#Rapid Logistics

[akashzipaworld]

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[yonpote]

i don’t think the friends jumpcut was an editing flub i think it was a joke about them being mean to friends fans lol

??? i mean. phil is a friends fan so idk why that would be the case, like literally owns the dvd boxset type of fan.

[redhotarsenic]

I think about Valantinez very specifically having the entirety of dmc4 lady’s handgun moveset btw

[reboottechblogs]

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[vividxpages]

｡° ✮୨ৎ "lay it all on me"୨ৎ✮° ｡

pairing: Jacaerys Velaryon x fem!Reader

words: 2100

summary: With the Queen and your betrothed Jacaerys’ delayed arrival, you are left in charge of the day’s council meeting. When one of the lords starts to speak of a possible bedding ceremony for your upcoming wedding, your thoughts begin to spiral badly…

warnings: the lords in Rhaenyra’s council being perverts and dicks, talks of misogynistic traditions and predatory behavior of men, sexism and misogyny, panic attacks, Jacaerys being a protective betrothed, angst, emotional hurt/comfort, crying, hopeful ending

a/n: I cooked this up so quickly, but I was very inspired yesterday - thank you so much to the anon who sparked a conversation about bedding ceremonies in my asks and with it, my inspiration for this idea! <3 this is for you :*

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

When the messenger arrived at the council room and announced the delayed arrival of the Queen and her son, you had been optimistic for a moment.

Jacaerys and you, a team ever since your shared childhood and since recently betrothed with the blessings of his mother and family, had led council meetings like this together before and you were no stranger to the strategies and logistics of the war and Rhaenyra’s efforts in it. You just had not done it by yourself before.

You nodded in thanks to the messenger and turned back to the assembly of Rhaenyra’s lords around the table with a polite smile. It was only a matter of time until her and Jace would make their return from the dragon’s caves and until then, you’d do your best to begin today’s conversation.

“Well then, my lords.” You nodded to yourself and took a deep breath, looking into the round with openness. “I believe we’ll continue where we’ve left off yesterday? Is there any news yet of Daemon’s stay at Harrenhal? We could-“

“There is another matter of importance we thought we could discuss with you, my princess.” One of the lords interrupted you, a cool smile on his face as you leaned back in your seat. You cocked an eyebrow at him to continue despite your sentence being left unfinished. “Since the wedding with the prince Jacaerys will occur in the upcoming months, it would be wise to discuss the bedding ceremony sooner rather than later.”

Something in you went very, very still.

You blinked at him before you looked into the other men’s faces. They seemed to be in agreement of this rapid topic change. “The…bedding ceremony?”

“Yes, it is of grand importance to ensure the consummation of marriage between two newly-weds.” He explained to you, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his old mouth. “It’s an old tradition and the lords and I believe it is best to follow it with the young and lovely union of the prince and you.”

You swallowed against the dryness in your throat, your hands suddenly clammy with unsureness. “I have not talked to Jace about such a thing. The Queen hasn’t spoken to me about it either. That’s…-What if me and Jacaerys are against it?”

A few of them chuckled as if you had made a good jest.

“My princess, is it not really a matter of choice, if you understand.” One of them explained to you before he suddenly turned away from you and addressed the others: “The wedding will be held here at Dragonstone as we know and I thought of a crowd of perhaps a dozen, mostly members of the family and this council, of course. After the celebrations, the prince will lead his bride away in the company of the Queen’s loyal and trusted advisors and then, the marriage will be consummated in a room large enough for the ceremony.”

You opened your mouth to object, but found your voice had simply vanished.

“Will there be sheets as proof in the morning?”

“I would actively support it.”

“There are clothes here at Dragonstone suited for such a ceremony, I am sure we will have them before the wedding takes place.”

“A purity test accomplished by a maester might be sufficient beforehand as well-“

You felt yourself drifting away from the conversation, one that circled around you and yet did not include you at all. Staring at the table in front of you, you felt your breath quicken as a distant howl swept through your mind, drowning out their voices as they went on and on.

In your mind, you saw yourself being led into a fully lit room. The dress you wore was thin and barely hiding your body, your arms protectively crossed in front of yourself as you shivered. The bed chamber was crowded all the way back to the tapestry of the walls with men regarding you coolly. Their hunger for the curves barely hidden underneath your dress was evident in their eyes, yet you had to walk on until you reached the middle of the room. Jacaerys was waiting, his own expression blank and without any emotion for you as he took your hand and led you to bed. There were a thousand eyes on you and you felt numb, your body screaming in protest, your mind begging you to shout at them to leave as Jace mechanically began to kiss your neck-

The wide doors of the hall opened and the men seated around you abruptly stood, their wrinkly hands brushing over their attires. The Queen was here.

You remained in your seat, your mind having drawn itself back to a hidden part in yourself, blankly staring at the fidgeting hands in your lap. When you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder, the touch so familiar it could’ve been your own, you closed your eyes for just a moment. Jacaerys had come with her.

“What is going on?” Rhaenyra demanded to know, walking around the big table as she took in your uncharacteristic quiet state.

When your betrothed raised your hand to his lips in greeting, you looked up and bit your lip at Jace’s worried expression. The taste of iron coated your lips and only now you realized you had bitten your lip so badly, it had started to bleed. The pain was almost a relief.

“Are you alright?” Jace murmured, his hand delicately cupping your cheek and making you shudder. Your eyes were glassy, your cheeks red from shame and suddenly, a strong urge to cry shot through you, so intense you barely could fight it. “What is it, my love?”

You shook your head, avoiding his searching gaze.

The shame burned hotly through you and you wanted to shrink into your seat until you could escape these old devils. One of them, who had started this whole discussion about the ceremony in the first place, cleared his throat. “Your Grace, we were discussing possible arrangements for the wedding of the prince and his betrothed. There have been no mentions of the traditional bedding ceremony yet and the lords and myself were worried that-“

Rhaenyra frowned with a disgusted curl of her lips. “A bedding ceremony? There hasn’t been a tradition like this in my generation. Why would we burden the next with such an old piece of the past?”

You could sense Jace tensing beside you, his face dark as he stared at the lord. Would he look at you like this too, when the happiest day of your life would end with having to sleep with each other in front of dozens? Your chest hurt as you struggled to breathe normally.

“The princess has expressed similar concerns, but there are ways…There could be a thin veil draped over the sides of the bed.” Another suggested generously and you felt your stomach turn itself over. “Of course, it cannot shield the pair fully from the observer’s eyes. They have to be in sight, so it can be assured that she’s-“

“There will be no bedding ceremony.” Jace cut him off, close to snarling as he flexed his hand on the hilt of his sword. He remained by your side, his stance protective of you and intimidating. “Neither my mother or myself have been consulted about this before and the fact that you’ve preyed on an opportunity to bring it up in front of the princess is close to treason. And yet you’ve dared to speak of such inappropriate matters in front of my betrothed, your future Queen? I could have you hanged by the cliffs of Dragonstone for such perverted behavior.”

“My prince, with all respect, it simply is tradition. It has to be guaranteed that on the night of her wedding, the bride is a maiden-“

The sound of your chair screeching over the floor broke through the room as you stood up. The sound of your own breath was too loud in your eyes, the lump in your throat only growing by the second. “If you would excuse me, Your Grace, I’m not feeling well.”

Jacaerys stood with you, but as he reached for your hand, you had already slipped away and quickly made your escape towards the wide doors, trying to breathe against the numbing panic in your lungs.

You blindly walked down the long corridor, ignoring the questioning looks of the guards standing on the sides. Would they be there as well, to witness yours and Jace’s union, eyes on your naked body when Jace had to deflower you in front of an audience?

You choked on a sob, the tears running freely down your cheeks now, the pain in your chest only expanding from keeping it inside for so long. You had never experienced a panic like this before, a powerful tide washing all rational thoughts away and sending your brain into overdrive.

Behind you, quick footsteps were approaching and before you knew it, Jacaerys had overtaken you and blocked your path, taking your upset state in with wide eyes. Your bottom lip wobbled dangerously and you came to a halt, noting how far and fast you had walked away from the council room.

“My love…” Jacaerys mumbled quietly and stepped closer and somewhere inside of you, a dam burst and he caught you as you fell into his arms, your body wrecked with heartbreaking and breathless sobs. He wrapped his arms around you, drawing you against his chest and letting you cry, his own heart aching at the stress vibrating through your body.

“I don’t want them to see…” You sniffled miserably against his shoulder, his arms tightening protectively around your waist, one of his hands resting on the back of your head and stroking your hair. “I want our wedding night to be ours, I don’t want them in the room with us, I don’t want any of it.”

“I’m not going to allow it.” He assured you calmly, suppressing his own anger for the sake of your peace of mind. Later, he’d had time to rage and forge the feeling into action, but now the only thing that mattered was you. “They have no right to make these rules for us. You and I decide, together, okay?”

You nodded, your anxiety slowly beginning to ebb away and leaving the council room and its members behind you.

“I am so sorry I was not there with you.” Jacaerys regretfully whispered against your temple, soothingly stroking your back as you rested your tear-streaked face against his neck. “I am not going to let this slide. And I am serious, my love, I promise you; there will be no bedding ceremony, I’m not going to let them expose you like this.”

You lifted your head to look at him, your eyes still shimmering with worried tears. “And what if we have to? I can’t do this, Jace, I would rather die-“

He gently shushed you and gently rested his forehead against yours, willing you to take big and deep breaths with him until you were breathing in sync and your shivering stopped. “We don’t have to do anything. You and I, we’ll be king and queen someday and I will not accept any disrespect towards you, not today or when we’re married, alright?”

You nodded slowly, exhaling deeply as you allowed yourself to sink against him, letting yourself be held and gently swayed from side to side. Slowly but surely, your heart stopped hurting and the clouds in your mind dissolved until you only felt him.

“Alright.” You whispered back after a while and his lips on yours, featherlight and oh so gently, were a relief after such moments of stress. When you separated and looked into each other’s eyes, you added quietly: “I want this, with you. All of it. I want our first time together to be special and a memory we’ll cherish forever.”

“And it will be, I promise.” He soothed you. “These old pathetic men will do good to remember their place before I’ll unleash Vermax on them.” He added jokingly and even managed to make you giggle a little bit at the mental image. “You know how Vermax adores you, he’ll eat them in one piece and spit them out, because they’re disgusting.”

You snorted tiredly and nuzzled his neck in affection, not ready to separate yourself from him just yet.

“My mother will deal with them.” Jace promised you darkly, a revengeful shimmer in his fierce eyes as he wiped the last of your tears away with his thumb. “And when she’s done with them, I will make sure as well they’ll remember who they answer to, my queen.”

He would deal with this.

And after he had put those foul men in their place, he’d make sure you’d be the happiest you could be and your wedding would be perfect and just the way the two of you had imagined for so long…

my taglist: @princesschimchim1325 @cecestea @jacesvelaryons @princessvelaryon @diannnnsss

[cranberrymoons]

buck finding out that marisol is moving in with eddie when and how he does??? is crazy crazy work. he is already mid-panic spiral about the possibility of being forced to come out to eddie right here right now (being outed!!!!! that’s what we call that btw, okay, buck buckley on the verge of being outed) and it’s happening in front of this woman he barely knows. and just, what, three days ago? he finished going through the emotional upheaval of the sleeper agent activation of every single one of his most deep seated personal insecurities about being replaceable in eddie’s life. and also he sprained eddie’s ankle. and also he’s bisexual now of all things. and he’s sitting here with this guy he barely knows and looking at this woman he barely knows, and eddie standing in between them, and eddie says “oh btw marisol agreed to move in! isn’t that great” and buck is now hearing kill bill sirens in his head because he thought he got past all this LAST week and now here it is again and she’s doing what??? she’s moving in?? and you’re telling me like this right now right here that she’s just going to live in our family home?? because that’s what eddie’s house is to him!!!! and now buck has to do rapid life calculus about the logistics of having eddie and chris over to his stupid loft four times per week for dinner and movies and homework time and he doesn’t even have a couch. or is marisol just invited to family dinner now??????? is he going to go over to eddie’s house like normal and cook dinner for four?? and meanwhile helicopter boy is there making closet jokes, and they’re intentionally btw *intentionally* for sake of privacy at a restaurant that’s far away from buck’s neighborhood. that comes up in the maddie coming out scene, that they went out of their way to make things feel a little less scary for buck by going somewhere in a different neighborhood. so they’re in an unfamiliar place and Buck has just found out this horrible weird news that makes his chest feel horrible and weird, and then to top it all off he gets left standing on the curb while stupid eddie is inside having dinner with the woman who is apparently moving into their home!!!!! ugh.

[pin-k-ink]

hoshina x exes to lovers angst? 🥺🤲

just for tonight // hoshina soshiro

tw ⇢ exes to lovers??, hurt/comfort kinda, angst, lots and lots of unsaid feelings, making out, biting/marking, smoking, suggestive content, mentions of past flings

wc ⇢ 2.7k

The stifling tension in the conference room was thick enough to cut with a knife, rivaling even the oppressive summer heat that seeped through the building's supposedly state-of-the-art air conditioning system.

You sat ramrod straight in your high-backed chair, the leather creaking softly with each minute shift of your body. Your fingers, usually steady and sure, drummed an erratic rhythm on the polished mahogany table, betraying the anxiety that churned beneath your carefully composed exterior. The starched collar of your formal uniform felt uncomfortably tight, as if conspiring with the room's atmosphere to suffocate you.

Across the vast expanse of the conference table, separated by a sea of papers and the invisible yet palpable line dividing the First and Third Divisions, sat Hoshina Soshiro. His violet hair was a tad longer now than when you'd last seen him. The ghost of his familiar smirk played at the corners of his lips, a reminder of shared intimacies and bitter partings.

You forced your gaze away, focusing intently on the report before you, though the words blurred and swam on the page. The droning voice of the presenter faded into white noise as you became acutely aware of Hoshina's unwavering stare. It was as if his eyes were physically caressing you, leaving trails of heat in their wake that no amount of professional detachment could cool.

A bead of sweat traced a lazy path down the back of your neck, disappearing beneath the collar of your uniform. You resisted the urge to squirm in your seat, to give any outward sign of the effect his presence was having on you. Instead, you squared your shoulders, lifting your chin in a subtle act of defiance.

"Vice Captain [Y/N]," Hoshina's voice cut through the monotony of the meeting, his kansai dialect as pronounced as ever. "Ya seem... distracted. Perhaps ya'd like to share yer thoughts on the proposed joint trainin' exercise?"

You met his gaze, your own eyes narrowing slightly at the challenge in his tone. The room fell silent, all eyes turning to you expectantly. You could feel the weight of your division's pride resting squarely on your shoulders, demanding you rise to the occasion.

"Of course, Vice Captain Hoshina," you replied, your voice steady despite the rapid beating of your heart. "I was just considering the logistical challenges such an exercise might present. After all, oil and water don't typically mix well."

A ripple of tension passed through the room at your thinly veiled barb. Hoshina's smirk widened, a predatory gleam entering his eyes that sent an involuntary shiver down your spine.

"Oh?" he drawled, leaning forward slightly. "I seem to recall a time when we mixed quite well, [Y/N]-chan."

The use of the familiar honorific, so inappropriate in this setting, caused a flush to creep up your neck. You clenched your jaw, fighting to maintain your composure as memories of tangled sheets and heated whispers threatened to overwhelm you.

The air in the conference room grew heavier with each passing moment, as if the very oxygen was being consumed by the smoldering tension between you and Hoshina. Your colleagues shifted uncomfortably in their seats, eyes darting between the two of you like spectators at a high-stakes tennis match.

"I'm sure we can find a way to... overcome our differences," you said, your voice dripping with false sweetness. Each word was carefully chosen, a verbal minefield designed to maintain professionalism while conveying your utter disdain. "After all, the Third Division's reputation for adaptability is quite... impressive."

Hoshina's eyes glittered dangerously, his smirk widening into something that bordered on predatory. He leaned back in his chair, the picture of relaxed confidence, as if your barbs were nothing more than gentle caresses.

"Ain't that sweet of ya to say, [Y/N]-chan," he drawled, his accent thickening. "I'm touched ya've been keepin' tabs on us. Thought ya might've forgotten all about the Third Division after... well, ya know."

The implication hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. You felt heat rise to your cheeks, a mixture of anger and something else you refused to acknowledge. Your fingers curled into fists beneath the table, nails biting into your palms.

"Some things are best forgotten, Vice Captain Hoshina," you replied, your tone icy. "Like ill-advised decisions made in moments of weakness."

A collective intake of breath swept through the room. Hoshina's eyes narrowed slightly, the only indication that your words had found their mark. But his recovery was swift, his easy smile never faltering.

"Ah, but those moments of weakness can be so... enlightenin', don't ya think?" He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near purr. "I seem to recall ya findin' them quite... educational."

The memory of his hands on your skin, his lips at your throat, flashed unbidden through your mind. You stood abruptly, your chair scraping loudly against the floor. "This is hardly the time or place for such discussions, Vice Captain," you snapped, your composure cracking.

Hoshina rose as well, his movements fluid and unhurried. He circled the table slowly, like a predator stalking its prey. "Oh? And when would be a good time, [Y/N]-chan? After hours, perhaps? In private?"

The room seemed to shrink, the distance between you and Hoshina narrowing with each step he took. Your breath came faster, your heart pounding a frantic rhythm against your ribs. The air crackled with unspoken desires and bitter regrets.

"You're out of line, Hoshina," you hissed, your voice low and dangerous. "This is a professional meeting, not one of your juvenile attempts at-"

"Vice Captain [Y/N]!"

The sharp voice of one of your superiors cut through the tension like a knife. You whirled to face him, suddenly aware of the spectacle you and Hoshina had been making. The man's stern gaze swept over both of you, his disapproval palpable.

"I believe we've strayed from the topic at hand," He said, his tone brooking no argument. "Perhaps we should take a brief recess to... collect ourselves."

As the room began to empty, you caught Hoshina's eye once more. The heat in his gaze made your breath catch, a silent promise - or perhaps a threat - of unfinished business. You turned away quickly, but not before a shiver of anticipation raced down your spine.

This meeting was far from over, and you had a sinking feeling that your encounters with Hoshina were only just beginning.

The nicotine burned your lungs as you inhaled deeply, the acrid smoke a fitting complement to your bitter mood. The Tokyo skyline stretched out before you, a sea of twinkling lights against the darkening sky, but you barely noticed its beauty. Your mind was still trapped in that stifling conference room, replaying every loaded glance and barbed comment.

"Stupid, arrogant, insufferable..." you muttered, flicking ash from your cigarette with more force than necessary. The ember glowed brightly for a moment before being swept away by the cool evening breeze.

"Now, now, [Y/N]-chan," a familiar voice drawled from behind you, causing you to stiffen. "Is that any way to talk about yer colleagues?"

You whirled around, coming face to face with Hoshina. He stood far too close for comfort, his frame blocking out the fading sunlight. The rooftop suddenly felt much smaller.

"What do you want, Hoshina?" you snapped, taking another drag of your cigarette to steady your nerves. "Come to gloat?"

Hoshina's eyes flickered to the cigarette between your fingers, a slight frown marring his usually smug expression. "Thought ya quit," he said softly, a hint of concern in his voice that made your chest tighten uncomfortably.

You scoffed, turning back to the railing. "Yeah, well, a lot's changed since we were together. Not that it's any of your business."

You felt rather than saw him move closer, the heat of his body a stark contrast to the cool evening air. "Maybe not," he murmured, his breath tickling your ear. "But I still care, ya know."

"Could've fooled me," you retorted, your grip on the railing tightening until your knuckles turned white. "What with how you've been acting all day."

Hoshina chuckled, the sound sending an unwelcome shiver down your spine. "Aw, did I ruffle yer feathers, [Y/N]-chan? And here I thought ya enjoyed our little... exchanges."

You turned to face him, anger flaring in your chest. "Enjoyed? You embarrassed me in front of the brass! Do you have any idea how hard I've worked to earn their respect?"

"I remember," Hoshina said, his voice softening. "Ya always were driven. S'one of the things I loved about ya."

The use of the past tense stung more than you cared to admit. "Well, it doesn't matter now, does it? We're over. Done. Ancient history."

Hoshina's hand came up, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face. The gentle touch was at odds with the intensity in his eyes. "Are we really, though? 'Cause I gotta say, [Y/N]-chan, it don't feel that way to me."

You jerked away from his touch, your heart pounding traitorously in your chest. "Get it through your thick skull, Hoshina. We are never, ever getting back together."

The world narrowed to a single point of contact as your back collided with the cold, unyielding wall of the empty office. The impact forced the air from your lungs in a soft gasp, quickly swallowed by Hoshina's hungry mouth as he pressed against you. The heat of his body seeped through your clothes, a stark contrast to the chill at your back, igniting a familiar fire in your veins that you'd tried so hard to extinguish.

Hoshina's hands, calloused from years of swordplay, found their way to your hips, gripping with an intensity that bordered on desperation. His fingers dug into your flesh, sure to leave marks - a physical reminder of this moment that would linger long after you both returned to your respective divisions, pretending this never happened. Again.

The kiss was messy, all clashing teeth and battling tongues, a physical manifestation of the tumultuous emotions roiling between you. You could taste the faint bitterness of coffee on his breath, mixed with something uniquely Hoshina that made your head spin. Your fingers tangled in his violet hair, longer now than when you were together, providing the perfect leverage to pull him impossibly closer.

"Ya drive me crazy, ya know that?" Hoshina murmured against your lips, his voice roughened by desire. His words ghosted over your skin, sending shivers down your spine. One of his hands left your hip, trailing a blazing path up your side to cup your face, his thumb brushing over your cheekbone with surprising tenderness.

The gentleness of the gesture, so at odds with the desperate passion of moments before, threatened to unravel you completely. You bit down on his lower lip in response, perhaps harder than necessary, drawing a sharp hiss from him. "Shut up," you growled, not wanting to hear his voice, afraid of what it might make you feel. Afraid of the emotions it might unlock, the ones you'd so carefully locked away after your breakup.

Hoshina pulled back slightly, just enough to meet your gaze. His eyes, usually twinkling with mischief, were dark and intense, swirling with desire and something deeper, more complicated. A smirk played at the corners of his swollen lips, a challenge in his voice as he spoke. "Make me."

The taunt hung in the air between you, charged with unspoken history and simmering tension. For a heartbeat, neither of you moved, locked in a silent battle of wills. Then, as if a dam had broken, you surged forward, capturing his mouth once more in a searing kiss.

The kiss deepened, a complex mixture of frustration, longing, and barely suppressed emotions pouring into every movement. Your hands slipped under Hoshina's shirt, nails raking down his back, eliciting a low groan that vibrated against your mouth. The sound sent a jolt of electricity through your body, awakening nerve endings you'd tried so hard to numb.

Hoshina broke away, his breath coming in short pants as he trailed his lips along your jaw. The slight scratch of his stubble against your sensitive skin sent shivers down your spine. He paused at your ear, his voice a husky whisper that seemed to caress your very soul.

"Why do we keep doin' this to ourselves, [Y/N]?" The question hung in the air, laden with unspoken regrets and lingering desires. His hands, which had been roaming your body with practiced ease, stilled at your waist, thumbs tracing small circles on your hipbones.

You tilted your head, giving him better access to your neck, even as your mind reeled from his words. "Because we're idiots," you gasped, the admission torn from your throat as he found that sensitive spot behind your ear, the one he remembered all too well.

Hoshina chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating through your body. "Speak for yourself. I know exactly what I'm doin'." His teeth grazed your earlobe, drawing a soft moan from you that you couldn't suppress.

"Oh yeah?" you challenged, your voice breathy and uneven. "And what's that? Trying to see how many times you can get me into bed before I finally come to my senses?"

He pulled back, meeting your gaze with an intensity that made your heart stutter. There was amusement in his eyes, yes, but beneath it lurked a deeper emotion, one that made your chest ache with its familiarity.

"Ya say ya hate me," Hoshina murmured, his thumb brushing across your lower lip. "Yet here ya are, in my arms. Again." His voice dropped lower, a hint of vulnerability seeping through his usual cocky demeanor. "Makes a man wonder what the truth really is."

You swallowed hard, fighting against the emotions his words stirred up. The playful teasing in his tone couldn't quite mask the underlying hurt, the knowledge that this moment, like all the others, was fleeting. That soon he'd have to leave, returning to his division, leaving you to pick up the pieces of your resolve once more.

"Soshiro, we can't-" you started, but he silenced you with another searing kiss, pouring all his longing and frustration into the contact.

When he broke away, his voice was rough with need and something that sounded dangerously close to desperation. "Tell me ya don't want this. Tell me ya don't want me."

Your silence hung heavy between you, more telling than any words could have been. Hoshina's eyes searched yours, reading the conflict, the desire, the unspoken feelings that you couldn't bring yourself to voice. A soft, almost sad smile tugged at his lips.

"That's what I thought," he murmured, his hand cupping your cheek with surprising tenderness. "Ya never could lie to me, [Y/N]. Not with yer words, and certainly not with yer body."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against yours as he spoke. "I know ya, remember? Every inch of ya." His other hand trailed down your side, leaving goosebumps in its wake. "I know what makes ya tick, what makes ya fall apart."

Hoshina's kisses trailed along your jaw, down to the sensitive spot on your neck that made you gasp. "I know the sounds ya make when yer tryin' to be quiet," he whispered against your skin. "And the ones ya can't hold back no matter how hard ya try."

His hands worked at your clothes, each touch reverent and familiar. "I know the way yer breath hitches when I touch ya just right," he continued, his voice low and husky. "The way yer back arches, beggin' for more without sayin' a word."

As layers fell away and skin met skin, Hoshina's words became more fragmented, interspersed with soft groans and whispered endearments. "Ya're so beautiful," he breathed, his eyes roaming your form with undisguised awe. "So perfect. I've missed ya so much, [Y/N]. Missed this. Missed us."

With each touch, each kiss, each whispered confession, the walls you'd built around your heart began to crumble. Hoshina's movements were both desperate and tender, as if he was trying to memorize every moment, knowing it might be the last.

"Stay with me," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Just for tonight. Let me pretend, just for a little while, that ya're still mine."

As you surrendered to the sensations, to the familiar touch of the man you'd never truly stopped loving, you knew that come morning, you'd have to face the consequences of your actions. But for now, in the darkness of this empty room, you allowed yourself to fall into Hoshina's embrace once more.

[the-adas]

TWO NEW STEMS HOLY SHIT

new stem! new stem!

[thatchickwiththecamera]

Two Pink Lines

This is from a request sent to me by @lma1986

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x Female Reader

TW: Pregnancy difficulties, implied past loss.

The soft glow of the late afternoon sun filtered through the window of the bedroom where she sat waiting for the timer to finish counting down. For the past few weeks, she had been riding an emotional rollercoaster. Fear and anxiety mixed together with joy and excitement. Today, though, she felt something she hadn't dared to let herself feel for a long time: Hope. 

The timer on her phone sounded and she looked at the tiny white stick lying on the table, a wave of disbelief washing over her. It was actually real. After years of trying and countless disappointments, it was right there. Two pink lines. Her heart raced as she imagined the little life growing inside her. 

She was able to get an appointment with her OB/GYN a few days later and Dr. Matthews confirmed that she was in fact pregnant. She estimated her to be about 10 weeks along and calculated a due date for the middle of October.

Y/N stared in awe at the screen of the ultrasound machine as the tech pointed out the little bean that was her baby. Hot tears sprang from her eyes as the rapid tempo of the heartbeat filled the silent room. 

With a flutter of excitement, she picked up her phone and texted Bryan, the band’s media director. He was one of the few she trusted with this secret.

Hey, Bryan! I need your help with something! Can I call you?

Minutes later, her phone buzzed.

Absolutely!

Nerves ate at her as she listened to the phone ring.

“Hey, what’s up?” He answered. 

“Are you around any of the guys?” She asked. 

“Noooo, I’m on the bus editing, everyone else is in the venue for soundcheck.” He replied. “Why?”

“Okay. You can’t tell anyone, but I took a test earlier this week and went to the doctor today to confirm.” she explained, excitement filtering through “and well…I’m currently 10 weeks pregnant!”

“WHAT?!” He yelled, before clearing his throat with a cough and continuing with a lower volume of voice. “Holy shit! Congratulations!” 

“Thank You, Bry! I want to surprise Noah with the news and I need your help” She asked. 

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Bryan replied.

“I have the perfect idea!” 

Y/N and Bryan eventually had to loop Matt and Alana in on the plan as well. They needed them both in order to finalize all the logistics of getting Y/N to the east coast and sneaking her into the venue for the surprise. But they also needed their help to actually pull of the surprise without anyone else noticing. 

The night of the show arrived, the venue was alive with energy and anticipation. She hid backstage in one of the green rooms, heart racing as she watched Noah on stage through the venue's monitor system. She watched him put his heart and soul into performing, the music wrapping around him like a second skin. It was moments like this that made her fall in love with him all over again.

One by one they ticked songs off the set list. Alana quickly and quietly retrieved Y/N from the room and ushered her to a hiding spot back behind the stage risers. 

The final notes of Dethrone rang out and the crowd went crazy as the stage lights came back on for the boys to do their bows. As the boys walked back out to center stage, the lights dimmed again. 

Instead of the regular montage set to a Matchbox Twenty song, a montage of her and Noah’s life together popped up on the giant screen. Noah watched in confusion as the video Bryan made played set to the song they used for the first dance. 

Noah stared at the screen, the smile on his face growing wider with each clip. Y/N took this moment of distraction to quietly slip out onto the stage and stand behind him. 

Bryan had edited together clips from their wedding video, candid videos from when they were dating, and behind the scenes clips of the two on music video sets and backstage over the years. The video ended on the “Now Loading” screen the boys usually use to tease their fans. 

The lights came back up and the crowd erupted into cheers as they recognized who stood behind the singer.

Noah turned around to find his wife standing in front of him with a onesie that said “BABY OMENS” in the same font as the band’s logo. 

Noah’s face, a mix of shock and elation transformed into sheer joy. Nick, Jolly, and Folio jumped and hollered with excitement as they realized what was happening. 

Noah rushed toward his wife and scooped her up into his arms and spun her around a few times before finally setting her back down. 

“Are you serious?” he asked, his voice barely barely audible over the sound of the crowd as he held her face in his hands.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she nodded, laughter and joy mingling in her chest. 

“I’m serious!”

Bryan captured every moment—their embrace, the sparkle in Noah’s eyes, the overwhelming wave of love that surrounded them. In that instant, time felt suspended, and the world faded away, leaving just the two of them in their little bubble of happiness.

“I can’t believe it!” Noah said, pulling back to look into her eyes. “We’re going to be parents!” 

The crowd continued to cheer.

As Noah leaned down to kiss her, Bryan captured the moment, the camera clicking away, freezing the pure joy radiating from the couple.

The kiss lingered, sweet and tender, before Noah pulled back, still holding her gaze.

“This is the best surprise ever. I’m so proud of you. You’ve been so strong through all of this.”

Y/N felt the weight of his words settle warmly in her heart. 

“I couldn’t have done it without you. You’ve always believed in me, in us.”

Noah turned back to the audience, the light in his eyes bright. 

“I’M GONNA BE A DAD!” He yelled, raising Y/N’s hand in the air, showing the onesie. 

“We’re adding a new member to the Omens crew!”

The crowd erupted again, a sea of cheers and applause echoing off the venue walls. Y/N laughed, the sound clashing with the post show playlist that started playing through the venue. 

Y/N stood to the side as the band took their final bows before the house lights turned on and the fans began to shuffle out of the building. 

When he walked off stage, Noah wrapped her up in his arms once more. Y/N knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would navigate them together. The future was bright, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like anything was possible.

[princessanneftw]

Princess Anne, Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Logistic Corps, cuts a cake with a large kukri - the traditional knife used by Gurkhas- during a visit to Gurkha Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Support Battalion at in Innsworth, Gloucestershire on 30 September 2024 🔪🎂

[akashzipaworld]

From Doorstep to Express Delivery | How Digital Transformation is Changing Courier Services

Technology has revolutionized courier services, particularly with the integration of express delivery options. With cutting-edge tracking systems, customers can monitor their shipments in real-time, ensuring transparency and peace of mind throughout the journey. Automated sorting and routing mechanisms further enhance efficiency, guaranteeing that packages are handled with care and delivered promptly.

These advancements are bolstered by robust networks that seamlessly integrate various transportation modes, enabling swift and reliable deliveries on a local and global scale. As express delivery becomes more integral to the logistics landscape, these innovations not only enhance customer satisfaction but also streamline operations, marking a pivotal shift in the future of courier services.

[silaslich]

Change in the currents and tide

John “Soap” Mactavish x f!reader

Summary - John takes you home for the holidays and it only solidifies your nagging feeling that you no longer love Johnny just as a friend.

Wc - 4k

Cw - 18+, smut, fluff, friends to lovers, basically a part 1 to this <<

AN - Christmas and it’s not even December yet? Yes. The answer is yes.

The train rocked steadily, rain pattering against the window as you kept your eyes fixed on the rapid passing by of the auburn countryside outside. It was late December, almost Christmas, the usual dusting of winter snow nowhere to be seen, replaced instead with slushy mud and torrential rain.

You’d slept for most of the journey, only stirring awake when Johnny shook you gently, pushing a hot chocolate and iced bun across the little table in front of you, letting you know you still had about an hour and a half left till you reached Edinburgh.

This was the second year you were going home with Soap, much to his families pleasure, and much to your own gratitude.

The holidays didn’t really feel like the holidays when you were home alone, sitting in your own little bubble of silence, trying to fill the void with Christmas movies and way too many biscuits.

Last year had been an amazing one, Johnny had so many family members; sisters, brothers, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandparents. He had it all. His mother and father’s home had barely been able to fit them all in, with the fire lit and the dogs jumping up at visitors, cheesy Christmas music was blasting from the telly and the mulled wine was already flowing.

It had you reeling, watching this big military man squat low with a gleaming smile, cooing at the kids and telling them how big they’d gotten since he’d last seen them. Then they’d run to you, wrapping their little fingers around yours and pulling you away, wanting to show you the rest of the house or show you the drawings they’d made at school.

It made you miss your family, made you miss the faded - distant memories of Christmas when you were little.

His grandparents were sinewy little things, worn with age and hunched at the spine, his grandfather wore glasses that sat at the end of his nose and his grandma had a burgundy embroidered shawl that was hung over her shoulders. You didn’t ask how old they were, thought Johnny wouldn’t tell you the truth anyway, finding it funny that his own grandparents were still standing, “old bats have got plenty of life left in em’ yet lass” he would no doubt say. You knew they’d ask you the same questions they asked last year, “when are you and our John plannin’ on tying the knot, pet?” And “you need to keep the family goin’, lots of little ones running around aye?” They made you chuckle, watching Soap’s face glow a shade of cherry red, scolding his grandparents for thinking such things.

The two of you were just friends, had been for years and would be for many more. It wasn’t that the thought hadn’t crossed your mind, you found yourself staring at him most days, noting the gentleness in his eyes and the sharp slopes of his face, he was a handsome man and a gentleman at that - it’s so lonely when you’re deployed, maybe that’s why your eyes linger and your thoughts wander.

That’s what you tell yourself, it’s just the lifestyle you lead, the loneliness and the desperation to have something to come back to when the time for leave arises.

Sadly, you’d thought too many times about the logistics, about what he’d say or what he’d think, the crushing weight of rejection and awkwardness after the fact keeps your mouth glued shut.

Soap had seen you through thick and thin, having your back when no one else does. You couldn’t jeopardise that for the sake of finding him attractive, he grated on your nerves enough as it was, as funny as the imagery was - you couldn’t stomach the thought of having a Johnny jr. running around at your feet.

-

Your hot chocolate sent a warm tingle to your tummy, making you feel all cosy and mushy as you watched the rain continue to pour outside. Soap was quieter then usual, clearly tired and ready to be home bound. He looked forward to Christmas and seeing everyone, he was even more excited to have you there, dreading you’d decline his offer and hold yourself up at home - all alone.

Much like someone else did; that great big hulking bastard of a man did the same thing year in, year out. Each holiday Ghost would tuck himself away in his safe house in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere, going completely off the radar until it was time to come back to work and get back on the grind again. Each time Soap would try his best to convince his friend to come over, or even offered if he wanted Johnny to keep him company at his place, each time he was shot down with the same thing; “I don’t want to take you away from your family” or “I’ll probably just sleep through the whole thing anyway”. You all knew it was bullshit, but he was a grown man, if he wanted to, he’d come.

The train was passing through Berwick-upon-Tweed, the coast looked rough and unsteady, the waves licking at the cliff edges and crashing in an upward turret of hazy brown and midnight blue. “What are you looking forward to the most about going home?” You asked Soap as you turned toward him, curling your knees towards yourself in your seat and cradling yourself into his side, paper cup of hot chocolate still clutched between your fingers. He shuffled his weight to get comfortable, forcing you to slide closer into him as he propped his arm over your shoulders. He pursed his lip in thought, gaze falling to the view outside, “probably my mam’s cooking” he said, meeting your eye as he looked down, “and maybe seeing the wee ones, if they’re behaving” he added, smiling at the thought of his nieces and nephews. Soap was the youngest of his siblings, the last one of three brothers and two sisters, forever the baby of the family is his mothers eyes.

You nodded, as if in agreement, as if you knew how it felt to miss home cooking and family, none of it was real for you, hadn’t been for years now, but you could try.

He took a swig of his own drink, it smelt like coffee, strong and bitter. “How about you?” He asked gently, squeezing your shoulder with his hand that was draped there. You hadn’t really expected him to ask you, but it didn’t take you long to answer, “I like your mam’s cooking too” you smiled, closing your eyes at just the thought of her cauliflower cheese bake and roast potatoes. “And, I’m excited to see Michael” you smiled wider, looking pointedly at Johnny and loving the way his face scrunched up in grimacing disgust.

Michael was Johnny’s older brother by two years, and probably his least favourite sibling, made even more so after last years debacle. Michael hadn’t left you alone for the entire week you were staying with Johnny, hounding you with weird questions and gluing himself to your side at any given opportunity. He wasn’t an unattractive man looks wise, but his personality let him down, you just loved seeing the way Johnny came to your defence, even after announcing to every single family member that you two were just friends. After the two of you had been deployed again it was the best and quickest way to get on his nerves, the mere mention of Michael’s name had Soap’s hackles up.

“I’ll punch his teeth down his throat if he starts with that shit again” Johnny grumbled, a frown stitching his brow as you laughed at his expense.

The next hour and a bit passed by quickly, leaving the two of you to dart to the nearest taxi rank with luggage in toe once you reached Edinburgh Waverley, trying to avoid the heavy battering of rain as it beat down against the pavement. You sighed as the taxi door slid close, feet wet through your shoes from attempting to dodge the puddles and back wet through from where the rain had slipped down the back of your shirt collar. Soap ruffled his hand through his hair, droplets of water raining down onto the floor of the car, some of them hitting you as you smacked him in the arm, ‘I’m already wet through you prick’ you’d scolded, but he simply laughed, jabbing an icy cold finger into your ribcage.

By the time you and Soap were rounding the steps up to his family home, the door was already flung open, pale amber light illuminated the two of you as it bled into the street from the doorway of the house. You looked up through the wet on your lashes, smiling wildly as you saw the trio of trouble makers, all of them belonging to Johnny’s oldest sister, Edith. She had two girls and a boy; Emma who was 7, Carla who was 5 and Charlie who was 4. They were squealing, little flailing arms waving like proud flags in the wind, Emma was trying her best to slip her shoes on to greet the two of you on the steps. “Woah there wee lady” Soap cooed, taking two steps at a time now to catch the little tyke before she journeyed to meet you in the rain, “you’ll catch yer death out here, get inside” he told her sternly, raising a brow at the young girl as she grinned at him sheepishly. Before long you were joining them, ushering them all inside and dumping your bags in the doorway before you slipped your shoes off.

It was almost as loud as it was Christmas Day itself; it was just yourself, Soap and his sister’s family here so far. His mother was in the kitchen, stirring some kind of stew in a pot as she gave you a kind smile, insisting for you to make yourself at home. Johnny’s father was sat in his armchair in the living room, nursing a tumbler of scotch, the amber liquid sloshing lazily at the sides as the older man jerked it in your direction, welcoming you to his home with a lopsided smile, kind eyes pinching at the sides as his grin widened. Soap’s sister was on you before you even saw her, caging you in as she hugged you tightly, “blimey lass, you’re looking well, something glowing about ye” she was a beautiful women with gleaming teeth and freckled cheeks. Johnny’s family had some damn good genes, you thought.

The night was filled with great food, great laughs and great scotch. After spending half of the night entertaining the kids with Soap by playing hide and seek and then helping them with their spelling as they played hangman, the other half of the night you’d spent with the grown ups. Sitting by the telly as old re-runs of Christmas movies played like white noise in the background while you and Johnny filled his family in on what life was like on the front line.

They didn’t pry into the grim stuff, more trying to make idle conversations to take interest in Johnny’s work life, he was good at getting off the subject, preferring to talk about what was going on round here these days. His sister told you guys all about Emma’s school life, how far ahead she was with her reading age and how clever she was, always doing her homework on time and most of the time all by herself. You cast your eye over to Soap, seeing him grin like a Cheshire Cat as his sister spoke about her kids made you all fuzzy inside, Johnny really loved those kids.

With a belly full of beef stew and good Scottish whiskey you fell asleep almost as soon as your head hit the pillow, but your head began to drift away, pulling you into pleasant dreams filled with your best friend. The same friend sleeping not even an arms length away from you in your shared double bed (he’d insisted to save room for when the rest of the family arrived), if you reached out you’d feel his skin under your palms, the hot flesh and skin and bone of him.

Something had shifted today, watching him play with his nieces and nephews, observing Johnny in his domestic state had dislodged something warm and fuzzy in your chest, something you had tried to swallow down for years now.

You valued your friendship with him, more than anything, but the undeniable and growing attraction was there, and it was only growing the more time you found yourself spending with him. It was suffocating you, everything good about him, even all the bad, you wanted it all.

Something foreign overtook you. Fuelled by the heat of his body so close and the warmth of the whiskey thrumming away in your bloodstream, you rolled onto your back, guiding your hand over your stomach before slipping it under your waistband. You sank your teeth into your bottom lip, stifling any noise that attempted to bubble its way from your chest. Your fingers skimmed between your folds, meeting the slick wetness already gathering there, you threw your head back against the pillow and fought the urge to let the sounds spill.

Your mind swam, imagining it was Johnny’s hand, his fingers teasing you open, ready to curl into you and press into that velvety plush spot deep inside of you. It took everything not to whine, cry his name as you increased the pressure on your clit and moved your wrist in rapid motions.

“Don’t stay quiet on my account, lass”

His voice washes over you like a vat of ice cold water, sloshing and drowning you in dread as your body stills, all movement ceasing as you stare up at the ceiling. The duvet rustles and the mattress dips, your breathing hurries, eyes frantic as you search the darkness for any answer to explain yourself away. Johnny presses two fingers under your jaw, angling your face toward him as he speaks again, “ya haven’t gone shy on me now, have ya love?” His voice dips, lowers to a husked whisper as he nears closer, his breath so close it twines with yours.

You want to evaporate. Embarrassment tries to swallow you whole, but the arousal overflows, only egged on by the tone and implication of his words.

“Johnny I-I” you whine, mouth gaping and closing as you try to find the words, “I’m sorry it’s just-“ you try again but the words are lost, they die on your tongue when he shifts even closer, and the movement only further reminds you that your fingers are still dipped beneath your waistband.

Johnny hauls himself up, shoulders cracking as he pulls himself closer, his chest pressing into yours as he cages you to the bed under himself, elbows pressing into the mattress either side of you as his fingers flatten over your hair. It’s dark, the only light provided is the dim haze from the street lamp outside the window, and even that is barely enough to allow you to see him clearly. But you can feel his gaze, the way his eyes burn, yet you can’t quite gather the emotion they hold.

“Do you know why I woke you up on the train?” His voice is low, it brushes across your nose and you can smell the whiskey on his breath, you wish he’d let you taste it. You frown, brows knit as you replay the day in your mind, showing up empty. He must notice, one hand holding the side of your head while the other hand smoothes over your hair again, his fingers mindlessly twirling a stray piece he finds.

You don’t answer. Your heart is hammering so hard and fast that you can’t register it, your blood is rushing past your ears and it feels as if your going to have a heart attack, the ache in your ribcage makes you wince.

Johnny’s fingers trace further down, leaving your hair, the pad of his index finger skates down your cheek, mapping the freckles and moles he knows lay there. He continues across your skin and you feel as if you’re on fire, his fingers make it to your lips, tracing the shape of them and pressing over your cupids bow.

“You were moaning my name in yer sleep, bonnie” he’s closer, words fanning your lips along with his breath, he sounds so wrong like this. Soap is brash and loud and annoying, now, Johnny is tame and quiet - gentle with this topic like it’s a precious glass trinket in his hands, so easily broken.

You gasp, cheeks flooding a deep cherry red, you’re mortified and again words escape you. He’d still let you come here, bought you into his childhood home despite what he had heard, none of it adds up until you feel his lips pressing under your jaw. He nudges you until you tilt your chin, allowing his mouth to mould to your throat as he peppers kisses to the flesh there. Your hand is still between your legs, abandoned but now receiving pressure as Johnny pushes his weight down onto you - entirely on purpose.

“Ah- Johnny” your free hand snatches up, lays into his throat, holding him against you as he smirks into your skin. “Had to wake you up before I got us thrown off the train for public indecency, lass” his voice is muffled against you, his tongue tasting your flesh as you pant beneath him. “Had to keep my jacket in my lap for the rest of the journey” his teeth press into you now, sucking a welt deep into your skin and there’s no escaping the moan that creeps from your throat. You try to catch it but Johnny is quicker, pressing a palm over your mouth before you manage to clamp your mouth shut. “Quiet now, bonnie, don’t wake the house up” he smirks again, tongue soothing over the indents of his teeth.

He shuffles up, brings himself closer to your face again, then he stops- pauses in his tracks. You’re desperate to see him, to turn on the lights and stare into those beautiful blue eyes of his. Johnny balances his weight on one elbow, his fingers tracing your cheek before he leans in, pressing his lips to yours in the most tender kiss you think you’ve ever been captured in.

It’s so sweet. Too sweet. It makes your teeth ache and you can’t help but smile into his mouth, only to find he mirrors you. Bites it off in a huffed laugh that proves to be contagious, you’re panting into each others mouth, the smell of whiskey and mint fanning the space. Your hand is still at his neck and you move it up, thumb brushing over his ear as you rake your fingers over the shaved portion of his head and through the longer tresses of his mohawk that is beginning to grow out. “What’s so funny?” You ask, breathy, drunk on Johnny. He smirks into your cheek, takes the flesh between his teeth in a tease that makes you whine, “I’ve thought about this for so fuckin’ long” he admits, openly, pleased with himself when he kisses your cheek softly.

You want to tell him that you’ve felt it too, you want to spill it all, from your tongue right onto his. Yet, it dies away in a smile, disbelief washing through you, the tug of the whiskey and the slow thrumming of sleep in your blood making your eyes droop. You lean up, pressing your lips to his again, feeling as he deepens the kiss, pressing his tongue against your lips until you allow him in, pressing your hips up into his making him hiss. “Fuck, bonnie” he scolds, grip on the sheets tightening, “I don’t fancy getting an earful from me ma’ about this” he laughs, “I’ll fuck you silly when they’re all out tomorrow” he solidifies the promise with a kiss, teeth and tongue as he groans into your mouth, “then you can be as loud as ya fuckin’ like” his mouth skates from your mouth to your throat again, wet trail of his lips making your skin prickle.

“For now” he starts, smoothing his hand over your mouth again, making your eyes squeeze shut, “you’re going to let me help you cum” he rasps. It’s as if your world explodes, tiny fragments scattered as you try and catch them, but it’s useless. It’s torturously slow when Johnny shifts his weight, freeing up his hand and balancing his weight on his knees and thighs to keep himself up, then he traces his fingers down between your breasts and over your tummy, reaching your navel and continuing down until he reaches your waistband.

He doesn’t move your hand, simply guides his over yours, the difference in size laughable when his palm engulfs your hand entirely. You’re too focused on his motions, startled when he presses his lips into your throat again, smirking when your whines and mewls die beneath his palm. His mouth gapes when the length of his fingers over yours forces them to be met with the wetness between your legs, coating his fingertips. “Jesus, lass” he groans, hushed into your neck like a secret. He wraps his fingers between yours, slotted between one another, locked together as he begins to move both of your hands in tandem.

Out of instinct, you part your legs further, Johnny growls, “minx” then a flash of teeth nip at your ear as he continues to rock both of your hands against your clit. Your palm rubs friction against the bundle of nerves, the pressure of Johnny’s hand only adding to the sensation, you’re overwhelmed - embarrassingly aware that you won’t last long. You whine, pressing your head back against the pillows, “you’re doin’ so well, bonnie” he whispers, “ya look so pretty like this” he kisses your temple, hips rutting into the mattress as he adds more pressure to your fingers. You’re panting against his palm, steadily ascending to your release, so close you can taste it. His name is muffled into his own skin, a warning as he dips his fingers between your folds, never letting up the motions of his wrist as he guides your hand to rub faster against you slit.

Your orgasm surprises both of you, more so him when your teeth sink his palm, almost making him hump your thigh from how turned on it serves him to get. Your moan is suppressed back down your throat, swallowed down when Johnny kisses from your neck to your jaw, removing his hand to seal his mouth over yours when he’s sure the last wave of orgasm has passed, not keen on having you moan so loud the roof shakes. He kisses you daft, makes you preen into his mouth with as many hushed sentiments you manage to gift before he’s swallowing them down.

Johnny allows you a second to catch your breath, leaning back to catch a glimpse of your come down, the way you pant and your chest heaves, pretty doe eyes wet and blown wide. He moves to take your hand in his, pulls it from your waistband and up to his mouth, it looks to be a cute gesture - until he’s sucking your fingers into his mouth and your juices along with them. “Johnny!” You squeak, face flushed with a wide smile when he brings himself close again, connecting his mouth to yours so you can taste yourself.

You settle for kissing him until the sun peaks over the buildings of the street, buttery winter sunshine seeping through the cracks in the blinds as the two of you fumble with grabbing hands and wet trails of lips and tongue. Johnny listens out for the movement of the house awakening, footsteps shuffling around the floorboards, the rushed scrubbing of teeth and jangle of keys, there’s a resounding handful of different voices shouting out their goodbyes and he returns the politeness with a groggy “see ya in a bit”. But as soon as the door slams, his eyes darken, hovering above you like a shadowed phantom, the promise of ruin present in his smirk.

“Merry Christmas, lass”

[porterdavis]

Logistics

Trump's promise to deport millions of immigrants was repeated often in the closing weeks of his campaign. Left to his own devices I suspect the project would recede into the background as his wall building did, outside of a few photo ops. This time will probably be different though because he will be coming into power with an entire cohort of zealots pre-selected and briefed on their roles, the Project 2025 brigade.

They will take their mission seriously (and not let Trump backslide on the promise). All of which begs the question -- how to round up, house, feed, transport and deport millions of people? Japanese-internment style camps in Oklahoma or Arizona? Who builds them, who operates them, who guards them, who pays for them?

How long will they be needed? Does anyone seriously expect Mexico to open its border to allow millions of people from all parts of South America into their country? Armed opposition seems a certainty. What is the exit strategy? The prospect of brownshirt troops roaming the night-time streets, breaking down doors to apprehend people of colour, both legal and undocumented with no rapid recourse to courts is not one that Americans of principle would long accept.

Soon the crops would lie rotting in the fields, factories and abattoirs would close for lack of workers, daycare centres would close, patients would lie untended in their nursing homes, prices of everything would rise.

Trump and his new friend Musk intend to burn everything down to the ground. We can only hope they do it quickly enough that the effect is obvious and immediate...no boiling of frogs....and there is time for men and women of honour to rise while there is still hope of resurrection.

Otherwise the great American experiment will collapse just as previous empires have, dragged down from within.

[artbyblastweave]

So one thing that irks me about discussions of the NCR is the idea that "they're flawed because they're trying to be America again. And Being Too Much America is what caused the War" without differentiating between the vast buildup of Nuclear Weapons and Geopolitical tensions, versus, like, being a republic and having a large-scale central state.

What's your thoughts?

I think the NCR circa New Vegas is textually intended to be repeating the USA's downward spiral. They're in the process of recreating the core dynamics of pre-war America- overconsumption of resources driving imperialist expansion, capture of the government by moneyed interests, and a prolonged conflict with a peer power that's suffering under similar expand-or-die pressures- but they're constrained from a one-to-one recreation mainly by the fact that they're working with a post-apocalyptic resource base, with the scraps left over from the last people who went down this path. Peanuts compared to the Sino-American war, but likely as close to that situation as the post-war-world is logistically capable of producing.

You see bits of this from the NCR perspective all throughout the game. There Stands the Grass is propelled by projections of incipient famine in the NCR due to rapid population growth, and you see the beginnings of this in Flags of Our Foul-Ups- O'Hanaran was sent to the Army by his family to lessen their food burden. Chief Hanlon's very first line is about how the NCR is overtaxing most sources of freshwater within the core territory, and he recounts how tiny groups of settlers backed by NCR logistics were able to take and hold a well in Baja against scores of locals; IIRC there's a cut event at Camp Golf itself where you'd see NCR rangers doing the same thing to Mojave locals encroaching on their water supply. The White Wash demonstrates that the NCR's sharecropping setup in outer Vegas operates at the expense of the locals, who can only get the water they need to support their own crops via subterfuge. If you assume that Heck Gunderson's underhanded Brahmin-farming empire in Beyond the Beef is supposed to parallel the real-world problems with the sustainability of beef farming, you start to get a sense of where all of that water is going and what structural problems (Heck Gunderson) might be in the way of allocating those resources more sustainably. There are likely more examples of this storm on the horizon that I'm forgetting.

As a result of all this, there's a level on which I think introducing the Tunnelers in Lonesome Road as a dangling White-Walker style Looming Apocalyptic Reset Option hanging over the west coast was gratuitous, not because it's Avallone grinding his axe with the idea of society rebuilding, but because it's simply redundant with the political situation already depicted in the base game- If you want the NCR to have collapsed by a future installment, just establish that they weren't able to put the brakes on in time and devolved into a completely dysfunctional oligarchy that collapsed under its own weight!

(Now, as a final note, one thing preventing me from fully committing to this take is that we honestly don't have a fantastic sense of what day-to-day life looks like for the average citizen in the NCR heartland, which I feel is kind of important. Because if the textual situation is supposed to be that the resource crisis is due to misallocation due to interests capturing the government, I like that a lot better than if the situation is genuinely intended to be that there are Just Too Many Goddarn People, because that's like. Lazy and Malthusian and leads to the usual ugly conclusions pretty quickly. More and more it's looking like the upcoming Fallout TV show is leaning into the recent decline of the NCR as a plot point, so, uh, fingers crossed they stick the landing when it comes to fleshing that out?)

[visenyaism]

In a Rhaegar Wins timeline where he marries Cersei (ignore the logistics for right now) do you think she would love/still love him, or would her affections be solely focused on Jaime by then? (I'm assuming they marry around 287-288)

that one is sort of hard to call given that a lot of cersei’s rapid disillusionment with Robert in her original marriage was because of the high amount of sexual violence she experienced from him very quickly versus with Jaime she could at least convince herself she had a choice and I don’t really want to speculate on the extent to which that would still be happening if she married Rhaegar?

[leidensygdom]

So we've suddenly found that my partner's father has what is very probably late stage lung cancer in metastasis, with lumps all over his chest. It looks really dire and it isn't a matter of whether he'll survive, as much as... How long he has left. It isn't entirely surprising to us, as his health had been in rapid decline, but he had refused to go to the doctor for years.

My partner has a fairly complicated relationship with their father (who was really abusive tbh), but it'll be still a hard moment to face for us both and logistics may get challenging. So eh, I'll do my best to keep going forwards, but things may get somewhat irregular. It's been a hard time.