#and each of us is a customer at least once in their life. so please be for real.
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goldenpinof · 3 months ago
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so, with the start of the USA leg there's still no updated (or any, to be fair) Terms & Conditions for this "2 regular tickets upgrade" quote-unquote contest on danandphiltour.com, thus they are currently (and have been from September) breaking the US laws regarding lotteries, giveaways and contests. if they are following the same Terms they had in the EU, then they are running a lottery, and it's illegal in every state unless it's run by the state. (+ interesting questions at the bottom)
(lots of thanks to Emma @dnpbeats for the consultation on the US laws and some links)
not to mention that they definitely broke a few laws in the EU countries by not disclosing official Terms & Conditions for everyone to see, with misleading/false advertisement about all regular tickets bought in September participating (in reality, the tickets bought after the winners were selected weren't participating, obviously, but we were never officially told about the time of selection aka a few days before each show, so that's a problem) and whatever happened in Stockholm.
if anyone knows anything about AUS and NZ laws regarding these things, feel free to chime in.
the 2 regular tickets upgrade
i did talk to dnp about it, but then i got blessed during the intermission (i wasn't hounding anyone this time! it was very spontaneous, and it wasn't the merch crew, stop yelling at me), so here's a product of both interactions:
- the upgrade thing was sent out to the venues. they have all the information about the tickets, their holders, and everything;
- the venues select the winners and contact them via email;
- the selection happens a few days before the show (which is fine for the shows after September but very shady for the 1st leg because not everyone participates, basically);
- neither dnp nor their team have any control over this other than the brief they sent to the venues with basic "only general tickets" and etc. only general tickets, so no Silver VIP for sure. it's on the venues to do everything, and sometimes they make strange decisions. the Stockholm situation with the winners picked right before the show wasn't planned. the venue just didn't select anyone beforehand. the crew wasn't happy about it, lol;
- they will try to organise it differently/better for the US/Canada leg, because this was a bit chaotic. like, it worked but not the best.
note 1: i asked to put the terms on the website. not sure if it's gonna happen. i did try my best in the moment to explain why it's important for us to know the terms. and the person i was talking to during the intermission said that quite a few people ask about that ticket upgrade thing, so it would make sense to just put the info somewhere for people to see.
note 2: about the selection timeframe. it is weird, but that's what i was told. the venues live on their own planet, so idk if they actually selected everyone a few days before each show (minus Stockholm) or waited a bit more. in the USA and further the plan is probably gonna be to stick to this timeframe. it's not a bad one, just doesn't suit the 1st leg since we could buy tickets on the days of the shows.
if i remember anything else about this, i'll update the post
#not even trying to cover my ass this time. another thing. i was told (not by dnp) that they are selecting..#..only within the cheapest tickets instead of all regular tickets. and that was a conscious decision.#and this falls under at least false advertisement if not just fraud. but we never saw the Terms did we? :)) write it there and be free.#it is THAT easy.#and if you're told there's a law in the US that requires you to update and put T&C on the website be my fucking guest to do that please#especially since you were thinking of doing it anyway because people were keep asking. what has changed in 2 weeks?#you forgot because no one is asking during the break?? jfc why is this organised like it's run by teenagers. even ii had T&C for this!#god forbid people change teams and it's no thoughts head empty again. ugh#whose job is it to check the laws? dnp don't have a lawyer with them i bet. but the tour management? dnp's managers?#the venues that agree to this bullshit with 0 background check? hello?#what are these people getting paid for literally?#+ advertisement laws are almost the same everywhere when it comes to promotion. and it's strict as fuck.#you can't just say things that are not true just to sell a few more tickets. you have to follow your words. customers are protected by law.#and each of us is a customer at least once in their life. so please be for real.#my rant is over.#ti tickets#ti.usa#god forbid anyone has a job in advertisement. your life is ruined forever with this information that no one cares about until they get sued
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flangore · 11 months ago
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❥ she loves me like a dog
feat.: Valentino & Vox/f!reader
summary: You try and run away from Valentino. It's an entirely stupid idea and backfires spectacularly.
warnings: nsfw content, noncon, physical + psychological abuse, unhealthy relationships, violence, punishments, manipulation, Valentino and Vox are their own warnings, guns, object insertion
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Every demon in Hell, especially ones who had spent quite some time in the V's part of Pentagram City, knew that there was no escaping Valentino's grasp.
With connections that spread like spiderwebs through every part of town, there was nowhere to be safe, nowhere to hide, given how Vox's eyes reached every street, every alley, a phone or a security camera always in each and every corner.
There was nowhere to hide — except for at the Hazbin Hotel, apparently under the protection of the Radio Demon. You had heard Vox whine and bitch about it at one point, anger dripping off his voice, and, despite knowing better, your heart had lept with hope. Days after, you had tried your hardest to ignore each of the silly ideas making themselves at home in your mind; had attempted to not think of running away, of a better life.
And yet, in the end, you hadn't been able to resist temptation.
Every demon in Hell knew that there was no escaping Valentino's grasp.
That was why you had only yourself to blame for the consequences now that he had caught ahold of you once more, the contract, signed with both of your names, floating next to your face in silent mockery.
Tears brimmed in your eyes; your heart threatened to drop out of your chest with how erratically it was beating.
“I'm kinda disappointed, baby”, Valentino drawled, accent coming through thickly, betraying his calm and collected act. A claw, painted golden, hooked underneath your chin, tilting it upwards until your neck ached, your height difference only adding to the unease curling in your stomach. “Tell me, why did you do feel the need to run away like that?”
Your throat felt tight.
“Come on, you can trust me. Trust us.”
The chains, made of red smoke and currently wound tightly enough to leave marks around your wrists and ankles, really did not make you feel like you were able to trust him. Neither did Vox's presence. Admittedly, he had always unnerved you even more than Valentino had, though, right now, his smirk was downright terrifying.
“Was it the working conditions?” Vox crooned, tone lathered with contempt, with amusement. “Were you unhappy with your job? Do tell us. We're always open to criticism, really.”
There was no explanation that could have excused your actions.
Valentino's smirk widened. “Yeah, babe. What was the issue? I mean, you really can't quit, not with our contract, so what was the purpose of trying to run away?”
“I remember just how grateful you were when Val offered you this opportunity years ago. Do you suddenly think you're too good for us?”
Those words, leaving Vox's mouth so easily, finally dragged you far enough back into reality for you to get a noise out, high-pitched and terrified.
“No”, you choked out, quickly shaking your head, panic making you tremble. “No, that's not—”
“No? Then tell us the reason, mi amor.”
You were pretty certain you were in the middle of a panic attack, lungs feeling too small to take any oxygen in. Not that it mattered right now. “I don't know, I wasn't thinking—”
“That's such a shame. If you at least had an explanation, we could go easy on you.” Vox clicked his tongue, not looking like it was a shame at all. “Val, will you do the honours?”
“Already on it, babe.”
With how large of a being Valentino was, it was all too easy to forget just how quickly he was able to move. Pain bloomed on your cheek, your head spinning, and it took quite a moment for you to realise that he had hit you with the hilt of his gun, custom-made.
In the back of your mind, you wondered whether the rhinestones on it had left indents on your skin.
A metallic taste spread in your mouth. “Please—”
“It's a little late to beg”, Vox remarked.
Valentino's smile was all teeth, unkind in nature. “But it's fine, sweetheart, don't worry. I won't fire you.” His hand cupped your aching cheek, then grabbed ahold of your hair, yanking your head back painfully. “You'll be with us forever. Aren't you grateful? We just have to teach you a lesson. Can't have the bitches acting up, now can we?”
You really had no choice but to nod, tears dripping down your face, surely smearing your makeup, though that was the least of your worries as, suddenly, your bonds shifted, chains pulling taut, changing your position until your legs were wrenched apart.
Panties were rarely part of your work clothing, but being fully bare in front of them right now made bile rise up in your throat.
“See, I wanted to fuck you, remind you who you belong to”, Valentino commented, sounding terribly nonchalant. The muzzle of his gun pressed against the soft skin of your inner thigh, the metal cold. “But Voxxy had better ideas.”
Your heart must have stopped at one point, you were certain of it. This must have been a fever dream, a hallucination.
Despite the panicked thoughts running through your scrambled mind, you didn't protest; had no time to, either. Not that it would have been any use.
Before you knew it, Valentino pushed the gun into you, dry, fuck—, the pain making you cry out, voice high-pitched. Unceremoniously, he shoved it further inside, unrelenting until the hilt of it rested against the lips of your cunt, your whole body tense with agony.
“There we go.” Your eyes flickered over to Vox, the way he was palming himself through his trousers obvious even with your blurry sight. “That's hot. Hah—, look, she's even wet.”
At this point, you hardly noticed that you were screaming, throat aching, the thoughts of running away by now merely an unrealistic fantasy, silly, like the wishes of a spoiled child.
You were, in fact, not wet; instead, blood was easing the glide at least a little, albeit it hardly offered any relief.
You must've torn somewhere. Placing the pain seemed to be an impossible task when simply everything hurt.
At least it wasn't going to get worse from here on — it couldn't possibly.
Valentino just loved to prove you wrong.
“Hey, you think we can fit a dick in there at the same time?”
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baby-yongbok · 1 year ago
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Call me, baby
Hwang Hyunjin x Fem!Reader
♡ Genre - Smut, slow(ish) and then boom porn - Strangers to lovers (non-idol)
♡ Word Count: 7.6k
♡ Summary: Welcome to Rockstar tattoo and piercing, where giving a beautiful stranger and eyebrow piercing can lead to the best fuck of your life.
♡ A/N: I started this as soon as photo's of Hyunjin with that damned eyebrow piercing came out. I am EXHAUSTED the horny took over, I'm ruined and now maybe you are too. 😭 I wanted to have this be a bit of a slow burn type of thing just so there could be some build up and longing ya know? I don't usually draw things out this long but I wanted to give it a shot. 💕Please enjoy it, I worked hard and I'd love to hear feedback. I also only lightly edited it for right now, I'll look over it again later! Gosh I'm exhausted. + reader is depicted as chubby/plus size and is a POC ♡
♡ Warnings: Pain slut Hyunjin, Descriptive piercing process, Biting, Hair pulling, Appearances by Lee Know, unprotected sex (safe sex is good. be safe ya'll) Oral (f&m receiving), nipple play (kinda? & not for too long + reader has nipple piercings)
✧ Masterlist ✧
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“Hey, man. Welcome to Rockstar tattoo and piercing whatcha lookin for tonight?” Minho, your ex and fellow co-owner of the shop asks as that familiar jingle rings through the empty shop. You’re too busy cleaning up your space to listen in on what the new customer wants. You’re sure that it’s something simple since it’s close to midnight and all that gets done this late are simple piercings and tattoos that people will regret in the morning.   
“Baby, you got a customer up front.” Minho calls as he makes his way over to his station. The name prompts a fake gag and an award winning eye roll as you move across your station
“Do not call me that, ew.” The echo of Minho’s chuckle makes him sound closer than he is as he rounds the corner of the wall dividing your spaces. You’re a two person crew so you get to spend every second that you’re in this shop with your ex which wouldn’t be so bad if he and his new girlfriend weren’t all over each other every chance that they got. You love the girl and they’re a much better match than the two of you ever were but it’s been so long since you’ve been with someone that you feel like they’re just teasing you at this point.
“You used to love that.” With folded arms he leans against your side of the wall and you turn to him with a hand on your hip while the other one is full of supplies.
“And I used to love you.” He hisses, holding a hand over his heart with faux pain in his eyes. 
“Ouch.” You throw an empty ink cap at him and you both laugh. “Well since you don’t love me I’ll be right back.” He walks over to the front desk, grabbing his jacket from the back of the chair and heading out to the front of the shop.
“Where the hell are you going?” You whine, running up behind him. He turns to face you with that mischievous glint in his eyes. Does he really need to go get his dick wet right now? 
“Seriously, Min!” He laughs at your incredulous scoff as he throws on his jacket. “If I’m not back in an hour, close up for me, yeah?” With a quick wink and a smirk he rushes out of the door before you even have a chance to protest. You know that he’ll be back, he always comes back but you still want to give him a piece of your mind. You flip him off as you watch him pass the large front window and he kisses back at you. You love that you two had a clean break but god does he get on your nerves. 
“Asshole.” You mumble under your breath as you look down at the form on the counter. “Hyunjin?” 
You hear shuffling in the very far corner of the waiting area as you flip through his paperwork. 
“That’s me.” You smile down at the clipboard once you hear his voice, at least he’s not some rude wasted guy. “You can come with me.” 
When you look up your jaw nearly hits the counter, is beautiful even the right word to describe this man? You don’t usually have a type but if you had to pick one it would be the man standing right in front of you. “ Uh, hey my name’s Y/n, I’ll be piercing you tonight and it uh-”
Gosh, his eye contact is intense, how does he do that? “It says here that you wanna get a horizontal eyebrow piercing?”
“Right.” He shakes his head as he rocks back and forth on his heels and you nod. 
“Awesome, it should be pretty quick, let’s do this.” You unlock the swing door and allow him back into your station. You decide to close the privacy curtain that separates your space from the rest of the shop since the chances of anyone else coming in is close to zero, you’re not as accessible as the shops close to town so this is the quiet hour for you.
Hyunjin watches as you start collecting the supplies that you’ll need. You move carefully, making sure that everything is just how you like it. “Have you been doing this for a long time?” You hadn’t even noticed the way that he seems to be nearly looking over your shoulder this entire time.
“Long enough.” He smiles at your shy laugh as you pick a marker from your cup. “We’ve owned this place for about three years.” 
“You and your boyfriend?” You scowl at his words, pulling a chuckle from his chest. “I guess he’s not your boyfriend.”
“He’s my ex, we already bought this place when we broke up so I couldn’t escape him.” A dramatic sigh follows your statement as you motion for him to sit down on the chair in front of you. “We're friends now, best friends, but I am a single girl.”
Hyunjin cocks his brow, causing you to accidently draw a line across his eyelid. “Sorry about that.” He chuckles and you smile at the soft sound. 
“It’s alright.” You clean him up and the feeling of his gaze burning into you makes you smirk. You’re more than used to clients staring at you, there are some that will try to make an ungraceful pass at you while they’re at it but for some reason having Hyunjin stare at you so intensely is welcomed? Maybe because he’s cute. That definitely helps. “Ready?”
“Ready.” You mark him perfectly this time and point him towards the mirror to check if he likes the placement. “Perfect.”
“Awesome let’s stick ya then.” You motion him towards your reclined chair and he gracefully fills the spot with his tall frame. “You’re not scared of needles are you?”
“Not at all.” The smirk on his face as he stares up at the ceiling catches you off guard. You’ve never seen anyone smile at the thought of getting stabbed before. You wipe your hands and snap on your gloves before moving in front of your rolling tray where all of your supplies are set up. “Did it hurt when you got yours?”
“Nope, but that’s probably because I did it myself.” You grab your scissor clamp and move next to Hyunjin. “Okay, so, the steps are to clamp the site, pierce it, feed the jewelry through and then you’re out of here.”
“Sounds easy enough, go ahead.” You nod leaning over him gently. This is the first time in all of your years as a piercing artist that you’ve felt self conscious about the deep V cut of your shirt. You usually couldn’t care less but right now you’re almost hyper aware of the way that you’re presenting yourself to the man in front of you. You’re also hyper aware of the way that he’s staring right at the lacey red of your bra that’s peeking out, or is it the studs of your nipple piercing pressing against your tight cotton shirt that’s caught his attention? Either way, the way that he’s staring is causing something that you haven’t felt in awhile to stir deep in your stomach.
“Gonna clamp you now, it shouldn’t hurt but just take a deep breath anyway.” You whisper as you turn his head a bit to get a better look at the piercing site. Now he’s really got a good view. He’s perfectly still as you clamp him and you praise him for every little thing that he does right, he seems to take a liking to that since every time something sweet comes out of your mouth he hums with contentment. 
“Ready for the stick?”
“Go ahead.” He licks his lips while his gaze is still trained on your chest and you can’t help but to push your thighs together. He seemed to have noticed since a ghost of a smile adorned his lips right after. 
“Breath in.” He follows your instruction and you position the needle right at the mark only pushing a bit to prepare him. “And out.” He was an easy stick, it went in perfectly. It was smooth and quick and he definitely hissed a moan when you did it. You stay in place, leaning over him with the plastic needle still in. 
“Everything good?” The sound of his moan rang through your ears as you avoided eye contact with him. He hums a confirmation, his eyes are shut now and his bottom lip is between his teeth. Good god. Did he not notice or does he just not care? Does he have a thing for pain? “I’m going to uh- feed the jewelry through.” 
You move his head a bit, trying to find the best position for the light to hit him. Why is the lighting so shitty all of the sudden? “Everything alright?” There’s a slight chuckle in his voice and you sigh.
“Yeah I just can’t get a good light right now. It’s like my damn shadow moved in the way.” You move a bit back and forth but nothing is comfortable enough. “Can I like… could you just move your hip over a bit?” He does as you ask immediately and you swiftly prop your knee up on the chair. 
“Thanks, that's so much better.” You grab the jewelry, and wedge it into the plastic needle for the feed through. “You’ll feel a bit of pressure, it might sting okay?”
“Mmhmm.” Just as you’re about to move the needle you feel the soft brush of his fingers on your inner thigh. That had to be an accident right? Do you want it to be an accident? Not really.
“One, two, go.” You slowly feed the jewelry through and this time a soft grunt leaves his lips but that’s not all. You freeze when you feel it, glancing down at Hyunjin while his eyes are still closed and his fingers grip the flesh of your inner thigh. “Good?”
“Great.” It’s a miracle that you didn’t moan at the feeling of him grabbing you but you decide to thank whatever higher power saved you instead of thinking about what if’s. One thing’s clear though; he definitely has a thing for pain.
“Let me just -” You reach over to your rolling tray and his grip on your thigh loosens but he doesn’t let go. “- Just gotta put the ball on the end.” You secure his jewelry, screwing on the end and wiping it down with bactine. 
“Done.” He sighs but he doesn’t move. You look down at him, expecting him to say something, but he stays silent. You take a deep breath, trying to ignore the electricity that having his hand inches away from your heat is causing. “Wanna look at it?”
He nods, finally moving his hand, now maybe you can breathe normally. You both move at the same time but he sits up much slower than expected. “Feeling good?” Hyunjin hums as he adjusts his pants and makes his way over to the mirror, leaning in to get a good look at the new accessory. 
“So good.” Yup, he has a pain kink. It’s confirmed.
Once you’ve cleaned up all the immediate things and rid yourself of your gloves you move over towards him slowly. Usually you’d make small talk but you don’t feel too capable of doing that with the way that your core is pulsing with need at the moment. 
You watch as he studies the piercing. You should be looking at it too but you can’t focus on anything but the sharp beauty of his features and the way that his wine red hair falls against his temples and compliments the blush running up his neck. As much as you try to stop yourself you can’t help but indulge in taking him in further. You can’t help but to let your gaze run down the length of his strong arm and admire the way that his black sweats are hanging from his hips. Your eyes linger on the hem of his pants for a second too long and that’s when you notice it. Right below the perfect bow of his drawstrings is a delicious bulge that you desperately want to show attention to. Your tongue darts out, licking at the corner of your mouth a bit as you eye him. Snap out of it, come on.
“Think I should get a tattoo there?” Your eyes snap to his reflection but he’s already looking at you. Fuck, did he catch you staring? Of course he did, it was so obvious. “I’ve been thinking about it.” 
His smile makes you feel like you could explode at any second but you decide to try a bit harder to contain yourself. “I think that could be hot.” Fuck, no no no, why did you say that.
“Hot? You think so?” He cocks his eyebrow just like he did earlier but this time the gold stud adorning his thick brow makes a shiver run up your spine and sends a spark to your clit. He was already hot without the piercing but now it’s just unfair.
“Uh yeah, I do.” Before you can try to turn around and make your escape from further embarrassing yourself he turns to you. 
“Would you do it?” His eyes are focused on yours and for some reason you can’t find it in you to look away. 
“Do…your hip tattoo?” He nods and you shift your weight as you imagine the process. Could you even stand to be that close to his dick? You’re standing in front of him right now and you feel like you could combust from the eye contact. Surely you’ll melt if you end up having to stare at his hard dick for hours while he gets off on the pain of your needle for a second time. 
“I would.” Your answer leaves your lips in a half whisper before you can even think about it but the smile that pulls at his lips makes you forget your prior argument. “Just let me know when.”
“Do you have a card?” 
“Up front, I’ll give it to you with your care instructions.” You find yourself glancing down one more time before attempting to blink away all of your horny thoughts. As much as you want to fall to your knees and relieve him of his pain induced hard on you have to keep it professional, even if you were just caught staring at his dick print. “You paid when you came in, right?”
Quickly, you make your way around him to open your curtain and lead him to the counter. “Yeah I did.” You can feel him close behind you as you unlock the swing door to let him out.
“But you did such a great job.” The slam of the small door behind him makes you jump a bit but his following question is what really did it. “Do you take tips? Or could I give you more than that?”
You choke a bit on your inhale but at the same time there couldn’t possibly be a hint of oxygen left in your body with the way that he’s looking at you with his arms crossed and leaning on the counter. Your brain isn’t working anymore, it’s completely smooth as you stare back at Hyunjin’s cool smile. Hell, if he’s offering you’re going to take it.
Just as you’re about to calculate your own suggestive reply that familiar jingle echoes off the walls and your gaze lands on none-other than your godforsaken ex. He eyes you as you stand behind the counter with red cheeks and your palms spread and pressing into the desk. 
“All good?” He looks between you and Hyunjin with raised brows. You force a smile as you frantically scan the desk for the care instruction packet. 
“Yup, all good.” The sigh that follows your sentence is less than convincing but Minho lets it slide in the name of trusting you. You turn your attention back to Hyunjin who’s eyes were already on you. “So here are the care instructions. Don’t change it for about two months and uh, just make sure to keep it clean and um yeah everything that you need to know is in here.”
He takes the packet, brushing his fingers against yours in the process. Hopefully the way that you shivered wasn’t too obvious. Are you really that down bad? Usually you’re witty and flirty, you tend to have a pretty smart mouth with customers but as soon as you saw Hyunjin all of that went right out the window. 
“Your card.” He nods towards the display on the desk and you quickly grab one for him.
“It has the shop number and my instagram on there. If you want to contact me directly, Instagram is the best way to do it but I’m here almost everyday. If I’m not coming in, I'll post it on my story.” He flips the card between his fingers allowing you to get a good look at what you wish were still grabbing at the tender flesh of your thighs. Your focus breaks when he rubs the card between his fingers and a second one falls to the counter. “Oh, must’ve given you two by accident.”
“So I’ll message you.” Standing straight he slips the card into his pocket. “If I have any questions.” He takes a step back, taking you in one more time. 
“Yeah, I’ll answer as fast as I can.” 
“Baby, did you use the last of the caps?” Minho calls from the storage room and the scoff that follows makes Hyunjin laugh. 
“Stop calling me that for goodness sake.” With the flash of a quick smile and mumbled goodnight you leave Hyunjin at the front and head over to your annoying cock blocking ex. Once you get to him you see him leaning against the storage room door with his eyes on his phone screen. “I thought you were looking for caps.”
“Nah, figured that you needed me to save you. That guy should’ve been gone already.” Did he seriously just ruin any chance that you had at getting laid tonight? And by a man as hot as Hyunjin at that. 
“We were talking.”
“You don’t do small talk.” Minho’s pinched brows earns him an eye roll as you head over to your station. “So he wasn’t bothering you?”
“Far from it.” The way that you’re aggressively cleaning your tray gives Minho all the hints he needs but it would be out of character for him to just drop the topic.  
"Then what was he doing?" Minho asks in his teasing tone that you’ve grown to be more than familiar with. You pause and sigh as your mind lingers on the feel of Hyunjin’s fingers gripping you and the sounds he made with each hint of pain. 
"He was trying to make me interested." 
“Was it working?” The silence that followed his question spoke louder than any words could. “His number is on the form ya know.”
“Just lock up, Minho. I’m not breaking any privacy laws just so I can get fucked.” He throws his hands up in surrender, backing away and heading to the front. You close your eyes, taking a deep breath to try and contain the many emotions running through you. You should’ve been on your game tonight but Hyunjin just threw you off. You haven’t been that attracted to anyone in so long that all of your skills went right out the window as soon as he looked at you. Maybe he’ll message you? Ask you a question or two and then ask you out. What if he doesn’t? What if Minho scared him off and you never hear from him again?
“Baby.” 
“Lee Minho, stop calling me -” You pause when you turn to him, looking down at the card he’s offering you between his fingers. “What?” He extends his arm to you further, earning his third eye roll of the day as you snatch the cardstock away from him.
“It’s my card.” You shrug at him.
“Turn it over.” Your pulse picks up a bit once you notice the red ink on the back of the card. Hyunjin’s name and number is written in pretty symbols right across the middle with a small note. ‘Call me, baby.’
“I’ll stop calling you that now.” 
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Sleep didn't come easy last night but you sure did at the thought of Hyunjin. It doesn't help that you texted him immediately and he didn't waste a second before replying to you. Your night was spent getting to know him a bit as your mind danced on the idea of him fucking you into your mattress. The amount of time that you pretended that your fingers were his slender ones while you answered one of his questions is actually award winning. The taping of your cum covered fingers against your screen went on until you tired yourself out and fell asleep while waiting for his next text. 
“Going out.” Minho looked up from the sketch book in front of him just in time to watch as you grabbed your jacket from the chair next to his. 
“Did ‘baby’ call?” For the first time in a while you find yourself smiling and unbothered by his teasing. “She's smiling, did you finally catch a dick.”
“I'll let you know in a couple of hours.” The look on Minho’s face isn't one that you see often but it's your absolute favorite. “I'll be back, baby.”
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You barely got to knock twice before the door to Hyunjin’s apartment swung open. He looks just as good if not better than he did last night and the fact that you’ve gotten to know him a bit better over text for the past couple of hours makes you feel like a college student sneaking into someone's dorm after curfew. It’s safe to say that you have a big fat crush now.
“Hey, nice piercing.” He pulls you into a quick hug before ushering you further into his place. Your eyes wander across his walls, taking in every detail. He really is the artsy type. 
“Thanks, some girl did it for me last night.” He watches you take in his space with hungry eyes, no matter how much he tells himself that he just met you and that he wants to take it slow he can’t seem to pace himself. The amount of times that he came into his fist last night just thinking of how pretty your nipple piercings must be and how your thighs would wrap perfectly around him is insane. Unfortunately, the orgasms didn’t put out the fire that burned for you deep in his stomach, it only made the flame bigger.
“Oh yeah?” You face him as you peel your jacket off slowly, letting it slide off of your shoulders and down your arms so gracefully that he couldn’t possibly ignore it. “Was she hot?”
His eyes fix on the fabric stretching tight against your chest, how dare you call that a shirt. It’s keeping little to nothing to the imagination but he can’t say that he’s mad at it. “So fucking hot, I couldn’t stop staring at her.”
Your jacket finds a home on the arm of his couch while you check out the paintings on his living room wall. The stretched canvas and sheets of beautifully stained paper are littered all over the ivory wall, serving as the only real means of decoration in this area of the room. “Do you think that she noticed?”
The energy around you turns electric as he steps up behind you, just close enough not to touch you. “I hope that she did.” 
“Why?” Your breathing is slow and shallow as your eyes run across the colors of the paintings on the wall. You’re not really taking in the beauty of the art anymore, you’re more concerned with the masterpiece standing behind you and what he’ll say next.
“So that she doesn’t feel surprised when I say -” He leans into you, fiddling with one of the paintings and pressing himself lightly into your back. A blistering heat washes over you at the feel of him against you. It’s so much more than you imagined it to be. “- That I think that she’s beautiful.”
He reaches for another painting, stepping forward just a bit to be closer to you. “And that as much as I want to take it slow and get to know her -” He slowly retracts his hand, stepping back and breaking all contact. You sigh, swallowing hard as you hang on each of his words. “I just can’t go another second without knowing what she feels like.”
You turn your head to the side, catching a glimpse of his burning gaze as he stares down at you. His dark eyes are undressing you before he even gets the chance to touch you. Something like you did to him yesterday. “I think that she’d feel the same way.” It’s a bit of a challenge but you manage to hold eye contact with him as you turn your body to face him.
“You think she’d let me touch her?” Eyes, lips, chest and repeat. That’s the pattern that his gaze follows while he waits for your answer. 
“I think she wants you to, so so badly.” His eyes meet yours and his hands are on you in an instant, grabbing at the plush of your waist and pushing you against the wall of art work behind you. 
“Thank god.” He whispers against your lips before attaching them in desperate hunger. The sound of paper and canvas falling to the floor is merely background noise in the heat of the moment.
He’s soft and sweet like honey, his touch is like satin against your skin and your head is fuzzy. Holy fuck. He swallows the moan that escapes you as you welcome his tongue into your mouth, offering his own sinful sounds as a counter. His hands are grabbing at the exposed skin of your stomach while he pushes your shirt up to expose more of you. Your hands fist the fabric of his shirt, you want him closer. You need him closer. He pulls away abruptly, staring down at you panting and flushed. He takes a step back and you take a step forward. 
“Think she’ll let me fuck her?” He continues to step back from you and you match each move that he makes. Your hands find the bottom hem of your shirt and you pull the fabric over your head, revealing your flimsy lace bra to him. A hiss falls from his lips as he falls back into his couch. Sitting with his legs spread and ready for you, the perfect seat. 
“You better fuck her.” Once you climb onto his lap his lips are back on yours in an instant. The kiss is hungry, desirous, passionate. It’s everything that you knew it would be and more. His palms rest on your breasts, kneading the flesh and flicking at the heart studs of your nipple piercings. A shiver runs over you at the feeling and Hyunjin smiles against you at the reaction.
“Sensitive?” He mumbles, following with a kiss and you nod with a deep moan. “Fuck.” He pushes your breast together, jiggling them in his palms while he watches with his bottom lip between his teeth. 
“I wanted to see these so badly last night.” You knew he was staring. “Wanted to run my tongue over these pretty little studs.” 
“What’s stopping you now?” You grind your hips into him, milking a choked moan from his throat. He’s so hard underneath you, his sweat pants are doing little to restrain his pulsing cock from pressing into your needy core but even that bit of pressure is not enough to satiate your hunger. His fingers peel down the lace of your bra and you watch as his tongue dips out of his mouth and swirls the silver jewelry. “Hyunjin.” 
He hums, content with the way that his name sounds falling from your pretty lips, it’s then that you remember last night. Praise and pain, those are his things right? Let’s test it out.
The feeling of his tongue laving over your sensitive peak breaks you out of your thoughts and fogs your mind all over again. He shows both of your breasts equal attention, wetting your nipples with long drags of his tongue followed by a skillful swirl of the muscle around your shiny silver bars. “ So good, oh my god.” He hums, sucking a bit harder at the sound of your sweet words. 
Your fingers lace through the wine red strands of his hair, scratching and rubbing at his scalp for a bit until he grazes his teeth over the sensitive peak of your nipple. You’re pulling at his roots before you can even process it but the pornographic moan that escapes him as he falls into your touch makes you happy that you did it.
“A pain slut?” Matching smirks paint your faces but his is quickly swept away when you bring your other hand up through his roots and pull again. “I knew it.” You grind into him, the moans escaping him are making you hungry for friction all over again. 
His hands grasp your hips, gripping you so tightly that you’re sure there will be beautiful bruises there in the morning. “What gave me away?” His eyes stay on yours as you hold his head back by his hair. Yesterday his gaze was blinding but tonight you find it easier to handle the heat that it causes to rise on the surface of your skin. You’re okay with going blind if he’s the last thing that you see. 
“Hm.” His eyes flutter shut at the feeling of your lips ghosting over his pulse “Maybe it was the way you moaned when I stuck you.” Sloppy kisses and small nibbles of his milky flesh draws a moan similar to the one that’s been playing in your head all night to leave his blushed lips.
“Or the way that you grabbed my thigh.” Your teeth sink into the flesh of his neck and the sound that he makes in response is nearly enough to make you cum on the spot. “Or how hard you were when I was finished.”
“Do that again.” So biting is his favorite, huh? 
“Say please.” 
“Please, do that again. Bite me, harder. Please let me feel that again.” He’s begging? You’ve never been with a man who was willing to do that. A mumbled praise makes his cock twitch against you as one of his hands slips down to your ass, gripping the cheek firmly but not squeezing. Your teeth sink into his neck again, a deep guttural groan escapes him while his fingers dig into the soft flesh of your ass through your jeans. “Oh, baby.”
You pull away at the feeling of a warm spot beneath you. When you look down at your clothed cores the sticky wet spot presents itself to you. He came just from you biting him and he's still hard. No fucking way.
“You made a mess.” A familiar darkness falls upon his gaze and now it's your turn to moan from the grip he has on your hair. “Clean it up for me, angel.”
You crawl backwards off of his lap, lowering down onto your knees as his grip in your hair ensures that your eyes stay on his. He shimmies his pants down with his free hand, your eye contact falters for just a second so that you can steal a glance at his cock. He’s bigger than you thought he’d be, long and curved ever so slightly. The angry red tip is glistening with cum in the low light, you run your tongue along your lips at the thought of sucking him clean. 
“One day you’ll give me a pretty tattoo right here, won’t you?” He pulls your hair towards him, controlling your head so that you lean into his hip. You plant a sloppy kiss against his skin, nipping and licking like a desperate puppy. His cock twitches at the feel of your lips on the newly discovered patch of skin. “I’ll be hard as a rock with your pretty face so close to my cock.” He moves your head over just enough for you to lick up some of the cum from his flawless thigh. 
“You think you could do it? Think you could be that close to my cock and not put me in your mouth?” Little does he know that you’ve already thought about it and the answer is no. Hell no, absolutely not. “Maybe it would be me who loses control.”
He yanks back on your hair, lifting your head back up to meet his gaze. He brings his bent pointer finger to your chin and runs his thumb down your swollen lips. “I have a feeling that I’ll be addicted to this mouth.” His eyebrow piercing catches the light as he stares down at you and you can’t help but to feel turned on by the fact that you did that to him. You’re responsible for that pretty stud on this pretty man. 
“Let’s see if I’m right.” You open your mouth eagerly once he sits back and guides you over to his waiting cock. A hiss escapes him once you take him to the hilt, swallowing around him with watery eyes. He marvels at the way your pretty lips stretch around him, taking every single inch of him until his tip makes your throat bulge and your mouth water. You bob your head, licking and sucking him clean. The taste of his cum is so sweet, so perfect, maybe you’re just insanely horny or maybe he’s your new favorite candy. The only thing you’ll have a craving for from this point on. 
“That throat is taking me so well.” The vibration of your hum makes Hyunjin bite his lip as he watches you. You bring your hands up to his naked thighs and claw your nails lightly down the exposed skin. His cock twitches in your mouth and your pussy throbs at the feeling of it. You’re a big fan of foreplay, it’s super important and fun and everything but you would do anything to skip all of this and simply feel Hyunjin’s cock sink into your dripping pussy. “This is what you wanted yesterday isn’t it? This is what you wanted when you were staring at my dick?”
The deep rasp of his voice as he asks such filthy questions makes you press your thighs together, Hyunjin moves his foot in between your knees. Kicking your legs apart and taking away the relief you were chasing.
“Need me now?” Your desperate gaze up at him is all the answer that he needs. He lets go of your hair and you slowly come up off of his cock, swirling your tongue around the tip a bit and releasing him with a string of spit still connecting you. He offers you his hand to help you up off of your knees before dropping to his own right in front of you. 
With a burning gaze on your naked stomach he unbuttons your jeans and slowly drags them over the curve of your hips. His eyes scan every inch of newly exposed skin, leaving sweet soft kisses against the silky skin of your thighs. He takes a deep breath before pulling your panties down, his hands lingering against your bare skin as he admires your body. He leans in and places a soft kiss against your exposed center once you step out of your panties. What was supposed to be a simple kiss turned into a few kitten licks against your clit which then quickly evolved into long drags of his tongue through your folds while he palms your ass. 
“Hyun- Hyunjin holy fuck.” Your fingers thread into his dark strands again, lightly pulling at his roots and milking moans from him. “Please fuck me. Please just fuck me I want to feel you.”
“Gotta get you ready.” He spits onto your clit, watching it drip down your lips a bit before catching with his tongue and spreading it over your folds. “I need my girl dripping around my cock.”
His lips wrap around your clit and you throw your head back in a silent scream before looking down at him. His eyes are closed as he laps at your pussy, sucking and licking like his life depends on it. You admire the shimmer of his fresh piercing as you watch him, pathetic whimpers falling from you as he dangles your orgasm in front of your face. You’ve been thinking about him for hours and now you’ve finally got him. You get to cum on his tongue and watch him slurp up every drip of your essence.
“I’m gonna cum, oh my god.” Your grip on his hair tightens and he hisses against you. He swirls his skilled tongue around your swollen clit a couple of times and you can feel the blistering heat setting all over your body. You’re so close, it’s so good and then he pulls away.
“Hyun-” Your whine is cut off by the soft yet aggressive feeling of his lips on yours.
“I want you to cum on my cock.” The taste of your pussy on his tongue distracts you from the feeling of him guiding you to the couch. He pushes you down, watching you with a smirk as he pushes his damp hair out of his face. You watch as he pulls his shirt over his head, balling it up and using it to dap at the sweat on his forehead before throwing it to the side with the rest of your clothes. “Do me a favor.”
His fingers dig into your plush waist as he positions you. He props his knee on the soft cushion,  lining himself up with your entrance and teasing your sopping folds with his leaky tip. “Anything.” You fist the pillow right above you, placing it under your head to get a bit more comfortable. 
“Call me baby.” He slips into you before you can even reply to him, stretching you out so deliciously and filling up your gushing pussy until his tip kisses your cervix. The moan that echoes through his apartment is high pitched and airy, your lungs burn from the electricity charged air as you cry out for him, gripping at the couch cushions as you try to ground yourself.
“Baby.” The first time that his hips snap into you his jaw clenches and his eyes roll to the back of his head. His imagination barely did you justice last night, his fist is nothing compared to the way that your pussy is clenching around him. The ungodly squelches of his cock plunging into you sends shivers down his spine. 
“Fuck, you’re heaven.” He coos, the rasp in his voice makes your pussy clench around him as he presses your thighs back towards your chest. Hyunjin picks up the pace, snapping into you with unholy force. 
It’s been so long since you’ve felt anything but your own fingers and it’s been even longer since you’ve been fucked this good. Not even Minho can top this and he was the best fuck you ever had. The mascara stained tears running down your cheeks translates all of that to Hyunjin without you having to say a word, it’s not like you could say anything but his name even if you wanted to. Your orgasm creeps up on you again, dangling in front of you like bait for a fish.
“Hyun - Hyunjin please don’t stop. Gonna cum gonna -” You cry out as he slams into you, filling you to the hilt and staying as still as possible. “Please please, ‘s so close please.”
“Not yet, baby.” he beckons you with two fingers, motioning for you to sit up. He helps you up, shifting your position so that you’re on top of him. You clench around him at the movement and he hisses at the tight feel of you. He’s close too but he wants you to fall apart on top of him. He wants to see you fall apart up close so that he can fuck his fist to the memory of it for days after.
 “Ride me, come on.” A firm slap to your ass makes your hips buck into him as you start to move along his length. 
You’re fucked out, chasing your pleasure desperately on top of a pretty man with a pretty cock. He wraps his arms around you, hugging you against his chest when he suddenly starts fucking up into you. He’s impossibly deep and you find yourself gasping for air against his shoulder. Moans and grunts fill the hot air as you fuck each other. For each thrust into you, you grind down on his cock, keeping him deliciously deep in your cunt. Your teeth mindlessly graze over the slope of his shoulder before you bite down into him. Bite, lick, suck. That’s the pattern you follow, over and over again. Making him sing for you as his fingers caress your spine. 
“Come on, you can do it harder than that.” He gasps when you accept his challenge, biting into him with a bruising force. His thrusts become more erratic as he nears his climax but he’s determined to let you soak his cock before he pulls out. “Look at me, baby.”
He leans back into the sofa and his hand moves between your bodies once your eyes meet his. His middle and pointer finger rubs circles into your clit while he ruts up into you “Yes yes, yes ‘s so good.” 
“You like my cock, pretty girl?” The fog in your brain is so thick that you can’t help but to babble as your orgasm climbs up your spine for the third time tonight.
“Love it. Love cock, you -you’re cock. Hyunjin, ‘m gonna cum o-on your cock.” He thought that you were breathtaking before but watching you cock drunk and fucked out while you’re bouncing on his dick might be his favorite way to see you. 
“Go ahead, cum on my cock.” With a few more sloppy thrusts your body trembles against him as you come undone on top of him. He fucks you through it, keeping his fingers pressed against your clit as you squirm on top of him. Your vision goes white and there’s a ringing in your ears that blocks out every word of praise that falls from Hyunjin’s lips. The only thing that you can register is the pressure of his cock as he simultaneously abuses your cervix and clit. 
“Hyun- fuck fuckfuck. So much. Too much.” Once you find the strength to open your eyes you're met with Hyunjin smiling up at you with pinched brows. “You can take it.”
“Pull my hair, baby.” Your trembling hands find their way along the familiar path of his scalp seconds after his request. Pulling at his roots with a delicious force that makes Hyunjin’s eyes roll back as he licks his lips.
“Oh fuck, you’re gonna make me cum.” Moans and whines fall from you nonstop as he fucks into your swollen and sensitive cunt, the wet sound of your arosual where Hyunjin’s cock disappears into you echoes off the walls until he stops, breath hitching in his throat. “Come here.”
His hand is in your hair before you can protest, lifting you off of him and onto your knees. Your cunt feels so empty without him inside of you. “Gonna let me cum on those pretty tits?”
“Yeah, yeah please. Wan' your cum, baby.” He throws his head back, pumping his slick cock in front of your face while you mindlessly slur praises for him. “You’re so fucking pretty, please let me have it. Please, I wan' Jinnie’s cum.” 
“Baby, baby, cumming. I’m fucking cumming.” You both watch as thick ropes of his cum paints your breasts. Dripping over your nipples and the shiny studs just how Hyunjin pictured it last night. “Shit.” 
Your panting fills the room as you both take a second to come down from your high. Hyunjin offers you his hand, helping you up from your knees and catching you when you stumble a bit with a chuckle. “Let me clean you up so you can lie down.” He sits you on the couch, grabbing his sweats and pulling them on before making his way to the bathroom for a wet cloth. 
You blink a couple of times, trying your best to adjust to the light around you. It’s dim but everything seemed darker in your fucked out haze. You settle against the armrest of the sofa, smiling like an idiot while the pulsing of your clit reminds you of everything that just happened. Who would’ve thought that an eyebrow piercing could lead you to having the best fuck of your life. Just as you allow your eyes to flutter shut you feel a heavy vibration under you. With a groan you lift yourself up and search for the source. It’s your jacket, it must be your phone. Oh my gosh, Minho! You sit up with all the strength that you can muster, unlocking your phone and checking your messages. 
“Everything alright?” Hyunjin questions as he kneels in front of you with a warm cloth in hand.
“Yup, just fine.” You grin down at your screen before pushing your phone to the side and allowing Hyunjin to wipe you clean.
From Minho: Knew you weren’t coming back.  
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aliennooboo · 2 years ago
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I was asked to tell more about the holidays in my legacy gameplay, so here is a super long and detailed post on the subject! 😊
How I use holidays in my game
I used to hate the holidays, cos I saw them as something my sims had to participate in and there was always so much pressure to complete all the traditions! But then I cracked it...
Holidays are a great way to add objectives to gameplay! When every day is some kind of a holiday with its own theme, there's always something for my sims to do.
I tick the "day off" box only if the holiday is a major one or the traditions would feel too rushed if my sim worked on the same day.
I try to have a lot of outdoor/traveling holidays in the spring and summer, and more home lot based holidays in the autumn and winter.
For some holidays, I add a diverse set of traditions and then choose only one or two to complete every sim year.
Sometimes my sims are just too busy with other things in life to participate at all. The No more "awful holiday" sad moodlet mod (linked below) is super useful because it completely takes the pressure off of completing holiday traditions!
It's very refreshing to use custom icons for the holidays, it matters more than you'd think! I use the More selectable icons mod (linked below) for this feature.
I've taken ideas and inspiration for some of my holidays from countless lists made by other simmers over the years.
Holiday mods
Traditions
Please note that some of these mods feature some of the same traditions - pick and choose so you don't get duplicates! Every custom tradition I use in my game is from these mods.
Icemunmun's traditions
LittleMsSam's traditions
Kiara's traditions
Renegadesims's traditions
Lychee's traditions
Pet traditions
Toddler traditions
Kids traditions
Occult traditions
Crafting traditions
Relaxation traditions
Eco-friendly traditions
Food traditions
Baking traditions
Writing traditions
A Night Out traditions
Cottage Living traditions
More Cottage Living traditions
Island Living traditions
Snowy Escape traditions
More Snowy Escape traditions
Paranormal traditions
University traditions
Realm of Magic, Paranormal & Vampires traditions
Other
More selectable icons
No more "awful holiday" sad moodlet
Holiday traditions in my game
The number next to each tradition shows which mod it's from. If there is no number, it's an EA tradition.
Spring
🌅 New Year's Day (day off) A chill day for spending time with your family after New Year's celebrations.
Family dinner ³
Cleaning
Cook pancakes ³
Play cards ³
Tell stories
🌟 Resolution Day It's time to make those New Year's resolutions reality! At least on this one day of the year...
Fasting
Exercise
Donate ³
Volunteer ³
Find penpal ¹⁵
🔫 Play Day Play is the work of the child. Child sims should invite their friends over for some play time!
Activity table ⁸
Make an experience ⁸
Monkey bars ⁸
Play pirate ⁸
Space explorer ⁸
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off) Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
🌍 Earth Day You take care of nature and nature takes care of you.
Apply eco upgrades ¹²
Give gift to wild animal ¹⁷
Island clean up ¹²
Socialize with wild birds ¹⁷
Go hiking ³
🥪 Picnic Day Pack some tasty snacks and go on a picnic with your friends.
Go picnic ¹⁸
Invite guests
Play horseshoes ³
Collect bugs ³
Fire
💝 Love Day (day off) Take your significant other on a date and show them how much you love them! Or stay in and watch a romantic movie... with a special someone or alone, either way is fine!
Romantic spirit
Go on a date
Out for coffee ¹⁶
Send love letter ¹⁵
Watch romantic TV
🌮 Dining Day Today's all about eating as many different meals as you can. Taste something new or stick to old favorites!
Eat cultural dishes ³
Eat grilled cheese ³
Eat pizza ³
Hot pot ¹³
Order food ¹³
🧨 Gnome Day It's gnomes. Just gnomes. We can survive this. It's only once a year. We just have to keep them happy. It should be easy, right?
Holiday gnomes
🧽 Spring Cleaning Spring gives you a boost of energy. It's time to clean the house and fix anything that needs fixing!
Cleaning
Do laundry ³
Upgrade animal shelter ¹⁷
Upgrade chicken coop ¹⁷
Water crops ¹⁷
🪩 Party Night No self-respecting sim stays home on this wild night! It's time to partaaaaaay!
Out for coffee ¹⁶
Drinks at the bar ¹⁶
Go bowling ³
Bubble blower ³
Party spirit
🛠️ DIY Day It can't be that hard, the tutorial made it look pretty easy... Famous last words.
Build-a-bot ¹⁰
Crafting ¹⁰
Fabrication ¹⁰
Juice fizzing ¹⁰
Woodwork ¹⁰
🐇 Bunny Day (day off) Children's favorite holiday that's all about bunnies!
Egg hunt
Socialize with rabbit ¹⁷
Baking
Flower Bunny
Give gift to wild animal ¹⁷
🌺 Festival of Flowers A celebration of the spring turning to summer.
Flower arranging ¹⁰
Give flowers
Visit flower stall ¹⁷
Sunbathe ³
Gardening
Summer
☀️ Start of Summer It's finally summer and you can do all those fun things you dreamed of in the dark of winter!
Streaking
Go fishing ³
Go swimming ³
Kiddie pool ⁷
Play basketball ²
🐶 Pet Day Show your pet how much you love them on this special day!
Feeling the love ⁶
Pamper pets ⁶
Play with dog ⁶
Play with laser pointer ⁶
Teach tricks ⁶
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off) Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
🧸 Children's Day Spend time with your children today. Take them to the park or the beach, or play with them at home.
Voidcritters ¹
Build sand sculpture ³
Games
Puppet show ³
Space explorer ⁸
🐄 Farm Day Visit a farm in Henford-on-Bagley and get to know the cows, chickens and llamas!
Harvest animal produce ¹⁷
Harvest crops ¹⁷
Take care of farm animals ¹⁸
Make animal treats ¹⁷
Socialize with villagers ¹⁷
🌞 Summer Vacation (3 days off) Enjoy summer to the max with 3 days of vacation!
Go on a vacation or travel
Go swimming ³
Invite guests
Sunbathe ³
Water fun
🍼 Toddler Day Take your toddler to the park or arrange a toddler play date.
Ball pit ⁷
Kiddie pool ⁷
Slide ⁷
Tiny treehouse ⁷
Jungle gym ⁷
🎵 Music Day Enjoy music in all its forms. Sing, play, listen.
Dancing ²
Music ³
Party spirit
Watch live performance ³
🌻 Garden Day Does anything make one happier than a thriving garden? Shower your plants with love (and water) today, make a new garden plan, or sow new seeds.
Sow seeds ¹⁷
Fertilize crops ¹⁷
Gardening
Collect bugs ³
Plant oversized crop ¹⁸
👩‍👩‍👦 Family Day Sometimes life feels so busy that you barely see even your own family. Make sure to spend some quality time with your loved ones today.
Baking
Family dinner ³
Games
Puppet show ³
Water fun
🏝️ Beach Day (day off) Celebrate summer in Sulani!
Build sand sculpture ³
Interact with dolphin ¹⁹
Go snorkeling ¹⁹
Go sailing ³
Collect seashells ⁵
🍃 End of Summer One last chance to enjoy a warm summer evening... Have a barbeque with your family and friends!
Bar-B-que
Sunbathe ³
Hot tub ³
Eat ice cream ³
Juice keg ²³
Autumn
🔥 Bonfire Night Dark autumn evenings are perfect for a little gathering around a bonfire. Look at the stars, roast some marshmallows, and wrap yourself in a blanket when it starts to get cold.
Fire
Stargaze ³
Fireworks
Tell stories
Fire dance ⁵
🧛 Occult Night They're creepy and they're kooky... mysterious and spooky... They're the occults and this is their night!
Alien powers ⁹
Mermaid powers ⁹
Use vampire powers ⁹
Cast spells ⁹
Use cauldron ⁹
🎲 Game Night Play some games with your family or friends to bring a bit of fun into this dark season.
Games
Go bowling ³
Play cards ³
Play darts ²
Play foosball ²
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off) Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
❓ Life Change Day Do something today that has the potential to change the rest of your life!
Meet or adopt ⁶
Go on a date
Write a book ¹⁵
Go on a vacation or travel
Run errands for villagers ¹⁷
💡 Skill Day Learn something new today! Either work on skills you already know, or try doing something outside of your comfort zone.
Art & music spirit
Woodwork ¹⁰
Juice fizzing ¹⁰
Candle making ¹⁰
Craft wool items ¹⁷
🛋️ Couch Potato Day After the toil of yesterday, take it easy in good conscience today. It's not a day off, but you could always call in sick... Cough, cough.
Watch a movie ³
Sports TV
Sauna ¹¹
Read a book ³
Relaxing soak ¹¹
🍂 Autumn Day Enjoy the crisp air, the sunshine on the colorful leaves, and cosy autumn activities!
Fall fun ⁴
Fire
Canning ¹⁸
Drink tea ³
Candle making ¹⁰
🧓🏽 Parent's Day If you're in good terms with your parent(s), today's the perfect day to remind them how much you love and appreciate them.
Family dinner ³
Gift a parent ³
Hug parent ³
Remembrance
Tell stories
⚽ Sports Day Whether you like pumping iron or shooting hoops, do some exercise today.
Exercise
Go rock wall climbing ¹
Play basketball ²
Play soccer ³
💋 Date Night Whether it's your significant other or someone you don't even know yet, ask them on a date tonight!
Go on a date
Woohoo ³
Romantic spirit
🕯️ Other Side Day The veil is thinning... If you have business with someone in the afterlife, today's the day to get in touch.
Summon Bonehilda ⁹
Summon a ghost ²²
Conduct a seance ⁹
Commune with the departed ²²
Remembrance
🌽 Harvestfest (day off) Give thanks for everything the land has given you this year. Treat your garden, treat your animals, treat yourself.
Invite guests
Grand meal
Thankful spirit
Make animal treats ¹⁷
Harvest crops ¹⁷
🎃 Spooky Day (day off) It's time to get spooky!
Carve pumpkin ³
Spooky spirit
Trick or treat
Wear costumes
Use cauldron ⁹
Winter
🥧 Baking Day Get your baking supplies out, because today's all about the magic of flour and sugar! Have pancakes and coffee for breakfast, and bake all your favorite pastries.
Baking
Cook pancakes ³
Drink coffee ³
Decorate cookies ¹⁴
Make cupcakes ¹⁴
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off) Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
📚 Written Word Day Read your favorite book in your favorite armchair, or go the library to find something new to read. Write a letter to someone, or finally start writing that book you always dreamt of.
Find penpal ¹⁵
My private journal ¹⁵
Writing skill ¹⁵
Read a book ³
Send love letter ¹⁵
💥 Chaos Day It seems like everyone's lost their social filter today! It's chaos all around! I hate all my friends! OOPS, did I say that out loud...
Air grievances
Fighting
Mischief spirit
Streaking
Magic duel ⁹
🎁 Do Good Day Today is all about being good to others. Make the world a better place by helping those around you.
Donate ³
Make pet food ⁶
Run errands for villagers ¹⁷
Volunteer ³
Vote for policies ¹²
🤝 BFF Day Invite your best friend over for a nice cup of tea or coffee. Share secrets, cry and laugh, have some fun.
Invite guests
Drink coffee ³
Drink tea ³
Play cards ³
Out for coffee ¹⁶
🧘 Mindfulness Day Take care of your mind and body.
Meditate ¹¹
Sauna ¹¹
Massage ³
My private journal ¹⁵
Do yoga ¹¹
🏔️ Snow Day (day off) Celebrate winter in Mt. Komorebi!
Go rock climbing ²⁰
Go skiing ²⁰
Go sledding ²⁰
Go snowboarding ²⁰
Hot springs ¹¹
🏡 Homebody Day (day off) Have you ever dreamed of just staying at home when it's dark and cold outside? Well, today you can!
Canning ¹⁸
Knitting ¹⁰
Cross-stitching ¹⁸
Practice herbalism ¹
Make pet food ⁶
🎄 Winterfest Eve Put up decorations for this wintery holiday, cook a delicious dinner, and then enjoy the evening as you wait for Father Winter's visit.
Attend holiday ceremony
Decorate
Festive spirit
Father Winter
Grand meal
☃️ Winterfest Day (day off) It's the most peaceful day of the year. Spend it with your loved ones.
Invite guests
Family dinner ³
Baking
Go skating ³
Open presents
🎨 Creativity Day Get your easel down from the attic, find your old camera in the garage, or pick up the knitting needles that have been collecting dust on the shelf. Let's do some arts and crafts!
Art & music spirit
Activity table ⁸
Cross-stitching ¹⁸
Writing skill ¹⁵
Knitting ¹⁰
❄️ Yamachan Day Travel to Mt. Komorebi to meet Yamachan!
Yamachan ²¹
Make a Tanabata wish ²¹
Hot pot ¹³
Order from Mt. Komorebi festival food stalls ²¹
Go hiking ³
🥂 New Year's Eve It's time to celebrate the year gone by, and welcome the new one that's right around the corner.
Countdown to midnight
Drinking
Eat pizza ³
Fireworks
Make resolutions
More holiday ideas
If you want to create your own holidays, but struggle with coming up with ideas, here are some things I always consider when I create holidays.
Can you match a world with a season? Summer holidays in Sulani, winter holidays in Mt. Komorebi, etc.
Alternatively, have a summer holiday in Sulani when it's winter elsewhere, a winter holiday in Mt. Komorebi when it's summer elsewhere, etc.
What if you took the default holidays and placed them in a different season? Celebrate Winterfest on the beach in the summer!
Can you match a world with a theme? Nature holidays in Granite Falls, city holidays in San Myshuno, etc.
Think of a simple theme for your holiday (games, sports, food, animals, books, etc.) and choose traditions based on that.
Create a holiday that requires your sim to travel from world to world to complete all the traditions.
Have a 3 day holiday for a vacation trip, with different traditions to complete each day.
Create holidays for specific life stages. What would a teen or an elder sim do for their holiday?
Create a holiday for each occult type. How would a Spellcaster spend their holiday?
Can you think of a way to combine holidays and clubs?
Put two really different holidays right next to each other so you have lots of variety in gameplay.
If you're playing a legacy, create a holiday for each heir sim based on their personality, and have their offspring celebrate these holidays to honor them.
Research real life holidays that are celebrated around the world to find new ideas.
Can't find the traditions that you need in your game? Follow this tutorial by LittleMsSam to create your own traditions!
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haikyu-mp4 · 9 months ago
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Two jobs
word count; 1262 – singlemom!reader
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Even though your 10-year-old son had started to become less of a cuddly kid and more of a stubborn tween, there is one ritual he never complained about. Namely, going to Onigiri Miya every Monday after finishing his homework.
By now, both of you were good friends with the owner, Miya Osamu. Some friends might call what you had a crush but you’d always deny it. There was no use getting your hopes up for dating when your whole life revolved around your son. Expecting someone to take on an extra job would simply set you up for disappointment.
Osamu knew you both well enough by now to have had a couple of conversations with your son about his growing volleyball obsession. There were pictures hung up in the restaurant of Osamu with his twin brother, who just so happened to be a setter on your son’s favourite team recently, the MSBY Black Jackals. Your son was ecstatic when he found out about Osamu’s common interest and quickly grew somewhat attached to the owner of the restaurant, so you did as well. Maybe you didn’t just go there once a week anymore.
However, Osamu hadn’t dared to ask for your number yet, so this surprise to your son became a surprise for you as well. When you and your son entered the restaurant, your eyes immediately found Osamu to give him a wave, but your son’s wide eyes were on his blonde twin who was leaning on the wall by the cashier and clearly waiting for something. Or someone. Let’s just say Osamu called in a favour.
Your son let out a loud dramatic gasp before running over to the athlete, trying to act cool while greeting Atsumu.
“S/n, you could at least greet Osamu before moving on.” you chuckled softly and ruffled his hair, even though you knew Osamu probably understood. You bowed to Atsumu and introduced yourself before smiling at Osamu again with sparkling eyes because you realised Osamu did this for your son. Your dear son who was now talking Atsumu’s ears off. “Thank you,” you said, not too loudly so you wouldn’t disturb the kids’ volleyball talk. Osamu nodded his head, neck flushing from the soft look on your face before turning around and heading for the kitchen.
“I’ll get your usual going,” he said cheerfully.
You looked at his back for a few seconds with a warm heart before turning to his twin. Atsumu was already looking at you, amused by the lovey-dovey action happening right in front of his eyes. You put a hand on your son’s shoulder. “Miya is probably here to enjoy his food too, kiddo,” you said, hoping your son wouldn’t be embarrassed for his excitement but trying to make him more aware.
“No worries at all, it’s good to get some feedback from the experts every now and then,” Atsumu said, fully into the role as he winked at your son. The boy chuckled, grinning up at you in glee. Core memory, maybe. “And please, call me Atsumu,” he said, which he directed more at you.
You three kept talking for a couple of minutes until Osamu finally came back with your food on a tray. His brother found it funny how you two awkwardly blushed around each other, trying to act like normal despite the obvious attraction. It was hilarious. Osamu closed the restaurant as you had come in quite late today and the last customer just left, so he could sit down with the three of you while you ate. However, it was mostly your son talking, trying his best to eat at the same time as he had Atsumu putty in his hands. Meanwhile, you and Osamu kept whispering to each other and mixed it with quiet chuckles, mostly about how adorable your son was.
Atsumu saw his opportunity. After this day, he could be cordially crowned the best brother ever, as he sacrificed more of his time with a few simple words after your son finished his last bite of onigiri. “Why don’t you join me for practice tomorrow, I’ll show you some tricks,” he suggested, enjoying the absolute thrill on the kid’s face. Your son turned to you, hands tightly knit together to beg.
“Please please please, mom. Can I? It’s been my absolute biggest dream since like forever.” he said dramatically. You’re definitely familiar with all his big dreams that seemed to change each time he wanted something. You took a moment to look at Atsumu for confirmation that he was sure, then at Osamu to see if he agreed with it and then you turned your eyes back to your son, pinching his chubby cheek.
“We can’t turn down such an amazing offer, I think it sounds great,” you said, and it only took a second for your son to burst from his chair to hug you around your neck and chant his thank yous. “Go thank Atsumu and Osamu as well, love.”
When you were about to leave, Atsumu picked up your son and showed him some more pictures further into the restaurant, winking at Osamu as his signal. Osamu took a deep breath before getting your attention by loosely holding your hand. “Hey, y/n.” He clutched onto all his courage and for once took his brother’s advice. “Would you like to go out with me while Atsumu takes care of s/n tomorrow?” he asked, observing your face for a reaction. You were blinking in disbelief before smiling again.
“Just us? Like a…” you cleared your throat, not sure if you could meet his eyes so you interlaced your fingers with his instead. “Like a date?” You would have to be stupid to not realise the chemistry between you and Osamu, but you never wanted to make a move because he might have decided already that he doesn’t want to be involved in your son’s life like that. So hearing him finally ask was thrilling and you wondered if he might be able to hear your heartbeat if he focused enough and Atsumu stopped talking so loudly.
“Like a date. If you want it to be.”
“I would love to.”
Osamu prepared the best date ever and the two of you easily went from nervous chuckles to engaged conversations. In order for you to relax as much as possible, he had already given Atsumu all the information and threats he needed to take responsibility for your son. In between your conversations, Osamu would check his phone and show you some pictures Atsumu sent to prove that your son was both safe and enjoying himself.
Atsumu certainly had to remind himself he was being a good brother when your son’s favourite player was revealed to be Bokuto, who had a field day with his young fan.
After you finished the perfect first date and shared a couple of first kisses, the both of you went to get your son and he was happily telling both of you about his experience with the professional volleyball players as you exited the gym. Now that must have been a core memory.
Atsumu gave his farewells before leaving, glancing over his shoulder at how you and Osamu each held one of your son’s hands as Osamu followed you back to your apartment. He could totally be the cool uncle, but your son would have to switch favourites first.
And now, after many more dates and with a diamond ring on your finger, Osamu is proud to say he has two jobs and loves both of them.
masterlist ║ PART 2
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jawdzzzz · 8 months ago
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Emotions Legacy Challenge:
Dive deep into the world of feelings with The Sims 4 Emotions Legacy Challenge. In this unique and engaging gameplay, your task is to build a family legacy that explores the vast spectrum of human emotions across generations. Each generation focuses on a different emotion, challenging your Sims in unique and impactful ways that shape their lives and the lives of their descendants. Packs Required: Base Game Expansion Packs - Get To Work, Get Together, City Living, Cats & Dogs, Seasons, Get Famous, Island Living, Discover University, Eco Lifestyle, Snowy Escape, Cottage Living, High School Years, Growing Together, Horse Ranch, For Rent Game Packs - Outdoor Retreat, Spa Day, Vampires, Parenthood, Dream Home Decorater, My Wedding Stories Stuff Packs - Spooky Stuff, , Vintage Glamour, Moschino Stuff, Nifty Knitting, Rules: - Lifespan - Normal - Custom Content & Mods Allowed - No Money Cheats Allowed -You don't have to complete all tasks if you don't want to. Make it your own but it is highly advised you do all the tasks considering this is a challenge and you'll get the most out of it - Each heir including the founder must closely represent their assigned emotion as much as possible including the colors, house, appearance, etc - If you decide to do this challenge please use the #emotionslegacychallenge so i'll be able to see your founder and heirs' stories! - If you're planning on streaming or uploading videos of this challenge please promote me or give me a shoutout - Attributes help get your sim in their emotion or are special interactions you can do to make your sim feel like their emotion ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gens: Gen One Happy: You're the founder of the legacy. You grew up in Pleasantview and you're looking forward to your life as an independant adult! You're a very positive, bubbly and happy person. You never go a day without smiling and laughing. You thrive for having that white picket house on elm street and living a normal happy life! You're seeking fun, a career in your passionate hobbie & settling down having children.
Colours - Green & Yellow Traits - Childish, Cheerful & Art Lover Aspiration - Painter Extraordinaire World - Willow Creek
Complete the Painter Extraordinaire Aspiration
Have the Homey, Natural Light & Sunny Aspect lot traits
Have the Simple Living lot challenge
Perform 20 gigs as an artist freelancer
As an adult quit and join the gardener, education or painter career
Achieve level 10 in the painting & parenting skills
Achieve at least level 5 in cooking & gardening
Live with a roomate for 2 sim weeks
Have a best friend & 3 good friends
Live in a starter home for your young adult life (as an adult till death live in a two story family home worth more than $75,000)
Always have and maintain a healthy garden
Fall in love & marry a homeless sim
Adopt a dog or rescue a stray dog
Volunteer & donate to charities once a week
Have three children, your second child is your gen two heir… Maintain a difficult relationship dynamic with your second born & a close relationship dynamic with your first & third born
Emotion Attributes:
Cheerful Vlog (The More Views Video Station)
Heartfelt Compliment
Brighten Day
Happy Text Another Sim
Cheer up at least 3 different sims from a sad mood
Maintain & have a healthy garden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gen Two Sad: You're the second born and get constantly overshadowed by your older and younger siblings. Your parents love the rainbows and sunshine whilst you prefer the cold wet weather and getting your rainboots all wet and soggy. Crying is how you comfort yourself... Oh and music, you love music. Music is your escape from your reality and is what you most relate to Colours - Blue & Black Traits - Gloomy, Music Lover, Cat Lover Aspiration - Musical Genius World - Oasis Springs
Complete the musical genius aspiration
Reach level 10 in piano & violin
Reach level 5 of cross stitching & knitting
Have the Great Acoustics , Cat Friendly & Cat Hangout lot traits
Join the entertainer career (musician branch) reach level 10
Runaway from home as a teenager & move to an empty lot (off the grid)
Live in a trailer/caravan as a teen. Build a tiny home as a young adult when you own $10,000 or more
Rescue a stray cat and bring it home as a teenager
Busk for tips playing piano & violin your whole teen years
Find a penpal, later make them in CAS & fall in love with them
Own at least three cats & be close with all of them
Perform at all talent shows
Have one child only
Emotion Attributes: Sad Vlog (The More Views Video Station) Express Melancholy Thoughts (Private journal) Water Plant with Tears Play with Emotion (Violin) Call Sadness Hotline (Phone) Blog About Feelings (Computer) Give Yourself a Pep Talk (Mirror) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Three Fear:
Your childhood upbringing was difficult, your gen sad parent was always spiraling in sad breakdowns & always being gloomy. You're a paranoid sim, just thinking about the littlest things in life you fear the present & future. Reading books would help distract your mind & sleeping with a night light on helped comfort you from the darkness of the world... You also fear of the monster hiding under your bed. You hope to one day be an inspiring author and protect other sims from the fear of... FEAR. Colours - Purple & Black Traits - Paranoid, Loner, Perfectionst Aspiration - Bestselling Author World - San Myshuno Goals:
Achieve level 10 in writing & logic skills
Complete the writer career Author Branch
Complete the bestselling author aspiration
Have at least 4 fears (you can choose whichever and to overcome whichever fear you want)
Have the Quake Zone lot challenge
Have the Good Schools, Science Lair & On Ley Line lot traits
Have a girlfriend/boyfriend in high school
Move out as a young adult with your high school sweetheart any apartment you can offord
Become pregnant and have twins
Have your high school sweetheart tragically die after 1 sim week of moving in (you choose the death)
After their death, change the lot type to needs tlc
Be a strict parent & set a curfew for your twins
Never fall in love again or go on dates as a young adult. Eventually find someone that opens yourself up to the potential of having another love as an adult (marriage is optional)
Write novel about losing your soulmate & finally let go
Emotion Attributes: As a child experience the monster being under your bed
Always sleep with a night light on
Experience paranormal activity at least once
Hide Under The Covers (bed)
Take a Panicked Poop (toilet)
Scream incoherently at other sims --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Four Anger:
You grew up with only one parent, the one parent you were stuck with was always so paranoid and scared of the littlest of things. You never understood them, if anything just thinking about their choice of living makes you.... ANGRY. You growing up with only one parent makes you angry, your sibling makes you angry, your family home makes you angry, a fly buzzing at your face makes you angry. Anger is all you have, you don't envision yourself being anything without it, you would simply just float away. Working out & being a heavily opinionuated public speaker in debate is how you cope and manage your volcanic erruptions. Colours - Red, Orange & Black Traits - Active, Geek & Hot Headed Aspiration - Bodybuilder World - Evergreen Harbor Goals:
Master the fitness & Research and Debate skill
Complete the body builder aspiration
Achieve level 5 in mischief, charisma & video gaming
Have the Volcanic Activity lot challenge
Have the Bracing Breezes, Mean Vibe & Gnomes lot trait
Create a gym club & gather least once a week
Join the athlete career & get to level 10 in the bodybuilder branch
Join an after school activity in high school
Skip class and get detention at least once
Get into 5 physical fights & win
Go to university and graduate with a degree in Biology
Join the debate guild & win a debate
Juggle two different relationships in university and choose your one true love before graduating
Have 2 children
Emotion Attributes: Provoke Chew Out Insult Face Denounce Friendship Rant and Rave Vent Shout Forbidden Words Belittle Anger (Child and Teens only) Frenzied Kiss (resembles Passionate Kiss) Sarcastic Compliment Attempt To Flirt Belittle Anger
Angry Vlog (The More Views Video Station) Angry paint (easel) Rage-Fueled Run (treadmill) Angry Poop! (toilet) Enraged Reps (workout machine) Kick Down a Trash Can (trash can) Scribble Furiously as a Teen (Private Journal) Blow Off Some Steam (punching bag) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Five Disgust: Low qualiy items Ughhhh.... Insects.... EWWW.... Townies fashion choices AHHHHHHH! You're gen five disgust and always are craving high quality, bougie outfits & compliments. You want to be an icon & live in the biggest, most fanciest & of course cleanist mansion in all of Del Sol Valley. You avoid getting poisoned socially & physically at all costs! You're out to shape shift society and smack down a celebrity plaque of your own with an iron fist Colours - Green, Purple & Brown Traits - Squeamish, Neat, Snob Aspiration - Mansion Baron World - Del Sol Valley
Goals:
Achieve level 10 in the wellness & charisma skill
Complete the mansion baron aspiration
Complete the style influencer career (any branch)
Have the Creepy Crawlies lot challenge
Have the Celebrity Home, Convival & Romantic Aura lot traits
Create at least 3 fashion looks on Trendi as a teen
Own a fashion boutique & get it to 5 stars
Give at least 5 sims a makeover at the styling station
Become best friends with a celebrity & enemies with a celebrity
Become friends with 5 celebrities
Go for a manicure and pedicure at least once a week
Have two or more outfits for each clothing category *
Maintain a healthy lifestyle (eat healthy & exercise)
Have a house of staff (either butler, maid, gardener, chef or all) to maintain your house to perfection so it's neat and tidy
Reach at least 1 million simstagram followers
Become a 5 star celebrity & place your celebrity tile at Starlight Boulevar Love Story (Young Adult): You applied and won to be the next bachelorette
Live in a manor with 7 men, women or a mix of both for 7 sim days
Connect and speak to all 7 sims, go on group dates, speed dates or 1 on 1 inclusive dates
After 7 sim days choose the 3 sims you have the closest relationship with either friendship or romance
Go on vacation with those 3 sims and dedicate 1 day to each of the 3 sims
After the third day make your choice of who you want as your lover
Move in together, get married & have 4 children --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Six Envy: You're heavily inspired by your parents lifestyle, you crave the attention they receive, you crave their hair, you crave their wealth, you crave... Being them... wanting to be them... No wait.... BEING BETTER! You're wanting to be... BETTER! You're jealous & insecure of your parents success and want a lavish lifestlye of your own starting from the ground up. You want a penthouse uptown and to become known for not being the offspring of a celebrity.... But being your own celebrtiy
Colours - Celeste & White Traits - Ambitious, Materialistic, Jealous Aspiration - Fabulously Wealthy World - San Myshuno Goals:
Live in the fashion district as a young adult
After aging to an Adult move to an uptown penthouse
Become a Freelance Fashion Photographer & complete 10 gigs
Hire a professional photographer and do modelling at least once
Join the acting career and reach level 10
Complete the Fabulously Weather Aspiration (without using parents money)
Have the Pricy, Penny Pixies & Natural Light lot traits
Have a close relationship with gen 5 disgust
Master the media production, acting & photography skill
Become a 5-star celebrity & place your celebrity tile in Starlight Boulevard
Become friends with 2 celebrities before becoming a celebrity
Get in a relationship with a celebrity before becoming a celebrity
Have 4 children like your gen disgust parent --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Seven - Embarassed You tried living up to your grandparents and parents reputation and celebrity status but you struggled.... Struggled hard. No matter what you do you always seem to do it wrong or get judged. You're the blacksheep and misfit. You slip up quite a lot so you distance yourself from your immediate families lifestyle and look elsewhere... Or should i say hide elsewhere.
Colours - Pink & Yellow Traits - Clumsy, Socially Awkward, Cringe Aspiration - Master Mixologist World - Brindleton Bay Goals:
Master mixology, pet training and bowling skills
Reach level 5 of handiness & woodworking
Master the Culinary Mixologist Branch
Have a difficult relationship with your gen six Envy & siblings
As a teenager create a bowling club & go bowling with your friends
Have all friends have a cringe or socially awkward sim trait
Adopt or rescue a dog & cat
Have the Homey, Training Ground & Peace and Quiet lot trait
Have the Gremlins lot challenge
Complete at least 5 of these:
Walk into someone having woohoo
Get reject to prom
Have a dance battle
Pee yourself at least once
Sing karaoke poorly once
Get rejected from proposing
Walk into someone whilst they're peeing
Create 5 embarrassed vlogs
Emotion Attributes: Ask for reassurance Self-deprecating joke Share insecurities Have a cry (children and teens only) Laugh at Embarrassment (children, teens and unfeeling sims only.) Activities Hide from everyone (bed) Give yourself a pep talk (mirror) Tell self-deprecating jokes (social interaction) Hide in the trash can (children only) Confess Embarrassing Moments (private journal—children and teens only) Discuss Embarrassing Mood Embarassed Vlog (The More Views Video Station) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Eight Bored (Ennui) You're easily bored... You think life is boring and you're boring. Everything is boring. You succome to boredom and get consumed by boredom. You're always contemplating what to do and before you know it it's 5pm and you haven't done any chores or maintained yourself... Video games take up too much of your time, you're a gamer who has more interest in the games they play rather than their own life the SCI-FI genre has consumed you... Until one day.... You seek adventure like your favorite video gaming characters and crave the impossible!
Colours - Grey, Dark Blue & Black Traits - Lazy, Slob, Glutton Aspiration - Computer Whiz World - Windenburg Goals:
Reach level 10 in programming, video gaming & rocket science skill
Build a rocket and travel to sixam
Complete the computer whiz aspiration
Reach level 10 in the Scientist Career
Have the Filthy lot challenge
Build an underground secret headquarters
Live in a rundown filthy house as a Young Adult (grow a trash plant and have a cowplant as a pet)
Make your house modern as an Adult
Go on vacation at all possible destination worlds you have
Go to all the festivals in San Myshuno
Have a pet raccoon
Marry & have 3 children with an Alien
Have Gen Nine as a science baby
Emotion Attributes: Suggest fun activities Complain about boredom Discuss Bored Mood --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Nine Surprise THERES A PARTY.... WHERE? AT MY HOUSE! YOU'RE ALL INVITED..... WHERE? AT MY HOUSE! Party party party! You love to party. You're a bull of energetic energy. Your parents life was always so boring at first, you don't want a waste a single minute of life... You want to have fun, fun & more fun. You hope to live your life to the fullest and enjoy different elements! Turn up the volume to 100 and lets get cracking! Colours - Yellow & White Traits - Goofball, Dance Machine, Insider Aspiration - Party Animal World - Chestnut Ridge Goals:
Have the Party Place & Clothing Optional lot trait
Sneek out of your family home at least once as a teenager
Throw a teen party (try not to get caught by your parents)
Own a pet horse and become best friends
Master the comedy, dancing & dj mixing skills
Play guitar as a hobbie
Make your earnings by doing comedy at longues or dj mixing at dance clubs for your whole sim life
Get gold in every party event that is visible (not including the wedding party events)
Woohoo at every possible woohoo location
Create a club gathering with your siblings & friends and go clubbing at least twice a week
Have 2 children --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Ten Guilt: Your parents were too busy partying and living their life to the fullest that they unintentionally didn't spend enough time with you. Without learning morals, boundaries, rights & wrongs you decide to make a go of it yourself. You think "why settle for less"... "why only have one thing when you can have both". No matter how many excuses you end up giving yourself though, you can't help but feel guilty.... Colours - Orange & Brown Traits - Kleptomaniac, Hates Children, Noncommittal Aspiration - Serial Romantic World - San Sequoia Goals:
Acheive level 10 in Law Career - Judge Branch
Complete the Serical Romantic Aspiration
Master the mischef, charisma & singing skills
Have the Cursed lot challenge
Purchase the street gallery, make paintings and mark up the price to 300% to scam townies least once
Take a selfie before breaking up with every relationship & display the selfies on the wall
Serenade all your relationships at least once
Live in a rental containing at least 4 units
Steal an item from each unit
Earsdrop, Snoop for Secrets and break into each unit least once
Blackmail a sim at least once
Get married to a sim that lives in the same rental
Have a one time secret affair after getting married
Have 2 children, 1 with your secret affair being a spellcaster --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Eleven - Hate What is there to love? Your parent has destroyed the normal family dynamic. Love at times can entrance but it doesn't stand a chance. It only leaves to heartbreak. Your heart is broken. You were never shown love, except for it to be used and taken away from you. All you have is hatered... Hate for everything and anything. You relate to your sibling with you both being pulled into a dark void, you've both reached the precipice of darkness and have been consumed. If you both couldn't have love than why should others, it's time to destory happy endings together as a dynamic duo.... Did someone say two heirs in one?
Colours - Black, Purple & Red Traits - Mean, Evil, Unflirty Aspiration - Villainous Valentine World - Forgotten Hollow or Glimmerbrook Goals:
Have one Join the criminal & the other the secret agent career
Have the Vampire master Pipe Oragan & Vampire Lore & the Spellcaster master the Medium skill
Have one complete the Villainous Valentine Aspiration & one complete the Public Enemy
Have the On a Dark Ley Line, Registered Vampire Lair & Vampire Nexus lot traits
Have the Cursed lot challenge
Have both sims fail in one relationship each
Breakup with a sim on love day
Convince a sim to breakup with another sim
Have a total of 10 enemies (5 for each)
Have an Atrocious reputation & throw a Lampoon Party
Have one turned into a Vampire & earn the master vampire title and have the other turned into a Spellcaster & earn the Rank 6 - Virtuoso After they both reach their mastered title choose 1 twin to be the center lead
Turn a townie into a Vampire or Spellcaster (depending on which sibling) & move them into your household
Form an Enemies to Lovers relationship with them --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gen Twelve - Love You're the last heir. The last of a family lineage of a variety of different emotions. You're the final straw... The last page of the book. Love is the most powerful thing in the world. You think to yourself "how does someone evil create something so good... unless". You believe in self love and for everyone to have the ability to love and find redemption. You seek to have that classic fairytale and live happily ever after with your soulmate.
Colours - Pink, Red & White Traits - Romantic, Generous, Loyal Aspiration - Soulmate World - Tartosa & Henford-on-Bagley Goals:
Complete the Interior Decorator Career
Master the flower arranging skill
Complete the Soulmate aspiration
Have the Romantic Aura, Child's Play & Great Soil
Have a close relationship with all of your siblings
Have a childhood crush & seperate best friend
Always celebrate love day
Have one pet mate & have a puppy/kitten
Attend the wedding of at least one sibling
Attend the wedding of your childhood best friend
Get engaged to your childhood crush at the romance festival
Throw all wedding party events
Go on a honeymoon with lover
Have 5 Children As an Elder:
Master either cross stiching or knitting
Move to Henfod-on-Bagley and build a Cottage Home
Befriend a wild rabbit & fox
Have chickens, sheep, goat, cow & ilama live on your lot
Grow a money tree
Have at least one grandchild and be close with them
Bond with siblings & rekindle with your gen dark parent
Die peacefully as an elder
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There you have it, Congratulations! You have completed my emotions legacy challenge. I created this legacy challenge all by myself so i hope that this challenge has given you all motivation, satisifcation & enjoyment. This challenge was inspired by inside out which is one of my favorite disney pixar films. Please let me know how you found playing this challenge and give me any feedback you may have for ways i can improve or if there is something i need to fix!
Feel free to find my socials: Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/jawdzzz
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svmjaeyvn · 9 months ago
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love maze, s.jy.
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chapter nine pairing: jake x afab!reader word count: tbd (series)
masterlist
genre: college!au, mutual friends, fake dating, smut.
synopsis: an unfortunate encounter, drunken mistakes, and a sort of (definitely) stalker leads jake sim ‘dating’ his best friend’s childhood crush.
or, your life gets intertwined with a rich boy’s in attempt to not get sued by his crazy personal fangirl and like with all good cliches, sex overcomplicates things.
contents: smut, sort of strangers to fuck buddies to lovers pipeline, childhood best friend!jay, mentions of best friend! yunjin, curly haired & mixed reader, uni!au, rich nepo baby!jake, enha frat boys, lots of kissing, fake dating turning into fwb real quick, totally way too into it for it to be fake early on, big booty reader that’s jake’s obsessed with, partying and alcohol use, slight violence, he fell first and harder trope, stem bf & writer gf, (kinda overly) possessive jake, some angst to spice things up, daddy issues, hyper independent reader who struggles with her feelings, fluff and happy ending!!
a/n: hello~ i’ve never been a tumblr girly but i have went through my w*ttpad era back in 2018 so bare with me y’all. this will be a series but not that long (i hope) so pls look forward to it. warning tags will be placed before each “chapter” to specify what to expect. pls pls reblog and interact, i’d love to have feedback and see what your thoughts are. okay! yay, for now enjoy and thank you sm :D
MDNI, 18+
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CHAPTER NINE: JEALOUSY
previous masterlist next
word count: 4.1k
warnings: minjun is being a stalker, that’s sort of it??
a/n: IM SORRY IVE BEEN GONE FOR SO LONG. i’m working + doing an internship at the same time so im exhausted everyday since being an adult SUCKS so i’ve neglected writing (though i have a new idea for a smau lol) and this not that great but i wanted to provide something for you guys </3 jake is down horrendous and not even hiding it now it’s crazy
"PLEASE STOP STARING," Ni-ki whined, throwing an ice cube in Jake's direction who was perched at the counter with a giddy smile. You were on the other side of the store, in the midst of barring out drinks before turning to help your coworker with a unsatisfied customer.
It was different to see you in your element, of course to you it being a mere barista job but Jake couldn't deny how much a leadership position suited you. You were good at quite literally everything, barely paying him mind when he waltzed in 20 minutes ago due to the afternoon rush but seeming calm and collected as you handled the line of drinks that seemed never ending. You looked as pretty as ever in his eyes, your haired pulled up by the clip in your hair and bare skin that seemed to be glowing.
You were called in last minute by a fellow shift as they weren't able to come in due to an emergency. Knowing Ms. Cho would've been the one to cover, something you couldn't bare to make her do as she was meant to take the week off due to spraining her wrist, and not wanting to leave Ni-ki hanging you canceled on the previous study-date you had scheduled with Jake much to his disappointment.
Lo and behold though, said boy decided that he had all the time in the world to wait for you. After you called him on your break, excited that a coworker would be coming in to do the closing tasks, telling him you'd be off at 6:30 instead of 10, Jake stopped by an hour before your shift would end deeming that allowing him to treat you to dinner would make up for the raincheck.
"Bro honestly, I know she's your girlfriend but can't you go sit down at least," Ni-ki's voice breaks his thoughts once more. Jake merely rolled his eyes, waving off the boy who looked exasperated by his presence.
"Yah, whatever. You're just bitter 'cause you’re bitchless," Jake began to tease, watching as the younger boy rolled his eyes and discretely flipped him off without the other customers taking note.
There was a familiar jingle from the door, Ni-ki's eyes looking past him to greet whoever walked in but his face turned into one of visible disgust. Immediately making his way in your direction without a word, Jake curiously turned around with his brows frowned to see what caused such a reaction.
A small scoff left Jake's lips, watching Minjun b-line to where you were behind the bar with Ni-ki glued to your side and staring him down like a guard dog. A small smirk picks at his lips, Jake waiting patiently, watching from afar to see what he planned on saying as you'd be able to handle it yourself.
"___," Minjun spoke, attempting to gain your attention but you merely lifted your gaze for a second as you focused on the drinks you had sequenced. "Can we talk?"
"I'm busy," You said dryly, sending him a pointed look as you were on shift quite literally in the middle of working. "If you need something you can ask my other staff to help you,"
"Are you seriously going to ignore me?"
"Are you seriously showing up to my job when I told you to leave me alone?" You shot back, brow raising in disbelief. "It's harassment, do you want me to call the cops?"
Minjun bit his lip, seemingly collecting his thoughts to carefully piece what he intended to say next. "You're ignoring my texts, how else am I supposed to talk to you?"
"I blocked you," You answer with a small shrug. "I don't want to talk to you. We have no reason to either way, it was your idea to move on with our lives in the first place so I don't see what you need from me now,"
"It was a mistake," Minjun attempts but a loud scoff comes from your end at his words. Feeling yourself grow more and more annoyed, you take a second to collect your thoughts, having to silently remind yourself that there were a handful of other customers that you still needed to be portrayed to in a professional light.
Your eyes flickered to the left, feeling the familiar gaze boring into your side. You met Jake's look, his brows slightly pinched as he held an unreadable expression glancing over Minjun. His arms were crossed against his chest, leaned against the front counter while his head tilted in the smallest of ways meeting your eyes. Silently indicating whether of not you wanted him to intervene, you shook your head, turning over to Ni-ki who was still on gaurd just a step behind you.
"Can you take over for me?" You ask the younger boy, his eyes softening as he glanced down to you with a small nod. Telling Sooyun the same, you leave the two on the floor to handle the customer flow and walk away from Minjun without a word. He attempted to follow along the counter that kept you separated, only to stop short noting how you met Jake at the break that separated the workers and customer side.
"You okay?" Jake asks softly, his hand finding its place in your own as he traced his thumb over your palm in attempt to offer some ease to your mind.
"I don't know why he keeps trying," You mumble out, swallowing the lump in your throat while Jake pursed his lips. You had to admit, no matter how unaffected you attempted to seem, having Minjun back and weaseling his way into your life was slowly opening up old wounds that never fully healed. It felt exhausting seeing his face, much less feeling trapped in your own workplace since that seemed to be his resort to finding you no matter how many hints you've given to leave you be.
"You want me to call the guys and we can jump him out back?" Jake offers, the teasing in his voice caused you to laugh though the glint in his eyes made it hard for you to tell if he was entirely joking. "I could take him on my own but I'm sure Jay wants a few hits at him anyway,"
"So does Ni-ki," You snicker, glancing over to the boy who had his eyes trained on Minjun with a menacing glare. "I don't have the money to bail all seven of you out though so let's not do that,"
A cocky smile fell upon Jake's lips knowing well enough his next words would cause you to grimace. "It's okay baby, I'm rich remember?"
You roll your eyes but couldn't refrain from the small laugh that fell from your lips. "You're annoying," You huff, though the giggle that filtered through your words had Jake smiling from ear to ear. Leaning closer, he's quick to place a kiss to your lips, your eyes widening as you pulled away with a tsk. "I'm on the clock, stop making me look like a bad worker,"
"No one's looking," Jake reassures, not even sparing a glance around the room but he's sure of himself. His hands fell to your hips, pulling you in closer and technically he was right, the large pastry case and stack of boxes that you had yet to be able to put away had blocked a significant amount of view of where you two stood, someone would have had to come around the corner to see you two if they really wanted to.
A clear of someone's throat caused the two of you to pull away from the giddy bubble you were in. Your annoyance flooded back in a second while Jake lazily looked over his shoulder, his eyes lighting up taking note of Minjun who stood with a dark expression.
"What's up man?" Jake smiled, turning as he said so but still keeping one arm draped around your waist though you shifted slightly in your spot. His grip tightened feeling how you attempted to move, squeezing your hip as a silent way to tell you to stay in place at his side. "You need something?"
"Can you give us a minute?" Minjun's words were short and clipped, the visible annoyance dripping from his persona.
"Don't think so," He hummed with the click of his tongue. "M'names Jake," Holding out his hand with a cheeky smile, Jake waited for Minjun to introduce himself. You had to refrain from the laugh that wanted to spill from your lips, the obviously annoying but polite tactic one you wouldn't have guessed he'd play but it seemed to work better than being possessive or immediately hostile.
"Minjun," Was all he replied with, not bothering to complete the handshake Jake intended. Turning his gaze to you, he near pleaded in a softer tone. "Can we just talk?"
Jake let out a loud sigh, dropping his hand with the shake of his head. "You know, man, I wouldn't have held nothing against you but you're really making my girl uncomfortable," His previous bubbly expression was gone, now replaced with a bored one that shamelessly glanced over Minjun. "You know me personally, I don't go for girls I broke up with, especially after she told me to leave her alone and she has a new man. That's just me though,"
"No offense man, but I know you two just got together. Your new relationship doesn't compare to us," Minjun shrugs while you let out a laugh of disbelief. You and Jake were more comfortable together, by miles, in a short amount of time even if your relationship was based on a facade. After the first two months with Minjun, it felt as though you were walking on eggshells everyday to keep him around, a feeling you remember all too well and ridicule yourself for staying in for so long.
"I mean, you're the ex for a reason right? Our relationship s’not supposed to be like yours," Jake shrugs, a humorless laugh left his lips.
"You guys don't even make sense together!" Minjun was now speaking to you, gesturing between you both with an exasperated expression. "His life is completely different from yours and you know it, why waste time now when it won't even work out,"
You frowned yours brows, not knowing how much he had looked into Jake but either way, being so ambient on your differences seemed to rub you the wrong way. What exactly was he entailing? The fact that Jake was a party guy or he was rich? You grew up attached to the hip with Jay, sure you weren't directly apart of that life but you did know how to act with a cocktail dress and dinning etiquette when you needed to. You truly lacked nothing if the relationship was real and so far, Jake didn't either.
"It's cute to know you've been thinking about me," Before you were able to voice your thoughts, Jake beat you to it. His tone was teasing, though there was a slight edge to it indicating that the cat and mouse play going back and forth was something he began to grow tired of. His had squeezed your hip, somehow subconsciously knowing that your agitation grew as well, it a silent reminder that he was there for you.
Minjun scoffed, seemingly ready to retort but Jake shook his head. "You know, I don't really like being a dick and all," He starts, a small huff of air leaving his lips as if it pained him to continue. Jake's eyes flickered to you, he winked before the bored look was sent back toward Minjun. "But I do take advantage of the benefits that come from my family. Let's just make it easier on all of us since getting the lawyers involved is always so messy, yeah?"
Your eyes widened slightly, certainly not having any thought of any legal precedent but the threat should've been more than enough to get his point across. You felt a shiver run up your spine, thinking back to weeks ago when you got yourself into the situation you were now. She totally would've sued me.
There was a clear of the throat that broke the tension between you three. Ni-ki making his presence known as he sends Minjun a rather large, but most obviously fake, smile.
"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave since I've had a few customer complaints from the situation that's occurring," He says in his peppy customer service voice, the faux sympathy in his tone adding salt to the wound. Looking around, you take note of the lie considering the lobby had cleared out significantly and not a single person in sight was paying any mind to what was occurring in the corner but you were certainly thankful for the deescalation.
Minjun doesn't say a word. His eyes lock with yours, the silent communication causing you to feel uneasy. For a split second, you almost felt bad for him seeing the look of pleading sincerity, for a second he seemed like the boy you once knew and you couldn't deny the slight tug in your heart that longed for the past. But as Jakes’ hand made its presences know on your back, you shook out of the temporary daze, you subtly moved behind him, using Jake as a shield of sorts and looking away.
You weren't naive enough to fall for that. And your thoughts proved right as Minjun's expression changed in an instant, the look of anger and annoyance familiar but he merely turned and made his way out of the shop without hesitation.
The bitter feeling caused your stomach to turn, picking at the skin of your fingers as you pulled out your phone to check the time.
"You okay noona?" Ni-ki carefully asked, His brows were pinched, a slight frown at his lips taking note of your visibly discomfort.
You nod, placing a smile on your features but it didn't quite reach your eyes. You looked behind him, seeing Sooyun working by herself. "I'm alright, I need to finish my pull before Hejin comes in so support where you can for now," You delegate, already heading toward the back room while footsteps followed soon after.
Jake sighed watching you walk away. He didn't know the full story, certainly didn't want to know the details of how in love you were, but he did know that Minjun was important enough to still bother you after some time apart. A small part of him was selfish, never wanting you to think of anyone like that but him, even though your relationship wasn't even real in the first place, but he knew that was his own jealousy.
The larger part of him felt upset for you though, the crestfallen expression you held more than enough for him to want to hold you and wash all your worries away. In a perfect world, Jake would make sure you'd never feel sad again. He vows to never be the one responsible for your tears, and if he were he'd kick himself and beg for the room in your heart to forgive him.
You stopped by the back freezer, facing the stainless steel doors and you could see Jake's reflection behind you. "I'm alright," You repeat, not having the confidence to turn around knowing your eyes were glossing over and the lump in your throat grew.
Jake hummed, watching you from afar. He watched as you began to count the frozen pastries, having to go over twice losing your train of thought and seemingly looking around aimlessly. You let out a sigh, leaning your head against the frozen rack as you shut your eyes, the cold air that wrapped around your body caused goosebumps to form along your arms, though it did well in stopping the tears that were built up to the brim.
"You know, you're technically not supposed to be back here," You mumble, a hint of amusement in your words though you were rather dejected.
Jake chuckled, shaking his head while you couldn't see it. The two of you stood in silence, not knowing what to say that would make it better. Heavy footsteps sounded as someone entered the back of the house, you peaking from behind the freezer door while Jake straightened up.
Hejin pointed a finger at you as she pulled her apron over her head. Your brows frowned, clicking on the tablet that was stuck to the door to see it only be 5:50. Her keys jangled in her pocket, the lollipop in her mouth muffling her words. "Go home,"
"What?" You let out a small laugh, amused by the loud groan she let out upon her apron getting stuck while pulling it down. "It's not 6:30,"
"I'm here now so go," Hejin huffs, pulling at her ponytail as she nods towards Jake, a silent acknowledgment to his presence but not bothering to ask why he was beside you. "I saw creeps-a-lot in the parking lot. The kid and Sooyun were blowing up my phone to get me here so I chased him away. Go home and relax, I'll make a incident report to let everyone and Mama Cho know to not talk about you and refuse him service from now on,"
Your lips pull into a frown, the tears once again welding up in your eyes. You covered your face out of embarrassment, Hejin clicking her tongue as she waved you off.
"Ay, don't cry," She tuts. "He's not worth it, new boyfriend hug her!" Hejin directs, gesturing between you and Jake causing you to let out a laugh. Jake tilted his head, his arms open as you reluctantly stepped into his embrace. You refused to look at him directly, hiding behind your hands though you could see the fondness in his expression as he stared down at you. "Good, now get out of here. Pretty girls should never cry over ugly men,"
With that, Hejin was out onto the floor. You stifled your laughter, heart pulling at the thought of your work family. She, in particular, was known to be rough around the edges, not one to show praise or direct affection but small acts like these were truly the most meaningful. You made a mental note to treat them in the future, thankful for the saving grace.
Jake pulled away from the hug slight, a small smile perking at his lips as he tilted his head. He gently pulled away your hands from your face, wiping away the few stray tears with the same fond look.
"You know, I don't know how to feel about you crying over another man," He teased causing you to roll your eyes. "Guess I have a lot of work to do to make you forgive him,"
"Forgive?" You echo, raising a brow not following his words.
Jake nods. "You know, for being an idiot but at least it allowed for me and you which is like, a million times better," He says in the most obvious voice causing you to snicker. "Forgive but not forget, or whatever it is that people say,"
"Have you been looking at pinterest quotes?" You laugh while Jake begins to nod wholeheartedly.
"You put me on, it's honestly so chill scrolling. I have like, five different boards I've made so far,"
"Rookie numbers," You tease causing him to mock offense.
"They all have certain aesthetics and are listed in order," He offers causing you to hum.
You nod in approval. "Better,"
Noting that your mood had seem to raise, Jake leans in, placing a small peck to the tip of your nose causing you to let out a small squeal. Your face scrunches up, pulling away from him while he lets out a laugh.
"C'mon, you owe me your time and I think I have the perfect idea to get your pretty little mind off everything,"
"YOU’RE JOKING?"
"What?"
You sent Jake a pointed look, smiling down at the excited animal that jumped into your arms, licking the skin of your cheek while your heart nearly bursted at the sight of her tail wagging so happily. "We've been faking it for over a month and you decided to just tell me you had a dog?"
"Her name's Layla," He laughs, crouching down to the level which you were sat on the floor. As soon as you walked into the door of the unfamiliar apartment, you were greeted by soft paws jumping at your leg along with excited barks for attention. "This is my brother's place, she's a family dog but he has her most of the time since my parents are always out of town. He's on a trip with his friends so he asked me to watch her for the week," Jake cooed as he pet Laylas fur, eyes full of affection and love as she leaned into his touch.
“I’ll watch her for the week,” You smile, gaining her attention once more as you scratched at the spot just behind Laylas’ ears. Her eyes shut as you did so, a small giggle leaving your lips as the dog visibly relaxed to your petting. “I’ll keep her company while you party or whatever you do in that frat house,”
Jake rolled his eyes, his view set on you but you were far too focused on Layla to care. “I haven’t gone to a party in weeks, and if I do you’re with me,” He says pointedly as you merely hum.
“Exactly, you can go do what you want. I’ll stay here with the cutest little puppy I’ve ever seen,” The latter half of your sentence was spoken in a high voice, cooing at Layla who seemed to be happily responsive to it.
Though he liked seeing how well you got along with his childhood pet, Jake tsked. Maybe it was a bad idea bringing you to see her, all of your attention would go to the little border collie instead of him which, admittedly, he couldn’t have.
“What I want,” Jake starts, leaning over to flood your view. “Is for you to not love my dog more than me,” He finished, dangerous close to your lips as you blinked, a small snort leaving your lips.
“Well for one, I barely tolerate you so Layla wins by a long shot,” You tease causing his lips to pout. Lightly pushing Jake away, he ends up sitting directly in front of you, Layla happily pouncing into his lap but still begging for you to provide her with scratches as she rolled over onto her back to expose her stomach. “And two, you can’t be jealous over your own dog. She’s just too cute,”
Jake sighed half heartedly. “You kicking me to the curb now for my dog?”
“Precisely,” You nod, a wide grin playing at your lips that you were unable to resist. It was still between the two of you for a moment, Jake taking the silence to gently place Layla down onto the ground beside you. You rose a brow, noting how he inched closer causing you to move back. “Hey~”
His arms were suddenly thrown around your body, one around your waist while the other was behind your head, blocking the impact of him suddenly tackling you to the hardwood floor. Your laughter filled the air, arms stuck under the weight of his chest and your faces inches apart.
“Too bad, you’re not allowed to get rid of me,” Jake huffs though there was an amused smile playing at his lips. “Say you like me more,”
You gaped in disbelief. “Are you serious?” The response to your question ended up with Jake’s fingers dancing along the skin of your waist, your shirt riding up and him knowing how ticklish you were as you began to squirm beneath him. “H-hey! Okay, s-stop—”
“Say it,” Jake taunts, his laughter mixing with yours.
“O-okay—”
Layla’s loud barks suddenly broke the air before the view of her jumping onto Jake’s head was seen. Your laughs were now from seeing how he yelped at the sudden help you received, rolling off of your body and with Layla still attacking his face with an abundance of kisses, you sat up. Now straddling Jake’s waist, you returned the favor of poking your fingers into his side, moving until you found a spot by his ribs that caused him to squirm around.
“Hey! You can’t team up against me,” Jake called out, unable to move either of you due to the way you sat and how Layla was now perched on his chest to get a better angle of sloppy kisses that he attempted to block. “She’s trying to lick my nose! Baby please—”
“What? I’m giving you attention like you wanted,”
my tags!! @slutforsjy @jaklvbub @whowantshota @addictedtohobi @coolwitu @simjyunnie @kgneptun @graythecoffeebean @143ikeu @zyvlxqht @tesywesy @nxzz-skz @aishisgrey @enczen @vanvity @dreamiestay @caitysdelusions @ikkeumyluv @v3lv3tsin
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fakesimp · 10 months ago
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Bartender Romance, With Shu Yamino
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Warning !
Fluff ; Bartender! Shu ; Mentions of Alcohol ; a very slow ? Slow burn
A/n !
It's been so long since the last I wrote a proper fic omg. It's been 2 months, so much is happening in NijiEn, and there' so much happening on my side of life too.. 😮‍💨
➶◜◝➴
Heavy, Frustration, Fatigue.
Praying to God to end this hell hole you're going through, the week had gone rough on you. Endless work pouring down on you, one after another. You finished one, a new one came in.
Truly, almost no break at all, and now, you're finally free from that hell, though only temporarily. You know very well the moment the weekend ends, you're going to go through hell once more.
You walked and walked, realizing your foot had took you to, seemingly like a bar or some sort. You wandered inside, not expecting much from the place.
And how wrong you are the moment you entered, you're greeted with a cozy place, accompanied with a jazzy music at the back. There's not much of a crowd, but there is some people chattering in a comfortable whisper. Not too loud, but also not too silent.
"Welcome—!" A Soft honeyed voice echoed throughout the place, there are some others glancing towards your way for one second before continuing what they're doing. You look over at the owner of the voice, a male standing behind the bar. Mixing up some drink for somebody, with a unique combination hair color, Raven, Yellow, bits of pink and purple. His Hair is pretty short.
A fine looking bartender.
He smiled towards you, as if you're enchanted, you approached the bar and sat down across him. "Rough week?" He started off and poured the mixed drink into a glass, and pushed them off to the person who ordered. You glanced towards the person, he had a beautiful light blonde, with mix of purplish color by the tips. The Stranger's purple green eyes twinkled as you two made eye contact, he smiled slightly before looking away. And with that you also looked away.
The first thing you see the moment you look away is the bartender wiping up some glass, and looking at you. Seemingly to wait for you to at least, order something. "Would you like to get some drink?" He offered, "Alcohol? Or non alcohol?" He waited.
You thought quite deeply, "Non Alcohol please, Anything that have no alcohol in them. Not in the mood to be drunk at the moment." You said, he chuckled softly, "Okay, I got you." He said and then started grabbing ingredients, and start making a drink for you.
As you waited, your eyes wandered to the Bartender's hand. Silently examining them, watching them move from one thing to another. After awhile, you didn't realize he had finished making a drink for you. He placed the drink in front of you, pushing the glass slowly towards you. He tilted his head and chuckled softly, "You seemed distracted, Does my hands seemed much more interesting than me ?" He asked in a whisper while starting to clean up the things he used to make your drink.
"...N, No...?" You answered, rather, hesitantly also, confused. The bartender chuckled softly, and not long after you arrived, the place started to get crowded, much to your dismay. You stayed on your seat, fiddling with your drink. The bartender you talked with had gone to mix other customers' orders, and there is another bartender came into their shift. Helping the previous bartender, the second bartender seemed much more, talkative. Bringing out a golden retriever energy around him, not to mention his blonde hair.
The two bartenders spoke with each other, you don't know what they're discussing, and all you heard is '700 something'. The crowd truly started to make quite amount of noises, you noticed the blonde bartender seemed to tease the Raven bartender. Making the Raven have pink tints on his cheeks, he then regained his composure again before somehow glancing towards your way.
You blinked, thinking maybe it's just your imagination because it happened only in a matter of seconds. And unfortunately, your drink have come to an end. You slip your money under the glass and decided to take your leave, feeling somebody staring at your figure behind you as you leave the place.
. . .
You don't remember how long has it been since the last you came to that, bar. Oh, it's only been a week. This week doesn't seem as rough as last week, you came to visit the bar with not much weight in mind and not much fatigue.
As soon as you entered, you're greeted by the same previous bartender, "Welcome— Oh it's you!—" He seemed to remember you despite this is your second time, not to mention the crowd last week. The chances for him to remember you is, low, no—?
You approached the bar and took the same seat, he smiled at you, "Same drink?" "Yeah, thanks" He then started making the previous drink he made for you. After awhile, he pushed the glass towards you. "Drink is ready to for you" he said, and not long after that the crowd start to come in.
He once again doing other's orders, and the second bartender came in. Cannot miss this blonde bartender, especially with his Golden retriever vibes around him. How can you miss this gigantic guy?
You noticed that the Raven bartender seemed to be much more on your side than the other, and as soon as you pointed it out, the Raven asked—
"So, How was your week? Rough like before?" He started off, "No, not really, at least it's not as rough as last week." You sighed. "At least it's much better than last week, no?" He chuckled softly, and you noticed that the Raven bartender seemed to slip up some time to talk with you. You appreciate his effort though, the way he smoothly slide to talk with you.
Truly made you skipped a beat, no—?
. . .
You don't know how long this had been going on but you somehow got yourself returning to the bar again and again at the weekends, just to see the Raven bartender's unique V shaped smile, and voice whenever he greets you and talked to you for a bit.
Truly missed that voice of his for the whole week before weekends arrive. And you unconsciously, worked harder just so you can always finish early and at the weekends you can enjoy more of your time at the bar.
You believed it has been going on for at least 2 months now, almost every weekend you always visit the bar to have a drink. You visit the bar at least once or twice at the weekends before you have a time for yourself at home, being in the bar itself slowly brings you comfort. The crowd no longer felt overwhelming, the crowd felt decent, the noise is no longer making you feel cramped.
But this month, seems so, packed than usual, you didn't have the time to go visit the bar, and without you realizing it goes on for at least 3 months without you visiting the bar. You had been busy with your work, catching up with deadlines and things. You did take breaks in between, making sure you're not getting overwhelmed with the amount of tasks that you need to do.
And then it went to 4 months. You finally finished your work, and can finally have a long break. You can finally have time for yourself to relax, you look over at the time, its 6 pm. You sighed softly, stretching your arms out before packing up your things and visit the place you haven't visit for awhile.
You wondered if the Raven bartender is still working there, does he still remember you? It's been 4 months after all. You didn't expect much, but it does leave a bit of disappointment for not being able to see the Raven bartender.
Or so you thought—
"Hello, Welcome—... Oh, Welcome back—!" The Raven bartender greeted you behind the bar like usual, mixing up a drink for a customer. You stood still for a moment before smiling at him, "It's been awhile" You said and noticed amongst all chairs thats occupied on the bar, there's one seat opened. As if it was waiting for someone— or you— specifically, to sit on them. You approached the chair and sat down.
"Give me a moment to mix up your drink" He said, you haven't even ordered anything, but it seems like he's reading your mind. You sat there, waiting and watch him move around the bar, making drinks for others and then finally you see a familiar drink he made for you 4 months ago. "Here you go, the usual." He said and wiped his hands, smiling at you.
He cleaned up the things he used and he strike up a conversation, "It's been awhile since the last time I saw you" He started off as he wipe some wet glass. "Yeah.. work had been piling up the past few months" you sighed as you took a sip of the drink he made, "I see, then, how was your days?"
You started talking a lot, telling him what you had been through, if only you noticed how he went as far as telling you to halt for a bit as he made a drink for another customer and when he's done he's talking with you again, though with a little apology for stopping you. But he listened to all of your rants, stories, almost everything. And without you realizing the second bartender, had arrived mostly taking care of other customers at the other side, while the Raven takes care of the costumers on your side. After yapping for who knows how long, you two bid goodbyes.
It was really nice talking with him.
. . .
Another new week arrives, and a new pile of work arrives too. And so you did your best to finish them early, you then decided to do your previous routine on going to the bar once or twice a week. It goes on longer than the last time, without you realizing you had been going to the bar for a year.
Everything seems to move fast without you realizing, so many things happened within the year. Both bad and good, you're just happy you could spend the year without stressing everyday.
And it's mostly thanks to The Raven Bartender.
. . .
New year had passed, it's weekends, you decided to do the usual routine, visiting the bar.
Upon arriving at the bar you are greeted by the Raven bartender, that you have yet to know his name. But you didn't bother asking because just him, maybe one day, you'll eventually get to know him more than just a bartender.
You sat down at your usual seat, that's always open for you no matter how crowded it is. And as soon as you sit down, a drink is served right before you. As if it was already been waiting for it's time to shine, "Y, You—? Made it before I came here?" You asked, the Raven just chuckled softly. "You never seem to order anything else, and you often visit us at Saturdays, so, I decided to take initiative to make it before you arrive." He added and glanced down at the drink that's now in your hands, "...You didn't need to go that far you know" The male only chuckled.
You two talked for a good time, despite the halt in between, you always enjoy his company. Your eyes unconsciously stick onto his figure, wherever he goes your eyes followed. Whenever your drink is out, he will ask if you want for another. You really favor this drink he made, so sometimes you'll take another drink.
Worse scenario is you take another drink is because you just want to see him work, but we'll talk about that another day.
And then, the Raven bartender slid to your side after making a drink for another costumer, "Hey, can I ask you something?" He started, making you confused but also curious. "Yeah, sure, I don't mind. What is it?"
"...What's, your name?" He finally asked, and you were taken aback at his question, you point at yourself upon his question, he let out a hearty laugh at your reaction, "Yeah, you, what's your name?" He asked once again. "... [ ]" You told him your name, his eyes soften as he repeated your name in a whisper.
Making you feel things when he did so, he chuckled softly upon finally, after a year. To know your name. You just smiled at him, you then started packing up your things before taking up your leave. But when you're about to get up—
"Here," He then slip up a small paper towards you. "I, I hope we can hangout sometimes—" You glanced down at the small paper, you picked it up staring at it confusedly before turning the paper to see numbers— oh wait, it's a phone number.
It's his phone number—! Then below his number there's..
'Shu Yamino'
you look back up to see the Raven bartender, you believed his name is, Shu, had already left to serve other customers, he glanced at you, smiling sheepishly for one moment before looking away.
You felt something inside your stomach, you felt your chest tighten up too. You slip the small paper into your bag before you walk up to the door, glancing to his way before leaving the bar.
. . .
As soon as you got home, you added his number. You sent a hello, though of course it won't be immediately responded because when you left, the Raven bartender is still working. So you left your phone on the table next to your bed, you got yourself cleaned up before you head off to sleep.
In the morning, you opened your phone to check the time, and right below the time you see a notification from Shu.
'Shu Yamino' 5 hours ago
'Hey, sorry I just replied, I just got off from work, haha'
You look at the time once again, it's 7 am. The message was sent 5 hours ago from Shu— and he said he just got off from work??? You, with your heavy, sleepy eyes replied.
'You' just now
'You just got off work at 3 am???'
Not long after you sent the message, you got a reply from the Raven bartender. Telling you that he indeed just got off work at 3 am, his shift must be night shift. That means he's going to sleep soon, you message the Raven bartender and asked when is he going to sleep, it took him a good minute to reply.
'Shu Yamino' Just now
'I am just about to'
You spat an apology towards him and wished him for a good sleep, he said it's okay and eventually he went off to go to sleep.
Seems like you two will now no longer just a Bartender and a Costumer, you two are now friends, right?—
That name, and number exchange. Is a new beginning to your actual friendship, after a year of not knowing each other's name. You two finally knew about the simplest thing about each other, that is your names.
Ever since the exchange, you two started talking way much more via text, and calls too sometimes. New things you learn about him is that, he sometimes play games when he's not on his shift. That's one thing for sure, who would've thought a bartender is also a gamer.
Day by day, you learn new things about him.
Until one day, you two finally had the perfect time to do an actual face to face hangout, other than meeting up by the bar at the weekends. You two finally decided to hangout by the mall, and you saw him outside his bartender suit for the first time.
Just him in a casual clothing, "Hey, we finally got the time to hangout now huh?" He stated, making you chuckle. "Yeah, after how many attempts?.." you tried to recall how many attempts you two tried to hangout and then you two started walking around the mall, talking and chattering. And eventually stopping by at a restaurant before starting heading to the arcade.
After eating you two headed to the arcade, playing so many types of games in there with him, but most of your time with him is playing multiplayer shooting game. And heaven's, he is carrying you in game. Having much more kill than you, you two had fun though.
Eventually the day had come to an end, Shu decided to give you a company when you're on your way back home. "You don't need to trouble yourself this far you know," You stated and glance at him, "It's fine, I rather see you get home safely." He replied, letting out a chuckle.
You two walked in silence, not awkward but comfortable one somehow. You don't know why, the silence is comforting. All you could hear is just each other's footsteps, you don't know why but it felt so long to get home when walking with him.
The moment you arrive at your humble abode, you turned to see him standing near you, smiling with that identic smile of his. "Go in, I'll leave when you went inside" he suggested, you nod and did exactly what he said.
After you went inside, you peek through the window, and you two made eye contact for one moment, he then chuckled before waving at you and walked away. You felt something, weird. As you see his figure retreating by the distance, he looks. Lonely.
You shook your head, you're exaggerating.
Right?—...
. . .
Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, your friendship with the bartender had changed in so many ways, you've learned so much about him, one is from the second blonde bartender is actually his friend, and almost half of the crowd at the bar is actually his colleagues, truly surprises you.
You even got a chance to meet with them outside that bar, becoming friends with them too. They're such a sweethearts, who would've thought the day you're stressing out and by chance your foot just decide to take you to the bar.
If your foot didn't do that, you wouldn't even be in this position. To be friends with a bartender, some of his friends even teased you and Shu for being together a lot. Poor male got flustered by it.
. . .
Today is weekend, and you decided to visit the bar like usual, entering the bar, greeted by Shu himself, and then some of his friends that's already in the bar. Nodding their head towards you as a hello, some also smiled at you as a greeting.
You sat on the same spot, and your drink is immediately served right in front of you. "Thanks" You thanked the Raven bartender and he smiled back at you, not long after that the second bartender entered. The sunshine he is, he brushed pass you and had his hand on your shoulder for one moment as a greeting before he walks into the staff room.
After awhile, after serving a lot of customers, Shu had a short break, and he approached you. "So," he started off and chuckled softly, "I believe you're enjoying yourself at the bar now, or am I wrong?" You shook your head, "I enjoy my time here, all the time." You added and chuckled. "Good to know.." he said, there was a long silence before he decided to ask something—
"Hey, do you think.." He stopped half sentence and glanced at the glass he's holding, he stopped wiping them for a moment. "... Do you think, I, .. uhm, had a chance?" You tilt your head confused, "A chance in what?"
It took him a good minute before he spat out the next sentence, and it definitely made your heart skipped a beat—
"..To be—" He stopped for one second, taking a deep breath before he continued— "With you, like— You know, more. Than, we are now..?"
Goodness, it felt like the time had stopped, you stared at Shu, and he slowly rise his head up and look at you in the eyes. He soon looked away, seeing how flushed he is clearly that he wants more than a friendship level with you.
"... You, want to take the friendship to, another level ?" You hesitantly asked, making the male even more flustered than before. He even closed his eyes and took a deep breath to talk! Truly embarrassing himself in working hours now did he..
"... Y, Yeah— Like dating— But, it's fine if—"
"Okay, Let's go on a date tomorrow then."
"I—"
You had made the Raven bartender gone speechless, he opened his mouth slightly before closing them again, he looked averted his eyes, he got one of his hand at the back of his neck, sheepishly looking away from you.
"Then, I'll be, .. Looking forward for our first date tomorrow.." He whispered, totally can't miss that pink hues on his ears, neck and cheeks. Such a cutie.
"Me too, ... You're so cute." You swore you heard a small whine coming out from the Bartender's lips, "Okay... I'll, text you when I'm on my way to, pick you up tomorrow.." he said.
"But we don't even know where we're going—"
"I know a place, don't worry.. I believe both you and me will have memorable and lovely time there.."
You stared at him, and he does too. He smiled softly at you, you noticed there's a loving glint in his purple eyes.
Another new beginning of your relationship, at the same place where you met him the first time. This bar, really changes your life, huh?
You silently thanking fate for letting you two met. Even though it had a rough start, but in the end, everything worked out.
You smiled to yourself and the thought of your first date tomorrow, you wonder how it'll go..
But no matter, where or what it is, you know very well you'll definitely have fun with Shu. That was just a stranger, then a friend, and now,
Your boyfriend.
©fakesimp ; 2024
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A/n !
Oh christ, that took longer than anticipated omg.. But I do hope y'all liked it 🥹, I'm sorry if I disappoint y'all with the ending.. ueueu
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oldwritingm · 11 months ago
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Hi can I request male reader X the ninja (not nya sorry) headcanons jsut the reader being protective of his boyfriend
Please and thank you 💖💖
Sure thing, friend! :D
Ninjago - Ninjas When You're Being Protective
Kai
You guys were out on a date at a noodle parlor, just minding your business
You stepped away for a moment to refill your drink, and Kai managed to get himself in an argument with another customer while you were gone
To be fair, the other guy initiated it
He recognized the famous ninja and decided to be a degenerate
He was talking down to Kai pretty harshly, and Kai was struggling to defend his honor
It was getting more and more difficult to come up with comebacks as his anger rose and his pride deflated
You just about dropped your drink when you came back to see the two going at it
You stepped in immediately, barely stopping to think
"This your boyfriend? Way out of your league, fire boy-"
"Sorry, do we know you? I think I'd remember a stench like that—yeesh, by the way—but it'd be impolite not to at least ask."
Both Kai and his assailant's jaws dropped open
The guy turned bright red with anger, trying to stutter out a response before giving up with a frustrated grunt and storming off
You watched him leave, scowling bitterly
When he was finally gone, you turned to Kai to check on him
You expected him to be upset, but he was smiling
"Are you okay, Kai?"
"Am I okay? Are you kidding? That was awesome! Did you see his face?"
You blushed a little, joining in his hysterical laughter
Kai wrapped an arm around your shoulder and pulled you in to kiss your cheek, telling you how lucky he felt to have someone like you on his side
Jay
Jay had just finished fixing up a vintage motorcycle, a project he'd been working on for a long time
You didn't really trust the janky contraption; no matter how much Jay insisted that it was safe, you swore it looked like it was about to collapse
But you hated to stomp on his sandcastle, so you just watched while he poured gas into the tank for a test drive
Tapping your foot nervously, you decided that you couldn't just stand there
You wandered around the garage, gathering protective gear
You had a helmet, some shin guards, elbow pads, and a biking jacket when you approached Jay
He glanced at you once, then did a double-take when he saw what was in your arms
"Y/n, I am not wearing all that."
"And I am not letting you ride that timebomb without any protection."
Seeing that firm look in your eyes (which he not-so-secretly loved), Jay knew there was no winning
Though he'd never admit it, he actually liked when you were stern, even when it was directed at him
He sighed, letting you put the gear on him
You felt a lot better, but you still insisted on following behind on your own motorbike
As it turned out, you were right; you got about 100 feet out of the garage before the old bike's tire went flying, sending Jay straight to the asphalt
You ran to Jay's side, letting your own bike fall in your haste
He just smiled awkwardly up at you
"Uh... oops? Good thing you made me wear the gear, haha..."
You laughed, kissing the top of his head; you were just glad he was safe
And he was glad that you, like always, were looking out for him :)
Cole
This was way back when Cole still had a rough relationship with his dad
You managed to convince him to let you meet his father, though you could tell that he wasn't exactly excited
But you made sure to let him know how much you appreciated it
At first, you didn't see the problem
His dad seemed totally cordial and pleasant, if not a little rigid
The issue presented itself pretty quickly, however
You were sitting on the couch, catching up and getting to know each other
Cole was being weirdly cagey about his own life, so his father took the lead in the conversation
"You know, Cole used to be a really good dancer. Of course, there was a lot of room for improvement, haha! Oh, you should've seen his tumbling skills... the boy could hardly land a cartwheel."
You didn't like the way he was looking at Cole when he said it; you knew you had to do something, but you still wanted to respect Cole's privacy
"You don't know what you're talking about. Cole does flips, backflips, twists, turns—you should see him now."
Cole blinked at you, as did his father
The latter tried to laugh it off awkwardly, making some vague comment about Cole's continuance in dancing school
But, quite frankly, you'd seen enough
You ended the visit as politely as you could
Cole was still staring at you as you walked away
"What? I didn't like how he was talking about you, so I retaliated. Was that so wrong?"
Cole just smiled, draping an arm around you with a satisfied sigh
"No, it was actually kind of funny. And brave. I'm glad you said it."
He was more than glad; no way he would've stood up for himself in front of his father, so he was grateful that you were there
Zane
You guys were on a mission in an extremely remote town
The place barely had street lamps; needless to say, it was far from technologically advanced
You made a pit-stop for snacks at a run down little convenience store
You walked in first, looking ahead at the handful of aisles filled with dusty (probably expired) snacks you didn't recognize
You almost didn't notice the man at the counter by the door, but he spoke up rather loudly
He pointed to Zane, who was following close behind you
He said something about not serving "his kind"
That almost did it for you, but you decided to give him the benefit of the doubt
"What do you mean 'his kind'?"
"Robots, buddy. Beep-boops. You know, the things with no souls that take over every town and household they come into? Not. Welcome. Here."
You turned to face him, your expression hardening
Zane tried to stop you, insisting that he could just wait outside
"They're smart, I'll give 'em that. Say, while you're at it, why don't you go back to whatever evil over-industrialized decrepit city you came from!"
"Okay, that's it. I'm not going to stand here and let you insult a person who's got ten times more intellect and twenty times more soul than you'll ever have. Come on, Zane, our business is clearly not wanted here."
You held up the cash for him to see as you left, and the man behind the counter opened his mouth to try and get you to stay
Zane let you cool off a little, following silently while you stormed down the street
When you finally calmed down enough to ask if he was okay, he told you that he was just proud that you handled the situation civilly
He doesn't like violence, so he particularly admired your gentleness (he knew you could've been a lot meaner, and he's glad you weren't)
And that, though he hadn't really been offended, he found it endearing that you stood up for him
He squeezed your hand affectionately as you both continued down the dusty sidewalk
Lloyd
It was almost impossible to go anywhere with Lloyd without being stopped by a fan
You'd grown used to it; if anything, you were happy that so many people appreciated Lloyd
So you'd stand on the sidelines, smiling patiently while they got a photo and an autograph
But every now and again you'd get stopped by someone who wasn't a fan
You were just out for a walk when one such person stopped you
Actually, it was a group of men, hatred twinkling in their eyes
They came so close that the one at the front was just about nose-to-nose with Lloyd
"You think you're all that, huh? Just because you've got some fancy powers and you've 'saved the city,' you think you're so much better than everyone else?"
"Uh... no?"
"Tch, sure, play dumb. I miss the days when the police would take care of us. You didn't see us parading cops down the street and selling action figures of them! That's because they were humble!"
The men behind him were nodding aggressively, shouting their agreement and praise for cops
Your face twitched distastefully, and you wedged yourself between the front man and Lloyd
"I'd speak a little more respectfully to the guy who saved you from the literal personification of evil. Multiple times, mind you."
The guy's eyes narrowed; he clearly hadn't expected any pushback
He scoffed, making sure to step on your toe as he turned to storm off
Lloyd grabbed your shoulder groundingly, giving you a look that begged you to let them go
He thanked you for your support though, sliding his hand down your arm to hold your hand
He never really knew how to deal with haters, so he truly did appreciate you stepping in
(and he's lowkey hoping you will in the future too...)
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Aaa I hope this was okay!! Thank you so much for this request, I had fun writing it! And thanks for reading, take care cuddle bears <33
(divider by saradika)
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korpuskat · 1 year ago
Text
Engineering Ecstasy
[Ao3 Mirror] Pairing: Ramattra/Reader (Gender Neutral, implied to have a vagina) Rating: Explicit WC: 2,065 Warnings: None
-----
Surrounded by tools and screens and lights, Ramattra stands in his workshop and stares at the device before him. It floats softly on a light pad. Beside it, a screen shows off its blueprints, complete with a cut-away view, to show where each piece will lay, where the sensors are suspended, the indicator lights. It's rather a marvel, if he's truly being genuine- the design is custom, the inlaid nodes are all cutting edge, fast and sensitive and durable. Every aspect has been nurtured and guided into the form displayed before him.
And this is the lowest he has ever felt.
Because the appendage that floats before him is an imitation of a human cock. A mockery, even, intended in every way to be better, but perhaps... familiar enough to not be off-putting. He hopes.
It's shameful.
Making the thing itself is not the problem. Life was meant to be enjoyed, omnics were meant to explore and seek new experiences and integrate themselves among humanity- sex was a part of that. Even at the monastery it wasn't unusual for those omnics that had the hardware to use it- and to discuss the implications of having it to begin with. But he did not envy his brothers and sister who were made with genitals. Ramattra had never seen the appeal; all the ecstasy and release from sensory overload could be achieved without any attachments.
He had not understood the desire until you.
You and your laughter that plays endlessly in his memory banks, your soft, fleeting touches to his plating that tingle hours after, your kind words that pull his mind from the task at hand. He's itched endlessly to reach out and touch you, to know what it is about you that's made his processors hang, caught endlessly in the minutia of your existence. And how he wishes it was just simple fascination- he hates how quickly it turned to him prodding at his own sensory nodes, plucking wires in his hips and wishing it was your hands instead.
This- the purple silicone device in his hand- is only the latest fantasy he's indulged.
After all, what if he were to finally approach you and you were uninterested in toying with his systems? And even if you were, he wouldn't be able to please you at the same time-- he would not risk an unintentional twitch of his hands. This... this was just an investment in the future. He hadn't quite gathered your input on the design or shape or size-- or expressed his interest in you at all-- but he'd invested time to research popular shapes, ones well-received by humans. This... he's fairly sure will please you, if you let him- and if it isn't to your tastes, then he'll make it again and-
...
He should probably test it, before he gets ahead of himself.
He takes the cock in one hand and examines the ports, where it will connect to his frame. He squeezes it, feeling the firmness of the silicone. Honestly, he isn’t sure what density he was aiming for; it’s so much softer than his plating, he has no idea what would be ideal. Not just for what you want from him either; if the silicone's curing has somehow distorted a wire or dulled the sensors’ abilities, then the whole design will have to be scrapped.
Ramattra's hands shake as he disconnects the paneling at the end of his torso. Before, this little crevice had only housed a chip for monitoring the health of his hip joints. Now that was pushed further back towards his spine- with a minor upgrade to allow for more precise movements, smoother rotation of the joint- given the purpose of the device, it felt appropriate to make sure he could use it correctly. Where the chip had sat before is a new plate with two jack outputs.
They line up with the ports, at least. Ramattra allows himself one more moment of preparation before slotting them together. The circuits connect at once- and the buses inside are still working, aligning themselves with his systems, synchronizing, adjusting the pre-loaded drivers, running a self-check automatically. The internal display of his model updates- and another wave of shame nearly makes him pluck it off again as the cock- his cock- appears on the diagram.
The self-check concludes, the indicator lights flash green- muddied through the purple- then match his preset red. Every system reports back: ready, online. Between his legs his cock stands proudly. The translucent silicone glows where the red lights shine just under the surface.
He could leave it at that…
but he should test the sensors. After all, they all might be online, but they still might need adjustments. He has no idea if the silicone has disturbed their functionality at all. Hesitantly, as though the appendage would burn him, Ramattra touches the surface above one LED. It's smooth and cool to the touch. Something prickles in his sensory subroutines, the data input on his cock is so minuscule and yet so sensitive.
He wraps one finger and thumb around the base. Instantaneously, warmth spreads through his circuits, settles into those wires at his hips. He strokes upwards-
”Aaah…” The noise slides from his voice box unbidden, a kernel-level reaction to stimuli coming forth unintentionally. And Ramattra would make a note to investigate that, to minimize uncontrolled reactions- except that every process is overridden by the drag of silicone on metal, on the rubber pad of his palm, on how every wire in his body is lighting up.
One stroke and it’s like you’ve breathed on every sensor in his body. And you- how does his mind always wander back to you?- your hands would be so much smaller, softer- delicate, even. You would- he shudders, delves into fantasy- You would start so slowly, fingers barely touching him. His hand mimics his thoughts, loosening until there’s barely any pressure, stroking so slowly it hurts. Maybe you’d be nervous- it’s okay, he would be too.
And you- you would see how he’ll try to be still, to let you explore him, and you’d see how badly he needs more. You would be kind to him, wouldn't you? With those soft smiles, you wouldn't deny him. At least, in his fantasy. His grasp tightens again, thinks only of your little hands on his cock.
Each motion brings fire through his circuits, a haze to his mind. You… oh, you could do this to him as long as you wanted. Forever, maybe, if it always felt like he was burning from the inside out. Maybe... you would touch him elsewhere, too. Perhaps bracing yourself against his chest or shoulder, or exploring his ribbon cables or along his neck, down the sensitive, covered wires of his spine. He can almost feel you, your weight across his thighs, stroking with one hand and holding him close with the other- and he would hold you, splay his hands across your back and lean in closer to press his array to your forehead.
The thought alone has him shuddering, warmth spreading in his chest and-
and he needs more.
He would whisper to you, May I have you?, but even in his own mind he sounds desperate, aching.
It wouldn't matter, because you would say Yes, of course, I'm yours.
He groans aloud at the last one; yes, yes, he wants- he needs you. To have you, not just in physicality, but in every other way he can imagine. And he imagines much. Like how you'd move, how you'd reveal yourself to him. It isn't what lies beneath that excites him- it's you doing it at all, showing him what you hide from everyone else. Letting him explore you the same way, though he's not sure what you would feel like. Most of his experience with human skin and flesh is not what he wants to associate with you, so he skims this part of his fantasy until he's prodding between your thighs.
The internet has helped him visualize this part. He may not know what sensations you would provide him there, but he can picture your face when he slides into you. How your brow pinches, how your lips part- and you would be so wet for him-
and suddenly the drag of metal and rubber on silicone is not nearly enough. He needs- he needs to know how it would feel, that slickness you would surround him with. His workshop table provides an obvious option. A bottle of machine lubricant would be close enough- anything at all to sate the impulse. He pours the oil over his hands- and thinks of his fingers covered in your arousal instead.
When he strokes this time, there's hardly any friction at all. A smooth glide from root to tip has him throwing his head back, voice box crackling out another broken moan. All of that burning inside becomes liquid, waves of hot pleasure that crash over him with stunning ease. His hips twitch into his palm- and he lets the instinctive chase of desire take over, fucking into his fist with abandon.
He imagines you on top of him- and oh, he'd have to be so gentle with you, but he can't with himself now. He'd hold you, careful with his hands when his hips aren't. You'd cling to him, barely keeping yourself up as he fucks you- and he likes that, how you'd melt against him in pleasure. The pleasure he gives you. You would trust him with this, that he wouldn't harm you. And in turn, the moans he's heard in his research would be nothing compared to the noises from your lips. Would you be loud, quiet? Would you call his name- oh, yes- an overheat warning pops into his HUD, he likes that. How you'd sound saying his name, moaning it in broken tones, like his staticked voice as he pleases you until you-
his frame shudders as he strokes himself faster, imagines how your face would twist and pinch as you'd near your end with him. Would you tremble when you finished? And inside, what does it feel like in-
His ventilation falters, half his fans seizing as tips over the edge. Pleasure floods the same wires he used to manipulate, a white static rushing through every logic circuit, drowning out every thought as his body rushes to dump the excess sensory input. Heat surrounds him- literal heat, as his processors run and run with no coolant pumping. A droning noise fills his workshop- and it takes much too long for him to realize it's his own synth.
A pop-up tells his release vents have opened- a quiet hissing of steam and hot air rushing out somewhere. His fans resume their buzzing pace as he finally begins to cool off.
Ramattra falls back onto his workshop table and lays there, waiting for his systems to completely refresh- and enjoying the lingering tingles like sparks between wires. After only a few moments the high has passed, systems flushed and returned to working order. An automatic check returns ready, online across every parameter.
And Ramattra is left with his own cock once more standing proudly between his thighs. Perhaps that would be awkward for you, in the time afterwards.
Afterwards. When you're flushed and panting and curled up next to him- you would stay, wouldn't you? He's read humans need care once the activity itself has concluded. His refresh would mean he could tend to you in whatever way you needed; sustenance, contact (though, he would have to purchase pillows), perhaps he could clean you. A stray thought slips by, the image conjured before he can stop himself: What would you look like with...?
The shame returns, but Ramattra suspends the feeling and adds a note to the blueprints of his cock- should he make another, he'll add a fluid reservoir tank. It's practical, he argues. Self-lubrication would make this much easier.
With an internal tank he could leave his fluids on you- in you. Non-toxic- in case you wanted to... A prickle of stray electricity runs down his spine. His fist curls around the silicone again, still slick with oil. With the thought of your tongue peaking out to taste him, he can't stop himself from beginning to stroke again.
After all, another set of data would be very useful...
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from-the-clouds · 2 years ago
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texas sun - joel miller x f!reader - vol. iii
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chapter summary: Somehow, you realize you've accidentally ended up spending almost every weekend for the last month and a half with either one, or all of the Millers. pairing: pre-outbreak!joel miller x f!reader words: 8.7k chapter warnings: some angst, alcohol consumption, marijuana use, suggestive thoughts (but no smut), referenced parental neglect, implied age gap. reader has daddy issues (shocker!) & a fear of intimacy. a/n: this chapter is so disgustingly sweet it might give you a cavity. truly. but its also a little self-indulgent because joel is in my dream blunt rotation :/ please be patient with updates because i have a career/social life/apartment, and am a perfectionist! i promise i will always (try) to make the wait worth your while. Also, here's a link to the song Joel plays on guitar, since it's not on Spotify so I couldn't add it to the playlist.
-April 19, 2003- 
“Well, that was awkward.”
Obviously, Joel thinks to himself as Sarah turns to watch the retreating form of her teacher, while Joel stares straight ahead at the crowd in front of him. At first, he had thought she was just being polite. It was the right thing to do, to say hello to a parent and a student if you see them outside of class. But…they were seeing each other at a bar. And she’d asked him to dance. 
We just got here, maybe later? Joel can’t even remember what he had said, something along those lines. It wasn’t a flat-out refusal, but he had been acutely aware of Sarah’s eyes boring into the back of his head from where she sat beside him, and he sort of blacked out, couldn’t recall what had caused her to get the hint, to walk away. 
Joel grunts an affirmation to Sarah, and drums his fingers against the tabletop. There’s a dance floor full of people in front of him, all under various levels of intoxication, all of them dancing. 
“Do you believe me now?” Sarah asks. 
“I never said I didn’t believe you.”
How he had allowed Tommy and Sarah to talk him into coming here tonight, he’s not sure. Probably, it had something to do with how much he loved them both. How he would, ultimately, do whatever they asked if he knew it’d make that happy. But still, honky-tonking is the last thing he wants to be doing at the end of a long week. 
There was pretty much only one decent bar in town, so he wasn’t exactly shocked he had run into someone he knew. Everyone came here – to dance, to drink, to eat, or to drown their sorrows. To see their friends, or even to find someone to take home for the night. And over the years, as a frequent customer, Joel had used this place to do all those things.
Tonight was special though, a little more family friendly. It was swing night. It happened once a month, and Joel had always made a point to take Sarah a couple times a year. When he was young, his mother had taught him and Tommy to dance, and he felt it was only appropriate to pass the skill along, even if it was almost obsolete. He hoped Sarah would be able to do the same someday, if she ever had children of her own. 
“Will you dance with me, at least?” Sarah asks.
“Of course I will,” Joel answers.. “But let’s wait for Tommy, he’s ordering our drinks.”
“You mean your drinks.”
“No, you got a Shirley Temple.”
Sarah narrows her eyes. It’s the same expression that Joel has only seen her use recently, and he actually prefers it less to the eye roll. This time, he’s glad it hasn’t come with a question from her, because when it does, it’s always a little more frightening. “Come on, you know that’s not the same.”
Before Joel can respond, he’s cut off by Tommy’s voice. 
“Look who I found.”
This is what he and Sarah have been waiting on, and Joel turns to sees Tommy with all three of their drinks in hand. Over his shoulder, there’s a woman who looks vaguely familiar, wearing daisy dukes and a plaid shirt. After a second, he realizes it’s you.
Most of the time when Joel sees you – from across the street, of course – you’re in a power suit, a pencil skirt. Sometimes, it’s more casual – athletic clothes. There was also that black silk robe he can’t seem to shake from his memory. But this is so…different. It’s clear you’re trying to blend in with the crowd, but you don’t. Not because you’re not pulling it off – you definitely are, effortlessly – he’s just pretty sure if he walks into any room you’re in, his eyes will always be drawn in your direction. 
Joel doesn’t see, but rather feels – Sarah recognize that you’re in front of her, because when she does, she’s tapping him on the arm before he can utter a greeting. “Dad, can I get out and say hi?”
He’s standing to let her out just as you step closer to the table, and you come chest to chest. “Hey,” he says. 
“Hi, Joel,” you say, a soft smile on your face. Your eyes remain locked on his just a moment too long, before Sarah is wrapping you up in a hug, and you’re focused on her when she draws back. “How are you?” you ask. 
Joel doesn’t hear Sarah’s response, because his brother is pressing a drink into his hand - a Jack and Coke, same as what you and Tommy are drinking. 
“Sit down, please!” Tommy encourages.
“Are you sure?” you ask. “This looks like a family thing, I don’t want to-” 
“Please!” Sarah exclaims. 
“What she said,” Tommy seconds Sarah’s sentiments.
For a second, you seem to contemplate the offer, and then you accept the invitation, sliding into the booth across from where Sarah has settled back next to her father. Joel makes eye contact with his brother, sitting next to you. Tommy’s eyebrows are raised suggestively, and there’s a playful smirk on his face when he tilts his head in your direction. Joel gives him nothing, already irritated by his brother’s goading. 
“Is that a Shirley Temple?” you point to Sarah’s drink. When she nods, you continue. “I haven’t had one of those in forever,” you say. 
“Want a sip?”
“Sure,” Sarah slides the glass across to you, and you sip from the straw, pondering. “I should’ve gotten one of those instead. They were my favorite growing up.” 
“Can I have a sip of yours?”
“No,” you and Joel say at the same time. 
“You’re not gonna like it,” he adds.
“You always say that, but how can you know?”
Joel sighs. “Okay, fine. Try mine.”
Sarah seems pleased to get what she wants. When the bitterness of the whiskey registers, the triumphant expression leaves her face completely. 
“Told you,” he says. Sarah grimaces, accepting defeat, and returns to her beverage. 
Tommy leans forward, urging Joel to start making conversation as if this is a date and it’s his responsibility. But before he can think of anything, Sarah pipes up. 
“Guess what?” she asks you.
“What?”
“My teacher’s here.”
“Yeah?” you ask. Joel takes a long pull off his drink, hoping it’ll loosen him up a little. 
“Yeah, she tried to hit on my dad.”
Joel feels the cocktail of whiskey and soda get caught in his throat.
“Oh….” you sound intrigued, and you lean forward. He wonders if this is the dynamic between you and Sarah when he’s not around. Like you’re two friends, engaging in some harmless gossip. “Really?” Your gaze flickers between him and Sarah. 
Sarah bobs her head once. “She has a thing for him. I can tell.”
“What makes you think that?” his brother joins in, moving closer to Sarah, crowding you between himself and the wall and putting his elbows on the table. Joel feels a flash of envy when you shift your attention towards Tommy.
“She just asked him to dance.” Sarah looks over her shoulder, nods her head towards the woman in the corner of the bar who’s probably already focused on his table anyways. Joel already knows what you’re seeing. Miss Davis is pretty, bubbly, outgoing. Probably about your age, if he had to guess, though it’s hard to say how old you are. He imagines he has ten years on you, give or take a few. And for all intents and purposes, Sarah’s teacher is the type of woman he should be interested in. 
“She’s pretty,” you say it like you’re appeasing Sarah, but you’re looking directly at Joel. He’s not sure why you kind of frighten him a little. You’re sweet, he knows, even if you’ve tried to tell him otherwise. But there’s something else there, enigmatic and alluring, that continues to draw him in. 
Tommy chimes in. “So are you gonna dance with her, Joel?”
“Uncle Tommy,” Sarah says dramatically. Her face drops for a second, though, her shoulders slumping as she angles herself towards him, lowers her voice. “I mean, if you want to, that’s fine, I guess. But I….I don’t know.”
Joel is taken aback by how long this conversation has gone on with absolutely no input from himself. Not to mention how honest Sarah is being. She doesn’t usually have much to say about his choice in women – he can usually just tell what she thinks. For her to express something so directly makes him realize how serious she is. But at the moment, he can’t find words to assure her everything will be fine. 
It must be his lack of response that causes you to lean across the table and speak to Sarah. “You know, that’s valid,” there’s a tenderness to your tone. It dawns on him that you’re trying to comfort her. “It is kind of a conflict of interest.”
“Right?” Sarah perks up, just slightly, you’ve given her some support. “It’s one of those things you said you had going on at work the other day an….an ethical…” 
“An ethical dilemma?” you finish her thought.
“Ethical dilemma! That’s it.” Sarah turns back towards Joel. “I think it's an ethical dilemma.” 
For just a split second, he wonders why he’s been letting his already-precocious child hang out regularly with a lawyer. He’s accidentally creating a monster. But thankfully, Joel is finally able to find his voice. “There is no ethical dilemma, because I wouldn’t ever consider it.”
That seems to placate Sarah, and hopefully everyone will decide to drop it. Joel catches your eyes, and there’s something akin to wistfulness there, chin propped on your hand, before you blink once and focus back on Tommy, who's asking you a question. “So, are you here alone?”
“Is it that obvious?” 
“Not at all,” Tommy smirks, not dropping his eye contact with you. “...It’s just surprising, is all.”
Joel stiffens.
“Oh, well…” you smile a little. “I’m just trying to get to know the town a little better. Trying to engage in the community, I guess. But…I’m not sure if I am doing that great of a job fitting in.”
“You are,” Joel interjects, and maybe it’s a little forward, but he’d rather say it before Tommy does. “That’s a nice flannel.”
“Thanks,” You look down at your oversized plaid shirt – the sleeves rolled up to the elbows – that hangs open over a tight white tank top. Joel can see a sliver of the black lace bra you’re wearing that pokes out above the low neckline. He wonders what it might feel like to press his face there, to feel your fingers carding through his hair, but does not allow himself to entertain the idea for very long. Not the time. “I actually had to go and buy it because I didn’t own any plaid. And by the looks of it,” You gesture towards the dance floor. “I need to invest in some cowboy boots, too.”
“One thing at a time, right?” he asks, and you agree.
“So what are you all doing here? Family outing?”
“We actually had to drag this one kicking and screaming out the door,” Tommy points to Joel. 
“You did not,” Joel defends himself.
‘We kinda did,” Sarah says. “Do you know how to dance?”
You shake your head no, look at the people twirling and dipping and dancing in pairs. “Not like that.”
“It’s really easy! I can teach you. My dad taught me.”
“Cute.” Joel looks towards Sarah, and catches you staring instead. Your eyes flit back immediately to his daughters. “But I’m not sure I’ll be any good.”
“You’ll be fine,” Sarah says like it’s already settled. Joel knows he’s spoiled her, that she ultimately gets what she wants. He worries sometimes that others won’t find her quite as endearing. 
“Sarah,” he warns. “You’re making it sound like she doesn’t have a choice.”
You hide a smile behind the rim of your glass. “It’s okay. You can teach me. Might as well learn, if I’m trying to fit in.”
Sarah seems satisfied.
“Joel tells me you grew up in New York City.” Tommy says it, and Joel notices you raise your eyebrows at the implication. He’s talked to Tommy about you. And now you know. He’s pissed at himself for doing it, but at the time he’d been drunk, a little more chatty and vulnerable than usual, and had mentioned you more than once. Too much to be a coincidence. The issue was, Joel had never expected you would talk to Tommy again. If he’d known you would, he wouldn’t have said anything. He doesn’t want to imagine the damage he had done when it was just the two of you, alone at the bar. But even now, he’s completely at his brother’s mercy. 
“Yep,” you nod. 
“You don’t have much of an accent,” Tommy remarks. 
“Not everyone has them.” 
“That’s fair.”
“I did, uh, go to a boarding school in a different state, though, so I wasn’t around it too much.” 
“Boarding school?” Sarah turns to Joel.
“Basically you live at school,” you answer her question. ”Kind of like college, but earlier. I started going when I was nine.”
Sarah frowns. “Wouldn’t you miss your family?” 
“Yes, and I did.”
“So why would you go?”
“Well…” you trail off, shift your weight. “It wasn’t up to me. My dad worked a lot, so it made sense.”
“What’d he do for a living?” Asks Tommy. 
“He’s a criminal defense attorney....owns his own firm and it does pretty well, so…” you shrug. “He was very busy.”
“And that’s why you’re a lawyer? To work for your dad?”
“At one point, that was the plan, yes."
“What happened?”
The question appears to make you uncomfortable, you cross your legs and glance down at the table. “Uhm….pass.” Joel sees your face go blank for a split second before you look up with an easy smile. It’s like the desolate look you’d been wearing was never there, and you point to your drink. “I’ll need a few more of these if you want that story.”
“Might as well order another round,” Tommy flags down a waitress.
You have one more drink, but you don’t really touch it as the four of you continue to talk. Joel has two more, and Tommy has three, because he’s Tommy, and also not driving. Both you and Joel also have to vehemently refuse his request to do a round of tequila shots. 
After a while, Sarah gets bored, then insists on teaching you to dance. You agree, but seem awfully reluctant. Joel wants to pull you aside and let you know that you don’t have to entertain everything Sarah offers, but once you’ve stood up, and he watches her arm link through yours as you both walk to the dance floor, he can’t bring himself to intervene. 
He’s never seen Sarah be so taken with someone before, and he’s filled with a vague sense of regret. He always thought that she was content with just him and Tommy. Maybe she has always needed more. It’s partially his responsibility, Joel thinks –  what could he have done to stop her mother from leaving? Even if he could’ve stopped it, they would’ve been a miserable couple…which might have been more damaging to Sarah than her mother not being around at all.
Once you’re long gone, Joel can sense what Tommy is thinking before he even opens his mouth. 
“Shut it,” Joel says before he can even hear his brother's ribbing. 
“I wasn’t even gonna say anything about that!” Tommy raises his hands, but Joel knows he’s lying.
“We should go over there,” Joel says. He trusts you, but in a bar full of drunk people isn’t interested in being far away from Sarah for too long. Both he and Tommy abandon their booth to mosey their way towards the dance floor. 
Sarah has taken you into a back corner, far away from the band playing, where the crowd has thinned a little. There’s room for him and Tommy to lean up against the wall and watch you both. 
Both your hands are clasped with Sarah’s, and she’s teaching you the counts, the steps, while you study the way that your feet move.
Joel has a feeling that if it weren’t for his daughter, you wouldn’t have hung out with his family for so long. It’s just like the hike, and as usual, he feels more like a third wheel than anything else. You’re right that you do look a little out of place here. Maybe you don’t belong,  but he likes it. You’re wearing a pair of beat up hi-tops, which are a sharp contrast to Sarah’s baby blue cowboy boots that are covered in rhinestone butterflies. He’d gotten them for her for Christmas that past year, and she only wore them during special occasions like this.
Joel is doing the best he can not to think about the way your legs look in those fucking daisy dukes. All on display, and he wonders what it might feel like to drag his tongue up the soft skin of your inner thigh, feel you quiver and whimper as he works his mouth closer to– Enough. He’s disgusted with himself for thinking about you like that right now. 
“Dad, look!” Sarah says, and it seems you’re catching on all right, but none of it looks graceful. Sarah’s trying to lead – which she has never done – so she falters often, and also can’t quite reach all the way above your head when she tries to spin you around. “Oh no, look at his face!” Sarah points. You turn his direction, and Joel realizes he has to neutralize the grimace that has crept onto his visage. “We definitely aren’t doing good.”
“I’ll get the hang of it,” you turn back to Sarah, assure her. “You’re a good teacher.” You’re being nice. Too nice, humoring her and laughing it off, even if she’s making a fool of you both. But you don’t seem to mind, because it’s making her happy. 
All of the sudden, the toe of Sarah’s boot catches on the scuffed wood floor and she lurches forward. Joel immediately pushes himself off the wall as though he could close the space and catch her before she faceplants, but he can’t, and he can already see a vision of himself sitting in the emergency room at 2 a.m waiting, while Sarah holds an ice pack on her nose. But you reach out before the image is fully realized, arms wrapping around her shoulders. “Careful!” You warn. And even though you shuffle forward with the weight of her, you keep her from falling. Once she realizes she’s safe, Sarah giggles and throws her head back, her eyes catching your own. 
He’s not sure what makes him do it. It could be the liquor, the way you look, the unspoken pressure from Tommy. Or maybe he’s just been wanting an excuse to be closer to you. Most importantly, at this rate, he feels like Sarah is going to hurt herself and also you in the process. Regardless of what the reason is, Joel decides to step in. He walks onto the dance floor.
“Alright,” Joel says once he’s gotten closer, looking at Sarah. “I can’t watch this anymore.”
“What?”
He halts in front of his daughter, jerks his hand. “Move. I’m takin’ over.”
Sarah rolls her eyes, but smiles a little, and drops her hands from your shoulders. Joel offers you his hand. “You mind?” 
You look between Joel and Sarah, and she gives you an encouraging nod. “He taught me, he does know what he’s doing.”
“Well okay,” you take Joel’s hand. “You better not embarrass me,” and then you actually fucking wink at him. Already overwhelmed by the delicate weight of your hand in his palm, it almost sends him over the edge. He’s lucky he’s in public, with his family, because he doesn’t think he’d behave himself otherwise.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Joel answers. “Besides, I don’t think anything could be worse than what I was just watching.”
You giggle, and step forward when he tugs you just closer to dance, taking you fully in his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Sarah dragging Tommy onto the dance floor. Everyone is taken care of.
You’re smart. And because of it, you’re a fast learner. Even people who can’t really dance can usually figure this out, himself included. But in Joel’s opinion, it’s always been less about getting the steps right, and more about who’s keeping him company. 
And you’re great company. 
Eager, willing, gentle…soft. He’s embarrassed at how long it’s been since he’s been this close to an adult woman, and normally he might be a little nervous, but instead, he just feels…comfortable. 
But Joel is a selfish man. He always wants more. Wants the band to play a slower song, so then he’d have an excuse to pull you closer. Wind an arm around your waist, whisper things in your ear that no one else could hear, and feel your breath hitch when they register. But this isn’t really the dance for that, and the rest of his family is just steps away. He’ll have to compromise – which he doesn’t like. 
“I’m going to dip you,” Joel says, matter-of-factly.
“No you’re not.”
“I am,” he insists. “It’s essential.”
“I seriously doubt that.” 
“Look,” he tilts his head to Tommy and Sarah, and the latter is laughing as she pitches all her weight backwards into his arms. He nearly drops to one knee to catch her, she’s still so petit, but their form is actually pretty good. And they aren’t the only people in the room doing it. 
“Okay,” you say, and give him a warm smile for a split second before becoming stone-faced. “But if you drop me-”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” Joel drawls.
He puts his arms around your waist, one of them catching the middle of your back, the other on a patch of exposed skin on your hip – your tank top has ridden up slightly with all the movement. You dig your fingers into his biceps, cling to him like he had hoped you would.
And even when he draws you back up, eyes locked with your own, your grip remains the same. You stay close. 
“My turn,” Tommy interjects, and Joel can’t help the dirty look he gives him over your shoulder. He’s playing the annoying little brother, doing everything he can to piss him off. His brother wants to see Joel break, but he’s not going to give him the satisfaction.
Plus, Joel is happy to dance with Sarah, which is the whole reason they came here in the first place. She’s so excited to be there, and he wonders if there will ever be a time when she’s too grown up for things like this. He hopes not. 
He ignores the sound of Tommy’s laugh mingled with your own. You were not laughing that much with him, and that causes a pang of jealousy. Joel doesn’t like acknowledging it, but he’s always resented Tommy for his ability to be the charismatic one, the charming one, the happy-go-lucky one. Even when they were kids. That’s what it’s like to be the oldest sibling. Never as fun, always more practical, more serious, the voice of reason. Always in service to their siblings, all in the name of love. 
Eventually, you and Sarah are back dancing together, and since you’ve had some practice separately, it’s not as sloppy as before. It allows Joel and Tommy to return to their post against the wall, just out of earshot.
Joel feels his brother’s eyes on him as he watches you and Sarah. “Dude,” he finally gives in, looks over at Tommy. “Just ask her out already.”
Joel rolls his eyes. “Tommy-”
“You’re into her.” 
“Maybe,” Joel says, because he knows it’s pointless to lie. “But she’s got a boyfriend.”
Tommy elbows him. “So what?”
“I know you’re alright bein’ a homewrecker but I-”
“It makes sense Joel. She’s fuckin’ smart, and funny, and pretty. And Sarah fucking loves her-”
In any other situation, he would’ve acted weeks ago. But he’s starting to understand why he’s dragging his feet. Tommy’s right. Sarah adores you. Joel will fuck something up, it’s inevitable. And when you decide you never want to speak to him again, Sarah will lose you too. He’s already let her down enough. 
“I should’ve never fuckin’ told you–”
“Take her to drinks, to the movies, dinner, show up at her house with a bottle of wine, hell, something. If you don’t ask her out already, then I will.”
Joel punches his brother on the shoulder. It’s not enough to incite an actual fight, but it’s definitely not playful. “Ow!” Tommy grips at his arm. “What?” When Joel doesn’t answer right away, he rolls his eyes. 
“Speaking from experience, I’m surprised you haven’t already,” he raises an eyebrow.
“Once, Joel. That was one time. Will I never hear the end of it?”
“No,” Joel says. “And I see what you were doing tonight, too. Don’t think you’re slick.” he hopes to change the subject, and it seems to be working. 
Tommy sets them back on track. “Well, I was just trying to get you to wake the fuck up and see what’s in front of you.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What happens when Sarah grows up? Goes to school, leaves the house? Then, what are you gonna do? You’re just gonna be alone?”
“You are treadin’ on some mighty thin ice, Tommy,'' Joel hisses. ““You barely know this woman-”
“I’d like a family, too, Joel. When that happens I won’t be able to keep you company anymore. You might want someone else. And maybe it’s not her, fine. But there should be someone.”
For as much as he hates to admit it, Joel knows Tommy is right. 
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
-April 25, 2003- 
It’s six at night. and you’re already in your pajamas. 
A couple years ago, you would’ve thought that was pretty sad. These days, it’s only a little sad. You prefer things this way. That’s the perk of being an adult living alone. If you want to put on pajamas before the sun sets on a Friday night, you can. If you want to get stoned on the back porch of the house you bought yourself, you can. If you want all those things to happen while you watch the sunset and listen to yacht rock, you can. And you’re going to. 
You’re toying with the new digital camera your brother bought for you. Vincent likes to argue with you, but he always feels guilty after a conversation gone wrong. Rather than use his words, however, he just buys you gifts. You had apologized over the phone a few days ago…this was his way of doing the same. The shutter clicks as you snap a photo of your backyard, and you look at it in the viewfinder before discarding the camera on your coffee table.
Martini is on the porch with you, doing that thing where he stands just out of reach but chirps at you until you pet him. When you reach out, he moves away. He’s not great at accepting what he wants. Maybe it’s why he’s sort of the perfect cat for you – you’re the same. 
You light your bowl, and you’re mid-inhale when you hear someone call your name. 
“Hey!” 
At this point, you’d recognize Joel Miller’s voice anywhere. You don’t want to admit it’s because you’ve tried to commit it to memory, daydreamed about how it might sound for his smooth lilt to read you a book until you fall asleep, or listen to him take a phone call in the other room. 
Realizing it’s him, you inhale sharply, forgetting what you’re in the middle of and taking a much bigger hit than you had intended. You begin choking violently on the smoke while simultaneously scrambling to hide your piece and the related paraphernalia sitting out, and manage to do so just in time for him to round the corner. 
You scramble to hide your bowl under the pillow of the outdoor couch you sit on, just in time for Joel to appear at the screen door. 
“Hey,” you say, covering your mouth. Your throat burns, and you cough again. Stay cool, stay calm. Everything is good. “What are you doing here?”
“Sorry, I tried your front door and you weren’t answering, so I thought I’d see if you were back here.” It’s hard to see him from here, through the door, and he’s backlit by the sun that’s shimmering behind his dark hair, catching it in a golden halo. 
You rise to open the door, and when you do, he continues. “I’m here to pick up Sarah’s soccer jersey.”
Right. Of course he was. She had left it a few days before, and you had assumed she’d come get it before her game on Saturday but it didn’t dawn on you until now that she ever had. 
“I would’ve sent her, but she’s at a sleepover tonight.”
“Oh yeah,” you nod, standing in place. You’re trying so desperately to act normal, words evade you.
Joel squints at you, a slight smirk on his face. “I didn’t catch you off guard or anything, did I?’
“No, no, not at all,” you lie. “Come on in.”
Joel steps over the tiny dish of cat food you’ve left on your back step for the stray you feed, and into the screened-in porch. Now that he’s under the dim light, you get a better look at him. A loose-fitting flannel hangs open over a worn green t-shirt that barely meets the top of his jeans. His hair is damp, like he’s just showered, and he smells clean. In any other situation, you’d want to climb him like a tree, and he’s not even trying. But right now, you’re just doing your best impression of a sober human that is definitely not doing anything illegal. The truth is, you should’ve made him wait outside.
“This is nice,” Joel says, looking around. And you really wish he wasn’t because you notice that you left the clear plastic baggie containing your weed out on the couch. It sort of blends in with the green floral pattern, so you hope for the best, because there’s no way for you to sneakily grab it without drawing his attention. “I didn't know this was back here.”
“The last owners added it on,” you say, because that was the type of thing the realtor had said to you about the features of this house. And you supposed a carpenter or contractor would probably be interested in it. It was a good distraction.
“I can tell. Looks new,” he looks up towards the wooden beams that span the ceiling. The top of the porch is still covered, so during the few times it’s rained, you always sit outside to listen.
“I’ve got her jersey in the kitchen,” you tell him. “Wait here.”
It doesn’t take long for you to pick out the bright blue athletic gear from your pile of dry cleaning. It stands out against all your neutral-colored pantsuits. Joel has his back to you when you return, one of his hands clenched into a fist. 
“Here,” you say, and he turns. 
“You had it dry cleaned? You didn’t have to do that.”
“I kind of wasn’t sure if it was safe to run through the machine,” you explain. “But now that I’m thinking about it….it wouldn’t make sense to give a bunch of 11-year-olds dry clean only jerseys.”
“It wouldn’t. But it’s probably more convenient than scrubbing the grass stains out yourself.”
“Speaking from experience?”
“Unfortunately. But again…thank you.”
“Of course.”
This is where Joel should leave, walk across the street, and go home. And he does, well, at least, he starts to. He steps away, reaches for the handle to your back door, and then pauses. “You know,” he says, glancing over his shoulder. “The Watsons were tellin’ me the other day you’ve been complaining about a family of skunks living under your house?”
You freeze, recalling the lie you’d come up with on a whim when your sixty-year-old neighbors had started asking too many questions. 
“Well, it does smell a little over here.”
“Uh-huh,” you give him nothing.
“Something like that….you should really call animal control. Get rid of the problem,” Joel’s facing you now, eyebrow raised. 
“If I call animal control…they’ll just kill them,” you answer. “And I don’t want that. So…I think I’ll just have to live with it.” 
“That’s fair,” Joel says. “But you know, Sarah’s over here all the time, and I’ve never heard her mention it.”
At this point you know he’s just fucking with you. But years of remaining stone-faced through business negotiations and family dinners has prepared you for this, so even if you’re a little stoned, you’re not going to let him win. 
“Yeah, it sounds like a coincidence. But they’re never around when she’s here,” you say, in your own defense. “Ever,” you add for emphasis. 
“I guess that’s good.”
You both stare at each other for a second, and your blood buzzes slightly because even though this is just a playful standoff, you’ve never made such intense eye contact with him. It feels electric. After what feels like an eternity, Joel lifts his hand from his hip, and you see what he’d been holding in his fist, now pinched between his thumb and forefinger. He raises an eyebrow.
When you see the plastic baggie dangling in front of your face, you purse your lips. “Alright, you got me,” you lift up your hands, but snatch the bag from him. 
“And here I thought you were such a good girl.”
You don’t even want to acknowledge the full body chill that runs down your spine at the sound of those two words, coming from him. Snatching the bag back from him, he gives you a cheeky smile. “If you give me a hit, I won’t tell anyone.”
Your jaw drops, and you look up at him. “Oh, you’re trouble.”
“I’m not the one lyin’ to my neighbors.”
“And I’m not the one snooping through my neighbors' things.”
“It was right out in the open.”
Joel doesn’t seem bothered at all. But it’s Texas, so you can never be sure. “Okay, fine,” you say. “If you want….I could roll us a joint. Unless you have other plans.”
“The alternative is a house to myself for the evening and some chores, so…yeah. Whatever you’d like.”
“Great.”
Joel follows you to sit on the couch. As you settle on opposite ends, he speaks up. “So you think you could explain to me why my daughter keeps tellin’ me she wants to be a lawyer?”
You snicker. “Believe me, Joel. I’ve tried to talk her out of it already.”
He chuckles. “It’s okay. Probably a more lucrative career than what I’m doing. She’s really taken a liking to you, you know that? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her warm up to anyone so quick.”
“Well, I’m the first adult she knows that’s not an authority figure.”
“I’m sure there’s more to it than that.”
“I remember being that age,” you look down at your work. “It’s nice to have someone older to relate to, who you can talk to without being afraid of getting a lecture.”
“She probably needs it,” Joel says. “She told me you talk about girl stuff. I’m not so great at that.”
“I don’t know,” Your tongue darts out to wet the edge of the paper and finish rolling the joint. You put it between your lips, and rummage through the drawer of the coffee table to find your lighter, gesture between the both of you. “This is about ninety percent of how I spent my time with my friends at her age…and so far you’re doing alright.”
“Now you’ve got me worried about what’s going on at that sleepover.”
“Okay, well, I was maybe a little older. And with her? You’ve got nothing to worry about,” you shake your head. 
He rubs the back of his neck, and his eyes glow with the reflection of your lighter as it’s flicked on. “I don’t know.”
“She’s fine, Joel,” you say, bringing the lighter closer and shielding the flame from the calm breeze of the evening. “She’s great. Really.”
“She is,” he agrees. You inhale, let the smoke settle in your lungs for a moment, before exhaling. You take your time, feeling warm from the weed and the feeling of Joel’s eyes on you, and he accepts the joint when you pass it over.
“I really didn’t really expect this from you,” he exhales, studying your handiwork before taking another puff. “You’re pretty buttoned up.”
“This is hardly rebellious.” Instinctually, you like the idea that he thinks you’re buttoned up. Deep down, however, you don’t actually want him to.
He looks so dreamy, the smoke curling though his eyelashes, tracing along his defined jaw, and then up, up, where it settles and shifts under the porch light, before disappearing completely.
Martini, who has been in hiding, hops up on the couch, and Joel reaches out, your cat nuzzling its face into his palm. “Didn’t know you had a cat,” he mumbles. And then, like some sort of magic, the cat plops down on Joel’s lap. 
“I do…but…” you say out loud, then trail off because you’re in such shock. You glance up at Joel, who looks confused. “I’m sorry, I’ve just never seen him do this.”
He passes the joint back to you. “Do what?”
You take a final puff, and then put it out in an ashtray. It’s only about half smoked, but you can get into it later if either of you wants to. Plus, you’re more interested in what’s unfolding in front of you. “I kinda want a picture of this.”
“What?”
“I’ve had him for five years and he’s never sat on my lap like that,” you say, and you can’t keep the resentment from dripping into your tone. “What makes you so special? I’m a little jealous.”
“Of me? Or the cat?”
Something honey-thick drips down your spine at his words. You can’t conjure a witty response, opting instead for: “Shut up.”
You snap a couple photos while Joel’s still laughing, one hand on his chest, the other on Martini’s back, and then put the camera down, and lean against the back of the couch, curling your feet underneath you. 
“You’ve got a nice view of the sunset,” Joel says softly.
There’s a distant fear you might never get to see him like this again, and you want to take him in fully before you drag your eyes to see what he’s looking at. Your backyard slopes down into a small patch of woods, the sky opening even wider to let in the aureate light. 
“I know,” you agree. “It’s why I spend so much time back here.” The high continues to settle over you, strokes your shoulders, tugs at the corners of your lips.
“Surprised you like things that are so peaceful…being from the city and all…”
“The city is peaceful,” you say, thinking of the leaves swirling from the trees in the fall, and the snowflakes falling onto your family's porch in the winter, melting on the tip of your nose as you lean over the balcony to see the glittering lights below, car horns and engines and sirens piercing the darkness, white noise. “In its own way.”
“You miss it?”
“Everyday,” you say. 
“What do you miss the most?”  
“Uhm…probably the bagels,” you lie. Well it’s true. But it’s not what you miss the most. You think of your brother, flopping onto your bed on a Saturday night – a rare weekend when you visit home – and you’re trying to read A Tree Grows In Brooklyn for school but he’s begging to take you around the corner to get a milkshake. It’s the image of him you’ve so desperately tried to cling to and the recollections you share with him have only gotten more and more unpleasant as time goes on. “The bagels here suck.”
“Really?” Joel seems amused by that. 
“And uh…I don’t know. It’s part of me. I have a lot of friends there, a lot of good memories,” you smile to yourself, lean forward towards him. “I had this apartment before I graduated, right? It had the best view of this little Italian restaurant, and I’d sit and watch people through the windows, eating and talking. I was supposed to be studying, but…it was great. I loved it.”
“What’re you doing here, then?” Joel asks, and you look back at the sunset. Here you are, waxing poetic and you’re sure he can hear it in your voice. “You runnin’ from something?” You look over to find he’s staring at you. Like he knows you aren’t being honest, and he’s asking you to stop lying.
So you do the only thing you can think of, which is to ask him a question in response. “What makes you think I am?”
Joel considers this for a moment. “I don’t know. I grew up in Austin. All my friends are here, my family. If I ever moved someplace else….it’d have to be for a good reason. And even if I did, I’d be lonely.”
You stare down at the floor. “Maybe I am.” Lonely? Or running from something? The answer is both, you know, but you’re not going to clarify. “My family. Things are pretty fucked. I thought distance would help, and it does, a little. But….that shit still follows you anyways. They’re always with you, no matter what.”
Joel nods. 
“But… I have a life here. When I lived downtown, I definitely did. I don’t mind the quiet, and….I have friends.”
Joel looks at you. “You got a boyfriend, don’t you?”
Why would he think that-oh. You had tried to forget it, the morning he’d caught you still wrapped up in your robe – not the fluffy fleece one you liked the most, but the one you specifically only wore when you had guys over, cause they loved that shit.
“Oh, right,” you say. “Bradley. Yeah, uh. He’s…he’s….not my boyfriend. But…” you shake your head. “It’s a little complicated.”
“I’m sure it ain’t that hard to explain.”
“I mean…” you avoid his eyes. “He’s kind of an asshole, but we’re not really commited to each other in a meaningful way. Plus, he’s not around that much which is kind of perfect…for me.”
“Really?”
“Less to worry about,” you answer, purse your lips. “But…I don’t know. I sorta wish he got my heart rate up a little more.”
“He’s not your type?”
“I don’t really have a type,” you shake your head. “I like what I like.”
Joel rasps. “I feel the same,” and he’s made sure your eyes are on him when he says it.
You swallow, nod, smooth your hair back. “Anyways. Why’re you asking me all this?”
Joel doesn’t seem to find an answer right away. You narrow your eyes at him, studying his face, looking for something that will give him away. It’s a trick you’ve learned…silence…a bit of skepticism. It makes people uncomfortable. And Joel shifts his weight, squirming beneath your gaze. Until something in his face shifts, and he smiles….just a little. 
“So that’s where Sarah learned that.”
“Learned what?”
“That look you’re giving me.”
“What look?” 
“Like you can see right through me.”
“Can I?” You narrow your eyes further.
“You’re tryin’ to.” 
He’d done a good enough job of avoiding your question, and you’re not gonna ask him again, and instead opt for a different one. “So what about you, then?” you poke his knee with your foot.
“Oh, I’m not answerin’’ that.”
“What? I just told you, that’s not fair.”
Joel runs a hand along his jaw, ponders. “Most women don’t want to be with a man who already has a kid so…things on that front are not always easy.” 
“I have a hard time believing that. I mean, don’t you have an upcoming date with Sarah’s teacher or something?” you tease.
“That’s not happening,” he assures you. “But….I work so much these days I don’t have the capacity for much. So I get what you mean, sometimes it’s easy to not get emotionally involved but…I’ve never really been great at that.”
“You’re a relationship guy?”
“I mean, Tommy has been pestering me about this lately. Says at this rate, once Sarah’s grown, I’ll end up old and alone. Annoys me to hell, but he’s right. I wouldn’t mind…some kind of companionship. Someone to tell you you’ve done alright at the end of the day.” 
“You sound awfully romantic,” you at him blink slowly.
“I can be, when I want to.” Joel rolls his eyes. “But right now…I think I’m just stoned.” 
That makes you giggle. So he’s just being honest. “I didn’t really see much great come from settling down when I grew up, so I’ve always been a bit of a pessimist when it comes to love. What you’re saying….it’s a nicer way to think of things.”
You rarely connected with the men you dated. You chose to date douchebags, to date cheaters. It was better that way, to know up front what you were getting yourself into. The best ones didn’t ask for much, just the odd fuck here and there for a couple months, and you’d step away when things were no longer fun, if they evewere to begin with. 
Actually getting married, settling down, didn’t feel like a real possibility for you. So you’d never allowed yourself to indulge in what seemed like a fantasy. Some women aren’t meant to be a part of a family. Your father had told you once – during one of few times he’d attempted to comfort you after your mother didn’t call on your birthday – as if it excused his own neglect. 
“Yeah, and it hasn’t all been bad. I mean, I’ve had a couple good girlfriends over the years. They were sweet, fun. I enjoyed the time I spent with them, they just…never made it through the real litmus test.”
“Sarah?”
He nods. 
“It would be hard, I imagine. For her. Accepting someone new into her life.”
“Yeah.”
“You really care about her,” you say. “About how she feels. It’s nice.”
“I’m doin’ my best.”
The way he talks about Sarah makes you nauseated. It’s something pure, and you can’t help but feel bitterly nostalgic. 
“I wish my dad would have been like you.”
It slips out, and you immediately regret it. It’s been too long since you’ve gotten stoned with someone else, and you’ve forgotten your filter. And even though you’ve already divulged more to him about you than you normally would, this feels like too much all of the sudden. 
This isn’t something you can backpedal, and before you know it, Joel is leaning towards you. There’s concern written in his features, he wants to comfort, and you thank God for what happens next, or it all would’ve been too much.
His shift in weight causes Martini to jump off his lap and sprint to the door of the porch. He stares at you and then meows. 
Even though Joel isn’t touching you, you have to tear yourself away from the hold he’s got you in. ““I gotta let him in, or he’ll get annoyed.”
You move to open the door, and the cat slips inside.
“Is that a guitar in there?” Joel asks, catching a sliver of the gleaming body in the dim light.
“Yeah.” 
“You play?”  He questions, and you come to sit back on the couch. 
“Not anymore. It’s more of a decoration. How about you?” 
“A little.”
“A little?”
“A lot.” Joel smiles, looks at the ground like not sure why he’s telling you this. “I actually uh, used to want to be a singer.”
“What?” you ask. “You’re kidding.”
“No,” Joel shakes his head. 
“Joel, what?” you put a hand on his arm and lean forward, then look at the guitar.
“Why not?”
“I was…young when I had Sarah. And I had to do something that could actually help us get by.”
“Okay well, you have to play me something, then,” you rise to step inside and retrieve it off the wall. 
“No, no-”
“Come on, please?” you ask. “Don’t be a tease.”
Joel just stares as you bring the guitar out to him. 
“Although this might be out of tune…” you strum once, and wince at the tinny sound it makes. “Definitely it is.”
“Here,” Joel takes it from you. “I can do it.”
It takes him a moment, but he’s plucking the strings in a way that feels so instinctual, purposeful, you can already tell he knows what he’s doing. Once he’s finished, he strums a few chords, and everything is magically in tune. 
“Alright,” you prompt, when he hesitates. “What are you gonna play me?”
“You know any Neil Young?”
“Of course,” you answer. 
Joel nods once, looks down at the guitar, and starts playing. You’d recognize the opening chords to anywhere, but he somehow makes them sound even moodier, and bittersweet. 
Come a little bit closer, hear what I have to say…
He can sing. You’re taken aback. You’re not sure what you expected, but it’s definitely better than that. Deeper, raspier, and now you have new information about him that’s going to bounce around your brain when you’re bored during meetings at work, while you’re lying in bed at night, trying to sleep. 
Because I’m still in love with you, I want to see you dance again…
You shift your weight, sling your arm over the back of the couch, and rest your chin on your hand. Suddenly, you’re feeling a little tired. He’s all-but putting you to sleep and, somehow, that feels like the highest compliment you can give. It could be because you’re stoned, but you feel warm all over. You close your eyes, just listen, until he’s finished.
Even after he’s finished, you keep your eyes closed, settling. Until you feel something graze against the back of your hand. Joel’s. He’s matching your own pose, facing you, but reaching out…
“That was nice,” you say, earnestly. You’re good.”
Joel smiles bashfully, tugs your hand from beneath your chin and pinches your index finger between two of his own. Your nails are painted a glittery purple, and Joel studies them. Sarah had painted them earlier this week when she’d hung out after school, and had picked out the color. 
“So are you,” he shifts closer. 
He’s not quite close enough to kiss you himself. But it’s enough…he’s just giving you the chance to lean in, to close the gap. The proximity makes you dizzy, and you’re a little overwhelmed. It’s too much. It’d be too much. You can’t. You’re afraid of what he might do to you.
“We should be good, then,” Gazing at him from under your lashes, you pull back just enough. It’s not a rejection, and you can tell he doesn’t see it that way either. There’s a mutual understanding, you’re on the same page, but you aren’t quite sure what it is. The warmth of Joel’s hand leaves yours, and a part of you is filled with regret.
And then, like it never happened, the two of you spend another hour talking. He’s engaged, intuitive, thoughtful, funny. By the time he excuses himself, long after the sun has fully dipped below the horizon, you feel like he’s an old friend. An old friend you want…badly, but, you know him on a level you hadn’t before.
“Gotta be up tomorrow for a soccer game, otherwise I’d stick around,” Joel says as you’re guiding him to the front door.
“It’s alright,” you say. “You’re welcome to do this anytime.”
“You sure?” he tilts his head, leaning against the doorframe on his way out. “You might regret offerin’ that….”
“I won’t.”
--
part iv
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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 1 year ago
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Once Upon a Time 1
Warnings: non/dubcon and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.
Characters: Andy Barber
Part of the Bookstore AU
My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.
As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.
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You don’t mind working evenings during the week. In the hour before closing time, it’s pretty slow. There isn’t much for you to do much follow the tune of the instrumental jazz and lean on the counter behind your till. Management is hidden in the back office so you don’t even need to pretend to work.
So it is that you’re startled at the unexpected figure strutting around the table of stationary and novelties across from the checkout. You stand straight as you smile at the man, not letting it falter as you recognise him. You brace yourself and swallow as your mouth runs dry. He’s been here almost every day this week; at least, when you’ve been in.
“Oh, uh,” you don’t notice anything in his hands aside from his cell phone, “Mr. Pine isn’t here, sir. I’m sorry.”
He doesn’t reply until he’s at the counter. His blue eyes bore into you as he rests his hand against the edge, gripping his phone tight. A small furrow scrunches between his brows.
“I didn’t ask,” he smiles.
“Well, er, sorry, I thought…” you chew your lip nervously. Each time he’s been in, he’s asked for the store owner. You assume he knows him. And he’s of the demographic who likes to make a fuss when he doesn’t get what he wants. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”
“You shouldn’t have,” he agrees, still grinning.
You squirm and run your fingertips over the keyboard. “Well, is there anything I can help you find? We’re closing up soon–”
“You’re trying to get me to leave?” He challenges.
“Not at all,” you croak. “Sorry, sir.”
“Andy,” he pulls his hand away, instead crossing his arms and leaning his elbows on the counter. He reads your name tag, “it’s fine. I was just looking around. Figure a book might help keep me busy.” 
He has a very intense way of watching you. Very on the point. He speaks directly to you, but you’re more the type to focus above someone or past them.
“Do you have a favourite genre?” You prompt. It’s easiest to talk about work and you have a dozen suggestions.
“Not really. You know, I work a lot and I never really had a chance to read much outside of deposition records,” he shrugs and raises his eyebrows, “don’t make my mistakes. Don’t waste your life working overtime. Enjoy the small things. Like books, you’re never gonna find a fairytale in real life.”
You feel a bit bad for him but try not to show it. You don’t want to insult it and he seems to pendulum between amiable and unapproachable. You nod and put on your customer service smile.
“Oh, thanks, I guess you’re probably right,” you eke out, “do you like thrillers? They’re pretty popular and we’re having a special.”
“Hm, I suppose that’s somewhere to start,” he rubs his beard, the hand clutching his phone against the counter as he leans on the same elbow, “what do you read?”
You give your usual answer, vague and not entirely false, “fantasy, mostly.”
“Like The Hobbit or whatever?” He wonders.
“Sure, I’ve read that,” you say.
“My wife– ex, now, she was a Tolkien fan,” his lips slant, “twenty years, no kids. Got nothing to show for it.” He pushes himself straight, “I’m sorry, you caught me on a bad night. I, whatever you suggest, I’ll take it. I need something to get my mind off of… everything.”
“Oh, sure, well, we have our best sellers down here,” you point over the counter and the racks between each till, “Conrad’s always a good choice.”
He hums and backs up. He peruses the books silently as you twiddle your fingers impatiently. You’ve had awkward encounters with customers before, almost daily, but something about him is a bit too cringe for you. You hate to even think like that. You feel mean. He’s just going through some things. And who isn't?
He plucks up a book and comes back to your till. He lays it down and slides his phone into his pants pocket, then reaches under his jacket. He takes out his wallet and pauses as he unfolds it, “wait, do you get commission? I could grab a few more.”
“Um, no,” you login and scan the barcode on the book, “but there’s a survey on you receipt. If you fill that out, I get credit for that.”
“Oh, sure, a survey,” he agrees as he slides out a card.
“And did you have our rewards card?” You ask.
He shakes his head, “what’s that?”
Great. You peek at the time in the corner of the till screen. It’s getting close to closing.
“So, for purchases you collect points. Kinda like air miles. When you buy items that are part of a promotion, you receive double, and for prestige members, there are triple point days. You can collect points to earn store credit.”
He nods and considers it. He tilts his head as his cheek dimples, “so, that costs money?”
“Yes, twenty-five dollars for paperback level and forty for prestige.”
He weighs the options. You expect the amounts to deter him like most customers. He taps his card on the counter, “you know what, I’ll do the forty. I’m looking to get into reading so I’ll be back for sure.”
“Oh, uh, right, okay,” you say with surprise, “I’ll just get you registered.”
You reach past the till and grab one of the cards displayed behind it. You scan it and go through the whole routine; name, phone number, email. You get all his info in and offer him a bag before you turn the debit machine towards him. He taps his card and the approval chirps loudly.
“Great, so, if you wanna do the survey,” you say as his receipt prints out, “you can scan this QR code and it will direct you straight to the survey.” You tear off the receipt and circle at the bottom, “my employee number is here, you’ll have to enter that and the transaction ID.”
You fold the receipt and hand it over. He takes it and looks it over with a squint. He raises his chin and gives a half-smile, “um, this QR thing? How do I… I’m sorry, I’m a bit slow. Could you show me?”
You want to say no. You want to point to the clock and tell him to have a good day but he’s actually going to do the survey. You need a good review.
“Sure, um, I’ll show you. Just on your phone,” you step closer as he digs his hand in his pants pocket, “let me see the receipt.”
“Thank you so much,” he says, “you’re so patient with me.”
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misssoully · 8 months ago
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💖Eternal Embrace Legacy Challenge💖
-A Legacy Of Forbidden Love By @misssoully-
This Sims 4 legacy challenge focuses on the enduring power of love that transcends boundaries and defies societal norms. Amidst rival families, cultural differences, and societal pressures, follow the journey of a family bound by forbidden romances, determined to preserve their love across generations.
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Basic Premise:
The legacy begins with two teen Sims from rival families or backgrounds who defy their families' expectations and societal norms to pursue a forbidden romance.
As the legacy progresses through ten generations, each heir navigates the challenges of maintaining their family's love and unity while facing external pressures and internal conflicts. Additionally, they strive to end the ongoing feud at some point during the generations.
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Rules:
1. Forbidden Romance: Each generation must feature at least one forbidden romance that defies societal norms or familial expectations. These romances are predetermined for each generation.
2. Ongoing Conflicts: Maintain ongoing conflicts or tensions between the founding families throughout the legacy. These conflicts will influence their aspirations, traits, and relationships. Some heirs will attempt to stop the family's ongoing feud in certain generations.
3. Complete Rules: Each generation must complete its rules to advance to the next heir.
4. Mods and Custom Content: Mods and Custom Content are allowed and can add more spice and drama to the challenge, but they are optional.
5. Cheats: Cheats are only allowed when the first generation is living with their family and when they are moving into another lot to start the legacy challenge. Once they have moved out, no more cheats are permitted.
6. Money Tree: Each generation must have at least one money tree to represent their family wealth and crest.
7. Funds for Heirs: When each heir moves out of the house, they will have no funds to start with unless they have a part-time job. They can transfer the money they earned from their part-time job. Alternatively, use a spin wheel or a random number generator to determine how much money they should get from their parents, using a range of $0-$1,500.
8. Life Span: The life span must be set to the normal life span, with an additional 50 days for the elder life stage so they can live long enough to see their grandkids.
9. Occults: Occults are allowed if you want to have an occult love story while doing this challenge.
10. Lot Traits/Types: Each lot that the heir lives on must have the Simple Living lot trait. If you can't afford to buy a house, you must make the lot a rental until you have enough money to buy it, or you can live in the rental lot as long as you please.
11. Family Pet: Each heir must have an animal as a family pet.
12. Family Keepsake Box: Have a family keepsake box or any box that can store items.
13. Family Graveyard: Make a family graveyard for this legacy. If you are playing with vampires, this is optional.
14. More Traits Slot Mod: If you have the More Traits Slot mod, there will be an extra trait beside the rest of the traits with this symbol (+). You can choose any three traits out of the five traits that each heir must have.
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If you are interested in playing this legacy challenge use @misssoully and #eternalembracelegacy & #eternalembracealegacyofforbiddenlove so I can see how you would play this legacy challenge.
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Generation One: Star-Crossed Lovers
You and your lover are the scions of two feuding families in (the world you chose to live in). Despite the animosity between your guys' families, you guys both meet by chance at high school and fall deeply in love.
Traits: Romantic, Erratic, Family-Oriented + (Cheerful and Loyal)
Partner Traits: Romantic, Loyal, Hot-Headed + (Bro and Genius)
Aspirations: Soulmate (for both partners)
Career: Your choice
 Rules:
Must be a teen.
Achieve maximum friendship and romance with each other despite family disapproval.
Have a best friend in high school to help you with your secret relationship.
Complete the soulmate aspiration.
Reach the maximum level of Charisma and three other skills.
Reach level 10 in the career you choose ( if you want to run your own business make it have a 3 stars rating).
Marry in secret without the knowledge of both families.
Run away together where both your families can't find you.
Add the private dwelling trait on the lot you move to.
Have 1 child together.
OPTIONAL
Complete the message in a bottle collection.
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2. Generation Two: Secret Romance 
 You are the only child of both your parents, raised in secrecy to shield you from the ongoing feud. Despite knowing the truth, You struggle with your family's legacy and the pressure to maintain their forbidden love.
Traits: Loner, Socially awkward, Art lover + (Perfectionist and Maker)
Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire
Career: Painter
Rules:
Maintain a low profile to avoid detection by rival families.
Maintain the family's hidden love letters/photos and memorabilia.
Have no good or close friend.
Complete the Sugar Skulls and Decorative Eggs Collection.
Live in a small/tiny/micro home.
Add the Quiet lot trait or the private dwelling. (You can add both)
Make part of your house have an art studio.
Complete the painter career.
Complete the painter extraordinaire aspiration.
Reach the maximum level of Painting, and two other skills.
Date a sim that is married.
Must have a child/children with that married sim.
Have a painting of your parents, lover, children/child, and pet.
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3.   Generation Three: Forbidden Union 
You face the pressure to honor your family's legacy while yearning for freedom and independence. You rebel against your family's expectations and fall in love with someone from a background deemed unacceptable by your relatives.
Traits: Hot-head, Self-absorbed, Foodie + (Childish and Kleptomaniac)
Aspiration: City Native
Career: Criminal (Oracle Branch)
Rules:
Get dislike by 12 Sims.
Drop out of high school.
Move out of the family home to assert independence.
Must live in one of the apartments in the city.
Max out the Mischief, Programming, Singing and one other skills.
Engage in a romance with a Sim from a background opposed by the family. 
Buy a voodoo doll and bind your lover with it.
Complete the city native aspiration.
Complete the criminal (Oracle Branch) career.
Learn all the food recipes in the city living food stalls.
Complete the Snow Globes and Posters collection.
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4. Generation Four: Sacrifices
You struggle with the burden of family expectations and your own desires. You grapple with sacrificing your own happiness for the sake of your family's reputation.
Traits: Proper, Good, Gloomy + (Neat and Overachiever)
Aspiration: Successful Lineage
Career: Doctor
Rules:
Have a family dinner with your parents and siblings if you have one every Saturday when moving out of their house.
Marry a Sim that is approved by your family, even if it goes against your own desires.
Complete the successful lineage aspiration.
Reach level 10 of the Doctor career.
Reach a maximum level of Cooking, Parenting, and two other skills.
Adopt a stray kitten/puppy.
Have 4 children.
Create a club for Sims who have kids.
Have a toddler play date for each child.
Each child must have atleast two milestones for each categories at their infant stage.
Each child must maximize all their skills at the toddler stage.
Each child must complete at least one child's aspirations.
Each child must be an A+ student in high school.
Each child must have at least one good character value before aging into a young adult.
Each child must graduate from high school and go to university to get a degree.
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5.   Generation Five: Reconciliation 
You seek to mend the rifts between the both  families of the first generation/heir. You strive to reconcile their past conflicts and foster unity through diplomacy and understanding.
Traits: Outgoing , Ambitious , Snob + (Vegetarian and Geek)
Aspiration: Friend of the World
Career: Law (Judge Branch)
Rules:
Complete the Law (Judge Branch) career.
Complete the friend of the world aspiration.
Reach the maximum level of Wellness, Video Gaming, Research and Debate, and two other skills.
Befriend with 5 sims from the first heir family side and 5 sims from the first heir spouse family side.
Organize 5 events or gatherings(parties) to bring both families together to resolve the dispute between both families.
Marry a police officer and have a secret affair with a criminal.
Complete the void critter card, Holiday Cracker Plushies, Simmies , colourful marbles and my Sim trophies collection.
Have a baby with the sim that your sim is having a affair with and go on a vacation with them for 3 days.
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6. Generation Six: New Beginnings 
You have a fresh start and new beginnings. You seek to break free from the constraints of the past and forge your own path, unbound by family history.
Traits: Genius, Self-assured, Non-Committal + (Adventurous and Party Animal)
Aspiration: Renaissance Sim
Part-time job:Manual laborer,Life guard
Career: Freelancer (Any branch)
Rules:
Complete the manual laborer and life guard career as a teen.
Move out as a teen to start your own legacy and separate yourself from both families.
Live in 4 worlds. (If you move out of your parent's house and live in the same world but a different lot it counts)
Complete the postcard and seashell collection.
 Go on a vacation in 2 different worlds to explore new opportunities and experiences.
Host 5 parties and live stream them with a drone.
Reach maximum level in Media production, Entrepreneur and three other skills.
Have  3 failed relationships with 3 older Sims from 3 different worlds you move to.
Marry an older sim that is a global superstar.
Complete the Renaissance sim aspiration.
Complete the Freelancer career.
Start a lifestyle brand.
Have 2 kids with 2 different older sims.
Become a proper celebrity and start a lifestyle brand.
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7.   Generation Seven: Struggle for Acceptance 
You face discrimination and prejudice due to your family's history. You fight for acceptance and equality, challenging societal norms and advocating for change.
Traits: Green Fiend, Active, Insider + (Freegan and Recycle Discipline) 
Aspiration: Leader of the Pack
Career: Civil Designer (Green Technician)
Rules:
Live on a lot that has eco and reduce and recycle lot traits.
Make a club.
Complete the leader of the pack aspiration.
Complete the Civil designer (Green Technician) career.
Marry a rival coworker.
Adopt at least two kids and give birth to 1 child.
Only use the furniture that you made with the fabricator machine.
Purchase the brave trait in the reward store.
Reach maximum level in Fabrication, Charisma, Logic, Handiness, Gardening and one other skills.
On the neighbourhood action plan board convinced people to vote for Clean Energy Production, Eco-Friendly Appliances,Green Gardening, Power Conservation, Self-Sufficiency,Tech Support, Up cycling Initiative and Water Conversation.
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8.   Generation Eight: Legacy of Love
 You embody the values of love, compassion, and empathy instilled by your ancestors. You endeavors to honor their legacy by spreading kindness and positivity to those around you.
Traits: Generous, Animal Enthusiast, Clumsy + (Goofball and  High Maintenance)
Aspiration: Friend of the Animals
Career: Conservationist (Environmental Manager)
Rules:
Become good friends with 7 sims.
Have 5 enemies.
Adopt a cat and a dog.
Complete the feather,frog,insect, fish collection.
Marry to a sim that is your friend or best friend ex.
Must have triples.
Max out the Pet training, Logic, Charisma and two other skills.
Do 10 odd jobs.
Complete the Conservationist (Environmental Manager).
Complete the friend of animals aspiration.
Rescue a horse, max out all four horse skills and win at least 1 competition.
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9.  Generation Nine: Redemption 
You seek redemption for the mistakes and conflicts of previous generations.  You work to reconcile past grievances and heal old wounds, paving the way for a brighter future.
Traits: Squeamish, Jealous, Materialistic + (loves outdoors and Nosy)
Aspiration: Neighbour Confidante 
Career: Politician (Charity Organiser)
Rules:
Be friends with 8 sims at your first heir's side and 8 sims of the first heir's spouse.
Talk up about each sim to them from the opposite family to be with.
Have a family barbecue with them.
Go on a vacation with them (if it restricts you to the amount of Sims it allows you to take or invite, make it not all the Sims from one family side you invited.)
Donate money to charity every Sunday and Friday.
Organize 3 events to contribute money to charity or fundraiser.
Complete the Neighbour Confidante aspirations.
Complete the Politician (Charity Organiser) career.
Max out the Debating , Charisma, Gardening and three other skills.
Have a romantic relationship with one of your sibling spouse or partner.
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10. Generation Ten: Unity and Harmony 
You're the final descendant of your legacy, embodying the culmination of love, unity, and harmony. You strive to unite both families once and for all, ensuring a legacy of peace and acceptance for future generations.
Traits: Music Lover , Bookworm, Creative + (Wise (you have to get this when you are an elder but as for now you can pick any trait) and Paranoid
Aspiration: Best Selling Author and Big Happy Family
Career: Writer (Author Branch)
Rules:
Write stories about each generation from 1-10 make a copy of them and publish it.
Meet 12 Sims from both the first heir's family and spouse's side.
Introduce them to each other so they can become friends.
Marry to a sim that is a friend of your family.
Reach level 10 in writing, a musical instrument skill, and two other skills.
Complete the the Best Selling Author and Big Happy Family aspirations.
Complete the writer career (Author Branch).
Have a family dinner party.
Invite both families to your wedding, engagement party, and birthday party.
Invite both families to your all children’s baby showers and birthdays.
Go on a family camping trip or vacation with them. (You can invite how much U want but must not go below 5 and another tip u can go in their household and make them go on a camping trip/ vacation as well.)
Visit the family graveyard.
Move back to the world where it all started. 
115 notes · View notes
experimentfae · 11 months ago
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Vox x Fem! Overlord!Reader
Oneshot / angst / fluff
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You let out a sigh remembering just a couple days ago that you finally had the guts to tell you’re feeling towards alastor, after knowing each other in life and now afterlife you hoped it would go as you planned but of course it didn’t go that way’
“I’m sorry dear but… I don’t feel the same way but I would love that we stay companions.”Those words kept ringing in your head. Maybe you should have known he would reject you it’s alastor he isn’t exactly the loving type from what you heard.
But you shouldn’t and refused to set yourself back from by your business that you needed to maintain, as a business women you had to make sure it stayed successful as possible.
A knocked interrupted your paperwork “yes?” You asked “boss the Overlord Vox the tv demon wants to meet with you.” This immediately got your full attention “let him in.” Your employee opened the door to let him in.
“(Y/n) was it?.” “Yes and you must be Vox.” He smiled wider “that’s me, I wanted to buy some weapons from you.” that’s wasn’t what surprised after all in this afterlife it’s one of the two things you’re known for but what did surprise you was the way that he was looking at you.
You weren’t a fool you could tell he wanted you but you weren’t ready not yet anyway, trying to get over alastor of course. “Of course we have a large genre of any weapon of your desire, but first I want to see what you’re willing to spend.”
He smirked “gladly.” He then took out a suitcase and opened to reveal a whole jackpot. “Is this enough for you?” You smirked in return “oh very much so, looks like you’ll be my number one customer and on your first visit, impressive.” He smiled wider. You snapped you’re finger and all you’re walls moved to show all you’re weapons that are for sale.
“Nice, but while I’m deciding let’s get some drinks up here and ya know… make some small talk.” You raises your brow “small talk?” He shrugged his shoulders “yeah besides ain’t wrong to know my newest weapon dealer and the owner of my favorite club.”
“Well… I usually like just sticking to business but, I’ll let loose this once of course.” Funny enough that was a lie. This won’t be the only time you two meet. Usually it was at your club, his tv station or at each other homes.
Over time you got over alastor and started to have feelings for Vox but you had a feeling he felt the same. Thankfully he confirmed it himself “(y/n), I have feelings for you.” He seemed nervous, his right foot fidgeting his anticipation.
“I have feeling’s for you too.” you smiled seeing him get excited he then hugged you which made give out a small gasp “I’m so glad you’re not gonna regret this baby.” You chuckled “with the nicknames already then I guess I could use Voxy then.” The response made him blush “I like that but don’t tell anyone else that.” He stated making you laugh in response.
A year as passed and during all that you’re relationship with Vox was getting more serious and you wanted to surprise him with his favorite food, and tickets to a new movie that was playing in the movie theaters.
You walked into Vox’s home with a spare key you got from him, but you heard noises, you walked to you’re bedroom you hesitated, but you needed to know what the hell was going on. as you open the door you’re heart broken into pieces on the sight.
You saw as Valentino was on top of a shirtless Vox seeming to have been in a make out section but Vox noticed you instantly at door. “(Y-y/n) wait h- “what the hell is this!” You screamed feeling your hands tighten on the movie ticket you felt then slowly tear apart but that’s the least of your worries.
“Please (y/n) let me explain.” “Explain?! What? that your cheating on me, you know what I don’t even want to hear it we are threw I refuse to listen to any lame excuse!” You glared at Valentino, he had the audacity to smirk but you didn’t say anything, what could you say that he won? You refuse to admit it so you left throwing the movie tickets and food in the garbage can outside.
You did look back at the Vox’s home only last time and then you went on not giving another glance.
7 years later
It’s been 7 years sense you were gone no trace of you many people made theories but of course all of them were wrong, and with no notice or announcement. you suddenly appeared again this time working with Hazbin hotel including with alastor thankfully you didn’t have feeling’s for him still, you completely move on and still been friends for years and more to come.
You were cleaning around the hotel when alastor asked you to company him to go get food for the hotel since we were running low. You agreed, neither of you not realizing you are being recorded as you both leave the hotel.
Vox’s Pov:
I have been trying to look for (y/n) for so long… seven years it’s funny when I heard alastor was missing I would usually be ecstatic but then I realized that (y/n) also went missing… I think about her a lot.
I looked at a photo I had when we were still together, I know velveet told me to move on but I don’t think I can or ever can. For fuck sake what did alastor do to her or is she… with him I knew she had a thing for him before but I would hope it didn’t come to reality.
As you kept looking for camera any clue, any information hell maybe even another rumor and my prayers where answered but my fears seemed to also come true.
Alastor and (y/n) walking side by side to hell knows where. “No…. No, No, NO, NO!!” I yelled fisting my hands and slamming them across my keyboard very little of if I break my equipment or not. I let out breaths of rage trying to calm down but the more I looked the more I felt envy crawl up on me and especially rage “That OLD FUCK!” I immediately left thinking a plan, I’ll make her see I’m better then he will ever be.
You’re pov:
After grocery shopping with alastor, you were gonna go back to your duties, a door bell interrupt those plans, “oh is it a new demon that want to join the hotel?!” You heard Charlie yell “I don’t know yet let me check.” You replied, you opened the door to see a package that as you’re name on it.
And guessing from the blue decor you knew exactly who it was from “oh no.” You muttered, shit he figured out where you were “it’s a package for me sadly.” you answered Charlie which surprised her. “Then you see her appear from up the stairs to come down to you “really why would that be a bad thing?” “Because it’s from her ex.” Answers alastor from behind you.
Only Charlie jumped in surprise but you were used to him doing that “he’s correct I was hoping I had more time until Vox found me but I was clumsy it’s seems.”
“Oh sorry about that (y/n) I’m sure it will blow over right?” “I hope you’re right.” You threw the gift out not bothering to open it from him but sadly Charlie was oh so wrong. More gifts came, somehow he found your number so countless messages came no matter how many times you blocked him, and whenever you went beside a tv store Vox would always appear trying to start a conversation and trying to reason with you about getting back together.
It was infuriating it almost wanted make you disappear again but you refuse to back down that easily.
You watched the countless messages coming from Vox claiming how he changed and he got better for our relationship to “work” this time. Those were the usual the one that stood out to you though was.
[Fine if you won’t come to me then I’ll come to you.”]
It was the last message he sent this made you freeze in your spot and you looked to see this message was sent 20 minutes ago. for all you knew he was near. “Shit.” You anxiously looked outside not seeing him in sight, you didn’t know if you had the guts to face him at least if you did didn’t want to face him here, You texted him back quickly.
[we need to meet somewhere else we will meet at skullbrew, we can’t meet at the hotel that’s the least you can do]
[of course anything for you baby]
You rolled your eyes seeing his nickname for you, you used to love that nickname but now it’s just brings bittersweet memories. So you headed out making sure, you made it there on time.
As you walked you heard a man’s voice “hey sweetheart were you going.” You looked to see that the man was in fact talking to you “none of your concern.” This made him frown a little “come on baby, don’t be so hard headed you will love what I can offer you.” You ignored what the demon said until you felt his gross hands on your left wrist.
“Don’t act like a bitch.” You tries pulling your arm away but to no avail and like an idiot you forget to bring a weapon for yourself. “What’s the matter cat got your tongue?” This only made you glare at this cheesy remark but suddenly you see a black and blue hand sucker punch the demons face.
“What th- he looked to see Vox and his face immediately paled “shit I my bad I didn’t know she was yours I’ll just see- but he didn’t get to finish as Vox pulled out a gun and shot the demon multiple times. The demon fell to the ground in pain “what the fuck!” “Oh fuck why did you have shoot I was leaving?!?” Vox then smirked “to further the point to never bother her again and tell that to the other creeps around here.”
Vox then turned to you “see I’m better than alastor I came to your rescue.” You glared at him you hate the fact you were still attracted to this basturd. “I could’ve handled it myself.” You looked away slightly blushing this made his smirk turn to a smile “yeah you totally had that but I know you loved it when I came to your rescue.”
You rolled your eyes “whatever let’s just get to this coffee so I you can say whatever you want to say.” He eagerly followed behind you into the coffee shop.
“Let’s make this make this quick and say what you want to say.” You didn’t have the patience for small talk right now. “(Y/n) I…. miss you and I wanted to explain what was really going on seven years ago.” This made you let out a small chuckle “what really happens don’t try to gaslight me.” You growled out. “It’s the truth he… he was… forcing himself on me.” Your eyes widen “what.” “I told him that I was in a relationship with you and told him, that him and me can’t be a thing anymore.”
“You used to date him and he did that I- I just- “yes we did but I broke up with him over Angel and his abuse on me, then I meet you so didn’t go back to him like he expected me to do.” This made your eyes widen in realization.
“Wait please tell me that day was he….” He looked away but answers “yeah he did I… worst part after you left I blamed myself for that.” Now you felt terrible “Vox I… I should have listened I’m so sorry.” You begin tearing up “hey, hey. It’s not your fault you didn’t know and besides I should have cut off contact with him right after our breakup he is toxic as fuck.”
He suddenly grabbed your hand, it’s been so long since your hand as been held in his “(y/n) I want to try and give this relationship another shot. Are you two?” You looked into his eyes this time you really paid attention and saw the genuine love behind his eyes.
“Yes I wanna give this another go.” He became ecstatic he hugged you “you have no idea how much I missed you.” He stated while you returned the hug. “You gave me a couple hints these past three weeks.”
Which both of you laugh “I guess you got a point baby, but I’m better than alastor right?” You let out sigh with a smile “Voxy don’t worry about alastor is completely platonic now and besides he’s aroace.” This immediately made him smile letting out a breath of relief “oh thank satan.”
“It’s cute when you’re jealous.” He smiled “but you are so much more cuter.”
<- Back to MasterList or back to Hazbin Hotel
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hellohailu · 10 days ago
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☽ under the moon, we collide ☾
㊐ one : collision ㊊
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SUMMARY │Born and raised in a small isolated village, Ajla has never had any reason to question the beliefs and traditions she was raised to follow. Yet, on the most important day of her young life, a chance encounter with a traveler from the outside sparks a strange and haunting vision. Torn between her devotion to her village and finding the answers to her questions, Ajla must now decide the path she wants to walk.
PAIRING │Jongdae 종대 / Original Female Character
RATING │ T [SFW]
GENRE │ Fantasy!AU, Mythology!AU
LENGTH │ 7,089 words
NETWORK │ @exols-silver-christmas
MANY THANKS TO │ my two extraordinary betas, L. and C. I couldn't have done it without you !
AUTHOR'S NOTE │ This story was written for Ju (@breeze-of-sunlight) for the 2024 EXO-L Secret Santa event ! It is cut into three parts ; the remaining two will be posted sometime in the beginning of next year. This is my first story, so likes, comments and reblogs are very much appreciated ! ∼ Hailu
BEFORE YOU READ │ One of my original characters [Luan] has a name that is very similar to the name of an ex EXO member [Luhan]. Please keep in mind that these characters are not the same person ! While Luhan might end up mentioned in the other parts, Luan has a much more central role in the story and is bound to appear quite often.
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Click here to listen to the little playlist I made for this story.
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Grandmother once told me that this land was not always ours. It seems hard to believe, seeing how well acclimated we are to the mild weather and gentle winds of this place. Our people have lived here for a very long time: I was born and have grown up here, in this little village, as was Grandmother. The stories she tells, about foreign grounds and harder times, she learned from her own grandfather, a stern warrior who came here from the North with a few hundred others to seek shelter in a more welcoming land.
I am not sure what became of the people that were calling this place their home before we did. Grandmother said they were a peaceful kind, with strange customs and even stranger gods. I heard, most of them left, and the remaining ones adopted our traditions and practices. Eventually, our culture was the only one to remain.
A long time has passed since then, and our Holy One has allowed us to prosper and live in peace. Of all the villages my people have established in this region, I live in the smallest. Our numbers hardly reach a hundred souls, and I know that on this day, each and every one of them is going to attend the ceremony. It takes place every three years, in midsummer. On the day of the second full moon of the season, we can finally reap the fruits of our yearly labour. As a sign of devotion to our Holy One, every daughter who is at least twenty springs of age ought to enter adulthood through an entire week of uninterrupted prayer, after which she will finally be considered adult enough to marry and bear children.
“Ouch !” I say, reaching up to massage the part of my head where Mother has pulled my hair a little too hard. I stop right in my tracks when I hear a disapproving sound behind me.
“Don’t be a child, Ajla,” she sighs. I lower my hand, my scalp still throbbing. “Why is your hair always so tangled ?”
In a sudden moment of realisation, she grabs my shoulders and makes me turn around so I can meet her eyes. I instantly lower them to the ground, as I almost always do.
“You untied it for the night, didn’t you ?”
“I just… it was pulled too tight, I couldn’t sleep,” I tentatively try.
“Remember Ajla, the Holy One despises the arrogant and the vain. I should have cut your hair a long time ago,” she lets an exasperated sigh escape her. “We don’t have time now, we still have to help with the preparations for the ceremony and go get your prayer dress for tonight.” She finishes brushing my long messy blond hair in a hurry, and then braids it into a tight updo at the base of my neck. I hold back a wince at the harsh treatment she gives to my head.
“It is good you got a little sleep nonetheless. You’ll need all the energy you can get for the Prayer. Our Holy One will test your strength in a way you have never experienced before. You’ll never be quite the same after you come out of the Sanctuary, Ajla. It was the same for me.”
I listen silently. It is the first time Mother talks about how hard of a trial the Prayer can be. She is a stern woman, hardened by the trials of life, but she likes to talk about the Holy One, and she reveres Him in a way I don’t think I’ll ever really be able to understand. Our whole community, myself included, is very devoted to our divinity, but Mother believes in His power with her whole heart. She says, her faith in the Holy One is what gives her strength.
I know what the Prayer entails, everybody does, but the gap between knowledge and experience can sometimes prove to be dangerous. An entire week of prayer, locked in a small room with only enough food to keep us alive. It is complete isolation, no contact to the outside world allowed. The Prayer is supposed to test our faith and devotion to the Holy One, and no one is allowed to interrupt. Not that there would even be a possibility to interrupt, as the opening of the praying rooms get nailed shut to ensure nothing will distract the participants.
“Get dressed, we’re going to the storehouse first,” Mother says before leaving me alone in the room. I sigh, and walk towards a small hook attached to the wall. The women of our village must always walk around with their body covered to maintain modesty : for that reason, it is common that we wear a flowy upper garment on top of our dresses, that we call “kiva”. Mine is long enough for the sleeves to almost reach my fingertips. As is tradition, it also has a hood so I am able to properly cover my hair. Father mentioned once, that showing my body too much would only bring me dishonour, that what I was hiding was to only be shown inside of my home in the presence of my close family and, when I am wed, of my husband. That this was the Holy One’s will. Sometimes, I wonder if we do the things we do for the Holy One, or for the sake of some old traditions that have existed since long before my birth.
After making sure my kiva is on correctly, its hood held in place with pins in my hair, I join Mother, who is waiting for me at the doorstep. In a few short weeks, summer will yield to autumn ; the days will become shorter and the leaves will turn orange and yellow. Right now though, the heat, if not quite stifling, is still well present. We start walking slowly towards the storehouse, where we keep all our food, and apart from the bustle of the final ceremony preparations, this day feels like any other summer day.
Yet, when my eyes land on a small stall filled with strange items and foreign designs, I understand that something about today will be different from usual. Today will bring change.
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They look different, misplaced in this little village of mine that is not accustomed to receiving visits from foreigners. They are dressed in various colours, some bright and some dark, a stark contrast to the sea of cream and brown coloured clothes that my people commonly wear.
I see a middle-aged woman smile gently at the passersby, showing a few of them the items she is selling. She does not look like me, or any of my people, but I find her utterly beautiful. Her hair is long and dark, draping over her shoulders in messy curls, and she’s wearing a strange embroidered headband. Her long tunic is a deep red colour and decorated at the seams with patterns I have never seen before, leaving part of her shoulders bare, exposing golden, sun kissed skin. It is a couple tones darker than my own, my kiva perpetually keeping it hidden from sun and moon alike. Her eyes all of a sudden find mine, and she smiles at me from where she stands, behind her stall. I look at her curiously, and find myself wanting to smile back.
It is at this moment that I feel Mother’s hand on my back, urging me forward. She takes her place at my other side, positioning herself between the woman and me, blocking my view.
“Do not talk to them, Ajla. I forbid you to even look at them, do you hear me ?” she whispers, her tone serious and authoritative.
“Why so, Mother ? We do not see foreigners very often and–”
“And it is best that way. They are heretics, Ajla. They are not like us.”
I can sense from the tone of her voice that she will not accept any more discussion about the travellers, so I stay quiet and we walk the rest of the way in silence. The storehouse is always a flurry of activity, especially during harvest season. My people mainly thrive thanks to the fruits and vegetables we grow within the walls of the village. While we sometimes eat meat from the small animals we raise, we no longer hunt like our ancestors did. Seeking larger prey would mean stepping a foot in the forest, and the woods are dark and scary, the foliage of the trees thick enough that it is not possible to see the sun from the ground. I have never left the village – Father says, it is best I stay where I belong, in the safety of the walls that have seen me grow – but I heard rumours once, about how the forest and the mountain are places that the Holy One cannot reach.
My thoughts are interrupted by the rumpus of men and women in the storehouse, gossiping loudly as they wash the produce we harvested a few days ago so it can be prepared in the kitchens. Had today been any other day, the presence of foreigners in the village would have surely caused a commotion, but everyone seems to have forgotten them now that the Prayer is approaching.
“Mother ! Ajla ! Over here !” my brother yells, waving his long arms to catch our attention from the very back of the room.
I shouldn’t feel this way, but it breaks my heart just a little to see Mother’s face instantly break out into a bright smile. I have no memories of her ever looking at me with that same affection in her eyes. I had an older brother once, who was Mother’s pride and joy. She was never quite the same after his sudden death at the age of six, brought on by a feat of uncontrollable fever. She cried for years, prayed for days on end, tried everything in her power to give birth to a second son. I can barely remember his face, but I’ll never forget Mother’s tears. In hindsight, I think a part of her died with Adem. Luan was the one that gave her a new breath after three long years of mourning her lost child. And then there is I, Ajla, always stuck in the middle, between Adem’s memory and Luan’s sweet smile, neither truly seen nor completely invisible.
For the next couple of hours, I help with whatever needs to be prepared. It’s hot inside the storehouse, and the effort starts to make me sweat, my kiva keeping my arms and my hair covered not helping with the afternoon heat. Luan’s chatter is a welcome distraction from my thoughts of family, faith and foreigners, even though I still feel nervous about the upcoming ceremony and Prayer. When he asks a question excitedly, I turn and smile at him, answering with as much liveliness as I can muster. He does not seem to pick up on my thoughts and somewhat sour mood, and I thank the Holy One for that. My little brother just turned twenty summers old, and by the time the next ceremony takes place, he’ll be aged enough to be married. Luan has always been adored and doted on by the whole family, including me, and despite his tall stature and long limbs, childlike features still linger on his face, giving him an uncanny resemblance to the older brother that he has never known. For that reason, and to Luan’s dismay, Mother has a hard time letting him out of her sight.
I stop working when I feel the gentle press of a hand on my shoulder. The girl looking at me is dressed in a similar fashion, with a long dress and cream-coloured kiva to match. Under her hood, her hair is some shade of blond, a characteristic shared by many of our people, though her striking grey eyes are a little unusual. She takes my wrist in her hand and smiles warmly. After hours of working here, it seems we are both ready to escape the storehouse mission we’ve been given. We just need to ask for permission first.
“Master, it is getting late and both Ajla and I still need to stop by the tailoress’ shop. I was planning to go now, would you mind if we go together ?” Ema asks, her gaze low. Father is not a bad man, but he is tall and intimidating, and even though Luan is growing up to share most of his traits, I hope he retains the gentleness that has characterised him since he was a baby.
“Rona, didn’t you want to go with our daughter?” Father asks his wife.
“I… I was planning to, but she might as well go now. We have work here still,” she says, and I would be lying if I said I am not a little glad to finally have a chaperone my age.
Luan smiles at my friend. “They will also not be able to see each other again until after the ceremony, so it’s important to enjoy each other’s company now. Right, Ema ?” he smiles at my friend. His back is turned to our parents, and his teasing wink is lost to them. Ema’s cheeks redden, but she nods politely.
Father looks at my brother and accepts without too much of a fight. Other than the fact that Luan has had our parents wrapped around his little finger since his birth, he also has the advantage of being male, which the Holy One has decided would be the stronger and wiser gender. His support is precious, even if we soon will be wed and not part of the same household anymore. Ema and I leave the storehouse, and though the walk to the tailoress’ shop is short, it is filled with excited ramblings from my friend, who seems to be in a vastly different mood than I.
“I can’t wait to prove myself to our Holy One,” she says, and I look at her a bit perplexed.
“Aren’t you scared ? That you are not going to hold up with so little food and rest ?”
“Well, there aren't really any alternatives, are there ? And then we’ll be out, and we’ll finally be able to get married !” She exclaims. “Do you have anyone in mind ?”
It wouldn't matter in the end, the decision is not ours, just like it had not been my parents’ choice to be wed. But I know that Ema is already aware of that fact, and I do not want to crush her spirits. This casual banter feels somewhat good.
“I do not,” I say truthfully. “What about you ?”
“Oh– um, yes, I actually do, you know, have someone in mind,” Ema answers, her face becoming redder by the minute.
I smile to myself. It’s Luan. My friend thinks she's good at hiding her fancy of my little brother, but I am convinced that everybody, including Luan himself, knows about it. I hope the people of my community will take Ema and Luan’s wishes into account when making their decisions. I hope they choose someone good for me, too.
Ema and I were never really close until a few years ago, around the time of the last ceremony. To participate in the Prayer, all girls must be aged of at least twenty springs, but I was born at the very end of the summer, making me half a season too young at the time. Ema was born in the autumn a couple weeks after me, and we both bonded over the knowledge that when our Prayer would come around, we would be the oldest participants.
The shop is small, but peaceful. The business used to be held by a man, until his death a decade ago. His wife has taken over the affairs of the shop since then, handling the business with an iron hand and a heart of gold. Everybody in the village likes Nona, but I like to think she and I have a closer bond. She was Grandmother’s dearest friend, and talking to Nona feels a lot like it used to feel talking to her.
I see the old woman at the back of the room, adjusting a big piece of ivory-coloured cloth. She smiles instantly when we greet her, the curve of her lips accentuating all the wrinkles on her face. Her hair is covered, like mine and Ema’s, but I can see a hint of grey where her hood is a little misplaced on her head.
“Look who’s here ! Aren’t these girls a little late ? Everybody else has collected their dresses already,” Nona says, with a tiny hint of disapproval in her voice. Nonetheless, she heads for the backroom and comes back only a minute later, carrying in her arms two identical outfits.
The shape and looks of the ceremonial outfits never change from one ceremony to another. Year after year, they stay the same simple flowy dress and kiva, and are not decorated with any patterns or symbols. They look very similar to our daily clothes, except for their colour, an almost blinding whiteness, that is meant to represent the participants’ purity, both moral and physical. I have seen this dress on so many girls, yet it’s still hard to realise that in just a few hours, I will be the one wearing it.
“They’re beautiful,” Ema gasps next to me, taking her outfit in her arms with the utmost care, as if it was some fragile thing going to break. This dress has meaning for my people, as the ceremony dates back to long before most of my ancestors were born. It is stunning, and one of the most beautiful pieces of clothing that I will ever wear. Yet, I am not sure how to react, as the weight of what such a garment means slowly but surely crashes on me. Feeling Nona’s gaze on me, I settle for thanking her for her hard work. She gives me a carefully guarded smile.
“You remind me so much of your grandmother,” she says fondly, with a hint of melancholy in her voice. “She was scared too.”
“I– I’m not scared, Nona” I stutter, a little panicked that she would doubt my faith in our Holy One, that I would dare be frightened by the prospect of honouring Him.
“Oh but you are, Ajla. We all are, before we step foot in the Sanctuary. And then we endure ; the hunger, the weariness and the weight of the confessions we make. You’ll learn to endure too. In the Prayer and in life, you’ll endure.”
She slowly grabs my hand and takes something out of her kiva’s pocket to put it in my palm. It's a white handkerchief, embroidered with beautiful pink flowers, a rarity in my community, where clothes are plain and neutral in colours.
“This belonged to your grandmother. She got it from her own mother. She was wearing it on her wrist when she did her Prayer. She wanted you to have it. Her only granddaughter. She wanted you to find your way, for our Holy One to give you strength.”
Even though it is not written in law that the participants to the Prayer must not have any additional garment or accessory, it is not conventional enough that Grandmother thought it would be safe to give me her handkerchief through my parents when my time came. I am not surprised ; for all the love Grandmother had for her culture, her people and her customs, she always found Mother, her daughter-in-law, to be a little too stern.
I thank Nona profusely, and part ways with Ema in front of the shop. We both have to return home now, and we live on opposite sides of the village. I walk slowly, as if getting home later was going to push back the time of the ceremony. With both hands busy holding my dress high in my arms to avoid creating creases, I can only lightly grasp the handkerchief with the tips of my fingers. The sun will set in a couple hours and the heat of the early afternoon is long gone, replaced by steady winds.
I gasp when Grandmother’s handkerchief slips from my fingers, stolen away by a gust of air, and I hurry past surprised passersby, trying to catch up with it as it dances further and further away from me. It seems as if the winds are having fun playing with something I hold so dear to my heart. The delicate piece of cloth swirls around, as light as a feather. Each time I come close to it, the handkerchief starts its crazy escape again, seemingly mocking me.
Eventually, it slips under a table filled with goods on sale, and one of the merchants bends down to pick it up. I stop right in my tracks. Grandmother’s handkerchief is in the hands of one of the foreigners I saw earlier on my way to the storehouse with Mother. I am still a good distance from them, but he’s undoubtedly male. The heretic cradles the cloth in his palms like it's some fragile treasure, and seems to gently brush some dust off of it before raising his head and starts looking around, obviously searching for the owner. Searching for me.
Flustered and still out of breath, I duck behind a nearby wall, a hand on my chest to calm my racing heart. What shall I do now ? Mother said not to talk to them, she even forbade me to get too close. I should let it go, pass them by without sparing a glance in their direction.
On the other hand, I do not wish to let go of the only thing Grandmother has left me. She said it would help me, she said it would bring me strength. Besides, what could happen if I just asked for it ? Surely the stranger will give it back ? I just have to make it quick, so Mother will not see me if she returns from the storehouse earlier than planned. Yes, that is what I should do. What Mother does not know, can not upset her.
I fold my uniform in my arms, forgetting all about not making any creases, and start to make my way over to the stall, with an assurance that is not quite authentic. It is not the first time I see travelers, but it is the first time Mother has explicitly forbidden me to talk to them, her earlier words of distrust engraved in my mind. It is obvious that they do not worship the Holy One ; as otherwise their women would not show their arms and their hair so openly. They could be dangerous, but our numbers outweigh theirs and we are in the heart of the village. The day of the ceremony is the best to trade and sell goods. There is a crowd in the streets, all the shops are open. Nothing can go wrong.
The heretic calmly watches me get closer, his gaze fixed on me. I stop right before the stall, a table filled with various colourful items, the only thing separating us. Up close, I am able to see him better ; he looks about my age, maybe a little older. Unlike Father or Luan, he is not very tall or imposing, only outsizing me by half a head. Like the other foreigners, he is wearing an embroidered headband, the piece partially hidden under loosely curled hair the darkest shade of brown I have ever seen. Though all headbands have similarities in design, patterns and colours differ, making each piece completely unique. He is dressed in a simple blue tunic that is creased and folded all over, and closed at the shoulders by two pins, allowing whoever is looking to see his entire arms.
Busy as I am staring at the man in front of me, I realise a minute too late that he is examining me as well, the shadow of a cheeky smile tugging at the upturned corners of his lips. Not wanting to spend more time than I must in the presence of the stranger, I extend my arm towards him, palm upturned.
“I have lost my handkerchief. I would like to have it back,” I try. He keeps looking at me with the same expression on his face, and I wonder for a moment if we speak the same language. “Please ?” I add tentatively. “Um, it seems like the winds were mocking me, making me run around like that after a stupid cloth,” I explain, conveniently forgetting to mention how dear said stupid cloth is to my heart.
This time, the foreigner’s mouth stretches into a gentle, full-blown smile that reaches his brown eyes, and I wonder for a moment what could be so funny.
When the young man before me starts speaking, he sounds strong and powerful, although not unkind. He has a very light accent I can not quite place. “The winds are mischievous, they love to play. They love to make people dance.”
I still, astounded. I was not prepared for that answer, and I do not know quite how to respond. In the end, I decide to let the conversation run its – hopefully short – course.
“Yes, um, I… guess they do ?” I whisper. “I am not sure I liked this dance very much though.”
“They’re nice enough, once you learn to know them,” he says, smiling brightly as if he did not just talk about the winds as if they were living and breathing. He’s mad. He’s mad, and my handkerchief is still in his hand.
The young man must sense my increasing discomfort, because he lowers his head. Once free from his dark gaze, I slowly exhale a breath I did not realise I was holding. The stranger absently traces the pink flowers embroidered on Grandmother’s handkerchief with his thumb.
“This is very fine and delicate work. The person who made it is very talented. Were you the one who embroidered this cloth ?” he asks.
“I– no, it is very old. It belonged to my grandmother, and to her own ancestors before that,” I finally admit.
“Then it must be very dear to you ?”
“It is,” I simply say.
“Then I’ll give it back. Here,” he says, extending his own arm, the cloth in his hand. 
He has nice hands. They are not very big, and they are more calloused than mine, but he has long and slender fingers. His nails are clean and clipped short. He’s wearing several bracelets, some of them made out of colourful threads knotted together, and some thin circles of golden metal that glint in the late afternoon sunlight. None of my people wear jewellery, or any decorative adornments for that matter. Showcasing one’s beauty is to bask in vanity, and the Holy One does not like vanity.
I frown when I notice tiny markings on the arm he’s extended towards me. Scars ? No, not scars. It’s a tattoo. A tattoo made with white ink and barely visible on his skin despite his tan. Fascinated, I let my eyes run along the length of his arm. The patterns and symbols extend from the back of his hand to the crook of his neck, swirling and intertwining delicately around his wrist and his elbow. I stop staring when I hear the man clear his throat. I close my eyes and chastise myself. I can almost hear Mother and her stern voice at the back of my head. Ogling a man – an impure heretic – like that, you should be ashamed !
“Thank you,” I finally whisper, finding nothing else to say. Our arms are both extended, as if waiting for the other to cave in and get closer first. In the end, eager for this conversation to end, I sigh and take the handkerchief in his hand, my fingers brushing his for the shortest of moments.
Time seems to slow and speed up at the same time, and I feel slightly nauseous. I close my eyes, overwhelmed, as sound surrounds me, making my ears ring painfully. Why is the world so loud all of a sudden ? After the first few seconds, I get used to the noise and notice a voice in the chaos of sounds. Sometimes, it laughs, the laugh of a young girl, so clear and soft, and sometimes, it sings songs I have never heard before. Several other similar voices then join the first one in a chorus of melodies, and I think I can hear them speak to each other. Some are surprised and some are amused, and I hear them whispering faintly about someone they call “the foreigner”.
When I feel like my heart is beating at a normal pace again, I open my eyes to find myself in a place I have never seen before. Where am I ? Why am I here and how did I get there ? I do not know this place. Trees surround me, casting gentle shadows on the water I find myself standing in. Looking around, I see I am in a forest, although I have never ventured out of the village. I do not know how to swim, yet I am waist-deep in the water of a small lake, wet and shivering. I’m cold. The voices are gone now, barring one ; the chuckle of a man coming from behind me. I turn around and raise my head. After a few moments of blur, my eyes finally focus on the silhouette before me.
The heretic stands on a big rock on the shore, dry and dressed in the same tunic I saw earlier, albeit in a different colour. It is only long enough to reach the middle of his thighs, showing off long but muscled legs. He is barefoot, and he is still chuckling – is he laughing at me ?
I should feel outraged, and angry, that he is allowing himself to be so familiar with me – we have only met for the first time today after all – but somehow, the only feeling I can muster is mild annoyance. I give him a dark glare, and I find myself speaking his name with a scolding tone. I can not quite make out what name ; unable to control my lips or hear the words coming out of my own mouth. I feel like an actress in the middle of performing a play that already has a set ending. At the sound of his name, the man stops laughing and apologises. He looks around, glaring and I find myself doing the same. There is nobody but us here.
Then his gaze is back on me and I feel his eyes slowly slide down from my eyes, to my neck, to my chest, and I wonder for a moment what he is looking at. Then I check my reflection in the water.
I am dressed entirely in white, in my ceremonial clothes, wet from head to toe ; the weight of the water has pulled my kiva off from my shoulders, leaving them almost naked. My dress is drenched, and has become transparent under the effect of the water. My lower body is thankfully still under the water line, but my neck, chest and belly are fully visible. I gasp in shock, immediately crossing my arms over my chest so I feel less exposed ; so the man before me is not able to steal glances at my body more than he already has.
My reaction seems to wake him up from a trance, and both his cheeks and mine start turning red. At least he seems to feel ashamed of his staring, of making me uncomfortable. As he starts to open his mouth and apologise, I blink, and the moment I next open my eyes, I am back at the stall, in the middle of my village. The young man is still before me, but he has taken a few steps back, clutching his tattooed hand as if the contact has burned him. His mouth is open in shock, and though I can not see myself, I can guess he is mirroring my own expression.
I clutch my handkerchief in my hand. And then panic sets in.
“I- what just happened ? Was I dreaming wide awake ?” I ask, more to myself than to the stunned foreigner before me. What sort of spell has he bewitched me with ? Was this dream a trick from the evil spirits Mother is so scared of ?
The man raises his hands before himself, obviously trying to defuse the situation but it does nothing to reduce my anxiety. I take a few steps back.
“I– I must go now. There is still much to do,” I say, on the edge of panicking. My eyes can only stare at nothing, unfocused, as I try to register what happened in the dream, and how real everything felt.
“Listen, I didn't mean… I didn't mean to– to show you anything,” he stuttered. “Don't be scared, no please–”
But I’m already running past the passersby and away from him, my dress balled up in my arms and my handkerchief tightly grasped in my fist, as I try to hold back confused tears. My tiny world feels like it has collided with something much, much bigger. Something unknown. Something frightening.
The rest of the day passes by in a blur. 
I see but I am not looking, I hear but I am not listening. I feel like I am wearing someone else's skin.
I keep moving, but it's just habits, as if my movements are controlled by some puppeteer.
Soon my family comes home. They change into their ceremonial clothes, and Mother does my hair again, pulling and twisting the tresses until they are shaped to her liking. My head is throbbing, but I do not feel the pain.
The sun is setting when I finally take my place in the line of maidens who are going to be subjected to the Prayer. I recite the oath that I have learned by heart under Mother’s supervision ; I do not stutter, and the words come out clean and well-spoken, but I feel empty. I am given a bag of provisions, that contains the only things I will be given to eat for the next seven sunrises.
As the crowd celebrates all around us, I feel the weight of someone’s gaze on me. I follow it to find the foreigner staring from a distance, unmoving as the rest of his people pack up their belongings as they prepare to leave. Tomorrow they will be long gone, and I will have forgotten all about what I saw earlier, too engrossed in prayer to care. However, today, my memories of the dream are still too fresh in my mind, and I find my lips softly mouthing the name I spoke in the lake. This time, although the crowd around me is loud and excited in celebration, I can clearly hear what is coming out of my mouth. “Jongdae,” I speak, looking at him. I have never heard of this name. From afar, his eyes seem to widen, but he does not move. We watch each other for a few more moments. He looks sad. I hope this time I am not mirroring his expression.
I am the last one to be led to the Sanctuary. It is near the entry of the village, as it was the first structure that was built here. The Prayer room that has been assigned to me is located in a corner of the building at the very end of a long hallway. I step in, and look around. The wooden walls of my room are thinner than I thought they would be. There is an altar, but no bed, as I am not expected to get much rest. Two giant eyes are painted on the wall, dark and foreboding. They, too, stare at me, intense and intimidating. The space is so small, no matter where I am, I feel seen. Vulnerable. A chill courses through my body when I hear the opening of the room being sealed shut with nails that will only be removed once the Prayer has ended.
First, I do not know what to do. I stand, as if paralysed, in the middle of the room for a long moment. Then I remember Mother, and I remember my oath. I must pray now. I lower the bag of provisions to the ground and kneel on the hard floor in front of the altar. Mother has told me what to say as the opening of a Prayer. We have recited it, again and again.
Forgive me, my Holy One, for my sins. I am here to confess and earn your forgiveness.
Yet, somehow, the words that come out of my mouth are different. More honest.
“Forgive me, my Holy One, for I am not quite sure what to say.” Then I start praying, whispering the words under my breath.
For a moment, I pray for my family. For Father's health, for Mother’s peace of mind, for Luan’s happy spirits to remain and for Adem’s soul to rest in peace.
Then I start praying for my village, and for my community. I pray for peace, for a good harvest and for a mild winter. Talking about winter makes me realise the night has fallen. I shiver and wrap my kiva tighter around me in hope of keeping some warmth.
When time comes to confess my sins, I think back to that moment in the forest ; of the evil spirits that possessed my mind and made me imagine this unholy scene of me almost bare in front of a man. I am ashamed, but I am not sure this vision was my own doing. Do I need to confess if it was not my fault ? In the end, I decide to keep my mouth shut about this event and instead to ask for forgiveness for untying my hair last night.
After that, I realise I have nothing more to say. I try to think, but nothing comes to my mind. As I search for something to pray about, I sit with my back against the wall opposite from the altar. Instead of looking at His eyes, I start looking at my hands. Grandmother’s handkerchief is tied around my wrist, the only touch of colour in my entirely white outfit, and I start thinking of the foreigner.
This dream was not my fault, I am sure of that. Otherwise, why would he have apologised ? The look in his eyes makes me think that he might have known what was going on. Does he know what I have imagined ? Or worse – has he seen the things that I have seen ?
And this place, what was it ? Where was it ? Never would I have dived into water without knowing how deep it was first. Did he push me ? Why would someone do that ?
The more I think about the events of the afternoon, the more I realise my fright is turning to curiosity. Mother said it is not right to be curious, that I must wait for our Holy One to provide the answers. Like a poison, it runs slowly through one’s veins and takes over the mind. It pushes people to do things they would not normally do. Then I realise something else : in this room where I am alone with the Holy One, Mother can not reach. What she does not know, can not upset her.
In between the quiet of prayers, I hear people outside my room, one of which I recognise as the village chief. However, the voices are not coming from inside the Sanctuary ; this building is sacred and not a place for gossip. Instead, the voices come from beyond the wall that is directly to my right, which means they are standing outside the village. The chief is speaking to several people,but I can not make out what they are talking about, nor do I recognise any of the voices he is conversing with ; not until I hear a familiar voice, strong, powerful, and slightly accented, start thanking my leader.
“I would thank you a thousand times if I could, village chief. Our provisions were running low for the rest of our trip and it was urgent we exchanged some of our belongings for food and money. I know you do not welcome strangers often within the walls of your village, and for your generosity I will forever be grateful.”
Jongdae ? He must be leaving the village with his people now.
“You are very welcome,” my leader says, seemingly pleased by the compliments. “Had today been any other day, you would have been quite the sensation. I hope you got what you wanted, for as gracious as I am, I will not be able to let you in the village tomorrow,” he grumbles.
The young foreigner hardly waits a second before replying, probably louder than one should be during a private conversation.
“This is no problem, my community is already grateful for your help. We are going to stay a few more days in the small clearing we saw in the forest, only long enough to allow us to hunt and replenish our provisions.”
They exchange a few more words after that, but I am not focused on their conversation anymore. I simply stare at the painted eyes on the wall.
“What do you think ? What should I do now ?” I wonder out loud, my voice barely louder than a whisper.
Before the dream, I would have listened to Mother and stayed put. I would have prayed about anything and everything, I would have confessed my sins.
But I can not help but feel like something important occurred this afternoon. Who is this man, and who are these people ? Is he working with the evil spirits to plant seeds of doubt in the minds of innocent young women ? And if so, why did he apologise to me ? I have to know what happened, I have to know if he saw the same vision I did, and if so how was it possible ?
Today, my tiny world has collided with something bigger, much bigger than anything I could have ever envisioned. But this time, I am not frightened anymore. I will find this foreigner, and defend myself and my honour. I am in need of answers, and I know there is only one way to get them.
I must leave the village.
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anticanonsposts · 1 year ago
Text
Lunar Embrace Chapter 1
(ok obvi chapter one of the werewolf au)
cw: fem pronouns used, references to female body parts, slight reference to nsfw themes???
word count: 1,017
Glancing out one of the front windows of her cottage, while she packed her medicines and other apothecary paraphernalia, y/n noticed the snow that had fallen the previous night. It was only a couple of inches, but it had added onto the already nearly 4 feet of snow
It’s nearing the end of November and the weather has been unseasonably snowy and cold. Making y/n very thankful for the ample amount of fire wood she always had stocked.
Today just like any other Tuesday, she was gathering her items to be sold at the village market. She had learned how to make many from both her parents, but mostly her mother. Unfortunately she died of an illness, ironic enough, and her father died in a strange hunting accident. She never knew for sure since it happened around when she was 12 and her mother didn’t like to talk about it. All this to say, she is, was, the only child and left her parents’ skills and cottage. She lived a moderately uneventful life, selling her goods at market, buying what she needed, making a few friends in the village, etc. 
Now slipping her boots on she opens and locks the door behind her. As her boots crunch along the heightening snow she starts to notice a few other townspeople making their way to the center of the village. Then all of the sudden she hears a loud neighing, followed by the clomping of horse hooves behind her. 
‘Whoa!’ the driver says in a slightly accented voice. She wasn’t sure where the accent was from, but she knew it wasn’t from her village. She also knew exactly who that voice belonged to. 
His name was König, or at least that is what he wanted the townspeople to call him. He was a very large, burley man, who towered over his horses, that pulled his wagon every week into town. He was a lumberjack who would bring more firewood to market than anyone else could ever dream of. Each week he would bring a nearly overflowing wagon of chopped wood, buy a few necessities, speak to very few, and leave for another week. However every few weeks he would be gone for two. Maybe to remind the town of his necessity, she wasn’t sure.
Once she arrived at the town square she started to set up shop in her normal spot, which coincidentally was very close to where König parked his wagon. As the morning went on and she made sales, she made sure to keep a few ointments and tonics to the side for König. Admittedly he was one of her most consistent customers. Usually depending on the season some people would need different remedies more often than others. But König, every week would need burn ointment, tonic for head and body aches, and an ointment for large cuts and scrapes. She had to admit it was odd, she assumed that someone like him who had been working in his trade for years would be skilled enough to not get hurt. But she was not going to question a good customer. 
He eventually made his way over to her booth with four bundles of firewood, she thought three was a fair price but he insisted on four. Each week when she saw him she was reminded of how handsome she really thought he was. Despite his size he had a softer almost timid looking face. It may even look frightened if it weren’t for his very pigmented grey eyes. They really were blue, but appeared grey upon first glance. From his interactions with other townspeople he seemed to prefer y/n. She never let there be awkward silence for too long, and would often fill the space with quips or jokes that seemed to ease his tenseness. 
“Hello! How are you today, König?” she asked, raising her eyebrows slightly.
“I’m fine, it was colder this morning.” he responded shortly, not in an unfriendly way, more so just simple. 
“Would you like your usual?” she asked.
“Better put an extra bottle of the scratch salve please” he responds, wandering his eyes away from yours.
He truly was handsome, had a valuable skill set, and seemed moderately respectable. Her parents’ voices sounded in her head that she should be at least thinking about finding a partner. Then her eyes meandered down to his very large, and strong looking, hands, and she briefly wondered what they would look like spread over other, various surfaces. 
“Sorry, i-is four bundles alright still?” he asked her, bringing her back to the present moment. 
“Yes, I’m sorry I just…spaced out” she responds shaking her head and giving him his items while taking the bundles from him.
He gives her one last thank you before excusing himself back to his wagon. She curses herself for not speaking smoother or at least make an attempt to be alluring.  
The rest of the day goes by, very uneventfully. Everyone leaves the square, going back to their homes. König leaves about the same time as she does, giving her a small nod, and was that a smile??, as he leaves and she is heading home. 
Once home she collects her money and traded items, putting them in their respective places. Then she does a few household chores to occupy herself, not being able to get König out of her mind.  She feels a bit tired so she drinks some broth before lying down to go to bed. Once she’s lying down, she ponders, and asks herself why she did not try to have a longer conversation with him today. ‘You idiot, why do you think he gives you extra bundles? Why might he spend longer talking to you than others?’ But she didn’t entertain these thoughts for too long, she did not want to get ahead of herself. But she concluded that she would start taking her hunt for a partner more seriously, and would devise a plan to win more of his favor. For now she let her heavy eyelids flutter shut and fell fast asleep for the night. 
thank you so much for reading!! If there is anything you didn't like please lmk! Also chapter 2 is pending hehe <3
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