#Sara Haze

[ssstarlighttt]

PEDESTALS part twelve: answers

navigation post

previous <-

next ->

Bad Habits (Cover) - Glowing Crow

GET OUT - Glowing Crow

[anja-the-sane-panda]

favorite JD ships?

Jacklust (obvi)

Sara x Mihaly (It's been growing on me, also if anyone know who started the ship please let me know so they get credit)

Grace x Ari

Skarlett Claw x Felicia

Vester x Sacrifice P2

Gray x Haze x Joy-ce

[superthatguy62]

Things Final Fantasy III does not tell you about Final Fantasy III.

When it comes to RPGs, information that the player has is far from a guarantee. Some games will tell players practically everything about their systems and leave it to the player to use that information. Others will leave some mechanics in the background, quietly applying them without the player's knowledge. The Final Fantasy III remake falls into the latter category, as there are some mechanics that the player may not realize even exist unless they look outside of the game. Here are seven of them.

This is based on the Future Press Official Strategy Guide. As far as SGs go, it seems pretty close to the Japanese SE guide (baring at least one case).

Party Member Levels (Life of the Party)

While temporary party aren't directly controllable, they seem to have their own levels and stats. Interestingly the Future Press strategy guide states that they also have stats. Though I should clarify: At this time, I have yet to find these in the Japanese strategy guide, so I am not entirely sure that these are accurate. However, the FP guide in general is close to the Japanese guide in terms of technical information, so I am willing to accept that risk.

These are:

Sara: Lv 5 (Str/Vit/Agi/Min: 6, Int: 7)

Cid: Lv 3 (Str/Agi: 5, Vit/Int/Min: 8)

Desch: Lv 10 (Str: 15, Vit: 10, Agi: 14, Int: 7, Min: 6

Aria: Lv 25 (All: 25)

Alus: Lv 30 (All: 35)

Doga/Unei: Lv 50 (All: 45)

Some observations:

The guide notes that the characters stats are usually significantly higher than the main characters' at the same levels. This is especially noticeable with Alus (The party's base stats, by compare, will be: Str/Agi: 24, Vit/Min/Int: 20)

Cid is the only party member to be weaker than the character before him (Sara), presumably due to how little time the party spends with him. He does have an impressively strong hammer, though.

Despite being portrayed as a White Mage, Sara's Int (7) is slightly higher than her Min (6).

It seems that after Desch, the devs kinda gave up with making varied stats, so Aria, Alus, Doga and Unei have the same number for all their stats.

Coincidence or otherwise, Aria's stat number also matches her level.

Doga and Unei share the same levels and stats as each other, a distinction no other party member has. For extra fun, Xande is also level 50, although his actual stats are unfortunately but understandably different.

Alus, a 10 year old boy is somehow twice as strong as Desch, a grown man.

Mognet Details (Stampin' N Stompin')

Most of Mognet's discussion usually begins and ends with it being connected to the sidequests. Because of this, there are a few features of Mognet that go undernoticed.

One particular aspect is the cards: For meeting the Legendary Smith with a mastered job and defeating the Iron Giant, the party can get cards signifying their mastery.

(I have yet to defeat the Iron Giant. I apologize for being a fraud).

In the PSP and Steam versions, these cards are mostly just rewards. In the DS version, however, they can be used as stamps for Mognet. And while the Iron Giant is purely to flaunt your superiority over the beast, the job mastery cards actually allow players to help out other players: If a player holding a signed letter runs into the Legendary Smith, she will give the player the respective job mastery item without having a level 99 job. While it doesn't break the game, due to how late it is before you can encounter the Smith, it does cut down on the grind you'd need if you wanted those items.

Encounter Frequency (Fights in the A.M. P.M. F.M.)

In Octopath Traveler, a later game by Team Asano, entering a new location will usually show you a danger level, giving you a general idea of how strong the enemies in that area are. While the mechanic is visible in OT, it was actually deployed discreetly in Final Fantasy III: Each area has a level that the guides recommend the player be at. However, the game itself uses a more subtle method: If your party is below the recommended level, the encounter rate will be higher than usual. By contrast, the further above the recommended level that the party is (up to six levels), the lower the encounter rate will be.

For example: The Nepto Shrine has a Danger Level of 10. If the party made it to the Shrine at level 7, then they will likely encounter more enemies than they would at level 10. By contrast, at level 16, they will have a chance at encountering the least amount of enemies.

Attack Types (SMASH! SLASH! STAB!)

In Final Fantasy III, elemental weaknesses are clear and easily implied by the fact that Mages have themed spells. However, the game also has a second, subtle weakness system: Attack Types, the physical counterpart.

The four attack types are

Unhanded: Despite the name, Claws are also included

Blow: Weapons that focus on slamming or bludgeoning the foe

Cut: Weapons that actually cut the foe, like Swords

Stab: Weapons that stab or have a stab-like effect, like Arrows

Interestingly, some weapons aren't mutually exclusive: Axes count for both blows and cuts, Knives count for both stabs and cuts and Unarmed counts for both Unhanded and Blow.

Hands (The Hands of Fate)

The Hand stat is a secret stat that the game silently keeps track of for each character. The hand stat represents how many times a physical attack has been made with a particular hand, the hand getting 3 XP for each use. Much like job levels only one hand level can be gained per battle, regardless of how many points are racked up. Theoretically, if you can have hands of different levels, although given how much III encourages dual-wielding, it's unlikely.

The FP guide recommends using the Ranger's barrage if you want to build up the hand stat, as that is a multi-hit attack that nonetheless counts each hit for the hand.

Weight (The Weight of the World)

Weight is not a new mechanic to Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy V, in particular has the stat help to determine who quickly a character acts (i.e. how fast the ATB bar fills up). However, V is the rare game where the game will actively inform the player of its existence. Other games in the series have it, including III (at least, in the remake).

Weight, along with Agility, determines how soon a character will act during the turn, as well as how many hits a character does (alongside the aforementioned Hand stat). This is why a Warrior with an axe will generally hit less than a Warrior with a sword, despite having higher attack. Interestingly magic also has weight to it with spells having a specific weight/cast time to it.

Boss Scripts (Script Write)

Bosses changing strategy mid-fight has been a Final Fantasy staple since at least Final Fantasy IV (Zeromus, for example, only starts to spam Meteo when he's close to dying), so the FF3 remake isn't particularly new or original for using this. Still, it's something to be aware of in case you make a particular fight harder than it needs to be.

A likely candidate for this is actually the final boss: While the Cloud of Darkness uses Particle Beam (and spams it during the last phase), it actually doesn't use the move until it's down to 80% of its HP, using the less threatening standard attack instead. This means that a player willing to take some turns to lower the danger can focus on the tentacles, which are the more immediate threat.

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

(Genshin Impact) Giving Headpats to Furina, Lynette, Arlecchino, Chiori, Lumine, Jean, Eula, Noelle, Ayaka, Sara, Yae, Shenhe, and Xianyun

No one requested this, as for the reason this post exists, the only thing I can give you is this image:

Furina freezes up the moment she feels S/O's hand pick up her hat, only to ruffle her hair.

She squawks for just a moment, quickly blushing and pouting as Furina yanks her hat down.

(Furina) "D-Don't just start patting me out of nowhere!"

Crossing her arms, she looks away, trying to not look bothered about the whole affair.

She finds it highly embarrassing. At least in public.

The moment they're alone and she feels their hand, she closes her eyes and completely relaxes, humming in content.

There's still a blush on her, but it's far more subdued unless S/O starts teasing her about it.

Lynette does not like just anyone rubbing her head due to her cat-like features.

In public, the top of her head in general is completely off limits.

But if it's just her and S/O at home, then she allows it.

In fact, when S/O's hand starts petting her head, she leans into them completely as her eyes close, just like an actual cat.

Her ears twitch a little, but her tail swishes left and right happily.

If they stop too early, Lynette's eyes slowly open and looks at them expectantly.

(Lynette) "...Why did you stop?"

Feeling the warm of their hand allowed Lynette to rest comfortably, and to space out to her heart's content.

Arlecchino did the same thing to comfort many of the children at the Hearth.

Yet she didn't know what to do when S/O did the same, feeling her hair slightly ruffled.

If her S/O was taller (in which case "Dude, you look huge"), she really wouldn't comment on the height difference, but if they were shorter, THEN she'd be surprised they would even attempt it.

Arlecchino doesn't care if it's in private or public, but she would care if they did so in front of her kids.

Because then they'd see that she has someone that can make her comfortable too, which in turn makes them happy.

Seeing their father cared for puts them at ease, making Arlecchino thankful in her own way.

But as for the action itself: she would just talk to them in her usual tone, though with a bit of a "threat" lying underneath.

(Arlecchino) "Did you wish for me to pat your head too, S/O? I might be rougher with you than the others."

Chiori raises an eyerbrow.

(Chiori) "S/O, what are you doing?"

Once they explain themselves, Chiori can't help roll her eyes.

(Chiori) "Did you expect me to get all flustered from that? Psh, it'll take a little more than messing up my hair to do that. Speaking of which, can you fix it for me? I'm a little busy here."

She finds it cute, yeah, but it's not that big of a deal.

Plus, she finds it weird.

Who just goes around, patting their girlfriends' heads unprompted?

Oh well, it's not like this was particularly harmful, so Chiori lets it slide.

But if they do that in front of customers or in public, S/O is dead.

Lumine's body stiffens when S/O's hand ruffles her hair lovingly, before she quickly giggles.

(Lumine) "Hey, stand still!"

She quickly does the same back, though her retaliation is far more playful and destructive.

S/O's hair is an absolute mess now, Lumine giving a cheeky grin back.

(Lumine) "There, now you look better than before!"

It does not take long for the situation to quickly devolve into a tickle fight with both of them on the bed laughing.

Jean takes a moment to register what S/O is doing, but after a few seconds she smiles.

Jean lets her shoulders drop, feeling more at ease by the second.

So this is how Barbara and Klee felt when she did the same.

(Jean) "Your hand feels quite nice, S/O..."

She doesn't realize her own flushed cheeks as her vision becomes slightly hazed with her affection.

If anything, she feels a little sad everytime they pull back.

It was such a relaxing sensation, and honestly made her feel a little sleepy.

Eula's head feels a bit colder to the touch, but her body is rapidly heating up, especially her face.

(Eula) "What do you think you're doing, S/O?"

Hearing their answer, Eula pauses for a moment before responding.

(Eula) "Next time, you should ask for permission instead of rubbing my hair like I'm some sort of child...I don't recall asking you to stop either."

In classic Eula fashion, she doesn't tell them directly that she loves the feeling of their hands.

But she'd be damned if she was going to admit something so embarrassing.

Noelle feels a mixture of pride and embarrassment everytime S/O pats her on the head.

On one hand it felt quite nice, and the gesture was very sweet!

But it made her feel a little childish.

She never voiced her latter feelings aloud, because it still made her flustered all the same.

(Noelle) "A-Ah...Um, thank you, S/O...!"

It made her want to do her best everytime just so she could receive such affection, and made sure to do it back to them!

But with her strength, she accidentally completely dishevels their hair.

Before promptly fixing it in nearly an instant with her skills as a dutiful maid!

Ayaka exhales deeply, any words she had completely fading away in bliss.

These were the kinds of moments Ayaka longed for, to simply share affection with a lover of her own.

It made her feel quite normal as opposed to the prim and proper noblewoman she was forced to be.

(Ayaka) "If I may be selfish for a moment, might I ask for you to continue...?"

She'd be a little embarrassed asking for more, but her shame vanishes the moment she feels their hand on her head again.

Ayaka is too shy to initiate the headpatting on her own, most of the time having her hand almost reach her S/O's head before pulling away last second.

Sara flinches and leans away from S/O on instinct.

(Sara) "What are you-...M-My apologies, I was just not expecting you to..."

Her hand fidgets for a moment before Sara lets out a sigh.

(Sara) "If you wanted to touch my hair, you can just ask."

Now that she was actually ready for S/O, she enjoyed the feeling of their fingers brushing against her hair.

It was relaxing as she let down her guard and enjoyed the physical affection.

Needless to say, Sara absolutely did not want S/O to do this in public.

Seeing Inazuma's general get pat on the head so lovingly would obliterate her image.

Yae smirks as she leans her head closer to them, not saying a word at first.

Her ears twitch for just a moment as she opens her mouth to speak.

(Yae) "Well, does my hair feel nice, S/O?"

And before S/O knows it, her tail wrapped around their waist before bringing them closer and her the back of her head is resting on their lap.

Yae's hand waves nonchalantly, and her tone growing increasingly ever more teasing.

(Yae) "I expect to be pampered properly, S/O. You can't leave a job half-finished after all!"

Now, Yae expects S/O to tend to her hair, in public or private, she doesn't really care.

As long as there were some good reactions from S/O both was fine, though in public tended to provide the funniest result.

...Oh, and their hands did feel nice. But she'd figure it'd be more entertaining to let S/O figure that one out themselves.

Shenhe knows this feeling well.

Cloud Retainer did the same thing whenever she meant to comfort her.

And of course, the feeling is much of the same when S/O does it to her.

WIth zero shame or hesitation, she closes her eyes and the corners of her lips grow into some semblance of a smile.

(Shenhe) "Your hands are soft, S/O...They feel good."

Instead of leaning into them, she grabs their entire arm and has their hand stay stuck in place.

But Shenhe is careful enough to not hurt them during the process.

She opens her eyes and calmly asks them:

(Shenhe) "Can you keep your hand in place for a little longer?"

Xianyun had provided much of the same comfort to all her disciples before.

But never has anyone attempted to pat her head.

So when she feels S/O's hands do the same motion, she is stunned for a few moments.

Clearing her throat and adjusting her glasses, she puts on the best poker face she can.

(Xianyun) "W-Why did you feel the need to rub One's head, One is not feeling upset."

...The blush on her cheeks gave her feelings completely away, if the stutter didn't already do that.

Xianyun is far too proud to admit that headpat made her heart skip, and she would refuse to ever do so.

A mortal patting an Adeptus' head? Absolutely ridiculous!

...She wanted S/O to do that again.

[as-salty-as-the-sea]

THIS IS SAURRR CUTE OMG IM IN LOVE 🥹🥹🥹

みんなおしゃれで可愛いので無事just danceお絵描き人間になりました　しばらく続きそう

[edgeray]

EDGERAY'S HALLOWEEN EVENT

“Beware of every corner, dear reader, a creature may linger!”  → Genshin Impact women who may not appear as human as they seem.  NSFW may be included.

a collection of works from multiple creators on Tumblr, based on the following Halloween themed AUs: - slasher/serial killer, werewolf, vampire, mermaid/siren, demon, angel, dragon, ghost, phantom, goddess, kemonomimi, and alien

Thank you to the below creators for participating! Make sure to follow them and like, comment, and/or reblog to tell them you guys enjoy their content! They're all super talented at what they do and have great stuff! To everyone here (creators and readers), happy Halloween!

Works that are not linked have not been posted yet. Masterlist will be updated when works have been posted.

ART

@calithso

Mermaid! Signora x Reader Suggestive Werewolf! Arlecchino x Reader (same link)

@myfriendscallmebun

Angel! Navia

WRITING

@aetherdoesthings

Goddess! Arlecchino x Reader Platonic

@aixeko

Slasher/Serial Killer! Arlecchino x Reader NSFW

@angelic--kitty

Kemonomimi! Dehya x Reader NSFW

@anoncryinginthecorner

Phantom! Arlecchino & Clervie

@beiibeiii

Vampire! Arlecchino x Reader NSFW

@celuere

Ghost! Arlecchino x Reader

@chucapybara

Phantom! Eula x Reader Phantom! Shenhe x Reader

@e-hibiscus

Demon! Ningguang x Reader NSFW

@edgeray

Alien! Arlecchino x Reader

@hulahoopsoupgroup

Siren! Furina x Reader Dragon! Arlecchino x Reader NSFW

@k0yaz

Vampire! Furina x Reader Goddess! Ei x Reader Siren! Navia x Reader NSFW

@liliewrites

Kemonomimi! Arlecchino x Reader

Ghost! Beidou x Reader Demon! Kujou Sara x Reader NSFW

@melodic-haze

Mermaid! Kokomi

Kemonomimi! Arlecchino

@spikesbunny

Ghost! Beidou x Reader

[fullsandwichmiracle]

Welcome to Amsterdam | Part two: After party

Part one here

Paring: Joost Klein x female!reader 

Description: Arriving at the party you and Joost hit it off heading of to his place

Warnings: 18+, MDNI, smut, oral receiving and giving, PIV ,unprotected , overstimulation, smoking, alcohol

Word count: 3K+

You followed the address Joost had given you and found yourselves at a downtown club. The door was closed, and after checking the time on the piece of paper, you confirmed it matched the clock. Sara knocked on the door, and a huge dude in a black suit opened it with a nod of recognition as you handed him the piece of paper. He ushered you inside, where the pulsating beat of music and vibrant lights welcomed you to the lively atmosphere of the club. 

You and Sara headed straight to the bar, quickly ordering two shots of tequila each and knocking them back, clearly eager to kick off the night. After the shots, you grabbed two beers and made your way to the smoking area, where you saw Joost chatting with a group of people and smoking. He didn't seem to notice you, so you and Sara lit up the cigarettes, enjoying the music in the background as you chatted and smoked.

Even though this was the first time you went out together, you guys were in sync. You really liked Sara, her bubbly energy hyping you up as you danced outside as you were smoking.

After a while, you felt a hand on your shoulder, prompting you to turn around and see Joost. The alcohol's effects were evident as you hugged him and said, "Hello, Mr. Joost," before stepping back to let Sara greet him. 

"Hello, when did you guys get here?" he asked, pulling out a new cigarette to join your group.

"We just got here," Sara quickly replied, then downed the rest of her beer and tossed her cigarette. "Y/N, I'm going to get some more, do you want some?"

You quickly gulped down your beer and handed her the glass. "I'm having whatever you're having." you replied, giving Sara a kiss on her cheek before she headed off into the crowd. 

"What about you, cutie?" you asked Joost as you took a drag from your cigarette.

"I just got here too," he replied, taking a sip from his drink. 

"You look hot," he continued after some silence, locking eyes with you.

"Thanks, you don't look too bad yourself," you replied with a laugh, feeling the playful energy between you both. As the music thumped around you, you felt a rush of excitement mingled with the alcohol's warmth, making the moment feel electric.

You continued to chat until Sara returned with two cocktails and handed you one. Taking a sip, your face scrunched up from the high amount of alcohol. "Whoa, that's strong," you exclaimed, laughing as you adjusted to the potent drink. Sara chuckled beside you, clearly enjoying the moment as she had no trouble drinking hers.

Joost leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Looks like Sara's trying to get you all tipsy tonight," he said with a smirk, raising his own glass in a mock toast.

You laughed, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spreading through you. "Seems like it," you replied, taking another cautious sip of the cocktail.

As the night progressed, the music throbbed louder, and the conversation flowed effortlessly. You found yourself caught up in the energy of the moment, enjoying the company of Joost and Sara in the vibrant atmosphere of the club.

All of you moved to the dance floor and danced to the music. After a while, Joost put his arms around you, standing behind you swaying to the music. You leaned in, moving your body in sync with his, feeling the rhythm pulse through you as the night continued to unfold in a haze of music and laughter.

As the music enveloped you, Joost's presence behind you felt both comforting and electrifying. The beat thumped through the floor, merging with the pulsating lights that illuminated the dance floor. Sara danced nearby, her infectious laughter blending with the music.

Joost leaned closer, his breath warm against your ear as he whispered, "You're a great dancer."

You smiled as you turned around to face him, putting your arms around his neck and looking up. Joost bit his lip, meeting your gaze with a playful intensity. 

Joost's gaze held yours, his eyes twinkling with a mix of curiosity and desire. The music continued to pulse around you, adding to the charged atmosphere between you. Without breaking eye contact, he leaned in closer, his breath mingling with yours.

"So fucking pretty" he murmured softly, his voice barely audible over the music.

You felt a rush of anticipation, your heart beating faster as you leaned in towards him, the world around you fading into the background.

As you leaned in, your lips gently touched in a tender kiss. The soft touch of your lips against Joost's sent a thrill through you both. Time seemed to slow down as you shared a moment of warmth and connection amidst the pulsing music and the dim lights of the club. The kiss deepened slightly, expressing a mutual attraction and a hint of playful desire.

When you finally pulled back, you both lingered in the closeness, exchanging smiles that spoke volumes about the unspoken understanding between you. The music continued to throb around you, but in that moment, the world narrowed down to just the two of you, wrapped in a quiet intensity that felt both exhilarating and comforting.

Joost gently rested his forehead against yours, his hands still tenderly holding you close. The moment felt charged with unspoken words and shared emotions, the music fading into the background as you savored each other's presence. 

"You're amazing," Joost whispered, his voice low and filled with sincerity.

A warmth spread through you at his words, and you couldn't help but smile. "You're not so bad yourself," you replied softly, feeling a rush of affection for this unexpected connection.

Joost placed a kiss on your forehead and then bent down to kiss your cheek. "Wanna go somewhere private?" he asked in a low voice, sending a shiver down your spine.

His touch and his words stirred a mix of excitement and anticipation within you. The suggestion of leaving together, away from the pulsating club atmosphere, felt both thrilling and intimate. 

You nodded silently, feeling a rush of adrenaline as you held onto his hand, as you made your way through the crowd towards the exit.

On your way out, you waved goodbye to Sara, who had noticed you leaving with Joost.

Sara waved back with a knowing smile, silently cheering you on as you and Joost disappeared into the night together. 

The cool air enveloped you both as you stepped outside. Joost pointed in a direction, "The place I'm renting is just a short walk that way," he said, taking your hand and leading the way. 

You followed Joost through the quiet streets, the distant sounds of the club fading behind you. His hand felt warm and reassuring in yours as you walked together under the soft glow of streetlights. As you approached his place, Joost unlocked the door and held it open for you with a smile.

"Welcome," he said, gesturing for you to enter.

Inside, the atmosphere was calm and inviting. Joost went to the kitchen and fetched a bottle of wine. "Care for some wine, gorgeous?" he asked, flashing a charming smile. 

You smiled back, feeling the warmth of his hospitality and the cozy ambiance of the room. "Sure, that sounds perfect," you replied, moving closer to where he stood by the kitchen counter.

Joost poured two glasses of wine and handed one to you, his touch lingering slightly as he passed it over. You took a sip, savoring the rich flavor and the moment with Joost. He gestured towards the sofa and walked over to it, switching on the TV. You followed suit, sitting down beside him and taking another sip of your wine. 

He put on a movie at low volume for background noise, then turned towards you, gently placing his free hand on your cheek before leaning in for a brief kiss.

The soft touch of his hand on your cheek and the tender warmth of his lips against yours sent a thrill through you. It was a gentle kiss, filled with intensity.

As he pulled back slightly, you met his gaze, feeling a rush of emotions swirling between you. The movie played softly in the background, but your attention was focused entirely on each other. 

You took one last sip of the wine and set the glass down on the table. Then, you climbed onto Joost's lap, straddling his thighs. Joost smiled as he took a sip from his glass before placing it down next to yours. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer as he gazed into your eyes with a mixture of desire and affection. The room was filled with a subtle tension, the air thick with anticipation as you leaned in to kiss him again, your heart racing with excitement.

The kiss deepened, each touch and movement filled with a growing passion that ignited between you. Joost's hands gently caressed your back, sending shivers down your spine as you melted into his embrace. Lost in the moment, you both allowed yourselves to surrender to the magnetic pull drawing you closer together, the world outside fading away as you embraced the warmth and intimacy of the night.

The kiss depended as you tilted your head as your tongues intertwined and you could feel Joost's hands moving around your body and pulling you even closer. As you let him pull you closer you could feel his growing bulge underneath you making you let out a small moan. 

The moan made Joost move his hands to your hips to help you ride him, making you moan out  “I need you.” into his neck. 

Joost lifted your chin and planted a kiss on your lips before rising from the couch, lifting you effortlessly with him.

He carried you in his arms with a confident stride, moving towards the bedroom where the soft glow of a bedside lamp illuminated the room. As he gently laid you down on the bed, the air around you was charged with anticipation and desire. He pulled his shirt off, then leaned down over you. "You need me, huh?" he whispered, his voice tinged with desire. 

His touch was confident yet tender as he traced his fingers lightly along your skin, igniting a trail of sensation that sent shivers down your spine. The room felt intimate and charged with anticipation as you gazed up at him, your desire mirrored in his eyes. 

As he hovered above you, his lips found yours again in a hungry kiss, deepening the connection between you. Your hands roamed over his back, feeling the warmth of his skin, as the desire between you intensified. The soft sounds of your breath mingled with the quiet rustle of sheets as you both gave in to the intoxicating passion of the moment. His hands trailed down to your skirt, hooking a finger in the waistband. "Can I?" he asked softly, tracing his finger along the edge. You nodded eagerly, a desperate "please" escaping your lips.

With a slow, deliberate motion, Joost gently slid your skirt down, revealing more of your skin inch by inch. His touch was tender yet filled with desire, sending a thrill through you as anticipation built between you. Your breath quickened as Joost continued to undress you with careful attention, his gaze locked with yours in an intense exchange of desire. The air around you crackled with electricity as he revealed more of your body, each moment heightening the tension between you. He threw your skirt to the floor before once again towering over you, placing one of his hands high up on your thigh. You could feel his thumb barely touching the outside of your underwear making you let out a pleading moan. 

His thumb grazed over your underwear drenched in your desire for him. “Wow, so wet for me” he said, sliding your underwear to the side, sliding his thumb between your wet folds making you let out a moan “Joost, please i want you”.  Joost moved his hand to your face, gently kissing you before whispering in your ear, "I'm here, schatje." He placed a kiss on your neck before lying down beside you. "Come here," he murmured, his fingers unbuckling his belt. 

You moved over, assisting him with his belt and unbuttoning his jeans. As you worked on his jeans, Joost's breath hitched slightly as you pulled them down freeing his bulge. You could clearly see the outline of his dick underneath his underwear. You bit your lip, looking up at Joost as your hand traced against the outline, feeling him flinch slightly from your touch. You rubbed the outline making him grow even more "Don't be a tease, schatje” Joost growled, as he bit his lip.

His voice was husky with desire as his hands gently guided yours, urging you to continue. The tension between you intensified, filled with anticipation and longing. You sat up, removing your shirt, leaving yourself in just your underwear. Leaning back down, you hooked your finger in his waistband and guided his underwear off freeing his erection. Joost helped you take off his underwear and threw it to the side along with his pants. You wrapped your hand around the base of him, looking up at Joost as you opened your mouth, sticking out your tongue licking his tip. He let out a deep grunt in response.

You continued to tease him with your tongue, swirling it around his tip before taking him deeper into your mouth. Joost's hands gripped the sheets, his breathing becoming heavier. Encouraged by his reactions, you moved your mouth up and down his length, your pace gradually increasing. His groans grew louder, filling the room with a symphony of pleasure. 

Joost's hips began to move in rhythm with your motions, his hand finding its way to the back of your head, guiding you gently. You felt his grip tighten as you took him deeper, his breathing becoming more ragged. 

"You're incredible," he whispered, his voice filled with raw desire. 

You kept your pace, alternating between deep, slow movements and quicker, teasing ones. Joost's moans grew louder before he grabbed your cheeks, gently stopping you from continuing, making you let out a whine as you were enjoying him filling your mouth. 

He sat up, kissed your flushed lips, and gently laid you down onto the bed. "My turn," he murmured, removing your bra and tossing it aside before placing soft kisses on your now exposed breasts as he squeezed them. Joost nibbled on your nippels, making your breath hitch before his kisses trailed down, eliciting small moans of pleasure from you as he reached the waistband of your underwear. He placed a kiss over the fabric before pulling them down and tossing them aside. His finger teased around your clit before sliding down between your folds. He placed a kiss on your clit, and you gasped as you felt his finger enter you. 

Joost moved his finger rhythmically, curling it inside you, while his lips and tongue worked on your clit. You arched your back, gripping the sheets, your moans growing louder with each wave of pleasure. "That's it, schatje," he murmured against you, sending shivers down your spine.

Joost's movements intensified, and your body responded eagerly. His tongue circled your clit, his fingers thrusting deeper, and you felt the tension building inside you. "Joost," you gasped, your voice trembling with need. He looked up, his eyes dark with desire, before redoubling his efforts. The sensation was overwhelming, and with a final cry, you were pushed over the edge, waves of pleasure crashing through you. 

Joost continued to move gently, drawing out your orgasm until you were left trembling. He then moved up, capturing your lips in a passionate kiss. "You taste amazing," he whispered, his breath hot against your ear. 

Joost lined up his throbbing dick to your entrance guiding it against your folds making you whimper as you felt it twitch. “Can I?" he asked for reassurance, making you nood as you wanted more of him. As he entered, you let out a moan crying in pleasure and overstimulation. 

Joost began to slowly thrust his hips allowing you to adjust to his size, until fully bottoming out inside you as you cried out “ fu.. fuck Joost. Oh my God!” making him pick up his pace. Wrapping your legs around him allows him to get deeper, hitting the perfect spot making you scream out in pleasure as your hands wrapped around his body digging your nails into his back making him grunt as he continues thrusting into you.  

He leaned down kissing you passionately as he rocked his hips into you, making your moan muffled by the kiss. His hand that wasn't holding him up was trailing around your body, feeling you up. His hand stopped at your breasts, fondling them as his fingers played with your nippels, sending a shiver down your spine making you arch your back. Thrusting hard into you making you let out a whimpering scream.

His hand moved back to your side to get more support. His head fell down now resting by the side of your neck placing kisses and leaving marks on your neck as he started to thrust harder. “you feel so f..fucking good, schatje” Joost grunted into your neck making you tighten around him. 

“close, Joost, i'm close”  you moaned, grabbing him by his hair. “Come on my dick, schatje” he said into your neck with a heavy breath, trying to keep his pace up. 

His words and constant tempo pushed you over the edge making you spasm as he continued thrusting, carrying you over your orgasm making a tear roll down your cheek as his pace became fast and irregular as he came inside you filling you up with his liquids. Joost kissed your lips before he slumped over falling to the side of you as both of you breathed heavily coming down from the high. 

Joost placed a kiss on your cheek wiping away your tears “So pretty” he whispered before getting up and going out of the bedroom leaving you alone as you tried to catch your breath. 

He quickly came back in with a glass of water and a towel to clean you up. He placed the glass on the bedside table before drying you off with the towel. “I'm going to take a shower, don't go anywhere” Joost leaning down to kiss you before leaving again. 

You pushed yourself to a sitting position and grabbed the glass of water, chugging it down quickly. 

Joost hurried back into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Come on, let's get you in the shower, schatje," he said, extending his hand to help you up. Following his lead, you entered the shower, where he had thoughtfully placed a fresh towel on a nearby table. 

Upon emerging from the shower, you noticed a toothbrush still in its packaging and a tube of toothpaste, prompting you to sit down and freshen up.

As you made your way back to the bedroom, you found Joost lounging on the bed, engrossed in videos on his phone while casually smoking a cigarette. A full glass of water sat on the bedside table, and he smiled at your entrance. "Feel free to pick something from my closet for tonight," he offered before returning to his phone. 

You sifted through his clothes until you settled on what appeared to be a simple white t-shirt. Slipping it on, you were taken aback when Joost let out a chuckle. Looking down, you discovered the words "I ❤️ Joost Klein" written across the shirt. He patted the bed, inviting you to join him, "Come here, Liefje."

You climbed into bed with him, snuggling close and resting your head on his chest. He pressed a kiss to your forehead before murmuring "goede nacht schat" as he put out his cigarette and drifted off to sleep. The gentle rise and fall of his chest lulled you into a peaceful slumber.

Part three here

Taglist: @viozxe , @imsiriuslyreal

[sillyunicorn]

other people have said smart things about wilhelm and sara being protagonists of an A plot and B plot respectively, and it's made me notice several little things they both do or both have happen to them...

Moving in, getting hazed (S1 E1, S2 E1)

An unwanted kiss (S1 E3, S1 E4)

Lighting something on fire (both S2, E1) (both with the Forest Ridge logo, that's fun)

Looking at someone else's phone (both S2, E2)

[bucktommyweek]

BuckTommyWeekend Masterlist

I'm so sorry this took me so long, everyone but I do want to again thank everyone who participated.

Here is the list of fics and creations from BuckTommyWeekend in April.

Note: If your contribution is missing please reply to this post and I will add it asap.

The AO3 Collection can also be found here.

--------------------------

Masterlist – The Clean Edition

Day 1: Alternate First Meeting

Begin Again by @starrysophie04

Good Deeds with a Bad Future by @tommy-kinard-buckley

In the Right Place by @katyobsesses

Slide on Through My Window by @tommykinardkink

The Warning Signs Are There (I’m Spiralling Anyway) by @evan-privileges

Moonlight Meeting by @ezvlli

Guide Me Home by @diazevan

Now I remember what it feels like to fly, you give me butterflies by @aesthetictarlos

One Hell of a Story by @half-bakedboy

The Wedding Date by @frizzlenox

Fratboy FWB AU by @fakemouthstatics

Not even a little, not even at all by @kinard-buckley

This seat taken by @saras-almanac

Alternate First Meeting by @scarslikevelvetstoryshare

smelling like a bonfire, lost in a haze by @bucktheally

Can I call you by @brasscati

A Very Different Poker Night by @regent-of-rarepairs

these few, rare, beautiful things by @26-cats-in-a-trenchcoat

Day 2: A Figure From Their Past

The Lucky One by @starrysophie04

Remember those walls I built? Well, baby, they’re tumbling down b @aesthetictarlos

I can do it with a broken heart by @ezvlli

Is there something you need to tell me? By @frizzlenox

When the sun goes down by @sweet-sammy-kisses

I love you, I’ll love her too by @half-oz-eddie

When you smile (it kills me) by @diazevan

Blast from the Past by @scarslikevelvetstoryshare

What we have by @saras-almanac

a blast from the past by @kinard-buckley

can't be said that i'm an early bird; it's ten o'clock before i say a word by @bucktheally

Day 3: “I’ll come for you, no matter what.”

Stay Stay Stay by @starrysophie04

Netflix and Chills by @nine-one-one

“I’ll come for you no matter what.” by @scarslikevelvetstoryshare

I’ll take care of you and honey, you’ll take care of me too by @aesthetictarlos

You, me and the silence by @ezvlli

you and me (that’s what i want) by @kinard-buckley

you keep telling me to live right; to go to bed before the daylight by @bucktheally

Day 4: Their Favourite Firsts

If Love is Fire, then I’ll Burn for You by @reformedplayerbibuck

The Very First Night by @starrysophie04

Relax and Breathe by @nine-one-wanton

The Sleepover by @frizzlenox

Time has brought your heart to me by @actually_allie

Their favorite firsts by @scarslikevelvetstoryshare

treat your mouth as if it’s heaven’s gate by @bucktheally

Multi-Day Fill

My walls are made of my heart (would you still break them gently) by @thetangycheesemanwithaplan

Masterlist - The Dirty Edition

Day 1: “No touching. You’ll be patient and wait until I’m done.” || Stop and Start

An Endless List of Really Impressive Stuff by @nine-one-wanton

I light the match to taste the heat by @mooshkat

Burning Touch by @sweet-sammy-kisses

No Touching by @buckxtommy

No Touching by @scarslikevelvetstoryshare

but what would you do if i went to touch you by @losermanediaz

we’re hot as hell, does it burn when I’m not here by @aesthetictarlos

Day 3: The Toy Chest

Polaroids by @frizzlenox

Day 4: “Guess what I’m wearing...”

On the other side of the line by @ezvlli

“Guess what I’m wearing...” by @scarslikevelvetstoryshare

Catalina by @fictasticvoyage

[x0x0josephinex0x0]

The Hope in the Fault Lines, part 1

Summary: after your sister and her husband are tragically killed, you become the guardian of their daughter, your niece. As you try to pick up the pieces of your life, you become aware that you need help. Desperately. So you hire a nanny. Enter Mingyu, an ex-agent-turned-childcare-professional with a past of his own.

Genre: fluff, heavy themes, (light) smut in later parts (minors DNI)

Warnings: (applies to most of the parts) descriptions of grief, mental illness, disordered eating, instant parenthood, loss of sibling, vehicle-related death, police investigation, child custody court, parental abuse

Word count for pt 1: 4.3k

part 2 | part 3 | part 4

Why aren’t I numb yet? you think to yourself.

Because really, you should be there by now. Hell, you’d even planned to be there by now so you could go back to work. But here you are — standing in your seven-month-old niece’s bedroom, crying along with her, the agony in your chest building like water that slowly heightens to a boil, its persistent, grief-tinged bubbles roiling in time with every pointless beat of your absolutely shattered heart.

You stroke the back of your niece Sara’s head and made soothing noises as well as you could around your own tears. Surely, at some point, she had to stop crying, right? Then maybe you could get back to sleep, which so far has been the only semi-consistent way to forget the grim truth of your reality.

Which was that your sister, Jeri — the proper mother for this fussing thing in your arms — and her husband, Jisung, were dead. That was why you were here, with a child who was missing the same person you were missing but had much less of a vocabulary to express it, so she just cried and cried and cried until you realized she was voicing your own internal monologue. Both of you were hoping that she’d walk in any minute and hold you and make the world stop its incessant spinning for a moment.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper. “I’m sorry you only have me. I’m sorry that’s the best I can give you.” You stifle a sob. “I’m sorry that she’s gone. I miss her too.”

Eventually, Sara’s wails quieted, and she slumped against your shoulder, exhausted. You collapsed into the chair in the nursery, exhausted enough to fall asleep immediately, holding Sara in your arms.

You were awakened by the sound of the door opening. Had you forgotten to lock it? You suddenly panic, gently placing Sara’s still-sleeping form into her crib before tiptoeing into the hallway, colliding with your best friend, Bora.

“Did I not lock the door?” you blurt in shock.

She looks you up and down. “No, you did,” she reassures, her worried look intensifying. “I’ve had a key for five years.”

You deflate in relief. “Right,” you say aimlessly, looking at her. “Okay. Um…coffee?”

“Girl, I should be making you coffee,” Bora said. She put a hand to your forehead. “You’re ill, sweetheart.”

You blink at her. “I am?”

“Undoubtedly,” she confirms, leading you back to your bedroom. “Don’t worry about Sara. I’ll be here all day, so you just rest, okay?” She nearly pushes you onto your bed, and pulls a blanket off the floor to tuck around you.

You take stock of yourself. Head aching -- that wasn’t new. Eyes dry and puffy -- same as always. No, the only difference you could tell from last night is a hollow, cavernous emptiness in your chest where the clawing agony used to sit. Right on cue, the numbness has begun to engulf you.

You pass the day in a haze, only briefly aware of the activities of Sara, who at seven months old is only fussy around strangers when it gets dark, and your friend. You simply lay there in bed, not sleeping despite your tiredness, not even able to muster up the energy to reach for the food Bora brings you at midday. In fact, the sun is setting before you’re able to become conscious, sitting up and rubbing at your stinging eyes as Bora comes in to check on you.

“What about Morrie and Cal?” you ask her, referencing Bora’s own daughter Morna and her husband Calvin. “Did you really leave them all day?”

Bora nodded. “Yeah, Cal’s got it. Which is what I wanted to talk to you about.” She brushes your hair out of your face in a motherly way. “You need help here.”

“I’m not getting married anytime soon, Bo,” you say dryly.

“I’m not talking about marriage,” she says. “I’m talking about a nanny.”

You bite your lip. “Are you saying I’m bad at motherhood?” you ask, and if you could sound hurt through all the nothingness you feel, you’re sure you would.

“No,” Bora says gently. “I’m saying you didn’t bargain for motherhood on top of dealing with your grief, and you still have a whole life ahead of you that needs your attention, outside of this apartment. You have a job you love that you really need to get back to -- for you, sweetheart, not for the company, because I know that the work you do makes you happy. You need more time like that, more time for you. I know there’s a big difference in the circumstances, but when I became a mother, having Cal as a partner made it really easy for me to do things outside of the house that gave me purpose. It really helped me get a handle on myself outside of motherhood so that I could maintain a healthy relationship with Morrie without resenting her or losing myself. And honestly, you need that. We all do. And since marriage isn’t the move right now, and you have the means, a nanny might be the best possible thing for you.”

You nod slowly. “So they’d just come watch Sara while I’m at work?”

She nods. “They can be here as much or as little as you want.”

“Okay. How do I make sure they’re not a child snatcher or a pervert?”

Bora snorts. “Well, I’d recommend interviewing them so that your spidey-senses can alert you to any potential creeps,” she advises.

“I’m tired just thinking about that,” you groan. The phone begins to ring, and you check the ID — it’s your head editor, Cory.

You answer. “Hey,” you say, trying not to sound as dead inside as you are. “What’s up?”

“How are you doing?” he asks, his tone hesitant. This was one of the worst parts of tragedy, you thought to yourself: the awkwardness. Suddenly there was no comfort anywhere. Nobody knew what to say to you, or how to address the event, so everyone skated around it and you in a cautious dance of embarrassment and pity. Part of you wishes someone would just acknowledge it -- “so, your sister is dead,” and then move on.

“I’m fine,” you lie. “I should be back to work...soon. I just need to find a nanny for my niece.”

“Oh, that’s...that’s good,” Cory says, sounding surprised. “I wasn’t actually calling about that, I was actually just...worried about you.”

You sigh. “Everybody is, Cory. But I’ll pull through this. I always do.”

“I know,” he says, “and I trust that you will. I just...wanted you to know that we’re -- that I’m thinking of you.”

You try to feel curious about his choice of words, but can’t muster the energy to care that much. “Thanks, Cory,” you say. “I’ll let you know if I need anything.” Another lie, but the last one you feel compelled to tell him. “Bye.”

Bora is looking at you with a raised eyebrow. “He seems friendly,” she says, and through the haze that seems to coat your brain you know she’s making an implication.

This is yet another thing you don’t have the energy to address right now, so you don’t. “So, I need to interview nannies.”

“Well, you could also have your assistant do it,” Bora offers. “She’d lay on train tracks for you. I’m sure she’d do a good job.”

The corner of your mouth twitches as you think of making Emily, your eager assistant, vet nannies for Sara. She was young and enthusiastic and proactive, and she’d do a great job. “I think that’s a good idea,” you say. “Thanks, Bora. I know I haven’t been -- well, I know you have better things to do than worry about me, and I’m s--”

“Don’t you dare finish that thought,” she says, holding her manicured hand up to silence you. “You have people around you who care about and love you. Me included. This is the time where you need to lean on those people. And we all want that.”

“Thank you,” you say again.

“Eat,” she says sternly. “I need to get home, but I refuse to leave Sara with you until you’ve got food in your body.”

You wrinkle your nose at the idea of putting something in your mouth and chewing, but you realize that Bora’s made you some kind of thick, creamy soup that requires nothing but small sips. It’s easy to eat, and before you know it, despite not really tasting it as it passed through your lips, you’ve finished the bowl. Bora nods approvingly, leaning in and kissing your forehead before standing up to leave. “I love you, sweetheart,” she says. “Call me in the morning, okay?”

And with that, she leaves.

***

Six days later, you’re somewhere that you never expected to be at this point -- at dinner with your friend Gwen and her husband, Chan. Bora had showed up, instructed you to get ready, and taken Sara home with her as the couple had showed up at your front door. “You need a night out,” she insisted as you halfheartedly protested.

You had taken her advice and asked Emily to start interviewing nannies, but so far, her search for someone who could be there during your required time period and had the right background checks and qualifications had come up with very few results. This was a bit disheartening, but you hadn’t really given up yet, hoping someone would pull through for you. If you believed in God at this point, you’d probably pray for it.

These are the thoughts that are consuming you at dinner with your friends, when you’re supposed to be listening to them talk. They, gratefully, are a comforting pair, who make a point not to look at you with the customary pity. Instead, they ask about work and Sara and even about your thoughts on how the funeral had gone, which is kind of a relief -- none of that timid skirting around the big, ugly elephant in the room. Maybe this openness they’ve pulled out of you is the reason you feel you can speak to them about your current issue. “Actually, I’m trying to get back to work,” you say. “Those bills aren’t going to pay themselves. The only issue is, I need to find a nanny for Sara, but my assistant has been having trouble finding someone who fits the bill,” you explain, picking at the food in front of you.

To your surprise, Chan’s eyes light up. “I might know a guy. He used to work with me, and he just moved back here after awhile.”

You stare at him. “Chan, aren’t you a federal officer?” you ask.

“Yeah,” he says.

“Why would a federal agent want to work as my nanny?” you ask him.

“Former federal agent,” he corrects you. “Turned nanny.”

“You know someone who quit being a secret agent to become a child-care worker?” you say in disbelief.

Gwen nods. “Actually, he’s really good. The family he was just with fell on some hard times, which is why he’s back now, but I think he might be looking for a new gig.”

You bite the inside of your cheek. “You got the contact information for this guy?” you ask Chan.

“Yeah. His name’s Mingyu. I’ll forward the info on to Emily.”

“Thanks,” you say. “Really, Chan.” You allow yourself to hope for a moment, which provides just the right amount of energy to finish dinner and make your way back home. Once you’re inside your wreck of an apartment, which hasn’t been really cleaned since the accident, you lean heavily against the door, releasing a big breath.

You head to Sara’s room before realizing she’s still at Bora’s house. You text her that you’re home, and before you know it, Bora is handing a sleeping Sara back into your arms.

“She was really good today,” Bora whispers. “How was dinner?”

“It was...okay,” you say, and for the first time, you’re honest. For some reason, you feel like this Mingyu person is the one who’s going to stick, and that leaves you with a modicum of relief. A change is coming, and this one feels like it’s bound to be better than whatever you’re trying to do now. Bora leaves, and you go to the nursery -- the one room that’s intact and clean -- and sink into the rocking chair with Sara.

“Sometime soon, we’re going to have someone to help us out, Sara,” you promise. “I know this isn’t the life your parents probably imagined for you, but I’m going to try and give you something close to what they wanted you to have. I mean that.”

Slowly, you pull her off your shoulder to look at her cherubic little face -- at the black curls that surround her face, her long eyelashes fluttering in sleep. She’s a darling baby, but what you notice is something that penetrates through the cloud of numbness: she’s smiling, her little dimples so reminiscent of --

“Jeri,” you breathe, and a rush of warmth hits you right in your chest for a moment before it’s once again extinguished by your grief, like a flaming arrow shot into a dark, black lake. You suppose, as you hold her close to you once again, that in a way, Sara has immortalized your sister.

You fall asleep holding Sara, who for the first time since she became yours sleeps through the night.

***

You’re standing in your sweatpants, braless, your hair thrown haphazardly on top of your head, feeding Sarah some baby food as she babbles happily in her high chair, when the doorbell rings. You check your watch in disbelief -- it’s seven in the morning, which is the time you had asked Mingyu to show up for his first day of work. You’d never met him in person, although you had talked to him on the phone, and you’d wanted to make a good first impression. But then Sara had had a blowout, and you’d had to change your own sheets because she’d slept in your bed with you, and then you’d had to bathe her (it was that bad), and you were finally getting to feed Sara. You hadn’t even eaten yet, and you’d planned to be fully ready and put together by the time he arrived.

But there was no postponing this -- you couldn’t just let him rot on your porch. So you head for the door, praying Sara won’t throw the spoon on the floor as she has been wont to do recently, and look through the peephole. When you see him, the only thing you can do is whisper “shit. Shit shit shit shit shit.”

Because how could Emily not have told you that the man was beautiful?

And he isn’t beautiful in like, your everyday way either. The man on your porch is tall, probably dwarfing you by both head and shoulders, with a broad chest that pulled at the simple black tee he wears and arms that the pre-accident you would have swooned over. His hair is cropped short like a fed, and he is dressed practically, and yet, he was a god. There was no other way around it. You look down at yourself -- stained t-shirt, sweats with holes in embarrassing places, hair in disarray -- and shrug. There’s nothing you can do but pull the door open. “Hi,” you say. “Mr. Kim?”

“Yeah,” he replies, and he doesn’t seem to register your haggard appearance, just smiles. “I’m guessing you’re --”

“Yeah,” you confirm. “Um, please come in.”

He does, carefully removing his tennis shoes and stepping into the entryway. “Sara’s in the kitchen. Probably throwing stuff.”

He chuckles. “She’s seven months?”

“Yeah,” you say.

“They do that,” he says conspiratorially.

It has taken you very little time to realize you might be in trouble. Mingyu’s smile is open and warm, his eyes full of life. He is nothing like the gruff, stern former agent that you were picturing in your head. You watch him crouch to greet Sara, whose face lights up at his friendly wave. “Hi, Sara,” he says, brushing a bit of blended squash off her nose. “You’re a cutie, that’s for sure.”

“I’m so sorry for the mess,” you can’t help but say. “It’s...it’s been insane.”

He looks up at you. “I get it. Your assistant kind of explained the situation. How are you holding up?” he asks.

You scratch the back of your head. “Well, Sara’s still alive, and that’s pretty much the extent of my current goals, so I guess we’re doing pretty well, all things considered.”

He nods sympathetically. “Honestly, great job. Becoming an instant parent can’t be easy.”

“I actually need to be at work at 8:30,” you suddenly realize. “Can I show you around? I’ll have to dash right afterward.”

“Yeah, sure,” he says, following you down the hall.

“This is the guest room,” you say. “It hasn’t been touched for a minute, but this is where you’ll sleep if we ever need you to stay overnight. I occasionally have business trips.” You lead him further down the hall and up the short staircase, opening the door to the nursery. “Right there is the bathroom. This is Sara’s room, so when she goes down for naps, this is where you can put her.”

You look at him, and his face is thoughtful as you point down the hall. “Door at the end is my bedroom,” you say, remembering what an absolute disaster it is. A blush rises in your cheek. “And please,” you say, going back down the stairs. “You can make yourself at home. Feel free to use the TV while Sara’s napping, or eat what’s in the fridge or pantry if you’re hungry.”

“Okay,” he agrees.

You pull out your wallet and hand him a card. “This one is for you. If you ever feel like eating anything or going somewhere with Sara, you can use this. I opened it for you specifically -- I figured it’d be easier than reimbursing you.”

He pockets it. “Sounds good,” he says.

You stand there, feeling awkward. “Well, I think that was all.”

He nods. “Go get ready,” he says reassuringly. “If I need something or have any questions, I’ll shoot you a text. Is that okay?”

“Of course,” you say in relief. “Thanks.”

You nearly sprint upstairs and jump in the shower. It takes you two minutes to do everything you need to do -- you’ve been taking micro-showers since you took Sara in, terrified that something would happen to her in your absence. Watching the time, you blow your hair dry, apply simple makeup, and change into a comfortable pair of black slacks and a white button-up. You arrive downstairs to see Mingyu at the sink with Sara, having sat her in the crook of his arm so he can wash her sticky face.

The sight of them warms your heart. “Okay, I’ve gotta dash,” you say. “Please, reach out to me if you need anything.”

He smiles. “I will. Drive safe.”

“Okay,” you say, bounding out the door and into your car.

The office hushes a bit when you walk in. They knew you were coming back today, but it must be surreal after the three months you’ve been gone, especially when this is your magazine -- you’re the only person at the company who’s been there since the beginning, because you started it. Cory is quick to hop to your side. “Hi, boss,” he greets. The rest of the office goes back to their activities as you enter your large, glass-paneled office.

“Hi, Cory,” you say. “How are you?”

“I’m good,” he says, seemingly lost for any other words. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Thanks,” you say. “So, update me. Where are we at with the Serena Williams feature?”

“She was super understanding, and the publishers were too,” he says. “Ruby wrote a great piece, though, so as soon as we’ve got the green light we’ll start the launch. I’ve got Jojo on the social media build, and she’s got a two-on-one scheduled with us later to go over it.”

You nod in approval. “Okay, sounds good. I’m gonna contact Park Seojun’s agent today, so I’d like a list of writers you think could write that story well before our meeting with Jojo. I’m thinking we use someone in-house, but I’m open to contracting out if you’re worried people in the office already have too much to do.”

Cory gives you a thumbs up. “Got it,” he says, heading back to his desk.

You breathe in your office air, feeling some of the tension in your shoulders dissolve. You can’t say you’re happy, per se -- but you aren’t as empty as you have been. Bora had been right -- getting back to work is going to be good for you.

***

Toward the end of the day, though, you begin feeling a strange pull -- a pull toward home. You know Mingyu and Sara have been fine, because Mingyu has been texting you periodically throughout the day:

9:49

MG: hey, we’re out of wet wipes over here. do you have any extra boxes?

You: yeah they’re in your bathroom under the sink!

MG: okay I should’ve thought to check there, thanks! You saved my life haha

You: no worries! Is everything ok?

MG: yeah its good, no need to stress. Sara just needs a diaper change.

You: ok, sounds good! Thanks!

11:30

MG: sara reeeeeeeeeeeally likes pears

You: oh yeah they’re her favorite lol

He’d sent you a video of Sara screeching with joy as he put a spoonful of pear mush into her mouth.

MG: like i’ve never seen anyone so enthusiastic about pears

You: i love it when she screams at her food, that’s the best

MG: me too its so cute haha

1:43

MG: ok i forgot to ask

MG: how long are her naps supposed to be

You: tbh I usually let her sleep an hour or so...i should probably do research on what’s developmentally appropriate

MG: lmao nah i gotchu

Then a few minutes later:

1:52

MG: so apparently huckleberrycare.com suggests 2-3 hours of daytime sleep for kids sara’s age

You: damn, that’s a long time

You: well, i guess let her sleep? She might not stay down that long, but we can adjust her routine a bit to try and get her there

MG: sounds good. Is she a light sleeper? She’s on me rn and i don’t want to wake her up if i move her

You: oh no you can totally put her in her crib lol she won’t wake up

MG: ok thanks haha my arm was kind of going numb bc i was too scared to change positions lmao

You: hahaha yes you’re totally fine to put her in as soon as she goes to sleep usually

MG: great to know, thanks lol

And more throughout the day, littered with photos of Sara in varying states of ridiculousness. You found yourself actually smiling as each text rolled in, grateful for the updates, knowing you would’ve felt a lot more anxious if you hadn’t heard anything.

Still, you didn’t want to keep Mingyu waiting too long. He was supposed to get off at 6, and you wanted to make sure he didn’t feel like you were taking advantage of him. So you left work earlier than normal, beating the rush hour traffic and coming through the door to see Mingyu playing with your niece on the floor. He looks up at you as you come in and waves you over. “She rolled over just barely,” he whispers excitedly. “Watch!”

Sara struggles, whining a little bit, before rolling from her stomach to her back. You clap excitedly, lifting her from the floor into your arms and kissing her pudgy cheek. “Good job, Sara!” you coo, and she burbles happily, touching your face with a fat hand.

Suddenly, you notice something -- the house is clean.

“Mr. Kim,” you say slowly, “did you clean my house?”

He suddenly looks sheepish. “Uh, yeah, I did,” he says. “I’m sorry if that was...I don’t know, not my place.”

“Are you apologizing for cleaning?” you ask him, amused. “I feel bad you felt the need to do that! I shouldn’t have -- have let it get so bad.”

He gives you an extremely gentle look that you are sure he didn’t intend to make your knees go weak. “You’ve been through a lot recently,” he says. “I think you should be kinder to yourself. Also, there was a time when I was in college and living with roommates, and it was way worse cleaning up after some of them.”

“Well, at least there’s that,” you say, returning his smile with Sara propped on your hip.

You stare at him for a minute, and then shake yourself. “Well, I’m here now, so I guess you can...go?” You make a face at your phrasing. “I’m not trying to kick you out. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to stay past your hours.”

He chuckles. “It’s okay. I get you. Have a good night.” He heads for the door, calling over his shoulder. “Actually, I made some fried rice this afternoon. The leftovers are in the fridge. Help yourself.”

Your jaw drops. “Wait a minute, Mr. Kim,” you call after him, following him on his way out.

He turns around, smiling at your tone. “You can call me Mingyu,” he offers.

You nod. “Okay, Mingyu. You cooked, cleaned, and took care of Sara while I was at work?”

“Yeah,” he says, a laugh in his voice. “Is that so odd?”

“I never managed to do all three in one day,” you admit ashamedly.

“Well, I’m not mourning the loss of my sister,” he reminds you, and his voice is a bit stern. “That kind of thing takes a lot of energy.” He rests a big hand on your shoulder comfortingly before opening the door. “See you tomorrow.”

[sadhappylady]

I keep thinking about August posting the video. When we now know that he is quite possibly queer himself, it shouldn't make sense. But we also know that that initiation was fucking traumatizing for him. He must have been hazed so badly for that. So my thoughts are he internalized the homophobia, and he was taught that liking men and being elite didn't go together. So Wille having sex with a boy meant he wasn't fit to be a leader. This was what August was taught.

And also, do you remember him saying to Sara: "Wille has everything!" when asked why he posted the video? Maybe it wasn't just the monarchy, Wille also got act on being queer!

AND Wille got to be popular and be liked, even when he didn't even try.

Maybe August genuinly wanted to help Wille when he arrived, by teaching him everything that he had needed to learn to be accepted. That it was important to follow the rules and accept the hierarchy, and it was important who you hung out with. But then Wille didn't need August's advice, those rules for getting through Hillerska didn't apply to Wilhelm. And on top of that he got to like men without being hazed for it.

He had everything August had ever wanted. And then he threatened/tried to take away everything August had fought so, so hard to achieve: his friends, his status and his safety.

Just to be clear: I am not excusing what he did, because that is not possible. I am only trying to make sense of it all, exploring what might have been going on in his head to make that decision.

[grapehyasynth]

young royals fic rec, 38/?

i’m (slowly) working my way through the wilmon tag on ao3 and thought that as i go i might shout out some fics i enjoy along the way! i’ve tagged authors where i knew their tumblr url, but please feel free to tag folks or dm me if you know ones i’ve missed!

see all my rec lists here

1. and, lover, be good to me by LemonPSMuffin - Midway through his second year at university, Simon finds himself feeling ill in more ways than one as deeply buried fears push themselves to the surface, forcing him to grapple with feelings he didn't realize he had. Meanwhile, Wille just wants Simon to lie down and let himself be taken care of for one night.

2. Lavender Haze by @skibasyndrome - Wilhelm spots the most gorgeous man in a nightclub. He's wearing a lavender shirt that makes Wilhelm's head spin and imagination run wild. And a smile that does things to his heart he's not quite sure what to make of yet.

3. taunt him with the license of ink by @waiting-star - The one where they’re rival book critics (it’s definitely a thing) who argue (read: flirt) about soapy romance novels and pretentious literary fiction.

4. i know a lot of things (but i don't know you) by cr1ngeculture - This boy. Only seventeen. He was a revolution. But then he, too, was broken by the very same system he became the face of.

5. overwhelmed by spa_ghetto - What if Simon didn’t leave after the dinner, and they actually had a conversation?

6. a joy hard learned in winter by eleanna99 - “Take Sara and Eva and go stay with your mother for a bit. Until I can sort things out.” For such a simple statement, it sounds a hell of a lot like a goodbye. And Simon was never good at them, so he puts on his shoes and leaves, and when he hears something break against the door that he closed behind him, he chooses to pretend that it was just his own heart.

7. Home by @writerofstuff - There is a man sitting on the dining table. "Wilhelm," Linda says, the curve of her smile strained, "this is Simon and Sara's Papa."

[icu-fetish]

Sara barely opened her eyes. Her body felt alien, heavy, and unresponsive. The bright light of the hospital room cut into her gaze. An oxygen mask was tightly pressed against her face. Her chest rose and fell with visible effort. Fear gripped her more and more. She tried to remember what happened, but her thoughts were muddled. She felt helpless and alone.

Sara's gaze stopped on two female figures in white coats. They leaned over her, whispering soothing words. Sara tried to make out their faces through her half-conscious state but saw only blurry outlines. Sara noticed the gleam of metal instruments in their hands. These were two doctors... not nurses. "Intubation," she heard muffled.

The doctors, having put on sterile gloves, leaned over Sara. Their faces were serious. "Sara, we need to act quickly. Your lips have turned grey, and your breathing has become erratic. Even the oxygen mask isn't helping anymore, and we have to move to more invasive methods."

The other doctor continued... "Soon you won't be able to breathe on your own. So, we only have one option. After the injection, you'll be in a coma. Then we'll perform the intubation. You'll be completely connected to an artificial apparatus. Of course, you won't be able to eat or drink – we'll insert a nasogastric tube. Also, necessary catheters will be attached to your body."

Sara was in panic. She understood that without the artificial apparatus, her condition would deteriorate rapidly and could lead to a fatal outcome. Every minute counted. The doctors exchanged glances. "Everything's ready," one quietly said. The other took a syringe with a clear liquid and brought it to Sara's vein.

One of the doctors took Sara's hand and gently stroked it. The other prepared the intubation instruments. Sara's heart began to pound in her throat. She nodded, but her eyes were filled with anxiety. She felt the needle pierce her skin, and warmth spread through her veins, bringing a slight numbness. Her eyelids grew heavy, her thoughts jumbled, and everything around began to blur into a haze...

The doctor carefully opened Sara's mouth and introduced the laryngoscope, illuminating the path with bright light reflecting off the mucous membrane. The other doctor took the endotracheal tube, checked its integrity, and quickly, but with utmost caution, inserted it through the open vocal cords into the trachea. Then she secured it with a cuff, which she carefully inflated to ensure a tight seal and prevent air leakage.

A plastic holder, made from soft material that fit snugly against Sara's face without causing discomfort, was placed to stabilize the tube. The doctors checked the correct placement of the tube by listening to the lungs with a stethoscope.

Ventilation parameters were set on the monitor, showing all necessary indicators: breathing rate, air volume, oxygen level. The doctors adjusted the ventilation mode according to Sara's condition, entering the data into the system. The machine started its work, rhythmically supplying air to the patient's lungs, accompanied by a soft noise that now became part of the room's background sound.

The monitor showed that blood oxygen saturation began to stabilize, and the heart rate returned to normal, indicating the procedure's success.

The doctors spoke to each other, their voices quiet. "The nurses will insert the nasogastric tube," said one, looking at the monitor readings. "Sara will be intubated for quite some time. However, we'll probably have to perform a tracheostomy on her," added the other, with a note of concern in her voice. Before leaving the room, the doctors checked Sara's condition once more, ensuring all parameters were stable and the equipment was working correctly. Then they left for the next patient.

After the intubation, nurses entered the room. They inserted the nasogastric tube for feeding and a catheter for the bladder. They also connected a peripheral venous catheter for administering medications. All actions were performed quickly and professionally, leaving Sara under full medical supervision.

Every day, doctors visited her, checking vital signs, adjusting the machines, changing medications through the peripheral catheter, and ensuring care for all the connected tubes. However, after several days, the doctors decided to remove the nasogastric tube because Sara needed another surgery - they were to install a GJ tube. This feeding tube allows food to be delivered to the stomach. The doctors understood that only a tracheostomy would provide more stable and long-term respiratory support.

The operation went successfully, but Sara did not wake up. In the room where Sara lay, there was silence, only interrupted by the hum of the machines sustaining her life. The doctors decided to keep her on life support, performing all procedures until some sign of improvement appeared or until another decision was made.

Maybe today she will open her eyes...

[superthatguy62]

Sara Altney & Cid Haze: Amano | 3D Remake/Yoshida | Manga

[talas-first-lady]

Big questions only

[triptychgrip]

Story Preview: Yuuri vs. Yurio on Hot Ones Versus

“And that’s already ten extra dollars in my pocket!” Mila gleefully called out, referring to the bet that she, Georgi, Sara, and Otabek were all in on.

“Why are you even here again?” Yura dryly lobbed back. “Katsudon gets his lovesick husband plus Kenjirou to fan him, mop his sweaty brow, and generally fuss over his well-being, while you’re just…what? Here to heckle and wish for my downfall?”

As Yuuri suspected he would, Viktor took this opening to gasp, theatrically, throwing a hand to his forehead like a storybook maiden that had just heard an earnestly breathless confession of love.

“Yura, I never knew you wished for me to fuss over you!” he cried, swaying a bit on his feet as if dizzied by the prospect. “And all this time, I believed you repulsed by my protective inclinations!”

The subsequent profanity-laden sentence from Yura would most definitely have to be bleeped out in the final cut, and Yuuri took a second to quiet his laughter before reaching for the first card in his pile.

“Ok, Yura…for round 1.”

He read it silently to himself, fighting the urge to giggle; it was actually a good thing Mila was here, because she’d be able to join him in calling Yura out if he tried to lie while answering.

“Before you left Russia to begin training here in Japan – a move that was catalyzed by your missing Viktor and I so very dearly once we’d left –” (Yuuri paused and grinned when Kenjirou whooped, delightedly) “– you were known as a little bit of a bully at Yubileyny, in particular towards the local hockey teams that occasionally rented out the ice. Describe the meanest thing you ever did to haze a fellow rinkmate or hockey player.”

A vivid memory of Yakov screaming his head off over a rather unfortunate hair dye incident floated to the forefront of Yuuri’s mind and he took a second to bask in the recollection.

“Or…feel free to eat a death wing," he finished, firmly.

After seeing my Vanity Fair Lie Detector game fic do so well, I've decided to continue my post-canon media appearance antics by writing another face-off, this time taking place betwwen Yuuri and Yurio as they battle each other/"the wings of death" while taping an episode of Hot Ones Versus.

If you enjoy the idea of their friendly rivalry, highly sappy/extra Viktuuri moments, and questions/answers that illuminate how our favorite character dynamics might have evolved a few years post-canon, I invite you to be on the lookout for this story, which I hope to upload to ao3 sometime in November (probably after I update my Olympics-focused WIP/series).

I haven't yet decided if I want this to be a very long one-shot or a 2-chapter fic, but in any event, folks who've read my other work probably know that shortfic is really hard for me…I really struggle to keep things brief and with something like this, I can't imagine it being anything less than 5-8K words in length. Especially because I want to include Viktor, Yuuri and Yuri’s POVs.

Lol…hope you’ll cheer me on and in the meantime, I’ve written lots of other (mostly post-canon) Yuri!!! on Ice fic you may want to check out.