#I spend years planning your design

[earthandfriends]

Jupiter, We will be having a discussion later. -Labori

I give my condolences to the customer who so wrongfully had their phone taken. I assure you, it will NOT happen again.

I also implore that any personnel, or customer alike resist posting any images taken by the planets themselves, it only encourages them.

[dante-mightdie]

I think price gets a huge heart boner when he watches you act all thrifty when it comes to shopping

‘bloody cost of living’ he’s thinking when you’re at the checkout, watching the price of the weekly food shop rack up with every item scanned by the cashier. you don’t seem phased whatsoever, is this always what it costs when you come shopping?

john’s snapped out of this thoughts by you making a grabby hand gesture at him, asking for your purse. he trues to protest but you just roll your eyes and grab it yourself. he watches you pull out a stack of vouchers, passing them over to the cashier. his heart rate slows considerably when he watches the pounds drop like flies, it nearly bursts out his chest again though when looks over at you to see you beeming with pride, happy with your savings

he’ll see you eyeing up a nice item of clothing next, flinching when you flip the price tag over. he furrows his brow when you walk back over to him, without the clothes

‘I’ll buy it, dove. don’t stress about the price.’ he says, reaching to grab it but you intercept his hand before he can, shaking your head

‘that top was in style twenty years ago, the charity shops down the road will have a similar one for pennies, john.’

he doesn’t have faith but you prove him wrong within the hour. it’s obviously not the same but it’s actually better quality than the one you originally saw. besides, you also managed to find two pairs of trousers, a dress, some shoes, and a bag for what you said was half the price of the original top

‘clever girl’ he hums, pressing a kiss to the side of your head as you tap his card and put his wallet back in your bag

he has no problem spending money on you whatsoever, but he adores how considerate you are of his finances. the smile on your face when the planning pays off. he’ll find another way to spend that money on you though, buying you the designer item you’ve been trying to thrift forever because of the price but you just can’t find anywhere :)

[acepalindrome]

Alternatives to Squishmallow

So as many of you have probably already heard, Jazwares, the company that produces Squishmallows, is donating to charities that support Israeli soldiers and the IDF. They’re also supporting Canary Mission, which has been doxxing people who speak out against Israel. BDS hasn’t called for a boycott against them, but I can’t in good faith spend my money on their products, and I would strongly encourage everyone who enjoys plushies to really think long and hard about if you want to give your money to a company that’s helping support genocide!

But the holidays are coming up, and lots of us enjoy plushies and were fans of Squishmallow, and were planning to give Squishmallows to friends and family this year.

Fortunately, there are a number of great plushie companies out there, and I want to promote some of my favorites in the hopes that folks will get their plushie fix from a source that doesn’t side with Israel. So without further ado:

Fluffnest

Fluffnest got their start on Kickstarter a few years ago, and I adore the round shapes of their PuffPal plushies! My favorite is Pete the Possum, which is probably the best possum plush I’ve ever seen. I’ve also got a beautiful moth from their Kickstarter and I’ve been wanting their bats for ages. They also recently had a Kickstarter for an Animal Crossing-esque video game featuring their plushie characters and it looks fantastic.

Squishables

I can’t get over the plague doctor plushies. They’re so perfect and cute, and they’ve released other variations of them called Alter Egos, like a ghostly version, an alien, or a really sweet cottagecore one! They’ve got a ton of variety, but what I like the most are the fantasy plushies. There’s a lich! There are dragons and demons! Cryptids! Biblically accurate angels! A lot of really fun stuff!

Also they do a lot of great charity work! Right now they’re doing an auction for the Food Bank of New York City.

AfternoonFika

AfternoonFika is a very small business of only three people, but their plushies are extremely cute. They tend to sell out fast, so I recommend following them on social media to stay on top of any restocks! They recently released a line of dinosaurs that are precious, and of course I love their iconic cactus cat and cinnamon bun bunny.

Jellycat

Jellycat has been around since 1999, so they’re the oldest of these companies. They’ve got great designs, a ton of variety, and a lot of their plushies are made to be cuddled on and not just displayed. All three of my tiny nephews sleep with a different stuffed dog from Jellycat. My mom has a sun and several succulents that she uses as decorations. There’s a little something for everyone who enjoys plushies!

If you have any other favorite companies I haven’t mentioned, feel free to add on! I’ve enjoyed Squishmallows for a while now and I’m sad to see their leadership coming out on the side that’s committing war crimes on a daily basis, but this is a good time to discover new favorite plushie companies! And remember, money speaks loudly. Even if BDS hasn’t called for a boycott of Jazwares, it sends a message when sales start dropping for companies that support genocide. It’s a small thing, but the little things we do can add up!

[acid-ixx]

before the bell rings (a loving family, an unpalatable desire spin-off)

ft. romatic yandere bruce wayne x gn reader x platonic yandere batfam.

— masterlist !

tw: slight nsfw. bruce watches and kisses you while you sleep. in no way, shape or form do i condone this behavior irl.

ihave a raging headache but i don't care because i love making spin-offs of my original series'. and now i've been thinking of something related to a loving family, an unpalatable desire where just like again &. again being the opposite of like him, in this current universe i'm writing about;

you're much too loved by your husband, bruce wayne.

there are eyes everywhere when you two have been into the first stages of your marriage. he may have proposed to you for the sake and promises of protection both your families agreed upon from when martha and thomas and alive— your relationship must've been purely transactional during your childhood; but in the process of knowing you better during the planning for your wedding, in the process of grief and accepting his parents' deaths, a broken childhood and cold glances—

bruce came to love the comfort and warmth you offered him.

the entire time he was convinced that your marriage will be all but a distant relationship all throughout planning for possible venues, cake designs, guests and attires; a task he chose to uphold for the sake of your preference of a picture perfect wedding and his reputation to keep in public.

it was all that, mere promises to maintain cordiality.

there would be no affectionate touches, or the need for intimacy during both your honeymoon stages. he respects your boundaries, and you do with his privacy. after the entire wedding, everything will return to normal; with the added fact that you'd simply be living in his mansion with no qualms to bother him whatsoever.

those were unsaid agreements that you yourself knew to abide by. you were never close with the man you'd be married with during childhood, after all. for him, you must've been a checklist for him to fulfill his parents' will; there was no love before or after his grief, not even when you'd attend the funeral and expressed your apologies for the loss— his eyebrows furrowing at your shorter form, but never quite looking at you.

younger you knew it was the protection that will be granted, and never the love you wanted, but you still held on to that flicker of hope that somehow, someday you'll eventually form an amicable bond with your soon-to-be husband.

yet to you, he was the only ticket way out of your abusive home life, one filled with not only coldness, but sharp glares from a mother who never wanted you and painful beatings from a father who criticizes his own child's every mistake, each hit more painful than the last.

as much as you desire something more homely from your soon to be husband, you've long since accepted that your life will never be filled with visceral love that eats you up, love whose hands tangle upon your hair not out of sheer hatred but desire, love whose strong arms raise you up in the air rather than raises itself up to hit you.

and as you both prepare for your wedding, an air of awkwardness and discomfort was expected. backs turned, never facing each other, your eyes never quite looking at his, and unwanted brushes of each other's bodies bumping into each other translates itself to tension and mere desire to get over the plans just as quickly.

bruce tells himself, it will all be over soon. this is necessary to keep up facades and earn more connections. he hasn't been as close with childhood friends after his parents' death, hence why he was too ruffled to properly communicate with his partner after years of isolation from peers. he knows you know to understand that fact.

you tell yourself that as much as your heart aches at the impending doom that you wouldn't be able to spend time with your husband as much after the entire fiasco of dealing with wedding arrangements, with wayne enterprises and hundreds of other duties to fulfill— you've nothing to do but embrace that mere fact.

so it was all that.

bruce will never love you as much as you force yourself to love each and every flawed part of him. the first steps of planning your marriage already reflected what would soon be the damning years of a loveless courtship.

love is painful, loving bruce will be painful. your heart will never flutter at the meaningless bouquet of flowers he'd gift you, or jewelry that was never your preference, all because you both knew it was a necessary farce to make things prettier on the outside. bruce can never learn to love again after the heartbreak of losing two of his loved ones.

all that.

yet the longer you two spend time in the same room in stuffy outfit fittings and bakeries whose warmth both your loves you thought would never quite reach— the more bruce notices the slight quirk of your lips every time he guessed your favorite color or design, the gleam in your eyes glowing brighter at him choosing what he thought would be the perfect confectionaries for reception, and the tiny claps and soft tugs at the cuffs of his sleeve the more he chooses to accommodate each and every preference of yours.

he starts to fall, not out of hindsight. he was never an obvious man, no.

but he fell in love, either way.

with your habits, the way your hands gesture your excitement, and the shy grin you show his way whenever he pursues physical affection to you in both private and public; with you melting into his once stiff chest and ridged shoulders, hands wrapped around your waist, head slowly nuzzling into the crown of your hair. sometimes he'd be brave enough to caress your hips and run his fingers through the flesh between your neck and shoulders.

every damn time he takes a newer risk, every time, you'd be left shocked, yet never pushing away at his ministration.

a surprise that rewires your perception of him in your mind— not less pleasant nonetheless.

he falls in love whenever his heart beats faster— a feeling he thought he'd never come across after years of hardened training— at the way you buzz every time he proposes you two go out on dates, at your unheard gasps whenever he actually gives you bouquets of your favorite flowers as gifts, at your incoherent mumbles as you two walk through the farmer's market with his body shielding you from stalking paparazzi's and countless of admires; your mouth forming words, brows furrowed, oblivious at bruce's unwavering gaze and arms ready to rest upon your shoulders as if he never once hesitated to touch you.

and he soon realizes that he begins to yearn sleeping in the same room as you. you still stay at your home at the time being, only to be housed at his right after your marriage— but bruce loses sleep all the same. at thoughts of what you would feel like all pressed up against him, the warmth that emanates off your body every time your arms would explore his chest, and how he'd wake up to your wide, intoxicating smile, calling him, bruce wayne, your husband as you caress him and tell him breakfast is ready.

he could picture you sitting beside him, your arms unknowingly on his thighs because you crave physical affection, your attention on both your children, chattering with them as if you were always their parent. he sees you scolding damian for sneaking food under the table for his, telling jason and tim off for arguing yet again, whilst dick laughs at his brother's clumsy way of eating with barbara rebuking his statements. you'll always be the first person cass would talk to about her ballet recitals, the one duke chides for advice about which club to choose, and steph's first choice every time she stumbles upon drama.

the entire atmosphere would be spontaneous. there could be small fights, little debates and sometimes even tension, yet they listen to you nevertheless. at your pretty voice giving them an earful altogether whilst bruce would worship you with his hungry eyes, forgetting the breakfast on his plate just to hold himself back from the urge to pepper kisses on you in front of the family.

the perfect dream, like a gomez to his morticia who admires every side of them. their beauty, their sadness, anger and flaws. you complete him, he only realizes at such a late time.

just as quick as he imagines those fantasies, bruce would find himself stalking through the confines of your family home as batman; confirming to himself your breathing patterns, the flutter of your eyes, soft mumbles, and your tight hold on one of your pillows, wishing it was him instead. there, he takes in the state of your room: the decor, your wallpapers, each and every trinkets and hobbies you've collected all over the years; and most importantly, just how small and confined your room is, yet cozy at the same time.

the manor would be your castle soon enough, and he promises that it would feel as homely as your previous room. he promises that you wouldn't be sleeping alone eventually. you'll be so loved... so cared for. he'll learn to properly love you, how to touch you in all the ways he could imagine, to kiss parts left neglected, to satiate the hunger watching you every damn time.

every night, he gains newer information about you as you sleep oblivious to the presence looming above you. every night, he notes the texture of your bedsheet, the blankets that hug at your body tightly, the pillows you drool on and the softness of your mattress.

he'd ruffle your hair, and begin to trudge closer and closer to you, to the point his confidence would be at an all time high and he'd be breathing the same pattern as you, body nearly pressed atop yours as his hands tangle itself upon your messy hair. bruce watches your skin bathe in the moonlight's glow, he admires the slow rise and fall of your chest and the delicious peaks of skin from the fabric that threatens to fall.

his desire only grows stronger, his willpower grows weaker all the same.

and at a time of momentary weakness, at the passion that drips off his body merely watching you, at the unsated hunger and moments of restricting himself from touching you too much during your times together— he kisses you while still sleeping, deeply and unregretful at his choice. devouring your lips, wishing he could instead feel his tongue pressing against yours, and licking at the drool that escapes from his relentless kisses. his hands would be on either side of your head, but his thighs pin your waist, heavy and unrelenting on moving from its position.

when he lets go, he laps at his lips for any remaining taste of you, hardwiring the memory into the deepest, most sinful parts of his brain, and admires your beauty from up close. bruce watches just how angelic you look sprawled atop a bed that soon would be big enough to fit two, he sees the smile slowly forming on your face, and the giggles that erupt all while you still remain asleep.

you must've been dreaming something pleasant. he hopes that it is him, he hopes that it would be him lavishing you in his love.

and he'll be coming back home right after pecking your lips and cheeks one last time, before leaving your room, to sleep in his bed all alone after a night of a passionate endeavor. he'll be dreaming of a night with you, every night with you in fact. of your pleasured closed-eyed smile in bed and arms that reach to wrap around his body like you do your pillows. he'll cover you like a blanket with his warmth, too.

and you'll always be in his mind, even as he wakes up every morning after another day of sleepless patrol, without you by his side, without your body pressed tightly against his, without the feeling of your plush skin on his scarred one, or the melody of your snores and flutter of your eyes at the light that hits it; bruce would never be satisfied.

in fact, he begins to crave for more as he touches his lips, remembers how easily pinned you are, how fitting your body is wrapped around his. he realizes that mere fantasies would only serve as distractions, he realizes that he needs the real thing.

soon, he'll invite you to the manor, all in his own accord, without hesitation or implications that it was all for mere planning.

there you would be, shy and modestly greeting his children. bruce notices the way your finger shivers, and the barely concealed smile that makes it way to your face when you finally meet your soon-to-be family, your soon-to-be children.

unaware, oblivious to the night he took your first-kiss. he knows it is your first kiss, you've written it in a journal of yours that you're saving it for whoever is your future husband— it's only right that he prides himself in the fact that he is your fiance.

he notices how well you fit in the manor, how you're such a perfect match to the neverending energy of adrenaline to fight and to patrol, acting as a mediator, a peacemaker to the hustle and bustle of spontaneous fights and arguments that alfred used to deal with alone. and his children—?

god, his children love you.

after first impressions, after you spend time coddling beside your fiance, talking to each and every one of them with a fond smile; acting as if they're all already your children without any second thoughts, never forcing yourself into their lives or invading private topics or inside jokes like the other suitors interested in bruce who visited; after you leave the manor despite their insistence that you stay—

all of them took it in their hands to help you both prepare for the wedding arrangements; damian made a comment to push for the wedding date to be way earlier. dick says he'd be in charge of the music, steph butts in saying she knows how to play the piano, cass opens up about performing a ballet piece during the wedding, duke suggests alfred should be handling the food, barbara says she has connections with entertainment factions, tim states matterof fact that he will be organizing the entire schedule, even jason insists on attending, just simply disguised amongst the background.

it would've been a marriage where it's only your side of the family who attend, an agreement you both settled for in the earlier stages of planning, but...

if the family loves you so much at just a first impression then...

bruce wayne loves his spouse even more.

and you, being the hopeless romantic you ever are, craving intimacy at such a young age from the lack of it, took the bait and fell into his controlling hold when you've still had the chance to back out.

after all, what is love without sacrifices?

soon enough, what once were lingering, unsure touches would be bruce holding you tightly against his chest like you two were puzzle pieces fit perfectly together. he was never the type to compliment through words, but every time you wear your favorite shade or those that matches his suit colors every time you both go out for outings, his bright blue, yet dull eyes would glimmer in the sunlight, taking in your entire form. he'll kiss you for what feels longer than half a minute, and sometimes even pin you down against the mahogany door of the office if it meant he was that pleased.

you love the attention, you bask at just how easy it is to love his children. even if their personalities contrast, even through the fights they sometimes have in front of you; none ever lash out at you for breaking it up, even the youngest, damian, who would always be the most violent amongst the siblings.

hell, he'd always be the most possessive, the most demanding of your attention for whenever you stray too close to his other siblings. always glaring, always picking up fights and insulting everyone, but never directing anything at you, even threatening to bite those who dare touch any gifts you give him.

yet you love them, either way, and you've come to love bruce, too. at the most unexpected of times, even. you love it when his touches linger a bit longer, you buzz with joy every time he'd hide your face from paparazzi and hold you tighter, never once letting a hand stray far away from your body, always having you in his arms just like how your perfect fantasies would always play in your head.

and even if you're still unaware of bruce's identity of being batman, the same hero you used to fear, you still insist on kissing bruce's scars that he always comes home with every night after patrol. you let yourself become a treasure he worships, you allow him to kiss you, defile you, and never once let you out alone anymore— your occasional manor visits before your marriage turned into countless of nights spent under a roof with people you thought you'd never be... that closely intimate with.

it is only before the wedding bell rings that bruce falls in love with you, and it would soon be after that you realize just how trapped you truly are.

reblogs and interactions are encouraged and appreciated.

a/n: after this, i will return to hibernation. and if anybody asks, yes, superman wanting to smash you in this au is still canon. and yes, he will find a way to persuade you in smashing him.

taglist: @donnaaurelia, @prince-nikko, @neerathebrightstar (i hope u like this :))), @mr-celestial-writings, @glasscurrents, @sh4rk-k1d, @vellichor-and-hiraeth, @sammytheotakunerd.

[pencil-n-pen]

SUDDENLY I HAD A VALENTINE

𓏲𝄢 ⋆. ୨୧ ˚⋆ 𓏲𝄢

post prison!spencer x hopeless romantic! civilian!reader

masterlist | kofi

i’ve rejected affection for years and years, now I have it, and damnit, it’s kind of weird

Valentine, Laufey

summary: spencer reid isn’t a genius or renowned criminal profiler- he’s just the guy who frequents the same coffee shop you do; the guy you’re probably, maybe, a little bit in love with. But you’re not the kind of girl guys like him like— right?

cw: honestly genuinely cannot think of any this one is just soft and sweet (with a touch of angst bc it’s me)

tags/tropes: strangers to lovers, spencer is so whipped, reader is a hopeless romantic, spencer finds this cute, romance novel references (i have read a LOT of them), no colleen hoover jumpscares, however there are of ali hazelwood references bc Love Theoretically is my favorite romance book of all time

a/n: something short and sweet !! trying to get over my perfectionism by just posting <3

title taken from Valentine by Laufey (GO LISTEN TO LAUFEY)

𓏲𝄢

There’s a coffee shop within a twenty minute walk from your apartment that you like to go to. It’s more a cafe, really. They’ve got a little case with a small selection of pastries and such, as well as a nice, calm little atmosphere. Cozy.

You’d decided that you wanted to read more. You’d always enjoyed it, before—

Before. And now that you have more free time on your hands, you’d thought “what better time for some good old fashioned escapism?”

Your tbr pile was a mile long and you’d found the coffee shop and it seemed like a perfect little scenario.

That was probably about a year ago. Things are different now. Not in a bad way, just the way that things change as time goes on. You’d ended up moving apartments- somewhere smaller, but you’d gained a window that overlooks the street, so win, you’d switched jobs —you work from home now— and you’d kept your nose firmly away from any and all real life romantic endeavors.

Almost all of your friends you’d met through your ex. The unfortunate thing about that is when you broke up, they were more attached to him than you, so things got a little… lonely. You have other friends, of course, but most of them have busy lives— boyfriends, husbands, kids, successful jobs, travel. You text them when you can, hang out when they’re available, but you spend most of your day, everyday alone.

You’d struggled a lot, at first. But then you take a page out of all of your books: romanticize a quiet life.

You’d stared at your empty apartment, your new desk set up for your job and decided to romanticize the shit out of your new life.

It was slow going at first. You didn’t really know how to get started, what you wanted your life to look like, so the first few months were spent primarily on Pinterest. But ideas formed, plans were made, rooms were carefully designed and days were quietly spent.

Which leads you to where you are now: a mostly lone woman leading her ideal, romanticized life. Romance books, working from home, coffee shops and thrifted sweaters and everything on your Pinterest board. You’d picked up (and dropped) several hobbies, everything from scrapbook journaling to watercolor painting to simple embroidery and sewing. You adore the lopsided and ugly-cute DIY Jellycat rabbit (appropriately named Elizabeth Bennet.)

It’d taken a year, but you felt safe and comfortable again. And throughout this entire process, you still managed to avoid or kill any attraction you’ve had for any passing man.

Except Spencer, or as you’ve dubbed him in your head, Hot Coffee Shop Guy.

You only know his name because the barista’s call it out when he takes his coffee to go, which he doesn’t always do. Sometimes he takes his coffee or tea in the cafe, sits at the same table in the far corner (almost directly across from you, as you like to sit right next to the large windows at the front of the cafe) and read.

You and him read very different books. Sometimes he reads large, thick textbooks. Sometimes he reads dusty old books. Sometimes the things he reads aren’t even in English. A very stark contrast to your fine readings of Ali Hazelwood, Elsie Silver, and Anna Huang.

Ever since you can remember, you’ve had a thing for guys who read. Not casual reading, but reading-reading. And you can’t help but think you compliment each other in aesthetic— you with your brightly colored romance books and cozy clothes, soft and cute in that way that screams “I listen to Laufey”, and him with his old books and faint smell of pine and his button downs and grandpa cardigans, looking like he listens to Tchaikovsky and The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns.

And it’s kind of fun to daydream about. You’d never act on it, of course, guys who look as hot as him don’t seriously go for girls like you, but it’s easy to read The Love Hypothesis and imagine yourself as Olive and him as Adam.

And then he starts saying hi.

Which, okay, admittedly, is not much. But besides the barista’s —whom he’s come to recognize and strike up conversations with— you’re the only person in the cafe he says hi too. Even though there are other regulars he no doubt recognizes.

Even when he takes his coffee to go, he gives you a little wave. It’s become your thing. A “hello” if he stays and a wave if he goes.

It’s a nice little thing to have, is the problem. Who doesn’t want a jaw-droppingly hot man to make time out of his day to say hi to you specifically?

But it won’t go anywhere. Even if you hadn’t sworn off love until you’re in your mid-thirties, you’d be too shy to actually do anything about it.

You’ve seen how this goes down. He waves, you smile, you work your way up to going up to him, and he either has a girlfriend or isn’t interested. And even if, for some reason he is interested, he won’t stay interested.

So there isn’t a point to entertaining it, but you still do.

It’s fun. A little change in routine. A star-burst of excitement in your usual unchanging schedule.

—

Apparently, just because you’ve sworn off romance, doesn’t mean the universe has sworn off romance for you.

You’re at the cafe as usual, book in front of you and scrapbook behind your coffee. You’re considering making a coffee ring stain page, but you’re worried about mold and the possibility of it ruining other pages.

It’s late evening, the usual time Spencer comes in, and you’d preemptively ordered a ham and swiss croissant because you tend to end up too self conscious to get up or move around too much when he sits down, which is stupid, because he isn’t even looking at you.

He walks in right after you sit back down from ordering, so you entertain yourself with Love On the Brain so you don’t catch yourself staring at the soft brown curls and light stubble on his jawline. It’s very addicting, staring at him. He just has one of those stupidly attractive faces that beg to be stared at.

Today, he offers you a little wave, dipping down to catch your vision and a little “good evening,” as he goes by.

Wow. A wave and a hello. He must be in a good mood.

One of the barista’s —Sarah, she has two cats— drops off your croissant and rushes away, a hand pressed to her mouth, which is odd. She usually lingers so she can show you new pictures of Tweedle Dee and Microwave (her two cat’s names, respectively.)

You look down at the plate and notice a little something sticking out under the croissant. It’s their business card, but it’s upside down, and something’s written on it.

You take the little piece of cardstock, carefully reading the words written in scrawling but strangely delicate handwriting:

You look really cute today.

-Spencer

Ho. Lee. Shit.

You stare at the card, reading it and reading it and reading it and reading it and reading it and then reading it one more time, just in case.

But the words don’t change.

You look up at him, face hot, and make eye contact with Spencer. Who’s looking right back at you, textbook open on the table in front of him and a small smirk on his face.

You look back down at the table.

See, you don’t really get flirted with often. Or ever, really. You’d grown up watching early 2000s rom-com’s and then started reading romance novels in late highschool, so the disappointing reality once you hit 20 that you’d never had a boyfriend and the most romance you experience is in your head was something you had to adjust to. You’d had crushes of course, but then never went anywhere. And the few times they did never ended well. Hence the total life makeover after you last break-up.

You’ve never really experienced cute romance. Nothing like looks across a cafe and notes passed by barista’s.

He doesn’t come over and strike up a conversation, which you’re thankful for. That would be too much. He goes back to his reading, and you press the note into the pages of your book and pretend to go back to yours.

You don’t end up doing much reading that day.

—

It becomes a new thing. The notes. He doesn’t write them all the time, and they don’t always come with whatever pastry you’ve ordered. Sometimes they’re tucked under your coffee on its saucer, sometimes he slips them silently onto your table. But you always tuck them into whatever book you’re reading, so the way it’s worked out is that there’s little pieces of Spencer spread throughout a good portion of the books you own.

I like your sweater.

I think that hairstyle suits you.

Maybe we should trade books one day. Any chance you can read French?

You always look so cozy in your little spot.

Have I ever told you I think you’re pretty? (Joking, I know I have, just wanted to say it again.)

You were right about those ham and swiss croissants.

How do you get your annotations to look so pretty?

I like it when you smile.

It’s a lot. It’s tempting.

The little notes and his smile have (pathetically easily) wormed their way into your affection. You’re both afraid to get more and unwilling to go back to your normal life. You should, by all means. Appreciate the notes and then let this entire thing sail right on by.

So you do exactly what you always do when something like this happens. Consult your friends.

“He’s been giving you notes?” Penelope gasps, hand on her chest, “Hot coffee shop guy has been giving you notes, flirty notes and you’ve haven’t given him a single one?”

“I’m nervous!” You exclaim, face hot. “There are so many ways this could go wrong, and not just romantically. What if I take off the rose colored glasses and there’s this… this person who isn’t at all like I thought he’d be?”

Her expression gets a little sad at your words, and she reaches across the table to take your hand. “Okay, first of all, I have never known you to wear rose colored glasses. You’re a romantic, but you’re also too logical for that. Secondly, and I’m saying this because I love you, you need to get over yourself.”

You blink. “What?”

“No, really! You’ve concocted this entire, horrific scenario in your head about this guy who you haven’t even officially spoken to. You’re getting waaaaay ahead of yourself.”

“I know,” You look down at the cup of coffee you’ve been sipping on. Coffee at your apartment isn’t as exciting as coffee from the cafe, but Penelope wanted to hang at your place to catch up when you called her. “But I just keep thinking- what if the same thing happens again?”

She rolls her eyes, but the action is fond. “And what if it doesn’t? You’ve gotta try, babycakes. That’s what the whole romance thing is about. Taking the risk.”

“But risks are scary.” You whine.

“They are,” She says, laughing now, “But they’re also fun. I think you should give it a shot. At least hear the poor man out before you condemn him to being an axe murderer.”

“I don’t think he’s an axe murderer,” You say, “I think he might secretly be a self absorbed dick.”

“Trust me. I’m pretty sure in this case, the chances of that are pretty low.”

—

The next time you go to the cafe, Spencer is in fact there. So you push through your racing heart and sweaty palms and all the thoughts in your head that scream that is a bad idea and you take the little folded piece of paper and ask the barista to give it to him with his coffee.

Your deliberated over what to write in the note for a long time. Probably too long considering the fact that if this goes well, you’ll be writing more. But in the end, your favorite pen in hand, you’d written out a simple little:

Hi. I think your sweaters look really nice too. ♡

You’d felt like you were back in elementary school— giggling and passing notes. Unlike elementary school, though, the note passing doesn’t end in mild humiliation or heartbreak.

When he gets the note, he looks up at you, the same surprised expression on his face that you wore when you’d received his note the first time. Then, he looks down, reads it, and you get the honor of watching the most kissable blush spread across his cheeks as he readjusts his sweater.

It becomes your little thing. Your new little thing.

It’s easy to slip into, this cute little routine with Spencer.

Penelope has other thoughts on the matter.

“Sweetheart,” She says, and you can’t see her expression over the phone, but you can picture the set of her brows and the downturn of her lips, “I’m so glad you took that first scary leap and sent him a note back. But it’s been a month. Don’t you think it’s time to pick up the pace?”

“I’m taking it slow.” You say, voice half muffled by your scarf. It’s getting colder and colder and you wish the cold snap would just snap and snow already. If it’s going to be freezing, it might as well be freezing and pretty.

“No, you’re stalling. I swear to you, if I don’t hear about a date by the end of this week I’m going to go down there and ask him out for you.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that.”

“Exactly. Okay, I have to go. Love you bye!”

The dial tone sounds and you slide your phone into your pocket, further burying your face into your scarf.

You’re not really watching your surroundings as you approach the cafe, the walk too familiar, so when a hand larger than yours reaches for the door handle at the same time, you glance up in surprise.

“Sorry—“ Oh.

It’s Spencer.

He smiles at you, the same, really nice smile that you desperately want to kiss.

“Shame that our first official word together was ‘sorry’.”

You feel your face heat despite the chill outside. “Not true. I think it was actually hello.”

His smile widens. “Hello to you too.”

You blink. “Oh. Oh, I see what you did there.”

He nods to the door. “Do you want to head inside then? It’s a bit chilly out here.”

“Yeah,” A smile tugs at the corners of your lips. “Yeah, I’d really like that.”

He opens the door. “After you.”

So maybe taking the first leap won’t be that scary after all.

[rafecameronssl4t]

73 Questions with Vogue || Drew Starkey x actress!reader

Summary: just you participating in 73 Questions with Vogue and it goes viral!!!

Warnings: fluff!!!

Word count: 1,935

A/n: It's been so long since I've written a Drew fic!!!!!!! Also I got inspired by my previous acc's fic so if it seems familiar to some of you who followed me from there, don't come at me, I loved the idea too much lol. CAN SOMEONE PLS SEND ME REQUESTS FOR DREW FICS???

MASTERLIST

divider by @h-aewo

"Hello!" You greet the interviewer with a bright smile, swinging open the door to reveal him and his camera. "Hi, Y/n! Mind if we come in and ask you 73 questions?" he asks, his tone friendly and warm. "Yeah, of course! Come on in," you say, stepping aside and holding the door wide open, gesturing for them to enter as the camera pans through the foyer of your house. The space is beautifully designed, with soft lighting that gives it a cozy, inviting atmosphere.

"Wow, what a gorgeous house you have," the interviewer remarks, his voice filled with genuine awe as his eyes take in the sophisticated yet comfortable décor. "Thank you!" you respond, the compliment warming you as you flash a radiant smile. "Is this your favourite house?" The interviewer asks, already settling into the rhythm of the questions as you lead them down the hallway and into the open-plan living area.

"Yes, it definitely is. It's in my home city, and Charleston means so much to me, just like this house does," you say, your eyes lighting up as you gesture around. The view of the beach through the large windows makes the space feel even more special. "I love the view," the interviewer comments, looking out at the sunset that bathes the room in warm golden light. "The sunset looks amazing from here."

"It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?" you say with a soft chuckle. "I love spending time in this room specifically. It feels like a little sanctuary." You both share a laugh, enjoying the peaceful moment. "What's your morning routine like?" The interviewer asks as the camera follows you through the coastal-themed living room toward the kitchen. You pause for a moment, thinking about your answer.

"I haven't had much of a routine the past few months because of work, but currently, I wake up to a strong cup of coffee and a walk through downtown," you share with a soft smile. "It’s become a little ritual to clear my mind before everything gets too busy." As you stroll through the warm, inviting spaces of your home, the camera captures the personal touches that reflect your personality—a mix of elegance and laid-back comfort.

A question about your career comes next, and you happily share some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from your latest film. "This," you begin, the affection in your tone unmistakable, "is a magnet Sydney gave me when we wrapped filming Immaculate earlier this year." You glance at the picture, a grin spreading across your face. "It’s a photo of the two of us in our nun costumes... let’s just say, not doing very nun-like things." You laugh, the absurdity of the memory still fresh, and hold the magnet up for the camera to focus.

The image shows the two of you mid-laughter, each holding a cigarette with exaggerated defiance, your habits slightly askew, as though caught mid-rebellion. "What's the best compliment you've received?" the interviewer asks, a hint of curiosity in their voice. You pause, your expression thoughtful. "Oh, that's a tough one," you say, your lips curling into a playful smile.

"I think the best compliment I’ve ever gotten was when someone said, 'You're like Meryl Streep… but, you know, with fewer Oscars.’" You chuckle, shaking your head in amusement. "It was the kind of backhanded compliment that made me laugh for days." The interviewer laughs along with you. "That’s a good one," he says, clearly entertained. As you make your way towards the outside deck, the interviewer continues with another question. "Texting, calling, or FaceTiming?"

You grin as you lean casually against the railing, looking out at the beach below. "Oh, definitely FaceTiming," you say with a mischievous glint in your eyes. "I’m terrible at replying to text messages. I’d much rather see people's live reactions, y’know?" A more personal question comes next, and you smile thoughtfully as the interviewer asks, “How do you handle the pressures of fame?”

You nod, taking a moment before responding. "I lean on my family and friends—they keep me grounded. And I remind myself that pressure is a privilege. It means people care about what I do, and that means a lot." Your voice softens as you speak, the sincerity of your words clear as you step into your home office, showcasing the awards and accolades lining the shelves. The conversation turns to your personal life, and a warm, affectionate smile spreads across your face.

"Congratulations on reaching your two-year anniversary with Drew!" The interviewer says with a grin, and you beam in response. "Thank you!" you reply, your eyes sparkling as you think of him. "Drew is incredible. He’s my biggest supporter, my partner in everything, and honestly, just my favourite person. It’s been such a special journey since starting my career, and I’m so grateful to have him by my side."

"What's the key to a successful relationship?" He asks. You pause as you walk through the hallway, your gaze softening as you think. "I think it’s communication and a lot of patience. No relationship is perfect, but being able to talk things through and genuinely listen to each other makes all the difference." You smile, adding, "Oh, and laughter—if you can laugh together, you can get through just about anything."

The sound of the front door creaking open interrupts the moment, and a familiar voice rings out, instantly making your face light up. "Oh, there’s Drew right now!" you say, smiling brightly as you move toward the foyer. The camera follows you, capturing the scene as Drew enters, with Nellie, your cocker spaniel, bounding beside him. "Hey, baby," He greets you as he slips off his sunglasses, pulling you close for a tender kiss

When he pulls back, his eyes widen slightly as he spots the camera. "Oh, 73 Questions with Vogue?" he asks, a playful grin tugging at his lips. You giggle, nodding your head. "I forgot you were doing that today," he chuckles. “Go ahead, continue your interview," he adds with a fond look before walking off with Nellie. As the camera returns to you, you make your way toward the stairs, glancing over your shoulder to find Drew already on the floor, happily playing with Nellie.

A soft giggle escapes your lips, captured by the camera momentarily fixated on the fleeting connection. "What's something people don’t know about you?" the interviewer asks, pulling you back into the conversation. You pause, thinking for a second. "I’m actually allergic to most flowers," you reveal with a sheepish laugh. "Really? I wouldn’t have known," the interviewer responds, clearly surprised. "Oh, absolutely! When we film Outer Banks, they have to shoot around the flowers, or I'd be a sneezing mess," you confess, casually walking backward while maintaining a steady gaze with the camera.

The tour continues through luxurious walk-in closet, filled with designer attire. “What’s your pet peeve?” You laugh, shaking your head in mock exasperation. "Oh, definitely when people chew loudly. It’s like nails on a chalkboard for me. Chase is notorious for doing it on purpose, so I avoid him during my lunch breaks," you add, giggling at the memory. "Where was the best vacation you’ve been taken to?" the interviewer inquires as you step into your shared bedroom with Drew, the ocean stretching out just outside the windows.

"I think I’d have to say Vienna with Drew for my birthday," you say, smiling over your shoulder as you look out at the view. “A song you replay often?” "Hm, I think Charlie, Last Name Wilson," you say with a grin, rifling through the records. "It never gets old, and it’s super catchy." You smile as you pick it out. "Most of you guys would know that this song is also Drew and Austin’s favourite, so we always play it on set," you chuckle. "Does the rest of the Outer Banks cast like it too?" the interviewer asks, laughing along. "They don’t have much choice," you joke with a grin.

"Is there anything from any set that you've taken home with you?" The interviewer asks eagerly. “Oh, I love this question!" you exclaim, opening a drawer to reveal a variety of souvenirs. "This is the bag my character 'Whiskey' from Glass Onion owned," you say, showing off the brown frill bag. "And here’s a pack of Italian cigarettes from Immaculate, they’re just props, by the way," you add with a wink.

You pull out a cowboy hat. "This one’s from Tom on the set of Billy the Kid," you explain. "And this," you say with a smile, holding up a ring on a necklace. "This is Rafe's ring, the one he gave my character." "What a beautiful photo of the two of you," the interviewer notes, pointing to the large black-and-white photo of you and Drew at a Vogue photoshoot above your bed.

"It is! That day was actually so special for us. We both got the call saying we’d been cast in our respective roles that we’d been auditioning for," you explain, your face lighting up with nostalgia. The interviewer then asks about Drew’s upcoming movie. "Speaking of which, Drew’s film Queer is coming out very soon. Are you excited to watch it on the big screen?" "Yes, of course!" you say, your voice full of pride.

"I was so incredibly proud of him when he got the role. He was definitely excited too, especially since it’s, you know, the Luca Guadagnino." You chuckle. "I got the privilege to actually be on set for a bit, and it was amazing. Plus, I got to catch up with Daniel," you mention. "It was really nice to see him again." You smile, the pride evident in your expression as you talk about Drew's accomplishments.

The conversation is interrupted by a gentle knock at the door, and both you and the interviewer turn your attention toward it. Drew’s head peeks around the corner, his grin lighting up the frame as the camera zooms in on him. "I made some iced teas—yours is half and half," he says casually, stepping into the room with a tray holding two glasses. You can’t help but beam as he hands you your drink. "Aww, thanks, babe," you say gratefully, your fingers brushing his for a brief moment as you take the glass.

Drew hands the other glass to the interviewer, who looks pleasantly surprised. "Wow, thank you, Drew!" he says with a wide smile. "Of course," Drew replies warmly before glancing at you. "Let me know if you need anything else," he says, shooting you a quick wink before stepping out of the room. The camera lingers on him for a beat as he walks away, capturing his effortless charm.

You take a sip of the iced tea, the cool, refreshing taste spreading through you as you let out a content sigh. "Is this something you drink often?" the interviewer asks, clearly curious. You nod enthusiastically. "Oh, absolutely. I like mine half and half, and I drink it like 24/7," you say with a chuckle, the glass still in your hand. The interviewer grins before asking a more personal question. "I can tell Drew is very thoughtful. What’s your favourite trait of his?"

You laugh softly, caught off guard by the difficult question. "You can’t make me choose—I love everything about him!" you say with a playful grin, your tone light but sincere. The interviewer chuckles along with you, clearly charmed by your response. "Okay, okay, fair enough. But if you had to pick just one thing that comes to mind?"

You pause for a moment, your expression softening as you think. "Hmmm," you hum, swirling your iced tea absentmindedly. "I love the little things he does," you begin, your voice warm with affection. "Like how he always remembers my coffee order or when he leaves me little notes when I’m on set. It’s those small, thoughtful moments that really mean the most to me."

The camera captures your tender smile, and the interviewer smiles himself, visibly touched by your response. "That’s so sweet," he says, his tone genuine. "It really is," you smile, a soft, almost bashful grin spreading across your face. "He’s the best boyfriend I could have ever asked for," you say, your tone filled with warmth and sincerity.

The interviewer watches you with an amused smile, clearly endeared by the dreamy, almost schoolgirl-like look on your face as you think about Drew.

~

The Vogue 73 Questions interview quickly becomes an internet sensation, captivating fans. It was everywhere. Clips of your candid answers and sweet, unscripted moments—especially the one where Drew casually walked in with iced tea—became the ultimate proof of why you were Hollywood’s darling. Within hours of its release, the hashtag #73QuestionsWithY/n trends worldwide.

The comments section was flooded with fans losing their minds over the glimpse into your life. "Can we talk about how Drew KNOWS her iced tea order by heart? If this isn’t relationship goals, I don’t know what is." "Y/n casually being gorgeous, funny, and real in her Charleston dream home? I’m in love." "The way Drew looked at her when he walked in… I CAN’T. He’s so whipped, and I’m here for it."

Memes circulate, celebrating your witty remarks and playful demeanor, while your thoughtful insights and open vulnerability spark heartfelt discussions. The part where Drew sneaks into the interview with iced tea becomes a fan-favourite, with many dubbing it "the cutest boyfriend moment of the year."

“I love how real she is,” one fan tweeted, accompanied by screenshots of your answer about Drew’s little notes and coffee orders. Another post with a screenshot of you laughing at Drew’s confused “Oh, Vogue’s here” reaction read, “You can just tell they’re best friends. I want a love like this.”

The media couldn’t get enough, either. Everyone from gossip sites to prestigious magazines weighed in on how you’d managed to blend the glamour of your career with the warmth of your personality. The buzz reignites interest in your past projects and elevates anticipation for your upcoming ones. Your social media following soars as fans, old and new, praise your ability to remain grounded despite your success.

Meanwhile, Drew’s small but sweet cameo sparks renewed admiration for your relationship, with countless threads and videos dedicated to celebrating your bond. “Y/n and Drew are proof that true love exists,” one viral tweet declares, garnering thousands of likes and retweets. Another fan edits together a montage of your cutest moments from the interview, set to a romantic song, which quickly racks up millions of views.

Drew couldn’t stop teasing you about how viral the iced tea moment had become. “You’re lucky I didn’t walk in shirtless,” he joked one night as you scrolled through TikTok, finding yet another edit of you two. “Please,” you said, giggling, your hand affectionately stroking Nellie, “half the internet would’ve fainted.” “Half?” He raised an eyebrow, smirking. “I think you’re underestimating me, babe.”

[jjjjisun]

Ask Your Daddy (Part 1)

Minju X Male OC | 16785 words

TW: Incest

—

Part 1 / Part 2

—

Buy me a Ko-Fi.

Book commissions here.

—

Author's note: I will publicly post this earlier than planned because I have a full schedule next week (work + fics + life)

—

The droning of tires on the road - was a familiar and comforting sound to Jae, especially when it would soon lead to a beer in hand in his favorite chair by the lake.

The rambling sound of his wife's voice as she sat beside him in the car was not so soothing. He'd learned to appear engaged as she prattled on about problems at work or the things he hadn't fixed in the house. Mostly, he loved hearing his son and daughter chatting and getting increasingly excited in the backseat as they neared their destination.

The cabin had been in the family since before Jae was born. He and his wife had renovated it significantly and added a wing a few years after their second child, Minju, was born. Now, the house was a staple of their summer vacation and a place everybody in the family looked forward to visiting.

"Are we there yet?" Minju whined jokingly from the backseat.

"I'm not sure," his wife said, looking up from her phone. “ask your daddy."

"Getting close, Minju," Jae replied. We should take the scenic route with that great view of the lake. It should only add an hour or so to our schedule—what do you think?"

"NOOO!" both his children said in unison without hesitation. Jae looked at his wife to see her smiling; they both knew he'd only said it to get them to rise. Everyone was eager to arrive and stretch their legs after a three-or-so-hour drive.

Minju was already in her swimsuit; he knew she'd be of little help unloading the car once they arrived, as she typically headed right for the dock. His eighteen-year-old daughter was nothing if not predictable. Beautiful too, he observed as he saw her anxious blue eyes smiling at his in the rear-view.

He'd never say it aloud, but Minju was the one he looked forward to seeing most after a long day at work. They just got along so well, probably driven by the tense relationship Minju had with her mother. Do-yun, his twenty-four-year-old son, had become his own man since moving away for a job. Jae was very proud of him, but they talked nowhere near as much as he and his sweet little girl.

Jae knew things would change when Minju went off to college the next year. He wasn't looking forward to that or being left home alone with his wife. Most nights, he spent time with Minju curled up next to him, watching late-night television or taking a trip out for ice cream. Minju had friends and went out some nights, but she did seem to like spending time with him, and he felt lucky for it.

"The Son’s are going to be here on Thursday, you know," his wife's voice interrupted the pleasant thoughts he'd been having of Minju. So I want you all to be on your best behavior, including you!" his wife, Eunju, said, pointing Jae's way, "and especially you!" she continued, turning back to look Minju in the eye.

Of course, his wife always had some kind of agenda. She'd invited her friend from the country club, Son Mi-Young, and her family to the cabin for a few days. Eunju had been dropping hints for the past week or so to both Jae and his daughter about how 'respectful' and 'motivated' Mi-Young's son Sun-woo was. Jae and Eunju had been high school sweethearts, so no doubt she had designs to set their daughter up the same way. Sun-woo was some kind of engineer and going into his senior year in college. He may have a great career in front of him, thought Jae, but the kid was kind of a dud. He couldn't help but agree with Minju as he watched her roll her eyes and then smirk at him in the mirror when her mother looked away.

Jae remembered being in college, and as he looked at his eighteen-year-old in the backseat, he prayed that she wouldn't encounter too many wildmen like he was. He felt like he'd done his absolute best to instill good instincts in Minju, and hoped that she wouldn't take on too much of his wife's "settle down with a man who makes good money" mentality. He was confident Minju would be just fine.

Jae made a left turn onto the familiar street with the odd antique store on the corner. They were getting close. He watched Minju sit up in the backseat, obviously excited. Her young breasts were perked up in the swimsuit, visible as her cover-up top had slipped down over her shoulder. Her tummy showed beneath the top and of course, it was slender and smooth from all that yoga and other nonsense that Minju did. He knew he shouldn't be looking, yet he gazed at those impossibly tiny, white shorts that were riding up and leaving about ninety-nine percent of her long legs open to view. Minju was staring out the window in anticipation, so she couldn't catch him staring; Jae had to pull his eyes away. He was starting to worry about the fix-up his wife had planned for her this week, thinking that Sun-woo, the boring enginee,r would probably find her irresistible.

As soon as the car came to a stop in the wooded driveway that led up to the cabin, both of the rear doors to the car flew open. His two kids were in full-sprint to the water before he could even get out to yell after them. 'Oh well,' he thought, grabbing the discarded wrapper and coffee from his center console and walking with his wife at his side to the front door. He watched Minju and Do-yun hopping on one foot as they stripped off their clothes at the edge of the dock.

Their laughs spread a warm, comforting feeling through his chest, and the jingle of the keys in his hands meant they had finally arrived. Pushing the door open, the smell of the old cabin flooded his nostrils, and their vacation began.

Jae and his wife got the bare minimum from the car, leaving the rest for their two rascals before they grabbed a beer from the cooler and settled down on the sundeck. They probably had a lot of work to do to get the place in tip-top shape, but it could wait.

"...I'm not saying she's going to marry him," argued his wife after they'd been out on the deck chatting for a while, "I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt for her to meet a nice boy who had his head on straight like Sun-woo."

Jae wasn't going to argue with her about it; it wasn't worth it. "Well, don't expect me to be forcing any kind of interaction with him on Minju," he warned her. " Last time they met, she didn't seem too keen on him."

"Well, she just doesn't know a good boy with a bright future when she sees him."

"She's only just turned eighteen Eunju, I don't expect her to."

Truthfully, Jae wasn't going to force any interaction on Minju because he didn't want to jeopardize the time she'd spend with him. His daughter was sure to be his favorite part of their vacation, so he'd be damned if his wife's obnoxious friend or her uninteresting son stood in the way.

His wife hardly listened to him, and he went on about how Mi-Young had told her that Sun-woo was a wonderful writer and that he was the chairman of some club in his college. "Smile and nod," Jae repeated in his head.

After an hour or so, Minju and Do-yun came ambling up to the porch. Minju's dark brown hair was soaking wet and dripping down onto her youthful frame. No way is she wearing that bikini when our guests get here, Jae swore to himself. Minju must have had that bikini since she was fourteen because, despite her slender form, she simply filled it out too well. He was pretty sure her breasts were a 32C in a suit three sizes too small; they looked like they could pop out of her suit at any second in that top that she'd had since she was just a girl. The bottoms too, were much too small to contain her cute little butt.

"What's the matter, honey?" Jae said to Minju, "Are your parents depriving you so much that we haven't bought you a new bathing suit since the sixth grade?"

Minju looked down at her suit, directing his eyes to her mounded breasts and the beads of water still rolling down between them.

"Sorry Daddy, I just always liked this one," she reasoned.

"I don't think it's too bad, Jae," his wife interjected. I think you should wear it when Sun-woo gets here, too, to let him see you're all grown up."

Jae shook his head, and Minju quickly walked away. He hoped Eunju wasn't going to be doing this all week.

"Give it rest, will ya?" Jae asked her as he watched Minju saunter off. His wife just shrugged.

"Don't forget to unload the rest of the car!" Jae called after his kids as they went inside, hearing them grumble in unison.

Everybody eventually got around to doing the necessary tasks to get their cabin in order. Jae had to take off the storm windows, bring some things out from storage, replace a few light bulbs and then he and Do-yun got the boat in the water. Minju helped him fix a few posts on the dock, and thankfully she'd put her top back on so he could focus on the task at hand. As usual they were laughing and horse-playing the whole time.

"Daaaaaaad!" Minju yelled when he splashed her as he hopped down into the water.

"Minjuuu...." Jae mocked, "Quit your whining and give me a hand.

He pretended to look away as the young brunette stripped off her top. Jae's ability to focus would be short-lived, apparently. She hopped in next to him and watched as her father submerged to grab the post as low as possible. She had helped him many times before so she knew where to hold the platform and such, but she was always impressed at how strong he was to pull the pole out of the muck and how long he was able to hold his breath. The water always got so murky so she couldn't tell if her dad was making any progress.

"Ooouuuph..." Minju cried as she felt hands on her waist.

Her legs were quickly swept out from under her and she only had time to take one gasp of air before the water enveloped her.

When Minju came up, rubbing water from her eyes and taking a deep breath, she found her father grinning with pride.

"You jerk!" she cursed him, smacking him on the chest. Her hand connected with a thud; she knew it was because her father was diligent about his workouts.

"That's no way to talk to your father," Jae scolded her,

"Then you shouldn't be such a child and drown your daughter when she's trying to help you!"

Jae laughed and pulled his daughter against him, feeling her bikini-covered chest heaving while she caught her breath. Her fingers snaked around his side, and they joined in an impromptu hug. It lingered long enough that Minju felt the warmth from her father's manly frame against her in the cool water.

"I love you, Dad," she said, looking up into his eyes.

"Aww," he replied, "I love you too Minju'."

Her dad was the only one she let call her that. "I'm so excited about vacationing with you. Can we hang out just the two of us on this vacation?"

"Of course honey," Jae replied, "did you ask your mother what she had planned for the week?"

"Yep," Minju affirmed cutely.

"And what did she say?"

"What she always says: ask your daddy."

"Well, in that case, we can spend as much time together as you want."

Minju smiled again and they finally ended the embrace. She couldn't know, fortunately, but Jae was aware that having the teenager pressed against him for so long was causing a reaction beneath the surface of the water. He'd have to be careful to avoid that.

Jae swiftly lifted his little girl from the water by her waist, surprising her again with his strength. As he set her down on the dock, his eyes were close to level with those undersized bottoms, and again, he found himself remembering what it was like to be her age and constantly daydreaming about sexy young girls and what would undoubtedly be a tight tiny opening within those bottoms. Minju's lower half was alluring as any young girl he remembered from when he was her age, and her legs had just the right tone. Jae was tempted to run his hand up from her knees to that forbidden place he shouldn't even have been looking at until he snapped out of his fantasy and went back to repairing the dock.

With each passing moment with Minju, Jae was all the more glad to hear that his little girl wanted to spend time with him alone on their vacation. He felt closer to her than ever, almost forgetting that they weren't the only people who'd made the drive until he heard his wife call them in for dinner.

Minju felt much the same way, starting to realize the fact that she'd be out of the house for college soon and no longer able to spend time with her dad like she loved doing. She felt truly bad that she'd be leaving her dad without anybody but her mother to keep him company. Their relationship wasn't awful, but it was strained over the last few years and Minju was worried that her Dad would be lonely without her around. He was such a good man; he didn't deserve all of the nagging that her mother subjected him to, especially since he was the one working so hard to provide for everybody. She intended to be really good to her dad this weekend, so if nothing else they both remembered her last summer as fondly as possible. She held his hand as they walked back up to the house, smiling at him and looking into his eyes intently while he gazed back.

Later that night, as Minju was helping her mother do the dishes, Eunju brought up her friend's son Sun-woo again. After the same spiel about him being good husband material and respectful and such, Minju got to speak:

"Mom, I don't know if I even like him, And even if I did, what am I supposed to do about it?"

"Minju, I'm not saying you have to fall in love with him. I'm just telling you that you'd do well to figure out what a good man is like—a good man who respects women and will make good money to provide for your family—like Sun-woo."

"Ooookayyyy," Minju responded, "And what about him? How do I know he'll like me back?"

"Well you can start by behaving, not fighting with your brother, and doing your chores when asked while the Son's are around. But all men like different things, why don't you ask your daddy? You two seem to be getting along all buddy-buddy today I'm sure he can tell you how to talk to Sun-woo."

Minju's mother seemed to be done with that conversation, and it couldn't have come sooner. Essentially, she was just done telling her daughter about how great this boy was and she'd made up her mind about whether he was good enough for her daughter. 'Why don't you just be with him or something,' Minju thought, imagining how that would leave her dad's attention almost entirely to her. She felt guilty about wishing ill on her mother, but certainly wouldn't mind being the center of her dad's world.

So, later that night, when their mother had gone to bed and Do-yun was off somewhere talking to a girl on the phone, Minju decided to talk to her dad about getting boys' attention.

As usual, Minju pulled her knees up tight and tucked under her father's arm on a couch on the screened-in porch.

"Hey Dad?" she started when there was a quiet moment.

"Yes, sweetie?" Jae replied. Minju loved the deep sound of his voice and the way that he was so calm and ponderous as he looked out over the lake.

"So... I was talking to Mom today, and she brought up that boy again," Minju told him

"Big surprise there," Jae said with a note of attitude. Minju giggled.

"I asked her how to make a boy like me and she said..."

"Wait," Jae interrupted, "let me guess: ask your daddy?"

"Yup," replied Minju as she looked up at her dad.

"Well, what do you want to know?"

Minju thought for a minute, "How do I talk to him?"

It might have seemed like a simple question to Jae, but he understood why his little girl would ask it.

"Hmmm..." Jae started, "Well to be honest, you don't need to do much more than you do with me. Ask him questions about himself, tell him what you're interested in, and definitely smile. You know you have a pretty smile right?"

As intended, Jae saw a big smile on his daughter's face. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his arm, and he pulled her in tight.

"Just be yourself, honey, and don't worry about being chatty; let the conversation come naturally."

"I'd rather just talk to you than some dumb boy that Mom is pushing on me!" Minju complained.

"Well I can't do much to help you with your mother, but you can talk to me whenever you like Minju'," Jae assured his teenager.

They were quiet for a moment. Minju didn't really feel like she needed to talk to anyone on this vacation other than her dad. And just like he said, the conversation came naturally; yet she could just be silent in his arms, and it felt perfectly alright.

"Do you think he'll be attracted to me?"

"Ha," Jae laughed, then looked down at his little girl to see a confused look on her face. "Oh don't worry sweetie, I only laugh because I'd be shocked if he didn't."

"What do you mean daddy?" Minju asked innocently. He couldn't tell if she was feigning innocence or not.

"Minju, not all girls your age look the way you do..." Jae said, seeing that his daughter still didn't fully understand. He was glad to have a few beers in him, otherwise the words might not have come as easily. "You see... you are a very pretty girl, you have a lot of... features that boys... and men find attractive."

Minju was surprised her father was being so candid with her, and yet she was positively flattered. Jae's eighteen-year-old hadn't really considered that her father might find her pretty, but here he was admitting it to her. Minju felt an inexplicable urge to prop herself up, smooth out her top, and not slouch so much like she needed to live up to her father's image of her or something. It was a similar feeling to the way she felt when she'd caught a boy on the football team staring at her from the sideline, except she was more nervous with her dad. The tiny brunette felt slightly confused about her feelings.

"I think you're just saying that because you have to Daddy," Minju protested, "If I wasn't your daughter I bet you wouldn't."

Jae laughed again, "If you weren't my daughter I'd probably be saying something much different."

Jae almost put his hands to his mouth, thinking that if he moved fast enough, he could stop the words from blurting out. But it was too late; his daughter had already heard them. Thankfully, she didn't look too taken aback; she couldn't truly know what he'd meant by the beer-induced slip of the tongue.

Minju just let the words hang in the air, which made her father anxious to know if she'd read into them. Looking down at her beneath his arm, Jae knew his confession had been completely truthful, but hearing himself say it aloud was a strange feeling. Even harder to grasp was the deep, welling feeling in his chest as Minju smiled at him unassumingly. God did he love his beautiful daughter, thought Jae. The promise of spending two weeks with her close at hand was a most rewarding thought. If he could just keep his more inappropriate thoughts at bay, Jae knew this vacation would be one to remember.

He didn't know what time it was when the two of them had finally drifted off to sleep, but he certainly remembered Minju whispering that she loved him as her eyes closed and her tight little body began to go limp at his side. The moon shone bright, and crickets were abuzz when he opened his eyes again and decided to carry Minju to bed.

Jae was intimately aware, as he picked up his slumbering daughter, that she was still wearing that damned bikini. As he lifted Minju and found himself unable to adjust his hands without waking her, Jae felt his hand securely palming one soft cheek of Minju's butt. Obviously, he hadn't intended it yet couldn't help savoring the feeling of her teen bottom.

Jae's mind wandered as he carried the sleeping brunette carefully through the cabin and upstairs to her room. He was thinking of his favorite position: the wife riding him and his hands aggressively holding her ass while she did... man did Jae wish it hadn't been so long since he and Eunju had sex like that. There was no helping it as the image of Minju in his wife's place crossed his mind. He doubted his little girl had ever done anything like that; she better not have. But, as rambunctious as she was Minju would probably be sexier atop him than his wife. Jae would certainly enjoy finding out.

'Damnit!' Jae chastised himself, 'you're her father for Christ's sake. Not only would a stunning young eighteen-year-old like Minju never want a man like you, but it's incest.' Jae resolved not to think any more of the subject if he could help it. But that word, that act, the image of making love to his beautiful daughter ,and the thought of her naked and moaning for him... As he set her down on the bed and pulled the sheets over her enticing figure, Jae wondered if he could keep his composure for an entire week of watching her frolic around wearing hardly anything.

Jae's head hit the pillow, and he drifted off to sleep more easily than he'd expected. Minju, just upstairs in her room above the master bedroom, was equally curious about the days to come. She hardly ever slept through the many times her father had taken her to bed, so the place where her father's hand had rested tingled gently and lulled her to sleep with a heavy feeling in her heart.

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

"Morning, Daddy!" Minju said cheerfully, wrapping her arms around her father's shoulders and kissing him on the cheek. The smell of her father's body wash and that cup of coffee in his hand opposite the newspaper would always be her favorite thing to wake up to.

"Morning, little one," Jae replied, "There's coffee there if you want it, and I got some donuts from that bakery you guys like."

"Mmmm..." Minju said, carefully selecting the maple one she'd fallen in love with a few years ago and taking a bite, "Jeez Dad, it's vacation. You must have been up at six or something. Can't you ever sleep in?"

"I'll get all the sleep I need when I'm dead." was Jae's retort.

Minju gasped, "Don't say that Dad!" She padded over to him and hugged him almost too tightly around the neck. Minju never could stand even the suggestion of being without her dad.

Jae playfully hooked his youngest around the waist and whipped her around so she was sitting on his lap. Her little butt just seemed to fit so perfectly atop him, though they never seemed to do it when anyone else was around. Jae pulled Minju quickly toward him and snuck a kiss. He could taste the sweetness of maple frosting on her lips, and feel his daughter smiling through the kiss because she knew it. Minju pulled back an inch or so, slowly. She felt a little cross-eyed but still wore an adorable grin on her face as she peered into her father's eyes. Those beautiful blues, her father thought, he hardly even knew where they came from in her heritage, and yet there they were staring back at him mesmerizingly. A few charming freckles decorated the tops of Minju's cheeks, no doubt more plentiful due to all the time she spent in the sun against his wishes. He could only admire her for so long until it became inappropriate to remain so intimately close.

They broke apart finally, and thank god because Minju's mother came trudging loudly into the kitchen. She was annoyed about something as per usual, but Minju and her father remained content to tune her out as she bitched about 'Minju's already messy room.' Father and daughter shared a few loving glances as Eunju mouthed off, each wondering if the other was experiencing the same blooming admiration.

But when Eunju called Minju a brat for whatever she'd been ranting about, Jae refused to be silent. "You know what Eunju, that's enough."

Everyone was quiet for a second.

"This is my vacation, and that is our daughter." He wasn't yelling; Jae's words were calm and commanding.

"It is the first fu..." Minju watched as her father paused to collect himself. She was smitten by his self-control. "It is the first morning of our vacation, and you can't help yourself trying to ruin it for everyone."

Eunju scoffed. She was speechless, but not because she was surprised. Jae could see it in her face that she knew he was right.

"Minju," Jae said in a tempered tone, "Would You Do me a favor and keep your room reasonably better than your usual disaster area?"

The troublemaking brunette shrugged bashfully and shook her head in compliance. She quickly padded off to respect her father's wishes. She could hear her parents arguing downstairs, but her father quickly put the issue to bed.

As Minju closed her door behind her and flopped back onto her bedspread, she realized she was positively taken by the way her dad had stood up for her. Something in her wanted to go down there, wrap her whole body around him, and kiss him a thousand times. Minju doubted her mother would appreciate that very much; she'd have to wait until they were alone again.

The argument blew over eventually, but not without some obvious sulking by Eunju as the family set about their first day on vacation. By the time they got out on the water, Eunju had cooled down and with a beer in her hand, she was actually quite pleasant. Minju didn't even mind when she brought up the boy stuff again.

"So..." she prodded, "did you ask your dad about talking to boys?"

"Yeeeesss mother," Minju replied.

"And? What did he say?"

"He told me to talk to boys like I do with him. And to be myself, and a few other helpful things." Minju answered, recalling some of the more interesting parts of her time alone with her father.

"Good, good!" Eunju said, obviously excited that her husband had gotten on board with the plan. That's not what Jae had intended to do, and Minju certainly didn't plan on using any of his pointers on the pompous guy she'd met that one time her mother invited him over. But, if it made her mom happy, Minju would pretend for a while.

"Do you have any more questions?" Minju's mother asked.

The teenager looked to where her father was driving the boat; he obviously couldn't hear them with the wind whipping past as he moved.

"Well, I asked him how to talk to boys, but that's not all there is."

Minju's mother furrowed her brow and then smiled, knowing that she was asking for more intimate details.

"You're right about that one, Minju," her mother said with an intoxicated grin,

"So...? " Minju asked. What about when you're talking and you want to show a man, I mean boy, that you're interested... like physically?"

"Well first of all, and this goes without saying, you are only eighteen and you should absolutely not be having sex, so don't even think about it." There was the mom Minju knew, and obviously a liquored-up one for so freely talking about sex.

"Getting pregnant at your age can happen like 'that'," she said snapping her fingers. "And if it's not with the person you plan to live forever, it isn't going to work out too well for you. Which is why I haven't put you on the pill, so you don't get any ideas..."

"MOM!" Minju interrupted, "Stop. I won't have sex okay? I didn't mean that. I just meant like flirting and stuff!"

Minju really hadn't been thinking about being pregnant, but thoughts of sex had definitely entered her mind recently. She was a virgin, but Minju didn't feel totally clueless. Sure, she'd hardly done more than kiss a boy at a sleepover her parents didn't know there would be boys at, but she'd picked up a few things and obviously knew how it worked. The young teenager knew from friends that sex was a very significant thing and most of them said that they absolutely loved it. Minju just simply hadn't ever been in a situation where it felt right, and she wasn't going to force it with somebody she didn't care about completely.

She wanted to know more, like what men like about sex and how could she become good at it. What did it feel like? What is foreplay exactly... a million questions rattled around in her head. Needless to say, her interest was piqued, but she obviously couldn't ask her mom about it - maybe her dad?

"Well, to be honest," her mother started, loosening up a bit, "your dad was my first and last boyfriend, so I only know what he likes."

Eunju saw curiosity in her daughter's eyes so she continued, "he always loved laying side by side, spooning, but you be careful doing that with a boy because they can get carried away easily! And having his hair played with, right around the front of his hairline."

The information tickled Minju. It was funny to hear about her dad like that.

"Let's see...what else... he gets very bashful but excited about showing any kind of affection in public: running my fingers on his arm or leg, or whispering in his ear when nobody else can see. Your body language can tell a lot to a man. Tell him you want him, or that you don't." Minju had a feeling that her dad had become accustomed to the latter of the two, and again she felt sad for him. "Alright Mom, no more, please!" Minju said, laughing and imploring her mother to quit embarrassing her.

The inexperienced teen was fascinated, it seemed she knew very little about how to work her way into a man's heart. It was strange to her, however, that she already did some of the things her mother was describing when she was around her dad. Minju guessed that she didn't have to work for a spot in her dad's heart and most of it was just natural dad and daughter stuff. She wondered if the same things would work on the boy who would visit in a few days, not that she really wanted to try it.

Jae noticed the ponderous grin that Minju had on as he looked back at her. He didn't know what the two girls had been talking about, but he was glad to see that it hadn't ended like their first conversation that morning. He was starting to feel like his thoughts were becoming a broken record, but as he gazed back at his daughter Jae was again struck by her beauty.

She didn't wear the undersized bathing suit from the day before, this time opting for a beautiful bra-style lime green bikini. It pushed her teenage breasts up wonderfully and supported them so that they bounced each and every time the boat hit a wave. Her skinny little hips were hugged by matching bottoms, with a bow on each side where they tied up to keep from falling off.

Jae wondered what he might see if they did. He certainly didn't see his young daughter in the bathtub anymore; what if one of the carefully tied bows came undone and the green bottoms fell to her feet? A small part of him guessed that she would be shaven and smooth.

'Damnit,' Jae thought, wondering what was causing his thoughts to stray so consistently to inappropriate imaginings of his own little girl. He knew she was far from little anymore, evidenced by the way he was picturing her as he watched her stretch out with her arms over her head in the back of the boat. But why was she now becoming a different kind of object of his love? Perhaps it was how she was smiling at him, as she did when she caught his eye in the rearview mirror. Or maybe it was the thought of losing her to a distant home in college, missing a chance to explore the curious change that had manifested in the time before she left. And likely, talking about more adult themes with Minju was not only getting him on the topic, but also thinking about his daughter in the same context.

With the way she looked in her swimsuit... tan skin looking warm and inviting to his wandering eyes and anxious fingers... breasts tucked snugly into each cup of her top and large enough to make her father proud of what he'd made... He wondered what would happen if he just went back to her and pulled the ribbon of the cute green bows holding her suit on and exposing her sexy little body in front of her mother, brother, and most importantly - her increasingly interested father. Something told him that was not a great idea, and Jae was scolding himself yet again as he cast his eyes away from Minju in hopes of quelling the desire he had felt. In the back of his mind, Jae was hoping to have another night with his baby after everyone else had gone to bed. He didn't intend to act on any of his fantasies... 'Absolutely not,' he promised himself, but having the beautiful teenager in his company was reason enough to be excited.

The sunset couldn't come soon enough, and then there was the obligatory family time on the screened-in, and finally, the exchange of excuses for going to bed or staying up, as Minju and Jae each anticipated their alone time.

"Wanna go and sit on the dock Dad? The moon is really pretty tonight." Minju asked after she and her father had shared a moment of unspoken admiration and eye contact.

"Sure honey," Jae replied, trying not to sound too eager. "Don't you think you're going to be a little chilly out there?" They both looked at her in a small pair of pink cotton shorts and loose loose-fitting spaghetti-strap top. There was no sign of a bra, and yet her young globes were perky as ever underneath.

"Well," replied Jae's underdressed young daughter, "we can grab a blanket, and then I have you of course! You're always so warm Daddy, you should have enough heat for both of us."

Her voice was sweet and innocent. but both father and daughter were assigning a deeper meaning to Minju's words in their own minds. As Jae watched his little brunette trot over to the sliding glass door of the house and slip inside for a blanket, his eyes fell upon her long, tan legs. He wouldn't mind keeping her warm and, in turn, feeling the smooth skin of her calves and feet rubbing against him under a blanket.

That's just how things played out after Minju came back out and they walked with Jae's arm slung casually around his baby's waist. Minju shivered when she felt the hem of her shirt ride up and her father's rough, masculine hands come into contact with her skin. Neither of them missed that, nor did they fail to enjoy the intimate, if unintended, contact. But then Jae sat down first on the large bench at the end of the dock and Minju followed shortly after, Before Jae pulled the blanket over them, his daughter slung her legs over his and pulled his arm around her tight.

For a few quiet moments, they sat together and listened to the sounds of the peaceful lake. There was a lot going on in both of their minds. Minju always loved the sound of water lapping at the dock below, but at that moment she was more focused on the strong heartbeat in her father's chest. She was snuggled up so close that it felt like it was thudding right against her breast. Jae could feel his daughter's chest rising and falling in her cradled position at his side. Her legs felt even better than he'd imagined as she fidgeted to get comfortable and rubbed her legs along the length of his.

"Can I tell you a secret dad?"

"Of course, you can," replied Jae.

"This is my favorite part of the day. I've been looking forward to everyone else going to bed for hours now." Minju was looking right into his eyes for approval.

"That's sweet honey," Jae said, then paused. "I've been looking forward to this since I put you to bed last night."

Minju leaned in even closer to her father in thanks, quieted by flattery.

"Can I just a few more questions like last night Dad?" Minju requested, laying it on thick.

"Don't you know the answer to that by now Minju'? Of course, you can," Jae was careful to hide his eagerness. "I saw you and your mother talking again today, how'd that go?

"Oh, fine," Minju told him. She didn't get mad at me, which was nice. I was just asking her a few things about flirting and stuff, and she told me a little, but I wanted to know more. She told me to ask you again."

It was adorable the way Minju sometimes spoke in streams of consciousness, her father thought.

"So... shoot." Her father urged her.

"Okay, well... how will I know when I like a boy enough to be in a relationship, and how will I know he likes me?"

"Hmm... coming out of the gates with a hard one huh?" Jae rubbed his chin and Minju noticed the stubble on it; her father always looked so manly with his 5 o'clock shadow.

"Honestly, it's a pretty obvious feeling when you realize you're with somebody you want to get to know romantically. You'll get close and want to touch and feel each other; it's an inexplicable feeling, almost like a big magnet is pulling you towards her or something."

Somehow, that made a lot of sense to Minju She thought it was kind of funny how her father had switched to talking about 'her,' like he was imagining a scenario instead of teaching her about something. Jae felt his teenager shift her bare legs around like she was trying to tangle up in his even more than she already was. He wished she would stop because he couldn't help that the added touching was making not only his heart beat deeply, but his pants stir in response. 'Stop it,' he chastised himself.

As Jae went on, Minju listened intently. Her father told her how it was important to have a mutual attraction to each other, how imbalance could cause problems in a relationship, and how becoming more intimate required time and comfort with her partner. When Minju reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, Jae felt like he would tell her anything she wanted to hear at that moment.

"I feel kind of dumb asking this," Minju started with the most innocent care in her voice, "but I don't really know what you mean about being more intimate. Like, say I want to do that with this kid mom's pushing me, what would I do?"

This felt off-limits. Jae knew he should avoid discussing intimacy and his attractive young daughter in detail. But suddenly, he felt a pang of jealousy and the spark of competition, which caused him to overlook his reservations.

"First of all," Jae said with a noticeable edge, "I resent that your mother is making you think you owe this boy some kind of attention. You don't."

Minju thought she might have crossed a line with her father; he seemed jumpy at the topic, and it made her feel curiously anxious. Jae decided to backtrack a bit:

"But...." he resumed, pulling Minju close and making her feel more at ease with the conversation. There are a lot of things involved when it comes to flirting. Some of it you'll just do without thinking about it."

Minju wondered if her dad's gesture of running his fingers up and down her side but over her shirt was meant as an example of what he was saying.

"Of course, there's always touching with your fingers. Men and women have all kinds of spots that well... turn them on. Do you know what that means?"

"Duh Dad!" Minju blurted, "I don't live under a rock."

"Okay, okay," Jae felt so at ease with his little girl; their chemistry was undeniable. "So you know then that there are some obvious spots that we won't talk about because you're eighteen, and I won't pretend you're as innocent as you look." And despite glossing over them, both Jae and Minju's eyes darted down to the blanket, at each other's respective 'spots.'

They both noticed the glance when their eyes met again, and Minju choked out a laugh. It was inappropriate to acknowledge, but Jae couldn't help joining his teenager in giggling about the unspoken awkwardness.

"But there are other things too," Jae continued, feeling his daughter quiet and her giggling stop after a time, "like what you're doing with my hair right now."

Minju bit her lip adorably and continued messing about with her father's thick, dark strands.

"So you know about touching the hair... neck is a big one." As he said it, Jae took his free hand and made a 'V' with his thumb and forefinger on his daughter's neck. As soon as he touched her there, Minju held her breath. He followed the path of the stunned brunette's collarbone with his fingers until just low enough to feel the beginnings of her mounded breasts. When he finally lifted from her chest, Minju was able to take a breath.

Her whole body felt numb. 'Oh my God that was crazy,' Minju thought to herself. She couldn't believe how one simple motion by her father had made her feel so wholly consumed by his touch.

Jae didn't have to ask. He had felt his little girl's reaction, and he knew she understood.

"And the way that you're sliding your legs around honey," her dad acknowledged, "you better be careful with those things, they're dangerous."

Minju blushed and retreated deeper into her father's hold. She was buzzing with thoughts and feelings she felt totally unfamiliar with. She hadn't expected the conversation with her father to go this way, but was glad where they'd ended up. Still, after the way her dad had commented on Minju rubbing her legs again his, she didn't like that he had since curbed the attention he'd been paying her. Jae was trying his best not to take their 'lesson' too far, and Minju had noticed. She decided to push her luck a bit.

"Is that it Dad? I mean Sun-woo might like some of that, but so far you've only told me about using my fingers in his hair and rubbing my legs on him. I'm already doing that with you, so that can't be everything!"

Even though Jae had fully recognized the inappropriateness of what he and his teenage daughter were doing, he forgot himself again to protective instinct. Minju was his own daughter, and she wasn't to be peddled off to some boy she didn't care about. He was right there, obviously madly in love with her, and more than willing to help her understand what being intimate with a man meant.

Surprising her, Jae pulled Minju from her seated position beside him directly into one on top of his lap. Knowing that his cock had gotten unintentionally hard from all the suggestive talk, Jae made sure to slide her so that his erection was tucked behind her and not right up into her thin shorts. When she came to rest, Jae could feel the sexy eighteen-year-old waiting expectantly for his next move.

She felt so perfect in his lap. Her cute little butt was cupped by his larger lower half. He'd seen her youthful and round cheeks enough times to make his head spin while she frolicked about in her swimsuit earlier in the day, but feeling it against him was far better.

"It's not always as simple as touching; it matters how you do it too." Jae taught, "Do you want me to show you?"

As he asked the question, her father gently placed both hands on Minju's hips. She was spellbound completely submitted to her father.

"Mhhh hmm." Minju granted.

Jae slowly but decisively grabbed hold of his daughter's hips. She immediately found herself arching her back as his thumbs dug into the dimples of her lower back. His fingers came in contact with her hipbones as he massaged her backside. Minju couldn't help herself from forcing her butt further into her father's lap. Jae knew where things could head from there. If he followed his most primal instincts, he would have slid his hands up her sides and finally taken her teenage breasts into his palms while grinding back into her. He felt compelled to, instead of stopping, wrap his thumbs around her waistband and slide her shorts down those thin legs so she was bottomless for him.

Minju mewwed. Nobody had ever touched her like that before. There was that. But nobody had ever made her feel quite so desirable either, and that was before she had even propped up on her father's lap. Now Minju was pining for her father's touch and she didn't have the capacity left to consider why. She could only press harder into him and hope he wouldn't stop.

For a few moments their suggestive contact continued. Minju wasn't exactly grinding her ass onto her father's cock, and Jae wasn't technically giving his attractive young daughter more than a lower back massage, so it seemed alright.

"Just so you know, lips are one of the most important things to pay attention to," Jae said, speaking quietly now into Minju's ear.

"Obviously I won't actually kiss you, but getting close works too." As he spoke, Jae placed his mouth at the nape of his daughter's neck. While he was speaking, Minju could feel her dad's breath caressing her skin; she didn't completely agree that he shouldn't kiss her.

Minju's hips moved on their own, as did her arms as they stretched above her and backward. With her tiny frame splayed out in his lap and his head in her neck, Jae was treated to an uninhibited view of his daughter's breasts within her shirt. He didn't want to stare too long, but his eyes stayed put regardless. He could just make out the pink circle around her nipple, the moon was so bright it lit her naked front up just for him. When her hands came into contact with the back of his neck and the sensitive spot in his hair, Jae thought he might lose his reserve.

"Oh god Daddy," Minju cooed. Her father's hands were tight on the soft spot of her pelvis and beginning to urge her hips back and forth at a very slow but noticeable pace.

"What Minju'?"

"Don't stop, I like that," said his little girl.

It felt incredible, and the young teenager in front of him was the girl he loved most in the world, let alone the most incredible beauty. But hearing her ask him to continue was too familiar, the only time he'd heard that Jae had soon heard a girl crying his name as he made love to her. He couldn't do that with Minju. As much as we wanted to rip the skimpy clothing from her youthful body and show her the full extent of what she wanted to know, he simply couldn't. Though he was hard as ever and feeling Minju's plump little butt gyrate against his cock, he just couldn't do more.

"I think you've learned enough for one night...I think it's time for bed," Jae said, in an attempt to put an end to things.

Minju froze. She was stunned. Her daddy had started all of the touching and she didn't think it was fair for him to stop now. But maybe he didn't want to continue, maybe he was only teaching her like she'd asked. After all, she had asked, not him. Minju felt sad that her dad was removing his hands from her and obviously expecting her to follow suit. Minju felt heat inside her body that she'd never felt before.

"Do we NEED to go in Dad?" Minju tried in one last effort to continue.

She felt her father close his hands around her hips and squeeze tightly once more. She squealed because he pressed so hard around her hipbones that he hit a pressure point or something.

"Yes honey," Jae said when finally lifting his daughter off his lap. He looked down to see that her shorts had ridden up, as well as her shirt. If he'd looked any closer he would have seen that between his baby girl's legs was a wet spot caused by the feelings he'd brought out in her.

Minju walked mindlessly next to her father on the way back into the house. She was lucky to have his hand wrapped around her waist and guiding her or she might have wandered off the dock and into the dark water. Both of them were glad for the renewed contact, even if it was far from the distance they were silently hoping to go.

"Do you want to have some you-and-me time again tomorrow?" Minju's heart skipped a beat when she heard her father ask it.

She simply looked up with big puppy-dog eyes and nodded at him. Jae loved the way she bit her lip and lifted her shoulders like she was embarrassed to say yes.

Minju grabbed at her dad's shoulders to get him to lean down so she could kiss him. Usually, it was just a short kiss and goodnight. This time, both father and daughter lingered a few seconds before connecting. They just sensed each other, and the hesitation felt right. Then Minju stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips to her dad's. It didn't last too long, but it sure felt different.

When they broke, both were silent; the quiet felt natural. As Jae watched his little girl open her bedroom door, he got one more good look at the ridiculous night-clothes she was wearing. When the door closed, he was tortured to know if she'd be taking them off. Minju was hesitant to even allow the thought, but as she began to undress she wished she wasn't doing it herself.

Both Minju and Jae went to bed staring at the ceiling. They were so in-tune with each other that their thoughts were practically the same.

Minju swore at herself for being so careless with her dad. He was only doing what she'd asked. He'd never do any of those things for real with her. And yet, she was pretty sure she'd felt a stiffness in his pants when she'd gotten the chance to wiggle her butt around on him. And his hands weren't just showing her where to touch, they were touching her deeply. She felt bad for her dad, that he probably hadn't gotten the chance to touch her mother like he had with her. And Minju certainly didn't mind letting him do so with her, in fact her only wish was that he'd show her more.

Jae resolved not to take one more step with Minju. It was no use beating himself up for being aroused by the eighteen-year-old's perfect body... or those soft, shapely breasts... or the graspable bottom that he'd felt grinding backward into his lap. Damnit, he couldn't even keep his thoughts contained long enough to scold himself. He had to be indifferent, he had to cut out the temptation and be a good father. But she'd practically begged him to continue; how was he going to keep saying no. How could he deny her when he now lay in bed wishing that he'd just kept going, that he'd gotten his hands all over the fully naked and willing teenager that happened to be his daughter.

They both fell asleep within a couple of minutes of each other despite the separate rooms.

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

Sleeping it off turned out to be a good thing. Jae and Minju both awoke without the intoxication of each other to cloud their judgment. Minju didn't see her dad until she had already showered and come downstairs for breakfast.

"Think you and your brother are up for going into town today?" Minju's mother asked.

"Sure, Mom," she replied, grabbing some bacon from the plate on the countertop. " What time?"

"Soon," replied her mother, "but you can take your time and eat your breakfast first."

Minju sat down next to her dad, looking for his eyes to be directed her way but not finding them. Jae flinched when she accidentally brushed her leg against his. Nobody could know that he'd done a hell of a lot more the night before with his eighteen-year-old daughter, but he felt skittish nonetheless. Minju was admittedly confused by her dad's behavior.

He warmed up, though, and when her mom and brother let Minju sit shotgun on the way to town, the two lovebirds were soon chatting and talking as normal. His eyes had this new kind of familiarity in them. Minju felt like he was continually acknowledging a secret between them, and each time, it made her heart jump beneath her breast.

Even better was when her mother and brother Do-yun wanted to stay and listen to a gathering at the main crossroads.

"Minju and I will go pick up a few of those toiletries we forgot at the convenience store while you guys do... this," he said, motioning at whatever was going on with disinterest. Minju was on board. The guy talking sounded stuffy and looked like one of her old history teachers.

While they were walking, Jae watched his youngest skip around restlessly in her jean shorts and baseball shirt. Of course, she'd tied the shirt up to show off her tummy and the ring on her bellybutton that she was so proud of. She looked cute as ever, and he expected nothing less.

There was some horseplay between the two as they perused the aisles of the store. Jae got what he thought he was supposed to, but wasn't really paying too much attention. Minju kept coming up behind and trying to knock him down by bending his knee suddenly on the side he was leaning to. She got close a few times, but mostly he just let her continue because he liked feeling her chest press against him and her tiny hand on his forearm when she did it.

"What are you looking at now?" Jae asked, seeing his daughter stopped a spot on the aisle in front of him.

When he got closer, he saw and whoosh of breath escaped his mouth as he realized.

"What are you doing over here," Jae asked, much more quietly now, not wanting to call attention to the fact that he was standing with his eighteen-year-old daughter in the condom aisle.

"I dono," Minju said bashfully, "I just haven't ever seen one before... I wouldn't know how to use one."

Jae didn't have an answer for her, but somehow he wasn't surprised at what he heard next.

"Mom definitely won't teach me about this..." she paused, then looked his way with those damned big blue eyes pleading, "...will you daddy?"

"Wha... no I coul.... no way..." Jae stuttered. Minju thought it was funny that she'd caught her dad off guard.

"Relax, Dad," she said, hand on his arm again. It's not like I plan on needing one or anything."

"Honey I don't know.... I don't think I sho...hmmm..." Jae was unprepared for this.

"Please daddy?"

"Can't you ask one of your friends or something?" He attempted.

"My friends that are boys?" Minju asked suggestively.

"No!" Jae had to catch himself and lower his volume to prevent anyone from noticing him and his daughter, who had now taken a pack of condoms in her hand and was flipping the box around. "No, you better not!" he said, feeling oddly protective again.

"Come on daddy please?" Minju was getting louder now, the little brat. "Won't you teach me how to use a condom?"

"Minju shushhh!" Jae cautioned.

"You don't want your little girl getting pregnant, do y...mphhh" Minju couldn't finish because her dad had reached out and covered her mouth and that teasing little smirk she had on it when she was goading him.

"Cut it out," he said as he looked down at her and then around the store. She could tell by the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth that her dad wasn't actually mad, but she decided not to test him anymore.

"Fine," he said, "I'll get them but you have got to go stand outside. I can't be seen buying condoms with my beautiful eighteen-year-old right next to me."

"Nobody knows I'm your daughter, DAD," she replied with inflection but then being much quieter, "and it's not like you're buying them to have sex with me either!"

Jae flinched for the second time that day; a pang of guilt that he didn't intend struck him. Just the thought of buying a condom around his pretty teenager and that incredible body she'd been dangling in front of him put two opposing themes together in his mind. Sex...his daughter...sex.... his daughter. No, he couldn't allow the thought that the box of condoms in his pocket were for anything other than education. He certainly wasn't going to give them to his little girl so she could try them out on someone else. No... he'd teach her what she needed to know, but nothing more.

Jae was considering how to go about showing his daughter how a condom works without crossing any lines when his wife and son found them again. Minju surprised him right before they joined up by shoving her hand down into his pocket. She pushed the box down further; it must have been showing.

"I don't think we want mom or Do-yun seeing those, huh?" Minju suggested.

"You've got a point there Minju'," Jae responded.

While they watched Eunju approach, Minju hooked her fingers on her father's belt and stood up to speak in his ear. Jae was immediately nervous that his wife might perceive the contact as strange but determined it was only because of the box he had in his pocket.

"I'm really curious. Can you teach me about these tonight when Mom goes to bed?" Minju asked sweetly.

"Sure sweetie," Jae said quickly, giving her a playful shove with his shoulder in hopes that he might shift her from the suggestive position. Of course, Minju made sure to let her chest brush against her father's side plenty before she returned to her spot at his side.

"What did you two get?" Eunju asked them, holding a bag of her own.

Minju quickly looked up at her dad, raised her eyebrows and smiled. 'She is just the worst!' thought Jae as he saw the knowing glance from his brunette teenager.

"Got everything you had on the list," responded Jae, wondering if there was any hint of a lie in his voice.

"And a few things you didn't!" sang Minju.

Jae tried hard not to look stunned as his eyes darted down to his little girl. But then Minju brought a candy bar to her mouth and crunched off the tip while still looking at him and Jae breathed easy.

He was starting to wonder how he was going to deflect the trouble they were stirring up with all this somewhat inappropriate interaction. Jae tried to remind himself of the promise not to let things go any further with Minju. Looking down at her, seeing the cute face he'd grown to love so much and further down the alluring, bare skin at her stomach, Jae worried about how hard keeping that promise would be.

But things just always seemed to work out for him. Nobody noticed a thing. Not one sideways glance from his wife or prying eye from an onlooker. Even when he wrapped his hand around Minju's waist, fulfilling his aching desire to touch the bare skin of her stomach - nothing. Jae surmised he was just being paranoid, which wasn't exactly a bad thing, but at least he could relax and enjoy his beautiful teenager's company.

"Hey Dad, stay there for just a second," Minju directed without explanation.

They'd walked into a local shop and the family was mulling about the store. Minju seemed to always stay close to her father, which Jae was glad of. He didn't like having her out of his sight for some reason, probably because she was so damned fun to look at.

But then he watched as his little one crossed her arms over her head and pulled off her shirt in one swift motion. She was cornered by a couple of clothing racks, but certainly not enough to just disrobe in the middle of the store!

"Minju what are you..." Jae started and then stopped, seeing that his daughter had pulled her bra off as well. She was turned away from him but he definitely got a clear view from behind of her perfect breasts jiggling free of the bra. He quickly moved closer to her to protect anybody else from seeing.

"You can't just do that!" He said in a hushed voice, watching his wife to be sure she wasn't looking their way.

"Oh, don't be such a tight-ass dad," she replied, "what do you think?

Jae turned around to find his daughter pulling a dark tank top down around her stomach. It was cut low enough that he could already see her cleavage, and she hadn't even adjusted it yet. 'Damnit,' he thought, 'Why did she have to wear that? How did she know that he loved shirts like that?'

Her breasts even showed a little bit on the side, and Jae could make out a little nub where her nipple was. If he wasn't so incredibly turned on and still stunned that she'd changed right there in the store, he would have been pissed that she was wearing it at all.

"It's nice, honey. Why did you pick that, though?"

"No reason," Minju lied, "I guess I was a little warm and it looked comfy."

She'd done it because of what her mother had told her the day before. She knew her dad would like it, and she'd seen him stealing looks at her all day. When she finished pulling down the shirt over her upper body, it left a thin strip of skin just above her low-riding shorts, and Minju reached up to make sure her breasts looked good too.

When they were checking out, her mother asked, "Don't you think that shirt is a little revealing?"

"Relax, Mom," Minju said snidely. Nobody here knows me. And besides, I've got Dad to protect me if any boys come after me."

Jae rolled his eyes; his daughter was unbelievable. But then, he liked the thought that Minju was his to protect.

Once again, the day flew by. Jae had to fend off Minju reaching into his pocket to grab at the box of condoms in there for whatever reason she was doing it - probably to cause trouble. Always he was unsure whether she was intentionally positioning herself so that he could see down her shirt, or feel her little body against him or whatever other antics she decided to pull next. And always there was a building apprehension about how he should react. Certainly he wasn't supposed to feel turned on, but the erection he kept getting didn't seem to care one bit.

"Thank God!" Minju finally gasped after her mother had yawned and decided to turn in.

Suddenly, she was bubbly and full of energy again. As if some kind of switch had been flipped, Minju suddenly acted like it was okay for her to drape herself over her dad on the loveseat of the screened-in porch.

"I saw you and your mother talking again today; more life lessons?" Jae asked his daughter as he held her tight,

"I asked her about being pregnant, and she actually told me all about it," answered Minju. First, she told me I better not even dare think about it until I'm with a man who has a good career, and we're married and all our money is saved up... blah blah blah blah."

Jae laughed as he heard his daughter imitating Eunju and then felt her shake with a lovable giggle against his chest.

"You know she's not totally fully of it Minju, right?" Jae salvaged, "It can't be just anybody, you have to be sure you love each other and want to be together."

"I knoooow Dad, do you know how many times she's said that to me?"

"Okay, I'm just making sure," Jae relented, "So what else did she say?" "She said that it hurt, a lot!"

"There's no doubt about that, I was there when you came out and man was your mother screamin'!" Jae told.

"But she also said that it was wonderful too. Having a baby growing in her was incredible, it's what makes women so much better than men. You can't survive without us. Then she said to ask you about what it was like." Minju repeated.

"Yep, that sounds like your mom," Jae said with a roll of the eyes. "You know, a lot of couples say it's the best thing that ever happened between them - pregnancy."

"What do you mean?" Minju asked, sounding curious.

"Well, having a baby together is a big thing. It means you're committed to each other and to being together—most people would say forever. It means you love each other enough to raise a child."

Minju stayed quiet. She liked hearing her dad describe it that way; it sounded a lot more beautiful than the way her mother had. Minju knew from experience that he was a good dad, but he also made pregnancy sound like a wonderful thing for both partners.

"Everybody looks at it different I guess," Jae continued, feeling his daughter nuzzling him closer, "I guess I just romanticize it because I got such a beautiful daughter out of it."

Minju couldn't possibly have buried herself any deeper into her father's hold. She was so flattered she could just die. Jae was instantly struck to his center with enthralling happiness as he watched his daughter react physically to the compliment. He felt her body against him, saw her bite her lip the way she did, and then watched as she sat up and looked him straight in the eye. There was a few seconds of silence before Minju spoke.

"I love you so much, Dad... I can't even explain how much"

"I think I know how you feel," said Jae. "I love you too, Minju."

Minju hugged her dad again, trying to wrap her arms around him but finding his big shoulders too much to contain. Of course, Jae's arms encapsulated his daughter with more than enough to hold her and then some.

"Would it be too much to ask you to teach me some more Dad?" Minju requested as she pulled away from the long hug.

"Nope, fire away!"

"I know I'm not supposed to have sex. I'm not saying I want to," Minju reasoned, "I just don't want to feel dumb when all of my friends talk about it."

"So... " Jae prompted.

"Can you teach me about condoms?"

"Oh shit... those..." He'd totally forgotten for a moment, all the talk of pregnancy with his daughter had his brain doing that awful association dance again. And of course, his pants were threatening to tent as he wasn't exactly soft when thinking such troublesome thoughts. He was grateful, though, that he didn't have a noticeable erection so Minju didn't get any ideas.

"Yeah, I guess I can teach you," Jae agreed, seeing Minju sit up with excitement. He had to conceal his. "You're gonna have to go get something we can use as a prop. I'm pretty sure I saw some bananas your mother bought from the market."

Minju hadn't been sure what to expect, but she was suddenly disappointed. She didn't like the idea of using a prop, though she wasn't exactly going to suggest using the real thing.

"Better bring your dad a drink, too, I'm not equipped to show my eighteen-year-old daughter how to put on a condom without at least a couple fingers of scotch."

Minju was okay with that. But on her walk back into the house, she decided on a change of plan. She found the bananas right, but she didn't like the look of them. She quickly opened the trash and threw them in, shuffling things around so they weren't on top. She did the same thing with the cucumber in the fridge, and she pushed the tall jar of cherries to the very back, though she didn't think it would have worked anyway.

She opened a few drawers and tossed the ice cream scoop, a turkey baster, and some other weird tube-looking thing in a cabinet nobody would find. The kitchen wasn't very well equipped, so it didn't take long before Minju had covered all her bases. By the time she was done, the teenager realized her heart was racing. She quickly poured her dad a big glass of his favorite scotch with one ice cube before running up to her room to change.

.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Jae said, taking the glass over his shoulder that his daughter had put there after he heard her approach from behind him.

He took a long drink, finding quite a bit more scotch than necessary in the glass. Still, it warmed him just right. When he tilted the glass back, he sprayed the lingering fluid from his lips as he caught a glimpse of his daughter.

"Minju!"

She had changed again. This time it was simply unacceptable. She was wearing an incredible matching set of bra and panties. The bottoms were a sheer black boy-short style. He could see most of her hips and the 'v' between them, leading to a hardly substantial patch of opaque fabric that covered where her tiny opening would be. They were revealing enough for him to know that she shaved. The top was equally as striking, a dark black cup that left as much of her incredible, young breasts atop them as was possible. If he just pried toward him with a finger, her nipple was sure to be shown.

"What?" She said. Even his troublemaking little girl couldn't pretend she didn't know that what she was wearing was inappropriate.

"You can't wear that around me!" Jae chided, "Who am I kidding? You can't wear that around anyone!"

Minju looked hurt. Jae tried to look away. So much of his beautiful girl's body was on display for him. The shadows from a dimmed overhead light showed all the curves and tight spots of his daughter's tight little body. If there was an outfit that made her look sexier out there in the world, Jae had to see it. Indeed, he wanted to see her, and though he knew he should have sent her right back inside to wear an oversized t-shirt or anything more suitable, the words didn't come.

"Do you want me to change? Don't you like it?" Jae couldn't answer, "I never get to wear anything like this, Dad. It's not fair that I can't fool around with any boys or have sex or even wear things that make me feel sexy."

She had a point there, it seemed a crime not to let the beautiful, athletic, young brunette show off her absolutely incredible body. And he was lucky that she was showing it only to him; he couldn't trust anyone else to treat her the way she deserved with that outfit on.

Jae sighed, and Minju saw the way he tried to avert his eyes. It made her feel just the way she'd hoped.

"Alright...fine...just..." he was still taken aback, "It's not that I don't like it," Jae said, finding his words, "I do; you look beautiful, baby. It's just that I'm your dad, and I'm not supposed to see you like this. You're practically naked!"

"Not all the way naked, Dad. Do you want me to be?"

Jae couldn't believe his ears, "What? No! Why would you need to be naked?" He was trying to keep his voice down, but he was understandably excited.

"Well, it's just that I checked the entire kitchen and there's nothing to use for the condom."

"And...?" Jae begged of her,

"I don't know..." she said, looking innocent, "I thought maybe you could use a little encouragement."

Jae's eyes stayed wide.

"I thought maybe if I dressed up like this you might find me pretty enough for your 'penis' to get hard like it did yesterday," Minju whispered quietly when she said penis like somehow that was crossing a line. "I'm sorry I assumed, I guess I was wrong."

His daughter looked too gorgeous and yet too hurt for him not to reassure her.

"Honey, I didn't say you weren't pretty enough."

With that, his eyes found her body again, she had sat on the edge of the seat and was close enough that Jae's heart could feel the proximity. Minju was still staring down, pouting. He pinched at her side just below her bra and watched her well supported breasts shudder as she flinched. A small smile cracked on her lips but she clearly didn't want it to show.

"Come on, Minju. Don't be like that," he said, pulling her closer. She allowed him to do so, and he thought he felt her arch her back a little as she slid forward into the seat, but her body language still said she felt unwanted.

"I just have a hard time seeing you when you look like that because I'm not supposed to think my daughter looks sexy..." Jae knew he was walking a line, "...even if she does."

Minju finally looked up. She'd gotten what she wanted, or at least part of it. The other part was not so well hidden by a big bulge that she could see in her father's pants. Jae's hand came to rest on his daughter's side, just above the thin band at the waist of her bottoms. He wasn't shy about holding her either, and the way his fingers pushed against her skin was enough for Minju... for the moment.

"So you're telling me that there's nothing up there to use for me to teach you about these?" Jae said, grabbing the box of condoms out of his pocket. "This isn't just one of those 'I'm too lazy, I can't find it's type of things?"

"I swear, Daddy, I looked. You know there's not much in the kitchen."

He supposed she was right. He could have sworn there were bananas right next to the knife block, but he could be wrong. Jae took another swig of the cold liquor; it wasn't enough to get him near drunk, but as he started to weigh the options of how else to teach Minju about using protection, the choices didn't seem as taboo. But then, neither did the way his hand had started to massage around the soft skin above her hip.

Minju inhaled deeply, she would accept whatever attention her dad dared give her. She could feel his eyes on her, and responding to the way he was touching her, she rolled her hips and pushed out her chest so he could see her tits a little better.

It was working: the booze, the soft glow of the lights, the hum of night critters, and the enabling privacy of a father and daughter alone on the porch at night. It wouldn't be so bad if he just showed Minju what she was obviously implying. After all, it was teaching her about safe sex. He didn't even like the thought of her having sex with another man, but being pregnant by one he could not abide.

"Are you sure you know what you're asking Minju? Daughters aren't supposed to see their father's private parts on purpose."

"I know, Dad, but you're just teaching," she seemed to have the perfect response for everything, "It's okay, I know to keep it to myself. I just want to see."

The perfect response... the perfect body... the most perfect daughter that a man could ask for. Jae was content with their agreement as he tipped the remains of the glass into his mouth and savored the woodsy flavor of it. He had a little buzz, but maybe that was because he was anxious about what they were thinking of doing next.

Minju took the glass out of his hand and put it on the table. She looked ready for action and probably a little too eager.

"Okay, here goes nothing," said Jae, handing her the box, "You take out one of those, and I'll take out..."

The two of them chortled at the phrasing. Minju's hands were a little unsteady as she held the box and opened it. They were wrapped just like anything else, like candy or something, she thought amusingly.

Minju watched excitedly as her dad unbuckled his belt and fidgeted with the button, "Do you need me to do anything to make it hard..." Minju's jaw dropped.

Jae had decided not to prolong the act of revealing his cock to his daughter for fear that she, or more likely he, would change his mind before it could happen. As soon as he pushed the waist of the pants and underwear past the right spot, his staff sprung free.

He found himself smirking a bit as Minju took him in with a look of awe on her face. Indeed, she hadn't prepared herself for the actual sight of what she'd been asking for. But the way she was fidgeting around at the hips in her perched position, Jae was pretty sure she wouldn't ask him to stop.

"Yeah," Jae said knowingly, "I think you see now why I was worried about you wearing that outfit around me, Minju."

"Uh huh," sounded his daughter, swallowing deeply. "It's...bigger than I expected it to be."

Before he sat down Minju got a good look at the impressive length of her father's manhood and the way it stood at such an angle. From the one time or so that she'd accidentally seen her dad's penis after a shower, she couldn't believe how it looked so solid and straight. Her eyes never left it, even after her father took a seat next to her and tried to relax under her gaze. Jae decided it was fair, as he was silently memorizing each and every curve of his daughter's body.

"Well," he said, startling her, "should we move on to the next part, or do you just want to stare?"

"Oh, sorry, Dad! I just didn't know that it would already be full like that. How will this thing fit on there?" Minju asked, looking at the relatively small ring showing through the wrapper.

"Just hand me the condom, and by the way, that's what happens when my daughter gets almost naked around me, I can't help but think about her ACTUALLY naked."

"Ohh, I'm sorry I didn't know that's what you wanted," Minju apologized innocently, "Should I take off my bra and panties for you too, Daddy?" As she said it, she reached around her back for the clasp in her bra, jutting her teenage breasts toward her father as she did.

"No!" Jae replied without hesitation. But the damage was done; both Minju and her father saw his cock stiffen noticeably at the thought of having his beautiful eighteen-year-old naked in such close proximity to his bare cock. Having revealed his desire involuntarily or not, Jae knew such a thing was an accident waiting to happen. He couldn't let it go that far. He didn't want to mislead Minju again, though:

"That would be too much for your old dad, Minju," he said. Why don't you just open that, and I'll show you how to put it on?"

Minju complied, tearing the packet and letting the rubbery inside slip out onto her palm. She immediately understood how to use it. When her father reached over to take it from her, Minju closed her fingers on it.

"Wait," she said, "that's it? Last night, you told me about massaging and kissing, and then all of a sudden, we put on a condom?"

"Well, no, things come in between." His shaft remained standing at attention. Now he was thinking about whether he'd have to show Minju how a man might rub her little pussy until she cried out with pleasure. That couldn't happen.

"What kind of things?" She asked sweetly.

"Come on Minju, you know what I'm talking about," he said while looking intently into her eyes, "touching each other, you know... things we can't exactly learn about together."

Minju giggled again; she liked pestering her dad. Of course, she knew about that stuff.

Jae reached for his daughter's hand again, and she pulled it away. He felt frustrated and horny, and for some reason, he had this image of pushing all the furniture away and laying Minju down on the rug to do... something.

"Minju," he said sternly, "I thought you wanted to learn?"

"I do, I do..." Minju hesitated, "but I want to put it on myself."

He should have expected that. He should have known that Minju would push the envelope once again. His silent desire indeed agreed with her, even if his reservations didn't. Yet, Jae stayed quiet for the time being. If he had wanted to he could have denied her on the spot.

"Please daddy," she pleaded, "I can already see your hard cock right in front of me. Would it be so bad if I put the condom on you so I can learn how to myself?"

No, not. That's what Jae should have said. That's what he wanted to say. That was until he blinked and was reminded how incredibly sexy his daughter looked in that black lingerie and how she was still probably the most stunning girl he'd ever come across, regardless of their relationship.

He let go of her wrist; he'd been holding it as he debated her request. Seeing the look in her father's eyes, Minju knew she could continue.

She opened her palm again and then examined the rubber ring inside. Flipping it over, the mischievous little brunette found what looked like the side that would roll easily down her father's shaft.

Then she looked right into his eyes. This was it. She was going to 'learn' by putting a condom on her father... her father whose cock was hard for her. The thought made Minju squirm.

Keeping her eyes on his as much as she could, Minju carefully directed the condom so it was resting on the very tip of his upright pole. She watched her dad take a big breath as she did what came naturally and slowly pushed her fist over his head. Jae could only stare with amazement.

The rubber stretched taught in no time before she could even get her whole hand around him. His penis looked even bigger, with her tiny fingers wrapping around it. Minju wasn't sure the rubber circle could stretch anymore, but seeing the apparent look of pleasure on her dad's face, she had to try.

"It's kind of fun," she told him with a cheeky smile, "does it feel good when I do this?"

Jae had to hold out. He couldn't let this turn into more. It was his obligation as a father. "It's alright," he said, gritting his teeth.

Minju wouldn't be discouraged. She felt the lubrication on the part of the condom she had exposed and brought her hand back up to the tip to push down again.

'Fuck,' thought Jae. Either she knew what she was doing, or he was just unlucky. If Minju kept touching him that way, he'd soon lose out in the battle to NOT enjoy her hand on him.

Jae watched as his daughter continued gripping his shaft and urging the condom further down on him. Again she lifted her hand and started at the tip like she was trying to smooth out the layer of rubber between her hand and his bare cock.

He focused on that: his young girl wasn't technically touching him, only the condom. But the way she was still gliding her hand over the slippery surface was much more like stroking than simply applying the protection.

Looking at her, Jae was once again enamored by the wonder in her eyes and the apparent fulfillment of her youthful curiosity. He loved so much about his daughter, not least her beauty, but watching her, Jae was reminded of what an excellent companion she'd been to him for so long. He'd watched her grow into this intelligent, adventurous female with striking beauty. He'd taught her so much, and so he allowed her to continue 'learning' rather than stunt the potential of their exchange.

"I don't think it can go any further, Daddy; your thing is too big," alerted Minju.

"That's normal," said her father. Some are made a little bigger, but these ones always fit me best."

"But what about here, dad?" Minju said, moving her hand directly to the base of her father's penis and grabbing on tight.

"Oh, Minju'!" exclaimed her dad. 'So much for her not touching me directly,' he thought.

"What?" she asked, immediately understanding from the way she felt the underside of his shaft pulse in her hand. Jae didn't answer; there was no reason to, and so Minju continued:

"If you put it inside me, couldn't someone still get out around here and get me pregnant?" She had the perfect, innocent look as she asked.

Minju was probably just being entirely hypothetical, but how could her father prevent the immediate thought of both of those things? One: his cock, which she held in her hand, being inserted inside his little girl. Just by looking at the faint outline of his daughter's lips behind those cute black boy shorts, Jae was sure it would be a difficult fit. And two, even though she was mistaken, his cum accidentally got in Minju's young womb, and what a forbidden yet alluring thing that was. The thoughts just seemed to come more naturally when his little girl was gripping his cock in her hand.

"No, baby. It works just fine that way," he said, trying to shake off the forbidden images she'd instilled in his mind. You see how there's a loose part at the top?"

Minju slowly brought her hand up, making sure she had her fingers wrapped around for the entire motion. She couldn't get enough of the feeling of her father's cock in her hand; it was surprisingly warm and thick enough that she couldn't touch her two fingers together without trying hard. She could feel his heartbeat pulsing within when she paused for a second. Truthfully, she wanted to feel his whole cock without the condom on, but instead, she just crossed her fingers that he wouldn't end the lesson too soon.

When Minju's hand touched her father's tip, Jae inhaled again. Everything about her touch seemed to make him anxious for more.

"When you're having sex with one of these on and the man ejaculates, hopefully, all of it stays up here."

"Ohhh.." Minju replied, repeating the motion of bringing her hand from base to tip again. "Hopefully?"

"Well, it's not common, but sometimes the condom can break, and that's not good."

"Obviously!" said Minju adorably. "Is it only during sex?"

"That it can break, or that a man has an orgasm?"

"Well," she pondered, moving her hand deliberately along her dad's length, "both, I guess?"

Jae hadn't meant to say it aloud, but trying so hard to stay composed had him mixed up, "Well if you keep doing that, I might cum right here."

There was no taking it back, and Minju didn't miss a beat: "Keep moving my hand like this daddy?" Her hand moved more consistently, up and down on her father's protected pole.

She was emboldened by the pleasure in her father's voice when he'd admitted it. Minju thought that might happen. She hoped it might, so she kept her attention and watched as her dad rolled his head back and let her continue.

Then he surprised her. Of its own volition, Jae's hand found the thigh of his cross-legged daughter. His hand had been resting on her tiny hip for a while, but his fingers wanted more Minju was sitting facing him the whole time she'd been practicing on his cock, and it was too easy to shift his hand simply.

First, he rubbed firmly at the soft surface of her leg, moving in circles as his fingers experimented and stroked his daughter suggestively. Her skin was just as warm and inviting as it looked, and Minju instantly enjoyed her daddy touching her. It felt like the right thing to do at the time, and feeling her unapologetically was empowering. Jae wanted more. He'd made promises to himself, yet his fingertips disobediently inched closer to the bottoms he'd been admiring. Her father's touch made Minju nervous. She was aware of what was happening and completely willing, but nobody had ever touched her there. Minju knew she was worried for no reason. She could feel safe with her dad, yet her hastened, excited breaths didn't stop.

And then her dad's fingers were at her panties. They pushed firmly on the mound above her shaved pussy. Minju quietly cooed. She was burning for him, though she had no idea of her dad's intentions. He was slowly moving his fingers and touching everywhere, but the burning center of her pelvis, and she was pretty sure that's where she wanted him the most.

Feeling a bit frustrated after a moment of that, Minju's hand, which had continued stroking her father all along, felt the ridge of the silly rubber ring that still covered her dad's penis. Each time her hand rolled up, the ring did too. It would pop back off if she did it a few times.

And it did. By the time Jae finally put his fingers directly on the cloth-covered mound of his daughter, he didn't dare stop her from holding his bare cock in her hand. Minju just rolled the condom back the way it had come and let it fall to the ground. Her hand still had enough of the lubricant on it that she could slide it on her father's naked shaft; she liked it much better that way. There was even a little fluid coming out of his tip by then, thought the teenager, and she used that to ease her strokes, too. If she kept up the good work, he'd orgasm just like he told her. She wondered what that would be like without the protective condom on.

His fingers felt so wonderful on her. Jae was doing what Minju liked the most, though he couldn't have known, and that was to gently rub his finger between and around Minju's sensitive lips. She was so fired up that it immediately made her shudder excitedly. Minju scooted closer to her dad, still facing him and letting him get closer to rub her pussy better.

"Oh, sweetie, keep going," he instructed her. You're going to make your dad come."

Jae had promised not to go any further. This was only supposed to be a lesson. But she felt so good, and looking at her, he was proud to watch his beautiful daughter stroke his cock as he rubbed her tiny pussy through her panties. It seemed only a shade more taboo for them to touch each other than to simply learn how to put a condom on. He wasn't having sex with Minju, after all, only teaching her about foreplay and how to please a man.

"Oh fuck, Daddy, you're good at that. It feels good when you touch me."

"You too, honey. Lay back a little. I'm getting closer."

"Oh, keep going, Dad! Don't stop touching my pussy," she was writhing her hips around in rhythm to her father's firm, massaging fingers. The way he was pushing them just right on her clit and the thin lips of her quim was inexplicably excellent. Minju quickly obeyed her dad and leaned back in the chair so he could do what he wanted to her. She could only hope for him to do something more.

Minju saw the way her dad was positioning himself between her legs as she stroked him. It couldn't be, but a part of her wondered if he was thinking what she was. If he just reached down and pulled off her underwear, his big cock would be so close to her pussy. Would he ever consider teaching her about that, about how it would feel if he slid his hard penis inside of her and became the first man to claim her virgin pussy?

No, they couldn't. Minju had taken the condom off her dad, and there was no way he'd risk getting her pregnant, she reasoned. It was so naughty of her to think about it, but somehow, the thought of her getting pregnant with her dad didn't deter her as it should have. She couldn't know it then, but a similar idea had also crossed her father's mind.

"Are you going to cum daddy?"

"Yesss..." her father hissed. "Do you know what's gonna happen, baby?" He had instinctively lined up in front of his daughter because it was what he wanted but he hadn't thought to ask her permission.

"Are you going to squirt your cum on me, Daddy?" Minju asked between breaths as she was trying to focus her attention on her dad and not on the escalating distraction of pleasure.

"Uh-huh, do you want me to Minju'? Jae requested.

"Yes, Daddy.... mmmnnhh...oh fuck. You're gonna make me cum, too," she looked so beautiful as she continued moving her hand and simultaneously wriggling under her dad's fingers. "Don't stop...no...don't stop..." Minju begged. She was doing such a good job, thought her father.

Minju was trying so hard to please her dad when she started to shudder from the onset of her climax on his fingers. She brought two hands to her father's cock and prayed that she was doing it right. She couldn't even keep her eyes open or at least point in his direction. She'd never felt so much tension and desire released in an orgasm as the one her dad was causing her to feel. She knew she had succeeded when she felt the first warm spray of her father's cum on her bare stomach.

Jae looked down at his little girl. She was beautifully laid back on the arm of the couch and shaking visibly as her father continued to stimulate her pussy through the release. His cock spurted an incredible amount onto the eighteen-year-old's midsection.

"Daddy... oh my god... fuck... please!"

He just kept going, and her hips tried to lift in retreat. It had come on so quickly, but Jae was going to make sure his teenage daughter had every bit as powerful an orgasm as he was. And still Minju held on with two hands and pumped her father's cock right at her, coaxing each jet of white semen onto a different vacant stretch of her stomach.

Minju's orgasm lasted longer than her father's, and it was a beautiful thing to watch. She moaned loud enough that Jae worried she would wake someone up. Fortunately, the closest room was his wife's, and she was a heavy sleeper. A few times, Minju's eyes stared into her father's when she could tear her concentration away from all the stimuli.

When she finally came to, they both looked together at the mess they'd created all over the surface of Minju's abdomen. That was not what Jae had in mind when his daughter asked to put a condom on him. Yet, he didn't feel even slightly compelled to complain.

"Your cum is so warm, dad! I can feel it all over my tummy!"

"You like that feeling, Minju? Your dad liked feeling you make him come, honey."

"Yeah, daddy, I like it almost as much as the orgasm you gave me!"

She looked beautiful with the ropes of his white semen shot on her tan skin. It was so wrong and simultaneously one of the sexiest things he'd ever seen. Minju wearing that incredible black lingerie just for him was a treat enough, but the act of coating her with his sperm after teaching her how to put a condom on seemed too much to comprehend. He had to admit that couldn't have worked out better for him.

"You know, you said you just wanted to put a condom on me, honey, were you lying?"

"No, Daddy, I swear!" Minju promised, "I just... I don't know, I wanted to make you feel good, and you're penis felt so big and warm, and I just wanted to keep jerking it. I couldn't stop!"

He loved hearing her prattle on. She was so innocent and yet sexy at the same time. Jae quickly flipped around and maneuvered Minju so she could lay back in his arms. His hand came to rest around her shoulder, with his fingers resting right at the tops of her breasts. Of course, he immediately began caressing the tops of her mounded breasts. Below, the fresh ribbons of cum on the pretty high schooler's stomach began to cool, and Minju could feel the night air tickling all the wet spots down there. But her dad was warm enough to keep her comfortable.

"It's okay, baby. I don't mind. You did such a good job, too. Should we clean you up now?"

"No, Daddy, just let it stay like this for a bit. I like it, and it's like you marked me yours."

Jae loved that thought and loved even more that his daughter saw it that way. In his eyes, Minju was his very own.

Exhausted after all of it, father and daughter dozed off. The image of holding his teenage daughter in his arms, her flat stomach still glazed with his cum, and the peaceful look on her face as she fell asleep was something Jae hoped never to forget. He dreamed of Minju, even as he held her, exploring unspoken curiosities of what lessons she might ask of him next.

[sixeyesonathiel]

a guide to ditching the world's most persistent nerd! ✦ series masterlist

a nerd!gojo x baddie!reader series

synopsis : gojo satoru has been the bane of your existence since kindergarten. he rejected your chocolates, ignored your attempts at friendship, and solidified himself as the most insufferable nerd you've ever met. years later, you're a party girl with a trust fund and a talent for avoidance, and he's still everywhere—top of his class, heir to an empire, and somehow, still your problem.

when you're paired up for a project worth 60% of your final grade, you think you can slack off. gojo thinks otherwise. he tracks you down at exclusive clubs, drags you back to work, and worst of all—he looks at you like he's already won.

you flirt to distract him, he humors you. you push, he pulls. you seduce, he tucks your hair behind your ear and makes it your move.

oh no.

status : hiatus (6/? chapters, 41k word count) ✦ tags -> modern au, university au, tooth rooting fluff with a side of light angst, unresolved romantic tension, suggestive themes, gojo satoru is a green flag menace, reader has issues, power struggles but gojo is unaware he's in one, forced proximity via group project, reader tries to ditch gojo satoru and fails spectacularly, pining disguised as irritation, rich kids and their rich kid problems, the art of denial, humor (i hope), eventual happy ending, heavily inspired by HER (chase atlantic)

— chapter index

01 – the anatomy of a grudge

it starts with a princess, a prince, and a perfectly decorated box of chocolates. it ends with a broken heart, a flying carrot, and a lifelong vendetta. some wounds never heal. some grudges never die. and it is just impossible to avoid someone when you live in the same bubble.

02 – the psychology of making gojo satoru fold

step two in ditching the world’s most persistent nerd: don't let him drag you out of a party. don't let him make you do actual work. and absolutely do not, under any circumstances, fall asleep.

03 – you can't flirt your way out of protein deficiency

step three in ditching the world's most persistent nerd : do not wake up in gojo satoru’s condo. do not let him steal your custom-made designer heels. and absolutely do not, under any circumstances, let him blackmail you with breakfast.

04 – case study: identifying gojo satoru's type

step four in ditching the world's most persistent nerd: do not let him steal your food, do not let him drink from your straw like he owns it, and absolutely do not let him flip your own trap back on you until you're suddenly the one planning a date.

05 – scientific method: be vanilla, observe gojo, spiral

step five in ditching the world’s most persistent nerd: do not spend 50 million yen on an elaborate disguise. do not let him see through your every move like it’s a mildly entertaining game. and absolutely do not, under any circumstances, let him call you cute.

06 – scientific breakthrough : gojo satoru actually cares. terrifying.

step six in ditching the world's most persistent nerd: do not let him see you unravel. do not let him wrap his jacket around your shoulders. and absolutely do not, under any circumstances, ask him why he cares.

more to come.

[pathologicalreid]

a long way to go | s.r.

in which your family breaks no contact and Spencer reminds you that you're doing the right thing

margovember

kindergarten teacher!reader masterlist

who? spencer reid x fem!reader category: flangst? (hurt/comfort) content warning: nondescript childhood trauma, kindergarten teacher!reader word count: 1.4k a/n: okay so the request was for angst and it is but the comfort gives fluff. at this point my genres are arbitrary. huge shout out to anyone else who isn't going home for thanksgiving for one reason or another.

Frowning at the email on your computer, you shifted your weight on your rotating chair and leaned your head back into the chair cover that Garcia had crocheted for you.

We’d love for you to join us.

It felt as though someone had tossed a bucket of ice water over your head, years and years of blocking emails and leaving your phone number unlisted had culminated in this moment. It shouldn’t surprise you; you worked at a public school and your email was listed in the faculty directory, but the sight of your father’s name left a sour taste in your mouth.

You were alone in your classroom, the fluorescent lights were turned off, leaving you in the gentle illumination of the string lights that you kept threaded along the walls. Contract hours were over, but you still had papers that needed to be completed. Opening your email after the final bell had thrown a wrench in your plans.

A knock on your door pulled you out of your haze, you looked up to see Spencer standing in the doorway. You checked the time in the corner of your monitor to find that it was nearly six, well into the evening, and you hadn’t even noticed. “Did we have plans?” You asked, alarm rising in your tone, you looked down at your day planner and didn’t see anything, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t miss something.

“No,” Spencer said immediately, wanting to quell any of your anxieties before they had the chance to develop. “I hadn’t heard from you today, so I might’ve asked Garcia if she had your location on your phone and found that you were at work much later than usual,” he told you, setting his messenger bag on one of your student’s desks before leaning against yours.

You leaned over your desk, setting your chin in your hands and sighing. “You found me,” you mumbled unenthusiastically, eyeing your monitor again.

He’d cut his hair again, in a moment of frustration he’d started snipping, but he ended up calling you for help. It no longer feathered the tops of his eyebrows. “What’s wrong?” Spencer asked, tilting his head to the side and tapping the bobblehead you kept on your desk.

Taking a deep breath, you shook your head, “Nothing, I just have a lot of work to do.” You were designing a holiday coloring page, making the outlines yourself because you didn’t like any of the ones you found on the internet.

“Okay,” Spencer responded, extending his vowels. “Now you’re lying to me,” he said. It wasn’t an accusation; he was merely stating the truth.

It bothered you that he was right, and it bothered you that you lied to him. You shouldn’t feel the need to lie to him because, really, if anyone was going to understand how you felt about the email, it was Spencer. You wedged your hands beneath your thighs, keeping yourself from digging your nails into your palms, “My father sent me an email.”

Dad felt too casual, and his first name felt too detached. He was just your father, someone who had been chosen time and time again over you, and whom you hadn’t spoken to in nearly six years. “When’s the last time you saw him?”

“Five years ago,” you answered distantly, remembering how he’d had the nerve to show up at your college graduation even though the rest of your family knew you weren’t in contact with him. Wetting your lips, you looked back at the email on your screen, “He wants me to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family.” People that you shared no connection to—blood or otherwise—and made up the family that had taken your place in his life.

Spencer straightened up a stack of papers on your desk, the shuffling sound so familiar that it put you at ease, “What do you want to do?”

You pinched your eyebrows together, not used to someone asking for your wants, “I want to reply to him, but I know that engaging with him would be equivalent to opening the floodgates.” Releasing a dam of trauma that wasn’t suited for your kindergarten classroom, “I can’t reply to this email.”

Nodding softly, Spencer studied your eyes with a pained look in his eyes, “I know, honey.”

Taking the computer mouse in your trembling hand, you scrolled over the email and blocked the sender before deleting the email and deleting it from the trash for good measure. Hot tears welled in your eyes as you wrapped your arms around yourself, “I hate him.”

You despised him. A man who you shared blood with just so happened to be someone you hated with bone in your body. Bones he had contributed to that you wished you could pull from your body and replace with an untainted set. What was worse was that he had the ability to influence your emotions like this, he could make you angry with nothing more than digital mail.

Anger felt so useless, it was something he used as armor, and you feared that by being angry, you were becoming like him. You were so horrified by the mere idea of your own anger that it made you cry, and you were terrified of your life becoming one big circle.

They say if you grow up with an angry man in your house, then there will always be an angry man in your house. All you needed was to believe in Spencer’s ability to be gentle, but nothing Spencer did would change the fact that you cried as soon as you were pricked with rage.

Spencer crouched in front of you, taking both of your hands in his larger ones and keeping them warm for you. “You don’t owe them anything,” he told you, watching you carefully with his big brown eyes, “It hurts. I know it hurts right now, but you know that you just did the right thing. I’ll remind you of it for as long as it takes for you to believe it.”

The dam broke then, tears fall from your chin to your lap as Spencer gathered you in his arms to the best of his ability, you tried not to flinch away from his embrace. You reminded yourself that he wasn’t there to hurt you, he was there to help you. He ran his palm flat along your spine as you gave in, burying your face in the crook of his neck and basking in the darkness of your own sorrow.

“You did the right thing,” he muttered softly, pulling away and using the pads of his thumbs to wipe away your tears. “You don’t need to apologize to anyone about it,” he said preemptively, knowing you were about to apologize to him for your show of emotion.

You nodded dazedly, leaning your cheek into his palm as he cupped your face with his hands, “I don’t know what I do now.”

Spencer smiled gently at you, “We’re gonna keep moving forward. Are you hungry? Do you want to get dinner?”

Sighing, you shrugged despondently, looking back at your now blank monitor, “I should get some stuff done.” You wiggled the mouse and typed in your password, you stared blankly at your unfinished coloring page, any and all motivation to finish the drawing had vacated as soon as your father made contact.

“What if,” Spencer started, “You come home with me tonight, and tomorrow I’ll come in with you? You can finish up your work and I’ll get to spend some time with you.” Spencer Reid might just be the only person willing to accompany you to work on a Saturday just because you’re having a hard time.

You bowed your head, “You don’t have to do this, Spence.”

He hummed in response, “I want to, and besides—we have plans to make.”

You frowned, your head lifting so you could look him in the face and inquire for more details, “Plans for what?”

“Thanksgiving,” he responded as if it should’ve been obvious, “You’ll get to join BAUsgiving this year, it’s one of Garcia’s favorite holidays.”

Faltering, your eyes widened at his insistence, and you took a deep breath, “I’m not… I don’t want to intrude on your family time.”

Spencer raised his eyebrows incredulously, “Honey, you’re part of that family now. Besides, sometimes I think the team likes you more than me.”

[3liza]

i really hate the hurf durf positivity memes that are like *~you are not a burden~* 😌☺️🙏 bitch yes i am. taking care of sick people is hard. putting up with and organizing your life and tasks around people who take ten times as long and one hundred times as much energy to do simple tasks is HARD. never being on time, abandoning plans, leaving early, not eating normal food, these are all things that make everyone else's life harder. I'm a burden! the point is that humans carry their burdens and always have and the way the species is designed makes this not just ethical but beneficial materially to everyone. saying disabled people "aren't a burden" is just erasing all the work caretakers do to keep us alive. the point is that everyone is entitled to be a burden, and even if you are never sick a day in your life you will still spend years at either end of your brief stint on earth being bothersome to someone else. that's normal

[studioeisa]

hello! can i request woozi with jealous prompt 'what? me? jealous? never'? thank youuuu ><

ⵌ jihoon x gose director!reader. ⵌ word count: 1k ⵌ notes: i can't stop writing about jihoon,, 🧎

Jihoon has long since accepted that he can be a jealous man when it matters.

He considers it harmless because it gets him moving. Jealous of a different group's success? He works doubly harder to make good music. Envious of someone else's build? He puts in more hours at the gym.

Jealousy is Jihoon's friend. At least, that's what he keeps on telling himself as you praise Soonyoung for his 'initiative'.

Another day, another filming for Going Seventeen. Today's concept is Christmas-themed: A Secret Santa shopping trip with a negligible budget per person. Jihoon knows he should be focused on getting something halfway decent for Chan— the member he had randomly picked earlier in the day— but he keeps getting distracted.

Soonyoung is looking just a little too pleased, a little too smug at your doting. Jihoon can practically hear the way his best friend is preening as he announces, "It's nothing, really. Just a little idea I had."

Jihoon doesn't even know what the two of you are talking about. He does know, though, that he's not going to hear the end of it from the rest.

It's an open secret, after all, that Jihoon has a crush on you.

He's always found it a bit inconvenient, really. He never thought he'd be the type to catch feelings for a staff member, but forced proximity and your undeniable charm have left him helpless.

It's just a crush, Jihoon has told anyone and everyone who teases him about it. I'll get over it.

Except it's been maybe a year and Jihoon is decisively not over it. He's preparing to deliver some variation of the same denial as Wonwoo sidles up to him, the latter grinning in an infuriating way.

"Don't start with me," Jihoon grumbles, his fingers tightening around the extension arm of his designated GoPro.

Wonwoo raises his shoulders in a shrug. "I'm not saying anything," he says in a tone that very much indicates his plans to say something.

A beat. And then, Wonwoo prompts, "Jealous?"

A derisive snort of laughter escapes Jihoon. He could lie, say something along the lines of What? Me? Jealous. Never, in an attempt to get his friends off his back. But they'd see through him anyway, so what was the point?

"Maybe," Jihoon answers. When Wonwoo only stares at him, Jihoon amends, "A little."

Wonwoo laughs at Jihoon's easy acceptance. The older man throws an arm around Jihoon's shoulders, the force of it almost sending the latter faceplanting into a shelf of keychains.

Jihoon is in the middle of biting out an annoyed "Could you not?!" when Wonwoo stage-whispers to him, "Don't worry. The director has a favorite, and it's not Mr. Steal-Your-Girl over there."

Before Jihoon can even question the taunt, Wonwoo is already peeling off to accomplish his task. The words echo a bit in Jihoon's mind. A favorite. Your favorite.

He wonders, briefly, what it would be like— to have that privilege.

He shakes his head, as if to empty his head of the thought. Wonwoo was just teasing, and Jihoon still has to find a gift for Chan. He spends the next thirty or so minutes wandering the department store, internally debating what to get the group's maknae.

Jihoon is weighing the merits of a Bluetooth shower speaker when he next hears from you.

"You know," you say from behind him. "Those have terrible sound quality."

It's only through years of conditioning that Jihoon doesn't jump, but he can't help the way his heart rate picks up ever so slightly. Still, he manages to keep his expression perfectly calm as he glances over his shoulder.

You look every bit like you always do. Clipboard in your hands; headphones hanging around your neck. An easy grin. The picture of the director who has robbed Jihoon of all his rational thought time and time again.

"Well, you didn't give us much to work with," he answers dryly.

"That's the challenge," you tease. "A low-budget exchange gift."

Jihoon sets down the speaker before turning to fully face you. "What would you suggest, then, if this is a bad gift?"

Your gaze flicks down to the GoPro. You didn't typically converse with the boys while they were shooting; if you did, the content was typically cut.

Something compels Jihoon to hit the 'pause' button on his device. "Off the record," he insists, a corner of his lip tugging up in the ghost of a smirk.

There's something unmistakably fond in the way you laugh, in how you choose to indulge Jihoon instead of insisting that he should keep filming.

"You got Chan, right?" You tilt your head to one side as if you're mulling it over. "I saw him fawning over the tealight candles earlier. If you're in the mood to be a menace, though, he thought the beanie hats were deplorable."

Jihoon lets out a chuckle of his own. "Got it," he says. "Candle, hat. Thanks for the intel, director."

It should end there. He should walk away, should turn the GoPro back on and film the rest of the show.

But Jihoon has never been very good at doing what he should, and his mind keeps replaying Wonwoo's earlier words.

And so, he finds himself asking, "What about you?"

Your eyebrows raise. "Me?"

"What would you like for Christmas?"

You look thrown off. Understandably so. "Oh," you say, your tone just a little softer. "That's not—"

Necessary, you're probably going to say. Jihoon cuts you off with a small shake of his head.

"We could have a little exchange gift of our own," he goes on. Jihoon has no idea where this is all coming from. The confidence in his flirtation. The smoothness of his words. It's a rare thing, but he's not going to let it go now that it's here. "I'll get you something if you get me something."

You laugh again, and then you give Jihoon the perfect opening. "What would you even want for Christmas, Jihoon-ah?"

Jealous has always been Jihoon's friend. It gets him moving.

It gets him to admit, "Easy. I'd want you."

୨ৎ * GAME, SET, PLAY ! ( JEALOUSY ) DRABBLE GAME.

[ultrainfinitepit]

Pride Angels 2024

All my planned Pride Angels for this year's upcoming pin campaign. I will spend the next few months leading up to the campaign polishing these designs, adding shading and so on. Minor edits to be expected. Subscribe to the pre-launch page to be notified when the campaign is live!

Since the polls were close on a few designs, the following alternate designs will be made available as well.

Below the cut is the list of flags and FAQ.

Here are all the flags.

Abrosexual

Achillean

Agender

Ally

Aroace

Aromantic

Asexual

Bigender

Bisexual

Cupioromantic

Cupiosexual

Demiboy

Demigender

Demigirl

Demiromantic

Demisexual

Diamoric

Gay

Genderfae

Genderfaun

Genderfluid

Genderflux

Genderqueer

Intersex

Lesbian

Lithosexual

Neptunic

Nonbinary

Omnisexual

Pangender

Pansexual

Polyamorous

Polysexual

Queer

Queerplatonic

Questioning

Rainbow/Progress Pride

Sapphic

Toric

Transgender

Trixic

Uranic

Voidpunk

Pride Angels FAQ

What is Pride Angels?

It is my series of angel designs in the colors of different Pride flags. I am planning to make the Pride Angels into stickers, pins, keychains, patches, and lanyards. The campaign is planned for June 2024, after Angelology IV. You can follow the pre-launch page to be notified when the campaign launches.

Can you draw X for the Pride Angels series?

Before inquiring, please check that your request is not already complete! I am not taking requests for any new flags at this time, but read on for how you can request a Pride Angel during the pin campaign. After I complete this series this year, I am not planning to make any more Pride Angels.

About the Pride Angels design request pledge tier:

If you would like to request a Pride Angel, I will have a pledge tier available in the pin campaign to pay to request one. Outside these pledge tiers I will not be accepting any requests. Please save your requests for the pin campaign!

If you nab one of the design request pledges, you can request a flag and optionally suggest a theme or inspiration. If I shared a design you liked that I ended up not going with, you could request that too.

Where can I find the 2022 Pride Angels merch?

Most of the past Pride Angels have been discontinued in my main shops, but you can still find them as pins, stickers, keychains, and patches with my stockists.

I liked an old design better. Will the old designs be available during the campaign?

Depending on order quantity I will make the 2022 Pride Angels available as stickers, keychains, pins, and patches. If they don’t meet the order threshold they will not be funded.

Can I draw a Pride Angel too?

Of course, I don’t own angels or Pride flags! If I inspired you I would love to be tagged to see and share your design.

[fifiphobic]

Katsuki must be so utterly miserable. He must be so tired. Imagine working tirelessly for 8 years, going back and forth between America and Japan (I assume at least 3 times a year) to see progress for the suit. Working on designs, material, fabric, testing out certain weapons. he must’ve thought about Izuku’s physical capabilities, his injuries, his weaknesses after the loss of his quirk. Wanting to tackle all of that in 1 miracle suit for the boy you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, compete for the rest of you life with. Then after 8 long years of labour, 8 long years of suppressed feelings, yearning. 8 LONG HARD YEARS OF sitting idly waiting for the right moment to confess to the love of your life (you know having this whole plan to give him the suit because YEAH! fuck a ring that sentimental shit is worthless make the love of your life a badass mech suit to be hero’s together). Izuku decided yk what? I’m gonna get drunk the night of class A reunion and then while drunk I’m going to realise my very fickle feelings for the small high school crush I had 8 years ago. (mind you didn’t think about not once in 8 years) and I’m going to tell Katsuki. Not only am I going to tell Katsuki but when he extends an offer for me to join his hero agency I'll REJECT?

Middle school midoriya would’ve been FUMING!!!!!

(The epilogue really sent me out of hiatus hey guys missed you how’s everybody doing)

[mortalityplays]

Forgive me if I'm mistaking you for another person, but I remember you speaking at multiple points on the unsustainability of free social media services (I think especially in response to the cohost collapse?), and I'm curious on what your thoughts on bluesky are so far. I'm not an expert on the subject, but from what I've read previously it seemed like they were on track to be financially sustainable, but I don't know if the recent floods of users has thrown those projections off. Sorry if I'm mixing you up with someone else on my timeline, in that case just ignore me.

bluesky will almost certainly follow the same trajectory of monetisation => bloat => enshittification => decline as every other major platform built on venture capital and user hoarding. it's a terrible model that only works in the short term as a mirage for attracting funding and making founders look good for a year or two before they sell.

you can see the same effect in the decline of all the subscription box services that came into vogue just before covid: they feel great to use for as long as the initial injection of venture funding lasts, because the purpose of that funding at that stage is to attract users and impress the next round of funders with how pleasant/intuitive/efficient/ethical/good value the service is. that's the stage where they're handing out freebies and bowling over influencers, and every ingredient in the box is fresh and high quality and locally sourced. wow what a good deal, what a great system!!! why hasn't anyone done this before? the answer is because it's unsustainable by design. they rack up good reviews, sign on a billion new users, attract new funding from a bunch of much more credulous investors, and then gut all of the expensive parts. portions get smaller, ingredients get worse, packaging gets flimsier, prices go up, freebies turn into "5% off your first 9 boxes when you invite 3 friends", and customer service vanishes.

with social media (and platforms like discord) the logic is the same, it's just a little less glaringly obvious to the end user because they're not coming home to leaking packages of rancid chicken on the doorstep. bluesky has an advantage over tiny operations like cohost because it was founded by a billionaire making a point for the sake of his own image. it got a really significant chunk of startup funding, and the owner had existing connections and rep in the space to attract more. That's why it has survived the goldrush period, why it still feels good to use, and why users who have been burned so many times before are finally accepting it as a stable, reliable option. It's still in its venture capital honeymoon phase where the only thing worth spending money on is making the service attractive to users.

What I expect we will see next, with another mass influx of users from twitter and new funding from a rogue's gallery of tech venture sickos led by Blockchain Capital is a strong ramp up into monetising that userbase. They've already been pretty forthright about how they plan to do this, and I think it's a solid roadmap of how Bluesky will bloat and decay over the next few years:

this is a huge lol. don't worry, we're not going to hyperfinancialize the social experience through NFTs. the thing even crypto freaks started feigning amnesia about a year ago. real "our health conscious sodas are 100% arsenic free" messaging here. They know perfectly well that rubes users are suspicious of their typical 5 dimensional tech finance chess games and are patting our hands about last week's bogeymen so nobody worries too hard about whatever 'decentralised developer ecosystem' just happens to be helmed by a bunch of crypto guys. this definitely means something good and based and not a google-like single sign on user data harvesting operation.

This is the same shit that's currently rotting the floorboards of discord. Bluntly, there is no way to run a platform on this scale without gating functionality behind paid services. Discord has been squeezing free-tier file uploads and call quality etc. down steadily and cranking up subscription costs over the last year or two, throwing in chaff like animated avatar frames to try and justify the user cost. They're also doing the same misdirection thing again here, pointing to Thing We All Hate to deflect from thing we might not like very much when they do it. Booo elon booo we all hate elon!!! wait how do we feel about subscription models again,

watch out for this to kill porn on bsky like it has killed porn on every other social platform 👍 boooo we hate elon boooo stupid idiot and his 'everything app' booooo wait why do you need my tax information, what's that about mastercard,

Look, we are all aware social media is a money pit. Let's not forget dorsey was looking to sell twitter in the first place, long before elon's very public plunge into total online derangement. Subscription services are not going to plug the hole, so we are gradually going to see more and more spaghetti thrown at the wall while early funders shuffle cards and do their pyramid scheme bit bringing in stupider and stupider investments. this is the window in which bluesky will be temporarily worth using for us, for the idiot public, the poorly rendered crowd jpegs in the background of their venture capital MOBA. it's in their interests to slow and pad the decline as much as possible, because that is how they get maximally paid.

Given the scale of the money involved, and dorsey's weird ego investment, I think bluesky will probably manage a controlled drift for a good few years before it gets really bloated and painful. and by then we will all be so used to the *checks notes* decentralised developer ecosystem that we'll just be posting through it, watching another generation of columnists call another collapsing platform 'their beloved hellsite' and passing around that meme about not getting out of our chairs no sir until idk we all get on a fediverse neurolink alternative to stick it to the elongated muskrat and our brains pop peacefully in our sleep. which I guess is the closest thing to viability any social media platform can achieve.

anyway diogenes the cynic is also on bluesky

[tbaluver]

Spending Halloween With Them- The Love And DeepSpace Men

parings in order: Xavier x Reader, Zayne x Reader, Rafayel x Reader, Sylus x Reader genre/ tags: fluff, slightly silly, might be ooc maybe a/n: hi everyone! ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა happy halloween! are any of you all dressing up? :o what are you guys plans! lmk <3 i apologize if im late i know it might not even be halloween for some of you when i post this but i hope you still enjoy ! if you don't celebrate it, i hope you still have a happy day <3

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

Xavier:

Xavier didn’t celebrate or see the appeal of Halloween before until he saw on his phone of couples doing festive activities together. Whether it was you or him that suggested doing anything for this month, he wanted to spend these experiences with you this season and every single one in the future.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Costumes. He might accidentally misread your text and accidentally dress up as an actual peanut costume while you dress up as a jar of jelly.

Honey and Bear Costume. This was his idea because you’re his ‘honey’ so it was very fitting for him to dress up as a bear well because-

Prince and Princess Costume. He would definitely look good as a Prince but he’s not dressing up by himself without his princess. Unless you had a different costume in mind, he doesn’t mind wearing the prince costume by himself

He wouldn’t mind giving out candy or doing trick or treating with you but he most prefers cuddling with you while watching a spooky movie. Does not flinch when a scary scene comes up but he’ll make sure to pull up the blanket over you when you’re scared.

If you two were to go trick or treating he'll make sure to give you all your favorite sweets on your pile and will take the ones you don't want.

Zayne:

Doctor Costume. Not just any doctor, a neurosurgeon doctor. He would explain to you that being a neurosurgeon is a costume because it’s different from his job and that he already had his costume set up. Of course he does. You would have to explain to him that he needs to find a different costume that’s not a doctor. A costume that doesn’t involve him similarly from his real job.

Vampire Costume. When he finally caves, which didn’t take that long, he took your suggestion on being a vampire. A vampire usually looks very sophisticated and elegant which was already fitting for him so all he needed was the cape and some fake fangs

Before you both started to give out candy, you both took a stroll around your neighborhood to appreciate the decorated neighborhood in the area.

Your shared home would be decorated for Halloween. Just right outside your door would be the pumpkins you both lovingly carved and selected together from the pumpkin patch. They all sit together with a candlelight flickering inside them to illuminate the intricate designs you both made.

It wasn’t even close to midnight and almost all of your fun size candy and chocolates are gone. Until you found the culprit in the kitchen caught red-handed as he was about to unwrap the next one in his hand. You guys might have to visit the dentist next week.

Rafayel:

Rafayel didn't really understand why humans dress up and beg random people for candy on this day so he's never really done anything for it. But if you wanted to do something with him for Halloween, with no hesitation he try to do anything with you.

He’s either the type to dress up with the most intricate and well thought out costume that he had made throughout the year with you. It would either be dramatic and some high quality costume or he’s the type to dress up as something very specific. Like a random scenario specific to mess with you. “I’m you when you slipped in the shower.” or he’ll dress up as a silly looking fish and say that it’s you.

He would have SO many ideas of what costumes you both could do or what would look good on you that he ended up making all the costumes in the end. I think he would love dressing you up as Lemurian the most, thinking you would look embody the beauty. So the whole day was just a fun little dress up day for you both and many many photos of you saved with your beautiful or silly costumes.

He would also definitely uses his artistic skills to carve out the most beautiful pumpkins with you.

Sylus:

Vampire Costume. Do I need to say more? Kids would ask, if they weren't scared of him, if his crimson eyes were real and he would definitely act the part and play vampire.

Red Riding Hood and The "Big Bad" Wolf costume. He loves the color red on you and the way the corset of your dress compliments your figure.

Devil and Angel Costume. A little basic costume if you two didn't have enough time to prepare a matching one. Although he does love seeing the color red on you, you are his angel and his dove so he doesn't mind being the devil.

You two would enjoy the evening by the cozy fireplace as you wait for the trick-or-treaters to knock on your door. He would pour you a cup of your favorite drink before he pours himself a glass of wine.

He’s definitely the house known for handing out the biggest candy bars and secretly loves it when he hears how children think his home is the coolest because of the mountains of candy he’s given them.

He does give out a little too much but he wants to make sure every kid leaves with an overflowing bag. Honestly he probably bought a warehouse full of candy so you don’t run out for the night.

[alchemistc]

"Evan's not here," Tommy says, and Eddie scowls at him as he pushes past Tommy, already aiming for the kitchen as he hitches the six pack he'd brought with him up under his armpit. It'd been a - a thing. A 'my best friend and my new friend are too busy sucking face to spend every spare moment distracting me from my problems' thing, a thing where Eddie sort of finally understood exactly why Buck had hip checked him on the basketball court months ago. He wants his best friend back. He wants the ease of his friendship with Tommy back.

Which is - Christ, he's selfish, is the thing. A month without Chris there to keep him occupied and Eddie has had some startling realizations about himself. ("You're not selfish, Eddie, you're the most selfless person I know." from Buck and "So fix it," from Tommy, a rare night out with the both of them because he'd headed date night off at the pass by asking Tommy to go out for drinks before he and Buck could make plans without him).

"My world doesn't revolve around Buck," Eddie tells him, and screws the cap off a beer to hand it to Tommy. Tommy's doing that judgmental face he gets when he wants to say something bitchy but hasn't put the words in the right order yet. And - Eddie's not lying. Buck is a fixed point, an ever present life-line, but he's not the fucking sun.

Neither is Chris, apparently, which is news to Eddie and he's - spiralling, still. Quietly, calmly, and he's only punched one hole in the wall on a bad night.

"You ever go to Frank?" Eddie asks, like Frank is the only therapist in the greater LA area, and Tommy rolls his eyes, disappears long enough for the muted sound of the television to go quiet.

When he comes back Eddie's reading the label on his beer bottle

"Apparently I resent you," Eddie says, and Tommy chuffs a laugh.

"Apparently?"

"No, I -." The words had been just as hard two hours ago. This little trip was his own design, he'd been told specifically to sit in it for a while but Christ, an hour a week isn't enough time to talk through his issues and it's not like he can tell Buck he resents him for finding something he's happy and stable and solid in. So. Tommy it is. "You and Buck are good together. I'm happy for you both. I am."

Tommy settles against a countertop with his hip digging into the Formica. His kitchen has gained a dutch oven that looks suspiciously like the one Buck has been showing Eddie for like six months that he couldn't justify the cost of because he's not around enough to use it as much as he'd like.

"I'm not usually the one without his shit together," Eddie says.

"No offense, Eddie, but I thought the whole point of therapy was you realizing you rarely have your shit together."

Also true. He's - usually better at hiding it though. Kim was a joker stacked up on a wobbly house of cards and he'd known, somewhere in the back of his mind, that she'd bring the whole thing tumbling to the ground. Mass casualty event. No survivors.

"You make each other better people," Eddie says, which is the wrong thing to say apparently because Tommy scowls.

"If you wanna completely ignore all the work we've both put into ourselves," he snipes, and - yeah. Fair. Buck's been in therapy for years now. Every once in a while he'll pull something out of his ass that makes Eddie's skin itch - something so mystifyingly self-aware that it makes Eddie want to claw into his chest cavity and rip out his fucking heart. And Tommy - well, he doesn't know much but it's not like Tommy's the paragon of perfection. He's worked through some shit. Is still working through shit, if the aftermath of his and Buck's first real fight is any indication.

"I've never been with someone who makes me want to work on myself," Eddie admits, and the lines around Tommy's eyes shift. He sighs.

"Never gonna find that if you don't want it for yourself."

Yeah. Frank's said as much. It's just - Eddie doesn't have a starting point. Tommy had the whole hiding his true self thing, and Buck had the dead-brother-shitty-parents thing, and he's whittling them both down to the sharp edges of themselves in his mind, which isn't entirely fair but it's easier than trying to confront what the fuck his own problem is. Dead wife, his kid in another state, a contentious relationship with his father, a whole backlog of PTSD he's never really confronted head on. Weird feelings cropping up about a religion he thought he'd left in the dust and sand of Afghanistan and a hole he's been trying to fill up with other people since - well, he doesn't even know since when.

Tommy's got his dog tags laying in the bottom of an empty fruit bowl on his kitchen table. Eddie's never seen them before, and some part of him knows Tommy'd brought them out for a conversation with Buck he'll never hear himself, and he aches. He doesn't want them, but he wants what they have, wants to be able to talk about the difficult shit without closing in on himself, wants to have someone to come home to, wants -

"I spent six months imagining my therapist's head exploding every time she made me talk about something uncomfortable," Tommy tells him, and takes a long drag off his beer. For the first time since he'd knocked on Tommy's door, Eddie actually feels a little bad about interrupting his night, but that just leaves him spiralling some more because Eddie usually feels bad about everything, all the time, so why hadn't he felt guilty about this until now? And why does he feel guilty about not feeling guilty?

"I just want him to fix me," Eddie says, and Tommy laughs. Laughs hard and long enough that Eddie's feeling offended. Off kilter and pissed off and -

"You're not a single loose wire, Eddie. Can't just replace a cable and have a clean slate. You gotta change your oil and replace the spark plugs and top up the coolant, over and over again until you die."

It's the sort of metaphor Eddie'd like to lob across the field of engagement just to watch it get shot to pieces. It's apt, though.

"Feels like the whole engines gotta go," Eddie tells him "Transmission's shot and my catalytic converter keeps getting stolen and the mufflers been welded back on so many times that it's half-solder."

"Christ," Tommy says, which. Yeah. Exactly. "Well you can't exactly send yourself to the junk yard for scrap and buy a newer model."

"Buck does," Eddie snaps, and Tommy rolls his eyes. He'd been there the last time Buck brought up his 1.0 days.

"Half the time a system update patches ten bugs and creates twenty more."

"So Buck's buggy, is what you're saying."

He rolls his tongue over his teeth. "You are running off faulty software and you've been refusing to update to the new version because you heard it'd burn the battery faster, is what I'm saying."

Eddie doesn't have a whole lot of charge to begin with. And the metaphors are starting to muddle in his brain, too many different ideas battling around when he's already spent an ornery hour talking to Frank and another trying to convince himself he doesn't resent his best friend for accepting his own fucking flaws and working on them.

Tommy sets the beer bottle down. Eyes Eddie for a moment, and Eddie wonders how often he levels that look on Buck, how Buck feels when Tommy flays him open and digs through his insides. "You wanna go hit something for a bit?" he asks, and Eddie nods so quickly he nearly smacks his nose into the brim of the bottle in his own hand. He's about done feeling his feelings, for the moment. He'll probably end up being annoyed that Tommy makes him wrap his hands before he takes some aggression out on the bag hung up in the corner of Tommy's garage, but maybe when Tommy gets annoyed with him and does that takedown maneuver that knocks the wind out of Eddie's lungs when they're sparring he'll let that go.

Tommy flicks his forehead on the way to grab him something to wear. "That's for calling my boyfriend buggy, jackass," he says, and laughs himself all the way down the hall when Eddie splutters after him.

His bedroom door snicks shut by the time Eddie's recovered enough to remind him that he'd been Eddie's friend first.