#affordable style files

[centrepiecefurnishing]

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[madamsnape921]

Phone Help

Pairing: Emily Prentiss x female reader

WC: 2557

Warning: f/f smut; I really went out of my comfort zone for this one but I think it turned out okay; my husband deserves a shout out for his help of writing this one: Thank you, Nick!

Tags: @alwaysachorusgirl @beccabarba @storiesofsvu

You had just started your first month at Quantico, not exactly your dream job but it provided a steady income and federal benefits. It was a relief to be able to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the city after your recent relationship ended. However, the agents were a challenge. They were arrogant, thinking they were the ultimate saviors, and their actions reflected that attitude.

“YN?”

As you snap out of your self-absorbed tirade, you notice one of the top members from the Behavioral Analysis Unit standing in front of you, looking just as perplexed as you feel. Why is she here? You wonder to yourself.

“Yes, Agent…?” you look for a nametag.

“Prentiss. Emily Prentiss. I am with the BAU. So, hey. Our normal tech person is not keen on doing our personal phones. She mentioned I should come to the new girl, which I am assuming is you, to help me?”

You despised phone work. Actually, you loathed it. But you knew that earning some brownie points with a senior agent could be beneficial in the future. So, you forced yourself to answer the call and politely responded, "Of course, Agent Prentiss. What can I assist you with?"

“The phone is acting slow and I can’t seem to find any of my files,” she hands you a card. “YN, here is my work number. Call me when you figure it out?”

“Sure. I’ll look at it here and then I’ll see what I can…,” you started. 

I'd rather not use agency time or equipment for this task. The data on my device is personal and I don't want anyone else to have access to it. One of my close friends happens to be a top-notch hacker, so she probably has something lurking around in there.”

Prentiss gave a nod and then exited your office. She walked away with ease, her sensible pantsuit moving smoothly with each step.

After a grueling day at work, you finally reach your apartment. Your fingers are still warm from typing on the keyboards as you touch the doorknob. You step inside and are greeted by your faithful feline companions. "Sorry guys, Mom has to fix a friend's phone."

A friend's phone? That was unexpected, you thought.

You pour yourself a glass of wine and sit down at your computer, confident that this task will not take too much time. All I need to do is scan the phone for any harmful files and reinstall everything. It should be a piece of cake, you think to yourself. After completing the scan and finding everything to be in order, you give Agent Prentiss a call, relieved by the ease of the process.

“Hey, Agent Prentiss, it’s YN. Your phone is finishing up now. If you want to head down I can text you my address.”

“YN, that would be fantastic! Thank you for being so efficient,” Prentiss exclaimed. “I'll be at your residence in 15 minutes.”

“How do you know that?” you asked.

“I’m with the government. I know everything,” Prentiss joked.

After completing the scan, you realize that there is an issue. The program alerts you to the presence of a malicious app on the phone, Calculator PlusPlus. You launch the app and it prompts for a password. Using your own knowledge, you successfully crack the password and let out a triumphant laugh, "Take that, Penelope."

The next thing you see are numerous pictures of nude women, all with the same hair color and style as you. This must be what's taking up all the storage space on the phone, along with all of the data. You panic when you hear a knock at the door.

“YN, it’s Emily. I’m here about my phone,” Prentiss called from the hall.

DOUBLE SHIT. MINIMIZE MINIMIZE MINIMIZE! SHIT it’s frozen. SHITSHITSHIT.

“YN, I thought it was ready,” Prentiss knocked again. 

After hearing a knock at your door, you call out "Coming!" and get up to answer it. You open the door to see Agent Prentiss standing there.

"Hey there, Agent Prentiss. Please come in," you say with a smile, dressed in your comfortable lounge pants and cat mom tank top.

“Please call me Emily, we’re not at work.” You close the door behind her, her in the same suit from work.

“Please sit. Do you want something to drink?” you offer. 

“I’ll have a beer. It’s been hell with the BAU.” She sits on your couch and begins to pet one of your cats. “Beautiful cats, YN!”

“Thanks, they’re my babies,” you smile.

You grab the beer from the fridge and pop it open, handing it to Prentiss. As you both relax and chat about work and other small talk, an hour and a half quickly passes by. Suddenly, you remember something and say, "Oh, your phone! It's in my room. I'll go get it for you."

Upon entering your room, you find the computer still frozen on a picture of a nude woman. The figure resembles you, but not entirely. It's almost like a lower-quality version of yourself. You are immediately jolted by the realization that these intimate images are displayed prominently on your oversized screen.

“Oh, I see you found the Calculator PlusPlus App…,” Prentiss whispered.

“OH MY GOD! I AM SO SORRY. I was trying to find any malicious apps and I cracked this one’s code and…. I wasn’t snooping. I promise,” you apologised.

“I believe you, but you know what this means, right” Prentiss scowled.

“No…,” you said in response.

Prentiss puts her hand on her gun holster, “I’ll have to kill you to keep my secret safe.”

The room fell silent, and Prentiss let out a chuckle. "Just kidding," she said with a smirk. "Just put them back and don't tell anyone. I have a type...smart, dark-haired girls like yourself."

The phone was too easy to fix. Would she… she wouldn’t.

Prentiss gently brushed your hair and whispered, "We can keep another secret just between us, if you'd like." Your face paled as she tenderly kissed your lips. You had never been with a woman before, let alone one as stunning as her. Feeling unsure of yourself, you tentatively kissed her back, unsure of what to do next.

“Do you want to do this, YN?”

You nod your head.

Prentiss continued to kiss you softly. Mostly on the center of your mouth, but then switching to the left and the right sides, keeping you guessing. You felt yourself become weak in the knees. 

“Let’s sit on the bed, YN.”

“Yes, Agent Prentiss.”

You both sat on the bed and continued to kiss. Prentiss’ hands exploring your body. Your mind and your arms begin to open up.

“Good girl, YN. Take off my jacket.”

You obey the orders given to you, carefully removing her jacket and placing it on the chair next to the bedside table. She sits there, still wearing a sleeveless blouse and her gun holster.

“Now take off your top, YN.”

You cautiously remove your top, wondering how she has such control over you. Your breasts are now exposed to the cool air, and the intense energy in the room causes your nipples to harden. Suddenly, a soft yet firm suction envelops your left nipple, sending waves of pleasure through your body. You've had boyfriends do this before, but never a woman. Prentiss continues to knead and suck on your breast while gently stroking your hair, creating an overwhelming sense of bliss.

Prentiss stopped and moved to the other breast. It was just as amazing. However, you where brought out of bliss with a sharp bite. “Ow,” you moaned.

“Pay attention,” Prentiss stated.

“Yes, Agent Prentiss,” you moaned again.

Prentiss finished with that breast and stood up and removed her shirt, bra, and gun holster. “Now you do me,” she smiled.

You attempted to replicate Prentiss’ actions on her, but your efforts fell short. Prentiss chuckled and giggled as you struggled, until you accidentally bit down too hard. She stopped and got up. You panicked.

“Pants off. Now!” Prentiss ordered.

“Yes, Agent Prentiss,” you jumped to your feet and stripped. She stood there and watched you sit back on the bed.

“Lay back.” You did as you were told. “Now don’t cum until I say or I will have to leave. Understand?”

“Yes, Agent Prentiss,” you sigh. 

Prentiss flashed a sly smile before sinking to her knees. From this new vantage point, she spotted a drawer slightly open and couldn't help but peek inside. She found a small vibrating wand tucked away and placed it beside her feet. Starting at your thighs, she lavished kisses leading up to your glistening womanhood. You let out a soft moan as she got closer to your sensitive areas. With deft fingers, she parted your lips and exposed you fully to the world. "I bet your ex never did this," she said with a hint of smugness. "And I guarantee it won't be this good with anyone else."

Prentiss pressed her tongue against the sensitive spot above your clit, applying a constant and firm pressure. At the same time, she used her thumbs to press into your lips, causing a rush of sensation to flood through your body. It was a new experience for you, and you couldn't help but gasp in response. With a smile, Prentiss continued her oral exploration, slowly moving down from the flat spot towards your hood. She flicked her tongue gently against your hood, alternating between soft and medium pressure while also pulsing on your opening and lips. Your moans of pleasure grew louder with each movement she made.

“Don’t cum, YN. Don’t be a bad cadet!”

“Yes, Agent Prentiss, I will be a good cadet.” Cadet, where did that come from?!

Prentiss started licking your clit. This licking was a continued game of alternate pressures and circular licking. You hear a vibrator turn on.

SHIT! SHE FOUND MY STASH!

Prentiss moaned. 

“You naked girl, spread out for me, huh?” She did two licks around your clit. “Mmm, who’s wearing the pants, cadet?”

“You are, Agent Prentiss.”

“And who is the naked slut, cadet?”

“I am the naked slut, Agent Prentiss.”

“Who’s in command of this pussy, cadet?” 

“Agent Prentiss is the commander of this pussy.”

Prentiss then takes the vibrator and places it firmly on your clit. You start to buck. You are so close. You don’t want her to leave. Prentiss then takes two fingers and slides them into you, putting sudden and strong pressure on you G-Spot.”

“What do you want, cadet?”

“To cum, Agent Prentiss.”

“You may cum, as long as you ask nicely.”

“May I cum, Agent Prentiss?”

“Nicer.”

“May I please cum, Agent Prentiss?”

With that she presses hard against your clit with the vibrator and your g-spot with her fingers. You quake as a hard, loud, and wet orgasm rolled through you. You feel shaking and the last thing you see before passing out is a smiling Prentiss.

You came to and found Prentiss taking her phone from your computer. She is now fully dressed.

“How long was I out?”

“Thirty seconds or so. I got you a glass of water. It’s on your table. I’m going to leave, wheels up in the morning.”

“If you need any more phone help, let me know.”

“Oh, next time I need phone help I’ll make sure you do all the work.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can feel every thrust deep inside you. Each one makes a distinctive thud and shlick sound. Your orgasm is building, getting closer with every movement. You tightly grip onto the strapon as it fills you up. Nothing has ever felt as unyielding and solid as this before. The plug in your backside grinds against the bright red toy, adding to the intense pleasure of being penetrated.

“Come for me, Cadet.” Prentiss demanded.

You feel the grip of orgasm squeeze you tightly and pleasure erupts from within your core. Your body trembles and shivers as a powerful orgasm overcomes you. As it subsides, you take a moment to catch your breath.

"That was incredible," you exclaimed with gratitude.

"Rocking a holster isn't the only thing I'm good at," Prentiss replied with a sly grin on her face.

She gently pulls out your plug and carefully cleans you up with a towel from the bedside table. You thank her with a smile as she helps you stand up and put on a robe. Prentiss starts to get dressed, putting on her panties first before reaching for her pants.

“Why don’t we spend the day together? We can watch a movie?” You suggested.

“YN, we just finished fucking… you don’t need to ask me for a “movie” to watch,” she laughed.

“No really, Emily, stay with me.”

You two have been fucking feverishly and often in a kinky mist of desire and need for a few weeks at this point. Emily was not an odd name to call her, but it was new. You didn’t know if you should call her that or Prentiss.

“Why? We both finished and I’m sure you’re busy today. As am I.” Prentiss declared.

“Actually, it’s Saturday… at 11 am. I’m off today. Aren’t you? Or am I a lunchtime snack?” you smiled.

“You’re definitely satisfying my appetite,” she replied with a coy smile.

I stood up from the bed and handed her a shirt.

“So, we have underwear and shirts covered… I’ll grab some drinks. You can choose the movie.” You suggested.

Prentiss strolled into the living room and switched on Netflix while you headed towards the kitchen. You grabbed her favorite European beer from the fridge, excited for the chance to surprise her. Balancing both beverages in your hands, you made your way back to the couch where Prentiss had already pulled up "Une vie de chat," a French cartoon about a cat.

You sit down and offer her the beer.

“Thank you! This is my favorite beer! It’s only at that one German store downtown. How’d you know?”

“You mentioned it once. I thought it’d be a nice treat,” you smiled.

As the cat's misadventures unfold, you realize that you and Prentiss have gravitated towards each other on the spacious couch. You rest your head on her shoulder as you continue to watch the show together.

As she begins to say, "This is my favorite..." you rest your head on her shoulder. Emily grins and gently kisses the top of your forehead. It's a new experience for both of you, but it feels natural and perfect in that moment. Your stomach flutters with excitement, but it's a pleasant sensation that matches the rhythm of your heart. It's a mix of thrilling and serene feelings all at once.

"Emily, this is really nice," you say with a smile.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, YN. It's been a while since I've felt this relaxed. I could definitely get used to this," she replies, returning the smile.

"I have a proposition for you. In here, I have my Emily and in there..." you start, but she interrupts with a knowing smile.

"...you have Agent," she finished your sentence. You try to hide in her embrace, but she finds you anyway.

"Yes, YN, you can have your Emily out here and your Agent in there," she confirmed, snuggling into you as you both fall asleep watching TV together.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Levels of Editing

The 5 Stages of Editing: Beta Reading, Developmental Editing, Line Editing, Copyediting, Proofreading

The Editorial Process

Writing

Drafting

Sourcing feedback from beta readers

Self-editing

Developmental editing or manuscript evaluation

Line editing

Copyediting

Proofreading

Publishing

2 Levels of the Process

MACRO / STORY LEVEL

This is where developmental editing (also sometimes called content editing, substantive editing or structural editing)

and manuscript evaluations (sometimes known as manuscript reviews or editorial critiques) are to be found.

It’s big-picture work that looks at the novel as a whole. Editors who specialize in this level of service focus on how your book works – stuff like structure, plot, flow, point of view, characterization and pace.

Story-level editing involves the following concepts:

Character arc: Goals, motivations and conflict

Effective dialogue

Genre: Impact on writing style and length

Narrative arc: Beginnings, middles and ends

Narrative style: Viewpoint, tense, voice and distance

Plot and subplot analysis

Problematic representation, stereotyping and othering

Story structure and pacing

Themes: the main ideas that connect the components of the story

World-building: creating engaging settings

MICRO / SENTENCE LEVEL

Includes line editing, copyediting and proofreading.

Sentence-level work that looks at the text on a line-by-line & word-by-word basis.

Sentence-level editing involves the following:

Chapter sequencing

Character-trait consistency

Cliché and awkward metaphor

Dialogue expression: style, tagging and punctuation

Effectiveness of sentence-level narration

Letter, word, line and paragraph spacing

Narrative style: Consistency of viewpoint, tense, voice

Effectiveness of narrative distance

Pace and flow: Special attention paid to repetition and overwriting

Problematic representation, stereotyping and othering

Spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, hyphenation and capitalization

Standard document formatting using Word’s styles palette: indentation, paragraph style, section breaks

Told versus shown prose

The Levels of Editing

STAGE 1: BETA READING

Authors send drafts of their novel to test-readers.

To receive feedback on structural issues such as plot, pacing, characterization, writing style and reader engagement.

Not the place for uncovering micro problems (spelling/grammar).

Beta reading may be free (via, say, a writing group or a critique partner) but some professional editors provide paid-for services (sometimes called early reviews) that provide guidance on the next-best editing steps.

It’s a good first step for those who want someone else to take their novel out for a test-drive before deeper levels of intensive editing begin.

STAGE 2: DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING

Also called structural or story editing - the shaping stage where decisions that affect how the novel works as a whole are made: Plot, story arc, structure, pacing, characterization, genre, narrative viewpoint and tense.

When the reader has finished the journey, they should feel satisfied by the experience of reading your work.

The journey might be bumpy. There are peaks and troughs – action, contemplation, and deduction, all of which are structured and paced so as to engage the reader as the story unfolds.

Developmental editing is where your story is tested and revised so that readers want to turn the page.

Alternative: Manuscript Evaluations/Critiques

Critiques can be thought of as mini developmental edits.

A professional editor provides a report that analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the writing, and what the author can do to improve their book.

Unlike full developmental edits, no changes are made to the book file. They’re an affordable first step for any author who wants to learn how to implement their own structural revisions.

Additional: Sensitivity/Diversity Reading

This is a niche form of evaluation in which a specialist reports on the potential misrepresentation and devaluation of marginalized others.

Readers are looking out for cliched, harmful, biased or false content and non-inclusive language.

Sensitivity readers focus on how others’ identities are represented in terms of race, sexuality, gender, physical ability, mental or emotional health, political beliefs, religion, age, culture and socioeconomic status.

Others identify potential problems with how those who’ve experienced abuse, trauma, violence, bigotry, illness, bereavement and poverty are portrayed.

They’re a valuable addition to the editorial process for authors who want to positively diversify the voices in their fiction but don’t have the lived experience of the individuals/groups they’re writing about.

Identifying goals and selecting a sensitivity reader with the appropriate experience is essential.

STAGE 3: LINE EDITING

The smoothing stage.

Sense is checked and flow is mastered so that the reader is driven to stay on the page and immerse themselves in the story’s world.

Good writing acknowledges that readers absorb words in a certain way – in the West we read from left to right and top to bottom, regardless of the device through which the book is delivered. Though our brains allow us to take in more than one letter and one word at a time, unless we’re scanning we move through sentences from start to finish. Those sentences should say what they need to say, and only that. Too many words, or repetition of what’s already known, can make the reading experience boring and frustrating.

Authors can play with sentence length and language style to reflect the historical period, genre, and the mood of a given scene. And punctuation is not about pedantry. It’s a powerful pacer that can evoke tension and impart clarity.

If a strong story compels readers to turn the page, line editing is what helps them want to stay on it.

Alternative: Mini Line-Level Critiques

No changes are made to the book file.

Instead, a professional editor provides a report that analyses the strengths and weaknesses of sentence-level craft.

The editor may suggest recasts to dialogue and narrative with a view to improving line-level flow, pace, drama and readability.

They’ll also offer advice on layout, spelling, punctuation & grammar conventions.

They’re an affordable first step for any author who wants to learn how to implement their own sentence-level revisions.

STAGE 4: COPYEDITING

The correcting stage

Inconsistent or incorrect spelling, grammar, and punctuation are attended to, and where logic is checked, such that the reader is allowed to follow the story without distraction.

Compelling writing makes readers forget that they’re reading.

Copyediting removes distractions.

Style sheets are the author’s and editor’s friend.

They record decisions on the language choice (e.g. American or British English), style (e.g. -is- or -iz- spellings, both of which are standard in British English), proper-noun spelling, character traits, location identifiers, the book’s timeline, use of idiom, dialogue treatment, how numbers are rendered, how capitalization and hyphenation are handled, and a hundred other decisions.

Many professional editors carry out line- and copyediting simultaneously because they’re complementary processes.

STAGE 5: PROOFREADING

The quality-control stage

Any final literal errors and layout problems are flagged up such that the book is fit for publication. Since human beings are doing the editing work, it’s rare for a book to get to the pre-publication stage without a few snafus remaining.

During the previous rounds of editing, new errors might have been introduced by accident. The design process can cause problems too:

Some elements of the book (a heading, a paragraph, a footnote) might be formatted inconsistently and incorrectly … think about indents, line spaces, end-of-line wordbreaks, page-number chronology, running heads and alignment just for starters.

Proofreading is the final line of defence.

The Order of Play

There’s a logical order of play when it comes to editing.

Think of it like building a house:

Developmental editing is like laying the foundations and building the structure

Line editing and copyediting are like plastering the brickwork, painting the walls, and sanding the floorboards

Proofreading is where you move in the furniture and fill in any tiny cracks that have appeared

Swap the order around and you’ll end up in a pickle.

At best you’ll waste time; at worst you’ll waste money.

Let’s imagine you invest in smoothing your prose and eradicating most of the spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency problems (line editing and copyediting). Then you discover a gaping plot hole that requires you to move two chapters, rewrite three, and make 75 sentence-level tweaks throughout the rest of the book (structural amendments).

Every move, every deletion, every rewrite, and every tweak brings with it the chance of damaging the line/copyediting work.

That’s time and money down the drain.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

[drugsdina-blog]

Turkey Teeth refer to the practice of getting dental veneers or crowns in Turkey, a trend that has gained popularity due to the country's reputation for high-quality dental care at affordable prices. This cosmetic dental procedure involves reshaping and covering the teeth with thin shells of porcelain or composite material to improve their appearance, giving patients a perfect, Hollywood-style smile.

[gffa]

Do you have a favorite reference/visual guide in the Star Wars fandom? If so, why is it your favorite and are there any info bits you enjoy reading?

Far and away the best guide book that Star Wars put out was Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy.

Before I read this book, I don't know that I was that excited for it, but I found it thoroughly fascinating to read because it was such a great idea and it was pulled off beautifully--it's an in-world book of essays about the history of the galaxy and the use of art used to sway both sides of the various conflicts. So it tells the history of the galaxy, from the prequels to the sequels, through characters within the universe, while also being halfway a poster book of really fantastic political-style art pieces.

My favorite was the Republic vs Separatists sections (I am a prequels bitch after all) but the Empire vs Rebellion art pieces and the commentary and history that went with them were fantastic. This is one of the few books I recommend in physical form if you can afford it at all, because the pieces look nice in digital form (I have both), but a little photoshoppy to my eye. But holding this book in my hands I could see it was very much designed to be a print book, they look so much better there. You can see some more examples of the posters here or, if you want to know just how much I loved this book and some examples of why it hit me so hard, I have an essay here that explains more about what it's like. My other favorite guides are two other in-universe books: - Star Wars: Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious has great art, great in-world character notes, great tidbits about the worldbuilding, and even our only glimpse at a possible IN UNIVERSE CALENDAR SYSTEM - Star Wars Galactic Maps: An Illustrated Atlas of the Star Wars Universe has great art, fun in-world character notes, and is just really, really fun look at what a guidebook from inside the GFFA would look like.

[unhinged-diaries]

Business Guide:

How to get started

When you have a business name in mind look up the domain name to see if it’s taken. You don’t want to spend money on an LLC just to find out that your name is taken. Thats a waste of money because you also have to pay to dissolve it.

If the name is not taken, great, don’t file an LLC yet. Go online and get a virtual business address. Why? If you’re running your business out of your home like I am, just know that it’s public information if you use your address to file your LLC. A virtual address should cost like $10-$20 a month. Use that to file your LLC.

Once you’ve filed that LLC get your Ein. That’s your Employee Identification Number. It’s your businesses tax id. It’s free to file on the IRS website. Don’t fall for the scam websites you guys.

Once you’ve gotten your EIN go to Google domains and get your website name aswell as 3-4 emails. An email for your social media accounts, an executive email for yourself, an ecomm@businessname.com for things like your business bank account, Shopify account, etc; and maybe a customer support email. I use the social email as a customer support email. All of this should be like $50/month.

Once you’ve don’t that get on Canva and make that logo bookie. Personally I paid someone on Fiverr to make mine because I’m a “soft business life” kind of girl and I’d rather pay the professionals. Thats just me though.

Once you’ve got your logo go ahead and get them social media accounts going. Instagram, tiktok, Facebook.

Alright now this is where it gets specific to clothing brands because that’s what I own.

Time to find a manufacturer. Head over to alibaba and search what kind of product you want to sell. Be sure to add “oem” if you want a manufacturer that customizes. Look for the amount of orders they’ve gotten on that product. If it says zero orders that’s ok. Some styles are new and thus haven’t been ordered yet. Check any reviews they have for other products. Also check the total revenue they’ve done. It’s on the store profile. I can’t tell you what the sweet spot is yet bc I’ve only used one manufacturer so far but I’d look for mid six figures and up if you wanna be real safe.

Chat with them and order a sample. Even if you buy from a vendor list you’ll need your own sample to make content with. I suggest buying one and first. It’s worth the wait because if you buy multiple and end up not liking them you’d have wasted money that could’ve gone into testing a different manufacturer.

Do not launch with more than 2 products. Even 2 is a stretch, wallai start with one.

This is because if you’re doing the preorder, which I suggest, you’ll be depending on customer orders to pay for the bulk order. Manufacturers do their moq by color or style. If you have too many options in your website and customers order a mix of things, you better pray you have enough money to cover the bulk for all those different styles. Stay safe and give them 1-2 options to choose from.

Pre order method is great if you don’t have a lot of cash to start with because the orders pay for themselves. Bulk orders start to wrack up. Especially if it’s a custom style or material. You don’t want to break the bank for something that might not sell.

Once you’ve gotten and approved your samples choose a launch date. 2-3 weeks before that launch dates post consistently. At least once a day but remember quality over quantity. Now don’t be tricked. Quality doesn’t mean a full cinematography. It means connecting with your audience and relating with them to a point where they’re like “this business gets it”. Either that or attaching yourself to an identity they want to have. “It girl ig influencer”, “feminine soft life babe” “clean girl Pilates princess” whatever the fuck it is embody ur as best as you can. When customers attach your product with an identity that is aspirational to them they will buy it without rationalizing. It’s why the luxury market makes so much off of ppl who can’t afford to buy it twice.

Focus on the backend

If you have a goal of getting an influx of orders and making a lot of sales, be sure that your business is structured in a way that can handle it happening at any given time. You know those tiktok businesses that get one viral video and sell out over night? That could be you but if you’re not prepared ppl are going to be upset. I suggest working backwards:

A customer service platform/inbox so that you can answer them right away with frequently asked questions.

Have stock so that you have something for customers to buy once they finally land on your website.

Have a well presenting website so that ppl don’t think you’re a scam. I’m going to do a post on this bc some of these business websites drive me fuckin nuts. Color theory ppl, color theory.

A social media page with some kind of social proof ie reviews from customers in some way shape or form. Ppl are going to be looking for what others have to say about your brand. Hire UGC creators to make videos that you can post on your page. They’re cheaper than influencers but still know how to convey the message well. You’ll have to have extra samples and items on hand to send them. Also check out their usage rights. Some will allow you to use their videos in ads but you have to pay extra and it’s only for a certain amount of time. But if they do it right, you’ll get a great return. Scared money don’t make no money.

A social media page that shows the products in movement and different lighting. I need to be able to imagine myself in the item before I buy it. Where would I wear it, how will it fit on me. Even when I’ve already ordered something I stay going back to the businesses social media page just to see the clothes again. I might even search it up to see other ppl wearing it.

Packaging

No need to go crazy with the packaging in the beginning. Don’t get me wrong, branding is important but as a beginner you may not have the money for that yet. You need to focus on spending money on what will give you the best return. Just get regular poly mailers from Amazon in your brand colors. You’ll also need:

A stack of 6x4 shipping labels

A thermal printer

A scale

When your manufacturer sends you the clothes they will most likely be in their own little bags. If not you can get those from Amazon too.

Later on you can go to alibaba and find a manufacturer to print you custom poly mailers for that extra edge. Put your logo, a cute message, and your social media handles on the bag and that’s it. Good to go.

You can also design your own thank you cards as well. I won’t be doing that.

Little things to remember

Don’t feel like you have to keep up with big brands. You don’t need to launch something every two weeks. As a matter of fact I advise against emulating super fast fashion brands. I only launch a new item once the pre ordered items have been shipped out to customers.

Be nice to your customers. You’d think this was obvious but it’s not. Some ppl are rude, ghetto, and uncouth. If you hate authority and have a smart mouth I think you should either take a customer service course or hire a virtual assistant from the Philippines to do your customer service for you because no customers = no money.

I’ll update this as I learn and grow:

12/18/2023

Influencers

Not every influencer with a mass follower base is going to be your influencer. It’s possible that you pay $5000 for an influencer with 75k followers to post your product on her page but that post makes you less than $3k. That means you’ve net negative $2k. What a fuckin waste of money.

This is why it’s important to develop a persona for your brand. What is your brand identity? Who is your target audience? What are their psychographics?

Where do currently shop? What are there favorite social media apps?What is their race? Their age? Their ethnicity? Are they in college or highschool? Do they have parents that support their lifestyle or are they hustlers? Are they concerned about price or quality more? Are they married? Do they have children? Are they environmentally conscious?

You need to embody Joe Goldberg and peer at them through their window. Acquaint yourself with every part of their life.

Also, you might not be your target demographic yet and that’s ok. The girls that shop with my brand have social lives. They go out with their friends and need outfits to wear. I don’t have a social life. The only clothes I wear are my work clothes to go to work and my robe when I’m at home.Or a sweat set and a bonnet to run errands.

Don’t think to yourself “ I would never wear that.” “I would never buy something at that price point”. That’s fine cuz someone else will. A lot of people will.

Another thing is your demographic could change once you start your business. It might be that you create content that attracts a different type of person than what you originally planned and that’s cool too. We don’t live in a perfect world. As long as they’re close enough to what you had predetermined it’s ok. Sometimes our business comes out different than we hoped but it’s just as good if not better. It’s like child. Don’t destroy its greatness trying to turn it into something it doesn’t want to be.

User generated content

Love, love, love her down. She’s that sweet spot between making content yourself and having an influencer with a large following make the content for you. UGC is a form of social proof which is something you need for an e-commerce brand especially. Ppl can’t just pop into your store and try on your stuff so they need the opinions of “regular” people to sell them on it. They want to see that person try it on, do a close up of the fabric, wear it to a social setting, etc;

What I like about UGC is that I can pick someone who fits into my brand persona to represent my brand even if I don’t. Someone that appears aspirational but still relatable. Like I said previously, you yourself might not embody your brands persona but you can pay someone who does.

A little translate for yall: I do not live in a nice apartment. My room is small, and dark, and filled with boxes. My living room has mix matched decor and I myself am not the body type I’d like to be (pls don’t hit me with body positivity babe). What I can do is pay a girl with the opposite of all those things and knows how to sell a product.

I have a girl right now that I’ve inquired to make posts for me and she’s got it all. Her rate for one video is $100 with an extra $30 for 90 days of usage in ads. $100 is the new 50 and for the return I’ll get on her, THATS A STEAL.

If you need to find a UGC creator search it up on tiktok and Twitter. Most of them have a portfolio of past work they’ve done. If you feel like they match your brands vibes, keep their info for when you’re ready.

I suggest to have a roster of them because if ppl keep seeing the same person over and over, the thought that that person is just a regular degular customer leaves their mind and you lose the magic of UGC.

Update 12/21/2023

I’ve been sick but yall ain’t paying me so it’s ok. Here’s the update.

Website

Your website is your home babe and when you’re preparing for guest you can’t have your home looking any type of way. Not only does it need to be clean but it needs to be cohesive and inviting.

You know how many times I’ve opened someone’s booking page on Instagram and I click off. Not only am I not reading through all of that small ass text but my head hurts cuz you’ve got a black font on a hot pink background.

Some of yalls websites to not comply with accessibility guidelines so pay attention to that bc you can be sued. Ppl should be able to read what you have on there without getting a headache.

Good rule of thumb is to have one primary color, and then black and white. Don’t over complicate it. Your primary color will be your logo, think twitters blue, then your secondary colors should be black and white, for your text. You might have an accent color like gold or silver, this should be used sparingly for a little dazzle.

If you’re a clothing brand like me, keep the text short and sweet. Think about it, when you go shopping on your favorite website are you bombarded with a soliloquy on how the collection came to be? And even if you are do you stop and read the whole thing? I don’t bc I don’t care. That’s what your Instagram story is for.

All I want to see is the attention grabber and a short,but convincing, tagline.

Example: Ski Resort 2023-“Stun the slopes and stand out on the ski lift with best sellers spotted at St. Moritz”

Let you images tell the rest of the story.

Don’t overwhelm them with options

Guys this is so important. The more options ppl see the less they buy or the less likely they are to buy. Why? This is the thought process.

“Omg the stuff on this website is so cute! Let me go through their catalog and add to my cart as I go”

5 minutes of scrolling

“Ok I have too many things in my cart let me just save to a wishlist instead”

Another 5 minutes of scrolling

“Ok I’ll just stop here and go back to my cart and decide what I’m going to get rn”

Goes to cart

Spends 10 minutes deciding what she’s gonna get bc there’s so many good options

Takes 10 items out of her cart and only buys two basics bc she knows those are less likely to disappoint.

And scene

That is if she didn’t leave after the second five minutes of scrolling. Nowadays five minutes on a non stimulating website is a lot, don’t let it take that long.

Obviously this also depends on the customers budget. Some people have the money to just buy everything in their cart (I wish- one day), but most are just window shopper you hope to convert with your nice styles, images, and prices. Don’t make it harder for people to give you their money.

I have more but I’m tired of writing so I’ll update yall tmrw.

[mrprettywhenhecries]

Billy Hargrove nsft alphabet

➺ Aftercare (What they’re like after sex) 

Honestly depends on how much he cares about his partner.  If it’s a one time thing, he’s pretty aloof afterwards, preferring to leave before things get weird.  But if he actually has feelings, he’s pretty attentive, sharing a cigarette while they lay against his chest and pillow talk, letting his walls down.

➺ Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) 

Of his own, he’s quite proud of his chest and arms, as well as his tight ass.  On his partner, he loves hands and thighs.

➺ Cum (Anything to do with cum basically) 

Loves seeing his cum on his partner, whether it be on your chest/stomach/back, dripping down your chin, or seeping out of your sloppy hole.  Makes him feel like he owns you.

➺ Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) 

Secretly likes not being in control all the time. Though he's usually a dom, he wants to be taken care of sometimes, even if he won't voice it.

➺ Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?) 

On the experienced side.  He’s had a lot of partners and knows what he’s doing, though he’s always learning, filing things away to use later.

➺ Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual) 

He's pretty basic when it comes to his go to positions: Missionary – likes being able to see your expression as he’s fucking you into oblivion.  This way he can pin you to the bed, arms pinned above your head, or your legs hooked over his shoulders.  Doggie style – for when he wants to be rougher, spanking you or pulling your hair.  And lastly, Cowgirl – for when he wants to be taken care of.  Loves seeing you on top, on display for him, able to touch you and dig his fingers into your hips, guiding your movements.

➺ Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc) 

Definitely more on the serious side, unless he’s comfortable with his partner and feels safe enough to be a little silly with them, ending up cracking a sincere grin or even laughing.  

➺ Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.) 

With how smooth he keeps his chest and stomach, man’s clean shaven down there, no doubt.

➺ Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…) 

He’s definitely flirty and cocky, but again, it depends on how close with his partner he is as to how romantic he gets.  That being said, he’s definitely a little bit of a closet romantic especially during foreplay and aftercare, often times taking his partner by surprise with that fact.

➺ Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon) 

Doesn’t masturbate much.  He prefers having a partner to his own hand.  Has a few centerfolds he uses to help get his imagination going, or if he's lucky enough to have some naughty polaroids of you, he'd rather use those.

➺ Kink (One or more of their kinks) 

Choking (though not being choked), body worship, spanking, public/semi-public sex, sadism/degradation, oral fixation, leaving marks, rough sex, praise kink, dacryphilia

➺ Location (Favourite places to do the do) 

The back of his Camaro is a usual go to place, under Skull Rock at Lover’s Lake, under the bleachers or in the locker room.  However, when he can afford it, he enjoys splurging a little and taking his partner to as fancy of a hotel as he can, that way they can take their time and won’t be interrupted.

➺ Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going) 

Revealing clothing, begging, but also the flip side–when his partner is just as headstrong as him and teases him right back, he really likes the power struggle, thinks it’s hot when his partner gets angry.

➺ NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) 

He’s pretty open to trying most things as long as his partner asks for them.  However, he doesn’t like being choked or hit.  It reminds him too much of the abuse he’s received.

➺ Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc) 

Prefers receiving, but enjoys giving if he really cares about his partner, and boy is he good with his mouth.  He loves the control he has and showing off his skills, as well as hearing your desperate sounds as he makes you squirm and cum against his mouth.

➺ Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.) 

Usually fast and rough, but on occasion he can be slow and sensual (usually on those rare occasions that he gets to take his time with his partner).

➺ Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.) 

Definitely doesn’t mind them.  Often has more quickies than proper sex.

➺ Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) 

He’s up for some experimentation, as long as he’s the one in control.  Loves taking risks in semi-public/public places.  It excites him to get away with getting his partner off with other people around.

➺ Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…) 

Billy’s got stamina for days, he’d wear you out long before he’s finished.

➺ Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?) 

Not much of a toy guy himself, but he does occasionally enjoy teasing his partners with any toys they might own. 

➺ Unfair (How much they like to tease) 

Takes a lot of pleasure in teasing his partner mercilessly. He loves the power imbalance it creates.  Plus their begging is like music to his ears.  Will definitely edge you til you’re a crying begging mess.

➺ Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make) 

Billy talks a lot of dirty talk during foreplay, his voice like honey in your ear, but once he really gets down to it, his words are interlaced with growls and deep grunts.  He’s not incredibly loud, always in control.  Get him on his back and ride him, or go down on him, however, and you’re liable to hear him start to whine, and even beg, his voice breaking as he grows desperate, but this is rare.

➺ Wild Card (Give a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Doesn’t often get jealous, but once things get serious, you’re his and if anyone dares to hit on you in his presence, they’re getting an introduction to his fist before he pulls you somewhere private to remark his territory.

➺ X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words) 

Circumcised, 5 & ½ inches, somewhat girthy, but not huge, with a slight curve, veiny and pink.  Very pretty.

➺ Yearning (How high is their sex drive?) 

Fairly high, but he knows how to show restraint.

➺ ZZZ (How quickly they fall asleep afterwards) 

Normally, Billy has a hard time falling asleep, but after sex, it’s much easier – he’s worn out and relaxed, and if he feels safe in his partner’s arms, even better.

[ blank alphabet ]

⟶ taglist. @heartbreak-sandwich @hawkinsglasscloset @b1tchy3lf @alwaysstuckinsecondgear

[katerina-marie]

Don't Go Slowly, Tell Me If You're Lonely (Series)

Chapter 5

Gojo Satoru x Reader & (Past) Geto Suguru x Reader

Your relationship with Geto Suguru came to an end somewhere between the day of his betrayal and the day of his death. Your relationship with Gojo Satoru began somewhere in the midst of it all, even without you realizing.

WC: 11.8k (whew)

Content: Canon Divergence, Gojo x Female Reader (referred to as such but left descriptively vague), (past) Geto Suguru x Female Reader, Geto's canonical death, friends to lovers, angst, eventual happy ending, fluff, reader is a sorcerer (left vague tho), no use of y/n, vaginal sex (though not super explicit) so please avoid accordingly! More notes below.

Chapter Count: Chp 1, Chp 2, Chp 3, Chp 4, Chp 5, Chp 6 (Final)

Notes: Peep the cw, because in case you missed it there will be 18+ content in this chapter. But warning, I do not have the talent to write explicitly detailed sex so it's more narrative/vaguely described. I applaud all authors that have that ability! Also, this is 99% fluff and vibes because that's what we all need, right?

P.S. If anyone recognizes where part of the title/included line is from.....no you don't and I'm sorry, not sorry lol

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

Chapter 5: Heart of None, Heart of One (Don't Be Afraid, I Feel It Too)

Neither you or Suguru were dressed for the affluence of this particular part of the city, the two of you wearing light and airy clothing to help ward off the oppressiveness of the summer sun. Names of restaurants and boutiques that you hardly recognized lined each side of the street full of ostentatious vehicles, and you couldn’t help but wonder why exactly Suguru had dragged you to a place neither of you had any real business being in. His fingers were twined through each of yours and had been since the two of you hopped off the train to begin your stroll towards a destination unknown. You weren’t sure if he was being intentionally vague with where you were going, or if Suguru had failed to think any further than necessary and inform you of your day’s plans. 

Men and their inability to consider five minutes ahead of themselves for anyone else’s sake. 

You passed a building with black bricks and golden writing emblazoning its name above the door, and you felt your mouth begin to water as you recognized that the style of the restaurant lended itself to your favorite foreign food. A certainly more upscale version of it anyway, if the valet’s podium and immaculately dressed patrons were any indication. 

“We should come here one day, Suguru,” you told him wistfully, inhaling deep the scent of rich food before it faded from your nose as your steps took you further and further away. Suguru huffed a noncommittal chuckle and gave you an incredulous look of question. 

“Sure, I’ll just swipe Satoru’s credit card when he isn’t looking and we’ll have ourselves a night out.” His voice was full of sarcastic humor and you rolled your eyes at him, because of course you were aware that your meager student allowances couldn’t afford such luxury, nor would Satoru be willing to part with his card without an invitation to join what would have been a date night for the two of you. The idea of it was fun to imagine in the least, and you filed the name of the restaurant away in the back of your mind for an unspecified day in the future somewhere. 

“So what are we doing here?” you asked, peering around the city as you both came to a crosswalk and minded the traffic currently flowing through it. “I can’t say that I have a suspicion, and I would like to enjoy the last afternoon of the weekend together if you don’t have something already planned.”

Suguru was quiet as he glanced up and down the street once the vehicles cleared the road, and he tugged at your hand to spur you into movement once the signal had been given to ensure your safe crossing.

“We are having to make a quick stop to retrieve something,” he said, intentionally avoiding your narrowed eyes by keeping himself one step ahead of you. You’d yank your arm back and hold your ground in a juvenile display of defiance at his reticence, but you didn’t favor being run over in the middle of the street, nor were you confident of your victory in strength should it be put up against his; you’d count on being pulled along no matter how hard you dug your heels in. 

“And what is it that we are retrieving?” You grew annoyed at Suguru’s reluctance to speak anymore than what was barely necessary, and now that the two of you were again on the safety of the sidewalks, you had half a mind to start testing his patience as he was doing yours. Your boyfriend must have been able to pick up on the change in your disposition, and he turned to you with a weary sigh as the two of you came to a stop. 

“Satoru called me earlier,” Suguru admitted, and your face dropped into distaste, mouth open to offer your dissent for whatever moronic task your boyfriend’s best friend has saddled the two of you with, but he shot you a warning glare that stayed your tongue. “He’s still on that assignment, but he forgot to finish up his reports for the last one and Yaga’s going to have his ass if he doesn’t turn them in first thing tomorrow. I told him we’d take care of it this once.” 

You scoffed, offended disbelief fueling your ire for the white-haired sorcerer, and you fixed your withering look on Suguru.

“You coddle him,” you hissed, promptly snatching your hand from his and marching forward on your own even though you hadn’t the faintest clue to where you were. The surrounding buildings were no longer fancy restaurants and expensive retailers but instead towering, dark-windowed monoliths with impressive double glass doors at their entrance. Still swanky, but more unassuming. 

“I’m helping,” Suguru argued, jogging up to your side to keep pace with you. “Friends do that for each other.” 

“I mean, yeah they do, but this feels more like Satoru is intentionally being lazy, unable to deign himself to possibly do his own work and would rather put it off to the less fortunate of us.” Your tone was scathing and your words mean for meanness sake, even if they held a scant bit of truth, and from the look on your boyfriend’s face he didn’t appreciate the disparaging of his best friend’s character. You supposed Satoru could now be considered your friend as well, now that nearly a year and a half had passed since you met your significant other’s “other”, but it had been slow building between you and Satoru, if not for the complete opposite personalities and upbringings you each had then for becoming accustomed to sharing Suguru. 

“Cut him some slack,” Suguru said, his expression knowing and slightly irritated, but his voice for you was softer than it was moments ago, and he brought you to a halt with a hand on your shoulder. “I’m not ignoring the fact that Satoru is not the most apt student when it comes to his paperwork or always considerate of other people’s time, but he has a full plate and even heavier burden attached to his name, so I’ll let it slide sometimes.” 

You weren’t sure if you’d agree, but you didn’t want to taint the afternoon with Suguru just because of your disdain for Satoru’s lack of planning, so you gave him a half-hearted shrug and glanced over his shoulder at the building the two of you came to a stop in front of.

“This it?” 

Suguru nodded and took your hand again to lead you through the frosted glass doors serving as the entrance. “He has an apartment here for when he wants solitude, so we’ll just pop in to grab the reports and then be on our way. We’ll stop for lunch after, how about that?” 

The noise of affirmation you made lacked enthusiasm, mostly because you had been thoroughly chastised by your boyfriend and not because you didn’t want to share a meal out with him, but Suguru was undeterred and you turned your attention to the details of the front lobby. The high walls were painted alabaster and arched over certain hallways you guessed lead to various amenities. The slightly darker beige floors gleamed under rich lighting, leaving the forest green and muted mahogany fabrics of plush looking couches and other luxe decor to stand out in their superiority. You and Suguru continued through an archway and came upon an older man situated at a stately wood desk sandwiched between floor-to-ceiling glass doors that prohibited your entrance. You bristled at the idea of having to convince someone to allow you through to somewhere the two of you didn’t look to belong, or worse, have to stand by the desk as other residents came and went while Suguru beckoned Satoru to pick up his phone and petition you two through. However, to your shock, Suguru simply smiled and waved at the gentleman—who returned his greeting in kind—and he had the glass doors sliding open with a touch of a button just in time for the two of you to walk through them.

“A silver spoon Satoru does use,” you commented wryly. The two of you stepped into an open elevator, and you were pleased to see a stifled grin on Suguru’s face. 

“That I won’t deny,” he said, pressing the button for an obnoxiously high floor. You chattered between yourselves about lunch options and other plans for the rest of the day whilst traveling up, and your arrival to Satoru’s floor was announced with a pleasant trilling of a bell. As you walked down a hallway, you took notice of the distance between the doors of each dwelling, marking the considerable size of each one. Suguru came to a stop at the very end of the hall and pressed a series of numbers into a shiny keypad before motioning you through the now opened door. 

Satoru’s apartment was as beautiful as you imagined, with its sprawling living area and enormous windows the first thing to appear after making it through the entrance, and then an extensive gourmet kitchen was located on the left. There were a couple other hallways you assumed lead to various rooms, and you had a thought to explore (snoop) when you felt a hand at your back.

“Satoru should have some sweets in his fridge,” Suguru said, dropping a brief kiss at your temple and then another at your cheek as he brushed by you. “I’m going to his office right quick if you want to help yourself. It’s the least he can offer.” 

That brought a grin to your face, and you immediately turned towards the kitchen as Suguru’s footsteps faded in the opposite direction. Satoru’s fridge was nearly twice your height and the stainless steel was polished so perfectly that you could nearly see your reflection in it. It was all so grandiose, but the excitement immediately abated when you opened the fridge and saw nothing but a couple bags of sweets and water bottles taking up a minute amount of its expansive capacity. You grabbed one of each and brought them to the large island across from the fridge and tucked into your snack. As you munched, you let your eyes drift from space to space, everything meticulously placed and artfully decorated. Though you couldn’t help but notice the absence of anything that made it personal. There were no photos or cookbooks or trinkets of any kind. The copious amounts of furnishings and state of the art appliances all made up an impressive looking home anyone would be thrilled to make use of, but there was not one sign of usage or life that would indicate that Satoru did anything of the sort. The thought humbled your opinion of him a touch, and the quiet melancholy of his apartment made the sweet in your mouth taste oddly of cardboard.

How lonely. 

Now, years later, as you marveled up at the building that scraped the sky, you wondered if Satoru was sitting in the quiet of his apartment cutting a lonesome figure and feeling as such. 

You had taken most of the morning to scour the school grounds in pursuit of him, but no evidence had turned up to support his stay there. Megumi had confirmed it when you ran into him in your frenzied search and mentioned that Satoru had texted him to cancel their end-of-week training because he’d be off campus. The thought of having to transport yourself all the way to that part of the city where his apartment was located felt daunting in your exhaustion, but when you closed your eyes or let your mind wander, the images of Suguru and Satoru walking away from you after turning their backs superimposed over each other and sent a new wave of panic over you every time. 

So you cleaned yourself up the best you could in the least amount of time you were willing to give, and then set out on a train. After that, the walk from the station to his apartment was about ten minutes, but you had only been there once, and you had started to worry when recognition of the area still hadn’t struck. You were only half certain you had found the correct building until you made your way inside the lobby and found familiarity in the arch of the walls and luxuriousness of the furnishings. Ahead, still seated at the same wooden desk, was the gentleman from the one time you had visited with Suguru. Age had greyed his hair and added lines under his eyes, but you recognized him the same. As you walked up to his desk with a nervous smile, you hoped you looked more put together than you felt, and you had just opened your mouth to try and convince him to let you up when he grinned at you. 

“For Gojo, right?” 

You were taken aback at the friendliness in his voice and the expectant way he looked up at you from where he was seated, and you were sure your mouth had flopped open inelegantly. “Uh, yes, but how did you—,” 

“Years ago, he left me a photo of you and a man with black hair and explicit instructions to let either of you up at any time without questions asked.” The gentleman glanced down at his desk and you could just make out his hand scribbling at a large notepad. When he looked back up at you, his gaze was inquisitive. “I just barely remember you from the one time you came with him—the boy appeared often enough that I recognized him—but I haven’t seen either of you since.” There wasn’t any judgment in his voice, just simple observation, but the whole encounter was picking at the fraying threads of your already frail emotions. 

“Yes,” you bit out, swallowing to clear the hoarseness of your voice, “it’s certainly been, uhm, a long time and…” There wasn’t anything you could come up with to fit into a brief enough explanation, and thankfully the gentleman picked up on that fact. 

“Would you like me to call up to him and let him know you’re here?” He offered, his hand already drifting towards a phone on the edge of his desk. You shook your head and flailed your hands in an effort to dissuade him from doing so. 

“No, no, please. I’m…surprising him.”  

The man smiled gently and gestured with his head towards the glass doors as he opened them with a push of a button. “Off you go then.” 

You gave him a hurried thanks and rushed off through the doors before you could lose what little courage remained in you, and when the elevator shut just after you stepped through it, you leaned back against the wall of it to take in large mouthfuls of air. Satoru was definitely home, and you maybe had two minutes to compose yourself into something presentable before you were face to face with him. You took it as a positive sign that he hadn’t immediately revoked your extended invitation into his building (unless he had simply forgotten to and now you had another idea to fret at) and you hoped that when you knocked at his door he would neither ignore you entirely or answer and then proceed to slam it shut in your face. If you made it far enough that he welcomed you in, you had absolutely no idea what you were to say to him, and the pinging of the elevator bell signaling your arrival to his floor made it clear you were running out of time to come up with anything. 

Your steps on the tile echoed loudly in the empty hallway, and you were positive it was your tired mind that made them sound reminiscent of Satoru’s name. By the time you came to his door, it was ringing in your ears and beating to the same rhythm of your pulse, and you wondered if Satoru could hear it from wherever in his apartment he remained hidden from you. The stress of it had you wanting to linger outside to come up with a speech or some kind of plan before you knocked on his door, but the thought that he could sense you waiting—hesitating—drove you deeper into embarrassment, so you lifted your hand to knock your knuckles against the door without a second consideration. The time it took for him to answer left your thoughts to scramble. 

Would he look at you with the same anger he surely saw reflected in your own eyes just hours prior? You figured you both had a right to feel such a way, but whereas you had hurled word after word of condemnation at him without ceasing, regardless of their truth or lack thereof, he hadn’t been given a moment to offer scant more than a stuttered reply. Was it presumptuous to have the hope that he would repay you in kind? That he would offer what you hadn’t and listen to what you had to say? Never again did you want to live with the regret of last words unspoken.

The beeping of his door unlocking snagged your attention, and you inhaled sharply when the knob began to turn. Through a small crack in the door, you saw Satoru peer his head around it, just offering you a sliver of a singular blue eye and the glimpse of a closed off expression on his face. You tangled your fingers together in the hope he didn’t see them shaking, and you gave him the barest of contrite smiles.

“May I come in?” 

Satoru didn’t hesitate to give a single nod of his head and you took a step back when he pushed open the door wide enough for you to walk through, murmuring a small ‘thank you’ as you passed by him. You didn’t wait for him to continue further into his apartment, eager to get out of the small entryway and into the openness of his living space if only so you could feel slightly less confined. In a quick glance around, you noticed that Satoru’s apartment looked nearly identical to how it did the one and only time you visited it. There was still a museum-esque quality to the cleanliness of it, but you could see a half-full glass of water on the island in his kitchen, and you had spied his pair of black shoes by the door next to where you had toed yours off. 

The susurration of his house shoes on the wood floor could be heard coming up behind you, and you turned slowly to face him. You took in his casual clothes, a dark grey sweater and navy lounge pants, and noticed him doing the same to your similar but more feminine outfit. When your eyes met, it pained you to see how his were guarded, lacking their usual brightness and enthusiasm, and you knew it was somewhat your fault. 

“I should have let you talk more,” you blurted, head cleared of any logical thought. “I was within my right to be angry with you, but I should have heard you out, and I’m sorry I didn’t.” 

Satoru’s expression eased and you wrung your hands. “I want to respect your space. I’m willing to give that to you, but I’m afraid of leaving things unsaid and—,” 

You were horrified when your eyes began to sting and the inside of your nose burned. You flicked your focus down to the floor in the hopes that not looking at him would keep you composed enough to get the rest of your words out. “If you’re willing, I’d like to talk this out with you. I would hate for things to end the way they did.” 

When you looked back up at him, his eyes were wide, and Satoru shuffled forward to reach a hand out to press against the back of your arm. “Of course,” he said, his voice so emphatically eager that it panged your heart. “Of course I’ll listen to you.” 

The pressure of his hand guided you towards the ample seating in his living room, and the two of you made yourselves comfortable on the sofa placed in front of a massive entertainment system. Satoru sat just far away enough that two of you wouldn’t touch, but he laid out his arm along the back of the sofa, turned on his hip, and leaned forward slightly on his thigh so he could face you. You mirrored his position but kept your hands in your lap. 

“I don’t hate you. I never could,” you breathed out, and a part of you died inside when relief slackened Satoru’s features and his shoulders lowered as tension bled out from them. “I was angry, and maybe even felt a little betrayed, but it wasn’t you I hated.” 

There must have been a stricken look on your face, because his hand that rested on the back of the sofa lifted and hovered in the air for a moment before he moved it close enough that he could just graze his fingertips along the top of your arm. 

“I think I hated him. I hated Suguru in that split second.” The words felt heavy and disjointed in your mouth, not quite understood by your brain, but you felt palpable liberation once they were out. Satoru kept his eyes on you attentively, and you were powerless to the words that spilled from your tongue. 

“I hated him for what he did. I hated that he left me, and I hated that he chose to speak with you one last time instead of me. I hated that you had to kill him, and that we have to wake up everyday to live in the aftermath of it.” You were interrupted by a hiccuping cry that forced its way through your teeth, and when you looked up at Satoru helplessly, his hands shot out to take yours into his own. 

“But not you, I would never hate you,” you said once you had regained your composure, “and I would like to hear what you have to say. To help me understand what you were going through and why you made the choice to keep what Suguru said a secret until now. I’d like us to be completely understanding of the other, with the intention of being able to move forward.” 

Feeling much like you had just finished a sprint, you drew in a few deep breaths to steady the racing of your heart and calm the adrenaline running through your body. Satoru didn’t look angry or upset. He had an open, albeit cautious, look on his face and he studied your hands in his grasp momentarily before gently releasing them, and you both withdrew your hands to let them rest on your respective laps. 

“It was panic,” he started, pausing to meet your eyes. “I was so panicked that evening, about what I had just done and how I was supposed to reveal that to you. I could barely think straight enough to tell you I killed him, and I couldn’t stomach the idea of having to relay to you what Suguru said when I could hardly make sense of it myself.” 

You watched Satoru closely as he wiped his hands down over his legs and you both heard and felt the stuttered breath he pushed out from deep in his chest.

 “I’m not saying that to excuse my behavior, but it felt like the easiest thing to do for myself at that moment, and I regret it. If I could go back…well, I don’t actually know what I would have done.” Satoru inched a little closer to you and raised a questioning brow. “Would you have been okay if I had told you that he had said something, but couldn’t yet share it with you? Would have it been better to tell you everything he said, but warned you that I didn’t have the capacity to explore the implications of it right then with you? Or—god—I should have told you at any point between then and now.” 

The ideas Satoru was presenting caught you by surprise. You hadn’t ever really considered before what you had wanted to hear in the moments when your entire world was collapsing around you. Surely you would have wanted to know, but the anticipation of waiting to hear what those words would have been had you chosen the first option probably would have driven you to madness. In regards to the second, knowing what Suguru had said would have prevented the whole mess the two of you were in now. However, knowing yourself, you very well might have fled the school like you did to avoid discussing things with Satoru once he was ready, keen on never once touching such a topic for the rest of your life, and who knows what outcome would have resulted from that. And him revealing what Suguru said any time after that day and between now would have mostly likely played out the same way it did last night.

“I don’t know,” you answered honestly, and you couldn’t help but let out a tired laugh. “Either alternative has its merits and its corresponding negatives. In the future, I think open communication would be best, but for things past I don’t see much point in dwelling on what should have been.” 

Satoru nodded, seemingly agreeing with what you had said. You chewed your lip, considering the weight of the question you wanted to ask him before ultimately deciding that he deserved the chance to let himself be heard. 

“How have you been?” Your inquiry had his mouth opening to respond, but he was silent in the aftermath, and you assumed that he needed time to condense his thoughts into words. 

You empathized with that particular plight.  

“Tired,” he said finally, solemnly, and you moved closer towards him until your knees knocked against each other. “I would give anything to have a night’s rest where I didn’t dream about killing my best friend.” This time, you reached out your hand to grip his fingers in yours, and his answering smile was full of gratitude. “Or have a nightmare where you hate me,” he added, squeezing your hand to balm the sting of his words. 

The two of you were silent after that, each of you taking turns glancing at one another and then back at your tangled hands before focusing on anywhere else in the room. However, there was a collective sense of expectation hanging above you both, and you had a good idea of what topic was waiting to be broached. 

“Satoru,” you murmured, biting down on the inside of your cheek as he lifted his head to listen to you. There was trepidation in the way he held himself, and you wondered if he anticipated what you were going to say next. “I tried to kiss you.” 

He was rapt in his attention on you, his face giving away nothing as to what he was feeling, but he fiddled with your fingers and ran his thumb along the inside of your wrist. He ducked his head just barely, and when his hair shifted over his forehead, it was just enough to conceal his eyes from you. “You did.” 

Satoru’s evasion grated you, but you set aside your frustration to focus on what you were trying to convey to him, to get him to understand what you couldn’t even quite wrap your head around fully. 

“I don’t want you to feel obligated to me because of what Suguru said.” His head snapped up and his brows furrowed at your words, but you kept going before he had a chance to interrupt. “I think you probably have an idea about what I feel for you, but I don’t expect you to reciprocate just because you might have some misguided sense of duty or responsibility towards me, and I can forget about that near-kiss if that’s—,” 

“I want you,” Satoru said on a exhale, and he looked to be fighting a bashful grin that pulled at the corners of his mouth. Your noise of surprise filled the heady silence following his declaration, and you felt as though the two of you teetered on the edge of some great precipice. 

A quiet “oh,” was all you could get out, breathless in a mounting giddiness, and he chuckled at whatever flush warmed your cheeks before his features smoothed out into something more solemn. 

“I do,” he insisted, and you could sense the ‘but’ following his statement and it made all the butterflies that had erupted in your chest fall leadened into your stomach, “but I can’t help feeling a little…unsettled about it, maybe? Not in a bad way necessarily, never with you—,” 

Satoru stammered, an overwhelmed breath heaving his shoulders, and you watched him with a pang of sympathy as he struggled to grasp at the words clearly evading him. “I don’t want you to think I feel entitled to you, and I don’t feel like I’m betraying Suguru by wanting you. I don’t even think I need his permission or anything like that. In fact, he seemed to give it in his own twisted way that night, and it’s just…you were his, once, and now you’re…” 

He trailed off, at a loss for the proper words to adequately explain a concept you both seemed to wrestle with, and the look he gave you was helpless and beseeching in a way that was delightfully captivating to you: eyes wide, lips slightly parted, and if his gaze could be anymore adoring you’d melt into the fabric of his fine linen couch. 

What was previously off limits had become an alluring possibility. A person who had always occupied a strictly friendly role had begun to appear in a way not thought of before. It was overwhelming, exciting, terrifying in what it could mean to want someone who had once been unobtainable, who you had not once considered for yourself before the loss of someone precious to both of you. But Suguru was gone now, and what more could be owed to the two of you than indulging in a shared happiness?

You giggled, catching your bottom lip between your teeth to try and contain the smile that was surely about to overtake your face, and you tugged on Satoru’s hands to pull him in close to you. 

“Don’t be afraid,” you whispered, your voice light and playful while the blue of his eyes danced and his cheeks went round in elation, “I feel it too.” 

————————————————

Later, as you contemplated your existence in the quiet sanctuary of your room, you would berate yourself for not taking the opportunity to kiss Satoru senseless. Alas, you had remained dutiful to your mutual agreement to let the enormity of the morning settle before getting carried away with frenzied touches and the mingling of panted breaths. Instead, the two of you stayed seated on his couch for another hour, close in the way you had both drifted to lean against the other while chatting idly about anything ordinary. 

You had taken moments to gently lift strands of hair from his eyes, goosebumps erupting over your skin when his focus couldn’t decide whether to fix on your face or follow the movement of your hand. When you had later regaled him with a forgotten tale from your time abroad, Satoru had spent his time listening by swirling a finger over the top of your kneecap before letting it drift just slightly over your thigh so he could squeeze it gently. The pressure had you stuttering over your words, and you used the increased need to jump from your skin as an excuse to leap from the couch and beg for a glass of water. Satoru smirked at you in that annoyingly smug, but persistently charming habit of his, and had simply sauntered off to his kitchen to leave you to follow in his wake. 

When the afternoon sun began to push shadows further into the depths of his apartment, you begrudgingly announced your intended departure, pointing out to Satoru the exhaustion that clung to you both when he began to protest. A much-needed nap was in order, and he only surrendered his disagreement when you let out an exaggerated yawn. He followed you to the door with your sleeve caught between two of his fingers. The two of you stared at each other after you had slipped on your shoes, neither quite ready to bid the first goodbye. You eventually took the initiative to rock onto the tips of your toes and wrap your arms around his neck, resting your cheek on his shoulder as you squeezed him to you. Satoru arms circled your waist and after nudging his nose against the top of your head, you heard him breathe in deeply before letting it out in a long exhale, and the yearning of it made you ache. 

You had to pry yourself from him, and you didn’t turn to look back as you walked down the hallway lest you lose any remaining self control and skip your way back to Satoru. It was only once you crossed the threshold of the elevator that you heard the click of his door closing shut. If you had a dopey look on your face as you made your way home, evidenced by the knowing grin on the mouth of the gentleman working the door in the lobby, then who were you to deny it?

As you lay in your bed, huddled under blankets and your head cushioned by pillows while waiting for the swiftness of sleep to weigh down your eyes, you stared at a couple of pictures now decorating a small cork board hanging above your desk. None of them contained a singular person more present than the others and were all full of various friends and toothy grins. For once, the appearance of black hair and pierced ears didn’t evoke a dull throb in your chest at a future lost, but instead welcomed a feeling of contented nostalgia for memories treasured. When your eyes started to flutter and you sensed that your battle against sleep was coming to an end, the sight of brilliant blue from the corner of one photo held your fading attention and beckoned the prospect of enduring happiness by a relationship newly minted. 

————————————————

A dreary midmorning wasn’t something that could keep you cooped up on a Saturday free of obligation, and in an endeavor to make the most of your spare time, you busied yourself with errands in the city. If you found yourself standing in line outside the building of your favorite sweet shop, you would insist it was only to fill your own belly. Any extras that made it into your bag would surely serve as a snack over the rest of the weekend and not linger in your room in the hopes a certain white-haired man would make an appearance and find them. 

The thought of Satoru had you reaching for your phone as you shuffled another step further in line. You had texted Satoru a simple ‘good morning’ right before leaving your room then promptly threw the device into the bottom of your bag to be forgotten until after your errands. Otherwise, you would have worried yourself beyond what was considered healthy about whether or not that message presumed too much in light of yesterday’s breakthrough. 

Maybe overkill would lend itself to your passions too. 

To your dismay, your phone remained disappointingly devoid of new messages, but the sudden appearance of small raindrops on your screen took your attention before you could waste more time wishing it would flash with Satoru’s name. While the sky looked quite grey in your perusal of it, the drops never fell faster or increased in size while you waited for your turn to step into the shop, and you hoped the weather would stay its course until you returned home. Because you, in your distraction, had forgotten to snag your umbrella as you scurried out the door that morning. Instead of dwelling on your possible misfortune, you gave a cursory glance at the shop’s menu board sitting by the door and when you were nearly halfway through reading it, a shadow came over you. 

“Dessert for breakfast again?” 

You jerked your head towards the familiar voice and came face to face with Satoru. He hovered close enough to you so that the large umbrella he carried could shelter both him and yourself from the faint pattering of rain, and you met his beaming smile with one of your own. 

“Satoru! What are you doing here?” His arrival wasn’t at all expected, but you drank in the sight of him no less, pleased to see him in casual clothes instead of his uniform and sporting a black coat to ward off the last of the morning chill. 

“You know, just out and about,” he offered, and mischievousness made the corners of his mouth twitch. You suspected his eyes would twinkle just the same if you could see them through his blindfold. 

“Right,” you drew out, not quite sure if you believed that he just so happened upon you by chance, but you were too preoccupied with the fact he was standing in front of you again to question it any further. “Are you busy? Or do you have time to join me?” 

He was quick to nod, and you reached out to wrap your hand around his bicep when someone cleared their throat pointedly from behind. You jolted, heat flushing your neck and cheeks when you realized that there was a large gap in between you and the door to the shop, and you scurried forward. Satoru beat you to the door, swinging it open for you before you had a chance, and you ducked in while he sat his umbrella off to the side. 

You came to a stop a reasonable distance from the person in front of you and crossed your arms with a small huff as you pretended to study the variety of different sweets sitting in their display cases. Satoru’s coat brushed against your back as he came up behind you, and you prayed he didn’t notice the shiver that shook your shoulders when he leaned down to whisper right by your ear. 

“Distracted?” he asked, voice deeply flirtatious, and a scent a bit spicier than the mild soap you recall him smelling of wafted to your nose and made your thoughts hazy. 

“Nope,” you said as casually as you could manage, trying your best to make a mental note of what options you wanted to order so that you didn’t look like a bumbling fool when it was your turn. His answering chuckle was not only heard, but felt against your back. 

“You sure about that?” 

You whipped your head to the side to glare at him out of the corner of your eye, and your cheek nearly made contact with the tip of his nose. “Positive.” 

There would never be any certainty with his eyes hidden, but you swore you could feel his gaze on your lips, and if you ignored the thought and turned your attention back to what was in front of you, it was only because there was nothing you could do about it in a crowded little sweets shop. 

Thankfully—begrudgingly—it was your turn to order, and you stepped away from Satoru and approached the counter while taking in a much needed deep breath. He didn’t stray far from you, however, and you were conscious of how he lingered at your side while you ordered a couple things for yourself and one or two for Nanami in exchange for the few times he had bought you something from the bakery. 

You were just about to pay for your portion when Satoru came up and bumped you aside with his hip and a smirk on his face, and you watched with mild horror as the employee set down a bag of sweets nearly bulging in its fullness. 

“You have a problem,” you commented warily, imagining the amount of sugar in that bag alone and feeling phantom pain in your teeth. You eyed Satoru as he placed down his card to pay for both orders. 

“If you say so.” His shrug was light hearted and drenched in boyish charm, and you shook your head at him. Before he could find any more opportunities to indulge random acts of chivalry, you swiped your bag off the counter and made haste for the exit, pausing only to throw a wink over your shoulder as you stepped outside the door. You barely caught his indignant protest as he finished up his transaction but paid it no mind as you bent down to grab his umbrella and trotted off down the sidewalk. You only made it to a cross walk a couple yards down and had to come to a stop before he was jogging up to your side. 

“Rude,” Satoru pouted, sidling up next to you to slip the opened umbrella from your hand. 

“I can’t let people think I willingly associate myself with someone who has the taste buds of a child.” You giggled and snuck your hand in the slim space between his side and his arm to curl your fingers into the crook of his elbow. Something fluttered pleasantly in your belly when the action softened the deepening frown on his face. 

“Not all of us can have such sophisticated palettes,” he grumbled, but you could see the hint of a smile on his cheeks, so you leaned just a little further into his side. The delicate kiss he dropped onto your temple had you choking down any retort you were prepared to give him back, and the two of you stood in shy silence until the traffic signal changed in your favor. 

“Follow me to the school?” you asked, already in motion by the time the words left your mouth, and the answering look Satoru gave you made it clear that he never intended anything else. 

————————————————

Twenty minutes later had the two of you back at the school and seated on Satoru’s coat under the large tree nestled in the corner of the campus training grounds.

“Leave my bag alone,” you hissed, slapping at the wandering hand Satoru kept trying to sneak into your own stash of sweets. 

“I wanted to try one of yours. They’re different,” he whined. He stretched over your lap in an attempt to grab said bag from where you had moved it to your other side, but you stopped his progress with a hand on his chest. You pushed back against him until he was seated again. 

“No, what’s left are mine and the ones I bought for Nanami.”

“Nanami?” he asked in offended disbelief. “And you didn’t think to get any for me?”

“I’m surprised they aren’t already in your bag, Satoru. I think you bought the whole store,” you said, feeling a little sick to your stomach when you took note of the dwindling size of his own purchase. He scoffed in disapproval and hunched down further against the tree the two of you were resting against. His antics had your eyes rolling, but you went ahead and pulled one of your treats out from the bag as you had intended to do before he decided to try and pilfer them on his own. 

“Here,” you told him, feigning the exasperation in your voice. You held the treat out in your hand, expecting him to take it from you with his own, but Satoru—with uncovered eyes gleaming—leaned forward and ate the snack right from your fingers. You had a brief second to register the heat of his lips and the way his teeth had just grazed your skin before he was sitting back with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. 

“Tasty,” he said, looking all too pleased with himself, and all you could do was sit there with your heart pounding. The thought of kissing Satoru had been plaguing your mind since even before the two of you had fought, and now, when his lips were flushed pink and there were crystals of sugar caught on a corner of them, you were weak in your resolve. 

You curled your fingers into the neck of his shirt and pulled him in to meet you, eyes already closing so you didn’t scare yourself out of the idea if there was a shocked look on his face. Your lips met his with an urgency, but you were mindful not to clash teeth or press too hard, and you felt marginally better when Satoru knocked his nose against yours in order to tilt his head and deepen the kiss. His chilled fingertips were a shock to your skin when they settled on the edge of your cheek and under your jaw, and he hummed pleasantly into the kiss when he felt you jump. Satoru’s other arm came to wrap around your back, and his fingers dug into your shirt when you used the tip of your tongue to swipe away any remaining sugar on his lips. 

You were vaguely aware of Satoru pressing closer to you, inching you back incrementally, but you were too lost in the feel of his mouth moving against yours and slipping your arms up and around his neck to pay much mind to it. So when you felt yourself falling back against the ground with Satoru’s hand bracing the back of your head it didn’t trigger the urge to stop, especially not when his free hand landed heavily in the dirt next to your head so he could lower himself down and chase after your lips. However, you could only avoid the cold wet of the ground seeping through your collar for so long, not to mention the fact you two were in public, and you ducked your chin slightly to break away from Satoru. 

“It’s unlikely,” you murmured, feeling him trail his mouth over your cheek to press a kiss just below your ear, “but any of our students—or our peers—could walk by at any given moment.” 

The noise of disagreement he made tickled the skin under your ear that he was nibbling at, but you didn’t have to tell him twice before he was pulling away just hair. All you could see above you was white eyelashes framing bright blue eyes, and the tips of his hair tickled your forehead when Satoru lowered himself just a little so he could nudge his nose into your cheek affectionately. 

“You’re not wrong,” he sighed, sitting himself back up and tugging you along with him by your arm. You pat down your hair and brush some dirt from your sleeves while keeping a watchful eye on his expression from your peripheral. Satoru didn’t seem particularly disappointed or upset at your words, but you, in your habit, worried about the implication of them anyway. 

“I’m not embarrassed,” you reassured him, drawing his focus as you hurried to get your thoughts out to him. “I’m not ashamed to be seen with you either, but this is…” you trailed off as words failed you. 

This was new and something precious to you. For the first time in years, you had someone by your side that cared to know everything you thought and longed to be near you. It was all a touch overwhelming to fall for someone you hadn’t ever pictured in a romantic role, and you were eager for the time to understand it fully yourself before allowing others to fix their attention on it. 

“Don’t worry,” Satoru said, and he was cheerful and giddy in the way he smiled while he dragged a finger across the back of your hand. “I feel it too.” 

————————————————

Your burgeoning relationship carried on in secrecy for the next three months. In between classes and training of students, you and Satoru would find yourselves in an obscure hallway or forgotten classroom to share whispers and fleeting touches. It was nothing torrid or salacious as of yet, but everyday you longed for the moments you had alone with him to bask in muffled laughter and give in to lingering kisses that he would pull you into when you would try to leave for the umpteenth time. More than once you caught his head following you as he and the students walked by you on school grounds, and the previous week Kugisaki had commented on how keenly you studied Satoru while he demonstrated a fighting technique to Itadori. 

And now, when the school day was long over and the sun was beginning to set, you felt at ease walking through the door of Satoru’s office door to surprise him with spoils from your day. 

“Knock, knock,” you called out gently, peeking your head around the doorframe to find Satoru already looking up at you, blindfold nowhere to be seen. Fatigue clearly was gnawing at him. His head dropped from where his chin was propped up in his hand, and there was the faintest hint of purple under his eyes. A pen was clasped in his right hand where it rested on a large stack of paperwork, and you took notes of the various others crowding his desk as you walked in. “How are all the reports coming along?” 

Satoru groaned and threw himself back against his chair. “It’s been terrible! I’ve been stuck here finishing these reports since this morning. I didn’t even have lunch!” 

You laughed at his plight as you came to stand next to him and lean back against his desk before pulling a small brown sack from your bag. “Here,” you said, passing it to him, “I got you something while we were out today.” 

His face lit up in excitement ,and he eagerly snatched the bag from your grasp and buried his hand in it to pull out the pastry located inside. “You’re incredible,” he said, pausing to express his gratitude before he shoved half of it into his mouth. 

“You’ll choke one day,” you warned, vaguely impressed when he ate the other half in just as big of a bite. Satoru shook his head, and his grin told you he was proud of himself. 

“Was that from our bakery?” he asked, and you were grateful he had swallowed before speaking. 

“Yup. The first years did so well in training today that Nanami and I decided to end things early and treat them. We ended up running into the third years on the way, so they joined us and we all had a happy time together.” Satoru’s face fell somewhere in the beginning when you started talking, and by the time you were done his mouth was turned down into a full blown frown. 

“Without me?” He pouted, and the sad, puppy-esque face he gave you would have worked if you didn’t know what would be awaiting you if he didn’t finish his reports. 

“Ah, ah, ah,” you tutted, shaking a finger at him, “you needed to get these done, or else it would have been me taking over the extras and then we would both be miserable.” Satoru scowled, but the sigh he let out was resigned. 

“You’re not wrong.” 

You reached out and ruffled his hair. “Of course I’m not,” you teased, “but I brought you a treat to make up for it.” 

Satoru cocked a brow and stood from his chair so he could take a step towards you. Your lower back was already pressed into the edge of his desk, so you had to crane your head back to meet his eyes. “That’s true,” he said playfully. “You do make everything better.” He closed the space between your chests and the audible hitch in your breathing made him smirk. 

“Cheesy,” you muttered, but exhilaration flowed through you when his hands came up to cradle your jaw and he lowered his head enough that you could feel the warmth of his breath against your nose. Satoru hummed an amused sound before finally taking your bottom lip between his. You tucked your arms below his so you could fist your hands into the fabric of his uniform as his sides and a fluttering burst into your chest when he started stroking the apples of your cheeks with his thumbs.

It wasn’t wrong to say that Satoru had transfixed you. Everything about him—the way he smelled, the depth of his laugh, how his fingers felt when they danced over your skin—was alluring to you, and you couldn’t help but clutch him closer as your lips moved against his. In response, Satoru’s hands dropped down to grip at your waist, and you let out a noise of surprise in the brief moment your lips disconnected when he lifted you up, only to set you back down on his desk. He was quick to kiss you again, chasing you when you leaned back to make space for him in between your legs.

His hands seemed like they were everywhere at once: between your shoulders to press you into him, cupping your chin to angle it up and allow his lips to ghost over your neck, and then spread over your thighs to grasp and knead. The room was quiet except for the heady exhalations and gasping breaths of the air you shared, and you heard the rustling of paper being scattered as he cleared a spot behind you. 

Somewhere deep in your mind, your brain supplied you with the thought that Satoru’s office was not the ideal first place to do this—to have him. Certainly not as his hand started to sneak under the bottom of your shirt or your fingers toyed with the button on his pants, but every inch of him was plied against you and it would take something monumental to separate—,

“Ahem.” 

As it turned out, your principal clearing his throat outside of the wide open door of Satoru’s office was catastrophic enough for the two of you to spring apart at something close to the speed of light. You propelled yourself off Satoru’s desk to stand rigid at the side of it while turning your head to gawk accusingly at him, because surely the honored one should have sensed Principal Yaga way before he ever arrived. But from the way he immediately dropped straight into his chair to conceal himself from the waist down proved that, astonishingly, Gojo Satoru could be caught unaware. 

 Neither of you three said a word. Principal Yaga eyed you and Satoru with his arms crossed and brow furrowed, and you couldn’t decide whether hurling yourself out of the window behind you would be less painful than the scrutiny coming from the large man at the door. 

“There’s paperwork for this. You two can each get a copy from my office tomorrow,” he said eventually. You were relieved to hear a lack of judgment or disappointment in your principal’s voice and decided you could live with the resigned finality that colored instead. He didn’t offer anything else and had just begun to turn away with a shake of his head and a hand rubbing at his temple when he spun back around suddenly, making you flinch from where you were still rooted next to Satoru’s desk. 

“I want those reports finished and on my desk first thing in the morning, Satoru.” His tone brokered no discussion and—in all the time you’ve known him—you witnessed the loud-mouthed sorcerer at an apparent loss for words. He simply nodded in agreement and then Principal Yaga was gone. 

“Well,” Satoru started slowly, turning to face you in his chair, “I think that makes things official.” His mouth then tilted upwards into an unbothered grin, and he looked at you expectantly. Strained laughter died in your throat. 

“I guess so.” 

————————————————

In an effort to help make up for last week’s incident , Satoru called you midway through the Friday afternoon to, not ask, but summon you for a late night dinner date. In exchange, you got to pick where the two of you would eat and what dessert you would share at the end. It had taken little to no convincing on your part to get you to agree, and when the name of a restaurant in the upscale part of the city near his apartment slipped from your mouth, you were surprised to find that no guilt came along with it. 

Once upon a time, you might have wistfully imagined yourself seated and dined at that particular restaurant with Suguru, as you had told him when the two of you first passed it on the street. However, that daydream never came to fruition, and you refused to let a faded prospect with your long-lost ex-lover get in the way of creating new memories. So, in order to do just that, you took time getting yourself ready and slipped into a new dress before taking a train to the city to meet Satoru. 

The restaurant was everything you expected, and you took in with a small smile the low light atmosphere and your secluded table illuminated with flickering white candles. Waiters bustled to and fro, and the soft plinking of a lounge piano underscored the muffled murmurings of the restaurant’s patrons. You and Satoru talked about anything and nothing as you looked over the menu. The establishment wasn’t overabundant in the options it provided, instead taking great care to provide a few exceptionally well crafted meals, but you still had a difficult time making your decision nonetheless. Satoru offered to select one of the two dishes you went back and forth between for himself so you’d have the opportunity to try it, and while the idea melted your heart into a little puddle, you urged him to pick what he wanted for himself. 

A waiter came by and presented you with an extensive wine list, and while Satoru didn’t partake, he guessed with unbridled enthusiasm at which type you’d choose. His answer had been wrong, but the determined gleam in his eyes told you he’d never again make that mistake. After eventually making up your mind and successfully placing your order, the rest of the dinner flew by. The two of you spent time exchanging bites of each other’s food and sharing stories about the progress of the first year’s training. 

When you were brought the dessert menu, you both leaned over the table towards each other to look over it together, and when the two of you couldn’t decide on just one, you suggested ordering two. Satoru had raised a brow at you, having already heard twice by then how you were too full to have your own dessert and, despite his protest, insisted on sharing one with him. He relented, and you ordered two. When the waiter was out of earshot, you told him in a pointed few words that you had every intention of sharing that second dessert with him as a middle of the night snack. Satoru immediately sat straight in his seat, eyes flashing with heat and want and a whole other amalgamation of emotions that set your blood alight. 

By the time dessert came, you were two minutes shy of snatching the check and hauling him out the door, sweets be damned. But Satoru simply laughed and passed you a spoon while he situated the plate of dessert halfway between you two. When you were two bites in, stomach protesting and your eyes feeling just a bit heavy from the dimness of the restaurant, you tucked your foot under Satoru’s to rest it against his ankle. His answering smile was tender and maybe a little bashful, and while it could’ve been the second glass of wine that caused the stirring in your chest, you wouldn’t have been surprised if it was your heart expanding enough to make room for him. 

————————————————

“I want to go there again next week,” you said blissfully, both satisfied from a delicious dinner and feeling relief from the cold floors of Satoru’s apartment on your sore feet. If you never again picked up the heels you had kicked off at his door, it would be too soon. You meandered into his kitchen and plucked a water bottle from his fridge to down in just a few swallows. 

“I suppose we could go back once a week until we finish trying every dessert and dinner option available,” Satoru responded, coming up behind you to curl one arm around your waist and press a kiss into your hair. “Thank you for being my date.” You lifted your arm to reach behind you and drape it around his neck, and he let his mouth glide across the skin that he could touch. 

“Always,” you murmured, and while the implications of the word felt a little heavy and maybe a bit presumptuous for the early stages of your relationship, it didn’t diminish the truth of which you spoke it with. Satoru didn’t seem to have an objection to it and merely pasted every inch of his front against your back. 

“If you’re tired, or if the second glass of wine was too much, I’m happy to lend you a change of clothes and offer you a guest room for the night. We can make breakfast in the morning if you’re willing to supervise.” His laughter tickled your skin, and you were quick to shake your head and turn in his hold.

“No to the guest room, but yes to breakfast.” 

He smiled into the kiss he placed onto your lips and you fisted your fingers into the collar of his shirt in an attempt to keep him against you when he stepped back and nodded in the direction of a hallway. You caught his hand from behind when Satoru turned to walk towards what was presumably his bedroom and held on to it as he led you. He glanced back at you over his shoulder, eyes promising and mouth slightly parted, and when he whirled around completely to tug you through the open door of his room, you caught yourself on his chest and giggled. 

While Satoru busied himself with nuzzling his lips against the curve of your shoulder and fiddling with the various clasps and a zipper at the back of your dress, you peeked around his arm to study the vastness of his bedroom. It was as expertly put together as the rest of his home, but still mostly lacking in its signs of life. The high beamed ceiling and towering window framed by lush dark curtains created a feeling of openness, but the plush comforter on his bed and the stone fireplace set across from it helped cultivate a sense of coziness. You spied his uniform draped over the back of a chair nestled under a desk, and a thrill went through when the computer sitting atop it flashed a screensaver familiar to you—the picture of your dessert from the cafe a thousand miles away. 

You had the mind to ask Satoru about it, but before you could he was peeling your dress off your shoulders and down your arms. His eyes flicked up to yours in silent permission and it only took a subtle dip of your chin before he was pushing it the rest of the way down your torso, and you squirmed when his fingers danced over your ribs in a way that tickled. Hands started to move in a hurry after that point. Yours flew to the buttons of his shirt while his traveled up your arms to cup your cheeks so he could kiss you again. When you divested him of the fabric concealing his chest, seeing it land in a flutter next to your dress on the floor, you immediately started in on his belt, taking pleasure in the stuttered breath Satoru let out above you when you yanked on it in your efforts to get it off. 

As soon as he stepped out his pants, Satoru was turning you to the bed and he just barely caught himself above you when the two of you fell back against it. You grinned up at him as you shuffled up towards the pillows, and he followed obediently to settle between your legs when you opened them for him. It wasn’t until Satoru had already shimmed your underwear off your legs and did the same to himself did you feel a prickle of nervousness in your belly at the sight of him. There had been a few others in the time between Suguru and now, but they all had blended into faceless bodies and blurred memories of dark bedrooms, none ever so important that you bothered to recall them in times of loneliness. But this—Satoru—would be different, and you had only ever known one other man in such a deeper level of intimate feelings.

“Comparing me to someone?” The sarcastic quip from Satoru reclaimed your attention and nearly had you leaving the bed altogether, but the hidden undercurrent of vulnerability in his voice kept you under him. One day, the two of you would have a discussion about appropriate boundaries and how to express one’s emotions with proper words, but for now, you would reassure him that he would not have to spend his entire life worrying that he would never be enough for you. 

“No,” you said pointedly, cocking an eyebrow at him, and he actually looked chagrined. “I was actually thinking about how you were longer than I expected.” You punctuated your words by reaching down and wrapping your hand around him, and all the air rushed out of his lungs in a forceful exhale. It wasn’t a lie on your part. Where Suguru had been impressive in his width, Satoru excelled in his length, but that wasn’t any of his particular business. 

“I always thought you’d wear some expensive cologne everyday,” you continued in a whisper, tightening your grip around him until he sagged against your chest and let out a low moan in your ear, “but you smell faintly of clean scented soap and that surprised me.” You trailed the hand not currently occupied over the ridges of his spine and had to bite at your lip when Satoru shuddered against you. “Your skin doesn’t run as hot as I imagined it would, but I don’t mind it.” 

He chuckled a bit at that, and the breathless sound of it made you shiver. In a strained voice he asked, “anything else?” You let out a questioning hum, feigning your need to contemplate the idea, and Satoru nipped at your neck in retaliation. 

“Okay, okay!” you squealed, wriggling under him as he continued his assault up over your ear before replacing them with soft kisses over your cheek. “Your hair feels as soft as it looks and not a day goes by that I don’t think about running my fingers through it.” To emphasize your point, you raked your nails over his scalp and a pleased grumble sounded low in his chest. You debated sharing your next thought with him, but he was searching your eyes in a way that was a little desperate and heart wrenching, so you obliged. 

“The night of that failed date, right before we fought,” you began quietly, tracing your finger over Satoru’s cheek and the bridge of his nose, “I spent the whole time wishing it had been you.” 

The admission must have taken him off guard because his eyes widened and a pink flush took over his cheeks. His chest brushed more firmly against your breasts as his breathing accelerated in the slightest, and you reached up to nudge the tip of your nose against his. You didn’t bother waiting for his reply, and arched your hips upwards to grind them against his, this time you both let out echoing moans. Much of what came next happened in blurs of frenzied movement; his hand slipping between your legs and moving about in a way that had you throwing your head back into his pillows until his room was filled with the sound of you chanting Satoru’s name. When you were breathless and panting, he trailed back up your body with his lips straying to the dip of your waist, the curve of your breast, and then back to your mouth. 

When he finally made space for himself inside you and pulled your thigh higher over his hip, all you could do was grasp at his back and grip at his arms while he murmured your name into the crook of your neck. His movements stole your breath and overwhelmed any other thoughts in your head, but you didn’t mind how much room Satoru took up. Not when his fingers traced your features in delicate awe and wonder, and not when he had you calling his name in response to the sudden burst of warmth that poured over you a second and third time before he followed in kind. 

Satoru rolled the two of you over when your chests were still heaving and limbs were trembling, wrapping you up tightly in the breadth of his arms so you could rest your cheek just under his collarbone while he whispered soft affirmations and praises in your ear. You decided then, when he was still nestled inside you and spoke excitedly of a midnight snack in a plastic to-go bag and of shared breakfast in the morning that Gojo Satoru would never be too much for you. 

————————————————

When Satoru blinked awake, the first thing he noticed was the calmness with which he came out of sleep. His skin wasn’t slicked with sweat, nor were his blankets tangled around his legs. He hadn’t thrashed into consciousness, tormented by an endless loop of nightmares filled with his dead best friend’s face or your vehement ire. Instead, his eyes opened drowsily to take in the blue-black of twilight peeking through his curtains and became instantly aware of the sound of rhythmic breathing to his left. You slept soundly on your side facing away from him, but with your back pressed against his arm. Satoru let out a long breath, feeling more rested than he had in months, but he was in no hurry to find his way out of bed and away from you. In an attempt to coax his mind back into slumber, he shifted onto his side and wiggled down into the bed until he could snuggle his face against the back of your neck. You made a sleepy noise of annoyance when he wrapped his arm around your hips to pull you against him, but you didn’t wake and Satoru sighed in contentment before letting his eyes fall closed.

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

I hope y'all enjoyed this sweetness as much as I did!

The next chapter with be the last, but will not be nearly as long and will wrap things up and give a happy ending to our couple. I'm excited to share it will y'all soon<3

Have a good weekend!

Taglist: @paprikaquinn & @kafanizdakicokiyi

[simmervlogs]

Wentworth Manor

Hello Simmers, get ready for a game of Beer Pong at the Wentworth Manor . A former family home converted into a Fraternity. This is a requested build which I was so excited to do! I would also like to say a massive thank you to all you guys for your support- we just hit 8k on Tiktok!

Fraternities have been impacted by the increase of off-campus housing starts in recent years. The Wentworth's examined their existing house and determined that for them to remain competitive, they needed to upgrade and increase their common amenity space.

In this area, most houses were built in the 1920s and early ’30s, affording a certain unity in design and volume, although many were altered in the post-war years. Most followed one of two architectural styles of the period—Collegiate Tudor/Gothic or Georgian Revival. This property includes a spacious foyer, 5 bedrooms, large bathroom, traditional kitchen, entertainment room, library and a casual living and dinning room. Th backyard also accommodates for a pool and deck for outdoor cooking. While majority of the features have been maintained by the Wentworth's, each student is more than free to decorate their own spaces as they see fit.

Would also like to say thank you to @alexissimsblog for her idea and name!

Please note almost everything is CC and the items were not created by me! Please do support and directly download from all the creators mentioned! I have attached the CC folders convenience ONLY.

Laundry Day, High School Years, Discover University and Bust the Dust kit required for items I have included from the game, CC as well as some recolors included in the folder (function as a frat house).

There are CC items which are not included- please download these separately!

Utopya- Pool table

Bbygyal123- Martini, corkboard

Joyce- Simple living (all), Forever autumn (all), Summer garden (all)

Sixam- Home office (all), Private school (all), Lavant bathroom (all), Rustin Art studio (all), Home improvement (all)

AFS- all (alcohol décor)

Taurus Design- Judith living room (all)

Harrie- Coastal (all), Country (all), Spoons (all), Octave (all), Brownstone (all), Shop the look (all), Halycon (all), Kichen 2.0 (all), Orjanic (all)

House of Harlix- Jardane (all), Livin Rum, Harluxe (all), Baysic (all)

Felixandre- Grove (all), Colonial (all), Goth revival (all), Berlin (all), Florence (all), Shop the look (all), Chateau (all), Georgian (all), Fayun (terrain), Soho (all), Paris (all)

Valia- Baker's collection (all)

Tuds- Cross (all), Ind (all), NCTR (all)

Awingedllama - Boho living

CharlyPancakes- Sleepyhead (all), Soak (all), Smol (all), Lighthouse (all), Lavish (all)

Myshunosun- Art room (all),Garden stories Patio (all), Simmify Guitar, Dawn living

Max20- Garden at home, Southern Bedroom

Peacemaker- Hinterlands (all), Hudson bathroom (all)

Pierisim- Stefan (all), Tidying up (all), Pantry Party (all), Domaine Du Clos (all), MCM (all), Coldbrew (all), Auntie Vera Bathroom (all), Oak house (all), Woodland Ranch (all), Combles (all), David's apartment (all), Winter Garden (all), Unfold (all), The office (all), Outside (all), Precious Promise (all)

SYB- Highschool (all), Cheap & Chipped (all), Alaferme (all), Happy Stairways (all), Oh la la (all), Loce is in the air (all), Attic (all), Painter Studio (all), Plouf (all), Loft (all), Life Bathroom

Dust Bunny- Laundry (all)

ClassicPixels -Ralph Lauren Throw pillows

Lilli's Place- Folklore (all)

MROLKAN- Pool recolours

Do check out my Tiktok, live almost everyday building!

INSTRUCTIONS

Please directly move all the files in CC zip folder to your Mods folder.

Please move  Tray files (Tray files folder) to your Tray folder (enable bb.moveobjects on).

Gallery ID-  SimmerVlogs (Enable CC)

TikTok- simmervlogs

Note-  I have placed this down in Brindleton Bay (40x40 lot)

Thank you once again to all CC creators!

DOWNLOAD (Patreon)

[pinkmelodie]

Can we get an overworked reader x Gaz where the reader Accidently snaps on Gaz, and Gaz tries to calm her down and it like.. Ends in fluff? 🥺

Of course !! Thank you so much for the ask ^^ This is my first one ever, so I hope it’s what you wanted!

Gaz just wants his luv to sleep !!

Warnings: Just a tiny bit of angst but then fluff! Reader has no specified gender but is called luv.

. . .

“Luv please….you need to lie down.” He said softly, placing a gentle hand on your back to try and guide you to the tattered couch in your office.

“I can’t, I need to finish filing these reports before the new recruits come in for training tomorrow-“ 

“Today.” He cut you off. “It’s two in the morning, they come at six.”

“What?!” You gawk at him, shoving his hand away and running back to your desk. “Why would you let me get distracted- I still have atleast 20 to fill out!” You rambled, fumbling with the papers you failed to organize.

“Now Y/N-“ He tried to say, but you bombarded him with questions like; ‘How many recruits is there that Price agreed to help train? How many guns do we have to spare? Which task forces is he planning for them to be sent to? Can you pass me that pen?

“Slow down there dove, Price hasn’t told me everything yet but-“

“Then why- I just need you to-“ you struggled to find the words, groaning and rummaging through the pile of documents, trying to get your overtired brain to focus on the information in front of you. 

“Your brain can’t work like this lovie, you seriously need to get some sleep.” He tried again, looking so unbothered it made your jaw clench before you could get a hold of your rapidly rising temper.

Finally you snapped, slamming your pen down on the table. “Look Gaz, if you’re not going to help just get out! I can’t afford to sit and do nothing like you right now.” You shouted, seething until you took in his shocked expression and the pure crassness of your words hit you. 

You stuttered, trying desperately to explain yourself. “Gaz, no I-“

“I already filled them out for you when you were running around helping Price earlier.” He stated, and you raised an eyebrow in confusion. “I saw how much you had to do and figured you were going to overwork yourself again getting it done, so I did it.” He admitted, not looking hurt at all by your words but instead cocky. “Go on, look at them again.”

With a wince, you shuffled through the papers again and noticed all 30+ reports were in fact filled out. In way nicer handwriting too, and with far more information than your quickly scribbled out mess on the previous 8 or so pages.

“Gaz.” You muttered, then whined into your palms with so much misery he cackled.

“Thank you- seriously, you’re so sweet and thoughtful and I’m just a- a mess.” You grumbled guiltily, pouting up at him.

He just shrugged. “Well, you’re my mess, and I think my mess could use some sleep.” He smiled playfully, holding out his arms to you.

You rolled your eyes but smiled back and stood up from the desk, rushing to run around it and fall into his arms. He wrapped those strong biceps around you, and suddenly you felt okay.

“Not on this old ass couch tho, even someone so cruel to me deserves better….” He sighed dramatically, making you slap him in the arm. You went to explain yourself but let out a surprised squeak when he picked you up bridal-style and carried you back to his quarters with ease. You blushed and squirmed in his arms, scared someone might see, but he couldn’t care less if anyone found out you were dating. He simply tossed you on the bed and jumped right in next to you, tugging you by the hip into his warm chest.

“I really am sorry.” You mumbled. “I don’t know why I acted like that, you’ve been nothing but sweet and supportive….”

“You’re stressed, I get it. Just next time, try to accept my help.” He replied softly while playing with your hair.

“I will.” You promised, burying your face into his neck and laying your arms over his shoulders comfortably. Within seconds you fell asleep in his warm embrace, and he followed soon after adding—“Goodnight my love.”

I really hope this was good!! Procrastination is hitting me like a brick but I really wanted to do this ask for you, and it honestly boosted my motivation so thank you !! ♡ I have a König blurb in my drafts that I’ll try to get out by tommorow, and another fic in the works…from a different fandom this time >:) Have a good night/day lovelies!! -Melo

[centrepiecefurnishing]

How To Style Your Room With Rattan

Kitchenware encased in rattan and a rattan pot plant holder with a bright green plant is uplifting.

 Boho style of interior design is currently enjoying a lot of attention. It seeks to recreate the outer beauty of nature inside a room or home by using natural colours, patterns, and textures in the interior. Boho is an organic mix of designs that is an expression of free-spiritedness. At the same time, it is an eclectic blend that sees a rattan chair paired with a tribal rug and colourful…

[atarathegreat]

HELLO :DDD! (If reqs are open) Can I request like, basically any characters you want somehow-someway on some Takemichi type shi, going to the past and seeing their s/o but as a child(like, 8 or or 7). I feel like it’d be a fun concept to experiment with, especially with Koko

(Also, if you take anons, can I be 🍀 anon or 🪄 anon if it’s taken?)

🍀Anon it is! I love it! I've been thinking about how to do this and I hope I've finally got it.

ft: Kokonoi Hajime I couldn't think of any others at the moment that I could spin to make it sound good :p

Being married to a man who seemed overly concerned about how much money he could earn was less than ideal, made worse by the fact that he avoided telling you what he did for a living. Curiosity ate away at you like termites every day. How could you live so freely without a job, and yet Kokonoi still kept you both in a penthouse with a beautiful view? Regardless of your arguments, he'd never tell you and promises to never drop the subject. There were just some things that needed to stay in the dark. Like his tattoo that you always ran your finger over and how he always afforded the silky sheets he kept you embedded in when you thought you were getting the upper hand.

No, he wouldn't let you find out that he was a killer, that he was a dangerous man. Kokonoi dreaded that you could look at him with hatred and disgust. So he keeps it hidden. At least, he thought he could. You were inquisitive, nosey even, and you always found out what he was trying to hide. You were searching again. For what, you weren't quite sure anymore. It started by looking for an old game you were sure you had, then for a stack of towels that you left on the couch, and now you were on top of the fridge, searching in the little cubby cabinets. A small scooch this way, and a bit of a shift that way caused you to fall from the fridge. It was an awful fall, and you slammed your head on the ground pretty hard. "What the hell..." Pain throbbed in the back of your skull as if someone were knocking on a heavy door and hoping to be heard across the road.

A nice breeze ruffled your shirt, your elbow popping slightly as you sat up and looked around. There was no mistaking the huge school building in front of you, or the students around you. You had just been on top of your fridge, hadn't you? Unless you fell and had a whole unconscious episode of your life and marriage.

"Y/n? You alright? How did you fall?" Chiyoko, an old friend of yours, was hanging over you. Her dark, purposefully fluffy hair with thin curtain bangs swung slowly over your head. Chiyoko had always been pretty, even to other girls in the school, but you couldn't help but laugh at her. "That hairstyle is so 2003." Softly grunting as you stood revealed your old school uniform. Shorter, paler, cotton clothes instead of the expensive things Koko had bought you earlier in the month...

"Maybe because it is 2003, asshole." There was no mistaking the annoyance in your friends voice as she slapped your head, "And you have the same style."

That couldn't be right, you had just celebrated Koko turning thirty! She handed you your school bag and you rifled through for your phone. Everything was old, outdated but new for the time. Maybe you were losing your mind. There was no way in hell that you had gone back in time!

"I, uhm..." Students filed past you as you tried to make sense of everything, "I need to go find someone..."

Kokonoi told you once that in his teen years he skipped school often and hung out at some sketchy places. It took all day and a few close encounters with some less than savory groups before you arrived at the last spot. It was the last known location he'd ever told you about. Warehouses bunched together as they held nothing but empty air and gang fights. In the future they would become a fresh food market that you visited often to make Koko's favorite dessert. Right now they were dark and creepy and made you scared for the first time as you felt a heavy hand on your shoulder.

"Now why would a little thing like yourself be searching for a Black Dragons member?" A deep voice accompanied the firm hand on your bag strap. Tall, that's all you noticed as you craned your neck to see who was behind you. Tall, angry looking, and definitely a dangerous teenager. "I'm just looking for Kokonoi Hajime..." The kids eyes widened as you spoke, as if he couldn't believe you had the audacity to speak up and say what you were doing.

"And what do you need me for?" The familiar I'm better than you drawl of your future husband broke through the silence. Kokonoi looked so different. Black hair instead of white, the same lines shaved into the side of his hair. During your marriage, since you hardly had time to see each other, he would allow you to fix his hair and have at least that little bit of time together. Kokonoi looked cute in his younger years, as opposed to the intimidating and handsome way he looked in the future. "I..." And it finally dawned on you that you hadn't even met Koko until 2006, "Uhm...I don't know..."

"Then you should leave." His kind smile hid the malicious intent he always had. As soon as Koko's hand touched your elbow you jerked upwards.

It was dark out, all the lights in the house on as Koko's private doctor crouched next to you. There was no more pain in your head, despite the heavy fall and the bruises on your arms from possibly hitting more than one thing on the way down. "Are you alright, darling?" Kokonoi was leaning against the counter, gun trained on the doctor, "He can't leave until you are."

[lunamaraproject]

LUNAMARA: Fragments [3]

🦢

“What’re you doing?”

Felix doesn’t startle - Elsie is hardly the most stealthy in her approach. He pulls himself bodily out of the large filing box he was halfway falling into, having to unstick a stray notepaper from his long hair, and turns to smile at the young girl.

He would never call her that out loud, now that she’s reached that particular age where a youngster insists they’re grown enough and hates to be treated like a child. To do so would be inviting her wrath, which in turn would mean Rufus’ wrath, and Felix can’t afford that. 

“Sorting through some old historical documents,” Felix replies, holding up a few sheafs of paper. “Though, it hurts my soul a little that items from my youth are now called ‘historical documents’.”

“Well you fought in the war, you must have known you’d be making history,” Elsie says, sitting on the edge of the box in her wide, poofy skirt, quite unlike the typical style of courtly formal wear. Her moonlight silver hair is worn in two buns on either side of her head, which always makes Felix think of those adorable ‘bear’ animals from the surface. He knows that if she let her hair down and dressed appropriately, she’d be the spitting image of her mother the Queen. Perhaps that’s why she never does so. 

“Actually, at the time, I was more worried about where the next meal was coming from. We were on the surface, and there’s no manna there, so it was quite nerve wracking,” Felix chuckles, turning the old scraps over in his hands. “And I wasn’t the only one. We don’t have many official documents left from that time, since all of them were digital, and the systems are down or gone now. Mostly just these letters sent to home by soldiers, or other odds and ends.”

“Hmm,” she kicks her feet back and forth, craning her neck to look at what’s in his hand. He shows her, though her face immediately twists in a frown when she realises it’s in Common. He should really teach her how to read it, but they have other priorities than learning nearly-dead languages. “If there was no manna, what did you eat?”

“Surface substances. They grown on the plants, and sometimes it’s the plants themselves. I was somewhat loathe to eat any of the moving, breathing creatures, but the humans weren’t, and nor were most of my comrades by the end of it,” he tucks the sheets into a pocket in his tunic, and glances around the cavernous shelves of the palace archives. “It tasted amazing.”

“Tasted?”

Felix smiles at her, chuckling. “Surely when you were very, very small, someone brought you something from the surface to eat…? Someone devastatingly beautiful…?”

Elsie looks thoughtful, then snaps her fingers in realisation. “Oh, yeah! Cassius brought me that thing! An ah-pull!” “I did! I brought it!” Felix whines miserably, hanging his head by her knees like a forlorn pet. “I can’t believe you forgot my thoughtful gift! My beautiful apple!”

“Oh please, I was like, 25!” Elsie huffs. “How am I going to remember one gift from a century ago!”

Felix clutches his chest. “So cruel! I got that apple from one of the last attempts to reclaim the surface! I almost got chipped! Look!” And he hitches up the edge of his tunic to reveal…

“...I can’t see anything,” Elsie declares, squinting at his thigh. 

“There! This hairline fracture!” he pokes pointedly at the thinnest, most nigh-invisible line just above his knee, showing the faintest glimmer of orange fire-opal bright crystal underneath. “Never been the same since!” 

When he raises his gaze, he’s met with the patented ‘Totally Over It’ Elsie look. “How can you be so old and such a whiny baby at the same time.”

“Ack! You’re too cold, Princess Elsennae!”

“Ugh, stop! Stars, can you be any more embarrassing?” she shoves his shoulder, though with no real force, and stands up, dusting off her skirts. Certainly, this room isn’t the cleanest. “I’m going back upstairs, come find me if you discover anything actually cool or useful.”

And with that summary end to the conversation, the last of the royal family of Lunamara marches her way out of the archives, leaving Felix in the dark, surrounded only by the history he himself is a part of. He smiles, and tries to remember what an apple tastes like. 

Maybe one of the files in here will describe it. 

🌗

More from LUNAMARA:

Fragments [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]<-- More every Thursday!

Comic [Prologue]

Art by Luka (http://nousanti.tumblr.com/) Story by Pidge (http://pidgestories.tumblr.com/)

[magicalqueennightmare]

I'm Yours (Pt. 1/2)

Gif by @banditthewriter

You and Billy have always been friends..just friends right?

Warnings: Billy is not Canon so no narcissistic sociopath (I can point you towards some amazing writers that do have Canon Billy Russo stories), violence (an attempted attack on reader, talk of sex and cursing

Word count: 6k

How the hell did you manage to always let Billy rope you into the most insane things possible? You looked up from the numerous files around you and the clipboard in your hand where you'd been scribbling scribbling notes to look over at him. He was sitting across from you on the floor of his office, where you were crossed legged and just in socks he still wore his boots and had his long legs stretched out in front of him with his laptop perched in his lap. You were helping him to plan the annual banquet for Anvil.

The benefactors would be a charity backing affordable housing for vets and one that supported abuse victims and single mothers. You watched him for a second, noticing how the little crease between his eyes deepened when he didn’t like whatever he was reading on the screen. He cut his eyes up when he felt your attention on him and smiled "Like what ya see sweetheart?"

Oh yeah that's how he always managed it. That damn smile of his. He'd been your best friend longer than you could remember and had gotten you into some insane circumstances from flashing that smile and saying please. "Honestly, yeah. This is more relaxed than I've seen you in weeks" you answered honestly, motioning between the two of you.

Billy was wearing jeans instead of his usual suit and a dark green Henley that you knew was at least a few years old. It was a little tighter than recent bought ones but you weren't complaining about the view. On top of that he'd showered before picking you up from your place so his hair wasn't styled as much which meant there were a few pieces that had dropped down onto his forehead that he'd given up on pushing back after losing the fight a few times. "Easy Y/N, you're always telling me I've got an over inflated ego as is. You keep talking like that it's just gonna get bigger" you rolled your eyes before grabbing a discarded paper and balling it up to launch at his head.

Of course he caught it but the action caused a slight grimace to flash across his face. "What happened?" You asked glancing towards his left shoulder considering he'd caught the paper with that hand. He shrugged "Me and Frankie might have got a little competitive in training today. Just tweaked it a bit" you shook your head before moving to place the clipboard and files on the couch that was right behind you. You moved around to support your back against the couch then patted the floor in front of you "C'mere Russo. Let me help"

He laid his laptop to the side, placing the files he had on top of it before moving across the floor. With the height difference between the two of you it took a little maneuvering but once he was comfortablely sitting between your legs you started to rub across his left shoulder, working at the spots you knew bothered him the most any time the old injury flared up. He was quiet for a moment, the sound of the light music you'd turned on filling the room mixed with your shared breathing.

After a moment a sight left his lips "God damn that feels good" you laughed "Easy yourself Russo. That high of praise would damn sure go to a woman's head" He turned his head just enough to glance over his shoulder at you "Does someone have a praise kink I never knew about?" You felt your face warm but you didn't shy away "Oh like you don't preen when you get told how amazing you are"

He raised an eyebrow, turning to the point he was nearly laying in your lap instead of leaning against your legs like he had been doing "I'm curious now. I thought I knew everything about you. I'm a little heart broken..wait does Karen know this?" You didn't meet his eyes so he hooked on arm around your waist, burying his face into your stomach "She's taken my place as your best friend hasn't she?"

You couldn't help but laugh. The current position the two of you were in mixed with the fact that he very much sounded like a child that found out their best friend indeed knew other people was too ridiculous for words. You ran your fingers through his hair "I'm sorry Billy. Is that what you wanna hear?" He leaned his head back to look up at you "You're being patronizing but that feels good"

You shook your head, playfully pushing him away from you "You're horrible. You know that" in moments like this you felt like one of the luckiest people in New York. Very few got to see Billy like this, hair a mess with a broad smile on his face and laid out in the middle of the floor nearly on the verge of laughter. He grabbed his chest in mock pain "You keep secrets then make fun of me? Yet you call me horrible"

You rolled your eyes "Do you really wanna talk about my sex life Billy?::" he made a so/so motion with his hand "Some of those exes of yours barely walked away breathing, ain't gonna lie. I hated em. That doctor you dated a while back weren't that bad though, he was smart enough to show fear when he met Frank" you laughed at the memory of Kaycee meeting Frank, if only Billy knew Kaycee's words had been "Frank does look like he'd kill me if I hurt you no doubt but Billy looks like he'd enjoy killing me if I caused you any pain"

"Well what kinks do you have that I don't know about Mr Russo?" You asked, turning it around on him. He grinned "I am a open book for ya darlin. If you wanna talk em or try em out" you shook your head again "Ridiculous, like I said. Let's get back to it. This banquet won't plan itself" he watched you for a minute before saying "I'm buying your dress and Karen's. Before you argue she assists with good press and legal matters, you help secure donors and work the crowd at these things with me so it's a business expense"

You knew it was no use arguing so instead you asked "Think I should veer off getting a black dress?" He grinned broadly "You look gorgeous in anything but I'd be lying if I said you weren't a knockout in a black gown" you laughed "Black it is"

A few days later you were sitting in Josie's, squeezed between Karen and Curtis in a corner booth while you listened to Billy and Frank recount a meeting they'd had with a senator that week. "Was it that bad Curt?" You asked, leaning over on his shoulder. He laughed "It was worse. Thought I was gonna have to call you two to come control these two"

You tsk tsked at both men. "Frank, I'm disappointed in you" "Bill did it too!" He reasoned but you caused a chorus of laughter when you replied "Yeah but I've come to expect the worse of him"

"Y/N, wanna go to the bathroom with me?" Karen asked so you nodded. Frank slid out the booth which allowed her then you to climb out. "Be right back fellas"

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The three of them watched you and Karen walk away before Frank looked back at Billy. One look and Billy knew what the other man was thinking even before he said "You've gone from Billy the beaut to being whipped without even being in a relationship" "She's my best friend man, present company excluded she knows more about me than anyone. Of course I'm gonna watch her back" "and her ass when she walks away?" Frank questioned pointing to Curtis when he added "Or her chest when she moves the right way and her shirt slips"

Billy shook his head "I've got eyes ok. She's a beautiful woman, I'm allowed to look" "One question brother and I'll let it go" Frank said so Billy nodded to tell him go ahead. "Think of her getting in a serious relationship. One where she loves the guy, she gushes about the sex and she spends more time with him than she's ever spent with you....how's that mental image?"

Billy cut his eyes at Frank, the dark brown they usually were had shifted to near black. "That's what I thought" Curtis looked across the bar "They're headed back"

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You followed Karen across the bar. She'd been teasing you because you let it slip that Billy figured out your praise thing by accident. "How do you accidently discover a kink?" She asked then shook her head "Never mind. I don't wanna know" you laughed "Oh C'mon page! You know me and Billy have never crossed that line"

She reached out for your hand, pulling you into her side "But you've dreamt about it" your eyes widened "Karen Page! You swore to secrecy!" "That doesn't mean I don't still find it hilarious the extents you two go to fight the attraction that is so obvious" you cut your eyes at her and was about to say something when you spotted Billy come to meet the two of you halfway "Either of you ladies want another round?:"

Karen offered your hand that she still had a hold of to him "Yeah Y/N just mentioned she wanted another so why don't you two grab me a beer while you're at it?"

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You glared at her even as Billy slipped an arm around your waist. She winked then walked away. "What were you two laughing about?" He asked, leaning down close to your ear so you could hear him over the growing noise in the bar "Just something I told Karen a while back that I swore her not to repeat to anyone else but she still likes to pick on me about"

He nodded slowly "Note to self, suck up to Page. She apparently holds some juicy secrets I really need to know" you shook your head "Nu uh Russo. I trained her, she won't break"

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While the two of you waited on your drinks you turned with your back to the bar looking over the crowd. Matt had a date tonight and Foggy was having dinner with Marci's mother. Billy kept one hand on your hip closest to him, it was a habit he'd long since formed. Even back when he would just be stateside for a couple weeks here and there. Back then it was a grounding thing, something to remind him he was home and safe. You were something familiar to him. Now? You assumed it was just on old habits was hard to break thing.

"Billy?" You asked after a moment and he responded by pulling you to his chest "Yeah?" You looked down at where his hands now rested, one on both of your hips "Why do you still do that?" He looked down then a flash of confusion spread across his face "Touch you?" You shook your head "Keep a hand on me in crowds"

He shrugged "It started as a way to remind me I was home, now? I think I just like knowing you're close when we're in a crowded area. Best way to keep you safe. If it's something you've outgrown being comfortable with i can work on stopping it" you shook your head with a small smile before teasing "No but if you ever get a serious girlfriend she's probably gonna have issue with the habit and the reasoning"

He shrugged one shoulder "I don't see that happening anytime soon" you broke apart quickly when Josie whistled "Y/N, Billy grab your drinks" you cut your eyes at her with a smile and she grinned. You grabbed yours and Karen's drinks, leaving Billy to grab the other three before heading for the booth.

Something eventually would have to give between you and Billy. There was too much almost, too much nearly. One day he'd find someone, you knew it. Hell what if one day someone came along and swept you off your feet? You looked back at him and knew in your heart that the chances of that were low but still, would you end up one day loosing Billy? That thought made your heart clench.

You were at Billy's, half asleep on his couch. The night before he'd asked you for help finalizing plans for the banquet. It was after two in the morning by the time you were done so he offered for you to just crash there.

There'd been argument over the bed versus couch debate. He'd wanted you to take the bed, you'd refused to kick him out of his bed. After neither of you would budge you both ended up dozing off on the couch, him with his arms wrapped around you.

The only thing that had woke you was when he'd gotten up because his phone was ringing in the other room. "Russo?" He answered and you nearly rolled your eyes at just how good his voice sounded first thing in the morning. Your heart however hit your feet when you heard him say "Hey Scar, how's it going?" You only knew one Scar in context to Billy. His ex Scarlett.

She was gorgeous. Five foot ten, long luscious chestnut brown curls. Big bright green eyes and a complexion the gods would envy. Worse than her looks? She was a sweetheart too. You didn't want to hear anymore so you rolled over to get up and head to the kitchen. You needed coffee and to not hear the conversation Billy was having with the Greek goddess that was on his phone.

Billy stepped to the door of his bedroom "Make me a cup too?" You heard your name as he shut the door behind himself. You wanted to believe he was just getting dressed, despite the number of times you'd seen him down to boxers maybe he wanted privacy to change or maybe he wanted privacy for his phone call? You groaned to yourself, you weren't overthinking. You were gonna get coffee, find your purse to brush your hair then get your boots on. You needed to head home, change and start your day.

----------

You were tying your boots on by the time Billy walked out his bedroom, a smile played across his face. He stopped short when he saw that your boots and jacket were on. Not to mention you'd brushed through your hair and was drinking out of a travel mug instead of a regular coffee mug.

"What's wrong?" You asked and he motioned around "Were you gonna leave while I was distracted?" You shrugged "I was gonna knock before leaving. You were talking to Scarlett so I didn't want to interrupt" christ that sounded pathetic to your own damn ears, your face warmed slightly when one of his eyebrows shot up "It was just about something I'd called her about last week"

You stood up from where you'd been standing "No explanation needed" he grinned, reaching for you but you pulled away with the excuse of walking into the kitchen to grab his coffee. You held it out to him as he nodded back towards the couch "seriously though sweetheart, I was coming back. We still got a couple hours before either of us is due into work" you shook your head, suddenly you were feeling self conscious about waking up in Billy's arms. "And God knows that's an appropriate things for friends to do, let's lay here and cuddle after I just spent thirty minutes on the phone with my ex who by the way I'm still not sure isn't fuckin aphrodite reincarnate"

You weren't sure where that reply had come from, or what had stirred it out of you but your words hung heavy. You stood there staring at each other for a moment, both holding cups of coffee like they were shields in a battle. Billy broke first, a short laugh escaping him "aphrodite huh? Damn Y/N if you wanted her number, all you had to do was ask"

You rolled your eyes but were glad he'd stirred the conversation into a more light hearted direction. "Seriously though, are we good?" He asked, eyes searching your face. You forced a weak smile. It was small but genuine as you said "We're always good babe" he grinned then kissed your forehead "We meeting for lunch?"

You shook your head "Karen claimed me for the bulletins luncheon since Frank couldn't join her" he rolled his eyes that time "You were my best friend first" you laughed then leaned up to kiss his cheek "Love ya too Billy. I'm gonna head home to shower and change but I'll text you later. Promise"

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Billy watched you walk out with mixed thoughts. Between your questions as to why he kept a hand on you in crowds, mixed with what you said about the two of you sharing a sleeping space was beginning to make him think there was something else going on. He was fairly certain you weren't jealous of Scarlett either. She was his only ex that you had liked.

Were you seeing someone? Or wanting to and that was the driving force behind all the confusion? No you'd tell him, you always told him when you were dating or interested in someone. There were hardly no secrets between you and him, yet this was once he knew with no doubt you were hiding something from him and he had no clue how to find out.

"That's for inviting me Kare" you followed her through the restaurant Ellison had rented out. She smiled over her shoulder "You were number one pick actually. I love Frank, you know I do but he's not the best in circumstances that require him to make small talk with people he has nothing in common with"

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You were glad you were off that day because Karen decided to take the rest of the day off as well. She'd turned in her article and wasn't needed to get the evening edition out.

The two of you were picking up your banquet dresses and talking. You'd mentioned to her in passing about Billy talking to Scarlett. "Are you maybe jealous Y/N?" She asked as you both laid your dresses in her car's backseat. You started to deny it but stopped because you were. The thought of Billy being with someone who he could see a future with, someone that would be his for good and not just for a good time? It fuckin terrified you.

"Oh honey" she cooed sympathetically. You shook your head "I mean I don't get jealous over his flybys" she narrowed her eyes at you "You don't get AS jealous. That's because you know any flyby would never come near taking your spot. You and Billy have this bond. You love each other in every way humanly possible but maybe to some extent you're hiding in it. If neither of you are gonna make a step to break walls down to admit true feelings maybe you should at least admit that emotional wise you and Billy are what Frank and I are to each other"

"Are we really hiding?" You asked and she smiled "You and Billy both haven't actually dated since he broke up with Scarlett and you broke up with Kaycee, within two days of each other mind you. Yeah you both go out, you have sex but neither of you takes anyone home. Thats because sex is the other lacking feature to your relationship"

You threw your hands up in exasperation "So what should I do?" She smiled slightly "Do me a favor?" You waved a hand "Go ahead" she gently took one of your hands "think of him getting in a serious relationship. One where he loves the girl, he gushes about the sex and he spends more time with her than he's ever spent with you....how's that mental image?" You cut your eyes up at her without saying a word and she smiled "Thought so"

Working admin in a hospital wasn't the most glamorous job but it paid your bills and ninety percent of your coworkers you got along with pretty well.

You were working your way through a stack of paperwork when a text came through on your phone. It took a few moments of digging to find it. You clicked the screen saw it was a text from Billy that read "You're still my plus one for the banquet right?" You shook your head and almost laughed but it occurred to you what if he wanted to take someone else?

You finally texted back "Well if you have a hot date I'm sure Frank or Curtis could get me through security" you hadn't even laid your phone down when the reply was "They can have a dance with you but it's my job to get you in" you laughed moreso at yourself than anything. You were overthinking. That's all. Your fear of losing him was just peeking up at inopportune times.

You texted back "So does that mean I get a dance with you? Or am I getting pawned off on donors and our friends all night?:" Your phone started ringing then so you glanced around before clicking to answer "Hey Billy" before even saying hello he said "I would never pawn you off on donors or our friends darlin. Matter of fact, you wanna stick to my side all night you're welcome to. I'm sure we even got a spare com that you can pop in"

You rolled your eyes at his teasing "If I'm wearing a com I'm working so I would expect a check from Anvil" the sound of his laughter wrapped around you as he said "Now we both know that's not exactly true. You hate me paying for anything for you" "You got me there" you spotted one of the interns from the emergency department heading towards you so you added "I gotta go Billy" about that time you heard Curtis in the background of Billy's call. "Me too. I'll see ya later Y/N"

You hung up then smiled at the intern. Her name was Melanie, she was a sweet girl and smart as hell. How she always ended up getting the jobs where she was playing runner around the hospital were beyond you, maybe you needed to call Kaycee and see if he could get her a lighter load.

"Hey Y/N. It was my turn to do the coffee run" she held up a to-go cup from the shop on the corner "So I grabbed your usual" your smile deepened as you took the cup "Thank you Melanie! You didn't have to do that" she shrugged "You're always so nice" you smiled again "Thank you and if they keep giving you trouble in the e.d. let me know. I've got a friend or two that works down there that I may be able to pull strings with" she grinned "Will do. Have a good day Y/N"

You watched her walk off and sipped your coffee before eyeing the stack of files on your desk, may as well dive back in.

You walked across the floor of Karen's living room, the bottom of your dress making a light swishing noise as it brushed across the thick carpet.

You'd picked a long black number that hugged your curves just right. While it was longer than you would usually pick, the high slit made mobility easy and the ankle boots Karen had recommended looked amazing with it and was comfortable on your feet. You and her were getting ready at her place because Frank was doing one last walk through with Billy, Curtis and Marcel.

Of course Billy had a car service coming to pick the two of you up along with another retrieving Angel, Curt's girlfriend. Karen walked out of her room and smiled brightly "You look gorgeous!"

You raised an eyebrow at her "Have you looked in the mirror ma'am? I am worried for Frank's heart!" While your dress had lace sleeves hers was strapless and a little shorter. She grinned "Well I gotta make sure it's good every now and then" she walked around you, tapping her fingers along your low neckline playfully before asking "Are you trying to tempt Billy?"

You rolled your eyes "Let it go Page" she shook her head and you knew she was about to go into a rant but your phone chimed. You picked up it then showed her "That's from the car service. Let's go"

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Billy stood next to Frank Watching their men from Anvil working their way through the banquet hall as guests slowly started to stream in. "Where's Y/N and Karen?" Angel asked as she and Curtis walked up next to them. Frank shrugged one shoulder "Kare texted me. They should be here anytime"

Marcel's voice came across the coms "Frank, Billy. Your better halves are here" Billy couldn't hide the smirk that slipped onto his face. Marcel was one of the first guys they'd recruited so it meant he'd jumped into Frank and Curt's teasing where you were concerned, of course he was respectful around you but when it was just the guys Billy caught hell.

Billy looked towards the entrance and saw you and Karen walk in, your arms looped through each other's. You looked absolutely beautiful. Your hair was in some curly updo and your dress looked like it'd been made just for you. It skimmed across your body, hugging every curve perfectly and that low neckline let just enough of your collarbone peek out he found himself wanting nothing more than to taste the skin there.

"Bill, wipe your chin man. It's unbecoming of a ceo" Curtis spoke holding out a handkerchief. Angel giggled lightly "My god are you two actually not together? Because if someone looked at me like that..." She trailed off at Curtis' look then added "I mean if I wasn't head over heels for my amazing boyfriend"

Curtis winked at her then said "No, they aren't together" she clicked her tongue "Pity. C'mon Curtis let's go get a drink" the two of them wondered off about the time you and Karen made it to Billy and Frank's side. Your smile made his heart speed up just a bit. Shit he was in deep wasn't he?

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You smiled when Frank hugged you and kissed your forehead before pulling Karen into his arms and placing a kiss on her lips "I'm glad everyone here knows Karen is spoken for because there was a lot of eyes watching the two of you"

You laughed lightly "They were probably looking at miss blonde bombshell over here" and nudged Karen's side. Billy winked at you "I'm pretty sure anyone looking was thinking damn those two are the most beautiful women in New York. Who's the lucky assholes that get to have them on their arms tonight"

Karen grinned "You are such a sweet talker Russo" Frank shook his head "Wanna dance Kare?" She smiled "Of course" and threw a look in your direction that screamed to ask Billy to dance before she let Frank pull her away.

You and Billy stood there for a moment in silence before he motioned to the dance floor "So do I get to make everyone in here jealous?" You laughed as you took his hand "Pretty sure you got that backwards Russo but feel free to push me around the dance floor"

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There was something about being in Billy's arms, a breath away from each other as you moved with the music letting him lead you.

His right hand was splayed across your lower back, holding you close to him while his left hand held your right hand to his chest, just over his heart. Your left hand rested at the nape of his neck. You tried not to but his dark brown eyes held your attention, effectively making it feel as if the two of you were the only people in the room. There was something so intimate about it that you found your face warning under his attention.

"Billy.." he cut you off with a smile "No talking darling. Song's still going" you rolled your eyes but smiled nonetheless. "I'm sorry for snipping about Scar the other day" he leaned closer, his warm breath fanning over your neck as he spoke "It's fine sweetheart" the thought occurred to you that if anyone looked they probably assumed from the angle that he'd just kissed your neck. The thought must have hit him too because he laughed "I've been accused of worse than kissing my best friend"

You raised your eyes to him "Is that so?" He grinned "Just hush and let me hold you. It looks bad if you run from me here" you laughed, gathering the attention of a few nearby people. You shot them an apologetic smile before telling Billy "You act like you're so horrible Russo. From where I stand you're a pretty decent man"

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The two of you finished your dance about the time you spotted a few donors you knew he needed to talk to and would want you on his arm for. "Billy there's the Galvestons and MacKenzies" he followed your line of sight. "You're amazing you know that?:" he whispered into your ear as he looped an arm around your waist to guide you through the crowd.

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Billy was checking in with Marcel and Isaiah so you'd wondered over to the bar area with Karen and Angel. You could see his tall frame in the corner of the banquet room and kept glancing that way. Angel noticed first, clearing her throat "The dance is getting tiring Y/N" your eyes were wide when you looked at her "What?"

Karen motioned in Billy's vicinity "You and him. Good lord you make a gorgeous couple. The way you looked at each other on the dance floor, working the donors. He looks at you like you're the most important thing in his life and you look at him like he's home"

"He's never acted like I'm more than his friend" You reasoned and the two shared a look. "Honey, he grew up in a group home. Frank was the first true friend he made and look how old Billy was when they met. He isn't exactly the best at showing his emotions. He'd rather buy us something than to tell us he cares" Karen replied and Angel added "Plus you aren't the best at it either. You broke up with Kaycee cause he was catching feelings and let's be real here Billy broke up with Scarlett because he knew getting serious with her would drive you away. You two are head over heels for each other. Just fucking kiss him"

You laughed in surprise at her bluntness but then again Curtis was brutally honest at times too. You shook your head "I'm going to the bathroom" "want us to come?" Karen offered but you shook your head. With Anvil working security and Billy within screaming distance you were safe enough. That thought made your head hurt, you felt safe because of Billy's proximity alone. You were gone.

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You were walking out of the bathroom when you heard a noise. The banquet hall was a large place but you were confident that Anvil employees had cleared it so you took a few steps towards the hall "Hello?"

A man came running towards you. He was dressed in street clothes so he must have snuck in. A smear of blood was across the front of his shirt and his eyes were wild. Before you knew it your back was slammed against a wall and you had a knife to your throat "I need a way outta here" he slurred, clearly high.

You tried to stay calm, wishing you'd taken Billy's offer for a com before saying "Ok. I can get you past security. They know me. They won't question it" he seemed to think about what you said for a moment before his eyes settled on your chest "Or maybe we could have some fun first then I can take you with me"

You felt your stomach churn. There was no way he was getting you to move from the spot you were at. You eyed the knife in his hand and tried to spot any more weapons. You knew what body parts could take a knife wound and not cause too much damage, perks of having the people in your life that you did. "What ya say sunshine?" He asked, one hand gripping your hip.

You swallowed hard before bringing your knee up into his crotch. The material of your dress took away some of the blow but it was still enough to make him stumble back. He swung the knife wildly so you used your arm to block your stomach, grunting when you felt the blade bit deeply into the meat and muscle of your arm. He reached for you but only managed to rip the front of your dress down from your neckline to near naval.

You kicked out, managing to catch his right knee. The moment he went down you kicked him in the face as hard as you could then turned to run. You'd barely made it two feet before you heard Frank and Billy's voices. You breathed a sigh of relief knowing you were safe.

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Marcel had intercepted the report of a suspect on the run from NYPD in the area. Apparently the man had a history of physical violence, sexual violence and substance abuse.

Billy picked men to clear the banquet hall then went in search of you, Karen and Angel to ensure the three of you were ok. He felt panic slip into his chest when he found Karen and Angel without you. "Where's Y/N?" He asked Karen who pointed "She went to the bathroom. Something wrong?"

Without a word Billy left the room, not quite running but no one dared to step in his way. "Stay here!" Frank warned Karen before quickly following Billy.

"There's an old set of French doors in the courtyard" Billy explained running in earnest once he hit the hall.

Billy felt his heart nearly stop when he came around the corner to the sight of you, your dress ripped, blood pouring from your arm but fighting like hell. "Y/N!" He screamed as you ran directly into his arms.

"Get her help Bill. I got this asshole" Frank told him before dragging the man to his feet. "Cmon sweetheart" Billy cooed to you. You didn't even flinch when you heard the muffled gunshot or Frank's voice across Billy's radio "Call NYPD. Suspect down"

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Billy found an empty office right off the main banquet room. He called Marcel and Isaiah to guard the door while he walked you inside.

He eased you down onto the desk, stripping his suit jacket off to place around your shoulder before tearing the rest of your sleeve off to get a look at the cut along your arm. "Y/N" your name whispered sounded so loud in the empty space. When your eyes met his and that usual fire wasn't resting in your sight he felt his stomach drop further "Did he hurt you worse than this?"

You shook your head slowly "I paid attention all the times you and Frank have taught me" he touched your arm gently "Even when I told you where could take a knife with the least damage" you nodded.

Silence fell between you as he bandaged you the best he could "You need to see a doctor" "Get Curtis" you replied but he shook his head "A real doctor" you let out a shaking breath "Ok. This doesn't need to get out it could hurt Anvil"

He laughed despite himself "You're worried about Anvil? Fuck Anvil, you're more important" there were tears in your eyes "Let Marcel take over. Frank can end the banquet. Take me home, we can call Kaycee. He'll come give me a once over and won't run his mouth"

The idea of jealousy over Kaycee was long forgotten. He nodded "Ok. I'm gonna send Isaiah in here with you while I go tell everyone. Is that ok?" You nodded so he walked to the door and called Isaiah inside.

He pulled his suit jacket further around you "I'll be right back" he kissed your cheek then walked out.

You sat on Billy's bed wearing a pair of his sweatpants and one of his pt shirts. Kaycee was talking to him about aftercare and any symptoms you needed to keep an eye out for.

You had a mild concussion and fifteen stitches in your arm. The knife had sliced your neck but just enough for butterfly stitches. You were lucky, you'd been capable of fighting and had help nearby. You didn't want to think too hard on the what ifs of Billy and Frank not coming to your rescue.

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"Mainly just make sure shock doesn't set in. You've dealt with things along that line enough you know what to look for. Wake her up every couple hours, ask her base questions. Ibuprofen should help with pain if she needs anything stronger just call me" Kaycee told Billy who nodded "Thanks for coming. She was dead set against the hospital and you know she's as stubborn as a mule"

Kaycee nodded with a small smile "I'm glad she's ok. I don't have to ask about the guy that hurt her do I?" Billy raised an eyebrow and Kaycee chuckled "Didn't think so. Well next time we should catch up under better circumstances. If she needs anything else just call. I know she's being left in good hands"

Billy showed Kaycee to the door, the men shaking hands before he shut it. He walked back over to his bedroom door and knocked lightly "Y/N?" Your voice drifted to his ears "Come in Billy"

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The moment Billy walked into the room your brain slowed the whatifs. He was within arm's reach you were safe. He stopped just inside the door, kicking his shoes off "I'm gonna grab some clothes to change into then crash on the couch after I set alarms to wake you up every couple hours"

You watched him grab clothes similar to what you were wearing before disappearing into the bathroom. After a moment he walked back out and was headed for the door when you stopped him by calling his name "Stay. Please"

He stopped just shy of the door "Where do you want me?" You motioned to his side of the bed that you'd purposely left empty. He smiled and walked over sliding in under the blankets next to you. You let him get comfortable before asking "Will you hold me Billy?"

----------

It hurt his heart hearing you sound so damn uncertain. "C'mere" he said softly so you scooted over laying your head on his chest. His arms encircled you, pulling you closer. The bandage on your right arm scratched his chest a bit but he didn't mind. You were alive, you were here with him.

His fingers trailed across your back, tracing small circles and shapes. When your breathing evened out he assumed you'd fell asleep until you said "The one time you take your hand off me in public" he knew you meant it to lighten the mood but he felt a twinge of guilt at yours words. He'd taken his eyes off of you for just a few minutes. He kissed the top of your head after a moment and said "So now i just have a valid excuse to follow you around"

----------

After another moment you pulled back to look up at him. His eyes were closed, long lashes fanning out. His breathing was even but he was far from asleep. "Billy?" You whispered and got a smile in response before he opened his eyes "Something wrong?"

You shook your head "Thank you for always being there" "I always will be" he replied so quickly your heart jumped.

"I love you Billy" the words slipped from your mouth with no thought to stop them. His smile grew bigger "I love you too" "No Billy I mean..." he stopped you by placing a feather light kiss to your lips "I know what you mean and I mean it too. Now get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning"

Pt 2

[ladyazurith]

Vil/Cater headcanons

Vil keeps a stash of high quality chocolate to fend off his sweet tooth. He doesn’t like dark chocolate but keeps it on hand because it's the only chocolate Cater will eat.

Of the two, Vil’s the one that’s the most physically affectionate. He craves touch especially Cater’s. Cater on the other hand doesn’t like to be touched by people even those he’s close to. It took him some time to get used to Vil’s but now he’s happy to indulge his boyfriend. 

Cater likes fashion design and drawing outfits with Vil in mind, even before they got together. Something he was embarrassed about when the model found out when he accidentally left his sketchbook out and open. Vil however was flattered that he’d essentially been the other’s muse.

Halloween was a tipping point for their relationship. Cater’s reliability during the issues with the Magicam Monsters situation, and the fact that he worked to fix things, and didn’t take advantage of the situation to grow his own following was the exact opposite of what Vil expected. Then being stuck with him in the ghost world, and Cater’s actions there were enough to get him to reevaluate the other. 

Cater’s birthday interview with Jamil was edited down. He’d spent more time talking about Vil and why he respected and looked up to him. Vil was never supposed to see the unedited version but someone (Rook or Jamil, neither will own up to it) slipped it into his film club files. 

Cater's magicam page is just as meticulously curated as Vil's something the actor never realized until he got to know his boyfriend better.

The reason Cater knows how to pose, and what angles work best for him is because of his clones, he can literally see himself the way everyone else does.

Despite what it may look like on the surface, Cater is an extremely private person. The vapid and shallow persona he portrays on magicam was all done on purpose to keep people from digging too deeply into his actual life.  Something that surprised Vil when it was Cater who asked that they keep their relationship offline at first. 

Rook knew that Vil was lying when he said he wasn’t interested in Cater because of the way his heartbeat would change, and the look in his eyes. Vil’s insistence that Cater only wanted to use him, was born out of his own insecurities revolving around his villain typecasting. Villains (typically) don’t get the happily ever after love story. It’s also why he never told him no, and brushed it off with comments about how Cater couldn’t afford him. Never taking him seriously.

My HC that Cater’s family is extremely wealthy came about specifically because of that implication from Vil in his “What It Means to Be a Brand” vignette. However, I do think Cater’s family has more money than he lets on, given how he talks about going “glamping” and it takes a lot of money to chase trends like he does. 

Not really a Vil/Cater thing but I also believe that Cater’s clones can fool Rook’s Unique Magic because he can’t tell the difference between him and one of his clones with it. 

I see them talking a lot about make-up and fashion, something that has been shown to interest both of them. Though in all honesty based on their various different outfits, Cater has a much better sense of style in my personal opinion. Something that may be a result of Vil being used to having other people dress him as a model. (A glaring example is how Cater looked in his Halloween grave keeper costume, versus Vil’s grandma’s couch print vampire outfit) 

[melsie-sims]

Hey everyone! Okay so I'm really excited about this! ✨✨

I've been asked a few times how I make my banners, so I've decided to open up commissions in case anybody would like one in my style.

Donations only, which means there's no set price. Pay what you can afford or feel the work is worth. You can donate a dollar or ten, what I do will be the same.

All of the info you need is under the cut. I know it's a lot of info, but please read carefully before requesting! This is all very important so you know what you're signing up for!

COMMISSIONS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN! 💚💚💚

A few things to note:

This is for Sims 2 AND Sims 4 players! I don't play Sims 3 so I apologize, I won't be taking requests for that game. Let me know which game you need banners for in your Ko-Fi message so I know which set of icons to use (if you want icons).

I will try to finish the banner(s) within 3 days of your payment. I have absolutely no idea how many of you will be into this so depending on the demand, the time-frame may vary slightly. I will let you know if I need extra days!

I will be sending you png files only. You will not be getting access to the template, I hope you understand. If you don't like the end result, I'm open to making slight modifications upon request. If you ever need a different household name, a different year/rotation, color scheme, or anything like that, I will gladly do it for you free of charge, no matter how much time has gone by.

All donations should be sent to my Ko-Fi. Again, it doesn't matter if you donate a dollar or ten, I will give you a similar result! Please don't donate more expecting better!

Along with your donation, please give me a detailed message of what you need to be done, including Simblr account username, color scheme, general vibe (cottagecore, minimalistic, bright and colorful, etc), any text (and a few fonts you like), any Sims 2 or Sims 4 icons you'd like, etc. The more details you give me, the more I have to work with! If you run out of room in the Ko-Fi message just hit me up in Tumblr DM's with the rest.

Messages sent on Tumblr don't count! We can certainly discuss what you want to be done via DM on Tumblr beforehand, but I'm only going to work on the banners requested in the Ko-Fi donation message. Make sure you include your Simblr username so I know who you are!

I know a lot of my followers are also rotational players, so I will make you up to 10 banners for a single donation, that way you can have them for your multiple households! Let me know if you want different color schemes, different icons, etc.

I won't be putting any branding/watermark so it'll look nice and clean, don't worry. I would never do that to you. 💙

Now here are some examples of my work! You can reference the banner in your message if you'd like yours to look similar to that particular one. I won't be doing anything very different from these, so you know what to expect.