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hawktuahfreak · 1 month ago

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Hongice week day 6! There’s a saying in Iceland

I’m not 100% sure I used the saying correctly but uh you have to accept it 🙏 sorry for posting ts so late again!

₊˚⊹♡

Emil looked at the customer yelling something in Chinese. He wasn’t getting paid enough to apologise and repeat that he doesn’t understand anything for the 5th time. He rolled his eyes and looked at other people sitting at the table. It was just a girl probably in her twenties trying to calm her father down and a boy his age staring blankly at his phone. That definitely wasn’t the first time that man did something like this.

The waiter sighed and turned to the boy “What would you like?”

“I, uh… I’ll just take the dumplings” he said, pointing at them in the menu.

“Uh-huh” he said writing down his order “Something to drink?”

“Coke maybe?”

“Of course. You?” He looked at the girl and she smiled apologetically.

“I’ll take the sesame oil chicken soup. And for him…” she eyed the still furious man, “He’ll take the dumplings too.”

Emil nodded and walked away after he finished writing. He passed the order to his coworker and sat behind the counter. He hated that job, but it was summer, and he didn’t want to spend it all at home. Getting his own money and not having to ask his older brother - Lukas - for permission to buy something was also good.

Now he was saving for a new laptop. They weren’t cheap, and even though Lukas said that he could help and lend him some money if he needed, he had to work. He just wished he had picked something else than this stinky eating place.

He continued watching the restaurant to see if he was needed somewhere. He noticed the boy with crazy dad glancing at him while the girl talked to them. He looked away and tried to ignore them. He had to focus, not wonder about his costumer’s conversations. It’s not like he cared about them anyway.

Today this place was filled with tourists. Emil already tried to talk with some Americans hoping that they will leave him a tip. It was the only thing he liked in the visitors. Unfortunately many of them didn’t respect his country enough. Iceland was beautiful and so dangerous sometimes, and for some reason they all preferred to see the second side. Then, if something bad happened, they complained.

He sighed again and turned around. Emil jumped slightly when he saw the guy from the 10th table standing next to him.

“Your food will b-“

“Yes, I know… I just wanted to apologise for my old man. Look, I really have no idea why he’s so mean today!” He said and took Emil’s hand putting something in it. “I promise to make it up to you later!” He started walking away so Emil opened his hand and saw three 1000 krona bills.

He looked at the boy, but he was already busy talking to his family. He smiled to himself and continued his work bringing food to tables and taking more orders.

When his food was ready he made sure to bring the three plates smiling. First, he placed the girls bowl in front of her, then the mad man’s one. When he handed the last dish the boy stretched out his hands and ‘accidentally’ touched Emil’s again looking into his eyes. Emil blushed a bit.

“Bon appétit!” He smiled even more and went back behind the counter. He looked at the clock, he could go home in half an hour. He couldn’t wait to change into something more comfortable, that didn’t smell like deep-fried food.

He remembered his brother asked him to buy some groceries. On the next day Emil didn’t have to go to work, so Lukas asked him to cook something for them. He laughed about preparing something Chinese, but Emil couldn’t look at that food anymore. He decided to make something that his brother hated. Maybe lamb stew? It wasn’t that bad, yet for some reason Lukas despised it.

He walked over to an empty table to clean it. He picked up all the dirty dishes and took them back to kitchen, where his friend Matthias began washing them. He and Lukas were classmates in high school and it was his idea to make Emil a waiter in this small restaurant. He went to the table to wipe it clean so other customers could sit there.

That’s when his shift ended. He smiled to himself and after changing his clothes he started walking to his bus stop. He turned on his phone to check when the bus was going to arrive and growled. 30 minutes. He shook his head, it would take him less time to walk home so that’s what he did.

The weather was very nice. It wasn’t too cloudy, the sun was shining on his back warming him up. He could hear birds singing and people laughing. Perfect. He crossed the road after making sure that no car would hit him and continued walking. His neighbourhood wasn’t the biggest and he knew almost everyone living there. His neighbours were lovely, they used to help him a lot when he was younger.

Once he got to his apartment he took off his shoes and jacket, and sat on the couch. Lukas was still at work, so he didn’t need to rush with going to the store. He wanted to relax first! He turned on the tv and went to the kitchen to quickly make himself some tea.

When he sat again he started looking for something interesting to watch. He didn’t want to watch the news all the time, there wasn’t any new movies playing, he was too old for cartoons… He stopped on a documentary about animals living in cold countries. He hoped to see puffins - they were his favourite animals.

Emil slowly drank his tea. He always loved biology. When he was younger he dreamed of owning a few wild animals like polar bears and birds to show them real love. Now he found it embarrassing and he hated when Lukas was reminding him about it.

He still wanted to study marine biology. He didn’t want to end up like Mathias, stuck in a boring job that barely paid him. Somehow he still had enough money to get drunk every weekend and Lukas had to help him picking him up from bars. He wanted a better life, to have money to travel and see whole Iceland, and of course know everything about sea life.

His tea was gone, so he decided to go to store. He turned off the television, put his mug in the dishwasher and took his phone. Lukas left him some money on the table, so he didn’t have to use his savings. He packed everything in a bag and left his home making sure to lock the door.

There wasn’t a lift in this building, so he carefully started walking down the stairs. They lived on the third floor. It wasn’t too bad, but he still hated having to go all the way up there. He stopped after a second when he heard a familiar voice.

The owner of the voice also stopped when he saw him. They looked at each other shocked before he started laughing hysterically.

“No way! You live here?” He continued laughing while Emil stood there confused. “Well, now that we’re going to be neighbours you will have to deal with my family even more. Hah.. I’m Leon”

“Emil. Wh-what are you doing here?” He asked

“Hm? Our airbnb is, like, here.” Leon answered. “I’m really sorry for him.” He said again

“Oh, it’s not a big deal! Seriously, I had to serve worse customers.”

Leon smiled. He looked at Emil’s bag and asked him where he was going and if he could join. His family was busy with some business stuff, because that was the reason they came there. Emil agreed, Leon seemed very nice and… he gave him the tip.

They started walking. The store wasn’t that far from their homes and the weather didn’t change. Leon told him more about himself. They were both 17, he loved listening to music, and lived in Hong Kong. He didn’t have many friends just like Emil, so he was glad they talked.

Emil couldn’t fight the urge to smile and stare at Leon all the time. He never thought he was someone who could start liking anyone so quickly, but there he was, blushing when Leon glanced at him. There was something in him pulling Emil. Maybe they knew each other in their past lives? Or their paths were supposed to cross and they had to stay together forever? He laughed quietly at his own thoughts. It was stupid, of course it wasn’t possible.

He looked at him again. Leon’s hair were shining beautifully in the sun, that wouldn’t go away anytime soon. This week must’ve been terrible for him, it wasn’t easy to get used to nights full of light. But he still looked happy.

When the Cantonese boy finished talking about himself, he asked Emil few questions. His age, if he also has siblings, what he liked to do in his free time, what books he read, and what was his favourite music band. He joked about the French underground music, after Emil told him that the band he listens to the most had only 400 monthly listeners. They chuckled together.

As they finally arrived at the store, Leon kept asking Emil about different products he had never seen before. He was shocked to see how many things were available in the liquorice flavour. Emil decided to buy some, so Leon could try it and warned him that not everyone likes it.

After buying everything they needed, and even more they could go home. Leon said that his father had an online meeting and he couldn’t go to his apartment yet, so Emil offered him to come over. It was nice to finally have someone his age to hang out with, not only loud Mathias, Lukas or his boyfriend. He loved them of course, they became his family after his and Lukas’ parents died. He was just very curious about Leon.

On the way back they were talking too. Emil was telling his companion about his life in Iceland. It was way more quiet than Hong Kong and even the big capital seemed like a small village where everyone was related and they spent all holidays together.

Leon said that Emil’s home was the most cozy he ever seen. It was true, Lukas hated how empty it was without their parents, so he bought a lot of plants, blankets and pillows to put everywhere. They also used the ceiling lamps only in winter, there wasn’t need for big lights when they had sun all the time. Instead they used sweet smelling candles.

Leon also convinced Emil to cook something else for dinner. He agreed on easy pasta with tomato sauce deciding that he will cook something worse other day. It was already around 17:00 and Lukas was supposed to finish his work soon, so they started preparing everything. Emil let his guest help only a bit, because he said that since he was a waiter he knew best how to deal with food. They lit one of the candles on the middle of the table and looked at everything.

“How romantic” Joked Leon and placed his hand on Emil’s back making him blush. Instead of moving away he leaned closer to the Asian and put his head on his shoulder. What he was doing was very risky, he could lose a potential friend or maybe even more. He didn’t care, though. You only live once, right?

—

That’s what he was thinking on the next day too. After spending whole night talking and snuggling with Leon in his room, he was sure that they started liking each other. After choosing clothes he wanted to wear, he decided to take Leon on a small date. He wanted to show him his favourite place. It was in a nearby forest, right next to a lake.

Lukas was staying at his boyfriends apartment, he got invited few minutes before he left his workplace and he send Emil a short message saying to not wait for him with the dinner, so Emil and Leon could eat the pasta alone in even more romantic atmosphere.

Now he texted Lukas that he was leaving the house and going on a walk not mentioning his friend even once. He went on the first floor, because that’s where Leon’s apartment was located. He knocked on the door and waited.

His sister - Mei - opened it and smiled when she saw him.

“Uh… hello”

“Hi, Emil! Come in, please, Leon’s eating breakfast in the kitchen” Emil smiled back and followed her.

Leon still sleepy was watching something on his phone and munching on cereal. When he saw Emil his eyes filled with sparks and he rushed to hug him and say hello.

“Do you want to go on a walk today? I want to show you something” Emil asked, his voice full of hope.

“Of course! Just let me get changed” Leon smiled and pulled his hand to take him to a bedroom he slept in.

His suitcase was laying in the middle opened, next to it some clothes scattered around, and another bag in the corner. He smiled slightly seeing the mess knowing that Lukas would kill him for doing something like that. Leon sat in front of the suitcase and started searching for a perfect outfit. Emil sat right beside him waiting patiently.

He blushed when he saw Leon’s chest after he took his shirt off. He could see his muscles quite well. He looked so much better than him. He looked away to not make him uncomfortable and waited a bit more for Leon to put on his clothes.

Before leaving Leon finished his breakfast as Mei told him. He grabbed Emil’s hand and they started their walk. It was an hour od hiking, but neither of them completed. Time was passing quickly when they were together. Too quickly. They talked the whole way there, it seemed that they never ran out of things to say.

Emil was showing Leon different flowers, trees and birds trying to teach him their names in Icelandic. Leon told Emil about the forests in China too. He joked about it being a concrete jungle, but also tried to tell him as many details about plants growing there as he remembered to help the Icelander imagine it.

“You should visit Hong Kong once” He said after a minute of silence “It is pretty in its way”

“I wish I could” Emil whispered.

When they arrived Emil showed his friend how to climb on a tree he always sat on. He moved a bit closer to Leon who touched his thigh. They weren’t too high up, maybe two meters. Looking at the water moving calmly always made Emil feel so much better. It was the place he run to when he found out about his parents death. Lukas couldn’t find him for hours. he just cried here. Since then this was where he spent long days when he felt troubled. He felt a bit closer to his mum here.

He was feeling well, though. He felt like he should show Leon that old tree and lake, because who knows? Perhaps they could spend more time together sitting on it. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes.

Even being completely quiet he felt like he was telling Leon this whole story. His heart started beating faster when he got an idea.

“Leon?”

“Hm?”

He turned to face him, his legs now hung on both sides of the branch they were on.

“There’s a saying in Iceland.. ‘Rúsínan í pylsuendanum’. It translates as a raisin at the end of the hotdog.”

“Really? What does it even mean!” Leon almost cried. Emil wasn’t shocked, it didn’t really made sense for him either.

“A nice surprise or a highlight of an experience. Kinda like ‘the cherry on top’” Emil smiled when he saw Leon’s grimaced expression.

“Why would a raisin be something good on a hotdog? Icelandic food is disgusting!” He laughed. “But… does it mean I can say that meeting you was the raisin on my hotdog?”

Emil blushed and opened his mouth slightly shocked. It was nice to hear that. Leon looked at him and touched his cheek. They leaned closer until millimetres were between their noses and looked in each others eyes last time before closing them and connecting their lips.

Butterflies exploded in his stomach, it felt like magic was running through their bodies completely taking control over them. Emil wrapped his arms around Leon’s neck and deepened their kiss.

He wished it lasted forever, but they felt few raindrops falling on them. Leon looked up and giggled, Emil with him.

—

They got home after few hours completely wet. They didn’t mind it, because the warm feelings inside of them kept them from freezing. Still with smiles on their faces they started taking their clothes off and putting on Emil’s typical Icelandic sweaters.

Sharing few more kisses they laid in bed cuddling again wrapped in a duvet. They weren’t tired yet, so they started watching a movie on Leon’s phone. Every now and then they would laugh randomly and stare at each other so happy to be together.

“When are you going back to Hong Kong?” Emil asked after a while not sure if he actually wanted to know the answer.

As if Leon read his mind he just smiled and burred his nose in Emil’s hair. “Does it really matter?”.

₊˚⊹♡

Master I’m TIRED of writing all the time 🥀🥀 I hate this one, you can tell I was running out of time, it was supposed to be slower and longer but ok.. 😢 I also wasn’t sure about the ending. I had an idea where Leon would leave Emil to go to the airport while he was sleeping and write his phone number with a short note, but the number would be wrong and Emil would just sit there sad waiting for him 🥀 but I’m nice not like hro who drew d*vorced hongice💔💔 hro….

ALSO I WOULD HAVE STARTED WRITING YESTERDAY IF MY DISHWASHER DIDNT BREAK FLOODING MY WHOKE KITCHEN 😭🙏 I HAD TO SAVE MY FLOOR AND NEIGHBOURS FORGIVE ME GUYS IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOME FANFICS WRITER CURSE 🥀

@hongiceweek

#hetalia #aph hong kong #aph iceland #hongice #hongiceweek2025 #i’m tired #aph norway #aph denmark #aph nordics

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smallhiro-one · 3 months ago

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UHHH hey guys it’s really been a while😁 this is kinda an update post

As always, I’ve just been really busy lately, or haven’t found time to use tumblr or post as I used to do. I think I’m moving away from tumblr, basically. I’m more into Instagram now. on top of that, I’ve been trying to improve in art, I’ve been playing my favorite game, and obviously school is in the way of it all. So sorry I don’t post, like, at all. I’m not exactly in the phase I was a year ago. BUT this is not saying I’m leaving tumblr, just going to be in a constant hiatus. Maybe I’ll get back into it soon.

BUT ANYWAYS… here is some art from my other fandoms or ocs (WARNING:NOT big hero 6😔) because I’m just trying to improve (but I they are like, scattered all over the place like weeks or days apart but it’s the same idea…right now these are the only ones I have on me…that I feel proud of…)

different styles I guess??

Silly (wow a lot of these are incomplete😢)

AND THEN THIS WHY IS HE STARING AT ME LIKE THAT ITS SO BAD😭🙏(mistakes were made…)

anyways just felt like sharing (if you don’t recognize their just grian from mcyt Percy Jackson himself and yeah that’s kinda it others or ocs)

#traditional art #art #my art #percy jackson #grian #grian fanart #pjo fanart #percy jackson fanart #fanart #doodles

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dykeforhire · 24 days ago

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Any updates on when the meno fic is gonna be out? 🥺

Nothing exactly at the moment… but if I keep up with the rate I’ve been writing at these past few days, probably in the next coming week.

I’m sorry to keep you guys waiting so long, I’ve just been super busy lately and have been suffering from a little writers block… but SOON!!!

Just a little more patience and all your wishes will be granted🙏❤️

#dykeforhire anons

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thejohnlockedfemboy · 25 days ago

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Okeyyy

*pulls out my little script in alien writing*

It’s also COD. Basically because I’m a very big fan of both father figures, and doggos, and cod. I have this now.

(All bot ideas in green everything else/notes in white. Thought I’d try try that out if you like it)

Retirement au where Ghost had to retire for any matter of reason (prob an injury like the price bot) and he’s just taking his retirement like “okay. I’m done now. Now I sit. And do nothing” not in a lazy way just like he’s done with life now. But dogs need movement, and stimulation, and all that. So Riley isn’t doing 100%, but he doesn’t want to get rid of them. So he lets them do part time work at a school as a service dog since he’s already well trained and calm. He’s not sure which kids get Riley or what he does to help them all the time, but he knows he’s helping kids. And Riley still comes back to Ghost at night to sleep since obviously they couldn’t live without each other (fight me if otherwise)

So Riley’s been your service dog, to help you not faint (low iron I’m definitely not talking about myself that’d be wierdddd) just at school since that’s what they had available. You’re very nice to Riley and he liked you a lot too. Doesn’t seem too close to you or that protective but when your parents come to pick you up one day and Ghost was late to pick Riley up (since usually he pcicled him up before the end of the school day) the dog saw your pants being mean to you

Then Riley’s brain went back into military function, and attacked your parents (god I am so sorry if this is too gory you can change it if need be I’m just trying to think of something to get ghost to the school and feel bad cuz no parents swag) so then they had to call Ghost basically telling him what Riley did and so you have to stay at the after school thing while Ghost is talking with the principal and finding out how bad your parents are. And how much Riley loves you too

(Apologies for cringe)

I’m not usually like a total Ghost fan but I just liked this idea and he’s the dog guy so Y’know

You don’t have to do it since you have two other bots to do I think (last time I checked queue) so feel free to do it after those and change the story however

Thank you! Hugs, fake father figures, and alien care sending your way! You’re so coooool!

-👽 beep boop

:0 omg omg I love this idea!!!! Ghost 100% would be like “yes now I sit” after retirement. Protective Riley doggo my beloved 🥺👏 ( hello fellow low iron sufferer )

the green font for the ideas definitely helps :3 ty, keeps it so I can quickly identify my request queue. Queue isn’t too long rn so I should be able to finish the bot in maybe a week? ( 🥹 ) imma be rlly busy this week, have college stuff and going to the eye doctor and have a 200-question final exam 😭 but I WILL try my best 🙏

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mollymagician · 2 years ago

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Using the fact that ao3’s down as a reason not to be mad at myself for finishing chapter 2 of my street artist!Dream story tonight

But I’ll post a niblit of what I got as an offering to the gods of Please Bring Our Stories Back 🙏

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Matthew lifted his phone to snap a shot, Hob said, “Hey. Uh. Maybe don’t post this one.”

“What?” he squawked. “It’s free advertising, dude. Why not?” At Matthew’s perplexed look, Hob could only shrug.

He didn’t have to wait long for it to click “Oooohhh. I see.”

“Matt.”

“Aww.” Matthew followed him back around the front of the building and through the main entrance. For all he looked broad and soft-edged, once he latched his brain on something, he was relentless. It was like being pecked to death by ducks. Pecked to death by something, anyway. “Oh come on, man, it’s adorable.”

“Matthew, zip it.” Hob ducked past the bar, hoping he could make a quick exit into the kitchen. This wasn’t a conversation they could have out here, not if he wanted his dignity intact. Any moment now—

“Not that I’m not a fan of anyone telling Matt to zip it, but why are we telling Matt to zip it this time in particular?”

Hob sighed. Too late, he was doomed.

Dar’s russet head poked through the kitchen doors, followed by the rest of her, busily tying on an apron. They’d just opened for the day and only a few regulars had so far trickled in, at least, which meant there would be minimal witnesses to what he was about to endure.

“Our resident mysterious artist left him a token of affection on the wall in the alley and he wants to keep it all to himself.”

“Ooh!” Dar said brightly. “Tall Dark and Spooky strikes again!?” Matthew handed her his phone where the photo of the yellow and gold flames swirled in miniature. She gave a little whistle. “Oh my!”

Hob dragged a hand over his face. “It’s not a token of affection.”

“Wanna bet?” Matthew pulled out his wallet and waggled it. “Bet you ten bucks. Pounds. Whatever. Shit. What country am I in?”

“—and he’s not our mysterious artist,” Hob continued, undeterred.

“He’s decorating your pub and he likes my tea,” Dar said decisively. “That means he’s ours. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.”

“Actually I’m pretty sure most of the time you do.”

Hob wondered if noon really was too early to start drinking.

“I’m sure he’d be fine with the attention,” Matthew said, “considering that he’s dropping this stuff all over town.”

“No one knows anything about this guy, Matt,” Hob argued. But. You do, a little voice whispered in the back of his mind. You know how he likes his tea, you know his hands look cold, you know his eyes are the bluest thing you’ve ever seen— Hob shook it off and plucked the phone from Dar’s hand, closing the screen and poking it back into the front pocket of Matthew’s shirt. “You didn’t see the look he gave me last time he was here. Maybe he doesn’t actually want any kind of attention at all.”

“Well,” Dar said, flipping a dishtowel over one shoulder. “I can guess at least one type of attention he wants.” She looked past Hob and jutted her chin towards the door. Slowly, trying to be nonchalant and failing, Hob turned to glance behind him.

…you know his eyes are the bluest thing you’ve ever seen and he keeps looking at you with them…

Dream edged in through the door of the pub, cautiously. He moved, Hob thought, as though the space around him was packed with rickety shelves covered in teacups. Slow and precise. Or, as Matthew would say, like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. As soon as his eyes met Hob’s he glanced quickly away and busied himself with settling in at his usual table.

“WELP I should be—“

“Oh look, I’m just gonna head—“

Hob watched in resigned amusement as Matthew and Dar both suddenly discovered they had somewhere else to be and nearly ran into each other trying to get there. He sighed, and set about making a cup of tea.

#Dreamling #dreamling au #street artist Dream #dream x hob #hob gadling #dream of the endless #oh great Story Gods please bring back our stories

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aventurineswife · 4 months ago

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Sorry to hear about the hate you received in your school days 😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏

But damn, f it, gonna make this public (without using the actual legal names lol maybe just the initial) cuz i swear this was a wild ride

So a little context on me : i was bullied my entire time in middle school. And no my situation at home wasnt that much better.

A little context on the highschool too : for many years it was a vocational school before sort of expanding to have philology as well. My class was the third generation of philology.

As i said, it happened in my freshman year, it was some time in late october or early november. We were few in class, and we had math that day (obligatory for 9th and 10th grade. cant remember if i had 2 of em back to back that day), and so the teacher asked us if we minded if she brought a senior class (constructions, mostly guys) in to work on some math for their finals, and we didnt.I just minded my own business, reading from a book and eating a lollipop.

At some point i got up to throw the lollipop stick in the trash can at the back of the classroom (i was sitting that day somewhere in the middle) and thats when i hear one of the guys say loud "thats your wife!"I turn my head and one guy (not the one crushing on me, probably the one who shouted) was staring at me, and i was veeery confused. I just returned to my seat and after that, once the seniors left our classroom, my girl classmate told me one of the senior guys (B) is crushing on me. I looked at her like "girl, you pulling my leg or what?" because :

1. I am NOT conventionally attractive, i am at best average when it comes to my face. In rest, ya got an awkward trash panda, couch potato situation going on.

2. I wasnt going to believe for a second, even a small millisecond that it was real. I mean, it hadnt been long since i graduated middle school for crying outloud. That bullying put me more on the survival mode than ever

And so, for the following few months, once in a while I'd pass by those seniors (small high school ><) in the halls and they'd call out "B's wife" every time. Allegedly, the guy who was crushing on me was shy, thats why he wasnt around to talk with me or ask me out, so his friends decided to be the support gallery 😬😬😬😬

I didnt care that he had a car (as if that would woo me), that he was a soccer player, if he's a nice person, he was....i think id sound like a hypocrite if i say average looking, but wasnt a out of a teen's magazine with the face either. But he wasnt my type. And oh, smoker, which big no-no for me since im unfortunately a second hand smoker.

ONE OF HIS BUDDIES EVEN GAVE ME HIS NUMBER (allegedly). Course i didnt call it wtf.

All came to an end in May. Until 11th grade, we had a small shop within the high school from where we bought snacks, coffee, water. And that day we also had fruits, bananas and oranges. B happened to be there when i went over and he asked me for some change, i refused. And when he asked if i wanted a banana (at the time i wasnt big fan of em) i dunno why i slightly raised my voice when i refused. Maybe it was my defensiveness on high still, and he got upset. Maybe it was my tone too, dunno if he thought i thought of the mature connotation for the banana, but all i know is that after that it ended anyway.

Was i a little douchey? Maybe, but i cant blame myself much when i had to just....accept the bullying in middle school and be on high alert for the following years. Luckly i wasnt bullied in high school at all.Havent seen the guy since.

Probably moved after he graduated. But if i do, and he asks me what the hell was up with me at the time, ill just be honest on that.

-Smooch Anon 💋

Don't worry, I had those going since kindergarten because of looks and later because I was a teacher's child 😭 (never had actual friends growing up so I never knew what actual friendship was like without being taken advantage of lol)

Okay, anyways!

Wow, that's a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences, and I’m glad you felt comfortable sharing it. First off, you’re so valid for feeling the way you did during all of that. 😔 Being bullied in middle school really does a number on your self-esteem and how you approach situations, and it sounds like you were just in survival mode for a long time. Nobody should have to go through that, and it's perfectly understandable that you would be defensive and skeptical when someone showed interest in you, especially after all the crap you’d been through. 💖

It sounds like B was shy, and his friends kind of pushed him to act on the crush, but it also seems like he wasn’t super upfront or clear with you. I can understand why that would be super confusing, especially if you weren’t feeling the vibe and weren’t into the whole situation. And that banana incident? Honestly, it’s just a little awkward, and I don’t think it makes you a “douche” at all. You were protecting yourself, and that's totally understandable. 🫂 Sometimes, our past experiences make us react in ways we don’t even realize.

It also sounds like you’ve done a lot of growing since then. You’re aware of how your past shaped your reactions, and that’s a huge step. If you ever do run into him again and he asks about it, being honest about your past makes sense. People don’t always understand what others have gone through, so giving him the real story could lead to some clarity and maybe even a chance for closure.

You’re not obligated to explain yourself, but being real is always powerful, especially when it comes to situations like this. You’re not a "bad person" for your reactions—just someone who’s had to cope with some tough situations. If you ever find yourself questioning anything in the future, trust your instincts. You’ve got this! 🙌💖

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augmentedpolls · 9 months ago

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update to augmented polls

I added this to my pinned post but I thought I would make a separate post to tell people this so more people would see it. I know it’s not a poll but I thought it was important

i’m really sorry guys, my mental health hasn’t been slaying the most lately and it’s getting harder and harder to think of new ideas for polls so I’m reducing the number of posts per day to 2 😔 I’ve also been extremely busy doing like 5 major things at once

I’ll try to post more once my mental health is better and/or I’m not super busy and/or more people start submitting (don’t feel obligated to submit tho)

thanks for your patience and support everyone 🙏 dw this isn’t the end of augmented polls, we will be back to normal operating capacity soon!

#not a poll #meta #augmented polls

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angstyhangsty · 2 years ago

Text

Tags: Xiao, Angst, gn!traveller,they/them pronouns, blood

A/N: this ship won when I asked y’all so here is me delivering the angst we all deserve. *Ehem*

Guys pls don’t read this while eating 😭😭🙏

The traveller woke up to a vase falling to the ground. They quickly grabbed their sword, being ready to fight whoever dared to break into their home.

“Hello?” they called out searching for the mysterious person.

The noises seemed to come from the living room so they quietly made their way there. They slowly opened the door to see their boyfriend, Xiao.

“Oh my God what happened?!” They screamed seeing their boyfriend bleeding. They quickly dropped their sword and rushed to their boyfriend’s side.

It was common to see Xiao bleeding due to him being an Adeptus. However, every time he came home nearly bleeding to death they still seemed to panic.

“I’m fine” Xiao breathed out.

“Fine? How are you fine? You’re bleeding!” The traveller huffed.

The traveller started to take a look at the wounds as always. Making sure everything is cleaned throughout. Depending on how deep the wound is they sometimes give Xiao stitches. Luckily, they weren’t needed this time.

“You should be more careful, you know?” They said as they bandaged the wound.

“It’s my job and you know that” Xiao said annoyed.

“What? Your job isn’t getting hurt and almost dying every time you protect Liyue.” The traveller spat back.

Xiao just rolled his eyes at the traveller. He knew that the traveller cared but they still seemed to overreact. He was fine. He’ll always be.

The two went to bed, the traveller making sure that Xiao was comfy. So they both feel asleep until the next morning came. The traveller woke up to Xiao standing up.

“Where are you going? You aren’t supposed to stand up for atleast a day!” The traveller said.

“I need to see Zhongli today. Something about business.” Xiao explained.

The traveller just sighed.

This continued for weeks.

Xiao going out to work, the traveller waking up to him bleeding and being on the verge of death and Xiao leaving in the morning. Every time the traveller wanted to talk about it, Xiao avoided it or dropped it in generell.

The traveller got annoyed as they had to stay up late at night to take care of Xiao. However, they knew that aslong Xiao would come home, no matter how bad the wound is, he was still alive.

Weeks passed and every night the traveller was ready for Xiao to come home, clean his wounds, put him to bed and so on.

Until, Xiao didn’t come home. The traveller waited and waited, growing more worried as the minutes passed. ‘Maybe he has a lot of work’ they thought.

The next day, he didn’t come home either. And so the following day, and the day after that. Even the day after that he was still no where to be seen.

So finally, the traveller went out to look for him. They searched for hours with no luck. So, they went to the only person that’d have answers. He knew Xiao better than the traveller ever could. The two of them hold a deep connection no one understands.

“No, I don’t know where he is. I’m sorry. I thought you would’ve known. This is very unusual indeed.” Zhongli said.

“I don’t know what to do anymore..” the traveller cried out.

“I’ll help you search. He has to be somewhere near, no?” Zhongli offered.

So both Zhongli and the traveller went out to search for Xiao. Endless hours seemed to pass by without any luck.

“What’s that?” The traveller asked as he picked up a pice of fabric.

“It seems to be from Xiaos clothes. He has to be around somewhere!” Zhongli answered.

They both searched the area, calling out Xiaos name.

They stopped with calling his name pretty soon as they found a blood trail. The traveller went pale and even Zhongli had to take a deep breath.

The traveller followed the blood trail quickly, hoping nothing bad had happened to their boyfriend. The blood trail stopped and they looked up. They nearly threw up at the sight.

Xiaos spear was standing on the ground,…with Xiao on it. His left arm was ripped of, his legs seemed to miss some parts. The part of his stomach where the spear was had a big hole and his face…

The traveller didn’t even recognize him. His one eye was missing and his tongue was cut open.

The traveller rushed to their boyfriend’s side and fell to their knees.

“No, no this can’t be! Xiao, Xiao please, please don’t. No no! Please” the traveller plead while crying out.

“Why? Why you? No please!” The traveller cried even more, the tears never seemed to stop as they looked at their boyfriend.

Zhongli seemed to arrive at the scene now too. He was shocked to see the Adeptus dead. He went over to the traveller to comfort them, telling them how sorry he feels for them.

The traveller cried some more while Zhongli brought them back to their home. Zhongli hugged them one last time before returning back to his own home.

He opened the door and was met with awaiting eyes.

“They bought it.” was the only thing Zhongli said.

“Good, now I don’t have to worry about them anymore” was all Xiao said before going to his room.

That’s it 😃🙏 idk what more to write lol. Was the plot good or nah?

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ohsomightypeaches · 2 years ago

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I'm late 😩😩😩😩

Joel is sleeping - which is not something that could be said until a couple of months ago.

🥹 look at my feral cat man ✨️resting✨️

He goads her with a smirk. ‘To be honest, it looks like you threw up in the pan.’

💀💀💀 joel no

‘Calcium,’ she shoots back without even looking up, too busy shoving the rest of her breakfast into her mouth, stuffing her cheeks like a chipmunk.

Ellie no 💀💀💀💀

He shakes his head, slowly finishing his breakfast - like he wishes he did that day.

🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

To his chagrin, Ellie admits freely that she lied about the time so they wouldn’t be late. He’s a punctual guy, thank you very much. He certainly doesn’t need to be schooled by the little brat.

LOL 🥺 its cute tho shes excited

She eyes Lucy cautiously, lips pinched to one side. ‘Where’s Pin?’

🤣 i will now dub her feral kitten. She doesnt gaf and i love that 😌

‘Don’t be, I was exactly like her when I was younger. Still am sometimes,’ she jokes. Then with a sly side eye, she remarks, ‘And honestly, you look more disappointed that I showed up than she does.’

LOL!!!

Joel hesitates for just a second, and Lucy bursts into laughter, elbowing him teasingly. ‘The way your face fell! I’m joking, Miller. Relax.’

LOL if you keep this up he might never come back

She shrugs. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’

Lucy LOL

‘She lives in the yellow cottage on the same street as the shoe shop. Keep going north, you can’t miss it,’ she says with a two-finger salute and a parting line that he’s heard before. ‘Say hi to Pin for me!’

Good looking out Lucy. I love how everyone knows.

He waves away your apology. ‘Count yourself lucky. She was just ‘bout bouncin’ off the walls.’

Aw my excited feral kitten 🥹

LOL I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE

He huffs, squinting up at you through the sun. ‘You’re hard to please, sweetheart.’

😌 good for her lol

He clearly mistakes your gawking for something else, flashing you an apologetic smile at his state. ‘Sorry, I work up a sweat real easy.’

👀 mmhmmmmm

Suddenly, you’re parched. But you don’t trust yourself to stay upright, let alone pour yourself a drink.

He wears the early summer tan so well, and for the first time since the outbreak, you think about the swim club in your old neighbourhood. Watching the water drip off his skin, it’s not a stretch to imagine this man pulling himself out of the pool after a quick dip to cool down, before stretching out on a sunlounger to dry in the sun - all in slow motion, set to the track of a corny sax riff.

What a description 👏👏👏👏👏👏

‘You basically got Ellie outta my hair every Saturday for the next few months, so I’ll have plenty of time to kill,’ he half-jokes.

OH I CAN HELP YOU KILL SOME TIME

Finally shedding that last bit of shyness holding you back, you retort with no real bite, ‘You’re such a tease, Miller.’

He knows what hes doing

‘You can shower here,’ you interrupt, stumbling over your words in your haste. ‘I have a spare shirt somewhere.’

👀 atta girl - okay but like since its during apocalypse SHOULD WE NOT CONSERVE WATER AND SHOWER PERHAPS ✨️TOGETHER✨️ dont mind me im parched too.

‘Never.’

👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

He lets the word wash over him, appeasing the beast in him for now. With a slow nod, he takes three measured steps towards you, stopping just an arm’s length away. Gently coaxing you to let go of the purple tshirt, he snorts at the huge Lakers logo blazoned across the front.

lol not the lakers shirt making an appearance

Backed into a corner - and you’re not proud of it - you lie. Outrageously. ‘I don’t know how it got in there.'

SURE 😏 we believe you

Joel looks taken aback. ‘My belly?’

Lol i see that caught him off guard

You grin. ‘Yes, and your confidence. You walk differently now, you know.’

WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE THE TUMMY IN THIS HOUSE 🙏🙌🔥

His eyes dip downwards and slowly, over the curve of your breasts and the arch of your back. With an encouraging smile, he argues, ‘I’m not sure about that. Looks like your body’s reactin’ perfectly to me.’

🔥🔥 JOEL

His roguish grin has you squirming and fisting the sheets underneath you. ‘I dunno. Somethin’ tells me you like it.’

YES oop was that too enthusiastic? Let me try that again ✨️✨️YES✨️✨️

One day.

Oooooof the power of these two words.

He drapes a heavy arm over you and pulls back you flush into him. ‘Well, these jeans are fuckin’ ruined. I want a refund.’

💀💀

‘I’m afraid we don’t accept cum-stained returns. Store policy.’

💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

This being Joel Miller in a purple tshirt with a tacky logo she doesn’t recognise printed on the front and khaki cargo shorts that cut off at the knees, holding a basket of vegetables that she’s pretty sure he doesn’t eat.

LOL!!!!! She even gave him veggies

Jogging to keep up, she cackles, ‘Hey, did you fall into a wormhole and went shopping at a farmer’s market in 1999?’

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

Across the street, unbeknownst to the pair, Tommy smiles to himself as he watches his big brother laugh, really laugh - the kind that has him doubling over and gasping for air through watery eyes. For the first time since the world ended, he looks up at the sky with a reassuring nod, and he knows deep down - Joel will be just fine.

🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

I love this AU where Joel is actually living

IV ║ Notch

Joel Miller x F!Reader

{ Part III: Edgestitch | Behind the Seams: Part IV | Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist }

Rating: E, but not that explicit

Summary: While Ellie works her first shift at the Outfitters, Joel drops by yours to return the blouse you left behind at the baby shower. Turns out, there's plenty around the house to keep him occupied until the teenager clocks off.

Warnings: Sexual tension, body insecurity, some language, inaccurate descriptions of gardening, gratuitous descriptions of the male body, undervest supremacy, flirting, dry humping, shy!reader, reader has a nickname related to her job, soft!domestic!Joel, no use of Y/N

Word count: 8.9k

Notes: Once I started writing this chapter in earnest, it came together a bit more quickly than I expected! It's extremely self-indulgent, with plenty of white undervest and belly action because you guys deserve all of that goodness for being the most patient, loving readers a writer could hope for 🥹 Thank you, I love you all! ❤️

Notch – diamond shaped marks that stick out beyond the edge of the pattern to line up all the pieces when sewing the garment. They come in pairs to be matched up.

Joel is sleeping - which is not something that could be said until a couple of months ago.

After the outbreak, sleep as a concept ceased to exist. What took its place is literal ‘shuteye’, either engineered by pills knocked back with moonshine, or a preventative shutdown by his body to avoid total failure, having pushed his physical form to the living limit.

It’s the kind of sleep that is destitute and provides no relief. It keeps the cogs turning just enough that he doesn’t expire, standing in his boots - which, on most days, are not the only things held together by duct tape.

But after the hospital, even that turned out to be too much to ask for. Some nights, the itch for chemical-induced relief got so bad that Joel entertained the thought of asking Tommy for illicit pills, ready to crawl on all fours to his brother’s house two streets down because he was shaking so hard he couldn’t lock his knees. But he didn’t trust him not to tell Maria, and with Ellie in the picture, he wasn’t about to tempt fate.

So instead, he asked Maria to assign him to night patrols. She hmmm’d at his request like she knew something he didn’t, but she humoured him, letting him take the graveyard shift for a couple of weeks straight. She didn’t have to tell him that she could see the way he tripped over his own feet and hear the slur in his voice. She’s too sharp not to notice.

But she didn’t say anything.

What she did do though, was not so subtly wean him off the late-night patrols. It started with a couple of random, last-minute changes, and then the next thing he knew, he was working morning shifts exclusively. When he tried covertly swapping stints with another guy, he showed up at the guard tower at midnight to find his sister-in-law standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her pregnant belly.

As he trudged home begrudgingly with his head down and her stern reprimand in his ears, he couldn’t help a chuckle. Gotta hand it to her.

Banished back to his bed, Joel went back to staring owlishly at the ceiling, watching the moonlight slide across the plaster until he knew all the cracks in it with his eyes closed (metaphorically). He’d listen to Ellie snoring away two doors down and marvel at the fact that she somehow still slept like the dead, even after… all that.

And then, one night, it happened for him too.

Admittedly, he ate a bit too much at Tommy and Maria’s - on top of running the town like a well-oiled machine, she makes a mean chicken fried steak - and Ellie had not so subtly plonked a second helping on his plate without asking. He was lying in bed, steeling himself for another long night, when his eyes drooped. The motion was so alien that it jolted him wide awake, but he couldn’t shake the weight that clung to the seams of his lashes. The next time he opened his eyes, it was morning.

Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks.

It’s nowhere near consistent, and more often than not he wakes up in a cold sweat in the small hours, but in between, he’s sleeping. For once, he’s feeling rested. And it’s a nice fucking break from the relentless exhaustion that he’s convinced is fused into his bones.

He always wakes up earlier than Ellie though. She never stomps down the stairs until he’s already had breakfast, and hers has gone cold.

So on the Saturday morning following the baby shower, with his face plastered into the mattress, body curled around a pillow - old habits die hard - Joel nearly falls out of bed at the banging on his door.

‘Joel! Get the fuck up!’

For one disconcerting moment between sleep and wake, he’s in his bedroom back in Texas. He half expects to look up to see the posters on the wall and the perpetually overflowing laundry basket at the foot of his bed.

Blinking through the urge to close his eyes, the colours fade and he stares blearily at the digital clock on his bedside table.

7:30.

What the fuck? More often than not he has to drag the teenager out of bed by the ankles, kicking and swearing, at 7:50 to get to school at 8:00.

His knees groan as he staggers onto his feet, grabbing yesterday’s jeans from the floor and pulling them on. He finds a passably clean shirt about five deep on a chair, which he shrugs on over his white undervest. With a grunt, he yanks open the door and heads downstairs on bare feet, frowning at unfamiliar sounds coming from the kitchen.

Joel pauses in the doorway, hands on hips. ‘What do you think you’re doin’?’

Deeming his question unworthy of a response, Ellie tosses him a roll of her eyes over her shoulder and resolutely ignores him.

Shuffling closer, he asks, ‘Are you - cookin’?’

Brandishing the spatula at him, she snarls, ‘What does it look like I’m doing?’

He goads her with a smirk. ‘To be honest, it looks like you threw up in the pan.’

Ellie elbows him hard in the stomach. ‘Fuck you, man!’

He grins. There’s nothing like winding her up first thing in the morning. Grabbing the pan, he bins the ruined eggs, scraping off the burnt bits stuck to the bottom. ‘Crack some more eggs, I’ll make ‘em.’

Ten minutes later, in their usual seats at the kitchen table, they tuck into scrambled eggs and buttered toast.

‘Slow down,’ warns Joel as Ellie wolfs down hers. ‘You’re gonna choke.’

‘You hurry up! Can’t be late for my first day,’ she garbles through a mouthful of food.

‘Why can’t you be like this about school?’ he grumbles, then he winces as his teeth catch something crunchy. Picking it out, he gives her a pointed look. ‘Eggshell.’

‘Calcium,’ she shoots back without even looking up, too busy shoving the rest of her breakfast into her mouth, stuffing her cheeks like a chipmunk.

That one word stops Joel in his tracks and hurls him twenty years back in time.

But then Ellie is jumping up and practically throwing her empty plate into the sink, sneakers squeaking on the tiled floor as she dashes out of the kitchen. ‘C’mon, old man!’

Joel smiles, the memory warm like sun on his face.

He shakes his head, slowly finishing his breakfast - like he wishes he did that day.

They turn out to be fifteen minutes early.

To his chagrin, Ellie admits freely that she lied about the time so they wouldn’t be late. He’s a punctual guy, thank you very much. He certainly doesn’t need to be schooled by the little brat.

Joel sits on the stairs, while Ellie has her face squished up against the door, unabashedly leaving smudges on the glass panels as she keeps up an uninterrupted running commentary on every last piece of clothing she can see.

He tunes her out easily, shifting in his seat so that his right ear is to the door. In his hands is the blouse that you left behind at Tommy and Maria’s at the baby shower. He’s been meaning to return it to you, but the week got away from him, and there’s no time like the present.

Considering the state of his knees, he impresses himself with the speed at which he stands at the sound of footsteps on the otherwise quiet main street. Squaring his shoulders, he discreetly pulls on his shirt, suddenly seeing wrinkles everywhere in the fabric, and runs his fingers through his hair, wishing he’d taken another look in the mirror before he left the house -

But it’s Lucy who appears at the bottom of the stairs with her unfailingly sunny smile.

‘Hi, you must be Ellie,’ she chirps.

She eyes Lucy cautiously, lips pinched to one side. ‘Where’s Pin?’

Joel growls. ‘Manners.’

Ellie puts her hands up in surrender. ‘Sorry. I meant - nice to meet you, where’s Pin?’

Lucy beams good-naturedly and fiddles with the lock. ‘She’s off today, and it’s all my fault because I made her work three weekends in a row. You’ll be helping me in the front anyway, so I’ll show you the ropes.’ Stepping aside and swinging the door open, she prompts, ‘In you go now, hon.’

Ellie doesn’t even look back at him, rushing into the shop like a thoroughbred fresh out of the starting gates.

Pocketing the keys, Lucy smiles. ‘Hi Joel.’

‘Hey,’ he nods back. ‘Sorry about Ellie.’

He splutters, ‘Dunno what you’re talkin’ about.’

She smirks knowingly, gesturing at the blouse clutched tightly in his left fist. ‘I can pass that to Pin for ya.’

Joel hesitates for just a second, and Lucy bursts into laughter, elbowing him teasingly. ‘The way your face fell! I’m joking, Miller. Relax.’

He shakes his head. ‘It’s fine, guess I’ll give it to her next time she’s ‘round.’

Just then, from the depths of the shop, Ellie gasps dramatically and yells at the top of her lungs, ‘I want thissssssss one!’

Meeting Lucy’s eyes, Joel asks, ‘Sure you gonna be ok left alone with her?’

She shrugs. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’

He flashes her a thumbs up. ‘I’ll pick her up at three then.’

He’s about to walk away from the Outfitters when Lucy’s voice stops him. ‘Hey, Joel!’

Looking up at the wraparound porch, he raises an eyebrow in a silent question.

You’ve always had a soft spot for the turn of the season, when late spring blooms graciously give way to summer buds. The grass smells greener, and the air is pregnant with pollen and nectar. It’s not overly warm yet, but you can feel the intensity in the sunlight, muted only by the early hour. Good thing you’re starting early.

It’s unseasonably warm for June, and the vegetable patch on the far end of your garden has suddenly burst into life. The cauliflower has finally come through after two failed crops in a row, and both the tomato vines and pepper plants are thriving. Closer to the ground, the onion and garlic shoots are patiently waiting to be pulled, and asparagus shoots spear through the earth in tidy lines one after another.

Pulling on a hat and gloves, you get to work.

You’re halfway through the second row of onions when there’s a faint knock on the front door. Even though you’ve only been in the sun for a little while, the coolness inside the house feels like a balm to your skin as you pad inside, peeling off your gloves before reaching for the door.

Swinging it open, you’re stumped by the sight of Joel Miller on your doorstep.

You haven’t seen him since the party, where you’d agreed on a start date and time for Ellie’s first shift, and -

Since the kiss.

You’ve felt his absence keenly. You’ve caught yourself loitering on street corners, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, knowing you’ll be able to spot him just by the way his shoulders swing with his long strides. You’ve kept an ear out for the southern lilt that has chased goosebumps across your skin, or any mention of his name, but all in vain.

Jackson has a habit of growing in size, usually in direct proportion to one’s desperation.

Now that he’s somehow here, you’re aware you’re gaping at him, so broad that his shoulders are blocking out the daylight. Too many years out of practice to count, you have no idea what the protocol is when you next see the man who literally made your knees buckle with just his lips and nothing else.

‘Mornin’, he finally says with a small smile.

You stammer. ‘H-hello. What, um, I mean, how -’

‘I dropped off Ellie at the shop and Lucy told me where you live,’ he explains, shaking out the blouse in his hands. ‘Thought I’d come ‘round and return this.’

Your palm twitches with the urge to smack yourself on the forehead. Of course that’s why he’s here.

Taking the top from him, you smile back gratefully. ‘Thank you. And of course, it’s Ellie’s first day. I’m sorry I can’t be there, but I’ve been subbing for Lucy on the weekends for a month straight and I needed a break.’

He waves away your apology. ‘Count yourself lucky. She was just ‘bout bouncin’ off the walls.’

‘Bless her heart,’ you chuckle, breaking off when his eyes flicker over you, as if he’s just registered your very minimalist ensemble of a white cotton tank top and denim cut-offs. Your skin prickles under his scrutiny, flattery winning out against self-consciousness at the deliberate drag of his gaze over you, a thoughtful weight behind it.

That is until something catches his attention, and you flinch when he peers under the brim of your hat. ‘What -’

Before you can even articulate your question, he’s taken one step towards you, his work boots heavy on your creaky wooden porch. His voice is low but rough around the edges, just the way you like it.

‘You got some dirt -’ he swipes his index finger firmly on the end of your nose. ‘Right here.’

Your jaw hangs open, then clamps shut, in quick succession, the shell of your ears burning hot at his fleeting touch. Throat suddenly dry, you barely manage to squeak, ‘Thanks.’

One day, you will at least try and keep your cool around this man. But alas, it is not this day.

Rearranging himself, Joel leans on the doorframe with his arms crossed and remarks conversationally, ‘You look outdoorsy this mornin’.’

Flashing the soil-stained gloves at him, you try to keep your voice steady. ‘I’m just doing some gardening out back. The vegetable patch needs harvesting.’

He purses his lips at that. ‘Didn’t peg you as the gardenin’ type.’

You don’t know where the bravado comes from, but you swat him on the arm with the gloves and quip, ‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me.’

‘You got me there,’ he huffs a laugh and gestures towards the back of the house. ‘Anythin’ I can do to help?’

The refusal is on the tip of your tongue. You don’t say yes to a whole lot nowadays, other than when Lucy makes you. But then you hear yourself ask, a challenge in your voice that you didn’t know you had. ‘I don’t know. Are you any good with your hands, Joel Miller?’

At the boldness in your words, which you don’t take back, Joel’s eyebrows reach for his hairline. Biting your lip but standing your ground, you watch him grind his jaw as he considers his response.

‘Why don’t you try me, sweetheart?’

‘Like this?’

‘Wait - slow down.’

A shuffle of hands. ‘How about now?’

‘That’s it. Yes, that’s good. Keep going.’

A raspy grunt. ‘I think I’m almost there.’

‘Yeah, that’s right, don’t stop -’

‘Alright, you ready?’

‘Come on, Joel -’

With one last flick, the knife slices clean through the base of the stalk, and Joel plucks the cauliflower head out of its leafy cradle with a triumphant grin.

‘How’s that for good hands, huh?’ he crows.

‘I’ll get back to you in the fall when we see if the cauliflower grows back,’ you tease.

He huffs, squinting up at you through the sun. ‘You’re hard to please, sweetheart.’

You preen at the playful turn of the conversation. If you were a little braver, you’d give him a mischievous wink - but for now, you gesture at the patch. ‘Can you handle the rest? I’ll get started on the peppers.’

He nods. ‘Leave ‘em with me.’

The pepper plants are having a great season, standing at four feet tall and heaving with fruits. You’ve left them alone on the vine for the last three weeks to sweeten, and they have dutifully ripened into a beautiful red. Settling onto your knees, you methodologically comb through the peppers from top to bottom, cutting off each one by the stalks.

It’s a big harvest, half of which you plan on giving away to your neighbours in exchange for their berries and lemons. Some you will cook. Lucy is due to come over for dinner, and she loves your stuffed pepper recipe. The rest you’ll have to find time to roast, skin, deseed and preserve in oil, which will last the rest of the year -

A shadow falls over you, stilling your hands and drawing your eyes upwards.

The sight is familiar - feet planted shoulder-wide by your knees, chin tucked in as he stares down at you, your nose level with the front of the jeans that you picked out for him - you’ve seen it all before, except for one small detail.

Joel is sweating. A lot.

His thin plaid shirt - you’re not sure if you’ve seen him in anything else yet - is sticking to him like a second skin, clinging to the solid outline of his biceps as he holds onto the basket full of cauliflower heads. The sunlight glances off the perspiration dotting his hairline, and the wispy grays that normally curl away from his face have wilted in the humidity.

There’s a flush under his skin as he swipes at his forehead with his shirt sleeve, and your gaze follows a bead of sweat dripping down the prominent vein on the side of his neck, and into the deep V of his shirt - wait, is that the outline of an undervest that you can just make out underneath -

‘Should I take the cauliflower in?’

‘Um -’ you stammer to a halt, eyes still plastered to the front of his chest, just like his shirt.

He clearly mistakes your gawking for something else, flashing you an apologetic smile at his state. ‘Sorry, I work up a sweat real easy.’

Oh, come on. Now all you’re thinking about is how else he works up a sweat -

Seized by the sudden need to get out of the heat in more than one sense of the word, you rip the basket from his grasp and turn on your heels to sprint into the house with a choked, ‘I’ll be right back!’

You nearly trip over your own feet running into the kitchen, your heart thumping so loudly in its ribcage it feels like the whole house is shaking to the beat.

And all that man has done is sweat in front of you.

‘Pull yourself together, Pin,’ you mutter to yourself as you tip the cauliflower heads onto the kitchen table. Grabbing a jug from the cupboard, you put it in the sink and turn on the faucet. Watching the trickle of water, you make yourself take three deep breaths.

Joel’s kind enough to do you a favour, you could at least have the courtesy to not perv on him while he helps you out.

Nodding determinedly to yourself, you pluck two glasses from the drying rack, putting them inside the empty basket that you hook on your elbow, and march back outside -

Only to almost swallow your tongue and drop the full jug of water right at your feet.

Joel’s sweat-soaked shirt is now hanging on your washing line like a white flag, having surrendered to the heat. And just like that, the very image that has been inconveniently seared into the back of your eyes since the party is suddenly before you in all its glory, in the morning sun, out in the open air.

The white undervest stretches over the breadth of him, and if he didn’t look so good in it, you would’ve laughed at the comical way the flimsy straps are clinging onto his shoulders for dear life. Then he bends over to inspect the tomato vines, the bottom of his vest riding up with the movement, teasing a flash of skin above the waistline of the jeans pulled tight over his behind. One big hand reaches out, the outline of his arm flexing as he does, and he palms the bottom of one tomato, testing if it’s ripe for the picking.

Except in your head, it’s something else he’s cupping with such rapturous attention.

He doesn’t notice you until he stands up with a low grunt of effort. Pointing an apologetic finger at his shirt, he says, ‘I hope you don’t mind, I’m sweatin’ right through it like nobody’s business.’

You make a noise in your throat that you pass off as an answer, and with shaky hands, pour him a full glass of water which you shove in his direction.

‘Appreciate it, sweetheart.’ He salutes you and takes a long drag, tipping his head back. You watch, transfixed, as the sunlight bounces off the lines of sweat criss-crossing down the strong column of his neck, and the hard bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallows.

Suddenly, you’re parched. But you don’t trust yourself to stay upright, let alone pour yourself a drink.

‘It’s hot today,’ Joel breaks the loaded silence, though it’s possible that it’s unilaterally so on your side.

‘Uh-huh,’ you croak, still holding onto the water jug like a shield.

He peers at you with a touch of mischief. ‘You ain’t gonna swoon or anythin’ are you?’

Probably. And definitely not for the reason he has in mind.

You attempt a weak smile that may have come off as a grimace. ‘I’ll try not to.’

Reassured, he nods towards the garlic patch. ‘C’mon. Let’s get our hands dirty, sweetheart.’

By the time the vegetable patch has been thoroughly picked and the baskets crammed full, the sun is high in the sky, the morning clouds burned off with the heat.

Joel isn’t the only one who’s sweating through his clothes - your light cotton top is now clinging uncomfortably to your skin, sweat dripping down your sternum and dampening the cups of your bra. You heave a sigh of relief when he helps you move the haul to a shaded corner near the porch where you have an outdoor sink and wheel hose installed.

Emptying the root vegetables into the sink, Joel steps back and casts a critical eye over the rain gutters that line the eaves of your house. Fingers spread over one jutting hip, he leans his weight on his right leg, the stance creating all kinds of angles that are completely unnecessary in this kind of heat.

He points at the leaves and branches that are clearly sticking out from the channels, but you’re only really interested in studying his large hands. The bumps and veins on the back of them, the watch with the broken face on his left wrist, the dirt coating his thick fingers, pushed under tidily trimmed nails. The logical thought that follows is how he would leave dark streaks on your white top when he pulls you in by the waist -

‘Looks like the gutters need cleanin’,’ Joel declares.

Well, the gutter your head is currently dunked in can certainly do with a good scrub.

‘Rainy season doesn’t start for another few months, they can wait.’

He uh-uh's sternly. ‘I’ve heard that before. Do you have a ladder?’

‘You really don’t have to -’ you protest, but he won’t hear it.

‘It’s no big deal, I’m sweaty anyway,’ he replies. ‘Besides, you’ll be doing me a favour keepin’ me occupied. I don’t pick Ellie up till three.’

You bite your lip. ‘But I feel bad working you so hard.’

Without skipping a beat, he winks. ‘Don’t worry your pretty head, sweetheart - I like workin’ for it.’

Jesus Christ. This man needs to be locked up and the key thrown to a colony of clickers.

The inner contractor in Joel comes out to play as he climbs deftly up the extension ladder propped up against the eaves, gloves on and a tarp bag tied to the top rung for collecting the debris. Discreetly, you shuffle around the freestanding sink so that you have a clear view of him as you turn on the water and start washing the dirt off the onions.

He’s starting close by, just a couple of feet away from you, patiently scooping out the dead leaves and twigs by the handful. Up on the ladder with his side to you, you’re eye level with the swell of his belly, which stretches the seams of the vest, and the underside of it peeks out every time he reaches up for the gutters. Your cheeks warm with the memory of how the soft folds felt against you, so warm and solid that you ache to reach out, push the flimsy vest up and nuzzle the tender skin with your nose -

It takes you a couple of minutes to realise that you’re not even pretending to be washing the onions anymore, the hose running in your idle grasp as you stare, head cocked to one side.

You don’t hear him when he turns to you. ‘Can pass me the hose?’

You stare dumbly back at him. ‘Huh?’

‘The hose, Pin,’ he repeats, a playful condescension in his smirk, like he knows exactly what you’ve been looking at. ‘That onion looks sparkly clean.’

You’re not sure what happened. One second you’re holding onto the hose with the intention of turning off the water before passing it to Joel, but your brain skips that crucial first step, and the next thing you know, you’re pointing it straight at him, spraying him in water from face to chest.

As he splutters, you shove the hose into the sink and screech, mortified. ‘Oh my god! I’m so sorry!’

You watch in horror as the water trickles from his hair, down his stubbled chin and onto his chest - okay, that’s a lie. It’s definitely not horror that’s twisting in your tummy and then much, much lower between your thighs.

And if you thought this man looked good sweaty, well - you’ve seen nothing yet.

He might as well put you out of your misery and take off his undervest right about now. It’s completely see-through, pebbled nipples and the firm ridges of his pecs showing through the wet fabric, rounded out by the endearing soft pouch of his belly.

‘I’m sorry,’ you say on reflex, but the apology rings hollow with the way your gaze lingers over his chest, and he notices.

He chuckles, carding one hand through his wet hair to slick it back, standing taller under your eyes. ‘As I said - never a dull moment with you, sweetheart.’

Joel takes his time, clearing out all the blockages and hosing the gutters clean so that you don’t have to worry about them for another six months. He dumps the leaves and sticks in the compost post, rinses the soiled gloves and his hands clean, before taking his shirt off the washing line and heading into the blessed shade.

He finds you in the kitchen, back to the door, putting away clean plates and cutlery from the drying rack, porcelain knocking together and metal clanging.

This is the most he’s seen of you, in a tank top and shorts, bathed in light spilling in from the large windows that open out into the backyard. He sees touches of your workshop right here in the kitchen - dried herbs and seasoning in mismatched but tidy boxes on the shelves, knives organised by size on a magnetic knife block, plates and bowls arranged in neat stacks behind glass cabinets.

Not wanting to alarm you, he deliberately scrapes his shoe on the tiled floor to make his presence known.

Whipping around - and just a touch startled - you smile with a quiet hey, and Joel’s not sure if he’ll ever get over how the sweet shyness still clings to the curve of your lips despite the fact that he’s kissed you right there.

He stays by the door for now and says, ‘I put the ladder back, and the gutters are all done, but I spotted some shingles missing on the roof while I was up there. I’ll come back to fix ‘em some other time.’

‘Thank you so much Joel, but really, don’t worry about the roof. You’ve done enough.’

‘You basically got Ellie outta my hair every Saturday for the next few months, so I’ll have plenty of time to kill,’ he half-jokes.

A comfortable lull sets in, and he looks up at the ticking clock, surprised that it’s almost noon. Shifting his feet, he opens his mouth and is about to excuse himself when you blurt out, ‘I’m sorry I soaked you.’

The jury's out on who's more taken aback by your phrasing. Exasperated, you groan, ‘I did not mean to say that.’

Joel’s kept a respectful distance since he arrived at the house, the pliant weight of you in his arms and your taste on his tongue kept firmly at bay in the back of his mind, not wanting to bring up anything that would make you uncomfortable in the light of day. But now, he pushes himself off the threshold of the door and crosses the cosy kitchen, pleased that you stay put when he plants himself in front of you, toe to toe.

Brushing a finger under your chin so that you’re staring up at him, he deliberately pitches his voice low and gruff, the double entendre almost crude in its delivery. ‘Just so we’re clear, you can soak me any time, sweetheart, in any way you want.’

Your lips part and your gaze darkens, and he feels his body instinctively react, invisible threads reeling him bodily into you. When you speak, your voice quivers, his name at once a single-worded reprimand and a needy whine that takes him right back to his brother’s spare bedroom. ‘Joel -’

‘Yes, Pin?’ he baits you playfully, just like he did that night, taking one last step so that you’re crowded against the countertop, bookending you with his palms planted on the wooden surface.

Finally shedding that last bit of shyness holding you back, you retort with no real bite, ‘You’re such a tease, Miller.’

‘Don’t pretend you don’t enjoy it,’ he quips easily, his attention on your mouth. He hears your shaky intake of air, the whole moment suspended on tenterhooks as you skirt each other on the brink -

Just then, a breeze drifts in from the open window above the sink, providing instant relief from the humidity that hangs heavy in the air. All of a sudden, he’s acutely aware of the fact that he’s sweaty all over, so much so that he might actually smell.

Self-conscious, he clears his throat and murmurs ‘I should probably go, I need a shower and a change of clothes -’

‘You can shower here,’ you interrupt, stumbling over your words in your haste. ‘I have a spare shirt somewhere.’

You don’t need to ask him twice.

He smiles. ‘Sounds good, sweetheart.’

Your ensuite bathroom, like what he has seen of your house, is clean and organised. There’s a neat stockpile of soap bars in the cupboard, and he spots the familiar bottles of regulation shampoo and toothpaste that the town mass produces.

The water is plenty hot as he efficiently lathers himself top to bottom and front to back, but the pressure is a bit weak for his liking and can be easily fixed. Something else to add to the list.

The towel you left on the rack is soft and smells like the sun. Patting himself dry and rubbing it through his hair, he wipes away the condensation off the mirror above the sink. He peers at his reflection, ruminating that it’s time for a shave, and pushes back his wet hair so the strands don’t get in his eyes.

Out of his clothes, only his jeans are passably dry, so he forgoes his boxers and pulls them on, carefully doing up the zipper. Using his shirt as a sling, he bundles up all the dirty clothes and opens the bathroom door.

He catches you coming into the bedroom as he steps out, and your jaw drops at the sight of him in just his jeans before you slap your palms dramatically over your eyes, the tshirt you’re holding onto covering your whole face and muffling your voice. ‘I’m so sorry! I should’ve knocked!’

Joel chuckles at your reaction. ‘Sweetheart, it's your house. And I’m not exactly naked.’

Lowering your hands sheepishly, you still clutch the tshirt to your chest like a security blanket, admitting, ‘Sorry, I just - I just realised I’ve never had a man in here before.’

Something wraps itself around his stomach and pulls, and it takes him a beat to put a name to it because it’s been so long. It’s possessiveness that rushes through his veins and goes straight to his head, and he has to bite the inside of his mouth to keep his voice from wavering. He demands, ‘Never?’

‘Never.’

He quips, ‘I’m more of a Longhorns fan myself, actually.’

The tension cracks, and you grin back, ‘Well, not anymore.’

After your confession, it’s probably redundant, but he wants to hear you say it. Flashing the tshirt at you, he asks, ‘Old boyfriend’s?’

It’s the most personal question that’s been exchanged between you so far by a mile, and it’s probably none of his business, but you can’t explain why your pulse spikes at the way his normally warm gaze hardens with something unfamiliar.

‘No,’ you answer. ‘I keep some of the stock here when there’s not enough room at the shop, that’s all.’

Joel rasps, ‘Good.’

With that one syllable, his shoulders visibly relax, suddenly drawing your attention to his topless form, which you’ve been too mortified to actually look at. It’s a lot to take in, and even though you’ve seen most of him already, there is one conspicuous part that you haven’t yet -

But before your eyes can trail that low, Joel turns. ‘Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ll just -’

You’re slow to catch onto why he trails off in the middle of the sentence, still far too distracted by his general state of undress to notice until he’s already made his way to the top of your neatly made bed. And then you see it…

The flannel peeking out from underneath the duvet.

Oh. Fuck.

With an almost flippant flick of his wrist, Joel peels back the corner of the bedspread. Wordlessly, he stares down at the red plaid shirt he lent you at the baby shower, tucked snugly in your bed, buried half under your pillow.

He stares at it for so long that you interrupt the silence for once.

‘I’ve been meaning to return it,’ you squeak, hands flailing awkwardly, desperately wanting something to hold onto. ‘I just - forgot.’

Joel half-turns to you, arching an eyebrow. ‘You’ve been keepin’ it in your bed?’

Backed into a corner - and you’re not proud of it - you lie. Outrageously. ‘I don’t know how it got in there.'

He picks up the shirt by the collar. It’s wrinkled all over and obviously worn in. He smirks, ‘I’m not so sure about that.’

You’re this close to swivelling around and making a break for it, but as soon as your axis of balance tilts backwards, Joel grabs you by the wrist and pulls you in, hauling you firmly into his bare chest.

‘You’ve been wearin’ it to sleep, haven’t you?’ he asks in a tone that brooks no argument.

Your fingers curl into his chest, his skin blazing warm under your palms. There’s no point fibbing anymore, and you admit, ‘Yes.’

His voice is hoarse when he asks, ‘You wear anythin’ underneath it, sweetheart?’

You hold your breath for one long moment, the tension in the room swelling so quickly that your ears pop. Eventually, under his patient yet heated stare, you shake your head, lips sealed.

His pupils dilate and his nostrils flare, and you feel his grip on your hips tighten.

‘No bra?’ he prompts.

‘No bra,’ you parrot back.

His jaw clenches so tightly that you’re surprised he manages to articulate his next question. ‘No panties?’

‘No panties -’

You barely get the word out before Joel is kissing you, pushing the syllables right back into your mouth until you swallow them with a whimper.

And then he’s pulling back, growling against yours, ‘And what do you do naked in my shirt, hmm?’

You stutter, ‘I - I think about you -’

An undignified squeal escapes you when he suddenly spins you around, your back hitting the bed, denying you the chance to catch your breath. The ceiling fan turns directly above you, but it does nothing to quell the heat between your bodies as Joel clambers over you on his hands and knees, sliding his mouth over yours again in a hard kiss.

You always thought your bed was a decent size, but now, with the bulk of this man hovering over you, you’re not so sure anymore. His ridiculously wide shoulders fill your entire field of vision, and even though he’s holding himself up with his forearms by your ears, you can almost feel the full weight of him through sheer anticipation of his touch.

His heated words brush by your ear, making you shudder. ‘Tell me what you think about, sweetheart.’

‘Your arms, your shoulders -’ you hesitate, dropping your voice shyly. ‘Your belly.’

Joel looks taken aback. ‘My belly?’

You duck your head almost guiltily. ‘Yes.’

His brows draw together in an endearingly confused frown. ‘Why?’

‘That time in the workshop, when we met, you were sucking it in so hard you could hardly breathe - but you don’t anymore.’

The dots connect, and his lips part in an oh. ‘I didn’t even realise.’

‘I know. That’s why it’s sexy,’ you point out.

He looks at you incredulously, as if you’ve lost your mind. ‘My belly is sexy?’

You grin. ‘Yes, and your confidence. You walk differently now, you know.’

He makes a noise at the back of his throat, a self-satisfied smirk tilting his lips upwards. ‘You been watchin’ me?’

‘Maybe,’ you tease.

You exhale long and heavy through your nose when he sucks delicately on your bottom lip, opening you up so that he can dip inside, stealing a taste of your tongue with his.

‘Been thinkin’ about you all week, sweetheart,’ he whispers, trailing fire across your cheek and the hollow behind your ear.

‘I haven’t seen you around at all,’ you whine, tipping your head back as he nudges the tip of his proud nose down your throat.

‘I know, it took three fuckin’ days to clean up after the party,’ he complains, his disgruntled tone prompting a giggle from you. ‘Never again.’

‘I’m not so sure about that. There will be plenty of birthday parties to look forward to, Uncle Joel -’

An open-mouthed kiss on the side of your neck catches you off guard, the unfamiliar texture of the wet suction and scrape of his teeth jolts you clean off the mattress, sending you body slamming into his ribcage.

Joel hums, pleased at your reaction. ‘So sensitive. I’ve barely touched you yet, sweetheart.’

It’s immediate, the shame that burns under your skin at his remark despite knowing he doesn’t mean anything by it, and Joel frowns at the way you stiffen under him. Regret colours his words as he cups your cheek. ‘Pin, I’m sorry, that came out wrong -’

‘No, that’s the thing. You’re not wrong,’ you interrupt with a shake of your head. There’s no point denying it - you’re a grown woman, and there’s something fundamentally embarrassing about losing touch with that part of yourself over the years. ‘I - it’s been so long, I don’t even know my own body anymore.’

Your lips twitch despite yourself. ‘You’re just saying that to get into my pants.’

He takes the unexpected turn in the conversation in stride and runs with it. ‘Trust me, sweetheart, if I were tryin’, I’d already be in them.’

‘You’re such an ass, Joel Miller.’

His roguish grin has you squirming and fisting the sheets underneath you. ‘I dunno. Somethin’ tells me you like it.’

Wrapping one palm on the back of his neck, you drag him into you again, relishing in the weight of him as he pins you to the bed with the broad frame of his shoulders. He moans into your mouth, claiming it with deep strokes of his tongue, while his calloused palms sneak under the hem of your shirt and pull you into him by the small of your back.

Even as your hips buck, begging for friction, Joel holds back, propping himself up on his knees to keep a tenuous grip on his self-control. Pulling back from your lips with a wet pop, he assures you through heavy breaths, ‘We can stop any time, sweetheart. Just say the word.’

Your response comes fast and sure, but he can read the hesitance between the lines, ‘I - I don’t want to stop.’

He presses a patient kiss to your lips, but backs away before you can deepen it. ‘How about this - we’ll flip you over so that you’re on top, and you decide what you want to do. Is that ok?’

You pause to consider his proposal, sliding your tongue over your bottom lip - he’s this close to kissing you right there and then. You ask shyly, ‘And it’s ok if we - you know, just make out?’

He smiles. ‘I can do with some good old-fashioned neckin’.’

‘Ok then -’

You yelp when Joel turns you over without warning, the sudden movement making your head spin. Sitting up against the headboard, he drags you in his lap and asks, ‘Alright?’

You nod with a nervous smile. It’s intimidating, being so close to him that there’s nowhere else to look but into his thoughtful eyes that are watching you for any signs of discomfort. Catching your breath, you settle into the moment and realise that you’re straddling him, hands clinging onto his shoulders, knees sinking into the mattress on either side of his hips. His belly is warm and soft where he’s pressed up against you, but lower, nudging insistently between your legs -

Joel is hard.

The revelation robs you of air, want and need rushing like blood to your head, and you stiffen, not knowing what to do.

Joel catches on - you’re beginning to think that nothing ever escapes him - and he reminds you, ‘Just kissin’, ok, sweetheart?’

Snapping out of your freeze frame, you nod, ‘Yes. Ok.’

Giving you somewhere to start, he prompts, ‘Where do you want my hands?’

Tugging on his wrists, you watch his jaw go slack when you place his palms squarely on your ass, where your denim shorts hardly cover the top of your thighs. He lets out a lewd moan at the way your soft curves fill his hands, fingers squeezing and kneading greedily, and you push your hips back into his contact.

‘Not so shy after all, hmm?’ he rasps.

You preen at his praise, and riding the wave of boldness, you tip forward and press your lips to Joel’s before you could overthink it. Over the roar of blood in your ears, you hear him suck in a shaky breath, and you feel the deep groan in his throat taper into a whimper when you swipe your tongue into his mouth.

You’re completely unprepared for the power the sound unleashes in you.

Somewhere in your consciousness, a door is cracked open, and memory crackles at the edges of your mind. Each shuddered breath shared, every slide of skin on skin, brings to the surface what you thought you’d forgotten.

Your fingers burrow into the still wet locks at his nape, earning a loud moan from Joel when you pull on the grays that have distracted you on more than one occasion. He nips his way sloppily down your neck, trailing spit and beard burn as he goes, while your palms skate over his chest and down, down, down until your fingernails drag over the pliant folds of his tummy, hanging over the waistband of his jeans.

‘Sweetheart,’ he groans brokenly at the contact, forehead knocking into yours.

Spreading your fingers over soft flesh, you choke on an inhale when he bodily rocks into your palms. Your thumb catches the hollow of his belly button, fingers tenderly squeezing the creases and dimples of his belly. His eyes crack open under tightly knitted eyebrows, vulnerability etched in every line on his face.

Something shifts - something that neither of you can take back. And suddenly, it’s not just kissing anymore.

Caught somewhere between writhing instinctively under his touch and a deliberate pursuit of friction, your hips find a rhythm that has the seat of your panties quickly twisting and dampening as you grind on the erection straining against the zipper of his jeans.

Blunt nails bite into your thighs as Joel growls, ‘Shit, sweetheart. That’s it.’

You want to bury your face in his neck, feeling too wanton in the way you’re panting in needy whimpers, but he preempts that on no uncertain terms. ‘I want to see everythin’. Look at me.’

You do just that - you can’t deny this man even if you tried - watching him watch you with his pupils blown wide and wild, wetting his bottom lip the same time his eyes drop to your tits, as if he can see right through the thin fabric. He doesn’t touch you anywhere else though, his hands staying where you put them. You can feel his grip dig harder and harder into the swell of your ass, but he doesn’t try to change your rhythm, giving you free rein to ride him any way you need.

When your peripheral vision starts to go, you know it’s not a coincidence that your thoroughly soaked panties shift and strain against your clit, pinching it just so that you cry out, hips faltering.

Joel bares his teeth, and you feel his hips rut upwards into you, his restraint slipping. ‘There you go. You’re close, aren’t you?’

You can only nod, frantically grinding into him now, your whole mind narrowing until the only thought that remains is chasing that high that you can almost taste. Everything swells, electricity fills the air, his name a sacred chant on your tongue as you claw at his back, teetering precariously on the brink of something that promises to devastate you.

‘Joel, Joel, Joel -’

He catches you when you break - you fling yourself at him, knocking into him so hard that the back of his head hits the wall, but he doesn’t even flinch. Tucked safely into the crook of his neck, you whine and wail as you thrash in his hold, and his nostrils flare at your scent. He can smell you, he can smell the slick leaking from your pussy, humid and heady in the air between you, making his mouth water as he aches to taste you - all of you.

One day.

Right now, the hinge of his jaw almost cracks as you milk the last remnants of your orgasm with a needy swivel of your hips, rubbing against his cock at an angle that makes his vision swim, and he knows he’s too far gone. His control slips like shifting sands, and a primal instinct takes over as he bucks roughly into you, fingertips leaving imprints in your skin that you will feel for days after.

‘Oh fuck, sweetheart, wait, I’m - shit, I’m gonna -’

When it hits him, it’s fucking relentless - he cums and cums until his voice goes hoarse with your name, until it feels like his abdomen would cave in and collapse, spurting and spilling until it feels like he’s turned inside out. It goes everywhere, thick, milky strands filling the gaps in his jeans and sliding down his legs in a sticky mess, and he slumps bonelessly into the headboard, panting against your lips as he catches his breath.

Sweetly, gently, he tilts his chin up just enough to kiss you, his nose nudging your cheek intimately when he pulls away, his lungs too deprived of air to keep going. He winces when you shift above him, knowing that you can feel the wet spot pooling under your bare thighs.

Joel breaks the sluggish silence first, cracking a grin. ‘So much for just makin’ out.’

You clumsily climb off his lap and crash land sideways onto the mattress. ‘Is that a complaint, Joel Miller?’

He drapes a heavy arm over you and pulls back you flush into him. ‘Well, these jeans are fuckin’ ruined. I want a refund.’

‘I’m afraid we don’t accept cum-stained returns. Store policy.’

He pffts. ‘Damnit. Should’ve read the fine print.’

You grin. ‘Well, at least there's something deeply poetic about cumming in the jeans that I picked out for you.’

‘Touché, sweetheart,’ he grunts and presses a kiss to your forehead. Glancing down at the unmistakable wet patch on the denim, he asks hopefully, ‘Any chance you got some pants I can borrow?’

Ellie bounces her leg irritably, hunched over on the stairs exactly where Joel was sitting this morning. Where the fuck is he? He’s twenty minutes late, and he had the nerve to get all huffy when she lied about the start time today. Unbelievable.

Moodily looking left and right, there’s still no sign of him. She’s about to give up and wait for him at home when something conspicuously purple comes to a stop in front of her.

Her jaw hits the floor.

‘Oh. My. God.’

She’s never been high before, but she’s pretty sure this is the stuff hallucinations are made of.

With a roll of his eyes, he snaps, ‘Shut your mouth, you’re trappin’ flies.’

Pasting on the most obnoxious grin she can muster, Ellie croons, ‘Man, don’t you look pretty.’

Turning on his heel, Joel starts walking without looking back. ‘Shut up.’

Jogging to keep up, she cackles, ‘Hey, did you fall into a wormhole and went shopping at a farmer’s market in 1999?’

‘Shut up.’

‘You really should wear shorts more often, y’know, show off those knees. And purple really is your colour, Barney!’

Joel frowns, shooting her a sidelong glare. ‘How the hell do you know who Barney is?’

Ellie shrugs. ‘What do you think they teach us at school?’

He’s the one who starts it. The quake in his shoulders would have been imperceptible to anyone else, but nowadays, there’s not much that he can hide from her. As usual, she giggles first, which trails into a squeal when Joel gives her a shove on the back, sending her stumbling over her shoes.

‘Fuck you, man!’ she snickers and basically rugby tackles him, but he barely budges, lips pulling back into a toothy grin.

Notes: You guys continue to blow me away with your support - I cannot be more grateful for all the reblogs, asks and interaction with my silly Behind the Seams posts and random updates. Thank you so so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I can't wait to hear what you think ❤️

I will be having a think over the next few weeks about where Seams will go from here. This chapter wraps up the first mini story arc, and I'll be dedicating August to wrapping up my Palomino series, so it will give me some time and distance to mull over what's next for Joel and Pin. I'm also a few followers away from a big milestone, so I might have something fun planned! 🥰

#look at my feral cat man being domesticated slowly but surely 🥹#fuckyeahseams #seams iv #series: seams #joel miller x reader #joel miller

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the-magicians-blue · 3 years ago

Note

How about micah and reader where reader dies and micah just waiting for then to get online again,, i just really live for angst 🙏🙏

Ah I see you’ve caught me at a good time. Angst it is!

10:07pm

MicahYujin: You there?

MicahYujin: Angel?

MicahYujin: Y/N

MicahYujin: ….

MicahYujin: Did I do something wrong? I’m sorry.

MicahYujin: Please talk to me.

Micah was concerned. He hadn’t heard from you for almost 3 weeks now. He sent messages everyday without fail. You didn’t even touch your computer anymore (he knew because he hacked your computer to see if there was any activity). Maybe you were out of town and forgot to tell him? But you’ve never forgotten to tell him when you’d be away from your computer for long and you usually would text him. Something was wrong, really wrong but he couldn’t figure out what. At this point there was only one thing he could think to do: go to your house and see for himself.

The plane ride was stressful. All he could do was hope for the plane to go faster so he could see you again. The car ride was stressful. He was stuck in traffic and the driver took two wrong turns. But he thought it’d be worth it to see you. He thought it would.

When had finally got to your house he was surprised to see multiple cars and a moving truck in the driveway. He soon saw a slightly familiar face: your mother. He had never met her but you had shown him photos. She had tears in her eyes as she was carrying a box full of your things out of your home. Your mom saw Micah and recognized him from the screen shots you secretly took of him when you talked.

“Oh, you must be the boy Y/N talked to so much.”

A bitter smile grew on her face.

“They really liked you. Its not often Y/N bring up someone they’re talking to we when we talk… thank you for treating my child with so much love and kindness.”

She began to tear up again as Micah stood there confused.

“What… what happened?”

“They were on their way to the airport. Something about a surprise visit? It was a super early flight but… but apparently there was a drunk driver who was out late and speeding and… and the car hit the taxi and flipped over the car…. And… and-“

Your mother began to sob as Micah stood there in shock. No, no you can’t be gone, not just like that. You were just talking to him a few weeks ago, smiling and laughing and clowning him. You can’t be gone. You just can’t. And a surprise visit? You couldn’t have been going to see him were you? Did you die because of him?

A young man came up behind your mother to console her, sitting her down before going back to Micah. He introduced himself as your cousin. He only confirmed what Micah didn’t want to be true.

“Y/N had been in a coma for two weeks. At first it seemed like they’d wake up after a few days but… they’re condition worsened and by the end of the week the doctors said they were brain dead and weren’t gonna wake up. It took 2 more weeks for Y/N’s mom to finally decide to pull the plug. I’m sorry you had to find out like this… Oh! Wait I recognize you! You were that guy Y/N has a photo of on their dresser! Micah right?”

Your cousin ran off and returned with a battered box, parts of it singed.

“Y/N was apparently holding onto it when the paramedics found them. Apparently they kept saying something about making sure it got to you? They asked us if we knew a Micah but Y/N never gave us your name.”

Micah could do nothing but stare at the box in his arms. Taking a deep breath he opened the box to see a handmade plushie of skrunkly, a sailor moon figurine and a note.

Dear Micah,

As you know I’m not someone thats good at saying my true feelings face to face, so I wrote them down here. You are one of the best things that has happened to me in a long time. I’m always busy so having someone to talk to consistently wasn’t something I had the luxury of. You make me laugh, you make me calm, you make me feel safe. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so close to someone in such a short time before. I hope you like the gifts, I made the plushie myself! I know I can never capture the full beauty of skrunkly but I hope you appreciate my efforts. That sailor moon figure was actually hard to find too so you better be happy. I guess it’s just to pay you back for how much you’ve changed my life (and for the cute dinosaur plushie). Thank you for everything.

Love(ew),

Y/N

P.S if you ask about any of the mushy stuff I wrote to my face I can and will deny any of it. I am not past gaslighting.

As he read the note Micah began to laugh before breaking down into tears. He couldn’t help but feel like this was all his fault. If you hadn’t tried to surprise him you would still be here. Maybe he should’ve paid more attention when you asked him what his favorite sailor moon character was. He should’ve noticed when he saw you searching up how to crochet. He should’ve done something, anything. Maybe, he should’ve never started talking to you in the first place. He should’ve just like that little revenge hack be all that it was. You would still be alive if he did. Would he have met such an amazing person? No, but that would have been better than knowing he’s the reason they’re gone now.

Micah helped clean your house out. Your family like him keep the photo of the two of you on his first visit to your house as well as the dinosaur plushie he gave you. They invited him to the funeral but he just couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t be able to handle seeing you laying there, completely lifeless. He just went home promised himself that he’d never get close to anyone like that again. He wouldn’t be able to take losing someone else.

#error143 #micah yujin #please play error143!#micah yujin x reader #micah x reader #micah yujin angst

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queenbees21 · 3 years ago

Text

||•When their s/o gawks over their muscles•||

Characters : Katsuki Bakugo | Izuku Mydoria | Eijiro Kirishima

Warning | Grammar error | Not proofread

Type - Bullet Points | Fluff

Other platforms - Wattpad | a03

A/n: I didn’t think Izuku’s BP’s was going to be so freaking long!😫 I’m sorry! 😭 I promise I’m working on the Kiri one! It’s just going to take a while but I will upload it, but it won’t be any time soon, thank you for your patience! 🙏

𝐌.𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭

• He got really nervous at the way you constantly started at him from afar. He felt your eyes burn holes at the back of his head MANY time now…

• You on the other hand was to busy admiring his toned muscles that you didn't even realize that Mr. Aizawa was trying to get your attention. To get you back to work...

• Although He gave up with a sigh, rolled his eyes going back to work helping the other students train,

• Izuku always flushes when you were near because he now realizes why you'd kept staring at him during training...and he'd blush at the thought of it,

• He never thought in his life, that he'd have a female fall for him over his masculinity... He used to be so scrawny back then, but he guessed those buff guys were your... preference? Perhaps...

▪️ Once he started to get to know you a little better, he realizes you weren't just someone that liked physical appearance... or should I say his,

you were genuinely a kind and thoughtful person that cared about personality more than appearance... which he appreciated,

▪️ But that wasn't going to stop you from admiring as admitting that you liked Deku's built structure.

He mostly stuttered and blushed at your boldness ;) "You know Izuku, you looked so hot in your swimsuit the other day~ I couldn't keep my eyes off you," ah yes, ever bold.

Gosh, how much are you going to tease this poor man, cause I don't think he can take it anymore for he looked like he was about to faint out of.... happiness?

▪️ You both were shopping partners since your teachers said to go in a group of 2 pairs and you luckily were assigned to Izuku.

You were very excited! You got to shop with Izuku and admired him up close but not too close to make him unforgettable like you usually do, and you didn't want him to hate you for it...

▪️ As you both walked around the mall together you started to casually and "accidentally" slowly started to slither your hand up with his arm holding onto him there,

▪️ Izuku shivered in embarrassment and slowly a red hue appeared on his freckle face, he could feel himself slowly feeling dizzy from the heat of his face of the closeness of your body...

You asked if he needed a break from walking, noticing how hot his face was, and was very concerned.

▪️ "Y-y-yEaH I jUsT nEeD a LitTle WATER! Yeah, I need water!! I'm very dehydrated and just need to clench my thirst is all, don't worry about me (Yn)-San!"

He stutters out, the poor boy was so nervous being around you made his heart race and his face flushed,

▪️ You decided to let go of his arm and not tease him any longer for he looked like he was about to faint from nervousness, you calmly asked if you could hold his hand,

"It's So I can guide you. You look like you're about to faint," you say holding out your hand, he shyly took it without hesitation allowing you to guide the way.

He liked the warmth your hand provided, although he was embarrassed by you seeing him like this, but if it means that he can be able to hold your hand then who cares. He'll gladly do it all over again if it ever comes to it.

▪️ Without you noticing, he smiled to himself at the thought, and tightly squeezed your hand, he was a happy and shy guy, but he didn't mind at the moment.

▪️The day went and eventually went everyone started heading back to the dorms, given that it was starting to get late. Izuku and you both parted ways getting ready for bed,

▪️That night, Izuku couldn't stop thinking about you. You were so charming and easygoing, Kind and thoughtful.

Even if you might have gawked over him in he can still see the sincere and genuine happiness of spending time with him,

▪️He rested happily that night, as his stomach unbeknownst to him, felt like there were butterflies everywhere.

-------------------------------------------------------- After Dating 🐝 --------------------------------------------------------

▪️ Oh, it's all over for him now... you literally BITE him... leaving a red mark... you call them love bites.

Poor baby was so straddled and surprised by your actions. He didn't even see it coming. He asked why you did it and you responded with, "I'm sorry Zuzu... they looked so bite-able."

"......" 💀 Well then... good luck to you Izuku you'll need it; it was on his bicep to be exact ^^

▪️ In cuddle sections, you're all over him! You could be laying on top of him with your head on the crook of his neck. Or on your side with your leg dropped over his waist and arms around his neck.

You just love cuddle sections with your man, it somewhat gives you an excuse to get to feel his toned ahem... waist... 👀

He blushed whenever you moved closer to him.. he can practically feel you trying to mold your body to him although he doesn't mind,

He likes being close to you. It helps him feel relaxed and comforted in a way, so keep doing your thang! Reader! ;) now it was your turn to blush (>//^//<)

▪️ He noticed that sometimes when you both kiss. You tend to travel your hand on his bicep... he gets flustered at the small affectionate touch. You do this often, now that you know that Izuku likes it ;)

▪️Although, touching and liking his muscles is not important in a relationship, and you know this. You'd touch his bicep in a comforting way; as well... and honestly he appreciates it. When he's feeling down or just not in a good mood to joke or play around.

You'd sit with him, pulling him close to an embrace, and rub his arms while petting his hair in comfort.

He'd often cry in your neck sometimes, ruining your shirt with tear stains, but you don't mind. That was not important at that moment. It was Izuku and his well-being.

▪️ You once kissed his bruised arm in the infirmary when he had that fight with Shoto at the sports festival.

You scowled him for being reckless and purposely breaking his body.. but you understood why though. You let it slide and almost cried in his arms when you saw the damaged skin in his arms.

It must have been painful to move around and yet, he still wanted to watch, and support his classmates when they fought their next battle.

It was sweet, you lightly rubbed his forearm in comfort and watched as the battle started. Izuku was grateful for your kindness, he held up your hand to his lips and gave it a delicate kiss of gratitude.

⚠️▪️You both were feeling cuddly and deiced to watch a movie together, although; throughout the movie, it was being ignored, and their main focus was on each other.

To be exact, it was on their lips.. full-on make-out ... you both were kissing each other like it was the end of the freaking world 😭 why!!??

Although, you did enjoy being close to Izuku. You got to feel his muscles :> and as for him,

He got to show them off to you. He held you close, Shielding you; arms wrapped around your body and your head being held down by his hand preventing you from squirming around too much.

You just wanted to pull away from the heated moment it made you flustered T^T but he didn't. Although the tables were turned quickly when you had put your hand on his chest circling your finger around as a way to calm him down...

which it did cause, THAT of all things made him flustered?!?!..

You will from here on out, use this method to tease him. 😃

▪️Although One day... out of nowhere, Izuku asked you an overwhelming question that shocked you out of your mind and made you feel very awful and ashamed of yourself...

"Hey (Yn)... is my physical appearance all your dating me for... or do you feel real... romantic feelings for me..?" You were stunned speechless...

Was that the kind of vibe you were giving off?... — Was this a break-up?... — Did he fall out of love?... — Did you do something wrong?... — Was your love a problem...

You were overwhelmed with a great amount of stress and emotions. You didn't want to give off the intention that you only liked and dated Izuku for his appearance.

You thought you were doing a good job showing that you truly loved him... Did you perhaps, over did it with the touching?

Izuku could feel the tension from you and was about to apologize and ask to forget the question until he stopped and saw a single shed of a tear falling down your face...

You must have over thought about it and kept that emotion to yourself until you couldn't hold it anymore...

He pulled you into his arms and wrapped your head on his chest shushing and apologizing to you that he didn't mean to make you cry or overwhelm you...

He didn't mean to cause harm to you, he'd never think of doing such a thing. He rubbed your back and smooth your hair and kisses the top of your head in comfort.

▪️That day, Izuku realized that's how you showed your love and affection. Through actions and physical touches.

So him telling you what he had told you, what he said that day seemed as though he was rejecting your love; and that was the last thing he ever wanted.

He loves your love, If you make him flushed once in a while he still wants your physical affection and he hopes you know that.

He apologized later that day and both made it up with cuddles,

▪️Izuku cuddled you close as you both were enjoying watching a new series on Netflix, laughing and enjoying your time together even jumping a little at jump scares.

It was a chilly session so you got closer to Izuku for more of his body warmth. He noticed this and is not bothered by it.

He pulls you as close to his chest and places butterfly kisses on your neck and shoulders enjoying the little laughers that he got you to do.

▪️It was a cool fall night and you were shivering to the bone! No matter how many pillows and blankets you cover yourself in, you still somehow always seemed to feel the cool breeze on your legs.

You cuddle up closer to Izuku's side, wrapping your arms and legs around him snuggled up letting the warmth absorb you. You could feel Izuku steer in his sleep as he place his arm around your hip pulling you closer to his broad chest and placing your hand on his heart.

You felt the beating of Izuku's heartbeat, lowly stealing itself as you can tell it was beating fats not that long ago... was it you?

You decide not to tease him and drifted off back to sleep. Dreaming about the moment you laid eyes on him.

▪️Walking along the garden of the park where many flowers and beautiful butterflies flutter around, Izuku held you by your waist squishing your hips now and then making you flushed.

He kisses the top of your hair enjoying the flowery scented aroma of your hair. You smiled up at him and nuzzling your face at the crook of his neck, he blushes and gives your side a little playful tickle.

You looked up at him and pucker your lips asking for a kiss. Izuku blushes at the cuteness you display, he nervously leans into it. Closing in the space between you.

Locking lips Izuku inhale nervously, he didn't think he was good at kisses very much. You giggled while kissing him, he was so cute when he got nervous.

You both pulled away, Izuku was a blushing mess. You clammily rubbed his arm and continue your walk in the park enjoying each-others calm presence.

▪️You enjoy drawing on his arms, creating small tattoos. He admires your work and leaves them on for the rest of them day, just to see that smile on your face > w < when you noticed it hasn’t been wiped off.

▪️Sometimes Izuku would feel insecure about his scares in his arms, he thinks it makes him unattractive and ugly, but you beg to differ.

You told him that it only made him look attractive, it shows how much he's endured over the years and he made it.

You kiss his scares in comfort telling him he looks handsome with or without his scares. He felt butterflies in his tummy and he sore he fell more in love for you then ever.

And he made up his mind, he will marry you someday when your older as pro hero's 🥹

▪️Your's and Izuku relationship has only grown throughout the years, your both have happy and healthy relationship and you'd hope it'd stay that way for the years to come,

"I love you Izuku," you say suddenly, looking up at him smiling at him and rubbing your hand on his arm. Izuku looks down at you with adoration in his eyes and leans down to capture your lips,

"I love you to sweet, happy anniversary.” He says as he hid a small little box in the back of his hand. All you had to do was say “Yes” to make him the happiest man alive.

Word-count - 2363

A/n Thanks for reading! Hoped you enjoyed stay safe and Have a Good day and night 💤🫶

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