#I’m also terrified of having quit working at the restaurant like I was there for two and a half years

[nowshesdoingitallthetime]

just quit my job lol, hope this whole getting an education thing is worth it

[leclsrc]

a certain romance ✴︎ cs55

genre: fluff!, humor

word count: 4.5k

A love affair is never an easy thing to keep under wraps. Or, the four times your two brothers almost catch you and Carlos together, and the one time they finally do.

notes... reader is a leclerc, one sexual allusion but it’s not bad, french that is basically translatable thru context clues

auds here... req’d, sort of twice! was gonna make this a full fledged fic but i went with the short route to keep it brief. i hope u like this anon/s :) title from a song of the same name by the arctic monkeys. also there is use of y/n which i generally don’t like using in fics bec i feel it disrupts the flow, but it wouldn’t have fit any other way so. must b all... enjoy!

If you told Carlos Sainz that he—a full grown, mature, twenty-eight-year-old man—would be tiptoeing on the balcony of a hotel in Monaco (shirtless and fully terrified, no less) eight months from now, he would laugh at you. But he’d be doing so anyway, fearing something in the room behind him rather than the alarmingly high distance he’d be possessing over the road below. He’d inhale, exhale, recites a few proverbs to keep himself calm. But now, if you told him, he would mumble something along the lines of estúpido, because really, how the hell would he get himself into that situation?

Don’t worry. He’s going to find out.

“I’m not really looking to date,” he says wisely, taking another swig of his beer. “I think racing is the number one thing on my mind. And it’s difficult to maintain a balance of both.”

Lando clears his throat, tipsy from having exhausted his drinks and then some. “Mate, quit being a pessimist. You Spaniards, I swear. That’s not necessarily true. I made it work.” He presents two thumbs, pointing them toward his beaming, dopey face. 

Carlos stares. “Luisa broke up with you.”

“Right then, you arse, twist the knife,” Lando mutters exasperatedly, his thumbs drooping down and his smile dropping. Carlos can’t help but throw his head back in amusement, eking out apologies in between bouts of laughter. The younger just mocks the laugh, finishing the beer he’d been drinking. 

The two are on the balcony of Lando’s flat, overlooking the expanse of Chelsea. The subject of girlfriends and looking for love had been between them for a while now, seeing as they were both single; they’d often greet each other with a Got a girlfriend yet, cabrón? And, while the conversation was generally harmless, it did tend to push Carlos into a state of introspection regarding his own love life.

“But honestly, really.” Carlos says. “I just don’t know if a girl is what I need right now. Unless somebody perfect drops on my lap.”

“I’m going to ignore how pervy that sounds—but I get it. I guess the career thing’s just the priority, huh, mate? And speaking of career”—Lando rifles through his jacket pocket and fishes his phone out—“we’re going to be late for dinner if we don’t leave in the next fifteen.”

Ah, dinner: the only reason Carlos had chartered a jet to London earlier today in the first place. Proposed out of sheer fun and then carrying on because it actually seemed like a doable idea, Lando had texted a few drivers and invited them and however-many-pluses they wished to bring to an upscale restaurant in the city as a way to get in touch.

It didn’t seem ideal, until they realized that 1. Lando, George, and Alex were already in London, and 2. Charles was with family and had a meeting there, too, and—well, at that point Carlos had basically succumbed to peer pressure and gotten on a jet straight to the UK. Lando always had a penchant for making these plans and spending the entire time making dirty jokes and/or getting tipsy and/or using his camera to take pictures of any and everyone, which really just made the dinners all the more fun.

They clean up the bottles of beer they’d drank from, and Carlos pulls his coat on by the door, still unused to the overcast British weather. “Who’s there later?”

“The boys, Arthur… Lily, Carmen. I think. I mean nobody brought their mums or whatever. That’s all of ‘em, I suppose.” Lando inspects his outfit in the mirror by the entryway and swaps out his jacket for a different one, ushering Carlos out the door and into the waiting car. Something about I’d rather be driven around than drive a pretentious sports car around the city looking like a daft prick. 

They’re halfway to the restaurant, both on their phones, when Lando suddenly gasps softly and goes, “Right, and Charles’ sister is going too.”

Carlos looks up, interest piqued. He hadn’t heard much of Charles’ sister before—you’d dropped by a few races, and had always been present for the entirety of the Monaco weekend, but you weren’t engaged in racing as much as Charles’ other siblings. He’d shaken hands with you and made the polite, necessary, albeit totally rushed small talk. “Y/N,” he recounts. “Right?”

“Yessir,” Lando says, letting Drake filter through the AUX of the car. “The one in law school.”

He nods, trying to pick out specific memories. None really come to mind—it’s all introductions that repeat themselves. Hi, Carlos Sainz, Charles’ teammate. Oh, hi, I’m Charles’ sister. He faintly recounts finding you pretty, but having not seen you at the paddock for quite a while, he considers his memories dubious at best. He leans back and listens to Lando rap Rich Flex with an obnoxiously posh accent instead, and figures if he dies now, at least he wouldn’t have to keep hearing this.

The restaurant is nearer than they anticipate, so the Drake rap-along session is cut blissfully short, the pair being ushered into the private seating area, coats taken and wine served. They join George, who, at his insistence, had made the reservation in the first place even if Lando had suggested the restaurant, and Carmen. 

“Charles and Albon?” Carlos asks when he takes a seat, greeting the couple.

“Charles and Arthur are on their way, but Alex is stuck in Harrods with Lily and Y/N. They got busy looking for shoes or something. Poor guy,” George says, half-laughing. 

“I so wish I met up with the girls beforehand,” Carmen mopes, “the sale at Harrods is amazing.”

The conversation descends into a multitude of different topics, as they always do when Lando and George lead the way—racing (obviously), Carmen, Daniel Ricciardo even, dogs, any plans of adopting dogs, and then, because George Russell is a little shit, he says: “Feels nice being the only guy with a girlfriend at the table right now, innit?”

Carmen pinches his arm but he persists with a smile. “No, but really. You two are just about the most eligible bachelors ever and still single. What gives?”

“I for one am not into monogamy at the moment,” Lando says matter-of-factly. “I’m twenty-three, mate. I’m trying to have fun. But Mr. Almost Thirty here is a different case.”

“Ay,” Carlos gripes. “It’s not an involuntary thing. Just want to focus on racing.”

He prays then for this topic to come to a close so he won’t have to explain himself all over again, and reprieve comes in the form of Charles and Arthur entering the room. Already Charles is talking, before he even takes a seat, and Arthur is nodding along—something about how London traffic sucks, how are your streets so small, mate, oh my God Harrods is so full, Lily and Y/N have been at it for hours, poor Alex, he volunteered to stay. The guy spouts words quickly and easily, in an accent that sounds both English and French.

The rest of the wait time happens fast—Lily and Alex rush through the entrance, apologizing for being late. The lines are so long, Lily explains, taking a seat and leaving the other side empty. When her boyfriend tries to sit there, she swats him away, goes, babe, no, that’s for Y/N. So her boyfriend sits woefully across her and beside Carlos instead.

“Where is Y/N?” Charles asks. Carlos is also curious, albeit inwardly. He didn’t even know you were arriving until late, and still he hasn’t seen your face.

“Sorry, I had to check something with the valet,” a voice goes, and then you’re sliding into the seat across him.

The thing is, Carlos has been stunned before.

It’s sort of a non-negotiable when you go into such a demanding, high-risk sport. If he’s careening into another car, or the side of a circuit—obviously, it stuns him. Everything spins into slow motion for a few nerve-wracking seconds. But he’s also been stunned in all the good ways: when he can tell he’s in the lead, when he overtakes the car in front of him, when he bounds past the flag and realizes it’s a podium finish. So, yes—Carlos is fully familiar with the gut churning, belly spinning delirium of being stunned. So familiar, in fact, that he’s grown familiar with it, developed a second skin for it, welcomed it with open arms.

Which also explains the way he sees you laughing quietly at something Lily says and subsequently realizes, with apprehension and dread, that he is stunned.

—

The first time it happens is after the dinner—not just the dinner, but the drinks and the London walk that followed, accompanied by three noisy and drunk tour guides (read: Lando, George, Alex). Charles and Arthur, almost as drunk, follow the tour with loud jabs of their own, and Lily and Carmen are filming everything on their phones. You’ve been on your phone checking an email, and Carlos takes a call from his cousin, which naturally leads both you and him to trail behind the group.

So, when you’re both done taking calls and checking emails, it’s the two of you left to your own devices. You swing within the awkward few moments of deciding whether to rejoin the group or just keep trailing behind, your shoes clicking softly against the cobblestone pavement, accompaniments to Lando’s loud singing of Piano Man. 

“What’d you think of the wine?” You ask, your accent sliding easy into the syllables but not losing its distinctiveness. 

He pretends to ponder, even if he’d given Lando a full-scale review when they first left the restaurant, and turns back to you. “It was okay. A bit too sweet for my taste.”

“Exactly! That’s what I told Arthur, but he found it perfect. I guess kids these days just don’t have taste.”

You both laugh at your sarcastic use of “kids”, knowing you’re just two years older than your younger brother. Carlos opens his mouth to speak, trying to find footing, the perfect suave thing to say to possibly land himself in a position to flirt.

Right then, Lando reaches the crescendo of Somebody to Love (he can’t ever finish a song), and then Charles is turning around to find you and Carlos engaged in conversation. His lips stretch into a mischievous smile.

“Aye, Carlos! Back off the baby sister, mate!” He slurs, clapping Arthur on the back to catch his attention.

Arthur’s eyes narrow playfully, darting in between you both. Carlos just raises a middle finger in response, sending the brothers into unnecessarily extensive bouts of laughter. You roll your eyes, blowing a raspberry. “Putain. These fucking shitheads never leave me alone.”

George is in the middle of teaching Charles to say sod off instead of back off when Carlos purses his lips and, on a whim, turns and goes: “Is there a rule against dating drivers?”

You try and fail to hide a smile. “Hmm. None, I don’t think.”

Silence. Then you speak again, coy. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” Carlos says. London is suddenly a place of magic. “No reason at all.”

—

It’s at an afterparty, the second time it happens—and technically the first where you and Carlos actually connect properly. In hindsight, it might’ve been stupid to flirt with him in the middle of the dance floor—something he thankfully realized in the moment, taking your hand and guiding you through the throng of people into the back exit.

Nobody said first kisses had to be remarkable in the romantic sense. Sometimes they’re in seedy European alleyways, with a fist bunched into his polo and a hand on your hip. It had to happen this way, because how else would two months of beating around the bush culminate? Because even if you’re drunk, you can’t stop thinking about how much you want to kiss him again. Tomorrow morning. And the next.

You pull away, but he speaks first, voice rushed and semi-sobered. “Let’s not.”

Humming, you try to swallow the lump of distress in your throat. “Why?”

“Because,” he says, nervous now, gulping. “Because—of the bro code.”

You stare. “Is that a Spanish thing?”

“B-ro c-ode,” he says again, enunciating the syllables; the Spanish accent doesn’t go away, and neither do his hands, hot and big on your hip and waist. 

You move your hand from where it’s fisted into his shirt, cupping his neck. Then you burst out laughing, much to Carlos’ confusion. “That is so not a thing,” you press, unconvinced.

“It is. Bro code. I just crossed that line, dios mio,” he says, clearly way more stressed than you are. 

“Bro code isn’t upheld for boys over twenty-one,” you say haughtily. Right then, you hear Arthur’s voice through the door and it swings open a few seconds later. In the span of those moments, you shove Carlos away nervously and attempt to look like you weren’t doing anything.

Arthur’s on the phone, speaking in quick French when he sees you and Carlos at a respectable distance. He tilts the phone away, mouths What’s up?, pointing at the both of you.

“I felt like vomiting and he was nearby,” you reply, nodding. He’s out of view, exiting the alleyway within seconds and back on the phone. 

You exhale, and turn back to him. “Okay, so maybe the bro code is a thing.”

He looks at you as if to say no shit. “I don’t think we should do this,” he says, but his tone betrays himself.

“Okay,” you say. “Okay.”

“Right, yes.”

A beat. “Can you kiss me again?”

—

Against all odds, you and Carlos had managed to successfully start dating under your brothers’—ergo the majority of your mutual circle’s—noses. You’d only let it slip to a few close friends and family, and in Carlos’ case, Lando, because Lord knows the guy could not keep his mouth shut for the life of him. And even if it was stressful, and it often felt like any moment would be interrupted by somebody catching the both of you on the phone, or even together, neither of you could deny how good it was.

It’s five months later—five months of pure bliss, for the most part. Save for multiple close calls, you and Carlos had enjoyed each other’s company. You’d tried to navigate how everything would work once you realized you both wanted something more out of the relationship, but neither of you wanted to deal with the hassle of your overprotective siblings yet. You’d resorted to hours of FaceTime, everyday texts, and if the world was on your side, the occasional date. 

The last method is easily your favorite, you both—and when the drivers get three weeks off and Carlos spends it in Las Vegas, that’s how it happens, the third time. Carlos visits you at your hotel, relishing in the eleven-thirty emptiness of the communal area, swimming in the jacuzzi and giggling about something into Carlos’ neck. You barely remember the joke; you’re honestly just welling up with enthusiasm and an endless supply of laughs that your boyfriend is finally with you.

Your head is still dug into Carlos’ neck, laughing about something else now, when you hear faraway footsteps. Having grown used to being a pseudo-patrolman, your eyes dart up immediately, and your stomach drops when you see, seriously, of all fucking people—Charles and Arthur. 

“Oh my God,” you mutter, dumbfounded. A hand wet with jacuzzi water taps frantically on your phone; sure enough, you’d gotten texts from the both of them about dropping by your hotel for drinks. “Oh my God, oh my God.”

You disembark from your position on your boyfriend’s lap, hoping the hickey he sucked onto your neck won’t be visible from meters away. Your eyes shoot up again, and they still haven’t spotted you. Holding your breath and bracing yourself, you turn to Carlos, place two hands on his shoulders, and shove him underneath the water.

They spot you then, waving enthusiastically. “Drinks!” Arthur shouts, mimicking a beer bottle with his hand. You chew your lip nervously, raising one hand and waving back.

“Don’t wait up and I’ll just meet you at the bar!” You holler, watching as they pass through the entrance at a truly leisurely pace. 

Once they’re in, you haul your boyfriend up and he breathes deeply, anxious. “Puta madre.”

“I think we should tell them soon. I don’t want you literally dying just for the sake of keeping us a secret,” you say, maintaining a safe distance and constantly turning toward the entrance just in case. You reach for his hand underwater.

“It’s thrilling, actually,” he winks.

“I’m sorry if it’s a bother.” You say woefully, guilt eating at you a little bit. But he takes your hand, squeezes it among the jacuzzi bubbles.

“Nothing’s a bother with you.”

—

Charles knocks on your Monza hotel room door when it happens the fourth time, opening it once he finds it unlocked—and then freezing when he finds you buried in your duvet ’til your shoulders. You’re in your silk pajama top, arms and mouth outstretched into a yawn when your eyes meet, hair disheveled. You blink.

“Charles.” You say confusedly, letting your arms drop. “Tu vas bien?”

“Mmm, ça va.” He pauses. “Et toi?”

“Moi aussi,” you say casually. “Any reason you came into my room without waiting for me to answer the damn door?”

He smiles, as if remembering why he invaded your privacy. “Right, I came in here to ask if you’ve seen Arthur.”

“I’m clearly by myself in bed, so no,” you respond cuttingly. “Last I checked he was walking around with Lando.” The two had become fast friends after the London dinner. 

Your elder brother hums, then moves to take a seat on your bed, to which you quickly reach over, grab a complimentary soap bar (on the bedside table and not the shower, which you’d found weird), and toss it square at his face. “Ah—ay! What the fuck?”

“Don’t come near me,” you say. “I’m sick.”

“Sick? What rubbish. You were literally at the paddock hours ago totally fine.”

“Don’t be daft. Not that kind of sick, you arse—”

“Not that kind of sick,” he mocks, exaggerating his accent and raising his voice a few octaves to sound like a silly version of you. He raises an accusatory finger. “You lie, you lie!”

“I am not lying,” you insist irritably, sitting up a little and cocking your brow. “Tu es insupportable!”

You slide into a flurry of angry French and Italian in your valiant efforts to defend your innocence, and Charles is infected into doing the same. Eventually the room is just filled with indistinguishable insults and scoffed phrases of merde, ah bon?, and immensely accented What thuh helliz your problem?s. You even chuck another hotel soap at him for extra measure, but he manages to catch it this time. It’s childish, like many of your petty fights born out of irritance.

“I’m on my period, you prick,” you say as a last resort, once the insults have run their sufficient course. “I couldn’t be arsed to find Arthur.” His eyes narrow, doubting you, but ultimately he admits defeat, walking back to the door to exit your room. The door’s out of view of your bed, so you brace yourself, waiting for it to open and click closed.

“You better not be harboring a fugitive in here!” He says, but only half of here is heard before the door clicks shut and drowns him out. The tension leaves your body and you heave a deep sigh, relaxing backwards and biting your lip. 

The thick silk duvet flips upward and Carlos surfaces, face flushed from being in hiding for so long.

One arm is still curled around your thigh, the inner part of which is rubbed raw from his facial hair being against it. You stare at one another with dopey smiles on your faces, relieved that you’d managed to act fast and flip the huge blanket over Carlos—although he had conveniently been in that position to begin with. 

“Do either of you ever shut up?”

“One more word and I’m kicking you,” you say, reaching an arm out to stroke his jaw. You smile, laughing a little. “I’m not bluffing.”

“Scary, princesa,” he teases, hauling himself up to press a lasting kiss onto your lips. You smile into it, out of relief that your nosy elder brother didn’t catch you, but also out of the way your heart swells when Carlos smiles.

—

“You’re absolutely sure it’s the right room number?”

“100% positive. 613, Y/N Leclerc.”

“And not any other Leclerc.”

“Mate, I just said Y/N. Get a grip,” Lando scoffs. “My investigative skills pay off. Still don’t understand why you couldn’t have just asked her yourself, seeing as though you two are, I dunno, dating.”

“It’s a surprise, man,” Carlos says cuttingly, facing the lobby of the Hôtel de Paris. “Alright, thanks, cábron. I’ll see you soon.”

“Get some!” The Brit whoops, and then Carlos is taking the elevator to your room.

He didn’t think of himself as much of a surprises guy, but then again—he didn’t think of himself as much as a flowers and teddy bear guy, but he’d gotten you those every month since you became official; he didn’t think of himself as much of a physical touch guy, but he was always the one initiating hugs and cuddle sessions. The list goes on.

He knocks, fiddling with the rings on his fingers.

Much to his relief, it really is you who answers, with the face of surprise he wanted out of this. Before you utter a word, he’s dipping down to kiss you, and you find yourself returning the kiss, knowing you’d lost your boyfriend’s presence for so long. It quickens fast, and Carlos wedges himself in, kicking the door closed behind him.

You pull away. “Wait, I—”

He kisses you again, and you can’t resist, laughing at his persistence. He pulls away to tug his shirt off, and that’s when you crash back to reality. “Mmmm—Carlos, this isn’t my room!” 

Everything happens fast after that.

The door starts opening and Carlos hears Charles on the other side of it, talking about there was a room mix-up, Y/N, this is mine and 615 is yours—he misses the rest of the sentence, clutching his singlet to his bare chest and allowing himself to be pushed by his girlfriend out the door of the balcony. Thinking he’s safe if just for a moment, he turns, but finds he still sees the room—the curtains don't cover him enough. 

And if he can see the room, he figures, the room can see him. And if the room can see him, Charles will see him when he’s fully inside. 

You’re gesticulating wildly with your hands, trying to find a way to distract your brother, turning away from Carlos briefly to maybe just accept your fate. Charles shuts the door, facing you and, consequently, the balcony doors. Your heart seizes. Surely, Carlos must be there—there’s no other place left for him to hide, unless he miraculously fit his blocky, broad frame behind a random potted plant.

“Something wrong?” Charles says, and you whip around. The balcony’s blissfully empty.

“N…othing.” You say. “Nothing.”

“D’accord,” he says promptly. “So. Dinner?”

Your head spins, unable to formulate a reply. Where could Carlos have hidden?

The balcony is a bit wide, but the entirety of it is visible, and, well—Carlos is clearly not. There’s one lawn sofa, and one plant, neither of which seem to harbor your favorite Spaniard, so where the fuck is he? Because of course, he’s not stupid. Surely. He’s twenty-eight, you think.

What kind of guy would climb onto the banister of the Hôtel de Paris just to hide from his girlfriend’s older brother?

Carlos cannot believe he’s on the banister of the Hôtel de Paris just to hide from his girlfriend’s older brother.

In the scurry of it, he hadn’t even gotten properly dressed. So here he is, braving the frigid sixth-floor air and the harrowing height at which he stands, brandishing his shirt like it’s a flag and standing like he’s on a podium. He feels like he’s about to die for love. Like some Shakespearean hero.

But when he digs deep he figures he doesn’t actually mind at all. Sure, he feels like he’s on the brink of death, but he realizes it’s for you in the end, and that comforts him. He never thought he’d do this, ever, not even if he was paid, or bet on, or for a Real Madrid win. He leans back and ignores the asphalt below. He’ll stay here as long as he needs to.

“Mate, get down from there.” Carlos looks up to see Charles and Arthur going absolutely mental, even taking a few photos for good measure. Relieved, scared, and just glad his stint on the banister is over, he climbs off and pulls his shirt back on, crossing his arms. He spots you inside, smiling but also insisting they delete the incriminating evidence.

In the end, seriously? This is the reaction you and he hid from for eight months? You walk over to place yourself beside Carlos, watching your brothers. Two fools laughing at everything, each other, their sister, and her boyfriend. “Jig is up,” Charles says. “But we’ve known since you two kissed outside that club.”

You roll your eyes; clearly, you’ve already been told this information. But Carlos is slack-jawed with shock—they did all that on purpose. How fucking cheeky, really. He figures they gave Lando the wrong room number through the grapevine, too.

“But,” Charles says, wiping real tears from his eyes, “I know you love my sister, mate, so I’ll be the first to say I approve. Arthur will be the second.”

“I approve,” says Arthur dumbly.

“We approve,” they say in unison, then they’re laughing all over again. You swat both of their arms in retaliation, which causes the teasing to subside.

“Now, cábron,” Charles says gleefully, “we do have a couple of questions for you…”

You squeeze his hand. Even if he prefers the banister, your presence is comforting all the same, and he’d answer any totally unnecessary, pointless, silly question from your brothers if it means he gets to hug you again later. If you told him eight months ago he’d be this in love, he would’ve laughed in your face. But here he is anyway. 

It’s comforting.

[tgmsunmontue]

Season to Taste - 17/? WIP

Explicit Hangster - Celebrity Chef Bradley and Naval Aviator Jake Seresin who have a relationship spanning the globe before they realize how tightly bound they are to one another. Heading into this little world.

PROLOGUE/ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE

TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FORTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

                While they travel together most people assume Vi and him are a couple, it helps a lot of the time. They end up sharing a room or bed as they move around. It does make hooking up difficult, but he either resorts to bathroom stalls, or going home with guys after letting Vi do her hard ass security routine where she insists on taking any guys photo before she lets Bradley leave with him. Annoying as fuck but he’s certain he dodges some real bullets because of it. On the rarer instances when he’s hooked up with a woman she’s done the same thing, although it had resulted in more than one awkward proposition for a threesome. He knows Vi doesn’t do casual, but she’s more than happy acting as his wingman, and telling him that in no uncertain terms she doesn’t find him at all attractive and never will.

                Spending nearly every waking moment together for weeks and then months on end helps solidify their relationship. He’s never had a sibling, and while Vi has two sisters, they’re both quite a bit older though, so he can only think that this must be what it’s like. She knows him, has known him, for several years now and even though she never likens their relationship to that of siblings she definitely calls him cousin openly and consistently, treats him like he’s family in a way he can’t imagine having any other way without calling her sister. Cousin. Whatever.

…            …            …

                He wakes up feeling the most well rested he has in ages, muscles pleasantly sore, blankets warm, air conditioning making the room cooler and he takes a moment to just burrow down further beneath the blankets and smiles to himself. This is what everyone wants him to do when they tell him he needs a vacation. If this is what it’s going to be like then he’s going to be much more easily persuaded. He stretches and reaches for his phone, surprised to see it’s after ten. He needs to ring Vi and check in and make sure the restaurant hasn’t fallen down, not that he doesn’t trust those he left in charge, but it’s his, and he’s been gone for a while and it doesn’t always sit right leaving it for so long. However he trusts Vi implicitly and she won’t hold back telling him if he needs to come home, no matter how much she thinks he needs a break.

                “Come up for breath huh?”

                “Hello to you too.”

                “You’re having a sexcation, I’m surprised you’re awake.”

                “Jake’s gone to see his family.”

                “Oh. Right. Of course. I see how it is. You’re bored.”

                “I’m…” he lets out a long calming breath, “I wanted to check in with you. See how it’s going in my absence?”

                “I came back to a pile of ash and am busy filling in the insurance paperwork…”

                “Vi…”

                “Everything is fine. Everyone is fine. We created a well-oiled machine and it’s working exactly as it should. Calm down and enjoy you sexcation…”

                “What if it’s… more than that.”

                “What do you mean?”

                Bradley bites his lip, wonders if he should just blurt out that he’s already asked Jake to consider dating him, having a long distance relationship and trying something, no matter how crazy or difficult it might be. If he tells Vi he’s already done it, she’ll support him, without question. However if he asks her opinion then he’ll also get it, honest and brutal and he’s terrified it might not be supportive but he still wants to hear it.

                “So, I met his sister yesterday. One of his sisters. She invited me to dinner to meet the rest of his family tomorrow night… I really like him.”

                “Yeah. Of course you do. He’s your Cinderfella.”

                “Cinderfella was a fairytale, Jake is… a cocky asshole who adds sauce to everything.”

                “And yet you like him anyway.”

                “I do. I do like him.”

                “Yeah. I could tell. You going to actually do anything about it other than just… sex?”

                “Do you think I should?”

                “I’m not making that decision for you. But… He was learning Italian. Maybe on the off chance that he might one day meet you again. I mean. Slim to zero chances if you were actually Italian, but he was doing it anyway. He makes you laugh. His stupid sauce thing. You think it’s fucking cute and funny. It’s like he’s made you loosen up a bit and that’s… it’s good to see. I want you to be happy and more relaxed and if you have to be with a guy that adds sauce to everything to be happy then I will make sacrifices…”

                “Wow. Big of you.”

                “What is the worst he can say? No, right? Thanks but no thanks?”

                “Yeah.”

                “And what’s the best he can say?”

                “I love you, lets run off to Vegas and get married?” Bradley jokes, because he’s already had the conversation with Jake, and Vi is already pushing him to asking. And Maria had been doing the same, so having family also think that they might work together. Despite the distance and jobs. To try it.

                “Holy shit, you’re thinking about marrying this guy.”

                “What? No I’m not.”

                “You literally just mentioned running off to Vegas to get married!”

                “It was hypothetical!”

                “And if he asked?”

                “I’d… I’d say yes,” Bradley says, but he has to hold back laughter, because he wouldn’t, but god does he want Vi to think he would.

                “Oh my god, you’re serious.”

                “He’s not going to propose marriage Vi.”

                “Well, still more likely than him saying no to whatever it is you’re going to ask him… Bradley. You’ve met his family. Well. A sister. He’s met me, which is as much family as you have and talk to on the East Coast. You’ve shoving several months into two weeks… But do not, under any circumstances run off to fucking Vegas and get married. Aunt Silvia would kill you as soon as she caught wind of it.”

                “Well, I’m not going to ask him,” Bradley says, grinning, because god he loves winding her up.

                “Why not? You have to take a risk sometime…”

                “I’m not going to ask him, because we already talked about it yesterday and we’re… dating. Going to try the whole long distance th-”

                “Mamma Mia! Stronzo!” Vi snaps out, followed by further strings of insults in Italian and Bradley laughs at her annoyance, feels accomplished in a way that only annoying her brings.

                “Yeah yeah, think of me tomorrow when I’m meeting his entire family. For the record, he has five sisters.”

                “Oh… oh that’s beautiful. That’s what I call karma. Stronzo.”

                “Yeah, laugh it up. Can’t be any more intimidating the Nana and Nonna.”

                “True. Think you’ll take him to Italy?”

                “It’s been six days. How about we just… slow it down. Take it easy.”

                “Hmm. From the guy who has already decided to date him and try long distance. And yet I’m the one suggesting crazy shit.”

                Bradley groans, and he knows what he’s going to ask next isn’t going to help at all in terms of making Vi think he’s not rushing into things.

                “His sister clocked me as soon as I walked in by the way. She’s a fan.”

                “And?”

                “Jake has no idea who I am…”

                “Oh… oh shit. That’s not going to work.”

                “He knows my name. But he doesn’t like watching reality TV. He saw one of my recipe books, that Maria owns, and he didn’t even blink. Was just… oh, good for you. You’ve done a cook book.”

                “Okay. So maybe he’s just very chill about it?”

                “Maria thinks he’s oblivious and will remain oblivious.”

                “Maria is…”

                “His sister. She invited me to dinner. To meet everyone else. Said that Jake can be pretty blind to things even when it’s right in front of him. And that she’ll… maybe help him remain in the dark a little?”

                “That’s not a good idea.”

                “Not in a bad way. Just… she’s warning all of Jake’s other sisters, so they don’t make a big deal and are prepared when I turn up. She was not prepared for me to turn up, Jake had been calling me Leo the whole time. I’m lucky she just rolled with it. We’d met at the market as well, so…”

                “He knows your name though right?”

                “Yeah. And Maria calls me Bradley.”

                “Oh. So… he knows you’re a chef, that you’ve done some books and what…?”

                “That I work in a restaurant in New York. But also that I travel a lot for work. Sometimes.”

                “You do travel a lot.”

                “Yep.”

                “Okay. Well, for the record I think you should maybe try and spell it out for him.”

                “It’s kind of nice having him like me for just me…”

                “Leonardo…” Vi says, and he can hear the reproach in her tone. “He already likes you. Don’t think he’s going to care about your very limited claim to fame.”

                “Yeah, but you know people think of me differently when they see the TV version of me, and then meet me in person.”

                “I don’t think Jake is going to be one of them.”

                “Yeah? Why do you think that?”

                “Because of the way he adds sauce to fucking everything. If there was a guy who cared less about what you do for a job I challenge you to find him. Salsa scandalo.”

…            …            …

                “So… want to tell us about him?”

                “Why bother? You’re just going to grill him tomorrow.”

                Again silent looks are exchanged and Jake realizes that maybe Olivia is also an owner of Leo’s cookbook.

                “Are you a fan of his?” Jake asks.

                “I…” she starts, looks to Maria. “Yes.”

                “Great.”

                “Okay, you guys cannot make a big deal or embarrass me, okay?”

                “This is the first person you’ve ever brought home. It’s kind of a big deal.”

                “If you guys screw this up for me, he’ll also be the last guy I ever bring home.”

                “Okay okay, we’ll be on our best behavior. We promise.”

                Jake doesn’t trust that statement at all but it’s not like he has much choice in the matter.

EIGHTEEN

[martian-hermit]

After not only binging the show, but also watching a dozen video essays about it, The Bear’s only become a show that I absolutely love more than anything else I’ve ever watched.

From the insanely beautiful use of color and lighting to describe settings and atmosphere to the 17 MINUTE LONG ONE-TAKE EPISODE, it’s perfect. I absolutely adore the story, the characters, the relationships between them, the character development, and the fact that every ounce of stress that exists in the show can be felt by the viewer as if they were in this world. And as someone who has personal experience in restaurants and kitchens, there’s a lot of nostalgia in feeling the pressure and stress of existing in those environments. But among my favorite examples of the genius and creativity of this show involve S1E7 “Review”, S2E4 “Honeydew”, S2E7 “Forks”, and S2E10 “The Bear”

S1E7 “Review” is the aforementioned 17 minute one-take episode. And when I say one-take I genuinely mean no hidden cuts, no tricks, a genuine single take throughout the entire episode. Now, the biggest reason I love this relatively short episode of the show is more about the way it feels to me personally because of the single take rather than the fact that it just is a one-take. The feeling of absolute chaos in the kitchen, people quitting on the spot, stress, high expectations, and stakes just feel not only terrifying, but also exhilarating. As I mentioned before, I’ve worked in foodservice for years, and thus all of those feelings are extremely nostalgic to me. But, hearing that other people who have no experience in a kitchen still feel that same pressure really goes to show how effectively the show conveyed how that work environment is. Part of the reason it’s so effective is the fact that there are no cuts to give the viewer any relief, you’re stuck in the moment for the entire episode. You have nowhere to be except in the moment with everyone else struggling to keep their composure, and it’s fantastic. The accuracy of the setting paired with the ability to drag the viewer into that uncomfortable spot whether they want to be there or not is so well done that it feels like you’re either working in a kitchen for the first time, or you’re doing it again.

S2E4 “Honeydew” was, at least I think, completely under appreciated. Seeing Marcus’s character development throughout, especially as he gets mentored by Luca is not only a nice break from the complete chaos of The Bear back in Chicago, but also important to watch to really understand Marcus as a person. In his apprenticeship under Luca, he asks questions, expands upon his knowledge, and becomes more confident as he learns. But Luca also adds so much to this episode by simply not being a stereotypical “I’m the pro and I resent you for not being as good as me” type of chef. When Marcus asks a question, he answers. When Marcus wants him to expand, he does. It’s a wonderful representation of two people with a somewhat informal mentor-student relationship interact in a way that doesn’t establish a dynamic of greater and lesser, but just two chefs that seek to improve. Nothing more.

S2E7 “Forks”. Oh my dear god, this episode. Arguably, it’s the best one out of both seasons of the show. But this doesn’t follow our main protagonist Carmy, but rather Richie, who was thought to be the antagonist thus far. Richie gets sent off to what is said to be the greatest restaurant in the world to stage. He begins the episode waking up in his bed, reluctantly bringing himself to get ready to begin his temporary job away from The Bear as per Carmy’s demand. When Richie walks into the place, it almost feels like a horror movie. The lighting is dim and unwelcoming, Richie is completely resenting being there, and he is unfortunate to be in the typical position of having to shine forks. It’s normal for a stage to start this way, but when Richie is half-assing the job entirely, the person overseeing him brings him outside to talk. Richie, expecting to get chewed out or let go, instead learns about the passion of the people working here regarding their jobs. And that’s the turning point. Richie goes from an antagonistic asshole who couldn’t care less about what’s going wrong to a guy who actually applies himself. He’s enthusiastic. It’s most notable when he runs to grab a deep dish pizza for a family visiting Chicago, and once the chef snobifies the dish, Richie of all people volunteers to give it to them. It’s when he’s at their table, giving them the food and talking to them that we really see that new side of him for the first time shining through. The immense change of his character from the beginning of season 1 to more than halfway through season 2 is immensely satisfying, but also extremely effective in presenting us with a character arc that makes you tear up. The only thing that makes it a million times better than it already is, is the fact that the lighting throughout the episode gets brighter as Richie grows. It’s a beautiful visual representation that gives a subtle visual representation of him becoming a “brighter” person.

Finally, S2E10 “The Bear”. The last episode of season 2 aptly named after the show itself is the Family and Friends night of the renovated and reinvented restaurant. This “dress rehearsal” seems like it’ll go perfectly smooth, everyone has high hopes, and after Carmy and Sydney have a heart-to-heart while fixing up a table before the real busy work begins, we feel this sense that nothing could go wrong. And, to be honest, for a while it actually plays out that way. But the issues start (just like the story Uncle Jimmy told Carmy before they started) when Carmy fucks up the first thing that night, which is when Sydney says she’s overwhelmed and would like Carmy to take over Expo, but Carmy just says she’s fine. It’s at this point that a toilet is down, tables are all behind, one of the chefs ditched to do drugs, the tension and stress multiply by several orders of magnitude, and finally, Carmy locks himself in the walk-in. But Carmy being stuck in a situation where he can’t be involved in the kitchen is when things look up. Richie takes over Expo, Sydney can cook, they start catching up, and they manage to fix up their string of fuck-ups in just four minutes. It’s perfect that it worked out BECAUSE Carmy got cut out because he had neglected to contact the fridge guy to fix the walk-in. He put himself there. That’s all his fault. But this happening instead of him suddenly overcoming his overwhelming hostility and aggressiveness as well as the neglect of the walk-in getting fixed made that first night of service perfect for the show. It’s not a flawless performance. There’s still a lot fucked up. Carmy has a lot of baggage and issues he hasn’t resolved that almost costed them that entire night. That’s why it’s perfect. He’s been deeply flawed the entire series, and having all of that resolved by the end makes a no sense. And we really feel the weight of this when Carmy ruins his relationship with his girlfriend, berates Richie, and vents to Tina about how he’s a “psycho”. We learn so much, and get the feeling that Carmy wants to be better, but still has this fear that good things will happen to him that break him out of this pure logic routine of things he’s turned his life into. It’s nowhere near resolved. Sure, the restaurant’s first night was successful, people loved it. But, Carmy’s still so, so far from having completed a character arc like so many others have.

I rarely ever watch shows more than once, but this might be the only show I’ve ever watched that I could watch over and over again without getting sick of it. I only appreciate every detail more, and it’s honestly slightly obsessive of me to love this show this much. But the way it feels like I’m back in a kitchen, stressed out of my fucking mind trying to work and keep up with everything while people are screaming at me to get things done, it’s nostalgic and addictive. I’ve never once described a show as perfect before, but I would describe The Bear as the greatest and most perfect show I’ve ever watched. The only drawback is that there’s only 18 episodes total, and I find myself wanting more, which is a rare feeling for me to hold for shows. But the real weight you feel from it, and the fact that you feel like you know the characters personally, it’s indescribable in terms of how impressively effective the show makes you sympathize with everyone and grounds you in their world. So despite the immense amount of stress and frustration you feel watching it, it’s still such a beautiful show to experience when you can connect so deeply with so many different parts of every character and feel the reality of the situations you see. And just because I can’t say it enough, I have to end this post by saying once again that The Bear is absolutely fucking perfect. Hands down, no question.

[metalnecklace]

There Was Heaven In Your Eyes

Pairing: Javier Peña x Reader (plus size)

Words: 2606

Warnings: SMUT (finally!), Violence/Gun Violence

Notes: This is a shorter one but we’re finally getting to the good stuff. Also another thank you to everyone who has been reading and leaving feedback!

Masterlist

Chapter 7

He took me to a wonderful restaurant, where the lighting was low and we had a comfortable, intimate table in the corner. We were secluded from everyone else, and the chatter from the other patrons was muted.

We made small talk for a bit while we drank some wine and waited for our food. He told me about how stressful work had been lately but didn’t tell me much about why. I suppose he figured I could just fill in the blanks.

When our food arrived I felt the need to bring up our conversation from the night before.

“I hope you’re not mad at me,” I began, pushing my pasta around my plate, “about last night, I mean.”

“I could never be mad at you.” He said, putting his fork down so he could focus on me. “I’m grateful. Not a lot of people know how to get my head out of my ass.”

I chewed my lip, he took a sip of his drink.

“You are right, though,” he continued. “It was best that we stopped when we did. Best not to do anything we might regret.”

My heart cracked. I nodded and continued to eat.

“You know,” he said, starting up again, “I was engaged before. Before I came here. I, uh, left her at the altar.”

I was shocked to hear this, nearly dropping my fork.

“I felt awful but I felt better than I had when I thought I was getting married. I just wish I didn’t hurt her to figure that out.”

“Thank you for telling me, Javier.” I reached across the table and placed my hand on his.

“So like I said, you’re right. I haven’t had a relationship since then and I’m quite honestly terrified of having another.” He pulled his hand out from under mine and continued to eat.

I nodded my head, pulling my hand back to my side.

He changed topics and made jokes to lighten the mood. I pushed my feelings aside to try and keep things normal, and overall we had a great dinner. It was nice to get out of the apartment, even though it was a bit difficult leaving a safe space.

We drove home in comfortable silence, the radio playing softly between us. We were almost home when Javier suddenly pulled his vehicle onto another road. I glanced over at him to find him eyeing the rearview mirror.

“There’s a car that’s been following us since we left.” I went to turn to look but he put his hand out. “Don’t. We don’t want them to think we’ve noticed.”

He turned a few more times, the car turning right after.

“Fuck,” he hissed under his breath. He pulled his phone out and dialed a number. “Murphy, we’re being tailed.”

My heart was beating in my throat as I listened to him rattle off the names of the street we were driving on.

“Okay, I’ll see yo-“

He was cut off by the sound of gunshots and the back window shattering.

“Fuck!” He growled, and stepped on the gas. “Hang on!”

We tore through the streets while the car chased after us. He maneuvered around a few cars and corners until it looked like we were no longer being chased. He pulled out his phone again and told Steve where he was heading, hoping for backup to meet us there. He hung up and turned to me.

“Are you alright?” Javier glanced between me and the road, his eyes were set but a look of worry flashed in them. “I think we lost them.”

I nodded, trying to keep my breathing steady. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m alright.”

He nodded too. “Good. We’re going to go meet Murphy, he’ll take you home.”

“What about you?” I asked.

He chewed his lip, looking through his mirror. “Someone’s gotta go after them, baby.”

We pulled up to a stop outside of a building I didn’t recognize. Murphy came out with a vest on and two other men behind him. He was about to reach the vehicle when he shouted.

“Get down!”

Javi spun around to face me just as I noticed movement in the parked car beside us. My seat was thrown back and a weight pushed against me, keeping me laying down nearly in the backseat, and bullets littered the air. Javi was laying on top of me, with his face buried in my neck, and I was paralyzed with fear underneath him.

More gunshots sounded and tires squealed before driving off. I could hear Steve shouting directions and more cars tore off in the direction the car went in.

Javi and I breathed together. He raised his head, his nose nearly pressing against mine.

“You okay?” He asked, his breathing still heavy and mixing with mine.

“Yeah. Are you?”

He snorted. “Still worrying about me even after getting shot at.”

“Someone’s gotta.” I smiled through my fear.

Steve opened the door and helped us out. Javi gave him instructions to take me home even though I wasn’t pleased with the idea of either of them still being out there. I got into his car anyway.

Javi came over to the window. “Hey, they got them not far from here, so I won’t be very long, okay?”

I nodded. “Be safe.”

He smiled, but for the second time that night it didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I will.”

Steve drove me home. He was quiet for the first bit but broke the silence by asking how dinner was.

“It was great,” I said, trying to sound enthusiastic but I was too distracted.

“Yeah, I told him he should take you out.” I looked over at Steve who was smiling fondly. “He’s been feeling so bad that you’ve been stuck inside. Hasn’t shut up about it since you moved in.”

So he felt bad about me. Great.

“He was pretty nervous about it at lunch. I had to give him a pep talk.”

This confused me. “Why would he be nervous?”

He looked equally as confused. “Why wouldn’t he be?”

I shrugged.

“Oh,” he said, his eyes going wide. “Oh, you don’t know.”

“Know what?” I asked.

He laughed and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Steve.”

He glanced over at me, still smiling. “It’s not for me to say, and I really shouldn’t, but he’s crazy about you.”

I felt the air get sucked out of my lungs. Javi? Crazy about me?

“But, but,” I stuttered.

“Don’t tell him I told you. Just let him explain. Please?” He turned a corner and our apartments came into view.

We finished the drive in silence, my thoughts were too wrapped up in thinking about Javi. Steve parked in the underground parking and turned off the car.

“He’s gonna be okay, you know.” He turned to me. “We’ve gone through a lot worse.”

“How is that supposed to help me feel better?”

He burst out laughing. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Come on, let’s get you inside.”

He told me he’d be upstairs if I needed anything, and closed the door to my apartment. I was alone, and confused as hell.

Javi told me it’s a good thing we didn’t go too far last night, Steve told me Javi’s crazy for me. What was the truth?

I put those thoughts aside for the moment and instead focused on the bigger issue. My nerves were shot after going through that, and my hands shook as I took a page out of Javi’s book and poured myself a heaping glass of whiskey.

I sat on the couch and took a few sips, finally taking my hair out of its updo and barely getting settled when the door opened.

There he was.

Javier closed the door behind him and leaned back against it. My eyes trailed over his throat as he pressed his head back into the wood behind him. His eyes were shut tight and they stayed that way until his breathing regulated. When he tilted his head back to normal his eyes zeroed in on me. He rushed over and knelt down in front of me, taking my glass out of my hands and placing it on the table. My hands trembled without the weight of the glass, and he held them to keep me steady.

“Are you okay?” His eyes searched mine. “Be honest.”

I nodded, the movement so slight I wasn’t sure he saw it. “Yes, Javier. I’m okay, I promise. Just a bit shaken up. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” He stood up and paced the living room. “Fuck, that was stupid. I should have known better, but instead almost got you killed.”

I stood up and went to meet him, stopping him in his tracks. “That’s not your fault. You tried to do a nice thing, and I really appreciated it. It’s not your fault they were stupid enough to try that.”

He shook his head, his hand coming up to his mouth as he traced his lower lip with his thumb. “You could have been killed tonight, (Y/N).”

“But I wasn’t.” I stepped closer to him, reaching out for his hand. “I’m okay, we’re okay. I’m right here.”

He took his hand out of mine and grabbed onto my upper arms. His grip was tight, not enough to hurt, but almost like he was trying to convince himself that I was standing right there. That I wasn’t hurt. He came closer and pressed his forehead against mine.

“I’m here, I’m okay.” I repeated, closing my eyes for a moment. He leaned back, and I opened my eyes to meet his, nearly gasping at the look of pure hunger that took over him,

We were standing as close as we had been the night before, but neither of us pulled back. Steve’s words played back in my head.

“Javier,” I took a small step closer, so close to where I wanted to be, needed to be, “please.”

“Say it.” He whispered. “Say it and I will.”

He didn’t have to tell me what to say, I knew exactly what he wanted.

“Please.” My voice was barely above a whisper. “Javi.”

His lips were pressed against mine in an instant, as if I flicked a switch. One of his hands pressed against my lower back, pulling my body flush against his, and his other hand cupped my cheek. He held me tenderly and kissed me like he was a starving man. His tongue poked my lip, and slipped into my mouth to massage against mine. I moaned and felt him smile into our kiss.

He pulled back and we were gasping for air. His forehead was pressed against mine.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to kiss you, cariño.” He started to kiss along my jaw, then back up to my lips.

My hands, which were resting against his chest, slid up to his shoulders and then I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The hand that was on my back went down to my hip and he gripped the fabric of my dress. I could feel him getting harder as we pressed against each other.

He brought his hand up my side and his other hand went from my face to my chest. Both of his hands traced over my breasts, causing me to moan into his mouth. His mustache tickled my skin as he kissed down my jaw to my neck. I ran my hands through his hair, gasping every time I felt his tongue lick a stripe up my skin, or when he nipped at me with his teeth.

We continued to kiss and pull each other as close as possible. Eventually he pulled back and led me to the couch, pulling me on top of him as he sat down. I was straddling him, my legs on either side of his hips, and I could feel him hardening even more under his denim and through the thin fabric I was wearing. Javier moaned when I started to slowly grind myself against him and began to kiss his neck.

His hands still massaged my chest, his thumbs rubbing over my nipples that poked through the fabric of my dress.

“Fuck, baby. This dress fits you so well,” he said. “I’ve been trying to be a gentleman all night, trying not to stare at your tits. Especially at dinner, every time you leaned forward, fuck, I just wanted to taste them.”

“Javi,” I moaned. I was practically panting, feeling too hot in my dress.

He pulled down the fabric covering my chest and arms until it was bunched up around my waist and my bra was on full display. I was slightly embarrassed that I didn’t have any prettier lingerie for him to look at, but after he undid the back and practically ripped my bra off of me I realized it wasn’t the lingerie he wanted to look at.

His mouth dropped open slightly as he stared at my now exposed skin.

“Look at you. So fucking gorgeous.” His voice was kept low but it sounded strained, like he was trying to hold back.

He leaned forward and grabbed hold of my breasts in his warm hands, lifting them slightly so he could wrap his lips around one of my nipples. I threw my head back and moaned his name as his tongue swirled around the bud, pleasure shooting through my body like lightning. He switched to the other nipple, and went back and forth between them while kissing, licking, sucking, and driving me crazy.

As he continued his actions I couldn’t help but keep moving myself against him, his cock hardening still underneath me. The way it rubbed against my clothed clit felt so good and I started to feel a knot forming in my belly.

“That’s it, baby. Make yourself feel good.” He murmured against my skin, making me jolt every time his lips brushed against my nipples. “You’re already close aren’t you? Been a while since anybody made you feel good.”

“Fuck, Javi,” I groaned, feeling that coil start to tighten more and more.

He brought his lips back up to mine and encouraged me to keep going as I panted into his mouth.

“Come on, baby, let yourself go, I got you.” The coil snapped.

I moaned into his mouth and continued moving my hips as wave after wave of pleasure washed over me. He was right, it had been a while, and I hid my face in his neck in embarassment for how quickly I finished.

“Oh, hermosa,” he cooed, “that was incredible.”

I pulled back and sheepishly met his eyes. “It was also too quick.”

“There’s no such thing, especially since we’re only getting started.” My breath hitched at the thought. “I know you’ve got a lot more in you.”

I nodded, still a bit breathless and sensitive from my first orgasm of the night.

“But we’re gonna have to move to the bedroom.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Because I’ve been dreaming of this for so long, and when I fuck you I don’t want to do it on this couch.”

“No?”

He cupped my jaw in his hand, his eyes filled with want. “I want you to be comfortable while I take you apart over and over again. While I make you cum on the tip of my tongue, with my fingers inside you, and then around my cock.”

“Javi,” I breathed, a flush still blooming on my chest and cheeks, “I need you.”

He smirked. “Then what are we waiting for?”

[tetskuro]

Bestest Greetingzz! Love to participate in ur matchup!!

she/her pronouns

Romantic relationship

haikyuu!male paring preferably

I’m an overall quiet person in social situations, due to some anxiety but I’m working in it! I’m trying really hard to just work on myself, on not taking things so seriously and accepting life as it is.

I’ve always been focused on being approachable and kind with everyone I meet, by smiling and offering help when I can!

With my close friends I get all goofy silly and vulnerable. I don’t have many friends in which I feel chemistry but the ones that I do I keep close to my heart!

I love being active (but right now I’ve been really on a slump so that’s making me feel a bit sad) running sports and sometimes dancing for fun!

I also love music, I could talk about music for days always looking for new things to listen to and still loyal to my favs!

I’ve also gotten into cooking new dishes mainly Japanese and I’m always eager to try new dishes!

I would love a partner who would be open minded to anything and everything, who wouldn’t make me doubt how much they care about me, who looks at life positively and they must make me laugh. I want to built each other up, help each other through our good and bad days!

I’m terrified of first dates in general so something causal like a picnic would be preferred but I’m open to do anything, as long as I’m can talk with them a lot!

Extra:

Love language is physical touch and right now I’m very touch starved. I love domestic vibes, soft music playing while cooking or the sound of a storm outside as we are cuddling.

I’m latina so I have curly hair which is super hard to maintain! And I get jealous/insecure quite easily but i don’t show it because I don’t want to be toxic hehe.

Thank you so much!

Can’t wait!! ❤️❤️

your matchup is...

osamu miya

⭑ osamu is generally a laidback person so he'd be pretty open minded about most things

⭑ acts of service are his love language so you'd know how much he cares for you through everything that he does

⭑ tbh i feel like osamu would prefer casual dates as well

⭑ would definitely enjoy picnic dates

⭑ he'd get really excited thinking of what food to bring and packing the picnic basket

⭑ osamu would feel so happy anytime he got to cook for you and you complimented his food

⭑ hearing affirmations of how delicious his food is makes him feel even more sure that he made the right decision to pursue his passion of opening a restaurant

⭑ he always looks forward to the dishes you make and is just really glad he has someone else who shares his love for food

⭑ hypes up your cooking by saying something like "yer food's so good if ya were to open yer own restaurant, you'd give me a run fer my money"

⭑ and he means every word of it

⭑ he'd be more than down to cook and try new recipes and cuisines as well

⭑ you both would make it a point to try at least one new dish each week and you'd take turns picking out what the new recipe would be

⭑ there'd be a lot of cute domestic moments with osamu

⭑ cooking dinners as you can hear the soft patter of rain on the roof is one of your guys' favorite way to spend time

⭑ he takes your song recs and plays them at onigiri miya

⭑ the customers (and osamu) enjoy the music a lot so he's back asking you for more recs lmao

⭑ osamu would definitely join you on your runs whenever you're feeling up for them

⭑ also assures you that the slump you're in isn't permanent and makes sure you ease back into doing the physical activities that you enjoy such as running, sports, and dancing

⭑ loves casual intimacy like you hugging him from behind while he's making food or him resting his chin on your head while you go shopping

your matchup runner-up is sawamura daichi

[vanoincidence]

Cultauge (Cult Sausage) || Van & Wren

TIMING: current. LOCATION: sly slice. PARTIES: @asirenscream & @vanoincidence SUMMARY: wren goes to sly slice seeking normalcy. she doesn't really find it, because van is the one serving her. CONTENT: none!

Van was staring down at her phone when the door opened. The silence that followed would’ve been concerning, but she was used to customers being distracted before they were finally ready to order. However, the prolonged silence stretched a little too far for her liking, and finally, she looked up to see a girl who couldn’t be much older than herself standing across from her. “Um… hi–” No, she wasn’t supposed to start with um, that wasn’t how customer service worked. 

“Hi, welcome to Sly Slice.” There, that was much better. She looked from the girl to the door, half-expecting a few of her friends to trickle in, but nobody did. “Do you… want to order?” 

Wren was supposed to be able to handle anything the new world she was introduced to her had to offer. It didn’t exactly feel like that. Her favorite thing was to simply stay home. The mere idea of being out and about made her knees shake with unrelenting anxiety that made it hard to even breathe through. Her mission for the day had been to actually talk to someone. Anyone. Someone who wasn’t a bird, at least. 

The attempt hadn’t gone well so far. Wren had spent most of the day darting between buildings and hiding, a tremble in her fingers she couldn’t quite shake. She, instead, had dug around in various dumpsters and stuffed whatever she could find in usable condition in the bag Poppy had left her. (It was a brown leather bag with scuffs all over it, but she planned on treasuring it dearly since it was Poppy’s.) The search in dumpsters didn’t result in anything for the siren to eat. Her stomach had let out a pitiful growl. It was long past time to find something to eat.

It took longer than anticipated with how Wren avoided anyone and everyone on the sidewalks, but she eventually found what seemed to be some sort of restaurant. She pulled down the sunglasses she had found in the trash over her eyes, gripping tighter onto her bag, and pushed open the door. There was a girl standing behind the counter and Wren was doing her best to not outright run out of the restaurant. 

“Hi!” Wren squeaked out, another tentative step forward was taken. She couldn’t believe there was an actual human in front of her. This was utterly terrifying. “What do… you have?” Her voice cracked in the middle. She swallowed hard before trying again, “to eat! Do you have like… um. Do you have any meat?” This was definitely how this was supposed to go. Hopefully.  

Van stared across the way at the customer, watching as she visibly trembled with every word that was spoken. Was that what she looked like to other people? God, she hoped not. “This is a pizza place…” She cleared her throat and pointed upwards to the menu that hung over her head. In case the girl couldn’t see, she grabbed one of the leaflets with the four pizza types they had available as well as the drink menu which had all off-brand soda types. 

“There’s pepperoni and sausage, if that’s what you want? I mean, that is meat, so I’m guessing that is like, what you want.” She chewed the inside of her cheek as she watched her. Van wondered why she was wearing sunglasses inside and if it had anything to do with the bright fluorescents behind her, or if it was something else. 

“There’s cheese too, so like, if you’re lactose intolerant, I do have some lactaid? I mean, I’m not supposed to give them out ‘cause I think technically they’re medicine, but… there’s also cheese, and I feel like that’s really important.” 

Just behind her, there were a few warming stations with already made pizza, most of which had meat toppings. “They’re 2.25 a slice, or 13.00 for a full pizza.” 

Wren blinked a few times behind the shades of the sunglasses. Pizza. That was… human food. Right? There was so much that she was still trying to learn. Poppy had left her behind a journal and various things to learn more about how to pass in human society. Avoiding mirrors, avoiding saying she was a siren to begin with, and more things to just help her. This definitely wasn’t in anything she was left. What was the right thing to say? Oh, she was definitely failing this self imposed mission already.

“Right. Pizza! Pizza.” Wren shaped the word in her mouth and made a face at how utterly confusing it felt to say out loud. She took a few more tentative steps toward the counter to snatch the leaflet out of the woman’s hand. “Um,” her eyes looked down to the leaflet to see just what exactly pizza was. It definitely had meat on it, but not raw meat which was how Wren tended to eat it. 

Tilting her head slightly, Wren let out a long breath before looking back up to the girl behind the counter. “Do you have, like… raw meat pizza?” That was so something humans would ask for. This was easy. Ignoring the tremble in her own words, Wren did her best to stand up straight and act like she knew just what she was doing. “I will take one of these pizza like that and that lactaid, for sure!” 

Van was so used to going into customer service mode while beneath Sly Slice’s roof that it hadn’t even occurred to her that the girl across from her seemed to be a little more disheveled than most. Recently, most people seemed that way. The town seemed to always have something going on, and Van typically stuck her head in the sand when it came around to acknowledging it. It was easier that way. She already had so much of her own life changing every day, she didn’t need to look at what else was changing. 

“Pizza!” Van threw her hands up, making jazz hands as if to reveal the word they’d both said now more than a few times. Was this the first time that the girl had had it? It seemed to be, based on the way she was confused. That wouldn’t be a first, though. There were plenty of people who’d never had pizza before. 

“Raw… meat?” Van blinked at the customer, dumbfounded by the request. It reminded her of the time that raccoons had been eating all of their sausage and she had blamed Janice. “Is that.. a thing?” She’d heard of tartar, but she didn’t think that the beef they stocked at Sly Slice was good enough for that. “Um, I don’t think that we can do that. Like, food code or something. But you can have cooked meat, if that’s what you want? Do you want… that? With the lactaid?” Van was used to getting odd requests, and raw meat was one of the ones she’d come across before, but she always tended to push them in the direction of the kinds of stuff that wouldn’t get Rocky in trouble for. 

Wren flinched in surprise at the hand motion the girl made. She blinked a few times to try to find some inner calm within herself that definitely didn’t exist. Poppy had always made jokes about the way that Wren would rather stay in the nest than take on even the slightest uptick in the winds. Waiting in a stretching silence fit her way more than even managing a response to the obviously confused girl before her. Okay, so raw meat pizzas weren’t a human thing. This was going to be really weird then. How was she supposed to dig her way out of this?

The door was looking real nice to run out of right about now.

“Um,” the sting of tears were pricking at the corners of Wren’s eyes, hidden behind the bright pink sunglasses she was wearing. “Anything can be a thing if you want it to! That’s what… um. That’s what my cousin used to say.” Her voice pitched up an octave, feeling the way her bottom lip trembled. This was so hard. Why did she have to do this? She wanted to go home. Not the stupid house Poppy left her, but her actual home.

A sniffle finally escaped Wren despite her best efforts. Her hand rubbed at her cheek anxiously. “Never mind! Don’t, um… don’t worry about it!” Her voice cracked at the end as she swallowed around the lump in her throat. 

Not quite the observant type, Van missed the way that the customer inwardly flinched. She was too confused by the request of raw meat pizza, even though by Wicked’s Rest standards, that did seem fairly normal. She thought about Dr. Kavanagh and her request to keep the mice in the freezer at the apartment she was borrowing, and how she wouldn’t put it past Regan to ask the freezer at Sly Slice either at some point. 

People were just… weird, and it was clear that this customer was no exception to that. Who was Van to judge? She was weird, too. 

What Van did notice, however, was the tremble in the girl’s voice. That sounded like Van when she was about to start crying. Was this girl about to start crying? Over raw meat pizza? Was it some kind of delicacy in her family? Did she just really need her iron? Or was it zinc… Van had no clue. She opened her mouth to speak before it was made obvious by the sniffle from the customer that she was in fact crying. 

How would somebody try and fix this situation for her? They’d probably tell her raw meat was bad for her and force her to have regular pizza, but Van wasn’t Dr. Kavanagh or Emilio. No, she was Van. A free-thinker! Somebody who liked to give people what they wanted. 

“No, um– it’s– I can give… there is sausage that I can give you? You can just buy that instead?” She didn’t think the cooks would let her request the sausage not to be cooked, but she could probably get away with swiping one of the portions without them noticing. “Is that okay? Sausage? No pizza? You don’t even need lactaid, I don’t think!” She didn’t think there was milk in sausage. 

“I can um, I can go and get it for you? I don’t know how much to charge you for it, so…” The pink sunglasses the customer wore didn’t look expensive, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have money. Again, who was Van to judge? She was more broke than most people. “Does that… work?”

The ragged breath expelled from Wren rather abruptly. This definitely would be what Poppy would call ‘a total and complete disaster from start to finish’. It was embarrassing, beyond embarrassing even. Wren didn’t know how to function outside of her colony. This was going to be her home for how long now and it was stumble after stumble in trying to get settled. Could she even ever truly get settled with how miserably she was failing in just getting here? 

It took a few sharp inhales before Wren could even manage a response. A soft warmth fluttered through her chest at the kind offer. Maybe it was just to get her to stop crying like a child, but it was still kind nonetheless. “I would… I would like that, thank you.” She all but croaked out, fingers tangling together as she gripped at them to stop their shaking before the girl. It wasn’t like she couldn’t embarrass herself further. Wren knew it was highly likely, even. 

Money, right. Poppy had left her some in the notes and advice to pass in human culture. She finally pushed the sunglasses to rest on the top of her head as she pulled her bag around to dig through. She pulled out a handful of crinkled bills. There were various ones, fives, and a ten in there. This was also another hurdle she was struggling in figuring out: what exactly the currency system was and how it worked. She would have to keep reading Poppy’s notes. “Is this enough?” A shaky hand was extended out toward the human woman. 

Van knew that maybe she should have stayed firm on this subject, should have told her that no, only cooked pizza is available. But the way she looked, even from behind those glasses– it reminded her way too much of herself. Maybe it was like she was seeing a version of herself in the mirror. A slightly taller version with longer hair, but still. 

She leaned over the counter to get a better look as the customer began to dig into her bag for what she could only assume to be money. What if she pulled out Canadian coins? What would Van tell her? Maybe she should find Thea and see if she could do an exchange of some kind. But after a moment, no, it wasn’t the Queen whose face disgraced her vision, it was one of the old men in the ugly paper. At least Canadian money looked pretty. 

“Um…” She tried to get a view of just how much money there was, but couldn’t quite see. Whatever, it’s not like Rocky hadn’t had sausage go missing before. “Hold on.” 

Van dashed into the back room, slinking towards the freezer. Their newest cook was on their phone, leaning against the opposite wall with one earbud in– completely unaware to her existence. She pulled open the fridge and grabbed one of the large bundles of sausage, tucking it under her arm before returning to the front. 

Brushing some of the hair out of her eyes, she slapped the sausage onto the counter between herself and the customer. It made a squishing sound as she dropped it down, but there it was– raw and a myriad of pinks and reds. “Is this okay? We don’t really have like…other stuff, just this.” She gave the girl a hopeful glance before she shook her head at the money. “You can um, keep that. This sausage is on the house.” How many things had been given to her for free because of the way she looked? Pitiful, even behind a pair of sunglasses. Maybe Van had it all wrong– maybe this girl needed the sausage to provide for more people than just herself, and more than what pizza could offer. 

But she’d asked for raw pizza, too. Van thought about the raccoons again and her nose twitched in response to the idea of eating the meat from the fridge. “Um… can I ask, though? Are you like, one of those heavy carnivore people? You know, like the girl on Tik tok who eats a lot of butter..?”

Wren blinked, money still outstretched in her hand. The girl told her to ‘hold on’ then all but rushed off. It wasn’t long before the girl was back with the sausage. Slowly, Wren pulled her outstretched hand back and deposited the money into her bag once more. Maybe she needed more? She plucked the sunglasses off the top of her head and dropped them into the bag, too. Maybe she’d have to use that as a payment, too. Do restaurants take sunglasses as payments? She’d have to look back at her notes or simply hope for the best. 

Clamping her mouth shut in fear that her teeth would turn into the razor sharp form they normally were, Wren observed the sausage curiously. It hadn’t even occurred to her to enthrall the woman behind the counter into giving her the food she wanted. Now the mere thought made her feel uncomfortable. It was out of the kindness of her own heart that she did this. She wasn’t sure if she’d see this girl again, but she vowed she wouldn’t ever use her abilities on her. Did she want to be friends with her? Wren never really had a friend outside of Poppy before. The other sirens in her colony thought she was too bossy or too much of a baby to be around. 

“Yes! It’s—it’s great, thank you.” Wren wiped at her damp cheeks and took the last few tentative steps to fully approach the counter. So ‘on the house’ meant no money needed. She’d have to remember that. Or remember long enough at least to put it down in her overflowing book of notes about humans she had. Her manicured nail poked at the sausage before her attention was drawn back to the girl.

“Tick… tock?” The words felt foreign and odd on Wren’s tongue. “Is that a uh… what is that?” She asked curiously. There was no way she’d be able to begin to even guess what a tick tock may be. “Um, I—I just… eat a lot of raw meat, yeah! Ever since I was a little—a little child?” That’s what adolescent humans were called. She remembered! Score one for Wren. “Do you like this butter? What do you like?” More research to be able to help her fit in. She could use this. 

Once the girl’s glasses were off, it was that much more apparent that yes, she had been crying. Van bit the inside of her cheek, suddenly feeling a little more awkward than she previously did. Was this how people felt around her? Then again, she wasn’t going around asking for raw meat. She didn’t cry over meat, it wasn’t worth it. Maybe slimjims, but never sausage. 

Half of her thought that when the customer reached forward for the sausage, she’d be infected with something– the urge to cry, maybe. As if the customer would transfer her anxiety over. Van smiled at the girl despite her inner thoughts, knowing that when someone was kind, it made the situation that much better. When people looked annoyed– that was what usually made Van cry a little harder, at least. 

“Tik Tok, it’s the… app?” She thought about Wynne and how they hardly knew anything at all, and Van began to theorize that maybe this customer was from a cult, too. A weird, raw meat eating one, but one nonetheless. Though, Wynne hadn’t liked the use of that word. “People post videos and things, and there’s a girl on there who eats a lot of meat and also like, blocks of butter.” She fiddled with a loose string on the hem of her work shirt as she explained. 

But it was being cleared up– the reason as to why she needed the raw meat. “I used to eat a lot of soup as a kid, so I guess… but I don’t think raw soup is a thing, since it’s heated? It has to be cooked.” She was sure it was out there somewhere, some version of raw soup, but it didn’t really entice her in any way. Van shook her head. “I’m not… a butter fan.” She liked butter in things, but the idea of eating it whole made her a little queasy. “What do… I like?” She pointed at herself, slightly surprised by the question. 

“Um… I like slim jims and red bulls.” Van looked down at her t-shirt and pulled the nametag forward, “my name is Van, by the way.” Maybe she could get this person’s name and connect her with Wynne. They could discuss their cults and maybe the girl across from her would no longer feel the need to eat raw meat. “Not like the car, but– like Vanessa. See? It’s scratched out.” She pointed towards where she’d taken the sharpie to the end of her name tag. 

Wren’s fingers wrapped around the sausage and awkwardly picked it up. She could feel the look she was getting from the woman and it made her want to squirm on the spot. Running away still sounded really good right now. Maybe she could take up hiding away in an alleyway again. Though, that wasn’t very comfortable or warm right now. She could run away eventually, just not yet. That wasn’t very polite or what humans considered polite at least. She remembered reading that in the book left for her. This interaction, at least, would give her something to add to the book of notes. 

“App. I see.” Wren repeated the words coming from the woman as if that would make them stick around in her brain longer. She’d have to work on her computer skills some more and figure out what exactly this ‘Tick Tock’ thing was. Whatever she needed to do to blend in. The urge to start trembling was prevalent. That was a daunting task. It meant interacting with people and doing her best to not stand out. If she could melt into the floor right this moment then she would do that. Figuring out what the heart wanted most from others was easy work, but finding out just how to keep eyes turning toward her was a big feat. She didn’t think figuring out what people wanted most would help her much on that front. 

Wren’s eyes were wide as she paid rapt attention to what the girl was telling her. If she could commit the words to be ingrained inside her head she would. She also couldn’t help but get distracted momentarily on just how kind and careful the woman was with her. It was hard to not feel like Wren was mere moments away from a meltdown, but no matter how anxiety-inducing this had been for her she felt an urge to be optimistic. It would take more than just one interaction to bring her out of this self imposed shell, but this was at least a nice, not super scary start. (Her own crying aside. That was normal for her.)

“Hi, Van.” Wren greeted, swallowing around the swell of anxiety. “Those sound like all nice things to eat. Very yummy!” She had no idea what any of them were—or what a van was outside of the kind woman she had met. “I’m Wren, like the bird. Um, I’m going—I’m going to go. Thank you very much for the free meat.” Awkwardly, Wren dropped the wrapped food into her bag and took a few staggered backwards steps toward the door. “Maybe I will be back! With um, real pizza requests!” Blindly reaching back, Wren shoved open the door and dashed out of it back toward the streets. 

A loud, sharp exhale escaped the siren as she turned down the first alleyway she came across. At least Wren had something to eat for a little bit. That had been enough adventure for one day, she decided. She still wasn’t entirely sure about how exactly to navigate the human world and the people in it, but that hadn’t been the worst start. 

“Wren, like the bird!” Van nodded, committing the name to memory. It’d be easy to remember it, and maybe Wynne would even feel the need to befriend her since their names were similar. She tucked the thought away, nodding. “They are like, really good.” Better than raw sausage. She didn’t say it outloud, gaze scanning the meat that she had already handed over. It was still a little weird, but she knew deep down that she shouldn’t judge. 

Before Van could get another word in, Wren was backtracking towards the door and pushing it open. “Please come for pizza! Your cult doesn’t control you!” She figured it was lost on Wren, as the door was already closed and she was gone. Van stood there for a moment, preoccupied by the way her chest wound tight. It’d been awhile since she’d taken control of a situation– noticed the way that somebody else might have needed reassurance. 

Now that she was alone, she felt the jitters from the conversation and she took a deep breath, easing herself back into her work routine. She’d need to tell Wynne about Wren before Wren went back to her cult and she knew it. 

[forsakenmissives]

just need to work this all out

ok so im unemployed fresh college grad atm and ive got job apps sent in and even an interview lined up but that interview is in the town my dad is in so im staying with my dad but in the time ive spent waiting for that date ive been with an employment agency but the job that place sent me to was the absolute worst and my mental health has plummeted to the point that i’m getting physically sick both bc of the job and bc i feel like i have to keep looking over my shoulder with my dad right there.

i skipped work saturday and today which is insanely immature but i cant think im struggling to sleep and eat bc of this and today i emailed the agency saying i wish to end our agreement. they said they wished i gave a notice (tbf i thought i had when i was like “i’m moving away” on saturday.. but whatever. actually not whatever — that shouldntve been discounted and im not entirely at fault here) but that they wish me the best and i said thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.

earlier last week when i told dad this job is really bad for me he told me to stay working there until i get another job secured. i did not do that and now im terrified of telling him that i quit bc i dont know what hes going to do plus i dont want to talk about it with him i just want to be left alone

also this interview ive got lined up is for a really great company however i dread working there bc that means i have to stay with dad. i want to go back to where i used to live. also i dont like that one of the high up workers there is friends with my dad. being a nepo baby is great unless the nepo comes from my dad. i dont trust him to not keep tabs on me and i dont want him knowing what ive been doing or where ive been. not that im doing anything illegal i just want him to fuck off, yknow?

all of this leads back to the problem ive always had in that hes a huge control freak who needs to know everything going on in my life and i cant escape. my mom got out through the divorce but im still stuck here and i cant leave either bc even if i cant breathe with him and his wife and their kids i love my paternal grandparents and aunt and uncle. im just so paranoid and anxious and i feel like i cant breathe

im so sick of disappointing people but also the stuff my dad is proud of me about is stuff im not that proud of. its like i just cant win with him.

oh and paranoia aside i dont want to owe him anything bc he used to ignore me for months despite me calling and messaging him constantly (to the point that my mom was like “do you even love me? do you even want to be here do you even care?”) when he took me out for dinner one of the times he decided to acknowledge me he said he’d pay for a field trip (past the time the fee was due so i had to get special permission from the teacher) then the next week he said i only talk to him when i need money so actually no hes not giving me anything. WHAT. and then a couple years later he was like “i never got to be your parent you never let me be your dad :(“ and when i was like “why” he was like “i had to always go have fun with you instead of discipline you bc i didnt want our time together to be all sad and me getting mad at you” like again. WHAT.

he said that bc i was like “i was rly hurt when you said i only come to u for money bc i reached out to u a lot and u never replied”. so. idk what to do with that but i still dont rly understand the argument from him here. but yeah i was like rly hurt and then he started crying talking about how he never got to be my dad even tho i was like 19 when this convo happened so he had 19 years to try and didnt and its rly unfair that im supposed to feel guilty for denying him this even tho i was the child and he had total control he could decide what to do with me and he chose wrong and now hes taking it out on me here in this restaurant. ok.

its so fucked cuz now im like so was i doing something wrong all those times we were tgt? like idk im just scared around him bc i dont ever know if im doing something wrong bc he wont tell me or maybe he will or maybe he . idk i just cant sit still yknow?

also his wife is racist and ive got to deal with microaggressions from her. and hes a pastor

anyway i just needed to get that all out there to feel a bit less crazy. thank you for coming to my ted talk ✌️😗

OH YEAH. and he makes me feel stupid all the fucking time like i dont need a job right now. i Should get one but i dont have a mortgage im not buying groceries i dont need to pay for insurance I DONT NEED A JOB. but he told me to stay in this shitass job bc i need it. dude it had me out in the sun all day (ALL DAY) paying $10/hr and had me coming home genuinely thinking about killing myself. not even bc of the physical labor but bc it was so under-stimulating like i was in my head all day no music no interesting surroundings no conversation nothing for me to solve. and he was all like “well sometimes we have to do work that we don’t like” YEAH I FUCKING KNOW DICKHEAD. my mom said he talked like that to her too and also apparently ok not to brag bc im fr not but im rly smart like im fucking brilliant and my dad always acted like it was bc of him but my mom’s other kids are also brill while my dad’s other kids are… theyre sweet kids and intelligence isnt everything im aware i know but its like “really dickhead?” i just hate how he belittles u and talks like ur dumb. im not dumb. dont piss me off

[jack-kellys]

Okay I was hitting at shuffle and laughing at the results but ohhh here’s a good one: Restaurant & Fae au for the ask game?

this worked out much better than i was thinking it would

randomize some aus and i'll give you my idea!

so it’s quite commonly known that henry’s father owns or used to own a small restaurant but now it is. a powerpuff gang fae au so:

modern au. henry inherits his dad’s restaurant at only age 18. he’s still in school, trying to at least graduate since any hope of college is down the drain. his friends aren’t sure how to help initially since they’re trying to do the same and plenty have already lost at least one parent. henry’s a very talkative person so basically all of his friends know what’s going on, even some he’s less close with. 

jojo lost his own parents a while back and often helps out at one of the community centers nearby and normally stays at friends’ houses until he has to go back to the home he’s at. he knows there’s not a lot for him once school is over, and he’s got…a bit of a precious secret to look after and he’s terrified he might expose himself if he ever got into trouble. so when he hears his friend’s friend talk about a restaurant, he dm’s henry on instagram immediately.

jojo.g: hi omg!! i heard splasher talking abt your restaurant and i looove to cook and i’m rly good with people so i’d love to help :) 

hen_butler: hi! super nice of you. aren’t you 16 tho??

jojo.g: ok and?? lmao

fuck it, henry needs the help desperately, and he lets jojo on board. what he didn’t know initially is that jojo comes as a packaged deal, and yet another sixteen year old appears at the restaurant: mike. mike is curious- he talks plenty but not much about himself, meanwhile henry can’t keep a secret to save his life. it’s clear that mike can, and he agrees to keep quieter about his age because henry is like….i would like for my restaurant to stay open and for me not to get fined for running a restaurant on teenagers. 

it becomes clear as to why mike is good at keep secrets once they get to business.

jojo is… really good in the kitchen. everything stays clean, each plate is ready nice and quick and to-go meals are even faster, and everything is evenly cooked or prepared. even henry, who grew up cooking his whole life, falls behind the other in the kitchen. mike’s out front with customers, the chatterbox. anytime henry’s been like “haha wow jojo is like really into cooking huh” mike’s always “yep he loves it!” “yeah can’t believe you guys didn’t connect before!” “he’s just a natural!”

yeah he’s magic. jojo is magical as fuck and when henry’s not paying attention to him he’ll have the bowl mix itself while he’s doing other shit LMAO… sugar and spice and everything nice!

the local restaurant becomes quite successful and their friends often pile in because holy fuck their friends can cook, they gain all these regulars and become this little hub in their community. and make a fair amount of money.

i think it’d be a fun dramatic point when henry finds out abt jojo, since it’s what jo’s afraid of but also henry is like…. so is my merit actually doing anything for this place or has it just been you this whole time.

anyway yeah thats the fae+restaurant au LMFAO very uh.. long. and not one mention of j*ck k*lly from me is very impressive

[mainstoryarchive]

Underachievers - 13: Monetize

Translators: 310mc & haranami

Proofreader: Peace

Tatsumi: Now, then. Let us head to the live venue as we were instructed, so we may enjoy the viewing.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Location: ES Hallway

Several minutes later

Tatsumi: Now, then. Let us head to the live venue as we were instructed, so we may enjoy the viewing.

Eichi-san said he would pull some strings to ensure we're permitted inside. I assume he must be done executing such measures by now.

Fufu, I feel quite satisfied after filling my stomach.

Hiiro: Yes, we ate a lot. I feel incredibly fulfilled, and I think the hamburger steak might become a favorite of mine.

Tatsumi: The salad I ate was incredibly tasteful, as well. I’m sure the chef was a skilled one.

Hiiro: Hm. The taste of a salad isn't greatly affected by a chef's skill, though, is it?

Tatsumi: Oh no, no. It is not only the taste, but the style the vegetables were sliced, the portions, as well as the composition that makes it all wonderful.

I had been eating hospital meals for quite the while, and thus lost interest in the quality of cuisine… However, I feel as if my eyes have been reopened to the beauty of it.

Hiiro: Yes. It seems as if only ES employees or idols are able to enter the restaurant we just visited, so if we get dismissed, we’ll never be able to taste those dishes again.

Let’s work our hardest so we can continue to eat such delicious food.

Tatsumi: Yes. The Lord has said that “man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”… However, no matter what source your motivation comes from, it is wonderful to know that you feel it to begin with.

Aira: Ah, I finally got it! That’s what this was about?!

Hiiro: Woah—You startled me! What’s wrong, Aira? I had been wondering why you were quiet, yet now you’re shouting so loudly… That’s discourteous, you know?

Aira: S-Sorry. “Discourteous,” huh… As always, I don’t get your choice of words, Hiro-kun.

But anyway, um, I finally understand why I couldn’t pay for my food at the restaurant earlier.

I think my personal L$ got appropriated for the fees we’re using as a unit, now that we’ve just formed one.

Or rather, it looks like it’s all been moved to a different account.

That’s terrifying, you know? Everything I deposit can be transferred to another account in an instant, without me even knowing or consenting to it.

Hiiro: Hm. Yet another word I do not know. What are “L$”? Do you know, Tatsumi-senpai?

Tatsumi: Ahh—I genuinely cannot answer any of your questions… During my stay in the hospital, there have been many new implementations of which I know nothing of.

Aira: Ok, ok, I’ll explain then~… I kinda feel like I’m getting used to this, or like, I guess this is just my life now.

Sooo, basically, L$ is the money circulated within ES.

It’s a currency unit. By the way, it may be written as L$, but you pronounce it as “L-Dollar”.[1] The exchange rate actually fluctuates a bit, but generally speaking 1L$ is about 100 yen.

It’s kinda like a virtual currency—do you understand if I put it that way?

You can also use L$ in other shops within ES. It’s a lot cheaper than paying normally, so I’ve completely switched to just using L$ whenever I shop.

Hiiro: Oh, yes! I remember spotting “L$” on the restaurant’s menu.

I was wondering what that meant. So it’s a currency unit!

Aira: Yup. Oh, and the main way to get L$ is through official jobs sent from ES.

The best way to make income is, as you’d expect, live shows and… the DreamFes I told you about earlier.

If you achieve good results in a highly ranked DreamFes, you can become a billionaire overnight—Okay, that’s just an exaggeration, but you can make a lot of money in one go.

Since we’re part of ES, we’re expected to make good use of our L$ while we do idol activities, not to mention manage it.

That’s like, the absolute basics of this company… Did you two seriously not know?

Tatsumi: Yes, as shameful as it may be… However, it feels corrupt—or rather, impure—to be an idol for the sake of money…

Hiiro: Is that so? “Idol” is just another profession, is it not?

Tatsumi: Fufu, that is true. However, I wish to believe that there is more to it than simply that.

Hiiro: Hm… It seems complicated, and I am still no closer to understanding what, exactly, an “idol” is supposed to be.

Aira: Hmm~ But you’re an idol, yourself, even if you’re a failure of one.

Anyway, while what Kazehaya-senpai said is reasonable; they’ve actually been keeping that in mind too. L$ isn’t just any money, y’know.

Your L$ income is affected by your popularity and the affection you get from fans.

Like, this may just be how I see it, but whoever implemented this is pretty clever, honestly—it was made so you can gain L$ not only through idol activities, but through the love of your fans, too.

On the other hand, if you don’t do your work properly, your L$ will periodically be deducted, like you’re being taxed…

And if you do things an idol absolutely shouldn’t do, you’ll be charged as punishment—they could even confiscate all of your L$, y’know?

So we should all be careful of what we say and do—especially you, Hiro-kun.

If you keep saying weird stuff like “I’ll destroy idols”, the higher-ups or your fans are gonna start hating you, and you’re gonna get your L$ taken away, ‘kay?

Hiiro: Hm. It isn’t very pleasant how we have to regulate our speech and actions for the sake of this “L$”.

Aira: But it’s effective. Everyone works hard at their idol activities because the system is like this.

Tatsumi: Hm. While there may be a testament that says, “He who does not work, neither shall he eat”… being made to perform idol work like we’re held at gunpoint does not sound healthy to me.

However, people are prone to neglecting their work. I suppose it is necessary to have the right type of pressure to avoid being too relaxed.

It is especially important in this era of the idol industry, as it has been idle for such a long period of time.

[ ☆ ]

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L-Dollar is “リッドル riddoru” in the original script.

[umichenginabroad]

Week 13: Reflection

There is a sense of finality, but I am unsure how to describe how I actually feel. I have never been one for theatrics, drama and cheese, but I can’t help but already feel the incoming nostalgia. This experience hasn’t been all rainbows and roses, but I can certainly see myself looking back on my life at 80 and marking this period of my time as my peak. Total strangers that I’ve bumped into thousands of times at Michigan have become my best friends that I’ve experienced so much with. People with such a different mindset have worked side by side and competed with me. A culture that I felt so distantly related to has become close, where I can speak the language without thinking whereas prior to the program I was terrified to even speak in front of my own family.

I had a wonderful time, but at the same time it needed to end. In this program, I felt like life in the middle portion had become somewhat repetitive, especially as I struggled with my classes. I think the urgency of the end quickly approaching drove us to exponentially increase our outings into the city but had the program been longer, I don’t know if we would have had the drive to. Also, with such a small program, meant seeing the same faces day in and day out, which I think was great to create a community, but at times I could feel the need for some fresh faces, perspectives, and personality.

So what was our final week like? Busy.

Immediately coming back from our weekend trip to Chengdu, we were thrown into the finals week gauntlet. I actually had one final prior to the Chengdu trip so I only had two more finals, one game-day (where we finish our prototype for our design class), and one final report.

At the same time, I still wanted to take in as much of Shanghai as possible. I got my hair permed, visited a cat cafe, went vintage shopping, and tried lots of recommended restaurants. It was refreshing going into the city, strolling around, trying as many sweet treats before our teeth rot, chatting/gossiping with friends, and just enjoying the bustle and charm of the city. The sweltering 100 degree humid heat has definitely been a deterrent to walking around but in this final week, it doesn’t seem to bother me too much knowing it will be the last time in Shanghai with these people. On our last outing, we just happened to bump into a street musician singing some songs. We just happened to listen to his last song— 今生缘—which really struck a chord, which wasn’t even A minor. I didn’t understand most of it but one line that I did understand roughly translates to “Who knows who is going to continue to take this road with us, as long as we don’t forget.” Maybe I translated this wrong, but the interpretation really hit home with me.

I honestly didn’t expect much from this program. I wanted to get my credits and practice my Chinese and not worry about finding an internship. While reading other bloggers talk about their study abroad experience, I honestly thought they were gassing it up for content, but I honestly believe this experience has been life changing. I’m not quite sure what it’ll be like back at Michigan as people on the trip all come from different friend groups and have packed schedules back at Michigan.

On a less sentimental note, oh my gosh make sure you prepare an empty suitcase to fill up with stuff from China. I came here with half a checked bag and carry on and I’m leaving with 2 checked bags and one carry on filled to the brim. To be fair, my aunt also packed me 18 kilos worth of snacks to bring back to my family, but still! Also, I had the goal of having one last massive TaoBao purchase (Chinese amazon) before I left and It seems like a lot of other people in the program had the same idea; in the package pick-up area I would always bump into a friend grabbing something from their haul. Everything here is so cheap and the make-up is so high quality! If you come to China I have a few recommendations.

Bars: $$$ Odd Couple (Mr. Miyagi) or $ Perry’s

Clubs: INS (2nd or 4th floor) or Fuxing Park in general

Restaurants: Maki (sushi), Xiao er xiang kao 小二香烤 (KBBQ close to campus and 80 yuan/person), Xiaoping 晓平饭店 (Shanghainese food)

TaoBao Vendors: Mo Kuang (Jeans), Judy Doll (Makeup), Ariseism (fun tops), *not TaoBao but 鹿哥哥 外贸男装 has drip for guys*

Cool Streets to walk: Yongkang (Vintage stores), HuaiHai Zhong (croissant gym?)

China and especially Shanghai is an exciting place full of change and innovation, with friendly people! But through talks with the local students and people, you can also see the negatives of China creating an overall well rounded experience. Hopefully these suggestions can jumpstart your trip if you ever hop on your own adventure to Shanghai!

See ya,

Erin Xia

Mechanical Engineering

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute

[chloemarievaughan]

May 4

Today we had another bus tour booked, this time, to the Isle of Skye! One of the things I was looking forward to the most about this trip. Skye is not very easily accessible, especially without a car; I considered staying on the island but there isn’t much public transportation and so again a bus tour was the best option! It is not really very close to Inverness making it a 12 hour round trip bus trip to get there. Again, thoroughly justifying my decision not to drive in Scotland because the roads were terrifying, one lane mountain roads with two way traffic covered in potholes with our bus driver flying through with ease.

Our bus driver (larger tour this time, about 30 people and a bus rather than a van) was not Scottish, he was from Lancashire and had an accent reminiscent of the Starks from Game of Thrones or Jamie Tartt from Ted Lasso. He was a grumpy old man but full of facts about the places we were passing. I thought yesterday’s drive was beautiful but I was blown away by the majestic scenery we passed today! (Grey and I each took over 400 pictures of the day! The most scenic day of my life! It was again hard to actually take photos that did the scenery justice; once I noticed something picture worthy immediately we went behind a tree blocking the view, or another car, etc. so I did end up deleting quite a few photos 😂) Grey and I started sitting together but the seats directly across the aisle were empty and so he bumped across the way, which worked out well because usually one of us had a better angle for photos than the other, one side usually being up the mountain and the other down the mountain. we had a brief morning stop to take a ~20 minute hike to a waterfall and another brief stop where I had a delicious raspberry jam and coconut cake and ginger tea with an incredible view of the farmland hills. Yesterday I dressed too warmly; today I may have gone a bit farther the other way and been not quite warm enough, but I would way rather be cold than hot! I warmed up plenty when walking around. there is a very annoying woman on the tour who has been talking non stop to the bus driver for hours of the day. She is the only person who answers when the tour guide asks a question and the grumpy tour guide driver also seems to be very annoyed by her. At breakfast she was loudly chatting with a Scottish couple who lived locally and complaining about the low level of education in the US and how most people where she lives in Las Vegas don’t have bachelors degrees. I’m not sure how likely it is that the sheep farmers she was complaining to have bachelors degrees… but also why spend time complaining about this when you could be talking to the lovely local Scottish couple about literally any other topic lolol.

we stopped at a scenic overlook in the mountains of one of the lochs, which was scenic but was not actually a great place to take a picture because the trees next to the overlook were way too tall!

I learned that loch sometimes means lake but more accurately means body of water- something like 20 % of the lochs are fed by the ocean and aren’t a proper lake. Other things I learned as fun facts from the driver: the isle of Skye, our destination, was expecting 300 million dollars of tourism in 2024. It’s may 4th and they have already surpassed that! He told us about the history of developing the roads and trains through the wilderness of the highlands, including the bridge to Skye. They used to only have a ferry able to take two cars at a time across the water, and then would up with a bridge charging crazy tolls that had to be purchased by the government due to all the protests of the tolls.

Every single bend we went around on the road to Skye and then on Skye and on the way home from Skye was more scenic and picture worthy than the last! It was magical! We went to lunch at Portree which is the biggest town on Skye, overlooking a harbor with colorful houses and filled with touristy shops and restaurants. then we went to hike the Fairy Pools- which has surpassed my previous favorite hike I did in Colorado last summer while visiting Grey as the best hike I’ve ever done! We had 1.5 hours to hike a 3 mile out and back that was down a mountain, up a mountain, back down the mountain, and back up the mountain, all following along a winding mountain river with rock fixtures and waterfalls and plenty of mountainous photo opportunities to boot. One of us had an easier time on this hike than the other; let’s say the one who lives in Denver at a mile elevation and regularly climbs mountains had an easier hike than the one with the sinus infection lol. So I powerwalked on the out part of the hike, planning to go slower on the way back, taking in the view. It was a bit difficult to tell when to stop hiking, but I made it to a waterfall that is the picture when you google “fairy pools” so I figured, good enough! Grey made it much farther but just decided when to turn around based on timing. The trail continued on but was less and less maintained and more and more rocky. We headed back, and I felt like I was dyingI on the last little climb back up the mountain and had to keep stopping very out of breath to enjoy the scenery and recover. Made it back to the top with 9 minutes to spare and enjoyed looking back on the whole hike!

We then stopped at a memorial for the two Scottish men who did most of the surveying and mapping of the mountains on Skye. They have a statue of themselves gazing upward, forever facing the beautiful mountains they once explored. Next to their memorial was a restaurant where Grey and I enjoyed some more whisky- grey asked for the “peatiest scotch they had” and I had a whisky distilled on Skye, a Talisker 10 year. It started to sprinkle just a little bit on the way back, so I couldn’t take pictures for a while out the window but still was able to soak in the view. Last stop of the day was a picture stop at Eilean Donan castle, which juts out on a loch with a great view. It is sort of the ruins of a castle and looks how I would imagine Hogwarts is supposed to look to muggles 😂😂

the last bit we wound down the mountain past more incredibly beautiful mountains and back to Inverness past Loch Ness- we are going back to Loch Ness tomorrow. We had dinner at a random restaurant taking reservations (it is a bank holiday this weekend so people don’t work Monday, and the restaurants are pretty full) it was okay but we were both exhausted so ate super quickly to make it back to the air bnb to pass out!

[undergradinlife]

September 20th

Hey James,

I keep thinking about when we were in grade nine and you started reading books all the time. There was a girl in your class who you liked, and you said that she always had a book on her. After hearing her talk about what she was reading, and how she liked it, you went home and bought the same book that night. Within a month, you had a steadily growing collection of books taking over your room. When you finally got the courage to talk to her, she told you that the books she was reading were for her English final, and that she wouldn't be reading if she didn't have to. You've always had a book with you ever since then. It freaks me out how some people can inspire you to change your life by doing something they don't even care for themselves.

On August 4th, Nora took me to her old work to see a bartender that we’d met before, Sam. When we got there he was working with another bartender, Mark, that Nora also knew. We sat at the bar and talked all night to them. Sam was attractive and nice to talk to. Mark was built, attractive, and British, but you could tell that he didn’t care to ask many questions about you when you talked to him. Mark is 29. I was very drunk and I’m a huge flirt all the time, so I didn’t think anything could happen. Why would something happen now when it hadn’t before? But something did happen, because when Mark finished his shift he sat next to me at the bar. He reached down and put his hand on my thigh. Nobody except for Dan had touched me in such a long time, and I was terrified. Despite this, when Nora and Sam went into the other room to grab something while the bar closed, Me and Mark kissed and he pushed me up against the wall of the empty bar. He kissed me a few more times that night, and when we were all leaving, me and Nora ran ahead of the group and went home together so that I could freak out to her. On August 10th, while I was out drinking with friends, he invited me over. He choked me until I couldn’t breathe even when I told him so. I left without saying bye the next morning and stole the shirt that he wore that night. I didn’t know how I felt, but when I went to another city with Dan for an event the day after, I felt like the tell tale heart was about to jump out of my chest and explode. 

Life went on, we went out, we got drunk and then went out some more. I met new people. On August 24th, Sam quit his job and the bar that he and Mark worked at had flooded and closed. Sam was moving away, Mark wasn’t there that night, and we all went out to celebrate Sam’s last day. Liam, a bartender who worked behind the bar of the restaurant above where Sam and Mark worked, was someone that I hadn’t met before. Liam was the coworker of Mark and Sam, because the bar and restaurant were connected. I told myself I wouldn’t sleep with Mark’s coworker. And then I slept with him and it was the best sex of my life. He was 30 years old and he was an athlete and his lifestyle fascinated me. After we slept together, I started waking up early to go on runs every morning and became obsessed with keeping fit and being as organized as he was. I went to Mark’s place two days later to hookup and ended up arguing with him about nothing for no reason. I saw Liam again on September 4th, and the vibe wasn’t there anymore, he said some things that made me uninterested in him, he told me that the lifestyle that made me so interested in him was more of a chore than a passion, and the sex was only okay. I said some crazy things for my own entertainment, and left the next morning feeling vaguely disappointed. I still go on morning runs every day though, and I've been reading a lot more as well ever since Liam told me he tries to read a chapter of a book every day. I think of you every time I buy a new book. I wonder if you're still reading too.

All love,

undergradinlife

[lovemesomesurveys]

How are you doing today? I’m feeling crappy. 

What is the last song you listened to in a car? I don’t recall. 

Do you like prefer apple cider warm or cold? I like it either way. I rarely have any, though. 

When did you last feel misunderstood? I feel that way often with certain things. 

Have you ever visited The Louvre or would you like to? I don’t know what that is. 

Have you ever accidentally locked yourself out of your place of residence? I’ve forgotten my keys before. 

Do you remember your favorite songs as a kid? When I was really little I was obsessed with Barney songs. I also enjoyed the popular nursery rhymes. 

Do you currently feel calm? I’m getting tired. 

When did you last lace up a pair of shoes? Back in May. 

What's your go to comfort meal? Taco Bell.

Do you enjoy cloud watching? It’s not something I really do.

Do you currently have any candles lit? No. I don’t have any candles. 

If applicable, what's your favorite sports team? None. I’m not a sports fan.

How many cardigans do you own? Zero. 

How much is too much for clothes? (I am mad at myself over purchasing a $30 cardigan lol) I think shirts over like $30 is too expensive. And even $30 is a lot to me. The shirts I get are typically in the 20s range. Same with jeans, like my favorite pairs were from JCP for like $20. With coats/jackets I’ve paid like twice those prices, but still not even near $100. I found a shirt I wanted to get my brother for Christmas, but it’s like $75 cause it’s a designer brand. That’s just ridiculous to me. 

How soon do you normally decorate for holidays? Ideally, I’d like to put up Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving lol or at least the day after. However, we usually don’t until the first week of December. As of now I sadly only have a couple things up in my room. :( I can’t decorate like I normally would right now since I can’t do a whole lot, so I’m trying to get my brother to help me. My family isn’t as into decorating as I am. I mean, my brother does like to, but it’s not a sense of urgency like it is for me. I want to enjoy them for as long as possible.

Are there any important things happening this week? No.

Do you know anyone who is terrified of dogs? Not that I know of.

What scent was the last soap you used? It was one of the Halloween sanitizers from Bath and Body Works that I’m still using. 

How old were you when you made your first big purchase? I bought my first MacBook when I was 19.

What last made you angry? Myself.

What's a color you think is underrated? I don’t know, I don’t really consider any colors to be underrated. 

What are you usually doing when midnight comes around and you can't sleep? Thankfully, I haven’t had that problem in awhile thanks to my sleep medication.

What is your favorite way to eat rice? (white, steamed, fried, brown, sweetened...) Fried rice is good, but really I’m not much of a rice eater.

What color is the top you're wearing? Green.

When did you last laugh so hard you cried? I don’t recall. It’s been a long time.

What's your favorite horror movie? I have several, but the Halloween, Scream, and It movies are at the top.

What's your favorite and least favorite fast food restaurant? My favorite is Taco Bell, my least favorite is Wendy’s. 

How many pictures can you see in the room you're in? Several.

When did you last sign your signature? It’s been awhile.

What cover do you think is better than the original song? Hmm.

Are you currently listening to music? No.

What do your favorite pair of pajamas look like? I don’t have one. I don’t wear like actual pajamas actually, I wear graphic tees during the day and to bed. Well, I suppose t-shirt dresses could be a favorite. 

What is something you've been working on? Trying to get better. 

What's something that excites you about the future? The future scares me. I have to just take things day by day.

How often do you drink smoothies? Very, very rarely. I haven’t had one in quite awhile.

What's a TV show you have gotten into recently? Wednesday.

Have you ever had to have a tooth cut out? Pulled, yes.

When did you last rush for something? My doctor appointment last week.

How many blankets do you own? A few.

Have you drank enough water today? No. I’m so bad about that.

Do you prefer apple pie or pecan pie? Neither. I don’t care for pie.

What color takes up most of your wardrobe? Black.

What makes you feel alive? I haven’t really felt that in a long time. :/

Who is your last missed call from? Spam call.

Do you have any unusual pet peeves? Ice clinking against a glass might be an unusual one. I also get really irritated when someone tells me to calm down/chill out. Like, it really irks me. 

What is a food you think is nasty that most people enjoy? Sushi. 

Would you rather never be sick again or be rich? Never be sick again. I’ve had enough of that throughout my life.

[vroomvroommbtch]

I think he knows - DR x fem!OC

Masterlist

Summary: One big victory and three little words in their little peace of heaven called Monaco.

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x fem!OC

Warnings: fluff all over the place, mentions of Christian H*rner.

Word count: 4.1k

A/N: Jas and Dan are back for a sec with a cute lil flashback to the good old days. Anyway, I’m still heartbroken about Monza so I don’t have the ability to chitchat much. Hope u like it, let me know what you think, thanks for the love and see you soon 🫶🏻

---

I think he knows.

-

May 2008

Jas always thought her story with Daniel was like a fairytale. She always felt like a weird version of Cinderella going to the ball, ending up meeting the handsome man of the story. But in her case, she wasn't dealing with bad stepsisters and a terrible stepmother; she was dealing with an existential crisis which was the reason why Jas decided to quit her job. For the last four months it felt like a fairytale and that weekend wasn't the exception, but in that chapter Jas felt like the normal girl inside a big party where she wasn't supposed to be in.  

When Daniel called her and invited her to go to the Monaco Grand Prix, Jas was terrified. She wasn't scared about going to Monaco per se, but everything that had to do with the race. There were too many cameras, too many famous people, so it was nothing but scary when she was just a girl from Dublin who was working on her mom's flower shop. But what had her absolutely terrified wasn't the fact that she was Daniel Ricciardo's secret girlfriend or the fact that someone might realize, it was the fact that it was her first race and his parents were going to be there. Joe and Grace knew about her, Daniel told her that they had known since they met, but meeting them was just a terrible big step and she was terrified of fucking it up. That was one of the reasons why Jas thought about saying no when Daniel invited her, but between his 'I promise its gonna be alright', 'They already like you', and especially after his little 'I miss you' Jas couldn't say no. No when she was still feeling guilty about not being in China when he won. No when she was dying to hug him after two weeks without seeing him. Meeting his parents and going to her first race in one Monaco in one weekend sounded like too much for her own good, but Daniel sounded nothing but excited and happy just for the thought of having his girlfriend there, so she ended up saying yes.  

Terrified and all, Jas packed her things and flew to Monaco, praying to whatever was out there to give them a good weekend. All she wanted was Daniel having a good weekend and getting along with his parents, then the rest could be fixed. She repeated time and time again during the short flight that everything else could be fixed, just like Daniel always told her when some doubt and some 'but' left her lips. 'There's nothing you and I can't do together and everything can be fixed, so don't worry, princess' were always his words, and time after time Jas decided to believe him. Besides there was no reason to not do it when Daniel proved he was right time after time.  

The good thing was that a big part of her fear disappeared as she saw Daniel waiting for her at the airport, arms open waiting for her, ready to hold her every single minute that he could. If she was in his arms then she was home and everything was going to be alright. There was no reason why it wasn't to be alright when Daniel was holding her. There was no reason, when time after time, he swore to look after her and after what they had.  

Big part of the fear she was feeling also disappeared when she finally met Grace and Joe. Running away from all his obligations for a day, Daniel made time on his absolutely busy schedule to have lunch and then dinner with his girlfriend and his parents and Jas couldn't have been happier for the fact that he decided to make it happen at his apartment and not in some fancy restaurant. Daniel knew she would feel better and less pressure in a familiar place and he couldn't be more right, so between homemade meal made by Grace, some nice bottle of wine, anecdotes about little Daniel and some stories about her family, Jas finally met them. And damn, how she adored them. It wasn't hard to see why Daniel was such a sweet and educated man. Grace and Joe were just the most wonderful, loving, funny couple in the world and they treated Jas as if she was already one of the family, even after meeting her for five minutes.

All that only made Jas fall even more for Daniel, even when she was already head over heels for him. The way his smile was on his face all the time and how he looked nothing but completely relaxed made her remember how that was the man that falling in love with. Not that she needed a reminder, but it made her happy to see him smiling like that.

And just like Jas couldn't help but oh so slowly fall in love with Daniel, she also couldn't help but feel her cheeks getting all red as her boyfriend hugged her back and whispered in her ear how his parents adored her. Then again, she couldn't help but smile when she overheard Joe telling Daniel how Jas wasn't just beautiful but also smart and funny. And thank God she got along with them perfectly fine, other way she had no idea how she would have survived the weekend.  

After a much terrible crisis of not knowing what the hell to wear on Friday -and then on Saturday and again on Sunday- solved by an incredibly supportive, loving and patient Daniel, the panic was still around. Daniel left early, kissing Jas and promising that everything was gonna be alright and to just stick with his parents. They promised their son to take care of her and they insisted that everything was going to be alright and to not worry about anything except doing his job. But that wasn't enough to calm the knot in her stomach. Jas had no idea where she was supposed to go or where to stand all weekend, so she was nothing but thankful about Grace holding her arm and Joe making jokes so she would forget about it and let the nerves go away.

And it worked, that's how she had the courage to stand tall against her boyfriend's boss when deep down she was terrified. Christian Horner, the man Jas despised more than anyone in the world, found her as she finally left Daniel's parents for a second to go to the batgirl. With the excuse that they couldn't really introduce each other, the Redbull team principal started talking to her about one thing and then another, slowly dragging her to the subject that mattered to him. Jas didn't need much time to see his goal was to convince Jas to talk to Daniel about staying on the team. She figured Horner surely imagined it was going to be easy to convince her for more than one reason, but it wasn't at all. With a very polite smile and in a very educated way, Jas let clear that she had no idea what Daniel was going to do, but that it was really his decision. Jas explained that she was going to support her boyfriend in his decision no matter what it was and that she had nothing else to say about the matter.

That's when things got ugly.

She knew his words meant nothing, she knew Daniel was already planning on leaving the team, but the way Horner said he could talk to Daniel and convince him that Jas was a distraction made her want to hide and cry. She wanted to go and look for Daniel and hug him for the rest of the weekend, but she just laughed, wishing Horner good luck trying to get a new driver, but especially trying to get her away from Daniel's side.

It took her more than the normal amount of time to get out of the bathroom, but she finally did it when Grace -bless her soul- went looking for her, worried about anything happening to Jas. But being a wise, smart woman, Grace realized in no time that something had happened to Jas. She made the story short, but she explained everything to Grace, repeating word by word everything that Horner said to her. It was Grace the one who held Jas's arm as they went back to Joe and then the one who told him everything that had happened to Jas. Even in the middle of the shock, Jas was nothing but grateful about Joe and Grace telling her to ignore whatever Horner had said to her because it was nonsense. They insisted there was no way Daniel would leave her, especially considering he was absolutely crazy about her. 'I'd like to see him try mentioning you in front of Daniel. And next time he talks to you, come and tell me' was the last thing Joe mentioned about the subject, none of them wanting to ruin the day for some nonsense a guy said. That's why Jas also asked them to not say a thing to Daniel, insisting that she was going to do it herself after the weekend was over.

And that's how the whole weekend went by, spending their days at the Redbull building with Jon and Grace who wouldn't leave her side -just in case-, and spending some stolen minutes with Daniel, which was almost impossible counting how many cameras were pointing at him all the time. But the only place without cameras or people was Daniel's room. Night after night they stayed in bed, making up for the lost time, absolutely lost in each other as they made mess after mess in his bed, trying to not make him too tired. And to make sure Daniel wouldn't get exhausted with the extra cardio session at night, Jas would ride him again and again, making him get so deep inside her that they had no idea where his body started and hers ended.  

There was nothing she loved as much as that. There was no one she loved more than him and Jas knew there was no way nobody would take her away from his side. There was no threat terrible enough to make it happen, so everything she did was snuggle close to his body every chance they had, letting herself enjoy the feeling of knowing she was all his. Even with the threat of one of the most powerful men in one of the biggest sports in the world and even with the nerves, Jas was happy as hell. The pure bliss she felt was something that nobody could ever take away from her and it all got better when Daniel won.  

Even after it happened, Jas felt like it was a movie. She never prayed. She barely knew how to do it and she hasn't done it since she was nine and had to go to her own Holy Communion to make her late grandma Alice happy. She didn't believe in any of those things, so she never prayed, but that afternoon in Monaco she found herself doing it. First it happened with his pole position and she prayed that nobody would take it away from him. Then Jas begged to whatever was out there to make Daniel's car hold on when in reality he shouldn't even be racing. She prayed for him to hold on and for no one but four time world champion Sebastian Vettel to make one little mistake so he wouldn't overtake Daniel. She knew Daniel needed a miracle, but somehow it happened.

It felt like the movie moved in fast motion. Grace and Joe hugged her, everyone was celebrating, then the podium and the champagne and the pool and everything was a mess. It was full of people everywhere and was terribly loud and, even if she was absolutely happy and proud of her boyfriend, her tears made everything somehow worse. No matter if they were happy or sad tears, every time Jas cried a headache would attack her so it was a matter of time for it to happen, but this time it was more than worth it. But before the migraine could find her, Daniel found her. In the middle of the absolute mess, his hand grabbed hers and brought her close to his body to hug her. She couldn't care less if Daniel was absolutely wet from head to toe, wetting her own clothes. Damn, she wouldn't have complained if he asked her to jump into the pool with him like Michael did. And adobe all Jas didn't care if there were cameras around them. Daniel didn't seem to care about it as she squeezed her waist with his arms around her body, and if he didn't mind, then she didn't mind either. She wasn't even watching around, but she figured that, if Daniel was doing that, then it was safe. And if it wasn't there was a problem they could solve in another moment.

What mattered was what she said during their short hug.

As she stayed with her arms around his neck, Jas whispered a soft 'Fuck, I love you so much!' that Daniel clearly heard. She had been feeling it for a long time, so it was a matter of time for her to finally say it, but she didn't want it to be like that. Not there, not in that moment, not when they were going to be interrupted for his PR because Daniel was needed somewhere else. As soon as Daniel let her go, he asked for an extra second saying that he would be there in a minute, but whatever it was, it was urgent. Jas could see in his eyes how, even with the happiness he was feeling, he wasn't happy to be interrupted and taken away from her. It wasn't nobody's fault, so she let him go, smiling as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it, exclaiming a sweet little 'Go, champ. We'll talk later'. The look on his eyes and the way he nodded when he repeated the words 'We'll talk late' told her everything she needed to know, but even then, she hated to see him disappear behind an ocean of people dressed in blue.

After that, Jas felt like everything went from fast motion to slow motion in a blink. She felt terrible. She shouldn't have said a thing, not in that moment, not when everything was happiness because Daniel won. She wasn't supposed to ruin his day. She wasn't supposed to make things complicated. If she waited for months for the right moment to say it, then she could wait some extra hours and even some days, but she had to go and throw those three words in that moment.

It haunted her. Even if she was smiling all the time, deep down it was eating her. The knot in her stomach felt like an anchor, and she had to carry it around with the weight of her words. But the worst part wasn't that, but overthinking what would have Daniel said if they weren't interrupted. There was too many options. There was too many variations. There were too many possibilities and suddenly Jas was too scared all over again.

She put on a brave face when she finally got to see Daniel again. She smiled because she was still absolutely happy and proud, but also to hide the panic she was feeling deep down. It worked as she waited for the Netflix cameras to leave after recording the Ricciardos in his tiny driver's room. It worked, and after the cameras were off, she hugged the hell out of him, closing her eyes at the feeling of his body against hers. That was all she needed in that moment to make the fear disappear even if for just a second, feeling that everything was in order. If she fucked it up with those three words, then at least she wanted to enjoy being in his arms for some stolen minutes, especially when the cameras were away.

But she hinted that maybe it wasn't that bad when Daniel squeezed her waist, kissed her forehead and rested his head against hers as he spoke softly. "Can you guys give us five minutes?"

"You've two" Michael answered, and she didn't need to open his eyes to know he was smiling behind them. She also could hear Joe and Grace laughing, which made her feel even more at home, because they reminded Jas about her own parents.

"Thanks cunt" Daniel stated, lips still against her skin, and this time she could also feel him smiling, giving her also a bit of peace and even hope.

Trying to light the mood and act like nothing was really happening, Jas opted for jokes too, slapping his ass as she spoke against his chest. "Language. Your mum and dad are here"

"They know I'm a rascal" he shrugged, kissing her forehead one last time before he finally broke their hug so he could look down at her. "Talking about language, there's a little word you threw at me earlier. Actually three little words"  

And there was, the conversation she didn't want to hug but that she was actually dying to have. There was Daniel letting her know he clearly heard her over the mess. But taking it as a good sign, Jas could see a little smirk appearing on his handsome face, but then again, he just won Monaco, so she didn't want to get her hopes too high.

But as Daniel looked at her and smiled while resting his hands protectively over her hip, Jas could feel the fear taking over because she finally had to explain what had happened. "God, I'm so sorry, Dan. I shouldn't have, I mean, I should because I wanted to say it but it was such a bad timing. It was all the excitement cause you just fucking won, but its fine. You don't have to say anything. I know its a bad moment so I don't- I mean, you- Shit I'm a mess" she complained, laying her head against his shoulder again. It was the first time she was the one dropping those words on any man she dated and this time he wasn't just any man, it was Daniel. Daniel who was a dream come true, and the man of her dreams all together.

"Hey, can I ask something before you keep on rambling?" Daniel asked, kissing her temple a couple times, making Jas nod as an answer to his question as she hugged his waist. "Say it again? Please?"

Jas felt as if someone had taken the air out of her lungs. She could feel her heartbeats in her ears and her face started to feel warm, clearly turning red. But even with that, she couldn't help but look at him. Her favorite pair of big, brown eyes were looking down at her in a way that only him every did, and she melted. That and the way he was holding her, stroking her waist under her shirt while he smiled at her were all she needed to take the courage to open her mouth and say what he wanted to hear.

"I love you"

"Again?"

"I love you"

"Once more?"

"I love you" she stated one more time. It was clear, short and so simple. It was what she had been dying to say for really long and now the weight was completely out of her shoulders. And for every time Jas said it, Daniel smiled more, which made her smile like a happy kid. Even if he didn't say it back, he was smiling which meant they were okay and if they were okay, then everything else was okay.

It was all so okay that he leaned, getting closer so their noses would touch and his lips would be over hers, sharing the same air. "I love you more" he whispered against her lips. But it didn't stop there. It never stopped there, so Daniel gave her a short, loving, tender kiss that said more than any words could ever say. It summed up everything they felt for each other after four months of being together. It made Jas believe in love again. It made her feel so damn happy that she couldn't stop smiling because Daniel fucking Ricciardo loved her. He loved her and they loved each other and it was still hard to believe she could be that lucky. "I'm sorry I didn't say it earlier. Timing wasn't much on our side and I didn't want to throw it over the phone"

"Yeah, me neither. But I wasn't planning to say it like that in the middle of the mess" she shrugged, still kind of sad because she would have like to say it in another moment.

"Its alright. Just made this day better. Wouldn't have it any other way. Wouldn't have you any other way" Daniel insisted. And while he gave her yet another kiss, his hands slowly went from her waist to her legs, moving her jean skirt up to reach her ass and finally resting his hands there.

That little touch was enough to make Jas moan softly in their kiss, dying to take that damn blue outfit out of him, but holding herself because it wasn't the best place to do it. His parents were probably out there by the door, just like Michael, his friends and the rest of the team, and they really needed to go. Damn, she needed to leave before him because they weren't going to leave the paddock together, so they needed to let each other go, even if they didn't want to.

"Dan, baby, don't do that" Jas begged, knowing perfectly fine how she wasn't going to be able to say no to Daniel and his charms. She never could, so that afternoon wasn't going to be different.

But instead of letting her go, Daniel just moved his left hand to the side, playing with the tiny waistband of her panties, knowing perfectly fine that he could wreck it with one swift move. And then again, if he did it, Jas wouldn't have complained at all. "Why not? I'm sure we still have like two minutes"

"You can't fuck me in two minutes, handsome. We deserve more than a two minutes quickie, grá. Lets keep it for tonight. I've more a couple ideas to congratulate my winner" she purred, kissing his mouth, then the corner of his lips, then his cheek, his jaw and finally his neck. Heaven knew she could spend hours in that huge beautiful neck just getting lost in the feeling of his skin against her lips, so she tried to keep it short, just placing a couple kisses there and then going back to his lips.

"Oh you do?" he wondered, finally putting her skirt down, but never moving his hands from her ass. "Should we go home get changed and then go partying so you can show me after that?"

"Yes, sir. Lets go so you can get wasted. I'll watch over your cute ass. You deserve it after the miracle you pulled off today"

And then it was again, the huge smile on his face as he remembered that not even hours ago he won the Monaco Grand Prix. It felt like a dream, but there it was the trophy, right besides them inside the little tiny room. There was the happy face she loved so damn much and that she wanted to kiss for the rest of her life. "Na, you're getting wasted with me, princess. Then we see how we make it back home"

"Wanna get us drunk and finally get under my skirt, don't you?" Jas giggled, slapping his chest with both hands.

"I always want to get under your skirt. Wait, you gonna wear a dress?" Daniel asked, looking more excited about the fact that his girlfriend was going to wear a dress than about the fact that the party was going to be to honor him and his victory.

"Yes, I will. Easier access, right?" she joked, letting her hands wonder until her arms were around his neck, all so she could play with the short curls on the back of his head.

"Fuck, I love you so fucking much. Get out of here before I fuck you against the door" he joked, slapping her ass all playfully as he stole one last kiss from her. She was never going to get over Daniel saying that he loved her. He was never gonna get over it and damn, she didn't want to.

"See ya at home, babe!"

And then Jas left the room, giggling like a little girl, remembering that no one but Daniel fucking Ricciardo was in love with her.

---

Taglist

@d0ntjudgemy50shades @amsofftrack

[arc852]

Served Up Server 1/?

 Alright! Here is the first part to the waiter!Tommy AU! I hope you guys enjoy!

Warnings: Fear

Summary: Tommy is a waiter at a human and giant resturant who is only supposed to serve other humans. Emphasis on supposed to.

Word Count: 2536

_____________________________________________________________

 If Tommy had the choice, believe him, he would not be here right now.

 It’s not as bad as it could have been. The restaurant served giants and humans and as a human himself, he was able to avoid interacting with any giant customers. It was a bit harder to avoid his giant co-workers and his giant boss, but he was still able to keep it to a minimum.

 Look, he didn’t have anything against giants. It’s just…well. They weren’t named giants for no reason. Their size made them terrifying. It also didn’t help that, in the past, the giants had been…we’ll just say, less than kind towards humans.

 So it wasn’t that Tommy hated them, he just didn’t like being around them.

 His boss, however, he hated wholeheartedly. 

 He was rude to all the human employees, Tommy most of all, took a huge portion out of all their earned tips, and just gave off creepy vibes in general. But, he was the only one willing to hire a sixteen year old in the area, so Tommy was stuck with him. But if he thought he hated him before, he absolutely loathed him now.

 It was late at night and they were just about to close. Tommy’s last table had just left and he just started to clean it when he heard the ding of a door, the giant one, go off. Tommy rolled his eyes and continued to clean the table. Tommy felt bad for whoever had to serve a customer with the nerves to come in so late but it wasn’t Tommy’s problem.

 Or, well, it wasn’t supposed to be.

 “Thomas!” His boss shouted at him, causing Tommy to jump. He turned and looked up at the man, who was leaning over the counter to look into the human section and at Tommy. He tried his best to keep the sour look off his face but it was hard when his boss refused to listen to the fact that that was not his name.

 But he didn’t feel like getting into that argument this late at night, not right before he was going to leave. “Yeah?”

 “Our last giant server went home and your our last waiter left, so you're going to take care of this guy that just walked in, got it?” His boss said gruffly and Tommy froze, not quite processing what he had just been told. It was only when his boss started to move that Tommy unfroze.

 “Wait! You can’t have me serve him, I’m only supposed to serve other humans!” That’s what had been promised to him when he had been hired, anyway. 

 “Look, Thomas, you aren’t leaving here tonight until that man has been served and leaves.” His boss said, barely hidden annoyance in his tone.

 Tommy’s fists clenched at his side. “Why can’t you do it? Or one of the giant cooks. There are other options here!” 

 His boss actually snorted at that, as if the thought of doing any work himself was laughable at most. “I’m not making my last cook wait on someone when that isn’t his job. It’s yours. Now go do it.”

 Tommy swallowed, hands snaking around himself. “How…How am I even supposed to serve him?”

 His boss rolled his eyes. “Oh for pete’s sake-” He shuffled around behind the counter before pulling out a human sized paper and letting it fall to the floor in front of Tommy. Tommy picked it up and looked it over. “There. Some instructions for ya. Now hurry up and do your job, if that customer waits any longer I’m taking it out of your paycheck.”

 And with that, his boss left, most likely back to his little office. Tommy gripped the paper, scanning it quickly. Apparently, there were things in place so that humans actually could serve giants, such as stairs carved into the legs of the tables in order to get on top and some sort of motorized skateboard looking thing to get the food to them. It was overly complicated and it made sense why it wasn’t used more often.

 Tommy would like it if he didn’t have to use these things at all but he couldn’t afford to have anything taken from his paycheck, so Tommy would just have to suck it up.

 He made his way over to the giant part of the restaurant, thankful for the emptiness. Even so, he stuck to the walls just in case one of the few people in here decided to go for a small stroll. It took him a few minutes but he eventually saw the giant he meant to serve. A man with curly brown hair and a strikingly yellow sweater. 

 Suddenly, Tommy couldn’t help but feel more annoyed than fearful of this giant. None of this would have happened if the giant hadn’t come in so late. Tommy could be home right now, catching up on sleep. But no, he had to serve this massive prick. He let his anger simmer as he glared at the giant. 

 He then marched over to the leg of the chair and saw that the paper had been correct and there were stairs leading all the way up. Huh. He started the climb but as he got closer to the top, his fear returned.

 It would be really easy for this giant to simply snatch him up and take him away. Too easy. Especially with the lack of witnesses this late at night. Tommy paused in his climb and took a shaky breath. 

 What if he was one of those giants?

 He shook his head, getting rid of the thoughts. No, he couldn't think like that. Not if he wanted to keep this job.

 He continued his climb until he was finally to the top. The giant, catching movement, looked up from his phone only for his eyes to widen and his mouth to open, making him look like an idiot. Tommy didn’t take any steps forward, staying firmly at the other side of the table and near the stairs in case he needed to make a quick escape. He took out his notepad and put on his best customer service voice and smile.

 “Hi, I’m Tommy and I’ll be your waiter tonight. What can I get started for you?” He held back a wince at how much his voice gave way to his nerves but he ignored it and waited for the giant to say his order.

 Said giant was still looking at him in shock and the large eyes on him were starting to make him uncomfortable. Finally, the giant spoke. “Hi, um…do you usually serve giants?”

 That was not what Tommy wanted. He just wanted the giant to order so he could get this whole thing over with, not make small talk. His customer service smile dropped, unable to keep the scowl off his face.

 “No but some giant prick decided he wanted to come right before close when all of our giant waiters went home already, so here I am. Now what do you want?” Tommy snarked at him. He should probably watch what he says, especially in front of someone who he couldn’t fight against but Tommy had never been one to do well in that field. It was a miracle he had lasted this long.

 The giant blinked and then let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Did you just call me a prick?”

 The question should terrify Tommy more, and it did, but his mouth was already running. Which is why Tommy answered the way he did. “No, I called you a giant prick.”

 The sudden, high pitched laugh made Tommy flinch and take a step back. He watched as the giant grinned and looked back at Tommy with his head in one hand. “Oh, I like you.”

 The comment had Tommy’s shoulders tensing and he looked away from the giant gaze, missing the way the grin fell at his reaction. 

 F***, that couldn’t mean anything good.

 “Do-Do you need more time or are you ready to order?” Tommy asked, barely keeping the shakiness out of his voice. When he peaked back up at the giant, he looked a little sad and…maybe a bit guilty? Tommy was probably just seeing things though.

 “No, I’m ready.” The man’s voice came out softer than before but Tommy barely paid attention. Just quickly scribbling the order onto his notepad so he could get the heck out of there.

 “Okay, it’ll be right out.” Tommy said after the giant listed off his order. He quickly left to go back down the stairs. As he climbed back down, he turned to the side and froze at the sight of the giant looking underneath the table and at him.

 If he really wanted to, the giant could simply reach out and grab Tommy from where he was. Thankfully, he didn’t, and instead said, “Huh, I never noticed these little stairs before.”

 Tommy only hummed, picking up the pace in order to get the hell away from this giant faster.

 Ten minutes later, the food was set down on the little motorized thingy and Tommy sat at the controls, taking another five to figure out how to work the thing. Finally, he was able to drive it all the way to the giant’s table.

 As soon as he got in his line of sight, the giant’s eyes were on him. Tommy tried to ignore it, parking close to the table. “Here’s your order.” He said shortly. 

 The man hummed, a small smile on his face. “What, not going to put it on the table?”

 Tommy scowled and once again forgot that this was a giant he was talking to. “Unless you want me to bring it up one piece at a time, you can grab it yourself.” He tensed a moment after his own words but the giant only smiled wider.

 “No thanks, I don’t know where you’ve been.” He reached down and grabbed his drink and plate, setting it in front of himself. “Thanks.”

 Tommy nodded. “Yeah, enjoy your food.” He turned the machine around to go back but paused when the giant called out.

 “Wait!” Tommy’s shoulders tensed again but he turned to look at the giant. When he saw he had his attention, the giant continued. “I’m, uh, I’m sorry for scaring you earlier, by the way. I didn’t mean it like-like that.”

 The last thing he had been expecting was for the giant to apologize. Tommy wasn’t sure what to do, wasn’t even sure if he believed him. But well…it didn’t seem like it came from malicious intent.

 “Oh. Uh, thanks.” Tommy said a bit awkwardly, before driving away. He couldn’t wait until the giant was done.

 Tommy came back twenty minutes later and climbed up the table, holding the bill a bit awkwardly in his arms. The thing was at least a foot taller than he was but he managed to get it up the table without incident. He placed it down and noticed the giant was done with his food. Without being told, he was already placing the dishes on the machine so Tommy could take them back.

 “Here’s the bill. You better not be thinking about dining and dashing just because I’m human either.” Tommy said, cracking a joke as a form of dealing with his nerves.

 The giant blinked, but grinned. “And how would you stop me? By biting my ankles?” He laughed.

 Tommy glared. “Yes, actually, b****. I’ll gnaw them f****** off too.” He wasn’t sure where the sudden confidence came from, maybe it was due to the fact the giant hadn’t done anything, had even apologized. Or maybe it was because, at this point in the night, Tommy was just tired and wanted to leave. He was done with this giant.

 The giant laughed again and f****** hell was his laugh annoying. It didn’t at all give Tommy any sort of satisfaction that the giant seemed to like and share his sense of humor.

 “Alright, alright, I’ll pay. You’ve convinced me.” The giant took out his wallet and gave Tommy his card. Tommy groaned as he realized he would have to make the trip to and from the table at least one more time.

 He grabbed the card and left coming back another twenty minutes later because trying to use the giant register was actually impossible but because he was the biggest of men, he was able to figure it out. He made it back to the table, handing the giant his card back and setting the slip of paper down. The giant wrote something down on it before taking out his wallet again to slip his card back into it.

 “Well, this was certainly fun.” The giant smiled and Tommy huffed, not seeing things the same way. If he ever saw this particular giant again, it would be too soon.

 The giant stood up and left but not before grabbing a wad of cash and placing it on the table in front of Tommy. He smiled and then left.

 Tommy blinked and looked at the wad of bills. He ran over to the slip of paper and his eyes widened.

 Tip: 200 in cash

 Hope to see you again!

 -Wilbur

 That rich prick.

 Well, if this idiot wanted to be this careless with his money then maybe Tommy wouldn’t mind seeing him again.

 Not that he would. After this night, he was never serving a giant again. His boss be d*****.

***

  It’s the next day and once again Tommy was there for close. This time though, thankfully, there was also a giant waiter stuck doing close as well. If another giant wanted to come in then it really was not Tommy’s problem tonight.

 As if on cue, he heard the echo of a ding at the giant door. Tommy wasn’t able to see who came in but it didn’t matter. Tommy would not be serving them. Just as he shouldn’t have served Wilbur last night.

 That whole thing could have gone worse, if he was being honest. Wilbur hadn’t been that bad and the tip had been amazing-if only he had been able to keep it. His boss saw how big the tip was and had taken it all, his reasoning being that it was in the form of giant money, completely forgoing the fact that he should be switching it out for human money for Tommy. It sucked and Tommy wanted nothing more than to curse his boss to the moon and back but there wasn’t anything he could do. Not against his boss and certainly not against a giant.

 Tommy scrubbed the table a little harder, venting out his anger through the death of germs. He became lost in thought until he heard a voice. “Uh, Tommy?”

 Once again, Tommy jumped at the sound of a giant voice and turned to see the giant waiter. He didn’t know his name, just like Tommy didn’t bother to learn his boss’ name, and the giant shouldn’t know Tommy’s name either. So, this was weird.

 “Yeah?”

 He looked confused as he answered. “There’s a customer here requesting you as his server.”

 Tommy blinked.

 Oh, that f****** rich motherf*****.