#Warehouse Returns and Cancellations

[miamicommune]

not to sound like A Customer but is there anything more evil than dealing with customer support that refuses to communicate using anything but 5 preprepared templates.

[magicalmatcha]

now playing ♪ undressed by sombr

"i don't want the children of another man

to have the eyes of the girl i won't forget"

cw: mention of drugs (?), mentions of alcohol, panda wants the smoke

“Man, they really toned this place down.”

The group stepped into the converted warehouse—now aglow in fairy lights and dipped in the warm, hazy hum of cheap rum, sandalwood incense, and stale beer that had permanently embedded itself in the walls. It was crowded already, a sea of half-drunken conversations and low laughter echoing through the open space as people milled about, waiting for the set to start.

Maki let out a slow, sentimental sigh. “Damn. That corner over there?” She pointed dramatically. “That’s where Yn used to do lines off Kirara’s ass. Simpler times.”

“Can you not say that in front of the toddler?” Yuuta hissed, adjusting his hold on Yume, who was curled up in his arms with her panda plush and oversized headphones.

“She’s wearing noise-cancelling,” Maki shot back. “And probably doesn’t even know what an ass is.”

“I’m literally right here,” Yn said dryly.

“Exactly,” Maki replied, smirking.

“Did we have to come for the opening set?” Panda grumbled, steering them toward an open table mid-venue. “The opener’s probably better than the headliner. Nepo babies always fall flat.” Toge argued.

“What about Gracie Abrams?” Panda challenged.

“That’s exactly who I’m talking about,” Toge replied, dropping his bag beside the booth and flopping into his seat.

“Wow,” Yn said, running a hand along the edge of the polished table. “They even gave the tables real seats now. No more repurposed milk crates.”

“I kinda miss the milk crates,” Maki shrugged.

“I’m hitting the bar. Usuals?” Toge asked, already standing.

“Two vodka cranberries, a cosmopolitan, a rum and coke, a Long Island iced tea, and a water?” Panda listed off.

Yuuta blinked. “You’re starting the night with two vodka cranberries?”

“One’s for Yume,” Toge said flatly.

Yn snorted. “Strawberry lemonade for her. Sugar after seven. Aren't I good mama Yu?”

“The best,” Yume chirped, reaching her arms out.

Yn scooped her into her lap and pressed a kiss into the crown of her freshly done hair. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“Who’s opening, anyway?” Maki asked, checking her reflection in the compact mirror from her phone case.

“Miwa,” Yuuta started, then frowned. “Wait, no. No, she’s still out with mono from some guy she made out with at that jazz club in Tokyo. She’s been sidelined for two weeks.”

“So what, they’re dragging out some forgotten intern from the closet?” Panda asked, unimpressed.

Yuuta shrugged. “Maybe. Kyoto doesn’t have as many artists as the Tokyo location, and I didn’t check the lineup. I’ve been behind on internal memos.”

“Great,” Maki deadpanned. “Can’t wait to be serenaded by someone’s emotionally constipated SoundCloud find.”

“Could be worse,” Yn muttered, taking a sip of her water. “Could be your ex.”

Maki raised a brow, smirking. “God, imagine. No way she ever made it off SoundCloud. She wanted to be Beabadobee so bad.”

Toge returned with a tray balanced carefully in his hands, distributing drinks like a seasoned bartender. A water and strawberry lemonade in front of Yn, a cosmo for Maki, Long Island iced tea for Panda, and a rum and coke for Yuuta.

“See? This is nice,” Yuuta said, settling back into his seat with a smile. “Going out in your twenties doesn’t have to mean clubs and crowded house parties.”

Panda scoffed. “Please. I’m twenty-six. For me it's clubs and boat parties.”

“You’re twenty-six,” Yn said flatly, “why are you still going to those?”

“I’m twenty-six, not fifty,” he shot back.

“Could’ve fooled me with those smile lines.”

Panda blinked. “You wanna go? Because I don’t care if you’ve got your kid in your lap, she can get some of this two. These hands are rated E for everyone.”

Before Yn could fire back, the lights dimmed.

A hush fell over the room as stage lights slowly warmed the crowd in amber.

“Welcome to The Gutter!” the host called out from the mic stand. Applause followed. A few whistles. The faint clink of glasses.

“Tonight, Limitless Records has been kind enough to lend us one of their newest artists. Mimiko! We are so excited to have her here let’s give her a warm welcome.”

Another wave of claps rolled through the space.

“But first,” the host added with a grin, “we’ve got a little surprise for you. He took a break from prepping for his first-ever tour, sold out all over the continent, just to be here tonight. Kyoto’s own—Wait for May!”

The name hit like a fist to the chest.

The cheers were deafening, probably. The applause definitely got louder. Her friends’ heads snapped to her. Even Yume clapped enthusiastically in her lap, the little headphones still wrapped snug around her ears though she was starting to suspect they weren't even on.

But Yn didn’t hear any of it.

The room blurred,light and noise folding in on itself. Her breath caught, like her lungs had forgotten how to work. The weight of Yume on her legs felt distant, like a memory. The table, the drinks, the chatter,they all slid out of focus.

There was nothing.

Just the echo of a name she hadn’t said out loud in years, ringing in her ears like a song she used to love but couldn’t bear to listen to anymore.

Not now.

Not like this.

The lights shifted again—warm gold bleeding into a haze of blue and lavender as the stage darkened, save for the soft glow surrounding the mic stand.

She didn’t look up.

Didn’t need to.

There were too many things her body remembered before her brain could catch up. The hum of the stage. The soft shuffle of movement. That voice.

“Hey,” Megumi said, smooth and low, the sound pulled into a dozen speakers. “Thanks for showing up tonight.”

Just that. Nothing flowery. No dramatic build-up. But it knocked the air out of her anyway.

God. That voice.

It hadn’t changed, just matured. Gotten steadier. Like him.

Yn kept her gaze locked somewhere just left of the stage. On the condensation gathering around her lemonade glass. On the way Maki’s nails clicked lightly against her cosmopolitan. On her daughter, small and wriggling in her lap, still clapping in sync with the rest of the crowd through her little pink headphones.

She could feel all their eyes on her. Maki. Yuuta. Even Toge. Waiting. Watching. Holding their breath.

But she didn’t say a word.

“This one’s old,” Megumi said, clearing his throat. “I wrote it back when I didn’t know what I was doing. Or how to say what I meant. Still don’t, most of the time.” A light chuckle from the stage. “Anyway. This song’s called undressed.”

That was the moment her heart dropped.

The soft rise of the synth kicked in behind him. The live band settled into place, drums low, steady. Keys soft and glittery like water under moonlight.

Undressed.

Of all his songs, he started with that one?

Yn swallowed hard. Her hands were shaking now. Not visibly. Just enough that she had to tighten her grip around Yume’s waist.

He’d written undressed when they were barely legal. When they shared too-small beds in even smaller apartments, when love felt like a fever and survival meant pretending that was enough. It wasn’t one of his hits. Not the one people quoted or stitched into TikToks or tattooed in cursive across their ribs.

But it was the realest thing he ever made. Because he made it for her. Though she never remembered him actually finishing it.

And now he was up there, clean-cut, styled within an inch of his life, spotlights dancing across his jawline, and singing a song she helped him write without ever touching a pen.

Yuuta leaned in close. “Say the word and I’ll get you out of here.”

Yn didn’t answer.

She just kept her eyes forward.

She had to stay.

Had to hear how it ended.

The first note rang out.

And Yn. In all she was. Mother, former addict, reformed lover-girl turned podcast host, closed her eyes.

Because this wasn’t something she could watch. Not when the song he never finished was once about her.

And still was.

He wasn’t really looking for her.

Not because he didn’t want to see her—he did, he always did, even when it hurt. Especially when it hurt.

But five years was a long time.

And he’d convinced himself, over and over, that if she was there, he’d miss her. Or worse, he wouldn’t recognize her.

Because maybe she’d grown into someone else.

Someone better.

Someone whole.

But then halfway through undressed, on a note he held too long because his hands were trembling behind the mic stand, he saw her.

Near the middle, just off-center. Lit by the warm glow of the stage lights. Still. Still in that way only she could be. Like a stone dropped in water. Like silence with a pulse.

At first, he thought he was hallucinating. A trick of the light. A cruel mirage of his own guilt. But it was her.

And she was different. Healthier. Steadier. Glowing, maybe. Not the kind of glow they sell in skincare ads, but the kind that came with surviving. The kind that came from choosing to live.

God. She looked like she’d finally forgiven herself. And it gutted him that she had to do that without him.

In her lap sat a little girl, clapping gently along with the music, stuffed panda crushed against her chest and a pair of headphones tucked over her ears. A cup of some kind of pink drink, she kept tapping her mother for permission to take sips from. Yn leaned down to whisper something to her, and the girl tilted her head up and smiled, and it was—

—it was someone else’s kid.

Of course it was.

Why wouldn’t it be?

He missed the next chord.

Just barely. Just enough.

His fingers recovered. The band didn’t falter. But his breath caught, and the line came out thinner than it should’ve.

He kept singing.

Kept his face neutral, soft, even as his heart cracked open in real time.

Because what did he expect? That she’d pause her life? Wait in suspended animation while he chased a future he’d once promised would be theirs?

He knew he had no right to feel it, but it burned all the same—jealousy. Bitter and sharp.

Of the man who got to love her when she was ready to be loved.

Of the version of her that healed without him.

Of the little girl in her lap who had a place in her world that he would never earn back.

It wasn’t fair.

Not that she moved on. Not that she was okay. But that she looked happy. And she hadn’t looked at him once.

He tried not to. He really did. But his gaze kept crawling back to her like a wound he couldn’t stop reopening.

She didn’t even blink in his direction.

She wasn’t frozen or flustered or overwhelmed. She just was. Existing without him, like it had never hurt her. Like he hadn’t torn her in half and left her to stitch herself back together with nothing but spite and half-sincere apologies.

She was here.

And Yuji was right. She was beautiful.

And she had someone else’s kid in her lap. Just as beautiful as she was.

And Megumi Fushiguro, up on that stage with a mic in his hand and a crowd screaming his name, had never felt more unknown.

More irrelevant.

More like a ghost in a room he used to belong to.

So he did the only thing he could.

He kept singing. He kept standing. He kept pretending like he wasn’t unraveling from the inside out. But every word felt heavier now. Every note a reminder. Every lyric a lie he’d once promised would be a truth.

He kept singing.

Pretending she was just another stranger in the crowd.

And hating himself for every reason she wasn’t.

And he knew.

extra! extra! read all about it (no seriously read it)

not proofread

for this chapter specifically I would recommend listening to the song bc I was not about to write out the lyrics he's singing

yuuta never turned on yume's headphones like he was supposed to

they stayed for the whole set but clocked out after wet dreams and went to 7/11

listen to the lyrics of wet dreams by sundiver ca and you'll understand why

yn doesn't know why she didn't suspect megumi could also be in town when she found out yuji was but she curses herself for not doing so

megumi likes to act nonchalant but when it comes to yn he doesn't have a single nonchalant bone in his body and it's hard for him to hide that

Also I wanna say now I described Melon milk as an actual carton when it's more like a juice box and isn't even in the fridge. I just liked my description better sorry.

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[psycho2-0]

Kate's Requests pt. 2:

Nikobran fic. Since Bran loves to do all the charity work, it leads him to some danger when a crazy person becomes obsessed with him and stalks him kidnaps him while Niko is away for some Bratva stuff. While hearing this Niko returns back early and uses everything in his power to find bran and rescues him. This shows Niko's punisher side.

The dimly lit room reeked of damp concrete and stale air. Brandon King sat in the middle of it, his wrists bound behind him with coarse rope that dug into his skin. His breathing was shallow, his chest rising and falling as he tried to keep panic at bay. Across from him, his captor—the man who had been following him for weeks—paced back and forth, muttering incoherently.

“You’re so perfect,” the man murmured, his wild eyes darting toward Brandon. “Helping people, smiling at everyone like they matter. But they don’t. Only I matter. You’ll see that soon enough.”

Brandon swallowed hard, his mind racing. He’d dealt with all kinds of people during his charity work, but he had never imagined one of them would take things this far. His only solace was knowing Nikolai would realize something was wrong soon.

Where are you, Niko?

Nikolai Sokolov was in the middle of a Bratva negotiation when the call came. His head bodyguard hesitated as he handed Nikolai the phone, his normally impassive face betraying concern.

“Speak,” Nikolai barked, his tone sharp and impatient.

The voice on the other end was frantic. “Brandon—he’s missing. Someone took him.”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Nikolai’s vision tunneled, the room fading into the background. “Where?” His voice was low, dangerous—a calm before the storm.

“We don’t know yet. He was last seen at the charity center, but his car was found abandoned miles away.”

Nikolai ended the call without another word, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. He turned to his men, his expression a mask of icy determination. “Cancel everything. We’re going back. Now.”

Nikolai arrived in Brighton Island hours later, his private jet touching down as the sun dipped below the horizon. His presence alone sent waves of unease through the city’s underworld; the Punisher was back, and his wrath was imminent.

Using every connection, favor, and threat in his arsenal, Nikolai pieced together fragments of information. It didn’t take long to track down the man responsible—a small-time criminal with a penchant for obsession and a history of stalking.

When Nikolai found the location—a decrepit warehouse on the outskirts of town—he didn’t hesitate. His bulk easily blended into the shadows, his men flanking him as they cleared the building room by room.

The sound of boots on concrete snapped Brandon out of his dazed state. His captor froze, his head snapping toward the door as it burst open with a deafening crack.

Nikolai strode in, his imposing frame radiating raw, unrelenting fury. His icy blue eyes locked on Brandon, softening for a fraction of a second before hardening again as they shifted to the man holding him captive.

“Let him go,” Nikolai growled, his voice low and deadly.

The man’s hand trembled as he pulled a knife, pressing it to Brandon’s neck. “Stay back! I’ll—I’ll kill him!”

Nikolai’s lips curled into a cold, predatory smile. “You won’t even get the chance.”

In a blur of motion, Nikolai closed the distance between them. The knife clattered to the floor as the man screamed, Nikolai’s hand twisting his arm at an unnatural angle. The captor crumpled to the ground, his cries echoing in the empty room as Nikolai loomed over him.

“You dared to touch what’s mine,” Nikolai hissed, his voice dripping with venom. “Now, you’ll pay the price.”

Brandon blinked as Nikolai’s hands freed him, the rough rope falling away. The moment he was untied, Nikolai pulled him into a fierce embrace, his arms wrapping around him protectively.

“Lotus Flower,” Nikolai murmured, his voice tense. “I’ve got you.”

Brandon clung to him, burying his face in Nikolai’s chest as relief and exhaustion washed over him. “You found me,” he whispered.

“I always will,” Nikolai replied, pressing a kiss to the top of Brandon’s head.

Behind them, Nikolai’s men dragged the unconscious captor away. Nikolai will deal with the man later; his only focus was on his Lotus Flower.

As they left the warehouse, Nikolai tightened his hold on Brandon, his gaze cold and unyielding as he stared into the distance. No one would ever touch his Lotus Flower again—not if they valued their life.

Part 1

[cherr-22]

TNGDH 31

“Demonic beasts that look like this can be boiled and eaten. The boiling takes a while, but it will be much better in terms of nutrition and warmth.”

The maids and knights gathered in a circle around me and took notes.

Fortunately, they nodded in understanding despite my crude explanation. They discussed what other demonic beasts could be eaten like this as well as what other kinds of stuffings they could use.

‘I think this is enough for explanations. The duck baeksuk should be done by now.’

I rubbed my sore shoulders and checked the system window that popped up.

[‘Summon’ will be canceled in 5 minutes.]

‘Looks like I won’t be able to taste test it.’

I told my goodbyes to the workers I became closer with and headed to the warehouse in the corner. As I went in and closed the door, I heard Kyle’s voice from a distance.

“You’re late.”

I smiled at his voice looking for me as the white light enveloped my body.

*

To live an hour like a day was tiring. I sighed on top of the sawdust.

I didn’t know how long I slept since I used ‘Summon’, but when I opened my eyes, Kyle was tearing pieces of duck baeksuk into my food bowl.

―Squeak. (What are you doing.)

“Sorry for waking you up. But this is good timing. Eat while it’s still warm.”

Kyle placed the bowl in front of me. I looked at the disheveled appearance of the baeksuk I made.

‘Hmm. It cooked well.’

Baeksuk should be boiled for a long time to be delicious.

I held the meat that Kyle shredded with both hands and took a bite.

The soft flesh with a greasy texture melted in my mouth. I think this tasted better than a regular duck. I wonder if it was because it had more exercise as a demonic beast?

As I mindlessly devoured the meat, Kyle gently stroked my forehead with his index finger and smiled happily.

“This food was invented by him. How did someone so brilliant come here?”

―Squeak squeak. (I came here by dying, man.)

“I have to return this favor properly, but I don’t know what would be good.”

―Squeak squee-, squeak. (Give me money. Money is best.)

I ate all the baeksuk with not a single leftover as Kyle contemplated seriously. Perhaps because of my small body, my stomach felt like it would explode after eating only a handful.

I stretched my arms out. Kyle watched me as if he thought I was the cutest thing in the world and put me onto his palm to carry me out the study.

“I don’t think I have been paying attention to you for a while, so let’s sleep together tonight.”

Kyle laid me down on a handkerchief beautifully embroidered with flowers. He then laid down next to me and stroked me endlessly.

Just when I thought I was going to become a hairless hamster, he ended up closing his eyes first.

‘He must’ve been very tired.’

Anyways, I wonder if his arm is okay?

I stood up and inspected Kyle’s arm. It was still covered in bandages, but he didn’t seem to have any major problems using the arm.

His tough hands were filled with numerous cuts. I massaged them hoping that they’d heal a bit more faster.

Be healthy.

You must be healthy for me to stop worrying.

*

The Northerners were quick to learn new things, as they were veterans who already had experience in making something from nothing but dry land.

They also had good adaptability. Not only were they already making the baeksuk I taught them yesterday, they were also finishing up making the parkas. Teaching felt very rewarding.

Today again, I boiled the duck and even made porridge in front of the knights who caught the duck. As a delicious smell filled the kitchen, the surrounding people began to crowd here.

“Oh…… wow. This… this is really delicious?”

“How could we have never thought about eating like this! It’s a lot better than frying, don’t you think?”

“Please cook like this from now on. Also here, you can eat it more deliciously if you scorch the rice.”

This was the kind of food the owner of my rented room in my past life liked. I once made it for them because I was indebted to them, but they ended up coming to me often to make it for them.

It should be delicious. I’ve been working part-time in a restaurant for years. I know how to cook most dishes decently, at least.

“I suppose you could use the leftover meat to make jerkies. Oh, and, continue to make quilted clothes with the duck feathers.”

I sat next to the maids who were sewing besides a basket full of the demonic beasts’ feathers. The maids greeted me warmly.

The welcoming atmosphere made me feel good.

‘How long has it been since I did something with others like this?’

I developed the game almost by myself, and after graduating from school, I had to leave my uncle’s house to become independent. After my parents passed away, I had no meaningful memories of being with other people. I was busy working part-time in college and taking classes.

‘I sure lived a boring life.’

I put the feathers between the fabric and moved the needle diligently.

The thickly sealed fabric could be used as clothing or as cushion. From afar, they looked like blankets.

I smiled happily and looked at the people around me.

Then, a system window blinked before my eyes.

[‘Summon’ will be canceled in 3 minutes]

“…….”

Already?

I jumped up from my seat. The attention of the people who were once chatting harmoniously suddenly focused onto me.

I laughed awkwardly and made an excuse.

“Something urgent came up, so I’ll be leaving first.”

“Already? You should stay a bit longer!”

“It’s quite important so…”

I turned around and was about to leave when―.

[You have opened up the possibility of a prosperous life for the residents of the Blake estate.]

[Hidden quest, ‘Godfather of the North’ achieved!]

[Miracle Value has increased.]

[Current Miracle Value 21.0%]

[A passive effect has been achieved. Anyone who is a member of the North will favor you.]

[The duration of ‘Summon’ has been extended.]

[‘Summon’ will be canceled in 62 minutes.]

The system windows popped up all at once, then disappeared without even having me a chance to touch it. Smiling with utmost satisfaction, I turned around and sat again.

“……Weren’t you going to go?”

“Oh. I was given extra time.”

One of the maids looked at me strangely and then suddenly turned back their head. I made a confused expression on my face upon seeing that and inserted the needle into the fabric once again.

But…… what was it. Was it just my imagination?

The other people who had been chatting before quieted down as if cold water was poured on them. Just like kids who played during the night study time and then pretended to study when the teacher came in……

At that time, a long shadow fell over my head.

“You guys sure look like you’re having fun.”

It was Kyle. So you were the culprit.

I tilted my head back and lifted the fabric I was working on. Then, I spoke in a calm voice.

“Would you like to do this too? Or do you not have this kind of dexterity.”

The surrounding remained silent. Kyle smiled lightly and supported my back. He put his arm around my knees and lifted them.

“Sure.”

“……No. Why are you lifting me up?”

“I’ll have to borrow you for a moment.”

“Why!?”

Kyle carried me away without answering me.

I felt discontent until I realized his destination. ……Are you serious? Is it the study? Why are you so obsessed with the study!?

‘System! Open the store, the store!’

[☆*:.。. o(≧▽≦)o .。.:*☆]

[!Nut Store!]

Forget the sparkly neon sign. I hit the Love Love Corner like a mad man with sweat falling down my forehead.

[╰（‵□′）╯]

Okay, okay. Next time I’ll press the button only once so hurry up.

[Love Love Corner~❤]

I chewed my nails nervously, looking back and forth between the study and the system window.

‘……So how many Hearts did I have again?’

Didn’t I use a lot last time?

[Currently Possessing Hearts ｜ ❤×52]

“…….”

I slapped my face.

From my memory, the replica hamster lasted 30 minutes and costed 100 hearts.

Alright. I admit this was karma. I shouldn’t have bought the damned hamster clothes and the yarn. This was why people have to save money in case of emergency.

I trembled, cursing my past self. Kyle looked down with a puzzled face and asked, “Are you hurting anywhere?”, but I just shook my head.

Let’s calm down.

There may be a way out of this predicament.

[Replica hamster to soothe the loneliness (Duration : 30 minutes) ｜ ❤×100]

The purchasable items were in blue, and the non-purchasable ones were gray. Of course, the replica hamster was colored gray.

Now. Let’s make it half the price just for today. 50 Hearts for 15 minutes. How’s that? You could adjust it right?

[ಠ﹏ಠ]

It was a difficult expression.

I smiled nicely and started rambling to the system.

‘Think about it. It’s your loss if I get caught.’

I don’t know why you are even helping me, but isn’t it because there’s a benefit to it? Whether it’s Miracle Points or Hearts, wouldn’t it be good if I were to spend more?

[￣へ￣]

Truly a disappointing response.

Then what else could I do. I’ll have to change my methods.

I licked my lips and smiled softly. When persuading someone, impressions were important. Wasn’t there a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face?

So I clasped both my hands together with a bright smile on my face and muttered softly.

‘Would it be faster for me to bash the button and break the store, or would it be faster for you to give me a discount?’

[(°▽°)]

The system paused for a moment as if it were thinking and let out a [……Loading……] window before opening the renewed shop.

I waved away a series of dissatisfied emotes. Those weren’t important right now. I was in a hurry.

While I was looking for the replica hamster, Kyle has already arrived in front of the study. Luckily, I made it on time.

[‘Replica hamster to soothe the loneliness’ has been added to your inventory!]

I felt a sense of relief and looked up. I made eye contact with Kyle.

“……Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Your expressions were amusing, so I was wondering what you were thinking.”

“…….”

I opened and closed my mouth without being able to say anything back, and in the end just let out a cough.

Kyle was about to say something, but someone passed by and bowed to him. Seeing his clothes and the book in his hands, he seemed to be a magician.

“Tomorrow afternoon, I will come see you in the study, Your Highness.”

“Alright.”

Hm? Why are they meeting tomorrow? What is it? Magician?

I fixed my gaze at Kyle hoping to receive an explanation from him. He opened the door using his shoulder and entered the study room.

“Cashew hasn’t been growing much lately, so I asked a magician to take a look at it. I can use magic myself, but I am not skilled enough to fine-tune the details or to see others’ magic. It would be best to leave this to the experts.”

“……Oh. Oooh.”

If my life were a rollercoaster, the only path it would go was downwards. No, rather than a rollercoaster, this was more like a bungee jump. A jump with its rope cut off.

How could you do this to me?

I wanted to say that it would grow on its own even if it wasn’t injected with mana…… should I say that to him now? No, no. It would be suspicious if I told him this late.

‘Hey. System. Would it be alright for me to accept the mana into my body? Will anything happen?’

[¯_(‘0’)_/¯]

……Understood. So you don’t know anything either.

I got down from his arms, sighed, and carefully placed the replica hamster into the nest.

I don’t know anymore. What happens, happens. It’s already difficult for me to solve the misfortune in front of me right now.

“Now, where is our demonic beast.”

As I pretended to look for the hamster carelessly, Kyle came over and grabbed my hand that was scrambling through the sawdust.

“Didn’t you say it would get surprised if you searched for it like that.”

“Ah, yes…….”

Kyle gently held the crying replica hamster in his hands and inspected it for a while. This needlessly sharp bastard.

I praised the replica hamster excessively to redirect Kyle’s attention. Wow! Our demonic beast! Wow! You squeak so well!

Fortunately, I was able to have him sit down for tea before 15 minutes passed. I also gave him needles and fabric to teach him how to make quilts.

Please spend your time with this from now on. Don’t bother the hamster for no reason.

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

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[fellshish]

How did you get tickets to Macbeth? I'm trying to get tickets in a few weeks as I'll be in London :)

Ok as you know david tennant macbeth is sold out. But not all hope is lost. There are several ways to get tickets still.

No guarantees. You need luck as well…

1. Donmar Daily: one week before

Every day at 10 am british time the donmar warehouse releases a few tickets for the performance exactly one week later.

This is like. Almost ticketmaster levels of stressful. You have to be FAST.

Get yourself an account and log in. Be on your laptop not your phone. Go to the page for Macbeth. Click the red Book Tickets button and on the calendar choose the date you want to go (7 days from now).

At 9:59 am start refreshing the page. Suddenly the seat plan will appear with only a few clickable seats scattered across. Pick one or two real fast then click next.

More tickets than that i would say is impossible.

Once the tickets are in your basket you have 30 minutes to pay. I’ve read on tumblr about people using foreign credit cards to pay where the payment didn’t go through. In that case those people called the theater and they helped them. Don’t panic :)

2. Standing tickets: same day performance

These tickets are only 15 pounds and are for those who don’t mind standing 1h55min. It’s a similar process as the donmar daily thing except the tickets release at noon on the day of the performance. More info here.

3. Returns queue

Once you’re in London and you’ve had no luck online, you can stand in the queue at the theater and hope for no-shows. People who’ve had to cancel and released their tickets again.

This queue starts at 1:30 pm for matinees and 6:30 pm for evening shows though i imagine showing up a little earlier can’t hurt…

4. Click-through luck

I’ve heard of people clicking through every date on the calendar and then suddenly finding a stray seat still for sale somehow. This is just unverified lore but who knows?

Good luck may the odds be ever in your favour etc

[girlactionfigure]

🔵Ongoing Updates from Israel  

ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

Moadim l’Simcha from Israel - wishes for a happy Succot intermediate holy days.

( VIDEO - interception of suicide drone from Iraq coming towards Eilat. Notice the interceptor diving low, the drones fly low to make radar detection difficult. )

⭕OVERNIGHT SUICIDE DRONES FROM IRAQ.. 1-2 intercepted coming at Eilat, one struck an open area in the Golan.  The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq takes responsibility.

⭕OVERNIGHT SUICIDE DRONE(S) FROM SYRIA.. intercepted over the southern Golan.

⭕ONGOING WAVES OF ROCKET BARRAGES at the Meron-Safed area, Golan Heights towns, Krayot-Haifa area, Nahariya and Acre areas.  Frequently. And relatively constant attacks at all the small towns and villages across the northern border region.

♦️LEBANON - Israeli fighter jets struck this morning a command center belonging to Hezbollah's intelligence division and an underground weapons manufacturing site in Beirut.  “Before the strike, the IDF issued evacuation warnings to civilians in the area.”  (( That’s only fair considering all the evacuation warnings Israeli civilians have received - - oh wait, NONE. ))

♦️LEBANON - targeted airstrikes: killed three prominent Hezbollah terrorists, including one responsible for weapons manufacturing.

♦️GAZA - IDF captures the Indonesian hospital area, capturing and sorting through dozens of Gazans for Hamas terrorists.

♦️GAZA - Hundreds of Hamas terrorists began surrendering to the IDF in the northern Gaza Strip, after the IDF issued an ultimatum: surrender or death.

♦️AIR POWER - During the last day, the Air Force attacked about 175 terrorist targets in Gaza and Lebanon. Among the targets attacked: weapons warehouses, launch shafts, military buildings and terrorist infrastructures of Hamas and Hezbollah.

🔹IRAN SAYS.. The Iranian embassy in the UN has officially announced that it denies any connection to the drone that Hezbollah launched at Netanyahu's house in Caesarea.

▪️TIKTOK CHANNEL WRITER WHO SPREAD FALSE HOSTAGE RELEASE INFO.. found and detained for investigation by the Cyber ​​Unit in Lahav 433.  At the end of the investigation of several hours: the suspect of spreading the false statements about the release of hostages was released to house arrest for five days. He apologized for his words, and claimed to the cyber investigators that he received the information from an acquaintance of his.  Prosecutor to decide whether to indict.

.. Tiktok blocked the channel 24 hours later by Israeli govt. request.

▪️DEMONIZING.. Nat. Sec. Minister MK Ben Gvir waswidely reported to have ascended to the Temple Mount for prayers today - which has caused friction in the past.  Subsequent reports are he DID NOT, and photos place him at the Kotel (Western Wall) in the large intermediate-holiday prayer crowd.  We like his esrog, spotted in the photo (not shared here).

▪️US ELECTION.. A protester yelled at the Democratic US presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, that "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" and she replied: "It's real, I respect his voice."

▪️AIR TRAVEL.. Polish airline Lot postpones the return to Israel until November 12.  Air Baltic cancels flights to Israel until November 30.

[thealogie]

Thea I saw Macbeth and it was literally everything I hoped!!!! You 100% convinced me to do this and helped me get the tickets and I have had literal dreams about seeing this show for months so thank you. Now I must ask you to approve my Christmas break plans: if I go to London for a Thursday through Saturday, how likely do you think I am to wriggle my way into Importance of Being Earnest and Great Comet?

Omg yay! I’m always happy to get Macbeth appreciation messages but especially when it’s people whose taste/blogs I love :)

Yes - you KNOW I’m going to say “yes go and the tickets will happen” but even Macbeth at the donmar warehouse you could get tickets if you spent a couple of days trying. Importance of being earnest - I bet cancellations and additional tickets will make tickets pop up on the website. And there is no way the great comet returns queue will be crazier than Macbeth so if you’re willing to stand in the queue starting at like 3 pm you should be golden

[auroraescritora]

Serviço Mandatório (Mandatory Service) [bi-lingual] #Dom!Nico #Sub!Percy #role reversal - Parte V

Post Biligue! Versão em Português na segunda parte!

Post Biligue! Portuguese version in part two!

Privious Chapters (Capítulos anteriores): [I] [II] [III] [IV]

Part IX

It was a pleasant evening. I waited for the sun to disappear below the horizon and only then did I return to the house I shared with Percy. Yes, I had taken another stroll around the city, walking the streets and then returning, exploring the buildings of the institution. Apparently, there were shops inside, some markets, stores similar to the ones I had visited and even gigantic warehouses with furniture and household goods. It really was a city within an institution to keep everyone's lives as comfortable as possible, which I found very strange since in other parts of the city people were starving.

When I got home it was to find Percy sitting on the couch, staring at the wall as if he saw something I couldn't. He was wearing black pants that fit his strong legs perfectly and a fitted white dress shirt, his hair slicked back and a blazer resting on the back of the couch. He had his arms crossed and that look on his face… yeah, Percy was definitely pissed. And yet, he was still one of the most handsome men I had ever seen.

I crossed the short distance to where Percy sat and placed my hands on his neck. He didn't flinch, jump or do anything, Percy just stood there as if he had known all along that I had entered the room. Interesting.

"Did you know there are markets here?”

“Yes.” Was all Percy said, neither angry nor calm, in a voice so neutral that I didn’t know what to think. Was he trying to ignore me?

I felt like laughing for some reason, but I held it in. I guess it wasn't a good idea at the moment.

I ran my fingers through his hair, while Percy sat there, rigid as a block of concrete.

"I wanted to tell you about the restaurant. Carla recommended one that looks great. Interested?”

When nothing changed, I sighed, feigning sadness.

"I made a reservation for 8pm. I think I'll have to cancel.”

“Reserve?” Percy asked, emotion finally filling his voice, but barely.

"Yes. I'll be right back." Percy turned to me and I showed him the bag I was carrying in my arm.

Percy made a sound in his throat and I turned away, leaving him alone with his surprised and somewhat sad expression.

So much drama! I said I would do whatever he wanted, didn't I? So why all this show? I shook my head, giving up, and walked down the hall until I found our room. I put the bag with the new clothes on the bed and got into the shower, scrubbed myself and got out of the shower, getting dressed quickly. Okay, I looked at the clock and saw that there was still half an hour until we had to leave. If it were earlier, I would spend that time watching something on my phone or staying away from people for as long as possible, but with Percy... yes, what I was about to say would sound cliché, but I would say it with all the words — I didn't mind spending time with him, even if it was with Percy all sulky and with an abandonment complex.

I took one last look in the mirror, checking my hair, and grabbed my wallet from the nightstand. When I got downstairs, Percy was sprawled on the couch, his once immaculate clothes now wrinkled, looking like he was going to burst into tears at any moment.

"What's wrong, baby?”

I called for Percy and he didn't even wait for me to sit down next to him. Percy pulled me by the hand, practically throwing me onto the couch, and buried his face on my neck, which seemed to have become his favorite way to hug me.

When Percy didn't say anything, I spoke again, "Percy. Tell me."

"I don't like being alone. I got mad, I thought you had forgotten.”

"It's okay." I said, even though it wasn't, even though this attitude was that of a real baby, all spoiled and sulking who then cried when he was scolded.

"No, I feel so guilty. You should just leave me like everyone else does.”

See? Abandonment complex.

Honestly? I didn't know if I was ready to deal with this. I swear, if it were before... if it were... I sighed and held onto his neck, feeling him relax as I squeezed tighter, just a little, to keep him grounded.

"It's okay, honey. Nothing bad happened, you're safe, yeah?”

"Hmmhm." Percy murmured, now calmer.

If all the problems I had in life could be solved with a firm hand and a few kind words, the world would be a much better place. But instead of thinking about that, I remembered the reserve.

"Do you have everything you need?" I asked.

Percy shook his head and stood up, all the while staring at the ground, not even looking at me.

***

The trip to the restaurant was quicker than I had imagined. It was a charming and discreet establishment located in the city center, perfect for those seeking privacy and quality food, a trip that was spent in complete silence. Percy seemed nervous and at the same time irritated about something; him driving his Audi a little faster than necessary was enough of a response to show that. Percy stopped when the light was red, started when the yellow changed color and never looked to the side, his face hard, serious and tense.

I waited for Percy to stop the car, get out of it and the valet to take him away before I turned to him, holding his arm:

"We don't have to do this. If you've changed your mind--”

"I haven't changed. Why would I?" Percy raised his head and puffed out his chest, standing about eight inches taller than me.

Was this supposed to intimidate me? Make me obey him? Percy still didn't know who he was dealing with.

"Here's the thing, I'm not going to indulge you. If you want to do it, we'll do it. If you don't want to, you're going to sit at that table, behave like an adult, and we'll have a nice evening. Got it?" To get the message across completely, I grabbed Percy's waist and pulled him close, and only let go when I saw him swallow hard, his height distracting me for a moment, but for the opposite reason Percy wanted to provoke. "What's it going to be?”

Percy didn't say anything, he just lowered his head and nodded, bowing slightly in my direction.

Good, very good. I was beginning to understand what Roberta meant by discipline.

I touched Percy's back and guided him into the restaurant. Right at the door there was a Maître waiting for us. He greeted us with a smile and said politely:

"Reservations?”

"Di Angelo.”

The Maître looked at the list that was resting on the reception desk and turned to us.

"Yes, here it is. Follow me, please.”

I smiled and with my hands on Percy's back, we followed the Maître towards a corner further away from the center of the room, where few people would pass by or have a view of that corner.

The Maître handed over two menus and said, turning to me:

"Someone will come to serve you soon. Feel free to contact us at any time.”

"Thank you." I said. With that, the maître turned his back on us and all that was left was the sound of the band in the background, almost as if it were in a separate room from where we were.

I looked at Percy who was still looking down and sighed, tempted to put an end to it all. I looked more closely and almost asked what Percy wanted to do. But Percy had such an… absent expression that I wasn't sure. It was somewhere between shame and sadness, his face wasn't as white as before and he even seemed to have a slight blush. Was this excitement or just plain embarrassment? Percy said he liked gentle humiliation, didn't he? That's what I was about to find out.

I waited for the waiter to come over and placed our orders, remembering that Percy liked dry wine. I ordered that too and waited for our order to be written down and the waiter to walk away from us.

“Get up,” I said, watching the array of emotions that passed through Percy.

First came the irritation, Percy's face twisting bitterly. Then he lifted his head and glared at me, challenging me. But when he saw that I didn't look away, he looked back down, his face flushing a fraction more.

"Get up." I repeated.

I put my napkin down and left my seat, heading toward the bathroom. I didn't need directions because I had spotted it when I entered, so I marched until I found the bathroom and went in, leaning against the wall and waiting. A minute passed, then two, then three, and when I reached the five-minute mark I was ready to give up when the door opened and Percy, all seven feet tall, walked in, looking small and a little lost.

"Nico?" Percy said in a small voice. "Why are you doing this?”

"Isn't that what we agreed on?”

“How can you want to be seen with me in public? Did you see how they looked at me?”

"How did they look at you, Percy?”

"Like I… like I'm a freak." Percy said, swallowing hard, still looking at the ground.

"None of that matters. Just you and me. If you're feeling uncomfortable, we'll leave right now. But if you want to do this, go into the cubicle.”

"Why do I have to decide?”

"Because you are the one who has the power.”

"I have?”

I took a deep breath and forced myself to look at Percy, his eyes uncertain and confused. I wanted to run away and I wanted to hide just so I wouldn't have to deal with feelings I had always avoided. Finally, I spoke:

"You always will. No one can force you to do anything. You are not obliged to please anyone. It is your decision and you are the one who will have to face the consequences. You are the one who will have to live with it. So, I ask you, are you going in or are we going out?”

I watched Percy start to fidget, he looked everywhere, trying to find a way out, any way. The door was right behind Percy and yet he didn't seem to see it. I wanted to get closer and comfort him, but I was starting to see that every time I spoiled him it was an opportunity Percy was missing to make his own choices. So, I stayed where I was, attentive.

"The door is right behind you. Why don't you go through it? There's no right or wrong here. I promise I won't be mad if you give up.”

"Why?”

"Because you're safe and nothing bad can happen, not while I'm here.”

Tired of waiting, I walked towards the cubicles and entered one of them, holding the door open and waiting for Percy.

"This is your last chance. Decide.”

Percy seemed shocked by that. He straightened his spine and took a step toward me, then another, and another until we were both inside the cramped space.

I let the door close, eliminating the last obstacle and faced Percy, approaching him.

"Did you bring it?”

Percy nodded and reached into his pockets, pulling out a small tube of lube and an oval vibrator, all black with a safety cord.

"Put your hands on the wall.”

Percy blinked and fidgeted a little, but eventually complied. He faced the toilet, placed his hands on the wall, and spread his legs, waiting patiently.

Now it was me who wanted to make him wait. I pushed myself away from the wall, made sure the door was locked, turned the key and finally turned to Percy. I took the last step that separated us and touched his waist. He jumped in fright and gasped, all anxious.

"Why are you so nervous?" I asked as I slid my hands inside his blazer, feeling the heat of him and then reaching his neck, seeing how his heart raced.

"I've never done that in public. No one ever wanted to…”

"I see. I feel like you're going to have to get used to it.”

"Get used to it?”

"I'm going to introduce you to my friends and family. You'll find out why I didn't want to be a Dom.”

"Y-you going?" Percy hissed, squeaking when my hand went to his abdomen, going down until I found the zipper of his pants.

"Yes, I will." I pulled his pants down along with his underwear and caressed him slowly.

He was already all wet and swollen in there, I played with him a little until Percy threw his head over my shoulders and I slid my hands to his ass, squeezing his buttocks.

"Are you ready?”

"Yes!”

Since Percy spoke with such gusto, I could only obey. I opened the tube with one hand and with the other, I poured it into my fingers. I moved them towards Percy's entrance and was surprised when I saw that they went in on the first try.

"What a naughty boy, are you? Having fun without me?”

"I… I wanted to be prepared!

"Yeah, I see that. More prepared than that, impossible." I said and got down until I was really close. "Let's see.”

And literally, I saw, watched as the not-so-tight little hole contracted against my fingers, pulsing and pulsing, as I continued to stretch it a little more. I got closer and couldn't stop myself, Percy smelled like... roses? I wanted to laugh. How long had Percy spent washing himself for that to be true? I pulled my fingers out, I needed to prove these facts. I opened my mouth and licked his entrance, massaging the wrinkled and swollen little hole. Percy arched his spine and gave a little moan that I hadn't heard until that moment, he practically melted against the wall, his legs shaking, so tense that I was surprised he was still standing.

"I'm sorry, I won't torture you anymore.”

I took the vibrator that was in my pocket and inserted it into Percy.

I mean, the dildo didn't go in on the first try. It might have been small, but it was pretty... fat, and quite wide at the ends. I put more lube on it and started to force it in. I pulled it out and forced it in again, until Percy gave a muffled moan and the toy was all the way inside him. I used my finger to make sure it was in the right place, trying to position the toy as best as possible, and I grabbed my phone.

The technology was really amazing. The vibrator even came with an app! I started it up and right on the home screen the intensities were displayed, and with a single touch the toy came to life. I… I could feel everything, as the toy immediately began to vibrate with a gentle pulsing, Percy continued to gasp, but it didn't seem to be making any difference. I then pushed the toy a little deeper and a little deeper until Percy squealed, moaning long and slow.

"Did you like it?”

"Sir.”

"Did you like it?" I insisted.

"Yes!”

"What if I do that?" I went up two levels and Percy collapsed, I had to hold him by the waist and keep him pressed against the wall so that we both didn't fall to the ground.

"I think that was a more than positive response.”

I grabbed Percy's pants, getting ready to leave when I saw that something slimy was in the way. I turned Percy to face me and leaned him against the wall, when I saw that Percy had come, I mean, that would never be an orgasm but rather... ejaculation, the cum without the full sensation of orgasm. Before I thought that this was something from gay porn, but it seemed that way, it was real and very possible if it were for the calm expression on Percy's sweaty face.

"My good boy. Are you having fun? Hmm?" I asked trying to bring him back to the world of the living.

"Sir.”

I wiped what I could with a piece of paper and held Percy's face, to make sure he was okay.

"Come on, baby. Open your eyes, will you?”

When this happened, I was happy to see that my Percy returned to me, a calm, sweet and obedient one. My submissive.

"Now, yes. Let's go. Our dinner should be served by now.”

I took Percy's hand and led him out of the bathroom. And if anyone noticed, none of them said a word to me.

***

"Is everything okay?" I asked as soon as we sat down. "That's what you wanted, right?”

“Nico,” Percy said, curling up against my side, his voice breathless and sly.

"None of that. Look at me.”

And Percy did, without blinking. He lifted his head and stared at me without a hint of defiance. That was the moment I chose to kiss him, right there, in the middle of the people and employees, just as a waiter was placing our food on the table. Slowly, deeply and deliciously, I grabbed Percy by the back of his neck and didn't let him pull away until the fight in him was completely gone.

Just as the waiter came, he was gone, leaving a blushing Percy and making me feel proud of what I had just caused.

"Let's eat.”

"Yes, sir.”

"So, is it going to be like this? Now you're going to call me sir?”

"Yes, sir." Percy repeated, smiling mischievously.

"Remember, you asked for this. Don't forget the consequences.”

"I'll behave, I swear.”

"Then eat your food. It will get cold.”

Percy waved happily and uncovered his plate. He smiled even wider and asked:

"How did you know what I wanted?”

I shrugged.

"It was a hunch.”

It was more than a hunch. I’d seen how much meat he ate at home, so a rare steak couldn’t be a bad choice. I was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek and another radiant smile.

Percy went back to eating and, seeing that he was distracted, I unlocked the phone screen, opening the application again. I activated it and set it to the first level.

“How’s your steak?” I said, enjoying myself more than I should have.

"Very good. Thank you.”

Percy's reaction was to grip the cutlery tighter and gasp softly, but other than that, everything seemed normal.

I set my phone down on the table and took my first bite of pasta. Fresh pasta and perfectly strained tomato sauce made me miss home. To distract myself, I pressed another button and Percy groaned softly beside me, his face heating up. I moved up another level and Percy arched his spine, leaning against the seat back, melting against me. We sat so close together it was impossible not to feel him shiver all over.

"Still good?" I took a chance and looked at him. His eyes were almost closed, dilated, and his mouth remained open, trying to breathe. All in all, it was a beautiful image, the only thing missing was the baby blue collar that would make a beautiful contrast against that flushed and tanned skin.

"Yes, sir.”

I smiled, and feeling the little devil inside me awaken, I turned it up another notch. This time, Percy actually groaned, throwing his head back and shifting in his chair, no doubt trying to relieve the pressure inside him.

That's when I saw a man approaching us, walking straight to our table. I touched Percy's shoulder and said very quietly in his ear:

"A couple approaches. If you're a good boy, I promise to give you something you'll like.”

"You're so mean to me." Percy pouted, still panting, and obeyed. He took a deep breath, controlling his breathing and looked ahead in time to see the man approaching. "I know him, he's a partner in the company we're working with.”

"Then you better make a good impression.”

I pulled away from Percy slightly and watched them chat.

As soon as the man was close enough to see them clearly, Percy shrugged his shoulders and stood up to greet the guy with a strong, determined handshake. The woman next to him just smiled, that kind of fake, friendly, rehearsed smile, while I stood up, also greeting them both with a nod, staying next to Percy and with my cell phone in my hand, as if I was reading something very important.

The truth is that I was playing with the intensity of the toy. First, I turned it down completely until the vibrations disappeared, then I turned it up to the fourth level without warning. All Percy did was smile at the man and change legs, completely calm. That's when I started to have fun, I kept my finger pressed and increased the intensity, I raised my finger and lowered it, making the vibration go up and down together.

All the while, I watched Percy's attitude change, amazed and a little excited, watching my sub transform into the businessman before my eyes. No matter what I did, all Percy did was keep his spine straight and dig those big fingers into my waist, seeming to maintain control with that act. I turned the level up to maximum for two or three seconds and then turned it back down to minimum, giving him time to breathe and then turning it back up to maximum.

Finally, I saw an interesting reaction. Percy leaned forward and lowered his head, moaning so softly that I was the only one to hear it.

"Are you okay, Mr. Jackson? Do you need an ambulance?”

"Oh, no. That won't be necessary. Percy has been working too hard, you know? He just needs to rest.”

"Are you sure? It's no bother at all.”

"Don't worry. We'll ask for the bill soon.”

"If that's the case, we'll go now. We wish you a speedy recovery.”

As soon as the man left, Percy grabbed me by the shoulders, made me sit down and sat on my lap, letting me see his face. And the sight, in fact, was glorious. Percy, all flushed and panting like a dog, was crying, rolling his hips on my lap as if he were riding me. Indeed, that was what I felt too. Percy rubbed himself so hard against me that…

"Sir, please.”

"What did you say?”

"Please…”

"What are your color, Percy?”

"Green.”

"What do you need?”

"It hurts, it hurts so much.”

I unbuttoned Percy's pants and saw that he looked very sore indeed. I had never seen Percy so swollen and so desperate before. I touched his balls, which were so full that they looked like they were going to explode. It was then that Percy lost his strength, falling against my shoulder. All I could hear were his sobs and moans, as I touched him for a few more seconds, only stopping when I saw that Percy ejaculated for the second time that night.

I turned off the toy and wrapped him in my arms, kissing every place my mouth could reach. Face, lips, neck and shoulder, I only stopped kissing him when Percy stopped shaking and hugged me tightly around the neck, resting his head there. I would love to see the state Percy's pants must be in now. But those were thoughts for another time, probably when we got home and I was in the middle of them, torturing Percy the way Percy liked best.

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

Parte IX 

Era uma noite agradável. Esperei que o sol sumisse no horizonte e só depois disso voltei para a casa que dividia com Percy. Sim, eu tinha dado mais uma volta pela cidade, andado pelas ruas e depois voltado, explorando os prédios da instituição. Aparentemente, havia lojas lá dentro, alguns mercados, lojas parecidas com as que eu tinha visitado e até depósitos gigantescos com móveis e utensílios domésticos. De verdade, era uma cidade dentro de uma instituição para manter a vida de todos o mais confortável possível, o que eu achava muito estranho já que em outras partes da cidade pessoas passavam fome.

Quando voltei para casa foi para encontrar Percy sentado no sofá, olhando fixamente para a parede, como se ele visse algo que eu não pudesse. Ele vestia calças pretas que se moldava perfeitamente a suas pernas fortes e uma camisa branca social justa, o cabelo penteado para trás e um blazer descansando no encosto do sofá. Ele cruzava os braços e tinha aquela expressão no rosto… é, Percy definitivamente estava irritado. E ainda assim, ele não deixava de ser um dos homens mais bonitos que eu já tinha visto.

Cruzei a pequena distância até onde Percy se sentava e encostei minhas mãos sobre seu pescoço. Ele não se assustou, pulou ou fez nada, Percy ficou ali como se soubesse desde o princípio que eu tinha entrado na sala. Interessante.

— Você sabia que tem mercados aqui dentro?

— Sim. — Foi tudo o que Percy disse, nem irritado, nem calmo, numa voz tão neutra que eu não sabia o que pensar. Ele estava tentando me ignorar?

Senti vontade rir por algum motivo, mas me contive. Acho que no momento não era uma boa ideia. 

Deslizei meus dedos pelo cabelo dele, enquanto Percy continuava sentado, duro, feito uma pedra de concreto.

— Eu queria te falar do restaurante. Carla me indicou um que parece ótimo. Interessado?

Quando nada mudou, suspirei, fingindo tristeza.

— Fiz uma reserva para as 20h. Acho que vou ter que desmarcar.

— Reserva? — Percy perguntou, emoção enfim tomando seu tom de voz, mas muito pouco.

— Sim. Já volto. — Percy se virou para mim e eu mostrei a ele a sacola que eu levava no braço.

Percy fez um som com a garganta e eu me virei, o deixando sozinho com sua expressão surpresa um tanto quanto triste.

Quanto drama! Eu disse que iria fazer o que ele queria, não disse? Então, porque todo esse showzinho? Balancei a cabeça, me dando por vencido e andei pelo corredor até encontrar nosso quarto. Coloquei a sacola com as roupas novas em cima da cama e entrei no banho, me esfreguei e saí do chuveiro, me vestindo rapidamente. Certo, olhei no relógio e vi que ainda faltava meia hora até termos de sair. Se fosse antes, eu gastaria esse tempo vendo algo no celular ou ficando longe das pessoas pelo maior tempo possível, mas com Percy… sim, o que eu estava para dizer pareceria clichê, mas eu diria com todas as palavras — eu não me importava de passar meu tempo com ele, mesmo que fosse com Percy todo emburrado e com complexo de abandono.

Olhei pela última vez no espelho, checando meu cabelo e peguei minha carteira de cima do criado-mundo. Quando cheguei no andar de baixo, Percy estava jogado no sofá, suas roupas antes imaculadas, agora amassadas, parecendo que ele iria cair no choro a qualquer momento.

— O que foi, bebê? 

Chamei por Percy e ele nem esperou que eu me sentasse a seu lado. Percy me puxou pela mão, praticamente me jogando no sofá, e enterrou seu rosto no meu pescoço, parecendo ter se tornado sua forma favorita de me abraçar.

Quando Percy não disse nada, voltei a falar: — Percy. Me diga.

— Eu não gosto de ficar sozinho. Eu fiquei bravo, pensei que você tinha esquecido.

— Está tudo bem. — Falei, mesmo que não estivesse, mesmo que essa atitude fosse de um bebê real, todo mimado e birrento que depois chorava ao ser repreendido.

— Não, eu me sinto tão culpado. Você devia me largar como todo mundo faz.

Viu? Complexo de abandono.

Sinceramente? Eu não sabia se estava preparado para lidar com isso. Eu juro, se fosse antes… se fosse… eu suspirei e segurei em seu pescoço, o sentindo relaxar conforme eu apertava mais forte, só um pouquinho, para mantê-lo com o pé no chão.  

— Está tudo bem, querido. Nada ruim aconteceu, você está seguro, sim?

— Hmmhm. — Percy murmurou, agora mais calmo.

Se todos os problemas que eu tive na vida se resolvessem com uma mão firme e algumas palavras doces, o mundo seria bem melhor. Mas ao invés de ficar pensando nisso, me lembrei da reserva.

— Você tem tudo o que precisa? — Perguntei.

Percy acenou, negando, e se levantou, tudo isso enquanto olhava para o chão, sem sequer me encarar.

***

A viagem até o restaurante foi mais rápida do que eu imaginava. Era um estabelecimento charmoso e discreto que ficava no centro da cidade, perfeito para quem buscasse privacidade e uma comida de qualidade, viagem essa que foi passada em completo silêncio. Percy parecia nervoso e ao mesmo tempo irritado com algo, ele dirigindo seu Audi um pouco mais rápido do que o necessário era resposta suficiente para mostrar isso. Percy parava quando a luz estava em vermelho, arrancava quando o amarelo mudava de cor e jamais olhava para o lado, seu rosto duro, sério e tenso.

Esperei que Percy parasse o carro, saísse dele e o valet o levasse embora para me virar para ele, o segurando pelo braço:

— Nós não precisamos fazer isso. Se você mudou de ideia--

— Eu não mudei. Porque eu mudaria? — Percy empinou a cabeça e estufou o peito, ficando uns vinte centímetros mais alto do que eu.

Isso era para me intimidar? Me fazer obedecê-lo? Percy ainda não sabia com quem estava lidando.

— É o seguinte, eu não vou fazer suas vontades. Se você quiser fazer, a gente faz. Se você não quiser, você vai sentar naquela mesa, se comportar como um adulto e teremos uma agradável noite. Entendeu? — Para passar o recado de forma completa, segurei na cintura de Percy e o puxei para perto, e só o soltei quando vi ele engolir em seco, sua altura me distraindo por um momento, porém pela razão contrária que Percy queria provocar. — O que vai ser?

Percy não disse nada, apenas abaixou a cabeça e acenou, se curvando minimamente em minha direção.

Bom, muito bom. Eu começava a entender o que Roberta queria dizer com disciplina.

Toquei nas costas de Percy e o guiei para dentro do restaurante. Logo na porta havia um Maître nos esperando. Ele nos saudou com um sorriso e disse, educado: 

— Reservas?

— Di Ângelo.

O Maître olhou na lista que estava apoiada no balcão de entrada e se virou para nós.

— Sim, aqui está. Sigam-me, por favor.

Eu sorri e com as mãos nas costas de Percy, seguimos o Maître em direção a um canto mais afastado do centro do salão, onde poucas pessoas passariam ou teriam a visão daquele canto.

O Maître entregou dois cardápios e disse, se virando para mim:

— Logo alguém virá servi-los. Se sintam à vontade para nos acionar a qualquer instante.

— Obrigado. — Eu disse. Assim, o maître nos deu as costas e só restou o som da banda bem ao fundo, quase como se ela estivesse em um cômodo separado de onde estávamos.

Olhei para Percy que continuava olhando para baixo e suspirei, tentado a acabar com tudo aquilo. Observei mais atentamente e quase perguntei o que Percy queria fazer. Mas Percy tinha uma expressão tão… tão ausente que eu não tinha certeza. Era algo entre vergonha e tristeza, seu rosto não estava tão branco quanto antes e até parecia ter um certo rubor. Seria isso excitação ou puro constrangimento? Percy disse que gostava de humilhação suave, não disse? Era o que eu estava prestes a descobrir.

Esperei que o garçom viesse até nós e fiz nossos pedidos, me lembrando que ele gostava de vinho seco. Pedi isso também e esperei que nosso perdido fosse anotado e o garçom se afastasse de nós.

— Se levante. — Eu disse, observando o conjunto de emoções que passava por Percy.

Primeiro, veio a irritação, o rosto de Percy se contorcendo de forma amarga. Depois ele levantou a cabeça e me encarou, me desafiando. Mas quando viu que eu não desviei o olhar, voltou a olhar para baixo, seu rosto corando uma fração a mais.

— Se levante. — Repeti.

Coloquei meu guardanapo na mesa e sai do meu lugar, indo em direção ao banheiro. Não precisei de direções porque eu havia o avistado na hora de entrar, então marchei até o encontrar e entrei, me encostando contra a parede e esperei. Passou um minuto, dois e depois, três, quando chegou a marca de dos cinco me preparei para desistir quando a porta se abriu e Percy com seus dois metros entrou, parecendo pequeno e meio perdido.

— Nico? — Percy disse em uma voz pequena. — Porque você está fazendo isso?

— Não é o que combinamos?

— Como você pode querer ser visto comigo em público? Você viu como eles me olhavam?

— Como eles te olhavam, Percy?

— Como se eu… como se eu fosse uma aberração. — Percy falou, engolindo em seco, ainda olhando para o chão.

— Nada disso importa. Só você e eu. Se você estiver se sentindo desconfortável vamos embora nesse momento. Mas se você quiser fazer isso, entre no cubículo.

— Porque eu tenho que decidir?

— Porque é você quem tem o poder.

— Eu tenho?

Eu respirei fundo e me obriguei a encarar Percy, seus olhos incertos e confusos. Eu queria fugir e queria me esconder apenas para não ter que lidar com sentimentos que eu sempre evitei. Por fim, falei:

— Você sempre terá. Ninguém pode te obrigar a fazer nada. Você não é obrigado a agradar ninguém. É sua decisão e é você que terá que arcar com as consequências. É você que terá que viver com isso. Então, eu pergunto, você vai entrar ou nós vamos embora?

Observei Percy começar a se remexer, ele olhava para todos os lados, tentando achar uma saída, qualquer uma. A porta estava bem atrás de Percy e mesmo assim ele parecia não enxergá-la. Eu queria me aproximar e consolá-lo, mas eu começava a ver que cada vez que eu o mimava era uma oportunidade que Percy perdia em fazer suas próprias escolhas. Assim, eu fiquei onde estava, atento.

— A porta está bem atrás de você. Porque você não passa por ela? Não existe certo ou errado aqui. Prometo que não vou ficar bravo se você desistir.

— Porquê?

— Porque você está seguro e nada de mau pode acontecer, não enquanto eu estiver aqui.

Cansado de esperar, andei em direção aos cubículos e entrei em um deles, mantendo a porta aberta e esperando por Percy.

— É sua última chance. Decida.

Percy pareceu tomar um choque com aquilo. Ele endireitou a coluna e deu um passo em minha direção, então outro e outro até que ambos estávamos dentro daquele espaço apertado. 

Deixei a porta se fechar, eliminando o último obstáculo e encarei Percy, me aproximando dele.

— Você trouxe?

Percy acenou e tocou os bolsos, tirando de lá um pequeno tubo de lubrificante e um vibrador oval, todo preto com um fio de segurança.

— Coloque as mãos na parede.

Percy piscou e se remexeu um pouco, mas acabou obedecendo. Ele ficou de frente para a privada, colocou as mãos na parede e abriu as pernas, esperando pacientemente.

Agora era eu quem queria fazê-lo esperar. Eu me desencostei da parede, me certifiquei que a porta estava trancada, girando a chave e enfim me virei para Percy. Dei o último passo que nos separava e toquei em sua cintura. Ele deu um pulinho de susto e arfou, todo ansioso.

— Porque você está tão nervoso? — Perguntei ao deslizar minhas mãos por dentro de seu blazer, sentindo o calor dele e então chegando a seu pescoço, vendo como o coração dele disparava.

— Eu nunca fiz isso, em público. Ninguém nunca quis… 

— Entendo. Sinto que você vai ter que se acostumar.

— Me acostumar?

— Eu vou te apresentar pros meus amigos e minha família. Você vai descobrir porque eu não queria ser um Dom.

— V-ocê vai? — Percy chiou, dando um guinchinho quando minha mão foi para seu abdômen, descendo até encontrar o zíper da calça.

— Sim, eu vou. — Puxei suas calças para baixo junto com sua cueca oe  acariciei devagar.

Ele já estava todo molhado e estufado ali dentro, brinquei um pouco com ele até Percy jogar a cabeça sob meus ombros e deslizei minhas mãos para sua bunda, apertando suas nádegas.

— Você está pronto?

— Sim!

Já que Percy falava com tanto gosto, eu podia apenas obedecer. Abri o tubo com uma mão e com a outra, despejei em meus dedos. Fui com eles em direção a entrada de Percy e me surpreendi quando vi que eles entraram na primeira tentativa.

— Que garoto safado você é? Se divertindo sem mim?

— Eu… eu queria estar preparado!

— É, eu vejo isso. Mais preparado do que isso, impossível. — Eu disse e me abaixei até estar bem de perto. — Vamos ver.

E literalmente, eu vi, observei como o buraquinho nem tão apertado se contraia contra meus dedos, pulsando e pulsando, enquanto eu continuava a esticá-lo um pouquinho mais. Cheguei mais perto e não consegui me parar, Percy cheirava a… rosas? Eu queria rir. Quando tempo Percy passou se lavando para que isso pudesse ser verdade? Tirei meus dedos, eu precisava comprovar esses fatos. Abri a boca e lambi sua entrada, massageando o buraquinho enrrugado e inchado. Percy curvou a coluna e deu um gemidinho que eu não tinha ouvido até aquele momento, ele praticamente se derreteu contra a parede, suas pernas tremendo, tão tenso que eu me surpreendia dele ainda estar de pé.

— Me desculpe, eu não vou mais te torturar.

Peguei o vibrador que estava no meu bolso e inseri em Percy. 

Quer dizer, o vibrador não entrou na primeira tentativa. Ele podia ser pequeno, mas era bem… gordo, bem largo nas extremidades. Coloquei mais lubrificante e comecei a força-lo para dentro. Eu o puxei para fora e o forcei de novo, até que Percy deu um gemido abafado e o brinquedo entrou completamente dentro dele. Usei meu dedo para ter certeza que ele estava no lugar certo, tentando posicionar o brinquedo o melhor possível e peguei meu celular. 

A tecnologia era uma coisa incrível mesmo. O vibrador até vinha com um aplicativo! Eu o iniciei e logo na tela de início as intensidades eram mostradas, e com um único toque o brinquedo ganhou vida. Eu… eu podia sentir tudo, como o brinquedo começou a vibrar imediatamente com um suave pulsar, Percy continuava a arfar, mas não parecia estar fazendo diferença. Eu, então, empurrei o brinquedo um pouco mais para o fundo e mais um pouco até que Percy guinchou, gemendo longa e vagarosamente.

— Você gostou?

— Senhor.

— Você gostou? — Eu insisti.

— Sim!

— E se eu fizer isso? — Aumentei dois níveis e Percy desabou, tive que segurá-lo pela cintura e mantê-lo pressionado contra a parede para que ambos não fossemos ao chão.

— Acho que essa foi uma resposta mais do que positiva.

Segurei nas calças de Percy, nos preparando para sair dali quando vi que algo viscoso estava no caminho. Virei Percy de frente para mim e o apoiei na parede, quando vi que Percy tinha gozado, quer dizer, aquilo nunca seria um orgasmo e sim… ejacular, o gozo sem a sensação completa do orgasmo. Antes eu pensava que isso era coisa de porno gay, mas parecia que não, era real e muito possível se fosse pela expressão calma no rosto todo suado de Percy.

— Meu bom garoto. Você está se divertindo? Hmm? — Perguntei tentando o trazer de volta ao mundo dos vivos.

— Senhor. 

Limpei o que pude com um pedaço de papel e segurei no rosto de Percy.

— Vamos, bebê. Abra os olhos, sim?

Quando isso aconteceu, fiquei feliz de ver que meu Percy retornava a mim, um calmo, doce e obediente. Meu submisso.

— Agora, sim. Vamos. Nosso jantar já deve estar sendo servido.

Peguei na mão de Percy e o guiei para fora do banheiro. E se alguém percebeu, nenhum deles disse uma palavra a mim.

***

— Tudo bem? — Perguntei assim que sentamos. — Era o que você queria, não?

— Nico. — Percy falou, se encolhendo todo contra meu lado, dizendo com uma voz arfada e toda manhosa.

— Nada disso. Olhe para mim.

E Percy fez, sem pestanejar. Ele levantou a cabeça e me encarou sem um pingo de desafio. Esse foi o momento que escolhi para beijá-lo ali mesmo, no meio das pessoas e funcionários, bem quando um garçom colocava nossa comida na mesa. Devagar, profundo e gostoso, segurei Percy pela nuca e não o deixei se afastar até que a luta nele sumisse completamente.

Assim como o garçom veio, ele se foi, deixando um Percy todo corado e me fazendo sentir orgulho do que eu tinha acabado de provocar.

— Vamos comer.

— Sim, senhor.

— Então, vai ser assim? Agora você vai me chamar de senhor?

— Sim, senhor. — Percy repetiu, sorrindo arteiro.

— Se lembre, foi você que pediu por isso. Não se esqueça das consequências.

— Eu vou me comportar, eu juro.

— Então, coma sua comida. Vai esfriar.

Percy acenou todo feliz, e destampou seu prato. Ela abriu um sorriso maior ainda e perguntou:

— Como você sabia o que eu queria?

Dei de ombros.

— Foi um palpite.

Foi mais do que um palpite. Eu tinha visto quanta carne ele comia em casa, então um filé mal passado não poderia ser uma má escolha. Fui recompensado com um beijo no rosto e outro sorriso radiante. 

Percy voltou a comer e eu vendo que ele estava distraído, destravei o tela do celular, abrindo novamente o aplicativo. O acionei e coloquei no primeiro nível. 

— Como está seu filé? — Eu disse, me divertindo mais do que eu deveria.

— Muito bom. Obrigado.

A reação de Percy foi segurar os talheres com mais força e arfar suavemente, mas tirando isso, tudo parecia normal.

Deixei o celular em cima da mesa e dei a primeira garfada na macarronada. Massa fresca e molho de tomate perfeitamente peneirado, me fazendo sentir saudade de casa. Para me distrair, apertei outro botão e Percy gemeu baixinho ao meu lado, seu rosto esquentando. Subi mais um nível e Percy curvou a coluna, se encostando contra o apoio do acento, se derretendo contra mim. Nós nos sentávamos tão perto que era impossível não senti-lo estremecer por completo.

— Ainda bom? — Arrisquei e olhei para ele. Seus olhos quase se fechavam, dilatados, e sua boca permanecia aberta, tentando respirar. No todo era uma linda imagem, só o que faltava era a coleira azul-bebê que faria um lindo contraste naquela pele corada e bronzeada.

— Sim, senhor.

Eu sorri, e sentindo o diabinho dentro de mim acordar, aumentei mais um nível. Dessa vez, Percy gemeu de verdade, jogando a cabeça para trás e se remexendo na cadeira, sem dúvida tentando aliviar a pressão dentro dele.

Foi quando vi que um homem se aproximava de nós, andando em linha reta até nossa mesa. Toquei no ombro de Percy e disse bem baixinho no ouvido dele:

— Um casal se aproxima. Se você for um bom garoto, prometo te dar algo que você vai gostar. 

— Você é tão mau comigo. — Percy fez um biquinho manhoso, ainda arfando, e obedeceu. Ele respirou fundo, controlando a respiração e olhou para frente a tempo de ver o homem se aproximando. — Eu o conheço, ele é sócio da empresa que estamos trabalhando.

— Então, é bom que você cause uma boa impressão.

Me afastei levemente de Percy e observei eles jogarem conversa fora. 

Assim que o homem estava perto o suficiente para vê-los com claridade, Percy ergueu os ombros e se levantou para cumprimentar o cara com um aperto de mão forte e decidido. A mulher ao lado apenas sorriu, naquele tipo de sorriso falso e simpático, ensaiado, enquanto que eu me levantei, também cumprimentando a ambos com um aceno de cabeça, me mantendo ao lado de Percy e com o celular na mão, como se lesse algo muito importante. 

A verdade é que eu brincava com a intensidade do brinquedo. Primeiro, eu baixei completamente até que as vibrações sumissem, logo em seguida, aumentei até o quarto nível sem avisar. Tudo o que Percy fez foi sorrir para o homem e mudar de perna, completamente calmo. Foi então que comecei a me divertir, mantive meu dedo pressionado e fui aumentando a intensidade, eu subia meu dedo e o abaixava, fazendo a vibração subir e descer junto.

Durante todo o tempo, observei como a troca na atitude de Percy acontecia, maravilhado e um pouco excitado, vendo meu sub se transformar no homem de negócios perante meus olhos. Não importava o que eu fizesse, tudo o que Percy fazia era manter a coluna ereta e afundar aqueles dedos grandes na minha cintura, parecendo manter o controle com aquele ato. Aumentei o nível até o máximo por dois ou três segundos e voltei a abaixar até o mínimo, o dando tempo dele respirar e aumentando de novo até o máximo. 

Finalmente, eu via uma reação interessante. Percy se curvou para frente e abaixou a cabeça, gemendo tão baixinho que eu fui o único a escutar. 

— Você está bem, senhor Jackson? Você precisa de uma ambulância?

— Ah, não. Não será necessário. Percy tem trabalhado demais, sabe? Ele só precisa descansar.

— Você tem certeza? Não é incomodo nenhum.

— Não se preocupe. Nós já vamos pedir a conta.

— Se é assim, nós já vamos. Lhe desejamos melhoras.

Assim que o homem foi embora, Percy me segurou pelo ombros, me fez sentar e se sentou no meu colo, me deixando ver seu rosto. E a visão, de fato, era gloriosa. Percy todo corado e arfando feito um cachorro, chorava, rebolando no meu colo como se me cavalgasse. Realmente, era o que eu também sentia. Percy se esfregava tão forte contra mim que…

— Senhor, por favor. 

— O que você disse?

— Por favor…

— Qual a sua cor, Percy?

— Verde. 

— O que você precisa?

— Dói, dói tanto. 

Desabotoei as calças de Percy e vi que parecia muito dolorido mesmo. Eu nunca tinha visto Percy tão inchado e tão desesperado antes. Eu toquei em suas boas que de tão cheias pareciam que iria explodir. Foi então que Percy perdeu as forças, despencando contra meu ombro. Tudo o que eu ouvia era seus soluços e gemidos, enquanto eu o tocava por mais alguns segundos, só parando quando vi que Percy ejaculava pela segunda vez naquela noite.

Desliguei o brinquedo e o envolvi em meus braços, beijando todos os lugares que minha boca alcançava. Rosto, lábios, pescoço e ombro, só paei de beijá-lo quando Percy parou de tremer e me abraçou apertado pelo pescoço, descansando a cabeça ali. Eu adoraria ver o estado que as calças de Percy deviam estar agora. Mas isso eram pensamentos para outra hora, provavelmente quando chegássemos em casa e eu estivesse no meio delas, torturando Percy do jeito que Percy mais gostava.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

News|Bay Area & State

7 people missing in huge Northern California fireworks warehouse explosion

By Ida Mojadad, News editorUpdated July 2, 2025 3:27 p.m.

View of fireworks warehouse fire in Esparto, Calif.Cal Fire on X

LATEST July 2, 2:30 p.m. Seven people remained unaccounted for nearing a day after a fireworks warehouse exploded, causing multiple fires and evacuations in Yolo County. Evacuations remain in place as risk remains, Cal Fire said Wednesday. 

File - A plume rises behind a building in Esparto, Calif., as a wildfire burns on Sunday, July 1, 2018.Noah Berger/AP

“This type of incident is very rare, as facilities like this are required to not only follow our stringent California pyrotechnic requirements, but also federal explosive storage requirements,” Cal Fire said in a news release with the Esparto Fire Protection District.

The Cloverdale Lions Club announced Wednesday afternoon that its annual fireworks show would be canceled due to the “tragic event” at the facility. The group’s Facebook statement said the explosion “not only destroyed the fireworks housed for many communities like ours but, tragically claimed the lives of many local community members employed by the corporation.”

July 2, 8:50 a.m. A fireworks warehouse in Northern California exploded into a show of pyrotechnics and smoke, causing fires and evacuations in the area Tuesday evening. 

The fire in Esparto, near Lake Berryessa to the west of Sacramento, started just before 6 p.m. Firefighters found several commercial buildings involved in numerous explosions and spot fires, the Esparto Fire Protection District said in a press briefing Tuesday evening. A video from KCRA-TV shows the warehouse on fire before the explosion blasted off, sending debris and igniting fireworks. Large plumes of smoke could be seen from far away.

The surrounding areas were required to evacuate as firefighters battled the blaze. As of Wednesday morning, the Oakdale Fire remains at 78 acres and evacuation orders are still in effect, according to Cal Fire. Residents in Madison and the Madison Migrant Center were allowed to return home, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday night.  

“The fire will take time to cool, and once it does, explosive experts must safely enter the site to assess and secure the area,” the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office wrote around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. “We strongly urge everyone to continue avoiding the area for the next several days so that fire crews, law enforcement, and emergency personnel can do their jobs safely and effectively.”

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, the sheriff’s office added. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Tuesday evening it was “closely tracking” the fire and explosion. 

“The State Fire Marshal has sent an arson and bomb investigation team, and stands ready to provide additional support as needed,” the office wrote. 

[k8epot8e]

Train in Vain: Chapter 10 The Gig

Summary:

The three of you finally reach the venue after your Odyssean journey to get there. You attempt to use some critical thinking skills and good judgment, but that doesn't last long. You meet some new friends and some more large men.

Notes:

Hi hello. It's been a hot minute. Hope you've all been having the brattiest of brat summers. Life is way too much, so it is once again time to retreat into the ample, nurturing, and supple bosom of fanfiction.

TWs: Weed usage, drinking, cursing, flirting, topical burn.

The three of you walked in silence with Kid leading your group like he had earlier. You thought briefly of telling Tashigi and Smoker that you weren’t taking them up on their offer of a ride, but you thought better of it. They might use it as an opportunity to pressure you into going home. Besides, you didn’t even know where they were; they’d kinda disappeared.

The silence you now walked in with the two men was no longer casual like it’d been earlier. There was a lingering awkwardness that radiated through your group with each step you took. You started to worry that the three of you wouldn’t be able to return to your previous, carefree dynamic after what just happened.

You’d cried in front of them. Not just cried, you’d sobbed. This made you feel self-conscious. While the crying was fairly understandable given the situation, you realized that Kid and Kil were probably the only people who’d seen you cry in the past five years. The little speech that you so confidently gave only moments ago had felt right in the moment, but now that the adrenaline was waning, some discomfort settled in.

Your anxiety, still heightened from your earlier predicament, swirled worries around your head like a hurricane.

You were put in a really dangerous situation because of these two, why are you still following them to their show? What if they don’t even have a show and they’ve just been planning to kidnap you the whole time? Is this what Stockholm syndrome is like? What if the show got canceled or something? Why do you keep thinking about how good it felt to have Kid hold you down? What if, after all this, their band sucks?

You flinched as you walked into something hard. You shook your head. You’d accidentally run into Kid’s huge back.

“Ow! What the hell!” You said rubbing the pain from your nose.

“We’re here, space cadet.” Kid smirked down at you.

Kid had led your party down a maze of winding side streets; you’d just now emerged out of the grid of apartment buildings and warehouses and into a wide thoroughfare with a port on the other side. Kid and Kil jay walked across the thoroughfare; you jogged to keep pace.

The port was what you would expect of a port. It was dark with wide open spaces and stacked shipping containers. You didn’t see any people inside. Separating you from the port was a tall chainlink fence with rows of barbed wire strung along the top.

“Oh god, I am getting kidnapped.” You thought to yourself.

Kid sauntered down the fence line, running his calloused palm against the links. After he went about twenty feet, he coiled his fingers around a split in the fence you previously hadn’t noticed. He used his large arms to flex the opening wider.

“After you, girlie.” He said.

“The concert is in an abandoned port?” You asked.

“It’s on the other side. Cutting through the dockyard is faster.” Kil said.

You sighed. You daintily stepped your right foot through the slit in the fence. Kid was holding it fairly wide but you still didn’t want to get caught on the rusty metal. You had to rotate your body to go into the fence at an angle. This maneuver put your back flush against Kid’s broad chest. As your body touched his, you just barely heard him let out a soft purr. You straightened your back and your face heated as you stooped over to pass through the opening.

Each man pried his own way through the fence with surprising ease. You could’ve done the same, you were fairly muscular, but realized Kid probably wanted to show off anyway.

Once you were all on the other side, Kid led your group diagonally across the unlit dockyard. Without the streetlights, it was getting hard to see.

You thought too much about not being able to see and immediately tripped on your own foot. You shoved your arms out in front of you instinctively to catch your fall, but felt a deft arm tug your waist back upright; Kil had scooped you so quickly you’d barely seen him move.

“Thanks.” You mumbled, embarrassed, as you started walking again.

You saw his surgical mask raise slightly; a sign, you’d deciphered, of a smile.

Kid had never stopped walking, so the two of you hurried to catch back up with the redhead.

After you crossed the wide dockyard, Kid led you through rows of stacked shipping containers. You heard it before you saw it. A low din that quickly became louder with each step you took. Once the roar of voices was loud enough to flood your ears, you saw an open area emerge past the rows of containers in front of you.

The open area was ringed by floodlights and four shipping containers positioned in a circle with a fairly large crowd of people in the middle. The shipping container nearest you was the venue’s stage; instruments and gear were assembled on top with towers of amps on either side. You were obviously entering the venue from the back as the stage was oriented to face away from you. You could see that two of the containers, one on either side of the crowd, were being used as bars. You assumed the fourth, furthest away from the stage, was for tickets.

You exhaled deeply. It’d been a long night but you’d finally made it.

The three of you emerged out from the rows of shipping containers into a smaller open area behind the stage. The area seemed to be used as a greenroom of sorts; there were old couches and chairs scattered about, coolers, vanity mirrors, and tons of instrument and gear cases. Multiple vans had been backed-up to the area as well, one of which you assumed was Kid and Kil’s.

You hadn’t previously thought that other bands would also be playing the gig, but it made sense now that you were at the venue. The green room area was busy; there were probably about thirty people hanging around in different groups. Some were drinking, some were tuning guitars, some were lounged or asleep. Most of them were dressed like Kid and Kil, in punk getups with lots of leather and spikes. You stuck out like a sore thumb.

As the three of you entered the area proper, you saw both of the men put on a bit of a swagger. They normally walked with brusk confidence, but now they were exaggerating this confidence ever so slightly; their pace slowed and shoulders rolled back to show the full extent of their frames. You smirked at their peacocking.

Kid and Kil sauntered towards one of the vans. It was an old Dodge Street Van custom-painted black, grey, and green. The front of the van was painted to be, what looked like, a mosasaurus skull. The van’s sliding doors were adored with a jolly roger made to look like Kid himself. You laughed, imagining how the conversation surrounding choosing their logo went.

There was so much to look at you ended up falling behind. Some of the people in the small groups that were scattered around watched as you passed. You blushed as you felt their eyes roll up and down your body. You heard some disapproving tsks, assumedly about your outfit, and you crossed your arms over your chest defensively.

Once Kid and Kil had gotten to their van, you heard some loud exclaiming.

“Thank fucking god!” a man with long blue hair said as he dapped up Kil and then Kid. The man was fairly tall and shirtless with a muscular build. His chest, arms, and face were covered in line tattoos made to resemble stitches. His tattoos imparted an intimidating quality to an otherwise kind-looking man.

“What took you guys so long?” A taller man who was standing behind the blue-haired guy asked. He was lanky and even taller than Kid; he had to be like 6’7” or 6’8”. The man’s height, while impressive, did not shock you. You’d finally accepted that, for some reason, you were in the company of shockingly large men tonight. The tall man wore fishnet stockings and a black jacket. The hood of his jacket was pulled up but the front was left unzipped, showing off a leather harness he had strapped tightly to his chest.

Damn. You’d have to go to more of these shows if the guys dressed this slutty.

The blue-haired man tried to launch into a conversation, but Kil stopped him.

“Hey, before we get into it,” Kil turned around and motioned in your direction. You trotted up to the group so Kil could introduce you more easily.

“This is (Y/N). She’s a friend. She’s going to be hanging out with us tonight.” Kil said.

You smiled and waved awkwardly.

“Oh,” The blue-haired man said, “Oh, okay. Cool! Hey. I’m Heat.” He pointed to himself.

“And this is Wire” he said, pointing at the taller man behind him. Wire only offered you a stoic nod of recognition.

Kil turned to you.

“Hey, so, I know we just got here, but we’re going to need to do some band stuff before we go on. Gotta tune, go over the setlist and all that. We might be a little busy. Is that…okay?” Kil hesitated in his phrasing.

“I’m not a baby. Go do your ‘band stuff,’ I’ll be fine.” You said, chuckling at him.

“Okay, awesome. You can hang out wherever back here. If anyone asks, just tell them you’re with us.” Kil said.

“Don’t get lost now, doll.” Kid said as he slung a maroon Ibanez guitar over his shoulder.

You rolled your eyes. Before you could say something sarcastic, he’d kicked open a cooler with his combat boot, bent over, grabbed two beers and tossed one to you.

You were taken by surprise but managed to catch the Miller High Life with relative ease.

“Nice” said Heat.

You popped the tab, gave Heat a wink, and turned on your heel.

--

You’d very confidently said that you’d be fine to Kil, but as you sipped your Miller and walked away from the band, you quickly realized that Kid and Kil were the only people here you knew. This realization was a little intimidating. You hesitated deciding where to go, pausing in your tracks.

“Hey!”

You turned around to see who was calling. Tucked down one of the rows in between the stacked shipping containers was a lemon-yellow VW bus. The side doors were slid open, and three people were hanging out around it.

You pointed a finger at your chest.

“Yeah you! Come here” One of them said, barely holding back a giggle.

You’d always been told to not follow strange men’s calls down dark alleys, but you’d already done some pretty dumb stuff tonight so, despite knowing that lost cause is a fallacy, you figured why not do some more.

As you approached the group of people, you noticed that they were all wearing white boiler suits which you found odd. The guy closest to you had been the one calling out. He had long, orange hair that hung loosely out of his turquoise beanie. He and another man wearing a ball cap with ear flaps were leaning against a container wall while a woman was sitting across from them on the side of the bus. The woman wore an orange-striped bandana over her beautiful, coily brown hair.

As you approached the group, you were assaulted by a sticky-sweet cloud of weed smoke. You blinked the loud out of your eyes and waved to clear yourself a path.

“What do you want?” You asked.

The orange-haired guy who’d called out to you giggled. You watched chucklehead number two, Mr. Ear Flaps, elbow the orange-haired stoner into pulling himself together.

“We uh…just wanted to know if you wanted a toke!” He said, holding a joint out to you.

“YOU wanted to know. YOU, Shachi.” The woman clarified, shaking her head.

“Hey! You and Penguin did too!” Shachi said. The man in the ear-flap hat, who you assumed was Penguin, laughed and looked away.

“Sorry about them,” the woman said, “I’m Ikkaku. You’re cute and looked lost so they wanted to invite you over. You’re welcome to take a hit or not. Whatever you prefer.” She winked at you and your heart fluttered.

“I’m (Y/N). Um, sure. I’ll take a hit.” You said, setting down your beer.

Shachi passed you the blunt and flicked a flame to life on his lighter which he offered to you with experienced ease. You put one end of the blunt to your lips and dipped the other in the dancing flame.

As you were lighting the blunt, a third man emerged from behind the VW bus.

The man was lanky, that’s for sure. He was decently tall with a long back and arms. His skin was olive-tan with spots of vitiligo in places. His hair was jet black and jut out of his fuzzy white ballcap (another odd accessory if you’d ever seen one) in all different directions. He wore skinny jeans, boots, and a lemon yellow dress shirt that he kept unbuttoned to his waist, exposing his intricately tattooed heart and skull motif chest piece. He sported a soul patch like Kil, but had long side burns to match. His dark brown eyes were lined with kohl and he had multiple gold hoops dangling from each of his ears.

Your eyes met his and your jaw quite literally dropped from how handsome he was.

Your jaw going slack caused the blunt to slip out from between your lips. Luckily, you were able to quickly snag it out of the air before it hit the ground, but you ended up burning your palm on the blunt’s lit end.

You cursed under your breath as you fumbled the blunt back into your mouth.

Shachi and Penguin both chuckled at your clumsiness.

“You okay?” Ikkaku asked.

“I’m fine but my pride isn’t.” You responded.

“Don’t worry girl, I got you,” Shachi said as he bent back over to you with his lighter.

As you relit the blunt and took a proper draw, you tried your best not to ogle the handsome man who’d now joined the circle.

“Law, check her hand. She burnt it on the blunt.” Ikkaku said.

The handsome, tattooed man began to approach you.

“Oh, it’s nothing! It’s fine I’m just stupid. I—”

You fumbled words out of your mouth but the man paid your protests no mind. Once he was less than two feet away from you, he stuck out his hand, palm-side up.

“Lemme see. I’m a doctor.” He said, staring you in the eyes.

You thought it was weird for a doctor to be in what you assumed was a quirky, stoner punk band but he said the fact so nonchalantly that you believed him.

Your mouth still agape, you placed your left hand face-up in the man’s grip and passed Shachi back the blunt with your right.

His tattooed fingers gently but firmly inspected your hand. He peered down at the burn and ran the tip of his pointer finger over the mark. You expected it to hurt but his touch was gentle enough that you didn’t wince at all.

“I mean, it’s a burn Ikkaku. I think she’ll live.” He said flatly, still looking at your hand.

He looked back up at you and said, “You’re gonna want to run this under water at some point. It’ll probably blister but you’ll be fine. Does it hurt?”

You stared into his dark brown eyes and managed to stammer out “Uh. No.”

“Good,” He said unceremoniously, dropping your hand and turning around to walk back to his place in the circle.

Ikkaku locked eyes with you over the man’s shoulder as he walked away and winked at you. Shachi and Penguin giggled again.

“(Y/N) this is Law. He’s our bandleader. Law, this is (Y/N), Shachi’s crush” Ikkaku smirked.

Law leaned his long body on the side of the yellow VW bus and took the blunt from Shachi.

“Is that right, Shachi?” Law asked, amused.

“No! I mean, only if you’re interested.” Shachi said, wiggling his orange eyebrows at you.

Penguin lost it and started rolling against the container wall in laughter. You and Ikkaku both snorted and even Law chuckled lightly as he exhaled smoke.

“Don’t answer that,” Ikkaku said to you, accepting the blunt pass from Law.

“Well I’m technically here with a rival band so I wouldn’t want to cause a war,” you joked, picking back up your Miller and taking a swig.

“Oh really? What band?” Shachi asked.

“You’re gonna think I’m crazy, but I actually don’t know their name. I’m just friends with two of the members.” You said sheepishly.

“That’s okay. We know most of the people here. What are their names?” Penguin asked.

“Eustass Kid and Kil,” You said, Law’s attention snapped toward you.

“You’re here with the Victoria Punks?” Shachi asked incredulously.

“Um. I guess so.” You responded.

“Aw, I knew it was too good to be true” Shachi lamented.

“What does that mean?” You asked, slightly taken aback.

“Well, you were fairly spot on before. They’re one of our main rivals. So you being one of their groupies—” Ikkaku explained.

“Oh, I’m not one of their groupies!” You cut-in.

Was that true? Weren’t you kind of a groupie? You didn’t really have a better way to explain your presence backstage at the gig.

“Wait, Kid and Kil have groupies? Plurl?” You asked.

“They always have a gaggle of women following them around,” Penguin said with a hint of jealousy.

“Law specifically has female fans too but he doesn’t let them hang out with the band,” Shachi said, also with a hint of jealousy.

“Well, I’m not here to be arm candy. I’m just a friend.” You laughed.

Were you just a friend? Were you not just here to be arm candy?

Law stared at you silently from across the circle. You could feel his intense gaze studying you and you realized you probably shouldn’t have said anything about Kid and Kil.

“Oh shit, Law shouldn’t we go over some stuff for the set?” Penguin said, checking his watch.

“Yeah that’s probably a good idea,” Law acknowledged.

“Um. Thanks for the hit. It was nice to meet you guys! I hope you have a great set, but I should probably get back before they think I’m lost.” You said, awkwardly excusing yourself.

“It was really nice to meet you, (Y/N)! We’ll definitely see you later.” Ikkaku waved at you cheerily.

You turned and began walking back to the green room area, still feeling eyes on your back.

[normaltothemax]

In the warehouse Jason uses as a shelter for street kids, there is a list of a few rules pinned to a wall near the entrance. It's written with Sharpie in neat, careful printing on a scrap piece of cardboard.

The rules are:

No stealing from each other. If you need something, ask. We've all been there. Don't take from people that need it just as much as you.

No bringing danger to the door. That means cops, dealers, or anyone looking to hurt someone. If you're in trouble, come to me first. I'll handle it.

Knives are allowed. Guns and threats aren't. If you feel safer carrying, that's fine, but knives stay put away and guns stay in the locker by the door. If you pull your knife on someone, it goes in the locker until we talk. This is a safe place for everyone here.

No hitting. You’re angry? Be angry. Take it to the bag in the corner. Talk to me. But you don’t take it out on the others.

Midnight to 6AM is quiet time. You don't have to sleep. Let the ones who want to, though, do it in peace.

Everyone eats. I make sure there's always enough food for everyone here. If you need more, you tell me. If you want some to take with you, you tell me. Everyone gets a plate (see rule #1).

Clean up after yourself. Basic respect. Trash, clothes, belongings—don't leave a mess for the next kid.

No drugs or alcohol inside. If you're struggling, I'll help you. If not, I won't judge. But it stays outside and away from the younger kids.

Honesty policy. You don't have to tell me everything, but no matter what you tell me, I'll never use it against you. This place only works if we trust each other.

No one gets kicked out. You screw up? We deal with it. You don't get thrown away. Not here. I don't care what anyone might have told you before—you're NOT a burden. YOU MATTER and you deserve to be SAFE.

There are also a couple of notes added by the kids.

Beside Rule #1:

"What if I stole there heart tho?" Jason's written below it: "*Their. **Though. And return it or I'm charging rent."

Beside Rule #3:

"So if it's out for slicing apples dramatically, that's ok?" Jason's written below it: "Depends on who you're staring at while you do it."

Beside Rule #5:

"Quiet time's canceled if you're training raccoons to do tricks." Someone else has written below that: "Yeah, because nothing says a peaceful night like raccoons playing drums on the trash cans." A third person has drawn a picture of a raccoon playing the drums beneath it all.

Beside Rule #9:

"Even when you tell him the worst thing you ever did, he just nods like he already knew." There are several arrows pointing at this, along with a couple "100"s, all clearly drawn by different people.

Beside Rule #10:

"Except that 1 time Hood kicked himself out cuz he needed 5 mins alone and then he just sat on the roof like a dramatic Victorian ghost." Jason's written below it: "*Because. Also I said five minutes. You followed me after three."

[chilope]

im going to lose my fucking mind

we ran out of biohazard bags, 1 week left before our next scheduled drop

i ordered more on amazon because we have business prime so i could have them delivered next day

they attempt the delivery after hours, so we dont get them

next day it says they wont be delivered until saturday

we're closed on saturday so obviously the delivery will fail again

start scrambling to figure out how the hell we're going to manage the rest of the week with no biohazard waste

the company we use for biohazard stuff has next day shipping, its just expensive, but i figure its probably more reliable, so i figure ill cancel the amazon order and use them instead

refresh the order tracking page one more time just to be sure, it still says its getting delivered saturday, click the cancel purchase button, page refreshes and lets me know the driver has been sent a notification to return the package to the warehouse because apparently it WAS out for delivery, they just fucking lied i guess??? or it went out literally as i clicked the cancel button

anyway im at my wits end

[princemordecai]

@ikarosx

Word had spread about the chaos that had erupted from below Ilythia's warehouse, the creatures that escaped sent the city and the magisterium into a frenzy but they were conveniently prepared. The more violent creatures were sent back to their plane, and the fey were returned to the Silverlands. Some reparations needed to be made, which Lady Ilythia was held financially liable for. Wasn't quite the ending that Leander wanted, but he'd make do.

"Lady Ilythia is in a frenzy, her Primus has been canceled - at great personal cost." All those tickets, purchased and refunded, are quite an embarrassment for someone of such high esteem. Leander smiled as he clapped Ikaros on the shoulder, his hand probably the size of Ikaros's head. The prince didn't wish to know where the eggs had come from, or where the dracodile had gone, but he assumed that Ikaros would make sure they were safe. "I feel I have to make it up to you."

[alldollsarevalid]

Prayer circle time.

I was randomly browsing barbie movie dolls on amazon and there was one President Barbie doll in stock. She was one of those amazon warehouse deal purchases so she was discounted.

I threw her in my cart and checked out.

Fingers crossed that they don't cancel my order bc someone else beat me to checking out.

Also, if she actually arrives that it's the correct doll and she's not all messed up.

I've never had trouble getting an open box or returned doll from Amazon but I've heard some horror stories 🤞🏿

[beardedmrbean]

The "Lukoil - Neftohim" refinery in Burgas has promised Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov to pay over 500 million leva (250 million euros) in taxes, and in return the state will keep the derogation (exception) from the European ban on the import of Russian crude oil. This was announced to the media by the co-chairman of the DPS parliamentary group, Delyan Peevski, after a meeting of MPs and members of the cabinet on the subject.

Cancellation of the derogation was requested by GERB last week, and DPS supported the idea. According to Peevski, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, the co-chairmen of the "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" group Kiril Petkov and Atanas Atanasov attended today's meeting, and Finance Minister Asen Vassilev participated online.

The deputy added that if the money is not paid within a week, GERB and DPS will submit a proposal to parliament to cancel the derogation for the import of Russian oil. "Let Lukoil hear us clearly on this, not to think that they will not pay their taxes in Bulgaria," said Peevski.

The chairman of the energy commission, Delyan Dobrev (GERB), added that parliament will demand that the executive power collect another 1 billion leva from Lukoil, with which to compensate fuel consumers. He recalled that according to the law adopted in January, 70 percent of the difference between the price of Russian oil of the Urals type and the Brent type should enter the energy security fund and be returned to consumers in the form of compensation. Dobrev said that at the beginning of August, a calculation was made of how much leva Lukoil did not contribute, because the law was not implemented by two successive cabinets, and it turned out that the amount was 622 million leva. Divided by fuel consumption in the country it makes 0.73 cents, which people should have received for every liter of gasoline or diesel since January, Dobrev calculated, quoted by BTA.

Peevski announced that GERB and DPS will introduce a legal amendment to place Lukoil's fuel storage bases under the management of the State Agency "State Reserve and Wartime Stocks". "We want to free Bulgaria from the monopoly on Lukoil's storage facilities," commented Peevski.

In April, the Commission for the Protection of Competition fined the oil company 195 million leva for abuse of a dominant position, because it did not allow other companies to the fuel warehouses.

Until recently, "Lukoil Neftohim" did not pay taxes in Bulgaria, reporting a loss, and since the beginning of 2021, it has been working "at the customer's request", which made it profitable. At the beginning of last summer, it became known that the company had paid profit tax for the first time in 15 years.

[adhennick1]

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