#all the good ones were taken and they were the other thing I could think of

[marithlizard]

Yeah, I should've taken the time to be more clear about why I shared the warning, beyond the usual "UGH yet another data collection/analysis setting turned on without our knowledge or consent". That's enough for many of us by itself but in this case I do have other concerns too. (The people who left the most skeptical and derisive comments on my post should go read this instead, it may have more credibility than my thoughts.)

For one thing, the fact that such a significant feature was snuck in under the radar instead of being announced as a benefit does not make me feel good about it. For another, I can immediately think of ways to abuse it.

If I understand correctly, what Apple is doing is marking up all your photos with metadata, even the ones you have not chosen to upload to the cloud. Identifying information is removed. So what they've got is a giant, constantly updating database of "what kinds of things people are taking pictures of".

If I were a government or law-enforcement agency, I could surely do a LOT with metadata and Apple's cooperation. Especially cross-referenced with all the other information that gets collected about your phone's location.

Oh _lovely_. Everyone go turn this off:

Enhanced Visual Search in Photos allows you to search for photos using landmarks or points of interest. Your device privately matches places in your photos to a global index Apple maintains on our servers. We apply homomorphic encryption and differential privacy, and use an OHTTP relay that hides [your] IP address. This prevents Apple from learning about the information in your photos. You can turn off Enhanced Visual Search at any time on your iOS or iPadOS device by going to Settings > Apps > Photos. On Mac, open Photos and go to Settings > General.

[wtfaniii]

I can do it alone, but he can also save me

Fem reader x Hwang In-ho / Fem reader x Hwang Jun-ho

Part 1 // Part 2

•Summary: Jun-ho's girlfriend was a decorated policegirl, strong and brave, she, along with Gi-hun were taken to the games to stop them, however, there was a setback in between

•Note: Thanks for the support! Here I bring you the second part of this one shot that is personally one of my favorites.

•Warning: Maybe some drama, Some violence and attempted abuse, ¡Don't worry! this man arrives on time like a prince on a white horse

N/A: I haven't checked this yet, sorry if it has spelling mistakes

Gi-hun had told some participants that the next game would be dalgona, but it was not so and now they were upset with him, surrounding him and complaining about his mistake, calling him a "liar."

—You guys decided to play these games —the girl said standing in front of Gi-hun —Face the consequences and don't expect someone to come and save us.

—He's a fraud! —Player 100 shouted at him, pointing at accusingly and with contempt.

—ibelieve in him word —001 interrupted, standing next to her.

Due to the first impression that the two made on all the players, the complaints immediately stopped and retreated.

—It's nothing, I really believe you —Young-il said with a friendly expression

—And if you allow me... I would like to be on your team.

The next game would be in teams of five players, counting the girl, Gi-hun, Jung-bae, Dae-ho and now Young-il, they were full, however, when they were talking to get to know each other a little, a woman with the number 222 on his uniform approached them cautiously.

—¿Can I be on your team? Please —Jung-bae was going to interrupt her to tell that they were full but the young woman finished his sentence first —I'm pregnant.

The five pairs of eyes fell on the small bulge of her belly and noticed that it was true. Immediately, the woman spoke. —I'll look for another team.

—¿Are you sure you'll do it?— In-ho asked, looking at her carefully. A person who looked out for someone else's well-being in these games was rare to see, but considering the situation, it was quite understandable. He wouldn't give up his place if he wasn't so interested in his enemy.

She nodded confidently and left to find another team, it didn't take long, after all, most people took advantage of having someone like her on their team just by considering the word "police" in their introduction.

Once the teams were formed and they were told what had to do, they sat on the floor to wait the turn.

As time passed and gunshots mixed with screams sounded in the background, the young woman thought silently.

¿Will Jun-ho be okay? She really hoped so, she had known him for four years and knew that there were times when he could go to extremes to get what wanted.

It was something she loved about him but right now just worried about.

—¿What game are you going to play? —246 asked sitting next to her, momentarily taking her out of his thoughts.

—Gonggi —answered immediately, she was very good at that game, it had been his favorite since she was a child.

The others nodded and continued talking, she didn't go there with the intention of socializing too much.

For starters.

She was only there because Jun-ho had asked her to.

Jun-ho...

She just hoped him could find her and Gi-hun in time.

The policeman had no intention of stopping now, even without having the tracker active and with the fact that apparently someone was sabotaging them from inside, he was not going to stop searching.

The woman he loved was in those games, that wasn't going to be the plan, she was only supposed to be Gi-hun's bodyguard but things didn't go as planned.

—I think we should stop, it's almost time to eat and we're a bit far from the shore.

—We can't be so close now —he said, somewhat irritated and helpless. —Every minute they spend on that island is a danger.

He felt guilty for having dragged her into his own problems.

He remembered the last conversation he had with her before he lost sight of her.

[...]

—We are police officers —Jun-ho said, showing his badge to the guard who was guarding the entrance of the place

—Just like everyone else tonight —the man said with a mocking laugh, pointing at the long line waiting to get into the Halloween party.

Jun-ho didn't have enough patience to tolerate this, so with no other choice he went up to the man and took his gun out of his pocket.

—¿Do you want to see if this is a toy?

The guard stepped back in fear, giving them free passage.

The girl smiled proudly and waved her hand as if it were hot while sighed.

—That's my man —she boasted to the guard as they crossed the entrance. Jun-ho managed to hear her and inevitably a sly smile appeared on his lips.

—We have to find him before they do —he said, referring to Gi-hun searching the crowd but no masked pink guard was visible.

—It will be faster if we separate —she added, taking out her weapon and pointing it at the ground just to be ready in case used it —When we leave here it will be fondue night —she said without losing her charming touch.

It was something they both shared, despite being in tense situations like this, comments like that were never lacking, especially from the girl and that was something Jun-ho adored, her daring was part of what made the policeman fall in love with her.

—Maybe I should drag you into my problems more often —He replied with a smile and separated from her.

The girl was the first to find Gi-hun and surprisingly they let her get into the limo with him.

Jun-ho was unhappy about that but he couldn't change her mind and just when they thought they could intercept the front man of those suicide games they were forced to make a last-minute decision by shooting at the tires of the cars.

[...]

His stomach turned just remembering what people go through inside those games, he trusted that she could survive but the odds of not making him tremble and want to vomit.

—Okay... we'll call off the search —He relented after a few minutes.

He looked up at the sky and asked whoever would listen him to keep the woman he loves alive.

Meanwhile on the island, they had managed to get through the second game alive, she was sitting with Gi-hun's team silently watching around them when 001 sat next to her.

—Hi... —he greeted her with a soft smile, hoping that the mask being Young-il was convincing enough to fool her —I'm curious... if you're a police officer, ¿how did you end up here?

—¿Debts? —She replied with a false smile —My job was to take care of Mr. Seong but it didn't turn out the way I had in mind —she admitted, looking away again but feeling Young-il's intense gaze on her.

—So... ¿you're here as an undercover agent? —he asked, feigning surprise and curiosity.

He himself was the one who gave the order to allow her to also get into the limousine to accompany Gi-hun.

In-ho knew his brother would be worried about her, searching for her relentlessly, but it was inevitable, he needed to meet her in person and be sure how good of an influence she was on Jun-ho.

Or at least he thought it was a good excuse.

—Yeah... —She looked at him silently and attentively when she noticed a certain peculiarity in him appearance —¿Do I know you from somewhere? I feel like I've seen you before...

Him face seemed familiar but she couldn't figure out why. In-ho kept eye contact with her, waiting for her answer.

It was a pity, if she recognize it him had no other option to let her die in the next games but luckily for the girl she denied it.

—Forget it, I'm just stressed ¿And why are you here?

—My wife is sick and pregnant.

She looked at him with pity as he told her his story, it wasn't a lie, it was just that it happened years ago and he couldn't do anything to keep her alive.

—I'm sorry —The girl said after he finished his words.—I promise we'll get out of here and I'll help you as much as I can with the expenses.

The police had money, not to say that she was a millionaire but she lived in a good social status, she was willing to help him only because her heart was softened by him story.

–You barely know me, ¿why would you do that?

—My boyfriend has also had a somewhat hard life and I took this job for a reason, to help others.

She did not consider herself a saint, but if she had the opportunity to do something good for other people, she would do it regardless of the consequences.

—Also... I think I'm pregnant —She said with a small smile.

How chaotic and unfair could fate be that just one night before she was to go to the medical laboratory for her results, she was taken to those games against will.

On the other hand, she could also feel a slight connection with this stranger, which was why she revealed that to him so naturally, but she still didn't know exactly why.

—I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back.

He nodded and watched her leave but his eyes also noticed three other suspicious looking players who followed her into the bathroom.

Without thinking twice he also stood up.

Not even two minutes had passed since she entered the bathroom when a woman grabbed her by the collar of the jacket and threw her backwards, making her fall on back.

–¿You remember me? —the woman demanded, looking at her with disdain and annoyance

—No —She answered standing up.

—You threw my husband into prison and won't be out for another twenty years —The woman pulled out a small pocket knife and another woman stood behind the police girl to hold her —I thought about how to kill you for days.

—Very cute, I still don't know who you are.

Those words only made the woman even more furious as lunged at her and tried to stab her,

Her hard training served her well in this unarmed fight.

But she was counting on another man to come in to help the two players who were trying to kill the young policewoman.

—Three against one unarmed is not fair... —she gasped for air as saw that he had a small opening in his head, her had hit himself on the sink at one point during the fight.

—¡It was also not fair that my husband was sentenced to twenty years in prison for attempted abuse!

—Oh, believe me, I tried to make it forty.

A kick to the face from one of them managed to stun her long enough to give them time to pin her down on the cold, damp bathroom floor.

She couldn't hear clearly what they were saying but when she saw how the man placed himself on top of her, their intentions were quite clear.

She didn't have enough strength to continue defending himself, her felt bleeding from his leg from the knife and the cut on his head hurt, but like a hero coming to save the day, Young-il walked through the door and shouted "Hey!"

That small interruption was enough for her to hit the man in the genitals with her knee, making him move away and moan in pain.

She was too stunned to see what was happening, but before she knew it, he had her in him arms and walked out of the bathroom leaving the two women unconscious on the floor and the man with a bleeding nose.

—¡You should do a better job as guards! —he yelled at the two pink soldiers guarding the door, she didn't know it but that scolding was enough to fire those two.

He carefully led her to the men's room where, due to his front man advantages, he was able to have a guard deny another player access until he said so.

—Thanks... —Her murmured as he dropped her on the ground—But I had it under control.

She let out a giggle that made his ribs hurt, In-ho refrained from laughing, now he had to focus on fixing her wounds.

—Being a police officer you made many enemies —He said while using his jacket with some water to clean her.

—You have no idea.

In-ho continued to clean her wounds and after a few minutes everything was better for her, the girl stood up cautiously because of the wound on her leg and thanked Young-il with a small bow.

—Thanks for helping me, for the second time.

—I hope it doesn't become routine —he said with a soft smile, looking her up and down unconsciously.

When they came out of the bathroom there were suspicious glances but neither of them cared.

It was cute, she liked the way this man treated whenever her found himself in trouble, in a way he reminded her of Jun-ho,

She liked that even though she could defend herself, there was still a knight in shining armor who would arrive in the worst situations.

Young-il, the gentleman who arrived just in time and the only one who knew about her suspected pregnancy.

tag list:

@raya4643 @lvspedri @iloveoldermen0204 @ravenslocked

[skipper1331]

Crash // Alessia Russo

Request: hey, could you please write some angst for alessia if possible.

a/n: hope u like it :))

warnings: car crash

"Where are you taking me?" Alessia grumbled with her arms crossed as she sat in the passengers seat, not amused by the fact that she sat in the passenger seat.

"You know, I don‘t like it when you drive" she added, her frown only deepening.

Playfully offended, you gasped, "are you saying I’m not a good driver?"

She turned to you, answering dead serious, "yes!" she crumbled under the glare she got in return, your raised eyebrow never a good sign "no" she mumbled, her fingers slowly interviewing with yours. "It‘s my job to drive you around, not the other way around" the striker continued to ramble about the situation while you just smiled to yourself.

Usually, Alessia was always sat behind the steering wheel, driving you to your destinations. And though, you were able to drive yourself (license in your wallet since years) the blonde insisted on driving you every time. She even drove you to appointments that didn't involve her, such as coffee dates with your friends or else. She loved driving and especially driving you around or you just seated in the passenger seat.

"But I’ve a surprise for you, so relax" you smiled, "you‘re even allowed to be dj" you grinned, the blonde always complaining that you wouldn’t even play one song of her choice.

"You‘ve got the passenger princess privileges, use them, love"

Alessia grumbled something before she connected her phone, her playlist starting to play. "You‘re lucky you‘re cute"

You had something really nice planned which she would definitely enjoy. Lately, everything has been stressful with your studies and all the exams that were coming up. And Lessi had shown nothing but love and support during this time, which is why you wanted to do something special as a thank you.

Everything was perfect so far, the blonde slowly accepting the fact that you sat behind the steering wheel instead of her, the conversation flowing easily as always until suddenly a car appeared out of nowhere, hitting your side with a force.

That’s the last thing you remember.

-

"Is she okay?" Alessia asked the medic with a raspy shaky voice, panic radiating of her body. She didn‘t know where you were. The ambulance left immediately with you, everything happening so fast. One second, she was telling you about the derby and in the other second, the car left the road and hit a tree.

"Ma‘am, you need to sit." The medic ordered as Alessia attempted to get up, hissing in pain. Her arm and shoulder hurt awfully, her face slightly bloody as it trickled down her forehead and nose.

"No! I need to know! She wasn‘t speaking, her eyes were closed! I- i don’t know"

The medics tried to calm her down the best they could, but it didn‘t help much.

After a short examination of her, the second ambulance left for the hospital.

-

In the hospital, Alessia went through several checks. Her arm was broken but thankfully it was a straight and simple fraction and nothing splintered. Her cuts were taken care of, only the large one on her forehead needing stitches. "You were very lucky" the doctor explained, also explaining the rest of her treatment and more. But Alessia couldn’t listen, all she could think about was you.

Are you alright? Are you alive? Where are you? What was happening?

"What about my wife? Is she alright? Please tell me she‘s alright" Alessia begged, tears streaming down her face.

-

Alessia sat next to your bed, holding your hand, praying that you would open your eyes. Just anything.

She sat there for hours, not leaving your side at all. Each time a nurse came in, the blonde wanted to know everything. What were they doing? What meant this sound or that? Are you getting better? Anything. The thought of you not waking up was terrifying her.

"Lessi, i think you should go for a walk. Grab a coffee and some fresh air" her mother ordered, sensing that her daughter was thinking too much, holding your hand tightly.

"I can’t" she replied, her eyes not leaving your face.

"Less, she‘s right. As soon as something happens, we‘ll tell you immediately. I promise" your mother joined the conversation now.

"Ok-ay" in trance she stood up, walking backwards to the door, her eyes not leaving yours until she was out of the room.

When Alessia came back, nothing had happened (she hadn‘t even been gone for 5 minutes) yet she was disappointed. This was her worst nightmare.

She wasn’t able to protect you.

You looked so vulnerable in the hospital bed, so fragile. It broke her heart.

In the evening, her mum and your mum said their good bye to the girl, promising to come back in the morning, Alessia still refusing to leave your side and to sleep at home. She couldn’t.

You needed her.

-

You woke up in a bright room, groaning in pain. Looking around, you saw Carol sitting on a chair, reading a magazine. "Hey, you’re up" the magazine was long forgotten as she was at your side, offering you some water.

"Less" you rasped. You fiddled with the duvet, memories flashing in front of your eyes.

Car.

Tree.

Blood.

Less.

"Stay" her mother ordered, already calling the nurse.

"Where‘s Lessi?" you cried in pain, scared and terrified.

"Love!" Alessia‘s eyes widened as she re-entered your room, only gone for a minute to use the bathroom. "You‘re awake" she was at your side in an instant, holding your hand and rapidly kissing it. The other hand trying her best to cradle your head with the cast, "how are you feeling?"

"I‘m so sorry" you cried, "your car" you sobbed.

"I don’t care about the car right now" she stated firmly, wiping away the tears.

"You love your Mercedes"

"I don’t care about that stupid car. You‘re awake!" her voice slightly raised by all the emotions she was feeling.

In that moment a nurse came in, checking all things before the doctor joined, explaining everything and the following steps.

Carol left after the medical team had gone out of the room, sensing that both of you needed a minute alone, calling your mother to let her know what the doctor said.

"I‘ll pay you back, i promise" you refused to look at her, ashamed that the one time you were driving of course something had to happen.

"Look at me, please" she pleaded, her voice breaking slightly. She hadn’t seen your open eyes in days and now you refused to look at her. She couldn’t handle it. The lack of you in the last few days had been awful for her and not knowing if you would ever wake up, had been more than terrifying. It was a feeling she wouldn’t want anybody to feel. This fear, the feeling of not being able to breathe, as if her chest was constricting with every movement. And then the thoughts. Mentally she couldn't find rest because she hoped, prayed and mourned. There were too many emotions at once and the strongest of them was the most unpredictable - love. What would you do out of love?

When you looked at her, you realized how scared she must have been the last few days.

"Please don‘t cry" you whispered as you saw the tears, the exhaustion on her face and her injuries, "i thought-" she hiccuped, all feelings bubbling to the surface.

"I love you, i don‘t care about the Mercedes, okay? All i care about is you and that you‘re alive. That‘s all that ever matters to me" her hands cupped your cheeks, crying even more.

"Come here" groaning in pain, you scooted to the side, "stop moving. what are you doing!" Lessi asked with wide eyes, panic in her expression.

"Come here, please" with the pout on your face, she just couldn’t say no. She needed this just as much as you did. You leaned against her, head resting on her shoulder as your hand held her shirt, seeking comfort in her touch.

"I‘m sorry for driving, i just wanted to do something special" you whispered, "i never wanted to get you hurt" you mumbled, scared, exhausted and still in pain after everything.

"No more of that. We can worry about everything later, right now i just need you close" she replied, her tightening her grip around you (not even to hurt you), slowly calming down.

You were alive.

You were in her arms.

You were alive.

She couldn’t care less about her car or about your surprise or literally anything else in this world.

All that mattered was you.

"I love you so so much."

Everything was going to be okay.

It was you and her against the world.

And she would support you on every step of the way of your recovery because that‘s what wives do. In sickness and in health just like she had promised.

Like the doctor said, "it‘s going to take its time but you‘ll fully recover" and that’s what Alessia held onto. Because sometimes the only thing that helps is hope. Alessia’s hopes and believes were stronger than her fears. Hope was stronger than any fear, especially when it came to the life of a loved one. Someone that was you. Someone who’s loved so deeply by Alessia and everyone around you. Your wife never gave up, never lost her hope and faith in you and your strength. Because if she had done so, she might had lost herself at the same time.

Love was unconditional and unpredictable - that‘s what made it special.

And Alessia truly did love you, more than anything in this world (and definitely more than her Mercedes)

[cherie-doll]

i hope the day is good for you 🫶🏻 (english is not my first language) can you please write a story with cod men, about what would they do when the reader doesnt make it home from the mission - like they are waiting at home for her but she's dead.

thx for submitting love <33

𓆩♡𓆪 Headcanon: They Waited For You

౨ৎ Price, Ghost, Soap, Gaz, Roach, Alejandro, Rudy, Phillip Graves, Makarov, Keegan, König, Horangi, Nikto

Price

He didn't believe it at first, there was just no way... he immediately got to verifying all his sources, even went down to talk to the other soldiers who had been a part of your team

You were supposed to come home, he expected you to come back to him, safe and sound like always but instead of falling asleep and exhausted in his arms like you should've been by tonight, your corpse was out there somewhere missing his embrace

He thought of how he could've prevented this from happening, yes he still blamed himself for anything bad that happened to you despite it not being in his hands, maybe if he could've kept you from going, why did you even feel the need to continue doing this?

There was no one else he cared for as much as he did for you, which truly said a lot of your relationship, but since he met you he felt an overwhelming urge to show love like he'd never done before, nothing else on earth deserved this dedication like you did

He deteriorated rather quickly, the mornings became grim and he couldn't bear to see the sun setting without thinking of how much you loved letting the rays caress your arms and let your eyes take in that golden light, you looked so beautiful in those moments

Ghost

Since he met you, there was finally a stage in his life he could think of purely, sure the relationship wasn't perfect, but this was something he could be reminded of and he didn't have to fight to keep it hidden in the back of his mind, he let the memories emerge to the surface and ponder about them

It had been something pleasant but it had been ripped out of his hands far sooner than he would've wanted, his fantasy that had become a corrupted reality, it makes him want to die, badly, but he always found a way to survive the deadliest situations, somehow he always did; as if he was cursed with immortality

But this? He felt no desperation urging him to dig out of the hole he was sinking into, the walls closing in on him from all sides and he made no effort to push it away, it felt sort of relieving being cramped and paralyzed since he couldn't see the path ahead of him, with you it had become so obvious and clear what he wanted but now there was nothing worth moving towards

Did life always want something from him? Just when he thought he lost everything he could lose, there was always something else being pried out of him, it was painful because it was forcefully taken away just when he was getting attached, when there was no foreseeable evil trying to destroy him there was some good, and you had been the best unexpected thing in his life

Soap

You were like an illusion he had always dreamed of and finally were achieved, a life so dreamy and ideal he thought would never be in his reach, but he had been permitted to have it for a short while with you

Within your time together a love so beautiful had bloomed, it was sweet how sublime it had felt, you had been youthful, still beaming with so much life within you but tragically cut short, those years had gone and went unused

He couldn't find the sense within him to comprehend why it had to be you, your death had been like a cold slap to the face, he had once again become aware of the disheartening reality he lived in, that nothing was secure nor did everything stay the same forever

Well, he knew about the forever part, but did it have to come so soon? He had to gather the strength within him to continue forward and he wasn't even sure of that, there was still so much left unsaid, so much still to be done, and how frustrated he was that it would all be forgotten and left unfulfilled

A sadness like no other would coat his existence, swallow him up and change him beyond recognition, his mind would be invaded by memories of you that will replay until they burned and ceased to exist... the day he ceased to exist

Gaz

All those days that he had spent with you had been the most fulfilling days he had ever experienced, he could remember the warmth of your hand, the weight of your body asleep next to him on the mattress, the security knowing you valued his affection and returned it

He truly felt the happiest with you and he wished to be encased in that happiness forever, but how naive it was of him to think it was possible for even a second, life was always moving and throwing hurdles at us that seem impossible to avoid, it's only a matter of time misfortunes come to us all

By simply contemplating and reminiscing, he felt grief beyond help and any consolation couldn't do much for him, wistful memories came to him and he could not sleep at night, all they did was leave a dark imprint on his mind

His caring nature did not change, he thought with time he could heal and learn to move on, but some things never change, and a sore spot still brings pain when pressed too hard, he would mull over this no matter how painful it was to do so

How he misses to hold you in this moment and kiss you

Roach

The news of your death came like a hard blow to his face, and he was left clutching his chest, eyes watering with tears as he desperately tried to cling onto some comforting memory in his mind

Restlessness follows immediately, even at night sleep does not come to him no matter what he does, the memories you shared seemed to tear him apart rather than anything help him, but he didn't want to forget you either

He knew he couldn't get you back and he had lost you forever in this life, panting and gasping he would awaken from his nightmares, the little sleep he got would do nothing to comfort him, and you weren't there to comfort him, to silently hold nor ease with your voice in his ear

His mind wanted to deceive his heart, make him believe you were somewhere far away but still thinking of him, that he could close his eyes and imaging resting his head on your shoulders, basking in serenity as he lost himself in the waves that lulled him

Alejandro

He was overtaken by bitterness and anger, his better judgement was clouded far beyond reason at the most valuable treasure in his life forever gone, the feeling of longing would become a hole he'd spend his days trying to fill with wrongful acts

All he wanted and needed was your touch to remind him reality was there and not as cruel as he thought, you had still met and loved in your time and nothing could take away what had already been done, he could live blissfully in life knowing you had known each other

But could he be satisfied with that? He could strongly feel the ties that bound you together still tug at his heart, and every year he remembered you, would set an altar for you and fill it with what were your favorite foods and things

He would stare at your imagine, remembering how he once had kissed those lips, stared into your sparkling eyes that watched him endearingly, your face he had held within his hands...

He could never have that back

Rudy

He missed delicately tracing your face, his fingertip raising softly over every curve and line, your silhouette against the wall when you rose that morning, early so you could still say your goodbyes to him and tell him to expect you back very soon, this one wouldn't be too long you said

You had left him a content man, he'd sit around the house and wait, he would take it easy these days because you'd be back soon, but he wasn't ready to withstand the tumult he'd find himself in

His heart had become haggard in the days following your death, he had absorbed every bit of warmth and clung to the last signs that you had left behind, he wished he had been there, to ease your last painful moments before death, how much did that train of thought torment him, day and night it ran through his mind

In sleep, he dreamt of terrible ways you had encountered death, surely, you didn't have a peaceful one, you were healthy and fit to make it, something terrible must have happened but no matter how much he wished to know the cause of your death it wasn't given, most likely for the best to remain unknown

Phillip Graves

He often boasted of having you in his life, it was such a fortunate occurrence when you met that he didn't think it was entirely a coincidence, he loved doting on you and hold you in his arms knowing you were there for him

You had already confirmed the date of your return, but that day came and passed and there was no sign of you, worse yet no message or word had been heard on your part, it was he who had to dig and find out that you had been KIA

It felt like a strong blow to his chest to have you ripped away from him, he knew the harsh reality and danger he was constantly under, he just never imagined it would get to you one day

You shouldn't have paid for his sins or errors, he wished you had stayed out of the battle, but you had your own life to carve out and ultimately it had been your decision

Much time would have to pass before he'd be able to say your name, for the longest time he'd whisper it, as if afraid it'd shatter his reality even more, staying in the air reminding him of what he lost

Makarov

You were forever gone from his grasp, how was he to cope with that? The fire that had warmed his insides, making every act of his be out of love for you suddenly halted, reduced to nothing but ashes and now he was left to sweep the heaps of it

The emptiness growing and knowing there wasn't a piece to fit or make him whole again like you, you were a unique piece, the edges weren't cut with delicacy that an experienced hand could replicate, there wasn't a mold to follow to shape something else into you

You sprung out of chaos and spontaneity with ease, there was a lightheartedness you brought out in him that brought out the best in him, all of it offered to you who didn't greedily take but lovingly returned

He didn't want to believe someone like you could just be taken away from him and have nothing done about it, just when he thought he could be tender he'd return to his old ways, the resentment stronger than ever and tied to his heart, obscuring and consuming him

Keegan

How despairing did this turn out for him, never had he imagined he'd lose you, all that time he had spent training with you, preparing for when the worst could happen and each time you had managed to slip away, always

Except this time you weren't fast enough, he knew those shoulders held up a levelheaded person, who confidently calculated their every move, it was unfair you had been taken

His brows are now furrowed, thinking this just has to be some sort of protocol you're following, faking a death isn't all that uncommon, maybe you were still alive out there, hiding away somewhere for your safety, each day he held the pitiful hope that you'd come back to him, then he'd nurse your injuries and help you stand back up

But moons waxed and waned and you didn't appear, and he couldn't hold the fragments of you close to his heart if you wouldn't be around to reignite them and make them come true again

His palm that had curled, clutching the remnants loosed and he had to give up that foolish dream and accept reality as it was being presented

König

Was it cruel if he wished it was you who had received the news instead of him? He thought it would have been that way, he often joked about the benefits you'd get when he passed, it wasn't supposed to be you to leave earlier than him

Relaxed he was sitting in the armchair until he received the terrible news, his breaths became desperate as he tried to get air into his lungs, he wanted to march down there to the field himself to collect you, to not believe it just yet

Maybe you'd be down there, hiding away in some corner like the sly fox you were and say you had managed to dodge the bullet this time

But he was disappointed with the outcome of things, he hated it when things didn't follow the path he set for them but no one could have controlled the outcome of this course, it had left a profound wound in his heart he wasn't sure he'd be able to heal from

You had parted without saying your goodbyes and now he wouldn't be able to live with that, to live longer still with you in the back of his mind

Horangi

He hated anything that brought the slightest trace of despair, and he dealt horribly with it, he ran on pure serendipity but now he couldn't count on that, was it by being at the wrong place and time you had been one of the lives lost, the most important one to him

He felt the urge to go back to his old ways of numbing out the pain, but he pushed that temptation away, it would only drain his money and everything he had worked for go to waste, he knew you wouldn't have wanted that for him and right now he just wished to keep the traces of you very much alive and present

He wanted to go about his days as if you were still there, the flower you planted, he tried to keep it alive and water it, the way you left your stuff around the house, that way it was easier to transport himself to a time when you were there with him, still at home

The people of the past are hard to forget but he didn't mind, he faced the situation with more determination than he himself expected, he was surprised at the resolve he had come up with

He had loved without regret, and with every passing day he'd be closer to reuniting with you again

Nikto

The only sound occupying the complete silence is the static in his mind, he's just numb, doesn't know what to do, what he should do with whatever emotions he's trying to detect, he must feel something

He was just delivered the worst news of his life, he should be breaking down and crying but he can barely even process the fact that you really are gone, he looses his train of thought every five seconds and can only stare forward as if in a trance he's unable to escape out of

He feels the long seconds drag by but he can't get up from his fixed spot on the chair, it's like a knife has been plunged into his side and pulled out, leaving the gaping wound pulsating softly, but he can barely hear his flesh scream out in pain, he can only feel the blood oozing out, staining his clothes and falling to the floor in droplets as he actively ignores it

He is hurt but can only clutch at it, he can't get up, feels far too comfortable sitting on this kitchen chair staring forward to the wall, elbows resting on his knees

[adara-of-the-flame]

the-name-is-hoggle

Hoggle could not do much more than raise a brow at Selva’s words. The dwarf had the impression that he was just handed a puzzle that was missing most of the pieces. Why were they even talking about this? The Summer Queen was being vague while also digging around. He realized.

What was the point of this conversation?

Hoggle couldn’t be sure; but he knew not to take for granted that Selva was bringing up Noctus Labryinthus and his less than liked successor.

He’s distracted from his thoughts as they start to land, finally taking in just where it was that they were coming down. His eyes start tracing the familiar calling cards of dwarven city building, and marveled at the unfamiliar aspects the architecture had taken due to being in the Summer Court. The feeling of Mars’ arm draping over him made Hoggle look up at the Urru.

Alongside the Bowie conversation, he’d have to talk to her about what her thoughts on the whole Jareth and Noctus thing were. It looked like the The Labyrinth, or at least it’s king, had a bigger hand in all of their current problems than just the ownership of the Bog of Eternal Stench. Hoggle didn’t know what to make of it, but maybe her outside perspective could….

”……I’m surprised you have so many dwarfs settled here…“

He mutters out idly, eyes turning to the Summer Queen once more.

"Speaking of the Goblin Kingdom, I’d always had the impression that my kind weren’t really seen around these parts. At least, the goblins and the fieries in the Labyrinth gave me that impression. But now I see that I was wrong….”

adara-of-the-flame

"Oh, dwarfs can be found anywhere they want to plant themselves." Selva Roja mused. "They're just so stubborn, they usually prefer to stick to one thing....no offense."

Mars considered this. "Like the ones in Lord of the Rings?"

"I don't know what that is, dear. But dwarfs...theyr'e resourceful, and sturdy. Like potatoes. They can pretty much thrive anywhere. And, they're good with building things. These dwarfs--" Selva Roja made a wide gesture to the city before them as she set the pair down on the ground. "I think it was several thousand years ago. Some had come here in search of starting a new colony. They saw that the land was good, so I let them live in this mountain. It took a few generations before they started going 'topside' more, but now they're a welcome sight."

==================================

Yumika had a rather...(un)interesting evening. Kitsune, by design, are supposed to be clever. And, the more tails a Kitsune gains, the more wisdom they increase in.

Yet, Yumika had never been much of a speller. Oh, she could do wonderfully well in her own language, and her haikus were perfect for the sake of pridefull duty.

So, why in the name of Cornucopia Sunfall herself, was Scrabble so fang-grindingly hard? The other creatures sharing the playing board fared well enough; even Dumpling, in his limited vocabulary, managed to spell a multitude of, 'Wehs', 'Mehs', and even a 'Grrr' with acrobatic enthusiasm accross the playing board.

Yumika herself hadn't won a single game.

But, one couldn't blame her. She hadn't had a chance to get away from her group at all that night, to get to tasks she'd much rather be attending to. Private tasks.

She snapped to attenttion when Ol' Hickory tapped her ear with his cane. The group had fallen asleep on the forest floor around the board, safe and warm. "What?"

"Yer friends er back." The jackalope hopped over to do the same with Sir Didymus. "Thought you'd want t' know."

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the stench of this terrible blog…bleck!”

[inchidentally]

this is such a sweet quote and Lando's said exactly the same as well <3<3

but askfgsalfg why is this proving what I've kinda been suspecting and Zak doesn't rly fit in with landoscar and has largely not had as much to do w the driver partnership as he used to

we already knew from Andrea that Lando and Oscar do their own little separate debriefs and they were so excited about getting their own door separating them from everyone where it used to be in a shared hallway (including Zak)

but the golf, the dinners and the marketing stuff is all referring to Carlos' and Daniel's eras. Oscar couldn't even be bribed to play golf, is literally famous for not wanting to do marketing/contrived PR content and not being good at it, and the only "dinner" situation after Hungary was Lando and Oscar eating fast food with other drivers and then playing board games with Alex on the flight home ?? we also know that these debrief dinners don't happen otherwise bc Oscar usually goes home to sleep or out with Lily and Lando goes out being a very single guy or gaming w Max and BanKai etc. that post race debrief finishes and those two peace OUT. and tbh the amount that they've chosen to fly together to and from things now Oscar lives in Monaco, they've taken even more of that debriefing into their own hands!

like I just get the vibe that Zak doesn't rly have the boys club anymore and Andrea being Dad to his two kids is how things are rly being managed. even down to him sometimes wanting to be the bad guy that the two kids bond over hating sometimes even tho they love Dad really. that's just not a dynamic I see Zak fitting into. (and ngl probably some of the Daniel era in particular those tensions needed to be managed between him and Zak but aaaaaanyway)

I say this as someone who fully expects Lando and Oscar to have normal teammate fights at some point where there's the strong words to the media and angry radios etc etc - the fact that they decided so early on in their relationship to do a teammate version of 'private but not secret' couple thing of keeping fans and media out of their business, both good and bad, means they're absolutely discussing and strategizing about this (bc especially after alpinegate and taking Daniel's seat, it would've been very handy and easy for them to go a bromance angle!). which as a charlos veteran and also someone who knew the Max and Lando fight would blow over faster than anyone thought it would, I'm never going to be fazed by a fight between Lando and Oscar - but I'm also just not sold on it ever getting as out of control as so many people want/expect it to. and I feel that way partly at least bc I think there's been sort of a gen z gender neutralling happened to McLaren bc of this partnership (not as much of the usual of masculine/boys being boys energy*)

but also bc there's only one big personality/celebrity instead of two. off the track, Lando and Oscar perfectly compliment each other's personalities including how their friendship is a quiet thing rather than a big media-beloved bromance so they don't have the burden of managing fan expectations and reactions about it. you can kind of parallel it with the Lando and Max fight last season bc those two are genuinely involved in each other's lives as friends and spend the most time with each other than any other driver, including Lando being a regular fixture in Max's little family - but Max doesn't do PR at all so a lot of people still don't know how close they are. so the assumption was that their fight was this massive thing and the end of their relationship but a lot of us were like pfffff this'll blow over and Penelope's uncle will be back before she could even notice.

in the same way, Lando and Oscar doing all their bonding time out of the public eye and being the only two people who truly know how they feel about each other at any time means they are the only authority anyone should listen to! when they say 'fight over' they mean fight over! when they giggle and laugh waiting for a plane together after Monza or smile in relief at each other immediately after getting out of the cars in Hungary, then that's the truth! they're choosing not to let fans and the media in on this so that fans or the media can't feel they know better and contradict them!

and that's where I think Zak is more on the outside of things too. when even Andrea is like yea these boys are talking about things before speaking to their own teams then it feels like that's a real shift away from the explosive teammate dynamics everyone keeps referring to.

*which I'm not saying is inherently bad or toxic! esp since the dynamic of it with Lando and Carlos and Daniel was of scrungly little brother and adoring loud big brother <3

[dirtylittlesecre7]

Hiii I was wondering if we could get a dom!cho hyun-ju x f! Reader where weve bee feeling kind of insecure so she helps prove that theres nothing to be insecure about? Do u think u could add some praise, hand holding n whatever else u would like to add? Pls n thank u!!

! nsfw content !

dom gf!hyun-ju x f!reader

(these are happening in a way that the squid game does not exist)

word count | 1,5k

warning | smut, oral(reader receiving), yeah that's all

"aren't you ready yet?" the voice coming from outside the door made you swallow hard, you looked at yourself in the mirror again. you had made an agreement with your girlfriend to go out but you didn't want to go out now. you wanted to wear the dress hyun-ju bought for you on today's date but something seemed missing, you weren't feeling well, even looking in the mirror started to hurt so you turned your head away "I..I'll be ready in a minute."

hyun-ju looked at the clock and let out a breath when she realized that your reservation time was almost past. of course she would always wait for you but it had taken longer than necessary. after a while you heard another knock on the door "is everything okay..? if you need anything please tell me, should I come in?" her worried tone made you feel bad too, you didn't want to ruin anything on a day like this. hyun-ju was about to leave when she didn't hear anything from you but the sound of the door opening made her stop.

she looked at you, then her gaze roamed over your body, you looked so... perfect. she smiled slightly as she realized that you were embarrassed by her gaze and locked eyes with yours again. hyun-ju took a step closer and held your hands. "you're so beautiful, but why is your face so sulky, hm? tell me, darling." one of her hands went to your chin and made you look at her. you could barely put your thoughts into words but finally managed to speak. "I..I don't feel very good in this dress..don't get me wrong- you bought it for me and it's absolutely beautiful but..I think I diminished it's beauty by wearing it."

a sigh filled the air, hyun-ju entered the room and then closed the door and placed both hands on your cheek, her thumbs drawing small circles as you began to relax under her touch. "I don't want you to say things like that. please. I know it's hard to change your mind no matter what I say and I hate it but..I wish you could see how you look through my eyes." her hands went down to your waist and with small steps she led you to where the mirror was, now with your back turned to her you were looking at yourself in the mirror again. hyun-ju tilted her head slightly to the side and placed a small kiss on your neck "every part of you is so beautiful, so precious." another kiss, her voice was lower this time "I am so lucky to have you, such a delicate beauty that would make angels jealous..it's completely unfair for you to feel so insecure when everyone around you is talking about your beauty, my little baby."

you turned your head to her, every word she said caused your eyes to fill with tears, hyun-ju's face filled with worry as she felt a pain in her heart the moment she realized this "who talked about me?" she knew you were upset right now but when she heard your soft voice and saw the way your bottom lip pouted, she couldn't help but giggle at your sweetness, and kissed your lips, wiping your bottom lip with her thumb as the lipstick you had just applied smeared with her "last week when we met the others, you got up to go to the bathroom and as soon as you left, se-mi made a comment about how your skirt looked good on you. well..I can't say she was wrong of course but I have to admit I was jealous. you attract attention everywhere we go and it makes me happier to have you."

you tried to process what she said, hyun-ju gave you a moment to give yourself time but her gaze fell on the strap of your dress that had fallen off your shoulder. you flinched slightly when you felt her fingers on your shoulder while you were lost in thought, raised your head to her but she wasn't looking at you, her eyes traveled from your shoulder to your neck "y/n.." you answered while the way she said your name made your body shiver "yes?" the moment hyun-ju heard your weak voice, it was all over for her, neither the restaurant nor anything else on her mind. she lowered the strap of your dress again and kissed your shoulder. whispered "we're late enough for the reservation..."

she made you lie down on the bed and was soon on top of you. "I'm sorry..I didn't mean for it to happen-" your sentence was cut off when hyun-ju's hand slid under your dress and caressed your thigh. "shh..there's nothing to apologize for." looked into your eyes with desire. "let me prove how beautiful my girlfriend is, with or without a dress." she delicately removed the single piece of fabric you were wearing, she was eager to touch you but she liked to savor this moment more slowly. soon you were left with only your panties, her fingers finding your clit through the fabric as she kissed your lips hungrily, sucking on your bottom lip and you let out a whimper when your tongues met.

her kisses slowly moved down, first to your neck, then to your breasts, lingering for a while before coming to your stomach. you giggled slightly as the tiny kisses tickled you. hyun-ju smiled when she heard your laugh and lifted her head. "that's it. I always want to see you laugh." continued, the wet kisses she left in between were making your mind blurry. you admired how she could take away all your worries, even a single kiss could make you forget all the bad things.

as she went down further, she kissed your clit through the fabric, hand stopped you as you were about to close your legs, she raised her head and looked at you "I want you to keep your legs open, okay little one?" you just nodded in approval, you didn't want to wait any longer and she knew it very well. took off your panties without waiting too long and got between your legs, her hand found your hand and intertwined your fingers "hyun-ju.." you said her name needily. without making you wait any longer, her tongue met your pussy, she sucked your clit for a while, and then she went down a little further, stuck her tongue in your hole. you squeezed the hand you held with a loud moan, hyun-ju continued to destroy you with her tongue while she started caressing your hand with her thumb.

her movements were slow and seductive but when you didn't expect it, she sped up, she grabbed your leg with her free hand and spread it wider, making it easier for her to eat you out. all you could do at that moment was moan her name. even though she had done this often, holding hands made you feel strangely embarrassed. hyun-ju always made gestures like this during sex and she always managed to embarrass you. in fact, at that moment you realized how unimportant the thoughts of the people around you were, when you had a girlfriend like this and were loved like this, you didn't want to care about others anymore. there was only her and you.

hyun-ju's movements didn't stop, her tongue was moving rapidly inside your pussy while her hand holding your leg slowly moved from your belly to your breasts, when she started playing with your hardened nipple with gentle movements, you let out another loud moan, she knew very well which parts of your body were sensitive. after a while the pleasure you were getting from both sides started to be too much, you moved your hips and your stomach tightened, you knew you were close to cumming "hyun-ju..I..I'm..c-close.." you could barely speak between your moans, just threw your head back in pleasure. hyun-ju moaned as your hips moved around her face and after a while you couldn't hold yourself back any longer and came in her mouth.

she pulled back, looking at the juices flowing from your pussy before looking at you who was exhausted. she grinned slightly, oh she loved eating you out so much, she could do this all day long but she had other things to worry about right now. her lips were glistening from your juices, licked her own lips and leaned in closer, kissing your cheek. “I love you so much.” buried her head in your neck. “please don’t hesitate to talk to me at times like this, I don’t like you being by yourself, I’m always here. always.” her arms wrapped tightly around your waist and she laid down on the bed, pulling you to her. “we’re late for dinner..” you purred, she chuckled and pulled back slightly to look at your face. “I got more than what i wanted, but I can still make you something if you’re hungry?” saw you avert your eyes shyly and kissed your forehead with a smile. “you rest here, I’ll go and make sure you get fed well.” she put the covers over you and looked at you one last time before leaving the room. when the door closed, there were no bad thoughts or anything else on your mind anymore.

[mj-iza-writer]

Could you please write some absolute fluff between wumpee and caretaker?

I just want to see them happy!

Caretaker looked up from their computer.

Whumpee stood in front of them with a sad look on their face.

"I thought you were going to take a nap", Caretaker questioned.

"I tried, but it's no use. I'm so tired, but I can't get comfortable enough", Whumpee sighed sadly.

"Do you want me to help. I'm pretty good at getting you to fall asleep", Caretaker smiled, "I consider it a specialty now."

"If you think you can. I would really appreciate it", Whumpee rubbed their eyes, "I just want to sleep."

"Alright", Caretaker closed their computer and rubbed their hands together, "let's get started."

"First things first... make sure Whumpee is in comfy clothing. In which you are", Caretaker stood, "I'll be right back. You can get situated on the couch."

Whumpee nodded.

Caretaker came back with a blanket and Whumpee's teddy bear.

"Next step", Caretaker handed the bear to Whumpee and covered them with the blanket, "get you under a cozy blanket. This one has a little weight in it. This will help sooth your restless body."

Whumpee rested their head on a pillow once Caretaker had them all tucked in.

"Alright", Caretaker knelt down and played with Whumpee's hair.

Whumpee grinned after a few minutes, "that's not fair. How did you do that?", they yawned.

"I'm just skilled", Caretaker chuckled, "I also know you are good as gone once I get you tucked into a blanket."

"I was under a blanket in my room for sixty minutes tossing and turning. I think you put a spell on me or something", Whumpee complained as their eyes grew heavier and heavier.

"Well, I guess we can call it Caretaker magic", Caretaker whispered.

"Hmm", Whumpee's eyes fluttered shut.

Caretaker continued to massage through Whumpee's hair.

"Thankyou.... Caretaker", Whumpee mumbled when their eyes opened again.

"You're welcome", Caretaker fixed the blanket a little. Their eyes sparkled as Whumpee's breathing started to grow heavy.

"Works every time", Caretaker laughed quietly as they got up.

Whumpee let out a long deep sigh.

Caretaker opened their computer and sat on the couch again. They needed to try to get some more work done before Whumpee woke up.

Caretaker's head fell a few times while they worked.

"I guess the Caretaker magic worked a little too well", they sighed as they closed their computer.

Caretaker got up and grabbed a blanket.

"I guess this afternoon activity is nap time", Caretaker covered themself up and pulled out the stool of their chair as quietly as possible.

Whumpee squinted, their eyes opened when they heard something loud.

They looked around until they noticed Caretaker on the other side of the couch.

Whumpee smiled, then rested their head on the pillow again. They fell back asleep after a few minutes of listening to Caretaker snore.

Taglist. As always please let me know if you want to be added or taken off of the list. It's not a problem at all.

@the-beasts-have-arrived @sacredwrath

@porschethemermaid @monarchthefirst

@generic-whumperz @bloodyandfrightened

@freefallingup13 @notpeppermint

@cyborg0109 @idontreallyexistyet

@painfulplots @whumpbump

@everythingsscary @skittles-the-whumpee

@expressionless-fr @theforeverdyingperson

@legendarydelusiongoatee @candleshopmenace

@whumpanthems @lavndvrr

@ivymyers @starfields08000

@a-living-canvas @lumpofsand

@watermeezer @indigoviolet311

@whumpy-mountains @risk606

@electrons2006 @paperprinxe

@whumprince @kaz-of-crows

@mis-graves @decaffeinatedtimetraveler94

@sausages-things @castiels-favorite-hunter

@isikedmyself878 @daffyduckcommittedtaxfraud

@valravnthefrenchie @glennemerald

@jasperthecapser @does-directions

@deafeninglittlecrown @jumpywhumpywriter

@blackbirdsinatrenchcoat @mylifeisonthebookshelf

@thenormalestever @whatwhump

@galatic-worm @starmoon-constellation

@bacillusinfection @whumpsandbumps

@tobiasbones @octopus-reactivated

@string-of-broken-hearts @weirdthingweee

[doodler16]

i think it wouldve made more sense if DHORKS had kidnapped via in seeing stars to interrogate her since she doesnt have a human disguise, forcing I.M.P. and stolas to lock tf in, find them and her, battle DHORKS again, but one of the agents could be killed in the fight, (accidentally as a joke even, before blitz is like, "uh, yeah, we- we MEANT to do that!",) with the other left alive as a warning from stolas not to ever put his loved ones in danger again, or else there will be even worse consequences then just being traumatized from the sight of his true demon form and losing their loved ones in return. itd make via forgiving her dad for forgetting about asaroths tears be more understandable too, instead of loona girlboss gaslighting this teen about her justified feelings towards her parents divorce and father. that way, when DHORKS come back in full moon, itd make more sense for the remaining agent to team up with the cherubs so they could BOTH get revenge, and to be taken seriously by the human government enough to get an increase in funding, since they killed one of the people responsible for exposing humans to them to begin with, making them think the demons want to cover their tracks. plus, you could even have that killed agent show up in hell if you wanted to have another goofy antagonist I.M.P. could come across at any given point! maybe even bring them back in apology tour, only for them to try shooting blitz with an angelic gun like they how they resort to gun violence in the chupacbra short. like, i dont need them to be big bads who constantly are involved in the plot. i just want them to MATTER when I.M.P. goes up on earth. one last rewrite/wishful thinking thing but, wouldve loved also if one of them dropped off a kid they were related to at that stupid ass childrens summer camp called "i wanna cum" or something, and then as a joke, have them not recognize moxxie or millies human disguise at all. they talk to them completely straight laced while m&m is internally dying inside and thinking theyre lured into a false sense of security, until the anget(s) says in full sincerity, "and, i hope it aint rude of me to mention, but, so terribly sorry about that poor skin condition of yers! :("

I’ll gladly take anything at this point regarding DHORKS. I unironically would forget about them sometimes. Honestly, I was pretty surprised Agent 1 and 2 weren’t there at the summer camp, it would’ve been a good opportunity to put them there in the background spying on Moxxie and Millie.

[sparkles-rule-4eva]

Idk if I'm gonna make a review post, exactly, but the things that went on with Sonic's character in movie 3 have left me reeling, and dying to analyze. I don't have many screenshots to share, and the ones I do aren't good quality bc the movie's not released digitally yet, but here goes.

For one, the theme of dealing with grief was so well handled. I was hoping they were going to use the parallel of this Sonic losing someone close to him, just like Shadow had, and that's just what they did. What made it even more painful, however, was how Sonic was faced with the possibility of losing a second parental figure.

Shadow saw him hunched over Tom, pleading with him to wake up, and remembered himself doing the same when Maria had died. That was where Shadow saw a bit of himself in Sonic.

Shadow took mental notes of it, but he didn't back off, though he didn't make any other attempts to hurt Tom. Heck, he wouldn't have attacked in the first place if Tom hadn't been disguised as Walters.

And just... watching the way Sonic just started spiraling after this scene was so heartbreaking. The way he looked so lost and broken as they were taking him away in the ambulance, when Maddie didn't say anything to them, and the camera just zoomed out for a few seconds, showing him and his brothers looking so small and so lost in the world as they were left alone, unsure if their dad would be okay.

Sonic didn't want comfort. After the initial fear and grief, the anger he'd felt earlier when he turned on Shadow came back with a vengeance, quite literally. Looking at their calmer, almost normal everyday life earlier in the movie, it seems everything's fine. Sonic seemed fine and perky. I was taken aback at how calm he was about finding his old cave. He seemed fine, all things considered from earlier in his life. The Before Times, as fanfics have dubbed them.

But the moment his found family was threatened, the moment he was faced with the possibility of losing the home and love he'd finally gotten after so many years of pain and isolation, he fell apart. He became aggressively protective of it. Of course he would want to defend those he loves, but not like this. Not the Sonic we know.

The way Shadow phrased it later, "What kind of hero abandons his friends to seek revenge? Abandons his family?"

That struck a nerve, but Sonic just snapped back, "Don't you dare talk about my family."

The expressions he had after he'd taken the Master Emerald and gone after Shadow were so complex. You can see the mix of emotions on his face. Most clearly, the anger. But mixed in, you see the pain, the grief, the paralyzing fear of losing someone else, and you see how emotionally fragile he really is.

Shadow scoffs about how he'd thought that Sonic cared for them. "Especially the one, what's his name again? Tom?"

And that pushed him over the edge.

The way he just let out that chilling scream of rage and grief and went on to punch Shadow so hard he quite literally sent him flying straight into the moon. He was enraged. He was distressed. He was spiraling. And he was, for a few minutes, completely out of control.

We know that this version of Sonic is not so reserved about killing people, like the game version. In the second movie, Sonic had every intention of killing Robotnik in the final battle, and he thought he succeeded. This marks the second time that if someone threatens Sonic's family, he's out for blood. In that vein, he's like his game counterpart; it's the safety of his loved ones, not himself, that he's concerned about. Passionate about.

Except.

He could not bring himself to do it.

I think part of him was remembering what Walters had said about Shadow having experienced loss, the way he had.

He'd won here. He could've just killed Shadow right then and there. Shadow was even goading him into just doing it. Demanded what he was waiting for. Pointing to his own chest and yelling that he was right there. To just do it. (Another thing to analyze; Shadow was just done with everything and didn't even care if he died at this point, but that's for another post.)

But something was stopping him.

Even in those screenshots, you can see the pain and anger mixed on his face. I could be mistaken, but it looks like there's a tear in his eye. (If I'm right, the idea of him crying during this fight makes me break apart in sadness.)

And then came the flashback. This is what drives me insane.

In Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow is out to destroy the world, and it's remembering Maria's true final wish that stopped him.

I never could've predicted that in this version, it was Sonic who was out to kill someone, kill Shadow, but remembering Tom's words to him about not letting his pain change who he is was what stopped him. Sonic was the one who needed to stop and remember. And that's just what he did. 🥺

And then, only then, was he able to calm down, remember himself, remember what Tom would want him to do. He wasn't handling this the same way he'd handled Longclaw's death. He was turning into exactly what Shadow had become. The horror at realizing what he'd nearly become, what he'd almost done, set in.

He made the right choice in the end because of that. Just like Shadow did in the games. Just like he later did here, too. But Shadow was able to have "redemption" of sorts in this version, not because of some talk, but because he saw the example in Sonic, right in front of him.

We know what happened next, I'm not gonna go much into it. But seeing this whole side of Sonic, the side that just barely slipped out in the last movie, was so, so fascinating. I love how each movie continues to explore him as the main character, in a different way. This one probably got me crying the most. I cried even as I wrote this post and put more pieces together. The more I think about it, the more I love it. 🥹😭💙💛❤️

[morlock-holmes]

So I've seen you reference works by Duchamp and Worhol and the like before, saying that 20th century art history has already had the conversation about what should be considered art and that critics of AI art are ignoring all that history. But what's the case that these works actually should be taken seriously as art? If I say that I think Warhol's soup cans and Duchamp's Fountain are just juvenile pranks at best and not worth paying attention to, what am I missing out on?

I know that I could find answers to this elsewhere, but I'm interesting in your take on it.

I don't know if it's worth taking them seriously as art, exactly, so much as you have to take them seriously as moments in art history.

I wrote about Fountain here, and I'm a little bit proud of that explanation.

The major thing that happened in the 20th Century is the long process of destroying the idea of "good taste", and of any distinction between "High art" and "low art".

The reason I bring up Pollack, Duchamp and Warhol is that all of them very famously raised the question of "What constitutes worthwhile art?"

A urinal? Splatters of paint on canvas? Paintings of a commercial design you didn't create?

Part of the reason they seem dubious and silly is that they essentially won the battles they were waging so incredibly decisively that it's almost impossible to imagine a world where they didn't.

When Duchamp put a urinal in an art exhibition the idea of doing it was so scandalous and absurd that even a group of avant garde artists thought it was a step too far. Today, if you saw a toilet in a gallery show you'd yawn and say, "Of course".

There is an essay I can't seem to find, (I had thought it was by Umberto Eco but I was apparently wrong) which had an image which stuck with me where the author said that the popularity of Warhol's soup cans gave him the somewhat daft temptation to put an actual can of Campbell's tomato soup up on a shelf as an objet d'art. Somehow, the attention paid to Warhol seems to imbue this ordinary object with a sense of artistry and importance.

Did you know that in 1965 Marvel Comics briefly rebranded as Marvel Pop Art Productions?

Attacks on AI specifically are all waged in an arena where the idea of "High" and "Low" art has been thoroughly demolished, where you can lionize, without any felt sense of irony or shame, the human talent that goes into drawing vampires on Magic: The Gathering cards.

And the reason I put it in a dismissive way like that is that 50 years ago, or 100 years ago, this was not the primary way that the culture conceptualized art. The further back you go, the stricter the distinction between "Art" and "Commerce" gets.

Prior to Warhol and Pop Art, comic books, for example, were generally understood as disposable nonsense designed to distract children; while some adults did, in fact, enjoy and think about them as valuable expressions of human artistry, this was not the dominant paradigm, thinking about them this way marked you out as in some way a member of the counterculture.

Writing an essay about the merits of Jack Kirby as a capital A Artist is no longer an avant garde act of countercultural defiance, it's just... Ordinary. The way one thinks of art.

This is because of adult comic book fans and comic book creators working from the bottom of culture and because of the popularity of people like Warhol and Lichtenstein at the top of culture, eating away at the barrier between high and low culture from both sides.

I don't even like Lichtenstein, I think his pastiches of other people's works are generally less interesting and arresting than it would be to just take the panels he was aping and blow them up.

But he's still important to the general story.

A conception of human artistry where the main important thing is the expression of a human talent, regardless of subject matter, is not some obvious constant of human thought; such a conception would be foreign to most human societies.

The reason it doesn't seem foreign today is in large part due to all the people I keep mentioning.

And so there is something that bothers me about internalizing and agreeing with many of the challenges they posed to traditional notions of taste while simultaneously ignoring and dismissing them as not worth thinking about.

The 20th century attacks on traditional artistic conceptions were so total that they also included strong attacks on traditional ideas of "Authorship" and "Intention" as components of art.

I don't know if this is really making sense. Basically, if you actually want to dismiss the last century of art history, you have to have some sense of "High" and "Low" art, and acknowledge that AI at the moment really only poses a threat to "Low" art which, quite frankly, a person of good taste shouldn't care so much about anyway.

"High" Art was already ruined before you were born, and any intrusion of AI into that space is pretty much just carrying coals to Newcastle at this point.

Or, if you want to take "Low" art seriously, then... I mean... Take it seriously. Taking "low" art seriously means grappling with the people who made it possible to take it seriously, and that means also grappling with their assaults on authorship and intentionality.

There's something that bothers me about taking the world Andy Warhol helped build as just obviously good while acting like there's no point in paying attention to anything he did.

[sillygoose067]

A Masked Promise

Ch.21

Dick Grayson(Nightwing) x Reader

“Gray,” you breathed, his name slipping from your lips like a prayer as his mouth left yours for the briefest of moments. His hands tightened around your waist, pulling you even closer, and you could feel the heat of his body pressing into yours. God, this man. You arched into him, melting under the weight of his touch, his kiss, his everything.

“Yeah?” he murmured, his voice low and throaty, barely audible over the sound of your heart pounding in your ears. His lips brushed against the corner of your mouth, teasing, before trailing down to your jawline, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. “What do you need?”

You didn’t answer—couldn’t answer. Not when his teeth grazed the sensitive skin of your neck, sending a jolt of electricity straight to your core. Instead, you tangled your fingers in his hair, tugging gently, and he groaned against your skin, the sound vibrating through you.

All it had taken was one moment—one whispered confession, one vulnerable admission—and now here you were, pressed together on the couch, losing yourselves in each other. It had started so innocently, too. Just a quiet evening, the two of you curled up together after breakfast, talking about nothing and everything. But then the conversation had shifted, and suddenly, the air between you had become charged with something you couldn’t ignore.

---

It had been your idea, hadn’t it? The thought had tumbled out before you could stop it, but part of you was glad it had. You’d been thinking about it for weeks, turning the idea over in your mind, weighing the risks and the rewards. And now, finally, you’d said it out loud.

“I think… I might be ready to move forward in our relationship, just a little more, you know?”

The words had hung in the air between you, fragile and tentative, and for a moment, you’d worried you’d said too much. But then Dick had looked at you, really looked at you, and all your doubts had melted away. His hand, warm and steady, had slid up your thigh, and his eyes had softened with understanding—and something else, something that made your stomach flutter.

“Exploring a little,” you’d clarified, your voice trembling with nervous excitement. “Testing out what we like, what feels good.”

And just like that, the tension between you had shifted, becoming something thicker, hotter, impossible to ignore. He’d leaned in, his breath warm against your ear, and whispered, “Sounds pretty damn enticing.”

From there, things had escalated quickly. A brush of lips, a tender touch, and before you knew it, you were gasping into his mouth, your bodies pressed together as if trying to close any distance that still remained between you.

---

Now, his hands roamed over your body, mapping every curve, every dip, as if committing you to memory. One moment, they were cradling your face, his thumbs brushing against your cheeks; the next, they were sliding down your sides, gripping your hips with a possessiveness that made your breath catch.

“Gray,” you gasped again, your voice shaky, needy. You weren’t sure what you were asking for, but it didn’t matter—he seemed to understand anyway.

In one swift motion, he stood, lifting you effortlessly into his arms. You let out a surprised squeak, instinctively wrapping your legs around his waist as he carried you toward the bedroom. Your heart raced, not just from the sudden movement but from the way he held you, like you were something precious, something irreplaceable.

He set you down gently on the edge of the bed, his hands lingering on your shoulders as he stepped back, giving you space. For a moment, he just looked at you, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. His eyes were dark, hungry, but there was something else there, too—something tender, almost reverent.

“Still okay?” he asked, his voice rough.

You nodded, unable to form words, and reached for him, pulling him back to you. He came willingly, his lips crashing against yours in a kiss that was equal parts passion and promise. His hands found the hem of your shirt, his fingers skimming the bare skin of your stomach, and you shivered at the contact.

“Tell me if you want to stop,” he murmured against your lips, his voice breaking slightly. “Anytime. Okay?”

“Okay,” you whispered, though stopping was the last thing on your mind. Not when his touch sent sparks dancing across your skin, not when his kisses left you breathless and wanting.

His hands moved higher, sliding beneath your shirt, and you arched into his touch as his fingertips brushed against the lace of your bra. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if he was savoring every second, every inch of you. When his thumbs swept over your nipples, already taut with anticipation, you gasped, your head falling back.

“Look at you,” he murmured, his voice thick with awe. “You’re so…” He trailed off, letting his actions speak for him as he lowered his mouth to your neck, his teeth scraping lightly against your skin. At the same time, his hands slipped beneath the cups of your bra, and the feeling of his skin against yours was almost too much to bear.

Your hands gripped his shoulders, holding on for dear life as he explored you, learning what made you tremble, what made you moan. Every touch, every kiss, felt like a revelation, like the pieces of a puzzle finally clicking into place. And through it all, he watched you, his eyes never leaving your face, reading every flicker of pleasure, every gasp of surprise.

“Gray,” you whimpered, your voice breaking as his thumb circled your nipple, sending waves of heat curling through your body. “I…”

But whatever you were about to say was lost as his mouth claimed yours again, silencing you with a kiss that was as deep as it was desperate. His hands moved lower, sliding down your sides to grip your hips, and you could feel the tension in his muscles, the restraint he was struggling to maintain.

“Tell me what you need,” he whispered, his voice ragged. “Tell me.”

You opened your mouth to respond, but the words caught in your throat as his lips trailed down your collarbone, his tongue flicking against your pulse point.

And then—

“Please.”

The single word slipped out before you could stop it, soft and pleading, and Gray froze, his breath hitching. Slowly, he pulled back, his eyes locking onto yours. There was a question there, unspoken but clear, and you answered it by reaching for him, pulling him closer until there was no space left between you.

This, you thought as his hands fumbled with the clasp of your bra. This is what I need.

The air between you crackled with anticipation as Gray’s fingers finally undid the clasp of your bra, the fabric sliding away to expose your skin to the cool night air. His hands hesitated for just a moment, hovering over your bare chest, before he let out a low, appreciative sigh. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice thick with desire.

His touch was electric as his hands cupped your breasts, thumbs brushing over your already taut nipples. You arched into him instinctively, a soft gasp escaping your lips as he leaned down to capture one peak in his mouth. The warmth of his tongue sent shivers spiraling through you, and you tangled your fingers in his hair, urging him closer.

“Gray,” you whispered, your voice trembling. His name felt like a prayer on your lips, a plea for more.

He responded by gently pinching the other nipple between his fingers, rolling it slowly as he continued to tease the first with his tongue. The dual sensations made your breath hitch, your body melting into the mattress beneath him. His free hand slid down your side, tracing the curve of your waist before settling on your hip, pulling you even tighter against him.

When he finally pulled back, his eyes met yours, dark and hungry. “Tell me what you want,” he said softly, his voice rough but tender. “I need to hear you say it.”

You swallowed hard, your heart pounding as you reached for his hand, guiding it lower until his palm rested just above the waistband of your panties. “Touch me,” you breathed, your voice barely audible. “Please.”

His gaze never left yours as he nodded, his fingers slipping beneath the delicate fabric. You tensed slightly at the first brush of his fingertips against your sensitive flesh, but then—oh, then—he found your clit, and every nerve in your body lit up like a firework.

“Like this?” he asked, his voice low and husky as he began to circle the bundle of nerves with agonizing slowness.

Your hips jerked involuntarily, chasing the pressure, and you bit your lip to stifle another moan. “Yes,” you managed to gasp. “Just like that.”

He chuckled softly, the sound rich and warm, and increased the speed of his fingers, the rhythmic motion sending waves of pleasure crashing through you. Your head fell back against the pillows, your eyes fluttering shut as you tried to focus on the sensation, on the way his touch seemed to consume you entirely.

But then he slowed again, his fingers barely grazing you, and you whimpered in frustration. “Don’t stop,” you begged, your voice breaking. “Please, don’t stop.”

“Look at me,” he commanded, his tone firm but gentle. When you opened your eyes, his face was inches from yours, his expression intense yet loving. “I want to see you. I want to know I’m doing this right.”

You nodded frantically, unable to form words as he resumed his ministrations, his touch firmer now, more deliberate. His thumb pressed down on your clit while his index finger dipped lower, teasing your entrance. The combination was maddening, and you could feel the tension building inside you, coiled tight and ready to snap.

“Close?” he asked, his breath hot against your ear.

You nodded again, your nails digging into his shoulders as you clung to him. “So close,” you managed to choke out. “Don’t stop.”

He didn’t. His fingers moved faster, harder, and you could feel the pressure cresting, the pleasure becoming almost too much to bear. And then—oh God—you were falling, tumbling over the edge as your body seized, wave after wave of ecstasy washing over you.

You cried out his name, your back arching off the bed as the intensity of your climax consumed you. Dick held you through it, his arms strong and steady, his voice a soothing murmur in your ear as you trembled in his embrace.

When it finally subsided, you collapsed against the pillows, your chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath. Dick’s hand still rested between your thighs, his fingers lightly stroking your oversensitive flesh, and you shuddered at the touch, your body still humming with aftershocks.

He smiled down at you, his expression soft and satisfied. “Good?” he asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

You let out a weak laugh, your cheeks flushing as you nodded. “More than good,” you admitted, your voice hoarse. “That was… incredible.”

He leaned in, pressing a kiss to your forehead before pulling back to look at you again. “You’re incredible,” he corrected, his tone sincere. “I just wanted to make sure you felt that way.”

You reached up to cup his face, your thumb brushing against his cheek. “You did,” you assured him, your voice steady despite the lingering tremors in your limbs. “Thank you.”

Dick’s smile widened, and he shifted slightly, his body still pressed against yours.

But then, the shyness crept back again. The lingering feeling of being so close to someone, of having shared something so intimate, made you feel like you were floating, but also very much aware of how exposed you felt. You couldn’t stop the little laugh that escaped your lips, a nervous giggle you tried to hold back. “I… uh, I hope I didn’t mess up,” you whispered, your voice almost a whisper, unsure of how he’d take it.

Dick chuckled softly, the sound low and reassuring. “Trust me, you didn’t mess up anything.” He pulled you closer, the warmth of his chest against yours calming your nerves as his lips brushed your forehead again. “You were perfect.”

You closed your eyes, letting the words wash over you, but the slight blush that still lingered on your cheeks wouldn’t disappear. You were starting to realize just how much you’d let him in, and the vulnerability was still new, still a little scary. Yet, it felt safe, secure in a way you’d never known before.

…

After a few quiet moments of holding you close, Gray shifted slightly, brushing a strand of hair away from your face. His gaze softened, a tender mix of love and concern filling his eyes. “You okay?” he asked gently, his thumb brushing over your cheek.

You nodded, though your body still felt a little shaky from the intensity of it all. “Yeah, just… a little overwhelmed,” you admitted softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

His expression grew even softer, if that were possible, and he pressed a kiss to your temple. “I’ve got you,” he murmured, the words a soothing balm to the nervous energy still fluttering in your chest. He shifted, untangling himself from you, but his touch never left. “Stay here. Let me get you some water, okay?”

Before you could protest, he was already off the bed, moving with purpose toward the kitchen. You watched him go, the sight of him in nothing but his boxers and that familiar sense of care he exuded bringing a small, affectionate smile to your lips. When he returned, he had a glass of water in one hand and a clean, soft towel in the other.

“Drink this,” he instructed, handing you the glass as he sat beside you again. His tone was gentle but firm, his concern evident as he watched you take a few sips. Once he was satisfied, he set the empty glass on the nightstand and scooted closer.

“Lean back for me,” he said softly, holding up the towel. You blinked at him in confusion, and he chuckled quietly, his free hand brushing over your arm. “Just want to make sure you’re comfortable. I know it got a little intense.”

A blush crept up your neck, but you leaned back against the pillows, letting him gently wipe away the light sheen of sweat from your skin. His movements were slow and deliberate, his touch featherlight, as though you were made of porcelain. “You didn’t have to…” you started, your voice trailing off as he gave you a soft smile.

“I wanted to,” he replied simply, his voice steady as his hands continued their careful work. “You’re my priority. Always.”

The weight of his words settled over you, warming your chest as you gazed at him. When he finished, he set the towel aside and pulled the blanket up over both of you, tucking it around you snugly.

“Better?” he asked, his voice low, as he slid back into bed beside you, gathering you into his arms. His hands trailed soothing patterns over your back, grounding you in the quiet intimacy of the moment.

You nodded, your head resting against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat calming you further. “Better,” you whispered, your voice full of gratitude and something deeper—something you couldn’t quite put into words.

He kissed the top of your head, his lips lingering there as he whispered, “Good. Because you deserve to feel taken care of.”———————————————————————————-

TAGLIST:

@mybones537 @thereeallink @ziziriaa-blog

[chlotapcs]

shy!reader paired with bf!chris

"not so shy anymore" by @chlotapcs 𝜗𝜚

an. sorry! this was rushed, i was on the verge of falling asleep and the idea was kinda spiraling in my head so i didn't exactly know what the fuck i was writing.

you were never a party girl, hanging inside with your boyfriend chris and if you did go out, it was too a beach to watch the sunset. but now. now you were somehow dressed up in a short dress and makeup covering your face, standing outside a house that was blasting music from inside. your hand in chris's as you squeeze it, an uneasy feeling filling your gut.

chris had somehow convinced you to go to a party with him, wanting to show you to the world outside of your tiny space. it took almost all day before you finally caved in, his soft eyes and pouty face winning you over.

"it'll be okay baby. i'll be right here, next to you, the whole time, 'k?" chris says as he turns to look at you, tilting his head as his hands move to your cheeks. you slowly move your body to look at him and sigh.

"yeah, lets get this over with." and with your words, chris was dragging you through the crowd, his hand in yours as he tries to find his friends. music was filling your ears, people bumping into you as they dance and scream their songs. it was already hot, feeling the damp temperature against your practically naked body.

chris finally finds his friends, squeezing your hand as if reassuring you that he was still there with you. you stumble next to him as he slows down and stops, patting one of his friends back. the group quickly dabs each other up and greets you, shaking your free hand. you give them a small smile, nodding at them before handing each you and chris a beer bottle. usually, you weren't the drinking type, but you could down one if needed. and now was needed. if you were going to last more than a few minutes in this party, you would need a drink. maybe a few drinks.

you take the drink out of his friends hand and quickly bring the bottle to your lips. you feel the liquid going down your throat, making you hum before taking the bottle away from your lips. you discreetly make a disgusted face but it doesn't pass by chris, him catching it almost instantly. he couldn't help but let out a small laugh, moving his hand to your lip and wiping away a small drop of the drink that was left on your lip.

"take it easy ma. i've got you." chris leans in close, murmuring in my ear over the loud music in the background. you turn to look at him and smile, leaning into his touch before patting his chest.

"i promise i'll go easy baby."

that was a few drinks ago. you went a little overboard with the trying to calm down your nerves. you had a few too many drinks, chris's friends handing you shot every once in a while. you have been playing beer pong with his friends, chris waiting in the line for the bathroom. you were doing good, cheering and laughing at things you wouldn't usually be laughing at.

you were currently leaning on a wall, waiting for your turn to play beery pong again until you feel hands on your waist. you, of course, think it's chris, feeling the hands squeeze your waist gently.

"hey there pretty girl." you hear a voice cut through the loud music and you suddenly realize, that wasn't chris. you look up, seeing a boy you've never seen in your life before.

"sorry. i'm taken." you say, feeling sober instantly as you try to get the boy's hands off of you. but he just pushes you closer to the wall, pinning you there. you face drops as your hands move to his wrist, trying harder to get him off. you could see him part his lips to say something else but then he's thrown off of you. your eyes widen, seeing the boy hit the ground hard.

you look up, expecting to see chris but you see one of his friends. your brows furrow before you feel him take your wrist, tugging you inside the house.

"come on, lets find chris." he says, keeping his grip on you tight so he wouldn't lose you. you stumble with him, the alcohol coming back to effect you as your vision blurs, trying to blink away the blurriness.

you follow his friend around until you feel your body come to a stop. you could barely make out who the figures in front of you were but when you feel hands on your cheeks, you knew it was Chris.

"hey ma? can you hear me?" chris asks, patting your cheek gently before you hear his friend mumbling something to him. you feel his grip tighten on you, like he heard something that got him upset.

"listen. i'm taking you home. you can be upset later but shes on the verge of passing out and she needs you. calm yourself." you hear his friend saying, ringing cutting through at times. you feel chris's hands move down your body, holding your waist as your feet begin to move again. your soon in feeling the cold air hitting you, chris picking you up and setting you in the back of the car. you lay yourself down in the backseat, letting out a hum as your eyes shut, falling into a deep sleep.

chris gets into the passenger seat, buckling up as he looks back at you, his eyes softer. but when he realizes you had passed out, he quickly looks back at his friend.

"what did he do to her?" chris asks, his voice stern. his friend quickly gets into the drivers seat, buckling up and starting the car.

"tried pinning her against the wall and that's it. I stopped him before anything else happened." his friends murmur, his eyes on the road as his hands grip his steering wheel. chris nods before looking back at you again. he had never seen you drunk and passed out like this before. his heart ached as he reached a hand back and rubs your waist.

"my sister says taking a warm bath with some bath bombs help her when shes hung over. or if she wakes up later tonight. i think she said lavender scent helps her the most?" his friend says, wanting to help you as much as he could. once he had met you, he thought of you like a little sister. he always took good care of you, making sure you were always safe whenever chris was off doing something else.

"got it. lavender bath bombs. thanks" chris nods, keeping his eyes on you as his hands move to your bare legs.

after a few minutes of driving, you were finally parked outside of your house. chris exits the car, his friend coming with him as he opens the back door. he carefully grabs you, cradling you with your head on his chest.

"need help with anything?" his friend asks, walking up next to chris, looking at the sleeping you in his arms.

"grab her shoes if you can?" chris nods towards my shoes on the ground, his friend quickly grabbing them as he closes the car door. he follows chris inside, setting your shoes down onto the floor next to all your other shoes and Chris turns around.

"thank you. i appreciate it." Chris tells his friend, giving him a genuine look on his face. his friend smiles and nods.

"anytime dude. I got you." he says before leaving the house, and closing the door. Chris lets out a breath before walking to their shared room, laying down your sleeping body on the bed. he kisses your forehead softly, moving the blanket over your body before walking to the bathroom. he quickly kneels down and goes under the sink, finding your bath bombs. he pulls out a lavender scented one and setting it down on the counter, knowing not to forget it.

once he's back into the room, he changes into some sweatpants and a wife beater, quickly getting into bed next to you. he gets under the covers, scooting next to you as he wraps his arms around your body, spooning you.

"i'll be here when you wake up mamas. I love you." Chris whispers in your ear before falling into a deep sleep next to you, knowing he would need it to take care of you tomorrow, knowing a headache and grumpy you would be here.

@mattspolitank @h3arts4harry @bernardsbendystraws @sophand4n4 @riversandwinds

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

[obitez]

Bean's Birthday! 🐶🎂

Due to today being my wiener dog's birthday, here's another Bean fic!

Full fic on AO3

Tommy didn’t know when exactly Bean’s birthday was. He had taken the dog in when Bean was two years old, and was just told ‘oh, his birthday is in January.’ And since Tommy picked the little wiener dog up on January 9th well… 

It was pretty self-explanatory. 

Tommy celebrated Bean's birthday on January 9th. 

Bean was going to be turning five this year. 

🎂 🎂 🎂 🎂 🎂

It was no surprise to anyone that Tommy liked to spoil Bean. And really, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. 

Other than his boyfriend, who Tommy also spoiled, he was a man in his forties with a very well paying job and no children. Despite California’s very high cost of living, sometimes he had more money than he knew what to responsibly do with. 

So he spoiled his dog. 

The only problem with spoiling Bean, was that Bean was very picky… and very hard to spoil. 

Most dog toys were too big for him to pick up in his mouth, and the ones that were small enough for him to pick up, half the time Bean paid no attention to them. Tommy didn’t want to know how much money he had spent on toys that Bean ignored because they were small but had no squeaker. He hoped the other dogs at the animal shelter liked them. 

Then there were the dog treats. If they weren’t either meat flavored, Bean would also ignore them. Even when Tommy tried stuffing the mini Kong full of peanut butter, Bean sniffed it only to walk across the room. Last year Tommy had bought those little specialty doggy cupcakes for Bean’s birthday, only for Bean to ignore those as well. 

Tommy supposed if he lived in a cold climate, especially with this time of the year, he could buy a new sweater or jacket for Bean, but with the lows being in the upper forties still, Tommy didn’t think they would be very useful. 

Truthfully though, the only person Tommy knew who could pick out good presents for the dog was Tommy’s mom. Bean loved  all of the presents Tommy’s mom sent him. Maybe it was his mom’s scent on them or something, he didn’t know, because when Tommy bought nearly identical toys at Target for Bean, Bean didn’t want anything to do with them. 

But the presents she had mailed over for Christmas Tommy had already given to Bean, and Tommy didn’t want to make it a big thing. Because the worst part about Bean's birthday was that it was right after Christmas. So after trying to think of Christmas gifts for his dog for months, he needed to turn right back around and come up with a birthday gift. 

Which again left Tommy in a conundrum. What should he do for Bean’s birthday this year? 

🎂 🎂 🎂 🎂 🎂

Buck hummed as he walked up behind Tommy as he stood at his kitchen counter. “What’s that look on your face for?” he asked. 

Tommy turned his head to look at Buck. “What look?” he asked. 

“You look conflicted about something,” Buck said. “Like you need to make a decision and don’t know what to do.” 

Tommy chewed his lip as he thought of a way to word what he was going to say. “Bean’s birthday is next week,” Tommy said. “I haven’t figured out what to get him.” 

Buck’s eyes widened as he took in what Tommy had just said. “His birthday is next week?” Buck asked. He walked around Tommy’s kitchen to look over at the dog sleeping on his dog bed in the living room. “Your birthday is next week?” Buck asked. 

Buck merely let out another snore as he kept his donut position sleeping in the dog bed, only reacting to people who were in the same room as him. 

“Yeah,” Tommy said, setting a dirty glass into the kitchen sink, telling himself he would clean it later. “His birthday is next week, and I don’t know what to get for him.” 

Buck hummed as he thought. “Did he like those treats I made him last month?” Buck asked as he referred to the candy cane shaped dog biscuits he made on Christmas Eve. Tommy was silent long enough for Buck to turn back to look at him. “Did he?” 

“N- Not really,” Tommy said. 

Buck’s mouth hung open. “Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked. 

“I didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” Tommy said. “You worked so hard at making them.”

Buck looked back at Bean and hummed. “What kind of treats does Bean like again?” he asked. 

“Anything with meat,” Tommy said. “Actually meat though, not meat flavored stuff.”

A couple days later, Tommy ended up stopping by a butcher shop to buy a large beef bone, one that he knew would take hours for Bean to finish. He had them cut it up though, he didn’t want raw meat sitting around his house for hours and for Bean to hide to bone in his bed. Hell, that was probably why he didn’t do this all too often for Bean. It made… kind of a big mess. 

Tommy also went by the pet store, again, because even though Bean didn’t like the toys Tommy got for him, that didn’t mean Tommy wasn’t going to get the dog a toy. Because what messed up dog owners didn’t get their dogs a toy for their birthday? Not the good ones. 

Tommy looked over the racks of dog toys of various sizes, bypassing the ones that would obviously be too large for the dog’s little mouth and paws, and focusing in on the ones that had little squeakers. He found a three pack of little plush ducks. They looked cute, and they were certainly better than the assortment of leftover Christmas dog toys. 

🎂 🎂 🎂 🎂 🎂

Tommy and Buck ended up meeting again the day before Bean’s birthday. Buck had set a small box on the counter in front of Tommy when he walked into his house. 

“What’s that?” Tommy asked. 

“For Bean, his birthday,” Buck said. Tommy lifted an eyebrow as he took the box and opened it up. Inside looked to hold some sort of dog friendly cake, with pieces of dried bacon on top. “It has real meat,” Buck said. “So he should like it, right?” 

“Yeah,” Tommy said. Then he passed it back into Buck’s hands. “You should give it to him.”

“What? But his birthday isn’t until tomorrow though,” Buck protested. 

“And you’ll be working tomorrow,” Tommy said as he turned Buck’s shoulder to the direction where Bean was sleeping in the living room. The dog slept a lot. 

“And don’t worry,” Tommy said. “I have other gifts to give him tomorrow, he can have this one early.” 

“Okay,” Buck said as he walked over to the dog and squatted down next to him. Bean lifted his head up to look at him and Tommy could see the dog began to wag his tail. 

Buck set the box with the cake on the floor in front of the dog. “Okay, Bean. Here we got an early birthday cake for you…”

As Buck spoke to the dog, Bean stood up and walked a couple steps closer to give the cake a sniff. When Buck sat back Bean very carefully picked the pieces of dried bacon off.

“You know… I’ve never seen a dog be so picky,” Buck said around a laugh. 

“Me either,” Tommy said from where he watched the two.

[missuscupid]

content warning: john price's secretary, use of good girl, age gap (reader is in her late twenties/early thirties, john is forties), price doesn’t like the share, both are kinda pervy lets be real.

you were such a good girl- always keeping your head down and following orders. john knew just how happy you were to please him. he saw it every day, that twinkle in your eyes every time he seemed pleased with whatever you were doing and offered a gruff "thank you" in your direction. he saw the way that you looked to him for approval anytime you did anything; it was like you wanted him to praise you and who was john to deny an angel such as yourself?

the problem with having a pretty thing stationed right outside his door is that it seemed to attract mutts. young recruits, older soldiers, his own taskforce seemed to linger just a moment too long while delivering papers. his most recent notice was one of the baby-faced recruits that seemed to flush red as soon as he dropped papers on the desk for the captain. it was hard not to- the way you smiled so prettily and bat your eyelashes as you thanked him, ignoring the way his eyes seemed to go straight down the thin silk blouse you were wearing.

john hated watching- hated the way that he noticed the recruit draw his eyes from your breast up to the tiny diamond necklace around your neck. a gift from someone john couldn't remember- a family member maybe. he was sure he'd remember if it was a spouse or boyfriend at least.

"love," john's voice cut through, gruff and demanding, "bring me that file please."

and the recruit was off, scurrying with his tail between his legs and a buckled little bye as he went. like the good girl you were, you were up and across the office at the first request. you bent, sliding the file onto his desk.

"thank you love," the pet names should've raised concern but you didn't think anything of it. it was common to hear around the base, men constantly eyeballing and calling out a reminder of your status to them. nothing more than a pretty face for the most part. you just nodded, halfway turning around when you heard the pen hit the floor.

whether it was intentional or not, john would never confirm but he wanted you bend, skirt slowly riding up your thighs as you went. his eyes were glued to your backside, daring you to bend just a little further to get a glance at the panties underneath your tights; were they as white and pure as you acted? a lacy red begging to be taken? or maybe you didn't wear anything at all-

he was hard underneath the desk, chair pulled up just enough that it wouldn't have been noticeable. not when you turned back to drop the pen onto the desk, the warm smell of vanilla still against your skin.

"anything else i can do for you, sir?"

"that'll be it." he cleared his throat, “pull the door closed on your way out.”

the door tugged shut behind you and only mere seconds later, john was tugging open the belt securing his pants.

he fisted his cock in his hand, slowly moving it underneath his desk to the thought of you. all long legs and short skirts. fat, soft hips that he wanted to grab. a thin shirt he could snap in a moment. he moved faster, a groan escaping his lips as his head fell back against the chair. rhythmically he moved, fisting into his own hand as his orgasm crept up. only a few short thrusts into his hand and cum pooled at the tip, slipping down his fist and towards his belt with guilt slowly settling in his stomach.

was it so wrong to think about the pretty secretary he had hired specifically to keep him entertained? probably.

but if he knew you were on the other side with your ear pressed against the door and your panties already wet thinking about him, he might be able to forgive himself.

[sutherlins]

Down In The Heart SydCarmy Short Set about 2 and a half years after their first date written for my beloved @conceived-angel

I love the taste of you in the morning Maybe if I'm lucky, you might stay the afternoon I love the thought of us in the evening I knew you were the real thing When you walked through the door

Carmy took the front entrance to The Bear for a change, smiling at the sign in the window as he unlocked the door.

The Bear will be closed until July 1st due to a family event. We are excited to welcome our guests back to dine with us then. Thank you.

Once inside he locked the door again and dumped his things on the bar, making himself a coffee and returning to his desk for the day.

It had been almost an hour and the only thing on his notebook was her name.

Sydney.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have things to put down, it was how to put the magnitude of his feelings into words that was his struggle. He was so engrossed in the paper in front of him he didn’t hear the back door open, or the footsteps making their way closer. Didn’t notice until a hand tapped the notepad and pulled him from his thoughts.

“You good?” Nat laughed

“Yeah, no, yeah.”

“That a yeah, a no or a yeah?”

Carmy laughed and closed the notepad. “I’m great, just struggling to write my vows.”

“Ahhhh.”

“How did you write yours?”

“We got married in Chapel remember?”

“Oh yeah, no freestyling.”

“No freestyling.” She laughed, and poured herself a glass of water. “We did write each other a letter to read in the morning though. Pete wrote about our first date and everything he wanted us to do in life together”

He couldn’t help but smile at the way her hand stroked at her ring at the memory. “What did you write about?”

“The little moments. They mean more to me than the big ones.”

“I love the little moments too.”

“Then write that.” Nat grabbed her bag and then took a folder from under the bar. “You good?”

“Yeah, where you going?”

Nat smiled at his question. “To meet my soon to be sister in law, we left the vendor shit here a few days ago.” She said tapping the folder in her hand.

Carmy smiled at just the thought of his future bride. “Tell her I love her.”

“She already knows but I will, and... Bear?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t overthink it. Little moments. The important shit.”

“Thanks, Sug’”

Natalie left him alone once more and he opened his phone, swiping through his photos, the last image he took was from that morning, she was in bed, sitting up against the headboard, smiling at him. He put his pen to paper.

Sydney, I used to dread mornings and wish for the next one to never arrive, and then I found you, and now the idea that every morning I get to wake up with my arms around you make me think a life I no longer wanted to live will never be long enough.

He returned to his phone, swiping through photos that included meals, his nieces, and things around Chicago he wanted to draw. It wasn’t long before he came across another photo of Sydney. This one was taken late one evening, she was sitting on the sofa, the sun setting outside the window behind her and she was staring at the TV, her face was set in a soft smile and he had taken the photo because it was easier to do that than confront how overwhelmed he felt in his love for her. The ink started to flow as his feelings spilled out.

Sydney, nights used to be so lonely, nothing could tear me away from the kitchen because finding distractions from my life got me through the days. Now the only distraction is you. You tear me away from everything just by existing and I’ve never been happier. In those quiet evenings when I get to sit with you, I wonder how I survived before you. There will always be a before you, but there will never be an after and I’d go through all of the before a million times again to end up here with you.

He swiped some more, the photo making him laugh, it was a photo of her through the peep hole of the apartment door. The small window making a fish eye lens and she had her face pressed close to the door making it even funnier to him. He was writing once more before he even realized.

Sydney, the first time you walked through a door and into my life something shifted cosmically. Every time you walk into a room I’m in it’s like that day all over again, the world shifts a little, and everything wrong corrects itself.

He brought his phone back out, swiping some more. The photo of him and Sydney at the park, the bright mid day sun shining in the sky. The photo had been taken by Gia. The angle was low, as she pointed the camera up at them. That day they had been on babysitting duties and he’d had a sudden vision of a future date, their own kids joining them.

Sydney, to be your husband and the father of our children will be the greatest accolade I could ever achieve in my life. I will spend every day of my life making sure you know that. The lazy or rushed mornings, the content or chaotic afternoons, the slow and relaxed or the frenetic nights - as long as the rest of mine are spent with you I don’t care what they look like. I am so excited to be your husband, and have you as my wife.

Just as he was about to put his phone away it rang out with an incoming face time call. He swiped, smiling as she appeared in front of him.

“There was an issue with the napkins so we need to pick new ones. What do you think?” She jumped right in, ignoring the pleasantries and she switched the camera, pointing the phone at five napkins. He liked the second one, the simplicity of it. He knew she would like the third one the most, the little ruffle trim was something she would love.

“I like the third one the best.” He lied.

“You do? Me too, okay gotta go, love you!”

“Love you too.”

The call disconnected and he put his phone away, packing up his stuff and heading home, grateful for a life that gave him Sydney.

~

On the day of their wedding, with his hand in hers, he let her lead them to their sweetheart table. As they passed through the long rows of tables he admired the way the tables were set up, and the ruffled napkins lining the tables.

When they finally got to their own seats he laughed hard and kissed her deep when he spotted their place settings, the simple napkins he secretly liked more sitting beside their plates.