#Macys gift card

[sp00kypumpkaboo]

I went out with my mom yesterday to do some errands and she pointed out this cute green dress at Macy’s and I loved it and wished I tried it on, but it was $150 😭

[quchangetechnologies]

Learn How to Convert Your Amazon Gift Card to Cash: A Complete Guide

Amazon gift cards make great gifts as they offer recipients the freedom to choose what they want. However, despite the wide variety of products on the platform, not everyone wants to shop on Amazon. Does this sound like you? If you have an Amazon gift card that you don’t intend to use, don’t worry—you need not give it away or keep it until it is forgotten. It’s now possible to convert an Amazon gift card to cash using Quchange.

Skip the hassle of selling a gift card elsewhere.

It is difficult to sell an Amazon gift card online due to the risk of fraud, and Amazon's policy does not allow gift card exchanges for money. Although re-gifting the card is an alternative, exchanging it for cash is much better because you can then use the money to buy whatever you want without being limited by what’s available online.

With the Quchange app, you can convert your unwanted Amazon gift card to cash in just a few taps. You can avoid any hassle of selling or re-gifting an Amazon gift card by using Quchange, a trusted gift card trading app in Nigeria.

How to use Quchange

Find the app on Google Play or the App Store and install it. Make sure you’re downloading the Quchange app only from official sources to ensure it’s legit and secure.

Next, make an account on the app and look for an Amazon gift card from the options to check the latest gift card rates. If you like the offer, you can proceed with the sale, and the app will convert your Amazon gift card to cash. It’s really that easy.

Another way to use Quchange is through WhatsApp. No matter where you choose to sell your Amazon gift card, the entire process only takes a few minutes, and you should see the funds in your account almost instantly.

Why Quchange?

Quchange guarantees your money every transaction, and it lets you sell various gift cards, including Nordstrom, Steam, eBay, Vanilla Visa, Sephora, and American Express. The app is proven reliable by many users in Nigeria, with fast transactions every time. And if you have queries, the support team is just one chat away. Click the live chat icon on the Quchange app to access the 24/7 support channel, and someone will be there to assist you.

[ladybelladonna76]

Voila, Dakota's Misty Summer, Part I

Dakota Harding, Ms Harding to her pupils was an okay teacher, not the best but certainly not the worst. A fourth year teacher she was starting to become jaded with how little she could achieve within in her classroom. Sure she helped the students she could and cajoled those that she couldn't. She was loved by some of her class and hated by others, but for the most part she was just another obstacle to be overcome for these young adults about to head out into the world.

It was the end of another year and one more class was graduating ready to start the next step on leaving their own paths into adulthood. As always she recieved a bunch of presents from those graduating and she gathered them up and put them in a bag to take home and look at later. 

Getting home Dakota settled down for a quiet evening, she started with the main event, the unpacking of her class's gifts.

"Nice! Target, Starbucks, Macy's", the middle class parents always defaulted to gift cards, "a couple of mugs to be put in the cupboard with the dozen others ages been given over the years", she snickered, "Best teacher ever! Wow Stacey's parents do not know their daughter at all!", she continued to sort through them until the various knickknacks and gift cards were all sorted, laid out haphazardly on her coffee table. "Nice haul" she smiled, "better than last year" and started tidying up, she folded up the bag she'd used when one more unnoticed card fell out, she opened it up, reading the front,  "Hmmm, what's this, Voila, a gift card for $200", she was impressed, flattered, "wow that's a lot, I wonder what Voila sells, and who'd give me a gift like this", she looked inside the card and read the inscription, "from JT" she was incredulous, "this must be a mistake, he hates me, I had him in detention most weeks and almost got him expelled a couple of times", reading on, "I know I wasn't your favourite student Ms D, heck I'm pretty sure I was your arch nemesis at times but you've been my teacher since I was a freshman and you were the best teacher I had, so I hope this makes up for it. I guess I was trouble mostly because I wanted to get your attention, and spend more time with you whilst we were still together at school, you were always my favorite Ms D.", 

Dakota was taken aback, flustered even. She would never have expected this from Jack. Jack Taylor was always trouble.

He came from a wealthy family and he knew no matter what he did he always had Daddy's money to back him up. As she thought about it even though he was rich and spoilt his life must be hard, he never saw his Dad, he was always traveling and his mom was too busy being the wife of a wealthy man to pay much attention to her son. The only place he must get any attention must be here at school, of course his behavior was a cry for help and she'd missed it. She got misty eyed and a little choked up, "I'm sorry Jack I never knew" she mouthed almost silently to no one.

The rest of the night went as planned, the gifts sat on the coffee table mostly forgotten, except for a single box of candy that she picked at periodically. Dakota later ate some microwaved noodles and binged three episodes of Stranger Things, she was watching it for the fifth time, it was comfort TV. Eventually the day caught up with her and she felt her eyes growing heavy, rather than sleep on the couch again Dakota turned off her TV before crawling to her cold lonely bed in her quiet empty one bedroom apartment.

The next few weeks were what she'd come to expect from the long summer months, they were boring with nothing to do and no where to go, Dakota drifted, she went out a couple of times with friends, saw family, read a couple of books but really she did nothing of consequence. Finally cleaning her house in a burst of energy to block out the overpowering monotony she came across Jack's forgotten gift card again and decided on the spur of the moment to find out what exactly Voila did.

Grabbing her laptop she did a quick internet search and discovered that Voila was a beauty salon on the wealthy side of town! She smiled and laughed in exasperation, "Oh it could have been such a nice thought Jack, it was so expensive, but it was just a way for you to get one more dig in about my appearance", memories of Jack poking fun of her in front of the rest of the class about how she should act like a young woman not an old crone ready to go to nursing home flashed in her mind. She thought about giving the card to someone or just throwing it away but instead Dakota laughed in defiance, "Fuck you JT, I'm using this and then I'll never have to think about or see you ever again!"

She called the salon's number on the card the next day and arranged for an appointment through the rather rude and impatient receptionist, she was given an appointment for the next week, apparently she was lucky, there's been an opening, appointments were normally scheduled months in advance. Dakota was eager to use the gift card and forget Jack or the present had ever existed, move on with the rest of her life.

Walking up to the salon on the day of her appointment Dakota felt instant regret at not giving the card away.

Voila was a bustling high end salon in an exclusive part of town. Dakota stood watching the entrance from across the street trying to summon up the courage to enter, she watched the numerous clientele coming and going she knew this wasn't her kind of place at all, they were all glamorous women, some young, some old, all ostentatiously wealthy. Dakota didn't want to judge but they all looked like high maintenance trophy wives, she most certainly did not belong in a decadent place like this.

Dakota normally got her hair cut at a local salon. They did good straightforward work, she didn't need anything fancy, most importantly they were cheap and familiar. She'd been visiting her normal hairdresser ever since settling here after college, she was comfortable there. 

Taking one final deep breath and steeling herself Dakota walked quickly towards the salon door, she could see there was a gap in people coming and going, she decided, it was now or never. Looking around the salon as she walked through the door she knew immediately this really was an alien world. She could hear some kind of chart music playing in the background, it sounded familiar, she'd heard her students listening to it but she couldn't fully make out what it was. People were bustling around, there was so much happening, her senses were bombarded, disoriented. In this state of sensual overload she approached the front desk apologetically.

"Err, excuse me, I have an, um appointment", she tried to catch the receptionists attention

The intimidating receptionist looked her up and down making an obviously negative assessment.

"Name?"

The tone in this beautiful Amazon of a woman's voice and her withering stare unsettled Dakota even more, she gulped, "it's errm..."

"Oh spit it out, can't you see we're busy here?", her eyes narrowed, it felt like they were burrowing a hole in Dakota's head. 

"Ms D. Harding"

"Okay Misty I've got a Harding here, your stylist Raven will be out in a minute, take a seat"

Dakota tried to correct the receptionist but her words died in her throat as she was dismissed with a wave and a roll of the eyes. Dakota went over to the waiting area and flopped down into a big chair. She didn't belong in a place like this, she knew it, the receptionist knew it, everyone here knew it, she felt like the eyes of everyone were looking at her, judging her. She slouched back desperately hoping the soft chair would swallow her up so she could disappear from this horror show.

After what seemed like a long time Dakota heard a voice calling out insistently.

"Misty.....Misty.....", Dakota heard a brief exchange of words punctuated by a snicker, "her? Okay....there you are....Misty?", the voice was directed at her..."are you deaf darling or just catatonic..." realizing the voice has been calling for her she sat up straight and saw the intimidatingly perfect woman looking down at her questioningly.

Dakota couldn't get out her words she just sat up and stared

"So not deaf then, are you mute Misty or just stupid?"

Stunned Dakota bit her lip, "no", she gulped, she thought she should correct Raven's mistake,  "just a little nervous, sorry, the receptionist she err..."

"No need to be sorry," Raven cut her off before she could correct the error, "looking at you it's obviously your first time" her hands waved at Dakota to follow, "I do love a Voila virgin, come on Misty hurry up,  we've got a lot to do today", with that Raven marched back towards the back room, Dakota hurrying behind in her wake. She was so defeated and in a daze she decided that today she'd just have to be Misty, she didn't want to go through the rigmarole of trying to explain the mistake and be ignored again.

"Okay bitch, get in the chair and we'll get you started"

"I'm sorry" Dakota said outwardly offended by Raven's language. 

"Stop being so sorry, all my clients are Bitch to me, it's a sign of affection sweetie, you'll get used to it, you'll soon think of yourself as a Bitch too"

"I'm sure I won't, I can't afford this  extravagance regularly, this was a gift"

"Don't worry Misty you'll be back, my clients always become regulars, I have a certain magic about me, now let's get you started"

"Okay well I was thinking a trim and perhap some low li...."

"It's okay sweetie, the instructions were all on file with the gift card, just sit back and relax, I'll take it from here, I know what you need"

"Errm......okay Raven", Dakota wanted to protest but she knew it would have no effect, this woman was a force of nature. 

As Raven went to work Dakota felt a daze coming over her. Watching Raven's movements whilst working her magic was almost hypnotic, Raven chatted away and Dakota would respond and hold simple conversations with her but she couldn't seem to remember what they talked about only moments later. After what seemed like just a few minutes, but was in fact several hours, Raven span her to the look at her new hairstyle in the mirror.

"Some of my best work", Raven announced proudly to her, "So what do you think Bitch?"

Not even registering the word bitch, Dakota was transfixed by the beautiful woman staring across the salon at her.

Dakota's jaw relaxed and her mouth opened ever so slightly in awe of this baddie, she held up her hands to touch her hair in anxiety and the woman in the across the way did the same. The realization slowly dawned on her, this stunningly hot woman looking at her was her... she was looking at a reflection, this couldn't be real, this was some kind of a trick. There was no way she that young woman staring seductively from the mirror.

She registered the glasses and oversize jacket, she'd put them in this morning, they were definitely hers, but this must be an elaborate prank after all looking at this vision the clothes were where the similarities ended. This woman, this perfect vision of sexuality, looked like some kind of seductive trophy woman. Her lips painted in perfectly applied lipstick, makeup accentuating her seductive eyes, even her blouse was gone, she could see the top of the woman's bare chest and what looked like two incredible tits...no not tits, nice looking breasts, peeking out. Dakota's hand trembled as her hand moved to her chest, mirrored by the image opposite her, she found only skin and the woman in mirror's face dropped in shock. 

"The first time is shocking isn't it?" Raven observed, this wasn't the worst reaction she'd ever seen by far. 

"Oh my God, what have you done to me, I look like some 20 year old party bitch"

"You're welcome and it's 21 year old actually, and I told you at the beginning Misty, I have a certain magic about me", she winked, "so do you like the look?...I know your boyfriend will"

"I don't have a boyfriend you witch", a harsh tone crept in to Dakota's voice, "and my name is fucking Misty, not Misty"

"Okay, fucking Misty it is and as a 'witch' talking to my client I'll just let you know that I was just doing what it said on the order Bitch, take it up with Mr Taylor if you've got any complaints"

"I want a full refund" Dakota called after Raven who was walking obliviously towards the reception, "no can do sweetcheeks, Mr Taylor paid in advance and the $200 was my special fee, take it up with him", Dakota felt a sudden burning at the mention of Jack's name, her whole body flushed with anger?

Infuriated and defeated Dakota impotently stormed out of the salon, "Fuck you all" she cried causing a scene and slamming the door in a full on tantrum as she left. She could see people looking at her shocked by her behavior, ashamed a tear rolled down her cheek. Dakota didn't know what to do or where to go, she breathed slowly composing herself and made sure to straighten herself up, making sure her makeup wasn't smudged she examined herself in a shop window, "yep still looking good Bitch!", she paused momentarily wondering where that had came from. Just because she looked like trophy bitch didn't mean she was any different inside, she was still Dakota. Finding herself calm for a moment Dakota decided she needed somewhere to think, to plan out her next move, she wandered in to a nearby coffee shop she'd spotted deciding a hot drink would help calm her nerves. 

She walked in to the coffee shop and automatically without thinking walked straight up to the barista, jumping past a couple of people patiently waiting in line. Her resting bitch face glared at the other customers almost instinctually, as if she was challenging them to say anything, they looked away quietly. 

'They know their place', she thought. 

She walked up to the counter and without being asked just barked out her order at the meek pathetic looking barista 

"I'll have a venti 7 pump vanilla soy 12 scoop matcha 180 degree NO FOAM green tea latte", where had that come from she normally ordered a flat white, "make sure that temperature is right" she demanded, 'what's wrong with me? I must still be in shock she reasoned to herself'

"Name?", the barista asked

Dakota felt a momentary anxiety trigger inside her remembering the confusion earlier. 

"Misty", Dakota said automatically despite herself,  "M-I-S-T-Y!", she spelled out as if assuming the girl was dumb or would deliberately write it incorrectly to spite her, inwardly she was screaming, 'why am I being such a bitch and why can't I seem to dump that bitch moniker, although Misty does seems like more of a name for a bitch than Dakota and that is how I'm behaving right now. Get a hold of yourself, this is not who you are, be nice Dakota, it costs nothing.'

As she stood waiting for her drink the time seemed to be dragging, it seemed like it that little bitch was taking forever deliberately. Dakota, found herself tapping on the counter with her elegantly painted nails impatiently. Dakota looked up at the clock to see it had only actually been three minutes, she dismissed that, the clock must be broken, this wait felt like forever, impatience darkened her already irritated mind further. The drink finally arrived, Dakota took it before paying and took a tiny sip, she sighed and with dark stormy eyes she turned sardonically to the poor slight barista, a young girl of barely college age, 

"Really....you took all that time, making me wait and this is what you give me", her irritation was fast turning to anger, her voice gaining a strained tone,  "do I need to get someone more competent, perhaps not a fucking trainee to make this for me, this, whatever this you think this is, is disgusting" she passed it back dismissively, "make it again, but properly this time!", the barista intimidated by the forcefulness of Misty took the drink back sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, I'll make it again, I...", she started to apologize

"Don't tell me you're sorry," Misty snapped, "just do your fucking job properly, it's not hard, ugh idiots"

Dakota couldn't believe what she was doing or just how satisfying it felt doing it. After the fourth attempt, with the barista looking more and more upset the drink was finally to Dakota's exasperated satisfaction

"About time, I assume this will be free"

The barista meekly nodded and retreated into the back room, Dakota thought she could hear muffled sobbing, she smirked as she strutted away from the counter pridefully.

"I'll be sure to leave a review", she called back maliciously, reveling in the pain she was causing the girl. 

"That was uncalled for and just mean", a woman's voice murmured from the expanding line, Dakota spun on her heel glaring accusingly at the line of people.

She started laughing at the sight of these pathetic examples of humanity, "Look sheeple if that moron did her job properly she wouldn't have caused that to happen to her, we all have to learn", she smirked hoping the voice would identify themselves, "in fact if that pathetic serf had any real sense about her she wouldn't be working at this awful job, she'd have someone to take of her and not end up serving me and you fucking robots, she gets what she deserves and what she deserves certainly doesn't include respect or compassion from me just because she can't do the simple job she's paid what she's worth to do".

'Wow', she felt her eyes roll a little backwards in pleasure, 'that was a rush, why does being mean make me feel so fucking horny',  Dakota thought biting her lip a little, 'is this what being Misty would feel like, this is terrible, I'm being so fucking bitchy, this is so wrong, I'm being a horrible person, but mmmmmm it feels so good', a damp patch started to form in her panties. 

She walked elegantly away from the murmuring line of people and sat down at a table by the window looking outside so she wouldn't have to remember she was in a room full of pathetic worthless bags of skin.  Looking out the window she started examining the people that passed by on the busy street. Dakota found herself openly sneering in disgust as each and every person she saw was found lacking in her mind in almost every criteria she now found found important.

Look at her rat's nest hair, why is he wearing a suit like that, where did she get those clothes, a garbage dump? Dakota was fast realizing that there was not one person in here worthy of Misty's precious time.

'Why did I come to this dump', she thought, "this isn't me at all" She shook her head trying to clear mind of cobwebs, to think clearly, '..or is it, I've always loved coffee shops" Dakota was fighting for her identity, 'No this bitchiness it isn't me, none of this is me, this is just an uncharacteristic moment, shock from my appointment' she held herself tightly, her hands feeling her soft delicate skin, the brush of her nails comforting her , 'maybe that wicked slut Raven drugged me and I'm still just sat hallucinating in her chair', of course that must be the answer. That made sense, this must just be some lucid fever dream, a momentary hallucination. Dakota rationalized if it's a just a dream then there's no guilt, this isn't me, there's no consequences to this. My subconscious is just running free let loose of my normal inhibitions, I should just play along and let go. A thought intruded, let's see where my subconscious is going with this, let Misty out, then we can enjoy this dream fully together, if it's just a dream let the bad girl play, she's always been just below the surface just waiting for you to let her out and have fun, that would be the nice supportive thing to do', she bit her lip seductively at the titillating idea of freedom swirling in her mind, 'Misty you want to come out and play a while whilst I dream?', she asked to only herself in her mind. 

With that mental choice Dakota's personality was suddenly overwhelmed by a new fully formed identity erupting out, finally freed from inside her. A raw passion awakened, a realization of power cascaded throughout her being, a tantalizing shiver of possibility shot up her spine and her nipples hardened against the fabric of her cheap jacket.

A perfect smile crept over her face,  'I'm over this place, where too now?', Misty wondered sipping her coffee, seeing the sleeve of her jacket as she raised the cup gave her a spark of inspiration, 'I'm done with this cheap costume, it's served it's purpose now I need a more appropriate outfit", Misty adjusted her jacket making sure her breasts were still on on display looking perfect so all these pigs would be aware of their inferiority. With a flourish she stood knocking over her barely touched drink to spill all over the table and floor, she actively ignored the mess leaving it for some peon to clean up.

Misty seemed to head on autopilot strutting along the street like a model on her own personal catwalk, her face daring anyone to get in the way of her parade of perfection. She could see the stares and hear the intakes of breath she was attracting as she seductively strutted towards her goal. 

She walked in to the fanciest boutique like she belonged there, this was a place Dakota didn't know existed, let alone would ever have considered shopping at. 

"I'm going to need some help" she announced upon entering the store looking coldly at the sales staff.

She looked at the three people who had stopped working and now stood staring up at her like startled deer. Her mind quickly sizing them up she selected by pointing at the most attractive girl, she knew the other two girls would be equally jealous of their colleague but a little relieved too, "You'll do for now", she subtly let the girl know she was replaceable, "I need a new wardrobe,  go get me somethings to try on, clothes that will dream me perfectly, you know what I want?"

"Yes of course, Miss erm?"

 "Misty darling", she looked in the mirror adjusting her hair and touching up her lip gloss.

"And I'm..", Misty immediately cut her off

"No thank you, I could not care less", superior bitchiness was so delicious, "now run along little girl and bring me something more", she waved down at her old oversized jacket, "suitable for a bad bitch like me out on the town", Misty loved ordering this peon around it made her nipples hard as diamonds, I'll be in the changing rooms, please don't make me wait too long, I hate to wait, I get so terribly impatient and bored"

The girl ran off frantically to bring Misty the stores hottest looks.

Misty walked towards the changing area and started stripping her clothes off as she went. The two remaining assistants scurried after her in a panic picking up what she dropped, the glasses, shoes, her skirt, and finally her jacket.

"Miss Misty what should we do with these?", the oldest of the assistants called after her, gasping at the customer's beautiful round ass.

"Throw them away or keep them, I don't really care, they're just not me anymore", Misty said with a dismissive tone.

The assistant followed behind Misty gathering up her discarded clothing as she went, when she came to Dakota's granny panties she looked around furtively to make sure she wasn't being watched then stuffed them in her dress for safe keeping.

Now competently naked in the changing area Misty took in her whole body's magnificence in the full length mirror for the first time. 

'Jack what have you done to me', she thought remembering her student who's gift has brought her to this moment, 'if you could see boring Dakota now you you wouldn't think she's some ugly crone anymore, mmm, I think I may need to go visit JT and apologize to him personally for not giving him the attention he needed when he was in Dakota's class'

She'd had an inkling when she first changed whilst boring Dakota was still in control that she was sexy, but fuck Misty could she that she was a magnificent sexy bitch who knew it. Her pride an arrogance pumped wicked nasty thoughts in to her mind, her hands massaged herself roaming around her naked body, exploring every inch, her plump soft lips, her graceful neck. Every light touch was a rhapsody in sensitivity sending tingles shooting throughout her consciousness. Her arms and legs were strong but elegantly sculpted like a dancer's, her ass full and round, she'd perfectly fill out any pants or leggings now. oh her beautiful breasts, her glorious fucking tits, they were at least a full C Cup, they were pert and firm to her touch, she accidentally grazed her erect nipple and it send a shock of pure pleasure to her beautiful glistening pussy, she could feel the heart emanating from her sex, she wanted so desperately to touch it to feel her pussy's lips, she could feel her then moistening with every naughty moment, before today she'd never have used the word pussy to describe her vagina, but it was undeniable, she had a pussy and it was a fucking gorgeous succulent one. Her finger edged closer towards her dripping eager cunt, feeling the heat she knew that she had to...

The retail assistant burst in to the dressing room carrying an armful of clothes desperate not to disappoint Misty. 

"Miss Misty, I got everyth...", the young girl stopped struck mute at the sight of the goddess before her.

"You really should have knocked", Misty said menacingly, "you left me waiting so long I got bored and needed to distract myself"

Misty looked the girl up and down assessing her coldly. She was a moderately good looking woman, after all, that's why she'd chosen her. 

"It seems to me that you that you took forever getting what I asked for, and then you rudely barged in here without knocking, you really are awful at this job, aren't you?"

"I'm so sorry Miss Misty, I can leave and come back when you're ready"

She pursed her lips in mock irritation, "My name is just Misty, I told you that already", Misty closed the space between them,  "that's your third offense", she smiled wickedly taking the girl's hand and squeezing, "How do  you propose making all this up to me?"

She placed the young woman's hand on her soft thigh, she felt the girl tense up, "I can either talk to your manager about this and tell them what you've done and probably get you fired, or you can help me relieve my frustration at your poor attention to customer satisfaction"

"Please Misty, I'd do anything", the girl has said the magic words and opened the door Misty smirked taking the girl's head in her hand and leaning in. Misty heard the girl's breath hitch involuntarily and she kissed her, Misty felt the girl's skin heat and her mouth open just enough to allow her tongue room to explore. 

Her tongue massaged and toyed with the girl, her hand explored the girls body finding a hardened nipple, she broke off and looked at the girls eyes noting her flushed cheeks and dilated pupils, 

"I like you", she saw the young woman beaming with pride at her approval, "now I could care less...tell me your name"

The girl eagerly blurted, "It's Vicki, Misty", her hands nervously massaged Misty's thigh, "I've never kissed..."

"There's lots of things you haven't done Vicki, let's get rid of one more of those today shall we", Misty rose and walked to the door, opening it fully exposing her glorious body to the store, "I'm going to be commandeering Vicki for a little while", she smirked, "she's going to be helping me, I do not want us to be disturbed", not waiting for a response she slammed the door and turned the lock.

Turning back she looked at her new pupil, "Now where were we Vicki?"

This was based on a prompt by David Bikerbat that struck me. This is the beginning of Dakota's summer break from school, I suspect she will have to confront JT and Raven and address what they did to her, Misty has unfinished business

[mjoffic]

last minute shopping - eddie munson holiday blurb

I work retail and this popped in my head while refolding a graphic tee table and it's truly just a bunch of fluf and eddie being a cute boi

~ enjoy and happy holidays ~

word count: 1.2k

The holidays. A time focused around family, the reason for the season, cozy sweaters and hot cocoa. Twinkling lights couldn't be missed for miles as every house had some sort of big bulk convenience store decoration. No need for 'frosted windows in a can', oh no, Hawkins was seeing a very white Christmas with snow fall never ending and the chill of the wind cutting through every jacket and parka leaving no survivors behind. The joy was like an electric buzz in the air, only one thing could diminish the feeling.

The Starcourt Mall.

Eddie wasn't the best planner, never had been. Despite this year trying his best to be on top of the holidays he still had yet to get something for Uncle Wayne. With Christmas Day only two days away, it was a scramble for the perfect gift and it was absolute hell trying to get anywhere in the mall.

He could try The Gap? Nah, too pricey.

Maybe a gift certificate to Scoops Ahoy? But when would Wayne ever find the time to use it? He's always working.

Eddie sighed in frustration, running a hand through his mop of curls. He took a moment to look around the area, peeking over the heads of bustling mothers herding their kids to meet Santa, dads sitting on benches with shopping bags galore, teenagers running around the food court with their Orange Julius's sloshing all over the place. This was a nightmare. Slim pickings. Would Wayne be upset over a hand drawn card?

He was near giving up when he spotted Macy's on the far end. It was a department store, and while it seemed busy, it wasn't as congested as the inner workings of the mall. He squeezed his way through and slid through a sliver of space in between two groups of families; one included a mother scolding her husband for losing their credit card, the other group had a child crying over not getting the remote control car on the front table. Eddie pursed his lips, so glad he wasn't in that stage of life just yet.

There seemed to be never ending options for Eddie to look through, he wondered why he hadn't stopped in in the first place. It also made this decision much more difficult. He knew that he would definitely be walking out with something, no doubt, but genuinely the starting point slowly began to stump him and he felt his once eager energy depleting. A three pack of ties? When did Wayne dress up? A mug? Sure, lets add to the hundreds of them adorning the trailer wall. Maybe a fancy glass set? Even if the glasses were on sale, it was definitely out of Eddie's comfort range of spending.

"Well the sign says fifty percent off!"

A screech from an older woman pulled Eddie out of his daze and his attention turned to the scene on his right.

"Ma'am, I understand your frustration, however the sign details specifically to the gift sets. This sweater is on the table, but is signed for thirty percent off."

Eddie shifted his gaze from the woman, red in the face, almost matching her Christmas red sweater, to you. You stood behind a counter, not currently in use to ring up customers, but he noticed a stack of scarves next to you. He assumed you'd been cleaning up. You wore emerald green, very festive, and an elf hat to match. Despite your professional aura, the bell on the end of hat could almost send him into a fit of giggles every time your head even moved an inch.

"I'd be more than happy to show you-" you started, before being interrupted.

"You can show me to your manager! This is false advertising!" the women shouted, drawing a few more eyes into encounter.

"Ma'am, I'll have to ask you to keep from yelling in the store," you responded, face void of emotion. "If you would let me-"

"I'll yell if I want to! This is a free country!"

Eddie watched you take a deep breath, before picking a landline off the counter. You typed quietly while the woman continued her banter. You faked a smile to her before speaking again. "Hi, hey Ron, it's Y/n! Yeah, yeah, doing good, hey listen, would you mind sending security down to gifts? I have a disgruntled customer who refuses to listen. Awesome, thanks so much!"

The womens jaw dropped as you placed the phone back to the receiver, Eddie snickering quietly at this interaction.

"Who do you think you are!" the woman shouted, feigning a hand to her chest dramatically. "Do you know who I am?"

You smiled and shook your head, folding your hands on the counter. "No, ma'am, I don't! However I am the manager of this department and am asking you to remove yourself before security gets here."

The woman stared dumbfounded, slowly backing up from your bubble. Eddie stared in wonder at the interaction, and if he was honestly, completed turned on by your dominance.

"Merry Christmas!" you smiled, waving as the woman moved away from the scene.

Eddie noticed security at the end of the walkway and he shook his head, laughing slightly. Finding the nerve to walk up to you, he leaned softly against the counter and looked to the way in which the Grinch had left. "I think that was better than any of those movies playing in the theater right now."

You looked to him when he had approached, and smirked a bit at his words. "I try. Gotta keep some sort of sanity in this place."

"I get it, it's a madhouse in here," Eddie nodded, giving his best smile before extending his hand. "Eddie."

Your smirk simmered into a smile and you shook his hand back, nodding. "Y/n."

"Well, Y/n, I'm wondering if you might be of some use to me," he said, straightening back up.

"Oh?" you questioned, crossing your arms.

"Yeah, I mean, you are the manager of this department," Eddie said. "I'm in the works for the perfect gift."

"Ah," you nodded, stepping out from around the counter and glancing around your section. "Mom? Sibling? Girlfriend?"

Eddie stifled a laugh and he slowly followed beside you. "Uh, no mom. No siblings. And no girlfriend."

Your face erupted in pink and you stumbled over your words. "Oh, um, I'm sorry, I just assumed-"

"Hey, hey," Eddie grinned. "All good here. I'm shopping for my uncle, wanna try to find him something nice. Not much of a budget but I figured I'd find something on sale."

You felt your panic subside and sat a cool hand against your cheek, the heat subsiding. "Well, I'm sure we can find something perfect for him! Maybe something for you? Doesn't hurt to treat yourself sometimes."

Eddie pursed his lips a little bit and dug his hands in his pockets, following slightly behind you. He watched the way the bell of your hat jingled with every step you took. You arms slightly swayed when you walked, and you barely made a sound when taking a step. He began to notice the little things, and started to quietly thank the stars he'd came into the mall after all.

"I think I already have."

[babybluebanshee]

so a dead mall near me is being torn down in October and while I’m glad the space will hopefully be used for something better, the little freak part of me is sad to lose such an interesting, cursed space. I love dead malls. I find them fascinating. So I shall recount to you my personal experience inside this particular dead mall, which I shall call C Mall.

so a little context - shae and I were there because I got a v-stock (vintage resale shop that mostly specializes in movies, video games, and other nerd swag; I buy a lot of movies from them) gift card for Christmas one year and that was the closest one to where we’d been shopping that day. I had never been to C Mall, the entire time it was open. I didn’t even know it was still open at the time. We drove out and, kids, you’ve never seen a parking lot that big that deserted. Only about a third of it had any cars in it, and that’s because those were the spots closest to the movie theater and Cheesecake Factory that were somehow chugging along inside. Even then, that third was barely a quarter full. I knew right away I was gonna love this place.

the v-stock was on the populated side of the mall, so if you just stayed in there, you probably wouldn’t have ever known it was in a dead mall. It was fairly bustling, there was even a line at the register. But there were signs all around if you paid attention - water stained ceilings, a musty smell despite the clerks’ best efforts, and, creepiest of all, on the lower level where the movies were, a huge window that offered you a look into the darkened food court. The chairs all put up on tables to clean the floor, but never put down again. Most of the food stands shuttered and bare, but some still wide open with signage. The only light the sunlight pouring in from skylights a story up. I have no doubt, at night, that food court was black as pitch.

so I get my movies (spending waaaaay more than my $25 gift card, but that’s life), when shae and I both realize we have to use the bathroom. The v-stock only has employee bathrooms. The closest open ones are in the Macy’s. Clear on the other end of the building. And our bladders were juuuuust full enough to make the trek, rather than find a gas station nearby or something. Honestly, we probably were just at the point where we didn’t even remember there was a world outside this dying symbol of capitalism. There was only Mall. There had always only been Mall.

so we set off, leaving the brightly lit, populated v-stock for parts unknown. And even though it probably only took us about ten minutes to get to the Macy’s, it felt like years. Most of the stores were shuttered. A few were clearly falling apart - broken ceiling tiles, cracked glass, a light dangling by a single frayed wire. Some had been converted to storage for what did remain. What appeared to have been a store for fancy home decor had become a tangled mess of mannequin limbs. Fortunately, no heads that we could see. Just arms and legs, reaching for a god who’d long since abandoned them.

the only other humans we encountered were some older ladies on the lower level. In a last ditch effort to attract customers, any customers, the mall had turned the southern food court into a pickleball court. These ladies were maybe a few feet from the crypt of a food court on the north side. As shae and I watched them, we wondered if they were as uncomfortable with that knowledge as we were.

the only store we saw before the Macy’s that was open was an arcade/party space. “Open” is actually a pretty generous description tbh. The gate wasn’t down, and the arcade machines were on, but it was completely dark aside from those arcade cabinets, and we didn’t see anyone at the counter or at the games. There was a sign advertising party packages. To me it felt like a honey trap, like someone or something was waiting in the dark for some unsuspecting child to walk in.

finally, we reached the Macy’s. Now, malls are typically considered dead once either their profit margins drop below a certain point or their flagship store (usually a large department store like macys or dillards) closes up shop and nothing replaces it. Macys was still chugging along, but clearly in hospice. They were just waiting for the old girl to die peacefully. Sparse shelves, about two employees for the entire store, so quiet you could hear every word of the music playing over the speakers. It was haunting. And, like all department stores, labyrinthine. Felt like Will Navidson trying to find the bathroom, but we eventually did. Two of the four toilets were out of order and the hand dryer only ran for a second or two before shutting off. It was surreal.

I don’t remember walking back to the car, which remember, was on the other side of the mall by the v-stock. I just remember we eventually stepped out into the sun, and were absolutely slammed with traffic noise and human voices. It was like coming out a dark, soundproof room. It was one of the most cursed experiences of my life.

I found out that C Mall is getting demolished from an article that included pictures of the huge, empty space. I could feel the unease, the wrongness of a place that should be full of people and noise being silent and derelict. It was almost sad that this place was going out with such a whimper. I feel this picture says it all:

We did this to it. And it knows that. And it wants to know why it has to die because of us.

[brehaaorgana]

I can redeem work rewards for a $200 gift card and I'm trying to decide between the following places 🤔 wondering who has best online sales that will make the money go farthest this weekend:

[dalgursbate]

19, 29, and 39 fr the ask game !!

mwah mwah mwah i love you <333

What is the most-used tag on your ao3?

Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Oral Sex, and Vaginal Fingering all have 4 lol. If I remembered to tag for OT3s there'd be at least 7 tho

What’s your revision or editing process like?

Honestly? I obsessively stare at it until it makes me happy and then I post it and then immediately notice a million things I want to change. I need to get a better one, tbh.

Share a snippet from a WIP

For you? anything <3

from an upcoming durge/dead three seduction revenge modern au that no one in particular has asked for:

When Stasi walks into the board room it is already occupied by three attorneys, their teeth as sharp as the creases on their thousand-dollar suits. They don’t say anything at all to her as she enters, content to merely size her up while she takes her seat across from them. The expression in each of their eyes differs slightly—boredom in Thorm’s, hunger in Gortash’s, and sadistic glee in Anchev’s—but it all gets across the same message: that they are the ones in power here.  It’s a test, she knows. To see if she’ll flinch. She doesn’t. “Good morning,” Stasi says, smoothing her skirt over her thighs as she crosses her legs. She’s dressed smartly, though her ensemble is nowhere near as expensive as theirs are. She bought this suit on sale at Macy’s with a gift card she got as a graduation gift, and it’s hardly the pinnacle of haute couture, but she knows she looks good in it. She must, because Enver Gortash’s gaze keeps dipping down to trace the line of her neck, the dip of her clavicle. “Your resume is impressive: Georgetown, law review, magna cum laude,” Anchev recites in lieu of a greeting. Her lips are painted crimson where they stretch into a cruel smirk, and her platinum blonde hair is pulled into a tight bun at the base of her skull. She looks sort of like she wants to pin Stasi down and dissect her. “What made you decide to apply here?” In response, Stasi plasters a pleasant smile onto her face. She practiced it in the mirror this morning. “If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best.” Thorm’s stare is dispassionate as he regards her. “So you want to learn from us, then?” He speaks slowly, his voice rich and deep. It sounds rather like if a rumble of thunder could experience disdain. Stasi wants to reach across the table and stab him in the eyes with one of her stilettos. Instead, she replies, “No, I want to make the firm buckets of money. Whatever I learn from you will just be a bonus.”  At that, Gortash finally looks up from where he’s been ogling her cleavage. “Now that’s a winning attitude.” “What can I say?” Stasi’s grin is almost sincere now. “I came here to win.”

[9eeeeevvvvvaaaaa6]

Because WICKED Part 1 releases today in german speaking areas and even thou I happen to be Austrian, here are 99 ways I more or less used to celebrate or count down the days until its release (couldn´t do everything obviously). The anticipation is similar whether you are American or not, I believe.

Copyright: NBCUniversal

99 Ways to Celebrate 'Wicked' Like a Superfan

99. Watch the Trailer ✅

98. Hear from the Filmmakers and Cast on their Passion for Wicked

97. Watch the LEGO® Brickified Trailer

96. Discover How the World of Wicked was Built 

95. Experience A Wicked Bond  

94. The Magic of Wicked

93. Explore Costume Design with Paul Tazewell  

92. Explore the Shiz U Website ✅

91. Try the 'Meet Your Roommate' Filter

90. Generate Your Student ID ✅

89. Shiz U Orientation ✅

88. Get the Shiz University Varsity Jacket from BoxLunch and Shiz University Sweater from Her Universe

87. Pre-Order the Soundtrack 

86. Experience the Musical Event

85. Watch How Live Singing Delivered an Authentic Sound

84. Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba ✅

83. Ariana Granda is Glinda ✅

82. Jonathan Bailey is Fiyero ✅

81. Michelle Yeoh is Madame Morrible ✅

80. Jeff Goldblum is The Wizard of Oz ✅

79. Ethan Slater is Boq ✅

78. Marissa Bode is Nessarose ✅

77. Bowen Yang is Pfannee ✅

76. Bronwyn James is Shenshen ✅

75. Peter Dinklage is Doctor Dillamond ✅

74. Target X Wicked

73. OPI X Wicked

72. r.e.m. beauty Wicked Collection

71. Wicked & Liberty: Find Magic Within

70. Lingua Franca X Wicked

69. Eugenia Kim x Wicked

68. Bloomingdale’s Wicked Good Gifts

67. Aldo x Wicked

66. CAMILLA X Wicked

65. Cambridge Satchel Company x Wicked

64. Roots x Wicked

63. Wicked & H&M ✅

62. Wicked x Beekman1802

61. Bombas x Wicked

60. Conair x Wicked

59. Rebecca Minkoff x Wicked

58. Claire’s Wicked Capsule

57. Voluspa Candles Wicked Collection

56. Wicked Crocs Collection

55. Read Wicked, a 1995 novel from Gregory Maguire

54. Listen to the Original Broadway Cast Recording 

53. Watch the #OutOfOz: "For Good" Performance by Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel

52. Read Wicked: The Grimmerie

51. Get Tickets to the Wicked Stage Musical 

50. Watch Kristen Chenoweth’s Reaction to Seeing the Wicked Film

49. Visit Wicked: The Experience at Universal Orlando Resort 

48. Visit Feature Presentation at Universal Studios Hollywood 

47. Shop Universal Destinations & Experiences' Exclusive Wicked Merchandise 

46. Celebrate Wicked at Universal Studios Singapore

45. Visit New York City’s Times Square to experience Wicked Shuttle Wraps & Station 

44. Check Out Los Angeles’ The Grove Wicked Extravaganza 

43. Visit Hollywood & Highland 

42. Enjoy the Wicked Experience at Rock in Rio 2024 

41. Stay Like Wicked at theNew York Hilton Midtown 

40. Watch Ariana Grande Host Saturday Night Live

39. The Real Housewives of New York City Get Seriously Wicked 

38. RuPaul’s Drag Race Goes Wicked

37. Custom Jeopardy! Category on November 18

36. The Kelly Clarkson Cast Show on November 19  

35. Experience 'Ozmazing' with Lexus

34. Start Flying with the Wicked Target Campaign

33. Watch the WickedTODAY Show Takeover   

32. Watch the Behind-The-Scenes Broadcast Special Defying Gravity on NBC

31. Spanish-language NBC Special 'Defying Gravity'  on Telemundo and Universo on November 24

30. Watch Ariana Grande & Jimmy Fallon Recreate Viral 'Wizard of Oz' Meme

29. Wicked Playing Cards

28. Monopoly: Wicked Edition

27. Roblox X Wicked

26. I Am Elphaba and I Am Glinda Little Golden Books

25. LEGO® Wicked sets

24. Jakks X Wicked

23. Build-a-Bear Wicked Movie Plush Collection

22. Wicked Funko POP Collection

21. Betty Crocker Wicked Vanilla Cupcake and Cookie Dough Pop kits

20. Wicked Rice Krispies Treats

19. Great Value Wicked Mystery Color Macaroni & Cheese

18. Robinsons Fruit Squash Wicked Drinks

17. "Wicked Cocktails Straight from Oz” Cocktail Kit from Absolut Vodka

16. Count Down the Days with the Wicked Holiday Advent Calendar 

15. Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to See a Special Cynthia Erivo Appearance ✅

14. Have a WickedGood Holiday at Bloomingdales

13. Rockefeller Tree Lighting

12. See the St. Pancras Wicked Christmas Tree

11. Hallmark Wicked Ornaments

10. The Wicked Australia Premiere ✅

9. The Wicked Los Angeles Premiere ✅

8. The Wicked Mexico Premiere ✅

7. The Wicked New York Special Screening

6. Start the Day with Starbucks' New Beverages Inspired by Wicked

5. Watch the Behind-The-Scenes Wicked Special 'Defying Gravity' on Peacock

4. Take Advantage of Exclusive Wicked Offers at AMC Theaters

3. Visit Oz at Regal Cinemas

2. Have a Wicked Lunch with Alamo Drafthouse 

1. Get Your Wicked Movie Tickets with Fandango 

[pueraeternal]

There are no spoilers but lots of subtle references to the web comic "Leviathan" . I wanted this to be a lighthearted romp for Charon but could not let slide her troubled past.

Splash splash

“Vroom Vroom”

Splash splash

“Vroom vroo…”

Charon paused, and turned her ear to listen

Knock Knock, and a faint voice “Room Service”.

She quickly stood up in the bath tub w/ paddle in hand, looked at it, not knowing what to do, laid it across the towel rack above the toilet.

She walked barefoot to the door, leaving a trail of puddles behind.  Once at the door, she looked through the peephole.  On the other side was a young bell hop holding a domed silver tray and rocking on his heels.   His head turned sharply towards the door, looking at the peephole said quizzically “room service?”.  Charon answered back, “leave the mouth items by the door, no speaking, back away slowly”.  The young man tilted his head, smiled and thought to himself “play along, its only a summer job, I don't need to impress anyone”.  He did as directed, laid the tray down.  Stood back up, tilted his bellhop hat forward, made finger gun motions and stepped backwards in a cross step until he was out site of the peep hole.  Coincidentally,  once out of each others site, both said quietly to themselves “what a strange person”.  Charon waited, ensuring the hallway was empty of backward walking finger gun totin bell boys.  One can never be too cautious.  She opened the door and reached down to retrieve the tray.  At that moment, a older couple walked by, very touristy by their looks, he wore a flower print button up short sleeve shirt and she a colorful kaftan.  Charon eyed them cautiously, and curiosity started to get the better of her.

Why were they staring?

Why did they break their stride to edge along the far wall as they walked past?

Why did she say “Close your eyes harold”

Charon took the moment in and then addressed a memory that seemed to be trying to get her attention.  Like a kitten wanting food, or a dog needing to go for a walk…something nagged at her. “Aha, Virgilius’s voice, now its coming to me”  He said, “do not forget modesty when in public”.  At that point she squealed, stepped back into her room, closed the door,  leaned her back on it holding the tray. She waited a good minute, before looking through the peep hole again. The coast was clear, all that was left were remnants of that embarrassing memory.

Charon, made her way to the Bed and sat the tray down on the desk next to it, picked up two small packages by her suitcase, then back to the bathroom putting the gifts on the counter. She surveyed the scene, gasped and quickly reached in the tub to rescue Bongy who lay face down in the water. "Mommy said never play in the bath alone" and gave him a slight scold w/ her finger. She then pulled him close to her chest and squeezed hard, nuzzling her face into his. This caused more water to spill onto the floor. Unperturbed by the puddles at her feet, she set bongy a down on the counter, quickly got dressed. Her robe slipped overhead easily, the mitre atop her head then addressed the packages. One was wrapped in plain brown paper, it was smaller than her fist. The other was shiny w/ a bow on it, the size of the small box she kept her mementos in on Memphi. She opened the shiny wrapped gift first. Inside was a pink box labeled "Macy K". She lifted it open, there were tubes, and small round cases all hues of pink, red and some skin colors. Inside was a card.

Charon grabbed a red tube from inside and applied its color to her face. After a few minutes looked at herself.

She gave Bongy a stern look, "Charon sees the smirk in your eyes naughty boy". After a vigorous face wash she opened the smaller package. This one was from Virgilius. Inside was a necklace, with two stones, one blue, the other red and heart shaped. Between them both was a gold tag w/ family written on it. Charon liked this gift the best. She held it up to the light, admiring it, then brought it close to her heart and kept it there w/ her eyes closed for a moment.

"Charon does not understand the meaning, but it makes her happy".

She put it on, making sure it was tucked under her robe for no one else to see.

Once Bongy was good and dry w/ the hair dryer. She made her way to the desk and chair to sit and eat. Under the silver dome was a plate of delicacies. Many she had never seen or tasted before. Life on Memphi under Faust and Virgilius's care was bleak, lacking color and flavor. Breathing in deeply, this smelled amazing to her face holes. She reached for a bar w/ yellow and lime green layers. Gave it a smell and took a small bite. Charon smiled, her first in a while.

"When Charon grows up, she will try all the flavors in the world"

Stay tuned for part two

[ramonarevenge]

Hey there. I'm a target employee, and I want to tell you something that could actually help you in the long run. No, this isn't a promotion for target. No, I'm not being paid to say this.

Scan everything you are buying. Target will price match.

If you frequent shopping at Target DOWNLOAD THE APP AND SCAN EVERY ITEM YOU INTEND ON BUYING WITH THE APP. THE ONLINE PRICES ARE SOMETIMES DIFFERENT FROM IN STORE PRICES, USUALLY BEING FAR CHEAPER, AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO PRICE MATCH THAT.

This is the home screen of the app. To scan a product you're going to locate:

This at the top of your screen and press:

That silly lil button right there.

Scan the barcode of every item that you intend on buying. I helped a lady the other night save $35 on a blow dryer. It rang up for $74.99, and after she scanned it with the target app, it came up as $40. Another woman was buying a big pokemon collectors box that was $54.99 in store, and around $39 dollars on the app. I'm not sure as to how many other price differences there are.

Another item I have discovered is always cheaper online is ANY books at target. Children's books, cook books, reading enjoyment books, all of them. Scan ALL of your books that you plan on purchasing. They are usually 3-7 dollars cheaper online.

Store websites Target will price match

•Walmart

•Best Buy

•Costco

•Apple

•Barnes and Nobel

•Chewy

•CVS

•Dicks Sporting Goods

•Gamestop

•Home Depot

•JC Penny

•Kohls

•Lowes

•Macys

•NewEgg

•Office Depot

•Petco

•Petsmart

•Sam's Club

•Staples

•Ulta Beauty

•Walgreens

•Amazon (FIRST PARTY SELLERS ONLY)

TARGET CIRCLE IS ALSO A VERY USEFUL TOOL.

Target Circle is the loyalty program created by Target and is entirely free. There are coupons and ads put on there that aren't shown in stores, and those that are usually hide that they're target circle exclusives.

There are usually also offers for gift cards after spending a certain amount on mostly cleaning supplies, laundry care, and necessities.

This is a no brainer for saving money In a world of rapidly rising and high prices. As a punk stuck working for a corporation because it is the only job I could get, I want to help people done whatever they can in spending money.

[lieutenant-hdb]

Ha that’s nice liberal, I see they got you workin the easy shift. Not me, I’m going in for my 36 hour shift at the ball brushing factory, where they crush my BALLS. That’s right, every day I slap these puppies up there on the hydraulic press and have more than 6 trillion newtons of force exerted directly onto my BALLS. I’m hoping for a new company record, 6.1 trillion newtons exerted directly on my BALLS. I’m hopin to win the company gift card. $25 at macys, so my girlfriend could get a nice pair of headphones, and not have to listen to me whine about my crushed balls. That I got from the ball crushing factory. I don’t even know what’s going on down there anymore, I’m scared to look

Oh my god man I think you need to go to the doctor...

[erineverly]

Axl made sure to get over here early, Meegan letting him in with a bunch of balloons tied to his wrist and a pink Minnie Mouse birthday bag that he comes into Erin’s bedroom with. “Heeey, birthday girl.” Knocking hard to let his presence be known, “Wake up, you got gifts and a card to read and cake to eat for breakfast.” In the other bag he placed the small birthday cake from Canters in a purple bag that’s hanging off his other wrist. ‘Happy Birthday, Erin’ written in cursive pink on the top of it, flowers and Minnie Mouse heads decorated on the top. He sits down on her bed, kisses her cheek and ties the balloons to the headboard then puts the bags next to her, there’s an outfit she wanted, a huge set of Estee Lauder lip sticks and lip glosses from Macy’s because he figured girls really love makeup and it was a last minute idea, a sparkly bracelet and a stuffed Mickey and Minnie in the bag for her birthday. All of it from Macy’s and he spent almost every dollar he had to afford all of it, but it’s damn worth it. Smiling in anticipation, he sinks down on his side and wraps his arm around her to squish her in a hug. | this one is set in the 80s and that bracelet is inspired off the one she wears a lot and seen in the its so easy video🥰

erin’s  just  barely  waking  up,  mostly  unaware  what  day  it  is,  when  she  hears  the  knock  on  her  bedroom  door.  her  eyes  remain  closed  as  she  stretches  her  slender  arms  over  her  head  and  mumbles,   ❝   mmm…  come  in.   ❞   she  assumes  it  must  be  her  roommate,  probably  just  got  back  home  from  a  night  of  partying,  eager  to  tell  her  all  about  the  cute  boys  that  she’d  met  and  kissed  and  danced  with.  the  door  squeaks,  and  what  a  surprise  it  is  when  the  sound  that  fills  the  air  is  not  a  girly  giggle,  but  the  voice  that  she  loves  so  very  much.  she’s  still  burrowed  under  a  pile  of  blankets,  warm  and  soft,  with  rosy  cheeks  and  tangled  curls,  but  her  sleepy  features  light  up  all  at  once  and  she  finds  herself  beaming  at  the  strawberry-haired  man.  pale  blue  eyes  fluttering  open,  widening  as  she  takes  in  all  the  gifts  that  he’s  brought  her.  a  soft  gasp  escapes  her  lips.   ❝   aww,  baby!   ❞   she  squeaks,  sitting  up  against  the  pillows,  a  teddy  bear  digging  into  her  back.  she  rubs  her  eyes  as  if  in  disbelief.  she  wasn’t  really  expecting  anything,  knowing  that  they’re  on  a  budget,  but…  wow!  the  balloons  are  beautiful,  floating  above  her  head  and  she  marvels  at  them  with  sheer  wonderment.  curling  her  curious  finger  around  one  of  the  string,  she  pulls  gently  to  bring  one  of  them  down  before  releasing  it  again.   ❝   my  goodness,  is  all  this  for  me?  you  didn’t  have  to.  you  really  didn’t  have  to,   ❞   she  whispers  softly,  peeking  into  the  bags  and  spotting  the  most  thoughtful  combination  of  presents.  it  has  her  heart  expanding,  eyes  filling  with  tears  of  happiness.  he  must  really  pay  attention  to  what  she  likes,  the  stores  she  visits,  he  even  got  her  favorite  shades  of  lipsticks  right.  she’s  smiling  so  big  that  her  cheeks  begin  to  hurt,  the  tip  of  her  nose  tingling.  the  first  thing  that  she  pulls  out  are  the  stuffed  mickey  and  minnie.  she  hugs  them  to  her  chest  and,  before  unpacking  the  rest,  looks  up  at  her  boyfriend,  nothing  but  love  and  gratitude  brimming  in  her  eyes.   ❝   you’re  the  sweetest  boy  in  the  entire  universe,  axl.  this  is  the  best  birthday  ever!  i  love  it,  all  of  it…  the  balloons,  the  presents,  you.  i  love  you  so  much,  baby!  thank  you.  thank  you  for  making  my  day  so  special.   ❞   she  curls  her  arms  around  his  neck  and  hugs  him,  mickey  and  minnie  squished  between  their  bodies.  this  is  the  best  birthday  ever  all  because  she  gets  to  celebrate  it  with  her  favorite  person.  

[etherealnoir]

My mom bought me new AirPods (since my old ones are on their last legs lol), a Bariatric cookbook, a paint by numbers portrait, sour patch kids 😁, and a bunch of comfy clothes.

And I ended up getting my mom gold hoop earrings, Diamond studs, and an Isotoner hat and glove set. Meanwhile, a week and a half before Christmas, this lady asked me to get her a Macy’s gift card after I already bought all this stuff for her LOL

[phiixomath]

🎉🦄

Keith clutched the present bag to his chest. He wiped a sweaty palm on his lap and shifted — unfortunately unable to get very comfortable in the car when it was full of five other people — as a knot twisted in his stomach. The bright blue gift wrap was quite distracting, though, and he glanced down at it, worrying at his bottom lip and smoothing down his suit jacket. 

Lance had insisted his ten-year-old niece would love anything since she frequently jumped from interest to interest, but Keith really wanted to get her something special. Something she’d cherish. He wracked his brain for days then, miraculously, managed to overhear from Lance's mother that she had recently gotten into art and was saving up to buy paintbrushes. 

Now, this Keith knew. 

He’d been painting for years, had gone through the painstaking, bank-breaking process of graduating from whatever he could scrounge to, eventually, professional-grade materials. Lance’s niece was young so he didn’t want to overwhelm her, but he went ahead and purchased a nice assortment of painting tools and wrote a small guide on his best tips to getting started to go with it.

He’d felt confident, but as they neared Lance’s house he couldn’t help the nagging doubt that he’d bought something left something out or it just wasn’t what she would want any more. 

He took a deep breath and settled back against the seat as much as he could. Hunk sat next to him and smiled reassuringly, bringing his arm around the headrest so Keith could lean back fully. Keith returned the smile and took another grounding breath. 

Just then — the clip-clop of hooves against the asphalt. 

What?

Everyone in the car sat up, leaned, or manoeuvred in some way to look out the window, see Lance absolutely speed past them on a pristine white horse clad in a long cape and unicorn horn. 

“Huh — Lance?” Hunk called, the first to gain the ability to speak while Keith was sure his jaw was grazing his lap. Shiro slowed the car and Hunk called out again. “Lance!” 

Through the rear view mirror, Keith saw Lance's form come to a stop. He was more quite far, but Keith could make out the horse’s hind legs raise before lowering and swiftly turning to make their way over to the car. The clip-clopping grew closer until Lance was just a few feet away and dismounted. He walking up to their car with an easy smile. 

“Hey, guys!” Lance stuck his head through Keith's window and Keith immediately flattened against his seat, heart beating embarrassingly fast. “Hey, Keith.” 

“Hey.”

“Looking good, man.” What. Oh, right, he was wearing a suit. (Lance’s niece wanted to host a themed party and went for fairy tales, which made the unicorn horn make sense. Albeit interesting and creative, the theme left him stumped but he ultimately settled on a typical suit and hoped it would pass as a prince or something).

“Thanks,” Keith replied, feeling his face heat. Lance grinned. 

“What are you doing out here?” Pidge asked, but not before casting Keith a knowing look. Keith ignored it in favour of hearing Lance explain. 

“There was a mix-up with the bakery, so I’m just gonna go pick something else up real quick.”

“With…”

Lance tilted his head in confusion then brightened. “Oh! This is Macy!” He tugged gently on the horse’s reins until her face appeared alongside his outside the window. She whinnied, shaking her mane, and Keith startled when the rough hairs struck his nose. Lance laughed, sudden and loud, and carded a hand through her mane as he sent Keith a sympathetic grimace. 

“Sorry." Keith gave him a look but the edge of his mouth still quirked up. "Really, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Keith said, unable to hold back a smile when he reached out to stroke Macy’s muzzle. She leaned into him and Lance softened. 

“Aw, she’s happy to see you," He cooed. 

Keith feigned a scowl at the change in his voice and Lance feigned a pout. He broke character and chuckled, when his eye caught on the bag in Keith’s hands. 

“Is that —"

“— Uh.”

“Oh my God, Keith! That’s — that’s amazing! Holy shit." He gasped, eyes searching what contents of the bag he could. "This is exactly the type of stuff she’s looking for!” 

Keith breathed a sigh, half at the lost surprise and half in relief. “I’m glad. I really hope she’ll like it.”

“She’ll love it, are you joking?” Lance pulled on Macy’s reins again as he backed up from the car. “When we open presents before cake, you’ll see. She’s gonna love you.” He punctuated each word and held Keith's eye before turning to smile at everyone. “I’ll see you guys at the party!” Everyone voiced a similar sentiment and he smiled.

Keith turned his face as far as he could out the window, half to see Lance easily pull himself up on Macy and half to hide his smile from the others. 

[puckish-rogue-archive-deux]

Cú is here at last to present his peace offering for this momentous day! A bid to be spared any of the birthday mayhem that may soon ensue . . . Yes, if Django were to peel away the wrapping paper it would be none other than a probably unarmed explosive that would greet him! That should be useful, right?

Have fun :)

Be honest with me here; what is he supposed to say? Like, really. How does someone respond to finding out they've been gifted a fucking bomb? Oh, sure. The fact it didn't explode right as he tore of the wrapping paper was truly a showcase of Cú's kindness and generosity. One-hundred percent. But like, come the fuck on, man. He would've been with something like a god damn Macy's gift card. Jesus H. Christ. A bomb of all things. What a maniac.

" ...Who the fuck does this guy think he is? Ted Kaczynski? "

@corrchoigilt

[resetmypatientviolence]

Last year I got a “bonus” of a Macy’s gift card because I was employed under a year at my org. Others got over 1k. It was also done very publicly and people 100% went to HR to be like “the fuck?”.

This year?

Quietly got a 2k bonus (well… taxes took some out but it’ll come back my way in a few months) just put into my account and that seems to be the way for everybody.

The lesson?

Speak up when shit isn’t equitable at work. I was lowkey worried there just wouldn’t be a bonus but nope— management listened.