#and i stay up until 6 am studying then wake up at 3 and get down to study at 4

[iliveinprocrasti-nationn]

one thing abt being disabled/chronically ill that some people don’t get is that sometimes body maintenance that ensures you have the absolute minimum amount of function can also be something that takes away a lot of control and autonomy. you can argue till the cows come home that making those decisions to try and help yourself (or realistically to try to make sure things aren’t worse than they already are) is something that exhibits control and autonomy and stuff, but they can be so limiting in practice because they’re things that take up so much time but have to be done to do anything else

[arnold-layne]

.

[youaintnothinbuta]

“I promise you the bed will be so much comfier” — Austin butler x reader

Summary: you are Florence’s bestie and meet Austin through her while she’s on set during filming for Dune :)

Pairing: Austin Butler x reader

Word count: 1.1K

Warnings: fluff! Slow burn, no real romance, friends before dating typa cuteness! I wrote this while extremely tired so sorry if there are typos </3

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Your best friend, Florence, was in the UAE for filming for Dune. When Florence told you she was going to be spending those 5 shooting weeks either in the desert or alone in the apartment they would provide for her, you offered to find some time to visit her for a bit, but it ended up in you just coming with her for almost the whole time.

You settled into a routine with her nicely, though you didn’t see much of her for more than a few hours at a time. Mostly you filled your time with exploring the nearby areas, reading and occasionally visiting Flo on set. It was during one of these days that you first met Austin.

It was easy to get along with his relaxed demeanour, and his charm made it even easier to strike up a friendship of sorts. It wasn’t long before your friendship with him felt as though there wasn’t a time where you hadn’t known each other.

One early morning, you found yourself tossing and turning in bed. Sleep eluded you, and the more you tried to force it, the more restless you became. Frustrated and tired, you grabbed your phone to check the time. 6:14. Florence had long shoot this day and you didn’t want to wake her up any earlier she had to be up. Pushing past the straining sensation the light of your phone gave your eyes, you decided to text Austin, who didn’t have to be on set until the evening.

“You awake? I can’t sleep.”

No reply as you scrolled aimlessly, waiting. Figuring his silence was a ‘no,’ you put your phone down and tried for the hundredth time to fall asleep. Just as the the room fell back to darkness, a buzz beside your head alerted you back to full consciousness.

“I am. Come over, door will be unlocked for you.”

You didn’t hesitate. All the cast and crew were staying in houses along the same strip and Austin’s was conveniently just across the road. You slipped on your shoes and quietly made your way over, the early morning air cool and refreshing against your skin as you knocked lightly before pushing the door open. You found Austin in the kitchen, already making his breakfast and a coffee.

“Hey,” he greeted you with a warm smile, “you look sleepy.”

“Because I am,” you replied, with slightly more attitude than you intended, “I just couldn’t get comfortable.”

You turned to leave, going to curl up at the end of the couch in the living room.

He soon joined you, placing his food on the coffee table. You lifted your head from the back of the sofa to look up at him.

Austin motioned towards his bedroom. “If you want to try and get some more sleep, I promise you the bed will be so much comfier.”

“Are you sure?” You asked, hesitating for a moment.

“Yeah, of course,” Austin said, leading you towards his room. “Make yourself at home.”

You slipped into his bed, instantly feeling enveloped in comfort. Austin closed the curtains but left the door open, ensuring you could rest without feeling too closed in. His sheets smelt divine, just like the way he smelt every day, but softer. And between you and well, you, there may have been some feelings starting to develop for him.

You actually did manage to get some rest, when the sound of conversation woke you. You heard Florence’s voice ask if he’d seen you.

Austin replied, “Yeah, she’s in bed,” nodding towards his room.

Concern painted Flo’s face, “she slept with you?”

Austin shook his head, setting down his coffee. "No, she came over earlier. She’s just having a nap. She couldn’t sleep at your place."

Florence crossed her arms, studying him carefully. "Mhm. And are you trying to sleep with her?"

Austin met her gaze evenly. "No, I’m not trying to sleep with her."

"So, there are no feelings for her? And it’s normal for you to let anyone you’ve known four weeks sleep in your bed?" Florence pressed, her concern evident. She was your best friend, and you did only know Austin a few weeks. She really was only looking out for you, even if she was being a bit pushy for half seven in the morning.

Austin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Right now, my feelings for her are friend deep because that is all I’ll let them be. If she makes it clear to me that she wants me to make my move, then I will allow myself to feel more.”

Florence nodded slowly, her expression softening. "I just don’t want you hurting her."

"I promise, that is the very last thing I want to do," Austin assured her.

Florence glanced towards the bedroom, then back at Austin. "Alright, I’ve got to go. I’m already late. Thanks for the breakfast," she said, holding up the small to-go container he gave her.

"No problem," Austin replied with a warm smile. "Don’t work too hard."

Florence gave him a cheeky nod and grin before disappearing, her voice yelling, “I will hurt you if I find out you try anything on her,” earning a laugh from Austin.

You decided to pretend to still be asleep so he wouldn’t know you heard any of their conversation. Austin took a moment to gather himself before heading towards his bedroom where he thought you were still sleeping. He approached the doorframe and knocked gently. You groaned softly, stirring but not quite waking.

"Sorry," Austin whispered, not wanting to startle you. "Are you ready for some breakfast?"

You shook your head, still half-buried in the pillows. Austin smiled softly, about to walk away, when he heard you mumble his name.

"Yeah?" he responded, turning back towards you.

You reached out towards him, and he stepped closer, thinking you were asking for help getting up. But instead of taking his hand, you wrapped your arms around his neck, insisting on being held.

He leaned down, his strong arms easily lifting her from the bed. You nestled against him, your head resting on his shoulder.

"Where do you want to go? The couch?" he asked softly.

You shook your head, your hair brushing against his cheek. You laid your head more comfortably on his shoulder, and Austin took the cue, gently swaying back and forth, like rocking a baby. His arms were strong and steady, capable of holding you for as long as you needed him to.

You stayed like this for several minutes, the morning light casting a soft glow through the partially closed curtains. Austin felt a deep sense of peace, content just to be there with you. Eventually, he felt you shift slightly, a sign that you were ready to move. He lowered you gently back down, your feet touching the floor. You looked up at him with a shy smile, your eyes filled with warmth.

"Let’s get you some breakfast,” he smiled back.

A/N: hi I’m back !! I missed y’all �� sorry this is bleh imma bit rusty

[being-addie]

Rest Days

It's currently peak summer where I live, and it is SWELTERING. While I'm planning to be as productive as possible (I'm not kidding my sketchbook is with me 24/7 at this point), thanks to the heat, I'm finding it really hard to stay focused sometimes. So when I'm feeling particularly lazy, or just distracted I take a rest day. I feel like I can afford this right now more often because it's the holidays, but when my classes restart in June I won't be able to even sit down.

ANYWAYS. Here's what I'm currently doing during an easy rest day. Maybe you can take some inspiration <3

My rest days:

Sleep in: I sleep until it's nearly 7:30 - 8:00 am. It's late for me because usually, I wake up at 6:00 am

Move around: If it's cloudy, I'll go for a walk, otherwise, I'll cycle to the gym.

Breakfast: I usually have this thing, where I saute some veggies, scramble eggs, and cook savoury oatmeal, then mix it all together. It's healthy and filling and it's amazing with barbeque sauce. If I'm craving something sweet, I make banana-oat pancakes (which taste and look so much better than regular pancakes I swear)

Sit in the sun: It's morning, and the sun isn't harsh, so I sit in the balcony with my cold coffee and chat with my mom as I soak up that Vitamin D

Watch a little TV: I'll watch like 2 episodes of the show I'm invested in (I'm watching Big Bang Theory)

Get ready: Take my sweet time bathing, doing my hair and getting dressed.

Sketch: So this is both productive and relaxing for me, so I'll pull up Pinterest and do some practice or I'll go to a cafe and do a live study.

Do a little crafting: Ok so this is my therapy. I'm not joking. I put on some Lana Del Rey, and make a mess of my desk. I love making little handmade gifts for family (I just made this insane exploding box thing for Mother's Day lol) or making paper crafts. I'm learning how to crochet as well. Highly recommend it. Put in your earphones, get your scissors out and start making something. Doesn't have to be pretty, just keep going.

Watch the sunset: My gallery is so full of pictures, I don't have any room for anything at this point. 85% is just sunset pictures.

Evening: I just eat dinner with my sister and grandpa, and then we like to sing and dance as I load the dishwasher and she cleans the table.

Read: After chores are done, I read on my tablet for a while.

Sleep: Bedtime skincare and lights off at 10:30.

I've actually done this in way more detail than I thought haha, but this is basically a way more relaxed version of my daily routine, just no studying?? But yeah here it is.

Understand that rest days are required. You do not have to constantly work. Humans are meant to socialise and have fun, as well as work. We aren't worker ants or bees. Relax, and remember to breathe. Everything will be ok. xoxo.

<3

[chernabogs]

Hi Ames 👀🫶

First, giving you smooches as congrats for your 100 follower milestone :3💖

I saw your prompt list and I was like ANGST POTENTIAL with all the prompt lines, but I picked some out with a more fluff mood in mind~

May I please request a Leona Kingscholar x gn!reader fluff read where there’s a storm on Sage Island and Leona’s been helping reader with their homework at Ramshackle but he can’t go back to his dorm bc of the storm

So he has to stay in Ramshackle over night with reader ehehehe

Here are the prompt lines I picked out:

- “The storm’s getting worse”

- “You look better in my clothes than I do”

- “You snore in your sleep. It’s adorable”

- “Sorry to put you through that. I guess I owe you one now”

Take ur time and if you can’t do mine, no worries :)

TYYYYY <3 <3 I love some good Leona content... I wrote him once but I'm ready to go again LKNAJF

Lights Out

Inc: Leona x Reader (GN), Ruggie (briefly) Warning: None! Not really romantic, but like... semi vibes. Sneaky vibes. If you squint you see them. WC: 2.6k Summary: An agreement to help you study leads to an unexpected situation when the weather turns sour

The weather had been kind for the entire week, and so Leona should have assumed by default that it was all a ruse. He had agreed (under some pressure from both your dire expression and Ruggies repetitive pestering) to assist you with your ancient curse’s homework—which really means he’s going to sit there and watch you while only offering a few scraps of information. He can’t make it too easy for you, no? 

The sky had been cloud free—as blue as a robin's egg, with the softest of breezes dancing across campus as the early spring began to wake from her slumber. He had spent a good portion of the day dealing with his classes and dozing in between after having sent you a brief reassurance that he’d still come in the evening. It was beautiful—glorious, even—until 6 o’clock hit. 

Then, like hell from above, a mass of storm clouds rolled in out of nowhere. The school alert system cited it as an unprecedented phenomenon, and as Leona glares out the window at the torrential downpour beyond, he wonders just how much of it is the fault of Diasomnia’s House warden. It feels like even the slightest of moods sends the man bringing down hail and fury with little regard. His tail twitches in irritation as he lets out another low sigh. 

“What’s the curse that turned that emperor into an animal again?” Your voice causes him to glance at your reflection in the window. He can see that you’re still hunched over the ancient curse’s textbook, your brow set in a furrow as your pen taps steadily against the kitchen table’s surface. “He had to go through a whole life-lesson thing to undo it…”

“He undid it with a counter-poison.” Leona hums as another flash of lightning splits across the sky, briefly brightening the room you’re both in before dying down once more. “He coulda stayed the same and still be able to change back.”

“That defeats the purpose, no?” He hears you setting your pen down and leaning back in your chair as he continues to alternate his gaze between you and the storm above. “If there was a purpose to begin with…” 

“The purpose was his death.” He turns away from the window and finally sinks back down in the seat across from you, his eyes closing and his head tilting back. “His advisor wanted him dead, so she figured cursing him would be a way to do it. Curses like that have been around since magic was still taboo.” 

“Yikes.” Your eloquent reply causes him to scoff as he listens to the sounds of the rain hitting Ramshackle's walls. Despite renovations being done, the acoustics of your dorm are still off-kilter, making him constantly pick up sounds that he shouldn’t be able to hear. 

The scratching of your pen accompanies the rainstorm, and then soon stops as he hears you shuffling around. “... the storm’s getting worse.” 

At that, he does open his eyes again, looking to the window with a frown. It’s pitch black outside, but he can see the relentless onslaught of rain against the windows glass. He pulls out his phone and turns it on; there are two missed messages from Ruggie, a slew of them from the group he has with the other House-wardens—he admits he is curious how many others are questioning Draconia—, and then one from his brother that he deliberately swipes away. 

“Seems like it won’t be letting up tonight.” Leona’s frown deepens as he reads Ruggie's messages. It’s a system that will be hovering over the entire island until mid-morning tomorrow. All students are being advised to shelter in place until it passes. “Shit…” 

“What?” You look up at him, your eyebrows raised. He sets his phone back down and fixes you with an unimpressed look. 

“The school put out a shelter in place notice until the storm ends—no students to leave the place that they’re at right now.” At those words, the lights in the room flicker for a moment before going out entirely, leaving the both of you sitting in complete darkness. 

Leona can still see fine, and he watches (with some amusement) how your eyes go wide in surprise and your breath catches in your throat. 

“Did something hit a line?” You’re quick to rise and peer out the window. Most of the dorms rely on magic to power their electric devices, such as with Ignihyde, but Ramshackle is old enough to still run on original lines. His lips twist into a frown as he remains seated while you gawk out the window in interest. 

“If it did, then there’s no use stressin’. It’ll be restored whenever someone gets around to it—after the storm.”

He personally doesn’t mind sitting in the dark. Granted, Ramshackle still is an ominous dorm to be in—with its ghost infestation and such—but there’s also a sense of peace present that can very easily let him drift off to a nap. If he needs to be on lock down in this place, he doubt’s it’ll bother him too much. 

That is if you let him sleep in the first place.

“I mean I guess we can just light some candles and stick it out?” You look back at him as another flash of lightning breaks across the sky, illuminating your form only briefly. He can still see your eyes are wide in surprise, and your breath is quick—either from the shock of the lights going out, or a fear of the storm toiling outside. 

He checks his phone again and notes that you’ve been going at it for nearly four hours now. He’s never had to pull an all-nighter for a test—lessons come easily to him without effort, after all—and a part of him wonders if that’s what your intent is. If so, he certainly won’t be staying up alongside you. 

“You do that. I’m gonna stake out that couch over there.” He scoffs as he undoes his vest. It won’t be the most comfortable to sleep in uniform, but it’s not like he packed an overnight bag in preparation for your study session. He finishes unbuttoning the vest and stands, stretching upwards for a moment before letting out another sigh. “Try not to drive yourself nuts shoving all this information in there.” 

“Grims lucky he went to Heartslabyul tonight…” you mumble. He watches as you go to the nearby closet to pull out some candles before he maneuvers himself around to lie back on the foyer couch. He can hear you bumping into tables and chairs as you navigate in the darkness before finally the faint, flickering glow of a candle being lit tells him you’ve survived in one piece. His eyes close and he lets himself fall into a state of comfort as he listens to the sounds of papers turning and pens scratching. 

…

But he can’t fall asleep. 

This is both inconvenient and unusual for him. It becomes apparent that, with the power getting knocked out, the furnace in Ramshackle has also broken down, leaving the dorm to gradually become colder and colder with each passing moment. He opens one eye to glare at the ceiling above as he can feel goosebumps rising on his arm. 

“D’you have a spare blanket or something?” He finally asks, sitting up to peer at you from over the edge of the couch. You glance his way, your face bathed in candlelight, before you hum. 

“Mmm, not one that doesn’t smell like mold, no…” you reply slowly. Leona’s expression sours at your comment as you set your pen down and stand up. “One second... I think I have something that might work.” 

As you pick up a candle and vanish to the upper floors of the dorm, he lies back on the couch to stare at the ceiling above. The remaining candles cast odd shadows about the room, and the slow ticking of a nearby grandfather clock proves to be both soothing and anxiety-inducing as the seconds pass by. His tail twitches once more as he listens to the sounds of creaking footsteps coming back down to the foyer. 

“Here.” He feels something soft hit his stomach and he grabs it by reflex. It’s a black hoodie—almost his size. “I won it at one of the school festivals. I don’t wear it often, so it’s clean.” 

Leona stares at it for a long moment. The front has an image of the NRC mascot drawn in a cartoon form while holding the set of keys he often sees on the headmaster’s hip. It feels like something he’d expect Idia to keep stashed in a closet, not you. 

Still, it’s something warm, and with some small grumbles of protest, he pulls it on and tightens the drawstrings. He’s sitting upright on the couch and glaring at the wall when he hears you chuckle to his right. One sharp glance, and he can see you watching him with a cheeky grin from the table, your ancient curses homework still strewn about. 

“You know, you look better in that than I do. All that’s needed is some holes for your ears in the hood, and then you’re golden.” 

“Keep talking.” He threatens in a deadpanned tone, earning a laugh from you as you look back to your homework. You know that he’ll never actually do anything to you—after all, by getting him to agree to come to your dorm in the first place, you already know you’ve won him over to some extent. 

He watches you from over the edge of the couch for a moment longer. The furrow in your brow, the way you tap the pen against your paper in a rhythm, the way you occasionally bite your lip while in thought. He seriously wonders why he agreed to come and help you in the first place. It isn’t like he enjoys school, and he’s certainly never considered helping someone with their schoolwork before. He wants to say it was solely Ruggie’s off-handed comments and deliberate looks, but he can’t shake the image of your distressed expression out of his mind when you asked him. 

Pity. It’s definitely out of pity that he’s shown up tonight. Ruggie just added fuel to the fire, that’s all.

But still, he can’t shake the sense of unease that stirs in his chest as he watches you for a moment longer before lying back down, his hand coming to rest on his abdomen as he did. The hoodie smells vaguely of you, and it does little to alleviate this feeling. He watches the shadows dance across the ceiling and listens to the sound of you working for a moment longer before he finally finds his eyes closing once more. 

It takes him a while, but eventually he falls into the shadows of an uneasy slumber. 

—---

When he opens his eyes, he’s greeted to the sound of a dove cooing. At first his mind doesn’t register where he is, and he feels a sharp sense of adrenaline rushing when he doesn’t see the familiar ceiling of his dorm room above him. Then the memories of last night come back—the power going out, the candles, your off-handed comment about him wearing your clothes—and he feels himself relaxing once more. 

“You snore in your sleep, you know.” 

Leona’s attention snaps to where you sit in the chair across from him. You’re nursing a hot cup of something in your hands as you watch him with a tired smirk. You pulled an all-nighter—he can tell by the slight bloodshot tint in your eyes. “Don’t worry. It’s kind of adorable.” 

“Adorable?” His brow furrows as he sits up, stretching forward and looking towards the nearest window. The sky above is a splash of pink and orange with the coming dawn. He can see the very same dove that he heard sitting on the windowsill, peering in with its beady eyes at the oddly domestic image of you both. “Don’t go annoying me with those kinds of comments so early in the morning.” 

“Sorry. I’ll be sure to reserve my next compliment for the afternoon.” Another cheeky little grin plays on your lips, and he tries to ignore how the sight of it makes that uneasy feeling return. He averts his gaze once more as he shifts to rise from the couch. He’s still wearing your hoodie. 

It feels nice. 

“Did you sleep at all last night?” After he composes himself and becomes fully aware of reality again, he glances at you once more. You sigh and lower your mug with a frown.

“I mean, somewhat? I dozed off at the table a few times, but I was working on getting through four units of text before the afternoon class.” 

“And did you?” He asks, raising an eyebrow. “Get through the four units, I mean.” 

“Three. Best I can do.” You chuckle in turn. 

“Which unit did you miss?” 

Your expression becomes one of thought before your eyes light up again. “I couldn’t get to the unit about impacts of curses on modern law. I tried to start it, but as soon as the court transcripts started popping up, my mind just completely tapped out. Legalese is not my strong suit.” 

Leona chuckles slightly at that. He doubts legalese is anyone’s strong suit, save for Azul, who uses it in contracts, or Riddle, who just uses it in general. “And your test for this is…?” 

“This afternoon.” You sigh. “I’ll just take the loss. I’m sure Ace, Deuce, and Grim will be sinking with me, at least.” 

He ruminates on your words for a moment. There’s no denying that you worked your ass off to try and learn as much about ancient curses as possible. He saw the three notebooks of notes that you were skimming through, and the fact that you’re sitting here looking dead on the couch makes that small spark of something start up again. 

Pity. It’s pity, he tells himself. 

“You look pathetic.” He grumbles as he stretches his back. “Tell you what. Lemme get back to Savanaclaw, now that the freak storm is done, and I’ll loan you my notes for that unit. Loan.” 

He emphasizes the last word with a pointed look. Despite how hard you’ve worked so far, he can’t make it too easy for you, no? Your eyes widen again in that comically surprised expression. 

“Oh, you don’t have to—” you begin, but he silences your words with another sharp glance. A small, grateful look then replaces the one of surprise as you sink back into the seat. “... sorry to put you through that, then. I guess I owe you one now.” 

“Well, I’m not gonna hold it over you like some people might.” He sighs. “But I’ll be keeping this sweater for now. I’m not looking to freeze to death before I reach the mirror chamber from here.” 

You nod quickly. “Yeah! Please. Just give it back whenever. Or don’t, you know. I don’t mind.” 

Your words falter awkwardly, and he can’t keep his lips from curling upwards a bit in amusement. “Right. Meet me back at the mirror chamber in thirty, then—and don’t make me wait, herbivore. I have things to do today.” 

Things being spelldrive practice—but he has a feeling you already know that. You grant him a sunny smile, which makes his chest ache once more, before offering a grateful wave. “Sure! Thanks again, Leona.” 

He ignores the way you saying his name gets to him as he shrugs dismissively before moving to the front door. “Don’t mention it. Seriously.” 

[yeontaescumslut]

ᓭི༏ᓯྀ ྐ𖥨᩠ׄ݁ ˖ ݁ 𓈒 불꽃놀이 ~ fireworks

Pairing: Taehyun x Reader

Genre: non- idol au, smut

Synopsis: You had never really cared for holidays, your family wasn’t close, you never really celebrated…that is, until you met your best friend Taehyun, who wanted to do anything and everything, especially celebrate holidays….and boy did this one take a turn….

Warnings: unprotected sex, name calling, public sex, hair pulling, slight pain kink, degrading

Word count: 2420

Authors note: Hey guys :’3 I wrote this on vacation so it’s not as good as the others but just something small to celebrate 4th of July for my Americans!

It was summer, you were on break from college, in Korea…you attend yonsei university and that’s how you met your best friend in the whole world, you shared the same classes, he sat right beside you in all the lectures and before you knew it, you were joined at the hip. His friends now became yours because let’s face it, you had recently come to Korea to study and knew nobody and nothing so you would take what you got.

Today was any other ordinary Wednesday for you, except for Taehyun it was the July 3rd the day before 4th of July, as 4th of July was an American Holiday taehyun thought it would be fun to celebrate for you, like a piece from home for you…

Text message | From ~ “Tyunnie 🐠”

Tae: “Sooo, we have plans tomorrow, don’t ask questions, dress cute, wear that top I like ;)”

Me: “oh gosh taehyun 🙄 you know I don’t like going out…”

Tae: “I knowwww but it’s going to be fun, you know I’d never lead you astray 😏”

Me: “Fine 🙄 what time do I need to be ready?”

Tae: “ Be ready by 8”

The rest of the night your mind is racing wondering what could he have planned, but you’re used to this, always going on spontaneous adventures…he knew how to make you love life, so even though you were nervous about tomorrow you were more so excited to see what you both would get up to next.

The next day comes around faster than you’d like to admit, you start your day late waking up around 11 am, eyes heavy brain still foggy, you rub the sleep from your eyes and grab your phone to check your notifications ~

New message from : “Tyunnie🐠”

“GOOD MORNING PRINCESS! I hope you’re excited for tonight I’ve got so much planned for us. See you later darling :3 ~”

You don’t like to admit it but this message made your heart race, in fact every message you received from him made your heart race, sending butterflies in your stomach….but he’s just your best friend. That would never work out, right? You decide that’s enough overthinking for today, shaking your head in realization. Slamming your hands on the bed beside you, you decide to finally start your day, you had lots to do before tonight, laundry, cleaning, finishing school work for the summer, etc etc ~

Time flies, before you know it, it’s 6:45 and decide that it’s time to get ready, you put on taehyuns favorite top that you own, a sheer black top that ties right below your breasts, and a black mini skirt, your shoes are black platform boots, you curl your hair, putting on the makeup that makes you feel the prettiest, and again before you know it you hear a honk coming from the front of the place you’re staying. Walking out you grab your black coach purse, looking yourself in the mirror giving yourself a pep talk, not to get too nervous in front of him, and don’t let your feelings get in the way….

Walking out the door, Taehyun is pulled on the curb in his black mustang, he’s standing arms crossed back to the passenger side door, flashing you the biggest smile, the one you love so much, deep dimples and sharp canines on display, your stomach turning in knots as you approach closer, you known him for months now yet you still hesitate every time you see him…

“There’s my girl!” he opens the car door, holding out his hand to guide you in your seat, as you grab his hand he bites his lip looking you up and down “God you look gorgeous” you respond with “well you did tell me to wear this top hyun” you roll your eyes at him but give a playful smile. As you take your seat in the car and get yourself situated he closes the door gently, walking back to the drivers seat getting in himself. His hand rested on the gear shift the other on the top of the steering wheel, he looks over at you “you ready?” you look back at him hesitating to answer “uhhh I guess?!!” you said with a shrug of your shoulders, the hand on the gear shift, moves to your bare upper thigh, slightly squeezing “We’re going to have fun I promise” smile as bright as always. You take a deep breath in and sigh, only being able to focus on the hand on your thigh, a heat raging in your stomach as his hand moves higher up your thigh as he drives. You’re sat still, hands in your lap not knowing what to do in this situation “ soooo uhhh where are we headed” you say tapping your fingers together just trying to break the silence “ We’re going to the mountain, the one not far from here” he says, hand squeezing your thigh tighter but eyes focused on the road.

By now the sun has gone down, you and Taehyun are just sitting and chatting eating snacks and drinking your champagne, you look at Taehyun to tell him something when suddenly, he grabs your chin turning your head back forward “Look.” As soon as your eyes hit the landscape fireworks shot up into the air, beautiful colorful fireworks, your eyes lighting up from the beauty and excitement from how much you missed them. “Wow taehyun these are….” before you can finish your sentence that same hand is turning your face back to him, your eyes meet his, they look as though they’re full of hunger, in a split second his lips are on yours, his hand moved to the back of your head pulling you closer to him so there’s not an inch between you two. He pulls away for a split second “is this okay?” He says, his eyes genuine. “Yes, it’s more than okay” barely letting you get your words out, his mouth is back on yours, tongue fighting for entrance to your mouth, with his free hand he places it on your lower back lowering you to lay on your back, grabbing a pillow and places it behind your head, he’s hovering over you, arms beside your head….now this is one thing you never expected, especially from him, he was always so…soft and kind and never pushy, but god did you love this side of him. His knee coming up inbetween your legs pressing it against your core only covered by your underwear. One hand coming to grab you by the throat, turning your head to the side so his lips can reach the nape of your neck, his lips warm, plush, and wet, trailing their way to your collar bones, then down to your chest, his hand moves to your waist holding you down so you don’t squirm under him, he uses his teeth to untie your top freeing your breast’s to the chilly night air, making your nipples harden before you can adjust to the temperature his mouth is attached to you, sucking and licking your nipples, his hands are busy pushing your skirt up your hips, his fingers finding your clothed clit, pressing his slender digits into your folds, mumbling into your skin “Fuck you’re so wet for me already? You’re a needy slut aren’t you?” His tongue trailing from your sternum to your waist, he’s leaving kisses along your hip bones, his teeth slightly scraping the skin every once in a while, sending shocks up your spine, little moans leaving your lips, his fingers slip your panties to the side making way for him to enter, his pointer and middle slide in easy from how wet you were. His mouth now hovering over your clit, heavy breaths with an open mouth make you spiral, he bites his lip and dives in, lips enveloping your bud, tongue making its way up and down your folds, his fingers sliding in and out of you, his free hand taking a handful of your tit rubbing his thumb across your nipple, your back arched on the Gingham blanket, tears welling in ths corners of your eyes….

Fireworks pop in the background, the showers of color illuminating Taehyuns features as he’s knuckle deep in your pussy. His eyes dart up to meet yours, when he sees your eyes shut tight he breaks away from your bud “Fucking look at me slut, I didn’t tell you to close your eyes”. He picks himself up, hovering over you once again, his fingers leaving your entrance, his arms wrap around your waist flipping you over on your stomach, one hand on your upper back pushing you into the pillow the other around your waist holding your ass in the air. “Stay” he says removing his hand from your back to unbutton his black slacks pulling them down to release his 7.5” you can’t see but hear the slap against his stomach, he spits on his hand rubbing it on his cock, moving your panties to the side once again, his thumb on your fold holding it open as he slides himself into you. Grunting as your pussy engulfs him, soft moans leaving his lips as well, when he’s situated in you, he speeds up his pace. Arm still holding you by your stomach ass in the air, with his free hand, reaching for your hair gathering your locks in a ponytail pulling your head up “I wanna see your pretty face while I destroy your pussy” You comply turning your face so he can see your side profile.

“Mmmm that’s my good girl” a devilish grin is painted on his face, his pounding getting harder, his moans growing louder, tears now painting your face as knots form in your stomach from him hitting just the right spot over and over again “Fuck I’ve wanted to do this for so long, you’re so mine” he says biting his lip hand letting go of your hair to smack you on the ass, the sting left behind feels painful but so sensual. His hand now grabbing a handful of your asscheek nails leaving crescent shapes in the skin. His head thrown back, his ashy brown locks coated in sweat. Beads dropping down the slope of his nose, he looked perfect.

His grip on you getting tighter as he nears his high, you also nearing yours cries escape your throat, his name in every one, he loves the sound of it so much so it’s drawing him closer and closer, your legs basically dangling in the air at this point as though he’s using you as his personal sex doll, his pattern getting messier letting you know he was about to cum, his hand now reaching under ti grab you by the throat pulling you up to him, your back now on his chest as he’s on his knees, his strength guiding you up and down his cock, his lips near centimeters from your ear “I’m gonna cum, fuck, and you’re gonna take every last drop” this sends you spiraling, stars dancing across your vision from how tight your eyes are shut “Yes sir” you say shakily getting out what words you can. His grip on your neck tightens, a pleasurable tightness as he reaches his climax, slamming his hips into your ass painting your walls white, his teeth dig into your shoulder blade as he lets out whimpers as your walls are tightening from your high following suit, you cry his name tears flowing down your cheeks, body pulsating as you feel the warm inside of you. He lifts you off of him just to bend you back over, hand on your neck so you stay in place, his pointer and middle push into you once again, pushing his seed deep into your pussy “I told you you’re not waiting even one drop” screaming bellowing out of you from overstimulation but god does it feel good from him. He finally lets you go, letting you fall to your stomach on the soft blanket and pillow, you sigh heavy breathing following….”Oh I hope you know I’m not done with you yet princess” kissing your shoulders his tone hands rubbing up and down your back. “oh fuck”.

[helaelaemond]

To See God

Pairing: Osferth x female reader

Word count: 3.4k

Summary: You met Osferth in the tavern last night and eventually he took you to his room. He didn't kiss you, he barely touched you, but he looked at you all night like he never wanted anybody more. You wake up in his bed to find him watching you between turning pages of his book. You need him to give in to his desires - and he does. Look up Song of Solomon 7:1-2, 6-12 for the translation of what Osferth is seducing you with in Latin. Cunnilingus, penetrative sex.

Content warning(s): erotic Bible study, first time together, misuse of the Song of Solomon

Rating: E

Requests open

Thank you @arcielee for your help with Osferth <3

The sun is coming through the window in a dreamy haze, and you slowly feel yourself returning from sleep. Under your head is a soft feather pillow, and over your body are warm blankets of wool and fur. It's a strange bed that you've not been in before, and it takes a moment for you to remember where you are.

"Good morning, my lady."

In front of the window, your new friend sits with a book in his lap, and a gentle smile on his face.

"You need not call me that, Osferth," you say sleepily, rubbing your eyes. "I am no lady."

"You are a fine lady to me." He turns the page of his book, and bites his lip as he smiles at you. There is that look in his eye that was there last night - like he wants to see you, to touch you. And God knows you want to touch him. When you had tried to push his leather tunic off last night, he had stopped you with such a pained expression that you wanted to run and hide - until he told you that he wanted to, but that he shouldn't. That he should like to know you better.

And so you stayed up talking long into the night. You lay down by his side and he allowed you to gently touch his face. He had closed his eyes when you did. He told you his name, his father's name, his life as a king's bastard. A no one, he said, until he came to Uhtred's service. You told him of your life, of the loss of your land and your search for a new home in a new place, and he had listened. He had really listened. That had meant more than any kiss.

But now you have woken with a hunger. There is heat between your legs just from the way he's looking at you.

"What are you reading?" you ask. You nestle down into the warm bed and watch how his long fingers run along the edge of it.

"Quid videbis in Sulamiten nisi choros castrorum quam pulchri sunt gressus tui in calciamentis filia principis iunctura feminum tuorum sicut monilia quae fabricata sunt manu artificis." His voice is warm and soft, just like his bed. You don't understand many words at all, but the tempo of the Latin is familiar to you. You notice his cheeks begin to flush as he reads. "Duo ubera tua sicut duo hinuli gemelli capreae."

"What does it mean?" you ask.

"It's, er..." He trails off, and he grips the book so hard his knuckles turn white. "It's from the Song of Solomon."

"I don't know that part of the Bible very well," you admit. "Will you show me?"

Osferth hesitates, as if held back by a great secret that he cannot bear to face, but then he smiles and gets up. He sits on the bed next to you, and puts the book between you. The words mean nothing to you on the page - no one in your family could read, and you can't. Still. It looks pretty, and you run your finger down the lines that are a mystery to you. "Read some more for me?"

"Perhaps something else, my-"

"I like the sound of this, Osferth."

There is something very satisfying in the way his face softens when you say his name. He nods. "Alright. Ah, where was I? Quam pulchra es et quam decora carissima in deliciis."

"In deliciis," you repeat slowly, smiling. "Delicious?"

He chuckles. "Almost. Delights."

"Oh, you're reading about delights? What kind of delights?"

He shifts slightly, and glances at you. You smile encouragingly. You move closer to him and run your hand further down the page until it rests next to his. If you concentrate, you can feel the heat rolling off his hand, and you can almost imagine what it's like to touch his skin. It makes breathing a little more difficult.

"About delights of... of a... oh, I shouldn't be reading this."

"Why not? Is it not part of the Holy Book?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then is it not divine, what you speak of?"

He smiles and looks down. His hand moves up the edge of the book slightly, and the tip of his forefinger touches yours. It is the smallest touch, yet suddenly it feels like the centre of everything. The whole world exists where your hand touches his.

"Yes," he breathes. His smile is frozen, and the rest of him seems to be, too. "I suppose it is."

"Osferth."

"My lady?"

"What does it mean?"

The breath he lets out is shaky. He turns his head to look at you, and you're all too aware of how close you are now. You want him so badly you could weep. He is so gentle, so sweet, and behind his soft gaze is a passion that you can see burn in him. He bites his lip, and his eyes drop to your mouth. "How fair and pleasant art thou, o love, for delights."

Hesitantly, he moves his finger over yours, and then his hand covers yours and turns it over. With such a delicate touch, he strokes gentle patterns onto your palm, and it's almost impossible to think of anything else. You scarcely recall how to breathe. "Is the writer talking of the Lord?"

Osferth tilts his head slightly and leans closer. You can taste his breath on your lips, you can feel the warmth of his body in what little distance remains between you. "No," he murmurs. "Of his lover."

"I didn't know they talked about that in the Bible." Your eyes close. Fire has ripped through you. You burn for him, for him, for him.

"I think it's in a woman that man can see the true face of God."

"You believe women hold that power?" You curl your fingers around his, and when he intertwines them, a soft sigh escapes you.

"I think you might, my lady."

His name is a prayer on your lips. "Osferth."

The first kiss he leaves on your skin is against your cheek. His lips are warm, gentle, undemanding. You have been kissed on the cheek before, but it never felt like this. Your head drops to the side in a silent invitation and it is one that he takes. He moves his mouth along your jaw, finding its place on your neck, and he lets go of your hand only to sweep your hair from your shoulder. When his kisses trail up to your ear, you let out a soft sigh again.

"My lady," he breathes against it. "I... don't know how to ask..."

You turn your head and open your eyes just enough to see him. Pretty is his face, shining are his eyes. You are so close that you can see every little freckle, every long eyelash; how wonderful he is to behold. And he is practically begging. "Just say the words."

"My lady, might we... can we...?"

"Say it. Please?"

Another kiss is pressed to your cheek and this time you can feel the way he smiles, and he asks quietly, "can we be together?"

There are barely enough wits left to you to tease him, but you try. "Are we not together now?"

He chuckles lowly. "I want to share... I want to worship you with my body, my lady."

A noise somewhere between a groan and a laugh escapes you, and you turn your head blindly in search for him. After what feels like a lifetime, he grants you his kiss on your lips; the world ceases to exist.

It is all you have been yearning for, this kiss from Osferth. His thin lips press against yours and he parts them, gently slipping his tongue against yours. The hand on your shoulder slips down to your waist, and you run your fingers along his sharp jaw. He shifts closer at your touch, and the kiss deepens. Quiet noises sound in the back of his throat, indications of his scarcely-held back need. When you pull his lower lip between yours and suck for a moment, his fingers dig into your waist.

Between you, the Bible is almost knocked to the floor and he starts. Abruptly, he pulls away and grabs it before it can fall from the bed, and he takes it carefully into his hands. "One moment."

You watch as he walks with it back to his window seat, and it makes you smile to see the care with which he rests it on the bench. There is a reverence in everything that he does. Even when he looks back at you with wanton need, there is a devotion in his face. It makes you blush; it makes you feel your heartbeat between your legs.

"Wait," you say quietly when he steps towards you again. His brow furrows in slight confusion, but you smile reassuringly. "It's alright. Just... wait."

You are still in your clothes from last night: a simple linen dress, copper in colour underneath a grey cover. Loose ties hold them closed - until suddenly they don't. Kneeling on Osferth's bed, you loosen the garments and one by one, you take them off, until you are bare in the morning light.

He looks at you like a man at prayer, full of wonder and awe. "I... you... oh, my-"

"Osferth," you soothe softly. "I would see you. Please?"

There is only a moment's hesitation before he follows your lead. You watch with tension in your belly as he pulls off his long wool habit, and it's just a linen shift beneath. There are hints of his lean body beneath, but when he removes that, too, you realise how little your imagination could do him justice.

Years with the great Uhtred have hardened his lithe body, and though his skin is pale, his muscles are defined, and you can see the shadows they cast across his skin. He stands a little self-consciously for a moment, hands clasped in front of him, but then you hold out your own hand in a silent call, and he comes with a smile. He holds your hand and you admire him for a moment, from his deep eyes to his half-hard cock that presses against his thigh, to the thick hair on his head.

"You're beautiful," you whisper. That makes him blush deeper than anything else before.

"I am nothing compared to you."

"No," you reply. You pull him closer, and he stands in front of the bed where you kneel. It almost makes you the same height as him like this. "There is no need for comparison, Osferth. You are beautiful."

For a moment, he hesitates. But then his face breaks into a smile wider than any he's shown you before. "I meant what I said, my lady. I would... I would worship you, if you allow it."

You look him in the eye as you take his hand and you press it between your legs. His eyes darken when he feels how wet and warm you are. "Allow it?" you echo quietly. "Osferth, feel how desperately I need you. It is not a question of allowing."

After you let go of his hand, his fingers slowly caress your folds, gently pressing just enough to make your thighs tense slightly. "Is it a question of anything?"

You swallow and shake your head. "There is no question at all. I need you. Please."

That is the final drop that makes the dam break. Whatever resolve in him was left to be slow and steady is lost, and suddenly his kiss is deep. His mouth crashes against yours in a kiss that is possessive, adoring, desperate. His teeth clink against yours before his tongue presses into your mouth, and then suddenly he draws yours into his and sucks needily. You scarcely have time to moan in delight before he presses you to lie back on the bed.

You had expected that you would need to guide him through this, for he seems so reserved. After all, he spent all of last night ensuring there was proper distance between you. Yet now he needs you, but he needs no direction. In a strong grip, he pins your hands above your head, and then his tongue is licking a long line from your jaw down to your chest. You can't keep your hands up for long, and the moment he sinks his lips over your breast, they are in his hair.

"Oh!"

He sucks on your nipple and swirls his tongue around it as long fingers find its twin, tweaking and teasing it in rhythm with his mouth.

"Osferth!"

He looks up when you sigh his name, and you meet his gaze. It is impossible to understand how good it feels to look down and meet his eyes with your breast in his mouth. When he realses it, you let out a soft whine of frustration, but it is only so he can lavish attention on your other breast. He works your nipple perfectly and it makes your eyes roll back into your head, it's so good.

When you rake your fingers over his scalp, his groans, and you can feel the vibrations in your ribs. You do it again, and so does he. Where on God's green Earth has a fallen monk learned what women like?

As if he can hear your thoughts, his attention turns south. Hot kisses lead him from the slopes of your chest and down your stomach, marking him as yours at every inch. Fingers find their way back to your cunt, and he runs them back and forth over your folds. With a light touch, he even carefully scrapes his nails, and you squirm at the contact. It's nowhere near enough to hurt - just enough to promise.

"I want to..."

He is kneeling between your legs now, and his cock is flushed and hard against his stomach. You mouth waters at the thought of what you want to do to it, but his fingers are pressing against your core and there aren't enough sensible words left in your head to ask.

"I want to kiss you here," he finishes breathlessly. There is a lovely flush over his chest and up his neck.

"Where?" you pant. As if you don't know.

He pushes his fingers against your wet cunt and drags them up to your clit, a spot that lovers in the past have never really cared to find. Yet he runs circles around it like it's nothing. It makes your spine curl. "Here."

"Please!"

He sinks to the floor and pulls you by the legs to the edge of the mattress so they're hanging off, and he kneels in front of you. You feel so exposed and so bare like this, but it's good, it's so good, because he's here and he's taking care of you and-

"Oh, God!"

His lips are hungry against you. He kisses and nips and sucks with more eagerness than he had at your breast, and he searches to find a rhythm that makes you sigh. When two fingers press inside of you, you grant him noises of delight, and you tilt your hips up slightly. Yes, there, just there, you think.

His other hand rushes up your body and finds one of your nipples again, and you groan. He quickly teases it between two fingers, and then rolls it gently between his finger and thumb, all while the other hand fucks you steadily, and his mouth devours you.

You have barely had a chance to even touch him by the time your first orgasm comes crashing over you. It's sudden and overwhelming, and you cry out his name, God's name, again and again. Your voice is strained and high and you gasp for breath, and without thinking, you pull his hand up and take his fingers into his mouth to suck.

When you look down at him, he is gazing back at you, and his lips and chin and cheeks are wet. He's panting, too.

"Take me," you beg around his fingers, nodding. If he doesn't fill you with his cock soon, you will sob. He is hesitant until you suck on his fingers again, and then his resolve is once more broken. With one hand guiding him in, he sinks slowly into you until his pelvis presses against your slick body.

He is less giving with his noises than you are. "Oh-"

"Louder," you beg. "Let me hear you, Osferth."

Breathlessly, he laughs. He is standing at the foot of the bed now, looming over you like a long-forgotten god claiming his prize. He leans down as he sets a steady pace, and he kisses you. You taste the rich saltiness of yourself on his tongue, and it makes you moan again. He presses his tongue deep into your mouth, as his cock does the same in your cunt. He's claiming you, worshipping you.

"Am I hurting you?" he asks between rough kisses.

"No," you reassure him, and your legs wrap around his waist to illustrate how much it doesn't hurt. "It's good. You feel so good, Osferth."

He smiles. It seems that even when he's fucking you, it's the tender words you offer him that make him blush the deepest. When he arches down to suck on your nipple again, his soft hair falls over his face and brushes your skin. It feels so good. You grasp his arms to try to ground yourself, but you're too far gone.

"Ah, my lady, I-"

"Yes, don't stop!"

"I can't, I'm- I'm-!"

Pleasure is quickly mounting in you as his thrusts get sharper and faster and they make you shake on the bed.

"Your hand!" you beg him, and he needs no further instruction than that. Where his mouth had found a sacrament, his hand now returns. He rubs circles around your clit as he fucks you harder and quicker. His face is tight with the effort, his gasps heavy with every short breath. "Osferth!"

You come crashing a second time, this time around his pretty cock, and every muscle in your body feels like it's spasming. Even as you fly high, you feel him pull out, and he doubles over the bed. Through half-closed eyes, you watch as he fucks his hand faster than he could ever fuck you, and whether it's the aftershocks of your intense orgasm, or it's the sight of him touching himself, you shiver and twitch. With his eyes fixed on your chest, he spills onto the bedsheets. His mouth is open in a silent shout, and his eyes squeeze shut.

Only when the hot, white ribbons have stopped leaking from his cock does Osferth finally let himself go. You watch as he pants and runs his hand over his balls, massaging what is left of the tension away. You smile slightly, and hold out your hand for him.

"My sweet, come lay with me."

He avoids your gaze, and as he straightens up, he looks around. "Forgive me, my lady, I must-"

He hurries to a chest of clothes and strips of cloth, and he begins wiping himself clean. You watch without the capability to have much thought about it, as you're still reeling from the orgasms he gave you. Osferth pulls his linen under-tunic back on, and part of you mourns the loss of the sight of him.

"Osferth?"

He doesn't look at you, and instead he bustles around the room doing... well, you're not sure what.

"Osferth!" Your shout makes him look at you with a start, but you're smiling. You hold out your hand to call him back to you. "Come here. Please?"

"I must-'"

"You must lay down with me, and you must hold me."

There is some tension in his face, but you still smile and beckon him over.

"Don't hide from me," you say quietly when at last he takes his place next to you. You smooth away the worry lines from his forehead with a tender touch. "Why do you try?"

He swallows. "I do not mean to. It is... guilt, perhaps."

"Why do you feel guilty, Osferth?"

"For many reasons, but I'm trying not to."

You smile, and as you stroke his hair, he begins to relax against you. "Did you see Him?"

"See who?"

"The face of God, like you said?"

Osferth smiles widely, and buries his face into your neck. "Yes, my lady, I did. I saw Him in you. And when you cried my name, I think that was Heaven itself."

"In deliciis," you murmur, threading your hand through his hair.

He chuckles quietly again. "In delight, my lady. My delight."

[amiserableseriesofevents]

Wherever you find love (it feels like Christmas)

24 Clegan Christmas drabbles for 24 days!

Prompt from here (but randomized)

[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4] [Day 5] [Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8] [Day 9] [Day 10] [Day 11] [Day 12] [Day 13] [Day 14]

[Read on AO3]

Day 15: Snowman

Post-war AU, wc 1149

It’s been snowing for days, a thick white layer covering the streets and making it absolutely impossible to drive no matter how often the plowers tried to clean, so Gale’s been forced to do his work from home instead of the University.

It’s not something he’s mad about, to be honest: he can wake up a little later and enjoy his breakfast in total relaxation, reading the newspaper and eating something more than just toasted bread. He can forgo his usual business clothes and just wear wool pants and warm sweaters, possibly John’s so the sleeves cover his hands for an extra dose of coziness, and sit in his little office all day without having to face the icy slaps of wind or the wetness of the snow. It’s perfectly peaceful — most of the time.

Until it isn’t.

“Buck! Buck!”

Gale barely has the time to sigh in defeat before John bursts running in the room with an excited smile on his face. “It stopped snowing!” He exclaims pointing out the window; Gale didn’t notice, but the flurry of soft flakes has indeed stopped.

“Let’s go out! Take a walk, make some snow angels, let’s do something!” John continues, pleading with what Gale could only describe as his best puppy eyes. He knows it’s been hard for John to stay inside for days, he doesn’t fare well in captivity as they’ve discovered during the war; this time they were safe, together without the fear of being discovered and killed, and they spent most of their time just existing in the same room, Gale studying and John reading, or cuddling, or dozing off in their bed after some good old “lovemaking to warm up” as John calls it, but he should have known John’s itchiness to go out would come back the exact moment the weather got better.

“I have to finish this,” Gale says apologetic. “Can you wait like an hour?”

“But what if it picks up again? It’s not done yet, the sky’s still snow colored,” John protests. “C’mon Buck, just a little walk, a few miles down the road!” He adds stepping closer until he’s crowding Gale against the backrest of his chair. “And then if you get really, really cold I can warm you up again,” he says with a knowing grin.

Usually this would be enough for Gale to cave, he does love being warmed up by John’s body that seemingly never runs out of heat not even when he’s been walking in the snow. But he really, really has to finish this project today or things will start to pile up and he’ll have to spend Christmas Day buried in his office. So he reluctantly moves his chair back to put some distance between John and himself. “I’m sorry, I have to finish this. I promise you it won’t take me more than one hour and if when I’m done it’s snowing again, I’ll make it up to you the way you like,” he says, softly squeezing John’s arms — the sweater he’s wearing is particularly soft, Gale makes a mental note to steal it from him as soon as possible.

“But what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” John insists, his large hand coming to cover Gale’s on his arm. “I’m bored, Buck! So bored!” He says leaning closer again, until the tip of his nose can almost touch Gale’s. He’s using all his ammunition and it really breaks Gale’s heart that he has to say no, but after a small moment of hesitation he pulls back again.

“Clean our driveway?” He tries: it’s fresh air and physical labor, something John likes. A bit useless, if it starts snowing again as he’s forecasting, but Gale thinks it’s a good compromise.

John huffs in disappointment, pulling back. “Fine, I’ll clean the driveway. But if the sky stays clear, in one hour I’m gonna barge back in here and carry you outside by force. Deal?”

“Don't count on it,” Gale answers with a smile, then sends John away with a flick of his hand. The other huffs and stomps away, leaving the door to Gale’s door ajar just to mess with him.

Focusing back on his work Gale hears him walk around the house for a while, probably putting on his winter gear, then the front door closes and he can feel peace returning to the house for a while. John gets back inside a few times but he never goes to bother Gale, which he’s grateful for.

Until a sudden thud to his office’s window startles him, almost making him draw a line across the paper he’s been writing. He turns to the window and sees John on the other side, all red in the face and smiling full of childlike wonder; he gestures for Gale to come out, no matter how many times Gale shakes his head and points back to his papers.

“I have to finish here!”

“Just a minute!” John’s answer comes muffled by the glass but he doesn’t seem intent on letting go so with a sigh Gale stands up and exits the office. He retrieves his winter jacket and boots and steps out, regretting it immediately when an icy gust of wind sneaks inside the jacket from his bare neck — where is his fucking scarf when he needs it?

John is standing in the corner of their front yard, hiding something behind his tall frame. He gestures for Gale to come closer but he shakes his head.

“I’m not gonna walk into the snow with these pants, John!” He says. The yard and driveway are still completely covered in snow, which makes him wonder what John has been doing.

Not deterred by Gale’s lack of enthusiasm — not that he ever is — John steps to the side and proudly presents him his creation: a snowman, tall and lumpy, with a crooked carrot for its nose and what looks like buttons for eyes, and a mop of golden tinsel on his head Gale supposes should be its hair. “Who’s that?” He asks, even if he thinks he already knows the answer.

John’s grin widens. “Why, that’s my new best friend Buck! I told him, you know you look just like an old pal of mine from the war, one who used to be fun and now just sits in his office all the time leaving me here all alone and bored,” he says, a hand clutching his heart for he dramatics.

“Oh so that’s your normal pickup line, I guess,” Gale shoots back. “Silly me, thinking what we had was special…”

John starts laughing at that, and Gale can’t help but chuckle as well in response. Until he takes a better look at Buck the snowman and clocks what’s wrapped about his snowman neck — his wet and cold snowman neck.

He gasps in sudden outrage. “Is that my fucking scarf?!”

[blissfullyecho]

I have an absolutely appalling sleep schedule. I have to wake up every morning at around 6:30 for classes, but my problem lies in my bedtime. I go to sleep around 1-2 and end up tired all day. I usually read my romance novels or scroll through reels or YouTube shorts during this time. I really want to change my habits but I'm having difficulty cutting the scrolling habit and the urge to reach for my phone at night. I can't even turn it off because I live alone. any ideas how I can change this?

breaking the habit of endless scrolling before bed

find your reason as to why you are reaching on your phone

the questions you should ask yourself is 1) when do i pull out my phone? 2) what am i searching when i reach for my phone? 3) why do i feel the need to reach for my phone / why am i attached to it?

the first question you may or may not have an answer straight away. it might take you a couple nights of picking up your phone in order for you to answer that question, which is fine, habits take time to break. so first consider how long you typically go without picking up your phone before bed. are you able to stay off your phone for 20 minutes or is it more like five minutes? the next thing you should ask yourself is what are you looking for when you pick up your phone. are you looking at specific content like personal development, fitness, studying, cooking, etc.? or are you looking to see how many story views, likes, and comments you got on social media? are you stalking your ex? are you trying to find another way to be entertained because you’re not being entertained? you have to be real with yourself first and foremost and interrogate yourself and get to the bottom line. again, you might not find an answer immediately, but eventually you will. lastly, you need to ask yourself why do you feel the need to pull your phone out. are you bored and you’re looking for entertainment, are you stressed and the first thing you do is reach for your phone whenever a little bit of anxiety hits? basically, tap into those emotions and those feelings the next time you feel the need to reach for your phone and ask yourself why am i doing this right now? feel free to go back to this question and reread my answer and ask yourself those three questions. this is a way for you to get to know yourself better, and to be more mindful of your actions. 

is it a lack of being entertained?

if you find that you’re not necessarily being entertained, you have to understand that you shouldn’t be entertained before bed. being entertained doesn’t allow you to wind down, relax, and eventually get a good nights rest. i don’t know if you have kids, but if you had a small child and they said to you that they couldn’t go to sleep because they’re distracted because of a toy that they really want to play with, you would tell them ‘no, you can play it tomorrow. go to bed’ because there’s no need for anyone to be entertained before bed. this is a time where you can look into reparenting yourself or to talk to yourself like a parent talks to their child. parents don’t say no because they don’t want their kids to have fun, they say no because they know what’s best for them. something that has recently worked for me when I’m trying to wind down but I still want to be entertained, is i take out my journal and whatever i want to watch on youtube, let’s say it’s personal development, i will write down a script as if I am a youtuber and that gives me the benefit of being entertained while also winding down because writing is very relaxing. you might also try making bullet journals, adult coloring books, or maybe listening to an audiobook. these ideas help you relax your mind, but also keep you a little bit entertained until your eyes get heavy.

is it a stress/anxiety coping mechanism?

i don’t know about you, but sometimes whenever i am in an uncomfortable situation, i reach for my phone because it feels like a safety net. if this is you, find other ways to ease your anxiety, and to ease your stress. this might be going on youtube and listening to a sleep meditation. maybe you want to do a stretching session that you can do in bed to relax your muscles. if you’re struggling with stress and anxiety before bed, you need to look for other ways to cope.

what can you do instead?

1) listen to an audiobook

2) adult coloring books

3) writing / journaling / bullet journaling

4) meditation

5) daydream / mental stories in your head

6) exercise a couple hours before bed

7) keep apartment/dorm/house/room dimly lit for a few hours before bed to trigger the “night time” sleep response from your brain

8) ***this really helps me*** i have a song i play about an hour before bed and now whenever i hear the song, i yawn because my body knows it’s time for sleep.

but most importantly, you have to find what’s best for you. so tonight or anytime you feel the need to reach for your phone before bed, stop yourself and ask “why am i doing this? what emotions am i feeling that triggers this? what am i looking to gain while being on my phone right now?” and don’t say “nothing”!!!! there IS a reason for everything, you just have to find it. then once you do, you should find alternatives to help get passed the phone habit.

i hope i helped! 🤍

[monsoon-of-art]

What’s daily life like for the main three hero ocs?

(i love all of your ocs so much btw they’re so fun to learn about!!)

this was a fun little thing! I put it under a read more, note these are probably rough time estimates!

Olivia (Dragonfly) wakes up around 9 am, feeds her pet insects (still TBD), and starts her day job of being a coding freelancer. She eats a healthy breakfast and checks the news while she works, to make sure nothing super crazy happened while she sleeps. At noon she takes her lunch break and watches TV with Clay and talks to her friends over text. At 3 she clocks out to exercise and train. If it's one of her Yoga Days, she'll go to the rec center to do yoga with her gal-pals, and maybe get coffee after. She'll kill time until the sun sets by checking her gear and the police radio. Once the sun sets, she begins patrols as Dragonfly. She'll continue patrolling and stopping crime until around 4am, where she'll try to retire to the evening to get some sleep. If there's problems she'll obviously try and stay awake.

Clay's schedule mostly revolves around Dragonfly; waking up with her, helping her make breakfast, watering the plants. When he has downtime, he'll "study culture" (watch television) or looking up words in the dictionary/thesaurus. He stays home when Dragonfly goes out, but when she's ready to go patrol, he follows. He sleeps when Dragonfly sleeps as well.

Cornelius (Hayday) wakes up at 6am, showers, gets dressed, and has some coffee. He then walks to work. He works full-time as a cashier, so around 8 to 5pm. He walks home, maybe buying groceries if needed. He cooks dinner for him and his Ma, and the two watch television together. He waits for his Ma to to to bed (Around 6-7pm), and he tinkers with his broom in the meantime. Once his Ma is asleep, he leaves out his bedroom window and the fire-escape to do...Hayday things lol. If the night is uneventful he tries to return home around 3am, and he crawls into bed.

[tamurilofrivendell]

Sleeping Beauty | Chapter 6

Previous Chapters [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] Read on AO3 [x]

Pairing: Thranduil/Fem. Reader Summary:  A Sleeping Beauty inspired tale with Thranduil the Elvenking, and a female elf living in Mirkwood under the care of Radagast, who is actually the 'lost' daughter of the late High King Gil-Galad. Taglist: @hufflepuff1700​​​​​​ @jinlizz-dragondrama​​​​​​ @firelightinferno​​​​​​ @bubbleyukismile @coopsgirl​​​​​​ @achromaticerebus​​​​ @sleepyamygdala​​​​​   @smalltownbigheart​​​​​ @qmabailor​​​​

When word reached Thranduil about the Enchantress once more being discovered in the forest by a group of elves on patrol, he had immediately left the council meeting he was in and exited the halls, his guards in tow. He had a letter sent by raven to Radagast this time, as the Enchantress had been seen on the opposite side of the wood from the previous week.

When he finally reached the area she had been contained in, she was standing much as she had previously. Studying her wooden sceptre and completely ignoring the elves of the patrol group in the trees around her with their arrows trained upon her.

Thranduil knew that it was her own decision to stay and wait for him. If not, she would have done what she had done before and disappear in a cloud of smoke as was her usual dramatic way. The king found her theatrics more than irritating.

He brought his elk to a stop and frowned down at her from atop the animal. The elk stamped its foot, glaring at the Enchantress in its own way. She didn’t move but she had an amused glint in her eye as Thranduil pinned her with a look of derision.

“I am more than certain I made you well aware of just how unwanted your presence is here, witch.” He told her, breaking the silence first and watching as she finally turned an amused gaze upon him.

“Hmm.” She merely shrugged in response, staring at him for a long moment. Her expression was calm enough to the eye but in her gaze Thranduil saw a storm.

A part of him he had thought to have long since left behind suddenly felt something. It took Thranduil a very long moment to place it. Fear. He almost did not even recognise it.

Thranduil had very carefully tucked every memory of that day in Lindon away into a metaphorical box in the very back of his mind. Locked it away until he no longer needed to spend an excessive amount of energy and attention in doing so, and the box simply stayed shut of its own accord. Until the memories no longer plagued his every waking second. Even when his father had fallen in Dagorlad, and the stress of being thrust onto the throne enveloped him, Thranduil found that box did not even crack open a little.

Not until this witch had made her reappearance and Radagast had spoken so of the past. Why now? Thranduil did not understand it. What did the Enchantress have to gain from being here, in all of Middle Earth? It could not simply be to taunt him, for he refused to believe she truly had nothing better to do with her time. Wherever she tended to pop up, a curse was often left behind, and he could not see why she would single him and his forest out after all these long years. She would have descended upon him sooner. What was she up to?

“Must we go through this again and again?” Thranduil said, showing his irritation but concealing any of the other feelings that had overtaken him. “I tire of it.” His voice was hard as he stared back at her. He was in no mood for games.

The Enchantress blinked back at him, her expression barely changing but her lips quirked just slightly into what could only be described as a mocking smirk.

Feren, to the king’s left just slightly behind, wanted to loose his arrow right into her throat at the sight but of course his self control won out and the only sign of his anger was the slightest narrowing of his eyes.

Thranduil was getting more and more irritated by the silence. She was trying to get a reaction, he knew this, and he was loath to give her one but he was concerned that if she dragged this out much longer he might just lose it.

“I have had enough.” He said finally. “You have-”

“Yes, yes.” Finally her voice came, brushing off his words with a dismissive wave of her hand and a condescending tone. “I have five seconds to leave before your soldiers loose their arrows and... what?” She tilted her head at him. “They will waste their arrows hitting thin air, for I will be long gone.”

Thranduil thought back to their last meeting, the thick smoke that had shrouded her, vanishing her away before even the elvish arrows hit their mark.

“What is it that you seek in this forest?” Thranduil snapped a little then, beyond done with this dance. “Speak, woman, for I have not the time nor the patience for these games.”

The Enchantress smiled sweetly back at him, the only remaining hardness to her face in her unblinking gaze. Seeing his frustration only brought her joy. Though she was not so foolish to believe that Thranduil Oropherion was harmless. No, on the contrary. She knew she had to tread carefully enough around him, especially if she was to be poking around in his beloved Wood. She would push him... but not so far, not yet.

“I seek nothing.” She told him, though her mind was fixed upon the elleth whom she had sought after for thousands of years. She could not be certain she was in this very forest but until she had searched high and low, she would not leave here. Her mind danced with visions of that day in Lindon and, much unlike Thranduil, the remembrance brought her great joy.

A long moment passed in silence before the Elvenking narrowed his eyes. “You speak and yet nothing is said.” Thranduil said impatiently, having been done with this entire conversation since it began.

This time, he issued no verbal command. Just the slightest, near-imperceptible, movement of his head was enough to have the elven soldiers in the trees loose their arrows within a second.

Still, they were not fast enough to outmanoeuvre the Enchantress, who once more was vanished within a thick plume of black smoke.

A noise akin to a growl of frustration sounded in the back of Thranduil’s throat as he pulled the reins of his elk and wordlessly rode back through the forest to his halls, once more left with nothing but anger, disappointment and bad memories.

“Is something the matter?” You asked from the other side of the room, where you had been enjoying your day at home lounging with a book. However, Radagast had been sitting as if in a complete trance for the past half hour and it was beginning to unnerve you just a little. As used to his oddities as you were, even picking up some of the strangeness, sometimes even you had to wonder.

He gave you no indication that he had heard you and so, after another five minutes, you stood and walked over to him.

“Uncle?” You prodded gently, coming to a stop in front of where he sat with a hedgehog on his lap and peering down at him.

Nothing.

Frowning, your gaze moved to the scrap of parchment held between his dirt-stained fingers. You reached out for it and, as your own fingers brushed its edges, Radagast finally moved.

He fisted his hand and pulled his arm towards his chest in the same moment, scrunching the paper up in his palm in the process, his eyes blinking as he looked at you like he was finally seeing you again. “That is private.”

You had jumped back a little at the abruptness of his movements considering he’d barely so much as blinked in the past thirty five minutes.

“What was wrong with you?!” You exclaimed then, not overly suspicious about the parchment right now. You shouldn’t have tried to snoop, you supposed. “If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought you had died where you sat!”

Radagast blinked again, his gaze softening a little. “I am sorry, my dear.” He said, reaching down with his other hand to gently ease the little hedgehog off his knee and onto the table beside him, where it moved to start eating from the bowl of forest fruits that were beginning to brown.

You sighed then, turning to go back to your book, though now you felt quite restless. “Well?” You asked a moment later, when the wizard still had not provided you with an explanation. “Are you alright?”

Radagast, now standing peering out of one of the crooked little windows, turned back to you with questioning eyes. A second later, he seemed to understand your meaning and nodded, waving his hand a little in the air. “Yes, yes, I’m fine!”

He moved again, making for the door, where he grabbed his staff from its place and opened the door. “I have to go tend to the eastern glade.” He said, sounding distracted, but you did not question him. He often went out to tend to the forest. He had always done so, but especially now with the way things had slowly started to change in places, to darken somewhat.

“Alright...” You murmured in reply, fixing him with a funny little look as you tried to figure him out. Your uncle was a little odd most of the time but today he seemed sort of... especially so. You couldn’t help but wonder if there was something he was not telling you.

Radagast turned to give you a last look as he fixed his hat upon his head. “Stay inside.” He told you, receiving a roll of your eyes in return but you nodded all the same. Satisfied, he turned and left the cottage, hurrying away through the trees.

He made his way North, not East, and hoped you had not watched from the window. Still, he could not spend much time worrying. He had received the Elvenking’s letter by raven (indeed, this was the piece of paper you had reached for) and he had been wracked with worry ever since.

She had returned.

Why?

It did not make sense that she should be here... unless she knew something. Radagast told himself not to be so paranoid. She could not know. It was impossible, was it not? They had been so careful in smuggling you out of Lindon as an elfling. They had been so careful that only he, Gil-Galad himself, and two of the High King’s most trusted advisors had known. The Enchantress could know nothing, of that he was certain.

Then what was she doing here?

He hadn’t meant to worry you by retreating into his mind as he had. However, he couldn’t sit idly by while great danger to you lurked within this forest. He had promised to keep you safe and safe was what you would be. He had sent his mind travelling, following the Elvenking’s spirit as he confronted the Enchantress. However, she had flickered away and Radagast had lost track of her. Now, he wanted to speak to Thranduil.

After moving like a madmad through the forest for Eru only knows how long, Radagast came to a screeching halt, his robes billowing around his ankles. His eyes narrowed as he thrust his staff out in front of him.

She stood there before him. The Enchantress herself. Dressed all in black, her dark hair falling in a long braid down her back. She looked, as always, like a Queen of Men. Powerful but beautiful. Bewitching. However, he could see the wolf beneath the disguise and he did not loosen his grip on his staff.

“My dear Radagast.” Her voice came then, soft as silk, but the wizard was as unfooled as the Elvenking. “How long has it been?”

[faeriemarie]

how i tried to manifest a 1600 on the SAT and failed miserably 🤪

9/30/2023

Starting today, I will vaunt as the first thing I do every morning and the last thing I do before I go to bed at night.

10/4/2023

Today, I am taking my first practice SAT. It is Wednesday and it is my first day of studying. The SAT is on Saturday. I am listening to an SAT subliminal while I complete the 3 hour test. UPDATE: I got a 1280 on the practice test.

10/5/2023

Today, I am taking my second practice SAT. It is Thursday and it is my second day of studying. I am listening to a different SAT subliminal while I complete the 3 hour test. I am not feeling confident in the least, but we press on! UPDATE: I got a 1330 on the practice test and I only got 1 wrong on the reading section :)) most of my math mistakes were just silly and that's somehow worse than me not knowing the content. i still feel inadequate.

10/6/2023

Today I am only taking the math section. It is Friday and it is my 3rd day of studying. I listened to the same subliminal while I did this test. UPDATE: I got a 680 on the math section which is literally the highest it has ever been!!

10/7/2023

Today it is Saturday and the SAT is today in 25 minutes. Last night, I listened to my subliminal out loud all night (~7.5 hours). I also did a little prayer at my altar for Hera to help me since she is my deity of choice <3. And possibly a sign, I saw a rainbow driving to the test center and it was the brightest and most vivid rainbow I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I plan to keep up my vaunting until the scores come out so until then, wish me luck!! UPDATE: i think i did really bad. The reading section (which is normally my best section) was SUPER hard and I just filled in random bubbles at the end. I feel like an actual failure and my reading score probably will be in the 500s. The math section was easy and actually felt too easy. I don’t even know what to think. I probably just need to put it out of my mind and let life take its course…

10/18/2023

There are less than 48 hours until SAT scores come out… i am shitting my pants. i’ve been vaunting every morning and night but still like…. fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck i’m getting rejected from everywhere i apply for sure

10/19/2023

ahhh fuck fuck fuck 30-ish hours until the big reveal. im so nervous. my stomach is churning, i don’t even want to wake up tomorrow morning. let me just stay on thursday night forever and ever and ever. i can’t take it.

10/20/2023

12 hours, give or take… 3 hours, give or take… okay time for the BIG REVEAL: i actually got a 1300. math score went down but my reading score went up. at this point, i'm gonna have to superscore (even though that is far from being enough). my shifting break cannot end fast enough. i'm so miserable. i hate it here so much. i wanted this to be an inspirational post about how i'm such a master manifestor, but i'm a failure. i hate my life. i hate myself. i hate everything.

[edwinspaynes]

I dont get how they can make that mandatory, I mean you have to live so close to a stranger, deal leaving the room when this person wants to have relations with their partner , I even heard stories of them doing it no matter if the other was in the room. Deal with them if they come home drunk etc if you dont share the same vibe of living it must really be a nightmare to many

Completely agree. It's really difficult and definitely made me suicidal, and it's very much a US thing. I think pretty much every US college does it, but have never heard of it happening anywhere else.

I think that the US does it to cut costs, personally. They don't need to keep up as much dorm space if they can shove 2 people into a room.

One of my roommates called her mom at 6 AM every morning. She was a bodybuilder and threatened to beat me up frequently. She played the TV at all hours and I have a sensory/auditory processing disorder. I never studied. She had her brother stay the night once a week. She frequently hooked up in the room. When I called her out, she told me to grow up. When she found out I was changing rooms, she ran the blender empty at 3 AM to wake me up.

I spent almost all my time at cafes, coffee shops, and froyo shops as well as the library. I would get about 4 hours of sleep in the room per night before the roommate called her mom. She refused to make the calls outside in the lounge.

I got a new roommate. She was very quiet and nice but went to bed at 9 every night. She couldn't sleep if I was awake, so she would come stand by my bed at 9 with her toothbrush and wait for me. I would try to read my homework on my phone in bed and she'd complain the light kept her up. When I tried to leave the room after she went to bed, she said to stop because me returning woke her up.

My 2nd year I roomed with a friend. It did not go better. She played video games all night until like 1 AM and would SCREAM into the mic. We had dozens of very loud screaming matches that ended with me having to move out into one of the very few, very expensive single rooms. Pretty sure they only let me do that because I was actively about to jump off the roof of my dorm and had cops monitoring me.

She and I are friends still! We lived together in seperate rooms in the apartment the next year and it was fine because we had our own space!

But yeah, I rented out the soundproof piano room in the lounge for deadass months and set up a little bed on the floor there. (I did not know that the piano room only had one key my freshman year - I learned because I sat in the lounge for weeks watching the janitor to figure out how to get on the roof and jump. I got the piano room key and made it my own.)

Shared dorms are to this day one of the worst experiences of my life.

[sprunki-ask-box]

What are y'alls morning routines? If any even exist, of course. And Lime, because I already know what you do, you should try liquidizing those instant coffee grounds instead of just eating them... Anole Anon 🦎

Lime: ... I do tho... I eat a few spoonfuls, and then add in the rest. Unless I fu- unless I'm not doing too good then I just... Eat it. But other than that I clean my teeth do some basic hair brushing... Yada yada...

Tunner: me and gray wake up the earliest but idk what gray does usually I get myself all cleaned up then dressed for outside work then make breakfast for me and brud before I start doing work around like... 6 am

Wenda: I open the curtains and then pass the fuck out again so I can enjoy the feeling of sunlight before I gotta go to college again... And I do the basic things after I wake up like teeth brushing and eating...

Gray: I wake up a small bit after tunner wakes up... Around like 4:29 am last time I woke up compared to tunners 4 am on the dot wake up schedule I just kinda wait around for some of the others... Or I check up on Wenda and jevin in the dorm before doing my basic things

Jevin: it depends on what I did that day, sometimes I get up at a reasonable time sometimes id rather just l stay passed out for longer. Or I just lay there if another reset happened.

Clukr: ... Y'all fuckers don't just sleep until like 1 pm? 🤨

Garnold: I do the basic check ups on my children before I take care of myself

Simon: I have way too much energy in the mornings so usually I go for a run or a drive on my motorcycle!

Oren, raddy, and pinki: we wait for one another to wake up ( they all usually go to bed with each other like one big snuggle party with just them 3)

Brud: clean self, clean teeth, eat breakfast, watch tunner for a moment, go get myself ready, chat with some of my friends, finish some work or studies I didn't do

Funbot and funbyte: usually we are powered down during the nighttime and get turned on whenever cluckr and garnold are ready it's like sleeping for us!

Sky: get ready for school :[

Vineria: I get limes medications ready, then get some of my dealings settled, then finally get out of bed check on owa and get myself ready for the day

Mr sun: I don't have to do much it takes me abit to fully wake up

Mr tree: hmm... I don't think bi really have to do much sometimes I stare at the sky and watch the pretty colors from sun slowly wakeing up

Durple: * bro he's still fucking asleep right now that bed looks like he barreled through it and he's gripping onto a pillow for dear life*

Black: I don't sleep *he stays awake until he physically passes out*

[suesimming]

Dawn Of The Simfected: Let's Get Started

(4)

DON’T READ AHEAD from where you are.

DAY 1

This day picks up directly from the prologue. The information you have is what has been given to you in news broadcasts you’ve already seen. You’ve been instructed to stay in your home; however, at 8:00 AM the following emergency message appears on your television and is announced over the radio:

"For emergency purposes only, the town is allowing residents to leave their home for a brief interval to gather supplies at an emergency outpost established at the local grocery store. Supplies are limited so each household may only spend up to $500 at the grocery store and get 2 books. Residents are being released on a street-by-street basis. Residents on your street are released at 4:00 PM and must be back in their home by 6:30 PM. Streets will be blockaded (impassible) until the indicated times. Anyone not returning in time will encounter the police and have all purchased items confiscated.” 

Note – Order groceries by clicking on the fridge when you return home. You can visit other areas in the city but you are not allowed to leave San Myshuno world. Your sims don't have weapons yet so if a zombie does attack them, you can not intervene. If they push them away, you can save your sim but if they get bitten then it's over for them.

DAY 3

The first cases of the R8-GE virus has been reported in your town. From this point forward, any ill sims must be checked for the virus. All supernatural are considered infected and cannot join the household or be interacted with.

Your neighbour comes knocking, very worried about the news. As you chat away about these new develoments, your neigbour notices a item in your apartment that they like. They are wiling to trade for a boardgame so you can be more entertained. Give them the keyboard for a the Don't Wake the Llama game table and some milk and bread (order groceries)

DAY 7

The citizens of your town have demanded an opportunity to leave their homes for leisure. Your street is free to go anywhere they like between the hours of 6P - 9P. Stores are not open; you are not allowed to buy anything. This is a great opportunity to get out, stretch your legs, take a drive, and meet someone new like the Sim you’ve noted gardening and crafting on the rooftop across the way. You have a strange feeling you might need a friend like him pretty soon. Remember, if you touch anyone, you must do a virus check.

You also aren't a city sim like the rest, you know how to fish and you can see where things are going. Your Sim sneaks out everyday to catch fish for your household and at night, you study things like cooking and gardening because you know things will only get worse from here. Your neighbour sees your catch and offers to clean and cook it for you if they can have some. As you share a meal, you get to know each other. You decide to team up and stick together. Your new roommate brings with them a handgun and ammo. You never know when you might need it. Click on a random young adult or teenage Sim and add them to your household. Don't create a Sims to add as you want this to be as random as possible. Give your Sim the fisherman part time job.

Try and find Bill the rooftop Sim and make friends with him.

DAY 10

While the virus seems to be widespread your city has managed to contain it. In an effort to allow citizens to refresh their supplies, your street is being permitted to go to the grocery store only from 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM. All other businesses are closed.

When you return home, you go to check on your downstairs neighbour. He's a army vet and you'd like to pick his brain about what is happing and maybe sneak some groceries into his fridge as you know he's too proud to ask for help. When you get to his apartment, there's a note on the door "I am not a coward, but I am so strong. It is hard to die. P.S Take care of Soldier." Your neighbour liked giving you history lessons when ever you stop to have a chat. You recognize the words as being the last words of explorer Meriwether Lewis. With a heavy hart, you slowly push open the door. Soldier's is in his cage, all his toys and food neatly packed in bags. The bedroom door is closed and you decide to not look, you'd like to remember the old man as he was.

A: you add a pet to your household. B: one of the other neighbours takes Soldier, looking after a pet now is more work than you can handle.

DAY 14

In an attempt to quell local protests springing up, the city has yet again agreed to open up the leisure facilities to you. Your street is free to leave from 8:00A - 11:00A.

At the park, a fight breaks out. You don't want to get involved and risk getting exposed but you see a little old lady get knocked into the street and a car coming full speed, you jump to pull her out of the way. You sit her down on a bench to check if she's okay. You strike up a conversation and make a new friend. Before she goes, she gives you a knitting bag and a book with canning recipes stating that where she's going, she won't need them. You hug her tightly not caring about the risk and go home realizing that the world will never be the same again. As you get ready to leave, you notice the little old lady left her bag full of groceries.

Note - you Sim can now start knitting and canning. Order $400 of groceries.

DAY 17

Many cases of R8-GE virus have been reported in your city and the situation continues to deteriorate. The city has managed to contain it but for how long? The increased number of sick Sims has made public services hard to provide. At this point:

All services, with the exception of police and fire department, are not available. (When getting groceries, you'll have to use the produce stand in the neighbourhood) Power & Water: Due to decreased staff, the power plant can no longer provide 24-hour services. Hope you have candles!

Shift + Click on the mailbox and inact the water and power NAP plans.

DAY 20

The morning news update flips on promptly at 8:00A. Your town is seeking volunteers to get help to those who need it. This will raise morale and help reduce the criminal acts of desperation that are threatening the streets. Volunteers will be able to leave their home at any time today.

Food must be presented as a gift to someone from another household; however, the assumption is you would not directly touch them to give them the food. It can be prepared or unprepared food or something else that would be considered critical need during a time like this.

Your Sims must do as many odd jobs as possible.

As you walk home that night, you notice a homeless Sim behind the dumpster fighting with someone. As you get closer to help, you notice the Sim is covered in blood, they reach out to you but multiple hands appear from the darkness and drag the screaming Sim deeper into the darkness. You run home, shaking and feeling a deep primal fear like you are no longer top of the food chain.

“Flu my ass” you mumble as you lock your door.

DAY 23

The army is distributing supplies. You receive $500 groceries, medicine and two sleeping bags. You ask the young soldier what’s with the sleeping bags seeing as everyone is staying indoors. He looks around nervously and whispers that you might need it soon. As you go back up to your apartment, you notice some of your neighbours are packing up and leaving. You hear glass break in one of the apartments, as you get closer to the door something slams into it growling and scratching. As much as you want to believe it’s a dog, you think of the homeless sim and something tells you its almost time for you to leave too.

DAY 26

Disaster! Due to the general lack of maintenance, the town’s power plant explodes leaking deadly toxic waste into the water supply. While water can be purified for drinking/bathing, the fish population is decimated and any that survived are toxic to eat. No more fishing.

You decide to go down to the camp to get more information about what to do next and notice the camp is empty. All the medical staff and soldiers are gone. A single truck drives by with a small group of soldiers, your run after them yelling qeustions and begging them to stop. You are ignored but just before the truck dissapears around the corner, a soldier yells "Get to the roof, they'll fly you out!" You run home and pack what you can carry. Food and a few other small items. Your building doesn't have rooftop access but your new friend Bill does. Bill is happy to see you all and although it's windy on roof and cold, you feel a little safer. From this point forward, Sims can’t do anything at night other than play games, cook and sleep as there are no lights and it’s not safe at night. Your Sims will also be tested for the virus as of today whenever they come in contact with new Sims. Quit all jobs. It’s time to choose which Sim will be a scavenger, home-maker and builder.

Scavengers will be the only Sim to leave the lot from now on, choose whoever has the highest athletic skill or klepto trait. They will go dumpster diving, collect harvestable, fight other scavengers for supplies and protect the lot against raiders. Give this Sim the zombie hunter trait from the Sac zombie menu. Select auto shoot zombies and collect loot.

Home-makers will never leave the lot. They will garden, tend to animals, cook, care for children and seniors, clean and make clothing. Choose a Sim with the family-oriented trait for this role. You home-maker needs to knit as much clothing as they can to use for trading.

Builders use what scavengers find to create what is needed. Builders do repairs, use the workbench, make candles and upgrade items. They are also responsible for beekeeping and keeping foxes away.

Only the Sims selected for these jobs can do them, you can’t have a Scavenger cook food or a builder go fishing,

All outfit categories must be changed to your Sims everyday outfit. Think of how you would dress in this type of scenario. You can sleep in your underwear and have a warm jacket for winter.

DAY 30

The police are no longer able to contain the streets! There is a mad run on the few remaining supplies at the grocery store. Watching the chaose erupt down below, you decide it's time to arm yourself before what is happening below finds it's way to your rooftop. You decide to skip the grocery run and go to the abandoned medical camp. Maybe they left some ammo and weapons behind. You (scavenger Sim) make a run for the camp. The streets are empty. Abondoned cars, doors open, luggage strewn all around. In the distance you can see buildings on fire. You double check the gun strapped to your leg and decide to go low and fast.

You get to the med camp and find it fairly intact. You manage to get some first aid spray and 5 units of food (3 items=1 unit). As you look around, you stumble into a restricted area. You look for supplies and stumble upon the mother load. Large guns, lots of ammo and a crate full of items marked with lables like "infected repellend" and "confusion mist". You also find a file about a secret lab, a possible cure and one name Sigworth. Before you can grab anything else, you hear footsteps…lots of footsteps. You take a peak outside and see a crowd of Sims walking into the camp but something looks very off with these Sims.

Clothes torn, blood smeared all over them and their eyes are clouded. You can see some are badly injured but the pain doesn't affect them. As you watch and listen it hits you

"Holy shit, their zombies." you whisper as you watch them, paralized by fear. You notice they move like a herd of sheep, one following the other without looking around. Its time to get the heck out of here so you grab for your backpack only to knock over a tray sending its contents flying and turing the herd towards you.

Roll the dice: Even numbers - you see a gap in the fence outside the mobile unit you are in. You grab the bag with guns, the medical supplies and manage to get out a window and out of the camp before the heard surrounds you. Uneven numbers - the herd moves fast, you only have enough time to grab your backpack and a gun or the med supplies.

Back home you tell the others what you saw, show them the file and decide to start keeping a diary. Maybe there is a way to fix all of this.

DAY 35

You hear a loud BOOM followed by the sound of laughter off in the distance. You awake in the dark, your best guess, around 3:00 AM. You peek down at the street and see nothing but darkness. In the interest of safety, your scavenger is chosen to go investigate (if you have two that share the same skill, pick one).

Your sim sneaks outside in darkness peering around for any signs of trouble. It doesn't take you long to find it. You see fire burning in the distance. It looks like the local hooligans have attacked someone. You hear the roar of an engine and duck behind the dumpster thankful your camp on the roof is completely dark. A car of screaming hoods drives right past as if they were chasing something. You breathe a sigh of relief then hear a timid voice from the darkness a distance behind you. "P…please help me".

CHOICE: You squint at the form of a small child, approximately 7 or 8 years old. She (or he if you choose) is in rags, dirty, and looks generally sickly. She is not close enough to you to do a virus check right now and you warn her to stay put. You strike up a conversation with her from a safe distance and learn that she was in the recently burned home. Her last remaining family member, her older brother, got involved with a group of bad kids and a rival gang attacked their home tonight. Her brother abandoned her and drove away. Do you…

Tell her to hit the street. No more mouths to feed and no more virus checks here. If so, she runs off sobbing in the dark. No need to do a virus check.

Help her. This means a virus check against the sim speaking to her ONLY (the rest of the household is tucked safely away).

A. If your sim is infected and survives the virus, you can, at your own peril, try to bring her into your home BUT each family member will have to make a virus check. If everyone dies you cannot add her.

B. If your sim passes the check, she is not infected and you may add her if you wish (no other family members need to roll). His/her traits must either be animal enthusiast or loves the outdoors and must be pale and thin. She takes you to her brother’s secret stash. You find 20 units of food, a tent, medicine and $500.

[maddieladner1999]

Bad idea right? Chapter 6

It’s time for nationals. I will do a long story here so here are the chapter plans: 7: New York day/ flight home 8: week until opening night / opening night. 9: graduation 10: summer

Finals is the same week as EJ’s nationals performance so the boys are working very hard. EJ takes less shifts at work so he can study more since rehearsals have become more consistent. Ricky is struggling to balance too but with Gina studying works. Being the male lead requires a bit more work than the other have but he’s become a quick learner. He aces his finals and after the last one he’s the first one outside. Nationals is in New York so he heads straight to the airport. He and EJ decided to meet each other there since he has to fly with the team. He has had a 6 pm flight out booked for 3 weeks now. EJs has been made with the acapella group arrangements for a month. Ricky shoots EJ a text while on the way to keep him updated

Ricky: I passed my finals. I’m on my way to the airport now. See you in New York sweetheart.

EJ’s flight leaves at 5 so he gets the text as it’s only 3. He’s already at the airport.

EJ: I’m already at the airport. Don’t know what terminal you’re flying out of. It’s probably the same as me. Maybe we’ll get a minute before I leave. Have one of those airport kisses?

Ricky: I can’t text and drive can I call?

EJ: yes. But you’re not right now are you?

Ricky calls EJ

Ricky: no I pulled over to fill up on gas. Was about to get back on the road.

EJ: good. So how long until you’re at the airport?

Ricky: I’d say 40 min?

EJ: and then you have to go through TSA which might take 30 min or an hour. Depends on how busy it is.

Ricky: are you already through tsa?

EJ: no I’m still in line. It’s pretty long but we’re getting close. I’m gonna have to hang up for a minute.

Ricky: ok call me back when you got your stuff.

EJ hangs up and after getting through the metal detector and getting his stuff he calls Ricky back.

Ricky: that didn’t take very long. So now what?

EJ: idk. I guess I can go get some food and wait at my terminal.

Ricky: you wanna stay on the phone till I get there or save phone battery?

EJ: I should save it. Text me when you’re through tsa.

Ricky: sure thing sweetheart

EJ hangs up and Ricky focuses on driving to the airport. About 30 minutes later he gets to the airport and after an hour he’s through TSA, he texts EJ and finds his terminal. It’s right next to EJs. They find each other quickly and of course kiss.

EJ: I only have 30 minutes

Ricky: that’s plenty.

They enjoy each others company until EJ leaves and all the while Ricky eats his food.

Ricky leaves an hour later. Once he lands he gets EJs text of letting him know he’s at the hotel. He responds

Ricky: just landed. I carried on my bag so I’m gonna be there soon

EJ: good. Take an Uber. It’s late.

Ricky orders his Uber to the hotel they’re staying at and goes to EJs room. The acapella group got one room for each member so Ricky is gonna crash with EJ to save money seeing as he had to buy his plane ticket, food, and Uber here. They watch some glee on EJ’s laptop before falling asleep. When they wake up the next day it’s early. They take advantage of the free breakfast downstairs before getting ready for the competition. EJ has to leave a bit early to make it in time for the competition and Ricky joins him.

EJ: you know you could’ve waited longer to leave for the competition

Ricky: I know. But I want to be with you as much as I possibly can.

EJ: you say the sweetest things

Ricky: I know. You’re my sweetheart. Wouldn’t be able to treat you any less.

EJ: looks like we’re here

They get out of their Uber and head inside the building. There are so many groups here it’s no wonder it’s an all day competition. 20 groups perform today and the top 10 go again tomorrow.

EJ: I don’t normally get nervous but I am today

Ricky: hey it’s ok. I’ve heard you guys on your voice memos. You’re gonna kill it. And if you don’t make the top 10 it’s ok. You can try again next year.

EJ: idk what I’d do without you

Ricky: I honestly don’t know how you made it this far without me honestly

EJ can’t help but laugh. He knows what Ricky is doing. He’s trying to distract him from the nervousness. It’s working too

EJ: I’m gonna go get checked in with the team and see you later.

Ricky: I’m gonna go find a seat. Hey you think they take an intermission for lunch?

EJ: yes they do. Can’t let performers go hungry

Ricky: good. You going on before or after that?

EJ: idk yet. I’ll text you when I find out.

EJ meets up with his acapella group and they get checked in. He’s not performing until after lunch so he texts Ricky and tells him they sit in the audience until they are next so he can sit with them. Ricky is obviously thrilled because he didn’t wanna sit alone for hours. He finds EJ closer to the stage and joins them. EJ sat on the end so Ricky can be next to him.

Ricky: does this thing start soon?

EJ: yes and keep quiet when it does.

After the performances before lunch are done they head off into the city to find food. They go to the nearest McDonald’s and eat within 30 minutes and head back. EJ’s group is right after lunch so he has to leave Ricky now. Ricky stays close to the acapella groups so he can sit with EJ again after the performance. The Blindorphins are great but so is every other group so he doesn’t know how things will go. After the performances of the other groups are over it’s time to see who makes it into the top 10. They didn’t even place.

Ricky: it’s ok. You guys were great. Now you know how hard the competition is at nationals though and you can work harder for next year

EJ: I really hoped you’d be a good luck charm and we’d place.

Ricky: me too. But it’s cool. Let’s go back to the hotel and sleep. It’s been a long day. After their short Uber ride back they settle in with some showers and glee again. They have late flights home the next day in case their group placed so they decide to go sight seeing the next day. Sleep takes over soon.