#I need to sleep but this got me here burning the midnight oil

[niceminipotato]

So I was exploring as one does in Ao3 and found this fic, Possession is Nine-Tenths (Or so they say) by Mistigris108, and like I’m only in chapter five and like wow I’m here for all of it please and thank you. It’s an older fic as in 2021 so maybe the potatoes have read it. To those of you who haven’t make sure to check the tw please.

… also it is complete! I think lol I’m barely at the beginning. One third down.

[hhonghu]

Morning glory

;; kabukimono x reader

cw: fluff, ooc!kabukimono ?, mutual pining, unestablished relationship

to make up for my long absence, here is some lovey dovey thrown at your way <33 i'll get back writing on what i promised soon!

knock knock!

"mmh.." kabukimono groans, rolling on to his side and pulling the blanket closer to him and burrowing his face into it. just 5 more minutes, he thought. there's nothing wrong with sleeping just a bit more. just a little more.

he and niwa spent nearly almost the entire night awake, trying to perfect the technique that kabukimono studied for forging and begged niwa to stay up with him until he got it right. after several tries and hours passed, kabukimono was finally satisfied all the while niwa was nearly about to pass out of exhaustion, giving him a shaky smile and telling him that it's late and that they should head to bed.

knock knock!

"come on, sleepyhead! wake up! the sun has risen!" kabukimono groans again, mumbling out a little "nooo..". niwa heard the little complaint and tried not to laugh. it was technically the early hours of the morning, the sun having yet to rise much. "that's what you get for staying up late. come on, get up!" second pass and still no answer. niwa sighs, about to walk away before an idea pops in.

"alright, fine. sleep in for today. you deserve it for working hard last night." niwa walks away slowly as possible, making sure his voice is still heard. "too bad you'll miss [name]. they might wonder why you didn't come by this morning and feed them."

kabukimono bolts up, eyes wide awake and sleep gone from his body. [name]! how could he forget! how could he let sleep take him over like that?

he shuffles out of his bed and opening his door, scurrying down the hallway and down the stairs, passing by niwa who was letting out a laugh. "who knew that [name] was the prayer i needed to get you to wake up?" kabukimono reached the bottom and turned his head around, sticking his tongue out a little at him. "don't get ideas, niwa."

he freshens himself up and heads to the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves above his elbows. he still had time to make you a dish, he can't miss it. he begins to work his way in the kitchen, taking out ingredients to make katsu sandwiches for you and rice omelette for niwa and starting to cook, making sure that everything is right.

after everything is done and cooked, he plates the rice omelette and calls out for niwa to come and eat while he puts the sandwiches neatly inside a lunchbox, wrapping it around with a pretty purple silk cloth. niwa comes in the kitchen, humming seeing the food on the table. kabukimono fixes his clothes, dusting off crumbs and whatnot on him. he grabs the lunchbox, bidding goodbye to niwa. "alright! be safe and tell [name] to come by and pick up some iron when they have the time!"

kabukimono waves and heads out the door, walking away from the shop and making his way to you.

what a pretty sun.

you gaze at the rising sun, slowly peeking up from the horizon. you lean your head back further into the tree, letting out a sigh of content. you feel gentle breezes pass by you, brushing through your hair. you close your eyes, letting this calm moment take you in.

while you relax, you don't notice kabukimono approaching you. his eyes lands on your relaxed face and his heart softens, his pace slowing until he takes a complete stop, just staring at you, the soft glow of the rising sun kissing your skin.

you suddenly open your eyes and slightly turn your head around, smiling as you spot him. "hm? well if it isn't my favorite boy. what kept you from me?" you tease. kabukimono's face flushes, his grip on the lunch box tightens. what kept you from me? he felt his heart start to beat a little faster, the way you just said it makes him feel so much.

"i, uhm, almost slept in.." he bites his lip, "i stayed up late with niwa last night to practice some techniques and ended up burning the midnight oil.." you let out a little chuckle, "did you now? aren't you such a hardworking student. come, sit. don't just stand there, the grass beside me feels empty without you." you pat the empty spot next to you.

kabukimono scrambles and takes a seat next to you, still holding the lunchbox. "here.. uh, i made you something." he hands you the lunchbox, his hands shaking a little. you smile and take it from him, making him jolt a little as your fingers touches his. "you know, i'm still surprised you wake up this early to catch me here." you unwrap the lunchbox, "though i don't mind, your cooking is what makes me look forward being here under this tree. it makes me feel as if it's made just for me."

kabukimono tries not to squirm, heat creeping up from his neck to his cheeks. your mouth, your words, it's making his stomach do flips. it will always be for you, no one else. "haha, well, it's a nice way to start the day, no?" you nod as you open the lunchbox and your mouth waters as you look at the meal. "are these katsu sandwiches?" kabukimono nods, smiling as you take one out and take a little sniff, he could almost see glitters in your eyes. "this smells absolutely divine. thank you for the meal." you take a bite, letting out a content moan as you chew. it was delicious.

kabukimono watches as you eat happily, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. his eyes traces you; from your lashes to your hands, he watches in admiration as you just eat. you glance at him, seeing him staring deeply back at you. you take a sandwich and pull it in half, twisting your upper body to face him and lifting the piece to his mouth with your hand.

"here, open up." kabukimono's eyes widen, what did you mean? "taste what you cooked, it's delicious." he shook his head, "no, no, no! that's just for you. i couldn't possibly—" he pauses, your free hand cupping his cheek and your thumb touching the bottom of his lip. his breath hitches.

"now, now. just give it a try." he didn't know what got into him, he really doesn't. he slightly opens his mouth and you smile, "good boy." you put the piece in his mouth and let go, letting him chew. he wasn't paying attention to the flavor, in fact he doesn't even know what he's tasting. his focus was on you and the way you praised him, he felt his heart jump.

he swallows, finally finished eating what you gave. "how was it? good, right?" kabukimono nods, "you should be a chef instead of a forger. you could go places with these." you finish your sandwiches, closing the lunchbox and wrapping back the silk cloth around it.

"thank you for the meal, kabukimono. it was delicious." you hand back the box to him and he takes, letting it rest on his lap. "of course, i'm glad you liked it." comfortable silence fills in the air, both of you leaning back on the tree and watching the sun finally rise, basking you both in it's light.

you take a glance at kabukimono, his eyes was closed. you watched as the sun touches his cheeks, making him glow beautifully in the morning sun. you looked away and back to the horizon, letting out a small sigh and close your eyes.

what a pretty sun.

[a-killer-obsession]

Wavelengths [Killer x Reader, Heat x Reader]

🔞 Minors DNI 🔞

A search for a rumored Vegapunk weapon leads the Kid Pirates to an unexpected new crewmate, with a bloodlust that rivals their own and an incredible power.

CW: Please check AO3 for all current warnings, but general warning for smut, slow burn, serious gore, and really dark themes. AFAB reader, she/her pronouns.

Masterlist || AO3 || Chapter 1

Chapter 21 - Talk

Maybe things don't always have to hurt, it's about time you had that talk.

WC: ~3.5k

Taglist: @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @tremendoushorsepatrolgoth @iggy5055

The night after running from Killer's room fucking sucked. He still wasn't at dinner that evening but you didn't stay for long anyway, you didn't have much of an appetite. The others were thankful that you'd at least tried, even if it hadn't worked. You showered and went to bed early, mostly because Heat was on night watch and you had both hoped you could fall asleep before he had to leave. It was helpful for him to get a little sleep as well before he had to go. Unfortunately though you woke up when he left, and try as you might you simply couldn't get back to sleep.

Finally around three in the morning you caved and decided to go do something else. You thought maybe you might just join Heat for the watch, until you spotted Kid's workshop light on. It wasn't super unusual for him to be burning the midnight oil, but 3am seemed late even by his standards. Normally you wouldn't even consider going to him, but since you'd woken up in the infirmary he'd been so much softer with you, and you started to feel like there was a real friendship forming there. Maybe he needed someone, you thought, while Killer was ‘unavailable’. Maybe he was lonely, even.

You knocked on the door, not sure if he would even answer. He opened it with his devil fruit, not looking up from whatever he was working on at his desk. You'd only been in here once, when he gave you the bracelet, so you still had the same curiosity, peering around the room to observe everything that it contained. You noticed now the red velvet couch that sat up against the far wall, you weren't sure if it was new or if you just hadn't noticed it last time.

“What's up Heat, something wrong?” he asked without turning around. Ah, he must have thought Heat had something to report, since he was on watch.

“I, um... sorry maybe I should just go,” you said nervously, turning to leave.

“No, wait!” He closed the door with his fruit as he swivelled on his stool, “Stay, please.” Your heart ached for him, he really did sound lonely.

“Okay, I'll stay,” you forced a smile for him and sat on the couch, “you're up late” you pointed out.

“Couldn't sleep,” he sighed, “you?”

“I can't seem to get to sleep these days without someone holding me,” you admitted, kicking a small screw on the floor, “it's too hard to shut my brain off. Usually Heat stays with me, but he's on watch”

“I get it,” he fiddled with something on his table but he wasn't really paying attention to it, “do you… want me to hold you? I know you're maybe still scared of me but we can just stay here if it makes you more comfortable, you can sleep on the couch if you want, I don't think I'll be getting any sleep any time soon anyway”

You thought about his proposal for a minute before giving him a shy nod. He stood and strode to the couch, sitting on the other end so his metal arm hung over the side, and opened his other arm out for you. You slid in nervously, wrapping an arm around his waist and nuzzling in to get comfortable. He was so warm and wide, with a soft layer of fat that covered his muscles and made him nice to cuddle up with. You got the sense he didn't do this often though, and he let out a little sigh when you gave him a gentle squeeze, his arm starting to stroke your back soothingly. There was nothing sexual about this, but it was a sweet, tender moment you didn't expect from someone with such a rough exterior. The Kid Pirates always found ways to surprise you.

“For the record, I don't think I'm scared of you anymore,” you whispered as you got comfortable. There really was no fear in you right now, you felt perfectly safe with Kid in this moment, “I know we got off on the wrong foot given my history with authority figures, but you've never actually done anything to hurt me, it just took some time for me to realise that. Nobody in charge of me ever actually cared about me before, but I know now that you do. I feel safe here”

“I'm glad,” he let out a breath that sounded like relief, “a captain should always make you feel safe. This is your home, you shouldn't ever be scared in it”

“I'm sorry about Killer,” you sighed, “I tried to talk to him but I ended up blowing up like I always do”

“He'll come right,” Kid stroked your back softly, “thank you for trying though. Get some sleep girlie, I ain't going anywhere”

You hummed softly in response and closed your eyes, listening to Kid's rhythmic heartbeat as it lulled you into a much needed sleep.

A few hours later, driven by his curiosity after seeing you enter the workshop, Heat snuck in quietly after being relieved from his watch. You and Kid were both deep asleep, snoring softly. Kid was still sitting upright, his head lolled back and resting against the back of the couch, and you had slid down, now using his thick thigh as a pillow. It warmed his heart to see the two of you together after worrying that you'd never be able to feel safe with Kid. He took Kid's coat from where it sat discarded on the floor and laid it over you like a blanket, before turning the light off and leaving you both to sleep.

You were woken by the soft whispers of a conversation you weren't a part of, your tired head heavy against Kid's leg, his flesh hand on your back over the top of what seemed like a thick, fluffy blanket. One of the voices was his, the other a soft baritone coming from your level. You realised Killer was here, sitting on the floor with his head resting on Kid's other knee while they talked quietly so as not to wake you. Judging by the unmuffled quality of his voice you guessed he wasn't wearing his mask.

“This isn't your fault Kil, you need to stop blaming yourself,” Kid whispered.

“I know I hurt her so badly though,” Killer sighed, “nobody else can be blamed for that”

“You were just doing what you thought was right,” Kid replied, “you're not well, and I know how you think, you just didn't want to burden her. You couldn't have known how deep your feelings both ran”

“I want to get better though,” Killer whispered, “I want to be good for her. But I don't know if she'll ever forgive me”

Killer's eyes suddenly widened and his head shot up, spooking Kid, as his haki alerted him to the fact you were awake. You blinked at him sleepily, then reached out a hand to touch his unmasked face tenderly. The frightened look in his eyes faded a little at your touch but he still looked nervous.

“Kid, can you give us some space?” You asked as you sat up on the couch. He gave Killer a reassuring pat on the back before standing up and quietly leaving. He didn't need to be asked twice, he wanted nothing more than for the two of you to finally talk. Killer looked like he was about to bolt so you calmly pat the space Kid had left on the couch, indicating for him to come sit next to you. He did so hesitantly, and you moved the blanket, that you now realised was Kid's coat, so it covered both of you as you shuffled in to rest your head against his chest. It was partially because you were a little cold with the absence of Kid's warmth and wanted him to hold you, but also partially because it'd be harder for him to flee if you were on him. He was tense at first, but noticeably relaxed when you wrapped an arm around his waist and gave him a little reassuring squeeze.

“Are you feeling any better?” You asked him with a little yawn.

“Uh, yeah,” he mumbled, trying to decide if this was some sort of trick, or if maybe he was dreaming, “thanks for bringing the meds”

“Mmm,” you replied, nuzzling in to him sleepily, “I think its time we have that talk”

Killer sighed but put a arm around you as the other ran through his hair. It was noticeably tidier than last night, and he smelled like he'd recently showered, all good signs in your books. “I'm not sure what to say,” he admitted.

“Its okay, neither did I,” you replied, “but I thought long and hard about it, and I had good talks with Kid and Heat after I woke up, and I think I understand now. I think you're right, we're not good for each other. But that doesn't mean we can't be”

“I don't think I'm following,” he sighed.

“We're sick, Kil,” you explained, “not just you, both of us. I went through a lot, not just the last few weeks, but my whole life. I thought I wasn't capable of ever feeling happy till I came here, I even told Heat once that I didn't think I was capable of love, but you proved that wrong for me. But, especially after recent events, I'm not ready to be in a relationship, I'm not ready to open up fully and make myself vulnerable by bareing it all, and I think that's maybe how you feel as well. But that doesn't mean I don't want to. I know you regret how things ended on the island, but I understand how you feel and why you made that choice at the time. I thought when we got home that I could just ignore it, I thought it was just a crush and I'd get past it, because I didn't think I was capable of feeling more. But no matter how much I ignore it, the feeling doesn't go away. It's like a grass seed, digging deeper and deeper, and I feel like its going to kill me if I don't say something”

You sat up to look him directly in the eye. His icy blues were flicking between yours with uncertainty, waiting for you to finish explaining. “I love you, Kil, I know that now. It's not just some puppy love crush, I love you. But I'm not ready to open up right now. I want to, I really do, I just need some time. And I think you do too, I think maybe we're both hurting ourselves and each other like this because neither of us thought the other would be willing to wait, neither of us thought ourselves worth waiting for. But I am willing, Kil. I'll wait forever if I have to. I just need to know that you'll wait for me too”

Killer looked like he was about to cry as he nervously nodded. “I love you too, and I'll wait as long as it takes, please keep waiting for me. I want to get better, I really do. I'm taking the meds now, I'm following Mohawk's advise, I'm trying, I really am”

“I know baby,” you stroked his cheek and wiped a stray tear that had fallen, “I'm going to talk to Mohawk and ask him for meds as well, I want to get better too. Right now, this is enough for me. Just being close to you, and knowing that you're healing. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere, we're going to get better, together”

“Can I kiss you?” He asked shyly. His eyes flicked between yours and your lips.

“Just this once,” you said, “I don't want to risk things getting out of hand until we know we're both in the right headspace for it”

He nodded and leaned towards you, pressing a gentle, loving kiss to your mouth. You sighed into the kiss and pressed back, the two of you staying like that for a few minutes, just quietly pressing soft kisses and rubbing your noses together, till you finally pulled away.

“I missed you,” you mumbled into his chest as you nuzzled back into it. “If this is going to work though you have to accept that I'm in a really delicate place right now, so Heat has been staying with me to help me sleep. There's nothing between us though, just friendship, just like last night with Kid, I'm sure walking in on me sleeping on him can't have been nice for you”

“He explained,” Killer replied, “I was more surprised than anything that he was being so soft with you. He usually only treats me like that”

“Kid is soft with you?” You couldn't help but snort, “I find that hard to believe. Then again, I have only recently discovered this more tender side of him”

“He's the only one who can handle me when I'm having a manic episode,” Killer explained, “he holds me through them”

“The relationship you guys have his so sweet,” you mused.

“We've known each other since we were kids,” Killer explained, “I basically raised him, neither of us had our parents around. He's been with me since well before my first breakdown, he made me the mask to try and reduce them”

“I see,” you mused, “so it's your fault hes such a shithead”

“Oi,” Killer half laughed, “we didn't have a great childhood but I did what I could”

“Jokes aside, he's a good man, and I'm sure that's your doing,” you replied, “you're both good men. I'm glad to have met you”

“I'm glad the two of you are getting along now,” Killer hummed, “he said you told him you feel safe now”

“Cos I do,” you smiled, “this is my home. I thought maybe you guys had abandoned me when it took so long to come get me but Wire explained why you had to wait”

“I'm really sorry we weren't there sooner,” he sighed.

“It's okay, I had your sash to keep me company,” you hummed, “and to be honest, the kiss was what kept me going. I think I would have given up a lot earlier if I didn't have the hope that you loved me”

Killer sighed and pulled you closer, almost into his lap, so he could wrap both arms around you. You burried your heads in each other's shoulders as he breathed you in. “I'm sorry for running when you woke up, I just got so scared”

“You weren't in a good headspace Killer, it's okay,” you said softly, “it's all in the past now. And for the record, it wasn't your fault I couldn't breathe, I had a broken rib and not enough painkillers”

“Oh,” Killer cursed himself for his over reaction.

“Mohawk has me on some good stuff now, so its okay,” you gave him a reassuring squeeze, “everything is healing well, I'll be back to normal in a few weeks”

“And what about… your mental health?” He tried to phrase it in a way that wouldn't trigger you, “Have you talked to anyone about what happened? Did you want to talk?”

“I'm okay Kil,” you smiled, “well, I mean to be honest I've been having some dark thoughts lately, but it's not exactly new for me. I've been having them since I was a kid. But that's why I'm gonna ask Mohawk for help. I never had any metric for what it feels like to be happy, so it was definitely a lot scarier and more traumatic this time compared to before I joined the crew. But at least now I know that I'm safe and I'm held and I have people around me who care. It sucked, but I'm gonna be okay I think. It's not as hopeless as it used to be, I have people to live for now”

Killer sniffed and you realised he was crying. “Aw, Kil, do you want to talk?” You held his face and wiped his tears with your thumbs.

“No, I'm okay,” he sniffed and smiled at you, “I'm just so glad that we found you”

“Hey, there's that smile I love,” you smiled back at him. You expected him to pull away at the mention of his smile like he had on the island, but instead the smile widened, which only made you beam more. “You're so beautiful Killer, I hope I can help you learn that for yourself”

“You're already helping,” he sniffed.

“Speaking of learning, I think you should teach me to read again,” you cuddled back into him, sliding on to his lap to sit across it so you could wrap your arms around him better and rest your head against his chest. “Don't get me wrong, I want Heat to keep teaching me too, but it wouldn't hurt to have twice the lessons, I feel like I'm really getting somewhere with them”

“I'd like that,” he rested his chin on the top of your head, “I missed you so much”

“I missed you too, Kil,” you hummed, “we should go get breakfast though, I'm not the only one that missed you”

“Ah, you're probably right,” he sighed, “okay, let's go then. But I want more cuddles later”

“Deal,” you smiled as you stood and offered him a hand to pull him up.

The tension in the air noticeably lifted as you approached the breakfast table, the other commanders all visibly perking up as they noticed Killer in tow behind you. Some of them hadn't seen him all week, and relief washed over the group. Heat squeezed your hand under the table as you sat, unbelievably thankful that your talk last night had gotten Killer out of his room after all, and you gave him a sincere smile in response. Moods were much improved with the return of the first mate, and everyone made enthusiastic conversation around you. No longer afraid of looking at him, you caught Killer watching you, and gave him a cheerful smile in response, tapping his leg with your foot under the table. He gave a huff in reply, but you could tell he was smiling under the mask.

“What's the plan now then, cap?” You hummed.

“Well that depends, Mohawk, how's her recovery looking?” He replied, pointing a knife at the doctor before shovelling eggs into his mouth.

“Her rib was already healing when she got back, and the rest of her wounds are also healing well now that she's free of infection,” he was waving his fork in your direction to indicate to you as he spoke, “best guess is she'll be fighting shape in another week”

“Good,” Kid huffed, “Double tells me we'll be hitting a resupply island in a couple of days, after that I'd like to explore one of the islands Killer and Yin retrieved a map for. It looks like it may have been used as a halfway point for marines to stash weapons and supplies, it's not on any of our maps but we have a matching eternal pose for it. Could be an easy win. Double thinks probably only the marines know about the island, so they won't be expecting us, might not even be guarding it”

“How far off from the resupply island is it?” Wire asked.

“Hard to be exact,” Kid replied, egg flying out of his mouth and hitting your mask as he spoke. You huffed in annoyance and saw Killer's shoulders move in silent laughter, he was the only one who had noticed as you wiped the egg indignantly from your visor. “He's been watching the pose to see how it shifts as we move, so he has a pretty good guess on where it is. He estimated three days from the resupply, but he couldn't give me an exact”

While Kid was talking you noticed his almost full tankard of beer and decided to play a prank in response to the literal egg on your face. You nodded your head at Killer, getting his attention, before gesturing it towards the tankard. When you were sure he was watching you made most of the beer invisible, making it look almost empty. He looked back at you, shaking his head very slightly, warning you it was a bad idea. You nodded back, a mischievous smirk on your face as you pushed your chair away from the table just a little, in preparation to flee.

“I'll get started on the resupply list then,” Heat added, “I think we're low on bullets after the marine base, the last island didn't have a great black market”

“The books are looking good though,” Wire noted, “we got plenty of sellable loot from the base, we shouldn't have need for a raid for a while”

“Good, good,” Kid hummed as he picked up his tankard. You watched with bated breath as he looked inside, a confused frown on his face, before tipping it almost upside-down to get the last drops left, just as you had planned. Immediately he was soaked with beer, and you broke into a fit of giggles, fleeing before he could put two and two together. He roared behind you as you ran, the rest of the commanders bursting into laughter as they realised what had happened. Later he'd finally catch you, and you'd be forced to clean the toilet in his room as punishment, but it was worth it in your mind.

[NEXT CHAPTER]

[notmorbid]

transitory.

dialogue prompts from transitory by tobias carroll.

music makes everything in my life seem like a montage.

there's no way of knowing what's to come.

when did we first meet?

i don't think i can remember a time when i didn't know you.

i did that, didn't i?

i miss the weird. i'm trying to get the weird back.

the song's just been on my mind.

i'd go just about anywhere for ____. burn any bridge that needed it.

sometimes i think i dreamt the whole thing.

the right film can colonize you.

you could fight a ghost, but you'd never win.

is there a story here?

we part ways after this.

i say what's expected and do my best not to fuck up the rest.

i can't talk to you right now.

phones always sound like pain.

you look a lot like picasso when he was old.

we will sleep in shifts.

no one's ever gotten it on their first attempt.

i learned on my own. i had to.

i feel this charge whenever you're in a room.

you're seeing things that don't exist.

i'm burning the midnight oil.

i'm seeing what i can overturn inside my head.

i like having a wall between work and not-work.

i always cared for you. i don't know if you ever knew.

i think i fell in love with you and realized it was a lost cause all at the same time.

you want to get a pint?

who does this night find you courting?

i put my life in a broken suitcase, and one day i looked back to see the pieces of it trailing behind.

fuck jukeboxes.

you got a light?

i stopped fighting when it hurt too much.

i am nowhere you can find me.

[invisibleraven]

5 for the ship you're vibing with most right now.

Luke blinked awake, yawning and grin sleepilyy as he looked up at Julie and Reggie. "Hey. Did I fall asleep?"

Reggie snickered and ruffled Luke's hair. "You're incredibly cute when you're tired."

"He'd be even cuter if he went to bed at a reasonable hour," Julie commented wryly. "Instead of staying up writing lyrics."

"Plus then he'd get to cuddle us in bed," Reggie mused, stroking his chin. "But it does mean we get more bed to ourselves."

"You two are mean," Luke said, sticking out his tongue. Then stretched, wincing when he felt the crick in his neck. "Ow."

"Not our fault you fell asleep writing again," Reggie said, rubbing at Luke's sore neck.

"You could just come write in bed you know," Julie said, looking over the lyrics. "We could have helped you."

"Didn't want to keep you up," Luke replies with a groan as Reggie finally unravels the knot that had been plaguing him.

"We don't sleep well without you," Reggie confessed. "Plus if we helped you then the song would be finished earlier."

"And we all would have gotten a good night's sleep," Julie finished. "It's good by the way. But the bridge needs work."

"Yeah," Luke says, rubbing over his hair. "I know, but nothing I came up with worked."

"Well that's what we're here for!" Reggie said, taking the notebook from Julie's hands. "We make each other better right?"

"Right," Luke said, hooking his chin over Reggie's shoulder and gathers Julie to cuddle into his other side, their three eyes on the paper before them.

Reggie hums the melody, then grabs a pencil, changing a movement from C to B major, making it deeper, and Luke grins as he hums the new music, it works so much better. "Reg you're a genius," he said, pressing a sloppy kiss to the side of his head.

Julie snatches up the pencil next, changing the tense of the bridge, fixing a metaphor, adding a line that makes the whole thing fit like a cog.

It runs so much smoother now, and Luke starts singing the new bridge, his partners joining in, making it sound so much better, fuller, even without instruments.

"I think you were right," Luke finally admits. "I should have just come to bed."

"Can you repeat that so I can record it?" Reggie jokes. "Play it back next time you burn the midnight oil writing?"

"I think we just need to sing this song to remind him," Julie teases.

"Or maybe give me incentive to come to bed and put the pencil down," Luke adds with an eyebrow waggle.

Then blushes right to the roots of his hair as his stomach lets out a loud grumble.

"Did you also maybe forget to eat as well?" Julie asks with a calculating look.

"Maybe?" is Luke's sheepish answer. His stomach groans once more and his shoulders slump. "Definitely."

"Well then let's have brunch, and we can workshop this song further, or have a na, or just burn off breakfast, whatever you want," Reggie says.

"Can we have waffles?" Luke asks shyly.

"Of course we can," Julie says, pressing a kiss to the corner of Luke's mouth.

"I'll even make them chocolate chip if you want," Reggie promises.

"Yum."

The three of them wandered off towards the kitchen, Luke's notebook forgotten for now. Later they'd go back to it to finish the song before collapsing in a tangle of limbs and then a sated sleep.

Luke didn't sleep long, but when he got his notebook, this time he brought it right back to bed, writing his next song about the comfort of being in the arms of those he loved.

And when it was done, he did just that, falling asleep in their embrace, which was far better than anything else.

[zzmemes]

Mission Hill “How to Get Head in Business Without Really Trying” sentence starters

“Hey, wanna take off early?”

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but... You have sense of humor cancer.”

“My jaw hurts, could I stop praising you for a little while?”

“It’s getting late. Am I gonna crash here or what?”

“Just so we’re clear, you want your freedom to sleep around because you’re not ready for something serious, right?”

“Oh, I’m looking for something serious.”

“Why must I do everything myself? I need an assistant.”

“Where is Moron?”

“I don’t have time to be your assistant.”

“I hate your guts.”

“Believe it or not, not everybody’s life revolves around money. Some of us have dreams.”

“Not just money: sex, too.”

“That was my best stuff, too.”

“Why can’t you just eat your own puke like every other dog?”

“Get ready to purr with excitement!”

“Look at these regular people with their regular jobs: they’ve all given up on their dreams, and they seem happy.”

“You must have training! You must have discipline! Eh, that’s enough for today, let’s party.”

“First rule of management: you must look like a manager.”

“Sexy, huh? You like, no?”

“Holy Krypton! You’re wearing a suit!”

“Hey, cartoonists can’t afford suits. What did you do?”

“I don’t know about this promotion... What if I get used to this? The perks, the easy money...”

“Management training! And don’t forget your massage oil!”

“Fianceé? When did that happen?”

“You’re ruining everything! Go away!”

“Mmn, I’m not in the mood for a threesome.”

“Relax. I’m worried about you, [NAME].”

“I can explain! She was having a medical emergency, and she took off her clothes!”

“You’re not mad that I made out with your fianceé?”

“Burning the old midnight oil last night? Or were you just rubbing it on each other?”

“Congratulations: you’ve become everything you hate.”

“Does sex always sound like that?”

“Where do you keep the cocaine in this joint?”

“I make money, I have sex constantly, and nobody sends me any pissy letters about how much they hate my work.”

“What about your creative fulfillment?”

“I’ll die if I have to get a white collar job. All that typing and all those complicated telephones.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just not comfortable celebrating your sordid accomplishments.”

“I’d rather just eat in my room.”

“Looks like it’s just you and me, babycakes.”

“I’m on the verge of finally accomplishing something, and you wanna drag me back to the past?”

“Put down the imaginary knife before you pretend to hurt yourself.”

“The IRS thinks I’m dead, so you sign everything.”

“Tell me, do you have much experience in the... Erotic entertainment business?”

“If people really understood Kafka’s work, they wouldn’t bandy his name about so carelessly.”

“I don’t wanna devote my life to running a strip club.”

“Thanks, [NAME], all your annoying meddling really did me some good.”

“You got more than money. You regained your self-respect.”

“You’re dripping food on the couch.”

[bio-life-boost]

What to do when dark circles don't want to leave your life? Does the famous cucumber on the eyes really work? Come with me and I have selected some infallible methods.

How to Say Goodbye to Under-Eye Circles

Hey there! So, you're here because you're tired of those stubborn under-eye circles making you look like you've been burning the midnight oil. No worries – we've got your back! This isn't just another run-of-the-mill guide; it's your ultimate handbook to help you banish those pesky dark circles for good.

Let's Get to the Bottom of This

Before we jump into the cool remedies, let's chat about what's causing those under-eye circles. After all, knowing your enemy is the first step to victory, right?

Lack of Zzz's

You know those nights when you traded sleep for an extra episode of your favorite show? Well, your under-eye circles remember those too. When you skimp on sleep, the blood vessels beneath your eyes get all rowdy and start peeking through your skin, making you look like you've been on an all-nighter.

Blame it on Genetics

Sometimes, it's not your fault – it's in your genes. If your folks or grandparents had under-eye circles, guess what? You're in the club!

Allergies, Anyone?

Allergies are another sneak attack on your under-eye area. They trigger inflammation, release histamines, and, voilà, you've got those dark circles staring back at you in the mirror.

Aging Gracefully

As we age, our skin decides to thin out and lose some collagen, revealing those blood vessels. So, thank you, aging, for this little gift.

If you are looking for a solution to improve the appearance of your skin, reducing wrinkles and expression lines, I bring you something new: >>>Try this today<<<

At-Home Solutions to the Rescue

Now that we've got the scoop on the culprits, let's talk about easy, at-home fixes to say goodbye to those circles.

1. Cucumber Coolness

You've seen it in movies for a reason. Cucumber slices are like a spa day for your eyes. They're cool, refreshing, and they'll help reduce puffiness.

2. Brew Some Tea

Don't toss those used tea bags! They're your secret weapon. Opt for tea with caffeine to shrink blood vessels and lighten the dark areas.

3. Bring on the Cold

A good old cold compress can work wonders. It reduces puffiness and gets your blood circulation flowing in the right direction.

4. Hydrate Like Your Skin Depends on It

Spoiler: it does! Dehydration can make under-eye circles look worse, so grab that water bottle and start sipping.

5. Beauty Sleep

Let's not underestimate the power of a good night's sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours of beauty rest to wake up feeling refreshed and looking less like a raccoon.

Skincare Heroes

Besides these home remedies, there are some fantastic skincare products to help you on your quest to brighter eyes.

1. Eye Creams to the Rescue

Look for eye creams with superstar ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. They'll smooth out your skin and make those circles history.

2. Sunscreen: Your BFF

Protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. Sun exposure can worsen your under-eye circles, so slather on that sunscreen.

When All Else Fails: Go Pro!

If you're looking for some heavy artillery to tackle those dark circles, consider these professional treatments:

1. Chemical Peels: The Glow Getter

Chemical peels can do wonders for your skin texture and fade pigmentation, including those under-eye circles.

2. Dermal Fillers: Plump It Up

Dermal fillers add some much-needed volume to the under-eye area, making those dark circles vanish.

3. Laser Therapy: Laser Magic

Laser treatments target the pesky blood vessels causing discoloration, giving you an even skin tone.

Prevention is the Best Medicine

Remember, while these remedies and treatments are fantastic, the best defense is a good offense. Keep a healthy lifestyle, get enough sleep, and shield your skin from the sun – that's the ultimate secret to keeping those under-eye circles at bay.

In a nutshell, under-eye circles are no match for you. With the knowledge of their causes and these fantastic remedies and treatments, you'll soon say goodbye to those tired, panda eyes. So go on, embrace these solutions, and let's bid adieu to those pesky circles together!

If you are looking for a solution to improve the appearance of your skin, reducing wrinkles and expression lines, I bring you something new: >>>Try this today<<<

[ivorypidgeon]

And On The Eighth Day

And on the eighth day

God made New York,

And everything far and in between,

Thus I spoke,

To my coffee cup that never runs dry,

In this diner down by the Lex,

My mind has been off it, the -

They don’t joke when they say the city doesn’t sleep

My eyes haven’t closed in over 30 hours,

That same glare I recognise in the fluorescent glass,

Thinking of her, thinking of New York

Soaked, coarsed and poached in my double denim,

I think of past ramblings 

In the city with you,

That beloved smell of concrete, grease and gas,

Hardened by steel, a cigarette and a spliff on a sun-beaten court in Chinatown,

Overlooking the giant burning meteorite in the sky,

I think of,

The blue ink staining my napkin,

I think of,

Getting my hair braided behind a deli on Graham,

I think of,

Coconut oil cakes topped with condensed milk,

Oh, my desire,

In this little garden of Eden,

Where I drink from the fountain of my youth,

Purple capes dancing in the wind,

Smiling, for this glorious picture day,

Grins all over the town,

Drums bang and the Washington Arch vibrates,

One nation under one groove,

What is this,

Like ballet dancers, they float, 

Top off like a convertible,

Top off like I just got laid out on the checkerboard,

One deep breath before I,

Spout off again and tumble through the weeds in this grand wondrous endless painless plain,

In the centre of my heart,

I clasped on that necklace,

I held on to that love, my want and our lack,

Permanent like the pyramids of Egypt,

Permanent like this frightened moment of oneness - my loneliness,

Preserved without air,

Under the ground straggling for room in this infinite sarcophagus,

The skulls of millions lining the countless steps,

Our blood splashed over this mighty flag,

And His naked body, Justice, hammered on a perpendicular wood beam,

A cross for us to all bear,

This mighty city,

With its resounding chaos,

Sprawling over the pavement searching for one more meaning,

To this untiring fabled story we call life

I’m thinking of,

I’m thinking of the biiiiiiig city.

Even when the rainclouds come,

I’m still swinging by the telephone poles,

To hear you say, you’re in love with this guy,

If not, I’ll just —

After all, I’m living, learning, stumbling,

Side by side,

So you can hear me scream,

Hallelujah all the way from the upper west side,

Just one postcard memory,

Scrawled over my face in a mirror in a bathroom in a bar in Brooklyn,

Then back on the subway with a new friend or two or three,

Shaking with the streetcar we found in the Hudson,

But wait,

Please remember that…

If I lost your love,

I’d never want to let you down,

Never want you to forget this loveliness,

That we found in the bottom of the takeout box,

Or the end of a joint we rolled a summer ago,

As we barrel down the 390,

Thinking how did we get here,

How do we fix this,

And my chalk cracked on the asphalt,

I’m sorry,

         I’m thinking offffff,

I’m thinking of the trees that line your backyard,

The smell of fresh cut grass and a grill burning, billowing smoke,

As the sprinklers crack and splinter into your dog’s gaping jaws,

I’m thinking of,

The smooth plain we call your abdomen that I laid my head down,

Waiting for that midnight bodily howl that we found in your dashboard next to the

Red Stripes we found by a lake that sat near the highway 405,

I’ve come, come from miles away,

Just to see you,

Hear you say those words again,

Like, I love you or something like that,

My word and your bond,

And I’m not just cheering from the bleachers,

When I jump across the base and run all the way home,

Back into your everlasting arms,

       I’m thinking of,

Chapels on mountains,

Maple syrup hills and the hum of your car like it just needed

some love,

This summer camp madness got us going crazy

Had us singing to the birds,

Like we were barking mad,

Like we were swimming, waiting for the shit just to hit me,

Waiting for the pollen clouds to wash over us and send us adrift,

Over these worlds of wheat and fields of grain.

On these cemetery blues,

And some wild pony ashes,

Got my top off like a ‘Vette,

Thinking of the first night we met,

Head in my hands then hand in hand,

Cruising down the interstate and rumbling through my woven hairs,

I thought I had already seen it like a deer caught in the headlights

In this room, we are empty,

Under this moon, we are one

Down Crescent Avenue,

Under the rusted bridges,

And the chemtrail candy skies

All these dreams, my memories

One order of a burger, milkshake and fries then

Waking up without you,

Back to the tarred monoliths,

And then the white sky,

But until I see you again,

Drive safe.

[blueberrysnake]

Tommy's Secret

Summary:

Tom had been bad at expressing emotions to his friends on a regular day. When he accidentally messes something up for Ranboo and makes him almost miss his flight to America? Oh boy does Tommy try to hide it.

This was for a school assignment so I hope yall enjoy it because I got a 90% on it!

Chapter 1/1

On ao3 if you prefer: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37840942

Word count: 1836

As Ranboo and Tubbo looked over to the front door, they noticed the knob slowly turning, and watched as it opened carelessly. The front door slammed shut as a six-foot-two blonde British man sluggishly walked inside the shared apartment at midnight. He squinted in the darkness to make out the figures of his two friends, sitting on the back of their couch. He quickly shifted the bag he was holding so that his friends couldn’t see it. He began to mumble a small greeting before he got cut off.

“What took you so long? You told us you would be home by seven!” Tubbo questioned while getting up from his seat.

“There was traffic, I’m sorry. Like five wrecks at least.” Tommy replied, hoping his friends wouldn’t see through his all-too-obvious lie.

“I know you two need to be awake early tomorrow and I’m sorry for keeping you up this late” “It’s fine just- just lets go to sleep.” Tubbo replied with a disappointed look as Ranboo stomped on the floor to get both boys' attention.

“HAPPY YOU SAFE” He signed in British Sign Language while motioning to Tom.

“ME WORRY-FINISH” Ranboo signed as the three boys make their way to their respective bedrooms.

“I’m sorry I worried you Ranboo. I’m going to take a shower and head off to bed. Don’t burn any more of the midnight oil for me!” Tommy says as he walks into the bathroom. Just as he shut the door, he let out a big sigh of relief. He listened for the telltale sign of the other’s doors shutting, signifying that they were in their rooms.

Tommy moved to the countertop and ever-so-quietly set the bag on it. He opened it with great care and looked down at his goodies from the drugstore. It took less than a second for him to find what he was searching for: Three gold rings, wrapped in cloth from the jewelry store. One has a design of a small bee for Tubbo, one has two music disks for him, and the last has small purple sparks on every side for Ranboo. He smiled while looking at them. He knew his friends would love the promise rings.

Tommy had been wracking his brain for weeks about something to get his friends to show his appreciation to them. Tommy was never big on words, his love language was giving gifts. He hoped his friends would appreciate the sentiment and thought behind the rings, especially since they seemed to be upset at him for staying out late and keeping them up.

The thing was, Tommy had to give his friends the rings either now, or at 5:30 AM tomorrow-er today, because his friends were going on a business trip to America of all places! He was worried that his friends would forget about him while out of Britain, so he thought to get them rings. So here Tommy was, at 1 now, standing in front of his bathroom mirror staring down at the counter at the three rings. Tommy took the small circular pieces of metal out of the bag and debated gifting them now. One glance at the time on his cracked phone screen made the thought of gifting them now vanish. He elected to take a quick shower and think about how best to gift the rings.

Once he got out, dried off, and got all ready for bed in his and his friends matching PJs, it was about a quarter until two, so Tommy elected for the only reasonable option, to pull an all-nighter. Was this a choice he would probably regret come sunrise? Probably! Did Tommy care? Not at all. He had enough coffee to make it and that would give him more time to plan how to gift his friends the rings. He moved quietly to his bedroom and shut the door slowly. He tip-toed to his bed and carefully sat down.

At about three-thirty in the morning, Tommy finally decided on a plan that sounded decent enough in his head. He was going to place the rings on each of their nightstands, quieter than anyone had ever been before. He opened the door and began his way down the hall. The closest room in proximity to his was Tubbo, however, since Ranboo was such a light sleeper Tommy chose to start with the latter’s room.

He opened the door slowly and peeked his eyes into Ranboo's room. He looked straight to his friend, who was sleeping facing the door. He eyed the nightstand, a few important documents on it. Tommy took another look at his friend before stepping into the room. As stealthy as a 6 foot 3 inches tall young adult could be, he took it a step at a time. Eyeing his friend suspiciously with every breath he took. After what seemed like an eternity of creeping through the room, he finally reached the bedside table. He moved some of the documents out of the way and set the ring down. Satisfied with his work, Tommy smiled.

Suddenly Ranboo shifted in his bed. Tommy practically flew out of the room at a speed that felt faster than Usain Bolt himself could go. He shut the door quickly but quietly and immediately let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in when the door closed. He heard rustling through the door and assumed that Ranboo was just shifting in his bed. He at least hoped that Ranboo was just shifting in bed. Some of those papers were precariously placed on the edge of the bedside table.

Tommy shook his head and assured himself that everything was fine. He then began to move to Tubbo's room in order to repeat the process of placing the metal on his bedside table. Tommy made it to the door and took a deep breath in, and out. He couldn’t wait to see his friend's reactions to the surprise. He turned the knob and cracked the door open. His eyes looked through the crack in the door and searched for any sign that Tubbo was awake. Tommy only saw a large lump of blankets, slowly moving as if the blankets themselves were alive. He immediately knew it was Tubbo. As he crept over to Tubbo's nightstand, Tommy noted that Tubbo had elected to put all his important-looking documents on his desk. Tommy placed the ring on Tubbo’s nightstand and quickly left.

Later, when Tommy was just about to fall asleep, he heard two faint alarms go off in sync from both rooms. Immediately after, he heard two people shifting in their respective rooms, and he could tell the second that both of them found the ring. Tommy could tell this by the way both of them stopped moving. He decided to pretend to be asleep in case they came in to thank him because he didn’t want them to be worried for him.

So when they both quietly opened the door, letting the hallway light hit Tommy's face, and whispered a small thank you, Tommy had to fight the smile off of his face. He waited until both of them left for the airport before getting up and getting dressed in proper clothes. Once he got dressed and made himself some coffee, he decided to be productive while his friends were away. He walked to Ranboo's room and opened the door too take all of the dirty dishes out. He picked up some cups and mugs from Ranboo's desk, and a bowl from underneath his bedside table, when he noticed some papers laying next to it.

Now, Tommy never liked to think of himself as nosy. He was never one to pry into any of his friends’ personal matters. However, this looked important. Tommy realized that it was Ranboo's passport! Ranboo had always been forgetful so he always had to put things where he could see it. Tommy realized that he must had accidentally knocked over the passport when putting the ring into place.

Tommy ran out of the room and grabbed his phone. One look at life 360 showed that his friends were on their local bus to the airport. Tommy He knew that the next one going to the airport would be late enough for Ranboo to not be able to make it on the flight by the time Tommy could get his passport back to Ranboo, so Tommy decided to get an Uber to the airport. He didn’t want them to worry on the bus, so Tommy didn’t say anything to them.

After about 10 minutes, the Uber sent Tommy a text saying that they were out front. Tommy raced down to the ground level of his flat to meet his Uber. He practically flew into the backseat and yanked his seatbelt on. He explained how he needed to get to the airport extremely quickly, and the driver nodded. Eventually, Tommy got to the airport and checked his friends' location for the fifth time in ten minutes. Of course, since the bus that Ranboo and Tubbo were riding needed to make multiple stops and Tommy's Uber only needed to take Tommy to the airport, Tommy was five minutes ahead of them. He thanked the uber and got out of the car onto the busy walkways.

Tommy had barely stood for a minute at the bus unloading zone when he got a text in the group chat between him and his roommates. It was from a very panicked Ranboo who had just realized he left his passport at the flat. Tommy sent a text back explaining that he made a huge mistake and that he was sorry but the passport was with him at the airport. By this time, the bus was pulling in and all Tommy had to do was wait for his friends to come off of it.

Tubbo and Ranboo flew down the steps of the bus with their luggage and ran up to Tom.

“Thank you so much Tom! We love the rings! And you also really saved us.” Tubbo exclaimed.

“I’m glad you like the rings, but I almost made you guys miss the flight because of me. I’m sorry, I know I havent been the best friend.” Tommy replied, a frown making its way on his face.

“NO SORRY. YOU GOOD FRIEND. YOU BEST FRIEND. THANKYOU!” Ranboo signed to Tommy and then pulled him in for a hug. Tubbo promptly joined in.

Soon, Tubbo and Ranboo had to leave, and so they exchanged goodbyes with Tom. Tommy made sure they both had everything they needed and went to call another Uber to get back to the flat. He felt loved by his friends and they made him know that he is not perfect and everyone makes mistakes. When his friends got back from their trip, they all had a movie night where they all fell asleep on top of each other, and made sure to let Tommy know that he was amazing almost every day.

[housebird]

OOOOOOO THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME i love hearing about this sorta thing

i also had a CD player from very little! it was to help me go to sleep and i still have the CDs today, but i don’t use them anymore (hence the angelina ballerina and moana CDs still living in the stack; i would never get rid of them). i burn CDs now as well, so i have a couple of blank jewel cases in there (i’m much more diligent on decorating them when i make em for other people, i still need to make the covers for the ones i own)

here is my collection!!! photos AND i’m putting the descriptions under the readmore (hopefully it works. never done one before) because it is WAY longer than i anticipated <\3

bluey, bluey: lonely cassette among the ranks. got it off bandcamp, i highly recommend this EP it’s good. luckily my old ass CD player can play cassettes

THE BURNED CDs:

cry club, spite will save me

the crane wives, the fool in her wedding gown

+ a spare mix i made for a friend which is missing a song, so i kept this one and gave her the right one

i love burning CDs! i try and get the actual CD when i can because i like the booklet inserts but burning is my go to after that. i usually buy the music off bandcamp! my only barrier is finding cases and making the covers. on the to do list is figuring out how to make booklets that fit inside, preferably in a square shape. i really want to make them for lyrics! especially when i drive my siblings places (little sister 2 loves to read the lyrics along with the song and ask me what every song means)

THE ODDS N ENDS:

the veronicas, all the hottest 100s, midnight oil, les mis anniversary concert, taylor swift, 1989

these are mostly ones i have from my dad! he has a huge collection (somewhere in a box… sigh, i miss you, regina spektor begin to hope CD i know you’re out there). i don’t listen to them as much, aside from 1989 when my sisters request it. 1989 was also the first CD i ever bought with my own money and it still has the sticker talking about the HIT SINGLE SHAKE IT OFF lol

THE MUSICALS:

wicked, be more chill, hadestown

these guys get their own category because i LOVE THEM. i bought the wicked CD when i saw it for my bday this year but i’ve been listening to my parents’ copy for roughly 10 years or so iirc? wicked is so so so special to me

THE REGULARS:

missy higgins, the sound of white

missy higgins, on a clear night

both of these i got from my dad’s collection and i do not intend to tell him because i want to keep them. i <3 you casualty and 100 round the bends!!!!

regina spektor, what we saw from the cheap seats: another stolen dad CD!

ball park music, ball park music

ball park music, good mood

ball park music, weirder and weirder

JB hifi grabs! i love these albums a ton. i really want to see BPM live again someday

montaigne, glorious heights: another JB hifi, it was on special for $10 (!!!!!)

the wombats, a guide to love, loss and desperation: my ONLY lucky find at an op shop. i was very excited to find this one, it’s probably the album i know best from them

hozier, hozier

hozier, wasteland, baby!

mitski, laurel hell

i bought these three together to kick start my collection for my car, so they’ve had a lot of driving time. hozier’s self titled in particular reminds me a lot of being on my Ls….

beach bunny, emotional creature

beach bunny, honeymoon

cavetown, sleepyhead

aside from honeymoon, these were the first CDs i bought online, again for the car collection. i have very specific personal associations with the emotional creature album!!

the beths, expert in a dying field: i bought myself this CD online and THEN found it instore so i had to do a quick online refund to grab it because i had been listening to it on spotify for a couple days and completely fell in love

wet leg, wet leg: i listened to this album a lot while doing uni work last year!

courtney barnett, things take time, take time: i originally borrowed this album from the library because i really liked one song from it (write a list of things to look forward to) and then fell in love with the whole thing (sunfair sundown is an extremely lucretia adventurezone thinking about magnus burnsides song to me!!!)

orla gartland, woman on the internet: this album is obviously fantastic but also the CD case itself is very cool. it’s the paper but the CD has its own little plastic turn tray which makes it super easy to pop out

odie, full colour book of cats

emily brown, a fish of earth

both of these are from bandcamp and i got the emily brown one for free with the odie CD!!!!! it was extremely sweet of them and i really need to buy emily’s first album at some point

boygenius, the record: i spent the last of a JB hifi gift card on it and i don’t regret it! it’s living in my car atm with weirder and weirder as my current commute CDs

wow. that’s so many. thank u for reading <3

HELLO please tell me about your cd collection?? i would love to hear about it genuinely

HAIII BELL!!! i am more than happy to talk about my cds!!!

i included pics of my current collection 🕺!

i’ve been collecting them most of my life. i got given a cd player at a young age which is why i started collecting. as a kid it was mostly so fresh & now hits of summer cds that are still somewhere in the house (also alvin & the chipmunks).

these days i collect them because my car is old and doesn’t have aux or bluetooth so cds and the radio get me through. i’ve included pics of my glovebox, the ones that live in a bag cause i have too many to fit in said glovebox & my current listen. i’ll just list them as they appear and where i got them from!!

gorillaz, the now now- bought first hand. at the time i was listening to it almost daily

gorillaz, demon days- actually belongs to my sister. she doesn’t have a cd player so it judt lives in my car for when we go on drives

twenty one pilots, trench- a gift for my birthday last year. i have most of tøps discography and i was obsessed with it when it released (saw them in concert & everything)

my chemical romance, the black parade- found this one in an op shop. there’s a few i got at the same time, some emo must’ve donated their collection in one go. love this album its one i listen to a lot

panic! at the disco, a fever you cant sweat out- also found in the op shop haul!

panic! at the disco, pretty odd- another op shop haul find. i didn’t listen to this album a load back then compared to the rest of their stuff but its one of my faves now

my chemical romance, three cheers for sweet revenge- shocking news, found this in the op shop haul!

bastille, all this bad blood- at some point during my teens i spend my pocket money on this. definitely glad i still have it, there’s so much music on that album & i still love bastille

twenty one pilots, blurryface- another one i spent my pocket money on!!

twenty one pilots, vessel- another pocket money purchase

fall out boy, folie à deux- found in the op shop haul. didn’t even listen to this album at the time & i forgot i had it until way after i fixated on it and then went through my collection again

fall out boy, infinity on high- another op shop find, very fun find!! was a fave at the time

fall out boy, american beauty/american psycho- op shop haul find!!

fall out boy, save rock and roll- op shop haul find!!!

my chemical romance, danger days- my brother found this one in an op shop for me

will wood and the tapeworms, everything is a lot- bought this one online when he dropped the last of the original pressings a few years back. its signed but the signature is rubbing off a bit

will wood, in case i make it- i got this one when i backed the album when he was fundraising for it

the libertines, up the bracket- i think my mum gave this to me, i’ve never listened to it lol

janelle monáe, the archandroid- dad gave this to me. one of my favourite albums of all time

sara bareilles, whats inside: songs from waitress- this was a pocket money buy. i think i bought this before i actually listened to the waitress musical? so it was my introduction to it and then waitress was what made me fall in love with musical theatre

the hush sound, like vines- found this in a record shop. was very excited, i was playing one of their songs on repeat at the time

pulp, different class- mum gave me this one as well

the breeders, cannonball- my dad got it for my brother who didn’t want it and i slid in like hi, yes i love the breeders, this is mine bye.

troye sivan, wild- a pocket money buy. i really wanted blue neighbourhood but they only had this ep so its what i got

sara bareilles, the blessed unrest- another pocket money buy, i had a huge sara bareilles phase at some point in highschool

the scary jokes, retinal bloom- bought this one in one of the packs when the album was about to be dropped. gawd i love the scary jokes

the scary jokes, burn pygmion!!! a better guide to romance- what i listened to todayyy. probably my number one album ever this was a christmas gift!!

theres two fob cds i skipped cause they’re just a compilation & cd that all the songs on are on my other cds.

theres so many more that have come and left my collection but this is where its at now and i can’t waiiiit to find more!! especially w my damn car. NOW TELL ME ABOUT YOURS (please ^3^!)

[shawty-writes-a-little]

heyhey id love a charles xavier x reader with prompts “is that your seventh cup of coffee?” and “when is the last time you slept?” in which charles overworks himself again? soo if u have time and obviously want to write it id be v happy! :) tysm!

HELLO LOVELY here you go <3333 (Yeo anon don’t forget to drink water)

Just an hour

Charles Xavier x fem!reader

Prompt list request

Word count: 1.2k+

Warnings: None just fluff

An: this was supposed to be a short Drabble 💀

—

The corridors of x-mansion had fallen silent for quite some time, pin drop silence given everyone had gone to bed but Charles was still up burning the midnight oil as if time wasn’t going by at the slightest. Y/n tried to sneak up on him but he heard her, even her gentle footsteps on the hardwood floor.

She wrapped her arms around his torso as he softened under her warmth “Hello darling” Charles hummed kissing the knuckles of her palms that hugged him.

“Don’t ‘hello darling’ me why are you still up?” She questioned standing beside him.

Charles let out a sigh knowing she wouldn’t let it go. “Just some work, I’ll be with you soon enough.” Though disappointed with sudden lack of closeness he again pulled her closer to him by wrapping his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head.

It always so happened that Charles would be clingy when exhausted, he was a touchy expressive lover nonetheless but even more when he’s tried “It’s 3 am already you can finish this tomorrow.”

“I’m aware but I have to finish this thesis for today fingers crossed they actually consider it for once.” He scoffed as y/n felt bad about it, a lot of times it would happen that whenever he would spend days writing a thesis putting so much effort later the research team would disregard it because ‘mutation’ was a controversial subject. It was sad to watch him come back so dejected afterwards.

“I will help you with this tomorrow just come to bed right now it’s so late as it is and—“ Charles just nodded mindlessly sipping from his cup, caffeine of course. Y/n didn’t have to be a mind reader to know that, the whole room smelled of coffee. There were empty cups lying all around and he hadn’t slept a minute since the day before obviously that’s what’s kept him going. “Uh-is that your seventh cup of coffee?”

Charles was still just slightly nodding he expected her to go on with how he should go to bed but as stubborn as he was he liked to continue to finish his thesis. Y/n waited for him to respond as he came back to his sense, “Huh-“ he recollected what she asked him “Oh the coffee yes-um probably?” He looked around the room with all the empty that were more than seven.

Y/n took the current coffee cup he had in his hands away from him and placed it far on the table “You need to take a break this is not-“

“Love it’s quite alright it’s just one day I can finish this for now.” He argued but y/n wasn’t having any of it.

“This isn’t healthy at all you’re clearly overworking yourself!” Gently she took his hands in hers “Why don’t you take a break a small break-I’m not asking you to sleep and finish this in the morning just a break? Go to sleep for an hour at least?”

“I know you’re trying to trick me into sleeping and I appreciate you doing that but I can’t show up with incomplete thesis—“

“I’m not tricking you! I’ll set a timer and wake you up in an hour myself I promise!” She exclaimed as he sighed turning back to the scattered papers on the desk. “Just an hour! Please! It isn’t even much time and you would work better with a rested mine and—“

“Alright fine!” He interrupted her midway knowing y/n wouldn’t stop until he finally gave in. “But do wake me up” he reminded her as she nodded happily.

—

The next morning Charles woke up by the sun rays beaming through the blinds with y/n close to him it felt like the most perfect place to be if only just for a moment. Soon he realised he woke up by the sun rays. The sun was already up, y/n didn’t wake him up from his sleep like she promised she would. He got tricked into this even after confirmed with her that she set the alarms. As much as he wanted to wake up y/n and tell her how cross he was with her right now she looked heavenly while asleep. He hated to ruin that peace and comfort on her face so he decided to postpone that for when she actually wakes up.

Getting out of bed he arranges the blanket over y/n again and goes back to his office. He was surprised how is desk wasn’t the same way he left it the other night, the table was arranged neatly, the coffee cups were gone moreover it didn’t look like there had happened a war in there. Y/n probably did that whilst they were talking he must’ve been too tried to notice it the other night.

On the centre of his desk he finds a well printed copy with the title of the thesis he had to present. Strange.

Charles opened it to find most of the first pages to be the ones he had written but he distinctly remembered he hadn’t yet completed it. The copy in his hands was a finished one. He skimmed through his parts and read the completed ones to him it seemed so well postured, even with a proper conclusion in the same pretext.

Joyed with the fact that he wouldn’t have to work on it for hours anymore it hit him. Y/n. Who else would’ve completed it for him? That’s why being a light sleeper y/n didn’t realise him slipping out of the bed this morning. Though hypocritical on her part, she forced him to retire to bed and probably stayed up the entire night to finish his work he thought.

Charles rushed back to their shared room and climbed back in the bed, showering her with kisses. “Good morning my love” He greeted as she fluttered her eyes.

Still tried she didn’t yet open her eyes completely and just nodded.

“Turns out my thesis is all completed.” He told her as she smiled a bit still half asleep. “That’s amazing!” Y/n said calmly suppressing a yawn.

“Do you by any chance know how that happened? Because from what I remember I hadn’t finished it.” Charles asked rhetorically snuggling her closer to him.

“Hmm? That’s weird maybe you woke up in your sleep?” Y/n joked burying her head in the crook of his neck.

“I know you’re the one who stayed up to finish it.” Charles told her as she sighed flashing a small smile. “You shouldn’t have y/n now you’re going to be all tried-“

Y/n leaned in interrupting his lecture with a short kiss just then he pulled her closer again brushing his lips against hers, “You can still make your changes though consider mine as a rough draft”

“You have no idea how perfect it is I truly appreciate it-though its unwise you stayed up the entire night finishing it for me!”

“That’s rich coming from you” she raised a brow as Charles chuckled slightly. “Also shut the blinds I’m going back to sleep.”

—

All feedbacks likes and reblogs are MUCH appreciated

Have a good day <33

[a-bang-for-your-bucky]

One More Night

Tommy Shelby x Reader

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI, Unprotected smut (kinda rough), sex while covered in blood (I DO NOT RECOMMEND, VERY UNSANITARY), licking blood off face (SEE PREVIOUS CAPS), explicit language, feels at the end.

A/N: This was 100% self-indulgent. I hope that I got Tommy's character across. He is still fairly new to me! Please comment and reblog! Thank you @firefly-graphics for the divider!!

You didn't marry Thomas Shelby for love. You did it for practicalities. Thomas needed a wife, and you needed a husband. Somewhere down the line, you grew to feel for him, maybe even loved him. Being his wife though, had its perks. He was good looking, caring, and nice. Which was an oddity on its own, given what he did for work. Despite the hardened exterior, your Tommy was kind.

The Grandfather clock down the hall chimed, signaling it was midnight. You were pacing your shared room, waiting for your husband to come home. He was out "taking care of business".

Your nails were ruined, anxiety driving you to nip and chew at them until they were stubs. You knew who you married, and you knew what he did. Knowing didn't stop the worrying. When you heard the lock creak, turning to the open position, you prepared yourself. Either it was Tommy coming back home to you, or it was his brothers coming to tell you that you were now a widow.

The door opened and shut. Footsteps echoed down the long corridor. Your breath caught in your lungs and they were burning. It wasn't until you heard his voice, his accent distinct and so him. He called your name, sounding as worried and upset as you.

"In here, Tommy." Your voice cracked as you said his name. He was home.

The moment you laid eyes on him, you rushed him, throwing your arms around him tightly. "Love, I need-- Fuck, I need to clean up." He said as he peeled you away from him. In the lowlights of the oil lamps, you could see he was covered in blood.

"Fuck, Thomas. Tell me that's not your blood." You yelped, "Wait, I don't want to know." You took a step back and took in his appearance. His dress shirt, stained. It was in his hair, on his face. You couldn't help but notice how his blue eyes sparked against the maroon red of the streaks running down his defined jawline.

Thomas Shelby was a killer, a criminal. He killed men for looking at him the wrong way. And that was the Tommy you were utterly attracted to. He was dangerous, unruly, and entirely yours. Tommy had unbuttoned his vest, shrugged it off and tossed it into the fire. He went to start on the buttons of his once crisp, white shirt, but you stopped him. "Don't." You said, shaking your head, before slotting your lips over his.

Thomas groaned, fighting the urge to pull you closer. You slipped your tongue in his mouth, to slide against his own. You could taste the faint metallic tang of the blood, mixed with tobacco. "Fuck," he mumbled as he separated from you. "Let me clean up first. You've stained your favorite sleeping gown." He pointed to your covered breasts, which were now covered in blood.

He went to turn away from you, but you grasped his wrist. "Tommy, want you to fuck me. Just like this." You mewled, and he paused. He looked up to the ceiling, like he was praying. You heard him harshly whisper a "Jesus Christ" under his breath before he lifted you up by your ass. Quickly you wrapped your legs around his waist, holding tightly. He walked you to his desk, scattering the paperwork on the floor.

Tommy pressed his lips against yours, tangling his large, blood-stained hands in your hair. He thrusted his tongue between your lips, parting them to dance with your own. He always kissed like it was the last time. He all but swallowed you whole. Tommy released your hair, and his hands went down to your breasts. The growl that reverberated through his chest made you damp between your thighs. "It's already ruined, eh?" He said to no one before ripping the silk right down the middle. You gasped at the show of strength. “You shouldn’t let a damned soul like me defile you, princess.” Tommy protested, hands caressing your breasts, smearing the soft flesh with blood, tweaking your nipples with his fingers. You shook your head, moving your face closer to his.

“Too late,” You whispered, licking up his jawline, before placing your lips on his. He pulled you closer if it were possible. His lips parted, tongue prying yours open. You instantly gave him access. He groaned at the taste of the sanguine fluid on your tongue. His hands found their way down your back, fighting for dominance. Tommy was the one who broke the kiss, only to find his way to that spot on your collar bone.

“Thomas,” You moaned. He continued his way up your neck, nibbling on your ear, before returning his lips to your own. His hand traveled down your front to the apex of your thighs. He was pleased to find your core bare, something you have come accustomed to, being married to him. He loved having easy access to your cunt when he wanted. You could feel his hard member against your thigh.

Your hands were buried in his black hair, leaving love bites on his neck. He quickly undid the button of his trousers, pulling his cock free of its confines. “Fuck, I need you, love.” He groaned, rocking himself through your wet folds. It should have scared you. You should have been petrified at the sight of him, but you weren’t. You were dripping for him, knowing that a mere hour ago, your husband had killed someone.

“Then take me, Tommy.” That was all he needed. He licked his slender fingers, applying the spit to his cock, before burying himself to the hilt in one swift thrust. You cried out at the welcomed intrusion, your body accommodating his size almost immediately. He didn’t move, he relished in the feeling of your tight cunt around him. His forehead rested against yours. You looked up, finding his blue eyes staring right at you with amazement.

His breath was labored, like he was experiencing you for the first time. You tried to roll your hips to get some friction, but Tommy gripped your hips tightly. “Fuck, this isn’t going to be easy.”

His pace was brutal, his hips pistoning into yours. The hard wood of the desk dug into your back, but you didn’t care. Not when Tommy was moaning your name like a prayer in the most sinful way. Your hands tried to find purchase on his shoulders, but the drying blood made it difficult.

Tommy's movements stopped abruptly. You were about to complain when he pulled out of your cunt, flipping you onto your stomach, and pushed himself back in. At the angle, you felt him everywhere. He shoved your head down onto the cold wood. You couldn’t help but clench around his length as your nipples pebbled with the friction. "Fuck. Who knew my pretty little wife enjoyed being fucked like a whore." Tommy growled, punctuating the last word with a hard thrust.

"Yours, Tommy. All-- oh, fuck-- yours." You mewled, submitting yourself completely to him. You could hear Tommy’s breaths grow ragged with every moan that elicited his lips. You could get off on his sounds alone. The baritone of his voice, the way he spoke, the power that was embedded with every word.

His hands gripped your hips tighter, and you knew you’d be sore tomorrow; With Tommy, it was always worth it. “I’m– Shit, I need you to come for me, princess.” He was wrecked, losing himself in the pleasure of your body. You pushed back against him, hoping he would get that you needed to change positions to accomplish what he wanted; He did.

Tommy left your body, pulling you toward your bed. You took this as your chance to take charge. You push a firm hand into his chest, causing him to fall back with a grunt. His crystal blue eyes twinkled, enjoying your show of dominance. In the back of your head, you knew blood would be everywhere, but in the moment, you couldn’t care less.

Straddling him, you lowered yourself onto his cock. Your cunt accepted him greedily. When he was fully seated, you rolled your hips. A curse fell from his plush lips. He went to place his hands back on your hips, but you stopped him. Lacing your fingers with his, you pinned hands by his head. Slowly, you started to ride him, switching the rotation of your hips every so often. Tommy fought to touch you, but quickly gave up.

The mood had shifted. You initially wanted a fast, hard, fuck from your husband. Now that you had him under you, it hit you how close you could have been to losing him. Your emotions got the best of you, letting a tear slip over the barrier of your lashes, falling onto his cheek.

“Baby, I’m here.” He assured you. Your ministrations stopped, and your hold on his hands relaxed. Tommy took the opportunity to flip you. He looked down, staring into your eyes. “I love you.” He knew he didn’t say it often, but he knew when he needed to. He started to grind into you, hitting that spot inside you that made you see white. You came quickly, with a chant of his name on your lips. Tommy wasn’t far behind you, spilling his seed deep inside you.

Neither of you said anything, as he pulled out and away from you. You watched as he trotted across the way to the bathroom. You willed your body to move, following behind him. He had stripped off his shirt and trousers, left only in boxers. He started the shower, gesturing for you to go first. Tommy joined you, and you watched as the water ran bloody down the drain. You helped scrub away the sins of his night.

You came out of the bathroom, blood free, to find that your bed had been stripped and remade. You really needed to give Frances a raise. Tommy sighed contently as he turned down the comforter. You slid in first with Tommy right behind you. You rested your head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, thankful that he was here for at least one more night.

[heeseung-min]

From your recent enha reaction when someone is flirting with u, can you do a extended part for sunoo? I wanna know what will he do to the guy lol

here is the extended part from the reaction

[00:26]

Sunoo waited for you to sleep. He had drugged your food and drink so you can sleep without hearing what he did at the basement later. He loves you so he didn't want to disturb your beautiful sleep :(

He went to the basement with a teapot walking slowly. Every steps he went, you can hear the wooden stairs creaked. Sunoo also wearing a boot which made the step he made loud.

"Did you have a good sleep? No? It's okay after this you can sleep forever." He said casually like how he joked with his friends but instead the person in front of him was the man that disturbed you at the cinema.

"I'm so sorry. I will not report this to the police, just please let me go!!!" The poor man begging like crazy. He even hold Sunoo's leg to show how desperate he is.

Your boyfriend laughing sassily at the man under him. He's tired of stupid people that doing wrong things confidently but then got scared when they got threatend or something. He decided to make the scream from the man louder by step on his hand until he heard the bones were cracking.

"AARRGHH PLEASE STOP!! PLEASE LET ME- "

The person couldn't even finish his words Sunoo had poured the hot oil from the teapot he brought. He watched the man screaming histerically while covering his eyes that got hot oil in it. Then, he finished pouring the oil all over the body and the effect was so bad.

"I hate people touching what's mine and what I hate the most is people who think they are smarter than me."

Sunoo asked his friends to burn the guy before walked up to the stairs. He doesn't want his clothes smells like a smoke especially when the smoke is from those type of people he hates.

"You should make the basement soundproof, hyung so you don't need to wait for noona to sleep."

"Shut up, ni-ki. Just do what I asked."

"Ergh, you better get noona to cook breakfast for me."

Sunoo rolled his eyes at Ni-ki words. The younger boy just grumpy because he was sleepy. Sunoo then went to take a bath and hugged you closer to him when he laid beside you.

"I will keep those people away. Only I can see, touch and feel you Y/N."

taglist: @stacey-stonem @duolingofanaccount

It's a bit short but I think that's okay, right?😐

it's nearly midnight here😌 i want to post this a bit earlier but too much work to be done

[fueledbyapplepi]

Hii I was wondering if I could rq Mikey, Baji and Mitsuya with a gn! s/o who is the sole provider in their household? and the guys only find out because they saw their s/o while they were at work? but they didn't know they even had a job bc they kept it a secret? it's perfectly okay if you aren't up for this rq! I hope you have a good day/night!!

Given it All | Mikey, Baji, and Mitsuya

- The boys with an s/o who's a breadwinner of the family.

warnings: mentions of family problems

genre: fluff, angst

A/N: Writing this made me kind of emotional because I have friends who are the main providers for their family and I see them work very hard. This one's for all the independent and hardworking people out there <3

Mikey (Sano Manjiro)

Another day. Another one.

Mikey loves feeling your hands. They're soft and smooth against his calloused fingers. He'll feel the palms in your hands every moment he gets. He always felt like a baby being caressed by your soft hands.

But there seems to be a detail in your hands that he can't miss. Every time you two see each other, Mikey would notice the burns and red marks on your hands.

"Y/N, what happened to this?" he asked.

"Oh, it just got itchy again. You know, the usual," you replied, trying to brush off the topic.

It has always been like that. Each time that Mikey points it out, you always try to avoid the topic or reason out that it's just a scratch. And it's not like he's saying that you're a liar, he just knows that there's more to that than just a mere scratch.

Which is true.

You didn't really want to lie to your boyfriend. It's just that, it's something that it's hard for you to open up and talk about.

At a young age, you were forced to live by yourself. Your mother died at a young age, while your father was a drunkard - eventually getting out of the picture.

In order to provide for yourself, pay for rent and other fees necessary to make a living, you worked hard. Currently, you're working full-time at a family restaurant where you're assigned at cooking. Although this was a daily task for you, you never fail to get yourself burned from the boiling oil.

It wasn't an easy life especially living alone. But at least, you have your boyfriend by your side to get by.

Now that you're shift has finished, you were tasked to throw out the trash at the back before you leave.

As you were about to walk away from that alleyway, you heard a familiar voice.

"Y/N?"

Looking at the source, it was your beloved boyfriend with a questioning look on his face.

"Mikey? What are you doing here?" you asked, anxious about how you'll explain this to your boyfriend.

"I just finished beating up some guy," Mikey said as he pointed out to a dude who passed out on the further part of the alley. "How about you?", he continued as he looked at your uniform and an obvious face that's waiting for an answer.

You knew this day would come. You just didn't expect that it would be today.

Sighing, and taking deep breaths, you explained to Mikey your story and why you work here.

"Y/N, why didn't you tell me?" Mikey asked as he caressed your cheek.

"It's hard for me to talk about it. I'm sorry for not telling you," you said as you looked down.

"Hey, it's okay," Mikey said. "I have a better idea,"

"What?" you asked

"Why don't you just sell Dorayaki and I'll buy all of them every day. Then you'll be rich," Mikey said jokingly.

You looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"But seriously, live with us!" Mikey said with such a happy look on his face.

"Eh?" you asked confused.

"Live with me, Emma, and gramps! I'm sure they'll be happy to take you in, you're my s/o after all," Mikey said, "Plus, you wouldn't have to work this hard if you don't have to pay for rent," he continued.

Your heart felt like it's floating in the air. How can you have such an adorable and loving boyfriend?

"I love you, you know that?" you said.

"Thank you so much, Mikey,"

"It's nothing," your boyfriend said as he kissed your hands. "You're like family to them after all,"

Maybe, the true family you've been looking for was always been by your side.

Keisuke Baji

You sleep early but the bags under your eyes were noticeable for your boyfriend.

Baji always thought that it was weird that the eyebags under your eyes were evident. Not like it's a bad thing though. You're still beautiful as ever in his eyes.

It's just that you always tell him that you sleep at 8 in the evening. Yet here you are, looking like you pull an all-nighter every day.

Maybe it takes you hours before you actually go to sleep? That's possible. But what if you just don't want to spend the rest of the night with him? Is it possible that you're getting tired of him?

It's only been months since you've started dating, but Baji couldn't blame you if you get tired of him.

But it's not like you don't want to hang out with your boyfriend. Hell, who doesn't want to hang out with theirs and experience late-night dates and night rides right? Especially if it's with Baji.

It's just that, you don't have the luxury of spending the night with your boyfriend. Being the eldest of a family of four, you have to work and provide for the needs of your mother and your two younger siblings.

To help your family, you work two part-time jobs every night. One is being an employee at your local convenience store and the other is being a kitchen staff at a local pub. Two jobs might be heavy, and tiring for you, but it's what helps you and your family to get by.

Your boyfriend knew nothing of this. You know that Baji's a great guy, but you're afraid of embarrassing the 1st Division Captain of Toman, so you just try to hide it and make lame excuses.

Tonight's the usual night. Same excuse. Same job.

Currently, you're responsible for the counter at the store. It's past midnight, and you wish you can catch up to some sleep. But you know you can't since you'll be unable to get your minimum wage.

As you're looking at the countertop, someone suddenly handed Peyoung yakisoba.

"Baji's favorite" you smiled as you thought to yourself. Oh, how you miss your boyfriend.

"And that'll be 145 yen," you said as you look up at the customer.

Well, that was unexpected.

"Baji?" you said, seeing your boyfriend's face.

"Y/N? You work here," Baji said, with a confused look on his face.

"Sadly, yes," you said.

"Well, care to share this with me?" Baji said as he pointed out the Yakisoba.

"I have a 15-minute break. Sure," you agreed. Thinking now's the time to explain.

As you and Baji met at the small parking lot, you immediately explained.

"Look, Baji. I'm sorry for hiding this. I want you to know that I'm the breadwinner of the family that's why I can't hang out at night with you. I didn't tell you because I don't want to embarrass you," you rambled as you look anywhere but Baji.

"Embarrass me?" Baji said, walking closer to you.

"Y/N, I'll never be embarrassed at you. I'm proud of you, okay?" your boyfriend said, reassuring you. "I just wished you trusted me more,"

"I'm sorry, Baji," you whispered as you hug him. "I love you."

"Text me okay? I'll pick you up so that you won't have to walk," Baji said as he smiled at you.

"Thank you," you said, with tears threatening to fall.

"You're welcome," Baji said as he kissed your forehead, "Now, let's eat okay?" your boyfriend said, excitement laced in his voice as he opened the Peyoung yakisoba.

Mitsuya Takashi

You're a busy bee. That's for sure.

Whenever Mitsuya invites you on dates on the weekends, you weren't available because you're busy.

When he invites you to have dates after school, you always have to decline because again, you're busy.

He understands it though. Mitsuya knows that you have to study hard for your siblings and that you have to take care of them as well. As someone who always looks out for his younger sisters, Mitsuya knew that it can be hectic sometimes.

What he doesn't understand though is the fact that it's evident that you're trying to hide something from him. He's not that oblivious when it comes to you. Especially after dating you for months.

You're bothered with it too. As much as you love your boyfriend, you're embarrassed about the job you have. But it's not like you have any choice. The job pays well and is enough to make a living for you and your two younger brothers.

After school and on the weekends, it is true that you're busy. Busy with the maid and butler café that you work on.

It's embarrassing enough to be dressed like this. But being seen by the love of your life? That's a different level of shame.

Now that you finished with your shift, you felt the exhaustion on your body. Standing and serving customers isn't a joke anyway. You didn't even bother to change out of your uniform. You just wore a hoodie over it, not caring about the frills of the clothes peaking underneath.

As you were walking home, you heard the familiar sound of an engine. Turning around, you saw a familiar face.

"Ehhh? Y/N?" Mitsuya said, stopping his motor beside you.

"What are you doing?" he continued, eyeing your clothes and looking at you as if he's waiting for an explanation.

"Mitsuya, I can explain," you said as your face reddened from embarrassment.

"Hmmm, I'm listening," your boyfriend said with an unreadable expression.

"Well, uhm, you see, I work at this café that requires us to dress like this," you said as you pointed out to your clothes, "But I don't do anything bad though! It's just we dress like this," you further explained, waving your hands.

"You look cute," Mitsuya smiled "I kind of hoped you just told me sooner. I would've made you some clothes,"

"Huh? You're not mad?" you said, surprised.

"How could I be? My s/o's working hard. Plus, I get to see you in cute clothes. What's there to be mad of?" Mitsuya said as he smiled at you.

"Baby, I love you," you said as you looked at your boyfriend with adoration.

"I love you too. But take me there someday okay?" Mitsuya replied grinning.

You just nodded and blushed at the idea.

[miserable-flamango]

Jasmine tea

I’ve had this idea for a fic where Cole comes to the realization that he loves Kai instead of Nya rattling in me brain for a while now, but I’ve never been able to start on it. I think it’s cause AO3 scares me, and I’d actually have to write a whole story which I don’t have the time nor will power to accomplish. But seeing other authors on here got me inspired, so I wrote a little something. Maybe I’ll do more in the future? 

I’m sorry in advance :’-)

(Edit: I forgot to mention this but they’re in a hotel-)

Cole sat at the desk, going over the paperwork from their mission. It may seem as though heroing is all beating bad guys and saving the world, but at the end of the day reports needed to be filed and numbers needed to be crunched; it was something that just came standard with the job. He rubbed his face, attempting to wipe away all of the drowsiness that settled over his slumped posture, before blinking a couple times away from the yellow light of the desk lamp that seemed to burn his eyes. Suddenly, a styrofoam cup was lowered onto the desk, causing Cole to look up and see Kai leaning against the table. “Burning the midnight oil, huh?” he asked.

“I guess you could say that.” Cole replied with a hum before turning back to the papers.

“I thought we usually let PIXAL fill those out?” Cole stiffened as Kai called him out. While it was true that the paperwork was usually left to PIXAL, who -with her previous assistance experience- can get all of the proper information they need, as well as fill the forms out quickly and accurately, Cole really needed a distraction. His emotions have been all over the place these past few days, and if boring paperwork was his only choice of escaping, then so be it.

“I thought it’d be best to fill these out while the events are still fresh in my mind.” Cole half-lied. Kai looked at him for a few moments before shrugging, “Alright, whatever floats your boat. Just don’t stay up all night.” he gave the earth master a mock salute before making his way towards the bed, “Oh, and take a shower, you smell.” 

“I do not.”

“Do to.”

“Shut up man,” Cole could barely suppress his giggles, “go to sleep before I knock you out myself.” he could hear Kai’s offended gasps as he moved around to turn off all of the lights in the room. “Don’t hate me for spitting facts, dude.” he stated as he climbed into bed, the two exchanging goodnights as silence fell amongst them. Cole grabbed the cup Kai had given him and took a sip. Jasmine tea, his favorite. Cole couldn’t fight the smile that bloomed across his lips, a gesture so simple yet he was getting so mushy over. He sighed as he placed the cup down, trying to ignore the way his heart did somersaults, he knew he had some personal issues he needed to think about, but this was not the time. He’ll sort out his feelings when he gets home, it didn’t matter that Kai could make him smile in ways Nya couldn’t. He took in a breath, recentering his focus, and began his work once again. His eyes dropped to the next question he was on: “Give the addresses of all destroyed properties during the battle.”

Tonight was going to be long.

—

Cole stayed there for hours into the night. His tea was gone, and he was at a point where he couldn’t process the words in front of him, the information just being thrown into space rather than his brain. Fatigue was soaking deep into his bones, the temptation of sleep dancing on his heavy eyelids, but ever the man of strong will, he pushed forward. Although it wouldn’t hurt to rest his eyes for just a second-

“Cole, sweetheart, you’ve been at this all night. Why don’t you come to bed?” Cole’s eyes snapped open as he heard the familiar voice, as well as the faint heat of what felt like hands rubbing along his shoulders. The earth master shook his head, he was strong, he could push through. 

“That paperwork won’t do you any good, Rocky.”

“You can’t run from your feelings~” the voice seemingly duplicated next to him, the same heat placed along his arm. His heart was pounding, his mind was reeling from whatever these hallucinations were. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying his hardest to ignore the voices, but his efforts proved fruitless when he felt the heat cradle his cheeks, the scent of smoke filling his nose as the voice spoke just inches from his face.

“I know you love me too, Cole.”

He felt like he couldn’t breathe, heat touching him all over as multiples of the voice called to him, whispered sweet nothings, made empty promises. He swore he was getting dizzy with all of the smoke in the air, suffocating as he helplessly sat there. 

He felt the heat on the insides of his thighs, “You seem so stressed, baby, let me help you with that-”

The chair fell backwards onto the floor as he suddenly stood up, breathing heavily as he tried to regain his composure. Even though he could hear the clunky roar of the AC unit, he was sweating bullets, the lingering phantom touches still burning his skin. Just as he was trying to decipher what just happened, a hand landing on his shoulder caused him to jump.

“Cole,” Kai exclaimed in a hushed tone as he drew his hand back towards himself, “hey, take some deep breaths, you’re alright.” Albeit confused, Cole did as his friend asked, taking in his surroundings as he calmed his breathing. Due to the curtains being drawn he couldn’t tell how dark it was outside, so he tried to look at the alarm clock on the nightstand. “It’s 4:30 in the morning.” Kai beat him to the punch, Cole gave out a breathy ‘okay’ along with a nod as he looked down at the desk. He was white knuckle gripping the edge of the desk, so hard, in fact, that cracks were beginning to form out from under his fingers.

Oops- 

He quickly released his grip, unable to ignore the sizable dents that were left on the furniture. How were they going to explain that to the hotel staff? He took off his glasses with shaky hands and set them on the desk before sitting down on the edge of the bed. It wasn’t long before a familiar styrofoam cup came back into view, with a tired Kai being the one to greet him this time. Cole graciously took the cup and drank it, water being the beverage of the evening although he could still taste the very faint linger of jasmine tea. He felt the mattress dip beside him, and the two sat in silence for a few minutes, the loud AC serving as an anchoring white noise.

Cole spoke up finally, “I’m sorry for waking you.”

“Don’t be. Shit happens, and I’m used to it.” Kai spoke calmly. Cole stared at his cup, Kai’s the team’s resident “Big Brother” and is usually the one they go to for bad nightmares. At first it was Lloyd and Nya, but then Jay and Zane started climbing into his bed on occasion. PIXAL went to him once, and he was pretty sure he’s even woken up for Sensei Wu at some point. At the thought, Cole couldn’t help but snicker a little to himself. “What’s so funny?” Kai asked.

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking about your sixth sense for detecting nightmares, there seems to be no getting past you.” Cole answered simply, earning a small chuckle from the red ninja. “Oh yeah, a brother’s job is never over.” The two chuckled at that before falling back into silence again.

“Hey Kai?”

“Yeah?”

“If everyone goes to you for their nightmares, who do you go for yours?”

“I… I don’t know. I can usually tough them out by myself.”

“You can come to me for your nightmares.” Cole blurted without thinking. Maybe he was just really fucking tired, but he didn’t like the fact that Kai didn’t have someone to turn to for comfort himself. There were a few beats of silence that followed and Cole was about to take it all back, when he felt Kai’s hand rest on top of his, warm and calloused.

“Maybe I’ll take you up on that.” he admitted with a smile.

[feral-ella-flynn]

Paying the Toll, pt 2: M Troll x F Human, SFW (for now)

Part 1

Male Troll + Female Human

still SFW (so far)

2.5K/6.5K word draft

tagging @feralprose @monster-bait @apocalypticromantic666 @pre-schoolervengance @bresilienne-ami @soivebuiltupaworldofmagic @dont-call-me-a-faerie @kirmalight (comment to be tagged in updates!)

I bet no one expected this to be updated! Including me! This installment is definitely not as long as I intended, because I got really hung up on details--that’s why I’m posting anyway, to get some momentum so that hopefully the third part will be both longer and not so tardy. 

Escaping a goblin raid on your village leads you to a bridge, but you have nothing to offer the troll who guards it for a toll...except yourself

You wake in darkness.  At first you aren't sure you're awake at all--it's only by touching your own eyelids that you can feel sure they're open. It seems to make no difference between the thick, pressing dark around you either way.

“Mattie?” you whisper, your voice thin and hoarse. 

There’s no answer, and understanding comes crashing down on you, like floodwater overwhelming a dam. You are not in your cramped room under the eaves of the big house, Mathilde is not sleeping on the narrow bed an armspan away–if she’s lucky, perhaps she was able to hide in the cellars or the attics, somewhere that was safe enough until the goblin raiders felt they had run out of things to raze and ravish and moved on. Or perhaps help would come, from the regiment billeted outside the market town, or from rangers who might have been near enought to see the smoke. If Mattie was unlucky….

A sob catches in your dry throat, then turns to choking dry heaves that leave you shuddering. Bile burns on your tongue. You huddle into the nest of furs, remembering now where you are and how you came to be here, naked and alone in the pitch black.

Not alone. There is the hush of leather brushing against stone, a faint musky scent. 

“Brúsi?”

“Aye.” The troll’s gravel-rough voice is low and close–you almost reach out, ready to blunder once again into his arms rather than be alone with your fears.

The scrape of flint is loud enough in the silence to make you jump. Sparks illuminate the troll, kneeling at your side, and as he coaxes the tinder to unfurl into flame you hastily wrap a fur around your bare flesh. Whatever mood made you so bold before has been banished by your nightmares.

“Is it morning?”

The troll shrugs. “Near enough.”

“Shall I–shall I make breakfast for you?” Your fingers knead anxiously in the soft nap of the pelt that you clutch closed over your chest. “What do you like for breakfast?”

The troll–Brúsi–glances at you, his head tilted in the way that is already familiar. You think it means he’s just as bewildered by your contract, and by you, as you are yourself.

“Dried goat,” he says. “Morning meal, evening meal. Unless there is a new goat.”

“Oh. Where do the goats come from?”

He shrugs. “The bridge provides.”

Well. You take a deep breath, pushing the fear and panic of the last day, of the dark dreams, down into a tight ball at the bottom of your stomach, where you can ignore it for a little while. “Does the bridge ever provide eggs?”

And so you begin your month as housekeeper to a troll. 

Your clothes are badly stained, and chilly from being spread out on the stone floor, but they're dry and you dress in them anyway, trying to ignore the scrutiny of Brúsi’s dark blue eyes as he watches you. He seems fascinated by the layers as you lace your stays over your shift, tie the strings of your petticoat, and your cheeks burn with a blush as you finally button your gown. You do your best with the tangles in your hair--letting it hide your face until your heart stops thumping in your ears before you twist it into a hasty braid. 

There are no eggs. But you take a lantern the troll indicates and follow him into another cave that serves as a store room.

“There is goat,” he says, pointing at the considerable supply of dried meat, “and other goods, if tha wish them.” His gesture at the heaps of bags, crates, jars, casks, boxes–all jumbled together and shoved to one side–is dismissive, as if there is nothing of value to be found. You stare wide-eyed at a bolt of fine silk, at the glint of gold from a carelessly overturned casket with a broken lid.

“What is all this?”

“Payment for the toll, for when there were no goats.”

“You don’t do anything with the things paid for the toll? They just sit and rot?”

He shrugs. “I butcher the goats.”

You can only shake your head, but the practicality can’t be denied–gold and silk isn’t much use in a cave, and it’s with less wonder but more delight that you find flour, oil, and salt.

Breakfast is fried bread--and goat meat.

Once the meal is prepared and cleaned away, the troll vanishes up the dark tunnel. He takes no lantern with him. He also doesn't say a word to you before he leaves, and you stand in the cave for a while, expecting him to come back with instructions, or–well, something. But he doesn’t, and  you can only twist your hands in the skirt of your gown for so long. Eventually you pick up the lantern and explore. 

There is little enough to see. Other than what you noticed when you arrived, there is an alcove that must be where the troll sleeps, on piled furs that smell musky but not unpleasant. There is the storage cave, although it seems larger than it did at first, because you realize that you can’t see the far wall before the circle of light gives way to darkness.

And then there is the tunnel entrance, where your new employer disappeared, and which presumably leads out, to--your stomach lurches at the memory of being upside down from the sky–the underside of the bridge. But perhaps that had been an illusion, and the tunnel merely led out to an opening in the bank underneath the bridge? You had been half out of your mind with fear, after all. Maybe you dreamed that part.

Maybe…maybe you could simply walk out of this tunnel, out of the dark, and walk all the way home.

Except that you agreed to a contract. And the troll did say he wouldn’t eat you, wouldn’t even touch you, which was more than any of the men at the big house ever promised...none of them had touched you, but you knew that was because you had been careful, so careful, all the time, to be invisible. 

It had helped that Mattie made it easy to fade into the background. She flaunted her pretty curls and winsome dimples, and when she sometimes crept into your shared attic room well after midnight she always had a new length of fine fabric for a dress or a necklace of amber beads to show for it. You asked once if she wasn’t afraid of falling pregnant, but she just shrugged.

“I know to be careful,” she said, and hid the coins she’d gotten for selling her latest bauble away beneath her bed.

Thinking of Mattie makes your eyes sting with tears, and reminds you that probably there was no home to walk back to–and if you tried, there would likely be nothing to be done there except burying the dead. You leave the tunnel entrance alone, and busy yourself with organizing the heaped goods in the storage cave.

When Brúsi returns, he brings you eggs, freshly laid and nested in a straw packed basket. 

“They had no goat." He shrugs. 

Other than struggling to invent new ways of preparing goat meat, most of your time is spent sorting. You find all manner of things in the storage cave, from precious jewels to plain linen fabric. The gems and gold you store in caskets, and then can’t shift on your own–Brúsi laughs at you, and picks them up with one hand, arranging them neatly along one wall as you direct him. You stack bolts of fabric, folding shorter lengths neatly into a another chest, you line up swords with gold wrapped hilts, swords with elaborately carved scabbards, swords that are short, swords that are nearly as long as you are tall, and then there are maces and axes and other things you can’t name. There’s even a pair of pistols in a tooled leather box, their handles gleaming mother of pearl. It’s more treasure than you ever imagined, and you feel that you’re in a dragon’s den instead of a troll’s cave--except that Brúsi shows little interest in the goods, except for the goat meat.

“If you don't have a use for these things, why accept them?” you asked, after the third day of sorting boxes and bundles and barrels, and still not finding the back wall of the cave. You’d found a crown, heavy and lumpy, like something out of an ancient grave, and under it a belt of bronze scales that linked together.

The troll just shrugged. “They are the toll, for the bridge. There must be a toll.”

“Then…" you bite your lip, but blurt "can I use some things?”

“If tha hast a use for them, then mayhap the bridge meant them for tha to use.”

“You make it sound like the bridge is alive,” you murmur, running your fingers over the bolts of fabric, already imagining yourself in a dress made of such soft material.

“The bridge is the bridge,” Brúsi says.

“What does that mean?”

He just shrugs.

You sigh, picking up a bolt of wool–practical, and still finer than anything you’ve ever worn. “If the bridge provides, can I give it a list? I need thread, needles, scissors, buttons…I can’t keep wearing this dress,” you gesture down at yourself. “Not without something else to wear while I wash it, at least, but I can’t make anything without supplies. And for that matter I need soap–”

Brúsi tilts his head. “Tha may always ask the bridge, but it works slowly. Simpler for tha to go to a market.”

You stare at him, your mouth falling open. “I can? I mean, is that allowed? I thought…”

He stares at you, the intense blue of his eyes unblinking, and you finally shrug. “I just thought I couldn’t leave the cave.”

“Not for long, but art not bound to the bridge as I am. Come.” He scoops a handful of coins into a pouch and leads you into the tunnel.

The ground slopes upward under your feet, and after a time there is a door before you, swinging outward. Brúsi ducks under its arch, his broad form filling the opening. When he doesn't move to let you through, you realize that he's blocking the way deliberately. Unease spikes through you.

"Is something wrong?"

"The bridge made tha sick before," he says. “Tha shouldst close thine eyes.” You squint suspiciously up at him–is he laughing at you?–but obey. You hear the rattle of his bone-decorated belt as he steps toward you, but then he stops. “I must touch tha,” he says. “Just to lift tha over the topside.”

“All right,” you whisper. You stifle a gasp as his enormous hands circle your waist, lifting you easily off of your feet, and then after a blur of motion you feel stone under you again.

When you open your eyes, you’re on the narrow stone arch of the bridge.  Your lantern flame becomes suddenly pale compared to the warm sunlight that makes you blink and squint. There is no dark and shadowed forest hemming in the river. Instead there is a road, smooth hard dirt fringed with wildflowers on either side, and the rooftops of a village in the distance.

“Where…” You look down at the bridge under your bare feet. 

“The bridge is all bridges,” Brúsi says. He holds out the leather bag of coins, and you take it, staggering a bit at the weight. “Buy whatever tha need.”

You hesitate, glancing from the troll to the road. What is there to stop you from walking away and never returning, from making a life somewhere? The bag in your hand holds more money than you had ever expected to earn in your life. There would be nothing to hold you to the bridge…except your promise.

“Tha canst not escape the bridge.” Brúsi seems to be reading your thoughts, although he’s not even looking at you. He’s gazing down at the water. “Every bridge tha sets foot on will be this bridge, until the toll is paid.”

“Of course.” The bag of coins drags at your arms, and you fumble it open, taking out a handful. “I should be able to get everything I need with these–it would be dangerous to carry all the rest of this.”

The troll frowns, glancing from you to the distant rooftops. “Danger from other humans?”

“Only if I seem to have more money than I should,” you assure him hastily. “It would get attention from the wrong kind of humans. I'll be careful.”

 The coins bite into your palm as your fingers clench unconsciously. The frown creases his forehead, not smoothed away by your reassurances, and you half expect him to shake his head and pick you up under his arm again, ready to toss you back under the bridge. 

“Please?”

 You bite your lip too late to keep the word in, but there are lazy curls of smoke rising from the distant chimneys, and you can hear the lowing of cattle nearby, the friendly chime of chapel bells...and all you can think about is cheese. Cheese, and fruit to pair it with, or potatos, perhaps. Honeycakes. Your stomach rebels at the very thought of dried goat.

Brúsi jerks his chin toward the road. “Go, then. The bridge will be waiting for tha to return.”

You hand off the sack of coins–your shoulders more than grateful to be relieved of its weight–and the troll adds it to the other oddments that dangle from his belt among the bones. He folds his arms.

The handful of coins you kept are barely enough to make your pocket sag with their weight, but you can feel them as a reassuring lump under your skirts. You run anxious hands over your hair and stained gown, smoothing uselessly at wrinkles. 

“I wish I had been able to bathe properly,” you mutter. “I look like a ragamuffin.”

But your hands and face are clean, your hair neatly tied back, and dusk is not far off, so perhaps your bare feet will not be noticed. You step from the cool stone of the bridge to the warm hardpacked dirt of the road. 

"I'll be back s--" Your voice breaks off as you glance over your shoulder. The bridge behind you is a simple one of wooden logs, straddling a stream that a child could leap across. Gooseflesh prickles the back of your neck. You hurry down the road towards the village without looking back a second time.