24 notes - Posted October 19, 2022

#2

Just Keep... || Tiny Dancers

Ugh, honestly, Nemo didn’t wanna be here right now.

‘Here’ meant on Pride U campus. ‘Here’ meant the beautiful dance studios in the performing department. He had already promised Ashlee that he’d come by for some warm-up and to watch some of her new piece, and then they’d chat about his audition in London but that had all been decided last week-- before.

Now it was after, and the humiliation cut fresh, Nemo feeling like he was bleeding out with every step he took on this campus. He got to the studio and punched in Ashlee’s ID number before she even got there, then sat against the mirror. He hadn’t bothered putting on any of his dance clothes today. He just didn’t feel like it.

When the door clicked open, Nemo glanced up. “Hey,” he said. 

@inperfection-ashlee 

24 notes - Posted March 28, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Let’s Blow This Frogsicle Stand || F.R.O.G. Squad

Humans were corrupt. Frog lives were in danger. And Nemo was fed up. 

Those were the facts that Nemo walked away with after Dr. Drakken had told them the teachers weren’t going to vote or change the syllabus until NEXT YEAR. Next year, Nemo and Mim weren’t going to be at Swynlake Secondary! F.R.O.G. would fizzle and die, and with it, three million frogs. Maybe there was nothing he could do about that... but he could at least save the frogs that were coming this year, just like how he had in 2021. 

So he held another official, emergency F.R.O.G. meeting at lunch the next day, calling his members (Mim) together. 

“Okay, we just gotta plan for a jailbreak,” Nemo told Mim with a grim expression. “Last time, I did it with his kid named JJ. I floated them out with my pixie dust so that should work but we need a distraction and a way to break into the lab in the first place once they’re delivered. I could probably get Tae to help us... you think Ferb might too?” 

@madmagicmim 

25 notes - Posted February 5, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[gucciwins]

Ok now i need to see bel and benito meet at his concert or something. I can also imagine harry pouting if he was there bc she is having the best time with her people but also if he couldn't make the concert with her and sees from different posts that she was there and maybe benito even took her to dance on stage for  Enséñame a bailar🤭

Bel has only ever felt this type of excitement before her boyfriend’s shows. She was always surrounded by their friends and kind fans all coming together to celebrate being themselves with no judgment. Tonight, though, she's among her people. Those who understand being different and the struggles of being under represented but not tonight. No, tonight they are all seen. From everyone on the floor to the top of the stadium.

Bel brought Sarai to the show with her. Naomi opted out saying she wanted the two of them to have time together. Not one to fight with what Naomi wants, that is how they ended up with floor seats of a sold-out stadium.

As the show was set to start soon, her phone rang. It was Harry.

“Damage control,” Sarai teased.

“Hola amor.” She greets cheerfully. 

“Bel why is there a photo of you and Benito circling the internet.” 

“Oh, he– we're friends.” 

“Since when?” Harry asks in disbelief. 

“A week ago, he reached out and he said he’s a fan of mine.” 

Harry sighs, feeling a pit in his stomach. 

“Don’t worry, H. He’s a friend.” 

“That’s why I’m worried. I started off as a friend and a fan. Now we’re dating.” Harry pouts. 

Bel giggles into the receiver, “I want you my English angel.” 

“Will you call me later when you get back to your hotel room?” 

“Course, mi amor. Te amo.” 

“Love you.” 

“Oh–I got you a shirt. Bye now.” And she hangs up as she and Sarai laugh at Harry’s call. He was so sweet but there was no reason to be jealous. It’s just that Bel hasn’t given him a reason to ever be jealous and now he’s feeling it because she asked him to come to the show he was just unavailable. 

The concert has been going amazing. Benito has a way of making it feel like he’s singing just to you. Bel and Sarai have not stopped dancing and singing since he came out for the first song. As the show is beginning to wind down to the last few songs the crowd is only getting louder. 

“Ahora, para esta canción quiero invitar a mi amiga a que venga a bailar conmigo. Y/N Belmonte, ¿dónde estás?” Sarai yells as Bentio just invited Bel to go on stage and dance with him. Sarai raises Bel’s hand, a security guard comes and takes her to the stage with Sarai following close behind because after being called out so publicly there is no way she can go back into the crowd. 

Being on stage is an entire new feeling, she has never done this before. Always watching shows from the crowd with Harry. The closest was backstage at Wembley with Anne and Gemma. Now Bel could swear she felt all the screams and cheers move through her. This was a beautiful sight to see as all the wristbands were lit up. 

And so Bel danced. She laughed with the dancers she had met earlier. All taking turns to pull her close or spin her around. The song seemed to end all too quickly. As the final notes played, Bentio came towards her offering her his hand bringing her in close to spin her around. She laughed as she thanked him. Benito instead thanked her, giving her a long hug before letting her go so she could leave the stage and enjoy the last few songs of the show from up close. Enséñame a Bailar would forever be her new favorite song.

Bel riding on her high didn’t realize how much her phone was blowing up. 

Harry texted her that he loved that she got to dance on stage. Was he jealous? Of course. Though he could see how happy Bel was and all he wants in life is to see her happy. Doesn’t mean he can’t be just a little silly?

Harry took to Instagram posting a photo that Sarai had taken of Bel on stage with a large smile on her face as hugged Benito onstage. He captioned it: “I love all of the fans so much but please stop sending me these pictures of my girlfriend wrapped around another man. This is not me.” 🫶 @y/nbelmonte take me next time

@harryfan HE DIDN’T 

@harryfan2 THE CAPTION — HE KNOWS. HE SEES IT ALL 

@belfan my girl is living her best life and i’m here for it. 

@mitchrowland i want bel to have custody of me 

@jeffazof well…i see why my phone is going crazy 

@naomii ohhh he’s jealous 

@y/nbelmonte i love you H. i got you a shirt

[prouvaireafterdark]

Pieces Mended - 3x08 Coda

Me? Writing a 3x08 coda set at Sanders’ Auto? It’s more likely than you think.

Also on AO3!

***

The sun is just beginning to set below the horizon when Michael hears a car pull into Sanders’ lot. He’s not expecting another customer this late in the day, so he edges himself out from under the sedan he’s working on to see who it is. 

A smile tugs at his lips the moment he recognizes the SUV parked a few yards away. He reaches for the rag hanging out of his pocket to wipe the grease from his fingers as Alex exits the car and starts making his way over to him. There’s something dangling from his hand, but Michael is too distracted by the way Alex’s sweater is clinging to his chest beneath his open leather jacket to clock what it is just yet.

“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise,” Michael says, licking his lips as he looks Alex up and down. 

Alex looks good, the beanie from yesterday gone so the wind has tousled his hair a little and made his cheeks an attractive shade of pink. Between that and the frankly indecently tight sweater he’s wearing, Michael is finding it impossible not to let his mind wander. He can’t help but lean back on his hands to elongate his torso, his legs splayed open suggestively on either side of the creeper he’s sitting on. It’s about as subtle as a punch to the face, but Michael’s done playing coy with Alex, especially after his brain has been playing repeats of the hot, tender kisses they shared last night at the Pony all goddamn day. 

There’s an amused quirk to Alex’s lips as he looks him over. “Do you usually sit like that when a customer comes to see you or are you trying to seduce me right now?”

“Depends,” Michael says, meeting his gaze without an ounce of self-consciousness. “Is it working?”

Alex just laughs and shakes his head in disbelief. “I have something for you.”

“Oh?” Michael asks, sitting up straighter. 

Alex tosses him the thing he’s holding. Michael catches it one-handed. 

“What’s this?” Michael asks, turning it over in his hands. Now that he can see it up close, it looks to be an unmarked keycard on a plain black lanyard. 

“Your visitor’s badge,” Alex says, and with the smile he’s giving him, Michael doesn’t need to ask what for. 

“Wait—really? Your boss said yes?” Michael asks, eyebrows climbing up toward his hairline as he scrambles to his feet. He wipes his hands off on his jeans as he takes another step forward until Alex is close enough to touch.

“Yeah,” Alex answers. “He wants to know what’s going on with the machine as much as we do and you’re his best shot at figuring it out. The two of us can work on it together for as long as it takes.” 

“Does he know about Jones?” Michael asks.

Alex pauses to think about that. “He might know of him if he’s mentioned in the Caulfield files he has access to, but I didn’t want to tell him about everything that’s been going on without your permission,” Alex says. “If you want him to know, we can tell him when we see him.”

“When are we going?” Michael asks, his excitement getting the better of him. The Lockhart Machine could hold the answer to so many questions—about Jones, his mom, Max, their planet, his mom—it’s a little overwhelming to think he can actually get his hands on it.

“Tomorrow night, if you want,” Alex says. “Sooner, even, if Sanders lets you have the day off tomorrow.”

Michael lets that sink in. 

This time tomorrow, he could be inside a secret para-military research base. 

With secret para-military operatives who know he’s an alien. 

The reality of that situation hits Michael a little belatedly and he feels his chest start to clench with anxiety.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Alex asks, feet shuffling in the gravel as he inches closer out of instinct. 

Michael is silent for a moment as he chooses his words. He feels the tips of Alex’s fingers brush his right hand and turns into the touch immediately, locking their fingers together. 

“You trust these people, right?” he asks at last, and the trepidation must show on his face because Alex reaches forward with his other hand to cup his face in his palm.

“Michael, I wouldn’t take you there if I didn’t,” Alex says softly, letting his thumb cares the swell of his cheekbone. 

Michael closes his eyes to the feeling and takes a deep, grounding breath. 

“And if it makes you feel better, as a precaution, I will be armed and I don’t intend to let you out of my sight for a single second the entire time we’re there,” Alex continues, the sincerity of his expression reassuring. “It’s gonna be okay.”

Michael can’t help but believe him—If there’s one thing in this entire world that Michael has faith in, it’s that Alex would do absolutely anything to keep him safe. 

“Okay,” Michael nods, feeling the tightness in his chest ease. “I’ll ask Sanders for the day off tomorrow.”

“You sure?” Alex asks. 

“Yeah,” Michael says, projecting more confidence this time. “Daddy Dictator isn’t gonna wait around politely while we look for a way to stop him. The sooner we find out why he wants that machine, the better.”

“Okay,” Alex says. “We’ll carpool.”

Michael laughs at that. “Looking forward to it.”

Alex smiles at him then, his eyes flicking down toward his mouth, and Michael is suddenly very aware of how close they’re standing to each other. He can practically feel the heat coming from Alex’s body against his chest and Michael is suddenly desperate to find out if his sweater is as soft as it looks.

“So,” Michael says, his voice dropping in pitch just a little as he shifts even closer, “did you come all the way out here just to give me this or is there something else I can do for you?” 

“Come here,” Alex laughs as he pulls Michael in for a kiss, the hand on his cheek sliding back to anchor in his curls.

The first touch of Alex’s lips is electric, sending shivers down his spine, and Michael is hopelessly addicted. He moves in for another kiss and then another, obsessed with the way Alex sighs against his mouth and tugs lightly on his hair. He lets go of Alex’s hand to wrap his arms around his waist between his leather jacket and his sweater, pleased to find it just as soft as he imagined.

He’s so lost in the sensation he doesn’t even realize he’s being moved until his back hits the side of the sedan he’s been working on. It knocks the breath out of him, making him gasp, and Alex takes full advantage, flicking the tip of his tongue inside his mouth. Michael moans and draws his arms tighter around Alex’s waist until they’re chest to chest, one of Alex’s legs slipping between his own.

Michael laughs softly against Alex’s mouth when he pulls back to take a breath, almost high on the love he feels for the man in his arms.

“Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?” Alex asks suddenly, brushing his nose alongside Michael’s.

“Alex Manes,” Michael says, pulling back to look at him, smiling so wide his face hurts. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Yeah, I am,” Alex answers, wearing a bright smile of his own, and Michael can’t help but lean forward to kiss him again, his heart soaring with affection.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Alex laughs when Michael pulls away.

“I’ve got maybe another twenty minutes of work to finish on this car before I can take a shower and get ready,” Michael tells him, “but you’re welcome to wait in the Airstream for me if you want.”

Alex gives him an incredulous look as he says, “If I wait for you in the Airstream, I think we both know we’re going to end up skipping dinner.”

“What’s the matter, Manes?” Michael asks, head tilting as he gives him a cheeky smile. “Afraid you can’t keep your hands to yourself?”

“I remember what you look like in a towel, Guerin,” Alex says, and the way he nudges his leg forward just a little more between Michael’s thighs has to be intentional. “Can you really blame me?”

Michael’s throat clicks as he swallows. “Fair enough,” he says. “Where should I meet you?”

“Come by my place at seven,” Alex says. 

“Are you cooking for me?” Michael asks, eyebrows raised. He’s never done that for him before, didn’t even know Alex could cook.

“Maybe. You’ll just have to wait to find out,” Alex shrugs noncommittally, but his smile makes Michael think the answer is yes. 

“Okay,” Michael grins.

“I’ll see you soon,” Alex says, leaning in for one last kiss that turns into several when Michael nips his bottom lip playfully between his teeth. 

“Okay, I really gotta go,” Alex laughs a few moments later, voice muffled by Michael’s mouth.

“Mm, fine,” Michael grumbles, unwinding his arms from Alex’s waist with a short-lived pout. “I’ll see you later.”

Alex drops another kiss on Michael’s cheek before he turns around and heads back to his car. 

Michael leans against the car and watches him drive off until his tail lights disappear in the distance before getting back to his work, a spring in his step and a broad smile on his face. 

He’s so wrapped up thinking about what Alex has in store for him tonight, he doesn’t notice the footsteps approaching behind him until he hears a gruff voice say, “Just friends, huh? They change the meaning of that word when I wasn’t looking?”

“Mind your business, old man,” Michael shoots back, not an ounce of heat in his words.

Sanders lets out an amused huff and takes another step closer, coming to stand beside him. “Happiness looks good on you, kid,” he says, clapping an affectionate hand on his shoulder.

Michael grins in spite of himself as he turns and catches the smile on Sanders’ weathered face. “Feels pretty good too.”

[wormstacheangel]

have some latinenatural for day 1 of @spnprideweek dean trying to come out to himself

Dean didn’t like going down this neighborhood. It never made him any money, plus the block is a dead end, so he always ends up circling back around with his heavy cart. His Tio always yelled at him for it, wasting precious time in a block where nobody paid him any attention because these Americanos aren’t used to people walking around selling comida.

Pero Dean always had one customer that always came running out whenever Dean came around, and he was worth the extra minutes he had to petal in the hot sun.

“Dean!”

Dean hears his name, expecting it but still feeling relief from hearing it. He looks ahead, his fingers stopped ringing the bells that have become background noise to him by now, and sees his favorite customer running out of the big white house Dean can only ever dream of renting. He wouldn’t ever dream of owning; he can’t have dreams so impossible.

Dean petals a little bit faster until he breaks in front of the pretty face he sees at least three times a week.

“Cas.” Dean practically beams at him even though he was trying to stay cool. Smooth. “Mi Angelito.” Dean winks, and he doesn’t miss Cas’s eyes widened and ears blushing at the nickname. “How you been?”

[continue reading under the cut or read on ao3]

Cas was dressed in his usual white button-up and slacks but they looked a lot more ruffled up than usual. His hair looked unkempt as it curled at the ends—Dean wasn’t complaining he loved it—and his typical neat shirt was wrinkled with sleeves pulled up to his elbows. He looked the guy up and down before his eyebrows creased together.

“You okay, Cas?”

“Yeah.” Cas sighed, shoulders slumping as he reached to run his hand through his hair—that probably explains the bed head—before smiling back at Dean with a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“If you say so.” Dean jumps off the bike and walks over to his cart. “The usual?”

“Please.”

Dean nods once before getting to work on a raspado de vainilla for Cas. He works in silence for a minute, just the sound of the ice scraping between them before Dean looks back at Cas.

“You know, si quieres, you can talk to me.” Dean looks up to see Cas was already watching him. “I know I’m a nobody, but I hear nobodies are great to vent to.”

“You aren’t a nobody, Dean.” Cas’s expression softens at the words. His eyes brighten as he looks at Dean, almost as if he can see into his soul. Then, just as Dean was about to drown in those baby blues, Cas looked away. His fingers started to twitch as he looked sheepishly at the ground. “Plus, my problems are small. I can deal with them by myself.”

Dean looks away, packing the ice into the cup before reaching to pour the vainilla as he talks. “Yeah, I know you can, pero; I just wanted to let you know that you don’t have to.”

Cas is nothing but a customer that Dean has been crushing on—it was a small, slow, and scary realization. The only reason they’re on a first-name basis now is because Cas once left his name tag on, and Dean asked what it meant.

Dean handed Cas his raspado across the cart, Dean needed to keep his distance, but he knew when Cas reached for it, their fingers would touch; he looked forward to the simple touch each time.

They did, and Dean’s breath catches in his throat before he works on chicharrones, lots of limon, and a little bit of chile.

“But I get it, you know, if you don’t want to talk to me.” Dean looks up to see Cas still staring at him but with eyes filling with tears. “Holy shit.” Dean put the bag down and walked around to stand by Cas’s side. He grabbed a napkin from his cart and handed it to Cas to wipe his eyes. “Dude. Dude, please no llores. Don’t cry. People are gonna think I did something to you, and I’ll lose customers.” Dean tries to joke, but Cas doesn’t crack a smile. Instead, he rolls his eyes.

“Dean, nobody but me ever comes out here.”

Dean shrugs. “Potential customers then.” Dean grabs another napkin and reaches to wipe the tears that were already falling. “Estas bien, Angelito. Talk to me.”

“I-I shouldn’t.” Cas accepts Dean’s kindness for a second longer before gently moving Dean’s hand away. “You’re working. Let me just pay you so you can stop wasting your time here.”

Dean nods, stepping away from Cas so as not to seem pushy. As much as he loved being so close to Cas’s face, he didn’t want to seem creepy about it. This neighborhood has eyes everywhere, and Dean couldn’t really risk having his cart, his livelihood, be taken away just cause he has a small crush on the white boy.

So Cas gives him the exact change to the quarter and smiles sadly before he waves goodbye. Dean waves back as he gets on his bike to pedal out of this neighborhood and into a more comfortable one. He didn't ring the bell until he was out of there.

Cas doesn’t come out to see him the next day or the day after that, and now he has to wait until next week to see him. If Cas still wanted to see him.

“I don’t know why you still go over there,” Sam says as he helps Dean unpack the car.

Dean’s side gigs included selling his homemade food Friday through Sunday—he can almost call himself a caterer—while on Thursday, he preps during the day and works as a janitor in a big law office at night. Today was Thursday, so Dean had to wake up early to go to the big marketplace downtown. They sold the chicharrones de harina in bulk for cheap, and they had all the ingredients he’ll need to make the syrups for the raspados himself.

Sam rarely comes with Dean to get all these things since he was always busy with school, but today he came along on the day that Dean ran out of maiz azul. It just meant more trabajo para los dos.

“Or why you still sell raspados when you make more money on the weekend with your food.” Sam continued as they struggled to carry the bag of maiz to the kitchen. They both let out a heavy breath when they finally dropped the bag in the kitchen. Dean’s going to spend the next hour cleaning and soaking the damn corn after this. That doesn’t even include cooking it and finally making the damn masa.

“El trabajo es duro but I like it.” Dean pats Sam’s shoulder before they go back to the car to get the rest of the things. “I like going down neighborhoods and saying hi to people.”

“I get that pero why do you have to go to their side of town?”

Dean doesn’t know how to answer that.

He hasn’t told anyone about Cas. About how one day he was bored and wandered over to that neighborhood only to find Cas laying on his front lawn with a book covering his face. Dean, for some reason, couldn’t help but to ring the bells louder, startling Cas. Dean laughed for half a second before a book went flying to his face, knocking him off his bike. Cas learned too many cuss words in Spanish that day, but the big bruise was worth it.

Still, Dean didn’t want to tell anyone about Cas. Afraid to even speak of him because that would mean that his crush was real. That he had actual feelings, romantic ones, for another guy.

He knows que su Tío no lo va sacar de la casa pero todavía Dean tenía miedo. He was scared to admit this part of himself was real when it felt like a sin in his culture. ¡Ser gay es una cosa pero bisexual! ¡Ni madres! That doesn’t exist. Not where he is from.

So he’ll keep it to himself. Keep Cas as his secret fantasy and nothing more.

“The houses are nice to look at. One day, Sammy!” Sam was already groaning at Dean’s words that sounded more like an old man’s recurring ‘when I was your age’ stories. “One day, I’ll get us a house like that! One where we can each have our own room. And bathroom.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Whatever. Let’s just finish this so I can go back to my homework.”

“¡Estas pendejo! After this, you’re gonna help me clean the bathroom and throw away the trash before Tio comes home.”

“But Dean,”

“¡Pero nada! ¡Piensas que soy pendejo como tu, pinche mamón! Don’t think I don’t know you spend that time babeando por tu novia.”

“Dean!” Sam quickly passes him in a huff of embarrassment while Dean laughed, following Sam back to the car to get more groceries.

When Monday rolls around, Dean forces himself to come down Cas’s street again. The bells rang softly at first, only getting louder as he came closer to the house. He didn’t see a car in sight, so he thinks maybe Cas isn’t home.

He was already pedaling away when he heard someone call out to him. He hits the breaks half haphazardly, and the gallons shake on his cart, threatening to fall out. He was about to turn around, but then he realizes he hears footsteps running closer, and then he hears heavy breathing by his ear.

“Fuck.” Cas hands rest on his knees as he tries to catch his breath. “Are you-are you trying to run away from me?” Cas looks up with a teasing smile, it was beautiful, and Dean didn’t realize how much he missed him until now. “I am your only customer around here, so that’s a pretty bad business decision if you ask me.”

“I-I didn’t think you wanted to see me.” Dean could have joked around with him, but instead, his mouth decided to kick the conversation off with some honesty. Dean looked down at the bike handles as he talked. “Since you didn’t come out last week, I just figured-”

“Oh.” Cas stood up straight as he ran a hand through his overgrown hair; his clothes looked neat again, though. “I didn’t mean to make you think-”

Dean holds his hand out to stop Cas from talking, feeling embarrassed with every word. “Para. You don’t have to explain. No me debes-you don’t owe me anything.”

“I know that, but I want to. Talk, I mean. If that’s okay with you.” Cas looks at Dean with soft, warm eyes, a drastic difference from the red-rimmed eyes from the last time they saw each other. “After you’re done with work, of course.”

“I um-I usually head home around six. I can um,” Dean rubbed at the back of his neck, not meeting Cas’s eyes as he carefully says. “I can come by after if you want.”

“I would like that.”

Dean's head shoots up to stare back at Cas, who looked shy, pero siempre más guapo que la última vez que Dean lo miró.

At that moment, Dean wanted to lean in and kiss him more than he has wanted to kiss anyone in his 26 years of life, but he won’t. He still wasn’t sure if this was Cas asking him out as a friend or as something more. He was scared, but he knew his heart raced in excitement more than anything.

Dean finally broke away from the staring contest as he cleared his throat to get off his bike. “Todavia quieres-Do you still want your raspado?”

“Oh. Sure!”

It was silent while Dean made raspado, but he couldn’t wait for their fingers to graze again when he handed the cup over to Cas.

“Just the raspado today.” Dean still loved when Cas said it, trying not to laugh even though he loved Cas’s embarrassed blushing. Cas reaches into his pocket, but Dean reaches to touch his shoulder to stop him.

“On the house.” Dean holds it out and just like before their fingers touch, burning him.

“No, Dean, I couldn’t.”

Dean shakes his head to stop him from arguing any further. He jumped back on his bike and looked back at Cas as he said, “You can get me something later. Is seven okay?”

“Seven is…perfecto.” Cas flinched at his Spanish, but Dean couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Pues, te miro mas tarde, Angelito.” Dean reached to pat Cas’s cheek before he started pedaling away.

“Dean! I don’t know what that means!” Cas calls out to him.

Dean doesn’t turn around to respond, mostly to hide the stupid shit-eating grin he had on his face. “I said I’ll see you later!” But he does wave goodbye, ringing the bell as he goes.

Dean really liked him, and it brought fear into his heart pero al mismo tiempo; he hasn’t been this excited to just be around someone in such a long time. So maybe this is his time to accept that maybe, for sure, he is crushing hard on a guy.

Dean sighs as he stops on the sidewalk to hang his head and quietly whispers, “For fucks sakes, soy un pinche gay.”

Well, at least he can admit to himself—sort of.