#and i have a lot of work that i have to finish tonight and i'm working all morning tomorrow. probably won't sleep until 2.

[pretty-little-mind33]

Tangerine x stripper fem!reader

Mini-series summary: When Tangerine opened an underground strip-club to cover for his murder-for-hire business operation, he wasn't expecting to become so easily distracted by one girl in particular.

Chapter summary: You can handle yourself, you've been doing it alone for years, but you can't deny it feels nice when someone else cares for you for a change. (3.6k)

Warnings: sleazy gross rich men, strip clubs, violence, drugs, alcohol, sex work, sexual harassment

BAD FOR BUSINESS MASTERLIST

In the late afternoon, the loud, lively, self-named 'gentleman's club' feels eerily empty. The jazz music plays so quietly that the only real sound is the faint clinking of the glasses as Lennie, the bartender, polishes them.

Tangerine usually never arrives this early, but Leo had conveniently asked him to finish up the paperwork so here he is, walking up the stairs and into his office, which conveniently overlooks the main stage from up in the glassed mezzanine.

His hair is damp from the rain as he rests his umbrella near the door. The classical music from his earbuds drowns out the jazz from the lounge and he holds in a yawn, taming his curls with his hand as he strolls to his desk. He touches the array of papers Leo has left him for him. 

Tangerine's eyebrows pinch in disapproval. He drops his phone on the desk, draping his suit jacket on the back of his chair and sinking down, resting his hand on the wood. He drums his fingers, his mind wandering as the music lulls him. He can feel a headache coming on and he pulls out the earbuds, texting Lemon from his phone. 

T : Are you working tonight? 

L : Ya. Are you? 

T : I'm here early. Leo didn't fucking finish his paperwork and now I have to clean up after that arsehole. 

L : Dickhead.

T : Bloody motherfucker. 

L : Such a Diesel.

Tangerine rolls his eyes playfully, turning his phone over and grabbing his reading glasses to begin on the paperwork. Some fucked up jobs they've been needing to deal with. That and keeping up with the finances to keep this hellhole open.

Investors aren't exactly happy. They want more girls, they want more sex. Tangerine groans. He's starting to regret this. Opening this business. However, when he thinks of the girls, his regret dwindles. It doesn't matter that the establishment is a cover, he pays them well. He's fair and he knows they need it.

If he listens to Leo and closes this place down then where are they supposed to go? Tangerine knows men, especially men that actually work in this business, and he doesn't want his girls to fall into their hands. 

He pinches the bridge of his nose, rubbing his eyes as he brings the papers in front of him. 

Fuck this, he thinks.

Hours pass and the music from below begins to grow louder. He rests his glasses on his desk and stands, stretching his arms. He strolls to the glass and peers down at the floor. The dim lights have been turned on and Lemon and the other bodyguards are preparing for the night. Tangerine hums, walks around to his desk again, and continues to work for a little while longer. Soon, his mind wanders to the girls again and he opens the computer, searching the schedule for tonight. 

When he finds your name, he can't help the way his lips curve and his stomach twists. He closes the tab. He feels like a love-sick schoolboy, a perverse one at that, he shouldn't like you as much as he does, but how could he not? 

You're the sweetest girl here. 

Another few hours pass and Tangerine is concentrating on sending important emails. He's sick of planning these heists, these kills, it makes his head hurt. Lemon would say he's burned out, and that he needs a vacation, but he refuses to listen to his brother. 

He refuses to listen to his brother on a lot of things.  

It's the sound of your song that pulls his attention away from his computer. That smooth sensual tune you always dance to and he sits up immediately. He looks at the clock over his door. 2 am already? Tangerine stands and makes his way over to the glass, his breath hitching when he sees you on stage.

You're dressed in lacy white lingerie. A small pair of angel wings adorn your back, the strings attaching them wrapping sensually around your torso. Your hair is curled and you're wearing a small golden halo. It's your usual outfit, but you look absolutely stunning. 

Tangerine feels just as perverted as the men watching you and his cheeks heat up. He looks at the audience and recognizes some of the usual. Some old 'work' colleagues or wealthy aristocrats. Powerful men. Dangerous men. His jaw clenches. This is why he insisted on so many bodyguards all around. Men that this place attracts are accustomed to having whatever they want, whenever they want it.

Already, these girls are being displayed on a golden platter for them, but Tangerine would be damned if these men tried to push their luck. This place has rules. Strict ones he put in place when he realized Leo wasn't caring. That's why he'd been coming around more often, to make sure that arsehole wasn't being abusive. He tells himself that's the only reason.   

His eyes wander back to you. He knows you're almost finished with your routine. Tangerine has it memorized by now. Involuntarily, he feels his trousers tighten around his crotch as he continues to watch the way you dance.

When you tilt your head upwards a little, holding yourself up by the pole, you lock eyes and Tangerine's entire stomach flips. He stays very still, his expression neutral and dismissive. You smile, keeping your eyes on his as you finish the dance and blow a kiss into the crowd.

Fuck. He needs a fucking smoke. 

Tangerine makes his way down the stairs and into the lounge. He's assaulted by the smell of alcohol and drugs, as well as the familiar stench of sex the moment he enters the room. He fumbles with his cigarette pack in his pocket and pops a cigarette in his mouth. 

"Oi," Lemon's voice interrupts his thoughts from near the entrance door, which is slightly ajar. He's talking to another bodyguard, Wayne, and the latter nods his head at Tangerine. "How's work, bruv?"

Tangerine comes over and blows the smoke outside from the open door. He leans against the wall and looks into the room, keeping an eye out. You've gone backstage. "It's a fuckin' pain in my arse," is all he says and Lemon pats him on the shoulder. 

"I'be been tellin' ya Leo is a diesel." 

Tangerine sends him a dark look. "Shut up about that already, would ya? You're gettin' on my fuckin' tits." 

Lemon only rolls his eyes with a small chuckle and continues his discussion with Wayne. The jazz music continues, now hurting Tangerine's ears as his annoyance only seems to grow. 

He prays a drink will dull his incoming headache.

He flicks the burnt out cigarette into the trash can near the exit and walks to the bar. All the girls he crosses, the ones that aren't already entertaining some snobby dickhead, send him warm smiles. He returns them. 

"Whiskey. Neat," Tangerine says to Lennie, leaning against the bar.

"'Course, boss," Lennie nods, preparing his usual. 

Tangerine looks to the side, catching a glimpse of you a few tables over. You're perched on some older man's lap, your thighs straddling his hips. The man's hands wander from your waist upwards as he whispers something into the shell of your ear, looking towards one of the multiple rooms.

Tangerine's expression sours as his head continues to throb. However, his heart slowly calms when you shake your head and push the man away from you, while still entertaining him. 

Lennie sets the whiskey next to Tangerine's hand and looks over. "Prick has been harassing her to go into one of the rooms all night," he says, his tone tense, "I told Trevor to keep an extra eye on him when he's around her. He'll intervene if things get handsy." 

Tangerine nods, turning to his drink. He knows Trevor has it handled in case things escalate and he knows you do too. You're no stranger to standing up for yourself, after all, he's seen you slap your fair share of men, but still his stomach twists. He'd rather you not deal with assholes like that. "Appreciate it," he says gruffly from behind his glass as he drinks his whiskey and the music continues to pound his ears.

He shuts his eyes a moment, enjoying the burning on his tongue as it grounds him. Only the sound of your voice shatters the momentary calm as his eyes snap open. 

* * *

"Don't touch me!" you shout, not afraid to raise your volume as you stand up from the man's lap. His hand stays firmly planted on your hips, the heat from his pudgy fingers making your stomach churn. He'd ripped the delicate lace of your top, the fabric now hanging onto your stomach and exposing more of the skin of your breast than was already shown. You're flustered as you try and push his hand away again. 

"Stop. I said no."

The man only grins, his yellowish teeth showing. "Whores can't say no," he snickers and your eyes round. You glance at the bodyguard, Trevor, who's already approaching because of your initial shout and the stranger stands, advancing on you. This time his hand clenches around your wrist, pulling you into his chest as he gropes your ass with his other hand.

Without hesitation, you swing your arm, hand balled into a fist, and hit him square in the jaw. The man gasps and drops his hold on you as blood trickles down his chin. Your ring had split the bastard's lip.

Your expression darkens and in anger, you swing your arm again, not entirely satisfied with the damage you'd caused, only to feel someone delicately hold their hand under your elbow and pull you into them. You tense, relaxing when you smell that familiar expensive cologne. 

"Shh, angel, you're okay," Your boss's voice is hoarse and low in your ear as he holds you close. The lounge has come to a halt, all members watching the scene now as Trevor grabs the man's arm, twisting it harshly behind his back. 

"What the fuck?! The slut hit me!" The man shouts as he fights against Trevor.

Your anger spikes again when you hear him call you that but Tangerine's hand on your cheek calms you. He turns your head away and his thumb is rough on your skin. When you look up you realize he isn't looking at you. He's looking at the man, his eyebrows scrunched in an emotion you can't quite read.

Swiftly, he presses a fluttering kiss to your hairline, almost imperceptible to others, before he walks over to the man. 

Trevor holds him still and you hold your breath, unsure what Tangerine is planning. 

"I'm the owner," Tangerine tells him calmly, looking down at the older man. He's hiding a smirk at how much blood you'd managed to draw from him. "What seems to be the issue?"

The man sniffs, spitting out some blood where you had nicked his lip towards you, "Your whores seem to think they have more authority than they should. I'd nip that in the bud if I were you," he hisses with such contempt you feel even more exposed than you already are.

Tangerine looks at you, his jaw clenching. "I see," he whispers, his blue eyes roaming your figure. He smiles at you and then turns and punches the man so hard in the nose that there is a loud crack. You gasp, covering your mouth as the room erupts into loud gasps. Tangerine stands still as Trevor keeps the man up, his broken nose is now gushing blood. 

Tangerine steps forward and fists his hand in the man's collar, keeping him up. His tone is even as he glares at him. "If I were you I'd think twice before touching one of my girls like that—or any girl for that matter."

His eyes narrow and then he chuckles darkly. His tone is mocking when he says, "Now, why don' ya get the fuck out of my establishment before I really lose my temper. Yeah? Good. Trevor, show this wanker out, would ya? Thanks."

Tangerine drops the man, not even looking at him as Trevor drags him out. The lounge is deadly silent now, everyone simply watching him. You're holding your breath, unsure what to do or say. 

"Show's over," Tangerine exclaims sternly. He turns to look at you but before he can, one of your friends shrieks and interrupts the moment. 

"Hon! Are you okay?" Anette runs up to you in her burgundy heels. Her Texan accent rolls off her tongue like honey and her long auburn hair falls over her shoulders. She's your favorite coworker, and one of your best friends, so you relax when her fingers gently pull up your torn top to cover you. It's ruined.

"Oh, darling," she whispers, knowing how it feels to receive too much attention from the customers here.

She hurries you backstage, ignoring the commotion around you both as she rubs your shoulders. You turn to Annette. "Did you see how hard he punched him?" you ask, your eyes wide. Annette nods, biting her cheek. 

"I did. The boss is good like that," she says as she sits you at your vanity, grabbing a sewing kit from her drawer to quickly fix your top. Annette begins to fix your top. She's clumsy with her movements.  You nod, staring at your shaken-up reflection; your hair is a mess and your previously picture-perfect appearance looks messy. Tangerine's cologne lingers on your skin your hairline tingles from where he'd kissed you and your stomach twists. 

He'd protected you. 

Suddenly, you hear a sharp knock on the dressing room door.

"Yeah?" Annette calls, removing the needle from her mouth as she continues to sew. You wince when she almost pricks your shoulder. 

"May I come in?"

You and Annette freeze at the voice behind the door and her green eyes widen. "It's the boss," she mouths. You nod, standing up and grabbing one your jumper and pulling it on. You don't have any more desire to be so exposed after what has happened. 

"Yeah," Annette says. There is a pause and then the door unclicks.

Once it opens, Tangerine stands in the doorway, arms crossed, and he looks a little awkward being outside the dressing room. He sees Annette and then you and his expression softens. "I'd like to offer to drive you home," he tells you, sounding completely serious and professional. "I understand you may be shaken up because of what happened and I don't want you to stay here in those circumstances. It wouldn't be right." 

You fiddle with the hem of the jumper, unsure if you should accept his offer. You don't feel like going out there again and dealing with more disgusting men, but you need the money. You don't speak, your gaze stuck on his as you contemplate your choices but Tangerine remains patient.

Annette, on the other hand, doesn't, so she pushes your shoulder, prompting an answer from you. You stumble forward and the words just fall from your lips.

"I'd like that, if you don't mind," you say, ignoring any nerves around him. Tangerine, while your boss, has always been kind to you. He's a real gentleman. 

Tangerine hums, very obviously suppressing a smirk while his eyes remain neutral. "I don't mind. I'll wait outside whilst you gather your things. No rush." You nod and he turns on his heels. Once he's shut the door, Annette squeals. 

"Oh my goodness," she says as you gather your belongings into your bag. You take your clothes, folding them over your arm. 

"What?" you whisper, hiding behind the curtain to change. Your cheeks feel warmer. 

"He has the hots for you!" Annette practically swoons, falling into the chair and drumming her nails on the vanity. You pull up your jeans, adjusting your jumper, and roll your eyes at her words. 

"Bullshit," you laugh, "he's just being nice." 

"He's taking time from his work to drive you home," Annette says, "C'mon, he totally does!"

You pin your hair up, shaking your head. You stuff the accessories of your skimpy costume into your bag and throw it over your shoulder. Slipping on your sneakers, you pull aside the curtains. Annette is smirking.

"Don't you have work to do?" You deadpan, crossing your arms. 

Annette raises her arms in surrender, standing up and pulling up her stockings. She pulls her skirt higher, exposing the sparkling garter hugging her upper thigh. She winks, walking over and kissing your cheek, pushing some loose strands of hair behind your ear.

"If you end up fucking the boss, I'll need all the details," she whispers and pulls away, holding up her hands, her palms touching, as she slowly drags them apart and grins. 

You push down her hands, embarrassed. "Stop it." 

"It's really a damn shame you can't see the way he looks at you when you aren't looking," she hums, adding one last tease, and then leaves the room through the back exit and into the lounge. 

You exit in the opposite direction, walking into the hall and then opening the heavy door to the outside. The cold night air is harsh on your skin and you startle when you see Tangerine leaning against the brick wall, blowing warm air from his nose as he exhales. 

"Ready?" he asks, his voice thick. 

You nod, clutching the strap of your bag tighter. You follow him through the parking lot in silence, hearing only the sound of your sneakers and his shoes on the pavement. "Thank you for doing this," you say, catching up to him. He slows his strides and looks over at you, his expression still unreadable.

"No need," he says and stuffs his hands in his trousers, "I'm sorry that man laid his hands on ya. Trevor or Wayne should have seen it and intervened sooner, otherwise what do I pay them for—" he pauses, shaking his head, "And I should have intervened sooner."

You shake your head. "It's really okay."

"No, it isn't," he says sternly and opens the passenger door to his car. It's an older vintage black car. It's in such pristine condition you're almost afraid to sit on the leather seat. Tangerine waits patiently as you buckle in and then he walks over to the driver's side. He turns to you, his sharp blue eyes looking into yours. Your breath catches in your throat. 

He's incredibly handsome, in a rather dangerous way. 

"It won't happen again, angel," he promises, the name rolling from his tongue. You remember when you'd first started working for him; he'd nicknamed you angel and then it just stuck. However, it always sounded different from his lips.

You nod, smiling at him a little as he puts the car in gear and drives onto the road. The radio plays as ambient music and you hum along, resting your chin on your palm as you look out the window. You only live twenty minutes away from the club, but that usually means an hour and a half of public transport so you're really grateful.

"Tangerine?" you suddenly pipe up, turning to him. His eyes are trained on the road. He hums. "Could I have more shifts?"

Tangerine's hands tighten around the steering wheel. "Why on earth would you want more shifts?" he asks roughly, not really thinking of anything more than that more shifts would mean more filthy men possibly trying to touch you. Hurt you.

Your voice is small when you explain, "Well, I do need the money. I'm trying to finish uni and it's expensive."

Guilt washes over him when he hears your reasoning. Of course. He pays you well, he knows this, he's a fair boss but there is only so much he can do and his business partner, Leo, isn't as generous. 

"Oh," he says, frowning. After a pause he says, "I'll see what I can do."

You nod, holding your hands together in your lap as your knees touch. You feel a little awkward and you add, "I'm sorry to ask—"

Tangerine's laugh interrupts you and he looks over for a moment, a smile curling his lips. "There's no need for that, I understand—and you can relax," he says and moves his hand as if to touch your knee, only ultimately deciding against it and resting it on the gear shift instead. "You have no reason to be nervous around me. In here, I'm not your boss," he pauses. 

You let out a breath, hiding a smile as you bite the inside of your cheek. You want to ask what that makes him if he's not your boss, but you don't.

You're unaware he wants to ask the same thing. 

Once he's parked in front of your apartment complex, Tangerine insists he walk you to your door. You turn to him, smiling. "Thanks for doing this," you say in a whisper, once again being captured by the intensity of his blue eyes. Your chest rises and your gaze dances across his features.

Your chest tightens and you act on instinct, the memories you've had with him over the years flashing in your mind; the small and yet significant conversations, the shared glances from across the room when you'd be dancing, the handwritten note on your birthday only you would receive, and of course the fleeting brushes of your hands—

Annette's previous words ring in your ears.

You kiss his cheek quickly, cheeks warm as you pull away. Tangerine looks surprised, his eyes widening as his cheek tingles. You've left a lipstick smudge and you panic, raising your thumb to wipe it away. You make a small squeak, only smearing the lipstick around and then you hurry into your apartment, closing the door behind you. 

You slam your back against your door, mouthing a scream into your hand. You curse yourself, unaware that just behind your door Tangerine is grinning like a lovesick fool, his fingers resting against the mark you'd left on him.

[accio-victuuri]

010225: LRLG submission 🔴🟢

what a great way to start the year! a very long submission from lrlg! yaaaay!!!!! let me start with the last part of the post which is a message from lrlg.

It's been a long time since we last met. Isn't it a bit too long? All the work in 2024 is completed. We have entered a new year. Let's meet more often. Happy New Year!

i’m crying!!!! it’s been so long!!!!!

i will try and include as much as i can — especially one that have candy potential. the first part is bobo talking to his team and it’s a long convo but the important part is this:

staff: “How come when I went to the store to look at it, there were men’s rings?”

🟢: "I don't know. I can't go to the store."

🟢: "You can choose a pendant. There are many styles of pendants."

staff: "Only the dragon tablet and nothing else”

🟢 “Buy gold and strike it yourself”

staff:"It's too much trouble"

staff:"Just go with the gold bars and styles."

staff:“Buy ready-made”

HAHAHAHAHAHA IM CACKLING AT YIBO. Why are you like this. His staff has it hard. Why do you wanna make them hand made the gold jewelry you want???? and is this for XZ? part of the new year gift?

🟢 "Good, the only purpose is safety first"

🟢 "Absolutely"

🟢 “The express delivery has been waiting for several days.”

🟢 "It was sent by xx. If you don't go back, I'll find someone to pick it up."

🟢 "good"

the next two paragraphs are convos between wyb and his staff again. they are talking about wyb having enough time to go home ( probably spend time with xz ). then another convo about accessories.

🟢: "What did you order?"

🔴: The food I ordered hasn't arrived yet."

🟢 "I'm hungry."

Staff: "It'll probably be ten minutes. Sorry it's late."

🔴 "You're so busy. You're abusing your employees."

🟢 "Ah? Ask her."

Staff "Sorry I watched the game late"

🟢 "It's okay, I was hungry early"

🔴: "Table Tennis"

Staff "You watch it too"

🔴 "Well, mainly you are playing it out loud"

Staff "Ah, hold on to a little bit"

🟢 "Have you ordered any fruit"

🔴 "You have a big heart, dare to watch the live broadcast"

"Hey"

Staff "Then we must be on the same frequency, order fruit slices"

🟢 "I am your boss, right?"

Staff "But he is your boss"

🟢 "Okay, okay"

the next part is them finally getting their orders! HAHAHAHAHA! they ordered too much and WYB was telling his staff that when he finishes filming he will give them some time off.

Staff: "xx is here, why don't you go and take a look first?"

🟢 "Okay, you go first"

🔴 "Take a few bites of this"

🟢 "I'll come back to eat"

🔴 "Hey, there's no onion"

🟢 Chew chew chew "delicious"

🔴 "You're born in the year of the dog"

🟢 😨

🔴 "My gloves have been bitten through"

🔴 "It's so bad"

🟢 "There's water in the cabinet. I'll roll it for you when I get back. You guys eat first."

Staff "I still have two new ones."

OMGGGG they are feeding each other! and yes XZ he is a puppy! Your puppy!!!! 🥹🥹🥹😂😂😂

the next paragraphs is when WYB has already left and XZ is left with the staff. it makes me feel things that XZ is so familiar with WYB’s staff. they are truly a team that he can even joke with them. you can tell the familiarity.

Staff "I'll treat you guys to a good meal tonight"

🔴 "I'll charge you a lot"

Staff "Hey, the boss isn't here?"

Staff "XX is here"

and they are talking about a watch that was sent.

🟢 "Why aren't you eating yet?"

🔴 "It's only five minutes, you should be back in fifteen minutes."

🟢 "I grabbed the cantaloupe, it's sweet."

Staff How come yours is already cut? I just took two pieces."

🟢 "XX has already cut ones, you didn't get them

Staff "They just cut it. Do I dare to take it?"

🔴 "It's cold whether you eat it or not"

🟢 "Wash your hands"

—-

🔴 "Is it so difficult to eat a meal?"

🟢 "Didn't I ask you to eat first?"

🟢 "Oh, then it's no different from eating at home"

🔴 "You're the one who said all the words"

🟢 "Why are you cursing?"

🔴 "Which word did I use to curse?"

🟢 "You cursed in a very civilized way"

🔴 "The sauce is too salty"

🟢 "Good God"

LOL they never change with the bickering! and how they go back to talking as usual after.

——

🟢 Let Brother X take you there this afternoon"

🔴 "No need for XX"

🟢 "What did you buy?"

🔴 "There are dogs all over your pants"

🟢 "Are you a little dog now?"

🔴 "Yes, you are a little pig dog"

🟢 👊🏻

🔴 "Hey, how can you be so disrespectful?"

🔴 "Why do I feel that this sauce is different from what I ate before?"

Staff "Salty and sweet"

🟢 Change the chef"

🔴 "Hiss"

🟢 "I'll pick you up in the afternoon"

🔴 "No need, I don't know what time I'll be back"

🟢 "Call me when you're done"

the last part is labeled as a funny story among WYB and his staff

🟢 "Who ate the spicy noodles?"

Staff “Everyone in the room ate them."

Staff "Too spicy, that spicy strips they bought online"

Staff "xx had a nosebleed after eating it"

🟢 "Let me taste it"

Staff "Don't eat it, I ate a small piece and now my stomach is on fire"

🟢 "Medical insurance can't be used anymore, this is how it is"

😂😂😂😂 anyway, WYB! Don’t eat that spicy thing!!!!

-END.

i am not authorized to translate the entire thing but these are the ones that stood out and included xz and wyb interaction! this is such a simple part of their life but that’s how it is. i’m glad they get to spend time together. the question is, when was this. lol. this post as you may have noticed is more on the translation and a tiny bit of commentary from me. i will do a longer reaction and crying post later. 🫶🏼

in the meantime, enjoy ^^

[wonwauu]

god i js had a thought, what if we edge/tease diluc for his whole shift at the tavern and he’s a pent up and flustered by the end of his shift and begging us to touch him!!

i love this too much, cheers to a new year with new beginnings.

as the owner of the dawn winery, diluc does not have free time to overlook his job at the angel's share. he's swamped with work, from making sure that the exports of the winery's famous dandelion wine goes smoothly, to maintaining an amazing reputation in order to keep his clan's business alive.

however, after diluc has met you, he's allocated time to work at the angel's share in order to spend time with you.

as the sun sets, the angel's share fills with bustling noises. laughter erupts from drinkers celebrating their latest feats. you push open the door, greeted by your lovely partner's smile as he notices your presence.

a familiar bard also welcomes you, albeit a bit too enthusiastically. "ahaa~ you always have a dopey smile whenever they're around. welcome! wanna be my drinking partner for the night?" venti leans a bit to face you, but you can tell the amount of drinks he had due to the blush across venti's face.

"hi venti, i would love to be your drinking partner, just don't pass out again." you chuckle, "diluc, i thought you weren't working today?" venti pats an open seat next to him as he orders another drink.

diluc lets out a sigh, glancing at venti then looking back at you taking a seat in front of him. "my workload has decreased significantly, so i decided to pick up a shift tonight."

"well i'm glad we have a chance to talk in person, i haven't seen you in weeks." you're a very popular adventurer, just returning back from a tough mission in sumeru that required more of your time than expected.

"i can say the same. the dawn winery has felt empty since your departure." diluc turns around to grab a bottle of grape juice, knowing that you both enjoy this drink.

venti hiccups as he looks at you, then at diluc. "i need another drink before i can get used to diluc's puppy eyes." venti fakes a gag sound as he promptly rests his head on your arm.

"you feel nice and cool." venti grabs your hand and rests his cheeks on it. he knows that diluc gets extremely jealous and loves to tease him with you.

"this is an unexpected perk of being a hydro vision wielder," you glance back at diluc who's currently staring into venti's soul. there's a little crack that forms on the glass that he's cleaning.

"aww baby, don't be jealous; you know that venti will fall asleep instantly from having too many drinks." glancing over at venti, you didn't have to finish your sentence to see him already passed out.

gently removing your hand off of venti’s face, you lean over the table to your partner. "you'll get lots of love once we go home", you coo at his reaction; ears burning as a blush forms on his face.

although you're dating diluc, you've made the decision to not use petnames in public. this is mainly to save diluc's face as he gets very flustered from any form of public affection.

as you get up, venti's arm knocks over your glass of grape juice, spills on diluc's stomach and pants.

diluc hisses, not amused by the new stain on his white shirt and black trousers. "baby..." you walk behind the counter, grabbing a tablecloth to help with the purple stain.

you feel diluc squirm under your touch. "not.. not in public." he shields his face, feeling the heat spread through his cheeks. "babe, if you don't stay still, this stain will spread. plus, everyone's drunker than venti and he's knocked out right now. they won't care what we're doing." you grip onto his waist, holding him in place as you continue to unintentionally brush over his crotch.

you weren't wrong though. although there was chatter in the tavern, it was barely comprehensible as everyone got extremely drunk.

"diluc, are you really getting hard in public? i never knew you're into this." you place down the tablecloth and run your hand over his bulge, earning the sweetest whimper from his mouth.

oh how you've missed that sound. "you're delusional, with all this touching.." he decides to not finish his sentence as he's embarrassed to admit that your touch got him hard at his workplace.

"reallyy? it seems like you're eager for this.." you unzip his pants, revealing his bulge that's forming a wet spot.

diluc's ears match the colour of his hair, "we can't do this, now in front of venti."

"baby, he's not even going to notice anything, trust me." you pull out his cock from his underwear, revealing his red tip, leaking precum.

he's been craving your touch since you left weeks ago, even though diluc's words are showing hesitancy, you can see it in his eyes how much he wants this.

after all, you know him too well. before diluc can let out another word, you start slowly but firmly jerking him off, occasionally swiping your palm over his tip.

your other hand lightly grazes your nail under his tip, eliciting moans that have to be muffled. he's hunched over the table as you coo into his ear, picking up the pace every time he lets out a breathy sigh.

"you're such a slut, getting hard in public and now you're moaning lewdly as i jerk you off. imagine how people will react if they see you like this?" you whisper into his ear, biting it as you slip a hand around his back, sneaking up to play with his hardened nipples.

from a civilian's point of view, it looks like you're consoling diluc on a bad stomach ache he's having.

all of a sudden, new people walk into the tavern. they seem tipsy enough, but not completely drunk.

diluc gasps. new people, at this time? he stands up straight, trying to maintain his posture as you halt your movements.

"hey there. can we get 2 dandelion wines?" one of them drunkenly takes a seat next to venti, where you were previously sitting.

"of course." you say, grabbing them 2 bottles as diluc stands there, not moving. he's afraid to be seen by random adventurers. but the thrill kept you going.

diluc is devastated from the lack of stimulation, but he knows better than to touch himself without your permission, let alone in public.

"aren't you the famous power couple in mondstadt? i came all the way from fontaine in order to try this wine." the drunken dude chippers, sober enough to recognize you both.

"i'm flattered if that's how people see us. fontaine is a beautiful place, we're planning on a vacation there once our schedules are free." you chuckle, standing closer to the bar table as you grip diluc's hard cock again.

"well i would love to hear how you guys got together!" the other drunk guy laughs, excited to listen into some gossip.

your voice is tuned out by diluc as he's practically humping your hand, trying to hide his desperation as you tease him.

you run your hand over his tip and speed up your pace. diluc lets out a wince when you use your thumb to press harshly under his tip.

this goes on for what felt like an eternity (20 minutes) of you stopping when diluc was close, continuously edging him as he started to crumble.

one of the guys notices diluc's strange expression, but was too tipsy to care. only if they saw the dirty things you were doing to your partner.

at the end of your story, you happily giggle "and that's how we started dating!" as you rest your head on his shoulder, giving a devilish smile as you squeeze his dick as he lets out a continuous flow of precum. he lets out a choked moan as he covers his mouth, tears forming in his eyes.

"can you guys be a dear and help us escort the others out of the tavern? we're closing soon and diluc is having a bad headache right now." you say, feigning an apologetic look.

although the guys are drunk, they try to do what they're told. stumbling around to wake up other patrons.

diluc is looking at you with a dazed expression, not to quietly begging for your touch. "why- why did you stop?" he whined in your ear.

"i can't have others seeing your cute cumming expression." you glance over at him, then at the drunkards leaving the tavern.

"now why don't you tidy up that disheveled look of yours and call charles to close up?" gently grabbing his face, you brush away the strands sticking to his skin as you kiss his cheek.

"but i need you now" his appearance is a mess, but you love it. messy, red hair that's slipping out of his hairtie, his white top that's slightly transparent has sweat clinging onto his skin, revealing his flushed body.

he grabs onto your waist and ruts against your thigh. not caring that there's people around. he's lucky that everyone has left, venti included.

you tug his hair, pulling him away from you. "you’re humping my leg like a dog and you’re not closing up? do you want me to fuck you here, at your own workplace? you should’ve told me earlier, i would’ve fucked you in front of everyone.” 

diluc lets out a loud moan at the thought of that. giving a show to the drunkards at his tavern. this is something he’ll never tell a soul, but you know his kinks and how much he’ll get off at being watched by others. 

“now help me close up so we can continue this at home.” you pat his ass and start walking towards the door. 

“h-hold on,” diluc frantically zips up his pants and follows you out the door. his bulge is still prominent but the night will help conceal it.

he knows that charles will be there for the morning shift to clean up. but how will diluc explain the weird stain on the wooden floor and bar table? oh well; that’s not his priority right now.

this is not proof-read but i hope you enjoy this work. i've never written actual smut before, just suggestive works. should i do that for my next fic?

[writersrkive]

hi!! i just read your spencer fic about telling him not to shut up. i specifically loved the fact that the reader’s first language isn’t english, i feel like the majority of the fandom doesn’t have english as their first language.

could you write something where the reader’s first language isn’t english and they’re having trouble with their paperwork because people tend to use a lot of difficult words, and spencer notices it and helps them out? maybe reader often stays late to finish working because they need to read sentences multiple times to fully understand them?

if you don’t feel like writing this feel free to skip or write anything else <3

(it’s getting late for me here but i look forward to reading more of your work when i come back from work tomorrow :)

have a good day!!

A little help never hurts | Spencer Reid

summary: Paperwork days are hell, especially for you, since English isn't your first language. You don't say anything to any of your coworkers because you're afraid they will see you as incapable of doing your work, but one genius boy might have been looking at you a lot and definitely notices something is wrong. He is determined to help you. An extra help never hurts, right?

genre: fluff, comfort

pairing: early seasons!Spencer Reid x bau!reader

warnings: English isn't reader's first language, mention of reader being from another country (I think that's all, but let me know!)

a/n: Omg, my second request! I loved the idea, thanks! I hope you like it rebel-ezra (does this notify you when I answer your inbox or do I have to tag people when it's not anon? lol, sorry). I'm excited to see how much you enjoy this one, and I'm sorry if it's not as good as you expected. English isn't my first language, please be kind <3.

Happy New Year, reader! I hope you can get distracted a little with this fic if, if you need to. You did it! Next year we have more people, places and things to know, hugs!

important: Are you guys interested in being in a Criminal Mind's tag list for my fics? If that's the case, let me know in the comments, please. I might be doing one if there's enough people.

Masterlist Spanish ver. On Wattpad (coming soon)

The feeling of pressure on your head and the emptiness of your stomach has stressed you since a few hours ago. You didn't have anything to eat since the doughnut and cup of coffee that García offered you in the morning when she arrived. But you weren't close to going home.

Paperwork was always a pain in the ass, but especially for the poor newest member of the BAU. Why is that? Well, your mother language wasn't English, and of course you had a good level —otherwise you wouldn't have the opportunity to study and work in the U.S.A.—, but the documents were too formal and technical given the seriousness of the issues being discussed.

“Shit.” You whispered, typing a new confusing and complicated word on your computer for the third time in an hour.

“Hey, do you want to go to my place after work? Tonight seems like a free night, if duty doesn't call.” Emily had approached you with a warm smile, knowing that paperwork was never easy.

“Thanks, Em. But I think tonight I'm going home to rest. It's been a long week.” But you gave that answer because at that point, it was routine to stay way later than your workmates.

Spencer was coming back from the bathroom, ready to take his stuff and go home. It was really late, so he thought he was the only one besides Hotch in the office. However, he saw you at your desk: your head resting on a dictionary, the computer next to you and several post-it notes stuck in the drawers of your desk.

He called your name twice, but of course the sleep you were immersed in did not allow you to hear it. Footsteps were heard in the darkness. There were just a few desk lamps on, that's why he was able to see your peaceful expression. He touched your shoulder slightly and when you opened your eyes, all you saw was a shy smile.

“Reid, what's wrong?” You asked, feeling your head throbbing.

“Are you okay? You fell asleep.” He whispered.

“Oh… Yeah… I'm okay.”

“Are you sure? You seem pretty tired. It's late so maybe you should go home”

“Don't worry. I have work to get done anyway.” You sighed, remembering how you still had to review a quarter of documents.

“What? But you have been working on this for hours.”

His comment made you blush. Of course you haven't told anyone how hard it was to review every document twice or even thrice to be sure that you didn't misunderstand or mistranslate anything. Somehow you felt that if anyone knew they would criticize or mock you. Not that you thought about your coworkers being mean, but through your journey of learning another language and moving from your country, you met all kinds of people. Also, you didn't want to be seen as weak or incapable of doing your job.

“Today was just a lot, that's all.”

“You usually work quickly, though I think I know what's going on. You keep a dictionary on your desk and usually carry a pocket version in your backpack, the days when you leave work late are paperwork days and you usually close the translator tab on your computer as soon as someone approaches your desk.” He explained looking around your stuff as if he was analyzing everything. “Is it about the language?”

“Yes, yes it is, okay? There, I said it!” Your frustrated tone made Spencer realise how tired you were about the situation. You didn't even try to deny it, you just hid your face around your arms, leaning on your desk —as if you were recreating the position he found you asleep previously—.

“Hey, but what's wrong with that?” He asked softly.

“What do you mean ‘what's wrong with that'? I'm supposed to understand everything that is on the documents, but I become slower because I have to verify and translate information that I don't understand because it is a more technical language.” The words were audible enough to him even though your face was still hidden.

“Do you realize English isn't your first language, right?” He tried to get you to look at him, but it didn't work. “Everyone in this work has difficulties when it comes to other languages. You don't have to feel bad because it's happening to you.”

“Does it happen to you?” Your shy eyes met his.

“Not really.” He answered with a hint of a cocky smile.

“See?”

“Well, I didn't say anything about me, you were the one who asked. Besides, I'm trying to be more sociable.” His comment made you chuckle slightly, but that chuckle became a laugh when you repeated what he said in your mind. “You are really funny, do you know that?”

“A-Am I?” The way you were looking at him, with a tired, yet cute, expression and a little smile, made his heart skip a beat.

“Yeah…”

“Well, I can also be of great help at work. Let me help you with the files.”

“It's not necessary.”

“It is. You need to rest, so let me get started while you go to the machine for something to eat. A little help never hurts.” He whispered, already taking the documents.

“Fine.”

A few minutes later you returned with an open package of cookies. You stopped for a moment, admiring the furrowed eyebrows of the genius boy who was reading the files with a lot of attention. Then you realized how fortunate you were for having coworkers like him. Or maybe was he himself the one who was so amazing that you would never get tired of working with him.

“Agent. Can I talk with you for a second?” Hotch's voice welcomed you the next morning.

Spencer's view followed your figure to the boss’ office and that didn't go unnoticed by his best friend.

“Pretty boy had fun yesterday?” Derek teased.

“What?”

“You know… Penelope said that last night Hotch wasn't the only one who left work late. You and our new colleague had a date at work?” His strong arm embraced the other's shoulders.

“N-No! I thought we were the only ones… No! Nothing happened!” Spencer struggled to say.

“Reid, can we talk?” Your voice made him turn around. He just hoped you weren't angry.

“What is it? Is everything alright?” He asked when both of you walked into an empty hallway.

“Actually, yes. Apparently Hotch received a request from the team's genius profiler to work with me on my paperwork days. So, you are having trouble concentrating on the files because of some headaches and need someone to work with?” As you spoke your tone of voice slowly reflected, with a mocking tone, that you knew perfectly well why Spencer had spoken to Hotch.

“Am… Yeah. Headaches are the worst.” He whispered looking to the floor.

“Thanks, Spence.” You said with sincere gratitude. Spencer looked at you again and felt a weight lift off his shoulders when he realized that you weren't mad at him.

“Sure. Whatever you need, I'm here for you… as coworkers, of course!” His voice got a little higher when he clarified immediately.

You were about to walk past him to return with the others, but then he spoke again. “Do you think maybe we can go and have coffee on a free day? I mean, I can help you with the words that are difficult for you. And, actually, I was thinking that I might need help with your language too. We can help each other, you know?” He gulped.

“Sure. A little help never hurts.” You smiled and walked away hiding a smile while Spencer was left alone, standing in the middle of the hallway, unable to believe that he had just asked you out. “Hotch is gonna kill me if he finds out…”

[freesia-writes]

Behind the Scenes of a Writer's Mind

I noticed something tonight that I thought might be helpful to share. You [hopefully] often hear fanfic writers urging interaction and support. It may seem selfish or prideful at first glance, but there's a lot more to it. Have a seat. 😉

The best metaphor I've heard is someone who loves cooking for others. Yes, they do it because they like it, but there's a deep gratification in sharing that work and talent with others and getting to hear how much it was loved and enjoyed. Same with writing.

I asked my favorite author @dystopicjumpsuit about her works -- which had the most emotional impact, which was the tastiest smut, which is her best piece, etc -- and was delighted to hear her answers because there were elements that I hadn't known or noticed, and it made me so excited to read them again (and a few for the first time, haha). It gave a new appreciation, a neat back story, and a richer experience to the fics. (READ THE ASK/ANSWER HERE)

She turned the ask back on me, and while I hadn't expected that, I was surprised at the process as I tried to answer. I had taken a good half a year off from writing after finishing the Hunter longfic. I had poured my heart and soul into it, and when it was done posting, it was kinda... empty. Life also was fairly crazy, so this side of me kinda went away for a while. I still wanted to write. I missed being here. But there was just no inspiration or motivation, and you can't force that.

But something neat happened when DJ gave me the chance to consider my own work. I reread some oldies. I smiled at things I'd forgotten about. The questions forced me to look at the good parts, my favorite parts, the best parts that I'm most proud of.

As a writer, it's easy to forget that. You get used to writing, you get used to your style and approach and voice, and sometimes it just gets to a point of "why bother"? ESPECIALLY if there's no feedback from readers. But it was awesome to be reminded of how my writing brings me joy, and that it's a particular area of gifting but also something that's honed and developed and refined over the years.

Considering the beautiful elements of what I've been able to create breathed fresh life into me. It brought confidence where there had been indifference. It reminded me of the fun of writing and the unpredictable nature of how it all goes down. It rekindled some of that joy of bringing delight to others with my time and effort. It rejuvenated the creative part of me that loves the process as well as the product.

So WRITERS -- if you're in a pit, perhaps read some of your own stuff. Enjoy it. Read works by other authors you love and ask them about it -- it'll likely remind you of some experiences of your own. But also, if the motivation isn't there, don't sweat it. Enjoy what you can and, if the fickle mistress of inspiration returns, bang that thang til fics fall out. (I'll see myself out, thank you.)

And READERS -- you enjoy what we create, yeah? Do you know that you'd likely enjoy it wayyy more if you had a lil behind-the-scenes knowledge? It truly enriches the experience all around, AND it's so encouraging to authors to be able to share not only the finished product but some of the joy of the process. So don't be afraid -- drop some asks, leave questions in reblogs, engage!!

If you've read this far (without skipping, you weasels), please consider this a free ticket for a fic request. ;) Drop one in my inbox and we shall see if the gods smile upon my mushy brain and clumsy fingers. But also, thank you for reading, and I hope that both writers and readers are encouraged to enjoy this space more fully!

FREESIA OUT 😘

[multiversefanfics]

When The Clock Strikes Midnight

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader Warnings: Mention of alcohol, mention of violence Summary: You were invited to another infamous Tony Stark party, usually he didn't invite interns to his parties but there was something different about you. Everyone loves you (some more than others) and you deserve to have fun too.

Just like every other fairytale a girl loves to be swept off her feet, danced all night, and of course, kissed by the love of their life. Unfortunately, you don't have a "love of your life", but you had a huge crush on Bucky Barnes, I mean who didn't he was gorgeous, charming (even though he doesn't think he is), he's funny, very protective, and caring. Bucky was in your opinion the best person to be around, he listens to you when you have a bad day, comforts you when you're upset, gets you all your favorite snacks, and attempts to cook for you, he's the only one that would sit and watch whatever movie you wanted, he was like your best friend. Until he wasn't.

It was the night of Tony's New Year's party; you finished up your work and then headed to your room to get ready, on your way you overheard Bucky in his room, you felt bad for eavesdropping, but you were too nosey to pass it up. "So, Y/N what brings you here? No Bucky that's stupid, obviously Stark invited her to the party." You heard him pace around his room he stopped and looked at himself in the mirror. "Y/N, would you like to dance?" You smiled to yourself and continued to your room, Bucky wants to dance with you how cute.

You stood in front of your closet looking at 2 dresses in particular a velvet dark red dress with a slit going up the right thigh or a silk dark sparkly purple dress with an open back. You stood there wishing to combine the two dresses but ultimately went with the purple dress. You didn't really wear makeup except for special occasions, and this was a special occasion. You took the time to do your hair as well, you looked at yourself in the mirror and smiled you looked and felt beautiful.

You were pulled from your thoughts by a knock on your door, you went over and opened it, revealing a nicely dressed Bucky Barnes, you met his gaze, and his mouth hung open "Hey Bucky" Bucky couldn't stop staring at you "Sorry, hey, are you ready?" You nodded and followed behind him, he looked so good from behind too, the way his shoulders were so broad and strong you could see them through his suit jacket. You didn't realize Bucky stopped until you ran into his back his hands found their way to your hips to prevent you from falling

"You okay, Doll?" You stood up straight, fixing your dress "Yeah, sorry I wasn't paying attention" He chuckled and took your hand guiding you to the car, he opened the door for you to get in you thanked him and got in the car, he made sure your dress was in the car before shutting the door. Bucky was always a gentleman, but something was different about him tonight, you couldn't quite tell.

You zoned out during the ride to Tony's, did Bucky know you liked him too? He's being a lot nicer than usual, you weren't complaining, and you definitely aren't going to question it either. You finally arrived at Tony's; you started to reach for the door handle when Bucky reached over and slapped your hand away, you put your hands up "Okay, okay." You watched him as he jogged around the front of the car to your side, he opened the door and slightly bowed as he held his hand out for you to hold on to as you got out the car.

Bucky didn't let go of your hand as the two of you walked into the party and you didn't let go of his. The two of you reached your friends everyone except Tony had a shocked look on their faces, Tony had a smirk on his face and cockily sipped his drink "So... Are you two?" You both looked at each other and smiled, you looked back at your friends "No, but I'm not opposed to it." Bucky smiled and kissed your hand "I'm gonna go get you a drink, be right back" You smiled and watched him walk away.

"What was that about?" Sam looked at you taking a sip from his drink "I'm not sure, but he's been super nice lately and honestly I'm not complaining." Natasha looked you up and down and whistled "Since everyone else is worried about whatever Bucky is doing you all forgot to acknowledge how stunning she looks." You smiled wide and did a 360 when you finished your spin Bucky walked up behind you placing his hand on your lower back handing you your drink, you thank him and take a sip.

After about 15 minutes of talking and laughing, you noticed Bucky acting fidgety "Hey Buck, do you wanna dance?" He nodded and followed you to the dance floor, the two of you danced closely "I don't know if I told you this, but you look gorgeous tonight." You smiled wide "Why thank you, Bucky you look handsome tonight." You softly pecked his cheek "You know, some might say you have a little crush on me." His cheeks turned a bright red and he bit his lip.

Bucky took a deep breath and looked into your eyes "I've had a crush on you since you started here, you were the first person to ever give me a chance, and you treated me with respect and kindness." He pulled you closer to him, slowly spinning around. "A year ago, when you came back to the compound crying after your boyfriend broke up with you, I wanted to do nothing else but comfort you that night, but you told me you wanted to be alone. I left you alone, but I went and beat up your ex."

Your eyes widened "You did what?" Bucky nodded "I know, I'm sorry but he needed to pay for hurting you, I was the one that left the teddy bear and chocolates at your bedroom door I said it was Steve because I didn't want to scare you. I like you Y/N, and I may even love you, you are this beautiful ray of sunshine that I need in my life, and if you don't feel the same way I completely understand and I hope we can still be frien-" You cut him off by placing your finger on his lips.

"You talk a lot, which is one of the many things I adore about you." He smiled softly and dipped you, that countdown until midnight started everyone was chanting "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Happy New Year." You cupped Bucky's face pressing your lips to his, Bucky held your hips and pulled you closer to him. You slowly pulled back and looked up at him.

"I love you too."

A/N: I hope you guys like this, I'm sorry if it seems rushed, If you want to be tagged in future fics fill this form out, or send me a message or comment on this or any of my posts. thank you!! Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated. 🥰

Taglist: @megamindsecretlair @kandis-mom @tdbooth @kjah97

Main Masterlist - Bucky Barnes Masterlist

[criswritessometimes]

it's always been there

contents - friends to not friends to lovers, stages of life, gn reader, cuddling, kissing

author note// ok, this was the piece that was keeping me from posting fanfiction for a while, she's big, but I had so much fun with this one! dividers by @cafekitsune !!

you first ran into charlie in your calculus class in senior year of high school. “hey, is this seat taken?” you asked some boy who had an open seat next to him. “um, no, it’s not.” he stammered looking up at you through his glasses and watched you take a seat. the class started, and your teacher informed the class that a lot of the in-class assignments and each semester-long project were partner-based and that she had your partners picked out for the year already. you rolled your eyes because you wanted to work with your sarah as she came in a few minutes after you and sat behind you. “when i say your name, please raise your hand so you and your partner know each other.” she stated. “(y/n),” you raise your hand, “you’re with charlie for the year.” the kid next to you raises his hand. you internally scream, you didn't want to be stuck with this nerd for the rest of the year. he smiles over at you as you both put your hands down and you smile back politely. the lesson starts talking about graphing as a refresher from over the summer and algebra 2. for the last 15 minutes of class, the teacher lets you start on the project for the semester with your partner. “ok how good at math are you, charlie?” you ask, not wanting to beat around the bush. “pretty decent, i guess.” he answers, scared he’s going to have to do the whole project alone. after a few minutes of discussing your strengths and weaknesses in math, you had a plan for the rest of the semester, “ok, if we divide the project like this,” you show him the paper of topics that were split, “we should have a pretty good shot of getting a 100 on this.” “i'm gonna start on the data collection from the word problems tonight.” this shocked you, “that’s not due until the end of the month.” “yeah, i never said i was going to finish them tonight.” he joked, making you laugh. he liked the sound of your chuckle and wanted to hear it more.

the days turned into weeks as you and charlie slowly became friends. he leaned over to you in class, “hey, did you finish the graph?” “yeah, i threw it in the drive along with the data points.” he gives you a thumbs up as he focuses back on the lesson. the bell rings before you’re allowed to check in time with your partner, so your teacher tells the class to get in contact with them before the next class. you wave bye to charlie as he packs his book and notebook into his backpack. you and sarah leave the room to walk with your friend maxine before walking to the cafeteria. “hey (y/n), are you coming over tonight?” maxine asks. before you’re able to answer, sarah answers for you. “they’re not; they’re going over to charlie’s tonight.” she says in a singsong voice. “charlie? isn't that the kid in your math class? why are you hanging out with him?” maxine asks as you find a seat in the cafeteria. “well, we’re working on the project for mrs. young and both of us are free tonight so i was gonna go over and work on it with him.” you explained to your friends as they looked confused. there’s a silence in the group for a minute before you speak up again, “y’know, he’s actually really funny once you get to know him; he’s just shy.” “yeah, i know, he’s a part of the av club.” sarah sneeres. she and maxine laugh as you get up to join the line to get something to eat. before you know it, lunch is over, and the three of you part ways to your last class of the day. you walk to your history class, which is fairly uneventful, until you get a text from charlie. 

from: charlie to: (y/n) are you still coming over after school?

you feel the buzz and shimmy the phone out of your pocket, texting him under the desk.

from: (y/n) to: charlie yeah, is that still cool if we work on the project tonight?

from: charlie to: (y/n) yeah, of course, my mom was just wondering if you were staying for dinner.

you smile at your phone but quickly put it away before getting caught. with the amount of time you’ve spent with charlie, you’ve become good friends in the few months you’ve known him. you always enjoy his company and are always really excited to see him in class. there was even one time where the two of you hung out outside of sch- “(y/n)? are you with us?” your teacher snaps you out of your trace. you blink to focus on her, “i am, yes ma’am.” “great what’s the answer to number 15 in the book?” she asks, testing you. you scan the book and look for the question. you find it and exhale. looking up in confusion, you answer, “the french?” “correct.” she confirms.

the class ends 10 minutes later, and you scoot out to find charlie. you see him sitting on a bench near the front door and walk up to him. he is working on his laptop when you ask, “ready?” he lights up when he sees you. “yeah!” he puts his laptop in his backpack and throws his bag over his shoulder. “thanks again for driving me home, crushed to the bus.” he laughs at the end. “it’s no problem, thanks for inviting me over. oh also, is it ok if i stay for dinner? I know it’s later than when you originally asked.” you tell him as you make it to your car and put your bags in the backseat, then settle into the car. “oh totally, i’ll just text her to let her know, she loves you.” charlie reassures as he takes his phone out and texts his mom. you smile at the last part. on the way to his house, you catch him up about the happenings in your creative writing club that you co-lead with your friend sarah. he catches you up with drama happening in the av club, which was honestly more than you thought. “wait so evan is dating vincent to get back at becca?” you ask, pulling into his driveway. “yeah because vincent and becca went out on like two dates and make it everyone’s business like last year.” he explained as you parked. “no wait, i thought that was alison and vincent.” you ask, getting out of the car and grabbing your bag. charlie mirrors you, “it was.” “wait so then was vincent seeing alison and becca at the same time?” you clarify as you walk to the front door with him. “the jury’s still out on that one but samson and i got bored one day and made a timeline and things are overlapping.” he implies, unlocking and opening the door for you. you’re stocked; maxine didn’t even have drama as good as this; your jaw drops at charlie’s bombshell. “hey, you’re gonna catch flies if you do that,” the fake concern coming from his tone, “mom!” he yells into the house “(y/n) and i are gonna be in my room working!” the two of you walk into his room. you immediately jump on his bed; that was a boundary that was overcome a while ago. “your bed is so comfy charlie.” you state, lying on your back. “hey, get up, we gotta work.” he says, sitting at his desk and turning his computer on. “i will work,” you prop yourself up on your elbows, “but in a minute.” charlie scoffs at you knowing your procrastination problem. you pull your laptop out, log on to google drive, and just stare at it for a minute. your eyes glance over to charlie, whose back was facing you as he was putting more data points into the main graph for the project. the thoughts you had from your history class were coming back. you smile at him before speaking up, “hey charlie?” he turns to you, “do you wanna keep hanging out after this project is over? i don’t know if mrs. young is gonna assign us new partners, but you've been fun to be around.” he gives you the same smile back, “yeah that’d be super fun.” you can see a faint blush come up his cheeks. the both of you return to your work as you start creating the google slides while charlie finishes the last detailed graph. “hey charlieeee,” you start; he makes a noise to show he’s listening, “have you finished your application for champlain?” you ask. “yeah i submitted it like 3 days ago. why?” he replies. “just curious, it’d be fun to go to the same college.” you sigh, hoping it will happen. charlie and you had conversations about college, as seniors in high school do, and there was some overlap in the schools the two of you were applying to. he was interested in media production, and you were interested in writing and publishing. champlain college had programs for both of you, why not apply? 

you and charlie said yes to champlain college because you both liked the program and the course offering, no other reason, oh and you thought the campus was pretty but no other reason besides those two. “are you there yet?” you complain to him on the phone as you and your parents drive to move in day from your hotel. “uhh i think? are you in hill or lyman? i think i’m at lyman.” he says, you giggle at his confusion. “we’re both in lyman, bozo.” you remind him. “we’re pulling up to hill, just follow us to lyman.” you hang up your phone. you show your parents where charlie’s car is and see him standing outside talking with his parents. you park and roll your window down. “hey stranger.” you greet him with a smile and say hi to his parents as well. charlie’s face lights up when he sees up; he’s just happy the both of you are in this together. “lyman’s down the road, just follow us.” you smile as the car pulls out and drives 3 minutes down the road. as you park, charlie parks right next to you and the both of you get out of your respective cars. you walk over to your trunk to pop it. before you can start unloading, charlie attacks you from the side and engulfs you in a hug. “hi.” you wheeze as all the air gets squeezed out of you. “charlie, i saw you on wednesday.” “don’t care.” he replies, hugging you harder, and you hug back with just as much energy. it was all smiles and good times as the both of you moved it. “oh hey,” he pauses, “we’re three doors down from each other.” he smiles and looks over at you. you have a content smile as you realize that charlie isn’t going anywhere.

as the days turned into weeks, the first semester was going really well for both of you. your roommate was fine, but you found yourself hanging out in charlie’s dorm more and more. his roommate was a part of the hockey club, and between practices and going out, he was never in his room with charlie. this also led to sleepovers you and charlie had; yeah, your dorm was three doors down, but it was so far away. “(y/n) you have class in a few hours, go back to your dorm and go to bed.” charlie would tell you late at night. “if i leave i cannot guarantee i won’t collapse in the hallway from exhaustion.” you were lying on the floor since he didn’t have room for a couch. he sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. “fine just take jared’s bed then.” “charlie, i don’t know your roommate like that to sleep in his bed.” you tell him, sitting up. he helps you up as you sit in his desk chair and lean against his raised bed frame. “do you wanna share my bed?” he asks nervously. your tired face lights up a little, “oh yay! like a sleepover.” “yeah sure a sleepover.” he agrees. charlie pulls back his covers for you; you climb in, scooting closer to the wall. you pull the covers up, feeling your eyes grow heavier. “gotcha go take a shower and brush my teeth.” charlie whispers and rubs the side of your shoulder. you nod wearily, snuggling into the smell of his sheets and pillow; it smelt like him.

you hear him grab his shower caddy, shut the lights off, and leave his room. it didn’t feel that long before you felt the bed dip and heard him put his glasses on his desk next to him. you start to sit up and move before charlie shushes you. “shhh, it’s just me. go back to sleep, you need rest (y/n).” he said in a gentle and calming voice. you roll over to face him and put your head into his chest to cuddle with him. the action takes him by surprise, and he’s stocked before he wraps his arms around you, pulling you closer to him. his head rests on top of yours, and he also falls asleep. these nights would happen more and more throughout the rest of your first year, and sometimes you would still be awake and feel him press a kiss into the crown of your head.

nearing the end of freshman year, charlie and you were still close and wanted to live around each other for the next school year. so, you moved into the same hall; however, you were one floor above him this year. for move-in this year, you and your new roommate, alex, met up and drove alongside each other to the dorms, excited to move in and start the next year. you remember seeing charlie nearing the end of the day; he was still busy moving in, so you decided to meet up with him later. “so how was your summer? i feel like i didn’t see you a lot.” charlie started as he sat on your couch. “it was good, i actually got a job at northern virgina doing editorial passes on their travel stuff so even though i was in town, i was suppppper fuckin’ busy, i should’ve told you instead of falling off the face of the planet.” you explain as you sit and face him on the couch. “i mean i’m a little sad that we didn’t get to hang out, but that’s super exciting! my mom reads northern virginia.” he tells you. “hey! that cool, maybe she saw my name in there, but how was your summer?” you ask. “it was fine, worked, worked on youtube stuff.” he started. the both of you continued to talk and laugh about your summers until your roommate came out of her room and said she was going to bed. charlie took that as his cue and left. you both promised to hang out more during the semester than in the summer; that didn’t seem too hard. 

hanging out wouldn't be that hard since you saw him in a writing for tv elective you both wanted to take the following morning. you see him sitting near the front of the class and walk over to him. “i didn’t know you got into this class, i thought it was full.” you sit next to him. “yeah i didn’t know they let shakespearean nerds in this class.” he shot back. you chuckle at his comment, “ok just because hamlet and twelfth night are two of my favorite plays doesn’t make me a ‘shakespearean nerd’ as you put it.” he giggles at your reply as the professor starts the class. you missed hearing his giggle. as the class picked up, as well as both of your other courses, both of you were at each other's places to work and hang out, so much so that alex asked if you and charlie were dating. “no but dude, do you see the way he looks at you.” she passionately says. “no?” you’re confused, “he’s one of my best friends.” “he looks at you like you hung the fuckin’ the stars and the moon (y/n).” she said. you’re taken aback for a minute. you know you look at him like that, but was he looking at you the same way? spring semester started, and you and charlie were settling into your classes for your majors more. it was sad that you wouldn’t see him in at least one of your lectures, but at least he still lived in your building. however, you were barely in the building since most of your time was spent in the library in the wee hours of the morning writing research papers for a class you wanted to drop but couldn’t. the class was challenging, but you were getting so much out of it. you would scan back into your dorm building at 1 am more regularly and sometimes see charlie in the common area with some of his other friends. he would always look up at you and wave. you would meet him with a tired smile and a small wave back as you headed to your room to sleep for a few hours. 

by the end of sophomore year, you were tired of hearing music until 5 am during finals week. you moved into your own one-bedroom apartment off campus. it was nice having your own space, plus the school’s library was an 8-minute walk away. when summer rolled, around and everyone was moved out, you texted charlie to update him about your place.

from: (y/n) to: charlie hey! i moved out and have my own apartment now!! if you ever need to visit the mountains, or me, in the summer, lmk! i have a couch with your name on it haha

from: charlie to: (y/n) yooo! congrats, that’s awesome! idk what i’m doing this summer but if i’m free, i’ll come see you : )

you smile and put your phone away as you start cooking dinner for the night. for the rest of the summer, you were working in vermont and charlie was busy in virginia with his summer job and youtube channel and was unable to see you in the summer. at the start of junior year, the only classes you took were writing or finishing up your last english courses. you were thrilled to have more friends from your major, and you hosted small dinner parties for those friends. your space was warm and filled with joy. however, part of you was missing charlie. you weren’t sure if you were just holding onto your past, but it just felt off. you heard from a friend of a friend that her new boyfriend, charlie, and she were going camping for the weekend, which is why she couldn’t come to your new writing for the press club you started. the next meeting you held, her phone went off and you side-eyed her phone when you saw someone that looked like charlie on her lockscreen; it was him. guess charlie had a girlfriend now. between your schedules and how much of yourself you were dedicated to the new club and your studies, you and charlie seemed to miss each other for the rest of the year.

for your last summer in vermont, you stayed at your apartment. you got an internship for another magazine company in food reviews that lasted until the winter holiday. charlie had told you about his youtube videos, and you watched them occasionally. he was still as funny as he was in senior year of high school, making you laugh so hard you fell off his bed. charlie would apologize and help you get up when your side crashed into his floor. you promised him that you were ok, but that didn’t stop him from getting an ice pack and holding it against your arm for 20 minutes. you smiled into your screen at the memory and took a break from your work to check on his channel. your senior year went by, and you and charlie didn’t see or hear from each other the whole time. you knew he was busy with youtube and his capstone project, and you were just as busy managing your club and working on your capstone project. during graduation, you hear his laugh and look to your left, and his eyes catch yours. your eyes locked, but neither of you made a move. you offered him a soft smile as a form of goodbye and thank you for your friendship over the last few years. he gave you a smile back, wanting to run to you and make up for the past three years of seeing you less and less and finally kiss you. until he lost his chance as you and your mom walked with your dad to dinner.

after a few jobs in vermont and one in new york, you were finally where you wanted to be. writing for the los angeles times and living in california. you had already made friends out here and moved in with one of your friends from champlain from your writing club, dillion. you felt so free as if the pieces were finally falling into place. you were working on an article about a movie that just came out when you got a text on your phone.

from: (213) 555- 8763 to: (y/n) oh my god! (y/n) i saw your name on the l.a. times! that’s insane!!

you look at your phone in confusion as you don’t recognize the number. flipping your phone over, you decide you’ll deal with this when you get home. you continue working for the day, leaving around 5. you drive back home, and the traffic isn't too terrible. it wasn't great, though; it's Los Angeles.

from: (y/n) to: (213) 555- 8763 thanks! sorry, who is this? i don’t have your number on my phone

the text was immediately read.

from: (213) 555- 8763 to: (y/n) it’s charlie from high school and champlain, i know we haven’t spoken in a few years but i still had your number, in my phone and wanted to congratulate you.

from: (y/n) to: charlie charlie!! why didn’t you say so! my god, i’ve missed talking to you. sorry, i deleted your number from my phone lol

from: charlie to: (y/n) it’s no problem, again i know it’s been a few years. i know this is weird but i’m going to a party tonight with some friends and i was wondering if you wanna come with? again, i know this is really weird, but i really wanna see you

you blush at the last few words. he wanted to see you? you?? didn't he have a girlfriend? it had been harder to keep up with him on youtube and social media as your job took up more of your time. you quickly text him back that you would love to join him. charlie asked for your address so he could meet up with you and travel with you. it turns out the party was a 15 minute walk from your apartment. he says he’ll be over by 8, which gives you plenty of time to eat dinner and get ready. you look in the mirror one last time before you leave, messing with your hair a little. there’s a knock on the door, and you look at your watch. 8 on the dot. you exhale, calming yourself before opening the door. it’s charlie, its really him. his eyes light up when he sees you, and a wide smile grew on your face. before you can even say hi, he flings himself into you, pulling you into a deep and tight hug. you hug him back like you did during freshman move-in. “hi.” you croak out. he pulls away, but you can tell he wants to linger. “hi, sorry, i’m just really excited to see you again.” he explains as you step outside and lock your door. “I’m really happy to see you too charlie.” you smile at him, unable to think of the works to tell him how grateful you are to see him. 

the two of you walk and chat, it’s like no time has passed. you can understand each other’s humor well and quip back and forth. once or twice on the walk over, you were laughing so hard you had to take a breather to catch your breath, and once you did, just looking at charlie, you started laughing manically again. there's a brief moment before you arrive at the party, "wait, what happened between you and sadie?" you asked. "oh we dated for like 10 months then i found out she was cheating on me with some random fuck." he told you. you frown at this statement, "i'm sorry charlie." "its alright i was too distracted in that relationship anyways." he says. your head tilts in confusion, but right as you're about to ask more about that, his friends are calling him, and by extension, you, into the circle they've created.

as you walk up to the group, you see the lights inside flashing and hear the bass booming; you’ve been to a few house parties, so that shouldn’t be a big deal. charlie introduces you to a few of his friends before everyone goes in. the lights are much brighter than you thought, and the bass is booming more than you thought. you really tried to be in the moment with charlie and his friends, you just got him back in your life, why would you leave? charlie begins to notice that you’re starting to become more overwhelmed as the minutes pass and only give a polite laugh or a few-word answer to the group when he knows you would joke or go on tangents given the chance.  all you could really focus on was trying not to get too overstimulated. you feel a tap on the back of your hand; you look down to see charlie’s hand, then back up at him and meet his eyes. he leans into your ear so you can hear him and says, “i’m going to the kitchen to get some water, do you wanna come?” he pulls away to see you nodding your head. he takes your hand in his and leads the both of you to the kitchen. the house was so densely packed that your chest was just about touching his back. he pulls a door open for you and pushes you in so other people won't see the door open and join you. “how’d you know where the kitchen was?” you ask, leaning against the countertop. “i’ve been here before, it’s a friends house.” he grabs two glasses and fills them with tap water then hands you one. you take it, slowly sipping on it. “you alright?” he leans in closer, rubbing your arm up and down. “yeah i think, just when a while since i’ve been to a house party, not super used to the bass in my chest yet.” you chuckle at the last part. “well,” he sits his glass down, “we can hang out in here as long as youd like.” you smile at the offer, “i really appreciate it charlie but i don’t want to keep you from hanging out with your friends.” “i wanna hang out with you tonight. i see those guys like 3 times a month. last time i saw you was at graduation and i never thought i would see you again.” he confesses. you're stuck in your spot and can’t form words as he looks at you with fear creeping into his eyes that he misspoke. “please says something.” he whispers. you put your glass down and reach for the side of his neck as you lean in to kiss him. charlie relaxes his arms wrap around you, keeping you close. your other hand comes up to hold his cheek. you pull away, and both of you are left breathless, and your cheeks turn pink. “better then kissing the top of me head during sleepovers freshman year?” you tease. his eyes widened, “oh my god, you remember that?”

[altruistic-meme]

we talk a lot about the exchange of "you lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone" but I feel like this whole page deserves more attention

the "you thought of it?" to "and you thought of it." is just so playful and joyous from Damen, he's having so much fun teasing Laurent here

[sentientcave]

November Updates

I'm participating in a non-nanowrimo writing challenge this November, so I'm planning on working on original fiction for the month. I'm going to try and post a few chapters from works I have a big backlog of while I'm busy trying to write a novel. Title cards for the projects I'm hoping to start posting below the cut!

[prongsfish]

jan... 29... i seriously am useless. so sorry guys

[violetsareblue-selfships]

good morning!! <333

[theflyingfeeling]

tomorrow-me's gonna hate tonight-me, part 3522

(an incoherent work-related rant in the tags, read if you will but it's boring lol)

[brighteststar707]

For someone who likes to say she doesn't have a type, I do have a tendency to just date the same people in different fonts over and over huh

[non-un-topo]

The irony of having no time to buy needles so I can take my T shot because the queer genders course is keeping me SO busy...

[lesbiancolumbo]

hoping for 2023 to be one of my most productive years in terms of writing ever

[penultimatestalematewithdeath]

Me, falling asleep in class because sleep deprived: Damn, I should remember how this feels so I can write it into a new Lockwood and Co fic

My 7 current L&Co. wips staring back at me: Why have you forsaken us??