#all i know is how to look at items matching mine that have sold and jump up and down and say yippee! hooray!

[confinesofmy]

rejoice! a piece of stupid criticale rol merch that i bought for no reason many years ago and never used is currently selling for the big bucks on ebay. for once yesterday's stupid purchases can be tomorrow's pay-offs.

[out-there-tmblr]

Young zaundads wip (21)

***

Vander wants to go straight to the docks, to see if there's any word on that furniture, but Silco insists they head down to their little room first. They leave through the main gates of the courtyard, past Babette's colourful tents already filled with chatter and laughter, and then double back around the fissures to that small entrance to the old mines.

Once the door is safely latched behind them, Silco turns the lantern up and sits down on a blanket. He pulls out his little notebook and pencil, and shows Vander.

"I keep a record of what I owe them, what I earn and what I spend. It matches their records exactly," Silco says, before Vander can ask. "I like knowing how much I owe. Knowing how long it will take me to repay."

"How long? Now that you're not paying for a bunk?"

They've spent weeks working towards that goal, but Silco sighs. "Close to four years. A little less if we set up a market and make some money."

Vaunder crawls around Silco, sitting behind him and wrapping his arms around Silco's narrow chest. He presses a kiss to Silco's cheek. "It's not that bad, is it?"

Silco settles his long, elegant fingers over the back of Vander's hands. For someone who glares and mutters and looks like he's one step away from picking a fight with whoever's closest to him, Silco can be so tender, so careful with his touches. He brushes Vander's hands like they're delicate as a cobweb. "I've worked this mine for eight years now. Trust me, three years is still a long time."

Vander kisses the thin skin beneath his ear. There's a promising hitch to Silco's breath and then Silco says, "That's not the point. The point is so you understand my notes."

Vander makes an interested hum against Silco's neck.

"Pay attention," Silco chides, but he doesn't tug Vander's hands away from his waist or pull out of Vander's embrace. He holds his notebook up and turns it back to front and upside down. From the back of the journal, the first two pages are full of careful notes. For each captain they spoke to, Silco's noted down names of crew and the shop, the origin, the items transported, the agreed price and what the captain is usually paid by Piltover. He writes every price in bronze.

"Noxian whiskey," Vander adds when he reads through the notes on the Flying Dove. He remembers that captain: short, squat and with bright red hair cut short. "She said they sold it to Piltover for eighteen silver."

"Do you really think anyone down here could afford that? Could actually buy a bottle?"

Vander shrugs. "Don't know. But if you're keeping notes…"

"Might as well keep it accurate." Silco reaches for a pencil and adds Noxian whiskey to the list of stock. "I was thinking we'd keep a list of contributions owed back to each of us and a separate list of sales."

Silco already has the pages drawn up, columns labelled Date, V and S on one page and on the next, Date, Item, Bought, Sold and Profit. It looks as organised as anything the mine bookkeepers produce. "If you're this good with figures, why aren't you working in the office?"

When Silco looks over his shoulder, there's a bitter twist to Silco's expression that Vander recognises. "Would you like to know how many foundlings work in the office?"

There's probably only two dozen positions in the office, men and women who spend all day tallying up the records kept by the runners, approving everyone's daily pay. It's a job that doesn't leave you filthy and aching at the end of the day, that doesn't risk being crushed by the bedrock above your head. It doesn't appeal to Vander at all but lots of miners would happily work there instead.

"None?" Vander guesses, based on Silco's expression.

"It's company policy. Anyone in debt to the company can't work in the office."

Vander frowns. "You wouldn't all be in debt, would you? You'd pay it off eventually."

"After twenty years, how many of us still have both hands and good vision?" Silco demands, scrambling around to face Vander, hands cutting through the air as he talks. "This place wears you down, it grinds you down until you give up. Until you drink yourself to sleep every night and don't worry about the debt. Or you get drunk enough to miss curfew and the Grey will make sure you don't wake up again. Coal keeps Piltover running, their industry and sparkling lights, and it's fueled with the death and despair of this mine."

It's dangerous, that bright anger in Silco's eyes, but it's also beautiful. Like the gleam of that sharp little knife Silco keeps in his pocket for cutting fuses. Like a roaring fire, flames dancing as it destroys houses. But Silco knows swell as Vander does that there's nothing they can do about it. This is how the world is, unfeeling and unfair, but you know you're alive if you can still be angry about it.

"They sacrifice our lives to keep theirs comfortable," Silco mutters darkly. He closes his eyes and gives a shake of his head, and forces out one slow, steady breath. Vander waits for him to drag that fury and frustration under control.

Silco reaches for his notebook and opens it again. "You need to understand this. This is mostly your money, Vander, so if something happens–"

"I'm not going to care," Vander says, wrapping a hand around Silco's bony knee. "If something happens to you I'm not going to care what the split was."

He gets a crooked smile from Silco, something fond and a little mocking. "That's very sweet, but in three years time when you have someone new on your arm, you'll want to know how much you're owed. You'll want to be able to check that it's right."

Very carefully, Vander takes the notebook from Silco's hands. If it was up to him, he'd just keep a puch of coins and divide it in half if they had to, but if Silco wants to keep lists and details, that's fine too. He closes the notebook and places it out of the way, and then he wraps both arms around Silco and drags his skinny body forward. Silco makes a surprised squawk, but he curls his hands around Vander's shoulders, settling across his lap.

"Enough books," Vander says. "You really think I'm going to find someone prettier than you?"

"In the next few years?" Silco asks sharply, like Vander's the one making ridiculous assumptions. "And pretty is not how most would describe me."

Vander grins, gripping Silco's thighs and pulling him a little closer. "Probably because they're too scared you'll stab them with that sharp little knife of yours."

"Keep talking and I might stab you." It's not the most romantic way to ask for a kiss but Vander obliges him, closes his eye as their mouths meet.

He sucks on Silco's lower lip, dragging it lightly between his teeth. Silco responds by fisting Vander's hair and licking inside his mouth, making the kiss deep and certain.

Then he pulls back. "I thought you wanted to go to the docks?"

"Later," Vander says desperately. "We have the day off. We can do that later."

***

[eemoo1o-animoo]

10 Grelle-based paraphernalia that I found on eBay, in no particular order but my subjective deeming of relevance or importance

Possibly part one of a series? Perhaps?

If so, then I probably won’t contain it to only eBay, and I’m going off of what comes up for someone who’s based in the UK, so maybe there’s more or less stuff available if you’re in other countries due to shipping limitations, etc.? But eBay at the moment is my main source, and I’m only doing this — work that anyone can do, nothing exceptionally thorough or insightful — because I’m just a little bored, and I know Grelle is the most valued in the fandom and TSOGTR hasn’t been writing itself for the past year and a quarter, so why would it start now?

This is written at 3AM-6AM on 29/8/2024, so if this is found long after this date then there’s a chance my sources have already been bought out or deleted for whatever reason.

1.

Grell Sutcliff Funko Pop 18 Kuroshitsuji Black Butler POP! Vinyl Anime Figure

At the time of writing this, there are no bids for this and so the price remains at £21.99 (item and shipping). The current bid is due to end on ≈1/9/2024. Wait for the last second to bid one pence higher than the asking price and you’re golden.

I actually have one of these, but it was gifted to me, and so I don’t know how much mine was sold for, but seeing as the four Black Butler Funko Pops have been vaulted and are sold for way higher in other places online, I think this is a pretty good deal.

(Fun fact, the person who gifted her to me as well as tracked down other cheap listings for the other three called her Greta. Consistently. So. Greta. Greta Sutcliff.)

As we can see from the item’s pictures, the figure has been taken out of its box, at the very least just to be show-cased or inspected, but it does appear to come with the box. Here is a listing on Amazon (9.99 GBP, excluding shipping) for 10 Funko Pop display sleeves that should match the item’s measurements.

The current conversions for this item’s price (18.99 GBP) are as follow:

25.06 USD

36.91 AUD

33.77 CAD

22.52 Euro

2,103.26 INR

855,31 Turkish Lira

39.92 NZD

3,623.33 Yen

Obviously I’m not including every conversion in here, only the most obvious/prevalent. If your country’s currency isn’t here, then my apologies, and feel free to bring it to my attention (with currency named) so that I may add it to any future episodes to this possible series, or to edit this post back with the conversions of that time.

2.

Black Butler PVC Keychain Grell

The description of this listing says that this is officially licensed and from one reverse image search to find a bunch of listings across several websites for it, I’m inclined to believe that this is actually an official piece of merch and not a fan-made item that is being resold as I had originally thought it to be. (Wow, I’m such a knowledgable Black Butler fan. I know, I know.)

There’s not much to say on this other than the fact that it’s cute and I think a few pence has been shaved off from the original selling price, though I’m not too sure. I imagine it would have easily gone for 8.99 GBP, but again I’m not too sure; it’s 3AM after all and this isn’t a serious project for me.

The current conversions go as followed:

11.87 USD

17.47 AUD

15.99 CAD

10.66 Euro

996.15 INR

405,49 Turkish Lira

18.90 NZD

1,715.62 Yen

3.

Grelle Black Butler manga plushie Anime Soft Toy

It’s not the best price, I admit. If you’re looking for something cheaper then maybe go for the 5" plush, and there’s another listing on AnimeWare, but once tax and shipping get evolved it ends up being more or less the same price, anyway.

I think this is under the same line as Plushlois comes from, and to that I say: if someone buys her, will that come back? Will Grelle’s face be remade by @fancymeatcomputers, as @nullbutler’s Plushlois once had?

Anyway, she’s super cute. Her hair is a bit too saturated, but that’s not much to lament over, and she’s pricey, but is still far less expensive than any available Plushlois listing I could find (£52!! Usually!!).

Here are the current conversions:

39.61 USD

58.30 AUD

53.35 CAD

35.58 Euro

3,323.16 INR

1,351.58 Turkish Lira

63.01 NZD

5,727.47 Yen

4.

Black Butler Kuroshitsuji Grell Undertaker Anime two sided Pillow Case Cover 250

I’d originally listed another pillow for listing number four, which goes for the same price, but decided not to as Grelle is more prominent on this one.

Not much to say about this other than as far as I can tell it’s just the pillowcase and not a case and a pillow, but if you want to add a lil extra something to your Grelle shrine or limit your chances of finding a normie partner by having this as the centrepiece to your 20-something pillow statement on your romantic four-post bed.

Here are the current conversions:

7.91 USD

11.64 AUD

10.65 CAD

7.10 Euro

663.67 INR

269.94 Turkish Lira

12.58 NZD

1,143.54 Yen

5.

Black butler Grell Sutcliffe figure Kuroshitsuji SEGA PVC Scale Anime s01

Another shambolic price, I know. But out of all the non-Funko Pop Grelle figures listed, this is definitely the cheapest.

Out of all of the non-Funko Pop Black Butler figures, it’s far from it. I think the cheapest figures went to Ciel and Sebastian, but with a massive gap between the cheapest Ciel figure versus the cheapest Sebastian figure (there’s a lot of listings for this particular figure, all with free shipping and of similar prices). There’s also a listing that sells Sebastian and Grelle together with free postage, which would value each figure as far less than what this one figure is being sold for.

The current conversions (of 130.22 GBP) go as follows:

172.00 USD

252.73 AUD

231.50 CAD

154.48 Euro

14,430.37 INR

5,874.98 Turkish Lira

273.31 NZD

24,865.90 Yen

6.

Black Butler Grell Sutcliff Cosplay Costume Red Death Men Full Set Outfits New

I’m not much of cosplayer or a cosplay fan, but from the few full cosplays I found that range from £40-50, this seems like a good price.

There’s also a good few listings for Grelle-style shoes? The cheapest of which would be here. And both the shoes and the clothing come in men’s sizes, so it’s a match if you ask me.

The current conversions of the cosplay’s price are:

23.76 USD

34.92 AUD

31.98 CAD

21.34 Euro

1,993.77 INR

811.52 Turkish Lira

37.76 NZD

3,435.09 Yen

7.

Kuroshitsuji Black Butler Madam Red Angelina Dalles Anime Figurine - Play Arts

Look. I know this isn’t a Grelle figure, but I assume that most if not all Grelle fans are also Madame Red fans. And you have to admit that this is a damn good price for a figure of this type. In fact, I’d say this figure is the second cheapest, right behind the aforementioned Ciel figure.

Also the seller has the username “welsh lady”. Surely it’d basically be treason if I didn’t promote it.

The conversions of the item price (6.99 GBP) go as follows:

9.23 USD

13.57 AUD

12.43 CAD

8.29 Euro

774.85 INR

315.29 Turkish Lira

14.68 NZD

1,336.09 Yen

8.

USED Dolk Black Butler Book of Circus Grell Sutcliff Cast Doll 700mm Japan RARE

This is a fucking awful price. It hurts just to imagine buying this. However, it seems like a rare or custom-made doll, in a fancy box, and it was the only listing I could find of it, meaning it’s not a re-sell.

There’s not much to say — as you can see I ranked it pretty low on the relevancy scale, but I don’t know: maybe someone’s into this sort of thing, especially if it comes to Grelle.

The item prices are converted as follows:

2,805.52 USD

4,123.16 AUD

3,776.66 CAD

2,519.24 Euro

235,385.31 INR

95,779.75 Turkish Lira

4,458.47 NZD

405,826.75 Yen

9.

1 x playing card Black Butler Anime Sebastian Michaelis - Jack of Hearts ZT 85

For one playing card, to me this price seems ghastly. There’s also a Sebastian variant for the exact same price, but that’s all I can find in this style. The other listings for Black Butler playing cards aren’t in this style, coming wholly in colour with patterned frames. As far as I can see, on eBay there are only two listings for this type of playing card, and I’ve already linked them both to this post.

The current conversions of the item price (2.49 GBP) are:

3.29 USD

4.83 AUD

4.43 CAD

2.95 Euro

276.04 INR

112,34 Turkish Lira

5.23 NZD

476.23 Yen

10.

Black Butler Ceramic Mug Grell, Sebastian

There’s a more expensive mug with just Grelle on it that I’d contemplated listing here instead. (And, hey! From Germany, too. The TSOGTR imagery just won’t quit.) But this one is cheaper.

Besides, enough scrubbing with some iron wool will get rid of that ugly demon mug (no pun intended) in no time, surely!

The current conversions go as follows:

19.62 USD

28.84 AUD

26.41 CAD

17.62 Euro

1,646.22 INR

669,76 Turkish Lira

31.17 NZD

2,841.32 Yen

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA if I asked my girlfriend to get me a replacement mask?

So I and my girlfriend (both adults) are in a long-distance relationship and live on different continents but visit each other for periods of weeks to months at a time. As background context, my girlfriend is notoriously bad with money - she's owed me over $1500 for half a year now after I covered some big expenses for her when she was unable to save in time, though I've told her there's no particular deadline for giving it back and to just do it when she's able, but she's also borrowed money from her parents, she's paying off a credit card debt, and despite having a full-time job she seems completely unable to save anything substantial and is constantly buying things.

We both like a certain musician, and this shared interest in the musician is actually how we met in the first place and bonded. They've dropped some merch in the past, and it always sold out within 5-10 minutes, and they're borderline impossible to get now unless you a) are lucky enough to find another fan who's giving theirs away, which is super rare because of how hard they are to replace, or b) are willing to fork out thousands of dollars for a resold one on some dodgy site somewhere. One of the merch items I got from one of those drops was a facemask, and my girlfriend has a matching one - I can't remember if it was something I bought for her, since I did that with some merch if I got there in time, or one she bought herself. It became a huge comfort item for me - I'm both autistic and have avoidant personality disorder, so I'm almost always in some kind of mask to hide my face, and this one being connected to a special interest as well as comfortable and a perfect size (and goes with all my clothes!) made me super happy. Last time she visited, we joked around about having identical masks but that it was easy to tell which one was hers because it had makeup stains all over the inside.

As she packed to leave, I mentioned that I couldn't find my mask anywhere and asked if she'd picked mine up as well as hers by accident, so she dug through her bags and said she didn't have it, only hers. I was kinda disappointed but I figured it'd turn up sooner or later so I accepted it, and she flew back home.

A few days later, she let me know she'd unpacked and discovered she actually did have both our masks. I asked her to send it back to me, and she said she would.

Fast forward a few months, I'd asked a few more times, and she always said she would soon. Eventually, when I asked one time, she told me she'd lost it. Her mother had tidied her entire room and she no longer had any idea where either of our masks were. I was kind of frustrated so I asked why she couldn't have just sent it over when I initially asked, and she snapped back that she couldn't afford it, which doesn't make much sense to me because she definitely does have enough to send over a flat envelope, which a fabric face mask would easily fit in just like a letter.

It's been a few months since then and I've been looking and looking for any kind of replacement, but all I can find are knock-off versions that are made from different materials or don't look the same. I did see one resold for like $20 ages ago, so it definitely happens, but it's so rare.

WIBTA if I told my girlfriend I'm expecting her to replace the one she lost even if it's putting more financial pressure on her? I feel really dumb for getting so upset about a mask, but it was one of my favourite belongings and it's genuinely upsetting that it was taken and lost.

To get out ahead of any comment saying it, I have full 100% faith that she did not do it intentionally and she didn't sell it or anything like that. She wouldn't have even thought about the possibility of doing that and I absolutely believe it was an accident and she just grabbed both masks or had been holding onto mine for me and forgotten it was in a bag etc.

[kirlicues]

Cabin on the Lake | CC-Free Sims 2 Beach Lot House

This magnificent log cabin resort home is situated on a steeply sloping beach lot. It is surrounded by towering Fir trees, and has its own private dock!

The 2 main levels have areas for gathering, a large kitchen, and cozy fireplaces. There is also a spacious dining room overlooking the lake. At the top of the home is a large bunk room that sleeps 4. The bottom level of this cabin has two separate suites with their own private bathrooms.

Outside there is plenty of space for picnicking, sunbathing, and swimming. This cabin is open year-round and is a great place to spend your summer or winter holidays.

Are you sold yet?

Here are a few more shots:

Connect with friends and family near the fireplace.

Feed your whole crew after the day’s adventures with this modern kitchen setup.

This bunkroom comes set to sleep 4.

Cabin on the Lake MF | SFS

This house was built on a 3X5 Beach Lot, has no custom content, but it requires all EPs and SPs.

Update 2025: The SDHB has been removed from this lot!

April 2022: It was recently brought to my attention that one of my lots was infected with the SDHB (super duper hug bug). 🤦‍♀️ While this bug is simply an annoyance and will not corrupt your game, out of an abundance of caution, I am letting you know before you download this lot. The funny thing is that this lot was built in a completely new neighborhood where no Sims had ever been played (either Maxis, or custom made sims). If you care about that kind of thing you can download the file that will check for the SDHB bug and fix it. I play with the NoSimLoaded patch which prevents the “Super Duper Hug” social interaction from ever happening in my game (this is the reason I just found out my game was infected).  

Some additional notes about this lot: I used the “SetQuarterTilePlacement on” cheat to position a few things on this lot. If your sims get stuck, or the lounge chairs are not usable, you can simply delete the chairs and re-place them, or turn that cheat on by hitting ctrl-shift-c and entering SetQuarterTilePlacement on in the cheat box at the top of your screen. Then after hitting enter, press ctrl-f to activate it. Move the item until it’s not blocking whatever it was before. press ctrl-f to turn the cheat off. I don’t anticipate that you’ll run into this issue, but just in case you do, hopefully this helps.

The pictures shared here are all unedited, straight out of my game. If you want your neighborhoods to look like this here’s what I’m using:

CuriousB’s default replacement grass terrain

Lowedus’s Sky Box

Great Cheesecake Persona’s Seasons enabled skylines

Dread Pirate’s Maxis Match lighting mod

ReShade. I recently installed this program following the info in this Reddit thread. I am not the most adept at using it yet, but there’s a slight possibility that the saturation and texture sharpness of the game may be slightly improved by this addition. If you wish to install ReShade on your computer, be warned that this is a more involved process. Unfortunately, I do not have time to help you figure it out. (I’m still not quite sure how I managed to get it working on my computer haha!)

The terrain map I built this lot on is this one from ModTheSims.

You’ve scrolled this far, you want to see the complete floorplan layout, right?

Right! 

That’s what I thought!

Basement/Ground floor:

Entryway:

Main level:

Loft/Bunkroom:

Ok, you good? Now go download the package and install it in your game already! 😄

I ALWAYS recommend using the Sims 2 Clean Pack installer to install lot files.

Game flashing purple? This is what has helped fix mine, and might work for you too, although there are no guarantees!

[nostalgiaworld]

CHAPTER 2 “LUNCH MEAT”

IRIS:

Came from the collection of dolls called “Rose Petal Place”. Iris had brown skin, black curly hair, and brown eyes.  She originally wore a white dress with purple tulle sleeves that looked like an iris flower. She also had a matching iris hate and a purple purse. She also had a green tassel necklace, a purple hair comb, and a doll stand. She wore purple shoes.

Iris was the resident artist and a shy, creative friend. She was always trying to paint a still life of the flowers at Rose Petal Place, but none of the the flower would sit still.

The Rose Petal Place dolls also had separate sold fashions. The one I describe that Iris is wearing is called “Painting Poises”.  Interestingly-and I say that with ALL sarcasm- all the other white dolls had a couple of outfits. This was her only one.

*A cool thing about these dolls and their fashions and accessories were my aunt at the time of their popularity use to work at Toys R Us. Every time a new item would come out, she’d have it put aside so I’d be one of the first to get it.  This is a collection I had in completetion, dolls, fashions, and the car. Interestingly I’m just learning there were dolls in the series tho that were made but never produced for sell.

DRAGON FLAME ELEMENTARY

This was the school my mother taught at “Wenonah Elementary School”.  I named it “Dragon Flame Elementary” because their mascot was a dragon.  Wenonah sticks out in my mind for a couple of reasons.  One thing I remember vividly is part of the classrooms were inside, but there was a black set of stairs outside leading up to a top level and on the top level were classrooms.  Another cool thing about it was the library. There was a ladder that you could go up and up there was “a balcony”. I just remember how peaceful it was to go up there and read in solitude.   The carnival was an activity I also remember that the school would have every year. Outside were the jumping balls. In the cafeteria was the food.

“THE BOY”

While I was writing him, I thought about (ironically) a cousin of mine whose name is James (a lot of James in my family).  When James was smaller, he was very bright, but he also liked to talk a lot and he talked as if he knew everything-much like his father whose name is also (you guessed it). One time we went on a vacation and he talked the *whole* car ride there.  The more I thought about the more I thought that’s what “the boy” is like. “Lunch” wonders why he’s not with the other kids. I can see it being a bit because he’s something of a know it all.

[ogfangirl]

Thoughtful gifts

Summary: A late night Christmas gift exchange turns sexual with Jack.

Warning ⚠️: Adult language, sexual content, and cuteness.

A/N: this was my first ever attempt at writing explicit smut content and I’m ngl I kinda freaked out a skipped the good part 🥲 I got this idea after reading some amazing Xmas stories from y’all so thank you for the inspo

———————————————————————————

It was late at night on Christmas Eve as we got ready for bed. I was almost finished brushing my teeth when I heard Jack call me from his childhood bedroom across the hall, “babe”

“Hold on,” I stated loud enough for him to hear but trying not to wake his sleeping relatives. I finished up what I was doing then walked over to Jack’s room, closing the door behind me. “What’s up?” I sat on my side of the full sized bed. I watched as Jack picked out a few boxes from the closet and walked over to the bed, “I know you usually open gifts on Christmas Eve with your family, so I have a few for you to open tonight” he smiled down at me. I couldn’t help but let out a smile myself, “baby,” I was at a loss for words at how cute he was.

“You didn’t need to do this, oh my God” I giggled as he handed me the first box. This was my first Christmas ever spending with a boyfriend, and it just happened to be with one that came from a different culture than mine. Growing up in a Latino household we did all the Christmas activities on Christmas Eve, and on the 25th we’d just chill around the house in matching PJs eating leftovers. So Jack knew it was going to take some adjusting to the way his family did things, which was a lot more lowkey than what I’m used to.

I was hesitant to open it for a second, I looked up at him and he gave me an encouraging nod. “Go ahead,” he said in anticipation of my reaction to the gifts. “What about when your family is opening gifts tomorrow? I don’t want them to -“ he cut me off, “Don’t worry about that mamas, there’s more where these came from” he gestured to the gifts on the bed. I was not used to receiving this many gifts since this was the first Christmas we spent together. Last Christmas we both went to our home towns and spent it with our families, so we ended up only doing one gift each.

I slumped my shoulders in defeat and unwrapped the fist box that was in my lap. It was big so I knew it was some sort of clothing item. I opened the box and let out a gasp because I immediately knew what it was, “how did you know?” I questioned in awe as I pulled out the white SKIMS cozy set I’ve been wanting since forever. Jack shrugged nonchalantly, “I remember you brought it up a while ago,” he grabbed another box and handed it to me, “these go with it too”

I looked up at him in disbelief, I set the robe down and transferred my attention to the new box in front of me. Now this box seemed to be a shoe box which I unwrapped embarrassingly fast. I looked up at Jack once my eyes met the infamous Louis Vuitton orange box, “Jack,” I sighed, I hated knowing he spent unnecessary money on me like this.

“Don’t even start because I know you’ve been wanting this for hella long, and you know you deserve it” he chuckled at my silent protests. I opened the box slowly to see the pink fuzzy LV slippers I’ve had my eye on for months, “how did you get this? It’s been sold out everywhere” I was is disbelief yet again. I watched as he laid next to me and placed his hands behind his head in a cocky manner, “you know ya boy has his ways” he wiggled his eyebrows at me which caused a laugh to leave my lips.

I appreciated how much Jack actually listened to me, and got me things he knows I wouldn’t get myself. I only mentioned these items to him once or twice in conversation, and he made a mental note to get them for me which made my heart want to burst. I took the slippers out of the box and put them on my feet, “they’re so cute” I squealed as I wiggled my feet up in the air, which got a laugh from Jack.

“See, that’s exactly why I love getting you gifts” he looked over at me and smiled, “and why is that?” I smirked and bent down to be closer so him. “Because you’re so fucking cute when you get excited” he cooed before wrapping his hand around my neck and kissing me. The kiss lasted a few seconds less then I’d like before he pulled away slightly, “one more” he handed me another box before giving me a quick peck. I rolled my eyes at him quickly before pushing the other gifts down the bed and turning my attention to the unopened one in front of me. “Now,” Jack sat up on the bed and placed a hand over the box, “before you open this one, you have to promise me I’ll get to take it off of you tonight” he smirked at me with a devilish look on his face.

I looked at him quietly for a moment, he raised his brow while he waited for my answer. “Is this gift for me or you?” I chuckled and he smiled, “a little bit of both” he moved closer and gave me another kiss. “C’mon, open it” he whispered against my lips, I kissed him once again but this time I bit his lower lip softly before pulling away, which earned a low groan from him. “But baby, we’re in your parents home” I whispered back. I knew this wasn’t going to go anywhere so why not mess around with him for a little. “I don’t fucking care, now open it” he pulled away and pushed the present closer to me. I undid the wrapping and opened up the box to see a beautiful purple lacy La Perla lingerie set. My jaw dropped as my eyes slowly moved up to see Jack who looked like a giddy kid on Christmas.

Literally.

I didn’t know how Jack even knew about this brand, and honestly I don’t care to find out. A small smirk crept up on my face, “looks like I have to try it on” I hummed out and Jack nodded. I could tell he was getting worked up just by thinking of me in the lacy lingerie that sat between us. The idea of doing anything in Jack’s teenage room while his parents were right down the hall didn’t sit right with me, but I also couldn’t deny how much I wanted to thank him right then and there for his thoughtful gifts.

Jack cleared his throat which snapped me out of my trance, “I’m waiting” he cooed. I got up from the bed with intentions of walking to the bathroom to change but I didn’t want to wake his family, or risk being see in lingerie by anyone. “No peeking while I change,” I smiled at him and threw all the torn up wrapping paper on the floor before placing the other gifts gently on the rug beneath my feet. “I don’t make promises I can’t keep,” he shifted himself in his pants and I knew he was turned on already. I took off my shirt and threw it at him, “cover your eyes” I demanded quietly, and he obliged. I shook my head and chuckled to myself, I can’t believe I am doing this.

We were staying at a hotel in downtown Louisville for the first few days while he was doing shows, but yesterday he decided to come stay at his parents home. I was nervous to say the least, because it would be the first time I’d meet his extended family. They were all so welcoming which calmed my nerves down by a lot. At first didn’t understand why Jack was so eager to sleep in his teenager bedroom with me, but I quickly understood his reasoning last night.

While we were snuggled up on his full size bed yesterday, he couldn’t keep his hands off me. He sweetly confesses how his teenage self would not be able to contain himself if he knew that 23 year old Jack would have me laid up on his bed right now. It was cute and all, but I knew it was a ploy to get me to fall into his little fantasy.

Clearly it worked.

I took off the rest of my clothes and put on the set. I look at myself in the mirror above his dresser and nodded in approval. One thing about Jack is he knew how to pick out some lingerie, and this wasn’t the first time. Although I saw Jack peeking the entire time I still wanted to fool around and tease him a little. I turned on the lamp light on the bed side table and tuned off the main light in his room, before making my way to the bed again. I walked over to the bed and straddled Jack, my hands quickly wrapping around his wrist before he could attempt to uncover his face. “No baby, keep it on for a minute” I said is a low voice as I tied the shirt around his eyes like a blindfold.

All of this was outside of my comfort zone, considering his parents were just two rooms away, so I had to take charge to feel in control again. I could feel Jack’s erection on my core as I sunk down on his lap, he hummed in response to my weight on him. “Fuck mama, I’m already on brick and I haven’t even seen you yet” he complained on a hushed tone, I giggled because I knew he was lying about not seeing me. I moved closer to leave kisses along his neck as he let out a breath. He was only wearing a white tank and flannel pants so it was easy access for me, which made things a little more fun. I placed both hands on his shoulders and grinded slowly on his lap, the bed squeaked below us. His groan was muffled by the shirt over his face, but I knew that he had his eyes closed and was enjoying every moment.

His large hands found their way to my ass cheeks and he guided my movement back and forth. I was trying my best to be as gentle as possible so the bed wouldn’t make too much noise, but it wasn’t working too well. I could feel him under me and I knew that I needed to thank him a little extra tonight.

Normally Jack didn’t like blowjobs; he was much more of a pleaser. He often said he was extra sensitive down there which I could confirm, he definitely was. One thing he was really into is eye contact, so I know that he was on edge since he had his eyes covered and he couldn’t see what was coming next. I scooted down and palmed him over his pants which earned me another groan. I looked up at him to see his head thrown back, he mumbled something but I couldn’t make out what he said. I reached in his pants and brought him out.

“Mamas,” he said breathlessly, “what are you doing?” He didn’t know what to do with his hands. This was new to him since I’ve never blindfolded him before, “thanking you, papi” I smiled before pressing a soft kiss to his tip. He was very particular about what type of blowjob he liked, and he’s told me multiple times I’m the only one who’s ever done it right, so I used that as motivation to keep going. I used my hands on his length while working on his tip with my mouth, just like he liked it. He let out a loud moan, I abruptly stopped to cover his mouth. I hushed him which made both of us laugh because typically that was usually something he’d do to me. I was the loud one, but taking away one of Jack’s senses showed me that he could be just as noisy.

A few minutes later his grip on my hair tightened as he bucked his hips up, “I’m gonna cum” he whispered breathlessly. I reached up and took off the blindfold to unveil his dark blue eyes looking down at me in awe. He let out a smirk as he took me in. His eyes didn’t know where to look first so they bounced around at the scene unfolding in front of him. I continued what I was doing in anticipation of his climax. I felt his precum leak out and I pulled him out gently. I looked up at him and his facial expression told me everything I needed to know. I taped his member on my tongue a few times as he let out a dragged out moan, his juices flowing perfectly down my throat. I licked his tip clean and wiped my lips with the back of my hand. He smiled lazily at me, his head was thrown back against the wall as he came down from his first climax.

I sat up and grabbed the hem of his white tank and lifted it up, he got the gist and took it off. His curls were everywhere as he finally got a good look at me. His eyes traveled from my chest down to the lacy thong that barely covered anything. He bit his lip and wrapped his arms around my waist, “damn baby, I must’ve been on top of the nice list to receive a gift like you” he whispered against my skin, I chuckled “that was so corny” I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought him even closer. His lips dragged along mine momentarily before he kissed me feverishly.

One of Jacks hands found their way into my panties, and I knew he felt how wet I already was. He moved the thin lacy fabric to the side and gently massaged me. I moaned into his lips and I sat up on my knees. He broke the kiss off and was about to scoot down the bed before I stopped him, “what are you doing?” I chuckled quietly, he looked up at me surprised. “I want to taste you” he said it so innocently but I knew he was far from that. I smiled him but shook my head no, “this is about me thanking you baby, not the other way around” he shook his head and lifted his hands up in defeat, “if you say so” he sang quietly.

He quickly kicked off his pajama pants off and I position myself over him. I grabbed him and lined him up perfectly before I sank down on him slowly, a quiet gasp left my lips as the feeling of him filling me up. “Fuck,” he groaned out loudly, I crashed my lips onto his as an attempt to keep him quiet but also to keep myself from making too many noises. As we moved around his bed became squeakier, and I knew it could be heard down the hall.

That night we had to go out of our way to make sure the bed wouldn’t make any noise. From him hitting it from the back while I was bent over with only my hands on the bed, to us having to lay down on the floor over his comforter and pillows. We made it work, and I made him cum a few extra times so it was worth it.

I laid on top of Jack’s naked body, while my head was on his chest I used his repetitive heartbeat to calm me down. I drew random patterns on his bicep as I shut my eyes momentarily. He placed a wet kiss on my temple, “my family loved you” he whispered to me with a smile. “How could they not?” I chuckled, “I’m the best girlfriend” I joked and even might’ve let out a quiet snort escape.

I placed my chin on his chest and looked up at him, “That” he bopped my nose, “you definitely are” he smiled down at me. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked down at him, “you’re family is so awesome, I can see where you get it from” Jack nodded in response, “they’re great, now you see why I keep on coming back”

“You’re so much like your mom and dad, even the way you laugh is so similar to them” I noted as Jack looked at me attentively. “It’s almost as if they’re-“ he gasped for dramatic effect, “my parents” he chuckled which earned him a light smack from me. “I hate you” I rolled eyes and rested my chin over my hands that were on his chest. He grabbed my ass cheek with his left hand and squeezed it, “I’m just fucking with you, mamas. Everyone tells me I’m very like my parents, so I’ve had that response rehearsed” he turned over slightly so that I could get off of his chest and lay to his left, he pulled me closer by wrapping his arm around my waist.

I nestled my face against his chest again and basked in his scent. He always had this very masculine woodsy scent to him, even when he didn’t wear cologne. I could be in his arms forever. I felt so safe and loved whenever we were in this position, and he knew it too so he’d always have us lay like this. “Merry Christmas, mama” Jack whispered into my hair, “Merry Christmas Jack” I placed a soft kiss to his chest before drifting off to sleep.

Jack was in heaven as he thought back to his teenage self, and how he would have never been able to imagine the scene that unfolded in his bedroom tonight. As they laid on the bed he felt her breath hit his chest every time she breathed out, and it soothes him. Waiting for her to fall asleep almost felt like a routine to him. One she wasn’t quite aware of. Jack didn’t deny that he was a bit possessive over her at times, but it all came from a place of love. With him being away all the time he cherished these late night intimate moments where it felt like they were the only ones awake.

She was the first girl he’d brought home for Christmas, and he couldn’t have made a better decision. His friends loved her, his family loved her, and most importantly, he loves her.

[fatefulfaerie]

A Precious Find

A Happy August Birthday to @v1ser1on! I hope you like it! 

It seemed like just a few months ago.

It was a sorry excuse for Link’s forgetfulness, but it was true. The fact that an entire year had passed since the two reunited in Hyrule field was something Link hadn’t even considered until Beedle said it, Link’s mouth gaping and his face looking as if all the blood had been drained from it.

“Crazy that it’s been whole year since the castle was all cursed, huh?”

Yes, it was crazy. It was beyond crazy that Link and his love had enjoyed an entire year of peace, real, true peace. It seemed like a lifetime and a couple weeks all at once.

“Why, all my life the castle has been off limits.” Beedle didn’t seem to notice that Link was gazing into the distance, panic slowly rising near his ribcage. Link wasn’t sure if the pinging panic originated from his heart or his lungs. “Now it’s a treasure trove of riches that has boosted the economy full-throttle.”

Anniversary.

Their first anniversary and Link had to be across the land at the Rito stable. He came here to visit with the Rito elder, to go through the new trade routes and treaties that the former princess had laid out for him, herself absolutely having to stay behind and study the growth of a new variant of flora she had named after her father.

Did she know when she sent Link off that their anniversary was approaching, that in a few days time it would have been a year since they met lips and reacquainted breaths? Was she heartbroken?

“Beedle.”

It wasn’t until Link suddenly said the name of the traveling merchant that Link realized Beedle had kept talking. About what, Link had no idea. He almost felt guilty, but the deed was done.

“What do you have for sale today?”

Beedle’s expression changed to pure joy, pulling out his portable shelf and laying on top of it a few different items, some rushrooms, a few dead lizards, and a bundle of bomb arrows. Link pursed his lips and worry struck his heart like a bolt of lightning.

“Do you have anything more…” Link wasn’t sure how to word it without wearing his heart on his sleeve. “Precious?”

His relationship with the former princess of Hyrule was no secret, but he wasn’t ready to show the world how red his cheeks could get when thinking about her, wasn’t ready to be teased about something so important to him. He tried his best to keep his stoic stance, as if he were buying a standard bundle of arrows and not looking for something that was even a small fraction of her beauty.

“I do! As a matter of fact,” Beedle said, Link breathing a sigh of relief as Beedle took away the first three items and began to rummage into the depths of his pack. However, the first thing erased Link’s hope completely. It pulsed with red veins and Link was fairly certain that it was one of the five Lynel guts that Link had sold him over a year ago. Beedle placed it down on his portable shelf as if it were the rarest crystal. Although she might have taken some delight in researching it, he remembering her dissecting one not a month ago. It was nothing new and nothing special.

“Hard to find these anymore,” Beedle said, attempting to make the sale. “There haven’t been any Lynels in this land ever since the castle was accessible but you’ll find that these guts are a valuable commodity not only in brewing potent potions but also in exotic recipes. Why, I hear that the Gerudo even—”

“Beedle, I hate to interrupt you again, but when I said precious, I…”

Link hesitated. He leaned in closer.

“I kind of meant something one might give to a young lady,” Link said quietly. 

Something that might impress a former princess, who once had access to the finest jewels and all the guardian parts she could have ever wanted.

“Oh!” Beedle exclaimed, putting the Lynel guts away and this time really looking in his gargantuan pack. “I had no idea!”

Half of his body was in the bag by the time he finally said “Aha!”. 

“I didn’t think I would ever sell this,” Beedle said as he pulled out a necklace with a gold chain that eventually looped around a very small charm, a unique gem that Link had never before encountered. The sunset-pink hue matched no rupee, no ore, only matching the pastel shade of her cheeks when Link made her blush. Link’s fingertips grazed the jewel gently, marveling at how it caught the light.

“Unfortunately the apocalypse isn’t the best market for jewels,” Beedle explained. “People want to sell them, not buy them. When resources are scarce, a necklace just doesn’t measure up to a loaf of bread or a bundle of arrows. Perhaps selling this means that people have started to live again.”

“How much?” Link said weakly, the thought of giving it to his beloved overwhelming his otherwise serious nature.

“Three thousand,” Beedle said, Link looking up quickly with what Beedle thought was shock at such a high, high price. “I’m sorry but even diamonds are less rare than the rose quartz. My bet is that they were mined dry a long time ago. Someone like me finding it was just a streak of luck.”

Link shook his head.

“No, no,” he said. “There’s no need to apologize. The price is more than reasonable, I…I have enough rupees, it…it’s just so perfect.”

Beedle’s smile was more genuine than Link had ever seen it, although it did grow when Link handed him the rupees.

“What’s her name?” Beedle asked, handing over the precious necklace, that shimmered in the sunlight.

Link blushed at the thought, and the name he spoke in that moment was the one of the young lady that he rushed to afterwards, racing to the nearest shrine and hurrying back home to Hateno.

“Zelda.”

[keanureevesisbae]

sugar sugar - october.

Summary: Henry invites her to a rooftop party and that is only the beginnings of a whole lot of changes for Becky.

Sugar Daddy!Henry Cavill x Becky Kim (asian OFC)

Warnings: Just an idiot who doesn’t take no for an answer, but that’s it.

Wordcount: 8.5k 🙈

A/N: I hope you guys like this chapter (and please Tumblr, don’t eat comments anymore, thank you very much)

Masterlist // Sugar Sugar Masterlist // Previous chapter // Next chapter

October 1st 8 p.m.

Henry asked me if I wanted to go with him to a rooftop party. I mean, of course I wanted to go with him, because I’ve never been to a party like that. However, as I try to find something to wear, I’m left with barely anything. The money he gave me, went straight to the bank to pay off a tiny bit of my severe debt. I kinda want to ask Henry to just pay it all off, but I’m too scared to ask him.

But now I sorta wished I spend it on clothes. I don’t even know what one wears to a rooftop party.

I slip on my black heels after I put on a simple black shirt with long sleeves, that’s tugged in a grey checkered pants. This looks sort of sophisticated.

I hope.

With my purse in hand, I walk out of my door. I know Henry is already here, so now I only need to sneak passed mister Del Rossi.

Let’s just hope he is watching some series again.

After I peeked around the corner, I see he is too invested in a different movie, so I shoot out of the building without him noticing me. Once I’m outside, I see Henry leaning against his Range Rover.

He looks so expensive. I think his belt is probably worth more than my entire outfit. The black slacks accentuate the firmness of his legs (and probably the firmness of his ass too, but only time will tell) and he paired it with a tight white blouse, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong underarms and probably severely overpriced watch.

Instead of greeting him, like you usually do when you see someone you know, I let the words: ‘I’m severely underdressed,’ slip, whilst stopping in the middle of the curb.

’No, you’re not,’ Henry says. ‘You look perfect.’

Perfect isn’t a word I would associate with me. Ever. Even my parents and siblings would agree that perfect and I don’t go hand in hand.

‘Excuse me, what?’

‘You look perfect,’ he repeats. ‘If you think you’re underdressed though, you and I could go shopping first. We have time.’

‘Really?’ I ask. ‘I mean, you wanted to go to the party tonight. Don’t you wanna be on time?’

‘There is a thing called fashionably late,’ he says. ‘Besides, I don’t want you to feel underdressed.’

Is this honestly my life now? I sort of say I want something and he just puts his life on hold, simply to give it to me?

I could get used to that.

‘How much time do we have left?’ I ask. ‘I mean, is there even a store open now?’

‘We have all the time in the world. Now get in, Becky,’ he says with a smile, ‘I know a place that is still open.’

✤ ✤ ✤

When Henry says he knows a place, he really does know a place. He takes me to the most luxurious boutique in the entirety of Manhattan and the owner (who is a lot smaller than Henry, but wow, is he very handsome. Totally someone I would break my neck for if I saw him passing me) holds up his hand when he spots us. ‘Henry, what a surprise.’ His brown eyes land on me and he smiles even brighter than before. ‘Hi there, I’m Peter.’

He holds out his hand and I carefully take it. ‘I’m Becky, nice to meet you.’

‘What can I do for you today?’

‘We’re going to the rooftop party at Gino’s,’ Henry says, his hand possessively in the dip of my waist, almost as he wants everyone in the store (and that includes the four rich looking guys in the back of the store) to know I’m with him. ‘And we want something for her to wear. Though I think she looks beautiful already, she should feel comfortable.’

Excuse me, my legs should not feel this wobbly.

Peter nods. ‘Well, I have just the thing for you. Walk with me, Becky.’

Henry squeezes my waist, before I walk with Peter to the left of the store.

‘So,’ Peter says, ‘are you enjoying this type of lifestyle?’

How does one respond to this implication, especially when it’s true? ‘Hm, what?’

‘Oh love, I know all about what you two have,’ he says. ‘Henry and I go way back.’ He goes through the clothing racks, as his eyes scan every item on the it. ‘We went to high school together and became best friends. We still are. So, after college, he goes to start Midnight and became filthy rich and I didn’t. I worked in cheap clothing stores after studying fashion and when he saw me struggle, he gave me the head start I needed. And now, look at me. One of the greatest boutiques here in Manhattan.’

‘Really?’ I ask him. ‘Does he give away money like that all the time to anyone?’

He shakes his head as a chuckle leaves his lips. ‘No,’ Peter answers. ‘He barely does it. Only to charities, but he always does it anonymous. You know, it was my idea to sign him up for Sugar Sugar. He is getting pretty lonely.’

‘How?’ I ask. ‘I mean, how does someone who looks like that, doesn’t have someone in his life?’

‘He is…’ Peter starts, ‘wait a minute, how do I say this? Keen on a solitary life.’

‘But why did he sign up then?’

‘Because the solitary life isn’t doing him any good.’ He smiles and says: ‘Becky with the good hair was the first profile to pop up on his feed and it was all he needed to see.’

I’m oddly flattered. ‘Really?’ I ask. ‘Why?’ I try to think about my profile picture, which was a very plain picture of me sitting in the grass during a picnic with Genevieve and Viola.

‘I don’t know. We signed him up and he was sold the second he saw your pictures and read your profile. He didn’t even check other profiles, just clicked on yours to send you a message.’ Peter has obtained a set: a tight black skirt with a white long-sleeved crop top. He ushers me to follow him and like a puppy I trail behind him. He grabs some black shiny boots, with a high thin heel after he asked for my shoe size. He even takes some jewelry with him.

Peter hangs everything up for me in the dressing room, as Henry takes a sit in a chair. ‘Show me when you’re dressed, okay?’ he says to me. I nod and when Peter stepped out of the dressing room, I close the curtain behind me.

While I’m changing, I hear them softly talking. I lean towards the curtain with my ear and try to decipher what they are talking about, but I can’t understand what they’re saying.

Is it true though, what Peter told me? Was Henry really sold the second he saw my profile? Meaning, he is not lying when he calls me beautiful?

I look at myself in the mirror and grab the silver collier and the matching ring. This looks amazing, I think to myself, as the skirt and top give my such an hour glass figure. My work attire is a star in hiding the few curves I have and my other clothes don’t quite accentuate it. I put on the heels and open the curtain.

‘My oh my,’ Peter says as I step out. ‘You are stunning.’

‘Thanks to you,’ I chuckle. ‘I absolutely love it.’

Peter walks over to me, pulling the skirt a little straighter. ‘You know, I love every piece of clothing in this boutique, but it’s always the model who makes it work. You sure you don’t want to model for me?’

I should not be blushing. ‘I don’t think I would be good enough for that.’

‘Nonsense,’ Peter says. ‘You don’t have to say yes straight away, but think about it.’ From the looks of it, he is dead serious.

Henry stands up and gets closer to me, causing him to literally tower over me. He grabs his hand in mine, inspecting the ring. ‘Peter,’ he says, ‘do you have a ring that is a little bit more delicate?’

His friend nods and walks into the store to grab a different ring. Henry gently pulls the ring off my finger.

‘What do you think?’ I ask him. ‘I mean, you’re probably gonna pay for it.’

‘I am gonna pay for it,’ he says with a smirk. ‘What Peter said: you’re stunning. I think I’ll be making everyone very jealous with you by my side.’

I highly doubt it, but this sure is a nice compliment.

Peter comes back with a different ring and after they exchanged them, Henry slides on the other ring around my finger.

This sure gives me enough to work with for my next dream, I can tell you that. The ring is a little bit more delicate, but when I look at it, it’s indeed better around my finger. ‘Perfect,’ Henry says. ‘You want a clutch to match with this?’

‘I’d rather have a purse,’ I mumble.

I don’t have to tell Henry twice. ‘Peter, could you grab some purses for her to check out?’

The store owner hurries back to the store once again, this time to fetch us some purses.

‘Should I put my other clothes in a bag?’ I suggest. ‘I can do that, while we wait.’

I already turn around, but Henry pulls me back. ‘No,’ he sternly says, ‘stay here.’

While Peter gives us four purses to show, he is actually the one that puts my other clothes in a bag, neatly folding it in a way I never do that. I pick a black and white purse, though I really like the pink one. It’s just that I’m not confident enough to pull off a bright pink purse with this outfit.

After Peter cut out the tags off my clothes and Henry paid for them (it was a good two thousand dollars, my poor heart), he receives the bag with my clothing from his friend and we say our goodbyes to Peter. ‘Can we go here more often?’ I ask Henry, as he opens the door for me.

‘If you want that, of course.’

Once we’re seated in his car again, I look to the side. ‘Thank you, I absolutely love it.’

‘Good,’ he says, starting the car. ‘You look like an absolute vision, Becky.’

✤ ✤ ✤

I know about how valets work, but I’ve never seen it happen in real life. I actually thought about working as a valet, but then I remembered I don’t have a drivers license, so that possibility went off the table fairly quick.

Henry held up his hand when a valet guy wanted to walk around the car to open my door, only to do it himself. He offered me his hand and once I took it, he helped me out of the car. Now, we’re stepping into the elevator that’s prettier than the entire apartment building I live in.

‘Gino is a good friend of mine,’ he says. ‘His parties are usually pretty okay, but if you want to leave, just let me know.’

‘Okay,’ I say.

‘And I don’t know how your alcohol tolerance is,’ he continues to say, ‘but his drinks are pretty strong, so watch out for that.’

Good to know. I can’t handle alcohol very well, except maybe a nice wine. ‘Is there wine?’ I ask him.

‘I’ll check for you. Also, remember not to take drinks from anyone, but me, okay?’

I scoff. ‘How old do you think I am?’ I ask. ‘I’m a grown woman, Henry.’

He smiles. ‘Well, you know, Becky,’ he continues to say, ‘Gino might be nice, but his friends are not always.’ He looks to the side. ‘If I were you, I’d stay close.’

‘I was thinking the same,’ I mumble, my cockiness dissolving as we speak. ‘I’m not really good at parties,’ I admit. ‘My last party was prom and it was horrendous. And that with people I actually knew.’

He nods. ‘Another reason to stay close.’

We step out of the elevator and oh my gosh, the aesthetic of the rooftop party is beautiful. I see golden lights everywhere and with the terrace heaters, the place has a nice temperature, so I’m not freezing to death in this outfit. I hear some music, watch some people dancing in the middle of the roof, whilst other are standing near the bar or sitting on large lounge sofa’s.

Okay, the people seem okay, just they all look so expensive, while I on the other hand look really poor, even in this two thousand dollar outfit. Is Henry absolutely sure he wants me to interact with these bouche people? I mean, I am part of his reputation now. If they think low of me, I honestly don’t mind, since I’ll probably ever see them again, but if they think low of Henry, because of me… That can’t be good, especially because he pays me to be by his side.

Henry must sense my discomfort, because after he places a heavy hand on my lower back, he leans down to my ear and whispers: ‘If I were afraid you were gonna embarrass me, I wouldn’t have taken you here. Just be yourself.’

‘Are you sure?’ I ask. ‘Henry, I’m not even content with myself. I can fake something, get an alter ego. Just give me a minute to prepare.’

‘No,’ he says sternly, ‘I want you.’

My knees barely recover from that comment. He wants me…

…to be by his side, without putting up an act. This has no sexual meaning what so ever. We agreed on that, I know that. ‘Okay,’ I say. ‘Just me. Sure?’

He chuckles. ‘Sure,’ he confirms. We walk towards a table and he hands me a glass of wine, before getting himself some whiskey.

Rich men really drink that?

His hand has risen from my lower back, to the midst of my back, his thumb caressing the bare part between my skirt and crop top. It’s such a casual and simple gesture from his side, but it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, with added heart palpitations.

‘If anyone asks,’ Henry says, ‘you’re my date.’

I actually wonder if anyone is even gonna notice me, because has Henry seen himself? Right when I want to say something to him, a man walks up to us. ‘Henry, you made it!’

‘Gino, nice to see you again.’ Henry holds out his hand and the two shake hands.

Oh, Gino is quite handsome as well. Does Henry only know beautiful people? I thought Peter was to die for already, but Gino sure is a sight for the eye as well. ‘Hello there,’ Gino says, a lovely smile appearing on his face.

‘Hi,’ I say, not quite sure if I should introduce myself or wait for him to ask my name.

‘This is Becky,’ Henry says, when he senses my incapability to be polite. ‘Becky, this is Gino.’

‘Nice to meet you, Becky,’ Gino says, shaking my hand with full enthusiasm, that my shoulder nearly gets dislocated. But it’s nice to be welcomed to someones party with this much excitement. Especially because I have never met the man before.

‘Nice to meet you too,’ I finally manage to say. ‘I love the aesthetic of the party. Very warm and beautiful.’

Gino smiles. ‘You know, you’re the first one to actually say something about it.’ He looks at Henry. ‘I like her.’

He ushers us to follow him to a lounge couch in the corner and while we trail behind, I tug Henry’s hand. ‘He likes me?’ I ask him. ‘Did he really say that?’

‘He did,’ Henry says with a smile.

I watch Gino shooing people away from the couch and holds out his hand, gesturing for us to take a sit. Henry and Gino both wait till I’m seated and I place my purse on my lap, since I’m not sure how far up my skirt you can look if I just normally sit. When I crossed my legs as well, Henry places his hand on knee, as he talks business with Gino.

My entire skin burns, even the part where his cold ring is making contact with my leg.

While I’m slightly disappointed that Henry and Gino aren’t involving me in the conversation, I realize it’s not about me. Of course it’s not about me. I’m tagging along with Henry, who is much more important than I am and who has business to do, even at a party.

I let my eyes wander over the people, who all seem to know each other. People kissing each other on the cheeks as they approach someone. Women wrapping their arms around some guy, who pulls them close as they clink their glasses.

‘Where are the restrooms?’ I ask them.

‘Near the elevators,’ Gino answers. ‘On your right hand.’

‘Okay, thanks.’ I look at Henry and softly say: ‘I’ll be right back.’

I place my empty wineglass on a table and walk through the people towards the restrooms. Not to pee or anything, but to regain my thoughts. Everyone here is so pretty and gorgeous and I feel so out of place.

I mean, even the bathroom is decorated in such a pretty and rich manner, and I’m none of that. I look into the mirror and decide to touch up some of my lipstick. I do some breathing exercises, because I feel like I’m totally working myself up.

After a short break from the party, I decide to walk back to the lounge couch. I push myself through the enormous crowd of people, but when I’m really close to Henry and Gino again, I bump into someone.

‘Oh, shoot, I’m so sorry,’ I say.

The guy who I bumped into smiles at me and all of the sudden I’m in desperate need of a pair of sunglasses. Why are his teeth so white? Is that even healthy? ‘No, it’s okay,’ he says. ‘Who you here with?’ he then asks me.

‘I’m with him,’ I say, pointing at the lounge couch, only to see Henry already looking at us.

‘Want something to drink?’

Yeah, that’s a no. I’m not accepting a drink from someone who clearly has had one too many. ‘No, but thank you for offering,’ I say, taking Henry’s advice on not taking drinks from anyone, but him to heart. ‘I’ve gotta go.’

I want to walk passed him, but the man grabs my wrist tightly. ‘Come on, one drink.’

I barely learned anything in juvie, but there is one thing I learned pretty damn quickly: if you want to break yourself free from someone’s grasp, rotate your arm towards their thumb. They can’t hold onto you, even if they wanted to and seeing this man’s level of intoxication, I think it’ll be doable.

I twist my arm towards his thumb and like I predicted, he lets go of me. ‘No thanks,’ I say, quickly walking up to the lounge corner. Henry is on the edge of his seat and when I approach him, he stands up. ‘Was he harassing you?’ he asks me, his eyes a few shades darker, as he places his hand on my upper arm.

Why does Henry look like he is ready to skin the guy alive and why is that so hot?

‘No,’ I say.

‘It sure looked like it to me.’

He wants to pass me, but I place my hand on his chest (okay, that was the original plan, but it lands on his stomach). ‘I took care of it, Henry,’ I say, as we both look at the guy who is still rubbing his hand, meaning I took him by surprise. ‘I promise you, I’m fine.’

He clears his throat, almost as if he has to restrain himself not to do anything about it. He simply nods and when the two of us sit down again, he places a heavy hand on my leg, as he talks to Gino about more business stuff. His grip on my leg slightly tightens every time the guy looks our way.

While I might not understand a lot of it, I am completely drawn in by the way Henry speaks. He sounds so confident when talking about something of his own field of expertise. Tine goes by, but there isn’t a second I’m bored.

I wrap my arm around his and place my cheek against his thick upper arm.

That sparks his attention. ‘Look at you,’ he says with an endearing smile on his face. ‘You tired, Becky?’

‘No,’ I say, but that’s a lie. In all honesty: I’m dog tired.

‘We’ve been here for quite some time,’ he says, looking at his watch. ‘Two hours nearly.’

‘We’ve been here for two hours?’ I ask him. It sure doesn’t feel like that. No wonder I’m tired, it’s way passed my bedtime. ‘Really?’

‘Yeah,’ he says. ‘I think we should go.’

‘No, we don’t have to, not if you’re still busy.’

‘We’re going,’ he tells me.

Yeah, I can’t argue with that.

I sit up straight and when he is standing, he holds out his hand for me to take. While I’m perfectly capable to get up myself, I gladly take him up on his offer. We say our goodbyes to Gino (who actually pulls me into a hug, as apparently you do when you’re rich? I don’t know) and once we’re in the elevator again, I can’t hide my smile. ‘Gino’s nice.’

‘He is.’

‘You’re not mad about the other guy, right?’ I ask.

He scoffs, but I feel like that is the answer to my question.

‘It’s not that bad, Henry.’

‘It was to me,’ he says.

The valet pulls up the car and Henry helps me in the car again, a trait I very much appreciate and hope it never stops. Whilst Henry drives me home, I lean back against the seat and turn my head to the side. ‘What’s up?’ he asks me, turning the steering wheel with just one hand.

‘I never heard you talk that much about work,’ I say. ‘It’s nice to hear you talking about something you’re passionate about. You know, you talk a lot with your hands, once you get thrilled about something. It’s endearing.’

Henry laughs. ‘Endearing you say?’

‘Oh, right, you’re a tough guy. Endearing doesn’t match with your reputation.’

He stops the car in front of my building. ‘Thanks for going with me.’

‘Of course,’ I say. ‘If Gino has another rooftop party, please invite me. I love the way he decorates it. Or lets it decorate, I don’t know. I feel like there should be a little bit more orange and yellow added to it. Not those neon colors, but those warm and soft— Henry, why are you laughing?’

‘It’s nice to hear you talking about something you’re passionate about,’ he says with a smile. ‘You want me to walk with you?’

’No, if my landlord sees me walking in with a man like you, I have no idea how he is gonna react and I don’t want to find out.’

He opens the door for me after he got out himself and hands me the bag with my old clothes. ‘I’m taking you shopping soon,’ he says.

I like how he tries to formulate it as a question, but fails. Shows me that no matter how much money he has, he is still human. ‘Really? We’re going to Peter again?’

He nods. ‘Among other shops, yes.’

‘Great, sure. Thank you for tonight. I really had fun.’

‘Me too,’ he says.

I don’t know how to say goodbye to him, so I simply smile and walk towards the entrance of the apartment building. I look over my shoulder one more time and shyly wave at him.

I quickly run up the stairs and once I’m in my room, my phone beeps in my purse. Henry transferred a thousand dollars to me? Thank you for your company tonight, Becky it says in the description.

I can’t help but smile, though it doesn’t last very long, because I know that I have to save part of this money to pay off mister Del Rossi and the rest for my debt.

Meaning that I can’t enjoy it yet.

But that’ll come soon, I’m sure.

October 3rd 2 p.m.

Henry takes me shopping like he promised, but after the morning I had in Retro House, I continue to yawn and feel absolutely exhausted. Even in the dressing rooms, I sometimes just sit on the little stool, hoping to regain some energy. However, I pull myself together fairly quickly when I realize Henry is here to pay for everything my heart desires. The least I can do is be a nice shopping partner.

We decide to take a bit of a coffee break at a nearby cafe and thankfully that means I can get some caffeine in my body. I sure need it.

‘You’re tired,’ Henry notes.

Okay, I’m not doing a very good job at hiding it apparently. ‘Yeah, I’m sorry. Rough morning at the restaurant,’ I say. I lean back in the chair and close my eyes as the soft sun rays shine on my face. ‘I also slept like shit last night.’

‘You want another job?’ he asks.

I open my eyes again, to look at him. ‘Oh absolutely, but I have very little to offer,’ I say. ‘I’m not qualified for anything.’

‘How about you just quit your job?’ he suggests.

I choke on my own spit. Did he honestly just say that I quit my job? As lousy as working at Retro House is, I can’t just stop. ‘Excuse me, what?’ I ask. ‘That I’m pretty dependable on you already is out of my own comfort zone, but quitting my job? Seriously? What do you want me to do with my time? Take your credit card and shop till I drop?’

Come to think of it, that actually sounds like something I would thoroughly enjoy.

Henry chuckles. ‘I was going to offer you a different job,’ he says.

While the fantasy of me walking downtown with Henry’s credit card in my thousand dollar purse, an assistant who carries my bags and a little chihuahua walking next to me in a matching outfit runs through my mind, I realize that another job might be better for my pride.

‘Oh,’ I say, as the idea of a new job sparks my interest. ‘What type of job?’

‘Midnight is looking for someone who can work in the archives. It’s currently a mess there and it’s only getting worse, unless someone is there to organize it.’

I think I can actually do that. ‘Are you sure?’ I ask. ‘I mean, I don’t want to work for you because you feel sorry for me.’

‘I don’t feel sorry for you,’ Henry tells me. ‘I want to give you an opportunity to make money, before your writing career takes off.’

I snort. ‘Yeah, like that’ll ever happen

He tilts his head. ‘It’ll happen, Becky, I’m sure of that. You know, the money you earn with this job, can go to your bank account and you save up.’

‘Are you serious?’

He nods. ‘Otherwise I wouldn’t have offered.’

This is an amazing opportunity. I mean, working in the archives, that’s a job I would actually quite love to do. This will give me the opportunity to provide for myself and work on my books, while Henry still does what he does as my… I really don’t want to think about the word…

The things he does as my sugar daddy.

But there is one thing that is holding me back. ‘I can’t take you up on that offer,’ I say. ‘You see, your office is too far from my place. It’s around an hour by car. I don’t have a car, nor can I drive and… Going with public transportation is just something I can’t afford.’

‘You can’t drive?’ he asks me.

I shake my head.

‘You want to be able to drive?’

I shrug. ‘Maybe on abandoned roads somewhere else, but not here in New York. That just gives me stress.’

Henry nods. ‘Well, I’ll arrange a car for you to pick you up whenever you have to go to work. However, on your first day, I’ll pick you up, so I can help you around, get you a bit more familiar with the place.’

My eyes widen. ‘Seriously?’

‘Of course,’ he says.

‘Isn’t that a hassle? I mean—’

‘I don’t mind driving,’ he interrupts me, ‘and I don’t mind picking you up.’

I feel like I can’t argue with that, so I nod. ‘How much money would I make?’

‘Around three thousand a month, but you and I can negotiate about that.’

I think three thousand a month is absolutely fine, especially because I can pay back mister Del Rossi in no time once I have a steady salary. ‘Henry, I don’t know how to thank you. This is absolutely amazing.’

‘You can thank me by accepting the job. We’ll sign something tonight.’ He pulls out his phone and says: ‘I’ll have my assistant working on that. I’ll call him right now.’

✤ ✤ ✤

Becky: LISTEN UP LISTEN UP

Becky: I quit my job!!

Genevieve: You’re a full time sugar baby now?

Genevieve: I mean, I thought the sites told you not to do that?

Becky: No, I have another job.

Viola: Oh really??? Tell us all about it!

Becky: Meet Midnight’s new archivist: Miss Rebecca Kim.

Genevieve: Beck, you serious? You’re gonna work for your daddy?

Becky: Yes I’m serious and whenever you refer to Henry, either use his full name or the term SUGAR daddy.

Genevieve: I’ll think about it 😉

Genevieve: It’s just that daddy has a nice ring to it.

Genevieve: Daddy Henry omfg

Becky: ANYWAYS

Becky: I’m gonna make 3000 a month!

Viola: I love my bf, but at this point I want what you have.

Viola: I want to make $3000 a month, whilst also getting lovely gifts too.

Viola: I’m so happy for you!!

Genevieve: BECKY!!! I HAVE A GOOD IDEA!!

Genevieve: GIVE HIM BLOWJOBS WHILE HE IS WORKING AND YOU’RE UNDERNEATH THE DESK!!

Becky: GEN, NO!!!!

October 7th 7:30 a.m.

We settled on the normal three thousand a month, since I don’t want special treatment simply because I am Henry’s sugar baby. We also decided that Henry offered me the job, after visiting Retro House a few times and we got to talk about something I want to do with my future. I mean, it’s not a total lie, so it’s easy to sell if anyone asks.

After he called his assistant, we went to even more stores, because I need to dress to impress, especially on my first day of work.

And today is the day. I would lie if I said I wasn’t nervous, because last night I couldn’t sleep at all. I was tossing and turning, to a point I fell off my bed.

Twice.

Henry kept his promise and picked me up and we’re already ten minutes on the road. But the traffic is really bad today, however I feel like it wouldn’t matter if I was late on my first day, when you drive along with your boss, a.k.a. the CEO of the entire company.

Henry leans back in his seat, as he watches the road. We’re standing completely still and that makes me even more nervous. ‘Don’t worry,’ he says, ‘it’ll go fine today.’

‘Really?’ I ask him. ‘I mean… I don’t know why I’m so nervous. What if no one likes me?’

‘Impossible,’ Henry retorts within a second. ‘You have a very likable personality, Becky. If someone doesn’t like you, maybe I should fire them.’

That should not make me this giggly from the inside, but it still does. ‘You don’t need to do that.’

Henry pulls up, only to stop shortly afterwards. The road is jam packed and he is getting very frustrated now, though he tries his best to hide it.

‘Do I have breaks?’ I ask him.

‘You can have as many breaks as you want,’ he says.

‘Henry, I don’t want special treatment just because I’m your… You know what. I want to be just like one of your other employees.’

He chuckles. ‘Well, since you work from eight—though I think today you start at nine, with this traffic—till two or three, you should have two breaks of thirty minutes.’

‘That’s long,’ I note.

‘I like to give my employees a lot of breaks,’ he says. ‘Helps them to keep concentrated. You can grab your lunch in the cafeteria, it’s all free, so don’t worry about that. You can hang around there, but the view from the archives is lovely, so who knows you want to stay there. That’s up to you.’

I look to the side, at the exact moment Henry runs his tongue over his bottom lip. ‘On normal days,’ I say, ‘do I see you?’

‘You can come up to my office whenever you want.’

‘Henry,’ I mutter, ‘I’m just like your other employees.’

‘I know that,’ he says. ‘But I literally personally hired you. Meaning you’re not like my employees to begin with.’

I let out a chuckle. ‘Mhm, we’ll see.’

✤ ✤ ✤

The exterior of the Midnight building is magnificent, but the inside is even more ravishing. The floors shine, the walls are either painted or covered in wallpaper, I can’t tell the difference and even the ceiling is decorated.

I receive my own pass that gives me access to any room, including the upper floor, which is Henry’s office where only he, his assistant and people who are invited are allowed. He shows me the floors and I try to ignore every glare I receive from people who are obviously surprised and confused by the CEO giving me a tour of this place.

We finally arrive on the seventeenth floor and after we walked through a long hallway, we arrive at the archives.

And to call this a mess, is an understatement. I don’t think I have ever seen this much paper unorganized on the floor in my life. ‘How is your company this successful?’ I ask Henry, who stands behind me, taking in the mess. ‘This is absolutely appalling.’

‘It is,’ he admits. ‘You’re still up for the job?’

‘I think I am,’ I mumble. ‘Just tell me how you want it and I’ll start right away.’

Henry explains he wants everything put in folders, boxes and preferably both alphabetized and sorted out by year. That is something I totally agree with.

After I placed my bag in the only free space of this room (the right corner), I crouch down to collect some paper, making sure the entrance is sort of free from paper. Henry walks around the corner, trying to find a label maker, stapler and other office supplies I might need.

The door creaks and I feel this enormous pack of paper land on my back. I wince as I look over my shoulder, to see this guy with such a smug grin on his face.

‘Excuse me,’ I ask, ‘what’s your problem?’

‘Just bringing some paper,’ he says.

‘Are you blind? Can’t you see I’m trying to organize this place?’

‘Sorry, sweetheart, just giving you more to do.’

I clench my jaw. Is this man for real? Firstly, he attacked me with paper. Secondly, he has the audacity to call me sweetheart. What’s next? He asks me to take off my clothes and organize this mess naked, while he grabs some popcorn, to enjoy the show and gives me more to do here?

‘Well,’ I say, ‘since it’s my first day here, I don’t think it would be nice of me to ram this pack of paper up your ass, but let me tell you this: if you ever have the nerve to throw a something in this room, I swear to—’

‘Mister Miller,’ I hear behind me. ‘Causing trouble again?’

The color in Miller’s face disappears, as he gulps, realizing Henry has both seen and heard what he said. ‘No, sir, absolutely not,’ he stammers.

Henry walks over to us, placing a box next to my feet. ‘Let’s have a talk outside,’ he says, placing his hand on the guy’s shoulder, ready to escort him out of the room. ‘I’ll be right back,’ he says to me, before walking out.

I open the box Henry placed next to my feet and I see a lot of supplies. I massage the spot on my back, where the thick pack of paper hit me. I bruise like a peach, I know that. A strong wind could break my nose and I’m sure I’ll feel this unfortunate meeting of this pack of paper against my back for awhile.

‘You’re alright?’ I hear Henry ask, when he comes back.

‘I’m okay,’ I say. ‘What happened to him?’

‘Just a small downgrade of his job description.’ The nonchalance in his voice cannot be missed. He seems like a tough boss, someone who applies the rule ‘one strike and you’re out’, but at the same time, he seems like the boss that would give you as much time off as you need, when you have a personal matter and actually visits you to check in with you. ‘I have a last minute meeting,’ he tells me, ‘but you’ll manage, right?’

‘I’ll manage.’

‘If you need anything, just text me. I’ll arrange something for you right away.’

Of course he will. I nod. ‘Okay, thanks, Henry.’

He opens his mouth to say something, but no words come out. He simply nods and walks out of the room.

✤ ✤ ✤

Working at Retro House, left me with defect: I can’t take a long break, not even one. If I took a fifteen minute break during an eight hour day, that would be a reason to celebrate. Now, I can take breaks whenever I want, how long I want.

That’s too much freedom in the work environment.

It just doesn’t feel good to chill around, while I could also be working. However, at around one in the afternoon, my lack of sleep is slowly catching up with me and I sit in the corner, stapling some papers together. It’s just that the way the sun shines onto the spot, that makes me even more drowsy than I already was.

As I stare out of the window, I realize Henry’s right. The view is beautiful here. My eyelids become heavier and heavier and I slowly drift off to sleep.

I don’t know how long I’m sleeping, but I wake up when I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder. I jolt awake, ready to karate chop the person who touches me, only to see it’s Henry. ‘Oh,’I say, ‘I’m so sorry. Don’t think I’ve slept the entire time. I just felt a bit tired and I guess I drifted off to sleep and—’

He shushes. ‘No, no, none of that. I can see how much work you’ve done in one day.’

He’s not mad? ‘You’re not mad?’

Henry frowns. ‘Why would I be mad?’

‘I don’t know,’ I stammer. ‘Just… Never mind. How was your day?’

‘It was good,’ he says. ‘I think you’re done for today. You’ve done enough.’

‘Henry, my shift isn’t over.’

He smirks. ‘Well, the boss says it is.’ He holds out his hand and helps me up. ‘I’ll take you back home.’

When we’re in the car, Henry doesn’t quite say anything. While I’m figuring out what to say to him, he takes a deep breath and says: ‘I’ll be busy for the next two weeks or so.’

I should not be disappointed, yet I am. ‘Oh, okay.’

‘I won’t be able to meet up or see you at work.’

That’s a bummer. ‘That’s fine,’ I say to him.

‘Tomorrow a driver will pick you up,’ he continues. ‘His name is Laurence, he drives me around from time to time. Very nice man.’

‘Alright,’ I say.

‘And if you need anything from me, you can always text me.’ He looks to the side as he waits for the red traffic light. ‘Promise me, Becky.’

I chuckle as I nod. ‘I promise, Henry.’

October 21st 9 p.m.

Working in the archives is pretty much a solo job. I’ve snapped at people multiple times, before they get a chance to throw papers into the room and now, everyone gently places their papers on a designated table.

Maybe people don’t like me because of I yelled at them, but come to think of it: I only yelled at men.

A group of women asked me to join them on their lunch breaks. While at first glance, they didn’t seem like the type of people I’d personally pick out to eat my lunch with, they are very pleasant to be around with and I’m happy they invited me.

They, of course, all have their own lives, with husbands and children, but it’s nice to not spend my time alone.

I do however have slight issues with stopping today, because the room finally looks a bit more presentable. It’s nowhere near done, don’t get me wrong, but it’s nice to see the entire floor.

With my bag over my shoulder, I wait for the elevator doors to open. These passed two weeks, I indeed barely saw Henry, but he did transfer a thousand dollars to my bank account (with the description ‘just because’). He sometimes texted me, reminding me to take my well deserved breaks and to not only work on organizing the archives, but also work on my book, as it—and I quote—“doesn’t write itself”.

While the elevator takes its sweet time to come up to the right floor, I see that Laurence texted me that unfortunately he has a family matter. I quickly text him back that it’s okay and that I hope everything will be okay for him soon. I step into the elevator. I want to press the button to go to the ground floor, but my eyes land on the button for the upper floor.

I know Henry is in the office today and I could… You know… Talk to him.

I’m not gonna lie, but I missed him. I really wished it wasn’t like that, because I don’t think you should attach to your sugar daddy that much, but I can’t help it. I miss being around him.

When I press the button to go to the upper floor, I have to scan my pass, granting me access. The elevator takes me all the way to the top and when the doors slide open, I can already see Henry sitting behind his desk.

He looks up and smiles when he notices it’s me. ‘I was wondering when I would see you up here.’

‘Well, I don’t have a ride home. Laurence has a family matter.’

‘Yeah, so I’ve heard,’ he says. ‘He texted me a second ago. It’s pretty severe, so he won’t be able to drive you for a while.’ He nods for me to come closer.

‘Oh, that’s too bad,’ I say. ‘If you give me his address, I’ll send him a card.’

‘I’ll text you the address.’ He pats on the wooden top of his desk and I carefully take a seat. ‘You know, I’ll drive you back to your place, just have to save something and log out. Tell me: how are you?’

‘I’m good,’ I answer. ‘I really like it at the archives and it’s finally getting a bit more organized, meaning I can properly start very soon.’

‘I’ve seen it this morning, before you arrived,’ he says. ‘It looked good, Becky. Very proud of you.’

When was the last time I heard those words? I don’t think someone—besides Viola and Genevieve—has ever been proud of me. ‘It’s nothing,’ I say.

He leans back in his chair. Henry looks tired, as if these last two weeks have been pretty hard on him.

‘How are you?’ I ask him.

‘Better now you’re here,’ he quietly says, almost like he doesn’t want me to hear it, but I heard it and I’m so gonna text this to Genevieve and Viola. ‘You know, I have an offer for you.’

‘Oh, okay,’ I say. ‘Tell me.’

‘I could buy you an apartment.’

My eyes nearly roll out of their sockets. ‘What?’ I want to add a ‘No, that’s not necessary’ to it, but I know Henry long enough to realize that’s not gonna work. ‘Where?’ I ask.

He seems surprised by me not resisting the idea (believe me, I’m quite shocked myself), but he quickly regains his composure. ‘Madison Square Park Tower.’

I gasp out load. ‘What? That shit is expensive,’ I exclaim.

‘I can afford it,’ Henry says with a smile.

‘I’ve checked those apartments out before with Viola and Genevieve. It’s very very expensive, Henry. Isn’t it even a bit out of your price range?’

He frowns. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, your profile said your fortune was ten million.

Henry scoffs, almost like he’s offended. ‘Well, you can multiply that by a few.’

I am in shock. By a few? What’s a few? How much money does this man have? I don’t think I can respond to this. He is honestly that wealthy? Oh my, this is unbelievable.

This man is a catch.

‘I have a penthouse in the same building,’ he says, ‘so you can travel with me to work if you want.’

‘Of course you have a penthouse,’ I mutter. ‘If I were to say yes, just know that I don’t want a penthouse. An apartment is more than enough.’

‘Are you sure?’ he asks me. ‘I can buy you a penthouse.’

‘Promise me, only an apartment,’ I say in the same tone I use to everyone who walks into the archives, before they throw their paper in the room.

He smiles. ‘Okay, only an apartment. Want to check it out?’

‘Now?’

‘Yes, now.’

I clear my throat. I should be asleep, but going to Madison Square Park Tower weirdly does not happen to me a lot, so I nod. ‘Okay, sure.’

✤ ✤ ✤

My jaw is probably dislocated by the time we finished our tour on the twenty-fifth floor in apartment 25B of Madison Square Park Tower. Henry is that rich, he can literally ask the receptionist for a key, because he wants to check out an apartment and she just gives him it!

What kind of sorcery is this?

The place is totally up my alley, if I were rich and able to afford it. There are so many opportunities and possibilities to redo this place with the walls and the floors. Decorating the interior to my likings.

‘You want it?’ Henry asks me.

Yes! ‘I don’t know,’ I say to him. ‘I really don’t know, Henry.’ I stand near the window, admiring the view.

Becky, you so want this apartment. Just listen to your gut, ignore that voice of reason.

‘It’s a lot of money and I feel like you are losing yourself,’ I say to him. ‘Remember, I am your sugar baby, not your best friend like Peter, or your girlfriend. What if you and I stop for this arrangement? I can’t afford this apartment, even with all the money I’m saving and are gonna save.’

Henry lets out a deep sigh, but doesn’t say anything.

‘I very much appreciate all the things you do for me. Really. The laptop, the phone, the job. You are giving me the opportunities in life I never knew I could have. But… This is not just a studio. This is millions of dollars.’

He sits on the windowsill, crossing his arms.

I have probably fucked up big time, but that doesn’t stop me from adding: ‘You only know me for a month, Henry. I can’t accept it.’

‘I’m paying for the place,’ he says, ‘and how you want to furnish it, allowing you to save the money you make and I give you. When you and I stop our arrangement, I’m selling the place again, probably with profit and you have the kick start you need on your bank account.’

Okay, I think I can live with that. Emphasis on think. ‘You really want to do that?’ I ask him one more time. ‘Absolutely positive?’

‘Of course, otherwise I wouldn’t have offered it, Becky. I want to buy you this place, so you can move out of… the place you’re currently living in.’

‘For someone with my former salary, it was a great apartment. It even came with a hallway rat.’

He looks to the side, slightly mortified. ‘Please accept my offer.’

I take a deep breath. I know if I say no, I’m going to regret it and Genevieve will kill me. ‘Okay,’ I say. ‘I accept your offer.’

‘Good,’ he says, ‘it’s yours next week.’

✤ ✤ ✤

‘Mister Del Rossi,’ I say, as I run into the his condo. He lets out a loud scream from his bed and then I realize, it’s almost midnight. Of course he was sleeping. I should’ve knocked or he should’ve locked his door, because it’s not safe that I can just barge in.

‘What are you doing here?’ he asks me. ‘Unless you have the money—’

‘That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,’ I say. ‘I’m moving out soon.’

While he first looked slightly pissed because I woke him up, he now seems furious and ready to strangle me.

Which is very understandable.

‘But,’ I quickly say, ‘if you have around one more month of patience, I’ll pay you five months worth of rent and you can keep my deposit.’

Now I have piqued his interest. ‘Really?’

‘Yes, really. I have an amazing job now, an opportunity to move to a different place and I promise you, I’ll pay you. Like, at the end of November probably.’

He thinks about it, but knowing he can keep the deposit, must make this decision quite easy to make. ‘Okay,’ he says, ‘but I need you to sign something, miss Kim. I’ve had it with you and your promises.’

I totally don’t blame him for that. ‘Of course, mister Del Rossi. Thank you so so much!’

‘And now get outta here.’

‘Oh yes, of course.’ I walk towards the door and before I close it I say: ‘Sweet dreams, mister Del Rossi.’

October 22nd 7 a.m.

Becky: Girls, I’m moving

Genevieve: What? Seriously? Daddy Henry bought you a place?

Becky: 🖕🏼🖕🏼

Genevieve: I’ll take that as a yes 😉

Viola: Finally you’re moving out of that dump.

Viola: Where are you moving to?

Becky: Madison Square Park Tower

Genevieve: You need a roommate? I’ll dump Greg right away to move in with you.

[chatonne-rousse]

Great Minds (and Kind Hearts) Think Alike

Written as a gift for my sweet friend @sketchy-panda to celebrate a bunch of happy things in her life, as well as just because she's awesome. Inspired by this adorable piece of her art.

During a rooftop discussion about superhero merch while relaxing after patrol, Ladybug and Chat Noir each decide to share their favorite items with their partner. What results is an impromptu gift exchange that just might open the door to a whole lot more.

Read it on Ao3 here.

"My parents put us on the Christmas tree last year, Kitty! I had to see myself in the living room every day."

He bumps her shoulder with his. "And me, apparently."

"Yes, but your ornament was cute!" She flails her arms comically and he tries not to focus too much on the fact that she called his likeness cute. "Mine didn't even look like me."

"Would you have liked it better if it had?"

"That's not what I..." Ladybug scowls, but there's no real heat in her expression or her voice. "It was just weird."

"No, the baby onesie that I saw on an actual baby that said 'Meow, My Lady' was weird," Chat mutters. "I didn't even know any civilians had ever heard me say that."

Ladybug's surprised laughter rings out across the rooftop they're perched on tonight, loud enough to be heard from any nearby open window until she muffles the sound with her hand over her mouth. "And whose fault is that, you tomcat?" she asks through her remaining giggles.

He tries to pout, but her laughter is contagious and his smile breaks through. He chooses to ignore the jab at his vain attempts at flirting. Wooing is difficult business.

"The baby was cute, though. I had to take a picture with him."

"You had to?"

He shrugs. "That's a very small request, Bugaboo. I've encountered way worse. A few pictures? I don't mind."

She stares at him for a long moment, something unreadable in her gaze, before looking back over the horizon. "Have you ever bought any Chat Noir merch? You strike me as the kind of guy to have a bookshelf full of action figures."

He is the kind of guy to have a bookshelf full of action figures, and he definitely does, but he thinks of the drawer in his closet that's full of red and black, reminders of his beloved partner. There are far fewer items in black and green.

"I...have a few things. The action figures of us are really cool, actually. Didn't you always want to be immortalized in plastic as a kid?"

"Can't say I did, Minou." She bumps his shoulder this time. "I'll bet you had your supersuit all planned in your head already, didn't you?"

Not quite, but only because he never imagined himself as a cat-themed superhero. He has no intention of ever divulging the fact that his first real transformation sequence was anything but random. That secret is between him and Plagg, and he's not telling. Plagg probably will, but that's a problem for future Adrien.

She laughs again. "I'll take your silence as a 'yes'."

"I'll have you know, My Lady, that I have a carefully curated display of collectibles that are very valuable. And no, this—" he gestures from his cat ears to his steel toes, "was all spontaneous. Can't help it if I've got cat class and I've got cat style."

Ladybug shoots him a deadpan look that dissolves into giggles once more when he wiggles his eyebrows.

Success. He loves to hear his partner laugh, loves to make to his partner laugh. These are moments he wouldn't trade for the world.

"Well," she finally says after her laugher subsides, "the Chat Noir doll I saw in the market did not have cat style, so I made my own."

"Really?" His voice is soft with wonder.

"Yep! And a Ladybug doll, too." She casts him a sidelong grin. "They're a duo, you know. I couldn't have Chat without his Lady, could I?"

He wills himself not to cry. It takes three blinks and one shaky breath before he can respond. "You made them? Yourself?"

"Sure. It's not hard. All it takes is felt and thread and buttons for eyes. They're simple, but—" she shrugs, "I think they're pretty cute."

"Wow," he breathes. "You really are amazing, Bugaboo. They sound incredible."

His Lady seems to amaze him anew with each revelation she allows. He could count on one hand the things he knows about her, really knows, and those facts are tucked away and treasured. She's a whiz at video games. She babysits. She has a loving family. She listens to Jagged Stone. She loves animals.

"Thank you, Minou," she says softly, as the barest hint of a blush spreads to her cheeks beneath her mask.

His heart beats a little faster. His tongue feels heavier. He falls just a tiny bit more in love with her.

Ladybug fills the silence again. "Better than mass-produced action figures, for sure. More cuddle-able!"

That startles a laugh from him. "Is that a word?"

"It is now." She shrugs, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I'm telling you, Bug, those action figures are cool. I can't believe you don't have a set."

"Guess I need to go shopping."

"Yup," he responds with a decisive nod.

When they make eye contact, it sets off another giggle fit, Ladybug's shoulders shaking with mirth and Chat having to wipe the tears from his eyes. It's not even that funny, but it doesn't have to be.

Paris is quiet tonight, and his heart is light as he relaxes against the rooftop and laughs with his best friend.

*****

Four days later, when they meet up for patrol again, Chat Noir is surprised when his partner joins him carrying a gift-wrapped box. Especially since he himself is hiding a gift bag behind his back.

He sweeps into a bow as she approaches, straightening with an exaggerated wink. "Something for me-ow?"

Her expression morphs into one of longsuffering annoyance. "Well, it was, but I'm reconsidering."

"You wouldn't!" He gasps, one hand clutching his chest over his heart.

Her lips twitch into the beginning of a smile and soon the stillness of the nighttime rooftop is broken by their shared laughter again.

"For you, Chaton," she finally says with a grin, holding out the box.

He produces the gift bag from behind his back and presents it to her, the tissue paper fluttering in the night air. Her eyes widen with delight, and his heart sings.

The handoff is a quiet affair, a hushed silence of surprise settling over the moment as they sit cross-legged, facing each other.

Even the box is beautiful, he notes, wrapped in shiny black paper and adorned by a giant bow of vivid green with black paw prints. He knows, of course, what's in the bag she's holding in her hands. Could this box contain...? He doesn't dare to dream.

He looks up and nods at the bag. "Go ahead, Bug."

The tissue paper rustles as she removes it, trapping it under her foot to keep it from drifting away on the breeze. She takes one look inside, sees the label on the top of the box within, and bursts into laughter. "You didn't!"

Chat grins. "I did."

She pulls out the box to take a closer look. There are several options when it comes to Ladybug and Chat Noir collectible figurines, but this one is his particular favorite. They're sold separately, but he's always been partial to the 1st Anniversary Special Partners Edition, boxed together as a pair and made to wield his baton in his left hand and her yo-yo in her right, leaving them free to hold hands in the middle. Which the figurines' hands are molded to do, and how they're currently posed in the box. They can also stand alone, but there's just something special about the fact that joined hands are an option.

"Okay, Kitty, you were right. They really are cool." She points at the Ladybug figure. "This looks so much better than that Christmas ornament!" Squinting at the box to examine his figurine, she suddenly snorts a laugh. "Your hair looks like a bunch of bananas!"

"Hey!" He pouts, but he knows she's right. When he bought his own set last year, Plagg had made the same observation and laughed so hard he nearly choked on his cheese. He then proceeded to call him Bananoir for days, until Adrien threatened him with a month of Velveeta. The ribbing didn't really bother him that much - honestly, he had to concede the resemblance - because it was an action figure...of himself. No matter how many were produced, that fact would never not be incredible, and no amount of banana hair or cat god snark could diminish his excitement.

"Oh, Chaton, I'm just teasing. I love them." She beams at him, cradling the box with both hands. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, LB. I just...I thought it would be fun."

"Great minds think alike, it seems. Your turn!"

He glances down at the box in his lap and back at his partner. Her smile is bright, but her eyes betray a nervous anticipation.

"Bug, you know I'm going to love whatever this is, right?"

"I hope so. I made them myself."

His heart in his throat, he carefully slips the ribbon from the box and slices the paper with his claws. He can barely breathe as he lifts the lid.

His hunch (his dream) is confirmed when he finally sees the contents of the box. Nestled in a bed of tissue paper, side by side, are two handmade plush dolls, opposite in configuration to the action figures but with their soft little hands touching in the center just the same. Tears spring to his eyes unbidden, and he wipes them away quickly, partially out of embarrassment but mostly because he wants to see every detail with clarity.

The seams are pristine, the limbs symmetrical; the dolls are simple, but crafted with a skilled, sure hand. He picks up the Ladybug doll first, lifting it reverently from the box. Red felt with carefully-painted black spots form the doll's body, and her little black button eyes gaze up at him from a matching spotted mask. A sweet smile is the only other adornment on her face, but the doll is perfect without anything else. This is his beloved partner, created by his beloved partner herself. That alone is perfection to him.

He returns the Ladybug doll to the box and shifts his attention to his own likeness, resolutely ignoring the lump in his throat.

Equal in craftsmanship, the felt Chat Noir in his hands smiles the same sweet smile and looks at him with shiny button eyes from a black domino mask. Perched on his blond felt hair are two black cat ears, and a real bell is sewn at his neck. He gives the doll a gentle shake and the golden bell rings with a jaunty jingle. It's adorable.

Chat Noir is helpless to the grin that lights his face, looking up from the doll to his partner just in time to see that same joy reflected back in her own dawning smile. Warmth suffuses his chest, elation and love and an overwhelming gratefulness bursting firework-bright and making his breath catch.

He has never received such a heartfelt gift in his life. This eclipses the fine blue cashmere scarf his father gave him on his fourteenth birthday, folded in his closet and placed where he can see it every day. It's a treasure to him, and it always will be. But this, handmade just for him with obvious care by the person he loves most in the world? Nothing could come close.

"I don't know what to say, LB," he begins once he can finally speak, "They're...they're amazing. Adorable. Perfect." He takes a deep breath. "I'm fumbling this, but...thank you isn't enough."

Ladybug reaches out to place her hand on his knee. Even through two supersuits, the contact sends a shiver up his spine. Her expression is one of warm relief, clearly pleased with his reaction. "Thank you is more than enough, Kitty. It was nothing."

"Nothing?" he splutters. "These are far from nothing!"

"Oh, Minou," she laughs. "I meant that it was my pleasure. It wasn't difficult, but even if it was, you're worth it."

Do. Not. Cry. He thinks. He's been fighting tears since she handed him the box. Once he gets home, he's absolutely going to give in and sob while clutching them to his chest. He's man enough to admit that...to himself.

He takes several deep breaths and swallows against the lump in his throat as he arranges the dolls back in their tissue paper nest, making sure their hands are touching before replacing the lid on the box.

"Thank you, Ladybug," he says softly. "I love them. Us."

She pats the box still held on her lap. "And I love this version of us, too. Thank you for making sure I have the coolest action figures in Paris." After placing the box and the tissue paper back inside the gift bag, Ladybug stands and offers her hand to Chat to help him up. "Now, let's go stow these treasures and patrol. Last one to Sacre-Cœur has to buy the other an ice cream cone."

Still clutching the gift box under one arm, he watches her throw out her yo-yo to snag a distant chimney before she zips off with a giggle. He grins, shakes his head, and reaches behind him for his baton.

"That's my bug," he murmurs to himself, before setting off for home to secure the gift safely.

In a few minutes he'll rejoin his partner in a merry chase across the rooftops. He hopes the night remains quiet.

Chat Noir can't wait to buy ice cream for his Lady.

[dustofbrokenheart]

The Lost Boys: Take-Out Intrigue Part 2

Part One | Part Two 

Marko x Reader

Word Count: 2,524

Summary: A requested continuation of this idea. Reader runs into Marko a few weeks later and is convinced to go on a late night rendezvous. 

There were few moments in life as sweet as when you had just finished a shift.

You got along with your co-workers and the owners were good to you. The job itself wasn’t too bad outside of the occasional snotty customer. But after being on your feet, your body was grateful to go home and just sit.

“Be careful, huh? They still haven’t found that guy,” your boss cautioned as she locked up behind the both of you.

That gave you pause.

Two weeks ago, the cops had come in on official business. Yet another missing person’s case in Santa Carla except this time, the last any one had seen of the victim was outside the restaurant. There were no leads which had the workers spooked, especially since it happened nearby.

Some insisted that he had been in an accident, that he would turn up sooner or later. Others maintained that he must be a criminal himself—why else would’ve he been out so late? 

And a third group of co-workers were bold enough to come out and say he was probably long dead, the victim of a killer. You agreed with them. 

Whatever the case, everyone was more cautious when leaving after the late shift.

Most of your shifts were still in the day but after seeing that beautiful boy on a random nightshift you’d taken on a whim and started signing up for more in hopes of seeing him again. He hadn’t come back yet.

You reassured her as you zipped up your jacket. “Thank you, auntie. I promise to be careful.”

Passing a critical eye over you, she started chiding you about dressing smarter—what kind of fool wore a nylon jacket in these temperatures. You took it without complaint, knowing the nagging was how she showed that she cared.

Her husband, the other owner, was already waiting in their car and the last thing she told you as she got in was, “There’s eight in that bag. Share with everyone at home.”

You held the bag containing a pile of smooth, fluffy buns reverently against your chest.

It wasn’t often that she brought food from home to give to employees but when she did, it was always delicious. The bao was a big favorite of yours.

“Thank you. I will,” you said with a dip of your head.

They drove off and you head down to your own car. Alone on the sidewalk, you juggled everything in your arms to fish out your keys, taking great care not to squish the bao. It was a particularly quiet that night which put you on guard, your eyes darting around trying to peer into the darkness.

Every shadow was suspicious, the corners of buildings a potential hiding spot for a psycho laying in wait. There was also an alleyway you had to pass by that made you extra wary. You darted past it, careful to keep it in your line of limited vision.

Santa Carla was a shifty town, especially after dark, and you’d rather be paranoid instead of caught off guard.

The jingle of your car keys was almost obvious disrupter in the otherwise silent street as you unlocked the car. Your textbooks were demoted to the floor of the passenger seat, the bag of bao riding shot gun in the actual seat. 

For a spilt second, you thought about buckling it in but quickly dismissed it; the seat belt could crush them.

You slammed the door shut when you felt it. A cold shudder on the back of your neck. The kind of anxious realization that you were being watched.

Your head swiveled this way and that, trying to find the source of your unease but the darkness too much of a handicap. It was times like this when you were reminded just how badly lit the street was.

There were no detectible sounds either. You strained to pick up the slightest movement and only heard the rush of adrenaline in your ears.

Desperate to keep your wits about you, you took a deep breath and walked as calmly as you could to the driver’s side. You gripped the car keys tightly, in case you needed to stab someone, ignoring the tremors in your hands. Nothing happened, yet the feeling of being watched remained and you hoped that it’d be okay once you got in the car.

You reached for the handle and thought you were safe when it intensified. There was no warning before a cold hand rested on your hip, the chill cutting through your jacket.

You screamed with everything in you and whirled around, arm poised to gouge out the creep’s eyes.

The other person effortlessly batted your attack away and you recognized belatedly that those distinct curls were familiar. The fight drained out of you with one big gasp of air. “You.”

He smiled excitedly, like he hadn’t just scared the shit out of you. He spun your keys, the key ring looped around his finger. You didn’t remember them leaving your hold.

“Nice jab,” he complimented.

“Yeah,” you stammered, hand over your pounding heart. It was eerie how he snuck up on you like that, even when you were on full guard.

“You didn’t hesitate.” The spinning stopped and he offered you the keys. He leaned in close stopping just shy of invading your personal space. “You have a fighter’s instinct.”

“Only when people sneak up on me.”

He rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry about that.”

His voice was perfectly sincere but your intuition didn’t trust him. It told you that he had liked scaring you.

The customer was just how you remembered him from the one time you took his order. Patched jacket and leather chaps and a cherubic face. The flawless face was a harsh reminder that you hadn’t been able to land a single scratch on him.

“We didn’t introduce ourselves last time,” you frowned. “What’s your name?”

He bit his thumb, the paleness of it standing in stark contrast with the dark leather of his fingerless glove even in the dim light. “Marko.” Hmm. It suited him, you decided. “And you’re Y/N.

You stood up a little straighter, uneasy. You were sure that you hadn’t said your name last time—you never introduced yourself to customers.

Once again, he stole the words out of your mouth. “It was on the name tag.”

Oh. You’d forgotten about the raised rectangular underneath your jacket. The name tag. “Sorry. I’m still a little spooked from what just happened.”

“Never took you for a screamer,” he teased. Heat exploded in your face and the night hid how he focused on the small bird shaped pin on the lapel of your jacket.  

He was more mischievous and you wished for the ease of conversation from his other visit. Was this truer to his actual personality? Normally, you’d wouldn’t have minded either way but you couldn’t ignore the weirdness of this encounter.

Your goal was to leave as soon as possible. Either he didn’t pick up on that, or he did and just didn’t care because next thing you knew, he was inviting you to hang out at a park a couple of blocks away. And he didn’t mean tomorrow or next week, he meant right then.

Your resistance was instinctive and the excuse that you needed to go home and get some sleep was both a truth and a lie.

He crowded you against the car, finally crossing into your personal space. You made the mistake of glancing into his eyes and found you couldn’t turn away. The longer you looked, the more you swore that a predatory yellow glowed from his irises.

Human eyes didn’t even come in that color! You were going crazy.

“I think you should come.” His soft tone didn’t match the determined posture. “You’ll have fun.”

You struggled internally but he started to sound reasonable. Forget the fact that this was something you knew better than to do. You really wanted to keep talking with him and an inner voice reminded you that you had been waiting for him to return…This was your chance.

“Okay,” you smiled. The previous reservations evaporated from your mind and all you could think about was the excitement.  

The two of you drove to the park, him on his motorcycle and you in your car. All of the benches empty and ready for the taking. There a few by the basketball courts and there were tons of streetlights in that direction so you went there.

Sitting down, you were finally able to see him clearly. The park used white bulbs in their lights which was an upgrade from the orange ones lining the streets.

“Here.” You handed him one of the buns that you brought with from the car. “It’s char siu bao.”

He lit up. “Whoa! I didn’t know you guys sold this. Is it a secret menu item?”

You laughed, spitting out mashed-up bits of food. Still chuckling, you made sure to swallow and then answered. “Nope, there’s not a secret menu. Not one that I know about any way. Sometimes the owners bring in food to share with us and they made bao this time.”

The first bite had him moaning obscenely. The rest of it was scarfed down quickly and he patted his stomach appreciatively, his cut-off tank riding up to expose more of his skin.

“Damn. That was orgasm by BBQ pork bun. Your angel for giving me some.”

For the second time that night, heat spread across your face and you kept your eyes trained away. His boldness was flattering. How could you have been scared of him earlier? It seemed ridiculous right then.

“So,” he continued, “I couldn’t help but notice the eyesore hanging from your rear-view mirror.”

“It’s not an eyesore. It took me a whole week to make that.”

That impressed him. “Really. You make a lot of things yourself?”

It launched a whole conversation about your latest creative projects. What kind of materials you liked to work with, where you got your supplies, and if you would show them to him sometime.

Marko talked about his as well. He mostly dabbled in clothing projects, like his jacket, and painting although he worked with shells and wood a lot, too. If the extraordinary patch work on the jacket was any indicator, he was seriously talented.

Sensing an opportunity, you proposed that you would show him your stuff, only if he showed you his.

“You’ll have to be specific what of mine you want to see,” he said with a wink.

“The projects, Marko. I mean the projects,” you sassed. It was becoming easier to respond to his quips.

He gestured further down where some patches of spray paint were visible on the concrete ground. “I can show you some now, if you want.”

Your brows shot up. He did say he did all kinds of painting, but he spray painted too? Curious, you didn’t wait for him as you went to go take a peek.

People tagged all over Santa Carla these days, normally on buildings or signs. Never had you seen it left up in a public park and on the ground, no less. A lot of residents complained about what they saw as trashy graffiti, but you thought that was a conservative view. Some it was actually quite good, the talent of the artists undeniable.

The five slabs of park sidewalk examples of good pieces. There were styles that differed from bubbly word font to intricate cartoon characters and it was apparent that many people had worked on this.

You examined them critically, trying to find which was Marko’s based on your limited knowledge.

The bubbly font was too soft for him. The animated turtle with a bandana and nun-chucks, certainly a comic book figure, didn’t seem like him either. Then you spotted a stylized skull with a bird placed in each eye socket, an aggressively written ‘anarchy’ running down the side length of it.

The pin was a reminder on your chest and you knew that it was his.

“Aww, how’d you guess?”

“A little birdy told me,” you said, softly touching the image. What really stood out was the high-level shading he incorporated. The cheeks appeared wicked sharp and the eye sockets had realistic depth to them. You couldn’t believe he managed those techniques with simply spray paint.

Marko crouched in front of you, watching you intently. Your scent and admiration irresistible to him.  

Neither of you spoke as he leaned ever closer. Unlike earlier, the quiet wasn’t scary and you felt anticipation. Right at the moment he his lips would’ve touched yours, there was a big rustle in the bushes to your left.

Both of you froze. You in alarm and Marko in annoyance.

Next thing you knew, another blonde rolled out from the foliage and bowled Marko over. The curly haired boy was quick to shove the other off of him and you were sure what was happening.

Until the new comer with his fluffed hair patted Marko affectionately on the shoulder, the chain attached to his black coat clinking. That was a familiar touch. “Marko!”

“Get your fat ass off me, Paul” he grumbled.

Paul dusted himself off and peered behind at his butt “I knew these pants looked good on me.”

Marko wasn’t having it. “Yeah, yeah. Why are you here?”

“You abandoned me, bud. I was gunna see if you wanted to feed but looks like you’re already occupied.” He turned his brilliant smile towards you and all you managed was wave awkwardly.

“This is Y/N,” Marko explained. “We were just talking.”

“Sure,” Paul said dragging out the r and flagrantly winking. Yikes, he would’ve gotten a show if he had waited a second more to reveal himself.

“Well now that you barged in, I suppose we should meet back up with the other two.”

Paul nodded and ran off into the darkness without any further explanation.

You stood up as well trying to salvage your dignity. Despite moving in for a kiss minutes ago, Marko didn’t try again. He walked backwards in the same direction Paul had left in, wearing his signature smirk.

“I’ll stop by for take-out soon. Surprise me with something yummy.” With one last cheeky wave, he jogged away.

At the moment he disappeared, it was as if a fog had cleared. All of your alarms came rushing back. You must be crazy for having agreed to come to the park!

Who in their right mind went somewhere with a stranger in the dead of night with a killer on the lose?

Were you that weak for a pretty face that all it took was them asking you nicely? Yes, your time with him hadn’t been horrible, actually, you enjoyed it, but something still wasn’t right.

You trudged to your car, kicking yourself. If he came to the restaurant like he claimed, you’d have to put your foot down more. Stupid decisions got people killed in Santa Carla and you were determined not to be another missing person.

Even for a face like Marko’s.

_______________

Bao is so so good! I can’t tell if I have a good handle on writing Marko yet. Yes, the missing person is the one he offed last time and yes, he did use mind powers on the reader here. 

Thanks for reading :)

[tsumucore]

Playing ACNH hcs ♡‧₊˚

here’s some hcs of Atsumu, Kuroo, Suna, and Akaashi playing animal crossing bc it’s been on my mind :3

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ

Atsumu

Gave into the hype just so he could say yeah I game 🙄😴 (he only has a switch bc the rest of inarizaki play smash)

Named his island “island”

He literally chose the most inconvenient layout when he started. His resident services is right smack in front of his airport so there’s like barely a sliver of walking space AND it’s slightly to the left so it ain’t even centered 💔

When the rest of inarizaki comes over to visit, he ends up getting slaughtered for his lack of “appealing scenery” and influx of weeds 😭 Osamu, Suna, and Aran are leading the revolution

Do NOT invite this mf over to your island he will trample all over your flowers, INCLUDING the hybrids. Isn’t even aware of the damage he’s caused until you’re chasing him with an axe and gifting him trash every day for the next two weeks

Gets on his knees and begs you for spare 30 iron nuggets 🤲🏼🥺

Listen he knows all villagers are created equal✨ and whatnot but he still screams every time he sees an ugly villager arrive at his campsite. He saw Limberg once, said No ❤️ and immediately closed out of the game

Whenever a villager he hates moves in, he spends a half hour straight hitting them with his net bc he thinks thats gonna get them to move out lmfao

Tries out all the tricks for getting a good island when he’s going villager hunting like clapping for Orville, showing up in dodo merch, etc

“Uhhh, you know it’s completely randomized right..? None of them actually work.” “Shut yer trap 🥰″

Man... he really sets his villagers’ nicknames for him as “daddy”

“What if you let me clap your cheeks in front of tom nook” “Upgrade your resident services first then we’ll talk, musty ❤️″

Kuroo

Denies, denies, denies that he plays the game he’s always like “nah, that’s for kids”

But literally everyone gets the notification that he’s playing all the time bc he doesn’t realize his online status is visible to everyone LMFAO

When you expose him, he just claims that Kenma forced him to try it out like ok Mr. 220+ hours 🙄

Horror themed island!!! He gets real creative with it - everything’s strategically placed and he’s got all sorts of rare and hacked items to work with, courtesy of Kenma’s activities on the black market. He has a lot of references to Japanese folklore sprinkled throughout his island

Naturally, Lucky’s his favorite villager; also has a soft spot for Kiki

NAH DON’T INVITE HIM TO YOUR ISLAND .. its so sad he’ll be looking around like “aww, it’s cute” JDSKHKDSHJ the humiliation

But he actually loves spending time on yours bc its such a change from his usual Eeerie one

Loves doing tarantula/scorpion islands - he’s got the patience n willpower to travel to a random island and turn it into a goldmine for scorpions

U guys will help each other out by tag teaming a gigas giant clam together and it turns into one big screaming match lmao

“It’s right by you!” “Ok, on the count of 3, I’ll lead it that way to corner it and you swoop in for the catch”

Yaku once commented on how his museum’s kinda empty and he let it get to him. He’s obsessed with digging up every fossil and catching every minuscule bug to make sure his collection’s complete like bro!!! It’s fine!!! Your island’s still better than mine!!!

Suna

Mf was able to snag the animal crossing edition of the switch before they all sold out

I feel like his island would be one of those cyberpunk tokyoesque ones. You: yeah my boyfriend’s a professional landscaper 🥰

The secret: he gets zooted when he’s terraforming at 3am

Really comes over to collect his diy from Celeste, laughs at your island, and dips

ALWAYS dripped out. U will NOT catch him slipping

Never has his net in his hand when he shakes trees bc he wants to be Daring

Blocked Atsumu for stealing his flowers when he wasn’t looking

The type to mass buy nook mile tickets on ebay and go on villager hunting sprees for his dreamies. You’ve often witnessed him on the brink of madness at 4am as he comes across Hippeux for the 11th time

Joins discord servers and participates in cataloging parties. He’s got the best items and color combos for everything. Also an avid user of nookazon

You: just a smidget of bells plth 🥺🥺🤲🏼🤲🏼

He pays off your debts for you 💅🏼

Makes you continuously press A to collect shooting stars for him when he goes to the bathroom. 

You: I’m tired I don’t wanna do this anymore

Him: That’s nice ❤️

He lets you take some star fragments in the morning tho for compensation

Hates talking to his villagers tbh bc its the same dialogue over and over again so he only interacts with them when he wants to give them fits

Gifts raymond the maid dress

He likes to lay on you and nuzzle into you as best he can when you’re both playing. You’ll both just lay there in a comfortable silence, doing your own thing n it’s honestly so therapeutic

Akaashi

He’s got a european town inspired theme going on - the color palette throughout his island is immaculate

It’s infuriating how perfect his island is when he isn’t even a time traveler. It took you months WITH time traveling to achieve an island that you’re somewhat satisfied with and he’s sitting there like yeah I hit 5 stars after three weeks❤️

You: ok jobless❤️

His museum’s fire; every time he collects a species for the first time, he immediately takes it to blathers. His fossil collection is also like 99% complete. The only thing that bothers him is how dry his art gallery is, so you always have to text him when redd’s on your island

Really vibes with Wolfgang

Managed to actually get all his rocks in a circle to make a rock garden??

You: HOW

Him: I don’t kiss and tell

Stargazing dates!!!! He always lets you know when there’s a meteor shower on his island and has the cutest lil stargazing area just for you two to hang out at

Usually plays the game muted so when he’s fishing he actually watches for the bob??? instead of turning that shit up on full blast and listening for the blubblub???

He’s shameless abt how much he wants Raymond and has spent a ridiculous amount of tickets looking for him. “He’s a cat with glasses and different colored eyes!!!!!”

When you got Raymond to move in to your island, he kept trying to convince you to gift him to him. This sweet talking mf kept trying to shower you with kisses and cuddles to get you to say yes.

“I’m not putting him in boxes.” “Go off 🧚‍♂️😍🤩 that cliff over there 🧚‍♂️🧚‍♂️💕”

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ

masterlist ｡･:*:･ﾟrules

[akaashisbabygirl]

Words: 1817

Pairings: Ukai x reader

Warnings: characters are aged up, public, toys use – vibrating panties

A/n: woah, I was looking forward to writing this one, so I hope you all enjoy it too!! I hope you’re enjoying kinktober so far. I can’t believe that we’re nearly already nearly 20 days into it

A Saturday morning. The same Saturday morning as every other Saturday. Like always, you were to help your boyfriend with his store. You worked there every other day, taking care of the store from time to time when Ukai Keishin, your boyfriend, was out coaching the Karasuno High Volleyball team at the high school. You and Ukai met back in your high schools’ days, falling deeply in love with the setter of the boys’ volleyball team. Surprisingly, the two of you were one of those high school couples which actually lasted.

“Keishin,” you groaned, rolling over to meet your boyfriend, whose large figure was still tucked underneath the soft sheets of your bed.

“Keishin,” you began to shake him lightly in an attempt to wake him up.

“What is it, babe?” he groaned slightly, hands moving up to rub his eyes, trying to wake himself up.

“It’s nearly nine o’clock. We have to wake up and get ready to open the shop, babe,” you explained, sitting up in the bed, back now moving to rest against the headboard.

“Fuck,” he cursed, “Is it nearly nine am already?” he sighed, “I just wanna stay in bed with you and not move.”

“I would love that too, babe, but unfortunately, there are people who are expecting the store to be open today,” you rebutted.

“Why can’t you ask the others to open the store today? We’re not the only workers there, you know.”

“It’s a possibility, but today, Shimada-san is going to visit his nephews and nieces today and Takinoue-san is spending the day with his family. It would be rude to interrupt them and ask them to open the shop, especially when we’re free and have nothing to do.”

“Then why don’t we do something too, and just say that the store’s closed today.”

“Keishin! I’ve already told you; we can’t do that. I know that you’re tired and you don’t want to get out of bed, but you’re the owner of the store. But, if you really do not feel like going, I’m happy to go by myself. Though, I don’t think that’s such a good idea, especially with Sato-kun and Miyazaki-kun spending their times around the store. They might even try and hit on me again,” you sighed, but smirked to yourself, knowing that it was the perfect way to get Ukai to the store with you.

“As bossy as ever. Trying to guilt trip me into coming to work today with you… fine. But – that’s only because I don’t want those filthy students near you,” Ukai admitted.

He hated the idea of younger boys, or even any boy in general seeming interested in you. You are his and he is yours. Ukai wouldn’t ever let anyone try and come in between your relationship.

“I’m going for a shower,” you announced, pulling yourself from underneath the soft bedsheets, your feet meeting with the soft carpet floorboards.

Your body felt soft underneath the warm water of the shower. The water itself was enough to wake you up in the morning, your eyes beginning to relax to the soft sunlight which glowed in through the bathroom window. Slipping yourself from your relaxing shower, you wrapped the white bathroom towel around your wet body, walking back to the bedroom. Ukai wasn’t in the room, showing he was probably already dressed and grabbing something to eat.

A small smile spread across your face, seeing how a soft pink dress and a pair of matching panties and a bra had been left out on the bedsheets for you. Wiping your body with the towel, you slipped on the panties, as well as the matching bra, before slipping the light pink dress onto your body. You checked yourself out in the mirror, smiling lightly at the choice of clothing your boyfriend picked out for you. He always did cute things like that every once in a while.

“There you are,” he muttered as you walked out of the bedroom, smirking at the dress you wore.

“As horny as ever,” you joked, picking up your bag from the counter, grabbing a slice of toast which sat in Ukai’s plate.

“Hey! That was mine!” he argued, frowning.

“Well it’s mine now,” you teased, winking at him.

Ukai sighed, but with a smile on his face. He stood up from his seat, his hand now moving to wrap around your waist as he grabbed the car keys, “Let’s get going.”

The drive to the store wasn’t too far away, but not too close to the apartment the two of you shared. You flicked the light switch on, watching how the store suddenly lit up with bright lights.

“Alright, what’s there to be done?” you ask, setting your bag down in the small room at the back of the store.

“There are boxers over there with items which need to be put back onto the shelves.”

“Alright, I can do that,” you smiled, a soft, warm smile spreading across your face.

Lifting the smaller box in your hands, you moved to begin placing items on the shelves. Ukai moved to the front of the shop, switching the sign from saying closed to open.

Your boyfriend seated himself down on the small stool which was seated at the counter, flipping through one of the magazines as you continued to stock the shelves of the items that needed to be put up.

Not too long after, the shop got its first customer. The same old lady who liked to come in to buy some items she needed. You welcomed her with a small smile on your face as Ukai was lost in the news that was being spread through the magazine, even agreeing to help her if she needed it. The older lady kindly thanked you on her way out of the store.

“Are you just going to sit around all day and do nothing?” you stand in front of the register, arms folded in front of you as you stared at your boyfriend.

“I mean, I could? I did say I didn’t wanna be here,” he added.

“Keishin!”

“Okay, sorry, sorry, I’ll come help with the larger boxes,” he placed his arms up in a way of saying he surrendered. You chuckled, moving to the back room of the store to find another box of items that needed to be shelved. Ukai took a larger box, carrying it out to the isle the items were in, which, thankfully for him, was the same isle you were currently in.

For a small shop, it did need a lot of work. It attracted customers who lived in the area, as it was local and in a good spot for everyone to go to. The store pretty much sold everything people needed. It had cooking equipment, utensils, bathroom products, some medicines, food, even condoms, which Ukai loved to bring home after a long day of work and throw them down onto your shared bed as he tries to get you into the mood.

“You’re so lazy,” you commented, as you saw him slowly moving the bathroom items to the shelves.

“I’m not lazy. I’m just tired.”

“Maybe you’re tired because you wanted to go a couple extra rounds last night,” you teased.

Thankfully, after saying this, more people walked into the store. You were grateful they hadn’t walked in seconds earlier to hear the sexual comment you had just made to your boyfriend.

Ukai turned his head, smirking to himself as another customer made their way into the store. He reached his hand into his pocket, his thumb now ghosting over the small button on the remote that sat in his pocket.

Your body froze and legs began to tremble. small vibrations were pressed up around your womanhood, just nearing your clit, the spot where you were most sensitive.

“When did you have time to swap them…” you began, but suddenly remembered that Ukai was the one who picked out your clothes this morning.

“You son of a...”

“Hey, do be quiet now. You don’t want everyone to know what’s going on here, don’t you?” he asked, turning the level of the vibrator higher by one. His finger twisted your hair around his digit, “You don’t want everyone to know that your boyfriend swapped your regular panties with some vibrating ones. So, I suggest you be quiet.”

His voice was cold and commanding, which made you even weaker. It was the same tone he used in the bedroom, whenever he was to take full control over you.

“I-I think I gotta sit down,” you said, as you felt your panties become damper.

“Alright, suit yourself babe,” Ukai chuckled, “I’ll continue stocking these to the shelves.”

You tried as quickly as you could to stumble yourself over to the counter, sitting yourself down on the small stool.

A few hours had passed. The vibrations had stopped every once in a while, only to start back up again whenever a customer got too close, or when you weren’t doing anything. Thankfully, Ukai had kept a phone charger at the store. It was next to impossible to stand up, not with the way your slick had dripped from your panties and onto the seat below. There were even times when everyone had left the store, Ukai had turned the level of the vibrator up to its highest setting, having you climax on the chair below.

The end of the day was nearing, majority of the day had been spent sitting on that chair, your cum and arousal staining it. Ukai walked over to you, about thirty minutes left until the shop was to close up for the day.

“Can’t we just close up earlier today?” you asked, a soft whine leaving your lips.

Ukai could only chuckle, “Oh, babe. You were the one trying to get me to come here this morning, and here you are wanting to leave so soon?” he teased.

“Keishin… please,” you tried begging.

“No can do babe. We have to stay until closing time.”

Ukai moved to press a kiss onto your lips as he saw another customer walk into the store, “I’ll be back soon. This last customer, alright?”

“Keishin… can I please sit in the back room?” you asked, not wanting to stay in the eye view of the customers.

“This. Last. Customer,” his voice was harsh, his dark coloured eyes staring down at your shaking body, “How many times have you cum?”

“S-Six…”

“Only six?”

“Y-Yes, Keishin.”

You felt the feeling of the vibrator slight to die down, until it was no more.

He had turned it off.

“K-Keishin… it’s off?” you stated, wondering if he knew that small detail or not.

“I know it is, babe. I have to make sure you’re okay. After all, we’re going to have some fun when we get home. I can’t have you passing out on me now.”

[asknerdizzy]

Sirens Call Arc 2/3

A few hours went by, and based on the schedule that was given out to them when the auction began, it was almost time for the Stand Bow to be auctioned off. However there was a small break before the item would be sold off. Where an up incoming singer would come on stage to entertain the crowd.

Izzy not recognizing the singers name looked over at Shard silently questioning him if he knew her. He just shrugged, being in the same boat as Izzy. This was new information to the two, most likely this being a last minute change to the program to incorporate the performer.

Haven noticing their questioning looks waved for Izzy and Shard to lean in as she whispered.

“I’ve heard of her before. She was widely known for always being placed second in most singing competitions, but recently she’s been on a winning streak. I also heard that she has a rotten personality.”

“How bad of a personality are we talking about?”

“The ‘I’ll throw coffee in your face if you get it wrong’ kind of bad.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah a friend of mine told me about it, and said that they were there to see it. The guy got a few burns, but besides that they’re fine.. There’s other instances too, but you get my point.”

The lights dim signaling for people to quiet down, ending their brief conversation. As a woman in a vibrant blue dress with a matching cloak trailing behind her as she walked. Went to the middle of the stage sending a flirty wink into the crowd.

“I’m Ariel, and I’ll be your siren for tonight~ On behalf of the Siren’s Cove Casino, thank you for spending your hard earned money here. It’ll be my pleasure to sing for such refined clientele, such as yourselves. Now kick back and relax as I ease your mind darlings.”

Concluding her spiel with a twirl. Ariel grabs the mic with a flourish of movement, and begins to sing a soft melody. While singing a Stand in wisps of green and tentacles for hair, appears behind her as her voice echos out.

Izzy, surprised at the sight of a stand user, tried to get out of her seat. But when she tried a jolt of pain shot up her leg from her feet. It felt akin to stepping on glass.

Izzy worriedly glanced over at Haven and Shard, where Haven was squirming in her seat with a pained expression on her face. As for Shard his once clear eye was now glazed over. The majority of the other guests were all the same as him. All of their attention was fully focused on Ariel.

“Sugar honey Ice Tea…. I wish for once missions like these would be easy. [Enjoy the Silence].”

Quickly summoning her shadowy top hat Stand, Izzy used one of her stands abilities to make a small area around her where no sound could travel.

The pain practically vanished, much to Izzy’s relief. Shard however was still in a trance. He shortly jolted back to his senses though from a slap from Haven. She smiled sheepishly, not intending to hit him so hard.. it was the only thing she could think of to get him back to his senses. He just nodded his head to her in thanks. Now back to being fully conscious, he summoned his own Stand [Another Way Out], that looked like a dark knight, with a glare directed at the singer.

With a sneer Ariel noticed the commotion the small group was making. Her Stand [Heads Will Roll] continued to sing without her, keeping the ability to manipulate people through song going, as she looked down on them.

“Oh it looks like you three have cotton in your ears if you can’t appreciate my music. Would you be a doll and die. Important people like me, don’t have time to deal with scum like you.”

With a snap of her fingers the other people in attendance stood up, with glossed over eyes , began to shamble over to the three to sloppily attack them. Ariel making the most of the distraction, turned her back on them and leisurely made her way toward the backstage.

She lets out a surprised oof when she walked into a green, almost transparent, barrier that blocked her way to the backstage area. With a huff she says. “This is such a waste of time. I can just walk around-“. She’s cut off with a sharp kick to the face from Izzy that knocks her back. Making the Stand flicker out of existence as Ariel loses her concentration.

Looking back, with a now bloodied nose, Ariel looks on in disbelief as the people that were under her control were now tangled up in rope. Haven just now tightening the last knot keeping them in place.

“What the- How did you do that so fast you freaks!”

“I can’t believe you hid that rope in your hair.”

“Never underestimate someone who’s prepared.”

“Or someone with messy hair I guess. How does that even work anyway”

“Don’t question it…”

“You’re all disgusting.”

“No one asked you.”

Shard not in the mood to deal with her, just karate chops the back of Ariel’s neck having her pass out. Tying her up and putting anti-stand cuffs on her (provided by the SPW), he tosses her limp body near the rest of the tied up guests. Who are now unconscious.

“Oh wait, did I break her nose?” Izzy asks in genuine concern which earns her a flick to the forehead from Shard

“Stop worrying about the enemy that openly admitted to wanting to kill us. Focus on the task at hand.”

“You’re right! We’ve got to hurry on back. We don’t know if she had any accomplices”

Rushing to the backstage, auction items are strewn about, and bodies are littered on the ground. Some being staff of the casino and the others were the few hidden SPW members that came along. As a purple haired man with heterochromatic eyes stands tall holding the bow in question.

He chuckles darkly flashing his canines. “Looking for this?”

[the-fiction-witch]

Control P12

TV SHOW THE QUEENS GAMBIT COUPLE: BENNY X READER RATING: FLIRTY

I smiled as I drove the car though the busy new York streets, I stopped in some traffic and looked over at y/n, she sat in the passenger seat, in her little blue and cream heels. Her black stockings, her cream petticoats peaking out from out her baby blue dress, her little cream cardigan over her shoulders and arms with little roses embodied on them. I had to drag my eyes away from her chest as the dress hugged her breasts so closely, fuck that dress makes her look so good, I couldn't stop staring at her cleavage. I tore my eyes away as I needed to move the car a little down the road in the traffic. As soon as I did I looked back to her, seeing her perfect curls where she took them out her curlers after her shower this morning, her make up done perfectly without having to hide brusies and black eyes, a beautiful smile on her face as she plaid with her fingers, "You look so beautiful" I smiled holding her hand "when your happy" "You look even more beautiful" she smiled laying her head on my shoulder "the most handsome boy ever" "Then your the most beautiful woman ever" I smiled kissing her hand "are you excited?" "Yes!" She giggled "Any ideas?" "Blue" "Blue?" "Blue or black, dark colours." "Dark colours? Okay, how about something that might work with mine?" "Maybe" she giggled fiddling with my signet ring on her fingers, "but that's for the wedding rings to match isn't it?" "It is... While we're in the stores we could, shop from for those too" "We could?" "If you want to y/n" I told her "Any other ideas?"

"Not a diamond"

"why?"

"Diamonds are intricately worthless"

"They are?"

"Yes benny"

"Oh, But isn't that tradition?"

"It is but, I'd rather not"

"I don't think they make rings that aren't diamonds"

"I'm sure they do"

"we'll see" I told her as the traffic got moving and we found some parking, so we parked up and sorted out heading into the busy shopping area I held her hand rather tightly making sure to keep her close to me her handbag under her arm that I held so it was between us and safe, we walked past a few little shops of this and that until finding a jewellery store with a little red and white striped canopy, we stopped and had a good look in the window "Anything catch your eye little lady?"

"Ummm not really, and there all so expensive"

"Hey, price is out of the question" I told her "You let me worry about that"

"even so, nothing to interesting"

"Did you wanna look inside or go look at another store?" I asked her and she already began tugging my hand so I laughed and walked along with her down the street, I spotted  a shop with a manakin in a long leather jacket much like my trench coat bit with fur in the inside ohh that looks warm but she tugged my hand along almost dragging me down the street away from the window I squeeze her hand and gave her cheek a little kiss as she pulled me back to her and we continued to the street, trying to get out of people's way as they rushed on past, I went to walk but y/n had stopped I turned and saw her looking in a boutique clothing store at a little dress... skirt I'm not sure, it was a skirt with petticoats and then straps or a top that cut out where her boobs are so she'd wear a shirt under it, it did look lovely and she was looking at it intently but I pulled her away like she had done to me

"But benny" she whines

"AH, ah, ah where' not clothes shopping, you have enough pretty dresses come on" I told her she pouted but I gave her a kiss which made her smile and nuzzle into my neck as we walked, until we came across another little jewellery store we both stopped and looked in the window and honestly none of it was very impressive "what do you think?"

"Next shop" she says

"Yeah my thoughts too" I smiled tugging her hand along as we headed into the more bussing part of the city I looked at all the shops trying to see what they all had and I stopped at a book store that had a bunch of chess books in the window "Oohh"

"Pretty please" she begged holding my hands

"what?"

"can we go look benny?"

"You wanna go in the bookshop?"

"Pretty please" she begs

"aww of course little lady" I smiled happily letting her go in and quickly following after her looking at all the nice books she seemed so happy smiling widely as she would stand on her tip toes to reach books on high shelves we both ended up buying a few books we didn't already have so we paid and got a big paper bag with strings she carried it as she was so excited about her books and we headed back out to the streets, and as luck would have it we stumbled on a little jewellery store with black and white canopy and a full window of items I looked at a few here and there seeing the necklaces and bracelets but I saw her eyes light up and her smile widen she clearly saw something I didn't so I wrapped my arms around her and rested my head on her shoulder and I spotted what she had seen this ring right in the corner on the usual little white felt cone display, it was silver with swirls in the metal like braids in the silver, holding rows of about three small white diamonds all around this large round smoky black diamond "Is that the one you like?" I asked pointing it out and she nodded

"It's beautiful" she smiled

"Did you want to go look closer?"

"No, no, it's much to expensive"

"what did I tell you? if you like it, there's no harm in going and having a look" I told her so she nodded and we headed inside the little shop where a man stood at a counter looking over some earrings

"Good morning" He smiled

"Morning, the black diamond ring in the window any chance we get have a better look at it?" I asked

"Ohh of course" He nodded getting up putting the little tray of earrings he had away and going it the window sliding it open from this side and pulling out the ring "This the one?" He asks her and she nodded excitedly "excellent" He smiled "Take a seat" He says going to the desk so we both went and sat on the little chairs on this side of the desk he set the little cone on the desk and y/n smiled so much "would you like to try it?" He asked her and she looked to me

"Go on" I told her so she smiled and tried it on, and it fit her perfectly "Tell me about it" I asked him

"It's a one of a kind, last one the marker made before he head a heart attack at his work station, fifteen diamonds around and a natural black in the centre" He explained

"do you like it?" I asked her

"But Benny-"

"do you like it?"

"Yes" she giggled "It's beautiful"

"We'll take it" I told him

"Really?"

"If you like it, then you can have it. so you can have a proper engagement ring"

"Ohh it's an engagement ring?" He asked "Then I can offer you a twenty five percent discount"

"Really?" she giggled

"Of course, I always do for engagement rings there such lovely things" He says "And if you come back and get your wedding rings done here I'll knock fifty percent off them if you show the recited for the engagement ring"

"Sold," I told him getting my wallet

"Would you like to wear it out Miss?" He asked her

"If I could" she smiled

"Of course, I'll wrap the box up for you" He says going to the back for a box as she admired her pretty ring

"You can have this back now" she smiled handing me back my signet ring

"Thank you," I told her "You happy?"

"Extremely happy benny" she smiled nuzzling with my shoulder "I love you"

"I love you too" I told her kissing her hand.

I sat playing chess with y/n, it was her move so I was waiting for her to take it. I sat in my usual white chair, barefoot, in my black jeans without my belt, My black t shirt and my usual chains, I kept trying to fix my upper lip as I know I needed to.. trim it, I'm not shaving but I need to trim it it's getting too long, and yet my chin has still not yet met the bit under my lip, I watched her as she thought, she sat on the other white chair, in her little black dress with her white petticoats poking out the bottom of her skirt, the top of her dress a boat neck with white lace across the top, her hair in her rollers, she had her move and smiled widely going back to her knitting all the while admiring her beautiful ring. I sat thinking for a while she had lurred me into a trap and she knew she had that's why she was just sitting there admiring her ring and knitting almost ignoring me.

"You win" I sighed "I need a coffee" I told her giving her head a kiss and going to make myself a cup of coffee "Would you like a cup little lady?" I asked as I made the cups up

"No thank you benny" she smiled packing the board away

"I think we need to have some discussions" I told her as I opened the fridged and poured her an apple juice in her usual mug and headed over to the table with her and I grabbed my note pad and pen

"About what?" she asks a little worried

"Well as you have your pretty ring shouldn't we start getting sorted?"

"For what?"

"For the wedding, Provided you want a wedding and don't want to sign the paper work and go to dinner?"

"I'd like a wedding, if it's okay" she smiled

"Then we shall have a wedding" I told her holding her hand clicking my pen "Church? chapel? elsewhere?"

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere you want"

"what do you want?" she asks

"I really don't mind, doesn't bother me." I shrug "It's up to you little lady"

"Would you be okay with us getting married in a nice garden?"

"If that's what you want" I smiled making a note of it "Any idea on your dress?"

"That's for me to know and you two find out" she giggled

"Alright, when were you thinking then? if you want to be outside we need to think about it for the weather and all"

"In the fall? with the beautiful changing colours in the tree's and the flowers"

"That sounds lovely" I smiled taking her hand and giving it a kiss "I would be happy no matter how we get married, we can have a thousand dollar wedding in the most beautiful garden in the world and the most beautiful expensive clothes in the world, and a Sixteen tear wedding cake, Or signing the paperwork at the hall, in our pj's, and back to the apartment with a bottle of five dollar wine and one of your jam roly-poly's. Or anything in-between my little lady"

"You sure?"

"We will do whatever you want" I told her "we just have to plan,"

"Alright, we shall plan" she smiled getting up and we headed to the chair I sat down first and she sat down with me with her legs over my lap her butt just next to me, I wrapped an arm around her and she rested her heads on my chest, and we sat talking though Idea's making notes on my pad until the early hours of the next morning.

"Benny!" Y/n called from the bedroom

"Yeah?"

"Have you seen my....... my....... thing?" she asked leaning on the doorframe in her dress

"What thing?" "The thingy thing?"

"... the thingy thing?" "The thing with the things on it"

"The thing with the things on it? Okay y/n just... think and then speak"

"My... hair thing"

"You're hairbrush?"

"Yes!"/

"It's in your hair darling"

"It is?" she asks pulling the brush out of her hair "Ooohh... thank you benny"

"You're welcome" I laughed at her as she came and brushed her hair for the day still admiring her shiny ring, it had been a good few months now and we were getting into the fine details for our wedding even if we hadn't set a date quiet yet I had noticed the last... month or so, she'd been doing that a lot her brain just sort of I suppose gives up. she hasn't won a chess match in weeks and I've been going easy on her, she had real trouble with forgetting things and just generally not being to with it, I didn't worry about it too much maybe she's just feeling a little weird or something?

I looked at her as I often do, today she had put in her little white sneakers which was unusual, she almost always wears her heels or her pumps but no, sneakers today. and she didn't have her stockings on she had her thigh-high black socks instead still there adorable, she had fewer petticoats than usual, in her little dark blue dress, it was tight on her, seriously tight on her, in fact, she hadn't even zipped it up all the way at the back as it wouldn't go up any higher, her breasts looked like if she sneezed they would jump out her dress. that dress used to fit her fine?

she came over and smiled getting her book

"Y/n?" "Yes benny?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course benny, ask anything you'd like?"

"Are you.... having a bad day?"

"what do you mean?"

"do you have a tummy ache?"

"No"

"Are you feeling... bloated in any way?"

"No"

".... Have you gained some weight, honey?"

"Maybe," she said sadly

"I'm sorry, I was just asking because you hadn't done your dress up"

"It's a pound or so nothing more Benny, I'll get it off again soon my  weight fluctuates it always does" she says

"Okay, It's alright if your happy, I was just asking"

"Ummm... I think my boobs have gotten bigger though" she says

"Uhh maybe yeah I hadn't really noticed" I lied

"Ummm sure you didn't" she giggled

I smirked grabbing her boobs and giving them a squeeze "Size and a half"

"Hu?"

"Bigger."

"You can tell that by just groping my boobs?"

"You'd be amazed what I can do with my hands darling" I winked at her but she pushed my hands away "That and I am very used to your boobs. I know them well. Year's of fantasy and now reality your boobs grow or shrink a centimeter I'm gonna know about it"

"Perv" she giggles

"I'm your fiance you'd rather I not have an intimate knowledge of your boobs?" I laughed "you probably have an equally good knowledge of my dick?"

"Maybe" she giggles

"Pervert" I smirked at her "is anything up though? seriously?"

"Eh" she shrugs

"Is it your period?"

"No. I'm late"

"How late?"

"... two weeks, but that's not unusual I've been later than that before and it's all been fine, Mine are irregular anyway" "Okay but keep me posted alright, I like to know your okay" I told her giving her cheek a kiss

[solvskrift]

fic: turn it all off (and put me under) (also on ao3)

Loki doesn't show up to be Asgard's savior. He doesn't even make it off Sakaar. At least, not on board the Statesman. Whumptober Prompt #23: You Break It, You Buy It | auction + pursuit

“Three hundred thousand, have I got three hundred?”

Loki stood perfectly still at the front of the hall, just as he had been told. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, nearly drowning out the words. He was barefoot and naked to the waist, hands bound behind his back. The Grandmaster had taken away the blue leather trousers that belonged to the set he’d had made for Loki all those weeks ago and replaced them with a pair of black ones, thinner and simpler in style. They were trimmed with green, and faint touches of gold to match the band around Loki’s throat.

“To bring out your – lovely features,” the Grandmaster had said as he traced a fingertip along the tender skin under Loki’s eye.

----

The Grandmaster slipped it on, reaching around the back of Loki’s neck to clasp it shut. “Now,” he said, running a soothing hand over Loki’s flank as though he were calming a spooked horse. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Loki couldn’t answer from where he was pinned to the wall by the force of the ancient magic the Grandmaster wielded so effortlessly. His mouth felt like it had been sealed shut. He made himself shake his head, as much as he could.

“I don’t, uh, understand why you’re making such a big fuss about this, honey, I really don’t. You’re the one who tried to leave me, remember? There are worse things I could do, I’m sure you – um, realize that. Huh?”

Loki nodded automatically, knowing the response the Grandmaster required, while he reached desperately for his own magic. It would not answer. He could feel it churning inside of him, but it seemed to have forgotten how to break the surface.

The Grandmaster chuckled as if he knew full well what Loki was attempting to do, and ran a finger over the snug golden band. “Uh-uh-uh…sorry, sweetheart, I truly – truly am. But it just had to be done. You’re too much of a wild card, you know, you’ve proven that.” He stepped back and sighed fondly. “Now, you’re not gonna try to fight me again, are you?”

Ice pumped through Loki’s veins, and his mind sped off in a thousand different directions, examining every angle of his unfortunate situation, searching for some way – any way – out of it. Very slowly, he shook his head.

The force holding Loki against the wall disappeared. He straightened up cautiously, eyes trained on the Grandmaster.

“Good. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way – time for you to meet dear brother mine.”

----

Loki did not so much as allow himself to twitch as the auctioneer – a species he thought he recognized from the second quadrant of Muspelheim’s galaxy – slammed his giant fist on the metal podium. The young Xandarian woman who had just sold for half-a-million units was led, shaking, from the dais and taken through a side door. One of the Grandmaster's colorfully dressed guards poked Loki viciously in the back, and he stepped forward. He dug his nails into his palms behind his back, keeping his face utterly blank. He forced himself not to look in the direction of the Grandmaster, or his brother.

Carefully, so as to project profound disinterest instead of panic, Loki let his eyes roam over the room, instinctively looking for any possible escape route. There were none. He could try to run. But without his seiðr to help him, bound and surrounded by guards and a roomful of interested patrons as he was, it was a great deal more than hopeless. He would never make it to a door, and if he did he would certainly never make it off the ship.

Loki caught the Grandmaster making a gesture out of the corner of his eye, and the auctioneer spread his arms wide. He rattled off the Grandmaster’s pre-approved description of the – item for sale, Loki thought, his jaw clamping down savagely – and Loki tuned it out, only vaguely aware of increased murmuring at words like prince and shifter. And Jötunheim.

“Esteemed guests, we start the bidding at twenty million.”

----

The door opened, and Loki could not stop himself falling back a step.

“Lo-Lo, I’d like you to meet my brother – Taneleer Tivan.”

Loki knew very well who he was.

The Collector. The creature who stocked his display cases with rare objects and living beings alike. Loki stood rooted to the spot, and this time he did not need the Grandmaster’s power to make him stay. He might have been made out of solid marble for all his body wanted to obey his mind’s screams to flee.

Tivan hummed in a breathy sort of way. He took another step forward into Loki’s space and put a single finger to his jaw, turning his head this way and that. “Mmm, he is…pretty,” he began disinterestedly, “but I have no need of an – Asgardian.”

The Grandmaster blinked long and slow, grinning. “Oh, there’s much more to this one than meets the eye. Right, sweetheart?”

Loki swallowed. He commanded himself to throw off the Collector’s touch. To look around the quarters for a knife, for anything sharp enough to sever a couple of jugulars. He didn’t move.

“Loki here was, uh, adopted,” the Grandmaster went on. “He might smell like an Asgardian, but um – go ahead and jump a few species over.”

Tivan’s expression remained deceptively bored and his finger dropped away from Loki’s jaw, but his eyebrows rose towards his hairline.

The Grandmaster placed his palm flush to Loki’s neck. Loki knew what was going to happen, what he was going to do, and no longer knew if it was his own terror or an outside force keeping him nailed to the floor. He could feel the change spread across his skin – the air around him seemed to warm. He caught a glimpse of himself in one of the room’s mirrors, a stain of blue, a flash of red, and he slammed his eyes shut.

It took everything in him to wrench them back open, knowing even that small tell of discomfort was valuable information in the wrong hands.

The Grandmaster put a hand on his brother’s shoulder and leaned in close to his ear, lowering his voice to a stage whisper. “Fffrost giant.” His tongue tapped out the ‘t’s with extra emphasis.

Loki felt like he was going to vomit.

“A natural-born shapeshifter,” the Grandmaster explained with a lopsided leer. “Quite a talented one…”

Tivan’s shoulders shook in an approximation of a shudder. His dull eyes ranged over Loki again, from his toes to the top of his head.

The Grandmaster’s voice grew even quieter, hardly a whisper. “Not to mention a, um, powerful – ah – magic user.”

Tivan let out another one of those breathy hums. “Forty million units.”

The Grandmaster scoffed and clucked his tongue. “Tan. Tan, Tan, Tan, I’m just givin’ you the – the sneak peek! A little family perk.” He removed his hand from Loki’s neck, and Loki felt his skin shift back to pale white. Despite his terror, a grateful lump rose in the back of his throat. “But I know – I know! – you’ve got a lot more than that, you’ll have to duke it out with the rest of ‘em. Can’t let my sweet little Lo-Lo go for forty million.” He gave Loki a conspiratorial wink. “Even if you did help your brother and my champion escape and start a revolution.” Loki bit down on his tongue, though he burned to explain again that he hadn’t actually meant for any of that to happen. The Grandmaster wagged a finger at him, half-turning to his brother. “He’s the reason we’re on this ship, you know – well,” he broke off, flapping his hands. “He knows what he did, he knows what he did.”

Loki did know.

Loki knew, too, that he should have slain the Grandmaster in his sleep when he had the chance.

----

“Seventy-eight million, I have seventy-eight, do I hear eighty? Eighty million in the back, do we have eighty-five?”

The hulking being who raised his hand at eighty-five million had a brutal set to his face, and Loki felt perversely thankful when his selling price was driven higher in a different direction. The number climbed steadily. Loki tried for what seemed like the hundredth time to stretch out and grab hold of his seiðr, but it continued to elude him. It was a twisted sort of relief that his wrists were bound and he could not reach up and claw at the band around his throat. He did not know if he would have been able to stop himself otherwise. It only would have ended in punishment. The despair he had been choking down began to climb up through his chest, dragging the air out of his lungs.

Against his will, Loki’s eyes flicked over to the Collector sat not twenty feet away in the front row at the Grandmaster’s right side. As if this had been some sort of cue, the Collector raised a lazy hand into the air.

“Five hundred.”

The auctioneer paused, uncertain. “Five hundred…million?” he clarified.

The Collector gave a slow blink and inclined his chin. Beside him, the Grandmaster crossed his arms and legs and leaned back in his chair with a wide grin on his face, tongue between his teeth.

“We have five hundred million!”

The despair swelled and crashed over Loki in a great black flood as he realized there had never been any other possible outcome to this charade. It had simply been a game the Grandmaster had wanted to play, only another amusing way to torture Loki for costing him his champion, his games, his planet—

There was not a single soul who knew where Loki had ended up (or where he was going to end up) let alone any who would care in the least to come looking for him. His – elder sister – had certainly obliterated Thor and his company of rebel misfits by now. Who else, what else was left to him? There was no one coming to save him. There would be no rescue. Tivan sat up a bit straighter in his seat, the ghost of a smile brightening his perpetually bored expression, and Loki saw the fate that was carved into stone and laid before him as sharp and clear as a vision. Put on display in a glass cage, chained and stripped of his magic, reduced to a thing, a curiosity. A slave.

Loki would have gladly taken the dungeons of Asgard, or the Grandmaster’s bed, in place of the sentence he now faced.

The Collector’s lips twitched in satisfaction in the silence that followed his bid, and one final moment of clarity brought that black wave surging up to suffocate Loki at last, sealing him inside his ruin.

Taneleer Tivan, he recalled with the dying of his last ember of hope, presided over more than an eclectic assortment of the universe’s oddities. He had been entrusted, too, with the keeping of the Aether – and it would sing as a siren to the Mad Titan who listened closely to its call.

The hand came down, striking the metal podium with a clang that echoed around the hall. The sound of an axe Loki had expected long ago finally falling.

“Sold!”