#also the blond there is Lisa

[worms-in-my-head]

Parahumans characters but in Hermitcraft/ life series context - concepts for Taylor

Designed her in a way I thought the hermitcraft/ life series fandom would run with her design

I think she’d mostly like the pvp aspect of the game

[hiphopcherrrypop]

save me bottle blond bass player

[dykespence]

Guess who's back, back again

[the-acid-pear]

There's something funny about my brain turning straight to guro whenever my back hurts in my sleep. Like ok girl I'm sorry about the situations but I'm sure we didn't need to gut that guy in front of his boss neither that generic blonde woman and much less fly from the hit game lisa the painful

[thecedarchronicle]

i think an over the top "gritty" riverdale esque retelling of star stable would..

well it wouldn't fix me. but it would enrich and entertain me immensely

[triviareads]

I see what you mean about bitchy heroes. I like them if they are mean but not too mean if that makes sense. And they can't be a*holes to the heroine. Do you have other recs like that?

It's a fine line! Bitchy heroes to me are like, a particular niche that I don't see very often in newer historical romances; you have the grumpy ones that are closed off initially, the repressed ones, the *revenge* focused ones, the ones who hate the heroine initially and argue with her a lot..... but that doesn't make them bitchy imo. Bitchiness is a mindset.

St. Vincent from Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas: The thing about St. Vincent is, he's never particularly dangerous (see: his flop kidnapping attempt), BUT he is definitely a bitch to Evie in the beginning of DiW, like the time he, ya know, calls her a bitch, and also the general bitchiness of lines like "I'd never be so bourgeois to sleep with my own wife".

Nikolas Angelovsky from Prince of Dreams by Lisa Kleypas: Definitely a bitch when he threatens Emma's suitor into leaving her, gets her drunk, sleeps with her, and announces that he thought about marrying her since she was 13 after he gifted her a tiger to spite her dad, whose wife he kidnapped.

Tony from Theory of Earls by Kathleen Ayers: The kind of man who's told he's hot so often, he doesn't think twice of asking a debutante to perform the piano for him in only her chemise, and umtimately compromising her when she asked his help to compromise someone else. BUT the wildest thing about Tony is something he says when he finds out the Maggie is pregnant which...... I was NOT expecting. Was the redemption fully realized? idk but he's hot so I forgive him.

Anthony Bridgerton from The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn: He is. I won't elaborate.

Blackburn (aka FIGGY) from That Scandalous Evening by Christina Dodd: He's angry, confused, still turned on by Jane's *obsession* once his nude sculpture goes public, and the humiliation doesn't stop him from accosting her when she tries to apologize and press her hand to his dick and going "note the difference".

Kerrich from Rules of Engagement by Christina Dodd: Doesn't think twice about buying a child to gain respectability and hiring a governess who he IMMEDIATELY starts chasing after all while being very confused why he's into this "ugly" woman.

Asa Makepeace from Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt: Generally bitchy to Eve re her looks and buttoned-up vibe initially but he's super butthurt when she declines to paint him naked :(

Godric from Outrageous by Minerva Spencer: Again, not dangerous but he spent the entire prior book weirdly stalking the hero and heroine and generally being a little weirdo which understandably got the hero's sister Eva so concerned she kidnapped him.

[arolesbianism]

I don't play limbus company but I have been informed of the Don news and am now rotating her violently in my brain despite only knowing second hand information about her. Depending on how her story plays out I might have to read limbus story stuff because just the concepts behind her character is making me go rabid why must she be so good she's banana blond

[icanseethefuture333]

How to gain followers as an influencer according to your Midheaven

Aries MC:

These influencers are blunt and say whatever that comes to mind. They have a confident aura to themselves and a lot of people gravitate towards them because of how infectious their personality is. Aries MC as influencers are competitive, bold, and outgoing. They also can have a cute and bubbly nature due to Aries being the youngest of the zodiac signs. In order to gain followers or success an influencer - speak your mind. Post pictures of yourself in the gym, dancing, or playing sports, Aries are known for their athleticism and people admire the amount of energy they possess. Aries MC do best in their career as an influencer when they are energetic and thriving in life. Their following might go down if they talk about losing or show a significant change of attitude in their content such as accepting defeat. Fans can emphasize with them if they open up about trauma and abuse.

Loren Gray’s most viral video is when she transitioned from blonde to brown hair. Making bold choices such as a change in hair color, makeup, or fashion style will attract more attention.

(Ex: Tana Mongeau, Loren Gray, Lisa)

Taurus MC:

The misconception of Taurus MCs is that they are always perceived as classy or being “refined” in their aesthetic. When the most famous Taurus MCs influencers are the exact opposite. They have this “untouchable” essence to them (“Yo voy voy voy”). Like those cool girls you pass by in the mall and never see again. They live a life of fun and luxury, their stories you always want to tune in because they’re always doing something interesting. Taurus MCs need to give little by little, share your interests while also keep an air of mystery to yourself. They are the life of the party and you can often see them enjoying good food, alcohol, and/or on vacation. Taurus MCs can pull off slick buns, gold hoops, glossy lips, and tight clothing like no other as well. Unless they are showing off their riches and bragging, people will get bored of them. They don’t want someone they can relate to, so these people often get put on a pedestal or people look up to them for motivation. Most likely to be the ones on somebody's vision board. People are turned off when they display arrogance and envy out of insecurity.

Alex Consani’s most viral video of her is at a fancy restaurant singing “Lifestyle” by Young Thug.

(Ex: Alex Consani, Alexa Demie, Selena Gomez)

Gemini MC:

These girlies are some chatterboxes. They are similar to Aries MCs in a way when it comes to saying whatever they want but what they say often… doesn’t make sense but also totally makes sense, yk? The girls that get it, get it, and the girls that don’t, don’t! Queens/kings of musically fr. Gemini MCs are good at being animated and cunning when creating content. They act really ditsy and lost but they are secretly very intelligent. To gain followers, just be WEIRD, but not weird as in it being forced to be unique and different. I mean weird as just being yourself - unfiltered. Imagine yourself at 10 years old and how annoying but funny they were then letting it out as an adult now that you have control of your life. Give your inner child that space to be creative and humorous without overthinking.

Trisha Paytas being a Gemini MC in her most viral videos. That is all.

(Ex: Trisha Paytas, Liza Koshy, Bella Hadid)

Cancer MC:

Ahh Cancer MCs, they just give mother, ykwim? Something about them is just so feminine and nurturing. If they are young in age, people are drawn to their girl/boy next door vibes. They often fit the beauty standard and are praised for their youthful features. They are way over romanticized sometimes and people have an unhealthy obsession with them. People often see Cancer MCs as overrated but honestly who cares? You are capable of gaining followers by making content with family members, at home, or honestly doing the bare minimum (this placement doesn’t require much effort).

Ari Fletcher is famous for being the girlfriend of rapper G Herbo and mother of their son, Yosohn, she often posts videos of her and their son together.

(Ex: Charli D’amelio, Ari Fletcher, Zoë Kravitz)

Leo MC:

Divaaaas. Leo MCs just give celebrity through and through. They are probably some of the youngest influencers out there. These are the people who were in their bathroom making YouTube videos at 11 and getting over millions of views just for talking about their day at school. They could talk a lot of shit and people would just tune in for the gossip. They are hilarious and entertaining to watch. Always hated but could never be imitated. They are just that it girl/boy. Leo MCs gain attention for their voluminous hair, balanced features, and radiant style. The more they shine, the better. These people gain followers when they look the most glamorous and behave unapologetically themselves. Fun to hear them talk while drunk too. Might have to make a few apologies throughout their career but their fans are loyal and would never turn their back on them lol. “They could never make me hate you ahhh😝”. Leo MCs live by the saying “only god could cancel me”, the feline that got 9 lives. Haters would even miss them if they died.

Bretman Rock’s viral contour video that’s … dare I say chaotic.

(Ex: Justine Skye, Bretman Rock, Doja Cat)

Virgo MC:

True natural beauty. These people probably started the “clean girl” trend, they are so effortlessly perfect at everything they do. Top student of their class, successful in their career, etc. You name it. Virgo MCs are admired for their good reputation and clean image (or in another case, when their reputation goes to shit, they can salvage it by being clever and profiting it off themselves. Kim Kardashian became famous for being in a sex tape and ever since then she’s been one of the biggest influencers in the entertainment industry). They gain followers for posting content of their everyday routine, cleaning habits, and comfortable but stylish wardrobe. These people lose attention when they are looking messy and dirty. Sometimes engaging in reckless behavior and not always being the “perfect” girl people perceive them as can gain attention - good or bad. These people may have a harder time keeping up with the standards people enforce onto them and often face criticism more than others which could impact their mental as well as physical health.

(Ex: Yara Shahidi, Hailey Baldwin Bieber, Maya Jama)

Libra MC:

The ultimate beauty gurus omg! These are the best people to receive beauty tips from. Unfortunately, people could never look as pretty as them but they could at least learn tips that would help them enhance their appearance with makeup, skincare, etc. Libra MCs are the embodiment of beauty and style, they make the perfect influencers and a lot of them are very popular on social media. They know how to balance humor while being serious when giving advice, giving off big sister/brother vibes. The beauty standards they present could be unattainable, so they could receive both love and hate from others because they are not able to replicate them. These influencers are the type to set trends such as “#wonyoungism” and what not. Wearing pink, using your artistic skills, and being an advocate for a cause you care about could attract more followers.

Jenna Marbles most famous video is ironically about “how to trick people into thinking you’re good looking”.

(Ex: Jenna Marbles, Kylie Jenner, Michelle Phan)

Scorpio MC:

Sexy spooky gals. Scorpio MCs possess a beauty that is haunting to the mind, they are the bad girls/boys. They are daring by nature and their quirky personalities contrast with their sensual appearance. These placements could be former porn stars or be very popular on onlyfans (*cough cough* Mia Khalifa). They are often involved in scandals, dating rumors, and people view them as dramatic. Indulge in people’s fantasies and feed into others illusions. Emphasize your eyes by doing a smoker eyeliner look, contour your cheeks, and wearing a nude lip is a signature look for the Scorpio MCs. Wearing leather, revealing, or stripper type clothing and having tattoos is part of their grand appeal as well. Entertain your fans by engaging in harmless flirting and venting about your emotions.

Quenlin has been gaining popularity recently for being involved in a dating rumor that her, Billie Ellish, and Odessa are in a throuple after making a video together.

(Ex: Emma Chamberlain, Quenlin Blackwell, India Love)

Sagittarius MC:

The one everyone wishes to find. These people become the most searched in a matter of seconds. Everyone wants to know who they are, what’s their name, and where are they from. Sagittarius MCs could be praised for their “exotic” look or extravagant style. Wear clothing and jewelry from foreign countries, these people have to give off the vibe they just came back from vacation. They are often seen sporting tans and look good in “airport fashion". To gain followers, post content of videos of yourself talking in the car, traveling, going to the airport, being on vacation, driving to your favorite places, and/or speaking in foreign languages. Sagittarius MCs become famous “unintentionally” and they experience a lot of luck and success within their career. Being too stagnant could harm their success.

Cindy Kimberly went viral after Justin Bieber posted her on his instagram asking people who she was.

(Ex: Cindy Kimberly, Khloe Kardashian, Jenna Ortega)

Capricorn MC:

These mfers are always mewing. Patrick Bateman core. These are the business moguls, supermodels, and professional gamers. They are competitive and efficient when it comes to their work. They look great in black and have noticeable tattoos. Similar to Scorpio MCs with having a baddie image but instead of being just “bad”, they give off mafia vibes. The sexy super villain that’s hard to resist and secretly rooting for. People want to know how much money they make and what they did to achieve being rich (“sprinkle sprinkle”). Capricorn MCs are appreciated for their dedication and hard work. People admire them most when they talk about their struggles and how they overcame obstacles to become successful. Although, if they are someone who benefits from nepotism, people could really despise them. Be the unbothered queen/king you’re meant to be and invest in yourself, remember your time and energy is valuable.

Rihanna’s most viral video is of her saying “she could beat me but she could not beat my outfit” during a speech.

(Ex: Vinnie Hacker, Rihanna, Kendall Jenner)

Aquarius MC:

The definition of social media stars. These are the innovators and trend starters. They are the reason influencers are so big now on the internet. Aquarius MCs gain popularity for their unique perspective and usage of technology (cameras, editing content, etc). They could post about tech, talking about interests from their fandom, doing Q&As, and having a close relationship with their fans. People admire how friendly and down to earth they are. Aquarius MCs lose followers when they are cold and distant. These people could wear just about anything but look best in a hoodie, sunglasses, and jeans. They are oh so casual chic.

Madison Beer went viral in her cover of Etta James when she was only 13, she showed gratitude to her fans in the comment section and was praised by Justin Bieber as well.

(Ex: Madison Beer, Jackie Aina, Dixie D’amelio)

Pisces MC:

These people just spawned into existence. They are otherworldly in terms of appearance. Pisces MCs are quite strange when it comes to how they express themselves and people who are often misunderstood find comfort in these public figures. As influencers, their style has spiritual or mystical elements. They look like a fantasy character come to life and their makeup style can be quite bizarre. These people lose followers when they try to fit in and dim their light. They make a positive impact on others when they talk about acceptance and self love. Pisces MCs’ sexuality could be a hot topic as well and they might be very progressive with their views. These people could be psychic and are very intuitive in terms of the future.

Julia Fox’s most popular video is about how her son was born the same day her best friend who died (she also talked about how she came to her in a dream to tell her she was having a boy!)

(Ex: Julia Fox, Addison Rae, James Charles)

[fuji-sen]

the 'evil imposter' just wants to be a baker!

Prologue: The Foodie turned Imposter?!

Part 7: Dawn Winery's Grapevine

[ part 6 ] || [ masterlist ] || [ part 8 ]

divider is made by @/saradika-graphics

"It's best we go now and tell Amber that we didn't find anything." Aether decided, having finished eating, you found yourself walking Paimon and Aether out of the hilichurl camp, your warm friend was dozing off after having their fill of wood and pinecones.

"That would be true." You couldn't help but feel a bit sad having to part with them, though your time in this world was short, it felt forever since you had any decent human conversation. Sure the pyro slime and the hilichurls were very welcoming and accomodating but it was hard to have a clear conversation with them due to a language barrier, and the few people you had met in Mondstadt were either a rumored puppet (Katheryne) or tried to kill you in the end (Jean and Lisa).

Noticing your disappointment, the blond haired boy promised you something that made your smile return "Don't worry, I'm not leaving you permanently. I'll come by once the close is clear but. ."

He eyed the Hilichurl group "I think you shouldn't stay here any longer, the knights might come to take care of this camp before it gets to big. . they may find you."

Your eyes widened slightly, you didn't want the Hilichurls who took you in to get hurt. . "I'll keep that in mind. ."

"Here." His hand glowered brightly as he brought out a bow and a quiver filled with arrows, "This should help you in the long run." he said, he didn't want to leave you, not when you clearly couldn't fight to protect your life, but being with him while Mondstadt had his eyes on him would only risk you getting found out.

"Thank you. ." despite your hesitance you forced yourself to take the weapon. . 'right. . I shouldn't hesitate. They never did, so I shouldn't. Not when my life is on the line.'

When the duo had left in the dead of the night, you turned around, basking once more in the peaceful hilichurl tribe. Most of them were asleep, cuddling with each other for warmth near the weak bonfire that your pyro buddy managed.

The children were latched onto the older ones, the samachurl dozing off while stilling sitting, clutching their staff in their hands. Knowing that the Hilichurls were overprotective of you (for a reason you cannot quite comprehend at the present), you decided you must leave the hilichurl group for both of your own safety's. But not now, you at least wanted to be just a bit selfish.

You sat next to the dozing campfire, hugging your knees close to your chest. 'There's a lot to be done.' you thought, hand wondering to a nearby hilichurl's head, feeling their soft fur or hair, you found your fingers gently coming through the tangles.

Their origins were not unknown to you, and that made it harder for you to stay and leave them. To stay would put them at a risk of the knights attacking them to get through to you, while leaving them would damn them of the punishment placed on to them. You could not stay and defend them when she didn't even have any combat prowess.

Despite being a former culinary arts students, you had experience due to playing Genshin Impact. There was a way to make sure the hilichurl group would not be ill-equipped. Of course helping them get stronger may mean they'd end up hurting innocent civilians but. . they were much better than the people, so you didn't need much more convincing.

Come the next few days you helped in fortifying their walls and making simple watch towers out of wood so their archers would have better leverage. Of course all you did was draw the watchtower and they understood what you were trying to convey to start building it.

The Samachurl was also able to help with communication, but they way that the Sama looked at you meant he was beginning to understand why you had them do these things. You thought the younger hilichurls how to cook and prepare food that weren't just meat but also those with vegetables.

"You need to eat your vegetables okay?" "nye!" a hilichurl huffed, crossing their arms and turning away. "Hey!"

You also accompanied them when they went hunting and foraging, they taught you how to prepare birds and boars to turn into food and meet, while you taught them how to season them and prepare it so the food will last longer.

They helped you learn how to use a bow and in turn the first prey you had caught were given to them. When you realized that they were now able to live more efficiently, you decided to leave that particular night.

You left half of the food and ingredients you had foraged, the rest going into your inventory. As you walked out of the camp, you found yourself turning back only to flinch at the Samachurl who appeared right in front of you.

"Unu. ." the sadness in his voice conveyed that he knew you were about to leave, without planning to return. . at least for a long while.

Swallowing away your nerves, you responded by simply bowing deeply in respect and gratitude "Valo. . for everything."

"a. .ah." the Samachurl coughed, once again he spoke in broken human language. . "p. please, come back, ye unu. . we're your odomu." and he bowed in front of you, much deeper, almost falling to the ground as he regarded with reverence.

You straightened up, feeling a mixture of emotions as you approached him, arms enveloping his much smaller form as you placed a kiss on his forehead. "I will."

🏹⁀➴˚ ✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹

Find yourself alone made you feel solemn and rather lonely, but you resisted the urge to go back. Due to the terrain of Brightcrown mountains, there were so few paths you could take. Since you weren't a skilled rock climber nor did you feel safe swimming at cider lake with its proximity to city of freedom, you decided to take the path that lead south, to the sub area Windwail Highland.

Windwail Highland consisted of Dawn Winery, Wolvendom and Springvale. Your goal was to go to Wolvendom, due to it being home to the wolves, it was a less popular sight in the region. There were few people there, actually you were sure that there would only be one person to worry about, Razor.

Wolvendom held something precious you would need after all, Wolfhook, it was not because you wanted to try cooking with them. . . okay partly it was, but it was mainly for its medicinal properties! Since you couldn't go to the city and get healed by someone like Barbara, you could only rely on homemade remedies and recovery food.

Of course recovery food were for hp in the end, you don't think they'll heal any broken bones you may get along the way. But since you didn't know how to exactly use them, you also had to improvise this entire journey of yours to make sure you live.

You eyed the lake that entered your vision, as your hand placed itself on a waypoint, ignoring it whirl to life you turn to the fork in the path. One leading to the winery, the other leading to Liyue. If Aether hadn't told you why you were being targeted by Mondstadt, you'd have probably escape to Liyue using this path by now but. .

if Mondstadt, the city of freedom itself wanted you dead without any due process, what of Liyue? Liyue, a region steeped in tradition, this creator was respected in the entire continent. . thinking about it, there wasn't really any safe places for you to go to, to seek refuge in.

Even if there were people who would willingly protect you and house you, you'd no doubt feel guilty for putting them in potential harm's way. You massaged the lower half of your face as you decided to continue trekking on, but instead of feeling your skin, you felt a fabric around you. "Ah right" you murmur as you remembered making a half-assed veil to cover the majority of your face. The hilichurl masked had been an option but that would garner more attention to yourself as a human dressed as a hilichurl.

But with the apparel you were wearing you could easily play yourself off as being a nomad from a far of region, possibly the Sumeru Desert, the clothes would be close enough to it and considering there were few or none sumeru visitors in Mondstadt except for Lisa (who has been away from the dendro region for years) then you were safe.

The smell of grapes seemed to linger around the area now, and lo and behold, you could see Dawn Winery with its grapevines in full glory. Curiously you stopped to stare, watching as numerous maids and workmen were hauling the harvest to the house.

"Oh hello there, is there anything we can do for you?" You flinched as you turned to find a maid approach her, one with short light blonde hair and green eyes, her appearance was very familiar to her but the name was definitely on the tip of your tongue.

"U-uh no, sorry I just smelled some grapes." You awkwardly stood, wondering if the maid knew about the wanted 'Imposter' on the loose.

The woman nodded, a smile on her face. "I see, here at Dawn Winery, we grow a lot of varieties of grapes that are used for our wine and some other special ingredients." she added helpfully.

"Is it harvesting season then?" you asked curiously, the woman nodded "yes, for one of our rotations. We are actually hiring some adventurers for some labor. Are you by chance one of those adventurers who saw our request?"

Immediately you shook your head "Ah I'm an adventurer, yes. But I haven't seen this request of yours."

"Ah I see"

Seeing her disappointment you added "however if you still need an extra pair of hands, I can help." you offered and she instantly smiled. "That's great, why don't you follow me and I can explain to you what we need to do!"

You nodded, taking a steady pace as you followed behind the woman who'd you come to realize was Adelinde. All you had to do was harvest the grapes in one section of the winery, then help with the cleaning then the delivery of a wine. "Apparently, the Knights are ordering for abled men to partake in the hunt of a person impersonating out great Creator." Adeline offhandedly mentioned, which explained why most of the people in the area were either maids or much older workers that probably did not meet Jean's standards for participants.

"I see, that must have been a trouble for your business." You nodded along as you grabbed a wooden basket, and started working. You were too far into it to leave anyways, and hopefully they'd pay you a lot for the menial labor. Maybe finally you could escape the nightmare that is minimum wage.

The grapes looked juicy and plump, you were almost tempted on snacking on a few but you didn't want to return Adelinde's kindness with eating their grapes. You could probably make some raisins with the grapes.

"Oh Master Kaeya, what are you doing here?" You flinched at Adelinde who was greeting a boy with dark blue hair. "Hello Adelinde" he greeted respectfully, without a hint of teasing. From the corner of your eye you could see him interact with the maid.

A shaky sigh escaped your lips, hoping the captain would not notice you. "I heard you were short on hands so I thought I'd stop by and assist you."

"Don't tell me you ditched your work." The woman huffed, hands on her hips, but she didn't look too annoyed. "Maybe, maybe not. But it's okay, Diluc is working with the Knights at Jean's behest." He waved her off.

"I see, thank you for your help. . but are you sure? this situation is very important. It is true that there is an imposter like in the prophecy?" Adelinde asked with a hush whisper, but you found that the wind carried their voices to you making it easier for you to eavesdrop.

"Supposedly, but I would not rule out this imposter for simply having a few similar features with her divinity." Kaeya said with a small sigh, the maid skeptically wondered "that is true but. . are they truly going to execute this person on sight. . what if they are actually the creator?"

If Adelinde had a choice, she would rather give it time to truly determine this person's status before deciding to execute them on the spot.

"I would agree. But maybe Diluc could bring reason to Jean."

"Hopefully, Jean has always been fond of Diluc, maybe she'd listen to him."

Oh? did that mean Jean did have feelings for the red haired dark knight? you couldn't help but cover your mouth with your hand, finding the tea to be interesting.

"But you know, I wonder why Jean is acting like this, usually she's so level headed." Adelinde sighed cupping her cheek in dismay, she was quite disappointed with the acting grand master's choice of actions.

"Well you know it is quite a sensitive topic, it seems like she wants to curry favor with the great Creator after being neglected." Kaeya unabashedly exposed Jean's secrets. You blinked in confusion, hands stopping as if frozen from harvesting another grapevine. Jean was neglected by the creator?

'so like mommy issues or God Issues?'

You couldn't help but ponder the implications of what was revealed to you, that meant that the God was still active in some ways but still silent.

Then you remembered something, you had jean, you had pulled for a character you had wanted only to lose 50/50, and because by then she was out of meta you didn't bother using her, only building her to get the few free wishes. .

You nearly dropped your basket as something cold washed over you. . something, something was clearly wrong.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🍾࿔*:･

After harvesting all the ready grapes in the section Adelinde instructed you, you found them ready the grapes into wooden buckets as the other more experienced maids handled the work. "Why don't you take a seat and wait, the others are loading up the wine in the cart." Adelinde offered as you nodded in relief, you found your feet hurting from standing on unpaved paths without any proper protection.

"By the way," you flinched, turning to Adeline who simply smiled at you, unaware of your unease "I never got your name."

"It's [Name]." you said with a slight nod as you then headed to the chairs and tables scattered around the estate. You felt your stomach rumble, finding yourself starving. You should cook something, you wondered if you can borrow the nearby cooking pot. "Why hello there?"

Your eyes widened, turning to meet Kaeya, how long had he been aware of your presence? how long had you been distracted by your hunger to not notice him approaching?

"I've never met you before, you are?"

"[name] just a nomad." you answered with a frown, eyes narrowing at the captain. What was he up to? even though he seemed to not agree with Jean's witch trial, he was still a wildcard.

"Oh? from where?" he took the seat next to you, a smile plastered on his face.

"The desert in Sumeru."

Your answers were short and had a sharp edge, but it did not deter the Cavalry captain who only seemed more and more amused. You wondered whether Aether trusted the man enough to tell him about what he knew of you.

"Oh really? I've never been there before. What's it like?"

"Unbearably hot during the day, cold during the night. There are also a lot of eremites and mercenary." You answered. Could he even confirm or deny your claims? sure he had connections, but did it reach towards Sumeru who was quite far?

His fingers tapped the wooden table that separated the two of you, "I've never been to Sumeru before, could you tell me more about it?" he asked, putting on his charismatic tone. "What do you care for then?" you gritted out.

"How about the cuisine?"

Your eyes widened slightly, and you found yourself going into a long rant about the food in Sumeru. Although you could never truly describe it's by its taste, having never eaten it. You vividly remember its description.

"The pita pockets are very tasty and filling, I made it once (recreated) and it was delicious. You can change the fillings, I tried one with a filling similar to what I usually use in Quesadillas. But you can change it to have some lettuce or tomatoes and pork. But if you want a dish you can try the Tandoori Roast Chicken, it's similar to the Sweet Madame but instead of being sweet it's more savory with spices." You continued on ranting as Kaeya blinked, he was not expecting this.

He wasn't able to cut in for awhile as you passionately talked about the food from Sumeru, sometimes you complained about the ingredients, other times you gushed about how delicious it was when you cooked it or how disappointed you were when you hadn't.

"Personally I always wanted to try their Shawarma wraps, but I haven't had the chance to recreate it as well as the Rose custard. I love pudding, what about you?"

"oh uh" he blinked again, not expecting you to stop as you, again, were rather passionate. Realizing it as well, you reeled back, cheeks and ears taking on a rosy hue as you apologized, definitely embarrassed for chatting his ears off.

"It's alright" he found himself chuckling, for some reason, when you had your guard down and began talking with such passion, he found himself relaxing, warming up to your more genuine side.

"Personally I'd prefer a good meal that could be paired with some wine." He commented, he propped his arm up by placing his elbow on the table, as he leaned his cheek on his palm. "Since you came from Sumeru, have you tried any Mondstadt dishes?"

You shook your head, you didn't have a chance to because of Jean and Lisa, you bitterly thought. "How about I treat you?" he offered and suddenly the sound of your stomach pitifully grumbling was heard, you wanted to die as he said with an amused smile "I'll take that as a yes then."

Rather than actually buying you food, he took it upon himself to cook you something. The blue haired knight had borrowed the kitchen in the Ragnvindr estate. You sat patiently on a stool as you watched him worked, wondering if he was always this easy going with people? To cook for someone, well to you that was rather intimate after all.

You smelled the scent of fruit, and quickly you realized he was making his signature dish. If cooking for someone you just met wasn't intimate, then cooking your signature dish for someone you weren't even close to was definitely intimate.

"Here you go, a plate of my famous Fruity Skewers." he said after a few moments, presenting you with a plate with his signature dishes. It looked more appetizing than the base recipe which was the chicken-mushroom skewers, you could see the slices of cucumber and onions paired with the chicken and mushrooms which had a shiny coat to it, probably from the wine he used to marinate. With a hum you took a skewer and bit into it.

Kaeya watched with slight interest at how your eyes sparkled from the dish, you licked your lips after finishing a skewer and when you turned to him, any apprehension you had towards him was gone. "This is delicious!"

When you had recreated his signature dish back at home, you clearly didn't do any justice for his signature dish. Perhaps it was the wine, no, it was definitely the wine you had used that failed to capture it's essense.

"I'm glad you liked it. You are. . quite enamored with food huh?"

You weren't offended by his remarks, instead you proudly sat straighter, as you jabbed your thumb towards yourself "That's right. I'm a foodie."

"A foodie?" he repeated, a certain shift in his tone that you hadn't noticed.

"That's right," you smiled "a foodie is basically a person who is very interested in food!"

"That seems like an understatement, when I take you for an example." At his words you blushed, chuckling as you remembered how you rant off moments ago, on just the sumeru dishes alone.

The two of you began eating in the kitchens, you were sure Adelinde had pop by once but immediately closed the door but you weren't too sure. Kaeya wasn't bothered, taking the time to savor the meal as you decided to return the favor by making some desert.

I use he/they pronouns for the slime, they/them for hilichurls but some I used he/him. The samachurl is he/they. Since I'm writing a female reader, i usually use her, but it's mostly 'you'.

I'm sorry you had to leave them, it's for the story's progression.

oh and this story is going to be definitely lighthearted with a few pinches of angst, how you treat characters when you were playing the game will definitely affect their standing on you. Well at least in Jean's case.

Current compiled suggestions to name the pyro slime <3

Fuji_Sen has suggested! Lava Cake or "Java" based on the food / coffee" Fuji_Sen has suggested! Monsieur Creme Brulee or "Creme" based on the food. @Fantasyhopperhea has suggested! Soleil or "Sol" @Cactus4226 has suggested! Ruru (Py-ro, ro -> ru -> ruru) @bunniotomia has suggested! Helios or "Hel" @airyravenmaid has suggested! Cinnamon or "Cinna"

taglist:

@fantasyhopperhea @rhoswen-drake @cchiiwinkle @aman3kkun @coffee-or-hot-cocoa @bunniotomia @esthelily

@earth-to-name @fandomfan-102 @kh1ffy @jiyeons-closet @dragontammerz / @mercy-not-merci @aryuunachigiri @randomnatics @alexx197197 @keirennyx @vianitry @game-savvy @laviniadraws

If you are not tagged successfully that means tumblr thinks you are a bot (because you don't have posts, or much interaction), you have been shadowbanned, or your visibility is set to prevent you from being tagged.

check here for more info.

I recommend checking your visibility or post and reblog a couple of times to fix the issue, if you don't know if you're shadowbanned check if you have the message function, if not you probably are.

also I repeat, if this chapter is old (meaning there is a more latest one) please request to be add in the taglist there, it's much easier for me to filter the newer requests from the old ones, :'D

[pjflmga]

chicago, alessia russo x reader

summary: story based on the song chicago by louis tomlinson. angst and no happy ending. stream chicago it’s banger🔥

a/n: english is not my first language and i’m dead tired + wrote it in the middle of the night, so sorry if the grammar and stuff is shit at times🥲 also it’s like my first fic writte so yea:o ig if you have an idea of a story or smth send them in :)

wc: 1,8k ish

enjoyy

——————————————————

alessia was sitting on the coach of her apartment in north london, as she scrolled through instagram… or stalking through your instagram to be precise. your last post being a picture of your now 18 month(🥲) old baby.

“my baby girl olivia is now 18 months old🥹❤️” the caption said.

a tear formed in her eye as she thought of the name. the name that her and you had come up with together, at the age of 13. the name she thought you would name you little baby together. the name that you now used for your own baby, without her.

————

alessia and you had been close friends since middle school, when you both were 9.

it had been a normal school day where alessia sat daydreaming about going professional in the thing she loved the most, football, when the blondes friend lisa came running towards her.

“lessi!!! giorgio and peter are at it again.” she said while breathing out.

“huh?” the young girl answered as her head jerked up.

“they got into some argument and it’s getting heated.” lisa answered as the two began running towards the fight. “i think you can talk him out of it.” she continued.

“GIORGIO!” she yelled.

“PETER!” someone else yelled at the same time.

alessia saw how her brother and the other boy looked towards her and the other voice quickly. at that time teachers had arrived as well and told the boys off. so instead of parenting her older brother, the blonde looked over to the other voice and caught your eyes, as you were looking at her with curiosity.

“wow” she thought to yourself “she has the coolest outfit ever” so like the 9- year old she was, she walked over to you and introduced herself. “hello, my name is alessia, but my friends call me less or lessi and i think your outfit is so cooll!“ she said.

“hi alessia, i’m y/n, my freinds call me y/n/n. ” you answered excitedly. “thank you, your eyes are so, so pretty.” you continued, entirely mesmerised by her blue eyes. “oh and that potato head over there, is my brother peter.”

“the boy who fought with your brother is my big brother gio. he usually is the best, we play football together all the time!” alessia laughed.

“no way? i love football too!” you screamed excitedly. “would you like to play with me sometime?”

and just like that a wonderful friendship blossomed out between alessia and you. years passed and the bond the blonde shared with you, only grew stronger. as the two of you turned 16 she realised she might be feeling something else than normal friendship for you. little did she know, you felt the same about her.

as the weeks past the two of you became a bit more and more bold and flirtier, and then all of a sudden you started dating. both of your families loved the other girl. even your big brothers had become friendly and only bantered up a little now and then, but more as a joke of course.

after a few months, on alessia’s 17th birthday, you officially asked the blonde to be your girlfriend. she answered more than happily with a “yes!”. the other present from you might have been even better though. it was your black nike hoodie, that smelled just like you.

both alessia and you loved football, but it was clear as a day who was actually going for it and who wasn’t, and had it more like a side hobby.

alessia was thriving and was currently playing for chelsea’s academy team as well as playing for england’s youth team. you were more than happy for her and watched as she smashed in goal after goal week in and week out.

alessia was so proud of you who were doing quite good as well, playing for the local team in kent. ruling the midfield and scoring some nice goals yourself. of course, when she didn’t have training or her own games, she was there to watch.

everything between the two of you was just perfect, you went to school, played football and had each other. and that weekly routine worked perfectly well for you.

but as they say, all good comes to an end.

the blonde striker and you had only one month left of school before graduating and you were buzzing. you had told your girlfriend that you weren’t too sure of what to do now. sure, you had applied for some courses at a university in london. but other than that your plan was to chill a bit, playing some football and so on. it was no real rush anyways.

alessia on the other hand, had big plans coming up. the striker had applied for different collages in the usa to be able to play football on a higher level, as well as studying. but these great plans of hers weren’t anything you were aware of.

so graduation came, you were celebrating with your friends from school, as well as had a graduation party with each other that your families had planned. everything was just perfect. a few days later alessia had to leave for camp, and that’s when she thought it was time to break the news to you.

“uh, y/n…” she started as she felt a big lump in her throat. “i uh- i, i have a applied for some collages in the usa for the upcoming years. and i uh, i got accepted for unc in north carolina.” she stuttered out nervously.

“oh.” was all you got out, as she saw tears threatening behind your eyes. “less that is great for you.” you forced out with a weak smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes.

“i’m so sorry i didn’t tell you sooner, i really am.” the blonde whispered out. “but i just, i just didn’t know how to tell you and then time passed and you kn-“

“i get it alessia.” you said bluntly. alessia frowned a bit at the usage of her full name, instead of one of a nickname she knew you had, on your never ending list.

“but i thought we could make it work anyways. i’d come back when i have breaks, and maybe you could do the same and we call and text each other all the time. i mean we can do that yeah?” she started to ramble.

“i… i have to go.” you said and left, slamming the door in her face a little too hard. with the sound of your steps leaving, alessia broke down on the floor and cried. this was not the way she had thought it’d be.

sad and slow alessia went to camp, as she put on a smile on her face. this time it didn’t quite reach her eyes though. when game day came around, the lionesses were playing in london. the blonde excitedly looked towards the small crowd to see if you were there, like you had planned. but to her disappointment, you weren’t. she saw her mom looking at her with sad smile, confirming what she feared.

after camp, alessia went straight to your house, only to be met by your mom, who didn’t look oh- so happy.

“please let me talk to her, i need to speak to y/n.” the blonde pleaded.

“alessia, she is broken, she doesn’t want to see you right now.” your mom answered with a stern face. “and you know why.” she added quickly.

of course alessia knew all this was her fault, but she also knew this was something she had to do for her career. so when august came around, she packed all her stuff and flew to her new home for the upcoming years.

the two of you hadn’t spoken since before her england camp, despite her texting and calling everyday, with no success of reaching you. as the blonde forward landed in north carolina, she sent yet another text message “i’m in the usa now. i miss you y/n, please call me<3 i know we can work this out”. to her big surprise you this time gave her a short reply “i miss you too, good luck with everything.”

maybe, just maybe this bitter end of yours, would turn around? maybe that could be the case for you two.

—————

the years past and alessia was now in back in england, more specifically in the red side of manchester. she had also gotten her first call up to national team. her time at collage had been an absolute blast, but not one day went without her thinking of you.

thanks to social media, she knew you lived in central london now. she knew you studied at queen mary university to become a journalist, a dream you had had as you grew older. and she knew you had a new life, that didn’t include her.

the years flew by and right out of nowhere alessia was the front face for the lionesses having won the euros, gotten a silver medal in the world cup and was now settled in north london. but still, not a day went by without her thinking of you. not a day went by without her wishing she could tell you about all her adventures and experiences she’d gotten the past years. not a day went by without her wishing to have you in her life. she wondered if you kept up with her life, what you would’ve said and if you were proud of her.

it had been a tough game for arsenal against their blue london rivals, chelsea. the blues had beaten the gooners with a comfortable 3-1 win at stamford bridge. despite the loss, she bid her thank yous to the fans, as well as signing some autographs and taking some photos. just as she was about to walk away into the dressing rooms, she spotted a face she would recognise anywhere. was it you? it couldn’t be? she blinked, and just like that you were gone.

as the striker got home she burst down in tears, putting on the hoodie you once gave her, thinking back to all the times you had been there and comforted her. especially after a loss. you always knew what to say and what to do, to make her feel better.

alessia replayed the day she told you about her heading off to collage over and over again, and thought once again, what she could’ve done differently. so the arsenal player grabbed her phone and typed in your contact, because of course she still had it saved with a red heart next to your name. but she quickly came to her senses and closed her phone. she couldn’t be that selfish.

she knew you were happy and had a baby. she knew that her name was olivia, just like the two of you had planned. what alessia didn’t know was whether after all these years, you had forgiven her or not. because believe her or not, even if it didn’t work out, the years you had together ever since you were 9 years old were the most meaningful and important to her.

but, maybe it wasn’t meant to be.

[laguezze]

PAC: A letter you're meant to receive

I'm baaaaack~ (kinda) (pretty casually, life's been tough)

As always here are the rules:

Minors DNI

Don't take everything to heart, this is a general reading! Take what resonates!

It's honest, I don't sugarcoat. If you're not liking what you read, keep scrolling! It may not be for you or you may not be ready for that message yet!

Let's take a look at the piles!!!

Pile 1

Pile 2

Pile 3

Let's go!

Pile 1

Signs this may be for you: unicorn, South Korea , the letter S, Squirrels, Love, Skydiving, birthday, anniversary, 12, 6, 16, 2006, 2001, 2026, 1970s, Billie Eilish, John Lennon, glasses.

Dear ____,

How could you think I'm not proud of you? How could you think that minor thing you did would erase all the love I feel for you? It doesn't. I don't think anything can at this point. You're human, you're allowed to make mistakes. And while I do still think you need help, you're still doing your best, even though you don't feel like it. You're trying and I see that. You're wonderful and magical and although your light is dimmed at the moment, I know there's a bright sun under that blanket of darkness you're currently holding over your head. Everything will be ok. Have you ever not gotten a resolution to your conflict? Trust me. You're going to be fine. Let yourself be, enjoy the people around you, breathe. Treat your life like you treat your dreams. Be as excited as you can. You're alive! And while you are not responsible for this darkness that has been placed upon you, you are the only one that can take it off. I understand it's difficult, but you can do it. You're tired of fighting, but you're not just anyone. You're a legend. Legends don't have it easy. Go get them.

Pile 2

Signs this may be for you: Harry Styles, Fashion school, blood drives, nurse, 😜, smoke, laughter, blonde, blue eyes, "that boy is mine", 0%, Rihanna, water, rain, Hawaii, Jumping, Rave, Cindy, the letter C, N, and A. Numbers 5, 8, and 30, AMANDA.

Hello, it's been a while.

How are you?

This is awkward, you probably didn't expect to hear from me. I have been okay, I honestly can't stop thinking about us and how it ended. It pains me to think that you left with the impression that I didn't care. I do. I did. I just want to let you know that in another life, maybe we should try again. I don't have much to say, I'm not sure why I feel so compelled to tell you this. It's so basic. I'm being channeled right now (ok aware) and it's weird because it shouldn't be this deep but I really wanted to come through and say sorry. And say that I know you miss me and I do too. And one day we will reunite and we might be able to show our love then. Sorry it ended that way. Sorry that was the last you knew of me. I think of you each day, I dream of you each night.

Pile 3

Signs this may be for you: YES GIRL, happy, cheerful, spaghetti, squash, "I'm allergic", ibuprofen, love is in the air, matchmaker, fruits, VSCO, musically, Harmony, dating apps, Jenna, Lisa, "I stan", Twitter account, laughs, pigs, 25, 23, 2022, 2001, 2000, Beyonce.

Wow, am I impressed with you,

Not only are you grown and beautiful, you're also such a good person. I'm immensely proud of you. You're doing exactly what you need to, you're living life to the fullest and I am here for it. Remember our trips to the beach? I miss you. You should call more often. I love that you're meeting new people and having fun but sometimes I need to see you and hear from you. Please call me from time to time. I know I may seem clingy, but I just miss your presence. I also don't know when I'll actually see you next, you've become so unexpected and exciting. I love you, that's why I need to hear from you. Tell me everything, I'll listen. I'm here for you and I want what's best. Come back from time to time. Please. That's the only thing I ask of you at this time. I can't say this to you normally, you'd get uncomfortable. But please listen and take this opportunity. Let's talk more often! I wanna be part of your life again! 🥰

Hope it resonates! 💕

[kots-kots]

you know what?

(tends your battle)

MOSTLY JUST JOSEPH AND HIS BLONDS!!! some ideas and stuff maybe…

joseph… our favorite himbo

i like to think he looks a lot like his mom in the sense that he’s stupid pretty and has obnoxiously luscious lashes

i also like giving him freckles although it’s barely visible in the picture

Caesar and Suzi!!! me personally thinks Lisa Lisa took them under her wing and raised them when they were down on their luck, making the two act very similar to siblings

they probably gossip together n all that like “yooo isn’t Jojo kinda…”

also Joseph is the baby of the group at his big age of 18 while Caesar and Suzi are 19-20ish 😭 which I think is really funny like what the fuck were they feeding the joestars to make such giants

Which makes it even funnier cuz Joseph is used to being a literal unit of a guy in any situation until Wamuu shows up and suddenly joseph feels like a chihuahua

[pillow-anime-talk]

jjba month ; fourth day.

synopsis: Giorno and Bruno had no idea that Abbacchio had a younger, quite adorable, little sister.

# tags: scenario; strangers to friends; light drama; kinda comedy; gang!au; drug, death and blood mention; rather sfw

includes: female reader ft. giorno giovanna and bruno bucciarati (ft. rest of the gang in the background) {jjba 5}

author’s note: big bro abbacchio :(((

“… I don’t think this is a good idea, Leone.” You said once more as your brother grabbed the metal handle of the dark door. He just laughed softly under his breath and then turned to you.

“Y/N, I know that my job and my friends aren’t the nicest things in the world, but I promise you that everything will be fine. And if any of them make you feel bad or make fun of you, I’ll just kill him ro them all.” He replied in a serious tone, although you could feel a hint of amusement and joking about the situation in his voice. Of course, you were sure that your older brother would help you if necessary, but uncertainty and fear of your potential being pushed into the background still grew in your heart. And if that happened, you wouldn’t have anywhere to go and nothing to do with yourself; your parents had long since disappeared from your lives, you were doomed to the help of your older brother, he was the only one left in your life.

You responded with a nod, and then entered the small building after your brother. The house, the main and current residence of several men, was small but spacious and had the most necessary things: a bathroom, a few beds and blankets, a kitchen with a coffee machine and a few electronic devices such as laptops, walkie-talkies and GPS transmitters. The most important place seemed to be a table with a few cigarettes and guns on it, around which stood two couches and a few armchairs – that’s where the five men were sitting.

“… Abbacchio, where have you been. We have some things to discuss.” Said one of the men with blond hair. “Where have you been all this t… Oh.”

“This is my younger sister, Y/N. She’ll be staying with us for a while. Maybe longer, if she doesn’t find a job and a room to rent.” Without much trouble, he said to his friends, and then sat down on the couch next to what you thought was the youngest of them all. “Be nice to her, especially you, Fugo.”

“… Abbacchio, I don’t think it’s safe.” One of the men, whose hair was covered with a cap, whispered. “There are too many criminals, smugglers and drug addicts passing by. Something could happen to her.”

“Mista, I don’t think it’ll put her off. She’s more afraid of you not liking her than of blood being spilled during our missions. Besides, I taught her how to use weapons, she once did an internship in my police unit. She also has an extraordinary stand... It will be useful to us during the missions.”

You watched the conversation of the handful of men attentively, and your eyes crossed with the leader of the group and the blond-haired man, who seemed to be slightly worried about the whole situation, more than once. So you forced a light, somewhat charming smile towards both strangers.

At that moment, you could have sworn that the black-haired man choked on air slightly, and the other blushed hard on his cheeks and nose, which seemed funny to you, considering their professions and their earlier, very serious and distrustful expressions towards you.

Well... Maybe working with your older brother’s friends won’t be as scary as you thought at first? Also this whole situation will result in… something interesting.

previous day ; jolyne cujoh, ermes costello & foo fighters ♡ next day ; lisa lisa

[whatsnewalycat]

Passenger / Chapter 7

Pairing: Trucker!Din Djarin AU x OFC Charlie Wanderlust

Wyoming (Part Four)

[ Previous Chapter ][ Series Masterlist ]

Chapter Summary: Our heroes fuck around and find out.

Rating: Explicit (18+ only)

Word Count: 4.1k+

Content / Warnings: smuuuuuuuuut, dirty talk, inner conflict, outer conflict, jealousy, dog grogu, the mandalorian au, fascist propaganda, not beta read

Notes: Ayooo! This “day” is gonna be split into 2-3 parts, which will conclude the story arc for Wyoming, then I’m taking a small pause from writing this to finish another ongoing series (Designated Person). This series is going to be ginormous in terms of longevity (I have at least 20 more chapters plotted out and fully intend on completing them) so pls don’t worry, I am not abandoning them. Also I switched the POV from 2nd to 3rd person and will be updating the backlog of chapters to this POV.

—

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP—

Din feels around blindly for the alarm clock and presses the big SNOOZE button, releasing a sigh into the sudden silence. 

Someone else’s body heat sticks to the edge of him. He shifts onto his side and tugs at the warmth, huddling closer. It mumbles something into his chest, but trails off, weight going slack against him. 

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP—

Din unravels to turn off the alarm clock, then rolls back over, letting his arm fall loose over the lump beside him. The warmth wiggles closer with a groggy hum. 

Prying open heavy lids, he blinks until his eyes start to adjust to the dark motel room. His surroundings come into focus gradually. Stiff sheets and body heat and a nest of blonde hair. 

He draws back to look at her face, studying her peaceful dozing features. The curve of her lips and the dip of her Cupid’s bow. From this distance, he can map out all the tiny freckled constellations smattered across her face. 

He syncs his breath to her quiet snores and absorbs the steady rhythm of her pulse. 

Just for a few more seconds, or a minute. 

It might be the only time he gets to see her in this way, so defenseless in such close proximity. Mona Lisa without the protective glass, she is precious and vulnerable. 

If that much is true, who is he? The thief sent to rip her from her frame? The night guard posted to protect her? Or both, or neither, or does it even matter? Because here she is, a real life enigma, and all he can manage to be is the awestruck witness who stumbled upon her. 

She starts to stir, burrowing into the crook of his neck. He should wake her up. Separate himself, at least. 

It feels wrong to hold her this way. 

It is wrong to hold her this way. 

‘Unprofessional,’ he reminds himself, as if that were the only reason and not just one of many. 

She stirs again.

This time, a yawn expands her rib cage and puffs hot down his collar. He pretends to sleep, closing his eyes as her lashes flutter against his thudding pulse. 

Shit. 

He braces for impact. Waits for her to come to her senses. To shove him away or pull back. 

But she doesn’t. 

Instead, she nuzzles closer and yawns again. On the exhale, she relaxes into him. 

Her weight and warmth melt through him, unclenching muscles he never knew he had. She curls and uncurls her fingers against his chest, a gentle affection that flickers up his spine. Her touch wanders to the elbow draped over her waist. It slowly roams up his arm, lulling him into a trance-like state as she skates along his bicep, then his tricep, rounding his shoulder to trace his collarbone.

When her fingertips graze his neck, heat swells at the very center of him and spills over the edges, reverberating through his body. A groan scrapes his vocal cords and his cock throbs against her belly. 

Traitor. 

Before panic can call him to action, Charlie arches towards him and releases this sweet, quiet gasp that empties his mind of reason. 

He tightens his arm around her waist and rocks his hips, blood burning when she pushes back. 

Rolling onto his back, he pulls her on top and they both moan at the weight of their hips settling together. She wastes no time working herself against him, huffing and whining in his open mouth. 

He has enough sense not to kiss her, but not enough to keep his uncuffed hand from slipping beneath her shirt to explore her soft, warm skin. 

“Oh fuuuck,“ she moans, body tensing as she speeds to a frantic pace. 

His eyes roll back at the violent rush of stimulation. He finds the small of her back and pins her hips to his so all she can do is wriggle and whine with frustration. 

“Slower,” he pants, grinding the damp fabric between their bodies, “Feel that? Just like that.”He softens his grip to guide her, nodding when she matches his indulgent momentum, “There you go. Fuck, that’s perfect.”

“So fucking good, holy shit—”

Sucking in air through gritted teeth, he starts to gather her hair in his fist. Her hand follows on its short leash, clinging to his handcuffed wrist as he pulls her hair taut. She moans and melts against him, but her hips never miss a beat. 

“Such a good girl for me,” he murmurs, spurring her faster when she chokes out a guttural noise. 

Every time she slides up and down his swollen cock, a hunger inside him deepens. 

He wants to feel the heat of her in every conceivable way, to explore the aching need simmering between them. He wants to strip her bare and count her freckles and fuck her senseless. He feels her panting breath on his and desperately wants to kiss her. How pathetic. He wants and wants and wants, and yet, he knows there’s no time for all of that. 

Not with the way she starts to sputter and shake, heating his blood with second-circle hellfire. When he tightens his grip to wield her body against his, assuming control, she doesn’t resist in the slightest. 

“Din—fuck, it feels sofuckinggood, don’t stop. Don’t stop—oh my god don’t stop don’t stop—”

“Are you gonna come for me like a good girl?” 

She whines and digs her nails into his wrist, nodding frantically, “Yes yes yes yes yes—”

All her muscles go tense and gasping steals her breath. It returns to her a moment later with a choked sob and shaking limbs while his heartbeat pounds through his body, thick and hot, growing louder and louder until it consumes him completely. 

He groans, hips stuttering against her as the warmth of ecstasy washes over him. 

They go slack-limbed in the moments that follow, liquefying into a throbbing, panting puddle on the mattress. 

It’s what heaven must feel like, he thinks. Blissed out and serene, the weight of her ironing out every adversity he’d ever faced into a single flat line leading to this. Leading to her. 

The saccharine thought sours on his tongue.

What the fuck am I doing? 

—

What the fuck am I doing? 

Charlie pokes at her half-eaten cheese omelette a few times before wrinkling her nose and pushing the plate aside.

As she folds her legs up in the squeaky wooden booth, she allows herself to glance across the table at Din, whose aviators are fixed on her. She doesn’t know that he’s looking at her but she does all the same. No proof except whatever gnaws at her stomach lining. 

“Just like that… There you go. Fuck, that’s perfect.”

Heat rises to her face. 

Averting her gaze, she searches for words to start idle chit chat, but comes up blank. Her mind keeps wandering back to the ghost of his touch. 

“Are you gonna come for me like a good girl?”

She squirms a little, then buys herself some time by taking a slow sip of lukewarm, watered-down coffee. 

This silence isn’t normal. 

She needs to act normal. 

Make conversation. Just don’t mention what happened, because it couldn’t have happened. There’s no way she would allow… that. This.  

No. Not a chance. It didn’t happen. 

It was a dream, that’s all. 

A really really hot dream. 

Drawing a deep breath, she tries on this new version of truth and finds enough comfort to let her shoulders fall away from her ears.

RULE #5: Live in the now. 

Onward and upward. 

Today I will paint the sign and play a show and take every moment as it comes. 

She digs the notebook from her rucksack and pulls the pen from its spine. Flipping to a blank page, she finally breaks the silence. 

“How big would you say the Giddyup sign is, ten by five?” 

Din takes a sip of coffee, then shrugs, “Ten by eight.” 

“Ten by eight?” She frowns, visualizing both ratios on the paper, and concedes, “Ok, yeah. That seems about right. Thanks.” 

Using her thumb as a benchmark, she sections off the page in a rough 5:4 grid. While outlining her design, she watches Din at the edge of her vision, who scans the cafe between sips of coffee. 

“So after this, we pickup clothes from the laundromat, pick up the pup, and head over to Paul’s?” 

“Yes.” 

“My first set starts at eight. Figure I can get most of this done by… pfff, I dunno, five? Maybe six, depending. I’ll have to make myself presentable, eat something, then we can head over to Outlaw.” 

He doesn’t respond. 

“Got any song requests for me?” 

She looks up at his silence and finds his aviators fixed on something across the room. Right in his crosshairs, the waitress jots down a bald man’s order. 

Of course he’s enamored with the waitress. Why wouldn’t he be? 

She has a kind, gentle way about her. She’s delicate and ladylike. She has long, shiny hair and a contagious smile. She probably showers every day. She probably reads the Bible and young adult novels between assigned texts for her nursing school program. She probably has childhood friends and a five-year plan and regular communication with her family. 

Most people are into that sort of thing. 

So sure, it makes sense that he perks up like a dog earning table scraps every time she stops by their table. 

RULE #9: Do not get attached. 

It doesn’t matter that he likes the waitress. Not in the big scheme of things, anyway. She should utilize his tongue-wagging, not detest it. 

The logic is sound, but the feeling inside her doesn’t change. 

Cloying and desperate. 

So fucking stupid. 

If she were traveling with him under her own volition, she would’ve parted ways with him before this had a chance to germinate. 

Yesterday, probably. 

This morning at the latest. 

Right after she woke to find her body curled up against him, his arm draped over her side. His skin felt so warm and good on hers. Comfortable. 

I should have killed him when I had the chance. 

Din shifts. 

She looks up from her gridlocked mountain range in time to see him pull his shoulders back and puff his chest out. 

Predictably, the waitress approaches their table and begins picking dirty dishes off the table, “Can I get y’all anything else?” 

“Just the check is fine,” Din answers. 

“Excellent.” She props the stack of plates on her hip so she can pull the bill from her apron. Placing it face down on the table, she smiles at him, “No rush, just whenever you’re ready.” 

“Thank you,” he nods. 

Charlie gives her a polite smile when she departs, then watches Din’s attention follow.

Red flares through her, a bull in a china shop. 

Fuck. This. 

She flips her notebook closed and tosses it in her rucksack, “You should invite her to the show.” 

His focus snaps back to her. “Why would I do that?” 

“I dunno,” she shrugs, taking out her wallet to evaluate its contents, “Seems like you’re sweet on her. Might as well give it a shot.” 

He draws back and frowns, studying her too close for comfort. 

She grabs the check, doing some quick math before teasing, “Wow, you’re a cheap date.”

“What are you doing?”

“Buying breakfast.“

“There’s no need—”

Waving him off, she wriggles out of the booth and swings her bag over her shoulder as she starts towards the cash register. 

He catches up with enough time to hiss in her ear, “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“All set?” The waitress smiles between them. 

“All set.” Charlie hands her a stack of fives under the check, “The change is for you.”

“Oh, well thank you. I appreciate it,” she punches the total into the register.

“Yeah, of course. It was delicious. And the service was excellent, obviously. But, umm… Hey, you know, if you’re not busy tonight, I’m playing a few sets at Outlaw. You should come.” 

Din’s glare burns a hole in the back of her head, lending her a sick sense of satisfaction. 

The waitress blinks up at her, eyebrows jumping a little, “Oh, are you guys in a band?” 

“No, just me and my guitar. He’s security,” she jerks her thumb over her shoulder at Din, but doesn’t dare turn around. “Anyway, no pressure or anything if you have plans already. But if you don’t, it’ll be a good time.” She leans in closer and drops her volume, “Between you and me, I think he would like it if you came.” 

The waitress chuckles a little, glancing at Din before tucking a wave of hair behind her ear, “I have to check to make sure I don’t have plans, but… Yeah, maybe.” 

“Perfect! Oh—My name is Charlie, by the way,” she nods over her shoulder, “The big guy is Din.” 

“I’m Marla.” 

“Marla,” Charlie repeats, trying to regulate her manufactured enthusiasm, “We’ll see you later, then, yeah?” 

A coy smile spreads across Marla’s face, eyes flicking to Din before she nods, “I’ll see what I can do.” 

—

In the swollen silence of the laundromat, Charlie plucks a freshly-toasted shirt off the clean clothes pile, glancing at Din’s sharp movements beside her as he does the same. 

She swallows the frantic buzzing in her chest that urges her to smooth the tension. 

It was the right thing to do. There needs to be enough distance between them for her to find the escape hatch. 

Discomfort is temporary. This discomfort is necessary. 

She cannot let it get to her. 

RULE #3: Keep your wits—

Din chucks a balled-up shirt back into the pile and spits, “Are you taking this seriously?” 

“The laundry?”

“I told you we need to keep a low profile.” He He faces her, all rigid and puffed up, “First it was the show, then the sign, now you’re trying to get us in with the locals—”

“Yeah, you’re welcome, by the way. I got you a deal with Paul and a date with Marla, plus I’ll get spending cash—”

“We shouldn’t even be in public, let alone keeping a social calendar. You don’t understand how dangerous it is for us to be visible.” 

“Do you really think Marla from The Pantry Cafe is going to ping my location to all your buddies?” She scoffs, trading her folded shirt for her crumpled up pair of jeans. “I highly doubt anyone here gives a shit about me.” 

“That’s not—” He sighs, propping a hand on his hip, “If someone from the guild picks up your trail, they will come for you.” 

She rolls her eyes and tucks the folded jeans in her knapsack, muttering, “What then, you won’t get your finder’s fee?” 

“It’s not about that, it’s about your safety.” 

A voice at the back of her head reminds her she’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar. 

She almost listens to it, too. Until Din opens his trap to drive his point home further.  

“I know what these people are capable of—”

“Kidnapping and murder, I assume.” 

“There are worse things.”

She turns to him and blinks, “Scare tactics, Din? Really?”

“Not a scare tactic. A reality check.” 

“Oh my fucking—”

“You’re being reckless and you know it.” He squares his shoulders, jabbing her chest as he grinds out, “Tighten. Up.” 

Swatting his hand away, she scowls up at her reflection in his aviators. Her fingers twitch with the impulse to rip them off and stomp them to pieces. 

“You know what? Fuck you.” Searching his face, she envisions barbed wire and life sentences. She hardens to stone and doesn’t dare fucking flinch as she speaks. 

“You keep acting like you’re doing me some big favor because you’re not an absolute fucking ghoul to me. You fucking stand there and say it’s about my safety like you’re protecting me or something, but you’re not. You are protecting an investment. Din. The dollar sign attached to my head. You said it yourself, I am nothing to you but a payload.” 

A bitter laugh escapes her, resentment bubbling up from an old crack in her heart, “You don’t give a shit about my well-being. My fucking safety? Fuck off. You’re delivering me to the same fucking slaughterhouse they would.” 

Every visible sign of anger sloughs off him like dead weight, leaving him with this raw, deflated expression that undermines her certainty. 

As she stares at him, bracing for a response, her own self-righteous fury withers up and dies in her chest. It turns to a plea. 

Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me it’s not about the money. 

Taking a step back, he turns and starts shoveling clothes into his backpack. “Let’s go. We’re already behind schedule.” 

It shouldn’t feel like a punch in the gut, but it does. 

She nods solemnly, then falls back into place helping him clear the folding table. 

—

Din crosses the vacant road from Jackalope Motel to Giddyup Auto, holding Grogu’s leash taut at his side so he can’t wander.

Dawn begins to eat away at the night sky, dusty orange fading to light blue, leaving only a tiny sliver of dark over in the west. Daylight dyes wispy eastern clouds blood red and banishes morning fog, drying up the damp that collected overnight.

Ahead of him, Charlie’s dusty green knapsack sags from her squared shoulders, swaying back and forth like a pendulum with each purposeful stride. She keeps her spine straight and her eyes forward and an invisible yardstick between them, as she has since their spat in the laundromat. 

The distance is necessary, though. For both of them. 

Somewhere along the way, he allowed the line drawn between them to become blurred. He lost all definition. It never should have happened in the first place. 

He should be grateful she had enough sense to pull the trigger this time. 

Grogu perks up and lets out a small, “Boof.” 

Din tears his eyes away from Charlie’s backpack to see Paul emerge from the shop, waving at Charlie, who walks up to greet him. They both look back at Din, then Paul tells her something that makes her snort with laughter. It’s strange, he thinks, how she can flip her demeanor at the drop of the hat. 

As he draws closer to the conversation, his ears attune to her voice.  

“… this is the easy part, honestly. I should be able to finish up before sundown.”

Paul grins, hooking his thumbs in the belt loops of his coveralls, “Seems we’re runnin’ on the same timeline then.”

“Oh. You mean…?” Charlie shuts her mouth and glances at Din when he comes to a stop within their circle of conversation. 

“Well, good morning, sunshine,” Paul teases. “I was just telling Miss Charlie here that the rig should be finished up quick, long as I don’t find any surprises.” 

Din frowns, “By tonight?” 

“That’s what it’s lookin’ like.” 

“I thought it would take longer.” 

“Made good time,” Paul shrugs. “Figured y’all would be itching to get back on the road.” 

Grogu starts whining at Charlie, who crouches down to pet him. The dog heels and pins his ears back, lapping at her hands as she gives him all her attention. 

Din clears his throat and gives Paul a nod of appreciation, “How much do I owe you?” 

“Lookin’ at twelve hundred, give or take. We can settle up later.” 

“Hey Paul, can I grab your tall ladder?” Charlie gives Grogu a pat before rising to her feet, “Oh, and do you have an extra stereo I could I borrow for the day? I don’t want the big guy to chat my ear off.” 

Paul cackles while she shoots Din a teasing look that makes his blood pressure spike. 

“Come on, I’ll see if I can’t find one for ya.”

—

CEO Pushes City to ‘Clear Homeless from the Streets’ in Open Letter to Portland Mayor. 

Amidst recent controversy surrounding the growing homeless population in Portland, one local businessman speaks out on behalf of property owners. 

In an open letter to Mayor Ed Kneeler released this morning, Tom Bucheron, CEO of Empire Property Management, LLC, calls for the Mayor Kneeler to “take action against the epidemic of homelessness in Portland,” which, he goes on to claim, presents undue financial burden on Portland property owners.

Din follows the link to a PDF of the letter, looking up from his screen to observe Charlie as it loads. 

On her perch at the top of the ladder, she paints while singing along to some 80’s power ballad on the radio. The blonde bun at the crown of her head, lops from one side to the other as she bops around to the beat. 

With her constant squawking and beak of a nose, she sometimes resembles an ill-tempered bird. This only solidifies the likeness in his mind. A yellow cockatiel whose domesticity never took. She screams and nips at those who dare try closing her cage door. 

She glances back over her shoulder, so he drops his eyes to the screen of his tablet. 

Mayor Ed Kneeler: 

I call upon you today to take action against the epidemic of homelessness in Portland. 

In recent years, we have seen a dramatic rise in homelessness, drug-related and violent crimes, and overdoses. We have also seen property values plummet as of late. I have been residential property management and real estate investment for 34 years. I’ve seen property values ebb and flow with the market, and can say with certainty that our current state is unprecedented.

Homeless encampments are epicenters for crime and disease, sprouting up through the cracks of our beautiful city and spreading at a disastrous rate. Property values suffer. As such, the real Portland citizens suffer. Those of us who have families and homes here. The real Portland citizens, we invest in our community through fellowship and commonwealth. We are the lifeblood of this city and we are suffering dearly. Dually so are Portland property owners. Our property values plummet with the blight of homelessness. Not only that, but we also foot the bill for welfare and social programs with our taxes so that the City can enable the miscreants that come in droves to suck up our resources. 

In a lineup of cities comparable in size and population density, Portland stands out for all the wrong reasons: low property values, high crime rates, high taxes, and an epidemic of homelessness. Cities that rigorously enforce vagrancy laws reap the benefits of higher property values and lower crime rates. 

It couldn’t be clearer. The City should strive to eradicate homelessness in Portland, not enable it. Today I ask that you enact a citywide ban on vagrancy and start disbanding encampments. 

The only reason I ask this of you in such a public forum, Mayor Kneeler, is because I question your motives for not addressing this matter sooner. 

Do you act on behalf of the real citizens of Portland, or in your own self-interest? If your peers in the Democratic Party frown upon law and order, does that affect your decision-making? While pondering whether or not to act on this problem, what holds more weight? Potential backlash to your career, or the burdens suffered by real citizens of Portland? 

Please do not let your pursuit of legacy destroy our beloved city. Step up and do what’s right. 

Sincerely, 

Tom. 

Din saves the PDF and checks on Grogu, still curled up in a ball beneath his chair. He looks up at Charlie, who went quiet when the radio started warbling the weekend forecast. 

As she rolls green acres onto the sign with quick, short strokes, her fluffed-up bun still bops back and forth like she’s dancing with just her head. Probably singing to herself. 

Did she tell him the truth about what happened in Portland? 

It shouldn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. Whether it’s true or not, she was right. He’s delivering her to the slaughterhouse. 

Normally he finds comfort in this ambivalence. This time it settles like lead in his belly, heavy and poisonous. 

He digs the phone from his pocket and dials Karga. 

“Din! Just the man I wanted to speak to.”

He frowns, “Why?” 

“The client is looking for an update on the asset. You still have it, correct?” 

“Yes.” 

“When can they expect your arrival?”

His gaze wanders to Charlie, painting away without a care in the world. Guilt twists his stomach raw. 

“What do they want with her?” 

A beat goes by before Karga responds. 

“They didn’t tell me and I didn’t ask. Neither should you, if you know what’s good for you.” 

Din looks down at the gravel and nods. “I’ll have her there by Sunday at the latest.” 

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Shima Iwashita (Goben no Tsubaki)—Shima Iwashita was THE leading lady of Shochiku (one of the 3 major movie studios in Japan) for over 16 years, including the entirety of 1960s. She's been two-time winner of the Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actress and the winner of the Japanese Academy Award of actress in a leading role in 1977. Famously known in Japan as the actress best suited to wearing kimono, Iwashita often played elegant, strong-willed, and sometimes vengeful female characters. She is particularly adept at portraying women's independence and self-reliance, as well as their delicate inner feelings, and has portrayed a number of sentimental and individualistic women in her many period and contemporary dramas. Her talent was discovered by Yasujirō Ozu, one of the world's greatest filmmakers, who told Shochiku executives at the time, "She is an exceptional talent who comes along only once in a decade." Ozu cast her as the female lead in his final film An Autumn Afternoon before he died of cancer in 1963. Now at the age of 83, she is as beautiful as ever.

Grace Kelly (Rear Window, High Society, Dial M for Murder)—The literal princess of Hollywood (she retired at 26 to become princess of Monaco), her name said everything about why she was so hot. She carried herself with a grace and elegance you just don't see anymore. Her voice was sultry without being overbearing, and she had the ability to be sweet but suggest a deep sensuality at all times.

This is round 4 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Shima Iwashita:

Grace Kelly:

flawlessly beautiful and a literal princess

Her facial structure? Flawless. Her eyes? Stunning. Her hair? Gorgeous. Her style? Immaculate. Every second she’s on screen, she just exudes this elegance and sophistication. It’s no wonder she ended up marrying a prince. But she’s got this mischief in her eyes that is compelling.

She was so elegant, so beautiful and perfect I could cry for real. A fairy disguised as a woman.

the most beautiful of Hitchcock's "icy blondes". elegant, glamorous, she left hollywood to became an actual princess, I mean, COME ON

she's so pretty and refined and elegant! I'm pretty sure taylor swift's blonde hair red lip look is modeled partly after her

She's just so elegant, look at her all dressed up like a Barbie doll in the latest fashions. There's a quiet dignity about her.

Not only was she princess of Monaco she also is Stéphanie de Monaco's mother and yeah, vote for her she's soooo pretty That red dress in Dial M.... hot damn

To me, she is the first and only blonde. She earned it. Paired with Edith Head's costume design she is unstoppable. I dare anyone to watch her as Lisa Carol Fremont in Rear Window and not be completely blown away by her hotness.

SHE IS SO PRETTY AND FASHIONABLE!! Not only that but she has an alluring aura to her in whatever film I've seen her in! Rear Window is just one of my personal favorite films she was in, especially for her costumes in that. And how many actresses can you say was a princess consort in addition to being a famous leading lady?

[millersgirl80]

Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby (Part 3)

Pairing: DBF!joelxf!reader

Word count: 2.2k

Summary: It’s the day of Joel’s barbecue

Warning: age gap, mention of a break up, oral (f receiving), mention of alcohol.

Part two here

Today was the day of Joel's barbecue, and Hanna was determined that I make an impression on everyone, especially Joel. She handed me a stunning red sundress that hugged my curves in all the right places.

"You look amazing, Darlin!" Hanna exclaimed as she handed me a pair of strappy sandals. "Joel won't be able to take his eyes off you."

I smiled, feeling a surge of confidence. "Thanks, Hanna. I hope he notices me. I'm tired of being just another pretty face to him."

"Are you kidding? With that dress and how gorgeous you look, he won’t be able to take his eyes off you!" she laughed, but there was assurance in her voice. . Now, let's get going. We don't want to be late for the barbecue."

As we arrived at Joel's house, my heart began to race. The sound of laughter and music filled the air, and the delicious aroma of grilled meat made my mouth water. This was the perfect setting for a sultry summer romance.

We walk up the steps and knock on the door, “why don’t we just go home and eat ice cream?” I smile at Hanna. “Because, you need this.”as Hanna finish the door open up to a woman greeting us. She was a tall, leggy blonde with a dazzling smile. I felt a twinge of jealousy as she introduced herself, but I kept my composure.

"Hi, I’m Lisa." Lisa said, her voice sweet and welcoming. "Come on in, the party's just getting started, Joel and everyone just out back!”

I forced a smile, my mind racing with thoughts of Joel and Lisa. As we stepped into the backyard, The lush green lawn was filled with guests, The air was thick with the scent of burning charcoal and alcohol, and the buzz of conversation mingled with the soft summer breeze.

The moment I spotted Joel, standing near the grill, my heart stuttered.

He was talking with a group of friends, laughing, the sun framing him in such a way that I could hardly look away. I felt momentarily paralyzed, a mix of eagerness and fear. I wanted to stride boldly toward him, but I also wanted to retreat like a shadow.

Hanna nudged me from behind. "Go on! You can do this!" she whispered, and I found the courage to step forward, my feet moving almost on instinct.

"Hey, Darlin!" Joel turned his gaze toward me, and the world around faded. The laughter, the clinking of glasses—everything dimmed as his eyes locked with mine. "You look amazing," he said, his voice low and sincere.

I felt heat bloom in my cheeks as I managed a smile, my heart racing like a wild creature trying to break free. “Thanks! You look good too,” I shot back, trying to sound nonchalant, though my insides were a tangled mess of emotion.

The evening unfolded with laughter and good food, but each moment I spent near Joel became its own universe filled with unspoken possibilities. As the sun set, the stillness began to creep in, my gaze drifting towards the stars sprinkled across the night sky. It was at that moment that I caught Joel looking again, the intensity of his stare sending both thrill and comfort coursing through me.

“Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, his voice a warm embrace in the cool evening.

“Sure, I’d love a beer,” I replied, almost too eager. I watched him walk away, admiring the way he carried himself, confident and grounded.

I took a breath, feeling a burst of hope. Maybe tonight was about more than just a barbecue, maybe it was my chance to get Joel to open up and get him to accept his feelings for me. I walk over to meet him for my drink getting caught by my arm. “Dad” I smile. “Darling, this is Lisa. Joel’s girlfriend.” My dad introduced us. “Yea, I met her earlier.” I smile, distracted my eyes still searching for Joel. Hanna walks over and greets my dad and Lisa, excusing us as she pulls me away. “What is going on?” She whispered. I gave her a confused looked. “I saw you talking to Joel. It looked like it was going well.” I nod searching for Joel, finding him standing with Lisa and her drinking the beer that was meant for me. “I-it’s was. I’m gonna head upstairs for a minute, get away from everyone.” I smile heading inside upstairs. Hanna nods and she watches me. As I turn from Hanna, my eyes meets Joel’s, I felt momentarily paralyzed, a mix of eagerness and fear. I wanted to stride boldly toward him, but I also wanted to retreat like a shadow.

I made my way up the stairs without any one stopping me to talk. I walk into the first door I see and close it behind me. I walk over to the window closing the blinds and take a seat on the edge of the bed.

“Everything okay?” The voice behind me makes me jump. I snap my head in the direction of the door. “Yeah, I... I shouldn't be here," I whispered, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

"Neither should I," Joel replied, his voice husky with desire. "But yet, I still find my way to you."

His words sent a shiver down my spine. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but the temptation was too great. Joel's eyes held me captive.

Joel's hands slid around my waist, pulling me close. I could feel the hardness of his body against mine, the warmth of his breath on my neck. His touch was both gentle and possessive, as if he was claiming me as his own.

"You're trembling," Joel whispered, his lips brushing against my ear. "Are you afraid, Darlin?"

"Yes... no..." my voice was barely audible. "I'm not afraid, but I know this is wrong."

Joel chuckled, a low, seductive sound. "Wrong never felt so right, did it?"

I closed my eyes, surrendering to the moment. I find my lips on Joel’s. His tongue teased my lips, demanding entrance, and I eagerly granted it. Our tongues danced, exploring each other.

Joel's hands roamed over my body, mapping my curves with a hunger that left me breathless. "You're exquisite," he murmured against my neck, his breath hot on my sensitive skin. "I've missed your body and how responsive it is darling."

I arched into his touch, my body responding to his every caress. I ran my hands through his hair, pulling him closer, wanting to feel every inch of his hard body against me. Joel's hands cupped my breasts, his thumbs teasing my hardened nipples through the lace. I gasped, my head falling back as waves of pleasure washed over me.

"Please, Joel," I breathed out. My voice a plea. "I need more."

Joel didn't need to be told twice. He lowered himself to his knees, his hands gliding down my body, lifting my dress as he went. His lips found the sensitive skin of my inner thighs, leaving a trail of kisses and gentle bites that made me squirm with anticipation.

"You taste so sweet," he whispered, his breath hot against my damp folds. "I want to taste all of you." Joel plunged his tongue into my wetness, my hands gripped his hair, holding him close as his tongue danced and swirled, sending shockwaves of pleasure through my body. His fingers teased my clit, bringing me closer and closer to the edge.

"Oh, Joel, I'm going to..." my words were cut off by a wave of ecstasy as my orgasm crashed over me. My body trembled, as I cried out.

Joel continued to feast on me, drawing out my pleasure. My legs trembled, body still pulsing with the aftershocks of my climax.

As I came down from my high, I realized the magnitude of what we had just done. I pulled away from Joel, my eyes wide with a mixture of pleasure and panic. I quickly straightened out my dress. Joel stands with his arms crossed, looking conflicted, while I pace anxiously in front of him.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, darlin?” Joel ask leaning against the closet door frame. I look over at Joel. “Mixed signals and shit, from you.” I continue pacing running a hand through my hair. “Baby.” He whispers. “You know what I think about us. We can’t- “

“Yes we can Joel. You just don’t want to!” I interrupt him. “Darling, I’m sorry. Yes the sex is great, but-“

“This isn’t about sex Joel! My god, are you that fucking blind. I’ve wanted you for years!” I groan, getting frustrated. “This is ridiculous, Joel! Why are we pretending like you don’t want this?”

Joel sighs. “It’s not that simple, Darlin. You and I both know how your dad would react if he finds out about us. This would destroy everything.”

I stop pacing looking at Joel. “It is that simple Joel! You’re just gonna let him control our lives?”

“Goddamn it darling! I’m trying to respect him! He’s been there for me since I can remember! This would break his trust!” Joel’s tone gets defensive.

“And what about us? Are you really willing to throw away what we have just to keep my dad happy? And you just have to deal with it?” I step closer. Joel looks away, “I’m trying to not throw anything away! My loyalty-“

“To a man who can’t see how amazing we are together? A man that not only controls me, but you as well? I won’t accept that anymore! I want you, Joel!” I interrupted Joel again. Trying to push it into his head.

“I know darlin’. Fuck! Okay I get it. I do but your dad is gonna be pissed maybe worse.” Joel rubs his temples sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Let him be pissed then Joel! I’m done living in fear of his reaction. This is my life, Joel! You and I deserve to be happy.” I say determined to get my words through to Joel.

“You deserve to be happy… but I can’t just look the other way. What if it ruins everything? Huh? What if it gets so bad it ruins us?” Joels voice softens “We can’t let fear dictate our choices. If I could choose between losing my dad or being with you, I’d choose you every time!” I walk over and squat between Joel’s legs looking up into his eyes. “You don’t know what you’re saying darlin.” Joel says looking torn.

“Yes I do! I’ve known for a while and I’ll fight for us, and I wish you’d fight too! Are we really going to let him come between us?” I say confidently.

“I don’t want to lose you. I never wanted to. But this…” He gestured between us. “it feels impossible.” He sighs. “Nothing is impossible, Joel. If we’re in it together..all in. No fucking then leaving. No more pushing away, we can figure it out. Just say you want me, that you’re willing to try.” I rest my hand on his knee.

“I want you, Darlin. I do. no sneaking around, I ain’t no damn teenager I’m not hiding anything…” Joel says looking into my eyes.

“I’ll take that. A plan means hope. And I’ll take whatever hope we can find, as long as you’re with me.” I smile wrapping my arms around Joel’s neck.

“I should go find Lisa.” Joel says pulling away. “Ain’t right ya know, shouldn’t have invited her.” He says rubbing his neck. “Why did you?” I ask avoiding his eyes. “To distract myself from you” Joel admits playing with the strings on my sundress. “That didn’t work out too well.” I chuckle. “It would’ve never worked out darlin” Joel smiles. I get the feeling he’s talking about him and Lisa staying together and not about the distraction.

I let Joel leave the room first, I made my way to his bathroom and freshened up then made my way downstairs seeing Joel sit on the bench alone. I look over at Lisa who is talking to some guy and laughing. “You okay?” I sit next to Joel grabbing his hand.

Joel nods lacing our fingers together. “Never been better actually.”

“H-How did she take it?” I hesitantly ask. “Surprisingly well.” He shrugs.

We sit in silence for a few minutes.

“I’m sorry for being a dickhead to ya darlin, just thought If I was mean, it would push you away” Joel drops his head to my hand leaving a small kiss on the back.

“I know. No more pushing me away Joel.” I smile standing up. “Come on. Go enjoy the rest of the night. I’ll meet up with you later.” I pull Joel off his ass and push him towards the group of guys surrounding the grill.