#Small Business Shipping Solutions
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betachon25 · 5 months ago
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Effective Parcel Shipping Strategies for Small Businesses
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For small businesses, shipping is more than just moving parcels from one point to another; it's an integral part of their customer service and cost management. Developing an effective Parcel shipping strategy is essential to stay competitive. Betachon Freight Auditing understands the unique challenges faced by small businesses and offers comprehensive small business shipping solutions designed to optimize every aspect of the shipping process.
Optimize Shipping Costs
One of the primary concerns for Small Businesses is managing shipping costs. Betachon Freight Auditing provides expert auditing services that meticulously analyze your shipping invoices to identify billing errors, overcharges, and potential savings. By ensuring that every invoice is accurate, businesses can significantly reduce their shipping expenses without compromising on service quality.
Leverage Technology for Efficiency
Integrating technology into your shipping operations can streamline processes and improve efficiency. Betachon Freight Auditing offers advanced software solutions that automate various shipping tasks, from label printing to tracking shipments. This not only saves time but also minimizes the risk of human errors, ensuring that parcels are delivered promptly and accurately.
Negotiate Better Shipping Rates
Small businesses often struggle to secure favorable shipping rates due to their lower shipping volumes. Betachon Freight Auditing leverages its industry expertise and relationships with major carriers to negotiate better rates on behalf of small businesses. This ensures that even businesses with modest shipping needs can access competitive rates, helping them save money and stay competitive.
Enhance Customer Satisfaction
Reliable and efficient shipping is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction. Betachon Freight Auditing’s solutions include real-time tracking and proactive communication with customers, keeping them informed about the status of their shipments. By enhancing the overall shipping experience, small businesses can build stronger relationships with their customers and encourage repeat business.
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aventurineswife · 1 month ago
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Can you do Aventurine, Sampo, Ratio and Jing Yuan react that reader has turned into a kitten?
At first, they didn't know that reader has turned into a kitten until reader tried to show the evidence
Cat-kitty-cat, Cat-kitty-cat
Tags: Aventurine x Reader, Sampo x Reader, Ratio x Reader, Jing Yuan x Reader, Fluff, Humor, Kitten!Reader, Soft Moments, Lighthearted, Playful Interactions.
A/N: KITTYYYUHHHHH!!!
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The warm light of the floor glimmered off Aventurine’s rose-tinted glasses as he sat in his office, shuffling a deck of cards with practiced ease. The quiet knock at the door didn’t faze him; he expected one of his assistants.
“Come in,” he called, but the door remained shut. His brows furrowed. “Hello?”
A muffled meow answered, faint and uncertain. He rose, smoothing the fur trim of his coat before opening the door, only to find nothing. Another meow had him glance down, where a kitten with fur as soft as his fur trim stared up at him, eyes wide with urgency.
Aventurine crouched, an intrigued smile curling his lips. “Well, aren’t you a peculiar little gambler?” he mused, reaching out to pick up the kitten. It immediately pawed at the rims of his glasses, tugging them slightly askew.
“Hey now,” he chuckled, “those aren’t a toy.” But as the kitten batted at his bracelet with a strangely familiar persistence, realization struck. His smile faltered, replaced by genuine shock.
“...Wait. Is that you?” he whispered, his fingers brushing over your tiny head. The kitten’s insistent nod and another urgent meow confirmed it. Aventurine’s laughter broke the tension, a mix of amusement and disbelief.
“Well, love, you’ve really raised the stakes this time. Don’t worry,” he said, cradling you against his chest, “we’ll figure this out. But first—how do you feel about poker?”
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The merchant whistled a jaunty tune, inspecting his latest haul in a dimly lit backroom. A soft thud made him pause, his eyes darting to the source. There, amidst the scattered goods, a small kitten struggled to climb out of a wooden crate.
Sampo knelt, laughing under his breath. “Aw, did I accidentally ship you in a box? Poor little one.” He scooped you up, but froze as the kitten squirmed, reaching for his face with a familiar urgency.
“...Hey, wait a second,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes. The realization hit when you swatted his nose with deliberate intent. “No way. Is this some kinda joke?”
You yowled, smacking at the silver cuff on his ear. Recognition dawned, and Sampo barked out a laugh so loud it startled you.
“Well, well, this is a twist! You’re cuter than I expected,” he teased, holding you up to eye level. “Don’t worry, I’ll fix this. For a small fee, of course. But hey, this could be great for business! Ever heard of the world’s only scammer cat?”
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The library was quiet, save for the soft rustle of papers and the occasional sigh from Ratio as he poured over ancient texts. He was lost in thought when a soft thump on the table pulled his focus.
There, atop his meticulous notes, sat a small kitten, staring at him with an intensity that rivaled his own. Ratio’s eyes narrowed. “What is this nonsense?”
The kitten didn’t back down. Instead, it batted at the straps of his arm braces, its persistence strikingly familiar. Ratio tilted his head, studying you with growing suspicion.
“You’re far too bold for a common feline,” he remarked, leaning closer. “Those eyes… Wait.” His tone sharpened. “Is that you?”
You responded with an annoyed meow, pawing at the jewel on his vest. Ratio’s brows furrowed, a rare flush of embarrassment coloring his cheeks.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “First, ignorance plagues the universe. Now, this. Fine. Stay still while I calculate a solution—and stay off my notes.”
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Jing Yuan was enjoying a rare moment of leisure, sipping tea. A soft meow interrupted the peace, and Jing Yuan turned to find a small kitten attempting to climb him.
“Well, what do we have here?” he said, his eyes warm with amusement. He gently picked you up, cradling you in his hands. “A brave little one, aren’t you?”
As you squirmed, pawing at on his hip, Jing Yuan chuckled. But then he noticed something—your eyes.
“...No,” he murmured, his smile fading. “Can it be?” When you gave a frustrated meow and nuzzled his palm, recognition bloomed.
Jing Yuan sighed, stroking your tiny head. “Ah, so this is what has become of you. How unfortunate.” He set you down gently, his calm demeanor masking his concern. “Worry not—I’ll ensure you’re returned to your proper form. But for now, consider this a lesson in humility, my small friend.”
He leaned back, a soft smile returning to his lips. “Though I must admit, you make a rather adorable kitten.”
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stitchau · 6 months ago
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————————《《FAQ》》————————
This post will be updated over time.
Main artist account: @centfornothing (both tumblr, twitter and soon bluesky)
Currently, i am very busy with university, and I'm not gonna be free any time soon...(except holidays, obviously) BUT I am really trying to put at least SOME time into what I've created here, so there's that. (Hopefully I'll survive all that)
— Usage of Stitch/Fanart
1. Q: Can I create fanart of Stitch?
A: Yes, I'd be more than happy if you do! ^^
Also, do not be shy to tag me! I will, from time to time, check if i was tagged somewhere.
2. Q: Can I use your character in my comic/animation/fanfiction?
A: Yep! I don't see why not.
3. Q: Can I ship *insert character name here* with Stitch?
A: Sure, have fun! But I sure do hope that the character in question is not a child. I am strongly against it.
4. Q: Can I create NSFW🔞 content of Stitch?
A: Yes, unless it involves children/incest. Do not draw stuff like that.
5. Q: Can I voice act your comics?
A: Any day!! Just don't forget to put credits, everything else is up to you! ^^
— NOT ALLOWED
I'm being repetitive here, but whatever. These are the only things I don't want people to do with my character, and I hope you understand why.
DO NOT create content depicting Stitch engaging with children in sexual manner.
DO NOT create content depicting Stitch endorsing incest/racism/f*scism/n*zism or anything similar to that.
As advice, I'd kindly ask you not to create stuff like this at all. Please be a better person and be responsible with what you create and put out there on the internet.
— About asks/questions
Questions that I have already answered won't get a reply.
Not all the questions will get their answers. Either because it's not the time for the answer yet or because it's irrelevant/not a question at all.
If there's too many questions, yours might be missed/might get a late reply(currently i have 70+ questions, no joke, and i just cant answer all of them, especially when there's more of them every day). But don't be shy asking questions anyway!
Other reasons for your questions not getting an answer:
I might be busy because I also have to live a life.
If your question is something like "I love your au sm," then thank you. I really appreciate your kind words, you are making my day💞
I might not want to answer your question for reasons. (Provocative questions, personal questions, etc)
If you are asking something related to YOUR OWN mental health. Please, PLEASE, if you have real problems, do not try to find a solution for them from internet strangers, go and talk to a real, qualified professional.
Please do not vent to me, I am not qualified to offer you help. I wish you the best, please stay safe.
And just a separate point about roleplays. Sorry, but I don't really do them. I can play along to something unserious and small, but whole roleplays are not for me.
— About Stitch
Stitch uses any pronouns, but they/them is a preferred one.
They are aroace.
The place they live in is called "Treatment space"(the info on what it is will be elaborated on sometime later). It is accessible for anyone in Omega Timeline at any given point through a door. But it can also be accessed from anywhere if you have one of 2 special keys: small red key that will create a door for 1 person leading to the Treatment Space or the bigger dark red key that will create a much bigger door, also leading to the Treatment Space(backyard). Keys can be mostly found in Omega Timeline, but some are scattered throughout the Multiverse.
They mimic the voice according to the form they have at the moment. So Sans' voice for a form of Sans, etc.
For all the different parts of plush bodies and clothes, there is a separate big room in Treatment Space.
Stitch doesn't need to sleep, eat, or drink.
Their most preferred forms are Toriel(convenience) and Sans(frequency of use).
The forms they don't like to use the most are the ones that are small(like Temmie, annoying dog, Flowey, etc.)
— The Lore(WIP)
Prologue
Chapter 1: Lucky streak — part 1
— Stitch's forms
I have some forms drawn separately, and some that I drew with some other sketches. I MIGHT be a bit too lazy to draw every from individually for now, so here's what I have:
Papyrus
Muffet
Mettaton
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Alphys
Gaster
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Monster kid (MK)
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Grillby
Frisk and Chara(want to change them)
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Toriel(if you can't tell, I like this one a lot)
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Asgore, Flowey, Sans, Undyne, some stuff
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More info will be added later
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marlynnofmany · 9 months ago
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Secondhand Solutions
Mur gave me a smug look, curling and uncurling one tentacle like a yo-yo. “Told you it was a waste of credits,” he said.
I sighed. “If those human ships were here, it wouldn’t be. This stuff is prime Earth nostalgia.” The small pile of items on the hoversled had seemed so full of promise when I’d bought it at our last stop: cat posters, harmonicas, and a dozen packs of googly eyes.
“Pity we’re far from Earth,” Mur said.
“Yeah,” I agreed, eyeing the locals of this alien marketplace. Lots of scales and exoskeletons. Not many hands that would appreciate the softness of a cat’s fur, and very few mouthparts that would be able to do much with a harmonica. The merchant I’d gotten the stuff from had been a Heatseeker all too happy to unload her stock of cut-rate human nonsense. These folks would likely have similar opinions. I said, “At least it doesn’t expire.”
Mur straightened the individually-boxed harmonicas. “And it shouldn’t take up too much space in your quarters until we meet up with more humans eventually. The captain won’t want to hang around here waiting for them to show up.”
“True,” I admitted. It was gossip from our last stop that had told me they’d be here now. I should have known better than to trust it.
“Well, back to the ship,” Mur announced. “Maybe you can cheer yourself up by decorating your quarters with eyeballs.”
I had to smile at that. “Maybe.” He was already walking back to where we’d parked, on the far side of an over-cultivated garden area. I towed the hoversled after him.
Then I caught sight of some locals who’d run afoul of multiple birdlike beasties, and an idea started to form.
The locals, a half-dozen Heatseekers whose scales ranged from red to pale yellow, were trying to eat a nice lunch at the dining section of the garden. The squawking bird-things, which were half-lizardy with speckled brown feathers and wide beaks, had apparently claimed the bushes for their own. They were contesting this claim by spitting at the Heatseekers every time their backs were turned. These looked like pretty gross spitballs, impressive for birds.
It occurred to me that I’d seen those feathery characters all over the place here. A look behind confirmed it; they lurked in nearly every tree I could see. And judging by the way the locals were abandoning this picnic table, they were a known hazard.
They still only spat at fleeing enemies, hiding or freezing in place when pinned by eye contact.
And that was my idea. “Hey Mur,” I said. “I’ll bet you one shanty sung on a table that I can sell some of these googly eyes right now.”
He stopped and looked around, full of skepticism. “To who?”
“Do you take the bet?”
“Ah, sure. There’s no way anyone here is interested.”
“You say that now,” I said, grabbing a pack and waving down one of the hurrying locals. “But you don’t know how we deal with tigers and magpies.”
“With what?”
I didn’t answer, busy as I was explaining to the local that the false eyes were adhesive, and would give the impression of eye contact from both directions. They were just as interested as I’d thought they’d be.
After a demonstration, during which I strolled through the picnic area and didn’t get a single spitball on me, the birds were unsettled and the locals were more than happy to buy everything I had.
This was a new colony town, you see, and no one had come up with a good solution for the annoying fauna that came with the territory. But these folks were prepared to make everyone’s day.
They certainly made mine. That was five times as much as I’d paid for the stuff in the first place. And they didn’t even want the posters and harmonicas.
I waved goodbye, but they weren’t paying attention, so I turned my grin on Mur instead. He had draped a tentacle around his pointy squid head in exasperation.
“I knew I shouldn’t have taken the bet,” he declared. “But I was so sure it was pointless.”
“And I am sure that whichever song you choose to regale us with at dinnertime will be delightful,” I said, tugging the hovercart around the bushes. The birds watched me carefully, noting the eyes still stuck to my hair, and leaving us both alone. “If it’s a song I know, maybe I can play a backup melody with a harmonica.”
~~~
The ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book. More to come! And I am currently drafting a sequel!
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owlets-outlet · 1 month ago
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my mouthwashing good ending headcanons:
on the tulpar:
1. anya tells swansea and daisuke about the assault pretty much immediatelly after the crash. the crew seals jimmy in his room with insulation foam until they get rescued.
( i was thinking about letting the crew kill j*mmy, however. he doesnt deserve that mercy. so he lives and is jailed forever. )
2. the crew dont know what to do about the baby. anya doesnt want to use pills for diy abortion, mainly because thats what jimbo told her to do and she doesnt want to listen to him.
in a dangerous twist of fate, she miscarries, because of stress and low bodyweight. its not a dramatic miscarriage, the fetus just dies in the uterus. anya suspects she miscarried, but doesnt tell the crew so they dont worry about her.
3. the crew gets rescued just in time- anya was on the verge of dying from the infection that started festering inside her from the miscarriage.
immediately after rescue:
anya and curly are rushed to the hospital. they got treatment on the rescue ship already, but that was only the bare minimum. pony express pays only for the bare minimum treatments.
curly is hooked up to a sci-fi mind reading communication device. its not perfect, but they manage to find out what happened. jimmy is arrested.
swansea:
after losing his job and breaking his dry streak, hes surprisingly okay. using his severance pay and his savings, he opens a small business, becoming a freelance electrician.
he doesnt drink as much as he used to, but he drinks regularly. he still buys himself sneakers on his soberversary though.
daisuke didnt even have to beg him too hard to be accepted as his apprentice, really.
daisuke becomes his other child, basically, he visits daisuke and regularly treats the him and the crew to meals, just like he does with his bio kids.
he also takes daisuke thrifting sometimes, judging his outfits on a scale of 1-10.
daisuke:
hes back to living with his parents.
daisuke really wanted to continue being swanseas apprentice, not just because he liked swansea, but because he really wanted to feel useful somehow.
he doesnt really vibe with most swanseas kids, but hes polite everytime they visit the shop where he helps swansea.
him and anya do gaming nights, often hopping on discord call in the late evening.
he still struggles with impostor syndrome, feeling like he didnt do enough for the crew of the tulpar.
curly:
he struggles with his mental health extensively. hes traumatized by being forced into being a bystander and his new disability keeps reminding him of that fact. his old crew encourages him to keep going though, and daisukes family pays for his therapy sessions.
he underwent many surgeries, mainly skin transplants (he still looks. uncanny though), rhinoplasty (more like. he just got a whole new nose altogether) and added eyelids (made his eye look smaller than before) and lips.
while this IS the Future, many of the cool 'solutions' to his disability are too expensive. pony express only paid for curlys wheelchair with a communicator and a cheap pair of prosthetic arms. the motor abilites of these arms are limited, as he cannot even write with them. theyre purely there just so he can operate his wheelchair by himself.
he wants to save money to buy new legs and arms, mostly just because he'd love to get back into weightlifting again.
after being fired, he mostly relies on disability pay and benefits.
he dropped many of his old friends, because they sympathised with jimmy, but he still has a close knit group of friends, with whom he lives.
he wanted to quit being a pilot long before the crash, and his old crew convinced him that he should pursue something new, to help him move on.
with the financial support of daisukes parents (daisuke begged them), curly enrolls in med school. he chose a proffession where he would help people.
thanks to this he grew even closer to anya.
anya:
tried to distance herself from the crew, because she felt like dead weight, but they didnt let her. daisuke talked her and curly into therapy.
she couldnt afford to try to get into med school again, and even then, she wasnt sure if she even wanted to do that anymore.
but, due to his disability, curly needed a notetaker and, well. the stars just aligned.
being his notetaker, anya gets to attend all the lectures with curly, helping him with his studies while she absorbs all the knowledge. this gave her the confidence she needed to decide to try again, sometine in the future.
asides from this, anya took up running again. she runs regularly, planning to run a marathon one day. she also gained a lot of weight after coming back, resulting in a mean bulk, gaining quite a lot of muscle.
sometimes she runs together with curly and daisuke, and curly also coaches anya in the gym on occassion.
the whole crew regularly meet up for brunches and birthdays. :)
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roseserpentpress · 8 months ago
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Zosan cat fic anthology (plus the tiger Zoro figure I had just finished making a little while ago!)
Fic links, comments and a photo of my cat below:
Having read a few zosan cat-related fics, I thought it would be really fun to make a small, cat themed zosan anthology, and here it is! To my delight, I found a paw print font (pawprints on defont) but to my annoyance it had no option to have no pawprints on the letters which made it look too busy, nor was there already a version of the font without pawprints, so for the first time I broke out fontforge to make my own version of the font in which I dropped the pawprints. I also drew little cat Zoros and Sanji's for each of the main stories title pages; bookbinding really is a good mash of different hobbies and skills I swear. Also on the mention of other hobbies, I was well pleased that I finished the book and my tiger Zoro figure relatively closely so I could take a photo of them together; here's the post for more photos of the figure and the post for the progress pics!
Also amusingly, when I originally was putting together the anthology, I had not added the second part of stay, and had assumed it would be a somewhat thinner small volume then it is... Which is rather incorrect. I do have to say it's a truly delightful proportion, being this thick and small! I'm also quite pleased at how the cover turned out, with the little gold pawprints. Originally for the title I was going to find a different name and then just went for the one I had originally named the file after, since it's well themed. Wait actually I think I was going to use ships cat and just now realized that... Ooops. Oh well. Also, as a bonus: here's my old cat hanging out on my lap while I was working on the gold foiling!
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Fics include:
Stay by @itsmylifekay (NW, 21.5 k)
Sanji doesn't know what he's done in a past life to deserve this, but somehow when Zoro gets turned into a cat he's the one stuck on babysitting duty. How someone that small can cause so much trouble, he'll never understand.
But even after all the hell he's put through, he still manages to fall in love.
Without Words (NW, 3.8 k)
(stay part ii)
Sanji likes to dote on the people he cares about, likes to express himself fully and without reservation. But sometimes that’s hard to do living on a pirate ship, especially when the person he wants to be affectionate with is a prickly, stubborn asshole of a man.
Or, Zoro gets a bath.
Cat's Cradle by Hazel_Athena (T, 21.5k)
In which a run in with a new Devil Fruit user leaves Sanji with an unexpectedly furry problem.
Ship's Cat by @helloharubo (T, 3k)
The Going Merry has a mouse infestation. Despite Usopp's attempts, Sanji has yet to find a solution to the problem. Enter Zoro, the world's deadliest mouser.
or
Zoro is the ship's cat and expects rewards.
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book--brackets · 2 months ago
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Summaries under the cut
Heist Society by Ally Carter
When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.
Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.
For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.
Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.
Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.   So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
Ascendance by Jennifer Nielsen
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point—he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
An ocean voyage of unimaginable consequences... Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however: If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Xan rescues the abandoned children and deliver them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. 
One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this enmagicked girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. To keep young Luna safe from her own unwieldy power, Xan locks her magic deep inside her. When Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her magic begins to emerge on schedule--but Xan is far away. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Soon, it is up to Luna to protect those who have protected her--even if it means the end of the loving, safe world she’s always known.
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
When orphaned, eleven-year-old Pollyanna comes to live with austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, her philosophy of gladness brings happiness to her aunt and other unhappy members of the community.
Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
Mr. and Mrs. Brown first met Paddington, a most endearing bear from Darkest Peru on a railway platform in London. A sign hanging around his neck said, "Please look after this bear. Thank you" So that is just what they did.
From the very first night when he attempted his first bath and ended up nearly flooding the house, Paddington was seldom far from imminent disaster. Jonathan and Judy were delighted with this havoc and even Mr. and Mrs. Brown had to admit that life seemed to be more filled with adventure when there was a bear in the house.
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
A dragon. A boy. A journey. Firedrake, a brave young dragon, his loyal brownie friend Sorrel and a lonely boy called Ben are united as if by destiny. Together, they embark on a magical journey to find the legendary place where silver dragons can live in peace for ever. With only a curious map and the whispered memories of an old dragon to guide them, they fly across moonlit lands and seas to reach the highest mountains in the world. Along the way, they discover extraordinary new friends in unlikely places and a courage they never knew they had. Just as well, for the greatest enemy of all is never far behind them - a heartless monster from the past who's been waiting a very long time to destroy the last dragons on earth.
Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.
Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.
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thehaberdasheress · 9 days ago
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Sooo after four weeks on strike, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has been ordered back to work by the government. They're apparently so essential to the economy and Canadian people that we can't do without them, but we also can't offer them better benefits or promise not to make working conditions more dangerous for people who deliver mail on foot in the Arctic either. Bargaining has been kicked down the road until May.
And aS A SmAlL BuSiNeSs oWnEr, I completely hate that shit. This is a rant.
When discussing the strike with an acquaintance, they said, "The workers just have to realize that Canada Post needs to be more efficient, more like UPS or FedEx."
I've spent the last month tracking down and trying out different shipping solutions, because I've relied on Canada Post to be accessible, affordable, and timely. No it's not perfect, but it's not like the welter of alternatives that all have different rules, delivery areas, and on-the-ground services, none of which are as good for me as Canada Post.
After some comedically failed attempts at arranging mail pickup, I decided it would be quicker to take extra painkillers and go drop off the parcels myself. Earlier this week I had to hand over some of my parcels in a convenience store full of bongs and Louis Vuitton ripoffs, to a clerk who had never even heard of the courier company that used her store as a drop point. She had to call her boss, who said he'd process them when he came in the next day. And I did leave them, because the only other drop point within my travel distance was a pharmacy/medical clinic that was closed in all defiance of the hours listed online. Now I'm following their tracking online, hoping that they actually get sent and I won't have to send new orders out of my own pocket.
So what they actually mean by "more efficient" isn't better service or value to the customer. They just mean "more profitable." Because something something we can't tax rich people, we just need to make the services ordinary Canadians rely on even shittier, for both them and the government employees that work there.
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headphones-ct-09978 · 2 years ago
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So....I saw this earlier today. Apparently this is Kylo Ren's quarters and it's just.....so freaking sad! 😢
That being said, I had an idea: What if Kylo's apprentice, who works for/with Hux and is paid a hefty wage, buys him a new bed and other comforts?
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Comfy
Kylo Ren X General Hux X Reader
Warnings: None
Summary: Kylo Ren's apprentice worries about him.
Tags: @kylorenny @jaynesilver @lifeofroos @knightsofladyren
(I tagged some of you cuz I thought you'd like this. Lemme know if you don't wanna be tagged in any more 😅)
. Your master was away on yet another solo mission, the directive unknown to you. While he was away, you were back to working for Hux as his assistant. Things were running smoothly, and with Kylo gone, Armitage seemed a little more at ease. Either it was that tea he was sipping once again, or the absence of your master, but he was smiling more and was generally more relaxed. That morning, or rather, the start of your rotation, was no different. You were busy filling in data into your data pad when he walked over to you and rested his hand on your shoulder, a gesture which was rare but welcome. "How's the report coming along, Y/n?"
You flashed him a startled smile, his action shocking you out of your thoughts momentarily. "It's going fairly decent, General. Everything is accounted for and the updates from our suppliers just arrived. Is there anything we need, aside from rations and weapons?"
Hux thought for a moment, reading what was on your data pad over your shoulder. After a moment, something seemed to click in his head. "You have everything listed, but Lord Ren has...certain preferances in regards to rations."
"He's a picky eater?" you asked in jest, glancing over your shoulder at the ginger general. Hux snorted "I wish it were that, but no. He's on a strict diet, at least that's what he's mentioned."
"Do you know what he prefers? He hasn't told me much about his...personal habits." you replied, opening a new tab on your pad so you can jot down any notes or suggestions Hux had. But Hux shook his head. "I haven't the faintest of clues as to what that man likes or doesn't."
"Fair enough."
A moment passed as Hux thought of a solution. "He may have some products in his quarters that may clue us in as to what he eats." he retrieved his own data pad and swiped the screen a few times before he pulled up a pass code and sent the set of numbers to you.
"What's this?" you asked as you stared at the lengthy line of numbers.
"That is Kylo Ren's pass code to his quarters. He's an extremely secretive and private man and it was a pain to figure this out."
You tried to hide the smirk on your face. "And why, General, would you want to enter his quarters?"
Hux flicked the tip of your ear, a tiny playful gesture. "We have regulations here aboard this ship, and those regulations require a certain level of tidiness. Kylo has very little time, it seems, to keep his quarters neat. The pass code is for service droids to clear up any...messes he leaves." The General was, of course, referring to the times when Kylo vented his rage on anything within reach, often destroying furniture or consoles. Hux, as always, had to either pay for the damages himself or clean up the debris.
"Ooooooh, oh I get." You said, still flashing him a cheeky smirk, a smirk which he returned moments before he took another sip from the mug he was holding.
"Well, in that case, I'll go take inventory of what he has and get back to you on that." With that, you gave him a tiny salute and headed towards your master's quarters.
...
"Whoa..."
As the doors whooshed open, you were greeted with a cold, stark sight. The room was entirely black, it's lights a cold white. The table was empty, the bed that was against the wall was entirely too small for your master. The room was devoid of comfort and warmth, at least the kind of warmth that a man with such status should have. There was no furniture whatsoever, aside from the one chair that was near the table. You walked in and immediately shivered. It would appear that not even the heat was on in this room. "How can a man live like this?" you mumbled, feeling pity for your master as you walked towards the cupboards.
The cupboards, which were also a smooth, obsidian hue, were situated on the opposite side of the room, near what you assumed was a sink. You opened one of the cupboards and found...absolutely nothing. His shelves were empty save for a few dust bunnies. The sight concerned you. "How the fuck does he eat or sleep? No, no, this isn't good. Screw it," you shut the cupboard quite forcefully. "He's getting fed and sleeping when he gets back, I don't care how mad he gets."
With that, you swiftly left the room with plans and a grand scheme.
...
"You want me to do what???" Hux choked out after he spat out his tea in shock when I informed him of my plan.
"You don't have to pay for anything, I'll use my own credits, but I think he needs this." you said again. You showed Hux the list you made, as well as the already filled out request papers you had signed. He scrolled through the data pad, reviewing everything you had requested, brows furrowed in concern. "You sure about this, Y/n?" his grey green eyes looking back at yours. You nodded, not changing your mind. This had to be done. Hux sighed. "Fine. I'll have these sent. Everything should arrive before he returns."
You smiled and gave him a hug, earning a surprised "oh!" from him. "Thank you, Armitage!" you said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Hux cleared his throat a little, trying to hide the blush that was making it's way onto his face. "Alright, alright, don't get used to it. I'm not in the business of granting everyone's requests. This is a one time deal, since you are paying for everything."
You chuckled and nodded. "Very well, General."
...
The mission had been brutal and Kylo was battered and bruised all over. But when he exited his ship, he walked with his masked head held high. His confident stride, however, held a bit of a slight limp. A shot from a blaster had grazed his calf, leaving him wounded. He tried to ignore the pain, but the could already feel that the bandage his leg was bound with was starting to leak, blood dampening his trousers. Exhausted, he made his way to his quarters, ordering a passing officer to send a medical droid to his room.
Unlike most who returned from battles, looking forward to whatever comfort they had, Kylo knew he had nothing to feel good about returning to. At least, comfort wise. He almost grimaced when he envisioned his baron room, knowing that rest and recovery was not an option. Or so he thought.
When the doors opened, his eyes widened beneath his mask. "What the-"
Kylo walked into the room, looking around in confusion. 'Did I walk into the wrong room?' he asked himself. He turned around for any telltale signs of his presence, and sure enough, there, to the left of the door, was a burnt gash where he had slashed his saber across the metal.
He turned back to the interior of the room, and stared at his new surroundings. The table was no longer empty, but had some bottles of sweet beverages and crisp water on top of it's smooth surface, and there was also a bowl filled with fruits. But that was not all. The tiny bed that Kylo once had, was now replaced with a lavish looking one. The frame appeared to be made from metal materials found and mined from Cantobight or somewhere from that planet's region. The bed posts were tall and had what appeared to be hooks on them, for holding/hanging articles of clothing. Kylo approached the bed and placed his hand on top of the black comforter that covered the bed. All his life, he never had anything quite as nice or comfortable. In fact, he felt he never deserved anything quite like this.
He took his mask off and placed it on the nightstand beside the bed. When he did, he saw a little piece of paper poking out from under one of the pillows. He reached over and pulled it out, recognizing your handwriting right away. As he read your little note, he felt a small smile spread across his weary face. When he was done reading it, he tucked it into his pocket.
That sleep rotation, after the droid had left and gave him the usual programmed "You need to rest" speech, he pulled back the covers, curled up, and for the first time in years, he slept, resting both his body and soul.
-End-
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anony-man · 2 months ago
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This could be a potential ao3 post, so stay tuned… we’ll see how it goes.
Chubformers drabble #123!
Characters: Megatron & Minimus (IDW)
Word count: 1.7k
It was a surprise to them both how full a small bot like Minimus could become, but the shock value of the results only aided in encouraging Megatron’s efforts. Why stop now when he was already making such good progress? Besides, seeing Minimus squirm against constrictive plating, the stony and still expression morphing into a near-constant and strained panting as he opened his mouth for the next bite was worth all the effort.
Some mechs were doomed to never find their place in the world, Megatron had come to believe. No amount of talks with Rung or attempts at fitting in had changed this for him. It was just never meant to be, he supposed, especially not after being thrown into a future where he was forced to reckon with the consequences of his many, many mistakes.
The world was a cruel place, and Megatron had found it out firsthand. Thus, stumbling out of from the billowing smoke and into a universe where he was safe—or safer, at least—from past harms and free to acknowledge the troubles of his past felt like a waking dream. It was no surprise to him, then, that there were bots who felt the same way.
There would always be two sides to everything, and Megatron found this to be true even on the Lost Light. Aboard the ship, he left his past behind (though it seemed to follow him at every turn), and he searched for something new. The long process of making up for grand war crimes wasn’t easy, but he found a bit of solace in baking—lots and lots of baking.
Burying himself in an art he could perfect was Megatron’s side of the coin, and it wasn’t long before he found the other half to complete his personal plights. It wasn’t much of a surprise that a mech like Minimus would struggle without the Magnus armor to hide behind, but even then, the small mech remained the strong, silent type he had seen dozens of times before.
This was even ground, Megatron had told himself the first time Minimus lingered as he baked. The two had often connected in one-on-one conversations, and he enjoyed Minimus’ presence, but he feared ruining whatever budding relationship grew between them. However, the mech had come here of his own accord, and Megatron was too busy perfecting his baked goods to risk ruining the comfortable atmosphere.
The back and forth between them had been brief at first, but as Megatron delved further into his newfound hobby, all while bringing Minimus along for each evening’s taste test, the two found themselves growing closer. They bonded over imperfectly shaped cakes and runny treats, and more often than not, all of Megatron’s baked sweets were gone by the end of the night.
Past mistakes weren’t fixed overnight, but there was something soothing about connecting with another bot in such intimate settings. The more Megatron learned about Minimus, the more inclined he became towards lending a helping servo. It wasn’t a solution to his guilt and grief, but it certainly helped.
The Magnus armor presented a mech with few flaws, which made the perfect solution for hiding from his own shortcomings. Minimus was no Megatron, and his list of failures and mistakes paled drastically in comparison, but the vulnerability was still present in his slim stature and underfed frame. The Magnus armor was his shell, and his shield. Without it, he was exposed—and Megatron just so happened to be the first mech to catch on.
Like clockwork, the two bots had settled in the kitchen for the evening. Minimus carried out the occasional recollection of his day’s activities between short comments as Megatron pulled trays from the oven and carefully slid the warm onto a waiting plate. It was the calm before they began the nightly routine, and the time spent baking as he listened to Minimus speak was one of his favorites. Forcing the previously starved bot to fatten up on his sweet cakes and pastries was definitely a runner-up, but nothing beat listening to a bot who appreciated his company.
“Another successful day in the clinic, then?” Megatron asked as he set the plate of balled crystal clusters down on the table before taking a seat. “You’re making good progress, Minimus.”
“My levels are still improving, yes,” the smaller mech said. “It’s thanks to your support, of course.”
Megatron hated to take the credit for Minimus’ gradual success, but it was true. Their first night spent together in the kitchen with a tray of homemade oil cakes between them had been the kickstart to helping the ailing bot grow, and things had only improved from there. Neither mech seemed inclined to admit to the medical team that Minimus was gaining weight from being stuffed full of sweets each night, but it worked. What else was there to do?
Maybe one day, if he were to cross that bridge, Megatron would be allowed to assist Minimus further in proper fueling, too. He had moved onto sharing a cube with the smaller mech each afternoon, and he encouraged Minimus’ fuel intake just as much as he did his own, but as it stood, the only opportunity to fill the mech’s belly was during the late hours of the night, when most of the ship had turned in for some much-needed recharge.
Baby steps, he gently chided himself. They would get there eventually. Even so, he couldn’t help but bring it up.
“I always enjoy your company in the evenings,” he said, poking at the plate of clusters before plucking one up. “But sugary sweets alone—“
“So I’ve been told,” Minimus cut in. He was silent for a moment as Megatron popped the crystal treat past his lips, having paused to chew and swallow, but eventually continued. “I value your support in aiding my health, Megatron. I’ve made good progress since first shedding the armor, and I’m sure I’ll continue to achieve more. Still…”
“Starting small, I know,” Megatron nodded. “We’ll work up to something bigger soon enough, then.”
It was baby steps for sure. This still counts, though, and Megatron was happy to make it count. He was there to assist Minimus in remembering to refuel each day, and by night, he would stuff the small mech silly with his own baked goods. It wasn’t perfect, as they were stuck dealing with a set of horribly imperfect mechs, but… well, they made it work.
He was helping Minimus meet his goals and then some, that was for sure. The swell of a belly that hung from his middle even after sleeping off the ache from overstuffed tanks was permanent now, and his frame bore the signs of a healthy, if not chubby, mech, all thanks to Megatron. They were making progress, albeit slowly.
Megatron was helping Minimus recover, and gain, of course, but in a way, he was also helping himself. It was the strangest sense of turning a new leaf he’d ever heard of, and it didn’t feel right, let alone deserved. Regardless, life was strange in that sense. He was just rolling with it at this point.
One by one, the crystal clusters disappeared from the plate and into Minimus’ awaiting mouth. He remained strong at first, taking each bite with eagerness and enjoying the sweet taste of Megatron’s confections. About halfway in was when it grew harder, however, and Megatron could tell by the strained intakes and discreet servo rubbing at a swollen middle that Minimus was reaching his limits.
“Getting full?” he asked, the last of a few crystal treats held up between his fingers for Minimus to eat. “I don’t recall seeing you take your second cube this afternoon. There should be plenty of room left in those tanks.”
Minimus was panting by then, his mouth agape as he swallowed and winced. His expression remained fixed, but the quiver of his lips twisted into that constant frown he wore was telling.
“Observant,” Minimus gasped, holding up a servo to stop Megatron from popping the treat into his mouth. “Wait. I… I need to catch my breath.”
Megatron did as he was asked, but only for a moment. As soon as that servo had gone back to rubbing the swollen mesh of a stuffed belly, he was shoveling the next bite into Minimus’ mouth without leaving room for complaint.
“Maybe next time you won’t miss your daily fuel intake,” he teased, wiping away the crumbs gathered at the corner of Minimus’ mouth as the small mech struggled to chew. “I can’t force you to eat, but I can strongly encourage it.”
Right, he thought wryly. As if this didn’t count as force-feeding. Minimus enjoyed it, though, and so did he.
Megatron watched Minimus swallow, his throat bulging around the massive mouthful. A gasp of relief followed the struggle, as did the slouch of tense shoulders. Both mechs were caught off guard when the quiet panting was jolted by a hiccuping belch, and before Minimus could dare to excuse the sound, Megatron was cutting in.
“You’re excused,” he said, already reaching for the last bite. “Ready for more?”
Fattened up an underfed shipmate wasn’t ever his idea of redemption, but alas… here he sat. He knew it would take more than a few evenings baking sweet treats for Minimus to eat before he even scratched the surface of making amends for his past, but it was still something. It was a step in the right direction, if anything, and that had to have counted for something.
His plate of crystal clusters was picked clean before long, and as a reward for his efforts, he watched Minimus struggle to soothe the ache of his gurgling, stuffed tanks. The small bot really did look a lot better than he had before. The changes were slight, but Megatron could still see the soft curves of a frame just starting to round out.
He was growing, and so was Minimus, that much was for certain. The only difference Megatron knew was that one side of it was physical, while the other was much more metaphorical. It was growth nonetheless, and growth he was proud to see.
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ana-cantskywalker · 3 months ago
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I hesitate to bring this up because there are so many people going through so so much worse right now ( I have been so burdened for people in damage from Helene, even more than I normally am for people in disasters), but I could really use some prayers from my friends.
Going to keep it short so I dont just trauma dump all over your feed, but I feel like some explanation is necessary.
Me and my sister started helping a friend with her small business in the Spring. We got more and more involved, and really saw an opportunity, but we didn't pray or seek wisdom before we jumped in head first, and its coming back around to bite us.
We had a big event last month, and it was horrible, our friend started getting ridiculously upset with us for not dedicating enough time to the business (when we had not only finished all of our projects but also some of hers) and was just generally constantly stressing us out over things. She's just generally really difficult to work with, and then refuses to ever be in the wrong even when she is. Since then we've prayed about what to do, and the Lord gave us some guidance. We knew we couldn't keep being her friend and working so close quarters with her, so we came up with a solution. We were going to start are own business that was similar but would not tap into her market at all and therefore not create competition, and still help her with hers when she needed it, but less than before so we could continue to be friends but not constantly bite each others head off.
We sat down last Wednesday and talked with her about it, and she was fine with it, said it was a good idea even. Well, over the weekend she has gone crazy (I hate to say it but idk how else to describe it) She pitched a fit over my sister not wanting her to be on the patent for a design my sister made from start to finish (she has no reason to be on it, and if we ever give someone permission to use the design for royalties it would mean she gets 50% because technically she would own half) and then today she called us and needed us to meet her with one of the things we had at the house that was sold so she could ship it, but she called 45 minutes before we would have had to leave. We were both busy and couldn't do it and she want ballistic, called us several times, ended up calling my mom multiple times and my mom ended up meeting her somewhere closer so she would leave us alone. She has taken this tiny issue that she caused by not communicating and made us to be the bad guys, told us it was 'unacceptable' and is threatening to end the friendship because my sister wouldn't call her on the drive down to the meeting she had to go to because she was riding with someone else (and its kind of rude to argue with you 'friend' on the phone while someone is driving you somewhere). She is acting like we are being horrible people for not being able to work it out the way she wanted tonight.
Looking back we can see that its always been like this, we've always had to bend over backwards for her while she won't inconvenience herself for us, but its hard to deal with now.
I feel like I am rambling a lot and probably venting too much too people online but I needed to tell someone because the whole ordeal has me really stressed out, and I know that there are people on here who will pray for me. My sister hasn't been sleeping well and I am getting ulcers and I think its because of how much she has stressed us out over the past month and a half an I am sick of it
All this to say, please keep us in your prayers, I'm not trying to gain sympathy or anything, I just really need the Lord to have his hand in this and I would appreciate prayers.
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henrioo · 1 year ago
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Hi. How are you? Your imagines are just wow! I would love a Shanks x female reader please. Your Whitebeard’s only daughter. When Shanks comes to meet with Whitebeard, he remembers you from when Roger and Whitebeard fought when they were kids. He remembers that you and him made a promise (what the promise is I’d love to see what you think because whatever you decide it will be amazing). It ends with a kiss and a new member of the red haired Pirates. Thank you! 🧡
✦ ── THE PROMISE: AKAGAMI NO SHANKS
Part one, part two
Relationships: Young! Shanks x Gn! Reader
Synopsis: What would it be like to run into Shanks years after his disappearance and all the events between the two of you? What would have changed?
Warnings: Spoilers! Shanks' past (what we know at least), cannon divirgence, cannon change (my theory of what would have happened), mention of death, mention of running away from relatives (running away from home basically) Shanks is still young has both arms!
Word Count: 2,1k
Notes: Here is the second part of this imagine that everyone loved! Thanks to this ask I decided to continue so thank you, here is a lot of invention of how the facts would have been since we don't know much, I also wanted to make a young Shanks because I didn't want to make them only meet decades later.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ• ────── ✦ ────── •
You sighed tiredly and stretched your arms still sitting in your office chair. Your desk was full of papers and books, you were like a little secretary on the ship, taking care of important papers for Marco and your father, always willing to help. You looked out the small window and knew that it was already dark, you had stopped on a small allied island and you were probably the only one still working.
All of your brothers would already be making out between men and women and drinking until they threw up. Not that you were against parties, especially now that you were in your twenties and old enough to attend, but sometimes you liked the solitude and silence. Just you, your papers and your thoughts about the future and all that may lie ahead.
But well, the night was young and you definitely weren't going to be locked up working! You got up and ran towards your room, ready to change into a nicer outfit than your casual one and have some fun. You intended to drink, eat and well… Maybe you found some man or woman interesting enough to talk to and maybe something else.
After changing into comfortable but beautiful clothes, you found yourself walking through the almost empty streets of the island. There were a few drunks and couples walking around, the bars were packed and the restaurants had all kinds of people in, it looked like a very busy and lively night. You stopped in one spot and looked around, thinking about your next move.
"Now, where would those idiots go…" you pondered, no one had told you exactly which bar the family party would be at and that's why you were lost from the others.
While you were thinking, one hand quickly went around your waist and the other around your mouth. With extraordinary strength you were pulled into a dark alley between the various houses in the area. You were scared when you were caught off guard, but as you always knew that despair was not the solution, so you calmed down to fight back.
When the final unknown stopped, having taken you far enough, it was time to act! You quickly stepped on his foot and turned around, punching the individual square in the face. As if that wasn't enough, you grabbed a small knife that you always carried and positioned yourself, ready to attack whoever was there.
"Auch! Wow my sweet, the years go by and your punch keeps knocking anyone down" the humorous voice confused you, he was thinking it was a joke.
"Ha, nobody ordered me kidnapped, next time it's going to take a lot more than just a punch" you said slyly.
"Kidnap? Isn't that… Funny, y/n? The first time we met I'm pretty sure the situation was similar" he chuckled.
"First time?" You asked even more confused, how did he know your name? How did he know you?
The man chuckled quickly and then walked out of the darkness of the alley, walking closer to the lighted area. His gaze started at his feet, going up to his strong legs, his exuberant chest, one hand on his sword at his waist and the other caressing his face where you'd struck. He had scarred eyes and a wild look, his red hair peeking out from under his straw hat...
"Shanks?!" You practically screamed in shock, was that really him?
"It took you a while to recognize me… Was I so different?" He smiled maliciously and looked at you with a lot of emotion.
"No… But… It's been years" You finally let your guard down and put your knife away, there was no need to attack.
You looked at the man trying to gain confirmation that it really was him, Shanks... How many years had it been since you saw or heard about him?
You had met in childhood, after a funny situation together, and from the beginning the red-haired boy had shown a lot of interest in you, even though you were enemies from birth. The few physical encounters you had were made up for by the letters you exchanged until adolescence, Shanks telling about your adventures with Roger and you talking about your own with your family.
For you, that boy was as important as any member of the ship, but it was different from a platonic feeling. You and Shanks had chemistry, you understood each other like no one else and the more you talked the more you wanted to be together. It wasn't strange the plans you made about the future, Shanks liked to say that one day you would marry him and you would live adventures together, sailing the seas with your own crew.
You believed that for many years, you fell in love with the boy you met and dreamed the most beautiful fantasies... Until that happened, the news that Roger had been captured and that all his crew was missing. You were no more than eighteen at the time and you were devastated... The worry of what had happened to Shanks hit you so hard that you fell ill, not even the crew who were equipped with the best doctors could help you.
When you got better and woke up a few days later, you learned from your father that Roger's crew had been disbanded and that all the crew were missing and lost at sea. Fear and uncertainty hurt you inside, you didn't know what could have happened to Shanks, was he alive? How would you be after losing the man who was like your father? What kinds of dangers was he in now, completely alone?
For a few years you tried to look for Shanks, even if your brothers were against it as it was risky, they knew it was important and helped you as much as they could. But he was completely gone, no one had seen or heard from him, for a few years you decided that Shanks had died... Or that he had suffered so much from the loss that he fled the pirate world completely, the point is that the pain of his absence kept hurting you day after day.
As time went by you learned to live with the pain, to deal with the fact that maybe the love of your life was gone. When you heard the rumors that some pirates who fought together with Roger had returned to the sea, you thought it was just any rumor, nonsense… But there he was, Shanks in all his glory. Completely alive.
"I thought… I thought you were dead" you finally gathered your thoughts and spoke after a few seconds of staring at him.
"I know… I… I needed some time" he said with a light tone but it was possible to see how important that was to him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Ah, I wasn't really planning on meeting you… Not right now" he chuckled "But I happened to need to stop by and I heard your family was in town… So why not?" He glared at you.
"Shanks… I…" you tried to speak but all you felt were the tears coming down "I'm sorry… I didn't"
"Hey, hey… it's okay" he leaned closer "Let it out…" he hugged you and started rubbing your back lightly.
"I thought I lost you forever… I'm so glad you're alive…" You let your face rest against his chest.
"If I had known you missed me so much I would have come sooner… I… I missed you too y/n… There isn't a day that I don't think about you…" he admitted.
"Oh really?" You smiled and walked away "I don't know, you were always a joker, I bet you say that to everyone…" you teased, already feeling better.
"No! Of course not! Besides… I really needed to find you and fulfill our promise…" He became more serious again and stared at you deeply.
"Promise?" You asked confused.
"Not here… Come" he offered his hand and you immediately took it.
Quickly he pulled you through the half-empty streets, you walked through the bright and fresh night without worries. There you weren't the heir to the legacy of the pirate king or one of the sons of Whitebeard's crew, no… There you were just Shanks and y/n, two young adults in love who hadn't seen each other in so long that they were almost forgetting one another. from the other. There you can laugh and just live that night together.
"Here's good… I wanted to take you on a real date, but we don't have much time" he turned around, you were in a small square overlooking the beach in the distance. The sound of waves was comforting to you.
"What's going on Shanks?"
"Okay, I need to tell you two things… But you have to promise that you won't answer until I explain everything, okay?" He held both of your hands.
"Okay… Talk soon" you looked at him curious and excited.
"First, I'm putting together my own pirate crew. I've decided that I want to keep sailing, I want to have my own nakamas and sail around the world like I used to with the captain…" There was a hint of sadness in his voice, but he still kept a smile on his face. "So I'm going through some islands and recruiting some people, I have a small ship but soon things will change when we start to act"
You assimilated the information slowly, so Shanks would return to the pirate life... You felt very happy for him, knowing that he would not give up that life he loved so much even after the loss.
"Now… I also decided something else, during these years I kept thinking about you… I couldn't get in touch because it was risky, I was still weak and young and I only had one chance to make everything right…" he sighed "But now I've managed to organize things and I've decided that I want you with me... Do you remember our promise? When we grow up we'll have our own crew and live adventures together? Would you be my companion the same as when we were silly kids and we dated for fun?"
"Of course I remember… Every day I thought about you, our plans… How we were going to live together… But I don't understand what one thing goes with the other… Ah unless you're saying that…" you stared at him blankly.
"Yeah… I know your dad and brothers are probably going to kill me… But I needed to risk seeing you before I started sailing like a pirate, tell me, y/n" he smiled at you "would you mate with me and run away with me to assemble a pirate crew?"
"Shanks…" you were in shock.
"I know, I know, they are your family and I can't wait for you to accept it because we haven't seen each other for years… But I want to make up for everything I promised you, I really love you y/n… Always have, since when you were just a sulky kid wanting to make friends" he laughed "I promise I'll protect you and I won't take you away from your family, but if I'm going to live the adventure of being a pirate captain… I want to live it with you."
You had nothing to answer so you just threw yourself into his arms, squeezing him tight and confirming that it was all reality.
"One thing you know for sure… My father will kill you when he finds out" you laughed.
"It's worth it… Besides, I think I'm old enough to face the old man…" he chuckled back.
"Shanks… I love you too" you said, millimeters away from his face.
"Then come with me, let's start our lives together" he offered moving closer "Be mine."
"Yes I will be" you smiled and your lips finally came together.
The kiss was passionate and slow, you took advantage of every second to kill the longing you had for years. Shanks's hand grabbed your waist and the other held in his hair, like a brief affection but also preventing you from pulling away. You wrapped your arms around his neck and let your body go limp and comfortable against his.
"I've wanted to do this for so long…" he smiled as you pulled away.
"Me too, me too…"
The next morning all his brothers and father could find was his empty room along with a beautiful letter of thanks and farewell. Of course they were worried about you, but you were strong, you were as skilled a pirate as anyone else on that ship. If your wish was to adventure with Shanks and live with him, all they could do was support you and hope that everything works out... But that didn't stop your father from swearing to beat Shanks up if he hurt you.
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sotteoks · 2 years ago
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More Than A Helping Hand | 🔞
──★ ˙pairing: Shownu x Fem!Reader ──★ ˙warnings/contents: SMUT, p*rn with just a crumb of a plot, established relationship, roommates!au, college!au, rich girl!reader, friends to lovers trope, dom!Shownu, sub!reader, simp shownu...lowkey..., masturbation (female) , dirty talk !!!!, some degradation, 'princess' as a nickname, tiny bit of choking, very minimal impact play/reader gets a small slap, let's assume reader is on the pill bc of the creampie, there's a sprinkle of fluff kinda, soft aftercare bc why not, ... please let me know if i missed anything ! ⸜ (。˃ ᵕ ˂) ⸝ ──★ ˙word count: 6.9k ──★ ˙ a/n: this is literally so self indulgent im so sorry ──★ ˙summary: your university roommate Hyunwoo is everything you wanted and then some.
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right now, in this room i'm saying i can't take it any longer
You never wanted a roommate. In fact, what you were actually in search of was a housekeeper or personal assistant; your friends had made you aware of that fact when you described what you thought was the ideal roommate. However, when your parents shipped you off to attend university in the city, they made it very clear that you needed to learn how to live without all the luxuries you were accustomed to at home while you attended school. They had made it through their early adulthood without all the nice, shiny things. Everything they currently had, they attained through hard work after finishing school.
It was your turn to experience that.
Your friends offered you two solutions to your problems after growing tired of your complaints: get a part time job or get a roommate. Having a part time job seemed out of the question to you because you could barely manage your busy social life along with school work. Naturally, having a roommate was the option that was most appealing. Initially, trying to find someone who met your impossibly high standards for a roommate was difficult. The people who responded to the flyers you posted around your university campus were always too much of something for your liking. Whether they be too talkative, too quiet, too boring, too obnoxious, too stingy; they were never just right. 
Until Son Hyunwoo, the pride of the music and dance department, came along.
 
On top of being an ace in all of his classes, he was incredibly attractive, very nice, and just the right amount of talkative for your tastes. But being honest with yourself, you probably would have accepted him as a tenant just because of how hot he was and he left a good first impression on you when he let you copy his notes back in your freshman year. He moved in fairly quickly and the two of you seemed to mesh well due to his helpful nature and you...well, often needed help.
 After a few months of living together, he easily gained the title of your right hand man as you two did everything together. Even if most of the time, your idea of bonding together was running errands with him while you delegated what to do. Perhaps it was because of the attraction he felt toward you, he had no problem doing the silly little tasks you would ask of him which led to the situation the two of you were currently in.
Sitting at the foot of your bed, phone in hand, Hyunwoo was taking pictures of you as you tried on various outfits from a recent shopping spree you went on since you finally had some spending money. 
“This skirt looks a little short.” You comment as you examine yourself in the full length mirror in your bedroom before striding over to Hyunwoo. “What do you think?” You give a little turn and pose as you present yourself to him.
Looking up from his phone screen and shifting his gaze to you before slipping his phone into his pocket, he purses his lips in thought; giving you the impression he was seriously contemplating the details of your outfit. Yes, he did think the short was incredibly short. When you twirled around to let Hyunwoo see your attire from all angles, the simple movement caused your skirt to lift just enough to expose the cheeky thong you were wearing. But, Hyunwoo wasn't going to let you know that. Simply because he wanted to be able to enjoy the sight of you prancing around wearing that miniskirt during some sort of outing you would inevitably make him join you on. 
“It looks fine. It makes your legs look longer.” Hyunwoo tells you with a plain expression to mask how he truly felt. While your attention goes back to observing your own reflection, his eyes are quick to fixate themselves on the perfection that he views you as. With every turn and pose you make in the mirror, Hyunwoo has to make sure not to stare too long in fear of being caught but the sneaky, longing glances are barely enough to satiate the feelings of desire that lay seated deeply within him.
Giving yourself one more look in the mirror, you sigh in dissatisfaction before calling over Hyunwoo to help you undo the zipper on your skirt. He hears your request but the words don’t process to him immediately due to his ogling so when he finally realizes what you had just said, he’s thankful he didn’t blow his cover by literally jumping up at the chance to help you undress. Approaching you slowly, cautious hands start to reach toward your body.
“Be careful with the tags, I still don't know if I wanna return this.” You warn when you feel his hand hold on to the hem of your skirt while the other pulls down the tiny zipper. Once the zipper is undone, you casually begin to strip out of your outfit before changing into a plain hoodie and leggings. 
It was just a tiny bit fucked up how after you had gotten comfortable around Hyunwoo, you seemed to constantly neglect the fact that he was a healthy, young man with an ample interest in the female form as you had no qualms about changing around him or walking around the apartment in just your underwear. One time, you had even called him into your room while you had a fever and asked him to administer your suppository since you couldn't see yourself in the mirror well enough. That event may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back and caused Hyunwoo to start having lewd thoughts about you; but he would never admit that because it made him feel like some sort of sexual deviant.  
However, the truth was that had you done these things with any other man, they would take it as you purposely tempting them and teasing them. But that was just something that never seemed to cross your mind whenever you behaved the way you did. 
Initially when you first started to show you were getting comfortable, Hyunwoo actually did think you were coming on to him. Alas, that idealization was quickly shattered when he learned that due to your upbringing, it was simply second nature to you to always have someone ready to assist you with the most basic tasks such as getting dressed. It bewildered him that you managed to live on your own for as long as you did. But Hyunwoo couldn’t judge you because university was the place where one was guaranteed to meet people with vastly different upbringings.
When you're done changing clothes, you go to sit on your bed and motion Hyunwoo to give you his phone before he hands it over to you then begin looking through the pictures he took of you; a pleased hum falling from you.
“Not bad.” You mumble mostly to yourself, praising how well your outfits photographed. “Send these to me.” You tell the male, tossing his phone back to him. He easily catches the cellular device and obliges to your request; your phone vibrating on your nightstand and hitting your ears with an obnoxious clattering sound, indicating you received the pictures. You reach for the device to look over the pictures once more and decide which one to post only to panic upon realizing the time; scrambling to your feet then dashing to grab your handbag. 
You say something about a nail appointment to Hyunwoo on your way out of your bedroom, nearly tripping over all the shoes in the entryway of your apartment while digging in your purse for your car keys. The front door opens then promptly slams shut; seeming to echo louder than usual as your roommate stood in your bedroom alone, trying to process the flurry of activity that had just happened. 
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 In your absence, he tidied up the leftover mess from your fashion show earlier and placed the brand new items with tags in the shopping bag they arrived in. Noticing that there were even more clothes sporadically placed around your bedroom floor, he took the liberty of collecting the small piles of worn clothing before dumping them in your hamper.  
Now, it was almost as if the Lord was testing Hyunwoo; seeing if he was being sincerely nice and doing you a favor by cleaning up or if he was just seriously down bad waiting for you to give him some sort of reward for being a decent human. The calm composure he usually maintained on the outside in order to keep his less pure feelings under tight wraps had nearly faltered when he caught sight of a pair of lacy panties peeking out from under your bed. Initially, when he reached to toss it with the rest of your clothing, he didn’t think too much of it. However, once he picked it up he not only got a whiff of your feminine scent lingering on the fabric, he noticed the way that the crotch of it was slightly dry and caked with what he could safely assume was your arousal. The little devil on his shoulder urges him to pocket it for himself and use it as erotic fodder for his imagination since you probably wouldn’t even notice it was missing; and on top of that, parting with a single pair of panties was the least you could do for him. But alas, his rational thinking overpowered those thoughts in the end and he quickly tossed it into your hamper.
Hyunwoo eventually retired to his own room and you returned from your nail appointment; picking up dinner on your way back as a small gesture of gratitude. When you announce your arrival after unlocking the door and swap your shoes for a pair of house slippers, Hyunwoo comes to greet you, fondly reminding you of the puppy you had to leave with your parents. Taking the bag of take out food from your hands, he brings it over to the dining table and you follow him excitedly; practically skipping over to the fridge to fetch some beverages before sitting down at the table. 
“Look at my new nails!” You exclaim gleefully, going through a series of poses to showcase the jewel adorned acrylics that now decorated your fingers. “Gyaru style has been trendy recently and I can’t remember the last time I had a manicure this Instagram worthy.” You continue to babble as Hyunwoo takes the seat across from you, untying the knot of the plastic take out bag then spreading out the containers on the table and opening them to reveal fried chicken from a place the two of you frequented often.  
“Aren’t your nails a little long? How are you gonna get anything done?” He questions in a teasing tone, reaching over for the cans of beer you brought out and opening a can for each of you. 
“I can do things just fine.” You tell him, a small pout forming on your face as you sift through the take out bag to retrieve a pair of plastic gloves and putting them on with ease before finally grabbing a piece of chicken and proceeding to eat as if you were trying to convince him of your capabilities. 
The rest of dinner is filled with casual conversation and lots of laughter over several cans of beer. When the two of you finish eating, you follow Hyunwoo’s lead as he starts cleaning up; which had become a common practice for you after he made a joke about not being able to help you forever. It was just a lighthearted comment and the two of you knew that at some point in the future the two of you would stop being roommates, but you couldn’t help but feel saddened by the idea of not having Hyunwoo around. Besides the fact that he did things like take off your makeup when you were too drunk to remember, take all your outfit of the day pictures for you and finish your food for you when you went to cafes solely for the aesthetic, you genuinely enjoyed his company. 
Hyunwoo was the one who babysat you when you would get blackout drunk at all the frat parties you went to together. He was the one who went with you to all these random outings with you just so you could maintain your silly little instagram persona. He didn’t just help you out with your stupid errands and chores, he also taught you how to get accustomed to living on your own. During the time the two of you lived together, you felt like you grew up a lot thanks to his nurturing behavior towards you and that was something that would be impossible for you to pay him back for. 
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When the two of you finish cleaning up after dinner and part ways, going to your respective bedrooms, you find yourself tossing and turning unable to get any sleep. 
You tried counting sheep, imagining little fantasies of you on vacation, and even got up to make yourself a nice cup of special imported chamomile tea that your mother had swore by; but none of those things worked. So, you found yourself laying back in bed watching long YouTube documentaries that you thought would bore you so much you would just fall asleep. 
But even that didn’t work and it was time for one of your last resorts. 
Leaning over the side of your bed and  yanking open the drawer of your bedside table, you rummaged through its contents before pulling out a bullet vibrator. It was a rose gold device with a textured pink silicone tip, the entire thing was small enough to be concealed in your fist so when you pressed the power button on the bottom and heard the toy roar to life you flinched slightly. Quickly turning it off after checking that it still worked, you spend a few minutes trying to get comfortable in bed.
Once you’re relaxed, you slip your pajama shorts off and let them get lost in your bedding, tentatively holding the toy in one hand then turning it on once again before bringing it to your panty clad center. The strength of the vibrations are felt before you even make direct contact with your clit so once it does, your inner thighs tremble ever so slightly at the intensity. Eyes falling closed and your lips parted in a silent moan, you use the toy to massage gentle circles over the sensitive bundle of nerves. It doesn’t take long for your climax to build because of how powerful the toy is. 
Your body covered in a light layer of sweat; silk sheets clinging to your skin as you roll your hips against your own hand holding the toy, desperately trying to get more friction and finish quickly but it seems like the universe is against you as you notice the vibrations start becoming weaker and weaker the closer your orgasm gets.
 Then, right before you were able to finish the toy dies completely and you let out a loud groan of frustration. 
Now, on top of not being able to sleep, you were now sweaty and angry about your ruined orgasm. You weren’t really thinking rationally at this point, your mind was only focused on two things: getting your big O and then going to sleep. So, when you text your roommate asking if he was still awake, you’re pleased when he replies quickly and you immediately ask him to come to your room. 
“Is..something wrong?” Hyunwoo asks once he arrives, awkwardly standing off to the side of your bed frame.  For the few moments he’s in your presence, you count him yawn at least three times and realize that he was either sleeping or very close to falling asleep prior to you texting him. Feeling bad that you cut into his time to rest all because you couldn’t satiate your own desires, you pat the empty spot in your bed, silently instructing him to fill the space beside you; and of course, he obliges. The only source of light in your room comes from a small lamp on your nightstand and casts a soft golden glow as the two of you sit in silence for a bit while you try to string together the words of your proposal.
“I have a favor to ask you.” You start off demurely, giving Hyunwoo an expression of neediness he’s never seen until now. Blinking away the remainder of sleep in his eyes, he further examines your expression to try and figure out what you wanted from him at this hour. With the way the light and shadows danced across your face, Hyunwoo could have sworn he detected your eyes looking at him with lust but he could only chalk it up to him being tired and imagining what he wanted to see. 
“I was gonna go back to bed, I don’t know if I wanna go to the convenience store for you at this hour.” He laughs to ease his nerves but the expression you wear on your face turns serious and he begins to feel on edge again. 
“No, I don’t need you to get me anything.” You tell him, your brows furrowing as a frown grows on your face. 
You’re beating around the bush and both of you know it.
 It creates a mutual feeling of unease between the two of you but for different reasons; Hyunwoo being nervous about what you could possibly ask of him at this hour and you being embarrassed about the next words that were going to leave your mouth. 
“Would you sleep with me?” You ask in a meek voice as you avoid making eye contact with him, idly twiddling your thumbs; trying to mentally prepare yourself for him to reject you.
“Isn’t it a little childish to need me to comfort you after a nightmare?” Hyunwoo chuckles in response which makes you even more frustrated than you were before. “I mean-”
“No, not like that.” You cut him off hastily. “My vibrator died on me.” 
The silence that falls over the two of you is so loud and creates a tension so thick, you could have sworn it would suffocate you if you opened your mouth to say anything else. In that moment, you had started to regret asking him for such a favor; knowing that you asked him for too much and crossed the line this time. All you had wanted now was for him to reject your request and go back to his room like nothing happened.
“See? I told you those nails were gonna make it more difficult for you to do things.” Hyunwoo teases, alleviating the awkward atmosphere and making your cheeks feel warm at the implication of his words. “How do you want me to help?”
The sound of his question makes your breath get caught in your throat, causing you to get choked up and cough a little to clear it. 
“You’re messing with me, right?” You respond in disbelief at how casual he is, looking at him with wide eyes.
“Hey, you’re the one who called me into your room this late. Do you want my help or not?” Hyunwoo quips back; rendering you silent for the time being. You know he’s just heckling you for the fun of it but there’s a slight sharpness in his tone that you’re not used to hearing from him. The remnants of your ruined orgasm already has you so hot, it’s hard to tell if him talking to you like that is what further excites you.
Your mind no longer has the capacity to think of words to say to Hyunwoo and you let the primal feeling of lust fully overcome you as you slowly close the space between the two of you. Your lips make contact with his for the first time and the sensation of his plush lips on yours has you craving more contact. Though you were the one who initially called him to quell your frustrations, Hyunwoo kisses you back with such intensity, it leaves you breathless. He makes it difficult for you to want to pull away but at some point, you need to replenish your oxygen. When you break the kiss, your lips are slightly swollen and you’re panting very softly. Along with the mortification that came with you basically asking your roommate to fuck you, you were now embarrassed by the fact he literally took your breath away and had you wanting more. 
“Having second thoughts?” Hyunwoo asks gently, genuinely concerned about if he had come on too strong or made you uncomfortable. Though he was elated to finally experience kissing you, he was getting nervous all over again. There were so many things to worry about like you not liking the experience or if the two of you went any further-
“No, it’s fine.” You quietly reassure Hyunwoo which effectively snaps him out of his anxiety ridden engrossment. 
After that, everything progresses so fast you can’t even recall who kissed who, who started tugging at the clothes or anything. But it wasn’t like that mattered as you and Hyunwoo were finally getting what you both wanted. Sprawled out beneath him with your camisole hiked up to expose your chest, Hyunwoo’s pajama pants and underwear were thrown together in one piece somewhere, and your soaked panties decorating the floor waiting to be collected as a souvenir later for Hyunwoo. Whoever said nice guys finish last probably had some other fatal flaw holding them back because here Hyunwoo was; one of the nicest guys at your university, getting something he wanted just for being a genuinely kind person. 
As eager as he was, he was still a romantic at heart and had tried to convince you to partake in some foreplay before getting to the main event; but as soon as he peeled the lacy fabric off your body to reveal the way your arousal clung to your skin, creating a translucent trail between your center and the panties— he understood why you were so impatient and insistent on having him fill you immediately. Kneeling between your spread legs, one hand guides his cock to your sopping hole while the other idly settles on your inner thigh. Just the feeling of the tip of Hyunwoo’s cock grazing your folds as he spreads your arousal is enough to make you start squirming beneath him and trying to get him inside you. 
“What’s taking so long?” You whine out. “If you’re gonna tease-”
Your bratty tangent is cut short by Hyunwoo finally slipping the tip of his cock into your cunt after taking a moment to mentally prepare himself for the sweet heat that was between your legs. 
“Don’t worry, I'll take care of you.” He reassures you.
Maybe he’s being dramatic because he had been too busy for hookups. Maybe he was just a major simp for you. But the wet, warmth you encase his cock in as he ventures deeper into you is something beyond his wildest dreams. Hyunwoo thanks the heavens that you needed some time to adjust to his size stretching your taut walls because at this point he was worried that if he moved, he would bust too quickly. And it wouldn’t just be quick, it would be an obscene amount. 
The slight sting of your cunt stretching to accommodate him seems to further excite you as soft moans fall past your parted lips as he bottoms out and you’ve finally taken him to the hilt. Just the feeling of having Hyunwoo fill you like this is enough to quell your impatience from earlier as you bask in the feeling of being so full. Your eyes flutter closed as you brace yourself for whatever sexual frustrations you knew Hyunwoo was going to unleash upon you. Even if you were totally unaware of the less than pure thoughts he had about you, you knew he wasn’t meeting up with any sneaky links in his free time; how could he if he willingly spent almost all of his time outside of school and work with you?
“Fuck—” You hear Hyunwoo mutter. 
Curiously, you open your eyes to see how he’s fairing but instead of being greeted by him looking at your face or your chest,  you find that his eyes are fixed where your two bodies meet and he’s admiring the way your cunt greedily swallowed his cock. And of course, your gaze follows his and the sight sends a rush of heat straight to your core.
The sight only becomes more enticing when he slowly pulls his hips back until only the tip remains inside of you and both of you see his length slicked in a thick, shiny coat of your arousal. Though the juicy image is something you don’t mind having imprinted in your memory, gawking at the sight wasn’t doing enough for you. 
It almost scares you when you realize how in sync you and Hyunwoo are; right when you’re about to forgo your pride and beg him to fuck you like the needy slut he somehow managed to awaken in you, he speaks up first. 
“I’m sorry, I can’t hold back anymore. I want you so bad.” He hastily confesses before his hands migrate to your waist, getting a firm grasp on you as he lifts your hips from the mattress and pulls your ass onto his lap starting to thrust into you. Almost immediately, your hands go to reach for his strong arms and hold on tight, hoping that you would be provided with some sort of stability.
You gasp in surprise about how rough his movements are, feeling just how sincere his words were. Hearing the verbal confirmation that Hyunwoo was just as needy as you allows you to finally get out of your head and just focus on what was happening in the moment. And as your sense of touch zeroes in on the way his cock was rubbing against your walls just right, the rest of your senses and thoughts also become infatuated with anything to do with Hyunwoo. 
The euphonious sound of his groans and grunts that make you clench around him, effectively causing him to make more noise. The fresh scent of his bath products mingling and mixing with the smell of sex that hung in the air. The familiar taste of the vanilla chapstick you loaned him as he closes the distance between you and his lips finds yours once again. 
Though he was consumed by the feeling of being one with you at this moment and adored all the positive feedback he was getting from you, Hyunwoo was still aware of how late it was in the night and knew if you got too loud, you could expect an angry note on your front door. 
“Kiss me properly.” Hyunwoo growls lowly against your lips; obviously irritated with the way your jaw fell slack as more obscene moans poured from your throat. “You’re too loud.”
“S-sorry.” You stammer after you feel him give a particularly deep thrust into you. 
Another moan threatens to leave you but desperate to please Hyunwoo, your lips find his again as an attempt to silence yourself. Engaging in a slow, sensual make out that contrasts starkly in comparison to the way he was roughly rutting his hips against yours, you manage to stay quiet for a little longer but you eventually end up pulling away from him when your lungs start to burn in need of air. 
“Please don’t stop.” You whisper breathily into Hyunwoo’s ear, holding on to him for dear life as you feel every thrust he gives you bringing you closer to that sweet, sweet finish you were deprived of. 
“I said I’d take care of you, did you think I wouldn’t follow through on that?” His question is rhetorical and normally you would complain about him being so mean to you. But in this context, it’s so much more exhilarating. “I just wanna please you.”
The salacious sound of skin slapping against skin seems to put you in a trance— eyes rolled back and lips parted as you find yourself getting lost in the feeling of being fucked so thoroughly. Light bruises vaguely resembling the shape of Hyunwoo’s fingerprints bloom across your hips but they go unnoticed by the both of you even when he starts moving you around to adjust your position. Remaining on your back, your legs were no longer uselessly dangling on either side of Hyunwoo and had been hoisted over his shoulders, allowing his cock to stimulate you from a different angle. That same tight hold he had on your hips resumes on your thighs as rough fingertips latch on the meaty flesh. And any bruises that were to result from this vice grip were going to be eagerly accepted. 
The new angle combined with Hyunwoo picking up the momentum of his movements has you seeing stars beneath your eyelids as you squeeze your eyes shut to fight back the tears stinging the corners of your eyes, overwhelmed by waves of euphoria just on the horizon and threatening to sweep you away. A few tears manage to escape anyway as Hyunwoo’s cock consistently stimulates a particularly soft and sensitive part within your pussy, making it hard for you to think.
You want to let Hyunwoo know just how good he’s making you feel and how much you love having him stimulate all your senses; but there isn’t a single coherent thought in that pretty little head of yours so forming words and sentences is out of the question. All you’re able to do is let out these pathetic moans and gasps as you’re being split open by probably the best cock you’ve ever had. 
“You look so pretty like this, princess—” Hyunwoo muses as he looks down at your dazed expression, the sound of his voice breaking you from the spell he had temporarily put you under. “So pretty and so cock drunk.” Once his words register to you, you’re only able to giggle like a ditzy lovestruck high schooler in response because of how true his statement was.
“It’s so hot when you’re mean to me. Keep talking to me like that—” You urge him, a broken moan leaving you as he gives you a particularly rough thrust that makes your entire body shake. 
“Yeah? You wanna hear me tell you that you’re just a horny brat who can’t do anything on her own and needs me to help her cum?” He rasps, your cunt clenching around him again confirming his words. “Fuck you for teasing me and making me wait so long.”
Pulling his hips back, Hyunwoo slides out until only the tip of his cock remains inside of you and before you could even whine in protest, he slams back inside of you causing a choked out gasp to fall past your lips. 
“So cute and needy for my cock. Tell me, is it really that good?” Hyunwoo laughs breathlessly. 
“It’s soo fucking good.” You obediently reply back. You’re ready to beg him to just fill you with his load already but the words get lost in your head while more moans pour from your tired throat as his thick cock stretched you with every snap of his hips against yours. 
Hyunwoo places a hand on your sternum that trails up to your neck, fingers giving a light squeeze to your throat before he cups your face. He stares down at you with such a domineering expression, you feel so weak beneath him as your lips part in a soft moan. Seizing the opportunity, Hyunwoo swipes his thumb over your bottom lip and forces you to suck on his thumb as a means of quieting down.  It works for a bit as your tongue eagerly swirls around the lone digit. With your moans silenced for the time being, Hyunwoo relishes in the wet squelching sounds being created by him pummelling your soaked cunt. But when the head of his cock kisses your cervix, a small whine rumbles in the back of your throat. Removing his thumb from your mouth, he gives your face a light slap for being so noisy.
At this point, you felt like that wave of euphoria had not only come crashing over you, it had also carried you out to the sea with no lifejacket. You were drowning in bliss and it was turning your mind into goo. 
Just when you thought Hyunwoo couldn’t outdo himself, his hands took a hold of your legs and pushed them against your chest as he leaned in; practically folding you in half and fucking you deeper at this animalistic pace that has you clawing at his arms. You probably left some serious scratches on him with your nails but that didn’t matter at the moment. The only thing that mattered was the feel of Hyunwoo’s cock dragging against your walls and fucking into you like he was training your cunt to mold against him and only him from now on.
And quite honestly, the idea of him being the only person you slept with didn’t sound so bad. In fact, it sounded like the most ideal scenario. It was just so good it could make you-
“F-fuck, cumming—” You barely manage to get out before your walls start to flutter around his swollen cock before soaking him in even more of your  juices in hopes of spurring his climax. 
Your hands reach for his shoulders as a feeble attempt to get him to ease up on your sensitive walls, but you’re too wrapped up in these overwhelming sensations hitting you all at once and your words get lost once again. Thrusting into you like a dog in heat, Hyunwoo has you digging your nails into his once flawless skin while you’re unable to do anything but patiently wait for him to finish. Considering how long it’s been since either of you had gotten some action, you had no idea when he would decide he was done. With his cock working your overstimulated pussy, it triggers another wave of ecstasy to wash over you as another rush of your juices gush over him as the squelching sounds of him filling your cunt get even louder. 
More than pleased with his handiwork , Hyunwoo has you in a mating press, fucking into you even deeper as he finally lets his own climax rapidly build and overcome him after suppressing his own desires just so he could focus on pleasing you.
“Where should I cum?” He asks you urgently, feeling his release creeping up on him. 
“Please, just cum. Anywhere.” You beg, tears brimming your eyes as your sensitivity was starting to get the best of you and you were finding it hard to remain still underneath him. Even with his body firmly pressed up against yours, you were a blubbering, writhing mess. 
The squelching of your slick cunt paired with your needy plea was more than enough to make the coil in his stomach wind tighter and tighter until his hips stutter; thick ropes of cum spilling into your womb as he poured every bit of his sexual frustration into you. The feeling of him finally releasing within you was enough to trigger one more orgasm within you and your walls clenched around him, milking his seed out of him as his thrusts slowed down but increased in depth until they eventually stopped. 
Carefully slipping out of you, trying not to further overwork your lady parts, Hyunwoo makes a dash for your en suite bathroom. With laundry being a chore the two of you switched off on frequently, he was familiar with where you kept your things and quickly located a fresh washcloth before running it under some warm water. Returning to your room, Hyunwoo finds you lying in bed on your side in your usual sleeping position that consists of your arms under your pillow cradling your head while your legs are outstretched. Luckily for him, it’s easy to wipe away the lewd mix of bodily fluids that was leaking from your center before it could stain the sheets. As much as he wanted to stuff his cum back into you, he figured it would be better not to push his luck with you since he had already been blessed with you fulfilling a desire he had since he moved in with you. 
After cleaning you up, Hyunwoo covers your naked lower body with your comforter that was previously kicked to the side before attempting to locate his pants and underwear. He does a quick survey of your bedroom floor and only sees your lone panties in plain view. Still not forgetting that he intended on pocketing those. He checks under your bed only to come up with nothing. The last place that would make sense to check would be the mix of blankets that you were currently tangled in but you looked so peaceful sleeping; he would feel so bad if he woke you up after wearing you out like that. Realizing there was no real reason for Hyunwoo to be so urgent about finding his pajama pants since being totally naked around each other was no longer uncharted territory, he could find his clothes later. Now that he had finished his job of making you cum and helping you go to sleep, he collected his prize and proceeded to see himself out so he could rest in his own bed. 
Throwing on a new fresh pair of boxers as soon as he was in the comfort of his own room, Hyunwoo slipped underneath his covers and fell asleep with a smile on his face, pleased with the events of tonight. Knowing you, he assumed that you would just treat tonight as another one of the many favors you often asked of him. Though, if things did get awkward it would probably be a first for the both of you because he couldn’t think of any other instances where there was obvious mutual tension. Letting his thoughts settle down, Hyunwoo finally gets some shut eye.
Maybe about an hour or two after falling asleep, he ends up waking up for the second time tonight. But this time due to the fact he felt so parched. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes so he could get up and go to the kitchen, Hyunwoo slowly sits up in the dark. 
Something feels off but he can’t quite place his finger on it.
He wanted to think that he was just feeling the lingering excitement from earlier, but there was something seriously different about his room. Shrugging it off, he reaches for the water bottle on his nightstand and quickly unscrews the cap; drinking from it ravenously until the bottle is empty. Carelessly tossing the bottle onto his nightstand, he lays back down to go back to sleep. 
Until he realizes that the water bottle he just drank from was still cold like it hadn’t been out of the refrigerator that long. If Hyunwoo left the water bottle near an open window while he slept, the cool temperature of the water wouldn’t have been questioned; but that wasn’t the case. And the most concerning part of this whole thing was that he didn’t even stop by the kitchen on his way to his room earlier.  
Looking around in panic, everything looks fine. 
Nothing seems out of place. 
Maybe he’s just overreacting from the lack of sleep.
Settling back underneath his blankets, Hyunwoo rolls over to the cool, empty side of his bed. Or at least, he tried to. And that’s when he realized there was a second body in the bed with him that caused him to panic internally as he sat up in bed again.
“Ouch.” The familiar sound of your voice surprises Hyunwoo just as much as it quells his nerves. Pulling back the covers to reveal you laying in his bed with his boxers that he was looking for covering your once naked lower half, he looks at you in astonishment as you groggily turn your body to face him.
“What are you doing here?” He laughs softly, trying to mask the fact he just about damn near pissed himself because he thought that you were some type of strange intruder.
“You left me alone,” You pout as you pull the blankets back over yourself. “And you left me alone in a bed with soaked sheets.”
“I thought you were sleeping.” Hyunwoo reasons, laying back down beside you and feeling you curl up against his side, making yourself comfortable as you lay your head on his chest. 
“I was, but leaving me by myself in those conditions is so mean.” You tell him as your hand comes up to pinch his nipple in annoyance. “I’m a nice girl who likes nice aftercare, I expected cuddling from you since you’re usually such a gentleman.”
So of course, Hyunwoo would spend the rest of the night cuddling you; as well as many other nights from now on. 
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11thsdoctress · 2 years ago
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wrapped [10th Doctor x Reader]
Have this small thing I wrote since my brain can’t come up with anything as of the moment.
Fandom: Doctor Who
Ship: 10th Doctor x Reader
Word Count: 315 - just a drabble/ficlet
Summary: It’s chilly in the TARDIS, the Doctor just wanted to do something nice for you. 
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The Doctor was pacing back and forth, he had just been told that you were about to head off to bed, and knowing that the TARDIS temperature was dropping, he was now trying to come up with a solution to an inconvenience rather than a problem. He was practically walking in circles around the TARDIS, ending up in different rooms around the said blue box, but suddenly, he thought of an idea, “I’ve got it!” his face lights up and turns around, “Okay, I need to find the closet..” he mumbles to himself, as he speed walks to look for the said closet past your room.
You realized that the TARDIS was freezing tonight, you didn’t know why, you wanted to ask, but you were too busy trying to keep yourself warm in the said blue box, but as the minutes go by, your fingers and toes were already cold, and you were practically shivering.
Meanwhile, the Doctor was in the TARDIS’ seemingly endless closet, looking for something, tossing some clothes and accessories here and there, causing endless clanging and cluttering noises, while you were trying to head to bed.
Before giving up and planning to roll up in your blanket, and hope to fall asleep with that idea, suddenly, the Doctor called you from the endless closet in the TARDIS. You groaned as you practically dragged yourself to the endless closet of the TARDIS.
As  you entered, you only saw piles of clothes, scattered and piled up left and right, “Doctor?” You called out, looking for the man that was calling you earlier.
He suddenly popped out from one of the piles, “Oh hello! I found it!” He exclaims as he held out the thick looking, dark blue blanket, and places it around his shoulders before walking behind you and wrapping the both of you in the blanket roll.
You blushed a bit, as you were wrapped tight with the Doctor, it felt cozy, considering the two of you were wrapped like a burrito roll.
“Sorry about the TARDIS being so chilly this time.” He rests his chin on the top of your head, “I knew it’s bedtime for you, so I went to look for this.” He gestures to the blanket, “I hope you don’t mind this for a bit.”
“Not at all.” You sigh as you let him embrace you, wrapped in his arms and blanket. He rests his chin on top of your head, as you both stayed like that for a bit, as the TARDIS just drifts in space. ======== it’s been a while since i’ve written something, i’ve been trying to write about something, so requests are open, but yeah. idk what i’m doing is the tldr of this entirety.
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solarpunkbusiness · 5 months ago
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Italian company converts discarded fishing nets into chairs, car mats and Prada bags
Since 2009, Giulio Bonazzi, the son of a small textile producer in northern Italy, has been working on a solution: an efficient recycling process for nylon. As CEO and chairman of a company called Aquafil, Bonazzi is turning the fibers from fishing nets – and old carpets – into new threads for car mats, Adidas bikinis, environmentally friendly carpets and Prada bags.
For Bonazzi, shifting to recycled nylon was a question of survival for the family business. His parents founded a textile company in 1959 in a garage in Verona, Italy. Fifteen years later, they started Aquafil to produce nylon for making raincoats, an enterprise that led to factories on three continents. But before the turn of the century, cheap products from Asia flooded the market and destroyed Europe’s textile production. When Bonazzi had finished his business studies and prepared to take over the family company, he wondered how he could produce nylon, which is usually produced from petrochemicals, in a way that was both successful and ecologically sustainable.
The question led him on an intellectual journey as he read influential books by activists such as world-renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle and got to know Michael Braungart, who helped develop the Cradle-to-Cradle ethos of a circular economy. But the challenges of applying these ideologies to his family business were steep. Although fishing nets have become a mainstay of environmental fashion ads—and giants like Dupont and BASF have made breakthroughs in recycling nylon—no one had been able to scale up these efforts.
For ten years, Bonazzi tinkered with ideas for a proprietary recycling process. “It’s incredibly difficult because these products are not made to be recycled,” Bonazzi says. One complication is the variety of materials used in older carpets. “They are made to be beautiful, to last, to be useful. We vastly underestimated the difficulty when we started.”
Soon it became clear to Bonazzi that he needed to change the entire production process. He found a way to disintegrate old fibers with heat and pull new strings from the discarded fishing nets and carpets. In 2022, his company Aquafil produced more than 45,000 tons of Econyl, which is 100% recycled nylon, from discarded waste.
More than half of Aquafil’s recyclate is from used goods. According to the company, the recycling saves 90 percent of the CO2 emissions compared to the production of conventional nylon. That amounts to saving 57,100 tons of CO2 equivalents for every 10,000 tons of Econyl produced.
Bonazzi collects fishing nets from all over the world, including Norway and Chile—which have the world’s largest salmon productions—in addition to the Mediterranean, Turkey, India, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Pakistan, and New Zealand. He counts the government leadership of Seychelles as his most recent client; the island has prohibited ships from throwing away their fishing nets, creating the demand for a reliable recycler. With nearly 3,000 employees, Aquafil operates almost 40 collection and production sites in a dozen countries, including four collection sites for old carpets in the U.S., located in California and Arizona.
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ultragift · 3 days ago
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FROM: @lagsemantics TO: @astweaverling
Crash. 
They felt the vessel sway violently to the left. Taught by experience, they outstretched their bony arm to grasp the armature of the oil lamp, meanwhile letting everything that’s not heavy or stable enough clatter to the floor. Those could be picked up later. Fire is much more… fitful to deal with.
Crash.
The lights flickered ominously as the clutter slid across the hardwood floor, following the tilt. The Ferryman watched this erratic display with less than keen interest.
‘She’s uneasy tonight’ They mused. 
The Sea was nothing but a messenger of Hell herself. She was never… unkind, per se - she does not hate nor does she play favorites. But those nights, one night a year - she would grow restless. Night of which sole purpose was to commemorate the birth of the Savior - the one, who would rise and guide the divine plan to its perfect and just conclusion. 
The divine plan that failed, leaving everyone in its wake dissatisfied. It has failed so utterly and miserably that it caused the Father to make one and final decision to abandon his creation as a whole. 
The Hell and its disillusioned denizens saw Christmas as a commemoration of failure.
Ferryman chose not to dwell too much on that however. Those common-in-hell beliefs did not serve them at all. If they were to ever convert, repent, and join His Radiance in the marble cities of Heaven, the last thing they need is for this heresy to seep deeper into them and corrupt their soul even further. 
Speaking of His Radiance - well, no matter how much the Ferryman had hoped otherwise, it was foolish to expect Gabriel to visit the ship on the Holy Night. He’s busy celebrating in Heaven along the Council. 
Their veiled visage slowly turned towards the corner of the room. There, a small sculpture of a pine tree resided. In the vastness of the ocean, this was a solution that was the closest to the real thing Ferryman could afford. Besides, it gave them something to keep their hands busy for a day or two. They even managed to scrap some less useful parts of the ship and weave some Christmas lights! The presents were there, too. Hell, they even caught a pretty impressive PITR fish to at least try and fulfill the idea of a Holiday Feast, even though they themselves had no need for food, and probably neither did Gabriel…
Ferryman sighed in a thick mixture of exasperation and disappointment. Their grasp on the lantern loosened ever so slightly as the defeat sank in. The point was - they really wanted to share this day with someone, the way it was intended to be spent. Christmas should be about community, belonging. Loving thy neighbor! How were they supposed to-
Crash
Ferryman jolted in their seat, taken off-guard. They quickly cut the musings short, now compelled to see what was going on outside. Joints cracking, Ferryman’s bony feet carried them towards the window. 
Lord Almighty, it really was a mess outside. 
And then they thought.
‘They must be scared.’
Ferryman sighed. They were precisely aware of the existence of the damned beast down below, they knew how it came to be as well. But they never paid it much thought, mainly for their own comfort. Ferryman pitied the Sullen, sure, but they couldn’t afford anything besides that. But now, seeing the wrathful storm outside, they couldn’t ignore the echoing worry in the back of their skull. Just a few seconds ago, they were mourning the lack of someone to celebrate the Holidays with. And just outside the window, down below the angry sea, there was a neighbor who was truly alone. And Ferryman could do something about it.
The short fight with their own thoughts ended with a triumph for compassion. Soon enough, holding an oil lamp in one hand, and with the other - clutching their veil tightly, shielding themselves against the violent wind, the Ferryman was pushing through the storm, trying their best to reach the hull. And by some divine miracle - they did. They grabbed the line of the bell tightly and began pulling it down rhythmically.
‘Oh, the Sullen! Heed my call!’ the Ferryman shouted at the top of their nonexistent lungs, all the while ringing the bell.
For a long moment, there was no retaliation, besides the roaring of thunders and crashing of the wave. The Ferryman clutched the lantern tighter, bracing for disappointment and ready to return to their quarters.
Until finally.
Salty water splashed upon the deck, the vessel swayed violently, causing the Ferryman to almost lose balance. Above the waves, among the thunders rose the beast, a gargantuan, grotesque form was now towering above the skeletal form - observing, waiting, anticipating.
‘Merry Christmas, Leviathan.’ The Ferryman shouted, their meek voice losing the battle to the storm ‘I wished to check up on you’.
The words left the Ferryman’s parted jaws almost without thinking. The Leviathan hunched over the Ferryman. It lacked eyes to use, but the smaller figure felt the heavy gaze almost crushing their fragile, bony form. They expected to be ignored at best, thrown into the abyss to join the mass at worst. And there would be no Gabriel to save them this time…
But, instead, the massive form contorted itself so that the Ferryman was now face-to-skull with the groveling figure atop of the creature’s neck. It must have been the exact place where the souls reside. They tried not to pay too much attention to the radiant spears piercing the flesh as to try and not think about the implications of that. Instead, their own eyeless gaze locked with the empty stare of the red face. It could not speak, but the compassionate heart of the Ferryman was not deaf towards the breathless whispers of the souls. They wanted to talk and wished to be heard.
With the eyes of their imagination, the Ferryman saw the darkness enshrouding the near-bottom of the Styx. It was nothing like the cozy deck of the Ship of Fools.It was lonely, but in such… viscerally hopeless way.
‘You’re all scared.’
The conclusion, spoken out-loud, was met with silent confirmation. And that just made the Ferryman’s heart sink. They must help somehow… But how?
‘The storm isn’t going to let up any time soon. I’d like to let you aboard but I don’t have a room… no, a deck large enough to hold you.’ The Ferryman shook their head at the absurdity of such a notion ‘And I doubt you could pay for the fare either way.’
Rules were rules, after all.
They proceeded to try and find any sort of solution. They thought, then thought some more, each solution more nonsensical than the last. All the while, the Leviathan patiently waited.
Until finally.
‘Oh, Praise the Lord, I have it!’ They shouted excitedly, visibly startling the beast ‘Don’t go anywhere, I’ll- I’ll be back in a moment!’
The Leviathan barely had any option to either complain or deny. This whole situation was simply… too ridiculous. But the creature stayed and waited, as the heavy rain knocked on the marble skeleton of its grotesque form. 
And soon, the empty gaze of the red figure spotted the Ferryman rushing across the deck with something in their grasp. Were those… Christmas lights?
The small figure stopped right in front of the face, which, if one didn’t know any better, was clearly contorted in a grimace of pure, unadulterated confusion.
‘I was hoping to use those in another way today’ The Ferryman began, lifting the hefty chain of lights so that the Leviathan could see them better, before gently throwing them over the creature’s neck, much to its confusion ‘but I think you need them more’.
The Leviathan did not protest at all as the Ferryman’s skilled hands wrapped the lights along its body. All those years of tying knots aboard really did pay back right now.
And soon enough, the Leviathan’s form was glimmering in red, yellow, blue and green, a stark contrast to the starless, uneasy night. The darkness was, this way, defeated.
‘I think they should hold up for the next few days - or at least longer than the storm.’ The Ferryman shouted, their gaze skimming over their work - undeniably proud of their craft. And the Leviathan seemed most pleased. The turmoil of the souls within the red body subsided, the Ferryman felt that. It was, instead, replaced by gratitude. 
‘Suits you!’ Ferryman shouted finally, not hiding excitement ‘Now, the deep should scare you no more.’
The Leviathan nodded in agreement. It almost seemed… happy? Was that even possible, at all? The Ferryman wholeheartedly believed so. But for the sake of them both, none should have to linger any longer out in the open. So, the Leviathan straightened itself, its serpentine form swiftly withdrawing from above the deck, ready to return home in its new attire. And Ferryman was content to let it enjoy it on its own.
‘Merry Christmas, Leviathan!’
And with that, the gargantuan body submerged itself in the deep once more. The murky depths were no longer a source of fear, as the lights flickered and glimmered, illuminating the gloomy void. The Ferryman meanwhile, content and completely rid of their previous turmoil, returned to their quarters.
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