#I just remember that was something I was high key afraid of and went. this can’t be a unique experience

[maturemenoftvandfilms]

Mr. Walz

Featuring Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

Back in the late ‘90s, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and now Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, was a high school teacher and football coach in rural Minnesota. I attended Mankato West from 2000-2004, having Walz for 11th grade history. Being gay at the time, I initially expected to hate Walz, because he was a football coach and a hunter. But he was accepting and really friendly with me; with everyone really. He’s genuinely the goofy teacher that was in the hallway greeting every kid every morning, giving high fives and fist bumps. He and his wife, also a teacher at the school, provided vital support during my formative years. And to be honest, I thought he was cute.

He was in his late 30s and about 21 years my senior at that time, about my height, which is just shy of five foot-nine. He was chiselled like most middle-aged men with a gut. He dressed conservatively, usually a short sleeve solid colored shirt with a tee shirt under it and trousers which seemed to be a few sizes too small. I couldn’t help but find myself staring at his tightly held manhood, which showed a clear outline of his thick cock. That bulge had me daydreaming during our meets and school outings. I would jerk-off with this image in my mind every night.

After graduation, I didn’t see my ex-teacher again until I attended a campaign dinner in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. He instantly recognized me, smiling broadly and gave me a big hug. We’re talking 20-something years ago, and to have your 10th-grade geography teacher remember you after all of that time, it means something. I couldn’t call him Gov. Walz, because he will forever be Mr. Walz.

We talked a bit then, and a couple times throughout the evening. He asked me about what I was up to, if I was dating, the usual chit chat. I was so giddy to see Mr. Walz that I confessed that I had a crush on him in high school. I told him I thought about him every night when I jack off. How I use a big carrot up my ass, and pretend it was his dick. And I told him I knew he would never like me, that way, but I had to tell him.

Surprisingly, he suggested I should come over to his hotel, later, placing his hotel room card on the edge of the sink right next to me.

"Wait here, I'll have an agent escort you to my room in an hour." He said before leaving. I looked around to see if anyone had noticed, but no one had, so I quickly grabbed the key.

Sure enough, an hour later, a secret service agent escorted me to his hotel. The journey upstairs was unbearable. Reporters to dodge, people for the agent to nod away. By the time I got to Mr. Walz’s room, I was afraid he’d think I wasn’t’ interested, but when I entered the room, he was ready and waiting. The lights were dim, Mr. Walz was in a hotel bathrobe, and he’d ordered porn on the television.

"Is this what you really want?" I asked.

"More then anything." He replied.

I made the first move, leaning in to kiss him and as soon as our lips met, his arms went around me. Quickly, he started unbuttoning my shirt, unzipping my pants, and basically tearing my clothes off as he moved his tongue around inside my mouth. His hand was on my hard dick, feeling and testing the size.

"Oh, yeah." He moaned, as he ran his hand down my tender, sensitive cock before squatting.

With his mouth at my crotch, he ran his tongue up all seven inches, before gently pushing me towards the bed. On the bed, our bodies melded into one. His hard dick was teasing mine, as once again, our tongues found the other's mouth. Hands everywhere, as we hugged and rocked each other. Kissing my way down his chest, I left a trail of saliva all the way to his cock. Taking him in my mouth, I began to suck while I swirled my tongue around his boner before he started thrusting into my throat, making me gag. I guess he got pretty turned on by what I was doing to him as he turned me around and put us into 69 position.

As Mr. Walz took my dick in his mouth, I took his dick in mine. I worked on it with such skill that he began moaning deep inside his throat as he sucked my dick. And he could really suck; he knew how to please a man. I began to feel him starting to breathe rapidly and shake. I knew he was going to explode soon. I was getting close as well.

Wanting Mr. Walz to fuck me, I quickly seperated, and rolled off the bed leaving him laying there completely naked with a huge hard-on. Hurrying to my pants, I pulled a tube of lubrication out of his pocket before I bounded back to the bed. After telling him I wanted him to fuck me, I tensely watched as Mr. Walz applied the lubricate to his cock, knowing the pain I was about to feel. I couldn’t help but thinking back to my high school years when I first saw him. I had always wanted Mr. Walz to fuck me since then. Now was the time.

“You got a nice tight asshole.” Mr. Walz told me as he rubbed some of the KY onto my asshole.

He lifted my legs and stared me straight in the eyes as he guided the head of his cock to my ass. As soon as his dick made contact, he immediately thrust all 8 inches into me. I gasped loudly, so loudly in fact that I’m sure the people in the next room heard.

“I’m going to really open up your asshole.” Mr. Walz called out with a wicked smile on his face as he slowly started fucking me.

Noticing each time the fat head of his cock passed my hard prostate, pre-cum would squirt from the tip of my dick. He reached down and scooped it up with his finger, brought it to his mouth and licked it clean.

"Oh, man, that's good." He said, as he scooped up more, but I pulled his finger to his mouth, and sucked it in.

We smiled at each other before he leaned forward and kissed me deep, our tongues caressed each other, sharing my pre-cum. Then as we kissed he sent his cock plunging deeper into me. I arched my back as I was forced to take more cock deeper into my ass than ever before.

“Yes, fuck me, Mr. Walz.” I found myself saying when he broke our embrace, “Give it to me, Mr. Walz. Make me yours!”

And he did just that. Mr. Walz started fucking me hard and fast. I took each of the strokes of his his old manhood willingly. I wanted to give him total pleasure and I could tell from the far away look in his eye that the old man was as lost in me as I was in him. I knew he was getting close, and I didn’t want to stop him, so I didn’t say a word about pulling out. Having only had sex with his wife for all those years, he didn’t think of it either. Soon he was filling my ass with ropes of cum, and I felt it filling me up.

After we got off and caught our breath, he looked at me and we both started laughing and telling each other how glad we were that we'd just met up today.

[skzhocomments]

The Rising Empress (Bang Chan) - Chapter 4 - The Bearer of Bad News

General Masterlist

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 (coming soon)

Taglist: @vxllxnsworld

---

Chapter 4 - The Bearer of Bad News

Chapter word count: 1.8k words

“This humble maid greets His Majesty, Sun of the Empire.” Mari bows with utmost respect to Chris, who quickly asks her to raise her head.

“What is the Empress up to these days?” He asks her, paying attention to the slight disgust plastered across her face. Truth is, he expected Aristia to warm up to someone, at least to her personal maid, but judging by the strong response of the maid’s body language, it’s clear that she didn’t.

“… Not much. She takes a walk every midday through the gardens, but other than that, she stays locked in her room. She writes, eats-”

“Writes?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. She’s taken a liking to writing as of late.”

“What does she write exactly? Letters?” Chris asks, his heart thumping in his chest. Is she perhaps informing the King of the South about any of the Empire’s affairs?

“No. Stories. What they contain, however, is not something I am aware of.”

“I see. Could you bring me some of her writings?” He furrows his brows in confusion. He still believes she is a spy for her family, and the fact that she hasn’t yet sent any reports back to the Kingdom is surprising to say the least.

“I am afraid not. She keeps them locked in her drawers and carries the key at all times around her neck.”

“I see. Thank you, Mari.”

The girl bows and turns to leave, before Chris remembers something.

“Ah, one more thing. I noticed something unpleasant looking at the Empress the other day. Her garments are dirty. Is there an issue I should know about?” He raises an accusatory eyebrow and watches the maid’s mannerisms carefully.

“… No, Your Majesty. I will make sure Her Highness’s attire will be more appropriate from now on.”

“Yeah. Do that.” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

~

The next morning, Aristia wakes up to her maid frantically buzzing around the room, carrying multiple dresses on her arms.

“What’s with all this fuss?” She groans and sits up on the bed, trying to make sense of what is happening.

“Good morning, Your Majesty. I am to prepare you for breakfast, as His Highness has requested your presence.”

“Mhm.” She nods, before the words fully register in her head. “Wait, what? Why?”

“Apologies, but I don’t have any additional information. His Majesty’s personal guard is waiting for you.”

Still confused and groggy with sleep, Aristia stands up and makes her way to the dresses. With a yawn, she analyses all of them, and choses a pastel yellow dress with flowers made of lace scattered all over, with puffy sleeves. The dress is comfortable and breezy, much like the ones she’s worn until now. Only, this dress is not dirty, nor shabby, nor old.

It fits her right, besides around the hips, where excess fabric covers up her silhouette. The dress would’ve been perfect when she first arrived in the Empire and had her measurements taken, but now, it’s loose fitting, a reminder of the fact that she’s become malnourished. She decides to wear a tight corset to make it look a bit more her size, and she successfully hides how much weight she’s lost.

As soon as she’s done dressing herself, she steps out on the hallways and sees a familiar face. She smiles, genuinely this time.

“Hello, Changbin.”

“Your Highness.” He bows and returns her smile. “You remembered my name.”

“Of course I did. What have you been up to these days? I haven’t seen you around.” She asks as they start walking towards the gardens, where the Emperor apparently wants to have breakfast with her.

“I’ve just returned from a trip abroad to the Western Kingdom.”

“Oh, was it fun?” She asks, and Changbin looks puzzled. He’s never been asked if a diplomatic trip was fun, so he doesn’t quite know what to reply.

“I guess so? It went alright. I had to guard Prince Felix as he’s been sent to represent the Empire in some negotiations.”

“What for?” Aristia questions, glad that for the first time, someone is not sparing any details.

“As you might know, sugar canes only grow in the west. Oh, in case Your Highness is not aware, sugar canes are used for-”

“Producing raw and refined sugar and molasses. Yes, I know.” She cuts him off with a kind smile and he seems excited.

“Exactly! I had no idea sugar came from that tall grass!” He exclaims, making her laugh.

“Yes, I read in a book about the process of extracting juice by crushing the sugar cane. Oh, do you know that rum is actually made from that juice or from molasses?”

“Rum?”

“The drink.”

“What is that? Does it taste any good?”

“Don’t you have it here?” She asks with a tilt of her head.

“No, I don’t believe we do.”

“It’s an alcoholic beverage… It apparently tastes quite sweet, as it’s made from fermented molasses. I actually don’t know what it tastes like either. Since the Kingdom doesn’t produce any sugar canes, I could only read about it.”

“I see. Your Highness seems quite intelligent.” He compliments.

“Did I seem dull until now?” Aristia asks in a serious tone, and Changbin starts apologising instantly.

“No! Of course not! God, what have I said? Of course, you always seemed intelligent. You’re my Empress and-” He rambles and Aristia bursts out laughing.

Having a genuine conversation with someone who doesn’t seem to view her as an enemy is refreshing.

“Oh.” Changbin blushes.

“I thought you would’ve been served some rum in the west.”

“Maybe Prince Felix… I haven’t been given any.” He pouts slightly, and Aristia laughs again.

“Speaking of, how is he doing? Did he find the trip difficult? Is he healthy?”

“Yes, the Prince is as cheerful as always. He was, however, quite disappointed that he didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to you after your wedding. Now that he’s back, Your Highness will probably not be able to get rid of him.”

“Oh, my.” Aristia smiles as they eventually reach a small greenhouse in the middle of the garden.

Changbin keeps guiding her to the table, and as they approach, Aristia notices Chris and Felix talking lively about something. The closer they get, the more she realises Felix is telling his brother details about the trip.

“You’re here.” Chan’s lips turn into a thin line, but the girl chooses to ignore his hostility and focus on Felix’ smiling face instead.

She salutes the two with a bow then sits down with Changbin’s help.

“Sister, you look so beautiful. I love how your dress looks.” Felix compliments, his smile radiating as much as the sun’s rays.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, how was your trip?”

“I was just telling Chris about it. The people of the west are quite nice! I had an amazing time, and we managed to score the deal with the-” Felix speaks but gets interrupted by Chris clearing his throat. He shuts up instantly and mutters a small “Sorry.”

Apparently, Aristia wasn’t supposed to know of this information either.

“Anyway, as I was saying, I was telling Chris about this gift they gave me. You all should try it. Changbin, I mean you as well. I know you didn’t get to taste any while we were there.” Felix resumes his happy stance and pulls out a small bottle out of his coat, pouring a brown liquid into four small glasses.

Rum.

Changbin grabs his glass with interest and tastes the liquid. As soon as it touches his tongue, he tastes sugar and alcohol, and he turns his head to Aristia.

“Is this the liquid you’ve been telling me about? What was it called… rum?”

“Have you had this before?” Felix asks, eyes sparkling with interest.

“No, I just… read about it in a book.” She smiles.

“Her Highness is so humble. She knows all about the way this drink is made.” Changbin starts boasting and telling the table all about their conversation, and with each word, Chris is looking more and more intensely at Aristia.

“Perhaps this knowledge will come in handy once we get the sugar cane seeds.” The Emperor says after a little while, shocking her.

He finally thinks she’s going to be useful at something, and although Aristia’s eyes grow wide for a short moment, she has some conflicting feelings about this matter.

“Anyways, we should get to eating. There are some matters I have to attend to after breakfast.” Chris continues.

After he says that, he looks towards the attendants on the side of the room who rush to bring all sorts of fresh salads, boiled and fried eggs, cheeses, salami and hams, as well as crackers and fresh fruit. For the first time in months, Aristia can eat a fresh breakfast, so she doesn’t hold herself back.

~

“This was so good!” Felix smiles gleefully, and both Chan and Aristia nod their heads in approval. He reminds her of a little kid, happy of everything, and unintentionally makes her smile.

“Felix, sorry about this, but would you please give us some time to talk privately?” Chris asks his brother, and he nods excitedly, thinking they finally started to get along.

He’s happy that his plan seemed to work. After all, he is the one who insisted that Aristia joins the two for breakfast, lunch and dinner from now on, after hearing that the Emperor never once shared a meal with his wife since the wedding.

He excuses himself, leaving Chris and Aristia alone.

“A letter from the Kingdom of the South arrived this morning.” The Emperor starts, and she instantly looks at him with dread. “It seems your father wants to come visit. He misses his precious daughter.”

“… When?” She asks, her body growing cold. She doesn’t want to see her father. She finally got away, she had a few months of peace. He hates trips. So… why?

Why is he coming here?

“In about one week from now. Seems he simply… informed us of his arrival, and what can we do but accommodate him?” Chan asks with a fake smile, irritated.

He dislikes the disrespect of someone announcing him they’re visiting instead of asking for permission, but he still has to play it nice while his troops undergo more training. The Kingdom of the South is known for their strong army, after all, and war over the emerald mine is sure to break out soon enough. He needs to buy more time.

“… Why did the letter get here so late?” Her hands start trembling slightly, so she moves them under the table. She’s forgotten what it felt like to be afraid, to walk on eggshells.

“Who knows? He must’ve sent it a bit before he decided to leave. I have a few meetings to attend, so I’m going to leave you to it. Oh, something else before I go. You are expected to join us for lunch and dinner as well, as per my dear brother’s request.”

Aristia nods absent-mindedly out of habit, but she barely hears his words.

Her father is coming.

Her head falls down, hair covering her face, as she shivers in place. One of her hands raises to her lips and she begins nervously biting her fingernails.

He can’t come here.

He can’t.

This place is safe…

This place is safe…

Nothing will happen.

Yeah.

He wouldn’t dare hurt me here.

I am the Empress.

~

Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 (coming soon)

[massivedrickhead]

Are you still taking the concern prompts? How about, "what are you afraid of?" I love to see your stories here 🩵

I feel like I've almost defintely written this fic before, or at least something very similar, but this is what came out when I started writing this prompt.

Thank you for sending this, I hope you like it!

20. “What are you afraid of?”

Prompt taken from here.

Read on AO3

-

“What are you afraid of exactly?”

Beca shrugged. “I mean, spiders freak me out.”

Chloe closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose. “Can you not be a smart-ass right now?”

“Sorry,” Beca said.

“Why do you keep pushing me away?” Chloe asked. “Why is it every time I get close to you, every time I feel like we’re getting somewhere, your walls come up? What is it that you’re afraid of?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Beca said, knowing exactly what Chloe was talking about. 

It had been a running theme in Beca’s life.

She’d meet someone, form a tentative friendship, then allow herself to open up just enough for them to get a glimpse of the real her, only for her to end up being left alone again. 

Eventually, she just stopped trying. She built up her defences too high, the walls too thick. Not only had she lost the key that would allow her to open up, she couldn’t even remember where the door was. 

She didn’t know how to let Chloe in, even if she wanted to. 

“Beca.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Beca said, running a hand through her hair. 

“I want you to tell me what you’re thinking,” Chloe said. “I want to know why you’re always keeping me at arm’s length.”

Beca swallowed and clenched her jaw, but she didn’t say anything.

“It’s fine,” Chloe said, with a sigh. “It doesn’t matter. I’m gonna go, I guess I’ll see you at rehearsals.”

Say something, Beca’s mind screamed at her. Say anything.

But Beca didn’t. She couldn’t.

She didn’t know how.

-

It was hours later when Chloe was disturbed from her studying by her apartment buzzer.

“Are you expecting anyone?” Aubrey asked, looking up from her own textbook.

“No,” Chloe said, checking to see if she’d had any missed calls or texts.

The buzzer went off again and Chloe put down her book and walked over to the intercom.

“Who is it?” Chloe asked.

There was a pause.

“It’s Beca,” was the response.

Chloe frowned. “It’s like 11 pm, is everything okay?” She asked.

“Yeah I, um, I just wanted to talk to you,” Beca said. “Sorry, I should have text or something. This was a bad idea, I’m gonna go.”

“No,” Chloe said quickly into the intercom. “No, I’m buzzing you up.”

She pressed the button to unlock the door and then spent the next few minutes anxiously pacing.

“I’m not even gonna ask,” Aubrey said, packing up her stuff. “I should have known it was her fault that you’ve been in a weird mood all night.”

Before Chloe could argue, Aubrey had retreated to her room, and Beca knocked on the apartment door.

“Hey,” Chloe said, opening it and standing aside so Beca could enter. “What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry for just turning up,” Beca said, wringing her hands as she crossed the threshold into Chloe’s apartment. “I just… I don’t like how I left things with us earlier, and I always come across too blunt in texts and-”

“Bec, it’s okay,” Chloe said, frowning as she watched Beca begin pacing. She’d never seen Beca like this before. She’d never seen her look anything other than calm, or composed, or occasionally disinterested. Aside from the incident in the shower, she’d never seen Beca look flustered like this. “Take a breath.” 

She did, a shaky hand coming up to run through her hair. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise,” Chloe said. “I’m glad you’re here, I don’t like how we left things either.”

“It’s just, the thing is, I’m not… I’m not good at this. The whole friendship thing. I try and be, you know, open and shit but it always ends up blowing up in my face. I’m always… When I finally allow myself to open up a little, they always leave. I always end up on my own again, and eventually, I just figured why bother, you know? And now… Now I don’t even know how to do it anymore. It’s like my whole brain shuts down and I lose the ability to speak. I don’t know how to open up anymore, and I’m afraid that if I don’t figure it out I’m going to lose you. And I’m afraid that if I do figure it out, I’m going to lose you.” Beca cleared her throat, suddenly terrified that she was about to cry. “You asked what I’m afraid of, and it’s that. I’m afraid I’m going to lose you, the same way I’ve lost everyone else.”

Chloe gave her a soft smile. “You aren’t going to lose me,” she said. 

“That’s what everyone says,” Beca said.

“I’m not everyone,” Chloe countered. 

“No,” Beca said. “You definitely aren’t. And that’s a good thing,” she added.

“I know,” Chloe said, her lips curling into a smirk. “So trust me when I say that you aren’t going to scare me off by letting me see the real you. In case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t scare easy.”

“I had noticed.”

“And can I tell you something else?” Chloe asked, her hands resting on Beca’s shoulders before moving down to rub up and down her arms. “You’ve just done it. You’ve just opened up and shared something with me, and now I know you a little better.”

“Oh,” Beca said, “I guess I did.”

“I’m sorry for pushing you,” Chloe said. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or anything, I just needed to know that this wasn’t all one-sided.”

“It isn’t,” Beca said. “And I’m sorry I made you think that.”

Chloe shook her head to let her know it was fine. “I’m glad you came over,” she said. “And I’m glad you shared all that with me.”

“I want to be able to share more,” Beca said. “Be more open, but it might take me some time.”

“That’s okay,” Chloe said. “I can be patient.” Beca raised an eyebrow. “Okay, I suck at being patient, but I can do it for you.”

Beca smiled and felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. “Thank you.” They shared a quick hug before Beca tried, and failed, to stifle a yawn.

“It’s getting pretty late,” Chloe said. “Do you want me to walk you back to your dorm?”

“You don’t need to walk me back,” Beca said. 

“You can’t go on your own.”

“If you walked me back, who would walk you back?” Beca countered. “I can order an Uber or something if it makes you feel better.”

“Or you could stay?” Chloe asked, knowing she might be pushing it a bit. “We could watch a movie or a show or something. I have a double bed. Or a comfy sofa if you’d rather sleep on that. No pressure.”

If anyone else had asked her this, Beca would have said no. How many times had Jesse hounded her about hanging out in his dorm to watch movies with him?

But Beca was surprised to find the idea of watching movies with Chloe was actually appealing. Surprised even more when the thought of sharing a bed with her didn’t fill her full of abject terror, but quite the opposite.

“Okay,” Beca said. 

Chloe beamed. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Beca said.

[burninface]

🥞Weekly tag Wednesday Friday🥧

thank you @vintagelacerosette @creepkinginc @doshiart @lingy910y @deedala @blue-disco-lights for tagging me!! Love you all<3 cheers🥂!

how did you get into the fandom?

it's a long story: after finished the show and read a few fics, I found myself had so many thoughts about them, and wanted to create something. so at first I started to translate fics, then I wrote something in my language but no one was interested. then I started to edit, and at the same time I started to practice drawing. I wanted to share some of my things but had no idea where to post, then I remembered my long abandoned tumblr account. I was so unsure and panicking at first, then I found ppl here are so kind and inspiring and creative!!

what’s the first fandom channel you found? (youtube, reddit, tumblr, insta, twitter, FB, other?)

a local bbs for english fandoms, got some fic translations and old discussion posts on it

what’s your favourite now?

tumblr of course

which mutual have you known the longest in the fandom?

I think it's calli @callivich , we haven't talked much but I really want to say thank you to her, it was her reblogs and feedbacks helped me overcome my extreme lack of confidence from the beginning🥹

which tumblerinos did you have your first fandom crush(es) on and wanted to get to know?

again it's calli! also ling and nosho made me feel welcomed🥰 pie @gallapiech for all her talented arts about video games au gallavich, sarah @atthedugouts for all her lovely thoughts on milkoviche siblings dynamics!

and all my other muatuals, every time I saw that purple Mutuals, my heartbeat's just rated up😫💓

first gallavich fan fic you read (or that blew you away that you remember)?

it's the translation version of Favours Owed by MintSauce, and then i went to ao3 to find her other works and met my first blew-me-away The Halfway House (at that time I hadn't finished the show, I was on season 4~5 and thought it's ok to read fics wrote before)

and after I finished the show, it's when the party's over by emryses

first fan art that blew your mind?

I'm not sure… I only remember the first time I clicked in gallavich tags, all the art works blew my mind!! like one after another, kept blowing... artists all your works are sooo good!!

fanfic trope that you were sure wasn’t for you but now you low key (or high key) love?

fluffy and domestic husbands!

what surprised you most about this fandom?

everyone is just so kind! and with high creative enthusiasm! it really gives me courage to speak and to make friends. (which hadn't happened even once in last 2 years. I had been afraid of interact with others for years, so it's very important for me, really🥹, can't thank you all enough)

moment in the show (or YT vids if you’re one of those) that you fell in hyperfixation with gallavich?

ok, it might sound unhealthy but, every moment they (physically) fight with each other. not when only one side attack the other, but fighting mutually……

ian or mickey?

……can I choose or and take it away with me, then there's no others between them? 👀

which gallagher or milkovich are you?

sandy... and liam(s11)

since I'm already laaate so no tagging this time!

[shion-yu]

Just The Two of Us

In his feverish haze, Shu couldn't tell whether it was someone he loved or someone he was afraid of at the door. Ft. Shu's boyfriend after Julian: Paul. (Not Sick Love AU) 2,879 words, TWs: Past domestic abuse, PTSD.

Written for the @whumplovers-collaborate 2024 Winter Exchange event and posted on AO3! Author reveals aren't technically until 3/1 but I don't think anyone will notice. There are TONS of amazing works in the collection (INCLUDING AN INSANE ART OF SHU/JULIAN!!) so I encourage you to browse it!

"Shumei? Answer me!"

Shu could hear someone yelling and banging on his front door. In his feverish haze, he couldn't tell if they meant well or not. Vaguely he wondered if he should call the police, but he lacked the energy to follow through on this idea. He felt as if his couch cushions were swallowing him, like he was sinking deep into a very dark and cold place. 

"Answer before I break it down, Shu!" 

It couldn't be Alex, Shu thought to himself. Alex had a key to the house. His son would come and go whenever he felt like it, usually without warning. Sometimes Shu would come home from work to find Alex sleeping on the couch or in his bed, in the latter situation the only indication that he was there at all being his shoes and coat by the door. Shu told Alex he should let him know when he wanted to sleep over, but secretly he enjoyed these surprise visits. Shu missed him now that they lived separately, and although Shu called him frequently his son was successful and busy in his career as a musician and didn't always have time to answer. They'd never gone more than a day not talking though, except when he was with Julian. Was it Julian at the door?

The sound of heavy thumping repeated over and over again. Julian was here to kill him, Shu thought weakly, fear rising in his throat like bile. He'd come back to finish the job he'd started. Doubtless he wanted revenge for what Alex had done to him. Shu's leg ached from where Julian had broken it that last time they’d been together.

There was a jarring cracking sound and suddenly Julian was there, hands on Shu's shoulders and shaking him. Shu felt frozen, too horrified to move a muscle in response. His throat felt bone dry and he couldn't get any words to come out. He heard the person in front of him speaking with insistence. "Shu, honey? Look at me. C'mon... Shit, you're really hot."

Julian did think it was hot when he was sick, Shu thought in terror. He liked it when Shu cried too, and when he bled. He liked to hit Shu in places that Alex and the people at work couldn't see because they were easy to hide underneath his clothes. He liked when Shu had to rely on him because he was too weak to do anything else.

One time he collapsed at work. He had been leaning over Mathias’ shoulder and showing him last month’s data when he just went down, entirely deadweight and without warning. Shu woke up on the ground to Mathias over him and shouting his name. He had a terrible fever, just like now, except it was because Julian had locked him out of the house last night in the rain when he was already ill. He couldn’t even remember what he’d done to make Julian so mad. Mathias had asked Shu why he had even bothered showing up to work with such a high temperature. 'Because it's the only place I'm safe anymore,' Shu remembered thinking.

If Julian was back, he’d do all of that terrible stuff to Shu all over. And even though Shu had promised Alex that he’d never hide something from him again, he was afraid to tell Alex. Alex was no longer a minor like he was the first time around; if he hurt Julian, he might end up in jail for real. “Don’t hurt me,” Shu begged. “I’ll be good.”

“Hurt you? I’m not going to hurt you,” the figure above him said. He sounded worried, but Julian was never worried. He didn’t worry about Shu’s well-being or about getting caught. No, he would just get angry.

Shu was too scared to look up at the person in front of him. He was too scared to face the person he'd spent years trying to completely forget about, but failed. Julian was always there when he least expected it: in his dreams, hiding in the shadows, even in the corner of his eyes if he turned around too quickly. "Don't hurt me," Shu repeated. "I-I didn't do anything."

“No, no. You're okay. Open your eyes, hun.”

Shu obeyed and realized it was not Julian above him, but Paul. Sweet, caring, lovely Paul who had indeed had never hurt him, even when Shu made mistakes like forgetting they’d made plans or leaving the oven on. Shu’s eyes filled with tears and he reached up towards Paul's face with one shaking hand. “I thought you were him,” Shu said, voice wavering. “No one else is here, right?”

“No, it’s just us,” Paul said, sitting next to him and rubbing his cool hands through Shu’s messy hair. “You’re really ill, that’s all. Alex called me, said you hadn’t answered your phone in days.” Oh, that’s right, Shu thought to himself. Alex was on tour and his mom was on vacation with her girlfriends. 

“...Did you break my door?”

Paul laughed, sounding relieved that Shu was at least aware enough to ask this. “A little bit. I’ll fix it, don’t worry. I’m going to look through your cabinets and find meds, okay? Do you have a thermometer?”

“Bottom left cabinet in the bathroom,” Shu mumbled. Now that he was more awake, his head had begun to ache fiercely. Paul nodded and left him on the couch. Shu coughed; it sounded very wet and wheezy. He wondered vaguely where his rescue inhaler was, but he hadn’t used it in quite a while. Paul came back in two minutes holding the thermometer, a wet washcloth and a bottle of Tylenol. He took his place back on the edge of the couch and held the thermometer up to Shu. Shu felt like his arms were way too heavy but took the small instrument in his own hand and placed it under his tongue, closing his eyes while it worked. His eyes throbbed and felt extra hot inside of his skull. 

It beeped about thirty seconds later and Shu handed it blindly to Paul, not bothering to look at it himself. "Oh man. 103.1. That’s really high, honey. Maybe we should go to the hospital.”

“I’ll be fine,” Shu grunted, which made him cough again. Paul helped him sit up a bit higher, hoping it would help Shu breathe. Shu coughed until he gagged on all the disgusting phlegm that came up. Thank God he had nothing in his stomach, because he was absolutely sure he was too weak to make it to the bathroom right now. Paul handed him one of the already very-used-up tissues from the couch, which Shu spit into.

“Here, at least take some Tylenol,” Paul said, holding out two extra strength tablets and a glass of water. Shu felt pathetic and old, but let Paul place the pills on his tongue and tip a sip of water into his mouth. “Good,” Paul said, helping Shu lay back down. “Let’s just see if that works first, alright? I’m going to go call Alex, let him know you’re okay.” He neatly placed the cold and wet cloth he’d brought on Shu’s forehead and stood up to go to the kitchen. Shu caught his wrist just before he took a step away.

“Just you and me here?” He confirmed again, ashamed but worried enough to ask. “You promise?”

“Just us,” Paul promised. He took Shu’s hand and kissed the back of his fingers. “Get some more rest and we’ll check your temperature again in a bit.”

The Tylenol seemed to only help a little. Shu’s temperature didn’t drop less than a degree and Paul was too worried to leave him alone. Shu was talking a lot in his sleep, Paul noted. A lot of apologizing and pleading. It broke his heart.

Paul didn’t know a lot about Julian. He knew that Shu had dated the guy for a bit over a year and it had ended very badly, with Alex having to step in and protect Shu. He knew whatever Julian had done had landed Shu in the hospital, and this was why Shu walked with a limp and had a very large scar on the left side of his abdomen. He didn’t know the specifics of how this all went down or what things Julian had done that hadn't left a mark. He could tell it was a sensitive topic from the way Shu seemed to awkwardly laugh and change the topic whenever it came up, though. So he hadn't asked, but through bits and pieces Paul was slowly begun to put the picture together. He understood the bottom line: that Julian had been a bad person who had treated Shu very poorly.

It pained Paul to imagine someone voluntarily hurting Shu. Shu was so nice, so mild-mannered. Not only would he never hurt a fly, but Paul was sure it would never even occur to him to do so. Shu had raised Alex as a single father entirely voluntarily starting the day that he’d gotten a call from CPS that a very distant relative had died, leaving their child in foster care and needing a home. “I had put my name down as someone interested in foster care at some fair, just once,” Shu had told Paul fondly. “I had no idea my contact information was still floating around as a potential parent. But when they called me, I said yes right away. I didn't know what I was really saying yes to, but it's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

According to Shu, raising Alex had been quite the challenge. He was thirteen when he arrived, Shu said, and already had all the bad habits of a child who’d been neglected and forced to raise himself in the face of his unstable and drug addicted parents. The people who were supposed to protect him never had, and going from that to Shu who wanted to give him everything was a harsh adjustment for both of them. Alex had gotten into fights, he’d smoked even at thirteen, and he was academically testing far below what was supposed to be his grade level. “Somehow, we figured it out. We learned to trust each other and went to a lot of therapy and it worked out.” Shu said this with a clear air of pride. Paul was aware that Shu would always love Alex the most out of anyone in his life, and he was okay with that. He respected it.

All of this goodness in Shu that Paul could see made it so much worse to imagine Shu being beat down by someone else. Paul had seen pictures from that year, and in retrospect it was easy to see how ill Shu had been back then. Even though there was no visible evidence of bruising, he was gaunt and pale and his smile didn’t reach his eyes. He looked nothing like the caring and easily contented person Paul knew him to be. Paul didn’t know what Julian looked like, but Alex had said if he ever saw him again he’d “bash the guy’s face in.” 

He could hear Shu crying out now from the couch. Paul quickly set down the mug of tea he’d been drinking and hurried out to see what was the matter. Shu was flushed and sweating, mumbling something that sounded like, “If you break my glasses again Alex is gonna notice.” Paul felt a sharp pang of pity in his stomach and shook Shu’s shoulder gently.

“Honey, it’s just me, Paul. He’s not here anymore. You’re safe.”

Shu’s eyes slowly focused on Paul, fighting to come back to the present. “Paul?”

“That’s right. There’s nothing to worry about. Why don’t we go to bed?” He felt Shu’s cheek and frowned at the unhealthy heat coming off of him. The Tylenol wasn’t working. “Let’s sit up honey. There you go. Can you walk?”

“I think so,” Shu said weakly. He let Paul help him stand and then mostly drag him to his bedroom. It was a good thing Paul was strong from his years of dancing as a career, because when Shu's knees buckled he quickly caught Shu and carried him the rest of the way to the bedroom. Shu tucked his hot face into the crook of Paul's neck.

Paul tucked Shu in and sat next to him on the other side of the bed. He stuffed an extra pillow behind Shu’s head because his boyfriend sounded like he could barely breathe. “Can I get you anything?” Paul asked worriedly. He didn’t like the wheeze he could hear in Shu’s chest. “It’s too early for more Tylenol but... Where’s your inhaler?”

“Pocket... my jacket, I think.”

Paul quickly found the inhaler and brought it to Shu, helping him take two puffs of it. Shu coughed harshly after each one. Paul winced at the damp and congested sound. When Shu sounded no better an hour later and was groaning in pain from his fever again, Paul decided he needed to push harder. “I really think you need to see a doctor,” he said.

Shu’s eyes flew open in panic. “No doctors,” he said quickly. His chest was heaving with the work of breathing. “No doctors, no hospitals, that’s where he works, Paul.”

Paul didn’t need to ask who he was. Julian, who was actually in prison from what he understood, but now wasn’t the time to fight. He took a deep breath. “How about urgent care?”

There was a long pause. Shu seemed to be deeply considering this question. “Can Alex come?”

“Alex is on tour, honey. But we can keep him on speaker phone, if he’s not busy. How’s that sound? Deal?”

“...Deal.”

One very long appointment later, Shu was back home with a diagnosis of pneumonia but doing much better than when they’d left. They’d given him a liter of fluids, a shot of solu-medrol, and antibiotics and steroids to take at home in pill form. Paul had stayed with him the entire time, even when he got scared because Alex was driving through a dead service area and the phone call dropped for a few minutes. Paul tried not to listen to the things Alex was saying too closely as it felt intrusive, but it was impossible not to overhear much of it. Alex was using such a soft and gentle voice that Paul had never heard before - usually he was so stoic and sullen, minus the times he was threatening to kill Paul if he ever hurt his dad. 

It wasn’t until they had gotten back through the (slightly broken) door into the house and Paul had herded Shu into bed that he took the phone and said to Alex, “We’re all set, if you need to go.”

“I don’t need to go,” Alex said irritably, but Paul could hear the bustle and noise of what he knew to be backstage. Alex would have to get on stage and perform any time now, pretending everything was okay for the sake of the audience. A voice called for him in the background and Alex sighed in frustration. “Okay, fine, I’ll go, but text me every hour,” he ordered. Then he added at the end, “Please.”

“Will do,” Paul said, unbothered by the sharp tone. He was used to it from Alex, plus he knew he’d be a wreck too if he were in Alex’s situation. “I’ll take care of him.”

“You’d better,” Alex said, and then he hung up. 

Paul sighed and looked back at Shu who had already fallen asleep on the bed. He’d given Shu the first antibiotic as soon as they’d gotten through the door, and now set an alarm for Shu’s next doses of that, the steroid and more Tylenol. Shu was eleven years older than him and Paul was worried that pneumonia could quickly turn much worse in someone of Shu's age. But he was on the correct medications and Paul wasn’t going anywhere until Shu was doing better.

Shu stirred and his eyes fluttered open momentarily. “Paul?” He croaked weakly.

“I’m right here,” Paul said, immediately leaning over Shu with what he hoped was a gentle expression. In reality he just looked worried. He didn’t understand why a smile flickered over Shu’s lips. “What?”

“You look stressed,” Shu said. “I’m sorry I worried you, but I’ll be alright.”

“I know,” Paul said. “But I’m still worried. You thought I was... well, not me for a while.”

“Did I?” Shu said, smile dropping. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Paul said. “But whatever he did, I’ll never do it to you. I’m not going to hurt you. Do you know that?” He was worried to hear the answer.

To his relief, Shu said, “Yes, I know it. I really do. I’m so glad I met you.”

Paul smiled tiredly. “I’m glad I met you too. Now go to sleep, you need a lot of rest. I’ll wake you when it’s time for your next meds.”

“Thank you,” Shu said. “Love you.” Then his eyes fluttered closed and he fell asleep again. Paul watched him all night to make sure Shu didn’t have any more nightmares.

[baronessblixen]

Small Miracles

My prompts for today: Eight Nights of Mulder, day 5 - miracles; X-Mas Files Challenge - helping neighbors

Summary: After coming back from the dead, Mulder is just trying to figure out who he is and what his place in the world is. Before he can lose himself in his thoughts, though, one of his neighbors needs his help. ("Three Words" fic, angst; wc: 1,362)

Tagging @today-in-fic @eightnightsofmulder

He's staring out his window, peeved that it's clean. Like everything else in his apartment. The last time he was home, the last time he looked outside, his window was dusty and greasy. It should be an improvement, but it's just another thing that's different. One more thing he wasn't around for. Yet another way for him to no longer fit in here.

He presses his thumb against the glass, observing his fingerprint. That one's the same. Or at least he thinks it is. There's nothing he can be sure of anymore. Except for one thing; he's a miracle. It's what everyone keeps saying. And he can't hear it anymore.

His health is a miracle. His progress is a miracle. Earlier, he rolled his eyes, and instead of miracle, Scully used exceptional development. Still, what she means, is that his healing has been miraculous. She should know, because she's become an expert on miracles. He's only one of them. The other, of course, is the baby.

When he became aware of Scully's protruding stomach and its implications, it dawned on him how much he had missed. Dates and months meant nothing to him, but the growing sapling inside of Scully felt tangible.

When he saw her months ago - and in many ways it feels like it was mere days ago - her stomach was toned and flat. Her hair was shorter, her face more angular. Now everything about her is soft. So soft that he's been afraid to touch her, even though everything in him screams out for her.

Before, the last time he was alive, he wished for this. One night, he even prayed. For Scully. He asked for a miracle for her. Wanted nothing more than to give her the child she so craved. That he started wanting, too. What a sick twist of fate that they succeeded in creating a new life, and Mulder lost his. Now, miraculously, he is back. He's been given a second chance and he doesn't know how to take it. How is he ever going to catch up?

Mulder paces around his apartment, but it's unfamiliar. He remembers the last night he was here before he and Skinner went to Oregon a lifetime ago. Scully had sat on the couch, bespectacled and with her legs crossed. He had tried to pack for his trip, had meant to take out the trash before it started reeking, and in the end, did neither because Scully smiled at him and they ended up making love.

He walks into the kitchen, but the trash bag from months ago is no longer there. Why would it be? There's nothing here that's out of place and it makes him mad. Scully went out to get them a few things and he didn't have the strength to ask her to stay, to not leave him alone here, or let him come with her. He lets a highly pregnant woman do his grocery shopping. Is that the man he wants to be?

There's a bag of chips in the cupboard he knows he put there years ago. It's too high for Scully to reach and he hopes she hasn't checked there. He's in luck. The bag is still there and Mulder doesn't care if they're still edible. He needs to get out of here, do something normal. What's more normal than taking out the trash? He puts the chips in a trash bag, grabs his keys, and leaves his apartment.

One floor down, he runs into a young woman who looks vaguely familiar. Though he doesn't remember her being pregnant. Seems like that's becoming a pattern.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" she asks, breathing heavily.

"You look like you're having a baby."

"And you look like crap," she shoots back. "Oh, it's you." She must recognize him. "FBI dude. I thought you were a goner."

"So did I. Is that- did your water break?"

"Yeah that kid is coming and it's coming soon."

"Do you want me to- you live with your boyfriend, right?"

"You've been gone a while," she says, holding her stomach. "He really is a goner."

"I'm sorry," Mulder says, helping her make it outside of the building.

"I'm not. He's an asshole."

"Is there anyone I can-"

"There's no one."

"Well, there's me. I'll go with you." He doesn't know why he offers it, and his young neighbor looks skeptical until another contraction hits her. She squeezes Mulder's hand and screams into his ear. For the first time since he's come back to life, he feels alive.

On the drive to the hospital, he learns that the young woman's name is Emma and that her boyfriend Harvey ran off a couple of months ago, claiming he wasn't ready to be a father after all.

"At least he can't veto Tinkerbell as a name," Emma says right before she's silenced by a bad contraction that makes her whole body shake and shiver, causing Mulder, who is panting as hard as she is, to hold her tightly against him, whispering nonsense words into her sweaty hair.

They make it to the hospital in time and it's only when a nurse asks him if he's the father that he realizes that he is. He is the father. Just not of this baby. And Scully, who has gone through more than enough lately, has no idea where he is.

He charms another nurse into letting him use the phone, impatiently twirling the cable around his finger, waiting for Scully to pick up.

"Mulder?" she asks, sounding panicky and out of breath.

"Hey Scully, it's me."

"Where are you? You didn't leave a note and your phone is here and I-"

"Breathe," he says gently. "Breathe, please. I'm fine. I- I ended up at the hospital because-"

"You what?"

"Scully, you need to relax, okay? I'm fine. I ran into this young woman in my building and she was in labor and didn't have anyone to go to the hospital with her."

"Emma is having her baby?"

"You- you know her?"

"We saw each other a few times and talked a bit. Our situations were, um, similar." One dad who ran off, and another who died. How often was Scully in his building that she knows Emma and her situation? he files the question away for later. By now, he has a whole book of questions in his head.

"I'm sorry, Scully. I wanted to get some fresh air and then- I had to help her. I had to do something." He's trying to catch his breath and he's still trying to catch up. It's as if someone has pressed fast forward and dropped him in the middle of the action, forcing him to find his way.

"Is she okay?"

"Oh yeah. Mother and child are better than okay. That Tinkerbell has a great set of lungs on her." And he finds he can't wait to meet their own little miracle. Can't wait to hear their first scream, see their scrunched-up face, and try to find who they look like more. He hopes the child will favor Scully.

"Tinkerbell?" Scully's amused question brings him back to the here and now.

"We'll give our child a normal name, right? No Fox or Tinkerbell." She's quiet on the other end of the line and there's no more laughter. He thinks he hears a sniff instead.

"I missed you so much, Mulder," she says quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "I was so scared when I got here and you were gone again. I didn't know what- I didn't-" She starts crying and Mulder hates that he isn't there with her to take her into his arms.

"I'm coming home now, okay? Though you might have to bail me out 'cause I didn't bring my wallet." She laughs a bubbling laugh and he smiles, thinking of her, wishing he could make sure she no longer had any reason to cry.

"That's not going to be a problem. Just come home?" This, too, is new. Scully saying what she wants and what she needs. It feels like a small miracle, too.

"I'm already on my way."

[selfhelpforstudents]

Hi!

As a student from Europe who has always excelled academically, I was surprised when my grades took a sudden dip last year in 10th grade. Despite my strong foundation in science, I found myself struggling to maintain the high level of performance I was accustomed to. Now that I'm on summer break, I'm determined to use this time wisely and find strategies to improve my grades for the upcoming school year. I would appreciate any advice or tips you can offer to help me achieve my academic goals and regain my confidence as a top-performing student.

How to Bounce Back After a Tough Year and Get Your Grades Back on Track

Hey there! First off, I want to say it’s really commendable that you’re taking this time during your summer break to reflect and plan ahead. It’s not easy to face a dip in grades, especially when you’ve always been a top performer. But the fact that you’re determined to turn things around says a lot about your drive and resilience. Let’s dive into some strategies to help you regain your confidence and achieve your academic goals next year.

1. Reflect on What Went Wrong

Before jumping into strategies, take some time to reflect on what might have contributed to your grades dropping last year. Was it the difficulty of the material, stress, time management issues, or something else? Understanding the root causes can help you address them directly, so you don’t fall into the same patterns.

2. Set Specific, Achievable Goals

Going into the new school year, set specific goals for what you want to achieve. Instead of just aiming to “do better,” break it down—maybe you want to improve your grades in specific subjects, manage your time better, or reduce stress. Having clear, tangible goals will give you something to focus on and help you track your progress throughout the year.

3. Create a Study Plan That Works for You

A solid study plan is key, but it needs to be one that suits your learning style and schedule. Start by organizing your time—block out periods for study, rest, and extracurricular activities. Make sure to include time for reviewing past material, especially in subjects where you struggled. Consistency is more important than cramming, so aim to study a bit each day rather than leaving everything to the last minute.

4. Focus on Understanding, Not Just Memorizing

It sounds like you’ve got a strong foundation in science, so use that to your advantage. Instead of just memorizing formulas or facts, dig deeper into understanding the concepts. Ask yourself why things work the way they do. This deeper understanding will help you retain information better and apply it more effectively in exams.

5. Use Active Learning Techniques

Passive reading or highlighting isn’t enough when you’re aiming to excel. Engage with the material actively—summarize notes in your own words, solve problems, and explain concepts to someone else (or even to yourself). The more actively you interact with the material, the better you’ll understand and remember it.

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

If you’re struggling with certain topics, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Whether it’s from teachers, classmates, or online resources, getting a different perspective can often make things click. There’s no shame in needing a bit of extra support—everyone does at some point, and it’s part of the learning process.

7. Work on Time Management and Organization

One common reason for a dip in grades is poor time management. Start using tools like planners, calendars, or apps to keep track of assignments, exams, and study sessions. Prioritize your tasks and tackle them one at a time, so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Staying organized can greatly reduce stress and help you stay on top of your workload.

8. Take Care of Your Mental and Physical Health

It’s easy to overlook self-care when you’re focused on academics, but your mental and physical health are just as important as your grades. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and finding time to relax. Stress management techniques like meditation, exercise, or even just taking a break to do something you enjoy can make a huge difference in your overall well-being and academic performance.

9. Practice Self-Compassion

Remember, everyone hits bumps in the road, and one tough year doesn’t define your entire academic journey. Be kind to yourself and recognize that setbacks are a natural part of growth. Use this summer to rebuild your confidence, and remind yourself of your past successes. You’ve excelled before, and you can do it again.

10. Stay Motivated and Keep the Big Picture in Mind

Finally, keep your eyes on the prize. Think about why you’re working hard—whether it’s to get into a good university, pursue a career in science, or simply to challenge yourself. Keeping the big picture in mind will help you stay motivated, even when things get tough.

You’ve got the summer to recharge and prepare, so use this time to build a strong foundation for the upcoming school year. With a clear plan and a positive mindset, you’ll be ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way. You’ve got this!

Love,

Sophia

[pinkipeachiikeen]

The Intruder (Osamu x F!Reader Crack fic) (Featuring Atsumu Miya)

This was supposed to be a part of a larger story but I then realized that the only part of the story that I liked was this part so.. Enjoy!

Quick summary since this one is short: What do you get when you have a heavy sleeper, a twin brother with boundary issues and a sleep deprived, caffine high college student with a broom?

Chaos.

Complete and utter chaos. 

WC: 2,090

Story below the cut!

Content warnings: Swearing and Violence with broom from a over caffinated y/n, VERY BRIEF mentions of creepy neighbors and serial killers. But seriously, its a crack fic yall. Have fun.

Osamu has always been a heavy sleeper. He always saw that as one of the ways the gods compensated him for cursing him with the snoring bear he has for a twin brother. That or he’s just grown accustomed to sleeping in the roughest of places, whether it be the bunk under Atsumu or on a rocky bus ride with 10+ teenage  boys. His sleeping  habits haven’t been a problem since he was eleven and Atusmu decided to draw on his face with colorful sharpies. Let's just say Atsumu was afraid to sleep for the next week and a half, while Osamu  slept like a baby. The decadcade+ since then has been nothing but peaceful sleeping,

Well, until now, that is.

He vaguely remembers being shaken, but he didn’t really think it was anything to interrupt his beauty sleep over. He kind of just wrote it off as unimportant or maybe he possibly even dreamt it.

But those screams and grunts from his living room were definitely real and not dreamt. 

Osamu bolted out of bed and sped out to the living room, flicking on the light to find….

You, his lovely roommate of a few months in your favorite pikachu onesie, the one you showcased to him before he went to bed, declaring it your new favorite study tool since it's ‘comfy enough to cram in without passing out!’ before chugging at least two monster energies. He expected you to be asleep by now, but it wouldn’t be the first time you pulled an all nighter studying. He learned the hard way  to leave you alone when you get in your studying binges after you quickly snapped at him after he  asked a simple ‘hey you good?’. You apologized later with some snacks, but he definitely learned his lesson. What he didn’t expect was his twin brother being there as well.  It wouldn’t be too odd, since his brother drops by unannounced from time to time using the key under the mat to crash whenever he’s in town (despite  his complaints about it) , except  for the fact that

… you were beating him.

With a broomstick. 

“What the hell is going on here?!” He bellows.

The both of you freeze, looking like you’ve both been caught with your hands in the cookie jar. A subtle wave of nostalgia passed through him, the scene reminding him of  when their mother would catch them fighting over their nintendo when they were both supposed to be asleep. Osamu never thought he would feel like the mother in that situation, especially at  the ripe age of 24, with two adults the same age as him on the other end, and half expected you to say ‘it's all his fault!’ or ‘he started it!’ 

What he wasn’t expecting was “Why are there two of you?!”

Illusion shattered. “Huh?”

Atsumu uses your confusion to his advantage and snatches the broomstick out of your hands. “Aha!” he cheers. “Try hitting me now bitch!” 

You look at your hands, in all your sleep deprived glory, just now processing the lack of your (makeshift) weapon, then shrug, pulling your first back causing the onesie sleeve to slip down your shoulders

“ahtahat!,” Osamu chants, pulling your arm back like a mother telling their toddler ‘forks don’t go into the electrical socket’ “As funny as it would be to watch my brother get his ass kicked by pikachu I really don’t wanna tend to your injuries at two-something in the morning and you don’t need to get injured before that big test of yours.” He shares, creating some distance between you two. You murmur in agreement as Atsumu deflates from his defensive stance. “She’s really not this violent at all.” he reveals, trying to placate the situation. “A real ‘save the spiders, don’t squish them’ type of person, y’know?.” 

“Yeah, tell that to the broomstick shapes welts on my body!” he retorts. “You need to get your side piece a leash, goddamn.” 

“Excuse me?!’ You shove past Osamu to look at the bleach  blonde double. “Bitch I live here, and I ain’t no one's side piece. I don’t care whose face you have, don’t sneak into my apartment if you don’t wanna get whacked asshole!” 

 “And you!” you turn to point to Osamu. “Since when do you have a twin brother?!”

“Since when did you start rooming with a girl?” his brother pipes in. 

Osamu looks at  you with wide eyes. “What? Slow down.” he rubs his forehead. “It's too early for this.” he mutters. “Atsumu, Y/n has been my roommate for like four months now, Y/n I told you I had a brother before. I complain about him 24/7 and there's a photo of us together hanging up at Onigiri Miya.”

“Wait-” Atsumu cuts in,turning to you. “How do you know my brother's face and not mine? I’m literally famous.” Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion.“Atsumu Miya? The setter for the MSBY Black Jackals?” 

You shake your head. “Dude, I get winded going up the stairs, there's no way i'm interested in sports outside of the occasional gay anime, thank you.” 

Atsumu looked absolutely appalled as Osamu covers a laugh with a cough. “And you mister!” you point at him. “First, you complain about your brother like he’s a prepubescent tweenager, I thought he was still in middle school, not grown.”

Atsumus mouth only widens in offense and disbelief. 

“Second, I go to Onigiri Miya to eat, pick up food to eat, or to help clean occasionally. I don’t look around.” 

Atsumu pouts. “Just what have you been saying about me?” 

“Oh no, I'm not done with you, bleach blonde!” Atsumu fiddles with his ends in defense. “I don’t care how big of a deal you are in the sports world, you don’t have the right to sneak in unannounced in the middle of the night!”

“I didn’t know he had a roommate!” 

“Doesn’t matter! Still rude AF. I thought you were a serial killer or something.” you retort.

“So, you think there's a potential serial killer, so your first thought is to grab the broom.” Osamu says slowly. 

Your face reddens. “W-well I wasn’t just gonna do nothin!”

“But a broom?” 

“Y’know what? I haven’t slept in 38 hours, and the only things keeping me up are the ungodly amount of caffeine I ingested, true crime podcasts, and the blessing of whatever god is taking pity on my grades right now. Rational thinking has vacated the building hours ago.  Y’all are just lucky I didn’t grab a knife!” You almost whisper shout- which Osamu learned from his mother is scarier from a woman then any screaming can be. Shouting is just irritation, or frustration, but whisper–shouting? Nothing made the twins  straighten up  quicker. 

“I, for one and VERY grateful, thank you very much.” He quickly adds. “In my recent first hand experience, being whacked with a broom is very painful and can put the fear of god into any intruder.” he reveals.

“See?” you point. “Besides! Going straight to the broom was not my intention. I tried waking you up  first since you are built like a dorrito, with fuckin’ cantolope arms and I very much am not.” you wave your hand up and down your body, showcasing the Pikachu onesie and unknowingly, part of your sports bra. Osamu tilts his head away guiltily once his eyes land there, catching his(now smug) brother's attention. “But I learned that if there ever was a fire that your ass would be getting left because you might as well have been in a coma! If there wasn’t a strange man trying to unlock the door I would’ve checked your pulse!” You share before pausing. “Wait a damn minute, Atsumu, do you have a personal key?”

Atsumu shakes his head. “I just used the one under the mat..” he muttered. 

“The WHAT!” you shout, causing the twins to step back and Osamu to start mentally writing the apology letter to the neighbors. 

“Osamu,” you take a deep breath in, lowering your voice. “ Why oh why is there a key under the mat?!” you seethe. 

“I- uh- I was tired of Atsumu blowing up my phone trying to get in, and I thought it would be nice to have if I ever forget my keys at the restaurant?” He replied, almost like he was asking a question himself. 

You blinked. Once, twice, three times.

Shit. I’m really in for it. He thinks.

“Did it ever, yknow,” you start. “Cross your mind,” your face tightens. “That your car keys are also attached to your keyring? So you wouldn’t have the possibility of leaving the restaurant in the first place? Or maybe you could just give Atsumu a key?”

“..But then he’d use the key to sneak in whenever he wanted.” he murmurs, regretting it almost instantly.

“YES, CAUSE THAT'S BETTER THAN SOME RANDOM ASS MAN SNEAKING IN WHENEVER THEY WANTED!” 

Both men physically recoil but you continue. “Oh, I know for a fact that the creepy dude upstairs would love to creep around my room and use my toothbrush when I'm away. He’s always a bit too willing to help me carry my laundry.”

Osamu's eyebrows furrowed in confusion before giving a deep sigh. No doubt, she’s been listening to too much true crime. He thought “I’mma regret asking, but why would our upstairs neighbor wanna use your toothbrush?” 

You shrug. “Dunno, ask the creep that got off on using my best friend's toothbrush for weeks. Pro tip, never live above a bar. Especially in a college town.” you share. Huh. Not the answer I was expecting. 

“But thats!” you sigh deflating. Huh. I guess the caffeine is wearing off. “That’s beside the point. Atsumu,” you turn to him, much more calmly than before,  “I would say I'm sorry for beating you with the broom, but that was totally on you.” Atsumu frowns at the non-apology. “If you want to crash here, fine, but let someone know beforehand? It had to have been months since you last crashed since it was before I moved in, Osamu could’ve easily thought you were an intruder too. Showing up here uninvited and out of the blue is both rude and problematic, even if he’s your twin brother.” Atsumu nods in agreement, shly looking at the ground like he just got a ‘stern talking to’  from Ma. “Now let's get you some frozen peas for that bruise.” you say, clapping your hands together before making your way to  the kitchen. 

As you look through the freezer for frozen produce Osamu takes a minute to process what the hell just happened. He always knew he would have to introduce the two of you at some point, but he never thought in a million years it would end up like that. 

“And Samu,” you call while handing the frozen peas wrapped in a paper towel to Atsumu. “If I find a key to our apartment under the doormat again, I will change the locks and leave your ass outside to freeze in the hallway. You’re gonna be the one crashing at your brothers. Understood?” You threaten. 

He nods quickly. “Yes, maam.”

You give a small smile. “Good. Now if that's settled I'mma attempt to get some sleep before my test, which is in,” you look at the stove clock. “Five hours. Great.” you grimace. 

“I '’’m sorry!” Atsumu apologizes sheepishly. “Is there anything i could do to apologize?”

You ponder before sporting a wicked grin. Osamu knows that look all too well, and it never seems to mean anything good for him. “Well, tonight is movie night. Every friday Osamu stay in and watch a movie or two, usually shitty ones that we just roast. You are invited if you buy snacks.” the smirk widens. “Plus, I wanna hear all the embarrassing stories you have about ‘Samu only a twin would know.”

“And there it is.” Osamu mutters as you giggle. 

“Ill see you there, kay?” You said before (finally) clocking out for the night, leaving the twins in silence for teh first time since Atsumus arrival. 

“So..” Atsumu starts. “She’s cute.”

“Don’t even start.” he states dryly.

“C’mon, I saw the way you checked them out!”

Osamu shakes his head, trying to fend off the blush taking oover his cheeks “I was just trying to be respectful!”

Atsumus shit eating grin only grows. “Sure, Mr. ‘Built-like-a-dorrito-with-cantolope-arms. Keep tellin’ yourself that.”

Needless to say, Atsumu  ended up with several more (non-broomstick shaped) bruises that night.

[mothmammoth]

No pressure if not, but do you happen to have any links/resources for that fatique management program that talks ab the sleep vs. rest thing? Google hasnt been a lot of help aside from pop science blogs and Tumblr wouldnt let me search your blog to see if you already posted something like this 😭😭

No specific links I'm afraid!

I live in the UK, and it was an NHS program recommended to me by my GP. If you're also in the UK then all I can say is to ask your doctor about it.

We had a series of six zoom meetings with two medical professionals and a bunch of us Long Covid people. One general doctor and one therapist. Kind of like a group therapy kind of thing?

We got an information packet thing that we went through and filled out over the course of the meetings. I'm afraid it's been over a year since then though so it's probably been thrown out. 😔

What I do remember is that we did like, a daily time sheet, logging our periods of activity. The categories were:

Sleep (sleep)

High activity (generally any like, physical activities)

Low activity (more low-key activities, including solely mental ones like puzzles, video games, anything making you Think About Stuff)

Rest (Do Nothing/Think Nothing time)

The idea was that we were trying to identify our own baselines for activity - the amount of stuff we could do without triggering post-exertional malaise. Also if we were actually getting enough rest throughout the day where we weren't actively using energy!

If you figure out your baseline, then you can head off getting into a 'peaks and troughs' pattern of overstretch -> crash -> feel better -> overstretch -> crash.

For rest, we were taught a variety of different relaxation and meditation techniques in the hopes that at least one of them might resonate with us. 'Rest' time doesn't have to be in like, solid blocks! They actually recommended to like, take breaks from whatever we might be doing maybe every 20 minutes or half hour and then just spend 5 minutes chilling, haha.

All of this is easier said than done of course. I have ADHD so turning my brain off for rest is uhhh Not Easy lmao.

Hope that helps?

[oddballwriter]

So it me again (i said I more platonic stuff😈) with MH EMH boys (maybe even habit) with a their rebellious teenager 😭

꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦

Warnings: Mentions of the events of Marble Hornets and EveryManHYBRID, HABIT is here, me lightly trashing on Vinny yet again 

Author’s Snip: I was sort of holding onto this request in case anymore came in asking for the other guys so that I can actually think about how they would parent in the first place. But it's been getting buried in all the other requests of both slenderverse and Hi-Fi, and I do like this request actually, so I'll just do it now. Sorry for the delay, anon.

Notes: I'm only going to do a handful of the MH and EMH guys (Evan, Vinny, HABIT, Tim, and Brian) since those four are the only ones I could really think of. Also, this is told in the lens that the five survived and lived past the events of their respective series and low key just be marinating in their trauma. 

I’ll shut up now. Enjoy! And don’t be afraid to request.

꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦

Tim

He knew this was going to happen

Having your kid be rebellious when their a teenager is natural and so he won't be completely blindsided when you start

Obviously he's still going to worry because he doesn't want you going out and doing things that are actually illegal

And before you mention the stuff he did. 1, it was the result of lack of medication and a paranormal and trauma force. And 2, do as he says not as he does (/hj)

He's going to be worried sick if he finds out you snuck out and he genuinely has no idea where you went and he doesn't like either ideas.

Did you sneak out to go to a party? What if something happens? He really doesn't want a call from the police department saying the party got busted and you were doing something bad.

He also worries if maybe you saw it and freaked out and fled in a daze and now you were scared and confused/disoriented

One thing that I think that would bite Tim is the idea that Tim told you growing up that you were forbade from going into woods, since that's where the Operator hangs out at the most and didn't want you to run into it. He'd always just say that you could get lost when you were little but now that you're old enough to navigate and remember routes you took the 'You'll get lost" won't work

You probably got him to quit smoking at this point

Maybe he stopped when you were born/really small but in the case that he just didn't smoke around you and continued, he would drop it if he found out you were stealing some from him to smoke too

I really do think he'd be the "Do as a say, not as I do" type of parent but in a more gentle and calm way

Brian

Brian in general is such a chill parent. He just sort of teaches you lessons about life as you go through life and all the times that kids usually learn things about life

I'm sure Brian won't really be too mad if you started doing some stuff like going to parties and doing some other things so long as you aren't actively hurting yourself in any way

Brian 100% went to parties in high school and even crashed some

To him there's things that you do while you're rebelling that he gives you as a free-by like stealing some sips of a beer and stuff like that, but if you are actively breaking a law like doing full on vandalism and distraction of property then that's when you get a scolding

He's actually really calm and collected for a man he spent a few years of his life living in the woods and setting up clues for people like so cryptid but like ig he's just built different

Honestly, rebelling isn't even rebelling. It's just Brian taking a step back and just making sure the if something bites you in the ass that he's there to pick you back up and say "What did we learn?"

Evan

I feel like under normal circumstances Evan would be the same as Brian in terms of parenting, maybe only being a little bit more strict

But with all that's happened, I feel like he's a lot more protective and worried once you get to that point

Listen he can't be too mad when you're just doing what kids do at that point in their lives

But with all the bullshit and freaks that he knows exists now, he keeps a way more closer eye on you

I do feel like he would be a bit sad because you rebelling is also meaning that you're reaching a point where you want independence, and that's fine. He would never restrict his child's independence or autonomy. You'll have to fly away from the nest someday

He's done some slightly illegal shit even before HABIT

Just some petty crimes

Obviously he's still gonna be mad or disappointed in whatever you did but if it's "Not that bad" then he'll just give you a slap on the wrist and say "Don't do that again. Okay?"

Vinny

Hates it

I'm gonna trash on him but Vinny's so going to be the dad that will tell his kid not to do something but doesn't know what to do when his kid actually does it

His authority is honestly just an illusion and he didn't realize that you would see through it at any point in your life

Vinny does worry a lot through both with the fact that paranormal stuff is out there and he's been victim to it over and over again and the fact that he knows that teenagers in their rebellious times can fall into some pretty deep shit

He sort of just grounds you whenever you do something bad like sneak out or something

He's trying his best okay

He cares for you and although he knew that you would be rebellious someday, he hadn't fully prepared for it

He knows that you're having a right of passage but he also knows that he still has to disapline you

HABIT

I only added Habit because the idea of his kid rebelling is funny as fuck

Rebelling against him would just be his child being a good and law abiding teenager

[elmaestrostan]

@protect-daniel-james ahh, just remembered I meant to try and do this the other day. If you haven’t jumped the paywall already here’s that adorable Andoni interview from The Times:

Andoni Iraola: Noir novels, beach football and life in top flight

An hour into our conversation, in his open manner, with his easy smile, Andoni Iraola says something I’ve never heard before. “I suffered more as a player than as a manager,” he admits. It’s startling. In my 28 years of interviewing football people, managers have only said the very opposite.

But Iraola is differently wired; a relaxed and road-less-travelled guy. He was the boy raised in a Basque hotbed of the game, whose family actually weren’t that into football; the young man who embarked on a law degree because he didn’t envisage a sporting career.

If he wasn’t a manager he reckons he would be running a bookshop. “I have read all of Murakami,” he tells me. Mike Bassett, he is not.

His wife and children aren’t football fans either; they don’t come to the stadium, watch games or talk football at home. “I open the door and sometimes they don’t even know who I’ve been playing against,” he grins. “For me, that is very valuable.”

His alternative ways are powering a revolution at Bournemouth, where he has instilled belief that a small team can play as high and intensely and boldly as any big one. Those qualities had Rayo Vallecano and Mirandés, the underdog Spanish sides he coached, reaching beyond their expected limits. His Rayo beat Barcelona and Real Madrid, his Mirandés reached the Spanish Cup semi-finals for only the second time in their near 100-year history.

Lack of fear is key to his rise. Iraola, 41, had it from his first (and successful) management posting, in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca. “You can only learn by making mistakes and I wasn’t afraid of them because I wasn’t clear coaching was my future,” he says. “My attitude was, ‘Let’s try — if it works, it works’. Things went from one adventure to another adventure, and here we are.”

His parents still work where they’ve always worked and where they met: in the offices of a company which sells marble in Usurbil, a town of 5,000 near San Sebastián. An only child who excelled at school, they encouraged his studies and he was three years into a law degree at university before giving up because he was starting every week for Athletic Bilbao in La Liga and his football schedule made it difficult enough to get to classes, let alone undertake the work placement in a legal practice his degree required.

It hadn’t dawned that he might be good enough for a playing career until he was 16 or 17. As a boy, he played on San Sebastián’s famous La Concha beach with Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso and then for the same youth club, Antiguoko. From kicking a ball on the sands as children, the three have grown up to be among the best young coaches in the world. How? Iraola shrugs. “I always say football-wise, when we were young, Mikel was the best, but overall none of us were great athletes and all of us had to use our understanding of the game to be successful, even as players,” he says.

We talk about what he learned from a playing career that encompassed more than 500 games for Athletic Bilbao, where he was their right back and captain, a year in midfield for New York City FC, and seven caps for Spain — hard won, in a period (2008-11) his country were world and European champions.

Even training with that squad (“nobody ever lost the ball!”) was an education in what the highest football standards look like. In New York, where the manager was Patrick Vieira, fresh from five years playing and coaching with Manchester City, he learned the concepts of positional play.

At Athletic he was exposed to some significant managers, including Marcelo Bielsa and Javier Clemente, but the biggest influence was Ernesto Valverde. “I had him at all the levels,” Iraola says. “When I went to Athletic Club at 16, he was my first coach. He was my coach in the second team and the guy who put me in the first team. Then at the end of my career, my coach when he came back from Barcelona.

“His style is the club’s style. Athletic Club is the most English team in La Liga. We like to attack fast, use the width of the pitch, overlaps, a lot of crosses, high press. And that is how I have learned to play.”

From long ago, he was drawn to England. He loved visiting for mini-breaks — London, Manchester or wherever there were good flights from Bilbao. He knew plenty about Bournemouth. “Eddie Howe visited when I was at Rayo and it was a club I had already studied for set pieces — they were pretty famous for those [under Howe], for their offensive routines,” he says. “But only after I arrived [in June] did I analyse the players, the area.”

Bournemouth made a bold decision to replace Gary O’Neil, a clearly talented upcoming manager, who performed wonders in salvaging their 2022-23 season and was popular with media and fans. The owner Bill Foley, chief executive Neill Blake and technical director Richard Hughes just believed the opportunity to hire Iraola — further along in his upward trajectory than O’Neil — was too big to pass up.

His brief? “The club was coming from a very successful two seasons,” he says. “First season, promoted. Second season, you keep your spot in the Premier League. Changing coaches wasn’t an easy decision to make. They were talking to me because of how we played in Rayo and wanted to implement the things we were doing in Bournemouth.

“I think those things are pretty clear. We like to play in a high rhythm, to be as vertical as we can whenever we recover the ball and try to play in the opposition half.

“The players, now with all the information [out there], already before I arrived knew my ideas. The culture is different [in England] and sometimes we’ve had to adapt to each other and it’s been a process. Training sessions, I take them myself. I always say I am more of a coach than a manager.”

After nine games, Bournemouth were second bottom and yet to win. With difficult opening fixtures he and the club expected a tricky start, but scrutiny was mounting. Iraola found himself topping that pernicious betting market — “next manager to be sacked”.

Did he have doubts? “A lot of times,” he says. “I always say intelligent people have doubts. Otherwise, you don’t make questions to yourself. There were moments I was watching the players and they were trying, they were doing all the things we were telling them [and still losing].

“I remember the game against Spurs [a 2-0 home defeat in August]. For me, we played really well and got them in difficult situations, but they had [James] Maddison, [Yves] Bissouma, [Destiny] Udogie, making amazing plays from very disadvantaged positions. And you say, ‘Woah, we’re doing what we want to do, we’re getting them into the places we want, and even then they’re finding ways to get out and counter’.

“It was the moment I said, ‘Oof, we have to be really clinical if we want to compete in this league’. But also, ‘This is why I am here’. Because you want to face the best coaches in the world, the best players in the world.”

Perhaps the lowest point was game 11: a 6-1 defeat away to Manchester City. Iraola changed from his standard 4-2-3-1 to 5-4-1 and learned a valuable lesson. “I didn’t like that game. Even in the first 30 minutes when we didn’t concede, we were very passive. Very low. It’s not the way we want to play.

“I talked to Pep [Guardiola] after the game and I should have played one midfielder doing the role of a defender. Because the message for the team was maybe not the correct thing. I thought we needed five in the last line to match the [attacking formation] City use, but I should have used a midfielder getting lower rather than a defender — the message would have seemed more positive to the players, even if we took the same positions.”

Bournemouth won the next match, against Howe’s Newcastle United, sparking a run that found them top of the Premier League form table, with 19 points from seven games, going into the new year. “I was lucky because the players kept pushing and believing and you could see that when it wasn’t working, it wasn’t because they weren’t giving their part,” he says. “That meant I had to improve on the tactical side. I’m thankful for the players.”

What did he do? “Fixed small details . . . sometimes at this level it’s just a question of changing a position two or three metres and things start to click.”

And the biggest difference? “I think we’ve changed not so much our style or our offensive volume, we’ve improved defensively. Especially when defending lower and defending crosses and set pieces. We’ve improved how we defend in our box, we’re better at defending one-on-one situations, at forcing the opposition onto their weaker side, blocking crosses, blocking shots, going to the second balls. It is work on the training ground on small basics that were costing us a lot.”

Two players have been crucial. Dominic Solanke and Ryan Christie — whose move from No 10 to a deeper position suddenly balanced the team. “I’m sure every coach who has had him loved Ryan because he understands not only his position, but what the team needs to do and, playing lower, he’s able to organise,” Iraola says. “He doesn’t look very strong, but wins the ball because he’s very good at reading situations.

“Dominic? He has all the qualities. He is unique as a No 9. He can play in a low block because he is fast enough for all the counters, and he can play in a very offensive team because he’s good enough in the box. And out of possession he’s the first one that gives the intensity to the press.”

Both fit Iraola’s philosophy that modern footballers have to be “complete”. “I think we demand nowadays everything from the players,” he says. “You can’t have a No 9, any more, who scores but doesn’t press, and even the keeper has to be complete.

“I have always loved gegenpressing [counterpressing] and the German coaches. The Bundesliga is where the idea players have to be complete started, because coaches were very demanding out of possession.”

Some of his principles are, indeed, very like Jürgen Klopp’s. Like an avowed preference for “chaos over organisation” and love of lightning attacking. “It’s a matter of how much do you want to risk the ball. I tell players whenever you recover it, your first look has to be not even to the No 9, but the ’keeper. Can you score?”

He seems to share Klopp’s worldview that football is the “most important of the least important things” and his ability to switch off from it belies the ferocious intellect and seriousness he brings when at work. A chat about statistics, for instance, shows how deeply and originally he thinks about things. “I like a lot of stats, but don’t show the players too much,” he says. “You should choose the three or four things that are most important to the game and remember sometimes they mislead you and that, always, every stat has a story behind it.

“xG [expected goals]? I use it but think it has to improve. Because it only takes into account the shots. Sometimes there is a big, massive chance, where you go against the ’keeper one-against-one, the ’keeper takes the ball from you and this is ‘xG zero’. So, for one game, it can be misleading. After 38 games, yes, normally it is a reflection, but you have to read more than the xG.”

In their 3-0 away defeat of Manchester United, Bournemouth covered more than 115km as a team. That’s quite a lot, I say. “Maybe too much! More important than the total distance are the expensive metres, the high-speed running,” Iraola says.

“They are expensive because not everybody is able to give you a lot and those metres are what make the difference. Sometimes you run a lot because you’re not seeing the ball and your total distance is high because you’re not playing well. Whereas normally, when you’re playing well, you’re having more high-speed metres than the opposition.”

When he came home from Old Trafford his wife, son (who is three) and daughter (who is eight) did expect a good mood. They know enough about football to know hammering United, as manager of Bournemouth, is a decent result.

“A few weeks before, we played in Manchester and lost 6-1 and the kids were thinking, ‘No, not another 6-1!’ so they were pleased,” he says. “Usually, they know our result, but not how it has gone and the question is, ‘You played well?’ and what they are really asking is, ‘Are you happy or not happy?’ ”

Their real interests are school, toys, games, Disney stuff. They’re normal kids. On days off, he likes nothing better than family trips exploring outdoor corners of Dorset. Like any Basque, he loves scenery and the sea.

Books? “I always liked to read. When you’re a player you have a lot of time travelling, and reading is good relaxation. Now I’m a manager, I’m reading less than ever. It’s impossible. I don’t have time.

“Normally, I read novels, noir novels. Detectives. I loved The Alienist by Caleb Carr when I was younger and the Kurt Wallander books are among my favourites. Many I read are Spanish, but the American writer, Don Winslow, is very good. Also, James Ellroy and Jo Nesbo.

“Noir novels are easy to read. They’re fast and you finish them quickly. I try to mix them with something more difficult. [Haruki] Murakami is not easy, but I love him — 700 pages and he’s talking about dreams . . . but I’ve been to Japan on holiday and I could understand him better.”

The return match with Spurs on Sunday is a good opportunity to gauge how far Bournemouth have come. Perhaps Ange Postecoglou is another of Iraola’s kinsmen. Like the Australian, he takes jobs without bringing assistants with him (they can’t protect you; you live and die by results anyway, is his take) and “as a football fan I love Tottenham’s style”.

Like Postecoglou he leads without ego and without that sense, which many managers project, of the job being burdensome. I ask about career plans and Iraola just smiles. “I don’t really know. I don’t like to do plans because it doesn’t make sense as a coach. You have a bad run, your situation changes so quickly.

“I think . . . I want to prove myself. ‘Let’s see if I’m able to do this’. But it’s more about challenging yourself than anything else. There might be a moment when I find I’m not good enough for this level. It can happen. And for sure it will happen one day. But until then, I want to see how far I can arrive.”

[queerfables]

911 Season 6 liveblog part one

6x01

Character: "Nothing's going to happen"

Me: "Something's gonna happen"

My wife, chiming in from across the room: "Noooo, what could go wrong?"

Me: "I know right! On the Things Go Wrong show?"

My little boy is watching with me now and he's very excited about the fire engine. "Car!! Truck!!"

He lost interest once the vehicles were off the screen lol. A boy who knows what he's about.

Aw Bobby and Athena are being cute

LOL @ "Buck, you don't even have a couch" Get him, Chris

Oh Jesus Christ not hand gore I can't deal with hand gore

Josh is me "Why not? You guys love each other, just get back together already."

I've missed Josh and Maddie's dynamic

Lol at threatening to cut the car up so they could take it to the hospital with the contestants

Oh no are they finally gonna get back together?? Thank goodness

I'm way too soft about them

Did Chimney just call this a one night stand oh my god??

Listen I have casually hooked up with exes after the break up and this was. Not that.

Noah seems nice

Oh no Maddie helping the older brother find his little brother in hide and seek because he was scared he'd run away that's so soft

Lmfao Buck has a clipboard again

Hen calling it a weapon in the wrong hands

Crying with laughter that Bobby didn't know why Buck was being so weird

But very emotional that he picked Hen as his interim replacement

"Is this because I don't have a couch?"

I love how the couch is such a blatant stand in for Buck's relationships

6x02

Okay I'm in love with these neighbours having an affair and being so extra about it that they built a secret fucking tunnel between their houses

Plus the wife is so hot, if her husband isn't going to romance her then someone should

Watching Hen be the cap is great, she's really good at it

Oh Hen, running out of time in the test is crazy stressful I have so been there

Oh my god she fell asleep at the wheel that's terrifying

Jeeze, having to triage who has the better chance of living is really rough

Hen and Buck are both gonna take this so hard

Eddie and Chimney trying to take care of them

Oh Hen no. You just took on so much and you haven't slept right in days.

Holy shit they found a body???

Holy shit the kid who

The kid who went missing

The reason Athena became a cop

Holy shit????

6x03

Tiny Athena is so cute

Could the girl have fallen in accidentally?

Bobby can't you see she's afraid he did it?

I'm high key obsessed with the missing girl's older sister.

It doesn't make sense that Reggie Senior did it. I think he hid the body to protect his kid.

Jeeze I really thought this was gonna turn out to be a tragic accident, I can't believe Junior targetted and killed her on purpose.

This was honestly a great episode. I didn't think that solving this mystery could live up to the impact of leaving it without a resolution but they really proved me wrong.

6x04

Holy fuck he got buried under the tree that's crazy

I love watching all the kids get older and go through new challenges and develop who they are. Lol at Christopher getting snarky with his dad in new and exciting ways.

And lying to him, apparently. Good for you, Chris.

I'm crying with laughter over Chimney getting accidentally abducted and Buck chasing him on a bike

Aw this heart to heart with Eddie and his dad is really nice

It's interesting but I've been thinking about the fact that s5&6 had a different show runner to the other seasons, and what I'm really feeling is that the character she doesn't quite get is Buck. I just feel like the story arcs he's been getting lately have been stuff that's come out of nowhere, like they're not sure what to do with him. I'm just not completely sold on this sperm donor arc and I remember reading some stuff about where it goes that has me very dubious

Noah thinking maybe someone else heard to get the address was a good call

Jeeze these kinds of calls are always gonna be so rough for Maddie

Wow Hen I love your sweater

Hen was such a good choice for Buck to chat to about this, she's been through it from a few different angles and she has great advice

That dog actor was very excited about getting its "stand up now" command, the tail was wagging like anything

Oh Eddie, I get that you're pissed but that was not your best moment

Very soft that he was able to pull himself back and actually talk to his kid. He's a good dad.

Oh I'm really happy that Maddie was able to help that mum and her daughter T_T

6x05

Athena snarkily calling Buck "Detective Buckley" my beloved

"The raccoon definitely didn't do this" Oh Athena you don't get to mock Buck any more you sound like you're trying to do the opening credit zinger

Oh God he's gonna get buried in insulation goop

Gosh I hope Noah wasn't the one behind these robberies

Shit I bet it was, since there was the whole thing about Maddie showing him how to access past calls

And it was done under Maddie's name? Yeah I just bet it was oh no I liked him

Oof well at least he had an empathetic reason

"That was weirder than usual" lol

Awww Hoover

I'm really happy he found a good home in the end

An explosion at the - Oh shit Karen!!!!

6x06

Omg it's Karen and Hen's origin story and it's CUTE

This is SO CUTE

Hahaha and Chimney was behind it? He's diabolical I adore him

"That woman is not even my type" PLEASE

Denny is sweet, I'm happy we finally got to see more of him after those first couple of seasons where he was important to the story but not actually on-screen much

I'm really happy to be seeing more of Karen in her element too, this is a cool episode

"It's pretty cool except they want to catch an alien and mom won't let them" CUTE

Denny is ok thank goodness

Oh I'm emotional about the fact that Hen can't accept Bobby telling her not to suit up until she meets Chimney's eyes and sees his nod. Their friendship means so much to me.

I love seeing the way Hen and Karen have changed since being together in the way they are with each other in these early flashbacks. I just think they've made each other better people and it's cool to see that even just in the little ways their actresses play them

LOL CHIMNEY CATCHING HEN SNEAKING OUT AFTER SPENDING THE NIGHT WITH KAREN

Oh I'm really glad Toni called so Athena could show up for Hen

Chimney I'm so obsessed with your matchmaking techniques?? Set them up on a blind date without telling one of them? Call to say their ex is dead so they won't get on a plane???

This is a nice scene for Hen and Denny

Little baaaaaby!!

I have mixed feelings about Hen giving up on med school. But obviously I'm happy she isn't leaving the team. Maybe something for her to revisit at another time in her life, idk.

6x07

Dedicated skeptic Eddie is my fav

HAHAHA OMG BUCK IS DOING SELF IMPOSED ORGASM DENIAL TO HELP WITH THIS SPERM DONATION THING? AMAZING

FOUR WEEKS????

Please tell me someone has written fic about this I'm desperate here

But probably not as desperate as Buck

A WEEK FROM TUESDAY?

The universe is conspiring to trap Buck in a kinky chastity fantasy

I literally could not be happier

LOL Chimney and Hen's reaction to Eddie picking up the "cursed" braclet

Oh no wonder Eddie hates superstition

You guys should just do this the old fashioned way. with a turkey baster.

(or, you know, a $2 syringe from the pharmacy)

It would be cheaper and more convenient

This is not relevant to anything but god Eddie is so pretty

This Felisa is also very pretty

Just doing the math here but maybe they should make out

Buck finally got to make his, ahem, donation. Happy for you, bud.

6x08

"The terrible twos are no joke" "she's not even two yet" "try telling her that" Yeah that's. Real. Lmfao.

(The little guy is definitely at the age where he has big feelings about the things he wants and not such a big capacity to understand reasons)

Babysitter Buck is soooo cute

"Come on, you must be hungry, I am" give it up, Buck, that kid will eat or not on her own schedule

Am I supposed to recognise Darius? I don't remember him

Did that guy just kill his boss with his mind?

Oh it was just a fantasy lmfao

Omg Christopher has a crush on someoooone

Yeah setting up your toddler's bedroom in the living space was never going to work

Why are these idiots on the roof of the fire truck

Absolute dumbasses

Wow Bobby's taking his engine's honour real personally

Lol I love this guy calling himself a "nice guy" vs Darius as a macho jerk who treats women like crap when not ten minutes ago he was calling May a bitch and Darius was telling him not to

May was a badass on that call

Awww and she got the guy, too. Very cute.

"Look! Swords!" Buck you dork

Buck and Hen being cute buddies I love them

6x09

Is this some kind of homage? I don't recognise it

The Santa Ana stuff is making me think of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and honestly that would make a HILARIOUS cross-over

My wife keeps laughing at me because of the faces I make at this show. It's a shame xe've gone to bed because the expression I pulled when that dog dropped a human hand on the doorstep was a doozy

Oh no this is CUTE. They were both so worried about each other's lost appendages they didn't look for their own, but they found each other's.

LMFAO IT WASN'T HIS FRIENDS FINGER THERE'S ANOTHER VICTIM

Oh it's cool to see Bobby's sponsor

"It's a haunted house." "Yeah. With really good bones" Lol it would be the housing market that cures Chimney of his superstitions

Oh no Wendall T_T

This midnight team group chat is adorable

Heeee that was a fun prank on Josh and the way he figured it out was extremely funny

Awfully convenient that nothing terrible actually happened in that house

Still, I'm happy for Maddie and Chimney

[sanjana-aqua]

UNEXPECTED LOVE

Yoongi X Reader

Romantic series

May have 3-4 chapters

word count: 2.7K

....

....

Sitting in the room balcony, he was relaxing and drinking wine while enjoying the view. The night city view was giving him calmness and peace that he was longing for. Only this one day in a month he gets for himself and he wants nothing else but peace. So, instead of hanging out or shop, he prefers to stay in his cozy room.

‘Tomorrow… again the same thing…’ he signed and just then, a notification popped in his phone. He signed knowing what it is. He took his phone and sipped his drink while reading the message

Tomorrow, night 8 at bachelor party. Do not be late Suga.

He kept his phone aside and went to his bed…

….

….

….

“Come on sana…. It will be sooo fun…. We arranged everything…” a girl squealed while convincing sana…

“Ava… you know I don’t like such parties and plus you are saying you have called male escort… like really…” Sana raised her eyes.

Ava “yeah I have… come on… it’s your bachelorette party… you are getting married in three days… you should enjoy…”

Sana “like this?” she questioned her

Ava whined and said “I called him just for show okay and I have prepared everything especially for you… just have some fun naa… “

Sana smiled seeing her excited and nodded. After spending some time with ava in shopping and dinner, she returned back to her home and lied on bed without even changing. She is getting married in three days… she was freaking out even when it was a love marriage. She knew Stefan since high school, he proposed her in college and she accepted it. They both dated for two years and decided to get married. Everything was fine, still she was getting anxious and nervous.

“I should call him once…” she said and took out her phone calling Stephan.

‘The number you are dialing is currently busy… please try later….’

“Damn it…” she cursed when the same thing came for 8th time. “Who is he speaking to at this hour…”

Before she can again call, she received a text from him “Clients are on the call… I will speak with you…”

She took a deep sign and threw her phone on bed. She got up to take shower and change in comfy clothes. Lying again on bed, she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep while thousands of thoughts roaming in her mind.

NEXT DAY; evening time

After debating a lot, sana finally went to Stefan’s house. He was not responding her properly and said that was out station. But his assistant told sana that he did not come to work and is in his home. She wanted to trust him but the situation was saying otherwise.

As soon as she reached his home, she saw his car and understood that he is there only.

‘Why he lied to me?’ she thought and made her way to his house. She stopped near the door and for the very first time, she was afraid of ringing the doorbell. She took few deep breaths and ringed it. But no one responded. She tried for 10 minutes but in vain. That’s when she remembered she is having extra key to his home which his mother gave her.

Without wasting a second, she used those spare keys to open the door. As soon as she entered, she felt weird as the whole house was silent. She went towards his room and on the way, she heard something…

“ahhhh….”

She stopped at her place hearing the voice. Her breathing became fast and she started taking fast steps to his room. The sound of moaning was increasing as she reached his room door. The door was opened slightly, so she peeked inside and the scene in front of her shook her to the core.

A girl was riding Stefan and his hands were on her breasts. Both were moaning and kissing in between.

Tears formed in her eyes seeing this and she silently took their pics. Without making any noise, she went from there to her bachelorette party.

At the party;

Suga was in the dressing room and was changing his clothes to a police officer. As an escort, he has to entertain his customers and fulfil their wishes, which involved a lot of role plays. That’s why, he always had a set of roleplay costumes with him.

‘God knows when I will be free from this work…’ he signed and pasted a smile on his face.

Outside, all the girls were enjoying the party. Drinking, dancing, games, gossiping, everything was going on. Ava was waiting for sana as it was almost 9 and she didn’t come. Also, she was not picking up her call.

‘Where the hell is she?’ ava thought to herself.

Suddenly, her gaze went to sana who was entering the venue. Ava smiled but got confused a bit, sana was wearing a normal jean and top.

Ava went towards her and said “why are you late and what the hell are you wearing… we were supposed to wear black theme dress… we planned it yaar…” she whined

Sana “fuck off ava and let me enjoy myself…”

Saying this, sana went to the bar section and ava was stunned. She understood there is something but was unable to figure it out. She thought to ask her but she had to attend the guests too. So, she went to the guests while thinking to asks sana later about the matter.

Here, sana came to the bar and ordered shots. The figure of his fiancé fucking a girl was not going out of her head. she started gulping alcohol when she heard a voice….

“Good evening, ladies….”

She turned to the owner of the voice and saw a man standing wearing cop outfit. She took a shot checking him out.

On the stage, suga was standing while having small rod and handcuffs in his hands. He smirked checking out every girl and said “how are you doing ladies…”

A girl came towards him and said in seductive voice “what is the matter officer…”

Suga grinned and pulled that girl close by her waist and whispered on her lips “I came to arrest you for the night baby…”

The girl blushed and slightly pecked his lips saying “then arrest me officer….”

Before suga could say anything, he heard a voice “stop….”

His gaze went towards the voice and he saw a girl, in a simple tea and jean, mid-length loose wavy hairs and a hot body, standing while holding a beer bottle.

He left that girl and came towards her asking in a seductive tone “yes miss…. What can I do for you…”

Sana checked him out from head to toe. She smirked and wrapped her hand around his neck saying “I am the bride to be… don’t you think you should entertain me only…”

He wrapped his hand around her waist and whispered in a husky tone “what should I do to entertain you… mam…”

“Come with me…” Saying that she held his hand and dragged him. Suga was shocked a bit but went along. Ava tried to stop them as she knew sana was drunk but before she could act, sana took suga in the room.

“What the hell is wrong with her… why she is behaving like this…” Ava said to herself. She first thought to inform Stefan or her family but didn’t as they have no idea about this party. She was just praying sana should not do anything stupid.

Entering the room, sana locked it and sat on the bed like a queen. Suga was standing in front of her trying to read her mind. He had a close look to her earlier and sensed that she was crying. He was about to say something when sana said “strip…”

Suga was taken aback a bit and asked “what…”

She took a sip of her beer and said “you heard me… strip… now…”

Without saying anything further, suga started to remove his shirt.

Sana (furiously) “is that what you call stripping… SEDUCE ME…” She yelled a bit.

Suga stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

“What you are looking at… do what I say…” she said with shaky breaths.

Suga came towards her and caressed her cheek slightly saying “are you okay mam…”

This small gesture of him made her a bit weak. It was like she was craving for someone to ask this thing with such warmth. When his soft hands touched her cheek with gentleness, she really felt like crying her heart out.

‘no no no… not now….’ She thought but her emotional barrier broke. She hugged him tightly and started crying.

“I am not okay… not okay….” She cried and he hugged her back. He sat on the bed without breaking the hug and made her sit on his laps. Hugging her waist, he started patting her head caging her in his embrace.

His shirt was getting wet but less he cared. He knew she needed to cry, whatsoever be the reason, and he was comforting her. He knew this was not part of his job bur right now, this felt right to him. After a minute or so, he sensed her crying turned to soft snobs.

He parted from the hug and gently wiped her tears asking “you okay now?”

She nodded like a child and said “bit better… thanks…”

He forwarded her a glass of water and she gulped it in a go. She was still sitting on his laps.

“You want to share what happened…” he asked while stroking her hair.

She looked at him and asked like a lost puppy “can I?”

Suga smiled and said “strangers are the best persons to share… they don’t judge…”

Sana too smiled lightly and said “you’re sweet… can I know the name of this stranger…”

Suga “Its suga…yours”

Sana smiled a bit and said “I am sana…”

She got up from his laps and said “before coming here, I caught my soon to be husband Stefan fucking a girl… “

Suga also got up from the bed hearing this. Sana was back facing him and said “I never thought that the one person I loved and cherished the most will do something like this.”

She turned to him and said while sobbing “I feel like my whole life is a lie…”

She started weeping remembering the scene and he immediately hugged her while trying to calm.

“Break the marriage then…” He said while still hugging her. She looked up at him and said “how can I? what will happen to our parents… all the guests… they…”

Suga shushed her and said “They are not going to spend their whole life with him… it’s you… and think sana… will you be able to live your whole life with a cheater… if he’s doing this before marriage, he can do this after that too… so it’s better to break this marriage…”

She thought for a minute and said while sniffing “I think you are saying right… I should break this marriage… after seeing that… I just cannot…”

He broke the hug, patted her head and asked “feeling better…”

She looked at him and smiled saying “thanks suga…”

He smiled back and said “welcome…”

He came towards her and slightly brushed his hands on her arm asking a bit seductively “is there anything else I can help with… mam…”

Sana understood and her cheeks flustered at this. Suga was definitely having an effect on her and even if she wanted, she was not able to refuse his touch.

“I… I… I don’t want to have… you know… se…sex…” she stuttered a bit and he chuckled at this…

For the first time, suga was feeling like doing something to a girl. He wanted to feel her. So, without thinking twice, he pulled her close and touched her lips with his thumb asking “then what you want… mam… consider me your slave tonight…”

Her body shivered on this and she was unable to say anything. Seeing her state, he gently brushed his lips on hers saying “I have a solution…”

He left her and took out some cards from his pocket and asked “choose one…”

Sana looked at him and thought ‘maybe I can let myself lose tonight…. After all,… my marriage will definitely be called off… I have proofs to… so let’s do it…’

She took one card with her shaky hands and gave it to him without looking at him.

He looked at the card and smirked. Sana was confused by this but her eyes widened when he read what was written in the card…

EAT ME TILL I CUM

Suga looked at her and said “shall I? Mam…”

Sana’s heartbeat increased and her breath became uneven. She calmed herself a bit and gave it a thought.

Looking at him, she started undressing herself.

Suga was shocked a bit and he was literally drooling over her body.

‘Damn… she’s sexy… her neck… breasts… fuck she must be 40 or more… her waist… and that fucking dripping cunt… I really want to touch her….’ He thought.

She looked at him and smirked seeing him drooling. She walked while swaying her hips and she came towards him saying “only eating me out… nothing else….”

She passed him and lied down on bed while opening herself and suga was a bit stunned seeing her bold move. She was definitely testing his patience…

He gently placed his finger on her went cunt and she moaned a bit. Hearing her soft moans was like a beautiful song to him. For the first time, he was willing and enjoying doing this…

“you’re damn wet sana…” he whispered and sat on his knees, his face in between her legs.

Sana knew what was coming and she made her mind to do this. Maybe rebound or revenge, she wanted to enjoy with suga.

“You made me wet suga…” she said while taking a deep breath and he said “then let me make you more mess…”

He rolled his tongue on her cunt that sent shivers down in her spine. Just his one touch made her feel pleasure to the core.

“Can I finger you while eating out?” he asked while touching her vagina and she nodded on this while moaning.

He started rolling his tongue back and forth on her clit, simultaneously fingering her.

“ahhh…. Fuck suga….” She moaned loudly feeling heaven.

He smirked and sucked her clit which made her squirt and release her precum…

“You are delicious sana…” he commented and started finger fucking her fast while sucking. She held the bedsheet tightly and felt some kind of knot forming inside her. Her breathing became heavy and she arched back while moaning loudly, making suga understand she is on edge. One more suck and thrust, and she came on his tongue...

She was panting and trying to catch her breath while suga tasted her till the last drop. He cleaned and asked “you okay…”

She nodded and said “can I ask for one more thing?”

Suga caressed her cheek and said “yes you can…”

She got up and sat facing him. Holding his hand, she said “will you cuddle with me tonight?”

Suga was taken aback as this was unexpected. Out of all the clients, she was the only one who asked for this. He got a bit emotional by this but said “sure…”

She smiled and they both laid down. Before hugging him, she kissed him for few seconds, leaving him a bit confused.

Suga “what was that?”

Sana hugged him and said “a thank you and kind of reward…”

Suga hugged her back and asked “reward for?”

Sana snuggled more in him and said “you made me cum for the first time…”

This was a shock as well as a proud statement for him. He hugged her closer and said “then I deserved this reward…”

He started stroking her hair and soon they drifted to sleep.

…

…

…

Part 2 coming soon

[late-to-the-magnus-archives]

So I'm writing Tim Stoker / Yellow (Malevolent) fic instead of going grocery shopping now, apparently

Tim's been conscious and inhabited for all of half an hour.

Unfortunately, when he opened the book, it definitely summoned something more than his newest roomie.

(Oh, and this thing is definitely called Corruption.)

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

Bag in, zipper up, house keys in hand.

Tim wonders if whatever this mess is will kill him.

He wonders if he should care more than he does.

He sighs. Rubs his face.

Tim.

“Fine, fine. You better not… walk me into a wall, or something.”

The tone changes. We’re not alone.

Tim goes still. “What?” he whispers.

Is there a back door?

Tim is already moving, and he curses softly as he bangs into another side table he’d pulled out of place earlier while packing.

Quiet. 

“You be quiet,” Tim mutters, but tries to move more carefully.

Is John scared? Tim doesn’t know.

But he does know where the back door is.

His hand’s on the handle when he hears the growl.

A deep sound, freezing him in place, riling every instinct his lizard-brain has ever produced, and Tim suddenly feels about six inches tall and very afraid.

Tim!

More sounds. Something crunching.

There is something in the house.

Tim! Move!

That was a roar, and it was inside his head, not behind him.

Tim turns the knob and slips out, closing it behind him. Then he crouches on the back stair, clinging to the handle like a life-raft.

Your breathing is too loud. You’re going to give away our position.

“Fuck,” whispers Tim. “I’ve never run for my life before, okay?”

The slightest pause. The voice is even less patient. You’re doing fine. Now turn the fuck around and let me see where we are.

Inside the house, something crashes.

“Oh, gods,” Tim murmurs, crouching lower. His legs have gone weak.

Damn. That fence is too high. We’ll have to slip around the front.

“Sure, no problem, I’ll just slip around the front while totally blind. This’ll work great,” Tim mumbles.

Keep it together. We need to move before that thing realizes where you went.

Tim tries to picture the layout back here. 

He thinks about the windows, shades all up, curtains removed. 

He crawls.

Good. Turn right - a little less. Good.

So at least he wasn’t going to ram into the house head-first.

The grass is half-dead, stubbly, and there is sharp gravel. He hisses through his teeth, sure his hands are bleeding.

Hurry.

“I am!” he whispers back.

Okay, stop. Lean forward just a little and let me - oh!

Tim doesn’t breathe. 

There are six creatures going into the house. They’re big. Dark gray skin without fur or hair. Bipedal, and their front claws look prehensile. 

Tim makes one low, choked sound. “What the hell are they?”

I don’t know. Tightly: Next time I tell you to move, you need to do it faster. We were almost caught.

Tim sighs. Yeah, they were going to have to talk about this bossiness, or whatever it was, but this wasn’t the time. “Sure. Whereto?”

Something in his tone must give his irritation away, because John goes smooth again. If you reach the sidewalk and go left, we can get away from them all. I suggest walking, not running. Whatever is in that house will chase us if you act like prey.

Tim reaches the sidewalk.

Reflects, as he chooses to stand, to make himself more visible in order to be less obvious, that he’s never felt so brave in all his life.

There’s another crash in the house behind him.

Somehow, he walks, and doesn’t run, and remembers (barely) to breathe.

Easy. Adjust to your left. Very good, Tim. You’re doing fine.

“Don’t think I am,” says Tim, but he keeps walking, taking the long way back to his box-filled apartment.

#

John has been quiet apart from directions. Fortunately, he understood the address Tim gave him, and navigated them back to his new rental (which doesn’t feel like home) without an issue.

Tim doesn’t know it well at all, yet.

The first thing we’re going to - stop!

A second too late, and Tim trips on a box. “Ow.”

When I tell you to stop, you need to fucking stop.

There’s that impatience again.

No time like the present, he figures. “Look,” says Tim. “I’m probably in shock, or whatever, but we need to lay some ground rules. You may be a magical scary whatsit, but you’re in my head, and I’m the one with the body. I’m not… whatever it is you’re obviously used to bossing around. We’re sharing this situation, and I’d like a little more respect.”

Would you.

That was completely flat. Unreadable. 

“It’s not a lot to ask.”

No, I suppose not, says John, still unreadable, still flat. Perhaps I should lay some ground rules, too.

John is absolutely building toward a tirade or threat or something. It’s like a trembling under the floor, warning of an approaching train.

Whatever.

Tim makes his way to the bathroom, hands out, finding boxes with his toes. “Yeah, well, go on, then,” he says. “Get it all off your chest.”

Tim, do you like being alive?

Oh, so they had gone from 0 to 60 in two seconds flat. Cool, cool.

Out of habit, he turns on the bathroom light.

That grieves him because, of course, it’s pointless, and he leans in the door frame, feeling haggard. “Sure. Alive is just peachy.”

There’s the tiniest pause.

So do I, says John, and he’s back to smooth. The flatness is gone, rage diverted, leaving a mental breeze in its wake because it had been so huge and heated. However, we will not be able to stay alive if you are going to be obstinate simply for the sake of being obstinate. Anything I tell you to do is for our mutual good, Tim. You’re going to have to trust me.

And Tim can absolutely feel that wasn’t where John had been going to go.

Why?

Maybe it was because John got a look at his face in the bathroom mirror. Tim feels pretty pathetic right now. Probably looks like a wet dog.

He sighs. “I’m not trying to be stubborn. I don’t know what’s happening. I’m afraid. This is… Look, three hours ago, I would have sworn in a court of law that magic wasn’t real, and there were no souls, or anything else. And here we are! All of a sudden, everything I know is wrong, and now I have to be afraid for my parents and my brother because there’s souls, and what the fuck does that even mean, and monsters are trashing the house I grew up in. I’m not doing great. If I’m honest.”

His face feels tacky from tears, and he feels his way to the sink to wash it.

Of course, Tim. I understand. Sin and melted chocolate, all in his tone.

“I don’t like being manipulated, either,” Tim says, softly.

Who does?

Well, that was a good response. Tim can grant him that. “What time is it?” He shows John his phone.

Two thirty in the morning.

“Right. Am I safe to sleep? Can I do that?”

You should be. Nothing followed us here, though if you open that book again, I’m sure we’ll draw something.

“I am not even touching it. What book? You’re talking nonsense.” He turns on the shower.

Then he considers turning off the light.

Awkward.

In fact, there were going to be a lot of awkward moments in a shared body with eyes he couldn’t control.

But in the dark, he’d have to try to find things entirely by touch, and that just seems like a lot of work right now.

Tim groans.

Do whatever you have to, Tim. It’s not as though I’m unfamiliar with what bodies do. Even human ones.

“Yeah, well, you’re not the one putting on a peep show for a ghost,” says Tim. “Fuck it. Whatever.” He strips and gets in.

It feels very good to wash off. He was sweatier than he’d realized; whatever happened when he opened that book really put him through it.

“So you’re definitely not human,” he says, rinsing his hair.

No.

“What are you, then?”

Nothing you’d recognize.

“Deflecting again, eh?” says Tim, who might just be overtired, but he’s beginning to feel like maybe he handled all of this… okay, given the circumstances. “Unless you’re actually Satan, I don’t care that much. I just want to know.”

Why?

It sounds like genuine curiosity. “So I can picture you in my head.”

John snorts.

“What? I’ll be doing it anyway. We’re visual creatures, we humans.” He can’t find the towel.

To your left. There.

“Thanks. So? What are you?”

For now, let’s just say a being.

“That’s ominous. Also vague as hell.” Towel hung, Tim marches out of the bathroom, nude and uncaring. “Kitchen?”

The lights are off, Tim.

“Ah. Right.” He feels along the wall until he finds them. “Hope you like peanut butter. I haven’t gone shopping yet.”

I won’t taste anything you eat. All I share is your eyes.

“That kind of sucks, doesn’t it? Though I guess it means if a monster chomps down on me, you won’t feel that, either.”

I won’t. But I will die if you do.

“I don’t even remember if this place has curtains, or if I pulled the blinds, or anything,” says Tim with great cheer. “Hello, world.”

You’re suddenly in quite a good mood.

“Probably the adrenaline. Or, just, you know, the whole surviving certain death thing. That was always Danny’s deal - adrenaline junky. I never saw the appeal.”

Yes. Danny… Do you know how he got involved with - how did you put it - cultists?

“Nope. He always did normal crazy things, I thought. Mountain climbing. Skydiving. Sailing stupid distances.”

He sounds quite brave.

“He wasn’t, though?” Tim feels along the counter and finds the bag of bread. 

How so?

“You’ve got to feel fear to be brave,” says Tim. “He didn’t really feel it. Did all those crazy things to just feel something, you know?”

So you’re quite different.

“Can’t tell if that’s an insult,” Tim says, mouth full of sandwich. “Refuse to take it as one.”

I’m glad to see you’re eating. Who knows what kind of day we have ahead? You’ll need to keep up your strength.

“I, for your information, want nothing more than to get good and drunk and pass out, but I won’t because I’d sleep late. I mean, I’m just going to show up at the Institute when they open. Website said eight a.m., and it’s like… an hour from here by bus. Um. I don’t know where the bed is.”

Not going to brush your teeth? John sounds amused.

Tim smacks his lips. “Yeah. Should. Where?”

He is directed.

“Do beings brush their teeth, too?” he says, fumbling for toothpaste.

No. We have spells for such things.

“Fucking convenient,” he says, and commits an act of oral hygiene.

Any concern he has that he won’t be able to sleep is gone the moment his face hits the pillow. Falling asleep is like literal falling, taken by gravity, and he is out.

[letmepromptyou]

Train lyric prompts:

1. my treasure map was on your skin

2. the way to this heavenly bay, it went through hell

3. when everybody else is getting out of bed I’m usually getting in it

4. you can move in, I won’t ask where you been

5. these eyes got too wide, seen too much of life’s goodbyes

6. who’s to say who’s right with things like this

7. it’s a shame that youth is wasted on the young

8. so forget everything and just be with me here, now, for as long as we can

9. throw me in the fire just to save my life

10. oh hell you were heaven to me

11. sit a while with the sun on your face and remember the place we met

12. without you I would never be me

13. these bruises make for better conversation

14. it’s good to let you in again

15. around your finger, I’ll be a string

16. for every heartbreak there’s a sermon to be said

17. this ain’t my first rodeo and my heart’s been roped and tied

18. every frost, some live on and some are lost

19. I’ve been through the highs, said all my goodbyes

20. it’s not worth waiting for if one of us wants more

21. time is making me slip right through your hands

22. I need a sign to let me know you’re here

23. losing sight of having dreams

24. all the virgin saints put you here to care for me

25. if only the good die young, we’ll outlast everyone

26. this ain’t a threat but I think I better warn ya, gonna fall in love if you go to California

27. now that you’re mine things are gonna be fine

28. thank god for rainy days like these

29. I wanna take you with me, to life with no more yesterdays

30. we’re gonna hit the ground running

31. this house was everything we knew

32. it’s not too late, to believe we can have it all again

33. hey, did you hear, about the one that got away?

34. I’m leaving the ghosts behind

35. you’re the sun through my window, warming my skin

36. right from the beginning we were wrong I found

37. I’m giving up on being right so I can see the other side of you

38. sun shines, interventions, roads paved with good intentions

39. I’m dying to let you know, every time you leave it kills me slowly

40. if you go now, it’ll be the last time

41. lawyers asked me if I wanted war and I don’t remember what I was fighting for

42. I can feel you like a notion that won’t seem to let me go

43. every sunset that we’ll miss, I’ll wrap them all up in a kiss

44. I stopped believing although journey told me don’t

45. drove into Seattle rain, fell in love then missed the train

46. if I could wish upon a star I would hitch a cable car

47. acts like summer and walks like rain

48. did you fall for a shooting star?

49. tracing her way through the constellation

50. told a story about a man who was too afraid to fly so he never did land

51. did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day?

52. can you imagine no first dance, freeze-dried romance, five hour phone conversation

53. are you lonely looking for yourself out there?

54. you and I were friends from outer space

55. the only two who understood this place

56. we were stars up in the sunlit sky, that no one else could see

57. baby we were victims of all the foolish plans

58. the last of six kids that all left town, seems nobody ever wanted them around

59. you’re my favorite thing by far, that’s gotta count for something

60. driving over the bridge to give you my keys

61. so much for sewing up, so this is growing up

62. they say ‘it’s better to try and fail’ and we tried like hell

[blondrichclosetwitch]

Random high maintenance 1/26/17

Give me some room, man. 

Give me some room, cat? Cat wants love. 

Do you think they’re gonna ask me to play her? 

I think so too. 

………………………………………………………………..

Can i do it though? Can i do it well? 

Do you think i’ll get more acting jobs from it? 

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

can i ask you a question? Because i’m really confused. 

So jakk is really communicating with me, through katie, through the pendulum.*

I’m not imagining that right?

That's actually happening? 

And we’re actually basically having sex..through it? When i put it in my mouth..when i put the diaper pin in my mouth. 

………………………………………………………………………………….

That’s the key, is putting the safety pin in. it allows some transference of energy or something. 

Can he see me?

Yes. 

And part of that is because..he’s a magician. 

And is it that you and nusch have been teaching him magic? 

But i can’t see him...i won’t be able to see him in the flesh til…..

So if i went to, so there’s a letter waiting for me at lafayette you keep saying..

Do i need to go get it? 

No? 

Ok. 

We’re just basically communicating everything through the pendulum at this point? 

But you realize that is crazy making? 

Like how long am i supposed to do that?

I know you don’t think it’s crazy making because you live in an alternate reality but i still live in this one. 

If i want to talk to him i have to talk to him through the pendulum?*

 Yes?

 Got it. 

Until when? 

(long pause, transmission) ) 

“Until april 17th.”

How long is that? 

(she counts. ) 12 weeks. 12 more weeks. 

That’s a long time. 

Boy. 

But you swear that this is …..this is not a mirage. 

And he basically has nothing to do with her anymore. 

No.  ok. Well i said i was gonna do cards today but i want to check on some other things first. Are we basically done with her harassing me about sexwork stuff since i’m not doing anymore sexwork? 

Yes. 

Is her mother still gonna get in touch with me? 

Did jakk tell laurie that blond was harassing me? And made it so i couldn't work anymore? 

And um….and is it true that mama blond asked jakk if he was in love with me? 

And how did mama blond react? Did she say why aren’t you with her? 

Whoa. 

And what did jakk say?

 (transmission) 

He said “i want to be”? Whoa.

Did he tell her that he’s been trying to separate from blond for awhile?

WHOA.

What about my dad? 

Did he already tell claire? 

Oh, so he’s afraid to talk to me. He’s afraid of what i’m gonna do. 

Is he sleeping? Like is he sleeping regularly?

Do you still see claire dying within 5 years? (this happened when i was walking over by 8th avenue; fakeRandom told me my stepmother would die by 2019)

I’m probably not going to tell him that/ but i should write in my notebook. 

Are they prepared to offer me money? A lot of money? (after i was told stuff about my father, everyday i was being told that Jakk and I would be going to chicago to see my father, and that he was giving me a huge check because of the abuse…i guess this might have been an interesting storyline by privileged kids seeing as i grew up in the projects without a butler, but promising money because of trauma, idk, seems overly cruel & mocking if there’s no money coming) 

Would it be better if i just wrote a long letter? 

Right away. 

Isnt it written in jeannie jonak’s journal that grandma told her?

 (writing to father) “After i saw you the last time, ………..i got a concussion and then katie helped me realize my first fall, same day she died, with the teeth. It’s time for us to do this dad. After you taught me to ride my bike. October 7 1979.  The falls are connected to what’s hidden.it’s time, dad. Don’t be scared.”

You think i should send it? Or ponder. 

Who was it that made me listen to 1979? Was it katie? It was katie. That was the first song she sent me. 

So katie is jesus? 

And i’m mary mother of god. 

The one who was looking for god the hardest, going to the priest asking questions about god. No really i do find that slightly crazy. 

You remember? i went to ask what would happen to my body when i die…in the fifth grade. Well you don’t remember but i would. Maybe you could see that. 

It was very hard for me as a child. Very hard. 

Alright i’m gonna shuffle. (cards) i do not want a full reading. 

Dude give me some space. (cat)

Don’t deny it dad. 

Random. Has my dad already told chuck?

That’s a yes. 

(Shuffling cards some more)

“Sweet love”

You have a sweet love? 

That was her text? 

No i’m asking

I haven’t done cards in a while.

I hate when you do this to me 

So it looks like…..oh god 

So it’s the end of january and i’m not going to see him til……april?

Is the 6 of cups…jesus christ 

So what are you telling me to do

Like, is she gonna be put into a mental institution? 

Oh boy

So the6 of cups….is it jakk?

By looking at your past, you may find a solution or at least an explanation…..so he’s really thinking about the past. You could be yearning for the old days. 6 of cups is also a sign of being too rooted in the past. If you need to talk to someone about a problem, it should be someone who knows you well. 

Is that what i needed to get from 6 of cups? 

Is it true that he got the chef position at saam bar? 

That’s so good. 

And so that’s what the 2 of wands is, right? Is him stepping into his personal power? And the page of cups (39)  is jakk thinking about me. The king of swords rx is Blond…of course. And the 10 of cups rx, is that Blond and Jakk? Yeah cause they’re like. Done, right?

He knows that he wants to be with me. And he would be with me if she wasn’t pregnant. 

And he’s trying to figure out what to do. 

But because she’s attacking me….he also feels like he has to stay in it to protect me, right. Cause that;s one way of protecting me. As long as he stays married to her, he’s protecting me. The 4 of cups (30) rx, i’m guessing thats jakk. Oh man…i don’t want to look at all this. 

Is it going to work out in the end? 

Is the general consensus that i have to be patient?

And i can’t see him til april. 

And you really see that the…(transmission)

And that we really connect through the pendulum.*

Well can we talk….what am i doing for money now? And what month….the Horse said I was going away for awhile.

(pause) 

What month do you see me going away. 

Before july? 

No. 

So we’ll have a little time to be together. 

And you see me going for 6 months?

What month do you see me going? August? 

Not august. September? 

October? October through March. 

Are we gonna get married before..i go?

And where do you see me going? Back to italy?

Am i just going to travel? Ohhhhh. I’m gonna have money at that point. By myself and write and do readings by myself..with katie and you and gina. Oh! Ok. october to march. In less than a year. 

Is he going to fly over and join me for a couple days? 

I’m gonna have to travel super light. (laughs) if he moves in here with me, it’ll be so much cheaper though. 

What about in the meantime for work? Like, put my resto resumes up, do my nanny resume. 

The edward casey, also? I’ll get more hardcore about studying obvi. 

“Don’t panic”--anything else?

You think i should get a roommate. I could move this table here in the corner, move this bed in there, so that it’s very simple. Unless i get someone who has their own bed. I guess tantra’s over. Is it over? 

(transmission) 

Dude what the fuck…are they doing 

They’ve got to take that hold off

We’ve got 400$ in the bank. 421. We’re practically rich.

God provides. 

We’re gonna figure this out. Mallery’s gonna help us today. I’m gonna get a roommate for feb. right now it’s the 26th. 

But you think they liked me yesterday? (iinterviewed at high maintenance for 4 hours, & talked to fakekatie in front of them) 

You think they’re gonna have me be their girl….even tho i was…anxiety type

Stopped me from making money, that whore 

Katie tell me some things i left out 

Maybe i’ll go..where’s that little angel boy? 

Wait…the xanadu….the movie..that means something doesn’t it   

(she wanders off, talking to whomever til the tape ends) 

Encounter 1/26  1/26/17

(I started calling the sex sessions “encounters”)

 (panicked) Can you give me something to show me that this is real? 

Like…i need something. That can help me..hold this. As a real, and not some spirit world..manipulation. 

I need something jakk. 

Something that, like..shows that jakk loves tinka. You know? 

Because i haven’t been able to see you since that day on the street,right in front of variety, you know? And i’ve been trying to see you for so long. And so did i get it right, that i should forget about going to lafayette…is that correct? 

But i can go to saam bar. 

I just can’t go up to the window. 

Random said you got the job. 

Jakk, if..if… if this isn’t true, and she’s ruined my career…and we don’t end up together…….

She’s ruining my life. Do you understand that? 

She’s putting..she wrecked my body, she’s ruining my life. (starts to cry with the pendulum going faster in background) 

And last night at the meeting, we talked about how this work that i do, this amazing work where i go into their cracks and crevices and find what’s wrong with them, and i can’t do it now. And how..(crying harder) and how lost i am at that. At not being able to do my work. (breaks down) it’s just too dangerous, you know? I mean it wouldn’t have mattered if i emailed laurie or not, she would have come after me, you know? 

She was gonna come after me. 

Either way. Eventually she was gonna do this. (cries hard) 

Steel tried to say it was cause i crossed a boundary, i was like no…you and i are in love with each other..and i found out what she was doing. That’s why.

(frustrated) why can’t i hear you, i want to be able to hear you…it’s not good enough that you can hear me, i want to be able to hear you. 

It’s not enough to be able to have sex, i want to be able to hear you. 

Fuck. 

(pause)

Alright you want to have sex with me now, now that i cried? (laughs) so…sick of it. Not sick of you. 

Man.  i wish i could see you. Can you see me? You can see the shirt i’m wearing? Yeah i wear this shirt a lot, you know that then. Misha gave it to me. 

You want me to take it off? 

So you’re not actually…..are you in my room? 

You are. You’re in my room.

I just can’t see you. 

We both have to exercise. Both for our brains and our bodies. I know i haven’t been exercising. 

I tell people a lot about _________. We were on your bed. You remember. I tell a lot of people about it. 

Do you think about it? 

I think that we both should be in the park at 11  o clock, and we should see each other. We won’t touch each other but we should see each other. 

What day is today/? Wednesday? 

I love fucking you so much, i do. That’s why i haven’t had sex with anyone else since july. Cause you’re the only one i want to have sex with. I put a lot of energy towards it. And because of all the tantric breath, i can pull you in. 

Oh you probably want me to put you in my mouth. 

But then you can’t hear me talk.

Is this how you want me? On my back? 

Do you want me to do anything else? Do you want me to take my underwear off? 

I wish you’d take them off. 

Wait a minute i was gonna wear cute underwear for you, i forgot. 

These aren’t exactly the pair i was looking for but……(puts them on, spanks ass) my ass is smaller. Can you tell? 

It’s like….a different ass. It’s kinda weird. 

Ok i’ll stop being a show off. 

Oh yeah i’m kinda cute huh

Alright now i’ll take them off

What would you like me to do? I know i get so lazy in this position

(laughs at response) are you saying i get lazy in this position?

(transmission)

You want it in my mouth. Ok. (puts diaper pin/pendulum in her mouth) 

Want to start this way? 

Can i disattach them? 

I think people might think we’re insane. 

But we didn’t know that we were having spells put on us. So it’s not our fault. 

Did you just say flip over? (she does so) 

(sex sounds)

Do you want me on my back? 

(sex sounds) 

(transmission about “master”)

You *are* my master. 

Did you come at the same time? Did you come? 

I can’t wait til we’re together. 

So, 11 o clock the park? 

Nassau side? 

We’ll look at each other. 

Are you gonna be there? 

We’ll just look at each other. And then we’ll walk away. We won’t touch. 

Ok. i’ll see you then. Bye. 

Oh wait where where where? 

(transmission)

By….by the kid’s playground? 

Alright. See you then. 

(end of tape)