#OH GOD THE FORMATTING FUCKED UP ON THIS BAD. SORRY GUYS THE ASKS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LINED UP IN COLUMNS))

[onippep]

...Hey everyone. Good work in here. Lookin' great. Let's finish on up, gather your things, and leave in about an hour. Bossman's heading home.

[rayofmisfortune]

Throwing this ask over for if you ever want to ramble about Bendy ✨/nf (we are getting fed lately, 3 more games??? A movie??? Ink demon at a rave??? What???)

BENDY RAMBLE PERMISSION? OH HECK YEA!!

We are SO getting fed! I can't wait for what the games have in store for us. With The Cage supposed to release some time this year ANS THE MOVIE??? OH DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT!

I love the Bendy series to bits. Like actually

I've been keeping up with it since chapter 3 of BATIM- haven't read any of the books sadly but that can be excused right???

ANYWAY

The Cage is supposed to be a look behind the scenes at what happened on the other side of things while Audrey was busy explaining the concept of personal space to Wilson, if I remembee right? Also supposed to be darker and gorrier SUPER EXCITED FOR THAT

Then... in Secrets of the Machine we get teasers for B3ndy and Bendy Silent Town...

I hope B3ndy's gonna pick up on where BATDR left off, Gent taking away the Ink Machine to GOD KNOWS WHERE??? With Bendy now being out in the real world... it begs the question of who the role of big bad and smiling (traumatized, very much traumatized) will fall on... As for who we may play as.... maybe it could be this Riley Wells (hope I got the surname right) character we found out about in Secrets of the Machine? They ended up being a GENT employee so it's not completely out the question? They were employed at Joey Drew Studios before but- got fired because their ideas were too grotesque and dark for Joey's liking (EXCUSE THEM for having trauma you entrepreneur a-hole).

As for Bendy Silent Town... I feel like that game may be a look at mayhaps the genre of Bendy cartoons Riley had scripted? As I said, their ideas were dark. And what is Silent Town? A complete turn to the left at what Bendy games are. Unsure if the hand in the teaser image is Bendy's but- the char has a revolver named Alice FJFJ does that say anything? I dunno! Fjfjfj Getting to shoot cartoon bad guys in a cartoon tho? Aw heck yea! I suck at shooters but I'm willing to try my hand at one if it's Bendy

This is getting long lmfao

AH I haven't realized, but Secrets of the Machine came out on 4/14 (cuz- not american, use a different date format heh) which is the last loop that took place before Wilson or Audrey right? Some significance there

Oml I'm gonna fall into rambling about Bendy and the Ink Demon aren't I?

When you break all the cutouts in Secrets of the Machine, you get instakilled by the Ink Demon. Which. Deserved. I ended up doing that a lot cuz I didn't KNOW what I was supposed to do??? And destroying the cutouts was the quickest way out nfjfjc sorry Benders I promise it wasn't personal.

Anywho- yea it's been over a year YET I'M STILL NOT OVER HOW THE INK DEMON LITERALLY HAD BEEN TORTURED BY THE KEEPERS??? Like- YOU CAN'T JUST THROW THAT AT ME AND NOT EXPECT ME TO WEEP LIKE A BABY- My man's gone through literal hell even before he's been carelessly thrown into the machine "because he was imperfect" my ass, I bet the worst he ever did while in the Real world was walk around and be curious about everything while the only thing decisively threatening about him was his appearance... WHICH ALSO he had nothing to do with??? That's all on Joey and GENT for fucking up and only looking at the outside and not the inside. Is it obvious how much I need this guy to have a happy life?? He has a chance for that with Audrey now which I'm honestly so damn glad for nfnfnc Poor guy had been forced to follow a predetermined script where he was cast as the villain... tbf.. wouldn't anyone end up embracing that role when they've had to go through it for hundreds of loops?? I'd grow tired of trying to change anything as well.

Can... can you imagine? A little scene with Audrey and Bendy in B3ndy where they're just hanging out with eachother in Audrey's apartment.... PLEASE

Ah this got long hehe nfnfjfb

ALSO still not over Henry. My favorite father figure. Pls be a dad to them I beg

I STILL DUNNO WHAT THE RAVE IS ABT 😭😭 Haven't seen anything abt it YET- BUT AYYYYY

AND OML YEA THE MOVIE PLEASE GIB SOME BEFORE THE INK WORLD SNIPPETS PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?? Could you imagine? Just- getting to see how the studio was before it all went to hell??? I- GETTING TO SEE THE PROGRESS ON THE INK MACHINE??? MAYBE EVEN BENDY'S CREATION????? And and oml SAMMY before he went "My Lord, My Saviour, coocoo in the head" THE VAST WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES

[livvyofthelake]

ok dead poets society album as a concept album about my special little guys…

fortnight- i mean. come on. how long does tda take place over. one month? ish? exactly. sidenote why did we doubt post malone so much he gave lana del ray in snow on the beach here. yay <3

the tortured poets department- i am going to be honest i did not like this song. or. i liked it in the way i liked slut in the 1989 vault tracks. which is to say i can see myself listening to it on repeat but i don’t like. Like it. do you understand? anyway we could say it’s about kit herondale but i fear it’s one of those taylor swift songs that’s about taylor swift. and. dear god. matty healy. girl… lucy dacus mention though

my boy only breaks his favorite toys- i fuck with this song heavy first of all. anyway this happened to my buddy kit herondale… “i knew too much there was danger in the heat of touch he saw forever so he smashed it up”!!!!!! i can’t get into it 😐

down bad- this is literally about emma carstairs and jules blackthorn…

so long london- in many ways this happened to cordelia carstairs at the end of chain of iron. i don’t care about this song

but daddy i love him- i’m sorry i liked this song so much i forgot to think about characters during it hold on let’s give it another go! i’m gonna be real. this happened to my friend blue sargent. that’s not relevant to the shadowhunter chronicles except in all the ways it is do with that what you must. this also happened to my friend belle. the artful dodger….. sorry for loving straight people as if that’s a fucking crime oh my god… in a way this also happened to my buddy gabrielle. let’s not get into that. some absolute bars of lyrics in here it must be said also… taylor calm down wow

fresh out the slammer- i shan’t speak on this one. don’t ask me about it i’m not supposed to even be thinking about this shit dear god.

florida!!!- made me cry. sorry for being emotionally moved by florence welch’s beautiful voice singing about the state my dead aunt lived in my whole life. i’m fine

guilty as sin?- elio pearlman you would’ve loved this joint. anyway we move on. this happened to my friend kit. in a sense. to me…

who’s afraid of little old me?- we must break from form and say a very midnights era thing. this literally happened to my good friend morgana pendragon bbc merlin. and i fuck with this song immensely

i can fix him (no really i can)- first of all this one is going to be huge for ao3 fanfic titles it’s already formatted…. i digress. in my beautiful world this will be dru blackthorn… and i believe her

loml- well. who’s gonna stop us from waltzing back into rekindled flames if we know the steps anyway. we embroidered the memories of the time i was away stitching “we were just kids babe”. must it even be said. let’s not be gauche. divorce ass song…

i can do it with a broken heart- taylor swift ass song… but i loved it…. in a way this happened to kara. don’t worry about it

the smallest man who ever lived- THIS HAPPENED TO MY FRIEND ALINA STARKOV. I HOPE THAT MAN DIES. both the darkling and joe alwyn. put him in jail actually i decided. he’s not seeing the pearly gates.

the alchemy- so happy my travy made it to the big game….. i’m sorry. i love the song genuinely it’s camp. it’s CAMP. it’s riverdalian. america strong fr! clace core they’re the blueprint to me idc…

clara bow- clary…….

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 308: VIBE: CHECKED

Previously on BnHA: Lots and lots of Shindou idk what else to tell you.

Today on BnHA: Tired Nomad Deku rescues Shindou from Muscular, and us from Shindou. Muscular is all “OH BOY I SURE CAN’T WAIT TO FIGHT DEKU AGAIN AFTER HE TOTALLY KICKED MY ASS THE LAST TIME!! I’M SURE THIS TIME WILL GO DIFFERENTLY SEEING AS HE’S HAD ALMOST AN ENTIRE YEAR’S WORTH OF ADDITIONAL TRAINING, AND ALSO HAS SIX FOURQUIRKS NOW, IN ADDITION TO THE CONFIDENCE THAT COMES WITH HAVING EIGHT OTHER PEOPLE’S SOULS CHILLING OUT INSIDE HIM OFFERING MORAL SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.” Deku is all, “[kicks Muscular’s ass effortlessly].” Muscular is all, “[gets his ass totally kicked].” I for one am very satisfied with this, and with respect to all, I would like to hereby declare this post a discourse-free zone. I’m just happy to see my son out here making good use of his FOURQUIRKS, and more importantly beating Muscular in less than seventeen pages so we can all go on with our lives lol.

damn Deku since when were you allowed to look this cool

from this perspective and with the smoke, cape, backpack, and mask more or less obscuring his actual profile, he looks less like a sixteen-year-old boy and more like a grownass man

OH SNAP

we got a glimpse of this in the cleaned-up scan of 307, but seeing both of his eyes looking so distinctively All Might-esque here is... whoa. I mean we know that his face still looks pretty normal underneath the mask and he doesn’t actually have the black sclera, but still, this is an awesome look. mini-Might

lol Muscular

you and me both. I mean no offense, but yeah

so Deku is just standing there silently

typical Deku. tight-lipped and expressionless. mum’s the word. quiet as a mouse. silent as a grave

okay no but seriously this is so weird and creepy though you guys. Deku please say something or else I’m just gonna mindlessly say whatever stupid things come into my head in an effort to make things less awkward

so Muscular is all “I should probably make a cool speech about revenge but Horikoshi couldn’t think of anything good so I’m just going to stand here clenching my fist real slowly”

“I’m not here to go on a monologue” he says, as he monologues about not monologuing

okay you guys I confess I have only read through/watched the Deku VS Muscular fight once because the arm-breaking is just way too uncomfortable for me to revisit. and so as a result, I have completely forgotten Whatever The Deal Is with Muscular’s eye lmao so let me go look it up real quick

okay so it’s a prosthetic, obviously, and he changes it out according to his mood. that part does sound familiar. I just can’t remember which eye is supposed to indicate which mood. don’t tell me I actually have to go back and reread this shit

lol I’m skimming through chapter 75 now and remembering/realizing that I hardly paid any attention to this the first time around because as soon as I found out the villains were after Kacchan my brain was like “TIME TO FOCUS ON THIS AND ONLY THIS NOW AND FOREVER” and yeah. ah memories

anyway so he started out with the flower-looking eye, and then later on he was all

which begs the question, how on earth could I have ever forgotten the most ridiculous panel I’ve ever read lmao

anyway, but so after all of that, I'm only just now realizing that this isn't one of his previous eye prosthetics in the current chapter; this is an ACTUAL FUCKING ROCK that he's just randomly shoved into his eye socket fkdsjlk

so basically (1) I did all of that painstaking research for nothing, five whole minutes of my life wasted THANKS A LOT, and (2) what, and I have never meant this more emphatically, THE FUCK

anyway so now he's leaping at the building that Deku is standing on top of. but he’s not aiming anywhere near Deku though, wtf

(ETA: HAHA YOU BROKE ALL YOUR MUSCLES YOU LOSER.)

...huh

lmao okay then. I hope those annoying citizens in the building next door are watching this go down and rethinking their life choices

dlkdkljk

just keep standing there pressed right up against the window, why don’t you. “WHAT’S GOING ON THIS SUPER CLOSE COLLAPSING BUILDING IS BLOCKING OUR VIEW.” well, folks, we’ve long since known there’s a critical shortage of hero and villain brain cells, but what we’re learning now is that civilian brain cells are also in short supply

OH THANK GOD DEKU IS FINALLY TALKING THAT WAS ACTUALLY UNSETTLING AS FUCK

SO HE’S STILL OUR GOOD, POLITE, WORRIED, CONSIDERATE DEKU UNDERNEATH THAT COOL AND MYSTERIOUS VENEER. for real, thank fuck, because I swear to god if he suddenly started acting like the Dekus in all of the vigilante AUs my interest in this series would have dropped something like 50% lol. just because he dropped out of school and ran away from home and is currently dressed like the physical manifestation of a Linkin Park playlist doesn’t mean he’s not still the WORLD’S BIGGEST DORK okay

I MEAN, THIS RIGHT HERE. THIS IS WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. HE’S APOLOGIZING FOR THE DELAY

PLEASE FIND THE ATTACHED SHINDOU YOU REQUESTED. BEST REGARDS!!!

OH MY GOD WHY IS HE SUCH A BADASS

something about making bold, confident statements while obscured in smoke?? idk but damn it fucking works

ffjkkl

more importantly, should you tell him you actually need your copy of Shindou in excel format and not pdf?? on the one hand you don’t want to sound ungrateful, but on the other hand what are you even supposed to do with this

this chapter so far consists of like 50% smoke, but on the other hand Deku VS Kacchan 2 had a lot of cinematic smoke too so who am I to complain

OMG IS IT HIS ARMS

IDK DID YOU?! TELL ME YOUR SECRETS. PLEASE, AT SOME POINT THIS FIGHT HAS GOT TO ACTUALLY ADVANCE THE PLOT

OHHHHHHH

IT’S EN’S QUIRK!! OH MY GOD OKAY THAT’S ACTUALLY AWESOME

I CAN HEAR THE SOUND OF DISCOURSE RUMBLING IN THE BACKGROUND BUT I DON’T CARE LOL. WON’T CATCH ME EVER SAYING NO TO ANOTHER SIXQUIRK. GO AHEAD, BRING THEM ON, I WANT TO SEE THEM ALL but take it easy though Deku. don’t want to give yourself lung cancer or anything

also it’s good to see that in a very real sense he’s not fighting alone. the Vestiges really did mean it when they said they could appear more easily now. this is on a whole other level

so is this whole next page still En talking, or someone else? because whoever it is sure is chatty

okay, several things

pretty sure it is En, because he keeps saying “I suppose.” for someone who never said two words until one page ago, this guy sure never shuts up. we can’t all follow Muscular’s lead I suppose. oh my god now I’m doing it too

really like the suggestion of Deku using the SIXQUIRKS like tools in an arsenal, because that’s what he’s good at! it’s almost like he’s been training for this his entire life. “you value quirks too much” LOOK HE JUST THINKS THEY’RE COOL OKAY IS THAT A CRIME

where the fuck did all this rope come from

not gonna ask what the fuck that thing is sticking out from the back of his utility belt. Horikoshi will surely explain this

is that a fucking jetpack. I’m sorry Deku were six fucking quirks not enough for you. you can fucking float??? but JUST TO BE SAFE, LET’S STRAP A PAIR OF ROCKETS TO OUR SHOULDERS IDK

-- or wait, is this all supposed to be like a visual representation of En’s metaphor?? OH MY GOD AM I JUST STUPID LOL, DON’T ANSWER THAT. NEVER MIND. NEW LIST!!

rope = blackwhip

jetpack = float

radio = danger sense

and so I’m guessing that this ridiculously phallic thing is supposed to be a flare or something?? and that = the new quirk, smokescreen. well that was a fucking ride lmao we now return you to our regularly scheduled chapter

so now Deku is floating to his heart’s content and thinking that he’ll just sneak up on Muscular and vibe check his ass or whatever

WOOOOOOOO DANGER SENSE YESSSS I LOVE THIS FOR HIM

okay guys, I'm gonna press pause here for a sec to make a serious note, because I am loving the shit out of this, but tbh I'm having trouble enjoying it as much as I want to because I keep getting anxious thinking about the discourse. I know that a lot of the fandom has very strong opinions on Deku's character development one way or the other, and I want to respect that. but I also really have no spoons to debate this topic at all beyond what I’ve already weighed in on. so if it’s all the same to everyone, I plan on staying out of this discussion, at least this week

anyway! that said, YEAH BOI GET HIS ASS

VIBE: CHECKED. CURB: STOMPED. HOTEL: TRIVAGO

-- OF COURSE HE’S STILL FUCKING FINE LOL HE CRASHES INTO BUILDINGS FOR FUN IDK WHAT I WAS EXPECTING

dammit Muscular. how many fucking quirks does it take to beat you?! the annoying thing is that even with all of his cool new powers, Deku is still something of a mismatch against him. anyway r.i.p. to all these poor buildings

OOOOOHHHHH

you guys have no idea how intrigued I am at the prospect of watching Deku try to play both good cop and bad cop here lmao

anyway so Muscular says he doesn’t know, go figure

“I’m not here to make small talk or anything” he says as he small talks about not small talking

OH MY GOD DEKU

are you really gonna talk no jutsu all of these villains from now on?? that last battle really did have a profound impact on you, huh! interesting

you guys he’s really doing it omg

Deku this guy tried to murder a five-year-old literally just for fun. I mean more power to you, but holy shit you’re really gonna try to defeat Muscular with anger management therapy huh

I MEAN

WHO COULD HAVE SEEN THAT RESPONSE COMING dlkjslkjk

FUCK’S SAKE DEKU, I KNOW YOU MEAN WELL BUT THEY CAN’T ALL HAVE TRAGIC PASTS KIDDO

but. I have to admit, I do still like that he tried. probably knew just as well as we did what the end result was going to be, but still. he made the effort in good faith and I respect that

uh oh

why do I get the feeling Muscular just got a whole lot deader

oh my god oh my god he’s doing the “powering up” stance ffff don’t fucking tell me you can still use your fucking arms here, Deku

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT’S THIS??

okay so basically he’s saying that whatever it was he sensed in Tomura, he doesn’t sense from Muscular. which, yeah, that sounds exactly right. good judge of character here lol

AHHHHAHAHA YESS

WHOOPS, GET FUCKED I GUESS

WOOOOHOOOOOOOO

lmao so apparently this is the belated result of Shindou’s attack from chapter 307?? I’ll be damned. good for you Shindou!! I always liked you buddy. please just take my word on that and don’t fact check that statement

okay lol the one tiny bit of discourse I will allow is that it’s bullshit that he just did that with his right arm. like, I’ll fully acknowledge that. that makes no fucking sense, and I demand an explanation from the Great Plot Hole Filler himself. he’s never let us down before when it comes to continuity so I’m trusting him not to suddenly start now

that said, we love to see a rematch against a boring guy settled quickly and decisively within the span of a single chapter. THANK YOU

I like that Deku implies that his power is being a smart nerd who battles villains using the power of ANALYTICS. he basically didn’t do anything except restrain Muscular and wait for Shindou’s attack to take effect while halfheartedly checking to see if he regretted any of that murder and stuff

(ETA: and almost forgot to mention, he made excellent use of all four of his active SIXQUIRKS. it’s like the chapter title said; this is basically him fighting all-out, and it’s a sight to see.)

also, as cool as the mask was, this just feels right. like, we had our fun, now let us see his face, yes good

anyway, I think this was a good start towards establishing What’s Up With Deku Right Now! so if it’s all the same to Horikoshi, I would next like to take some time to explore Why’s Up With Deku. that, and What’s Up With Everyone Else, Especially Kacchan. por favor

[absolutepokemontrash]

The Brothers and Side Characters Play Ticket To Ride

Guess who just had a family game night and decided this would be a good idea? Meeeeee!

Last Minute Road/Track Buyer (Lucifer)

This smug son of a bitch doesn’t even complete his trip cards. He just amasses a massive deck of cards and then buys all of the five and six roads, effectively messing up everyone’s strategies.

Luci would have a good poker face if it weren’t for how giddy he gets when he sees the hope drain from his opponents faces as he takes the coveted fifteen point six road.

His main colour is black because he’s an emo bitch.

Lucifer can and Lucifer will take that two road you need to connect your trains, thus ruining everyone’s lives.

He basks in the chaos and rage like a god before Beel tells him that he’s eaten all the game night chips.

He’ll win sometimes, but his lack of trip cards will often be his downfall. Lucifer is just here to fuck everyone over.

FUCK YOU! DON’T YOU DARE TAKE THAT CARD- (Mammon)

Mammon’s greedy little heart sank when he heard that Monopoly had been passed over for family game night, but he caught onto the rules of Ticket to Ride very quickly.

Being the gambler he is, Mammon’s poker face is completely god-tier… except when he has all the cards needed to make his road or someone else takes the cards he needs.

Levi is often the main culprit and fights have started over this.

He argues with the rules a lot if he thinks they’re stupid, this gives Satan a migraine.

Mammon doesn’t save his cards, the moment he has all the ones he needs, he’s buying his road, which is good at the beginning, but often leads to him ending up with no cards by the end.

He is SO insufferable when he wins, please beat him so we don’t have to hear him gloat like an asshole.

Rule-Whore (Leviathan)

“That’s against the rules!” “You can’t have more than three wild cards in the draw pile!” “You need to take three trip cards!”

…so annoying…

Levi is such a rule whore he’ll try and take the instructions from Satan, which will usually result in Levi getting socked in the jaw.

He mains blue because obviously.

Levi tends to plan out his route ahead of time, but he makes it too obvious and his roads end up getting sniped, thus rendering all the cards he had amassed completely useless.

He gets super iffy about his trains being in perfect formation both on and off the board.

Beat his ass for being annoying.

Ha! I’ve Planned for This- Aw Fuck…(Satan)

You fool, you stupid human, Satan had planned out his route ten years before the first turn even happened!

All he has to do now is- DID LUCIFER JUST SNIPE HIS FUCKING ROAD?!

…he’s cool, he’s calm. He can work around this. Satan just has to get the cards he needs- SON OF A BITCH MAMMON WHY’D YOU TAKE BOTH THE ORANGES?!

Worried about your asshole fellow players not giving you your points? Fret not, Satan has everyone’s points memorized and will adjust accordingly. He’s winning this fair and square.

Satan manages to win pretty frequently solely because he picks up so many trip cards and completes a good chunk of them.

Satan mains green because I said so.

Annoying Spectator (Asmodeus)

For the love of God Asmo, you aren’t even playing! Shut up and go away!

He leans over people’s shoulders and criticizes their choices like the world’s most annoying guardian angel… or demon.

“Pick up red.” “Asmo, piss off.” “I’m just trying to help, Belphie! Look, Mammon’s gone and taken your road!” “I DIDN’T EVEN NEED THAT ONE!”

When Asmo does play, he doesn’t play well at all, he just has the worst luck with cards and has the worst poker face.

If someone just took a card that Asmo needed, they are going to get glared at from across the table.

Almost never wins, but when he does, he’s INSUFFERABLE.

“It’s so nice to have the family together :)” (Beel)

Sweet man is just happy everyone’s together, he’s also happy about the multiple party size bags of chips that are on the table.

Beel builds his roads from point A to point B, no fancy skipping or strategies. This often serves him quite well because he can just shift where he’s going on the fly.

Though, he does get confused on where some of the locations are, he’ll end up accidentally cheating and looking at people’s cards when he leans over to see the whole board to try and find out where TF he’s going.

He tries to complete every trip card he has, and he mostly succeeds at that, buuuuut he never thinks to pick up more, which is his downfall.

He mains red, because Duh.

Overall, Beel’s a surprisingly formidable opponent, his resting bitch face serves him well.

“*Snrk* H-huh? What the fuck… what’d I knock over? Where am I? Whose turn is it?” (Belphie)

This little shit- THIS LITTLE BASTARD FUCKS EVERYTHING UP. He falls asleep and when anyone wakes him up for his turn, he “accidentally” knocks everyone’s trains off the board.

He’s doing terribly. Don’t help him.

Belphie loses motivation the moment someone ruins his carefully formulated plan, and making a new one’s too much work so… *snore*

He takes what he can get with the trip cards, he’ll complete the smaller ones and kind of eyeball the big ones and make it up as he goes along if everything goes to shit.

If Belphie gets bored, he’ll purposefully break the rules just to piss of Levi and Satan. He’s a little goblin…

Belphie wins when he puts the work in… which is never.

…Wait what? (Diavolo)

Diavolo is literally the worst at this game at first. He’s picking up two wild cards when he’s not supposed to, he’s buying roads when it’s not his turn, he somehow messed up the points, ugh…

He gets really confused about the rules, he’ll often interrupt people mid-turn to ask a question that spirals into a long explanation.

But when he finally understands the game… May the demon king have mercy on your souls…

He goes from zero to hero and crushes everyone without fail.

It doesn’t matter if he had shitty luck in the beginning because he’s come back to completely ruin your entire route.

Oh, Solomon needed that road? Too bad. It belongs to Diavolo now. Give him his fucking points.

Peace between the realms can wait, he’s got noobs to pwn.

The Wise Mentor (Barbatos)

Barbatos can see the future, he’s cheating by default.

When he sort of… turns off his powers, people still think he’s cheating because he’s just that good at guessing where people need to go and crushing their hopes and dreams.

Except for Luke. Barbatos is teaching him how to be as brutal a player as he is. He will not crush Luke.

As good a player as Barbatos is, one bad trip card will crush his entire strategy. This may be the one time you hear him swear.

It’s a very quiet “son of a bitch..”

Cheater. Asshole. Fight instigator. (Solomon)

Okay who the fuck invited this guy?

Better question, who the fuck let him be in charge of the cards?

Solomon cheats and lies about it, all with a smile on his face. Think you caught him? No you didn’t.

He peeks at cards before he grabs them, gives people the worst possible ones for what they’re doing, AND he gets potato chip grease all over the cards!

When he’s no my allowed to cheat, Solomon’s only half decent at the game overall. Luck is usually on his side, but sometimes luck isn’t enough.

0/10 kick his shifty ass out.

“No, stop,” *Pulls out popcorn* “Don’t fight, oh no.” (Simeon)

Fucking Simeon… he sits back and watches the fight even though he knows he can stop it.

When he’s playing the actual game, he’s pretty average, but when he gets on a roll, oh boy…

He doesn’t snipe roads on purpose, but he’s gotta get where he’s going. Sorry not sorry, may the good lord bless your loser ass.

Sexy shoulder-man’s poker face isn’t anything special, it’s 5/7 overall.

Simeon’s fatal flaw is that he picks up cards only when he needs them, he doesn’t plan ahead, so it’s super easy to swipe the cards he needs before his turn.

He is nice enough to move everyone’s points for them^.^ so he’s better than the rest of those dirty sinners.

“NO PLEASE I NEED THAT ROAD-” (Luke)

So you know how everyone is an awful person? This is proven whenever the gang plays Ticket to Ride with Luke.

Luke demands/begs that no one takes the roads he needs and almost no one listens.

It’s heartbreaking to watch please give the little angel a hug.

But listen, listen, after a bit, Luke gets scary good at the game and very close to winning. His little victory dance is so fucking cute 10/10.

But oh my… it appears that Luke has one tiny road he needs to connect his trains… it would be a shame if Lucifer just… took that.

Luke gets petty, he just puts his hand over the spot and refuses to move it. This goes on for like five minutes until Levi brings up that it’s not even Lucifer’s turn.

Gasp! Hope! It’s Solomon’s turn- HE TOOK THE FUCKING ROAD.

…betrayal.

Luke’s moving out. He can’t go back to Purgatory Hall. He’s going to become the little Victorian street urchin he was destined to become. He is packing his little rucksack and fleeing from this household.

————

I love family game nights… all of you should get together with your family and your squad and break out some board games. Just not Monopoly. Anything but Monopoly…

[r0zyp0zy0zy]

✾K.E.- Dirty Secret☼✶

Masterlist

Words: 2400

Warnings: oral, masterbation, accidental voyeurism, body worship, Kiri just lusting over you

Pairing: Kirishima Eijiro x FEM!reader

Summary: Kirishima has a dirty secret, and you accidentally find out what it is

Here you are! Hope you like it :) {also I’m posting this on mobile so I hope the formatting isn’t too weird}

===NSFW UNDER THE CUT===

Kirishima Eijiro didn't have very many dirty secrets he didn't tell you about, but this one was a dirty, dirty secret. You, under any and all circumstances, could not know about this particular secret. Period. He felt so ashamed and unmanly about it that he couldn't even tell Bakugo about it.

Kirishima knew you since the first year of UA, and he had taken a liking to you quite quickly. He only realized that he fell hard for you when you nearly got kidnapped along with Bakugo when the LOV attacked at the training camp. That wasn't the main secret, but another secret he was keeping from you nonetheless. Hormones are such a bitch sometimes, and his boy brain, riddled with depression and anxiety, had come to realize that you were very sexually appealing to him. It was actually kinda sad when the soft moans of your name left his lips every other night, but he couldn't help it.

You were just so damn attractive.

Immediately after his sessions, post orgasm clarity haunted his thoughts. He felt so bad about it, and sometimes when the guilt was too much he had to take away his own masturbation rights for a week. He would also give you little (apology) gifts so he wouldn't feel as bad. But he couldn't stop. He tried, he really did, to watch porn. He even matched the actress to your looks! But it didn't work. The horny monsters in his brain weren't fooled.

Being in the dorms was a bit of a hassle. The walls were thin, noise outside his room was eminent, and people tended to barge in whenever they pleased. So it was rare that he would reach down his pants unless it was in the middle of the night when no one was to disturb him. But today, most of the guys were out to the gym (Kirishima liked to call them gym dates, but Bakugo didn't like that all too much), and the corridor outside his room was void of loud noises. He had flaked because he was desperately hard due to his past week of guilt, and he needed relief as soon as he was able.

"Fuck," Kirishima mumbled as he cupped his groin. He pulled up your most recent Instagram post on his phone, and bit his lip.

It didn't matter if you were doing anything suggestive in your photo, because just seeing your face was enough. But holy, this picture was speaking to him on another wavelength. You were on your balcony (the caption was some shit about missing being home), and the sun shone off of your hair. He always loved it when you posted full body photos, or at least his dick did. He swiped through your post, a long whistle leaving his lips when he came across a picture with your tongue out.

Kirishima popped the button on his shorts and dragged down the zipper, giving him some breathing room. He slid down his boxers along with his shorts, letting them pool at his ankles. His cock twitched, drooling clear pre-cum. He wasted no time collecting it on his finger, and he spread it across his glans. A low groan escaped his lips as he impatiently rutted his hips upwards, sending a shiver down his spine.

He scrolled to the next photo, and he choked on a gasp. You were in a two-piece bathing suit, (a rare sight for him), and your hips were accentuated by the high waisted bottoms. Your bikini top was tiny, and your back was arched in a laugh. He quickly screenshotted it, scared that you might archive the post at any moment. He was getting into a nice rhythm, and he balanced his phone on his bedpost. His feet were still tangled with his shorts when he leaned down and rutted against his comforter. His shoulders were touching his mattress and his knees were planted, ass slightly lifted, giving himself enough room to grip his cock in his hand.

"God, fuck, you're so beautiful," he moaned, flicking his wrist. Kirishima didn't process the door opening and he continued to thrust into his hand, letting a guttural moan slip past his lips. He buried his nose into his pillow, and scrunched his eyes shut. "Shit, y/n. Juuust like that, baby."

"K-Kirishima-?" You stuttered, stood frozen at his door with a container of cookies in your hands.

His eyes immediately shot open, connecting with yours in an uncomfortable stare. He swore under his breath, and fumbled to shuffle his quilt around himself, dropping his phone on the floor in the process.

"I— uhm. I just—," Kirishima panicked, reaching for his phone, which was facing up. He prayed to every god that you hadn't seen your face on his screen, and he shut off his phone as quickly as he could. "I'm not a pervert I swear!!"

You laid down the cookies on his desk, and closed the door behind you. "Were you— were you doing what I thought you were doing?"

"D-depends..." he stuttered, "er— yes. I was uh, jerking off..."

"Not that part," you mumbled. "I meant like.. what you were looking at on your phone." Your face was just as flushed as his, and you couldn't believe that you forgot to knock before coming into your crush's room.

Kirishima's face paled in fear, and he scrambled to explain himself, "sorry! I am so sorry, y/n. That was so unmanly of me, a-and I know I don't have the— I know that I can't— I just, ugh. I'm so disgusting for that, and you can hit me as hard as you want. I don't deserve to be a hero—."

"Woah, woah, take a deep breath, Kiri-kun!" you waved your hands at him. "Calm down, don't panic. I'm not gonna run away."

He felt tears wetting his eyelashes, and he took a breath like you said. He realized that he was shaking in embarrassment and fear. He pulled his fingers through his hair and took a few more deep breaths, keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

"I- I just-," Kirishima collected himself, "yes. It's exactly what you think. I get that you probably hate me and everything now—."

"Hey, hey," you interrupted, clamping a hand over his mouth before you could think. "I don't hate you, Kiri. Far from it, actually. I'm honoured that you think I'm attractive enough to, y'know..." you pulled your hand away from his face, and he looked up at you in disbelief and hope.

"T-that was still gross of me..." Kirishima dragged.

"Not really. Well— ok, if it was anyone else it would've been weird," you flushed.

Kirishima looked up at you with round eyes, wishing that meant you liked him back. He couldn't help but steal glances at your lips, and he got reminded that yes, he was in fact still hard. His dick twitched as he thought of you leaning forward and kissing him, straddling his lap.

"I can't think straight right now," Kirishima breathed, imagining you in your bikini in front of him. Oh how he'd run his hands down the sides of your beautiful body...

"That's ok, I wouldn't expect you to," you assured, not really knowing what to do with yourself in this moment. In all honesty, you swelled with pride at the fact that Kirishima, your crush, liked you back. In your Instagram post, you had snuck the last picture in just for him, (even if he didn't know it). You were feeling confident in the photo, and courage ran through your veins.

"How long?" You asked, kneeling in front of Kirishima to lock eyes with him.

"—wha..?" Kiri shook his head to clear away his daydream, blushing hard when he realized your position.

"How long have you been... jerking off to me?" You asked again shyly.

Kirishima choked on his spit, not expecting your question, "uh, probably around the training camp a couple years back..." he said bashfully. He didn't want to mention the part where he saw you in just a towel when he was trying to drag Mineta from the girls' bathing rooms.

"That long, huh?" You giggled nervously. "C-can you show me what you do when you think about me?"

Kirishima's eyebrows shot up into his hairline, and his piercing red eyes locked onto your e/c ones. He nodded shakily, slowly peeling away his blanket. He looked away in embarrassment as he gripped his leaking cock and pumped his length a few times, swallowing his moans. He glanced back over to you through his bangs, and his breath hitched when he saw that your shirt was off. Your bra was mediocre; just a casual black. Kirishima wanted to know if you matched your panties with them, and he squeaked out a groan.

"T-this is ok, right?" You questioned sheepishly, trying not to make direct eye contact with his pretty cock.

"Fuck yeah," the red head whispered, grazing his eyes over your exposed skin. His wandering eyes made you cower a little, and you questioned your bravery.

You slid your hands around your stomach in a movement that was supposed to be unnoticeable, but Kiri grabbed your forearms to pull them away.

"S-sorry!" He panicked, "I just— don't want you to feel embarrassed in front of me. Here, is it ok if we switch positions?"

He smiled once you nodded, and he helped you onto his bed. His cheeks hurt from smiling, but he couldn't stop. He was now sat between your legs, and he gently pulled them apart.

"It's only fair if you get naked too, right?" Kirishima's lip quirked as he ran his hands along your thighs. He slid off your pants/skirt once you agreed, and he gulped anxiously. He had never been this close to you before, and it was nerve wracking. You were so much more gorgeous up close.

Kirishima scooted closer to your pelvis, and he tried to ignore his twitching cock. He focused on leaning up, and he gave you a sweet peck on the lips. You smiled shyly and leaned in again for another, and this time he needily sucked on your lower lip. His hands snaked around to your back, and fiddled with your bra clasp. He didn't want to tear his lips from yours, but he desperately wanted your bra off. Kirishima jumped a bit when he felt your hands on his, and he was about to pull away and apologize. Instead of swatting him away, you gripped the clasp and undid it yourself. He pulled away from the kiss only to watch you teasingly slip the bra straps off of your shoulders. When the piece of clothing hit the floor, he let you guide his big hands to your breasts. He gently squeezed, experimenting with his movements.

Kirishima loved the way you moaned gently at his touch, smiling and biting his lip, "you're so, so beautiful, y/n-chan. I can't believe this is happening..."

"Kiri," you whimpered, "do you really think so?"

"Of course!" He smiled up at you, "even when I just thought of you as a friend a few years ago. But being up close like this, you're even more pretty."

You smiled shakily at Kirishima, and put your hands over his. He leaned closer to kiss you again, finding peace with your lips. His cock jumped, reminding him that he was staining his blanket with pre-cum.

"Fuck, y/n, can I taste you? You smell so good," he growled, looking up at you while fiddling with your underwear. Kiri's cheeks were flushed adorably, and his teeth gently bit his lower lip.

"Please Kiri," you whispered, spreading your legs a little more.

"Call me Eijiro," he said gruffly, pulling down your panties as fast as he could without hurting you. "Please."

"Shit, Eijiro," you gasped as he leaned you back, gliding his fingers over your folds. He gave you a soft kiss before going back down and licking a stripe up your heat, flicking your clit a few times.

"Goddamn you taste so much better than I imagined, babe," he grinned up at you, sliding one of his fingers inside of your flower. He added another one quickly after, enjoying your pleased moans immensely. He suckled on your clit harshly, burring his face deeper between your legs.

"E-eiji," you whimpered, gripping the roots of his hair tightly, pulling him closer as you desperately ground your pelvis against his tongue. Your face was buzzing with warmth, and your mouth couldn't be kept shut. "Please, please that feels so good~."

"Yeah, you like that, babe?" Eijiro grumbled, "does my beautiful girl feel good because of this tongue? Yeah, fuck y/n you taste so good," he growled against your pussy, fingers still shoving in and out of your sopping hole, "god, your noises sound so fucking cute."

"Hah~," you cried loudly, legs shaking and clenching as Kiri ravished your cunt. "E-eij-Eijiro! Oh shit, Eiji I'm so c-close!"

"Mmmph," he growled louder. "Come on, babe, you can do it, cum around my fingers whenever you're ready. Fuck you're so beautiful like this."

You sobbed out his name again, blubbering 'please' and 'more' until he couldn't understand a word you were saying. "Ooh, fuckfuckfuckkk, please Eiji I'm gonna— I'm so— hah- so close!"

His head span in a rush of hormones, and he moaned harshly against your clit, pulling you over the edge with another cry leaving your lips. His slurps got quieter, and he slowed to a stop, beaming ear-to-ear at the obvious pleasure he caused you. "Holy shit, y/n. You ok? Was that good?"

"Yesss~," you groaned, limp against his mattress. "I don't think I'm gonna be able to walk for the next few hours."

"Well good thing I'm here to take care of you," Kiri leaned over you to kiss your lips, and helped you sit up. He offered you some water from his bottle, guiding your shaky hands to the cup.

"That was the best orgasm I've ever had, I swear," you sighed contently. "Give me a few and I'll help you out."

"Uh, I kinda already... dealt with it," Kirishima blushed, and you looked down to see his crumbled quilt with a puddle of semen on it. "Sorry.."

"Hm, don't be," you replied nuzzling into him. "I'll return the favour sometime soon."

[flying-nightwing]

Double Cross (Jason Todd)

Hi people! So this is my little project I was talking about. A sudden blurb of inspiration led me to this and uh. Here it is! Once again, this is super experimental so yeah idk about its potential. You’ll be the judge of that I guess

This time I worked on time jumps back and forth and perspectives, so let me know how it turned out!

Masterlist in bio/pinned!

Pairing: Jason Todd x gender neutral!reader

Word count: 6937

Warnings: swearing, uhhh idk it’s dc so you know what you’re into 

-- 36 hours ago --

Your heart was beating hard against your ribcage as you flew down Washington DC's streets. Your motorcycle was burning under you, and you had a feeling you were on the clock to get off of this ticking time bomb before it exploded and brought you down with it. The bullet holes broke the black paint, decorating your bike in a way that flagged unwanted attention. About six blocks ago, unmarked cars had joined your fast paced parade across the city.

A terrible mistake, all of this was. That was certain. 

You took a sharp right, your knee scraping on the asphalt on the way. An infernal noise came out of your bike, but you still willed it to accelerate on the straight alley. You shot back on the main roads like a bullet, swerving around the black police car that had tried to cut you off. But soon enough, you saw the blockade on the street in front of you. You could never jump it with your bike so in disarray, and there were no viable alleys to sneak into. You shut your eyes tight for a moment, then exhaled.

"I'm sorry Jason" You muttered to yourself. "But you left me no choice"

With a firm grip, you pressed the brakes and came to a stop a fair distance from the blockade. You turned off your bike and kicked the foot to hold it up, slowly getting off and pulling your hands up. Shouts erupted around you as the police mobilised themselves in tight formations, guns up and ready to shoot. With one hand up, you undid your tinted black helmet and let it fall to the ground. 

"On your knees!" An officer shouted as he approached. "Keep your hands where I can see them"

You complied.

-- Now --

The white of the neons glaring down on you made your already tired eyes hurt, saturating your vision with a harsh and constant flash of light. You were left alone with a room temperature glass of water on your left and your own reflection on your right. You couldn’t hear them, but you knew they were there, observing you. Instead, all you could see was the dark bags under your eyes and your messy greasy hair. 

You perked up when two men in suits came in by the door in front of you, thin files in their hands and calculating glances. They were nicely dressed, one with a gray suit and the other, black. Both suits were obviously tailored to them. They sat down in front of you and observed you before the one in the gray suit spoke. Dark hair, blue eyes, taller than the other, maybe around six feet.

“Good morning, Agent”

You only nodded, looking down to the table. 

“My name is Agent Baker,” He said. “My colleague here is Agent Tanev. We will proceed to your debriefing”

“Sure” You nodded again.

Agent Baker set a recording device on the desk and turned it on. “Please tell us again why you are here today”

“I am--” You paused, clearing your throat. “I am here today to deliver crucial information on a wanted criminal in exchange for a pardon” 

“Which wanted criminal should that be?”

“The Red Hood” You said, meeting his eyes. “I have names of associates, safe houses locations, frequent territories of operation as well as his specific m.o.”

“How come you know all of this?” He asked, his voice neutral. “No seasoned agent has ever managed to get this close to him, let alone a rookie. We want to know how you gained his trust, start from the beginning, spare no details. Leave nothing out”

“I met the Red Hood during operation 7381 in northern Lithuania” You began as Agent Tanev started to take notes. “I was in the back up team for the extraction of General Kradiev from a local opposant group. I wasn’t supposed to even see action, as it should have been simple enough against an untrained mob, but when is it ever…”

They had known you were coming. A whole grab and go operation had been compromised by the feeling of invincibility of the CIA, that looked down so much on whoever they went against that they never stopped to think that maybe--maybe--they were prepared.

So when the Alpha team stormed the country house where the General was supposed to be kept and found it empty, all action plans were thrown out the window. The Beta team was mobilised to close off all the roads surrounding the area and to search for the hostage. You were ordered to search a single decaying house in between two pine trees because the structure was so old, so  nobody could have ever been hiding in its debris. However, as you were leaving, you heard whimpers coming from the cellar a few feet away from the foundations. Carefully, you made your way to the wooden doors on the ground, and after making sure your magazine was full and the safe of your semi automatic off, you kicked the doors open and raced down the stairs.

“Don’t move or I’ll blow your head off” You yelled, pointing your gun at the first person you saw. It was clearly a man, wearing a bright red helmet that shone under the single lightbulb hanging down from the ceiling. He slowly held up his hands, but he didn’t seem so bothered. Your eyes found another man next, tied to a chair and wearing a bag on his head. The military uniform was a dead giveaway of his identity, so you returned your full attention to the red helmet guy. “You’re going to back up and face the wall now”

“Or what?” He challenged. “You’ll ‘blow my head off’?”

“Shut up!” You barked, taking a step forward. Your firearm was ready to shoot. “Do as I fucking say”

“You’re CIA uh?” He changed the subject, looking down at your marked bulletproof vest and not listening to you. In fact, he didn’t seem worried at all by the situation he was in. “Should have known. You guys have never cared who lived or died. What fucking difference does it make, as long as they’re good pals with the good ol’ US of A right?”

“God would you just fucking shut up and back up” You were getting impatient, but also nervous. You were alone without backup, with a guy in a red helmet who was clearly taunting you, and you had never shot anyone before. It was your first oversea mission, and already it was fucking catastrophic.

“See, that’s the thing” He held a finger up. “You’re pointing a gun at me like I’m the bad guy, while you are trying to rescue the scum of humanity. You’re going to extract him, give him a nice long life on Florida’s golf courses with the taxpayers' money and wipe out from History the mass graves in the woods two miles away”

You remained silent.

“Oh, did you not know about the mass graves?” He asked rhetorically in a mocking tone. “Your friend here decided he wanted to test the new shipment of automatic weapons, because their bullets per minute capacity had been expanded. And what better targets than the group of students that opposed the american military presence in the country? The youngest was 16 and her name was Vera Beliskava. Isn’t that right, Kradiev?”

He pulled the hood from the general to reveal his bloodied and bruised face. He had been gagged and beaten, that was obvious. He looked at you, pleading. 

“You’re the only one who saw” The man in red said, softer this time. “You don’t have to save that piece of trash. Just say your search came up empty and I’ll make him disappear from the Earth's face permanently without leaving so much as a trace. Nobody else will know, and you will go to sleep knowing you made the world a better place”

You took a breath, a million thoughts running into your head. Who was that guy? Why was he here? Why did he not attack you, while he clearly had a handgun strapped on his thigh? Could he be right about Kradiev? You knew he didn’t have the cleanest record concerning human rights, but mass graves? 

“Beta team, report”

You both froze as your comm broke the silence. He gave you a challenging look as you were still debating. You wanted to do good, that’s why you went into the secret services. Being complicit in mass murder wasn’t something you signed up on. 

“Nothing to report on the north road”

“Clear in the valley”

“Farmer’s house empty”

“No traffic on the south road”

You knew it was your turn now. Slowly, you reached for your comm, not breaking eye contact.

“Pinetree house’s clear” You spoke in a flat line, decided and direct as you lowered your gun. You shut down your comm and glanced at Kradiev, whose relief morphed into fear once again as your decision registered. You averted your eyes. 

“You made the right choice”

“I hope so, or I’m dead” You mumbled. “I’m going back now. Don’t make me regret my decision”

“You won’t”

“So just to be clear,” Agent Baker frowned. “You just… Believed him? And you let General Kradiev in his hands?”

“When I left, I went to check, and the graves were there. Kradiev was guilty”

“That was not your decision to make” He pointed out.

“I know” You sighed. “That was my first mistake. I-- I lost it for a moment. He mentioned the graves and the victims and there were so many people the same age as them I could think about and I decided with my feelings rather than my judgement. And I’m paying the price today”

“Alright” He mumbled, passing a hand on his face like he was already done with this debriefing. “When did you cross paths with him again?”

“We were back in America” You continued. “By that time, I was no longer on training wheels. It was a little more than a year later, in Newport Oregon during operation 9004. We were busting a trans pacific drug dealer on the docks when we got unexpected company…”

You were running as well as you could through the maze of freight containers on the docks, trying to push back the pain of the bullet in your leg. You had drawn the fire of the hired gang so your colleagues could proceed, but things went down the drain when you were met with heavier fire than the briefing stated. Outnumbered and outran, you stopped in your tracks and closed your eyes, taking a deep breath. You wouldn’t go out as a coward, that was certain. If you went down, you’d take as many of them as you could with you. 

You reopened your eyes and checked the magazine of your gun, letting it drop on the ground and pushing a full one in. You loaded and clicked the safe off, flexing your fingers on the handle as footsteps surrounded you. You spun around and pulled the trigger, but before the bullet even reached your target, two men dropped on his side. 

You weren’t the only shooter. 

Thinking it was backup from your team, you allowed yourself to back up against a container, trying to stop the bleeding. You were starting to feel light headed, but you still had a bit more fight in you. Soon enough, all hostiles were down, and you were in for a surprise. Instead of the black uniform of your colleagues, you looked up to a red bat, a leather jacket and a familiar red helmet. You squinted your eyes and let out a chuckle of disbelief.

“Do I even wanna know?” You asked.

“I owed you one” He shrugged. “You okay?”

You looked down to your leg, your pants soaked in blood that was already cooling, then back up again. “Peachy” You gave him a thumbs up. “You were right about Kradiev. He was a fucking trash bag”

“It’s often the case” He said as he rested his hands on his hips. 

“You here for Hiko?”

“Yep” He nodded, then snorted derisively. “Any tips?”

Ever since Kradiev, you have developed a habit of researching your target better. Most of the time, it was a capture or an execution on site, so it didn’t matter the extent of their crimes. But there were moments when you were extracting the package without knowing what came next, and those times usually meant they’ll make them disappear under a new identity, without giving them any repercussion for their actions. This one, Hiko, was the later case, without any plan revealed for when you get him back. He was a known drug trafficker, but he was also rumored to smuggle people back and forth between Asia and North America through the docks he owned. The Red Hood’s appearance was well timed, to say the least. 

“Sneak past the squad through the east” You panted. “If you can move on top of the containers without being seen or heard, you’ll cut them off with about two minutes to spare. Make sure you’re gone with Hiko when they bust through the door, or neither of us will ever find him again”

He paused, studying you. “Thanks…” He trailed off. “Why are you telling me this again?”

“Well, you said it yourself” You managed to smirk. “If I can go to sleep knowing I made the world a better place”

He didn’t answer with anything else but a quick nod before he climbed the containers and disappeared from your field of vision. You sighed, then reached for your comm. “Alpha 003 to central, I’m down and need medical attention, Northwest entry of the docks”

“So if I understand correctly, not only you let him go again,” Baker exhaled, looking bewildered. “But you told him how to get there first? You realize those are becoming serious crimes right?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t” You snapped, before recomposing yourself. Both agents had backed away just a little at your outburst. You sighed, running a hand through your hair. “Sorry. I’m just tired, it’s been a crazy last two days” 

“Did he offer you any medical help then?” Baker returned on topic. 

“No, I called the medics and I was extracted with the chopper” You replied. “I knew he was there for Hiko, not for me. It was a coincidence we crossed paths, and at that point I thought it was the last time I’d see him. I mean, what are the chances, right? But you see, that here was my second mistake”

“How so?”

“The CIA goes after threats to national security, but so does he, in his own way” You said, locking eyes with Baker. “The guy’s everywhere, even where we don’t go. And he’s at least three steps ahead of us at any turn. He has good funds, good intel and exceptional skills. You don’t find him, he finds you. And that’s what he did”

“He contacted you after the affair on the docks?��� He raised an eyebrow.

“We could say that...”

You finished washing your tea cup when you heard a thud coming in from your living room. Slowly, you grabbed the gun hidden in your cupboard and held it up, quietly making your way to the next room. You rounded the corner and pointed your gun to the man standing with his back to you, registering his identity as he turned around. You must have been a sight in your baby pink pajama shorts and mismatching turquoise tank top, pointing your handgun to a man in a shiny red helmet. 

You scoffed and lowered your gun, clicking the safe back on and putting the firearm on the lamp table. “Breaking and entering, really?”

“Wouldn’t be the worst crime I’ve committed” He shrugged, and you could just imagine him rolling his eyes, whoever he was under that helmet. 

“What are you doing here?” You asked, crossing your arms against your chest. “How did you find me?”

“Like I find anyone” He answered like it was the simplest of evidence. You waited for him to continue, but he seemed to have no intention to reveal his methods. This time, you rolled your eyes. “And I’m here because I wanted to check on your leg”

“No you’re not” You snorted. He would have come months ago if it was about that, and even then, the little you knew about him told you he was not the kind to just check upon people who didn’t mean anything to him. “But I’m doing fine, thanks”

“You’re welcome” He nodded. “And you’re right. I need something from you”

“Well, go ahead, since you’re already in” You gestured at him to go on.

“Wait wait wait” Baker held his hand up. “He broke into your house and you just let him? You put your gun down and didn’t call anyone?”

“Yeah, that’s what I just said” You replied slowly. 

“And it never occured to you that he was dangerous?”

You paused, thinking your answer over. “No, it didn’t. I mean, if he wanted to get rid of me, he would have done it on the docks where I was an easy target”

“Fair point” Tanev muttered under his breath, earning him a glare from Baker. 

“Now do you want to know what happened or not?” You said, annoyed at the interruption.

“Please, go ahead”

He reached inside his jacket and handed you a file. You took it and opened it, staring at the picture and the description beside it. “This is Ian Markstrom, he has been suspected to kidnap young women, mostly tourists, to sell them on the sex trafficking market” He began. “Not only is he friends with your big bosses, but those who were brave enough to try and get him locked up never got anything to stick, and that was the best case scenario. The others either disappeared or ended up dead, so I’m assuming someone in this government does not want Markstrom to stop”

You nodded. “What can I do for you?”

“There’s a secret auction strictly reserved for the elite, Markstrom will sell his best teenagers there” He explained, a hint of disgust in his voice. “The CIA chief of operation received an invitation. I want to know what it says on the card”

“I’m not sure I’m good enough to reach anywhere near it” You mumbled. “But sure, I’ll try”

“No, I believe in you” He said, and he seemed pretty sure of himself. You raised an eyebrow to hide your surprise at his compliment. “What I’m wondering though, is why you’re not asking questions”

“Well, you are two in two so far about targeting the bad guy” You said after a moment. “You seem qualified to spot ‘em, and you’d be real twisted to to make up that scenario for a petty revenge, so I’m guessing you’re on the mark again”

“Huh. You might just be the only smart CIA agent I’ve ever met”

You snorted. “Well, the more it goes the more I’m questioning the integrity of my employer”

“You keep impressing me” 

“With what I saw, I believe the bar was pretty low to start with”

“Keep talking like this and I might need a cold shower”

“You’re an ass, you know that?” 

He let out a short bark of laughter. “If only you knew”

“I’ll do my best for the invitation” You brought him back on topic, closing the file and putting it beside your handgun. “How can I contact you if I get it?”

He paused, then took a step forward and grabbed your wrist. He fetched a pen from his jacket and wrote a number. “This is a burner phone, which I will destroy after this whole deal. Don’t try and trace me with that, it won’t end well for you”

“Yeah yeah” You rolled your eyes, pulling back your arm when he was done. You cleared your throat, trying to ignore his overwhelming proximity. “I gave you two fast passes just to trick you into seeking my help to finally bag you, I’m busted”

“Hey, listen” He backed up, holding his hand in surrender. “I make that threat to everyone. It’s only a disclosure thing, I didn’t doubt your motivation”

“To each their own I guess” You shrugged. “Alright. If this is all, please get out of my apartment”

“Oop, sure”

Baker blinked slowly. “And did you? Communicate him the details?”

“Yeah” You nodded. “I managed to get into the chief of operation’s office, break into his safe, memorize the date, time and place of the auction and communicate it to Red”

“Red?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Short for Red Hood” Tanev clarified, and judging by yet another glare from Baker, he wouldn’t speak anytime soon.  

“He kept it on the quiet, but after that the chief of operation did seem a changed man” You smirked, before dropping it instantly. “And I didn’t hear anything from Markstrom, it was like he disappeared for good, which he most likely did. So I guess the Red Hood succeeded in taking him down”

“Jesus Christ” He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Why do I have the feeling it wasn’t the last law you broke?”

“Because it wasn’t”

“Are you going to make a habit out of dropping out of nowhere to ask me for favors?”

This time, you knew who had broken into your property without even looking. You put the keys into your car and turned the engine on, trying to warm yourself. The Red Hood pulled himself upright from your backseat, shaking his head.

“Your car is very comfortable,” He declared. “You have good taste”

“So that means yes”

“Back at it again with your superior deduction skills” 

“What do you want?” You went straight to the point, but you were just a little amused. You could have a worst stalker. 

“I’ve been thinking this through,” He began, moved his legs so he was properly seated on the backseat. “You are skilled and you’ve got balls of steel. I could use your help more often. A partnership, if you might”

“Why do I have the feeling it took a lot to admit that and reach out?” 

“Because I don’t just trust people” He said plainly. “They disappoint me, among other things”

“So why me?”

“Like I said, skills and balls of steel” He repeated. “You went against the fucking CIA not once, not twice but thrice to do the right thing. That’s enough of a test of will for me. And besides, your job would be an advantage that is hard to turn away”

“Makes sense” You mumbled as you put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking spot. He buckled his belt like it was a reflex. “Will this partnership imply me shooting bad guys?”

“If that’s what you wish for” He shrugged, leaning forward in the space between the two front seats. “I won’t be the one to limit you”

“Okay, yeah” You nodded. “Where do we start?”

Baker was looking into nothing, processing your words. He shook his head slowly in disbelief before he met your glance. “I shouldn’t be surprised” He spoke after a moment. “But this is Everest high levels of stupid”

“At that time it did seem like a good idea” 

“Yeah, might as well jump off of a bridge…” He trailed off, eying you suspiciously. “Did you do that too?”

“Well, if we consider the time when--”

“You know what, don’t tell me” He cut you off. “Please go on”

“Alright” You held your hands up in surrender. “So, where was I?”

You and the Red Hood operated on the field like a well oiled machine. Your expertise and contacts with the CIA helped him get into places way more easily than alone, and your somewhat reckless ways were compatible with his mode of operation. You knew who he was as well, you found out after he nonchalantly took off his helmet after a stakeout. You had not been prepared for what you saw then, when you were faced with what you could qualify with the most beautiful man you had ever seen. 

“Hey, you okay?” He waved a hand in your face, making you snap out your daze. You blinked a few times, shaking it off.

“Yeah” You replied. “I just wasn’t expecting this”

“Expecting what?”

“I mean, the helmet did give disfiguration vibes… Obviously I was wrong” 

“So you think I’m hot then?” He snorted derisively.

“I do” 

His head did a whiplash. “Huh?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable” You backed away. “Sometimes my filter doesn’t work”

“No it’s--” He tried to find his words, then sighed. “I’m just not used to that, I guess”

“What’s the point of this?” Baker groaned, his head in his hands. 

“It’s a turning point that brought me here today” You explained, turning your palm up briefly. “You asked for details, I’m giving you details”

“I kinda wanna know what went down, to be honest” Tanev added sheepishly.

“Tanev, I’m going to drive you through the mirror if you do not shut up”

“Jeez sorry” He mumbled.

“As I was saying”

That day was the moment things changed in your relationship. There was this tension that hadn’t been there before, the little brushes of hands when you were side by side, the staring at the other while they weren’t looking, the unspoken invitations to stay a moment longer after a mission for a cigarette and a good conversation. He was one of a kind, you had to give that to him. He was passionate, driven, smart in a way that told you he never really had it easy but always made it work somehow; the way he always thought of the less obvious way to do things, how even his messes seemed calculated. 

It was raining in Chicago and the air was crisp. Your muscles ached from the fight in that warehouse against drug lords that enrolled kids in their schemes, that and from the unforgiving cold of January. You had one too many whiskeys back in that little studio flat he rented under a false name, and it led you straight to his bed. Trying to find warmth, trying to find a connection, it didn’t matter why, as long as you were as close as humanly possible to him. 

And it didn’t stop there. The night after, and the night after that, always in his company past the business hours. Your chemistry translated way beyond the field, for you found him in a partner in more ways than one. You grew quickly to feel love for him, more than you had ever felt for anyone. The number of times you woke up naked and tangled with him--

“Okay I don’t need to know this-- I do NOT need to know this” Baker yelled. If he could have flipped shit from the table, you’re sure he would have. 

“You told me to spare no details!” You argued. “This is a detail. I’m being as thorough as I can”

“You know what-- Forget it” He brushed his hand in the air aggressively. “Just get to the part we have interest in, for God’s sake please just skip to that”

“Okay, okay” You muttered, rolled your eyes. “It went well for the first months or so, it was great. Nothing to say on that front, I was happy and fulfilled in this new englobing partnership we had going on. That was my third mistake, to get into that kind of involvement with him. Because then, like all good things must come to an end, mine slowly began crumbling down in my hands”

“Okay” He sighed, half in relief. “Tell me more about that”

“Well, he started to show his true colors” You admitted, pulling your hands under the table. “Sometimes, he became something else. Something dark. And sometimes became most of the time, but I was too in love to see it. He became manipulative, controlling. He was everywhere, in everything I did. It’s like I didn’t even have control on my life anymore…”

“Where do you wanna eat?”

You looked away from the car window, your feet comfortably up on the dash. You took a deep breath and shrugged. “Dunno, where do you wanna eat?”

“Don’t really care” He shrugged too. “You decide”

“What about chipotle?”

“Sure” He nodded. “Chipotle sounds good”

Tanev shook his head sympathetically. “He wouldn’t even let you choose a restaurant?”

“Never” You looked down, sadness weighing your voice. 

“I’m so sorry you had to live through that”

“Thank you” 

“Alright, moving on” Baker broke the moment. “What happened next?”

“Next? Next came what comes every time in screwed up relationships” You answered, returning your hands on the table and crossing your fingers. “We burned like a meteorite as it tears through the atmosphere, falling to our demise to high velocity and taking everything in our wake”

“That was poetic” He pointed out sarcastically. “What the fuck does it mean?”

You raised an eyebrow. “We got dangerous for real, Agent Baker” You paused to take a reserved sip of the water. “If you thought I was reckless before, you’ll need to reevaluate your scale. I was in for real. I was his battle horse, his wildcard, his whatever that he needed to succeed. And I was good at it. The worst was, I didn’t even realize he used me as a smoke screen. He put me more and more often in fucked up situations that were way more dangerous for me than him, and I was naive enough to think it was love”

“No. This is not up for discussion”

You stared at him in disbelief. “You said you would let me choose--”

“I said I would let you choose, not let yourself get killed” He interrupted, slightly raising his voice. “This plan of yours is stupid dangerous. If it backfires, you are almost guaranteed of not making it out free, or alive for that matter. I’m not allowing you to take that risk. Not for me.”

“Again, ‘if’ being the keyword” You insisted, following him as he stomped out of the storage room. “I am capable of executing it flawlessly. I know I am, you’ve always told me I am”

He halted his steps, hesitantly turning to face you. His eyes softened as he sighed, taking your hand. “I know you can, it’s not about that” His voice was back down, even lower than his usual volume. “I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you for something I dragged you into in the first place, I would never forgive myself”

You closed your eyes and rested your forehead on his. “Okay” You finally said, nodding lightly. “We’ll find another way. Another plan. But we’re hitting that ball out of the park either way, I won’t let Preston get away with it”

He smiled. “Oh no, we won't indeed” He kissed the top of your head. “We’ll get him one way or another, I promise”

“I almost feel sorry for you now, Agent” Baker gulped. “I cannot begin to imagine what terrible things the Red Hood forced you to do under his manipulation. We however must continue this debriefing”

“Of course” You nodded quickly, breathing deeply. “So we planned our next move, but he wouldn’t tell me the final target. I found it weird, he always told me the targets. I don’t know, maybe he sensed I was trying to find a way out”

“And that plan was…”

“Yes” You didn’t have to let him finish his trailing thoughts, you knew what he was getting at. “So this brings us to 36 hours ago”

“Be as thorough as you can” 

“So the Red Hood gave me those instructions to follow” You began. “I was to draw the attention of the authorities to me in a city wide chase. Now, I am rather good with a bike, that I won’t hide, but outrunning police and secret services? That was impossible. I still don’t know how they got there, but it saved me. He would have never dared to come into the melee to get me back, and risk getting caught”

“Was he not afraid you’d talk to us?” Baker asked. “That was a pretty big gamble”

“He thought I wouldn’t talk I guess, probably for the same reasons I stayed with him for all this time” You said, biting the inside of your cheek until it bled. You hated to think about these words. “Because I believed I loved him”

“I guess that wouldn’t be too far fetched” He hummed. “Wouldn’t be the first time we saw it happen”

You nodded, remaining silent. Baker made eye contact with Tanev, then looked into the reflecting glass. He took a deep breath and returned his attention to you. 

“We are going to get you back to the holding cell while we process this information” He said. “But once we do that, you’ll be free, and with a new identity if you wish, as your agreement states”

“Thank you” 

“Just one more thing before we wrap this debriefing” He leaned forward. “You must know his name"

“Of course” 

“Then what is it?” He asked. “What is the Red Hood’s name?”

You looked down, taking a deep breath, then back again, locking eyes with Baker. Then, you spoke. 

-- 36 hours later --

The sunset over the valley was gorgeous. The mixes of pink and orange on the yellowed sky was straight out of a fantasy world, and Jason couldn’t help but appreciate the scenery. It was soothing, like it could swallow up his anxiety at least for a minute or two. He leaned on the wooden ramp, the sightseeing roadside station seeming not so cheesy at the moment.

He only tore his eyes from the burning sun when he heard a motorcycle approach from behind. He pushed himself off the ramp and faced the sleek black bike--the lack of use on it showing him it was brand new--then, the driver with a black tinted visor. 

You took off your helmet and smiled at Jason’s stern expression, whose eyes showed relief anyway. You turned off your bike and parked it, then got off and walked to him. 

“What the hell were you thinking?” 

You walked past him and leaned on the ramp he had been on moments ago, and he joined you. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered you one. He lit up both with his lighter, and you took a long draft before speaking. 

“A simple ‘thank you’ would suffice” You smirked, bumping your shoulder to his. “I did save your sweet ass, after all”

“I thought we agreed not to do that” He glanced at you sideways. His annoyance was also mixed with playful disbelief, like he both wanted to throw you off the cliff you were admiring the view from and do celebratory shots with you. 

“We did” You nodded, chuckling. “But circumstances changed. You weren’t out by the time I reached the monument, so I had to draw them away from you, or we would not be having this conversation. ”

“Still” He tilted his head to the side, before his head snapped in your direction. “Wait, did you call the secret services after yourself?”

You shrugged half heartedly. “Mayhaps” Your lips curved upward, while he shook his head. “I mean, it kinda was my fault too. I misplaced the bomb and it barely detonated. I had to flip to plan B, then they shot my bike. They had me surrounded, and my it was running low on life, so I skipped directly to plan fuck this”

“So you gave yourself up”

"Played the victim, pretended I wanted to exchange information on you for my freedom” You sighed, taking a drag of your cigarette. “None of which was relevant enough for them to even get close to you, worry not”

“They must have asked for a name” He hummed, now turning his full body toward you. “What did you tell them?”

“My grandpa’s name” You snorted. “He died two decades ago. Let me tell you, when they found out the last update on him was in the necrology of the 2001 Sunday paper, they were not happy campers”

“Then how did you get out?” He squinted his eyes.

“Oh, do not underestimate me, sweetheart” You grinned. “I’ve spent my whole career getting to know the buildings and the procedures for people like me. It was a piece of cake”

You were escorted out the interrogation room and into the small, yet cozy holding cell. You were on the clock, because the lies you’ve slipped into your story would unravel pretty quickly once they discovered that the name you gave them was a farce. Then, you wouldn’t be put in a minimal security room, but probably somewhere way less fun. 

“Hey wait” You called after the guard before he could close the cell door behind you. He paused his actions, waiting for you to speak up. “This wasn’t there last time”

He frowned and took a few steps into the cell, trying to spot over your shoulder whatever you were talking about. When he didn’t see it, he got closer and closer until he was all the way into the cell. “What wasn’t there before?” He asked, annoyed. 

You smiled. “You” 

With a quick jab of your elbow behind his head, he fell down unconscious on the floor. You grabbed his keycard and exited the cell, locking the guard in. You winked at the camera on the upper left corner of the hallway and made your way down to the garages as the alarms blared through the whole building. That meant it entered lockdown, closing all the escape routes. But you had your own fool proof plan.

Agent Baker began swearing when the hallway was plunged into the red glow of the lockdown alert. It hadn’t taken long for him to figure out you had led them in circles, and he had appeared a fool in front of his colleagues when he proudly revealed the name of a long deceased old man instead of anything tangible. He had been on his way to your cell when he realized the depth of this foolery, understanding you had been stalling them for this opportunity. 

“Sir, we are reporting engine noises in the garages”

“Fuck” Baker shouted, pushing the other man aside. Tanev was a step behind, his weapon drawn. They had stored your bike there, you must have gone back for it. “All units report to the garage, we’re having a break out. I repeat, all units to the garages”

They all flocked to the lower levels, ready to enforce the barrages at the doors and trap you with no exit. It was an excellent execution of emergency measures, but they definitely weren’t prepared for what came next. As they kicked the storage unit of your motorcycle, they came face to face with the bullet ridden bike with no driver in sight. Baker lowered his gun, squinting his eyes. Then, they widened comically as the dark smoke coming out of it and the strong smell of gasoline registered in his brain.

“Motherfucker” He spat. “Everybody out!” 

Seconds later, it exploded.

“You’re unbelievable” Jason scoffed, shaking his head. However, he now had a full blown grin to match yours. “I gotta give it to you though, blowing up your bike as a distraction was smart. Balls of fucking steel”

“Of course it was!” You replied, then reached in your pocket for your phone. “And it’s not even the best part, look”

You unlocked your phone and passed it to him, showing him your most recent picture of the CIA’s chief of operation dead with a letter opener through his neck. His eyes widened. “You got Preston?”

You turned around from your position, now leaning back on the ramp with your elbows resting on it. “The bike opened a window big enough for me to get the target” You said, finishing your cigarette and disposing of it in the ash bin on your right. “And with all those idiots guarding an empty garage, t’was easy enough”

“After all this time, you’re still impressing me” He nodded, holding up his fist. “Good fucking job”

You bumped your fist sideway with his, laughing at his baffled expression. The sky was getting darker and darker by the minute, but the air was still warm. You could hear the crickets in the high grass, and the silence was a peaceful one. You could admit that you had cut it close this time, that this gamble could have very well turned to shit, so you just took a moment to let the pressure slip away from your muscles, at least for now. You had the time to smoke another cigarette before you spoke.

“So now what?” You hummed, looking up to the bright stars above your head. “Markstrom’s ring is no more, and I’m pretty sure I not only lost my job by pulling that stunt, but also bought myself a ticket on at least three intelligence services’ most wanted list”

“Well, that’s nothing a good ol’ fake death can’t fix” He shrugged. “But until we find the right moment for your tragic public demise, I’m sure we can manage to find on our own some domestic assholes to beat up. What do you say?”

You met eyes with him, then raised your eyebrows. “I say let’s get to it”

[weilongfu]

Wei Watches HIStory 4: CTY Ep 3

Okay back to this format because I'm sorry I keep clogging dashes, not tagging, and I'm sick of Tumblr saying I'm my own biggest fan (based on reblogs), I don't need that kind of self importance. (I get it from being DM for D&D games, okay?)

GONNA WARN YOU GUYS. THERE IS DRUNKEN CONSENT TO SEX IN THIS EPISODE. WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS NOT CONSENT.

Picking back up from last week, Licheng and Muren walk in and comment on how close Xingsi and Yongjie are as brothers, commenting on how "serious" their feelings are. Yongjie does properly apologize to Muren at least and Muren comments that at least he does know how to apologize properly.

Simon? So I guess we do the thing now where everyone has English names they occasionally use? Licheng's is something with a W... Wayne or William? Now Xingsi is Simon and he knows a dude named Frank? Yongjie going psycho alert in...

Okay so he doesn't go psycho, yet. But COLD XINGSI. SO FUCKING COLD. You meet up with a friend at the gym and immediately offer him a ride to go get coffee after you JUST offered to drive your brother home? RUDE. BAD GEGE.

At least SOMEONE notices that Yongjie keeps making scary faces at everyone who isn't Xingsi-gege. Xingsi tries to defend him by saying he has an icy demeanor, but Frank went in for the burn by saying it's -30C (I'm assuming Celsius because EVERYWHERE ELSE BUT THE FUCKING USA USES IT).

Frank asks why Xingsi hasn't been to bars lately and I guess he means the gay bars since Xingsi has already told us, the viewers, that he's gay? Xingsi says he's nearly 30 which means it's long past the age for playing around. Xingsi, baby, sweetie, there are plenty of gay men still "playing around" even in their 50s-70s. If you want to be a party gay, you be the best party gay you can be.

Aww... Xingsi says he wants to settle down. Okay, I can respect that because I'm the same. He says he wants someone thick-skinned so they can accompany him to come out to his dad. I mean... okay. The level of IDGAF that Yongjie has qualifies, I guess??? I mean, I think Xingsi would be better off getting with Licheng and Muren because they're both ride or die for him and thick-skinned in their own ways. (Or maybe Licheng is just dense.)

Frank says the requirement of being by Xingsi's side to help him bear burdens and difficulties is too high and Xingsi says he's still hopeful he'll meet the one who can. (XINGSI IT'S ME. I CAN DO IT. LET ME LOVE YOU.)

Was this scene with Licheng hugging Muren from behind until someone sees them supposed to be thiiiiis awkward? I guess so with the comedy music, but at least let it look like there's some chemistry. God. But Licheng is such a fucking himbo, working hard to spread the rumor that he's flirting with Muren.

HAHAHA and it's not working. Apparently the rumors are more that he's bullying Muren. With the expression Muren keeps having of SUPREME ANNOYANCE, I'm not surprised. Meifang's advice is... not great. I would not tell anyone to ask about reactions to flirting IN A GROUP CHAT. I bet she wants him to do it that way just so she can read the replies. GIRL STOP.

Oh, so now Licheng is actually making his move on Meifang by saying he should be "fake boyfriend and girlfriend" with Meifang to see if it makes Muren mad and thus reveals his feelings? The layers of cross/double cross in this plan are dumb. Also Licheng, she's not being shy because of you. She's fantasizing about you and Muren being horizontal BECAUSE of her interference helping you two get together. It's not about you, it's about how she wants to watch.

HAHAHAHA CALLED IT. She wants to know if he's "Number 1 or Number 0" which I guess is a new way to ask if you're gong/shou aka top/bottom. YAWN, girl get over it.

Ugh, typical boys. "EVEN IF THIS IS FAKE, I STILL WANT TO BE NUMBER 1!" We are GOING THROUGH IT this episode guys. See all this writing? I'M ONLY 8 MINUTES IN.

Are we supposed to read how much chemistry Muren and Licheng have in how they keep saying the same thing despite how Xingsi tries to diffuse the situation? Because in this instance, it kind of doesn't work because of the absurdity of the situation.

Aaaaaand we're back to dick measuring. I can't believe they actually asked Xingsi to weigh in. Xingsi had the right reaction, he was like, "PEACE OUT YOU DUMBASSES."

Yongjie decides that for his birthday, he wants to go to the beach with Xingsi. I'm surprised he even tells his parents at all with the level of vitriol he seems to have for them. Yongjie's mom says it's a good idea and they should all go as a family and Yongjie demands to have a private chat with her. Probably to tell her to stay out of the trip and Xingsi's dad says for them not to fight.

Just how did Yongjie's relationship with his mom get like this? I'm honestly curious. It's one thing if Yongjie was very close to his dad. I think they said his dad had the major role in raising him last episode. But it's just... surprising to see. Of course, Asian culture is strongly filial piety based, but it's not impossible to see children with difficult or bad relationships with parents. Still... He's like... really really out there.

(Yongjie is turning 20? So assuming Xingsi is "almost 30" means he's somewhere between 27-29, that's about the age gap I expected.)

The dad is worried about the mom being too strict and mean? DUDE? DO YOU EVEN SEE YOUR OWN STEPSON? I WOULD BE MORE WORRIED THAT YONGJIE WOULD KNIFE HER IN HIS ROOM OR SOMETHING HE'S HAD NO REDEEMING QUALITIES AT ALL YET.

Okay Yongjie's dialogue here is... confusing? First he says he wants Xingsi and his mom calls him crazy, but then Yongjie brings up that he and his mom both saw Xingsi kissing a fellow male college student before Xingsi decided to move out of the family's house and that only Xingsi's dad doesn't know he's gay. Yongjie's mom says even if Xingsi likes men, Yongjie can't force him. Force him to what? Come out? Yingjie says that no one can be like him to defend Xingsi against their dad/stepdad's objections. (Interesting that we're seeing this requirement and fulfillment angle between Xingsi and Yongjie. BUT WE STILL DON'T SEE A REASON TO LIKE YONGJIE!!!) Yongjie says he believes he's the one who will be able to reassure Xingsi's father that Xingsi will be okay with a man, namely him, which will make it easier for him to accept.

So does this mean Yongjie's mom KNOWS that Yongjie has had a THING for Xingsi the entire time? She even says that Yongjie has been playing nice to get Xingsi's dad's trust and went into medicine just to get him to approve. WILD. ABSOLUTELY WILD. This is like... weird imprinting. How young was Yongjie when he decided this? Like... If he found out Xingsi was gay when Xingsi was in college and with their age gap, THIS KID WAS LIKE STILL IN GRADE/MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHAT THE FUCK HISTORY? And Yongjie apparently has been investing and saving up money?! His mom even says he has so much?

I just went back to double check... but he's got more than a million TWD. This is more than $50,000 USD FYI. So... For a 20 yr old, that's not bad. That's a lot more than most average, middle class 20 yr old people have at this time in this economy.

Yongjie is trying to sell his desire to be with Xingsi to his mom as... a plea for his happiness? He tells her to think of Xingsi and how with his "gentle personality" he'll never come out on his own and he'll never settle for marrying a woman just to make everyone happy, so he'll end up dying alone and sad. JFC Yongjie, your brother could still be a party gay and slut it up if he wanted. There's more than one way to be happy.

Yongjie claims he can "feel" that Xingsi likes him. But bro, HE TOLD YOU JUST LAST EPISODE THAT GEGE IS GEGE AND FRIENDS ARE FRIENDS. I don't think that means he wants you to give him the D.

Yongjie says his plan to soothe the father's anger is to transfer it to himself and thus his mom and the dad should not plan on going on the birthday trip. They'll know eventually what he does.

Okay, I'm just going to speculate here that based on the level of TROPE we've had in just these THREE EPISODES (and I'm not even halfway done with the third) that Yongjie is going to confess during his trip. He's going to expect that Xingsi says yes, they're going to get horizontal, Xingsi will still be blushing and happy from the action and they'll go confront the dad. Yongjie will insist in some way that Xingsi is his such that it upsets the dad and the dad gets mad at him for "making" Xingsi gay instead of Xingsi having been gay all along. Thus, anger displaced, Yongjie will make the case that Xingsi can do NO BETTER as Yongjie has plenty of money, a good education and potential career, and how he's clearly "a nice person" because of how he's treated the father all this time. Talk about a long con.

Aaaand we're back to the equivalent of dick measuring during a sales team meeting between Team 1 and 2 (Licheng and Muren respectively). Wow, we got so deep and speculative about Yongjie and then we just... we just swung back to comedy with the idiot pair. Also what is with Licheng's expression in this split screen thing? He doesn't look confident, he looks scared and nervous as all fuck. Like, bro, what are you doing? At least I'm gonna give Muren points here for looking coolly mad and intense. (I reiterate that I'm not super into Muren's looks, but I think his character is alright. But if I had to pick one to have a one night stand with, I'd pick Licheng any day.)

Oh so now we have to give the Licheng/Muren couple conflict? With a shady weirdo? I mean, I guess this is supposed to actually push them together for realsies? Probably shady fucker hits on Muren before Licheng moves in with his "fake" dating Meifang, Licheng punches him out, Muren goes, "oh wow... Licheng really is handsome/manly" and then starts developing feelings?

Xingsi and Yongjie are on their trip now? Yongjie being bold already and asking for a single large bed. He's being really bold discussing it like this in front of the staff though... Like bro chill, you're making your Xingsi-gege uncomfortable. I mean, props to the staff for great customer service, not even batting an eyelash.

They head to the beach and WOW those are short shorts. I mean, maybe it's because I'm Super Modest because I'm also Not Skinny and I want to cover up as much of my fat ass as possible, but like that's a lot of thigh. Not that I mind. I would totally date and love every inch of Xingsi, okay.

HAHAHA when they're approaching the shoreline, why does the water-sand line look so fucking fake?

Classic putting on sunscreen to touch your crush trope. Okay. Fair. You're at the beach. Just don't be creepy Yongjie. Xingsi looks so concerned before looking like he's trying to relax. And then... And then they play kind of sexy music? GUYS WHAT ARE YOU DOING AND I'M NOT EVEN 20 MIN IN. SEND HELP.

Xingsi stopping him to ask if the sunscreen is environmentally friendly? Okay fair. There are some sunscreens where some of the chemical UV blockers are actually not super good for aquatic life.

Yongjie's hand movements and the sexy song are like... not lining up for me. Because Yongjie is being Basic (not that I need to see him try to be sexy) and the R&B tones of the song are like... not working for this scene for me...

OKAY WOW BOLD, flicking Xingsi's nipple like that? Bro, you're being so obvious. Xingsi looks uncomfortable and tells him that's enough and runs away. VALID.

Yongjie is unbothered though and I guess takes it as him being nervous? Wow, why is Xingsi the only one who has to be topless? I mean, not complaining, he's got a nice body. Oh, now Yongjie takes his top off while they start splashing each other. He's not bad either.

OMFG, is Muren... realizing how close he actually is with Licheng right now just because he made extra noodles? He's so ridiculous. And then he doesn't get acknowledged by Licheng when he's leaving and decides to eat both himself. God, so silly.

Licheng has noticed Muren's displeasure and is talking about it with Meifang. I still don't know why you're going to her for advice about anything bro. She doesn't have your best interests at heart. She has HER best interests at heart. Just confess it's all a lie and that you're actually into her so we can get over this mess.

Okay okay, Licheng really does know Muren if this rant is anything to go by. Like I said before, I can see WHY anyone would ship it when they rant about each other like this. But like... There's that half step that's still missing to convince me that there is chemistry. It's weird.

Okay, WOW MEIFANG, you're the reason for rumors because you left your phone somewhere and people spread the photos around? That's really bad. What are they teaching kids these days about security, fandom, and the workplace? Licheng is right though, that no one should just go through your phone. If you find a phone, just find someone to call so you can give it back and that's it. No need to dig through everything on it and ESPECIALLY no need to send yourself any photos you find on it just so you can spread those around.

Oh, so the senior vice president is the creeper huh? I forget that Xingsi doesn't actually own the company. He's just creative director and Licheng and Muren are sales. None of this iron triangle is actually in a huge position of power, even though they're all clearly successful.

But it seems Meifang is laying the seeds for what I suspected will happen. She heard rumors that the creeper (the subs say sexual harassment in association with the VP) will hit on Muren next and says that Licheng should protect him. I mean, just go report him, Licheng. No need to do anything stupidly dramatic and drastic. (But he's a himbo, we all know he's going to do the above.)

Yongjie, back to being rude. The server and Xingsi sing him happy birthday and he says he just wants Xingsi to sing to him. Like, just let the server do her job bro. Let her sing a bit, you can blow out the candles, she can go away, and then you can ask Xingsi for a private performance. (We all know what you're about to wish for anyway.)

Xingsi is nice about the situation which is more than Yongjie deserves IMO. Yongjie wishes for "the one he loves to be happy and content and wishes that their dad will not be mad and accept them. Xingsi asks who the one Yongjie loves is since he's not heard him say anything and Yongjie says that Xingsi doesn't know a lot. He's even... learned how to mix drinks.

Oh no. No no no, don't tell me your plan is to get him drunk, Yongjie...

Bartending club in high school?! They let you do that in Taiwan? Wild.

Okay, he actually makes a good cocktail apparently. And even a rainbow cocktail. Xingsi says he should be the one making drinks for Yongjie since it's his birthday and asks Yongjie to teach him. Please do not let this go the creepy direction. It's fine if they just bond over drinking cocktails.

Wow... is this literally the first time we see Yongjie smile? That's nuts.

That... That is too many drinks. Xingsi. Xingsi you need to stop. Oh no... Xingsi is drunk. Please, Yongjie. Respect his consent and boundaries. Please please please. (Also, I'm impressed Yongjie can pick him up.)

Wow... Muren really is observant. He saw Licheng's shoes from the crack under his door IN HIS MIRROR. Props. I also try to notice when people are coming to bother me. Also props to Muren's fancy robes.

Okay Yongjie, don't fuck this up. Just let him sleep.

Yongjie admits that he's loved Xingsi since he was in high school and actually confesses that he loves Xingsi legitimately. Xingsi says he loves Yongjie too? BUT HE'S DRUNK STOP.

Okay, yeah, they're... They're going there. That's not okay. Drunken consent is not consent guys. I hate how much I saw this coming.

Oh look, it's the morning after and Xingsi remembers what went down and is having a freak out. Who would have guessed?

Why are we cutting away to the idiot duo? GO BACK AND SHOW THE REPERCUSSIONS OF YONGJIE'S ACTIONS. So they're being idiots and Xingsi ran back home freaking out. At least they're good friends to see he's upset.

I'm glad Xingsi is comfortable enough with Muren and Licheng to tell them why he's freaking out.

But also, I can't like Yongjie now. I mean, in what way would you redeem him after this? This is like... really bad. And even worse, Xingsi BLAMES HIMSELF FOR GETTING DRUNK AND DOING IT. At least Muren is there to talk sense and say that Yongjie WAS NOT drunk and thus if he was upset, he could have resisted. (Okay, more correct would be to say that as Yongjie was not drunk, he should have STOPPED Xingsi. But we all know why he didn't stop Xingsi and that he was the one pushing.)

YAS MUREN. "Even if you're both men, no means no." DAMN FUCKING STRAIGHT. So okay. Are we going the, "Yongjie has to do a redemption arc" route? Because IDK how many episodes you have left to make that work.

Licheng brings up the point that Xingsi wasn't the aggressor and that if Yongjie had been pressured by Xingsi and didn't want to do it, he could have easily stopped him as he's more capable at fighting. I'm not sure I like the message they're sending here and trying to excuse Yongjie because he's "young." It's sexual assault guys.

Licheng says he'll go to the hotel to help Yongjie because he can't possibly have enough money to check out, but Yongjie is already there at their home. Yongjie then... ugh kisses Xingsi in front of everyone and Xingsi rightfully pushes him away. Yongjie confesses to getting Xingsi drunk on purpose. Which should really piss everyone off more than it did. Xingsi asks what he means and Yongjie says, "Whether you like it or not, having you forever is my gift to myself for my 20th birthday." Congrats, Yongjie, you've gone off the deep end and are officially the CREEPIEST step brother plot HIStory has done TO DATE.

A SLAP IS THE LEAST YOU COULD DO XINGSI. But valid. And now we see it. Yongjie is the only one who didn't see Xingsi as a brother. Xingsi has only ever seen Yongjie as a brother.

They're being REALLY gentle with Yongjie and I don't know if I like that or not. But I'm glad they've finally flipped things to being serious about what Yongjie did and how Xingsi feels. They aren't making it some huge romantic revelation. Xingsi is rightfully upset and torn up because it's not something he wanted that way. Also glad Muren and Licheng fall into being beside him to support him.

I'm now... way less interested than I was before about the show, but now I want to see how they resolve this and if they're being TOTALLY IRREDEMABLE and like going to romanticize it away or if Xingsi and Yongjie are going to have an actual fucking arc. Like it's been SO BAD with Yongjie being a near if not complete sociopath about this approach. We, as viewers, have no reason to sympathize with his one-sided love of Xingsi because of how crazy he is. This arc either has to be the most masterful of forgiveness and redemption arcs or it will go down as being even more tone deaf than MODC because at least MODC gave us A REASON to be upset. Here, we're just going to go straight to pissed because we have no reason to root for Yongjie in any capacity what so ever.

[transxfiles]

I originally followed you for Lumberjanes and because you felt like a friend, but after seeing so much about Star Trek...I’m curious. What’s the premise and where can I watch it? (Explain it to me like you’d explain it to a child, I don’t watch live action TV)

I want to start out by saying that this ask is so sweet and it made my day, so thank you so much :D 

Star Trek is a bit hard to explain in a sense simply because there’s so much of it. I’m gonna stick to what I know (and what I post about) which is The Original Series (other people will abbreviate it to TOS, I abbreviate it to STOS bc I think of it as ‘Star Trek Original Series’) which came out in the 1960s, and I'll briefly explain Star Trek: The Next Generation (ST: TNG or just TNG), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), and Star Trek: Discovery (often simply referred to as Discovery, ST Disco, Disco, etc.) bc I post a bit abt them too, though not as much.

The Original Series is what I mainly watch. It’s about a crew of people from all over Earth (and some other planets, but mostly from Earth) who are traveling in a spaceship called the Enterprise. They’re supposed to be finding new worlds and species, but really they just fuck around and find out. Most of the time they don’t even follow basic lab safety, which gets them into many shenanigans that will have you yelling at the television abt how stupid they are. 

This is Captain Kirk. He’s a Human from Riverside, Iowa and his job on the ship is basically to be dumb and pretty. In a good way. He comes up with some good plans and some bad plans, but no matter what he’ll pretty much always divert an entire mission to save his First Officer, Spock. He’s a romantic who likes flowers and antique books, and doesn’t know what black holes are. 

This is Spock! He’s in charge of Science with a capital S (we don’t really know specifics, but he’s really smart...) and he’s Captain Kirk’s first officer. He’s the only main character who’s an alien - he’s half-Human, half-Vulcan, and was raised on Vulcan by his Vulcan father and Human mother. Vulcans are a species who, unlike Humans, follow a strict philosophy of logic, which means that Spock often appears emotionless and unfeeling to his Human coworkers. Every seven years after hitting puberty, he goes into a mating frenzy when this logic leaves him and he has to have sex or he’ll die. He really likes playing chess, hanging out with Captain Kirk, and the word ‘fascinating’. He does not like McCoy, which is reasonable, because McCoy is basically space racist.

This is McCoy, sometimes referred to by the nickname Bones. He’s the Chief Medical Officer of the ship, an old country doctor from Georgia, and it’s implied that he’s working in space because of his divorce back on Earth. He spends a lot of time with the main crew which will make you question who’s actually on ship taking care of the Medbay. He likes hyposprays (super fast space shots that work like a charm) and drinking hard liquor on the job. He’s an old friend of the Captain. He’s incredibly xenophobic; he does not get along with Spock, and often refers to Spock using words that in-universe are essentially slurs against Vulcans. 

These two guys are Sulu (on the left) and Chekov (on the right). They navigate the spaceship. Sulu likes fencing, botany, and messing with Chekov. He’s friends with everyone on the ship. At one point Space Madness causes Sulu to run through the ship with a fencing foil shirtless and cackling. Chekov’s Russian and won’t shut up about it. He claims that everything was invented in Russia, including but not limited to the book Alice In Wonderland and the invention of the Warp Drive. One of his best lines is “Oh yes, I’ll live, but I won’t enjoy it.” 

In this photo, we see Uhura (on the left) and Scotty (on the right). Uhura’s in charge the ship’s Communications Officer and is a xenolinguist, which means she’s a master of pretty much all known alien languages. She likes big earrings and has a beautiful singing voice. Scotty (on the right) is the ship’s Chief Engineer, who fixes all the problems when Kirk or aliens break the ship. He’s Scottish and you won’t ever forget it. He and Bones are probably drinking buddies.

This is Nurse Chapel. She runs the Medbay when Bones is dancing around on the Bridge or various alien planets. She’s pretty chill and has a little crush on Spock that sometimes causes problems. She and Uhura hang out sometimes.

And finally, this is Yeoman Rand. She and Sulu hang out sometimes. She also vibes with Uhura. I’m not really sure what her exact job is - she delivers food to people sometimes, but she also eats it when no one’s looking. She has the wackiest hairdo on the show. I love her so much.

As far as plot goes, in The Original Series, there isn’t any. They run around on alien planets and sometimes little paper mâché rocks are thrown at them from offscreen. Sometimes they fight Klingons, which are their main enemy (though that doesn’t happen a lot). Sometimes they end up on a planet that’s entirely composed of gangsters from the 1930s and 1940s, sometimes they end up on a planet that’s actually run by the Greek god Apollo, sometimes they end up on a planet but all the people on it are being eaten by space ravioli, sometimes they end up on a planet and a space ghost is killing people to eat their fear, etc. 

You can watch The Original Series on Netflix, and you can generally find copies of it in various Google Drive folders or on video sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo. There are also six movies: The Motion Picture, The Wrath Of Khan, The Search For Spock, The Voyage Home, The Final Frontier, and The Undiscovered Country. But really you can stop watching after The Voyage Home if you want.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is basically the first series but with more plot, and we have some more aliens plus an android in the mix. Also the characters aren’t nearly as stupid as they are in The Original Series, which makes for less yelling at the screen. (You can watch this on Netflix)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine focuses on a group of people who work on a space station instead of a spaceship. There are some humans in the mix, but this crew also has a bunch of aliens. There is a bunch of plot, and religion, and the aftermath of war and colonialism. (You can watch this on Netflix)

Star Trek: Discovery has the most plot, and follows Spock’s adopted sister, Michael Burnham, after she accidentally starts the war between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. She ends up serving on a spaceship called the Discovery, where she starts working to discover the secrets of the ship and those who work on it. (You can watch this on CBS’s streaming service but it’s not worth it to get a streaming service just so you can watch one show so I recommend just buying the DVDs on sale at like, Target, if you really wanna see it).

Sorry this ended up being kinda long, I hope this is helpful! The main takeaway is that The Original Series is mostly just a bunch of science fiction short stories in TV episode format. 

[alliewilkes]

In My Direction

                         In My Direction

Pairing: Chris x MC (Allie) Zig x OC (Ash)

Book: The Freshman Book 3 

Word count: Too many (3,500+)

Rating: R (eventual sex, swearing, and heavy topics)

Summary: This takes place during book 3 where my MC has a twin brother. I can't imagine my life without any siblings, so I've been writing this in my head for over a year now. Her twin brother Ash, falls in love with Zig, and the two men go through their own struggles. Together or not is the question.

Author's note: This is my first time getting back to writing in a year. I just graduated college myself, so I'm a little rusty writing anything other than notes and flashcards. I think the beginning of my chapters are a little fast paced, but I hope everyone else likes it more than I do. I'll add a picture later, I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. I don't really know about the texting part and Tumblr botches the formatting so ugh. Please don't roast me. 

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Relaxing after work was nice. Ash Wilkes spent nights pretty much just scrolling through his phone until he got tired. Nothing else to really do other than make sure his tiny apartment was clean. Though he could probably eat. 

Setting his phone down next to his gloves on the nightstand, he sat up and was about to stretch until his phone buzzed. Snatching it up, he was surprised to see a text from his sister.

ALLIE

You up for coffee?

ASH

👀

Free coffee?

ALLIE

I mean no

ASH 

👁️👄👁️

The person who usually invites pays 

ALLIE

Whatever asshole. Just get over here.

ASH

Love you sis

ALLIE

🖕

Okay then. 

Throwing on some clothes and grabbing the keys, Ash made his way to Hartfeld. He didn't go see her as much as they were hoping to, but he was glad he could actually take a little bit of time off now. He tried to be around for her a little bit, especially since he knew she needed comfort with her anxiety, being in a completely different home and all. So far he's only met Chris.

So he was a little nervous when he realized she actually has four other roommates. But maybe he's just a little overprotective. He gripped hard at the steering wheel to push the idea that anything that bad could have possibly gone wrong. 

She would've said something. He was definitely about to find out.

Stepping out of the van, he noticed a well dressed man step into the coffee shop. A little overdressed for some caffeine he thought, but maybe the man had a date. 

As soon as he made it in the door however, the first thing he saw was the same man grabbing Allie's arm. 

"Hey!" His attempted intervention went unnoticed however, as a strong whatever it was sent him falling backwards. 

Rubbing his now throbbing head, he caught a glimpse of the dickhead booking it out of the shop. 

"Are you okay?" 

Startled, Ash looked up and saw Allie looking at another man in front of her before turning in his direction. 

"Ash!" His sister kneeled down next to him and pulled him into a hug which he gladly returned.

"I didn't even realize you were coming in. Are you okay? You didn't just get hit did you?" He laughed a little bit at her concern, clearing his throat when she raised her eyebrows in offense. What she didn't know is that he was supposed to be asking her.

"I guess I just got the wind knocked out of me for a moment," he shrugged. "Who the hell was that grabbing on you?"

Now she shrugged. It was a way bigger deal than her body language is saying it is. Before she could open her mouth, a yell erupted from the other side of the cafe.

"Zig! We need you behind the counter!" 

Zig. He'd really have to thank him for acting to protect Allie. He can only assume that was the manager. Ash forgot about everyone else other than Allie for so long that the first reminder that it wasn't just them made his insides almost eat themselves. Could also be adrenaline.

"Sorry, I need to go," Zig spoke up. "If that a-hole comes back, come find me, okay?" He slouched off where his balding, pissed off looking manager was waiting. Yeesh.

Allie grabbed his arm pulling him up off the floor. Once they got to the others, Allie set a coffee cup in his hands before she got enveloped into Chris's arms. 

He smiled at them for a second before he focused on his coffee. He seemed to be in his own head for a bit because after a moment, Allie started walking away. 

"Where are you going?" 

"I'm thinking I should go say something to him," She suggested. Turning to her friends, she gestured to the dining room. "Can you guys go get us a table?"

"I'll go with you," Ash shouted suddenly, catching everyone off guard for a moment before her friends walked to find a table and Allie smiled at him.

"Come on then."

Despite whatever that jerk was about to do to her, Allie even just laughed a little. It was good that she found ways to stay her happy little self, especially with everything he worries about her going through.

Once the twins made it to the counter, Zig gave them a pleasant expression before Ash greeted him.

"So… Zig, huh?" Okay, not so much "greet", more like just blurting out words randomly. It wasn't too late to check to see if he has a concussion.

Zig glanced up at him, surprised. Looking down at his hand, Ash let out what he was hoping was a silent wince. He's had his fair share of injuries, but ouch.

The shock on the barista's face quickly melted into a calmer expression. "Short for Zigmund," He remarked. Interesting name. "Zig is fine, though. Zigmund tends to raise a lot of questions." 

Ash chuckled, until his sister kindly bumped his shoulder to remind him that he was being a weirdo. Clearing his throat, he simply smiled. "I don't think shortening it is really fooling anyone."

Zig smirked. 

"No I guess it's not."

Ash bit his lip subconsciously, trying and failing really hard to hide a smile. His cheeks flushed a deep red as he felt he ended up doing that for a very uncomfortable amount of time. 

Another clearing of the throat. Can he stop doing this? "I'm Ash, and this is my little sister, Allie."

Allie snorted and rolled her eyes, elbowing her brother a little too hard, causing him to clutch his chest.

"We just wanted to say thanks, and I'm sorry you had to get involved in all that," She said, putting her hands in her pockets.

Zig smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you guys. But there's no need to apologise," he shrugged. So humble. "I'm not a fan of bullies."

Before Ash could think of something to say, Zig tossed a rag over his shoulder and fiddled with the espresso machine. The twins stepped closer.

"Trust me, I can take care of myself," Allie smiled. "But I appreciate the help." Not so humble. 

She put a finger on her chin, furrowing her brows. "I haven't seen you around before…," Oh, he must have just got here. Maybe a transfer student or something. "Are you new?" Ash looked at Zig with a smirk, and the barista fixed him with his own.

"Yep," The smirk was a wide smile now. "Just started here a couple weeks ago." Awesome.

"I mean at Hartfeld. What classes are you signed up for?" Allie continued.

"None," Zig replied. "I'm not in school actually."

"Oh! Sorry I just assumed…" Allie smiled sheepishly. Or hoped.

Zig turned his attention back to the machine, reaching for the tamp with the bruised hand. He dropped it with a hiss, shaking out his hand. 

"How bad does it hurt?" Ash asked, reaching to tell Zig he wanted to get a better look at it.

"I'm fine," He assured, holding it out of his view. "Probably." 

Ash leaned over to gently grab him by the wrist of his injured hand and saw that his knuckles were badly swollen and a bruise was starting to form. Zig quickly pulled his arm back.

"I guess evidence suggests otherwise."

Ash looked at Allie with a mixture of amusement and slight annoyance. This man was a stubborn one.

"Let me help you with that," Ash suggested, already getting up to sit on the counter. Zig's face lit up with a smile.

"I'd really appreciate it," his smile made Ash ridiculously happy for some reason. "But my boss would be pissed if I let anyone behind the counter."

Psshh. Screw that guy.

"Well, you've already punched out a customer. How much worse can it get?" Allie spoke up. Ash fixed him with a smirk.

"I guess you have a point," Zig chuckled.

Ash climbed over to the other side of the counter and flushed red when Allie walked in through the gate, and went to find the ice tray. One of them held the towel while the other took care of scooping ice into it.

Ash took it and pressed it to Zig's injured hand. He hissed through his teeth as it made contact.

Ash bit his lip, too nervous to apologize out loud. He was questioning why, they were talking fine two minutes ago. He suddenly noticed how close they were to each other now. He had gloves on, but he could feel Zig's fingers on his palm.

"Sorry," he finally got out. "Does it hurt?" 

"I've felt worse," Zig made a face. Oh god, he was looking directly at him. 

"So are you going to tell me what that whole scene was about?" Ash looked really confused for a second, and then turned to his sister. He really wanted to know too.

"If you would believe it, it was a student council dispute," she said. Both men arched an eyebrow, Ash a little more impatiently. He knew politics were a touchy subject, but it should never involve actual touching. 

"Really?" Zig opened his mouth in shock. "Seems like a lot for something like that." His feelings exactly.

"I guess you could say there were extenuating circumstances," she responded. Ash rolled his eyes and shook his head, focusing back on Zig's hand. Even Zig raised a sceptical eyebrow at her. She finally told them what happened during her first two quarters. Now it was Ash's turn to be shocked.

"You blackmailed someone? I wouldn't peg you for the type," Ash personally was more worried that Allie was near a fucking sociopath this entire time.

"Well, it was a pretty low moment for me."

Ash felt his heart ache at that, pulling his sister into a one armed hug. 

"Sounds like you were just looking out for your friend," Zig said. Ash gave Allie a supportive smile at that, causing her to hug him a little tighter before letting go, and then looked a little sullen again.

"I was, but I could have ruined someone else's life in the process." Did she mean Sebastian's? 

"You mean that entitled brat who tripped me?" Allie was too damn nice to people, if someone thinks it's acceptable to not only treat complete strangers like they're beneath him, but also to take advantage of them and the school that seems to kiss rich people's asses, he can go live in a box for all he cares. "If you or anyone else do wrong by him, he's earned it." Ash liked this guy.

"Well, when you put it that way…" Allie's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "It was him or Chris, and I protect the people I care about."

The twins shared a smile at this.

"That's good to know. Loyalty's a sexy quality," Zig said. What?

Ash couldn't tell when he felt first, his heart sink or his face turn red. 

"You're kind of a flirt, aren't you?" He blurted out, putting a hand on his hip. 

"And I've been told I'm damn good at it." 

If his face got any redder, he'd have to throw himself into a tomato garden. 

"Is it working?" 

"I won't lie, I'm kind of into it." Okay, now he was just saying things. Better than speaking in tongues or something. Probably.

"Glad to see I'm not losing my touch, then." He heard his sister chuckling to herself behind him, and quickly glared at her for being nosey. When he looked back at Zig, the slightly taller man was smiling at either him or the exchange between the siblings.

Ash went back to pressing the ice against Zig's hand, and he let out a shudder.

"Ah! Careful!" He should've been paying attention.

"Sorry!" Despite feeling bad, he laughed. "I'm not being a really good nurse, am I?"

"I think you're doing just fine," Ash had to avoid eye contact to stop himself from doing anything else too embarrassing. He could feel Zig's gaze burning a hole into his skull.

"Well… you should be good now," he said, making sure Zig had a hold of the towel. 

"We should probably get back to my friends," Allie said. 

"Sure thing. Thanks for checking up on me," His smile made Ash feel really… happy? He wasn't sure.

Zig held up his hand and gingerly flexed it. "I think the sting is starting to wear off a little."

"Well, just keep icing it and try not to put too much pressure on it." Zig laughed at him.

"Yes, nurse Ash."

"Don't be a smart ass, I've had my fair share of injuries, especially hand injuries, so you should be thanking me." Both men smiled at each other after he said that, and Ash quickly extinguished his before he did something way too forward.

"I guess we'll see you around?" He was glad Allie interrupted this time. 

"You know where to find me." Ash started walking off towards the booth her friends found and Allie gave Zig a wave on their way back.

"Oh I forgot to tell you, we're here because my friend Kaitlyn made a friend who's in a punk rock band," She sat down next to Kaitlyn and he sat across from her, rolling his eyes. He didn't care if he was going to be a jerk about this, but he didn't exactly trust Kaitlyn's judgement with anything after Allie texted him last quarter about how alone she felt. Her friends shouldn't have turned their backs on her.

"I came here for you. But I will say, checking out a different kind of rock music is a good way to hang out," he smiled at her before taking a sip of his frozen mocha.

"I'm so bad at remembering to introduce people," Allie laughed. She started pointing at her friends around the table. "You kind of already know Chris and Kaitlyn, but this is Tyler, Abbie, and Zack. And this is my other friend James, he also worked with Professor Vazquez."

"Cool."

Allie turned her attention to the band, observing them doing an instrument check. 

"Wow, they look so cool," Abbie said, mouth agape. Tyler, the guy sitting next to her, fixed her with a look.

"You think so? I think they look kind of intimidating." Ash rolled his eyes. What are those ladies going to do? Aggressively play their songs in their faces? That's kind of the point of rock music.

Microphone feedback turned everyone's attention back to the stage. A woman who he guessed was the lead singer was in front of the mic. "Hey everyone! Thanks for coming tonight! We're The Gutter Kittens."

This should be fun.

The band started their thing, and once they dove into the song, Ash started absentmindedly tapping his fingers against the table to memorize the beat. Or it helps him enjoy it more, he wasn't sure. Just something he's always done. 

"Hey, they're pretty good!" Chris commented.

"I knew they would be," Kaitlyn smiled. "Natasha's got a great taste in music." That she does.

"This is perfect," Zack stood up. "I can definitely work out some pent up aggression to this. I'm hitting the dance floor, who's with me?" He yelled, pumping his fist into the air.

Allie and Kaitlyn looked as excited as he was. It's been forever since Ash found himself in a moshpit, but hell yeah. 

"I think I'll pass, I'm not sure that is dancing," James said. What a pussy.

"Oh whatever, James," Kaitlyn giggled. "Count me in, Zack. Allie?" She looked at his sister hopefully.

"I'm totally in! I could stand to work out some issues too," she said, pumping her arms in the air. She was too cute. Then he felt his arm being tugged on. "You're going too. And no, you don't get a choice."

Like she even had to convince him. The now slightly smaller group ran in front of the stage and started dancing.

"Yes! I haven't been in a pit in so long!" Kaitlyn shrieked. Ash laughed at that and his sister almost hitting him in the face with her hair. He would drag her to places when they were in high school, but only managed to get her to go to one concert. She seemed to be uncomfortable with the amount of people, but she seemed to be thriving now that she's in college.

"Do they call it that because it smells like armpits?" Zack asked, making everyone laugh.

"With all this jumping? How could it not?" Ash joked back good-naturedly. Maybe her friends weren't so bad.

He bumped shoulders with his sister and she bumped back, the twins getting into a groove while laughing and playing around.

After a few songs, they all went back to the rest of the group, sweaty and sore. 

"You guys totally missed it," Kaitlyn smiled, making it to her seat first.

"Zack bumped into this huge guy, and he was not happy about it." Allie finished, she and Ash laughing together.

"I totally thought he was going to murder me," Zack shrunk into his part of the booth. 

"Be grateful you weren't wearing earrings," Ash said, rubbing at his earlobe at the memory. "Worst concert of my life." 

"You guys were a great crowd!" The lead singer yelled into the microphone. "We've got one last song left, but first, I'd like to bring up a special guest to help sing it!" 

The crowd cheered as the group of friends "ooh'd" in interest.

"Ooh, a special guest?" Kaitlyn looked more mesmerized than everyone else.

"We just met recently, but I'm sure she knows all the words. Kaitlyn?" The girl on the mic said, holding out her hand.

Everyone turned to Kaitlyn, shocked. She seemed quite surprised herself. 

"M-me? In front of all these people?" Kaitlyn squeaked out. 

The other woman waved Kaitlyn over while her other bandmates re-tuned for the next song.

"I don't know about this," Kaitlyn whispered.

"Kaitlyn," Allie smiled, putting her hands on her friend's shoulders. "You've got this! We'll all be right here cheering for you."

The rest of her friends smiled.

"And I've heard you sing in the shower before," Abbie said supportively. "You've definitely got a set of pipes."

"You can hear that?!" Kaitlyn gasped.

"Pretty much anywhere in the suite," Tyler piped up. "I've heard you up on the roof before."

"I'm surprised we haven't gotten more noise complaints from the neighbors," Zack joked, elbowing Tyler in the arm.

"Don't listen to them," Chris rolled his eyes at his friends and their antics. "That's beside the point. What do you have to lose?" 

"Yeah…" Kaitlyn said softly, still unsure. "Yeah. You guys are right," she brightened up. "I'm going up there. Wish me luck!"

"Luck!" Abbie said sweetly.

Kaitlyn ran up to the stage while Ash found himself cheering her on along with Allie and her friends.

"Knock 'em dead, Kaitlyn!" Chris yelled.

"Yeah! Uh, rock on!" James said awkwardly, throwing his fist into the air.

Kaitlyn got to the stage and once the rest of the band had everything ready, she spoke into the microphone.

"Uh, hi everyone, my name is Kaitlyn and this is 'Heart of Ice' by Coargurot and well, here goes nothing."

The band launched into the song, and Kaitlyn gripped the microphone as she sang intently into it. The crowd cheered wildly, singing along with her.

"Wow, she's really something, isn't she?" James said in awe.

"I mean, I knew she was something, but look at her go!" Abbie laughed, happy that her friend was enjoying herself.

Looking up at the stage, anyone would be able to see that Kaitlyn was in her element. 

Everyone continued cheering her on until The Gutter Kittens finished playing the final notes of the song. Kaitlyn bowed as everyone clapped for her, grinning wildly.

She ran offstage and immediately got tackled into a hug by Allie.

"You were incredible! Who knew my best friend was so metal?" She said almost breathlessly.

"I know right? I guess all the singing in the shower paid off!" Kaitlyn shrugged.

"Kaitlyn, you were so good!" Abbie complimented. 

"Thanks guys!" Kaitlyn laughed.

Kaitlyn startled suddenly at a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see the bandmates.

"You totally killed it girl!" One of them said, who Ash recognized as the drummer.

"Seriously, our shows never get that crazy," the girl next to her mentioned nonchalantly. 

"I find that hard to believe. You guys can play." Kaitlyn looked starstruck.

"Tell that to the people who don't go to our shows," the drummer said.

The lead singer walked up, throwing her arms around her bandmates shoulders.

"I see you've officially met Amara and Rachel. And these are probably the rest of your friends?" She looked the group over.

Kaitlyn lit up. "Yeah! You already know Allie, obviously Abbie. And this is Chris, and Tyler-"

"Yeah, that's cool," Natasha cut her off. Ash raised an eyebrow at her for the rude gesture. "How would you like to join the band?"

"Like, full time?" Kaitlyn opened her mouth in shock.

"Natasha likes to say she isn't really a singer. We've been looking for someone for a while now…" Amara informed.

"We just couldn't find someone who we liked or fit our aesthetic," Rachel added.

"Until now," Natasha smiled warmly. "What do you say?"

Everyone looked at Kaitlyn, awaiting an answer.

[carol-effing-danvers]

knock me the fuck out (i dare ya, babe), part one

TEACHER STEVE AND SOFT BILLY 

Ten years, eight months, three weeks, and nine days ago, Billy had escaped this Lovecraftian nightmare town and never looked back. He’d come into Hawkins believing that it was his own personal hell and left it certain that it was actual, literal Hell.

(this got long so i decided to divide it into three parts) If you prefer the Ao3 format, click here

Billy’s first thought as he rolls back into Hawkins for the first time in ten years is: I cannot believe Max stayed in this deathtrap. 

He didn’t. Ten years, eight months, three weeks, and nine days ago, Billy had escaped this Lovecraftian nightmare town and never looked back. As soon as he was well enough to leave the hospital, he spent most of his savings on a shitty Ford Bronco (he did NOT miss that car), packed up his records, and hit the fuckin’ road. He’d come into Hawkins believing that it was his own personal hell and left it certain that it was actual, literal Hell.

Billy wonders, a bit guiltily, if Max’s life woulda turned out like this if he hadn’t left her in this Midwestern madhouse all by herself. Only twenty-four and she was already getting a divorce. 

He’s never like Justin van Haut but at first, Billy attributed that to the fact that the dude was dating Max - he had a right to hate any dude trying to fuck his sister, he figured. Facts was just facts. But then they got married and it didn’t get better. If anything, Billy might’ve hated him more. 

Justin reminded Billy way too fucking much of himself, of the strutting arrogant little dirtbag that he used to be - only, van Haut had the money and the influence to get away with his bad deeds. He was the kind of guy who wanted something only until he got it, and then he didn’t want it anymore. 

Billy wasn’t that person anymore. He couldn’t be. It took too much energy that he didn’t have - like the Shadow Monster had sucked all the rage out of him. And without it, there was so little left of Billy Hargrove.

Old Billy would’ve gotten drunk and drove to South Bend. Old Billy would’ve beat the shit outta the bitch-ass pussy who’d spent six and half years cheating on his sister. Old Billy would’ve spent the night in the county lock-up. 

New Billy didn’t do that, because New Billy promised Max he’d be there by dinner time. New Billy knew that Max would just have to bail his sorry ass out of prison with money she didn’t really have. 

But either way, Billy knew even if he had the chance to, he’d never change the way it worked out, because in the end-

“UNCLE BILLY!”

-in the end, he got his girl.

As soon as he opens the door, she launches herself at him. “Who is this?” he demands seriously, stabilizing her on his lap, letting her grip the stirring wheel in two tiny hands. “Who are you? Where’s my Lulu?”

She giggles at his theatrics, tugging at his leather jacket, wisps of red hair escaping her little braid. “I’m Lulu, Uncle Billy!”

He gasps, feigning shock. “You can’t be my Lulu! You’re such a big girl!”

“I’m going to Kindie-gar-den now!” she says proudly, with a cocky little toss of her head that reminded Billy of her mother so much that he couldn’t hold in a grin.

“Yeah? Do you like school, Lulu?” They get out so that Billy can grab some of his things from the trunk.

“Uh-huh. My teacher is really nice!”

“Yeah? What’s your teacher’s name?” he asks absently, resting Lulu on his hip as he pulls his bag from the trunk.

“He’s Mister H!” she says, and his brows bounce up. Male kindergarten teacher? That was pretty unusual. Maybe Hawkins was finally getting outta the Stone Age. He doubts it, but hope springs eternal.

From inside the house, Max yells “Lauren!”

“Mommy, Uncle Billy is here!” she shouts, and squirms back down to the ground, running for the front porch. “Mommy says you can have my room!”

Billy thinks with no small horror of the pink room with Mickey and Minnie Mouse’s faces staring out from the wallpaper. Jesus Christ. Lulu beams at him, utterly delighted at the prospect of her uncle moving in, and he barely has to lie when he says “Fantastic, princess.”

Max gives him a wry smile as she appears in the doorway, practically reading his mind as she wipes her wet hands on a dishtowel. “Welcome home, big brother.”

Old Billy would’ve told her that this town might be home, but it wasn’t his. Home was a place he lost when his mother left him with Neil. New Billy knows Max isn’t talking about Hawkins. “You’re gonna get so sick of me,” he promises, dropping the paper bag he’d taken from the trunk. “Here.”

“What the hell is this?” she asks, laughing. “You better not’ve brought me a bag of p- oh my god, Billy.”

He chuckles at her open-mouth as Max stares down into the stacks of cash inside the crumbled paper bag. Rubbing the short hair at the back of his neck, he awkwardly answers, “Rent.”

“This is way too much!” she protests, trying to hand it back, like she didn’t miss a mortgage payment last month.

Billy dances out of the way, picking Lulu up and twirling her around. Grinning like a madman at her delighted shrieks, he throws her across one shoulder. “Wanna help me set up the stereo, Lulu?”

“Yeah!”

“Billy, get back here!”

“Can’t hear you, Max! All that loud metal music, y’know!”

---

“I’m home!” he calls, pushing the door shut with his hip. The apartment is completely silent and then Steve hears a familiar ‘thump’ and grins.

With her bushy tail held high, a black cat races down the hall, wailing “Waah!”

“Hello, Angie,” he coos, crouching to scratch her under the chin. “How are the birds today, huh?”

“Waah,” she repeats loudly, pleading at him with her huge yellow eyes.

“Missed me?” he asks, stroking the fluffy black fur along her back. “Let’s have some dinner.”

He must’ve told Dustin a thousand, maybe two thousand, times that he did not want a cat, but the very morning that Dustin left for MIT, he dropped the fluffy soot-black kitten on Steve’s doorstep and raced away anyway. “His name is ‘the Witch-King of Angmar’, good luck, Steve!”

Ha. The joke was on him, though. His ‘Witch-King’ was actually a queen and Steve called her Angie and she was a fucking delight – he suspected that Dustin was just overly dramatic. Steve supposed that the cat was a nice compromise, considering that Dustin had tried not to leave for college at all.

That had probably been the worst six months of Steve’s life.

He’d never fought with one of the kids before, let alone Dustin, but they spent nearly all of his senior year fighting – because Dustin managed to get a scholarship, a two-year free ride to Princeton, and he didn’t want to leave Hawkins. Or more specifically, he didn’t want to leave Steve.

Lucas was bound for Howard in DC, Will and Mike were reuniting at MIT, and Dustin got into fucking Princeton, but he didn’t want to go.

(“What the fuck are you talking about, you don’t wanna go? I don’t give two dicks what you want, shithead. I’m an adult, Dustin, and I can take care of myself! You’re not going to throw your whole life into the toilet because you think I’m LONELY!”)

So, yeah. Steve and Dustin spent Dustin’s senior year of high school fighting, and now Steve has a cat and Dustin is in graduate school, because college was where he fucking belonged, just like Steve had told him.

Filling Angie’s bowl, Steve idly dances around the kitchen to no music, pulling open the fridge and peering inside. “What should we have for dinner, Angie? What do ya think Aunt Robin wants to eat?”

Angie doesn’t bother turning her head away from her cat kibble, but her tail swishes at the sound of his voice. Humming ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’, Steve throws together a stir-fry.

Cooking has become one of those parts of being an adult that Steve finds unexpectedly pleasurable. Cutting up the ingredients, mixing spices and seasonings, tending to the food – Steve enjoys that.

He hears jingling in the hallway as Robin comes through the door, purse swinging from her arm. He can also hear her swearing under her breath and she kicks her shoes off onto the mat beside the door. “Angie, Angie baby,” she coos as the cat runs to greet her. “Please feed me, Steve-o. I’m gonna fucking kill Bobby Monroe.”

“Parent-teacher conference didn’t go well?” he asks lightly, fluffing the rice with a fork before he pulled his stir-fry off the fire.

“NO,” she says shortly, before calling “How was the dentist? Is this a bad time to say that I picked up a banana cream pie at Baker’s Square?”

In a rather bloodthirsty tone, Steve replies “Cavity or no cavity, we are eating dessert, Rob.”

“Okay, okay, you don’t have to get out a torch and a pitchfork.”

“What happened with Bobby Monroe?”

Oof, speaking of bloodthirsty. Robin’s teeth grind together and Steve pokes her pointedly in the side as he takes their plates down from the cabinet. “His kid is on the verge of going to juvie and this guy just…Does Not get it, Steve.”

Steve’s glasses were on the verge of slipping down the bridge of his nose as he cracked open the tops on two beers. “That’s ‘cause Monroe is golfing buddies with Mayor Walsh and my old pal Tommy Hall, Rob.”

Her nose wrinkles. “Ugh,” she mutters, then brightens a bit. “I got to read another one of Holly’s essays.”

Smiling at his plate, Steve says “Yeah?”

He was a little sad he got into teaching too late to have Holly or any of the other kids as a student, but Robin got the joy of having both Erica Sinclair and Holly Wheeler pass through her classroom. “Her analysis of the creation of the Constitution was…I wanna send it to Harvard, Steve. She’s only fifteen, but she can already understand how to translate nuance in the document. Half of my graduating class couldn’t write something that impressive on early US history.”

“That’s fantastic,” he says, grinning.

“How was Munchkin Land?” she asks, through a mouthful of vegetables and rice.

Laughing slightly, Steve says “The Lollipop Guild always keeps me on my toes. Thank god for naptime!”

They eat banana cream pie on the couch in front of ‘Frasier’, Robin’s toes shoved under his thigh as Steve tries not to fall asleep on the damn sofa. She laughs at him, throwing one of the cushions at his face.

“It’s seven-thirty, you old man,” she teases, coaxing Angie onto her lap.

“Leave me alone,” he whines, melting into his secondhand couch. “I’m an educator of young minds!”

Rob stuck her tongue out at time. “It’s called ‘narcolepsy’, Steven.”

“Please leave me to die in peace.”

She does leave, an hour later, and Steve locks the door behind her like a Responsible Adult.

He is surrounded by almost total silence again. He’s a helluva lot more comfortable with it here in his apartment than he was in his parent’s house. Maybe it was because there wasn’t quite so much space to echo the silence back to him. Maybe it was because there was no steaming blue pool waiting in the backyard. Maybe it was the lack of judgmental silence, which persisted whether his parents were home or away. 

He turns off the television and the lights in the living room, babbling baby-talk at Angie as he brushes his teeth and gets into bed, putting his glasses on the nightstand and sliding between the cool sheets.

Angie curls up behind his knees and Steve closes his eyes and listens to the empty space all around him.

Briefly, he spares a thought of apology for the Dustin of years past, because he’d been right. Steve was lonely. But at least now that he was a real grown-up, he was comfortable with it.

Mostly.

---

“You don’t have to do that,” Max mutters, head resting against the back of the sofa. Lauren was put to bed an hour ago and the only sound down in the house in the constant quiet tick of the grandfather clock in the hall.

“Hm?” Billy asks sleepily, sipping his beer. It was a thirty hour drive between San Diego and Hawkins and Billy had only slept once, and not recently. Honestly, that was probably the best state to experience the Horror of the Mouse that awaited him in Lulu’s old room.

Max gestures restlessly to the stacks of hundred dollar bills hastily stuffed into the paper bag. “Don’t pretend that isn’t your entire savings, Billy.”

“Don’t have to anything but die, Max,” he murmurs, his free hand subconsciously drifting to the tight silvery mass of scarring beneath his shirt, even as his eyes remain closed. With a damp shaky sigh, she leans against his side and Billy shifts that hand to drape around her shoulders. “Don’t fuckin’ argue with me, you know I ain’t gonna let you win.”

His t-shirt gets a little wet. “I’m really glad you’re here,” she admits, sniffling. “I missed you.”

His throat clicks as he swallows. “Missed you, Mad Max.”

Though Billy’s exhausted and goes to bed early, he spends an hour in Lulu’s full-sized bed, flat on his back and staring at the ceiling.

Despite his best-laid plans, here he is. Back in Hawkins, Indiana.

Funny that he still kinda feels like a mess, even though he’s a better mess than he used to be.

When his alarm goes off, Billy has the taste of antifreeze in his mouth and though it’s nearly March and Max keeps the heat low, he’s sweating.

Getting Lulu ready for school is a breeze. Firstly, because she’s smart and independent and she knows the routine she’s supposed to be following by now. Second, because once you fight an interdimensional alien monster and temporarily die, not much phases you anymore.

“This one, Uncle Billy!” Lulu says eagerly, pulling him along through the halls, towing her uncle with single-minded determination. "You can meet Sam and Freddy!"

Samantha Cross and Fred Ferris were Lulu's little friends. "Alright, slow down, you're gonna run someone over," he says, amused. She reminds him so much of Max, it's insane. "This one, Lulu?"

"Yeah!" A dark-haired man wearing a navy cardigan over a collared shirt is helping a pair of identical twins with their coats, crouching near a row of cubbies with sixteen name tags on them – from here, Billy can see Lulu’s near the end: Lauren V. "Hi, Mister H!"

Mister H-who-wears-the-dorky-cardigan turns his head and the bottom of Billy’s stomach drops out.

Steve Harrington gives Lulu a dorky little smile, all cute and happy, squinting from behind the lens of his big nerd glasses, and warmly says “Hello, Lauren.”

As a teenage boy, rolling fresh into Hawkins, Billy had fallen into a wild spiral of lust for Steve Harrington the moment he saw him standing next to Nancy Wheeler at a Halloween party. Closeted and angry and unable to escape his father’s rage and his father’s expectations, all Billy wanted was some of Steve’s attention – he hadn’t dared to let himself seriously consider getting more than that. Steve, being a straight teenage boy with a girlfriend, with popularity and money, had froze him out at every turn, and it drove Old Billy fucking crazy. No matter what he did, he never got a reaction more interested than bland annoyance. 

As hot as his passions for him burned, Billy couldn’t make the Hawkins ice princess melt even a little.

But at a certain point, when you grow up, you can look on certain things you got attached to or certain things you enjoyed as a teenager and find your attachment sort of silly, maybe even comical. New Billy had sort of looked forward to reaching that conclusion here.

This isn’t like that at all.

Actually, Billy thinks it might even be worse than before. Billy feels a dull flush beginning to form over his face and swallows the urge to say something stupid to get Steve’s attention – that was the ghost of Old Billy talking.

God, he looks so good.

All grown up, the knitwear clinging to the tantalizing hint of strong biceps, Steve’s eyes are huge and dark behind the lenses of the geek glasses, bangs hanging down into his eyes. Beneath the cardigan, his collared shirt shows an enticing view of his clavicles and the moles high on his neck. Billy used to jerk off to a fantasy of sucking on them and seeing what kind of noise he would get.

He looks soft and sleepy, like Billy could just curl himself around him and press his mouth to that bare skin and Steve would just-

“This is my Uncle Billy!”

Billy is abruptly pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Lulu’s voice and realizes that he’s well on his way to pitching a tent in his pants in front of Steve Harrington and his five year old niece. What the fuck is his life, seriously?

“Harrington.”

---

“Harrington,” the man next to Lauren drawls, and suddenly, Steve’s attention is focused and sharp.

This is my Uncle Billy.

He’s…wow, he’s really…grown up.

The sneering boy with a headful of dirty blond curls and a baby-fine mustache has aged into a grown man with a full beard – the old mullet has almost reversed, with the hair at the back and sides nearly shaved off and the hair at the top slicked back away from his face.

Oh my god.

So. So so so so so.

The thing about Billy- “Hargrove,” he greets, hoping that he sounds friendly and surprised and not breathless. “Max didn’t tell me you were coming back to town.”

Billy Hargrove was the very first boy Steve was ever attracted to, and after he left town, the realization that 1) he had a big gay crush on him and 2) he wasn’t ever going to see him again, were sorta the things that began his big bisexual breakdown – what Robin affectionately calls Steve’s ‘all dicks tour of ‘86’, even though she still doesn’t know what started it.

And now Billy’s standing here, in Steve’s classroom, the muscles he used to flash now hidden beneath leather and denim and flannel but possessing every inch of them as much as he had ten years ago. He looks like he could toss Steve over his shoulder and carry him off somewhere, like a caveman.

But hotter, Steve thinks, helplessly staring at the long sweep of his lashes. His lips, the same deep, full red of ripened berries. The dusting of freckles over Billy’s cheeks from hours standing in the sun.

For a moment, Steve feels a stab of uncertain fear – has Max ever told Billy anything about what happened in ’86?

No. His relationship with Max may have gotten slightly distant, especially after she officially married Justin, but he was pretty confident that she wouldn’t have told him such embarrassing and personal information about Steve, not when she that knew Billy had hated him.

At least she seems to be right, though – Billy had calmed down a lot.

Billy shrugs, in that effortless, careless way of his. Steve experiences a visceral urge to have that short beard rub his mouth raw and it makes his stomach twist with desire, uncomfortable in its intensity. “Got tired of San Diego – thought I’d see my best girl. Right, Lulu?”

Lulu. God, that’s cute.

Lauren grins up at Billy, proud as a peacock, and Billy smiles back at her for a moment, so nakedly adoring that Steve’s stomach gives another twist, his insides melting into goo. “Billy lives with me and Mommy now, ‘cause he missed me so much,” she declares, lifting her chin. “I’m his best girl.”

“That’s right,” he vows, cuffing her lightly over the head.

“That’s…really nice of you, Hargrove,” Steve says lightly. He knows that Max is getting a divorce – the entire town knows. Honestly if he didn’t think Max would kick him in the nuts, he’d have a nail bat with Justin’s name on it. 

Lucas, chewing on his jealousy like a wad of bubblegum, had told them that Justin had basically spent their entire relationship cheating on her. He’d gotten the most willful girl in school to be his girlfriend and got bored with her almost immediately afterward. 

He has a feeling that was the real reason for Billy’s sudden appearance in town after ten years of absence.

Billy shrugs again and peers at Steve through those long lashes. “Max didn’t tell me you were Lulu’s teacher.” He grins, tongue held between rows of sharp white teeth. Steve’s heart kicks up in his chest. “Kindergarteners, Harrington?”

He smiles awkwardly, dodging the question. “Lauren is one of my best readers,” he says instead. No matter which child it is, Steve can always find a reason to brag about one of his kids. “And her penmanship is terrific.”

Lauren gasps, bouncing with excitement, one of Billy’s rough hands clutched in both of hers. “I read a chapter book with Mommy and she only had to help me with two words, Mister H!”

“That’s awesome!” he says, unable to keep himself from beaming down at her. “Did Mrs. Diaz help you get a library card?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Maybe your uncle can help you, then,” he says brightly, neatly side-stepping anymore conversation with the boy – the man, god, Steve didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone more of a man – who can apparently still make his heart race, even ten years since he’d last saw him.

In the doorway, he spots Marcy Roberts holding her little brother’s hand. “Morning Marcy. And good morning, Martin.”

“Morning, Mr. Harrington!”

---

“Alright, Lulu, it’s almost time for your class to start,” Billy says, tucking her too-long bangs behind her ears. “Mom will be back to pick you up, okay?”

For the first time, some of Lulu’s uncertainty shows through. “You’re still gonna be here, right? You aren’t going home?”

Billy pauses. Fuck, this kid’s dad has done a number on her.

Justin was hardly ever around anyway, but he’d just packed up and left in the middle of the night – Billy doesn’t even know the last time he bothered to talk to her on the phone. Lulu’s gotten upset when she and Max had to say goodbye to Billy in the past, but she’s never acted this insecure with him. “I’m home now, Lulu,” he says, crouching down to press a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be there to say goodnight, okay?”

“Okay,” she agrees in a tiny voice that steals his whole fuckin’ heart away.

“Who’s my girl?” he asks in a whisper, tugging gently on the end of her ponytail.

Her face brightens. “I am.”

“The best, Lulu.” He winks and she giggles. “Be good, okay?”

“Kay!”

He stands to his full height and Harrington’s eyes accidentally meet his. There’s still a small smile lingering around the soft shape of his mouth and as soon as he looks into those big brown eyes, Steve looks away. Billy bites the inside of his cheek, resists his automatic urge to say something spiteful, something that will get those eyes back on him.

He would like to be able say that it’s because New Billy knows better. But it’s really because he already knows from experience that it won’t do anything but make Steve that much colder. He wants fire, and all that’s there for him is ice.

He leans against the wall right outside the classroom door and…just listens.

Listens to Steve speaking, his sweet patient drawl used for the children in his classroom. “Alright let’s take attendance and then I want to hear all about what you did this weekend, class. Evan Adams?” He stays there, listening with eyes closed, until he hears, “Lauren van Haut?”

“Here!”

Billy shakes himself, pushing away from the wall. No sense mooning over a straight boy who thinks he’s lower than dirt.

TBC

[doctorgerth]

Bonsoir ! Could you write about Zoro and his female s/o having their first time together ? With a virgin s/o, please ? Take care

Hello, sweet anon! Ask and I shall deliver!

Yoooo this is long as fuck lol I had zero intentions on making it this long, I just sorta lost myself in it, so I’m…sorry? But also you’re welcome, I guess? I also cheated and did a scenario in headcanon format yo girl was feeling lazy af to write a really pretty, detailed scenario lol Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy this! Lots of Zoro lovin’ ~

((WARNING: HEAVILY SINFUL))

Zoro’s First Time with Virgin Female S/O 

- the first time is on the Sunny, he and his lover are on ship watch while the rest of the crew go off to explore the island; thus giving the two plenty of time to explore each other

- it starts with innocent kissing, like usual

- Zoro is a bit of a rough, impatient kisser so it doesn’t ever take long for the kissing to turn into a heated make out session 

- they’re up in the crows nest, hands placed delicately on each other as their kissing becomes more fervent by the second

- now, he’s pulling at the strands of her hair and she’s tugging at the hem of his shirt while their tongues explore the caverns of their open, moaning mouths 

- Zoro’s shirt is removed swiftly and her shaky hands begin exploring his bare, scarred torso 

- this is normal, this has happened plenty of times before; Zoro prefers to make out with his lady while shirtless, she’s always so cute and nervous looking at his toned, scarred chest

- but the raking of her nails across his skin feels a little different this time, more desperate

- nevertheless, he continues groaning into her mouth while she leaves traces along his skin, her lips never tiring from his relentless kissing

- she leaves his lips finally, only to nibble on his neck; over time she has learned that this is a special spot for Zoro, and he curses himself for being so weak

- he hisses as she bites, licks, and sucks at all his spots; he can’t help but dig his fingers into her hips while moaning her name helplessly over and over 

- he’s so vulnerable right now, shamelessly craning his neck, allowing her access to continue her ministrations along his exposed skin

- then she moves up to his ear, nibbling gently at the lobe; she takes the time to whisper sweet nothings into his ear; she sounds nervous, but Zoro can hear the desire in her words

- “I need you.”

- she’s shaking, but she means every word she says; and lord knows she was gonna have to tell Zoro what she wanted, he was never that good at picking up hints

- he growls and lifts her up easily right onto his lap, her lower regions setting gently atop his growing erection

- he eyes up at her, questioningly, nervously, anxiously; so many emotions are going through his head; he’s had many dreams and fantasies of this exact moment, but now that she was right here, begging for him, he didn’t know what to do with himself!

- to steal him away from his wandering thoughts, she pulled his quivering lips up to hers in a reassuring kiss; they had been together for a while now, and she wanted to show him just how much she truly loved him, she knew they were both more than ready

- their lips part ways and she pulls her shirt over her head, revealing her bare chest for his eager eyes to see; this was the first time Zoro had actually seen them, sure he’s groped them before, but never has he laid eyes on the beautiful pair

- she was stunning right now, seated on his lap, her lips red and plump from their passionate kissing, patches of red flushed along her cheeks and chest area, her nipples hardened from the excitement…he wanted to ravish her right there

- but he hesitated; god he’s wanted this for so long, why is he pausing??

- his hands remained stiff at her waist, terrified to move; his eyes fixed on her chest, but he was already lost in his thoughts once again

- he loves her so much, were they really ready for this? was it even that big of a deal? what if it’s bad? what if she’s not impressed? what if this ruins their relationship? what if-

- the sweet call of his name brings him back to earth

- “Zoro…I’m ready. I want to be one with you.”

- an intense heat radiates his face, much to the amusement of his lover; he growls and begins kissing along her collarbone, pouting at how weak and needy she makes him feel

- “Don’t say such embarrassing things.”

- “I needed to say something, I thought I had lost you there for a- oh!”

- Zoro is done talking now, throwing all caution to the wind; after hearing his woman give him permission, he begins doing what he’s desired for a while now

- his rough calloused hand reaches up to fondle her left breast, he squeezes and rotates in circles while his lover’s breathing becomes ragged 

- she’s never experienced such a rush, the feeling of his bare hand on her naked chest, who knew it would feel more amazing than when clothed?

- he looks up at her, her eyes up to the ceiling with her mouth agape, while his right hand does the same action against her right breast

- his lips find way between the mounds he’s squeezing, causing her to giggle slightly at his feather-like kisses 

- he blushes, ‘is she supposed to laugh during this? is that a good sign?’ he questions to himself; he kisses over until he’s kissing all along her chest, her left nipple just an inch or so away 

- removing his hand, his lips circle around her nipple before he gains the courage to attach his lips onto it

- his teeth are biting a bit, causing her to inhale sharply 

- “N-not so rough, Zoro…”

- ‘god, i’m already fucking up.’

- he obliges and retreats his teeth, allowing his tongue to circle around the smooth area, soothing the slight pain he caused; her head throws back in ecstasy as he begins sucking gently  

- his tongue flicks the bud, causing an unfamiliar feeling to flutter in her stomach

- Zoro has to hold up her back with his arms as she unconsciously leans back, allowing Zoro to have his way with her chest; the comfort of him holding her and kissing lovingly at her chest makes her heart leap

- her shy moans and tight grip on his shoulders are enough to make him rock hard, his length poking her thighs 

- he moves on to the right side, continuing the same actions as before, causing her moans to become more sporadic, desperate

- ‘I guess this feels good…’ Zoro hums to himself, watching her with curious eyes as he sucks and licks at the sensitive area; taking mental note of this special zone

- he removes his lips with a slick pop! and she gasps at the lost connection, the remnants of his saliva glistening along her nipples 

- “Lay back.“ 

- Zoro orders, causing a heat to pool in between her thighs as she gently laid back against the bench; the cool wood sending shivers down her heated body; the difference in temperatures covering her body in goosebumps

- Zoro’s face is unreadable, making her a little nervous as he stoically removes her shorts slowly and gently over her legs, leaving her in just her panties

- he’s trying so hard to remain calm, but god she looks so beautiful with her hair a mess, her chest rising up and down from her staggered breathing, her naked body…all for only his eyes to see

- she’s struggling to remain confident, hesitantly allowing his eyes to wander every curve, freckle, and scar of her flustered body; he finds her nervousness so endearing, and honestly a little comforting

- Zoro is 100% nervous as hell, because he is also definitely a virgin; though he acts like he knows what he’s doing he really has no fucking clue  

- ‘Guess I’ll just go with it and see what feels right…’ he reassures himself; he’s always been a ‘trust your gut’ kinda guy, and his gut is frantically telling him to get laid

- her eyes wander to the side, her heated body only radiating more each passing, wasted second; he catches himself staring, and huffs at himself; if he takes any goddamn longer the crew will surely return and he doubts he’ll get another perfect opportunity like this

- Zoro continues to hover over her, while his hand inches up her thigh; a breath hitches in her throat at his warm hand traveling up and up and up

- he finally reaches the band of her panties, toying at the elastic, imaging just ripping them off of her right here and now; she bites her lip, waiting impatiently for his next move 

- his hand travels along the smooth fabric of the cotton, his pointer and middle finger traveling in a pair down south of her underwear

- she’s already so wet for me

- his cock twitches in the tightness of his pants while he rubs along the dampness of her panties, feeling around the clothed entrance of her aching core

- her back arches at the unfamiliar touch, why is he being so teasing?!

- “Zoro…” She whines 

- he simply looks at her, pressing harder against her sensitive area

- “Please.” her eyes shut tight as she pleads for his teasing to end; she needs to feel him inside her

- he complies and inserts two fingers underneath the bands, pulling her panties down her legs; she lifts her ass into the air and helps by wiggling out of them; Zoro can’t help but smirk at the surprisingly cute notion 

- the panties are easily tossed to the side, out of sight and out of mind

- he looks down to study her again and she can’t do anything to hide her embarrassed face while revealing every inch of herself to him 

- Zoro wastes no time in bringing his hand to the same area yet again, curious to really explore her now

- just as expected, she’s practically dripping

- his fingers slide easily between her slick folds, causing a rather lecherous moan to escape into the air; she’s truly sheepish now, but there’s nothing she can do to hide the pleasure he is bringing her

- Zoro takes note of her every noise, now gaining the confidence to slide a single digit deep inside her

- “Zoro!“ 

- He hums in response, bringing his finger inside deeper and deeper till his knuckles touch the entrance; he’s inside, relishing in the feeling and the view of her reactions

- her eyes are closed in bliss, her body shaking, begging him to move

- and so he does, his finger pulls out slowly, only to enter her again slowly; he repeats this action until her body is quaking, desperate for more

- getting the hint, he pushes in another finger, the tightness engulfing his fingers turning him on, thinking just how tight she is going to be around his dick

- her body jolts at the feeling of fullness; the second finger adding just enough girth to really stretch and ache her; how was she going to take his cock at this rate? 

- she can’t think rationally about it as Zoro begins to rhythmically pump his fingers in and out of her; the sloshing of her juices make for a strange, unfamiliar background noise, but neither focus on it as they are so enamored with each other in this very moment

- Zoro is taken away by his lover’s beauty, her vulnerability, and her desperation for his touch; it’s truly a beautiful sight, one that he could never get enough of

- she is relishing in the loving way that Zoro is looking down at her; his eyes full of pure desire; he’s wanting more but she can tell he his holding back for her sake

- her soft hands grasp at his biceps while his pace quickens, biting his lip at the way his lover calls his name over and over

- he becomes relentless, and she is a mewling mess; her back is practically off the bench now and Zoro is pumping as fast (but still gently) as he can

- a strange knot-like feeling begins tightening in her abdomen; she is so close; to what, she is unsure of, but the way she is bucking her hips against his penetrating fingers, they both know she is about to come undone 

- her toes begin to curl, causing her calves to tense, her legs are stretching out while her claws are eager to grasp something, anything; his tensed muscles just aren’t enough to prepare her for what’s about to happen 

- nevertheless, she digs her nails into his skin, sure enough to leave marks, while he pumps her into a blissful orgasm with a last moan of his name

- the knot unfurls, creating stars in her eyes as tingles course through every inch and vein of her being; it almost feels like an out-of-body experience; her body jolts as she comes all over his fingers, the sensation staying with her for a few seconds more as she basks in the ecstasy

- her body relaxes from head to toe while the sensation leaves her body as if her entire soul was returning to her

- Zoro pulls out his fingers, covered to the knuckles with her come; he feels so proud, honored, excited, turned on…so many emotions from making his lover orgasm, and with only his fingers! 

- he can’t hide the cocky smile that graces his lips

- he eyes her while she continues to come down from her high; his coated fingers shyly make way to her lips; he catches her off guard for an awkward second, she’s unsure of just want he wants, until he begins tracing his slick fingers along her lips

- she opens her mouth for him, and he slides into yet another wet cavern; her tongue traces along his fingers, tasting and swallowing every bit of her juices; it’s a strange taste, but nothing too bad; his naughty desires are honestly turning her on, and she finds herself willing to do anything to keep him excited

- Zoro swallows a lump to suppress a low, carnal moan reverberating in his chest; watching his lover do this was so incredibly hot 

- he pumps in and out of her mouth, fantasizing what it would be like with his cock instead of his fingers…

- he didn’t have to fantasize long before she rose from her position on the bench, the remnants of her juices in a tiny puddle below her; Zoro sits back on his heels, watching her curiously

- she rises then falls onto her knees below him, his eyes grow wide at her actions, picking up on what was about to happen next; he repositions himself, sitting on his ass now facing her, a leg at either side of her body 

- she sheepishly tugs at his pants, and he helps her pull them down to about his knees, freeing his caged erection; she eyes it curiously, having never seen one before; what was she supposed to do now? 

- growing impatient and rather insecure at her tedious staring, he can’t help but lash out a little

- “Oi, do something with it, will ya? Touch it, lick it, whatever. Anything besides gawking at it.” He tsks, looking away shyly from being so blunt

- she can’t hide her giggles at his embarrassment; she then takes his member into her hand, grasping it loosely

- Zoro hisses at the sensation; his own hand had never felt this good wrapped around his cock; and she was hardly doing anything 

- she remains observant, making note of his every reaction; she begins to pump up and down, eager to see what noises she could get out of him 

- he throws his head back against the wall, his breathing becoming ragged, “Tighter…”

- she obliges and squeezes his cock in her hand, continuing about her pumping

- Zoro graciously allows her hand to squeeze and grind his member, feeling his cock growing achingly harder by the second

- she grows impatient, desperate to get better reactions from her lover; her hand remains gripped around his aching member, while her tongue explores the soft pink tip

- his body jolts at the new sensation; the slickness of her tongue tracing circles around his head causing a shameful moan to escape his throat

- enjoying his pleasure and gaining some confidence, she proceeds to take him into her mouth inch by inch, painfully slow

- “Ah, shit, (Name).”

- his hands instinctively reach to tangle in her hair as she takes more and more of him; he can’t hold back the moans that leave his throat now; her warm mouth enveloping his member is making him feel insanely good

- she takes him until the tip hits the back of her throat, causing her to gag for a split second; Zoro shamefully finds this notion terribly hot, but he remains still for her sake, allowing her to get comfortable, when really he just wants to fill her mouth with every single inch of him till she’s practically choking on his cock

- after adjusting, she begins a steady rhythm, his dick sliding in and out of her slick mouth 

- “T-teeth.” he mutters between staggered breathing

- “Sorry.” she hums with him still in her mouth, causing a low chuckle to escape his lips before being replaced with moans yet again as her teeth retreated 

- he rubs circles into her scalp in between pulling at her hair desperately while she sucks him off; his tip hits the back of her throat time and time again, causing his legs to tense and his desperate moans to fill the entire room

- he shouldn’t be so weak right now, but she was surprisingly doing an incredible job; how could he not be turned on by the feeling of his lover eagerly taking his cock? 

- her tongue work was impeccable; it’s as if she already knew just what to do to him

- suddenly, his legs begin to tense and he could feel the impending sensation of his orgasm peaking

- he opens his tightly shut his eyes to look down at his lover; the loving and innocently curious eyes she offered up at him was enough to send him over the edge 

- “Fuck!” he groans, releasing every last bit of himself into her welcoming mouth; he’s grasping at her hair as if his life depended on it; he holds her head steady while he pumps with each release, riding out the last bit of ecstasy with her name falling off his lips in adoration

- the sudden bursts of his semen into her mouth caught her by surprise, but she remained relaxed; little pools began trickling down her throat, so she closed her eyes and swallowed, allowing every last drop to pass her throat; it was unlike anything she had tasted before, salty as she had heard, but not really disgusting?

- as Zoro’s body came back to and he pulled out, his body was set aflame again looking down at her lover; she eyed him intently making sure he watched as she swallowed his seed with the utmost confidence and love 

- he couldn’t take it anymore, seeing her so willing to swallow their first time really surprised him; his cock twitched, signalling this wasn’t anywhere close to the end for them; he needed her now

- suddenly, he picked her up off her knees and roughly laid her back against the cool bench; a little too rough, causing her head to bang against the wood, unable to keep up with the swift change of placement

- “S-sorry…” Zoro muttered awkwardly, his eyes averting; ‘i need to calm down’

- she didn’t care however as she desperately pulled him down to her lips in a rough and passionate kiss, he kissed her back, roaming his hands all along her body while her fingers tangled in his disheveled hair 

- his cock rubbed against her inner thigh, leaving a slick trail of pre-cum glistening on her skin; he pulled away, realizing just how close he was to her heated core

- Zoro looked down at his lover one more time, wanting to be absolutely sure this was what she wanted, while also shamefully praying she wouldn’t back out now

- her hand curved against his cheek, offering a genuine smile and nod while he studied her; they were ready

- he took no time in slowly spreading her legs open with his hands, making room for himself to settle gently in between; the sensation of his hands spreading her open caused a mewl to leave her body

- he smiled to himself as he prepped himself right at her opening, god, how he wish he could just bury himself deep inside her right here and now, but he knew he was going to have to refrain, difficult as it may be

- the tip settled between her folds, opening up her slit just a little causing moans from the both of them to fill the room at the new, exciting feeling

- with a light push, the head trailed inside followed by centimeters of him in a painfully slow pace; he watched her intently making sure she was in no pain

- her nails snatches his arms, digging into them yet again at the full feeling; his fingers had really stretched her, but having his cock sliding deeper and deeper into her was an ultimate stretch, she could feel her body forcefully trying to adjust to this sudden foreign member inside her sensitive area, no matter how slow Zoro went

- “Am I hurting you?” He asks full of concern, he had managed to slip half-way in; studying her contorted face, he became concerned and hesitant on if they should really be doing this or if perhaps he could be doing better; he could hardly think coherently however, totally enamored with the feeling of her tightness around him 

- she takes in a deep ragged breath, solely focusing on relaxing her tensed body

- “I can stop…” he offers, disheartened, the last thing he wanted was to hurt her; he’d be more than content with just going back to their foreplay

- “N-no! Keep going…” She mutters, eyes still shut tight

- hesitantly, he continues to push in inch by inch, even slower than before until he at last reaches the end; he moans desperately at the last push, relishing in how clamped she is around him; he reaches to grab at her free hand, squeezing it harder than he intended, but this tight feeling feels amazing; words can’t describe the ecstasy Zoro is in from finally being one with her

- her other hand grasps at his back, feeling fuller than ever now that she had taken every inch of him in, the bliss overtook the slight pain as he remained still inside her, his sweaty forehead resting against hers

- they stayed like that for a moment, his cock twitching every now and then from the sensation of being sheathed entirely inside her, causing her own body to twitch in pleasure at the sudden movements 

- “P-please…can I move…let me move…” he mutters, barely able to speak rationally, craving some kind of movement, anything; though he loved the feeling of being inside her, he needed more

- Zoro wasn’t one to beg for anything, that much she knew; after believing to have adjusted to his size, she bit her lip and simply nodded, unlinking their hands so she could grab at his shoulders for support

- he sighed heavily as he began to pull out slowly, causing her body to arch and grip into his shoulders at feeling him leave her body; he pulled out all the way, only to push back in at the same speed, sending them both reeling; the pain was still present, but it was slowly subsiding 

- “(Name)…” He breathes feeling closer than ever to her, he had never imagined how emotional and sensual this act would be

- “Zoro…” she calls back, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as he found a steady and slow rhythm of ins and outs; her legs squeezed tight, wrapping themselves around Zoro’s waist 

- her grip on his shoulders were less tight, more loving as she rubbed into them with bliss and desperation at his loving movements; his hands made way down to her hips and thighs, grasping them for support and to keep her body still for him

- his movements became quicker as his desire was flaming, he needed more, more, more; low groans reverberate in his chest as he effortlessly slides in and out of her soaking wet core, picking up speed with each reassuring moan from her 

- she was a shameless, moaning mess now as the pain had hidden itself, replaced with pure pleasure at Zoro’s cock burying itself deeper and harder into her; she had finally adjusted to his size, her body offering a natural lubrication making it easy for him to slip inside and outside

- Zoro is trying to suppress his moans, he only wants to hear hers, but he can’t help himself from letting every lecherous noise fill the room; her pussy was so tight and wet for him, it was even better than he had ever fantasized; seeing the pure pleasure on his lover’s face while he made love to her was something he would treasure forever

- their grips tighten on and around each other while Zoro’s pace quickens, now pounding in and out of her at a rather fast pace; if anyone were on the Sunny, they would easily know what was going on, but they hardly cared; all they could focus on was the pure pleasure and love they were giving each other; relishing in the blissful ecstasy of finally making love to one another

- Zoro collapses atop her, their chests connected as he buries his head into the crook of her neck, leaving hasty, lustful, wet kisses along her throat; her arms wrap around him, hugging him tightly to her, they couldn’t possibly be any closer than they were in this very moment

- “I love you…” She moans into his ear while he continues thrusting

- He squeezes her into him tightly, feeling himself so vulnerable all for her right now

- “I love you more…” he whispers back, rising up to leave a feverish kiss on her lips

- His pace was becoming unsteady now, feeling the familiar tingles shooting through his lower body yet again; his thrusting became relentless, reaching desperately for that high 

- this was causing her to scream his name now, much to his enjoyment; his pride revealing itself once again on his face for a split second 

- “Zoro…Zoro!” She screams over and over while he pounds deeper, harder, faster; his cock lathered in their mixed juices as it hits a special spot that he starts focusing on, taking mental note of where it is for next time

- she’s moaning loudly, practically screaming now, her body bouncing and jiggling underneath him while he hits that spot over and over sending her eyes rolling into the back of her head

- “Yes! R-right there!” she ignores the embarrassment from her surprisingly naughty words, but she can’t hold back now, he’s bringing her so close…

- Zoro groans in response, his body can’t handle anymore, feeling his orgasm coming earlier than expected; past the point of no return, he thrusts harshly, desperately reaching that high, depending on sheer hope and pure luck that she’ll finish with him

- “I-I’m gonna…” he begins, but he frantically pulls out before he can even complete that sentence, finishing all over her stomach much to her surprise; she watches his face, the single vein protruding from his forehead, his eyes closed shut, and his mouth open ever so slightly in an ‘o’ shape

- he pumps his member in his hand, thick ribbons of semen shooting out onto her belly once, twice, thrice…a few tiny drops still dripping from the tip 

- he sighs in contentment and looks at her finally, eyeing the mess he made on her

- “Uh…I’m sorry…” he mutters while looking away anxiously, now fully realizing he didn’t get her off; the disappointment visible all over his face

- she smiles up at him, reaching out to rub her hand along his abdomen; his body tenses as he’s still sensitive to the touch, coming down from his high

- “That was amazing.” She reassures, grabbing at his hand to squeeze it tight 

- He chuckles lightly, getting up to retrieve a towel to clean her up, “Yeah?“ 

- she smiles even bigger at his awkwardness, feeling more in love with him than ever before; she takes the towel graciously and begins wiping his mess off her stomach 

- Zoro notices her quietness and sits down beside her on the bench drinking a cup of water he had been drinking from earlier, wondering just what she’s thinking about

- after cleaning off, she stands up before him, taking his glass out of his hand and setting it aside, much to his confusion

- “Eh? What are yo-”

- before he can finish, she settles into his lap, straddling him between her and wrapping her arms around his neck; her breasts push up against his chest and her dripping pussy rubs against his softening cock 

- he eyes her curiously, his arms instinctively grabbing at her waist 

- “I still don’t hear our friends. I think we have time for one more…you owe me after finishing before I could.” she smiles seductively and teasingly down at him, wiggling her body against his

- he blushes at her brashness, but can’t deny the blood rushing down south; he smiles devilishly and goes back to ravishing his lover; the pair making sweet, messy love to each other for the second time that day, vowing to make love to only each other for the rest of time 

[jsteneil]

Neil Josten’s Birthday Bash

in which the foxes don’t get anything done, ever

 *

Nicky added Dan, Kevin, Aaron and three others to “Neil Josten's Birthday Bash Organization Committee”.

Nicky: can't add Andrew because he still owns a FLIP PHONE but here we go

Dan: hell yeah B-)

Nicky: kevin can fill him in with the details anyway

Kevin: why me?

Allison: because you live with him?

Matt: you're practically attached at the hip

Dan: omg ur roomm8s

Matt: ^^^ what allison said

Dan: yeah

Nicky: OR aaron can do it on wednesdays so that there's no chance of neil finding out :D

Aaron: no.

Aaron left the chat.

Nicky: what

Nicky: the

Kevin: just add him back

Nicky: fuck

Kevin: ffs

Kevin: some ppl are in class

Nicky added Aaron to the chat.

Aaron: im muting you all

Allison: just embrace the fact that you've lived in SC for years and say y'all

Nicky: y'all!!!

Nicky: yeah

Matt: dude don't how are u gonna know when to buy your coordinated outfit and rehearse the choreography if you mute us

Dan: Aaron?

Renee: I do think he muted us

Allison: fuck a crybaby

Nicky: hey

Allison: what's he gonna do? Unmute us?

Dan: asdhskfjdl ALLI

Matt: lmfao

Nicky: moving ON

Nicky: the important thing here is my boy neil's birthday

Kevin: and you wonder why Aaron left

Nicky: what?

Kevin: maybe Neil doesn't want to celebrate his bday

Nicky: no that's too sad

Nicky: next person?

Allison: not to be that bitch

Matt: oh?

Allison: but do we even know when his birthday is?

Allison: fuck you matthew donovan boyd

Matt: sorry i love you

Dan: it was easy

Dan: matt ur easy

Matt: ily babe

Dan: <3

Kevin: jan 19th

Renee: March 31st?

Allison: wait

Dan: uhhhh

Matt: Neil Josten deserves 2 bdayz

Kevin: no jan 19th

Renee: oh i thought we were using the one he chose for himself

Matt: Renee add a smiley face

Renee: :)

Renee: ?

Dan: babe ur mind,,,, im crying

Matt: ikr

Allison: stop using mygf so

Kevin: is it me or does it sound really passive aggressive bitchy with a smiley face

Dan: ye that's the point

Renee: I really wasn't trying to be

Matt: oh no we know, sorry

Matt: i feel bad now

Matt: it was just funny

Matt: sorry

Dan: :(

Renee: It's okay, don’t worry

Renee: :)

Dan: renee STOP i feel like ur going 2 murder me in my sleep

Renee: I could, but I won't

Nicky: im shaking and im not even in your dorm

Allison: and we daily thank god for that

Nicky: hey im an excellent roommate

Nicky: i always leave so cap and matt can have sexy times

Dan: yeah but then u call it sexy time

Allison: ive seen the bathroom nicky

Nicky: that's aaron

Matt: l o l

Kevin: aaron's a neat freak

Allison: exposed

Nicky: erik come get me the people here are mean

Renee: So when's Neil's actual birthday?

Kevin: jan 19th

Nicky: who's gonna ask andrew?

Kevin: HE HAS REAL PAPERS NOW

Kevin: JUST GO CHECK AND LET ME BE IN CLASS IN PEACE

Allison: well okay drama queen

Dan: kevin: *is on the chat as much as us*

Dan: also kevin: guys why r u dragging me here

Matt: it's okay kevin we can talk about it during practice

Renee: Don't goad him, Matt

Dan: lmfao babe u thought

Matt: uh oh

Allison: lol

Dan: we need 2 trounce the ravens nxt wk

Nicky: do we have to

Dan: y'all r hauling ass @ practice or god help me

Nicky: id settle for a close victory

Matt: nicky if you don't help us close the goal next friday im telling neil about his surprise

Nicky: noooooo :'(

Allison: ye renee has enough to do without having to face stuff y'all should have blocked

Renee: Andrew is also a goalkeeper

Allison: yeah but he doesn't give a fuck

Renee: That's neither true nor fair

Dan: i want bragging rights over this vctry, end of the question

Matt: are we just gonna ignore the fact that the fbi chose neil's old bday

Matt: even tho they made him a new identity

Allison: wonder how this conversation went

Nicky: are we ignoring the fact that neil is a goddamn CAPRICORN

Allison: "in my left hand is your birthday date. In my right hand is your other birthday" *shuffles behind his back*

Matt: idk about astrology but I checked and he tried to pass for an aries so what does that tell us?

Dan: shut up adfhskdjs

Nicky: im dying

Kevin: [attached picture]

Matt: did u steal neil's ID

Allison: i thought you were in class

Kevin: he sent it to me

Nicky: his phone can take pics??

Dan: RLY crappy 1s but yeah

Nicky: so all those times andrew refused to send me pics of his Eden’s Twilight's outfits so i could coordinate neil's…

Matt: :/

Kevin: he just doesn't like you

Allison: i would have laughed but you two have been fighting the good fight since last year, dressing neil up

Nicky: hey

Renee: Kevin, that was mean

Nicky: but thanx allison, I think so too

Kevin: sorry

Kevin: he's just difficult?

Nicky: yeah :(

Dan: omg u guys rmr when neil was on k ferdinand's show n he looked like a bite-sized snack in that shirt

Kevin: not exactly what I remember from this interview

Dan: u were pretty 2 <3

Kevin: oh my god

Renee: Didn't Neil keep the clothes?

Nicky: i've never seen him wear them again

Nicky: maybe he STUFFED THEM DOWN THE TOILET

Matt: uh okay

Allison: weird emphasis

Kevin: are you still stuck on that

Dan: what

Kevin: it's what happened with the clothes he wore the first time we went to columbia

Nicky: do you know how expensive that plumber was?

Matt: just a thought but maybe that wouldn't have happened if you didn't force him to come with you and drugged him against his will

Allison: don't tell me someone actually peed on them and tried to flush

Nicky: take it up with andrew

Matt: you literally drove the car

Kevin: what happened in columbia stays in columbia

Allison: omg oh my god

Dan: IM SCREAMING

Nicky: what was i supposed to do, get knifed?

Nicky: also ^^^^ yeah.

Nicky: ANYWAY

Nicky: now that Kevin got us proof that the FBI officially made neil a capricorn again,,

Dan: the fbi be like "oh u thought u could escape ur traumatic past? That's nice buddy

Matt: yeah I don't think beating last year's party is gonna be hard

Dan: here's ur bday n trauma back"

Nicky: HAPPY THOUGHTS

Nicky: :(

Nicky: anyway it's the big 21st, so the first thing in order is BOOZE

Kevin: uh nicky

Renee: He's turning 20?

Matt: what???

Kevin: yeah he aged himself up on his fake papers

Matt: oh my god

Dan: lmfao only neil

Nicky: he is baby

Matt: does. Does he know though. Like did he check when they made him the papers.

Kevin: I'm guessing so

Matt: imagine filling a form or smth and you get the day right but not the year

Renee: Wait Kevin, how did you get neil to send you the pic without telling him about the surprise party?

Nicky: DON'T YOU DARE HAVE TOLD HIM ABOUT THE NJBB

Allison: njbb?

Dan: neil josten's bday bash, im guessing

Nicky: Neil Josten's

Nicky: BIRTHDAY BASH

Nicky: yes

Allison: it doesn’t sound right

Allison: like, something’s missing in the name

Matt: alli we play a sport named after what you get when you take the s from sexy

Dan: 10 bux kevin wishes he didn't have such a stick up his butt so he could reply with exy is sexy

Allison: im not taking that

Kevin: i actually don't know why she named it that

Kevin: she never told the press and she didn't write it anywhere so

Nicky: :(

Allison: oh

Dan: sorry :(

Renee: Maybe coach knows?

Matt: maybe each letter has a meaning

Kevin: how?

Allison: endangering xylophones yearly?

Matt: EXceptional daY

Matt: and then, boom, it's about your name

Renee: Matt, I like that idea!

Dan: allison, no

Kevin: I'll have to ask coach, renee

Kevin: anyway it was always going to be her name, she invented it

Nicky: someone bring neil in so he can say something super serious about how kevin is a legendary striker whose name is already associated with exy and make us choke with emotion

Kevin: nicky….

Nicky: look it's working and he's not even there

Allison: it's the josten effect

Dan: changing your entire life's beliefs one extremely tragic remark at a time

Matt:...

Matt: someone change the subject im sad

Nicky: BIRTHDAY BASH

Kevin: oh yeah nicky asked me how i got neil's ID

Allison: and?

Kevin: i told him i signed him up for his own exynews account so he could stop hogging mine for streaming

Kevin: so i needed his name and birthday

Kevin: and then we got into an argument about date formats

Nicky: dd/mm/yy 4ever

Allison: eww

Kevin: so he sent me a pic instead of writing the date

Dan: it's the european propaganda getting to him

Kevin: i guess i really have to get him an account now

Dan: kevin i know you're entirely serious but that's so funny

Nicky: THE REST OF THE WORLD USES IT

Matt: admit it, you can't wait to go back to Germany because you secretly like the metric system

Nicky: yeah dicks sound bigger if you use centimeters

Dan: didn't need 2 know that

Nicky: not that erik needs that :)

Dan: I DON'T WANNA KNOW

Renee: ….

Matt: honestly im glad i don't understand german or i would never live down all the skyping

Dan: renee's like "can't relate" lmfao

Renee: No indeed

Allison: hell yeah that's my girlfriend

Renee: <3

Allison: hey minyard if you're secretly lurking now is the time to leave

Allison: …

Renee: No, he truly muted us earlier

Dan: are we surprised?

Renee: we'll catch him up on what we decide to do later

Renee: Nicky?

Nicky: oh, yeah!!!

Nicky: BIRTHDAY BASH

Matt: here we go again

Dan: mamma mia

[cloudfiveclub]

guilty conscience ➵ r.c.

Summary ; You always fall for the men with empty chests. 

Warning(s) ; swearing, unprotected sexual intercourse (wrap it before you tap it, kids!), angst and sad shit

Word Count ; 1.2k+

Author’s Note ; this is for @cieloxcnco‘s 1000 followers challenge! prompt used is: Animal - The Cab / My heart may be missing but my hands will make up for it

congrats again babyyyy 💞

also can i just say, this is NOT one of my best works. i thought it started out decently but half way through i think it just got a little weird. not my proudest piece but i hope you guys like this x

edit: the format for this one is a little different and includes a lot of paragraphing and spacing between sentences and unfortunately it doesn’t show up on the mobile tumblr app so for best experience read on your computer sigh

masterlist

disclaimer | these are only based on my own opinions and imagination and are purely fictitious, as such they in no way accurate or true

Again.

I saw him. Again.

Like the stupid idiot I am. 

Desperate.

Mindless.

Fool.

I really didn’t know when to stop. I didn’t how to stop. 

Everyone had told me about him and no one had mentioned her name. But I knew the story. How she fucked him over and left him with a broken heart and an empty closet. 

Gone in a night. 

And he never recovered. 

And then I came along. 

The naive girl thinking she could fix the broken bad boy like in every dumb romance novel she read. 

That he’d miraculously reciprocate the feelings she felt for him. 

That she was the special someone he would open his heart up to. 

That they’d live happily ever after, living out the rest of their days in each other’s arms. 

I really believed that shit. 

I really couldn’t get any dumber. 

I really thought he would eventually somehow develop feelings for me. 

Here I am again though. 

Lying in bed with him next to me. The combination of the thick quilt and his body had the intended purpose to warm me, yet I only felt cold and alone. 

He knew what he was doing.

He was making it worse.

He’s probably suspected for months.

But he never said anything.

I had confessed to him half a year ago. And he’d broken the news to me. 

I’m sorry but I don’t feel the same way, Y/N.

You’re a nice girl though.

Like that was supposed to make the situation better. 

He found me drinking my sorrows away that night pathetically with the alcohol I found in the minibar. 

He told me to stop. 

I told him all I wanted was for him to be mine. 

He’d kept silent when I said that. 

Maybe you can.

You can have me. Sexually.

If you want me, I’ll be there.

It was wrecking his conscience knowing he’d broken the heart of one of the sweetest girls he’d ever known. 

He was trying to make it better.

Letting me have some piece of him to stitch up my heart as best he could. 

He was fucking stupid. 

But he was just trying to be nice.

I can’t blame him. 

I never can. 

-

Richard’s fingers were round my throat again.

Constricting my airflow.

Stealing my breath away like he always did. 

Both in and out of bed. 

“Good fucking girl, baby,” he groans deeply in my ear. “Taking daddy’s cock so well.”

I whimpered at that, any sort of coherent response flying out my mind. His cock felt good. 

So. Fucking. Good.

He filled me up perfectly. My walls always hugged his thick girth oh so nicely. Like two complementary puzzle pieces. 

I gasped when his hand tightened round my throat. 

“Please,” I begged. 

What was I begging for?

For him to let me cum? 

Or for him to love me like I loved him?

He doesn’t respond verbally, a dangerous predatory growl the only sound slipping past his lips. It sends shivers right down to my core. 

I don’t care if he doesn’t love me. 

I just want him so badly. I want all of him. 

“Please fill me up, daddy,” I beg. 

This sends him over the edge. His hips stutter, before he slams deeply into me, burying himself to the hilt inside me. He groans deeply as he releases his load into me. 

We never did it with protection. 

I knew he loved the risk and the thrill. 

I didn’t mind doing it for him. 

It’s for me too, though. I want to feel all of him. As much as I can. 

He pulls out after he’s calmed down, and I’m left feeling empty. 

“I didn’t cum, Rich.”

Our eyes meet knowingly, and he rolls me over onto my back. 

“I’m sorry, baby.”

His apology sounds so sincere, and my heart flutters at how genuinely sweet he sounds. I slap myself mentally when I get all warm and fuzzy inside again.

Don’t be so fucking stupid. 

He isn’t doing this because he cares for you. 

He’s doing this because he knows how you feel. 

He wants to think he’s doing you a favour by letting you have him to yourself. 

He’s doing this because he feels bad for you. 

Richard’s fingers come into contact with my swollen pearl, and he rubs it the way he knows I like it best. My mouth falls open and my breaths become short as my third orgasm creeps up on me. I fall apart on his fingers pretty quick, but it’s so powerful it wrecks me.

My toes curl and my body thrashes off the bed, white filling my vision as my head spins. 

I must have blacked out temporarily, because I come to with Richard pressing a cold towel to my forehead and rubbing my waist affectionately. 

“Are you okay?”

I’m only able to nod. 

Words aren’t exchanged much between us. 

The silence almost makes me uncomfortable. 

He lays down next to me after he helps clean me up. It’s such a strangely intimate thing to do especially since he doesn’t like me. My heart aches when I remind myself of that again. 

He pulls the covers over us and the both of us lay next to each other in silence. He doesn’t bother making any conversation. 

-

I’m alone when I wake up in the morning. At least I think I am. Until I get a whiff of burnt bacon from the kitchen downstairs.

I know it’s Richard and his futile attempts at cooking again. 

I crack a smile at the effort he always makes to try and whip something up for me though. 

But it drops when I realize once again - he’s doing this cause he feels bad. 

I stay under the sheets and it doesn’t take him long to come back upstairs again. He jogs into the room, chest decorated lightly with sweat and basketball shorts hanging low on his hips.

He looks so fucking good. 

He chuckles when he realizes I’m awake. 

“Hope I didn’t wake you up cause of that dumb bacon.”

I fake a smile as I pull the covers around myself tighter. 

I’m reminded once again. 

He isn’t mine. 

But what guy takes the effort to make you breakfast when you’re only a fuck buddy? 

He’s technically mine in a way. 

And I’m his. 

Stop deluding yourself. 

It’s almost awkward as he continues standing there, looking at me and I back. 

“Thanks for trying though,” I respond quietly, letting a gentle smile play on my face to assure him as best as I can. 

His features soften and a relieved smile crosses his face. 

“You wanna just get breakfast at starbucks or something?”

I stop myself from gritting my teeth when he says that. 

He’s always like this. 

Asking me out for meals when he knows how I feel.

It’s almost like he’s leading me on on purpose.

He just does this to make himself feel better. Like he’s making it up to me in some way. But I know he’d rather do anything else than grab meals and take me out all the time.  

His heart isn’t in it.

It’s an empty gesture. 

He does it because of his guilty conscience. 

But his hands always feel so good. 

Was I willing to let that go? 

It was the only way I could have him. 

God, but I hate wanting him all the time. 

I didn’t bother responding verbally. 

I just sat up and pulled him into bed with me. 

One more time. 

| TAG LIST |

@la-undercover-latina

[purrincess-chat]

In your opinion, what are all the things that ML writers could do to fix the show and make it better?

Oh, Lord, how much time do you have?

I don’t even know how to begin gathering my thoughts for this, so if this ends up being a big incoherent brain dump then, uh, I’m sorry. XD

So, first and foremost I guess, they need to balance their main characters better. Why is all of the plot tied to Adrien? Why does Adrien have a more fleshed out backstory than Marinette? This is supposed to be a girl power show, and yet it revolves more around the boy’s life from the girl’s perspective basically. Marinette really doesn’t have a dog in that fight outside of the fact that she was asked. 

Marinette needs some kind of tie into the plot that doesn’t revolve around her love interest which is basically all they are willing to give her in this show. Everything about her has to relate back to the boy somehow, and if girl power is their message, then they are kind of defeating the purpose. Sure, they have episodes that are supposed to depict that the girl doesn’t need the boy, but then when you pile on top of that dozens of other instances where she gets pushed aside in favor of the boy, including words coming out of the creator’s own mouth (or off of his two thumbs onto a screen) then it doesn’t exactly hold the same weight. 

If your protagonist doesn’t have a tie into the plot, then why are they the protagonist? Take other shows, for instance: Avatar: the Last Airbender, Aang is the avatar and it’s his destiny to keep the balance in the world, She-ra, Adora was destined to become She-ra, it’s in her blood. But you have Marinette who is Ladybug because….the greater good? Some fairy sprite bug thing asked her to be? 

The villain isn’t personal for her, there is no mark of destiny that deems that she must be a hero, she’s just kind of there. Even her family barely gets fleshed out in comparison to Adrien’s. I mean, her parents are just blindly supportive of her meanwhile Adrien’s mom is in a magical coma, his father is cold, distant, and neglectful, which for some reason turns his assistant on and makes her want to sacrifice her fucking health even though Gabriel looks like a dried up soft pretzel. They canceled the special where we were supposed to learn about Marinette’s family, and I think that about sums up my point.

Secondly, I think they need to abandon the idea that Adrien is perfect because it’s not doing his character any favors. Thomas is so far up his ass about Adrien being a perfect example to boys that he has actually looped back around and made Adrien a poor example to boys. He gets away with all of his bad behavior because Thomas just covers his eyes if you call it bad behavior, he refuses to take no for an answer from the girl he likes, he thinks standing up for yourself is being unkind to the other person regardless of how unkind they are being to you, he conveniently turns a blind eye to the abuse of his friends, but god help you if you try to assert yourself against your aggressor because “you should just be nice to them and eventually they’ll change” like um, and maybe they won’t, in the mean time, I don’t want to put up with their bullshit! 

By insisting on this perfect image, they prevent Adrien from growing because you can’t improve perfect. I have said it before numerous times, but Adrien reeks of amateur fanfiction author’s self-insert OC. He’s described as being perfect, he’s good at a lot of activities just because, he’s wildly attractive, charming, smooth, can generally do no wrong, everything revolves around him, the narrative is constructed in a way that usually puts him above the everyone else. The fact that more people don’t realize that, especially the creator himself, is laughable. 

“But Cat, Chat Noir gets mind-controlled and thrown around and is goofy and-” Okay, but when Chat throws a tantrum about Ladybug not returning his feelings, who apologizes sincerely? Who is painted as being wrong in that situation? When Chloe puts a train full of people in danger just to play hero for a day, who does he scold? And of the two, who does the fandom adore more? Bonus: who do the Chibi specials revolve around and pity? 

Thirdly, they need to actually delve into shit more. It’s season 3, they’ve only been greenlit for 2 more seasons, and what plot do we have? Gabriel wants to bring his wife back from her magical coma, Master Fu messed up something in the past that led to two Miraculouses being lost as well as their temple to be destroyed where presumably everyone else but him died making him the last member of that magical society. That’s it. We don’t know how Emilie got to be the way she is. We have suspicions, but nothing explicit in canon yet. Same with Fu. We don’t know what his mistake was, only that he made one. We barely know any lore about the Miraculouses, the origins, how they were made, when they started working with humans, why they were created. 

If you want my honest opinion, with how slowly they’re dragging out this Agreste plot, they could have accomplished it in two seasons if they actually made every episode count and mean something. We get like maybe 1-2 minutes of actual plot relevant information once every few episodes, if that, and sometimes that “plot relevant information” is just the villain learning that there’s a guardian. Hang onto your asses, guys, they’re really laying it on thick for us. 

Seriously, they give us breadcrumbs of plot, and they don’t even go into any of the cool shit (like fucking Master Fu and his ancient magical fight club perhaps??) because obviously the villain’s assistant being in love with him despite the fact that he’s married, has a kid, and is doing all of this to resurrect his comatose wife whom he loves and devotes everything to is WAY more interesting and important than all that froufrou magical ass Chinese bullshit, right? Like, this show has all of this Chinese lore and a biracial lead, and they still somehow manage to make it all about white people. but ya know, the French are proud of themselves I guess

Fourth, chunk the status quoyo out the fucking window. I get that this decision may not have been the writing team’s, but in fact a higher up decision, but it’s still a stupid ass decision. For a show that is trying to introduce deeper plot, you cannot progress anything if you constantly have to set everything back to the way it was at the end of the episode, and that much is evident. The relationships are getting stale, characters aren’t developing, plot is moving at a snail’s pace, all because they are so bound by this idea that everything needs to be right in the end to maintain an episodic format. If they wanted to keep the series episodic, they shouldn’t have gone in for all of this lore and backstory that they say exists, but never tell us what it is because that just leaves a lot of people unsatisfied. 

Fifth, for the love of god learn how to write dynamic characters. Not everyone needs to be dynamic, but your main cast should probably be. Adrien, I love him to bits, but he is static as all fuck. Which, again, see point number 2. One of the biggest complaints floating around about Stormy Weather 2 is that the characters haven’t changed. With the exception of Marinette, none of the other characters have really learned anything. Adrien hasn’t, Nathalie doesn’t have enough focus to learn shit, Nino and Alya really haven’t, Chloe sure as hell hasn’t, and Gabriel can’t decide if he’s an abusive piece of shit or a sympathetic, heart broken sad man, so I barely count him. 

In fact, 3 of those characters’ “development” just revolves around being in love. Nathalie’s “change” is that she for some reason wants to fuck Gabriel (I guess the whole gray-ass pompadour, candy cane aesthetic really does it for her), and then Alya and Nino’s “change” is that they fuck love each other now which them being a couple has basically just become their entire character. They’re barely separate anymore, particularly in Nino’s case more than Alya’s. I’m sure that Chloe’s bit about having changed juxtaposed with flashbacks of her not being nice coupled with how she wasn’t nice in this episode was just for humor because they like to make the point that mean people will never change, but for some reason they still feel the need to teach the protagonist a lesson about being nice to mean people so that they can change, but they don’t do that, they just think that you should keep hoping. :) :) :)

I honestly think that the writers don’t know what “character development” means, and Stormy Weather 2 was just proof of that. All they did was show that the characters have been in a number of different situations, but none of them have really learned anything or grown from those situations, so it’s kind of a weak argument to say that they’ve changed when they’re all intrinsically the same. Except for Marinette because she is constantly the writing teams’ punching bag in all of these morals of the day cause can’t teach shit to perfect boy cause he’s perfect, but of course they don’t reflect on all of the lessons they forced her to learn, what are we, stupid? No, her only importance to the plot is the fact that she loves the boy that the plot really focuses on, so of course her only significant development of character is that she can talk to him sometimes without foaming at the mouth. Not a peep on how she has learned to overcome her jealousy and hotheaded nature, gained confidence in herself, and learned to maturely accept when someone doesn’t return her feelings, a lesson that a lot of us wish good old perfect boy would fucking learn, but he can’t because he’s perfect. :) :) :)

Another part of the problem with characterization in this show, is that often times characters behave in such a way to push the moral of the day rather than giving them established characters. It’s why Alya only questions Marinette’s sources in Chameleon while she just lets Lila claim a bunch of wild shit without batting an eye because she only cares about journalistic integrity when she can use it to beat down her friend so she can learn a lesson about turning the other cheek. :) :) :)

Sixth, pick up a fucking romance novel every once in a while cause hot damn is their relationship progression a heaping pile of hot garbage. Their love drama is so forced and there’s no real development because of the #status quoyo because they must drag this shit on until we’ve all basically lost interest. I’ve seen more people dropping off the love square in the last half season than I’ve ever seen in any other show. Part of that has to do with Adrien becoming a real “nice guy™” but a good chunk of it also has to do with the fact that they don’t really know how to write love drama or romantic tension in a way that makes you care. We all pretty much know that Adrien is never going to figure it out, even if someone grabs him by the shoulders and screams it in his face that Marinette is in love with him, so why should we care? We know that Chat Noir is never going to stop loving Ladybug, but Ladybug is never going to stop loving Adrien so why should we care? We know the show is never going to break the square because they’re endgame so why should we care about the love rivals? 

Seriously, Captain Hardrock didn’t give me a reason to care about Luka or ship him with Marinette. I still stand by my opinion that their chemistry was incredibly forced and inorganic, and it still is, and as much as I love Kagami, I wasn’t convinced that she was interested in Adrien at the end of Riposte either. The only reason we know Luka likes Marinette is because Winny said he “fell in love with her at first sight” on Twitter (which the whole love at first sight trope is bullshit, but that’s a post for another day). Somehow in Frozer Kagami was randomly into Adrien all of a sudden, and no one likes to bat an eye about the fact that she told him to change targets because the girl he likes doesn’t like him back and then at the end of the episode when Adrien admits that he still likes the other girl over Kagami, Kagami is all “well, it’s fine. I’ll wait.” like bitch, again on characterization. A strong and confident character like her would know her worth and would show that boy the door. But of course she would contradict herself because they need her for #love drama later even though we all know it doesn’t matter. 

I love the love square, and I live for soft moments between them, but I’m ready for them to turn up the heat and give me some actual drama and tension that doesn’t revolve around Chat being a pouty pissbaby or Marinette fucking up another love confession. Cause when you do that too many times, it stops being interesting. You have to throw us a bone somewhere or else we’re gonna stop caring, and lots of people already have.

Seventh, can we please stop pitting all of the girls against each other while the boys just get to be cool with each other? For a show that promotes itself as being a “girl power” show, there are a metric fuckton of misogynistic undertones to this show. See: why does the plot revolve around the boy even though the girl is the slated protagonist. See: why does the girl learn all the lessons while the boy gets to be right all the time. See: why two teenage girls are “the worst things I can think of” while an actual neglectful father gets to be sympathetic and “do anything for his family” uwu

Seriously, I think making Kagami and Marinette rivals while Luka and Adrien are just chill dudebros is so tired. Girls fighting over boys is tired, especially because we have it not once, not twice, but three fucking times in this show. Chloe and Marinette don’t often fight over Adrien, but in Despair Bear Chloe sure as hell didn’t want them dancing together. Marinette initially follows Lila because she’s hanging off of Adrien, and even at the end of Chameleon, Lila makes it known that she is still gonna try to steal Adrien. Kagami basically tells Marinette that she better stop hesitating or she is gonna steal Adrien away, and we have Backwarder where Marinette is basically plotting to cockblock them even though we had Frozer where she decided she wasn’t going to be jealous of them because Adrien liked her. Again, see: characters behaving in a way that is convenient for the plot of the episode. All of the drama is between girls. All of the women in this show are described as being terrible, the worst things they could think of, never going to stop being mean. Seriously. Chloe and Lila? Worst things Thomas can think of. Audrey is constantly shown intimidating her husband who is extremely corrupt himself, not that anyone bats an eye at that. Nathalie/Mayura was described by Jeremy as “making Hawkmoth look like a baby.” Any time they show a man being problematic, they have to bring in a female to be ten times worse, and the worst part is: they don’t even know they’re doing it. #girl power, am I right?

Eighth, speaking of making people bad, can we stop half-assing redemptions? Honestly, they’re so back and forth on whether or not they’re going to redeem Chloe. First it’s “mean people will never get a miraculous” then dingdong, who’s that? Queen Bee, motherfuckers. Then it’s talk about how they’re not going to redeem Chloe then bam bitch, “why don’t you love me?” But even after that they reset the status quoyo and have her go back to being mean. Even after they give her a second chance to be a hero and do good, she still goes right back to being her nasty self. I think they really highlighted in Stormy Weather 2 how much they haven’t changed her at all, and yet somehow she still gets to play the hero. 

Additionally, now we have them trying to make Gabriel sympathetic? Boo fucking hoo my wife is in a coma so I terrorize the fucking city on a daily basis, pity me! Also I neglect my son, verbally abuse him from time to time, and I don’t even let him see his friends or feel any happiness, and even though my superpower revolves around feeling people’s negative emotions, I never seem to care about my own son’s unhappiness, but hey, I’m doing it for his mommy, so that makes me better than the 14 year old girl. :D

Shit or get off the pot, Zag. Either you’re going to redeem these characters, or you’re going to leave them the way they are. Make up your damn mind.

Ninth, be diverse in more than name only. For a show that prides itself on its biracial female lead and its ties to Chinese culture, uhh, they spend a lot of time focusing on not those things. I said it before, but they focus all of their plot attention on rich ass white people drama more than the vastly more interesting Chinese lore they have going on. Their black characters were paired together just cause, and their only real important quality now is that they love each other. Their ship is basically their character now, and we barely have a reason to root for them outside of the fact that they’re canon. They have such shallow relationship development that my feet wouldn’t get wet if I stood in a puddle of it. Can we have more on them, please? 

This show is diverse only on the surface. They use diversity as decoration then fill everything else with less interesting shit, and even then they get a lot of shit wrong. It drives one of my Asian friends nuts that Sabine’s neckline is facing the wrong direction. (for those unaware of what I mean, it should look like a y. hers is backwards) They use diversity to pat themselves on the back and say they are diverse, but they have no intention of doing anything meaningful with it. It’s just a gold sticker they wanted to give themselves to draw in an eastern market. It’s cheap, and several of us see through that shit. 

And last, but certainly not least: Shut the absolute fuck up on Twitter. Just shut the fuck up. Every time Thomas opens his mouth, he just pisses off more people or makes everything more convoluted. Shut the fuck up. Please. 

Now, I know a host of you are going to be like “buhhh, it’s a kid’s show, go outside, hur dur, I’m so smart and mature,” but like, honestly that’s a weak argument. Yes, Thomas’s audience is young now and they may not be able to see all of this shit, but when they get older and decide to go back and watch one of their favorite childhood cartoons, all of that shit is gonna come out. They’re not gonna be so naive forever, especially if our generation is raising them, and just because they can’t see all of this shit now, doesn’t mean that it’s not still there just because they don’t notice? That doesn’t make it any less problematic. One thing I love about several shows I used to watch as a kid is that they aged well. When I go back and watch them now as an adult, I find things that I missed as a kid that I appreciate now as an adult. I can’t say that the same is going to happen with Miraculous, especially in this day and age. 

Additionally, kids learn a lot through media. I never believed that I was any less than the boys growing up because I consumed a lot of media that taught me that, and going back and watching it over now, I still get that from those shows. Clearly, if you apply two ounces of logic to this show, it falls apart, and that’s not because it’s a kid’s show, it’s because it’s bad writing. I can always see what they are going for, but they always miss just a little bit. sometimes a lot

A lot of us complain because we are concerned with the message being spread to the next generation because those kids are going to grow up one day and be influenced by what they are consuming now. If we teach our girls that the perfect boy is going to chase after us no matter what we say to them and if we teach our boys that in order to be the perfect boy we have to continually chase after the girl until she says yes, how are those kids going to approach relationships? That mentality is actually something that we are trying to combat in the world. That mentality is why rape is so prevalent because we teach boys that they are entitled to a woman’s affection if they’re “nice” to them, and if she doesn’t give it to them, then she is wrong. 

Media has an impact on kids, whether we like to admit it or not. Yes, parents can still teach them, but sometimes things get into your subconscious and it can determine how you see yourself and the world. Lots of kids engage in make-believe play where they put themselves in that character’s shoes and play pretend. I just think it’s important to give them the right things to look up to. 

[cupidsmusings]

The Affair that Never Happened

Description: It was here third and final and final year at Seishun High School. A year that was coveted by most and looked back on with cherished memories. For this particular student though, she found herself in a peculiar situation that set a catalyst for things to come.

Rating: PG-13

Series: The Affair That Never Happened

Chapter 4: The Formation of a Plan

Couples: Eventual reader x Shinichi, unrequited reader x Chiharu

Author’s note: I know the chapter title isn’t interesting but I tried my best ;.;

   When her alarm blared sharply in the silence of her room she was jostled from her sleep. Groggy and confused she felt around for her phone and without opening up her eyes she found the annoying device. With a few flimsy clicks of trial and error, she finally managed to press snooze. With a soft sigh, she snuggled deep into her sheets and cocooned herself inside their warmth. Drifting off back to sleep she made a mental note to definitely wake up the next time her alarm went off. It was too bad that she made that promise three more times before she decided to peel the covers off of herself and make an effort to get ready.

   Once dressed she stared at herself in the mirror that hung on her bedroom door. Thankfully there were no bags under her eyes that indicated her lack of sleep and her complexion was as it had always been. It was a good thing she looked normal because the bizarre events of the night before made her feel at a little of a loss. It was equal parts amusing, stressful, and confusing. She sure played it like a cool cucumber when he walked in on her while she was bathing. BATHING! How was she supposed to face him today? Hopefully, he’d have been too drunk to even remember what happened the night before.

   As she looked at her reflection she caught sight of the clock reflected in it as well. Noting the time she walked over to the box at the edge of her bed and scooped out a breakfast bar. Sometimes she’d go without breakfast, but when she was feeling particularly peckish but wanted to use as much time as she could to sleep in she would eat one of the many breakfast bars she had. Many people would urge her to wake up and have breakfast with them but it was either wake up at the ungodly hour of 6 or try and make it there and eat within a time-frame before seven, or whenever breakfast actually ended.

   The only good thing that brought a smile to her face was imagining Kagari-sensei’s face when he woke up in a room that was a mix of pastels and yellows. The smile widened at the thought that he would look behind him and take a horrified gander at the backdrop of the bed. Perhaps it wouldn’t even be of dread. Wouldn’t it be a riot if that stuff turned that fickle robot on? That idea in and of itself had her laughing. With her mood brightened by that vivid imagination, she exited her room and finished the breakfast bar before she even made it to her classroom.

   Upon entering the classroom her troubled thoughts melted away when she was greeted by Chiharu. Ah, today was going to be good. She was greeted right away by the boy she loved, so that MUST mean that it would only go uphill from there, right? Right?

   “Can I talk to you for a bit? It’s about your math tutoring.” Before she could even respond he took her by her forearm and dragged her out of the classroom and into the semi-empty hallway.

   “Can you not tutor me anymore or something?” She asked despite all her focus being directed to the warmth his palm radiated.

   Oh listen to her, she sounded like a love-struck school girl. She never thought she’d sound like such a thing! With a dopey smile, she wasn’t able to get rid of, not that she wanted to even if she could, she followed him until they reached a small area where no other students could hear them. Despite this Chiharu began to whisper.

   “What were you doing out so late last night?” He asked her with furrowed brows.

   Oh, he sure was adorable wasn’t he? Wait. No! He saw her? When did he see her? When she snuck out or when she snuck in?

   “I just wanted to let off some steam.” She explained. “So I met up with a friend and we hung out. I ended up falling asleep so I stayed out later than I wanted to. I promise I wasn’t planning on staying out that late. Besides I was safe as can be. See, I’m all good.”

   To emphasize her statement she moved her arms about at her sides. Chiharu did not look amused. It felt good that he worried about her, a bit too good if she was being honest with herself. The little green monster inside her that had been silently stewing in the fact that he had begun to date someone else, and a teacher none-the-less, sucked up all the attention that he gave her. It caused her to feel special but she didn’t know why. It was hard to describe really. She was aware that he was dating someone, but it felt nice that he was putting his concern in her well-being rather than his older, prettier and more mature girlfriend. Whoa there girl, that was the green monster talking. And man was that little dude rude.

   “Dude, seriously, I’m good.” She said and gave him a frivolous pat on the shoulder. “When did you see me anyways?”

   She was curious, but her curiosity grew when his eyes ever so slightly drifted to the left. What was this? Was he out late into the night as well?

   “Were you perhaps out having fun as well?” She inquired with a playful smirk and a quirked brow.

   “I wouldn’t… Not in that kind of place…” He was blushing now and his words had come out awkward and rather frazzled.

   “What… What kind of place?” She asked with a gentle cock of her head.

   “Y’know… The place where you were.” He mumbled.

   “You’re gonna have to be more specific because I was in more than one place yesterday night.”

   “The… The love hotel.” He said and managed to control the gentle blush that stained his cheeks.

   “Oh, there.” She said noncanonically.

   Oh there! Of course, it had to be there! This was great. Peachy. Just flat out fucking amazing.

   “You won’t tell anyone will you?” She asked, not even bothering to try and explain herself.

   “I won’t if you promise not to do something so dangerous again! You could get expelled for such things! With the no dating rule, which you are breaking, you would add more of a sentence to your rap sheet if someone saw you!” He hissed.

   “I’m not dating anyone.” She said as if that helped the entire situation.

   “You’re gonna give a guy a heart attack at such a young age. You know this right? You are aware of how dangerous that is right?” He snapped at her but there was an exasperation to his tone that she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. But not sorry enough to tell him the truth. He probably wouldn’t even believe it anyways, because to be fair it did sound a bit far-fetched. She watched him lean his body forward so his arms would be propped on the window-ceil.

   “Don’t tell me you’re in love with me?” She couldn’t help but tease him.

   “Why would I be in love with you?” He asked, a mixture of disgust and confusion written on his face as he looked up at her.

   Well, that hurt like a knife to the chest.

   “Then my stalker, maybe?” She asked, her smirk still present.

   “That’ll be a very hard no.”

   “Then what were you doing out late at night?”

   He didn’t have to tell her, but it would make things fair.

   “Why are you two not inside the classroom?” A new stern voice sounded from behind them.

   “Making out.” “Sorry, sensei, we’ll go back now.” The two of them responded together.

   The expression in response to her comment made her laugh. Fingers pressed gently against her lips she looked back and forth between the two of them. Chiharu, looked to her with his mouth agape and Kagari-sensei looked ready to smack her if violence against students was allowed. She didn’t bother telling them she was kidding this time and instead skipped into the classroom.

   Also, how dare Kagari-sensei judge her even for a second when he got so wasted he threw up on her. Oh how she wished she could humiliate him with that fact, she steamed while she took her seat. Shit! She was supposed to text Akira that she made it home safe.

   “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” She muttered to herself and gently slammed her forehead against the desk. She quickly and very discreetly texted her friend that she indeed made it home safe but something happened that made her completely forget to text him that she had. Letting him know that she would tell him all the details later on that day.

   It was then that she noticed someone else had texted her. Someone whose number she didn’t know. With slow movements, she lifted her forehead off the desk to look at her homeroom teacher. He was also looking at her when she did this and it freaked her out so much she sat up straight in her seat. Did… Did he know too?

   Dread anchored her heart in her stomach and bile climbed up her throat as she let the thought sink in. Oh no. Oh God no. Oh hell no! Another slam of her forehead against her desk. She didn’t care that her fellow students were looking at her with quizzical expressions. She had bigger problems. Problem Uno: She was about to barf that delicious breakfast bar right up. Problem Duos: If he remembered then it was goodbye school and hello shame. Problem Tress: It would break her father’s heart.

   “{Last Name}-san, would you please reframe from making a scene?” The sigh that spoke volumes of disappointment was what almost sent her over the edge.

   “But scenes are what I’m good at.” She played it off as a joke and sat up.

   Back to the blasé attitude, she was known to have. It would do her no good speculating. Even if he did know it was her he had no proof and she could just play dumb. Well, that wasn’t a wonderful idea since anyone would believe whatever perfect Mr. Robot-Sensei said. Damn! What WOULD she do if he figured it out? This time she reframed from slamming her forehead against her desk but she allowed her lips to curl into a frown when Kagari-sensei looked away. He gave her one final exasperated look and told her, “This is a school, not a tv drama. Act your age, please.”

   “Righty-roo.” She smiled up at him.

   Well, that garnered her a glare. He didn’t bother to give her a response and instead made his way back to the front of the classroom. A little into the lesson, when she knew he was too busy to pay attention to her, she peeked at her phone that was inside her desk. With slyness that any good spy would possess she read the message on her phone.

   “Hello, I can’t seem to remember your name, but I remember bits and pieces of last night. One of those memories was of me ruining your cardigan. I will have it cleaned by tomorrow. Would you mind meeting up with me so I can give it to you? I would also like to properly apologize to you in person.”

   Ok. Ok. Ok. Ok. She wasn’t freaking out at all. Nope. Not a bit. He didn’t remember her, so that was good. Bad news, he wanted to meet her and she definitely wanted her cardigan back. Her stomach churned and she felt a cold sweat begin to coat her skin. Heartbeat increasing and head buzzing with a tickling sensation, she knew she needed to calm down first before she could devise any sort of plan. But how was she supposed to calm down? Any rational person would know that this situation was anything but calming!

   “{Name},” her classmate whispered to her. “Are you okay? You don’t look too good.”

   Oh good. She looked as horrible as she felt. And it wasn’t as if she could excuse herself because if she even suggested such a thing she had the feeling Kagari-sensei would assume she was lying. He really didn’t have much faith in her, did he? A self-deprecating laugh bubbled up her throat but she was successfully able to thwart it before it passed her lips.

   “I’m fine.” She responded with a small smile.

   “If you say so.” Her classmate mumbled, obviously still worried at the blatant lie.

   “If you have something to say while I’m in the middle of teaching it must be very important,” Kagari-sensei said, his voice overbearing and grating.

   “I’m not feeling well and she was just worried about me.” She found herself saying in a defiant tone. “I was about to ask you if I may so kindly be excused to the nurse's office.”

   Perhaps that wasn’t the best tone to take with him in that very moment but a girl can only take so much rudeness. Granted she was talking while he was teaching, so maybe she deserved some repercussion but she didn’t deserve to be talked to like she just ruined his life. In fact, if SOMEONE hadn’t thrown up on her she wouldn’t be in her current state of turmoil.

   He looked down at her and the tension in the room rose to a suffocating degree as they continued to stare at one another.

   “You may go.” He almost spit out those words as his eyes flashed with a look that told her he absolutely did not want her to. “Since it seems that my teaching for today won’t help you.”

   His eyes had gleamed over her opened binder, which remained unmarked from that day’s lesson. She didn’t know why but she felt like he was calling her an idiot.

   “Yes, I doubt it will.” She responded calmly as she packed up her belongings and left the classroom with grace.

   But when she shut the door behind her and made her way slightly down the hallway she slammed her fist against the wall. The pain that sparked from her knuckles traveled up her arm and the back of her neck before it left her brain tingling. It was a good distraction and it helped ebb away the anger that boiled inside her.

   “I can’t wait for you to be groveling at my feet tomorrow. Begging for forgiveness for such “disgraceful” behavior.” She roared silently as she pulled her fist away from the wall.

   When she looked at her fist she was pleased that no skin broke, but there would definitely be bruises the next day if the redness that burned her skin meant anything. Once she entered the nurse's office she was surprised that there was no one there. Not even a student was asleep in the few sickbeds that aligned the walls. Using her alone time to good use she plopped rather unladylike on one of the beds and whipped out her phone. She spent her free time finding a place near a university she would claim that she went to.

   “We could meet up at the new café that opened up near my University.” She texted him and sent him the address of the café as well. “And I will accept apologies in a cup of coffee and a sweet treat.”

   The café had been a tempting sight when she looked up its information on her phone. It was a calming place with brown, black, and cream undertones that were derived throughout its furnishings and wall decor. It probably smelled of cinnamon and pastries. A comforting smell indeed. As she stared up at the ceiling she went over her plan. She’d go out tonight and buy a wig, one that might be pricey but would definitely look believable. She’d even find a good makeup tutorial video before-hand and buy the makeup needed to contour her face to look like someone else’s.  He’d never know it was her. She’d even make her voice higher or lower in pitch so he wouldn’t be able to catch onto her lie. And once she got her cardigan back she’d never need such tricks again.

   “Well, here’s to hoping anyways.” She muttered underneath her breath as she shut her eyes.

   She had barely gotten much sleep the night before and the bed was far more comfortable than one would assume. Treating it like her own bed, she snuggled deeper into the mattress and wrapped the blanket snuggly around her. By tomorrow night this whole nightmare would be over. At least, that’s what she told herself as she fell into a dreamless slumber.