#I’m not anti-ad even is the thing
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blog-by-kij · 1 year ago
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Look, idk how important fortune cookies necessarily are in the grand scheme of everything. But. Things need to be said.
You know, it’s a good cookie, tastes good, fun shape, and fun thing inside. Good design all the way around and they have great personalities. I’m sure I’ve heard some people say that the messages inside are bad or whatever, but I personally don’t think they’re meant to be taken that seriously. Idk, to me whatever message inside is a nice thing to read usually. Sometimes they read more like poetry pieces and a lot of the times, they’re common sense things, neither of which are bad to hear too much. You can’t fit an essay in there, so don’t try. So I don’t really see why we need to be mad at them for being simplistic in bakery or literature. Simplistic is not bad in some cases, especially not in the case of the fortune cookie, where simplicity may be one of its greatest features. Simple packaging, simple but good cookie, simple but fun paper message. Simplicity can be a very strong and important feature, and no I did not hear this from a fortune cookie. And you know, the small rectangle of paper is taking on at least two huge tasks: imparting important knowledge and teaching you to speak a whole language. Give the cookie and it’s innards some slack, it’s not easy.
But for whatever criticism, you know at the end of it all there’s nothing really, inherently wrong with two lines, at most, of small poetry, common sense adages, or odd phrases, numbers, and an attempt to teach you a word or phrase from a language.
It’s like getting a letter from a friend. It’s like finding a message in a bottle. I’ll be honest. I have a jar of almost every fortune from a fortune cookie I’ve ever received. I collect the ones from my family too since they don’t care to keep them. I enjoy this jar of paper. I would say fortune cookies are always a pleasant experience. 10/10
Except this time.
You know if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it right? It’s already perfect, why mess with it? I just said that simplicity is one of its greatest features. The cookie is self reflective! Every adage that applies to you applies to it too! Why don’t you learn some self reflection too! Why are you trying to complicate perfectly fine things??? Why are you deliberately choosing to taint what’s good!? FORTUNE COOKIES ARE NOT YOUR TROJAN HORSES!!!!!!
On this great day today I ordered some food from a great local Chinese restaurant. The cookies were there. All is good. At the end of lunch, I pick one at random. Food tastes great. Cookie tastes great. Today is great.
Poker bitcoin ad.
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Billboard signs up and down the yahoo roadways, ad and then ad and then ad on YouTube, pop up this pop up that on every website and I know “get adblocker”. I do have that. It doesn’t always work! Hey do you want to sign in? Are you sure? Are you sure you’re sure? You want to sign in? It doesn’t matter if adblock works sometimes, it’s the principle that’s the point! And I can’t adblock my eyeballs!
I know nothing about which company or companies actually makes the fortune cookies. But god. Can we have one thing without an ad. Can we have one simple thing that exists to simply be pleasant and provide a good experience without it being an ad?!? This particular cookie was good. It’s innards were foul. Was it worth it? Did they pay you good bitcoin poker money to put bitcoin poker ad inside??? Is it worth it???
The words were NOT poetry, NOT a nice adage, those words did NOT exist to be fun for the sake of fun. Those words existed for no other reason than to be an ADVERTISING SLOGAN for poker bitcoin. I never asked. Fuck you. I was neutral before, now I hate poker and bitcoin.
This was not a letter from a friend. It is not a message in a bottle. It a piece of junk mail in my mailbox! It is a call in my inbox about my car’s extended warranty!! IT IS UNBLOCKABLE SPAM!
So I finish eating the cookie. It was good. But I’m feeling odd and I’m like. Never seen this before. My whole jar of fortunes, with fortunes from me and my friends and family. Never seen that before. Feeling a bit down now. Feeling lied to. Feeling like a datapoint. Feeling like a demographic that a company wants. So I google it, and realize oh.
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????????????
Do we have to?? Just because online ads have changed doesn’t meant let’s litter the whole world offline with ads now??? Tiny billboard?? I hate big billboard, why would I like tiny billboard? Why just because it’s tiny and inside my food?? Am I nuts??
I, as a consumer, can tell you that I get things or services because I need or want them. I seek out product first, because I need or want it, then maybe I see ads because I’m shopping and then ad tracking happens. I DO NOT get product because product saught out me first! It doesn’t work like that!!
@companies who make fortune cookies, please for the love of god dont put ads in the fortune cookie, I’m not anti-company, I’m sure we can reason through this.
I’d rather an ad be on the outside packaging if needed, why it’s insides? Please what are you doing to the good heart of the fortune cookie?? Why??? Why does anyone think this is good???
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lady-green-sleeves · 6 months ago
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It’s actually hilarious how freaked out people are over the whole Daemon dreamfucking his mom thing😂
Like don’t get me wrong I agree the writers are cowards and should have made him dreamfuck his brother instead but oh well we can’t win them all (or majority of them with this show)
I personally think it was funny and it’s even funnier the targ stans who have sm other incest ships and are grossed out by this and think it was too far
People who are fans of the incest show when the incest show has incest that’s not the specific flavor of incest that they wanted:
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shaxxophone · 2 years ago
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Lol gross sorry the last poll + question i reblogged was from a terf apparently. Got that shit right off my blog
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starsinthesky5 · 3 months ago
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trick or treat* || joe burrow x reader
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description: he was always Mr. Anti Halloween, but for you? for you, he'd do anything. even if that meant overcoming his childhood hatred for the holiday :)
a/n: a little post halloween fic for you all! sorry this took me so long :) it wasn't planned at all so I hope it's good and not all over the place!!
thank you @joeyb1989 for some inspo ;)
warnings:, language, smut, fluff
word count: 11.7 k
tag list (comment to be added!): @joeyfranchise @joeyb1989 @joeys-babe @softburrow @burrowbarbie @yelenasbraid
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"Baby, pleaseeeee," Joe whined as he hid his face in your neck, pulling the hood of his onesie even lower to hide his face simultaneously. "Please don't make me go out there," he murmured, his words soft and pleading while his warm breath caressed your skin.
"Joey, it's gonna be okay," you giggled, rubbing gentle circles along his back, your hand sinking into the soft, fluffy fabric of the blue stitch onesie he was sporting tonight.
He pouted, snaking his arms around your waist in a playful attempt to anchor himself, preventing you from dragging him out the door. “I don’t wanna go,” he mumbled into the soft fabric of your matching pink stitch onesie. “I really don’t wanna go, baby. I’ll do anything if you let us stay inside tonight. I’ll make you a three-course meal, give you a full body massage, paint your nails--anything you want. I’ll even let you be on top more ‘cause I know how much you love it. That all sounds nice, right? Right?”. His voice was a mix of begging and teasing, you couldn’t help but giggle at the lengths he was willing to go to avoid the Halloween festivities. 
"Joey, I love you and appreciate your will to negotiate, but I’m not changing my mind,” you chuckled, swaying his body back and forth.
“B- But whyyy?” he mumbled against your neck, his incredibly delicate voice making you melt in his arms. Every word he whispered tugged at your heartstrings, and all you wanted was to go back to bed and snuggle his adorable self till he couldn't breathe. “Do you hate me or something?”
“How dare you accuse me of such a thing,” you dramatically gasped, stopping your soothing movements to add to the theatrical effect. "I'm app-", giggle, "appalled that you even considered such horrid thoughts," you said, trying to stifle your laughter and remain serious but failing miserably.
“...Am I accusing you or is it just the truth?” he moped, twisting his head in your neck so that he could look into your eyes with his wide baby blues.  
A pang of guilt pulled at you for pushing him into it, but you knew without it, he'd never agree. “I love you, and that’s why I’m making us go trick-or-treating tonight. You deserve to experience Halloween the right way, and I’m gonna make it happen this year,”. 
Tonight was your favorite night of the year and Joe’s least favorite night of the year, All Hallow’s Eve. To you, Halloween was a night filled with magic and mischief, a time to dive into the world of costumes, mysterious identities, and bags upon bags of candy. In years past, you'd normally find yourself getting absolutely trashed at some Halloweekend party with your friends, but in recent years you opted for more tamer celebrations. Part of the reason was that you didn't really enjoy getting blackout drunk anymore and left that behind in your college days, but another reason was because of your lovely boyfriend who preferred to spend every October 31st acting like it wasn't October 31st. To Joe, Halloween was a “stupid holiday”, an excuse for people to put on facades they’d never wear any other day. He didn’t see the point in what you were celebrating, and the whole thing seemed meaningless to him. That hurt your soul a little, knowing how much you loved Halloween and everything that came along with it. But when you found out the real reason behind his hesitation--the things he kept tucked away, the bits that made him see the holiday differently--your perspective shifted.
Even growing up, Joe wasn’t the biggest fan of the holiday. He loved the idea of dressing up in his little costumes, always excited to transform into a superhero or a silly cartoon character. But when it was time to step out onto the chilly, leaf-strewn streets, baby joey would hide. He couldn’t get himself to walk up to the door and mumble, “Trick or Treat”. He would hide, burying himself in his parents’ legs or peeking nervously from the porch to see if the bowl of candy was left out. The idea of knocking on doors and making small talk with strangers was all so overwhelming for him and that stuck with him a little even in adulthood. The spooky masks, the dark skies, and the anxiety of talking to strangers soured his feelings towards the holiday and Halloween quickly became something he’d rather skip. You understood that it wasn't just about the costumes and candy for him and that understanding made you want to help him create new, happier memories in place of the old.
But you really didn't have to push all that hard because every year, he still indulged in parts of the spooky holiday for you--at least the parts that he approved. Each year, he’d help you hang up the orange and purple lights, the flying witch decorations, and even the faux cobwebs across the shrubs outside. He’d grumble a little at the mess and the spooky faces staring back at him from the yard, but when he’d see the happiness in your eyes, every bit of effort felt worth it. Seeing you happy made Halloween just a little more bearable--and maybe, just maybe, even enjoyable.
You somehow made it more comforting for him, and even though he gave you the same speech every year about how pointless it all was, you’d eventually find him nose-deep in a bag of candy, a tell-tale smudge of chocolate on his lip betraying his facade.
Sometimes, he’d even cave and watch a Halloween movie with you, despite his irrational fear of anything remotely horror-related. But getting him there was never easy. He was, without a doubt, the most stubborn person you knew so it always took endless pleading, a little bribery, and maybe a few strategically placed kisses to get him to soften up. Soon after, he’d sink in next to you, arms crossed and pretending not to flinch at every jump scare. Or, he'd end up pulling the blanket high enough to cover his face if he wasn't already hiding it in the crook of your neck.
Flashback to a few weeks ago
“Babe, I’m not watching that,” he huffed, crossing his arms and clenching his jaw in opposition as you scrolled through the list of movies on the TV. 
“Baby, Scream isn’t even scary! It’s just a slasher film,” you said while turning to look at him, your bottom lip stuck out as you tried to use your usual irresistible pout to convince him to watch your all-time favorite scary movie with you. 
That pout did wonders for you when it came to Joe. It was your way of getting him to do all the things he'd normally resist--watching a scary movie, going out when he'd rather stay in, trying that new cafe you'd been raving about. Every time, he'd try to hold out, but one look at your face and his front would crumble. It would be replaced with a soft smile that he reserved just for you, just for his girl.
You watched as he sighed, his eyes flicking to your pout and back. His lips curled into a sweet smile and his eyes softened; he was getting lost in your charm and it was working.
Oh yes.
But the pout that usually always works in your favor, failed you this time and he quickly went back to his resolve without even flinching. “Put the pout away, babe. I’m not watching that,” he shook his head. “You look adorable, but it’s not going to work this time,” he added as his thumb traced slowly along your plump bottom lip. His hand lingered near your face and even in his most stubborn moments, he couldn't hide how much he adored you.
You blinked at him for a few silent moments before fully losing it, “But whyyyyy,” you whined, throwing your head back against the couch headrest, then shifting your head to look at him. “I promise it’s not scary! And I’m right here if you do get scared. You can squeeze my hand, bury your face in my neck, use me as a stress ball,”. 
"Thanks, Y/N, but it’s still a hard no," he chuckled at your attempt to persuade him. "I refuse to watch people get gutted by some psycho in a ghost mask. The whole concept of the movie is just dumb, anyway. I mean, why not just move towns or states? Why not just buy a gun? Or wait, even better. Just don’t pick up the fucking phone and talk to a stranger,” he giggled as you glared at him.
He leaned in, deepening his voice, and asked, "What's your favorite scary movie?" in his best Ghostface voice. “Like, come on! Just hang up, block the number, call 911, and get the hell outta dodge,”
You shifted away from him, your jaw falling open, truly offended by his disregard for the masterpiece that the original Scream was. After seeing your demeanor, he only laughed harder. “Oh, stop. You know I’m right. It’s probably the same with every horror movie. They just love to make the main characters dumber than a rock and then make them act surprised that a psycho with a knife is knocking at their door,”. 
“You know,” you interjected, giving him a playful side-eye. “You seem to know an awful lot about scary movie plots for a guy who refuses to watch a single one with his lovely girlfriend--the same girlfriend he adores, is utterly obsessed with, and would do annnnnnything to make happy,” you lean into the sarcasm, but laced it with enough sweetness to test his stubbornness, hoping it would make him cave. "You do like to make her happy, right? I bet that you watching Scream with her would make her soooo happy," you added, placing a hand on his thigh and giving him a gentle squeeze.
Joe smirked to himself before he leaned in, his lips grazing against the corner of your ear. “You gotta do better than that, baby,” he whispered, his breath hot and voice raspy. He was enjoying your attempt to sway him. The playful challenge in his eyes told you he wasn’t giving in that easily, but he loved every second of it. 
"Oh, come ON," you thought to yourself, realizing this would be much harder than you thought.
"What if I make you Pumpkin Pie after?" you asked him while flashing him a bright smile. Pleading wasn't working, so it was time for you to call in the big guns: bribery. God bless your ability to pivot without breaking a sweat, you could practically already see his determination crumbling as a hint of temptation flickered in his eyes. You were close to winning him over.
Yes. YES.
Joe pursed his lips, pretending to be deeply thinking about your offer before he opened his mouth after his dramatic pause, "Mmmm, nope," he shook his head, trying to keep a straight face.
You groaned, throwing your head back against the couch headrest again, then dropping your head to his shoulder where he moved his hand to cradle your face. He dropped a quick kiss to your forehead, unable to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he enjoyed every second of your struggle. "Damn, you suck at this," he teased, his voice full of affection.
"What if I bake it naked. Only in an apron?" you offered, glancing up at him and knowing that he wouldn't be able to resist such a tempting offer.
Whenever you stepped into that kitchen to bake him something, it was like a switch flipped inside Joe. He became impossibly handsy, his self-control being thrown out the window the second he saw you in that baby pink apron, hair tied in a messy bun, and arms coated in flour. What takes 2 hours to bake, takes 4 when he's in there with you. You get so distracted by his slow neck kisses, his hands sliding over the curves of your hips, and the alluring words he whispered in your ear. By the end, flour would be everywhere. On the counter, on your clothes, even in his hair. He was always so proud of the mess you'd both made, and you didn't mind it one bit.
So, being naked--basically bare--while making him his second favorite sweet treat? Well, that was basically an open invitation for Joe to indulge in his first favorite sweet treat. You.
He definitely wouldn't be able to resist this.
"It'll be just you and me," you mumble, leaning your head forward so that your lips are sliding across his tan neck, his hand moving to grip your thigh as he instinctively pulls you closer. "In that big kitchen," you say as you drop a wet kiss on his sweet spot. "Allll alone," another kiss to his skin, this time along his jawline. "For as long as you want...".
His eyes widened for a split second before he let out a low, conquered groan, trying to fight back a grin at the same time. "You...are impossible," he muttered, shaking his head as he pulled you in even closer, your legs now curled up in his lap and his hand rubbing your calf.
"And you are always DTF," you giggled, taking note of his handsy-ness already beginning hours in advance due to the mere mention of baking a pie for him with no clothes on.
"...Mmph, alright, you win," he sighed, giving in to your wishes at last. "But that pie better be worth it or else I'm taking all this Halloween shit down," he warned while motioning to the few decorations around the living room.
"If the pie isn't worth it, I'll be sure to make something else worth it," you winked, your implied suggestion causing his cheeks to turn pink as you reached for the remote and clicked on Scream.
End of Flashback
Over the years, you'd managed to get your boyfriend to warm up to Halloween bit by bit. He'd sit through a few "scary" movies and even helped you decorate the house despite his complaining and groaning. But there was still one Halloween tradition you hadn't been able to get him to embrace: trick-or-treating.
That part of Halloween still brought back his old discomfort. Every year you'd try to get him to hand out candy with you, but he always refused and said he had to watch game tape in his office. You'd ask if he wanted to walk around the neighborhood and watch the kids trick-or-treat, but instead, he'd suggest you two go out to eat. Then you'd get a little bold and ask him if he wanted to go trick-or-treating together, and Joe would look at you like you had three heads.
Nothing ever worked--not the pout, the pleading, the bribery, or even your sweetest kisses. Trick-or-treating was the one Halloween tradition Joe just couldn’t get behind, no matter how much you tried. But this year, you decided to approach it differently.
You didn’t ask him to go. You simply told him you were going trick-or-treating together and made it nearly impossible for him to refuse.
You’d spent weeks planning, finding the perfect couple’s costumes, and dropping hints about how fun it would be. Every time he tried to fight it, you’d meet his eyes with that knowing smile, as if you could already picture the two of you walking hand in hand down the leaf-strewn streets. You weren’t giving him a way out this time. And deep down, a part of him knew he was going to give in--not because you’d worn him down, but because he loved seeing you happy.
Flashback to two nights ago
"Okay. I have three costume options," you smiled, holding up three shopping bags in front of him. Joe sat on the edge of the bed, looking a little frazzled, his expression already showing his hesitation.
"Wait...three?" he asked, eyeing the bags like they were bombs that were seconds away from exploding
"Mhm!" you grinned, pulling the bags closer. "You're going to pick the perfect couple's costume, I just know it,".
"Me? I told you, Y/N. I'm not going," he shook his head. "We do this dance every year and I don't know why you keep trying,".
Your shoulders dropped a little at his usual negative mindset towards Halloween, and you softened as you met his eyes again, "I keep trying because..." you hesitated, giving him a warm smile, "I want to make you have happy memories about this holiday, Joey,".
He blinked, surprised by the sincerity in your voice. Normally you'd be playful and silly when you talked about this, but this time you weren't and that set off the alarm in Joe's head.
“I want you to experience it the way you were meant to as a kid,” you continued, dropping the bags and walking over to sit beside him. “I want you to have the same silly experiences I did, so that one day,” you took his hand in yours, squeezing gently, “We can let our kids experience it the way we did. You deserve to feel the excitement of getting dressed up, the thrill you get once you count up the amount of candy you get at the end of the night, and the warm feeling the day after when you get to stuff your face with candy for breakfast. I know Halloween wasn’t your favorite back then, but I’m here now. We can make it ours. We can make better memories,".
"I know it's silly, I mean it is just a holiday. But I want you to experience it all, you know? And it'll be fun because I'm doing it with you," you added, your voice laced with sincerity.
Joe looked down at your hands, your words sinking in, and when he looked up, there was a warmth in his eye that hadn't been there before. Halloween might not have been his favorite holiday. But for you? He'd make it one he loved. He saw how much it meant to you, and he noticed how over the years you'd been changing his experiences with the holiday step by step despite his stubbornness. You never gave up on him, and that's why he loved you. That's why he was willing to do whatever it took to make you smile.
With a small grin, he eventually sighed, “Alright. Show me those costumes,”.
Your face lit up instantly, "Really?" you gasped, gripping his bicep in response.
"Don't make me change my mind," he said after dropping his head, although he couldn't help a smile from appearing on his face at the sound of your newfound excitement.
"I love you, Joseph Lee Burrow," you grinned, pressing a quick kiss to his soft cheek before jumping off the bed and grabbing the bags.
"I love you too, Y/N Y/LN," he chuckled.
He did, he really really loved you. He was willing to do anything to make you happy, to make his girl, his lady, happy. And who knows, maybe you were right? Maybe he would have a happy memory of Halloween after doing this with you tonight.
You picked up the first bag, quickly taking out the first set of matching costumes. "Okay, okay, hear me out--matching blue and pink stitch onesies. They're comfy and simple, and I think you'll look very adorable walking around in this,".
Joe raised an eyebrow, a smile creeping onto his face. "Comfy, huh? That's a plus, for sure".
You grinned, pulling out the next costume. "Option Two, Joker and Harley Quinn,".
"Oh?" he said, his tone laced with surprise as he saw your Harley Quinn costume or the lack thereof. "I don't know how I feel about you walking around in those shorts, babe,".
"I knew you were going to say that," you sighed. "But I still bought it anyway because you'd look so sexy with this Joker outfit and makeup on,".
Joe felt a blush creeping up on his face as he chuckled, "We can do that...but only for our eyes only. Your birthdays coming up, right? Consider me dressing up as The Joker one of your gifts," he winked.
"Noted," you said, your voice barely above a whisper as heat pooled in your stomach at his innuendo. You then pulled out the final option, trying to calm yourself as you showed him. "Last one, which is a classic. Pirates!" you grinned.
Joe looked carefully for a moment, peeking at each costume before finally meeting your gaze. It didn't take long for him to decide which one he liked best, “You know,” he said, a grin breaking through, “I think I’m gonna go with the stitch onesie,".
You raised an eyebrow in surprise at how fast he picked a costume, especially because he picked the one you didn't think he would pick. “Really? Why’s that?”
“Because,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief, “It’s super comfy, and you know how much I love aliens. Plus,” he added, leaning in closer, “It’ll be easy to take off of you later when we get into bed,”
Your cheeks flushed at the playful implication, and you couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, stitch it is! But you have to promise we’ll take cute photos," you said, you were really just happy that he agreed to go and pick a costume without getting into a pillow fight with you.
“Deal,” Joe said, reaching out and gripping your waist firmly, pulling you close, and planting a quick kiss on your belly before resting his cheek against it while you raked your fingers through his soft hair. Halloween might not have been his favorite holiday, but with you by his side, he was ready to make it a night to remember--one cozy moment at a time.
"I love you," he mumbled against you before pressing another kiss to your belly.
"I love you too, my anti-halloween cuddle baby," you giggled, pressing a kiss to his hair.
End of flashback
You thought you had gotten him to fully embrace tonight, especially since he willingly put on his blue stitch onesie, but with the way he was clinging to you right now...he was definitely still struggling to let himself open up to it.
"What if they start laughing at me? I'm Joe Burrow, 27-year-old QB of the Cincinnati Bengals. I shouldn't be out trick-or-treating," he whined, hiding his face in your neck again.
"They won't laugh, Joey," you softly laughed.
"How do you know?".
"Because. You're Joe Burrow, 27-year-old QB of the Cincinnati Bengals," you grinned, gently shuffling both of you over to the foyer table where your candy bags were placed. "Man, you're big," you mumbled, slightly struggling to move because you had your 215-pound teddy bear attached to you.
He chuckled lightly, his breath warm against your skin. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. I thought you liked big boys,”.
"I do. Only you though. The rest are scaryyyy," you smiled, finally reaching the table.
"And I'm not?" he questioned, his voice laced with playfulness and flirtatious energy.
"Nope," you said while grabbing the bags. "You're my big, gigantic, muscular, adorable cuddle baby whom I never want to let go of" you softened.
"Hm, I think I prefer that over a scary football player," he chuckled.
Joe lost that tough, hard-headed QB persona when it was just the two of you. He was a total softie with you, revealing a side that few got to see. He would lean in closer during the quiet moments, dropping his guard as he shared little secrets and dreams with you, his deep voice softening to a whisper just for you. It was in these moments that you could see the real Joe. A man who cherished the little things, from the warmth of your hands to the laughter you shared over inside jokes. Each cuddle, each tender kiss that lingered a second longer, each time he pulled you into his tight embrace, he was just Joey. The boy who adored you more than life itself. Under the star athlete was someone who thrived on love, warmth, and connection.
"Good," you giggled, "Because me too. Anyway, it's just our neighborhood. Everyone knows we live here so I'm sure you'll just get a few 'hey joe!' screams and an occasional request for a photo,".
Joe lifted his head out of your neck, still looking a bit unsure for a few moments which prompted you to speak up. "I promise it'll be fun, Joey. I'm right there with you," you smiled, your hand sliding up and down the sides of his torso and your nails lightly scratching him through the fabric of his onesie. "Do it for me? Please?".
You saw a little shift in his baby blue eyes, relaxation and love flooded them. "Anything for her," he told himself. "Come on, Joe. Grow up,".
He took another deep breath before speaking up, "...Okay, but if someone asks me to do the Heisman pose in a Stitch onesie, I’m not doing it,".
You broke out in a fit of laughter at the mental image of him doing so and dropped your head onto his chest as your body shook from emotion. "D- Deal," you laughed, your heart swelling at how willing he was to step out of his comfort zone for you.
You felt him press a warm kiss to your forehead, his hand then moving to cup the nape of your neck and angle your face up. He leaned down, gently pressing his lips against yours, the feeling of your lips connecting sending shivers down your spine.
His hands slid down to your waist, his thumbs tracing slow, deliberate circles as he pulled you closer. His cold nose brushed against yours as he met your lips in a deep, sluggish, sloppy kiss. Each gentle nip and pull sent warmth throughout your body, and his soft rhythm made you melt into him. Just as you began to lose yourself in the kiss, he pulled back slightly, "Alright, let's do this," he said against your lips. "But you better keep me entertained, or I'm pulling the 'famous quarterback' card,".
"Interesting words coming from the same guy who hates unnecessary attention," you said while raising an eyebrow, stepping back from Joe's embrace to straighten out your outfit.
"Hey, it's my get-out-of-jail-free card," he retorted. "If they start laughing or I get bored, I'll remind everyone that I'm a professional athlete. That'll get them to one, stop laughing because I'll say 'excuse me, ma'am, but do you really want to laugh at Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals' golden boy?' and two, entertain my football star side for a few short seconds before I get irritated by the camera flashes," he said while striking a mock pose, puffing out his chest and flexing his arms dramatically.
"Ohhh yeah," you giggled, "Because nothing screams 'intimidating' like a guy in a stitch onesie flexing his muscles,".
“Exactly, babe,” he replied, laughing along with you. “I mean, who wouldn’t want a picture with the cuddly, buff quarterback? Just look at me, who could say no?” He glanced down at his plush costume, pretending to look serious.
"Careful, Joey B. You might even start a trend," you said while raising your hands. "The soft, cuddly, buff quarterback. It could be your new brand,".
"I can get behind that," he cutely nodded. "Maybe I'll wear this at the press conference next week," he chucked, throwing his arm around your shoulder and leading you both to the front door.
"Ohhh, I would love to see the reactions from the guys and the media if you pulled up like this," you smiled as you rested your head on his shoulder.
"I would never hear the end of it. The guys still give me shit for the hickey I walked in with the day after my birthday last year," he sighed.
"I'm still not sorry for that," you shrugged. "Gotta let everyone know that you're mine," you nodded as he opened the front door for you.
"No need to be sorry, babe. You made your mark on me, a golden tattoo. I can't hate on that," he smiled, helping you onto the front step while he followed and closed the door behind him.
A smirk rose on your face, "Good. Because if you do good tonight, maybe you'll get a few more golden tattoos," you quickly mumbled, hopping down the steps of your house.
"Wait, what?" Joe asked, raising his eyebrows at what he thinks he heard you say.
Your cheeks turned a deeper shade of maroon before you glanced back at him, "Ohhh, nothing," you smiled. "C'mon," you motioned for him to follow, "We have doors to knock on,".
-- -- --
"Okay, Joey. First house," you smiled, placing your hand around his bicep and giving it a reassuring squeeze. You both were standing at the doorstep of a house that was a few streets down from yours, the decorations in the front yard caught your eye and you just knew this was the first place to start. There was an elaborate setup of skeletons cobwebs, and glowing pumpkins that lit up the yard with a spooky charm.
Joe's eyes darted from the decorations to the door, and you could feel the tension in his muscles under your hand. "Had to pick the spookiest house first, didn't you?" he murmured, glancing down at you with a hint of hesitation.
"You got this, babe," you nudged playfully, leaning over to kiss his cheek as you doubled down on your confidence in him.
He took a deep breath, straightening his posture as his brows furrowed in determination. "Okay, here goes," he breathed out, lifting his hand, pausing for a second as he shot you one last look--almost making sure you were still with him--before he finally pressed the doorbell. There was nothing to be scared or shy of. You were right there with him, he had no reason to hide behind someone because he had his safety blanket right next to him. His sweetheart, his lovely girlfriend, his Y/N.
A few seconds later, the door swung open to reveal a middle-aged woman, her face lighting up as her eyes fell on you both. But when her eyes landed on Joe, standing there in a stitch onesie, she let out a surprised laugh.
He nervously cleared his throat before saying, "Trick or treat!" his voice was steady but laced with a bit of shyness that only you could catch.
"Oh, my goodness!" she bounced with excitement. "I never thought I'd see the day! Joe Burrow? Trick or Treating on my porch! And in such an adorable costume?" she cooed.
You couldn’t help the proud grin that spread across your face as you squeezed his arm again, leaning in to whisper, "See? You’re already a hit,".
"She's not wrong! This costume is perfect for you," the lady nodded. "You two look so adorable!".
Joe laughed, scratching the back of his neck, "Yeah, well...I have my Halloween coach to thank for that," he said, nodding at you with an appreciative smile.
"You give me too much credit," you giggled. "Not everyone can pull off a stitch onesie at 27 years old,".
He looked down at you again, his lips curved into a soft smile. But then he noticed your gaze shift down to his bag, which was still closed tight in his hand. You gave him a playful look, raising an eyebrow as if you were saying, "C'mon, Joey. Open it up,".
He realized what you meant with your stare, "Oh," he mumbled, quickly tugging the bag open and holding it out just like a kid who finally got the Halloween memo.
He watched as the woman dug her hand deep into the bowl of candy and placed a generous handful inside his spooky, SpongeBob-themed candy bag. Joe looked down at it with a mix of amusement and disbelief on his face, clearly not used to this happening to him. You couldn't help but melt at how surreal it must have felt for him--27-year-old Joe Burrow, the star QB, standing on a stranger's doorstep with a trick-or-treat bag in hand, experiencing the magic of Halloween the right way for the first time.
"Happy Halloween!" she chirped, giving him a little wink before turning to you and adding, "And you two make the cutest couple! Who Dey!".
Joe's ears turned a light shade of pink as he mumbled a polite, "Thank You,", trying to hide his emotions as best he could. That wasn't as bad as he thought it was, that was actually...fun? There were no awkward words exchanged between him and the stranger, no intimidating vibes, just sweet candy and even sweeter words.
And he had gotten a huge, seemingly above-normal fistful of candy too? Talk about Quarterback perks...
"What is this?" he thought, confused by what just happened as his hand instinctively gripped yours while you waved goodbye and walked away from the house.
You couldn't help your smile from growing wider when you both were back on the sidewalk. "He did it. He really did it," you thought to yourself, your heart swelling in return. "He did it for me,".
You stopped him in his tracks and turned to face him. "What's wrong?" he asked, confused at why you suddenly stopped him and at your wide-eyed look.
A squeal left your lips as you looped your arms around his neck and jumped into him. "You did ittttt!" you cheered, pressing about a dozen kisses to his soft, rosy cheek. "I'm so proud of you, Joe!".
Joe's face softened, a smile creeping up as he wrapped his arms around your waist, holding you close. "You're really that proud of me?" he asked, amused and bashful.
"Are you joking?" you beamed, pulling back just enough to look at him through both your stitch hoods. "You faced your Halloween fears for me. That's huge, Joe,".
"Yeah...I guess I did," he tilted his head and replied, sounding a little surprised himself.
"Ahhhh," you squealed again as you went back into the bear hug you were giving him. "This is so exciting for me, you have no clue,".
He laughed, "Oh, I think I have some idea. You've been on me for doing this for yeaaars. I'm glad you never gave up, though,".
"I'll never give up when it comes to you," you smiled before leaning up and capturing his lips in a warm kiss. "Ooo," you said as you quickly pulled away, "What candy did you get?" you asked as you felt the presence of his candy bag below you
Joe chuckled softly, still relishing in the warmth of your quick kiss. “Let’s see,” he said, searching through his candy bag with exaggerated seriousness as if it were a treasure chest. “Looks like I’ve got some Snickers, a few Reese’s, and--,” he paused for dramatic effect, pulling out a tiny packet, “Starburst!”.
Joe and his Starbursts. An inseparable duo.
"Ohh, here we go," you laughed, watching as he dropped his bag on the ground and quickly started ripping open the packet to see what flavors he got.
A gasp left his lips, "Orange! Y/N, I got double orange!" he smiled, his voice so light and playful because he had just got his favorite flavor. He was legit a kid right now in every way possible, from the costume to the smile, and to the air around him.
"Joe, it's just orange," you teased, smiling wide as you enjoyed this playful side to him.
He shot you a glare, "Just orange? This is the best damn flavor," he said, tossing a piece into his mouth with a proud grin. "I know you love pink, but that is not orange. You're missing out," he said while pointing at you as if he was giving you a lecture.
"Maybe we can do a flavor swap later?" you winked, your suggestive comment earning a grin from him.
"Deal," he chuckled as he picked up his bag again to see what else he got.
You watched as he searched through the candies, an adorable grin on his face, crinkles around his eyes, and a shimmer in his baby blues. Joe was so happy, so smiley, and this was just the first house out of many. You could only imagine how he would be by the end of the night. "Let's keep going," he smiled, a feeling of excitement starting to bubble underneath his skin.
You let him lead you, warmth filling your chest as he glanced back at you, his excitement spreading through his fingertips and straight into your body. Joe’s hand squeezed yours, and you couldn’t help but laugh at how he practically skipped down the sidewalk. His usual calm, collected self had completely melted away, replaced by a boyish joy that made your heart swell.
When you reached the next house, he gave you a playful look. "Alright, what do you think this one’s giving out? Full-size? Think we’ll get lucky?".
You shrugged, playing along, “Only one way to find out. Go on, brave QB. Knock and conquer,".
"You don't want to come up with me?" he asked with a playful pout.
You smiled, "You're a big boy, QB1. You've got this".
"Alright, alright. But if I get nervous, you'll be my backup, right?" he asked, glancing back at the house. He wasn't having a hard time talking to strangers this time around, which was different than when he was a kid. Normally, he wouldn't be able to put his finger on what made him break a childhood habit, but this time it was easy for him to know because of the feeling he had in his heart.
It was because of you.
Being with you calmed Joe in a way that nothing else could. Your calm presence was like the first, refreshing sip of ice water after a brutal run on a hot day. As you stood by his side tonight, he felt your cool confidence seep into him, melting away any of his nerves.
With you there, he found himself speaking more easily, making small talk without hesitation, and even standing on doorsteps without any fear. You had a remarkable effect on Joe, and he knew damn well without you, he wouldn't be able to do a lot of things, including this.
"Forever and Always," you promised, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go.
He straightened up, took a breath, and headed up the path on his own, a new confidence in his stride. Watching him, you couldn’t help but smile. He was loosening up, bit by bit, and you felt a thrill at the thought that he might actually be enjoying himself.
Joe knocked on the door, a bit of uncertainty clear via his body language. But when the door opened, he gave a smile so genuine that even the older couple answering couldn’t help but smile back, dropping another handful of treats into his bag as they made small talk with him.
You quickly pulled out your phone to record the sweet moment, wanting to capture Joe looking absolutely adorable and actively enjoying himself on Halloween in case someone doubted you when you told them. You had gotten him to soften up, and that was making this the best Halloween ever. You wanted to capture the memory and keep it forever.
As he headed down the steps, he looked at you with a glowing face. “You know what? I kinda get why you love this now. It’s just...fun,”.
You let out a dramatic gasp as he inched towards you, "Joe Burrow? Saying Halloween is fun? Oh my god? Have the aliens finally made landfall on Earth?".
"Very funny, Y/N," he playfully rolled his eyes.
"What'd you score this time?" you said while looping your arm with his.
"Full-sized, baby," he said in mock triumph. "Snickers, a big bag of Sour-Patch, and even another Starburst packet,". The glimmer in his eyes was undeniable, he was genuinely enjoying himself and the smile on his face was only growing wider. There were no complaints from him, no signs of anxiety, just pure enjoyment. "They even said I looked cute in this and said I've been playing like the MVP recently," he blushed.
"Aw, that's sweet," you replied, squeezing his hand as you continued walking down the street, seeing all the little kids in their adorable costumes wandering the roads. You even think you saw a kid dressed up as Joe, football jersey and all.
He let go of your hand so that he could put his arm around your waist, "They even said something about you," he winked.
"Oh? What'd they say?" you asked, snaking your arm around his waist.
"That I struck gold with youuuu," he teased, bumping his head with yours. "They go to a bunch of games and have seats by our sidelines and see you and me before every game doing our little handshake and watching you give me that pre-game pep talk. They said that the way I look at you, and only you, during that time is only something that comes around every few lifetimes,".
Your eyes widened in surprise, "Wait, seriously? People notice that?".
They weren't wrong there, though. The way Joe looked at you during his sideline time was something that was so special, so rare. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders at that time, but all that vanished once his eyes locked in on yours. You were his comfort, his calm within the storm. Whether that's on the field, or even right now as you two were partaking in Halloween festivities that he was normally against. You made it all better with your smile, with your reassuring words, with your gentle touch. He adored you.
Joe chuckled, nodding, "Yeah, apparently it's their favorite part of the game. They said, 'Man, if that's not love, I don't know what is',". He pulled you a little closer, "Guess I struck gold,".
Your heart exploded as you nestled closer to him, "Well, they're not wrong," you mumbled. "But, I think I'm the lucky one because I get to watch you light up the field like you do,".
Joe leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to your head, his voice warm as he murmured, “Guess we're both pretty lucky. But I'm definitely the luckier one because I have the most dedicated, relentless--in the best way--adorable, thoughtful, beautiful, and insanely hot woman by my side,".
His words were tender, each one a gentle caress that wrapped around your heart. They held a deep meaning that made you feel adored in a way only he could make you feel. You looked up at him, eyes sparkling with love, a smile tugging at your lips. "You know, you make it really hard not to fall for you all over again," you whispered, your voice catching as you reached up to trace your fingers along his jawline.
"Baby, I fall for you all over again every single morning I wake up to your beautiful face," he said, his fingers brushing against your cheek. "And I love you a million times more. Thank you for taking me out tonight even though I was being a whiny ass. I'm realizing what I've been missing out on," he said, looking across the street to where a little boy was calling his name, giving him a wave and smile in return. "And I'm definitely realizing it's a lot more fun with you, by my side".
"Well, I'm having the best Halloween ever if that means anything," you smiled, watching as he waved to the little kids who were starting to notice that they were trick-or-treating with Joe Burrow.
Joe pulled you even closer before planting a quick kiss on your forehead again, "Me too, and it's all thanks to you,".
Joe saw that satisfied grin on your face and felt his heart swell. You were happy. Knowing that he had a part in that made him feel like he was on Cloud 9. "I think I like seeing you like this more than I like watching the other team go 3 and out during a game," he said with a silly grin.
"You're just saying that just to say it," you shook your head as you two strolled down the sidewalk.
"Nope. I'd wear this every Halloween if it meant I could see you smile like this. You look like you're about to explode from excitement," he laughed.
"Well, I think I might. My mission was accomplished. You're enjoying Halloween," you said while letting go of him, moving so that you two were face to face. You grabbed his hand and started to walk backward down the sidewalk, leading him along with you. "We're healing your inner child, one 'trick or treat' at a time,".
"You know, you might be right?" he shook his head in disbelief. "Just don't tell my mom because I think she'll actually freak if we tell her you got me to trick or treat since she tried soooo hard when I was little to get me out here,".
You let out a loud laugh, "It'll be our secret,".
"Good, because I wouldn't do this for anyone else. Just you," he said, giving you a heated look, his icy eyes sending shivers down your spine. The playfulness in his voice was replaced with heat, and you weren't sure what made him do such a 360 all of a sudden.
"Woahhh, slow down with those bedroom eyes. We still have a few more houses to hit up," you giggled.
"Sorry," he shook his head, snapping out of his daze. "I just remembered how easy it is to take a onesie off and got excited,".
"Like I said, you're always DTF," you smiled, turning back around and pulling him down the sidewalk with you.
"Only for you though," he smiled, innocently tapping your ass which caused a gasp to leave your lips.
"Joseph Lee! There are children around!" you shrieked, looking back at him with wide eyes as your cheeks flushed with surprise and embarrassment.
"What? It was just a little tap," he shrugged. "Besides, we're allowed to have some fun, right? It is Halloween,".
"You're unbelievable, you know that?" you said, trying to hide your laughter.
"But you love it," he said, leaning closer as he winked at you, his confidence shining through. "And I think the kids are too focused on their candy to notice what I'm doing,".
You looked around, watching as the kids ran past you both with their candy hauls in hand, realizing he was right. "Okay, but still. You better keep your hands to yourself unless you want the whole neighborhood to see your stitch onesie getting stripped off,".
"Relaaax, baby. It won't happen again, at least not until we're somewhere a little more...private," he said, tapping your ass again but before you could say something, he ran in front of you to escape your anger.
"Oh hell no," you shook your head, watching as he ran backward, his tongue sticking out at you in mockery as he sported a cocky grin.
"Catch me if you can!" he yelled, his laughter echoing as he picked up speed.
"He's such a kid," you whispered to yourself, "You're going to regret that!" you shouted back, your competitive spirit breaking free as you took off after him.
He really was a full-blown kid tonight, and it was all thanks to you. You got him to loosen up, to laugh a little harder, and to enjoy something he had grown to hate. Each doorbell you rang seemed to chip away at the walls he had built around Halloween, and the joy in his eyes was heartwarming.
You ran down the sidewalk, chasing after him as best as you could, but Joe being the sneaky athletic man he is, was just too fast for your pace. "He chooses the wrong time to show that he has wheels," you thought to yourself. Before you knew it, he had led you down a dark backroad and was nowhere in sight. You were far from your familiar neighborhood streets, the spooky decorations and orange lights now a blur in the background as you were now standing on an eerily quiet street. The shadowy road sent a shiver down your arm, "Joe?" you called out, your voice echoing in the quiet environment.
You got no response.
You bit your lip, gripping your bag a little tighter as you stay alert, turning your head to check if he was near you. "Joe? This isn't funny! I swear to God," you said, swallowing hard. The usual sounds of forest critters were oddly silent, providing no comfort to you at the moment.
"Did he even come down here? Maybe I wasn't paying too much attention to which way he went," you muttered to yourself, slowly beginning to walk up the road and back to where you came from. "But then where did he go?".
"Joe? I'm serious," you yelled out again, your voice laced with frustration and nervousness. This was the exact kind of thing he would do to spook you, so maybe that's what he was doing.
Before you could call out again, you heard a faint sound--like a crunch of leaves under a foot.
You didn't turn around to see what it was, instead, you stopped walking and froze, your bottom lip starting to tremble as fear crept into your mind.
There was nothing down here. And by nothing, you mean nothing. Not a single house, not a single car, and not a single soul. Just trees, a road, and a distant view of your neighborhood.
So who was behind you?
You didn't want to turn around to see who it was out of fear. It could be Joe, but it also could be some psycho in a ghost mask with a knife, waiting to stab you to death. "Oh shut up, Y/N. Scream is a movie. A MOVIE." you lectured yourself, mentally slapping yourself for sounding like Joe.
You shook your head to push away the uncomfortable feeling creeping up your spine. You quickened your pace as you walked towards the familiar shapes of the neighborhood. Each hasty step made your heart pound louder in your chest, drowning out your breath. Behind you, the sounds grew louder as you heard the rustling leaves and the faint crunch of footsteps on gravel--each noise sent a rush of anxiety through you.
"Absolutely not. I'm not dying before I witness a Bengals Super Bowl win," you mumbled to yourself before you reached up to pull your hood down, then kicked back and started bolting up the road.
"Come on, come on," you muttered, your breath hitching as you heard the distance between you and whatever was behind you shrink.
But then, your heart stopped as two strong hands gripped your waist and pulled you back, your back bumping into something solid and hard. "AHHHH!" you shrieked. "Please don't kill me! I swear, I didn't do any- anything," you screamed while feeling tears in your eyes.
And then you heard it, a laugh. Deep, unmistakable, and...familiar.
"Scared you, didn't I?" Joe rasped in your ear, his arms tightening around your waist.
Your heart was still pounding from the rush, "Joe!" you shouted, giving him a halfhearted shove and releasing yourself from his arms. "That wasn't funny! I thought you were some...masked psycho about to murder me,".
He reached out, placing his hands on your shoulders while stabling himself, "And this- And this is why you shouldn't watch Scream," he panted, catching his breath, the laughter still lingering in his eyes.
"Fuck you," you panted, coming from a place of playfulness and fun.
Joe's hands slid down to your waist, pulling you into him with one swift movement, "Aww, was my baby scared?" he pouted.
You stared into his eyes with irritation, "Yes." you muttered without hesitation.
"Aw, I'm sorry," he smiled, pushing your head into his chest as he swayed you back and forth, "But at least now we know how you'd last in a horror movie,".
You rolled your eyes before breaking out in a grin--you just couldn't help yourself, "Who knew Joey B was final girl material? I mean, look at those wheels," you teased.
"Damn right," he chuckled, then leaned down to place a kiss on your cheek. "I think you need to learn a few things from me. No way you should be that slow when your boyfriend is Joey Wheels,".
You let out an offended scoff before lightly slapping his chest, "I'm not that slow," you said.
"Mhmmm," he hummed, "Whatever helps you sleep at night,".
You shook your head before going back to his chest, "You're having one good Halloween and think you're the shit now, aren't you?".
"Precisely," he nodded, "But that's all you're doing, baby. You asked for this," he chuckled.
He did it to make you happy, which worked. And you did it to make him happy, which also worked. You two made amazing memories tonight, carefully uninstalling the bitter ones from his childhood and replacing them with happier ones. You loved to see him happy and carefree like this, you never wanted that smile to come off his face.
"Well, you scaring me is a good thing I guess. You're not the one scared anymore, I am," you smiled up at him. "Healing your inner child, one step at a time,".
-- -- --
A few hours later -- back at the house
"I didn't think that would be so fun," Joe said as he rummaged through his candy collection on the bed while you were in the bathroom, getting ready for bed. "You seriously have me questioning why I ever dreaded Halloween,".
You laughed from inside the bathroom, "It's because you didn't have me around to show you the ropes. I told you I'd change your mind!" you shouted just loud enough for him to hear you.
"My miracle worker," he chuckled, opening up a Snickers bar and taking a bite of the chocolatey treat.
Back in the bathroom, you were currently standing in front of the mirror, looking at the red, lacy lingerie that you had slipped on under your onesie before you left earlier. You knew that even though he'd complain about it, Joe would come through and make your wish come true. And in return, he deserved a treat when you both got back and you wanted to show him how much you appreciated him loosening up for you on a night that had never been his favorite.
He thought you were just in here, doing your skincare and slipping into your PJs, but instead, you were getting ready to give him the real treat he deserved. "He's going to love this," you smirked, pulling one of his old LSU shirts over your body along with your sleep shorts.
You grabbed one of Joe's favorite perfumes of yours, giving it a few spritzes around your body, before fluffing your hair, turning out the lights, and leaving the bathroom.
"Babe, you gotta try these watermelon sour patch kids," Joe said as he dug through the tiny packet and popped a few into his mouth.
You smiled at the sight before you--Joe sprawled out on the bed in just his boxers, looking effortlessly irresistible. His disheveled hair and relaxed posture were a stark contrast to the playful, innocent stitch he’d been just a few hours ago. It was like seeing two sides of him in one night, each one captivating in its own way.
"Insane duality as usual," you murmured, barely containing a grin as you took him in.
Once he heard you close the bathroom door, Joe's gaze tracked your every step as you walked back into the room, his eyes sparking with curiosity. He picked up on a subtle shift in your energy, the way your confidence was shining brighter than usual, making his smirk grow. He threw his half-finished candy onto the nightstand, leaning back against the soft headboard with his hands behind his head, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Hi," he smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
You gave him a slow once over, taking note of every vein, every curve of his muscles, and especially that happy trail that led to one of your favorite things in the world. ""Hi," you said, giving him a devilish grin, your tone laced with heat. "Enjoy your candy?" you teased.
"Yeaahhh...," he trailed off, "You alright?" he asked a few seconds later once you stopped at the foot of the bed.
"Oh, I'm more than alright," you thought to yourself, clearing your throat and standing up straight. "Trick or Treat?" you smirked at him.
Joe raised an eyebrow at your question, especially because he could tell it was coming from a place of mischief. "What?" he asked.
"You heard me," you bit your lip and said. "Trick or Treat?".
Joe raised an eyebrow at your tone--it was light, a little heated, and incredibly playful. Was this going where he thought it was? "I think I’m going with treat,” he murmured, his voice dropping lower as he slowly leaned forward. “But I’m curious…just what kind of treat am I in for?”
"Hmmm, you know," you said while gazing deeply into his starry eyes, "The hot kind. The messy kind. The sexy kind,".
And as if on cue, you reached for the bottom of your shirt, quickly pulling the fabric up and over your head before throwing it at Joe's face, his eyes widening once he got a glimpse at the lacy red bra that covered the part of your body that Joe was insanely obsessed with. "Y/N..." he murmured, his heart skipping a beat once he saw you turn around so your back was facing him, your hair moving to the front which gave him the perfect view of the thin lace straps.
You pulled your shorts down, bending over so you could reach down to get them out of your feet and to also give Joe a generous view of your lace-covered ass.
"Fuck, baby," he groaned, the tent in his boxers growing at the sight of your toned, lace-covered body.
You flipped back around, watching as his hand absentmindedly inched closer to his erection, shifting it to feel momentary relief because of the way you were torturing him right now. You flashed him a playful grin before kneeling on the bed, your fingernails running up against his leg as you moved closer and closer to his torso.
"Baby, I-," he choked out as he felt your hand graze over his shaft.
"Shh, it's okay. Just lay back and relax. You earned this for doing good tonight. You did it for me, to see me happy, to see me smile. You had fun tonight and you did something out of your comfort zone, all for me. You deserve a treat for being so good to me, baby," you nodded, both your bodies now filled with heat and desire, the need to feel each other overpowering any other emotion.
You leaned down, your lips coming into contact with the fabric of his boxers as you pressed gentle kisses around his upper thighs. Joe tossed his head back at the sudden contact, and as your lips inched closer to his shaft, his body jerked while a string of sounds fell from his lips. "B- Baby, stop teasing," he mumbled, his hand stuffed into your hair as he lightly pulled on the strands. "I need y- you,".
You smirked at his faltering cockiness, then trailed your kisses up his body, following his happy trail. Your tongue glided along the curvature of each of his semi-visible abs, up to his pecs, and then to his neck.
You had shifted so that you were now comfortably seated in his lap, and Joe's hands were firmly placed on each side of your waist, slowly moving your hips back and forth against his shaft to feel relief.
You attached your lips to his neck, your goal was to leave as many golden tattoos as you could. "Mm, Y/N," he whimpered in your ear as he felt you suck harder on his favorite spot. "So good for me, baby," he sighed, his self-control being very close to being thrown out the window.
"I know," you smirked, moving to another spot on his neck to repeat the action. Your hand placed on his jaw as you moved his face to the side. Your tongue glided over the marks you left on his neck, a hiss coming from his lips at the slight burning sensation.
As the minutes passed by and you continued to tease him with your lips, he was getting more and more restless. And you could feel it. "Baby, please. I need to..I need to feel you around me," he whimpered again, pulling you out of his neck and meeting your firey eyes.
"Your wish is my command," you said, leaning in to capture his lips in a passionate kiss as you sat up on your knees, allowing him to pull down his boxers, his cock coming free and grazing against your thigh.
You leaned down to shift your lacy panties to the side, your wetness seeping through and dripping down onto Joe's lap, a throaty chuckle leaving his lips. "Even when you try to be in control, I still have you like this," he mumbled between the kiss as you grabbed his erection, using your thumb to spread the pre-cum along his slit before sliding it between your slick folds.
"We'll see," you smirked, sinking straight down onto his hard cock, a moan leaving his lips at the sudden contact.
"Y/N...," he moaned, his hands shifting down to grab your ass with a firm grip.
You placed your hands on his shoulders as you slid up and down his cock, your pace frantic and needy which matched the feeling you both shared in the moment. His head falls forward to rest on your shoulder, your hand inching into his hair as you pull him closer. His groans got louder, each one sending a jolt of pleasure throughout your body. "Yeah, you like that?" you whispered in his ear as you felt him buck into your core.
"Fuck, yeah," he moaned, his hands moving to grip your waist, the pads of his fingers digging deep into your skin. "Just like that, yeah,"
A shock of pleasure ripped through your veins, "You feel so good, Joey, sound so pretty for me," you moaned, feeling his tip hit your sweet spot as you leaned into him, his fully arms wrapping around your torso to steady you.
"My girl, you're doing so good, Y/N. I love...I love fucking you," he whimpered, his hips starting to snap up into yours in a way that drove you crazy. Each push of his cock into your wet heat felt like you were being brought into a new world; so intense and lively.
"Joey, ah," you moaned. "You're so...you make me feel so good," you moaned, feeling the way he gripped your hips and guided you back and forth on his cock.
You felt his hand inch up your back, his fingers finding the clasp of your lingerie top and undoing it in one easy motion. He quickly pulled the straps down, throwing the lacy piece across the room before attaching his lips to the skin of your breasts. "Oh," you whimpered, leaning back to give him enough room to work his magic on you.
"See?" he panted as he nipped at your skin. "This was for me, b- but, ah," he moaned once he felt you clench around him for a second, "I still have you like this,".
"You'll always have me like this, Joe," you whimpered, your legs starting to burn because of your movements. You threaded your fingers into his hair again, pulling him out of your chest and up to your lips, "Fuck, baby," you whined before he crashed his lips onto yours, his hips snapping up into yours even harder than before.
You picked up your movements as both your moans got louder and louder, the room now filled with sounds of skin hitting skin and your breathless whimpers. "Joe, I..I'm so close, mmph, fuck," you whined, dropping your head onto his chest as you slid up and down his shaft, your core starting to clench his cock more frequently.
"Shit, me too," he choked out, his breath hitting your ear as he melted into you with each rock of your hips and thrust of his thick cock. "I'm gonna cum, fuck...Y/N, I-," he said, getting quieter as he leaned into you more, his cock starting to twitch as he repeatedly slammed into your sweet spot.
You felt your eyes start to roll back, both your bodies moving at an uneven pace, "Cum for me, Joey. You did so good tonight, let it go," you whimpered in his ear.
"Oh, fuck," he hissed, "'Fuck, fuck. I f- forgot a condom, baby. W- where-,".
"In me," you moaned. "Cum in me, it's okay," you whined, your bundle of nerves begging for release as you felt Joe's cock thrust into your core with an intensity he could only display in front of you.
"Y/N," he whimpered, his cock stilling inside you after one final, rough thrust that caused your legs to shake. "Ahh, fuck," he hissed, throwing his head back against the headrest as his warm release filled your dripping core, the feeling of him filling you was something he could never get over. It made him feel so damn good, and you just loved to feel him inside you, any way shape, and form.
"Oh, fuck," you screamed, gripping his shoulders again as you guided yourself along his cock, "I- I'm-,".
"I've got you," he moaned, opening his eyes and briefly staring at the ceiling before looking back down at you and the way your lip was between your teeth, your eyes were screwed shut, and how your hair was sticking to your skin from the thin layer of sweat on your body.
He moved his hand down to your slick entrance, his thumb finding your clit, and all it took was a few seconds for you to come crashing down on his body. The expert movement of his skillful hands wasn't just useful on the football field. Hell, they might have been best used on you and not on the ball he throws every day. "Joe!" you screamed, falling into his chest as your core rhythmically clenched around his shaft, a wave of pleasure crashing over you while you felt your release drip onto his lap.
"God, I'm fucking obsessed with you," he mumbled as he peppered kisses around your neck, up your jaw, and to your mouth as you chanted his name over and over.
A few seconds later, you caught your breath, "Holy shit," you panted, your legs still shaking from your high as your body fell limp against his. "Fuck, that was...,".
He chuckled lowly, "Hot? Intense? Sweet?" his voice raspy in your ear as his hand slid up and down your back, tracing invisible shapes into your skin.
"Precisely," you giggled, pressing a kiss to his muscular chest. "Happy Halloween, babe. Hope you enjoyed your treat,".
He tilted your chin up, catching your gaze with that soft, unguarded look that always melted you. “Happy Halloween, baby. Thanks for tonight,” he whispered, brushing a kiss to your forehead before pulling you close again. As you snuggled against him, you could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat under your cheek. His hand slid up to cradle your face, his thumb gently stroking your cheek. "You gave me the treat of a lifetime tonight. In more ways than just one," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I’ll never forget it,".
"I love you," you mumbled.
"I love you too," he smiled, dropping another kiss on your forehead before getting lost in your warmth.
"You know...since you're pretty comfortable with Halloween now...next year, we should throw our own Halloween Party at the house for everyone," you smiled against his chest.
Joe snapped his eyes open, "Woahh, baby steps," he laughed.
You couldn't help but smile, knowing just how far you'd come in the quest to make Mr. Anti-Halloween, Mr. Pro-Halloween. "Alright, alright," you teased, giving his chest a playful tap, "But we'll see what the future holds. Maybe you'll be the one planning it next year,".
His laughter vibrated through his chest, and he tightened his arms around you, his smile so soft and content. "You’ve already got me wrapped around your finger. I’ll do whatever you want, baby" he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of your head.
"Good," you beamed. "I've already got your costume for next year in mind,".
"And what is it?" he asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.
You bit your lip and hid your face in his chest again before saying, "I know you said for our eyes only...but...I wanna see you in it as many times as I can,".
"Nope," he shook his head, already knowing what you were going to say. "No way in hell,".
"Yessss," you giggled while patting his chest. "You'd look so fucking sexy, I think every girl in Ohio would drop to their knees,".
Joe playfully rolled his eyes, "You know what? Fine. I'll wear the Joker costume, but only on one condition," he said.
"Okay, I'm listening," you nodded, your excitement bubbling beneath your skin already.
He smirked as he leaned down to level his mouth with your ear, "We repeat what we just did, right now," he rasped. "Right now, maybe again tomorrow night, and after we do the whole 'our eyes only' thing, and maybe make it a Halloween tradition and do this all over again next year,".
You gently leaned up, pressing your lips to his before saying, "Deal, Joker," then feeling his hands wrap around your hips and flip you over on the bed.
--the end--
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too-much-tma-stuff · 11 months ago
Text
Finally getting help (prt 4)
Masterpost
The bats worked through the night, coordinating and researching everything that needed to be done. Distortion showed up on the camera which they assumed was Vlad trying to get in but he didn’t manage it. After he finished trying from multiple angels including somehow from directly above (well Zatana did say invisibility, intangibility, and flight were the minimal powers they should expect from creatures of the infinite realms.) He turned human again and spent a long time banging on their front door.
He tried to call the cops but commissioner Gordon called Bruce directly to get the full story then told Vlad it could be dealt with in the morning. Zatana was also coordinating people heading to Amity, a full on raid of the GIW, and the Fentons.
Batman and Superman were collecting all the information that the raid team was sending out and workshopping public statements they could sent out to the public and the government about the unacceptable things they had found and the steps the JL was taking to fix it. The government was not going to be happy they knew, with the JL ‘over-stepping’ into their business and actually getting the word out about the atrocities a branch of their government and their pet scientists had been planning. The JL needed to get out ahead of it before the narrative could be twisted against them.
It was first thing in the morning when they did a live broadcast from the watchtower with Batman, Superman, and Zatana telling the world about the parallel world existing harmlessly along side their own, and the way the government tried to exploit it. The atrocities committed under the name of the Anti-Ecto acts with the ignorance of the public as a cover.
It was at the same time that Constantine, Dick, and Cas were raiding the Fenton’s home. Of course they were armed, but so were the bats, and they were used to fighting people who were armed. It wasn’t a particularly hard fight.
A redhead was sitting wide eyed at the kitchen table. “Can’t we just have one normal day!” She suddenly snapped but she was glaring at her parents, standing up and slamming her hands on the table.  “First you send Danny away with Vlad even though you KNOW they hate each other and it’s a school day and now this! What did you do to bring the heroes down on us!?”
“I don’t know Jazzybear!” Jack half whined as he was forced into power supressing cuffs to neutralize his minor super strength and sat down in the living room.
“I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding, don’t worry sweetie,” Maddie added, both of them were dressed in jump suits which did not help their supervillain vibes.
“it’s not a mistake mate, you’ve been messing with shit you really shouldn’t. And that portal in your basement is a fucking beacon welcoming a war. You’ve gone unchecked for too god damn long, we’re taking over things now.” Constantine told them before stalking down into the basement with Tim on his heels, Batman would be joining them as soon as they were done their press conference.
Cas stayed to watch the parents and Dick approached Jazz gently. “Hey can I talk to you in private please? It’s about your brother,” He said gently and she stiffened immediately. Looking at him in a way that made him feel like she could see straight into his soul and froze him to the spot. After a moment though she just sighed and nodded, beckoning to him to follow her upstairs, to a room that was probably Danny’s not her own. She sat on his bed and grabbed a bear that had been sitting on the edge, waving for him to sit at the desk.
“So, what do you know?” She asked with a sigh.
“Well, last night Vlad took Danny to a Wayne Gala, one of Bruce’s daughter Cas is really good with body language and clocked that something was wrong so she and one of the other kids got him away from Vlad and out of the party. I guess he really needed some adult support because he broke down and told them a lot, about the Phantom thing, the ghosts and… something you’re not going to like. But first I want you to know he’s safe, Bruce Wayne is a licensed foster parent and he’s taking good care of Danny, you can come live with them too if you want.
“We’re going to deal with the ghosts and the GIW and everything else now, I can’t promise by the end of this you won’t need somewhere else to go. I have a feeling if Batman and the Martian family have anything to say about this your parents will end up in prison for their unethical experiments.”
“As long as Danny is okay,” Jazz said firmly. “I was only staying to take care of him anyway, just get me emancipated and a scholarship for Gotham U so I can study while still being close to him I’ll be fine. I’m almost 18 as it is.”
Dick nodded, she was a smart and driven girl, she knew what she wanted, he could respect that. “Now, the thing you won’t like…” he trailed off and took a deep breath. “Danny is pregnant.”
“What!?“ Jazz blanched, gaping at him for a long minute. “That can’t be right! I mean I knew he was trans but he’s usually only interested in girls, how would he even-“ She cut off her eyes widening. “It was Vlad wasn’t it?” She gritted out with an expression the promised excruciating violence.
“Yes,” Dick said shifting awkwardly in his chair.
“Right.” Jazz said and got up, coldly calm. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.” She grabbed a baseball bat from next to Danny’s bed that seemed to be glowing slightly then marched to the other side of the room, opened a cabinet and pulled out two odd looking guns. Before Dick could say much of anything she had vaulted out of the window and taking off down the street.
“Oh dear,” Dick muttered faintly before heading back downstairs. “Hey Cas can we turn on the news, some sort of local station?” He asked. Cas nodded and searched around for the remote, turning it on to find the channel was already on local news.
Vlad was already on there, talking about how it was awful Bruce Wayne had Kidnapped a local child Danial Fenton, and he could not be allowed to get away with this just because he was rich! But that didn’t last long, they watched for a few minutes before a blur of red hair and blue rushed past the camera.
“YOU TOUCHED MY BROTHER YOU CREEP!” Jazz said as she came out swinging and she must have quite the arm because her first swing sent him nearly flying off the stage. He scrambled to get up as she lunged at him again.
“Now Jasmine you’ve clearly been misinformed, I didn’t do anything-“ His muffled voice was cut off as she swung the bat again and he yelped as she hit him in the stomach.
“YOU GOT HIM PREGNANT! YOU DID THIS! YOU SHOULD BEHIND BARS NOT BEHIND A PODIUM YOU FROOTLOOP!” She shrieked as she swung again and this time he managed to dodge. The cameras following them as Jazz chased him down the street, the sound of his supplications and her shrieking fading out as they became more and more distant.
It took a frantic moment for the camera angle to switch to something else, maybe a drone, which was able to follow them down the street.
“You Don’t UNDERSTAND! I didn’t want to hurt him! I just wanted a perfect son! If he had just agreed to be my son none of this would have happened! When I knew it failed I told him to let them die!” Vlad yelled at her, though that did NOT seem to comfort Jazz at all. She had devolved into shrieking book titles like curses as she chased him with the bat and shot at him with the guns though her aim didn’t seem very good.
Well they had him admitting to it on camera now. As he watched a new actor joined the fray, a girl in a red jumpsuit holding a blaster.
“You did what to Danny!?” She demanded as she pointed the blaster at Vlad.
“Oh cheespuffs!” Vlad breathed, his eyes widening as Jazz trailed off letting who must be Red Huntress take over the chase as Vlad shouted about how he had made her! He had given her her weapons she couldn’t use them against him! Which did not seem to be stopping her.
The camera fuzzed out for just a second and then Valery was chasing a ghost with red eyes and a white outfit. Cas was laughing silently at the show and both of the Fenton parents seemed to be in shock. A few minutes later Jazz walked back in through the front door looking tired.
“Turn that off please,” she sighed as she put the bat down.
“Of course,” Cas agreed and picked up the remote again, turning off the tv. 
“Vlad didn’t actually do that, did he Jazzy?” Jack asked softly, he sounded so hurt, as if he had any fucking right!
Jazz looked at him blankly. “How many times have we tried to warn you about him? How many times has Danny told you he didn’t feel safe with Vlad? But as usual you couldn’t see past your own desires. I’m going to go see if the trenchcoat guy needs any help getting into your files,” She sighed before vanishing downstairs. 
Dick glanced at Cas, and then followed them, she would have no trouble watching the Fentons and staying quiet whereas Dick felt like he was about to explode. Batman joined them before long and between the three of them they shut the bulkheads on the portal and locked them, secured dangerous chemicals and devices, and downloaded everything they could. There were plenty of prototypes and blueprints, and stuff that could generously be called research.
It was obvious these people were geniuses but it was even more obvious that at some point they had become careless and obsessive. Half of the writing on the blueprints wasn’t legible, dangerous chemicals were not in proper containment, and the weapons were not locked up. Looking at all of this it wasn’t surprising that two of the people they had been involving in their research suffered exposure, it was a surprise more hadn’t. It was easy to tell when Bruce came down he was horrified, it was in the way he froze when he saw the lab, as if his brain was struggling to process just how irresponsible the Fenton parents had been.
“You must be Jazz, it’s nice to meet you. Danny speaks highly of you,” He finally rebooted to say when she waved at him. 
“I love my little brother, I always did the best I could to keep him safe from… all this,” Jazz said gesturing at the lab with a sigh. “I wish it had done any good.”
“You did plenty of good,” Dick put in. “Trust me, to a kid having someone care about them can make all the difference. 
“All those nights I patched him up after he came back from fighting ghosts. He healed fast but still. I can’t believe… he’s already been through so much and we knew Vlad was up to something! Ellie said she was our cousin but she looked just like him, I should have kept a closer eye on-” She cut off and shook her head. “He’s a good kid, of course if he couldn’t give the babies up, even if it would be better for them if he did. I hope he knows I’d support him either way, I hope he didn’t not tell me because he thought I’d be upset at Him.”
“I’m sure he didn’t,” Dick assured her gently. “Being a big sibling is hard, I know. But trust me you’re doing a great job, better than I did with my brothers,” he said, patting her shoulder. “You can ask him yourself later though. We have a lot to get done today to make sure he’s safe.”
She nodded stubbornly and doubled down on her work, directing them occasionally to where she knew they’d find more weapons or logs. She knew her way around the lab to a disturbing extent. 
Bruce and Dick both got a notification from Agent A saying that after a substantial sleep in Danny had woken up and was having breakfast. He seemed worried about the family but he was taking it alright, especially since he knew they were busy people. It did motivate Dick to clear things up as soon as they could so that they could get back to Danny though. The last thing he needed was More stress!
They had plenty of evidence of the Fenton parents breaking the law to call the police and have them taken away which gave them all the time they needed to strip the house. They got everything they could and decided to leave Constantine at the house to watch the portal until they could figure out how to shut it down completely without causing any damage. It seemed unstable so they didn’t want to risk it just now, especially without Danny’s input because according to Jazz Danny had made genuine connections in the Infinite Realms. 
They wrapped up this stage of the investigation before dinner after being up for about 36 hours. Of course they weren’t Done, there was still plenty to do investigating the government, how they’d gotten away with this and if they had any other nasty tricks up their sleeve. They’d have to manage any backlash from this unilateral move, and they’d have to figure out what to tell the public about Danny since Bruce would be fostering him. But all that could be done after having a family dinner with their new brother and a nap. 
part 5
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demonic0angel · 23 days ago
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Jason meet Jazz and, due to her highly liminal nature and some ghostly shenanigans, he gets the idea that she's secretly a vampire. He's kinda into the idea.
(They’re stupid, your honor 😭)
“So… what’s your opinion on Twilight?” Jason asked, leaning over the desk to look at Wolf.
She paused from reading her papers. Then she said, “Twilight by Stephanie Meyers?”
“Yeah. That one. Like with all of the werewolf and vampire stuff.”
“Well. In a way, I think it’s interesting how much of an impact it’s made, but I mostly think her writing is a reflection of her Mormon views, and the impact that it’s created on people isn’t so great when you realize that she’s discriminatory and judgemental.”
Damn, he agreed with her on everything. She was so perfect. It was almost a little sad how she was a vampire, which was probably why she covered herself so thoroughly in leather and fabric.
“I agree. I was asking more about the creatures inside though. It’s pretty fascinating that vampires sparkle in the daylight. It’s sad, of course, that they are dependent on blood and have to hide their immortality, but the plot point where Bella wanted to be immortal was quite interesting, even if a little tasteless. Not that it’s bad to be inhuman, y’know?”
She turned to him slowly. He couldn’t read her expression through her helmet, but he felt like her gaze was extremely confused. After a moment, she nodded quickly and said, “Uhm. Yes. Being inhuman is not a thing to be hated, but instead, respected like any other race. After all, we’re just trying to survive. I’m glad that you’re making your anti-discrimination policies even more clear, Hood.”
Jason blinked.
Why did he feel like they weren’t just on separate pages, but also on separate books?
He pulled down his jacket a little, revealing his neck. His armor loosened and Jason had the inkling of looking like a whore before he stomped down on the feeling. Not that it was wrong anyways. He was absolutely a whore for Wolf.
“Y’know, Princess,” he said in a very casual voice, “If you were a vampire or a demon, I’d let you feed on me.” He paused and added, “Only for research purposes, of course.”
She paused again, taking even longer to stare at him.
Jason also stared back at her, though he wasn’t really sure because both of them had helmets.
Eventually, she just awkwardly said, “Okay.”
“Okay?” He asked, hinting at her.
She nodded slowly. “… okay. I’ll feed on you if I need to.”
That was basically confirmation! Jason beamed and returned her nod. “That’s good. Feel free to do it whenever you need. I’m here for you, Wolf.”
“…….. thanks.”
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dadexpertheart · 22 days ago
Text
👋 Let’s skip the fluff and get straight to the good stuff:
I’m bringing “dad energy” done right:
• Strong, steady, and reliable. Think less “socks with sandals” and more “the guy who’s got your back no matter what.”
• Height? 6’3” (191 cm)
• Looks? Brown hair, blue eyes, lean build, with charm and a smile designed to make you forget your ex (and maybe his dog, too).
• Vibe? Laid-back confidence with a side of “dad energy”.
• Location? South-Central USA, hot summers, even hotter BBQ joints. [Central time]
Got “daddy issues”? 🤷 No judgment here—if anything, that just puts you ahead of the game.
Curious? Take the chance—you never know what might happen.
What else?
• Not online 24/7 (got to keep the mystery alive). My posts are usually on the scheduler/timer.
• Blank profiles? Not my thing—put some effort in, and I will too.
• I’m not interested in buying pictures, videos, or sending money, so let’s keep it real.
• I couldn’t care less about your pronoun nonsense. It’s funny how the world managed just fine for centuries without everyone feeling the need to announce theirs.
⛔️⛔️ Don’t bother following me if your profile is a laundry list of people or things you hate, you treat one political party or religion as the only “right” answer, can’t respect other perspectives, or proudly display “anti” or “phobic” labels. Spreading hate isn’t bold or edgy—it’s just adding more negativity to the world. Let’s aim higher.
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
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russellbby · 1 month ago
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Jealously doesn’t look good on you🙄
parings: f1 grid x fem!mercedes f1 driver!reader
in which: the young driver seems to get on very well with the younger drivers and jealousy starts to get to the rest of the grid..
requested: yes, by anonymous: Heyy, can I request something where the reader is the youngest f1 driver and is very closed off and don't talk much to any of the drivers, however when the younger drivers are around (kimi, ollie etc) she doesn't stop talking to them and the grid can't help but get jealous of her relationship with the younger drivers. thank uuu :))
a/n: I’m back guys!! This request has been sitting in my inbox for I don’t know how long. Hope you like it and start sending me in more requests! :)
//
Y/n, a young talent, record breaker, the youngest on the grid and the paddock princess. However, despite how much the grid loves and cares for her, they don’t know a single thing about her.
The young mercedes driver was entering the paddock, smiling and waving at the cameras before making her way over to fans to sign things and take photos before she made her way into the garage.
“The fans know more about her than us,” Lando mumbled as he had watched her interaction with the fans.
“Y/n has always been like this especially in formula 2, she would only talk on the radio and interviews” Oscar added.
“She’s just shy, don’t like talking and prefer to be alone. I learnt that the hard way when she became my teammate” George said.
“I just wish she would open up to us, it’s like her whole life is a mystery to us” Charles added.
//
Later, a few of the drivers had gathered in the lounge before the start of a busy weekend. During these times, Y/n is normally on her own with her headphones with a book in hand or on her phone.
This time around, she had her knees up with her book on her lap with headphones on with no care in the whole and having no intentions of joining any conversations or banter amongst the drivers.
However, her plan didn’t stay very long as she felt her headphones being taken off her head which made her look up at the certain aussie driver.
“Danny!” Y/n exclaimed as she got up and tried to get her headphones back, only for Daniel to lift them in the air, Y/n soon realised there was no point in trying.
“C’mon, you were being anti-social!” Daniel said.
“How do you even like reading?” Lando added which earned him a glare from the young driver.
“I mean he has a point, how do you find it entertaining?” Max asked.
“This shows you lot barely finished school or dropped out” Y/n told them.
“We just want to talk to you! We know nothing about your life!” Charles added.
“There’s nothing too exciting that happened, just a normal childhood!” Y/n said before she got ahold of her headphones and went back to the same position before the drivers interrupted her.
“One day, we will get something out of her” Pierre said.
//
The morning passed, Y/n was just talking to her engineers as FP1 had just finished and were gathering information in preparation for FP2.
Y/n knew that F2 was going on this weekend, she was hoping to be able to see some of her closest friends and her wishes were fulfilled when she looked outside her garage.
She saw Ollie, Kimi and Paul chatting outside, this made her face light up with a smile, which was rare for her and she knew her team were watching her, but she didn’t care.
"Guys!!" she called out, jogging over to them.
"Y/n!" Kimi opened his arms as the young girl launched into a hug. The pair laughed as they pulled apart, before Y/n hugged Ollie and Paul.
The four started talking continuously about anything and everything and laughing, which caught the attention of the grid.
“It’s like she’s two different people,” Lando said as he nudged Oscar pointing over to the scene.
“That’s Y/n for you” Oscar replied.
//
“Y/n!” Daniel called as he made his way over to where she was sitting down on a table outside the mercedes hospitality. Soon enough, Daniel wasn’t the only drivers who joined her.
“What’s this? A gathering?” Y/n asked.
“You with Ollie, Kimi & Paul?!” Charles said.
“What about it? We are best friends, we are all practically family” Y/n replied confused.
“So they know everything about you?!” Pierre added.
“Well, duh!” Y/n told them.
“You are like a completely different person when you’re with them compared to us!” Max added.
“Didn’t realise that there was a drivers meeting outside the Mercedes hospitality” Kimi joked as he walked over with Ollie and Paul.
“They are saying I’m different person with you lot compared to them” Y/n mumbled.
“Well, they ain’t wrong!” Paul said.
“I’m going to tell your mum you still haven’t opened up to anyone but us,” Kimi joked.
“Don’t blame me if you don’t get invited over to our annual barbecue!” Y/n replied.
“Your parents love me too much to not invite me over, I’m their favourite!” Kimi added.
“We will be stealing Y/n until FP2! See you all later!” Ollie told them as he an Paul became a barrier for Y/n and Kimi.
“What the f*ck just happened?” Lando said.
“That’s one way of putting it..” Daniel replied.
“Maybe we should of just accepted it at the beginning..” Charles mumbled.
//
Throughout the rest of the day and weekend, the drivers stared down the 3 young drivers who made Y/n smile and laugh continuously.
And from that day on, the grid accepted that they were never going to find out anything about Y/n. Despite it all, they still continue to try and get stuff out of her, which leads to nothing.
They were really jealous of Ollie, Kimi and Paul.
However, they learnt the hard way that jealously doesn’t look good on them..
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takumiraine · 1 month ago
Text
Once upon a time chapter 11
Teaching children is so draining. Is it Christmas break yet????
<first> <prev> <next>
The ride to Danny’s apartment building was uneventful, even though Danny was still positively radiating anxiety.
“How long do you think it’ll take them to realize they’ve been hacked?” He asked, looking over at Tucker.
“They’ve probably already realized it honestly. But none of it can tie back to us really so… hopefully they don’t show up.” Tucker shrugged, giving Danny another pat on the arm. There had been so many of them, and Danny was pretty sure half were just because Tucker knew that he hadn’t been getting much physical contact at all lately.
He hadn’t been living a life of much anything at all lately.
“If we can get me some old Fenton tech and a soldering kit I might be able to put some anti-anti ghost weapons together. I was the one that fixed most of their stuff anyways.” Danny mused, considering what he could feasibly do. “If I could get some of the shield tech and a specter deflector I could theoretically combine them to create a personal shield. Vlad’s shielding is better but I’m not going up to Wisconsin again.”
Danny shuddered in his muttering before going on talking through the possible changes he’d make. Jason looked at Sam and Tucker in the mirror. “Cheese fountain incident?”
“Among other things. Danny and Vlad have never really gotten along. Vlad always had a creepy thing for Danny’s mom and it was just weird.” Tucker explained, looking over at Sam.
“And Vlad kept trying to kill, clone and possibly make genetic babies with Danny. There’s Dani and Dan in the zone somewhere I think. You’d know if you met one of them,” Sam added, while Danny just nodded absently in agreement.
“Sam, are you planning on going home any time soon?” Danny asked, sort of changing the subject.
“No, and even if I was, I’m not sure how I’d get some of your parents failed tech out without them noticing. Jazz said they’re always in the lab now, trying to figure out how to, and I quote, ‘save their precious son from the evil ghost that is possessing him’.”
Danny groaned. “You’d think, after watching me be attacked and changing in front of their eyes, they’d get over this possession bullshit.”
“There’s a point to be made about willful ignorance there,” Sam agreed, “I guess it’s easier to swallow than the truth.”
They parked in front of Danny’s building and the four got out. “If you think your car will be safe here you can come up. But not a word about how I’ve been living. The paranoia is your fault.” Danny scowled up at Jason, and not for the first time Jason found Danny’s willingness to stand up to someone much taller than him endearing.
“Not a word. Scout’s honor.” Jason was never a scout, and he had very little honor left, but he doubted Danny knew either of those things. He sent a quick text to Babs and the car drove itself off.
Danny squinted at it for a minute then muttered, “fucking rich people.” as he led the way into the building and up to his apartment. Jason knew the vague location based off of the fact that Danny ran cold, but seeing the interior in person was different. By no means was the building one of the nicer ones in the alley, but burnt out lights, chipped plaster and missing chunks of stairs gave the building an almost condemned feeling. Danny led the way with the confidence of someone who had lived there a while, and his two friends followed behind with almost equal confidence, trusting Danny would warn them of anything potentially dangerous.
They made it to the third floor without incident, and Danny led the way to the apartment door he had claimed. “I don’t want to hear a word about my apartment.” He warned, looking mostly at Jason. “The protection measures are your fault, and I haven’t had much money to decorate.”
Jason raised an eyebrow at him, but nodded. Danny looked around for a moment, then reached through the door. There was a click of the first lock disengaging then the slide of the chain lock, before Danny pulled his hand back and opened the door. He pushed it open with one hand only for it to swing open through a bed.
That was different.
“One sec.” Danny reached through with his free hand and lifted the bed like he was carrying a tray of dishes, letting the door go as he carried the bed further into the room. There was a soft thud as he set it down, then Danny straightened up and turned to them. “C’mon in. Welcome to my haunt. Lock the door behind you.”
Danny turned and walked into the bathroom, coming out with an armload of blankets which he spread onto the bed. Had he been sleeping in the tub?
Jason followed the other two into the room, and shut the door behind him, latching it obediently. He took in the bare bulb light, the duct tape on the window, the way the bed had been pushed against the door, the lack of any personal touches save for the bedsheets having comets on them.
Danny went into the attached kitchenette area and opened some cabinets. Inside were snacks all bearing the logo of the local discount store. “I don’t have anything fancy, but help yourselves. I could boil some water for tea or something too.” He gestured to the bed, now taking what seems to have been its usual space before all of this. “Sit. Make yourselves at home. It’s all clean.”
“Danny…” Tucker started, looking around at the impersonal space, but Sam nudged him.
“Tea sounds great. Any of your snacks vegan and cruelty free?” Danny seemed to relax at the question.
“I have a couple of fruit leather things.” He reached into the back of the cupboard he was using as a pantry and pulled out a couple sticks of something from one of those “Ivy Approved” stamped boxes. He tossed one at Sam, then offered it to both Tucker and Jason. Tucker shook his head but Jason shrugged and nodded, so he got one tossed at him too. Only then did Danny open a different cupboard and pull out his one pot, dented and dinged on the sides, to fill with tap water.
“I realize I never got your number.” Jason paused, “For tutoring reasons,” he added lamely. Danny laughed somewhat nervously.
“Well I don’t really have one. I mean. I do. Did. But it doesn’t have minutes. It’s why I hung out in the library all the time.” He looked almost embarrassed, a red flush against his pale skin.
“It’s alright.” Jason waved it off, and gave Danny a roguish grin and a wink. “Anyone sketchy enough in this part of town can pass a message to me.”
Danny pauses and ducks his head, busying himself with the tea. The mugs are chipped but everyone is given one. Danny sits himself on the floor by the bed. Jason looks between where Sam and Tucker are sat on the bed and Danny is sat on the floor. He considers for a moment before sitting on the floor near Danny but far enough away that it wouldn’t be infringing on his space.
Danny sighed. “I know you have questions.” He told Jason.
“Yeah. A lot of them. But they aren’t important right now.”
Danny took a sip of his tea. Raised an eyebrow. “Really.” The question was more of a statement and Jason shrugged.
“I trust you’d tell me if I or my city were in any immediate danger.” He was burning with questions. About his pit. What it meant, why Danny had called it a core, what it could do, why it made him so angry. But they weren’t important right now. Danny had had a hell of a week.
“You’re…weird,” Danny conceded. Tucker and Sam sipped at their tea.
“So Jason,” Sam began, smiling through her dark lips, black nails ticking against the ceramic. “Danny is very important to us. If you’ve been in the GIW’s files you know that.”
Jason didn’t know where she was going, but Danny seemed to. He flushed scarlet. “Sam!” He hissed. “Stop it!”
“What are your intentions towards him? I know based on some quick checks that Red Hood is more of an anti-hero than the rest of your colony of batlings.” Tucker seemed to be joining in on this impromptu shovel talk. Jason would think it, and the effect it was having on Danny, was closer to adorable if it wasn’t funny.
Danny, however, was mortified. His face was flaming and he looked like he was about to melt through the floor. “Guys seriously! Ancients, could you be any more embarrassing?!”
Jason was used to inquisitions like this from his own siblings. He gave a smirk and sipped his tea. “Obviously, I plan to seduce him with power and money and recruit him to my cause of overthrowing my father and corrupting the rest of the Bats and Birds.” Jason gave a wolfish grin then. “Turn Danny into the perfect partner in crime.”
Danny made a choked sound and turned to look at him. Jason met his eyes, feeling Danny’s power push at him, and focusing on reading like amusement back. He had no idea if he did it right but Danny seemed to be mollified and rather than argue he smiled ever so slightly into his mug. “I haven’t ever played the villain properly.” He murmured in agreement.
“Danny!” Tucker and Sam exclaimed in perfect unison.
“What? If I’m going to be in trouble with someone either way may as well have fun with it…”
“Danny, man you can’t be serious.” Tucker scolded softly.
Danny just shrugged. “I dunno. New city new me. And if people think I am a villain, may as well lean into it.”
“Danny, don’t make me call your sister. Jazz is going to be mad enough we came to talk you through this crisis without her.” Tucker made a pretty convincing point by the way Danny frowned some, giving up his joke.
“I could. You don’t have to call my sister about it though.” Danny was definitely pouting.
Jason covered his laugh with a drink from his mug. He had heard this conversation multiple ways, and had it a time or two himself. The soft sound that he made, barely a heavy breath of a sound was enough to turn Sam’s eyes toward him again.
“You’re going to keep him out of trouble, right? He’s a trouble magnet. His hero name should have been Jinx, not Phantom for how much bad luck he attracted.”
Jason looked at Danny, and could very clearly read the slight panic there. The implicit message was clear. Don’t mention the stabbing or broken nose.
“He picked the wrong neighborhood then. But yeah, I’ll make sure people know he’s under my protection.” Danny relaxed then, and Sam seemed to too.
“Good. Because I have work in the morning, and Tucker has to go to class on Monday.”
“Ah shit I forgot…” Danny groaned, “I was going to get a book for our Lit class on Monday and I ran into you and Barbara in the library…. And dropped it.”
“Danny…” Sam sighed, like this was a familiar occurrence.
“I’ve got a copy,” Jason offered, “you can come by my place and read the chapters tomorrow if you want. Save you the walk to and from the library.” He wasn’t sure what made him offer so suddenly, but he felt something warm coil in his gut at the relieved look on Danny’s face.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Since it was kind of my fault you dropped it in the first place, it’s the least I can do.”
Danny smiled up at him then. “Thanks. What time…?”
Jason shrugged. “I wasn’t planning on doing anything during the day tomorrow so whenever.”
“Glad to see Danny isn’t floundering through being forgetful on his own here.” Sam’s tone was fond and amused.
“Hey!” Danny protested.
“Sucks that we’ve been replaced by someone taller and richer though.” Tucker added, nodding forlornly at Jason. Danny’s face colored again.
“Not true and you two know it! Ancients, you guys are assholes!” Danny flopped backwards dramatically, throwing his arm over his eyes. Sam and Tucker shared a look before laughing. “I hate you. So much.” Danny kept his arm firmly over his face.
“We love you too, Danny.”
Jason offered to drive Sam and Tucker back to Bludhaven, but Sam had called an uber. Which, really, explained why she kept a bat. Sam also pulled out a baseball from her bag. “So I’m not intentionally carrying it to be a weapon. I like baseball.” Sam explained with a smile that Jason knew already was filled with false innocence.
“So tomorrow.” Danny began, sitting on his bed. Jason looked over at the pause. “What time?”
He shrugged. “I’m probably not going to patrol much tonight, but…. Maybe early afternoon?”
Danny nodded then. “I can do that. You gonna be okay on the walk home?”
Jason nodded, snorting softly. “Did you forget who I am?”
“No, but everyone expects the vigilantes to always be okay. Nobody ever asks if they will.” Jason was touched by Danny’s concern. If anyone else had asked, he would have been rankled, but Danny was different. Maybe because he was coming from a place of isolation with it.
“Well.” Jason started awkwardly, “I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
“Yeah. Of course.”
“Goodnight Danny.”
“Night Jason.”
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lycandrophile · 11 months ago
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it's silly but the biggest reason why im not into t yet is bc im so afraid of losing my hair. do you have any solutions/tips for it?
first of all, i don’t think it’s silly — it’s natural to be worried when hair loss is talked about by so many people as like…one of the worst results of aging for men. listening to my dad talk about how much he hates balding definitely did not make me feel particularly good about the knowledge that i may very well be joining him someday. i’m not saying the fear is right, because i don’t think hair loss is something awful that we should avoid at all costs, but it’s an understandable fear given the beauty standards we’re working with, and it’s one that a lot of us (myself included) feel.
one thing that’s helped me is just…paying more attention to the guys that i interact with on a daily basis. i’ve learned two things from it: 1) hair loss is super fucking common. i’d say it’s much harder to find an adult man who isn’t balding at all than it is to find one who’s completely bald. and 2) if you forget everything you’ve been told about how bad hair loss is, you’ll realize that quite frankly, every single one of those guys looks totally fucking fine. it doesn’t ruin their appearance and make them ugly, it looks totally natural and isn’t really even something you’d notice if you weren’t looking for it. we put so much weight on it but it’s really just not that big of a deal. i’ll hear my parents talk shit about men in my family who are losing their hair when i didn’t even notice a difference last time i saw them. it’s one of those things (like so many other appearance-related things) that you really only notice at all because you’ve been taught that you’re supposed to care about it.
this isn’t something i’ve done personally, but if you really want to desensitize yourself to the idea of it, embrace the time-honored queer tradition of just shaving your whole damn head! find out what you’d look like without hair, find out how you feel about it and what you can do that makes you feel good about your appearance without hair, test the waters while it’s still a temporary change and not something permanent. that way, it won’t feel like this big scary unknown, and you’ll actually have a frame of reference for your feelings about how you look without hair rather than accepting the societal assumption that you’ll inevitably hate it. if you don’t want to actually shave your head, you could also just fuck around with bald filters or photoshop and see what happens.
oh, and if you’re attracted to men, keep an eye out for guys who are bald or balding and also hot as fuck. in my experience, there’s no insecurity or potential future insecurity that being gay for other men hasn’t helped me with. just off the top of my head, i can think of a couple actors who i think are absolutely fucking gorgeous who have helped me get over my fears about losing my hair. despite what our anti-aging-obsessed world might want you to think, there is no such thing as a physical feature that automatically makes someone less attractive, and while making attractiveness less of a priority in your life is good, it can’t hurt to also give yourself some proof that actually, you might lose your hair and look hot as hell doing it.
basically, entertain the possibility that it won’t be a bad thing at all! whether that’s just because it turns out to be a neutral thing for you or because you end up actually liking it, it’s not an inherently bad thing. i’ve ended up liking a lot of things that were “supposed to” be bad effects of t — i love the weight i’ve gained and the new shape it gives my body, i get a lot of gender euphoria from the fact that my acne is now on parts of my face that i saw a lot of guys in high school get it and i’m not complaining about the scars i get from it either because i’ve always liked the added texture that acne scars give my skin, and so on. i think there’s a lot of joy to be had in the changes we’re taught to fear, once we look past that conditioning and actually explore how we feel about it.
but if it’s something you really don’t want and you just want to improve your chances of not having to deal with it, it’s not like there’s nothing you can do! products like finasteride (oral) and minoxidil (usually topical but i think there might also be oral versions) are pretty commonly used among trans guys, for the purpose of avoiding hair loss and for other reasons, and there are plenty of other anti-hair loss products out there (though i don’t know how effective any one of them might be). if it’s a big enough deal for you, you can just decide that you’ll go off of t if/when you start noticing signs of it, since no longer having higher t levels would stop the process in its tracks. and if you don’t find prevention options that work for you so it ends up happening, you can always explore different hair styles (judging by the pattern of hair loss i see in my family, i suspect that keeping my hair long would make it less obvious if i started losing mine), find your preferred method of covering it when you don’t feel good about it (personally i love a good beanie generally and would probably wear them a lot more if i didn’t have hair to worry about because my main complaint is the way they press my hair onto my neck), or just shave it all off if you don’t like the look of the partial balding but don’t mind a shaved head. the point being — you have options!
at the end of the day, whether you go on t or not, you’re going to see your body change as you age in ways that aren’t always going to be attractive to others or aesthetically pleasing to you. that’s just the reality of having a body. even if you never went on t, you’d get older and you might see your hair thin out even if you don’t bald, you’ll see your skin start to wrinkle and sag in places that used to be smooth, your metabolism might slow or your body fat might start to gather in new places; hell, you might lose your hair for a totally different reason and end up in the same place but without the benefits of having been on t that whole time. life is full of bodily changes like that. transphobes will fearmonger about the permanent changes of testosterone all day long but the truth is, there is no escaping permanent bodily changes. whether or not you go on t, your body now isn’t the same as it will be in 1 or 5 or 10 or 20 or 50 years, just like it isn’t the same as it was at any point in your life before now. our bodies are never supposed to stop growing and aging and changing throughout our lives. there’s no guaranteeing that we’ll love every single change our bodies go through, but that’s okay! there are so many things in life that are more important than the way our bodies look. even if you go on t and lose your hair and don’t like how it looks, your life won’t be ruined; plenty of other things will bring you joy and more than make up for the insecurities.
just think about the gender euphoria and relief from dysphoria that t could give you. would losing your hair be bad enough to outweigh all of that? or is it just the pressure of a society that decided balding is bad that’s making you fear one single change despite how much joy you could have if you let that fear go? only you can decide if going on t is worth the potential downsides for you, but i suspect that for most of us, the benefits of going on t far outweigh the possibility of side effects like hair loss happening down the line.
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saphronethaleph · 1 month ago
Text
State's Evidence
“So,” Qui-Gon Jinn said, with a disarming smile. “Viceroy. I’d ask you to sit, but it’s your table.”
“Thank you,” Nute Gunray said, somewhat nervously. “I… yes.”
“Is something wrong?” Obi-Wan asked.
“No,” Nute replied, quickly. “I wanted to… yes.”
He adjusted his clothes, needlessly.
“Now, Viceroy,” Qui-Gon went on. “If you’d like to state your opening position on the negotiations?”
“We object in the strongest possible terms to proposition 31-814D,” Nute said, seeming to recover his aplomb slightly. “The Free Trade Zones should not be liable to taxation – that is why they are called Free Trade Zones.”
“That’s not actually the reason,” Obi-Wan supplied. “The ‘free’ term refers to the fact that there are no differential tariffs applied. A five percent tax on all profits garnered within a Free Trade Zone, for example, would not violate the principle of the Free Trade Zone.”
He smiled. “Otherwise, after all, the term ‘free’ could equally be taken to mean that all trade in the Free Trade Zones should be carried at cost – or for no charge at all.”
Nute and Rune both winced.
“However,” Obi-Wan went on. “It would presumably be a reasonable alternative resolution for the Free Trade Zones to be confirmed as tax-free… for all carriers. There have been alarming reports of non-Trade-Federation-affiliated trade carriers facing heavy tariffs, meaning that there is a general sense that the Free Trade Zones are only free for the Trade Federation and their corporate partners… which is what has led to the proposition, as it’s seen as restoring fairness.”
Obi-Wan shrugged. “I’m sure that, between these factors, we can find out a resolution fair to all parties.”
“What I’m curious about, though, is why you’re blockading Naboo,” Qui-Gon went on, with a smile for Obi-Wan. “I’m aware that Senator Palpatine of Naboo is a prominent supporter of the legislation, but he’s hardly the only one, and his constituents are hardly likely to punish him for an anti-Trade-Federation position if the Trade Federation has just ruined their name in the Chommell Sector.”
Nute frowned.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” he admitted, then paused.
A frown creased his brow, then he put his hands on the table.
“It’s too much,” he said. “The only thing I can do is back down.”
“From the blockade?” Obi-Wan asked, curiously.
“From the plan,” Nute said. “The… the plan was to invade Naboo! To raise pressure! But – but Darth Sidious didn’t warn us there would be Jedi Knights!”
His hands clenched and unclenched. “I couldn’t do it with you on board, and – and to kill Jedi? Even if it could be done, it would be a disaster! The Jedi have lasted a thousand years as the guardians of peace and I know I’m not the first to think about trying to-”
He broke off, and the two Jedi exchanged glances.
“You were planning with someone called Darth Sidious?” Qui-Gon asked, carefully. “You’re sure of that?”
“Yes,” Nute confirmed. “He said he was a Sith…”
“We have recordings of our last few conversations,” Rune added. “And his com codes… I’m fairly sure he’s closely associated with the Senate, he said that by the time our private army had to be used then using it would be legal.”
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon exchanged glances.
“...com codes?” Qui-Gon repeated.
“I wonder where this is going,” Obi-Wan said.
Then he glanced at Nute and Rune. “Thank you both for coming forwards with this information… it’s certainly going to be better for you than if you hadn’t, though the exact details are going to depend on the specifics…”
Palpatine tapped his foot on the floor of the Naboo senate box as a banal debate about procedure continued, endlessly.
When was that delegation going to reach Naboo? He needed to push events to the next critical juncture – if he was going to become Chancellor, then it wasn’t enough to be just one of a number of anti-Trade-Federation voices. He needed Naboo to be a martyr that would push him into the top seat.
Worse, there had been a strange feeling in the Force recently. It might just mean that Maul was already planning to kill him… the young Sith was a blunt instrument, really, but a useful one, and it would take Palpatine years to replace him.
Unless he could properly turn Dooku, that was. There was real possibility there.
His comlink chirped, and Palpatine glanced down at it.
A call from Nute. Of course.
He refused the call, then a moment later the comlink began chirping again.
“Is something wrong?” asked the Senator on the next pod over.
“Probably not, but I’d better check,” Palpatine replied, making sure to set the comlink to voice only before answering.
“I am busy,” he hissed.
There was a moment of silence, and Palpatine frowned at the comlink before putting it to his ear.
It sounded very faintly like someone had just said ‘now’.
“THIS COMLINK BELONGS TO A SIIIIIIIIITH!” suddenly exploded out of the speaker, loud enough to echo off the far walls, instantly silencing the debate and drawing every eye. Palpatine flinched, the comlink clattering to the floor of the box, and it kept wailing. “HIS NAME’S DARTH SIDIOUS AND HE ENCOURAGED THE TRADE FEDERATION BLOCKADE! HE MIGHT BE A SENATOR OR AN AIDE BUT THE JEDI SHOULD ARREST HIM EITHER-”
Palpatine finally managed to stamp on the comlink, smashing it to pieces with a snarl on his face, then looked up.
Every single eye in the Senate was fixed on him.
“...prank call?” he tried, but even to him it didn’t sound convincing.
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nerosukehiro · 6 months ago
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Only been with you.
Yami Sukehiro Smut/Fluff (female reader)
Lord help me cause this man is soooo fucking fineeee. I just finished the series and I stg if they don’t finish that show I’m gonna raise hellll. Anyways this one isn’t very detailed but there is some fluff in the mix too. Hope you enjoy :)
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
Finally I can relax. It had been at least a week since the battle with the Eye of the Midnight Suns. After the fight came the clean up and checking for dead bodies of those who were murdered by the elves to possessed our comrades. It was a devastating loss though and the kingdom suffered many casualties. However we were able to do most of the clean up in a week. The down side is that the council is wanting to kill Asta and Nero, blaming them for the whole thing just because they don’t understand his anti magic and Neros forbidden magic and believe they are the reason for the mass destruction.
So now it has became a mission to get both of their names cleared and the team decided to set out on adventures to find answers. Answers that can help their case. I was already planning on going on my own to help with the cause. Asta was like my little brother and I can’t, no, won’t let him die for something that wasn’t even his fault.
But now it’s time to relax and the first thing I’m gonna do is get in the hot spring. Thankfully non of the squad mates were at the hide out so I can have peace and quiet for more than 10 minutes.
I got in letting the warm water surround me, my body experiencing major relief. I grabbed my loofa and some soap and started cleaning my body. I started reaching for my back when I heard someone start speaking. “Need some help?” Fuck… It’s Captain Yami.
I slowly turned around and my eyes widened. He was naked. Not like I’ve never seen him naked before in fact I’ve seen it before, many times. “Awe doll are you blushing?”
“Uh no. You just startled me, I don’t need any help and would you mind putting some clothes on.” He started chuckling and walking close to me. His hand reached the back of my neck and pulled me in to kiss him. “Sir, I thought we said we were done with this.”
“No I didn’t say that, you did. You just said it because you saw that the Blue Rose Captain was flirting with me. You don’t have to be jealous though my love. I want you and only you.” I rolled my eyes and started to laugh. He didn’t seem to like that much he wrapped his hand around my neck and squeezed it just a bit. “Mmm you know, jealousy is not a good look on you. Don’t worry. You are the only girl I’ve ever wanted.” He pushed his knee between my legs putting pressure where I need it the most.
Ah fuck it.
“Yami. Please. I need you.” I pleaded and started rubbing my pussy on his thigh. “That’s what I thought. Let me make you feel good and after I gotta give you something that’s in my bedroom.” With that he thrusted two fingers in me without warning.
“So wet for me. You wanna know something? I know for a fact that I was your first and I know that you haven’t had anyone else besides me. Isn’t that right?” He wasn’t wrong, he’s the only man I have ever been with. “Y-yes it is. Only been with you.”
His fingers were set to a brutal pace making me moan loud for anyone to hear. Sorry if you’re hearing this Henry. “Fuckk Yami. Feels so good baby.” He was enjoying this to much, his other hand started rubbing at my clit. “Yeah does my girl need to cum?”
No not yet, I wanna cum on his cock and not his fingers. Not only did I wanna cum on top of him, I wanted him to cum inside of me. “Please. Wanna cum on your cock.” This made his hands go faster. “I want you to cum on my fingers first little girl.”
Adding a third finger and curling them upwards, he was so deep. My moans started becoming louder. I had no control of my body at this point. “Doll, look at me.” My eyes met his and he smiled. I could feel the tightness in my belly my body feels like it’s on fire. I don’t know how much longer I can last.
“Your squeezing around my fingers baby, are you gonna cum?” I could only nod my head. The way he is making me feel is something I’ve missed for the last few weeks. “I’M GONNA CUM, YAMI!!!” My body jerked. “Fuck good girl. Let’s clean you up and take you to my room, how does that sound?” I couldn’t speak so I nodded my head yes.
After he helped clean me up, picked me up bridal style and walked me to his room. Thank god non of the others were here to see us like this. As we got to his room he gently laid me on the bed.
“So, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you. For quite some time now actually. I know I might not seem like the romantic type but I want you to know that I am in love with you. The last few years we have known each other we’ve fought together, laughed together, cried together and spilled blood together. I know it’s seems like I never really wanted a relationship but the truth is. You are all I want. All I need. Please Y/N. Be mine forever?”
He pulled a ring out… DID HE JUST FUCKING PROPOSE?! “Uh… Yami are you-“ “Marry me Y/N.” Oh my god he is holy shit. “YES!” I screamed as I jumped on top of him. He grabbed my face and started kissing me. I reached between us and gripped his cock. He was extremely hard. “Hey don’t tease me baby, wanna feel your tight little pussy wrapped around me. Gonna breed this pussy and maybe get you pregnant. You would like that wouldn’t you?”
Fuck it’s gonna be a long night.
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patricia-taxxon · 1 month ago
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Endogenic systems as a whole are, legitimately, not harming anyone. They aren’t taking resources from anyone. I once made a pretty big post about how being anti-endo also often devolves into racism (it was ostensibly a large post about how White People really like to shit on endo systems and it almost always develops into a like of thinking that is horrifically racist against cultures such as mine where plurality isn’t always medicalized but a tumblr askbox isn’t the place to copy paste it and also I get enough death threats from white anti-endos that I am perfectly happy to remain anonymous)
I am/was a huge fan of your content, but the fact of the matter is you’re (to my knowledge) undiagnosed with a condition that is both unprovable as of right now even for medical professionals and with a condition that many (most) medical professionals outright do not think exist, to the average person and even the average psych, my culturally accepted endogenic plurality and your medical plurality are equally fake, and the fact that you immediately jumped on the ‘yes there are reasons for us to be mad at endogenic systems’ is disappointing but frankly not surprising given how common it seems to be for (especially white) traumagenic systems to think they need to prove something by being ‘the more valid system’ or immediately turning and snapping at people with similar but different experiences.
Do some endo systems suck? Yes. That’s people for you. Some traumagenic systems suck too, I’ve been sent some of the craziest, vilest, most racist asks, threats, and death threats in the world by traumagenic systems but it has never once stopped me from empathizing with and advocating for them, but it does say a lot to me when someone on the other end of the spectrum decides that since endo systems don’t have the exact same experiences as them that we’re dirty and lesser and most be fake claimed immediately.
My feelings do not matter to you, I am an anonymous stranger on the internet, I have a cynical idea in my head as to how this ask is going to be answered, but I feel the need to send it anyway as a plea to please not fall into the syscourse hole like this, I don’t have a parasocial thing going on but I’ve always enjoyed how you seemed to want so badly for people to be their weird authentic selves, and the suddenly starting to veer into this particular side of the discourse is surprising to me — it shouldn’t be, you’re a stranger and I expect most strangers to be this way towards most systems.
I suppose if it even matters I should also point out that a big issue with attacking/fakeclaiming/looking down on endo systems is that a good handful of endo systems are in fact traumagenic systems; they shouldn’t have to be for people to respect the lives of others around them, and saying this always feels to me the same way I feel telling white people ‘you should care about brown people that aren’t your friends too’, but many traumagenic systems who have the very very common memory loss that comes with DID and OSDD often do not remember their trauma and ergo go ‘I suppose I’m endogenic!’
I’m not expecting this ask to be particularly mind changing, I don’t think anyone has ever changed or formed a new opinion or added complexity to their opinion after getting an anonymous tumblr ask, but I am hoping that if you do end up being anti-endo that you can at least do the research and talk to the people necessary to not slide into the abject racism that every single other anti-endo I have ever known has. Because it’s less of a slippery slope and more of a cliff.
To be clear for anyone else because sometimes people think I’m saying this means white people can’t be endo plural; I think white endogenic systems are also perfectly real, but as an indigenous person from a nation where being plural is especially ‘normal’ I am allowed personally to be default wary of white syscoursers/assume white people have internalized racism by default without centering white voices endo or traumagenic.
Oh, so it's proshippers and antis. There's no arguments, just take one take all clusters of beliefs that are foisted onto people as soon as they express something that can somehow be construed to be in line with one label or the other. Thanks.
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babyleostuff · 2 years ago
Note
hey!i was wondering can u pls do something similar with jeonghan as u did with scoups
like when he calls u clingy? something like that😭
thank you so muchh🫶🫶🫶
MIDNIGHTS | YOON JEONGHAN
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☾₊ ⊹ currently playing: love me like you do
summary | during a party Jeonghan calls you clingy, so when you leave to get some air, you’re approached by another man. this leads to a jealous and sulky Jeonghan
genre | angst (just a bit) & fluff
word count | 1.4k
pairing | yoon jeonghan x gn!reader
author’s note | thank you some much for your request 🫶🏼 hope you enjoy this one!
The party was already in full swing when you and Jeonghan walked in, so finding any of the members would be a big challenge.
A bit of self-consciousness settled upon you seeing all the elegantly dressed people, so you started nervously fixing your dress, suddenly feeling out of place. 
“Stop worrying so much, honey. You look great,” said Jeonghan, putting his hand on your lower back.
“It’s just that I’ve never been to such a party before, and there are so many important people here.”
“Well, good thing you won’t have to talk to any of them. Relax and have fun,” he chuckled under his breath. “Come on, let’s find the rest of the group,” he said and took your hand in his. 
While Jeonghan was trying to navigate you through the crowd, he was constantly stopped by people who greeted him politely, sometimes exchanging small talk and inside jokes from the filming set.
Not going to lie, you felt uncomfortable, as you knew no one here, and everyone seemed to simply ignore your presence, even though you were standing right by your boyfriend.  
You didn’t want to complain though you knew how much Jeonghan was looking forward to this, so you decided to suck it up and keep your boyfriend company. 
At last, you found Seungcheol and Joshua deep in a conversation with a group of people Jeonghan also clearly knew, as a big smile erupted on his face. 
“Hey, you’re finally here,” Joshua greeted you with a hug and a soft smile. 
“Wah, you’re both so good-looking,” he said, approaching your boyfriend and greeting him as well.  
The whole group fell back into conversation, talking and laughing about stuff you had no idea about, which only added to your anxiety, that was quietly bubbling inside you. There was nothing you could add to the small talk, but on the other hand you didn’t want to appear as anti-social, only standing by Jeonghan’s side. 
The frustration and insecurity coming from you was probably very visible, but your boyfriend was too engaged in the discussion to notice it. 
You wrapped one of your hands around his arm, pulling him a bit closer to your side, while your other hand started to fidget with the ring on his pinky. You hoped that at least this would make you feel more comforted, but even this didn’t seem to help.
On the contrary, Jeonghan grew more and more agitated with your every move. 
“Could you stop clinging to me so much? I’m trying to talk,” he whispered in your ear with a pinch of annoyance. 
“I just feel a bit left out. Could we maybe go and find Seungkwan and Chan?” you asked in a quiet voice. 
“Well, if you didn’t notice, I’m in the middle of something here,” he remarked. “You go and find them yourself.”
“You’re not coming with me?” you said surprised, as he usually never leaves you alone at parties and big gatherings. 
“I can’t keep you entertained the whole night. Stop being so clingy and go,” was the last thing he said, before turning back to Joshua and Seungcheol. 
Shock and disbelief were apparent in your facial expression, as you would never expect Jeonghan to say anything like this. Sure, you felt a bit guilty for hanging around him this whole time, but it was not your fault you felt so out of place. He didn’t even care to introduce you to any of those people, so it’s not like you could have done anything. 
Annoyed with your boyfriend’s actions, you turned around and left him without saying anything more. Not like he cared that much, he didn’t even seem to notice you walk away. 
Giving up on trying to find Seungkwan and Chan, you found your way outside. Inhaling deeply, you could feel the coolness of the air entering your lungs, with a sense of heaviness leaving your body. 
As your mind cleared a little, you replayed the past half an hour that just went down, sensing that you might have been a bit too dramatic about this whole situation. Maybe Jeonghan was right? Maybe you were being clingy? 
But then again, you didn’t want to make excuses for him, he didn’t even try to make you feel better, even though he could clearly see how distressed you were. 
“Not enjoying the party?” Suddenly someone pulled you out of your thoughts. 
You looked around, noticing a man, around your age, dressed in a dark-green suit. He was nursing a glass of what looked like whisky, sitting comfortably at one of the outside tables. 
“Not really. You?” you asked politely. 
“Me neither. Not really my type of company, to be honest,” he said and took a sip of his drink. 
“Same here. Why are you here then?” You took a seat next to him, ordering a drink yourself. 
Despite being total strangers, there was a sense of immediate connection and resonance between you and him. Quickly, you engaged in a comfortable conversation, where you could sense his genuine interest in what you had to say. 
The fairy lights delicately draped throughout the area, created intricate patterns and the gentle glow cast a soft and warm illumination that added a touch of magic to the surroundings. 
The deep conversation captivated both of you to the extent where you didn’t even notice that it had gotten completely dark outside. The slight breeze sent chills down your back, but you didn’t even seem to notice. 
“Here you are,” you suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind. 
Jeonghan cautiously eyed the stranger, before standing next to you and putting a hand on your shoulder. 
“Yeah, I have been here for the past hours,” you didn’t even bother looking up at him. 
“I’ve been trying to find you everywhere. I got worried when Chan said you never came to find them.” 
“Well, I’ve been here the whole time. Having some actual fun,” you blurted. You felt annoyed with him, as he didn’t bother to even check up on you before. 
“Could you please leave us alone for a second?” Jeonghan turned to your new friend.
“We were talking here, so I don’t think I will,” he said with a satisfied smirk on his face. 
You could feel the tension building up in Jeonghan’s body, and you knew there was no use in him getting angry. 
“It was great talking to you, but I think I’ve got to sort it out,” you said and pulled Jeonghan away, before your boyfriend could say anything else. You knew how savage he could get with people that he didn’t like, so you’d rather avoid this situation. 
“I was worried for you,” said Jeonghan and took his suit jacket off. 
“What are you doing?” 
“Giving you my jacket. It’s cold,” he shrugged and put his jacket around your shoulders. 
You couldn't lie, this melted your heart, as you knew how cold he usually gets. 
“I’m sorry. I should have paid more attention to you. And shouldn't have called you clingy.”
“I just felt so out of place, and everyone seemed to ignore me, even you,” you said and put the jacket tighter around yourself. 
“I know,” he uttered, almost as if ashamed of his actions. 
“Did you have fun at least?” you stepped closer to him, putting your hand on his chest, storking it softly. 
“Yes, but I really got worried when I couldn’t find you,” he muttered with sincerity in his eyes. 
“It’s fine. And it turned out that I had fun too,” you smiled at him. 
In an instant his brows furrowed, and jaw tightened. 
“Who was that by the way?” he asked with narrow eyes. 
You smiled at his expression, knowing exactly where this was getting. 
“Are you jealous, Hannie?” 
“Wha-, no?” he retorted a bit too quickly. 
Laughing, you grabbed his chin to make him look at you. As your eyes met, they conveyed a depth of emotions and an unspoken understanding. With a genuine smile, you opened your arms, inviting him into your embrace. 
As your bodies connected, you could feel the rhythm of his breathing matching yours. Warmth radiated through his touch, melting away any worries or tensions that have existed before. In the quiet stillness, you could even hear the soft beating of his heart. 
“Just don’t leave me next time,” you murmured. 
As his eyes met yours again, you felt a gentle tug at your heartstrings. In that intimate exchange, you could see a kaleidoscope of emotions reflected in his eyes. 
“I’m never going to leave you. Ever.” 
Your lips met in a gentle and tender union. It was a soft, delicate touch that conveyed a multitude of emotions—desire, affection and love. In that fleeting moment, everything else ceased to exist. 
The world fell away, leaving only the sensation of his lips against yours.
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natsaffection · 4 days ago
Text
Auge um Auge. p. 2 | N.R
Investigator!older!Natasha x Robber!younger! reader
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Warnings: none
Word count: 6,4k
A/n: we are slowly getting to the point..
Natasha entered the small café, the familiar scent of freshly roasted beans and quiet murmurs wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She glanced at the barista behind the counter, ordered a black coffee, and found a seat at the bar. Her head was full of unanswered questions. The voice on the phone earlier had been polished, calculated, and far too composed. It had set off her instincts. She hated being at a disadvantage. And now, with her dead phone, she felt even further removed from the case.
As she waited for her coffee, her eyes wandered to a wall-mounted television above the counter. A breaking news report had caught the attention of a few patrons. On the screen, a news anchor spoke in a serious tone: “We continue our live coverage of the ongoing situation at the national bank, where an as-yet-unknown group of robbers has taken hostages. Details remain scarce, but sources confirm that the group is well-organized and heavily armed.”
The footage switched to shaky video of the bank exterior, where armed officers and barricades had been set up. Natasha herself briefly appeared in the footage, an image of her stepping out of a black SUV earlier that day. The caption read: “Agent Natasha Romanoff, FBI, leads negotiations.” She grimaced, annoyed at the media’s interference. The last thing she needed was her face plastered all over the news. Her coffee was served, and she took a long sip to collect herself.
“Tough day?” a voice asked, pulling her from her thoughts. Natasha looked up. A young woman stood nearby, holding a charger in her hand and smiling warmly. Natasha hesitated before replying. “You could say that.” The woman nodded toward Natasha’s phone on the table. “I noticed you staring at it like you were waiting for a miracle. Dead battery?” Natasha glanced at her phone and then back at the stranger. “Yes.”
“Here.” the woman said, stepping closer and offering her charger. “You can use mine.” Natasha’s instincts flared. She didn’t like accepting help from strangers, especially in the middle of a delicate situation. But the alternative was sitting in silence, stewing in her frustration. She took the charger with a curt nod. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” the woman replied. She sat at a nearby chair and pulled out her own phone. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full anyway..” she added, nodding toward the television. Natasha followed her gaze. The broadcast had switched to a panel of commentators speculating about the robbers’ motives. Words like “calculated,” “anti-establishment,” and “dangerous” flashed on the screen.
“They’re turning it into a show.” the woman said casually, her eyes still on the television. “Whoever’s behind this knows exactly what they’re doing.”Natasha raised an eyebrow. “You seem pretty certain about that.” The woman shrugged, her expression thoughtful. “I mean, just..look at the timing. They didn’t pick any random day. This is deliberate, as the news said. They’re playing chess while everyone else is still playing checkers.”
Natasha studied her closely. There was something about her, something a little too self-assured, a little too relaxed. Most people wouldn’t start a conversation about a bank robbery with an FBI agent. “And you’re an expert on bank robberies?” Natasha asked coolly. The woman laughed softly and shook her head. “Not at all. I’m just good at reading people. It’s a habit.” She extended her hand. “I’m Y/N, by the way.” Natasha hesitated, then shook her hand briefly. “Natasha.”
“Nice to meet you.” You said with a disarming smile. “You don’t have to answer, but… you’re involved in this, aren’t you? I mean, you were on TV.” Natasha stiffened slightly, her professional walls snapping back into place. “What makes you think that?” You gestured to the screen. “You just have this..presence. Like someone who’s used to handling high-pressure situations. And the whole ‘lead negotiator’ thing gives it away a bit too.” Natasha let out a dry laugh and shook her head. “The news always exaggerates.”
“Maybe..” you said, tilting your head. “But from what I can see, you seem like someone who doesn’t back down from a challenge.” Natasha’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You don’t know anything about me.” You shrugged and leaned back in your chair. “True. But I can tell you’re the kind of person who notices things others miss. The kind who doesn’t stop until they have the whole picture.” Natasha’s jaw tightened. The compliment was both flattering and unsettling. “And what’s your angle in all this?”
You raised your hands in mock surrender. “No angle. Just making conversation. But..if I were you, I’d think about why these people are doing this. It’s not just about the money. It never is.” The words hung in the air as Natasha considered them. You were good, too good at reading the situation for someone claiming to be just a casual observer. But Natasha couldn’t decide whether it was intuition or something else.
“Thanks for the charger.” Natasha said finally, standing up and pulling her phone from the outlet. “Anytime.” You replied lightly. “Good luck with..whatever you’re dealing with.” Natasha paused, her gaze lingering on you for a moment. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye. But with the bank heist occupying her thoughts, she decided to let it go for now.
Once Natasha was out of sight, you leaned back in your chair, a satisfied smile on your lips. The encounter had gone exactly as planned. You planted the seed of curiosity and perhaps even doubt in Natasha’s mind. More importantly, you gotten the chance to observe Natasha up close. Your gaze returned to the television, where the news once again showed images of the bank. Your eyes lingered on Natasha’s image on the screen, her sharp features framed by the chaotic scene. “This is going to be interesting,”
Back in the tent, officers bustled between monitors and plans, their voices low but urgent. Natasha stood at the center of the room, arms crossed as she stared at a large screen displaying a live feed from outside the bank. “Still no movement?” she asked sharply, glancing at a young officer monitoring the cameras. “None. They’ve barricaded all entrances, and their signal jammer is still active. Nothing from the hostages either.” Natasha’s jaw tightened. It had been hours since her first call with Lisbon, and with each passing minute, the situation felt closer to disaster. She turned to the negotiator standing beside her. “Any progress?”
He shook his head. “They’re not answering the phone.” Natasha’s patience was at its end. She hated waiting, it gave her too much time to think, to doubt, to overanalyze. And right now, her instincts were screaming that she was missing something.
“Keep trying.” she ordered. “And get me a psychological profile on Lisbon. I want to know what drives him.” Meanwhile, inside the bank, the robbers were busy implementing the next phase of their plan. Nairobi and Rio worked in the printing area, carefully calibrating the machines. The hum of the presses filled the room, drowning out the muted murmurs of the hostages. Berlin, ever the perfectionist, strode through the atrium with calculated calm. He glanced at Denver, who stood guard near the hostages. “Keep them calm. If they panic, it’ll spread.” Denver nodded, spinning his weapon idly in his hands like a toy. “Got it.”
In the manager’s office, Tokyo leaned against the desk, her eyes glued to the monitors displaying various camera feeds. “Lisbon.” she called into her headset. “Any updates?” At a safehouse, you sat before your laptop, your headset snug over your ears. “The cops are getting restless. Romanoff’s in charge, and she’s sharp. She’s not buying into the manifesto distraction like we hoped.”
“Lissbon, Romanoff is on her way to the cafe again." said the professor through headphones. you sigh and head back to the café. At first, you didn’t think much of it when you were told you’d be sitting in the café near the bank for most of the robbery. But over time, it starts to feel like you live there.
Natasha ordered her usual black coffee and took the same seat at the counter, her thoughts racing as she replayed the day’s events. The news was still playing on the TV above the counter, but this time she ignored it, too absorbed in her thoughts. She pulled out her notebook and began jotting down ideas and observations.
“Tough day again?” asked a familiar voice. Natasha looked up sharply. It was the same young woman as before standing by her table with a coffee cup in hand. She carried the same casual confidence, but there was something about her..calculated. “You again.” Natasha said, her tone wary. “Do you live here or something?” You chuckled softly, gesturing to a nearby table. “Something like that. Mind if I sit?” Natasha hesitated, but curiosity got the better of her. You took a seat across from her and sipped your coffee. You glanced at the notebook on the table, tilting your head. “You’re working again. You really don’t know how to take a break, do you?”
Natasha raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I’m working?” You shrugged. “The focused look, the notes, the way you tap your pen like you’re trying to crack a code.” Natasha didn’t respond, her skepticism growing. This woman was too observant, too present. And now, she had shown up twice, both times during critical moments in the investigation. “Are you always this curious?” Natasha asked, her tone sharper than she intended. Your smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she recovered. “Sorry. Occupational hazard.”
“And what exactly is your occupation?” Natasha pressed, leaning forward slightly. “Oh, nothing exciting..” You replied nonchalantly. “I freelance. Mostly tech stuff.” Natasha’s eyes narrowed. Tech. Her instincts screamed at her to dig deeper, but before she could respond, her phone vibrated on the table. She glanced at the screen, a message from the command tent.
As Natasha picked up her phone, You leaned back in your chair, your expression unreadable. This was the moment you have been waiting for. While Natasha was distracted, you discreetly slid a small USB drive onto the table, letting it fall just beside Natasha’s bag. The move was deliberate but casual, designed to look like an accident.
“Oops..” You said, bending down to pick it up. As you did, your hand brushed against Natasha’s bag, and you deftly slipped the ID card hanging from the strap into your palm. It was a bold move, but one you had practiced dozens of times. You straightened up, holding the USB drive with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. Butterfingers. Natasha gave her a mildly suspicious look. Something about the moment felt off. “Do you always carry USB drives around?” Natasha asked. You shrugged. “Part of the job. Tech stuff, remember?”
Natasha thought carefully. Your timing, your confidence, your casual remarks? It was too much of a coincidence. And then there was the USB drive. Tech stuff..Lisbon was a tech expert. Could there be a connection? “Where were you this morning?” Natasha asked suddenly, her voice sharp. You blinked, visibly caught off guard. “What?”
“You heard me.” Natasha said, her eyes boring into Y/N’s. “Where were you?”
“I don’t see why that’s any of your business..?” You replied, your tone calm but defensive. Natasha’s coffee sat untouched as she fixed You with an intense stare. The timing was too perfect. Your tech background, the way you navigated conversations..it all pointed to something bigger. Her instincts were screaming at her: this was no coincidence. “You haven’t answered my question.” Natasha said, her voice low but authoritative. “Where were you earlier today?” You blinked again, visibly confused. “Why does it matter?”
“It matters because you’ve shown up here twice now, and each time, there’s something off about you. You’re too calm, too observant. Who are you really?” You sat up straighter, your brows furrowing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just-“ Before you could finish, Natasha abruptly stood, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. The sudden movement drew the attention of a few other patrons, but Natasha didn’t care. She stepped closer to you, gripping your arm. “W-What the hell are you doing?” You asked, your voice panicked as Natasha’s grip tightened. “Let me go!”
Natasha maneuvered you to stand, lightly pressing you against the wall near the counter. Her hand rested on your shoulder, blocking others’ view of the confrontation. “You’re hiding something.” Natasha growled, her voice low but intense. “And I don’t have time for games.“
“I’m nobody!” you exclaimed, your voice breaking as you stared at Natasha with wide, frightened eyes. “I-Idon’t know what you’re talking about! I was just trying to help you!” Natasha’s jaw tightened as she studied your face, searching for any hint of deception. Her instincts told her you weren’t innocent, but there was something about you. Something raw and genuine. You looked so young, so honestly terrified.
“I..I just wanted to help..” you repeated, your voice trembling. “With the charger. That’s all. I don’t know what you think I’ve done, but I haven’t done anything.” Natasha hesitated. The quiver in your voice, the glimmer of tears in your eyes, it struck a chord in her. The iron wall of her professional demeanor cracked, and doubt began to seep through.
“What’s going on here?” The barista approached quickly, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. She looked from Natasha to you, still pressed against the wall. “Sarah, please, do s-something!” you pleaded, your voice shaky but sharp. Natasha’s hand fell from your shoulder, her expression momentarily uncertain. “She’s hiding something. There’s something about her that doesn’t add up.”
“Hiding?” the barista echoed, her brow furrowed. “Ma’am, I see Y/n here almost every day. She always sits at that table over there, works on her laptop, drinks the same coffee. She’s not a criminal, if that’s what you’re implying.” Natasha’s lips parted slightly, the weight of the barista’s words hitting her like a punch. She glanced back at you, and now you looked more vulnerable than ever, your arms crossed protectively over your chest.
“Is that true?” Natasha asked softly. “Yes!” you snapped. “I don’t know what you think I’ve done, but I’m not a threat. I’m no one!” Natasha took a step back, running a hand over her face. The adrenaline of the confrontation ebbed, leaving behind a nagging sense of guilt. What had she just done? “I..” Natasha began, faltering as she searched for the right words. She looked at you, your wide, hurt eyes still fixed on her. “Shit, i’m sorry. I shouldn’t have- I was wrong.”
You didn’t respond immediately. Your gaze dropped to the floor, your hands trembling slightly as you adjusted your jacket. “You think?” The barista crossed her arms, glaring at Natasha. “You should leave. Now.” Natasha raised a hand, her tone softening. “Wait. Please.” She turned back to you, her green eyes filled with remorse. “I really am sorry. I shouldn’t have..I thought you were someone else. That’s no excuse, but I made a mistake.” You still wouldn’t look at her. “A mistake? You cornered me, scared me half to death, and you call that a mistake?”
Natasha’s shoulders sagged. “You’re right. I crossed a line. I was frustrated, and I took it out on you. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know that I’m sorry.” The sincerity in her voice gave you pause. Finally, you looked up, your gaze lingering on Natasha’s face. “This won’t happen again, will it?”
“No..” Natasha said firmly. “I swear it.” You exhaled shakily. “Good. Because I don’t think I could handle another ‘mistake’ like that.” Natasha nodded slightly and grabbed her things to leave the café. She had let her frustration cloud her judgment, and it had almost cost her. Inside the café, you sank back into your chair, your thoughts racing. Despite the encounter being part of the plan, Natasha’s intensity had still caught you off guard. Your heart was still pounding, but a small, triumphant smile crept onto your face. You had used the time to plant the tracker in her ID card, ensuring that any computer she used would now send its data directly to you.
“I did it..” you murmured softly to yourself, taking a sip of your coffee. “Hook, line, and sinker.” The barista returned, her expression concerned. “Are you okay? That woman was intense.” You nodded, your voice calm but quiet. “Yeah. Thanks for stepping in. I think she was just..stressed or something.”
“Still..” the barista muttered, shaking her head as she walked back to the counter. “People really need to learn some manners.” You watched her go before turning to look out the window, where Natasha’s figure disappeared into the distance. Her apology had felt genuine, and for a brief moment, you almost felt bad about deceiving her.
But only for a moment.
Hours had passed since Natasha’s tense encounter with you at the café. Back at the command tent, the atmosphere was still tense as officers pored over blueprints, monitored live feeds, and updated Natasha on the robbers’ movements. She stood at the center of the chaos, issuing orders with calm authority. “Any updates from the negotiator?” she asked, her eyes fixed on the live drone footage of the bank.
“No response yet.” an officer replied. “They’re still blocking us.” Natasha exhaled and crossed her arms. The robbers’ silence was unnerving, and her gut told her they were planning something big. She turned to a tactical officer at another station. “I want a perimeter check in twenty minutes. We can’t afford any blind spots.”
She stood in front of the evidence board, arms crossed, staring at the clues laid out before her. But none of it was sinking in. Her jaw was tight, her frustration from earlier still simmering under the surface. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the café. To the moment you flinched when she raised her voice. To the confused, almost hurt look in your eyes. She was just a kid, Natasha thought bitterly. And I snapped at her like she was a suspect.
“Natasha..” Maria’s sharp voice cut through her reverie, tinged with curiosity. “What’s going on with you?” Natasha blinked, tearing her gaze away from the evidence board. “What do you mean?” Maria crossed her arms, studying Natasha closely. “You’ve been distracted the whole time. You didn’t even notice when Hillman suggested reviewing the hostage profiles.”
Natasha let out a sharp breath and ran a hand over her face. “I’m fine. Just..scattered.” Maria raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Scattered? Or something else? You’ve been off your game since you came back from the café.” Natasha stiffened, but the way Maria said it made her heart sink. She turned away, trying to focus on the evidence again. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing..” Maria insisted, stepping closer. Her voice softened. “Come on, Nat. Talk to me.” Natasha hesitated, her shoulders tense. Finally, she muttered, “I think I overreacted. To someone who didn’t deserve it.” Maria frowned and leaned against the edge of the table. “What happened?”
“There was this..girl.” Natasha admitted, her voice low. “At the café. I thought she might be hiding something, but she wasn’t. She was just sitting there, minding her own business. I was frustrated, and…” She sighed, shaking her head. “I intimidated her.” Maria tilted her head, watching Natasha with a sympathetic expression. “You’re only human, Natasha. Mistakes happen.” Natasha’s jaw tightened. “She looked so scared, like I was about to arrest her. And for what? Sitting in a café? She didn’t deserve that.”
Maria was silent for a moment before speaking. “You’ve got a lot on your plate right now, Nat. And I’m guessing that girl was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But you can’t let it eat you up. Let it go. We’ve got bigger things to worry about. Natasha nodded, but as Maria walked away, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she owed you more than just an apology..
You sat at your usual spot in the corner, your laptop open in front of you. The trap you’d set for Natasha had worked perfectly, and now the flood of incoming data was organizing itself neatly into folders on your screen. Police reports, internal communications, tactical maps..everything Natasha had been working on in the command tent was now in your hands. You leaned closer to the screen, your lips pressed into a thin line as you scrolled through the files.
This is gold, you thought, clicking on a folder labeled Command Session Protocols. Inside, you found detailed summaries of police strategy, schedules, and assignments. You smiled to yourself as you saved the files into an encrypted folder on your own system. Just as you reached for your coffee cup, the scrape of a chair startled you.
Your heart skipped a beat as you looked up and saw none other than Natasha sitting across from you. The agent held a steaming cup of black coffee in her hand, her sharp green eyes fixed on you, though they didn’t seem hostile. You blinked, genuinely caught off guard. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Natasha said, taking a sip from her cup.
“Uh-hi..” you managed to stammer, quickly snapping your laptop shut and leaning back in your chair. You tried to compose yourself, but the shock lingered. You hadn’t seen Natasha come in, hadn’t even felt her presence until she was already there. Natasha smiled faintly, clearly noting your surprise. “Didn’t expect to see me here, did you?”
“Not really.” you admitted, your voice regaining a bit of steadiness. Tilting your head, you slipped back into your usual charm. “I figured someone like you would be too busy running the show to take a break.” Natasha chuckled softly and set her cup down. “Even I need a moment to breathe sometimes.”
A brief silence fell between you as Natasha studied you. You worked hard to appear casual, even as your mind raced. You wondered how much Natasha suspected, or if this was just another coincidence. “How’s your day going?” you asked lightly. Natasha raised an eyebrow. “You’re really asking me that?”
“Why not?” you asked with a small laugh. “You seemed pretty stressed the last time I saw you. Thought I’d check in.” Natasha shook her head, smiling slightly. “You’re something else, you know that? I corner you, nearly arrest you, and here you are asking how I’m doing.”
“Well..” you said with a grin, “you apologized, so I figured we’re even, right?” Natasha chuckled, her shoulders relaxing. “You have a unique way of looking at the world.”
“Makes life more interesting.” you replied, taking a sip of your coffee. “Besides, I think it’s good for someone to ask how you’re doing for a change. You seem like the type who worries more about everyone else than yourself.” Natasha’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful expression. “You’re not wrong.” You tilted your head, genuinely curious. “So? How are you?” Natasha hesitated, as though weighing whether to answer. Finally, she shrugged. “I’ve had better weeks. The situation at the mint isn’t exactly going according to plan.”
“Figured as much,” you said, your tone light but not mocking. “You seem like someone who hates it when things don’t go the way you want.” Natasha smirked. “You’re not wrong about that, either.” You both laughed, the tension between you slowly dissipating. For a moment, it was easy to forget you were on opposite sides of a high-stakes game.
As the conversation continued, you found yourself genuinely enjoying Natasha’s company. She wasn’t just the sharp, intimidating agent from the tent..beneath the armor was warmth, a quiet strength you couldn’t help but admire. Natasha, too, noticed the shift. Something about your direct, candid demeanor was refreshing, your refusal to tiptoe around sensitive topics. It was a rarity in her world. “You’re interesting.” Natasha said suddenly, her tone thoughtful. You raised an eyebrow. “Interesting how?”
“You don’t back down.” Natasha replied. “Most people would’ve run a mile after what happened earlier. But you’re still here, like none of it fazed you.”
“Oh, it fazed me.” you admitted, leaning forward slightly. “But I figured you were just having a bad day. Plus, you apologized. And I have a soft spot for good apologies.” Natasha laughed, shaking her head. “You really are something.”
“I get that a lot.” you said with a grin. As the conversation wound down, Natasha felt a strange sense of calm. She couldn’t explain it, but being around you made her feel..lighter, somehow. It was a dangerous feeling, one she couldn’t afford. And yet, she hesitated. “Well.” Natasha said finally, finishing her coffee. “I should get back to work.”
“Saving the world and all that?” you teased. “Something like that,” Natasha replied as she stood. She gave you one last look, her expression softer. “Take care of yourself, okay?”
“You too.” you said, your smile warm. As Natasha left the café, you let out a slow breath, your heart still pounding. Opening your laptop again, you stared at the stolen files. The weight of what you were doing pressed heavily on you, but you shook it off. It’s just a job, you reminded yourself. Don’t get sentimental. But as you watched Natasha walk away, you couldn’t help but wonder if you already were.
A day went by and the robbers had gone silent again, and the clock was ticking. Natasha sat at her laptop open and fingers poised on the keyboard as she scrolled through surveillance reports. Her green eyes narrowed, focused but heavy with fatigue. A sudden ping broke her concentration. She frowned, looking at the notification on her laptop. It wasn’t from the internal system, this was something else. The subject line was blank, and the sender’s email address was an untraceable string of numbers and letters.
Natasha hesitated, her instincts instantly on alert. She glanced around the tent, ensuring no one else had noticed the message. With a deep breath, she clicked it open. The message was short and cryptic:
Check Camera 3, Sector D. You’re being watched.
Her heart skipped a beat. A quick glance at the room confirmed no one else had seen the email. She tapped a few keys, pulling up Camera 3’s feed. Who sent this? And how do they know about the cameras? Leaning back in her chair, Natasha considered her options. Whoever had sent this wasn’t part of her team. Was it one of the robbers playing games? Or..someone else? She typed a quick reply, her fingers moving instinctively.
Who is this?
The reply came almost instantly:
Someone who sees what you don’t.
She wasn’t sure if it was a trap or a genuine lead, but her instincts told her to check. Turning to the nearest officer, she barked, “Pull up the south rooftop on Sector C. Now.” Within seconds, the thermal feed for the rooftop appeared on the screen. At first glance, nothing seemed out of place. But then a faint heat signature flickered near the edge of the building. “Zoom in.” Natasha ordered.
The image enhanced, revealing a figure crouched low, partially obscured by a vent. Natasha’s eyes narrowed as she spotted the unmistakable glint of a weapon. “Sniper..” she muttered. “Get a team up there now.” The tent sprang into action, but Natasha was already focused back on her laptop. She typed again.
How did you know that?
The reply was quick:
I have my ways. :)
Natasha smirked faintly, though suspicion still tugged at her. She had a feeling she knew who was behind this. There was only one person who had the audacity to meddle in her investigation like this.
She typed again.
Let me guess. Sitting in a café right now?
For a moment, there was no response. Then:
Maybe. Should I order you something? ^^
Natasha let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. Unbelievable. She closed her laptop with a decisive snap and grabbed her jacket. “I’m stepping out.” she told her team, her voice clipped but calm. “Keep me updated.”
The café was quiet, its usual hum subdued in the late hour. Natasha spotted her target immediately. You were sitting in your usual corner, your laptop open, fingers lazily typing as if you didn’t have a care in the world. The sight was almost comical. Natasha approached, crossing the room with her usual purposeful stride. You looked up as the agent reached your table, your expression shifting from mild surprise to a wry smile. “There she is.” you said smoothly, leaning back in your chair. “Didn’t expect you to stop by this fast.”
“Didn’t expect you to send me an anonymous email.” Natasha shot back, one brow arched. “Or are you in the habit of hacking federal networks for fun?” Your smile widened as you gestured to the empty chair across from you. “Depends. Did it work?” Natasha paused for a moment before pulling out the chair and sitting down, her green eyes sharp but not unkind. “You’re lucky it did. Otherwise, this conversation would be going very differently.”
“Lucky?” you tilted your head, your tone playful. “I think you mean skilled.” Natasha couldn’t help the small smirk that tugged at her lips. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting you to pull something like that. You don’t exactly scream ‘hacker extraordinaire.”
“People are full of surprises..” you replied, shrugging. “I just happen to have a knack for seeing things others don’t.”
“Like the sniper.” Natasha said, leaning forward slightly. “How did you know about that?” You hesitated, your playful demeanor faltering for just a second. “I’ve been keeping an eye on the situation.” you admitted. “The robbers, the police..you. I noticed the patterns in their movements, and… I wanted to help.” Natasha’s eyes narrowed. “Help? By hacking into a federal system and sending cryptic emails?”
You met her gaze evenly. “Would you have listened to me otherwise?” Natasha didn’t answer right away. She hated to admit it, but you had a point. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But you’re playing a dangerous game.” You leaned forward, your voice soft but firm. “I’m not playing. Those people in the bank- hostages don’t have time for bureaucracy and red tape. You’re good, Agent Romanoff. But even you can’t see everything.”
For a moment, Natasha didn’t respond, studying you with a mix of curiosity and amusement. There was something undeniably impressive about your confidence, your skill. But there was also something reckless, something that could get you in serious trouble. “You’re smarter than you look.” Natasha said finally, her tone lighter. “But you’re also reckless.”
“Reckless gets results.” you shot back, grinning. “And it got your attention, didn’t it?” Natasha shook her head, laughing quietly. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I know..” you said with a shrug, leaning back in your chair. “So, what now? Are you going to arrest me?” Natasha smirked. “Not tonight. But if you pull another stunt like this, I might reconsider.” You grinned, raising your coffee cup in a mock toast. “Noted.”
Natasha stood, her expression thoughtful as she looked down at you. “You’ve got talent. I’ll give you that. But if you’re serious about helping, you need to stop sneaking around and work with me.” You raised an eyebrow. “Work with you?”
“You heard me.” Natasha said. “You’ve already proven you can spot things we miss. Use that skill the right way.” Natasha sat down again, her curiosity piqued. You had proven yourself capable almost dangerously so, and Natasha wasn’t the type to let something like that go unquestioned. Crossing her arms, she leaned forward slightly, her green eyes fixed on you.
“You know..” Natasha began, her voice even, “people don’t just wake up one day and decide to hack federal systems. How’d you learn to do all this?” You hesitated, your fingers toying with the edge of your coffee cup. “It’s not exactly a fun story,” you said lightly, trying to brush it off. Natasha raised an eyebrow, undeterred. “Humor me.”
You sighed, leaning back in your chair. For a moment, you stared at your laptop, as if debating whether to answer. Finally, you spoke, your voice quieter, tinged with something Natasha couldn’t quite place, bitterness, maybe, or sadness. “I didn’t have much of a choice.” you said, your gaze fixed on the table. “I was on my own by the time I was nineteen. No family, no safety net. I had to figure out how to survive.”
Natasha’s brow furrowed, but she didn’t interrupt. “I wasn’t exactly the nine-to-five type.” you continued, a wry smile tugging at your lips. “So I started picking up skills. Little things at first, how to crack a Wi-Fi password, how to fake a document or two. It wasn’t glamorous, but it kept the lights on.”
“Sounds more like survival than a career choice.” Natasha said softly. You shrugged. “It was. But somewhere along the way, I realized I was good at it, really good. I could see patterns other people missed, find loopholes no one else thought to look for. It became…I don’t know, a way to take control of my life. When you don’t have much, knowing you can outthink the system? That’s power.”
Natasha nodded slowly, sensing there was more to the story but not wanting to push too hard. “And that’s how you ended up here?” You let out a short laugh. “Not exactly. I stopped doing illegal stuff a long time ago, if that’s what you’re asking. These days, it’s more about staying curious. Finding puzzles to solve.” You gestured toward Natasha. “And you? You’re one hell of a puzzle.” Natasha smirked faintly, though her gaze softened. “You’re not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?” you asked, tilting your head. “Some basement-dwelling computer geek?”
“Something like that.” Natasha admitted with a small chuckle. “Not someone like you.” You shrugged, your smile faint but genuine. “Life doesn’t exactly hand out guidebooks. You make do with what you’ve got.” There was a pause, a moment of quiet understanding between you. Natasha could tell you were holding back there was more to your story, more pain buried beneath the surface, but she didn’t press. She knew what it was like to guard your past, to only share the pieces you were ready to reveal.
“You’re impressive.” Natasha said finally, her tone softer than before. “I’ll give you that. But you need to be careful. Pulling stunts like this..hacking into federal systems, sending anonymous messages, it’s not going to end well for you. You met Natasha’s gaze, your eyes steady. “I knew the risks when I sent that email. I just thought…maybe you’d understand.”
Natasha’s expression flickered, a hint of something unspoken passing across her face. “I do.” she said quietly. You blinked, surprised by the honesty in Natasha’s voice. “But if you really want to help..” Natasha continued, “then you need to work with me, not around me. No more anonymous emails. No more hacking my system. We do this the right way.” You hesitated, searching Natasha’s face for any sign of deception. Finding none, you nodded slowly. “Okay.”
Natasha leaned back, studying you carefully. “Why’d you really do it? Helping with the sniper, I mean. Why take that risk?” You exhaled, your voice barely above a whisper. “Because I know what it’s like to feel trapped. To think no one’s coming to help you.” You paused, swallowing hard. “Those hostages… they don’t deserve that.” For the first time, Natasha saw a crack in your armor, a vulnerability she hadn’t expected. She nodded, her voice softer. “Neither did you.”
You looked down, your fingers tightening around your coffee cup. “I got through it. Doesn’t mean it was easy.” Natasha’s gaze lingered on you for a moment, a quiet respect forming between you. She stood, pulling her jacket over her shoulders. “You’re better than you give yourself credit for. Just…don’t waste it.”
You looked up, a flicker of warmth in your eyes. “You’re not as intimidating as you think, you know. Natasha smirked, her signature confidence returning. “Don’t push your luck.” As Natasha walked toward the door, she paused and glanced back. “I’ll be in touch.”
You raised your coffee in a mock toast. “I’ll be here.”As Natasha left, a faint smile tugged at her lips. You weren’t just a hacker or a nuisance. You were a survivor..sharp, resourceful, and far more than you appeared. And Natasha couldn’t help but be impressed.
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lacryem · 9 months ago
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— A surprisingly long and in depth look about symbolism in the recent G-Fantasy cover by Yana Toboso ✦
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Including references, flower language, how to decode the meaning of flowers, and a little too much brainrot. As well my personal interpretation drawn from all the sources I looked at. And of course what all of means (and maybe hints at?) for Sebastian and Ciel… and maybe even Sebaciel? 
Originally posted as a twitter thread, but threads suck and I forgot a couple things. so here now.
Disclaimer :
I don’t know FOR SURE that all these things were directly referenced by Yana when creating this art. But being a fan of her work for over a decade I've become familiar with her use of symbolism and reference, and believe myself to have a good eye for it at this point!   I'm also pretty familiar with the use of flower language, including different languages, due to having been involved in a project about it and having to read wayyy too much about this. 
Some of it also includes my own personal interpretation, but the meanings and info I based myself off of ARE factual. I think I made it pretty clear when referencing my personal interpretation. You're welcome to reach your own interpretation based off of the stuff provided!
And lastly, I'm not a sebaciel shipper. I'm not an anti (the complete opposite, actually) and have nothing against the ship, I like the narrative around them and how they're written but I don’t actively ship them romantically or sexually. So I'd say this is actually a pretty unbiased interpretation. Personal taste is one thing, but I don’t deny the author's intention and whats written in front of me! That is what this post is about.
Kuroshitsuji takes place in the Victorian period (1837~1901) in 1889.
The following are both important Victorian books on the language of flowers that I will be basing myself off of.
Language of Flowers by Greenaway Kate (1884), and The Language of flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems (1857).
(Also, I’m treating Ciel’s rose as a deep red rose. Which is a bit different than red roses. But I am adding some relevant information about roses in general, anyway.
Now, on what they say about these flowers.
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Deep rose, meaning "bashful shame". White lily, meaning "Purity and sweetness."
— The White Lily
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Most people assume that the lily refers to Ciel's purity, and that’s a fair assumption. But I disagree. 
Firstly, the one holding the lily is Sebastian. Holding it on his right hand, tilted towards the right. However what's relevant here is the VIEWER. From the viewer's POV he's holding it to the left. Note he also holds the scissors on his left hand, where he bears HIS contract seal.
How you hold a flower, what position you give it to someone in, changes the meaning of the flower. These context clues are very important. It tells us that 'purity and sweetness' doesn’t refer to Ciel, but actually refers to Sebastian (…sorta).
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This may be a little confusing. Purity and sweetness, Sebastian?! I know, I know. bear with me.
These books provide poems to help us understand how you may interpret the intended meaning. The lily poem is about enduring trials out of love because of the purity and sweetness he sees in his lover's eyes and soul. I believe Yana directly references the poems I will include in this post in her new artwork.
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— My Interpretation
the meaning of Sebastian's lily is:
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"I do all out of love for the sweetness and purity within you."
Him holding it to the contact seal and cutting the flower could stand for him destroying this sentiment (affection within himself) that has arisen in him as a result of their contract by destroying the sweetness and purity—the source of it—within Ciel (consuming his soul).
Note: This is debatable, as 'reversed' almost always means upside down. But if you consider the lily facing away from the viewer as reversed then it could mean "impurity and bitterness" which fits pretty well with Ciel, and it being held against the contract seal which is a physical representation of his impurity, brought on by his bitterness.
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— The Deep Red Rose
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There something I find very interesting. The rose is in a teacup, standing in for tea (I think there's even tea alongside it in the cup.) From Yana herself we know that Sebastian's eyes are a reference to the reddish brown colour of tea.
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Like I said, I believe this rose to be a deep red rose, which is a bit more specific than the meaning given to red roses. However I think the poem included for roses in general very much applies here.
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I was going to add my thoughts but I found this interpretation that sums it up pretty well if you replace the carpe diem theme with a more "running out of time" or "impending death" theme, which seems to be a more accurate reading for this artwork.
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Looking at the rose itself, it has no thorns or leaves.
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It is not a youthful rose as its already fully open and losing petals. "No hope, and no fear" fits with the poem, the rose is basically an hourglass referring to Ciel. His fate is unavoidable, but this isn't a deterrent. He's dancing on the ledge.
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The deep red rose means 'bashful shame'.
When you compare it to the lily, which is a direct proclamation, the deep red rose is a quiet confession one cannot verbalize.
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Debatable, to be fair but given the tie in to Sebastian's eye colour and the fact that he is always the one pouring tea for Ciel, I believe the Sebastian to be the speaker here too, but this time speaking on Ciel's feelings (Hence why he's the one holding it) rather than Sebastian's own. 
— My Interpretation
The meaning of the deep red rose Ciel holds, speaking about Ciel's feelings of guardedness, and in response saying:
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"Abandon your bashful shame, and let yourself be admired without expectations (hope) or fear"
Sebastian speaks about Ciel's feelings, the deep red rose acknowledges his feelings but they remain unspoken.
The Waller poem is a plead for his beloved to seize the day, for time is short, and allow herself to be loved completely. 
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Her beauty is one to be appreciated, she is not meant to be a rose unacknowledged (unloved) in the desert.
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Regarding 'expectations', I think this is more about rigid ideas of how 'appreciation' or 'admiration, might be shown or received. Sebastian and Ciel's relationship defies normality or 'expectations'. So this, too, would defy expectations a young boy like Ciel, or a traumatised boy like Ciel, may have.
From Yana herself, we know Sebastian's dedication and how highly he holds 'beauty', specifically Ciel's beauty.
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The author of the poem proclaims that beauty not appreciated is not beautiful indeeed, and so he calls his beloved to come to him and be appreciated wholly during the invaluable, limited time they have.
We see the deep red rose's petals fall away, in my opinion not only symbolising the withering away of time, but also the crumbling away of this "bashful shame" that Sebastian ascribes to Ciel.
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How Sebastian wishes to "appreciate" this beauty is debatable. How he wants to "admire" and "desire" (per the poem) Ciel is rather open ended. Wether it be in a romantic way, a sexual way or by consuming his soul.
However, I don’t think these are mutually exclusive. And consuming Ciel can easily be a metaphor for the former two. 
— The Lily and The Rose
The Greeneaway book has this poem which im sure was directly referenced. This poem speaks about the lily and the rose in a direct power struggle and fight for dominance, until they eventually unite and reign as one.
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Now when speaking about this "union", you could say it refers to their contract, but I don’t think so.
The contract ties them to each other, but it doesn’t necessarily unite them. So I believe 'unity' to be about the appreciation Sebastian speaks of Ciel opening up to. 
"The Lily" and "The Rose" might be interpreted as directly representing Sebastian and Ciel, and the unity that would come from them joining and becoming a truly complimentary pair. I think a power struggle and fight for being the one in control is very accurate way to describe their current dynamic in canon.
It may also be interpreted as "The Lily" and "The Rose" as being representations of their feelings and ideals previously. And then it would represent these two conflicting expressions—a loud  unrelenting and destructive devotion, and a guarded, bashful, unspoken reluctance— coming together and turning from conflicting to complimentary. 
Or as it tends to be with these things, both!
Either way all of this is expressed under the sense of impending doom created by their circumstances and the contract. So there's a sense of urgency permeating all of it.
Also clear to me is a sense of internal conflictedness coming from Sebastian's message that is usually only hinted at like this, and some people end up overlooking.
Sebastian desires Ciel deeply, but having him would also mean not being able to have him anymore.
Sebastian is torn and that’s why he attempts to cut the root of his wavering feelings represented by the lily. 
All of this makes me wonder about what's next, and if we will see these things said more blatantly. Foreshadowing with flower language and references like this, isn't exactly rare for Yana. I wonder if we will see this 'unity' come to be, and what necessary development Sebastian and Ciel will need to undergo to make it possible. As well as what shape it will take.
I also wonder very much about Ciel's perspective in all of this, as this was almost entirely from Sebastian's POV, but I think that's intentional. Ciel has his own goals and a lot on his mind. Sebastian's goal IS Ciel. So I assume he spends a lot more time thinking about Ciel and this kind of thing.
Thank you if you read the whole way through. Like I said before, even though the sources defending it are, my interpretation is not law and you're welcome to reach your own with the things presented.
Links for sources, including free public domain PDFs of the books mentioned are found at the end of my twitter thread.
— Thanks for reading! —
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