#and now i've had them in there for 10 minutes and they're so hard i could build a structurally sound house with them

[umilily]

what is it with me finding 414361 ways to fuck up mozzarella sticks??

[glowettee]

🕶 she ghosted the groupchat & built an empire

hey lovelies!! ✨

so i've been thinking about this a lot lately... like how we're all constantly connected but somehow feeling more drained than ever?? and it hit me that sometimes the most revolutionary thing you can do is just... disappear for a bit??

i literally had to turn my phone off for three days last month because my creative energy was being sucked dry by all these group chats that were going nowhere. like, bestie, why am i reading 87 messages about someone's ex's cousin's new haircut when i could be building my dream life instead??

so here's my unfiltered thoughts on strategic isolation + how it literally changed everything for me...

✧ protecting your energy isn't selfish, it's essential ✧

let's be honest - we're all just walking energy fields. and every notification, every "hey girl, you free?" text, every random zoom call is either feeding your field or draining it. i started tracking my energy levels in this little pink journal (yes, elle woods style but make it productive) and noticed that certain people and activities were literally vampire-draining me.

some hard truths about protecting your time:

• not everyone deserves access to you

• "sorry, i can't" is a complete sentence

• your dreams require your full attention

• boundaries aren't mean, they're necessary

• your future self will thank you for saying no today

i started implementing what i call "ghost protocols" where i literally just... stop responding for periods of time. not forever! just long enough to recalibrate. it feels uncomfortable at first (i literally had anxiety sweats) but then something magical happens - you remember who you are without all the noise.

✧ digital detox rituals that actually work ✧

okay so everyone talks about digital detoxes but they make it sound so basic like "just turn off your phone lol" which... no. here's what actually works:

1. schedule your disappearance (sounds dramatic but it's just good planning) - i block off "ghost time" in my calendar just like i would a meeting

2. create a hyperfocus sanctuary - mine is this corner of my room with no wifi, just candles, my journal, and a vintage alarm clock. no devices allowed within 10 feet.

3. implement the 5/1/3 rule - for every 5 hours of deep work, allow 1 hour of connection, followed by 3 hours of integration time where you process what you've created

4. batch your responses - i only check messages twice daily now (12pm and 6pm) and i use templates for most replies which sounds cold but actually gives me more energy for meaningful conversations later

5. practice saying "that doesn't work for me" without explaining yourself - hardest thing i've ever done but most rewarding

✧ hyperfocus rituals that built my empire ✧

the truth that nobody tells you is that success isn't grinding 24/7... it's protecting your focus like it's the most precious resource on earth (because it literally is).

my non-negotiable focus rituals:

• morning pages but make them strategic - i write 3 pages about my vision every morning before touching my phone

• the 90/30 method - work in complete silence for 90 minutes, then take a luxurious 30 minute break (no exceptions)

• environment switching - i have different spaces for different types of work (creative work happens by the window, admin work at my desk, planning happens on the floor with a giant paper)

• sensory anchors - learned this from a few psychology articles online, stayed w/ it foreverrr -> specific scents, sounds, and tastes that tell my brain "it's empire building time" (for me it's this fancy bergamot candle + instrumental lo-fi + earl grey tea)

i know this all sounds intense but listen... while everyone was busy commenting on instagram posts and overthinking text messages, i built something real. something that matters. something that's mine.

sometimes the most rebellious thing you can do is disconnect in order to connect more deeply with your purpose. and yes, people might get annoyed when you don't respond right away. they might even talk about you in those same group chats you left. but honestly? that's just background noise when you're focused on building something meaningful.

your time is literally the only non-renewable resource you have. protect it fiercely.

xoxo, mindy 🤍

p.s. what's one conversation or obligation you could ghost this week to get closer to your dreams? i promise the world won't end... but your empire might just begin.

⋆ psst. i made a free workbook just for you. it’s soft, dark-academia, and full of real advice. get it here: deprogramming your trauma-coded ambition

[insanely-lovely-and-random]

I am living for the resurgence of the murder mystery genre, I was game for the remakes of the classic Poirot films with Kenneth Branagh, I was charmed by Only Murders in the Building and I'm in love with Rian Johnson's work and by that I mean both the incredibly popular Knives Out franchise and the highly underviewed Poker Face series featuring Natasha Lyonnes as a Columbo-esque character I'm currently in love with.

Speaking of Lyonnes this rant is about The Residence! The connection being that The Residence stars Uzo Aduba who also featured in Orange is the New Black alongside Lyonnes. And God am I glad these actresses are getting fantastic roles like this because they deserve them. Cordelia Cupp is brilliantly weird and she pulls off the ego of the Detective type without making the character an asshole. She's really damn likeable and funny. This show is in general. I loved it. Binged it over the weekend and now I've finished all I want is another season. The writing was both hilarious, quirky and at some points damn touching! I was absorbed in a romance briefly brought up for about 10 minutes in one episode, absorbed! I also felt really genuinely sad abou the murder victims death through out but especially near the end of the series. The more I saw of him the more I felt really reaally bad for the guy. That's hella impressive for a show to do for a character we normally don't get that much emotionality from.

The mystery itself was great fun, lot's of twists and turns but cleverly layered upon each episode. It's also definitely a twist you can unravel near the end, which is good! Personally I got it narrowed right down in episode 6 and episode 7 basically confirmed my theory and that makes for a very satisfying season finale when it all comes together. My ADHD brain very much enjoys a mystery series because they're quite fast paced and good at relaying previous knowledge we need to know.

Although Uzo Aduba definitely made a fantastic series lead this show was full of fab performance's. I can't even begin to name them all but the character's that made me laugh the most were Ken Marino as the President's asshole advisor, Mary Wiseman as a passionate chef from "Portland". But my fave was Jason Lee as the President's useless brother Tripp. My God no spoiler but there is a scene in episode 8 featuring him and a George McCutcheon (The Whitehouse has three of them apparently) that literally had my laughing so hard.

Basically please watch this show I want more Murder Mysteries and in particular another season featuring my now third favourite Detective Cordelia Cupp! (Benoit's 2nd Charlie Cale is 1st even though she literally isn't even a detective🤣🤣)

[yueichihara]

"Shut up!" - LaDS reactions.

LaDS boys reacting to you screaming at them to shut up.

Summary: How hard can it be to ask for a little peace and quiet when you're finally having a little bit of time for yourself? But they dismiss your request and have the audacity to pester you even further.

These are short stories, about a tired MC who keeps being called out to work, and whenever they're free they go out with the boys and spend no time to chill at home to recharge. So they snap.

cw: snapping at zayne, straddling, fluff

Tags: @sxremmie @hirostrvw

Xavier - pt. 1 - 637 words

Rafayel - pt. 2 - 944 words

Caleb - pt. 3 - 952 words

Zayne - pt. 4 - 1,090 words

Sylus - pt. 5 - 1,080 words.

After two weeks of back to back fights and report filing, you'd finally gotten a day off to relax at home. Moreover, it was the release date for a game you'd been highly anticipating.

You'd gone through all the proper preparations: phone turned on silence mode, all your favourite snacks, a comfy setting at your couch to be able to spend hours without worrying too much about posture.

You'd woken up fairly early because of your usual schedule, and took this chance to start downloading the game, getting breakfast done and cleaning around a little bit so that your consciousness wouldn't betray your relaxing state mid-game.

It was noon already, you'd been immersed playing for a few hours now and your stomach had started to ask for something sturdier.

Getting your phone out, you scrolled over the delivery app looking for something that may catch your attention. When you've settled on something, you decided to get something else for the evening, just in case you lost track of time as it had happened before. 

The doorbell rings a few minutes after you'd sent the order. Puzzled, since the app signaled that the delivery was still getting prepared, and you hadn't invited anyone over, you waited it out. If it was something important, they would ring twice. 

You start playing again, getting into a side quest that would give you loads of currency, when the door rings again, repeatedly.

Cautiously peeking through the comms screen, you see Zayne looking back, expression unreadable. You hurry over and open the door. You have no time to greet him as he cups your face and turns you over checking for something. 

“Zayne! Stop, what are you doing!?” You move away as he reaches for your face, and he stops midway at the stern tone in your voice. 

His fingers flex and he lowers his hands, bending down to get his bags and following you inside. “I've been calling you all day. I asked you to call me yesterday after you left work, but you didn't. I thought you were tired so I didn't insist, but you wouldn't answer your phone today.” As he steps further into the room, he catches sight of your gaming set-up, the screen on pause. The concern in his voice turns into something sharper. “But it looks like you're just fine.”

You turn around looking at him and the bags on his hands, ignoring the tone of the last sentence. “Well, I’ve been working non-stop for a few weeks, weekends included. I just wanted two days of peace and quiet to relax. What’s in the bags?” You ask, moving over to the couch to continue the game. You’re used to having him over, trusting he’ll either come sit beside you or over at the table to continue his own work. He does neither, and as your focus centers on the game, you fail to notice him putting away the groceries he brought over, not answering your question. After a while he comes over and stands behind you. Again, you fail to notice that he started talking.

A while goes by and your focus starts to falter as you start to register his tone and presence behind you, the noise only driving your consciousness further away from the fight on the screen. You grimace as the enemy lands a hit that makes your PH go down to 10%. Suddenly feeling irritated, you shout over your shoulder “Shut up! I’m trying to focus here.” Another hit lands true and the words GAME OVER appear on the screen, at the same time the delivery app rings to signal that the delivery is at your buildings’ door. Throwing the control on the table, you turn towards your phone and open the notification tab, only to notice the dozen missing calls from Zayne. Your heart clenches and you suddenly remember what you just did, frustration washed away by guilt.

Slowly turning to him, you swallow the lump in your throat as you notice the cold look in his eyes. “Say that again.” He says with his arms crossed over his chest. You try to divert his attention, mentioning the delivery and rushing over to get your food, trying to shake the sensation that ran down your spine. Back in your apartment, you find Zayne now sitting on the couch, arms still crossed. He looks over as you move to put the food on the counter, you feel his gaze on you at every movement. Turning back to him, you see him pat the space beside him, signaling you to come over. 

But instead of sitting where he told you to, you straddle his lap, putting your arms around his neck. You feel him stiffen against you before he relaxes, his arms going around your waist, patting your back. You sigh against his shoulder before pulling away slightly, cupping his face with both hands, your thumb caressing his cheekbone. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

“You should be apologising for not picking up my calls.” One of his hands moves to cup your face, too. “But I’m sorry, too. I know you’ve been stressed lately, and our dates also take a toll on you, even if you don’t want to admit it. Especially after you’ve been going non stop at your work and fighting wanderers.” 

You sigh and lean over his shoulder again, letting yourself melt against him. “I’m sorry about the calls, too. And about the dates… I think I might need a few of them to be at home. Maybe our dessert tour needs a break.” He chuckles and continues to draw soothing circles on your back. 

“Yeah, we can go back to it once we’re both more free.” A while goes back and you stay like that, wrapped around him, drowsiness washing over you. “Ah.” He says after a while, pulling you away from sleep. Concerned, you move away to look at his face, his eyes on the screen and a slight blush on his ears.

“What?” You try to catch his sight but he avoids looking you in the eyes. 

“I just remembered you told me about this game and your plans for when it came out a few weeks ago.” 

Your mouth opens and closes before you burst out laughing. You pull away and catch his hand, pulling him up and making him follow you. “Come, I’m starving and I ordered two meals. Thankfully, you’re staying over and cooking dinner tonight to compensate for making me lose this round.”

[lady-ace]

Pokémon x Captain Marvel

One of the fondest memories Billy has of his parents is one he will never forget.

His dad, C.C and Marilyn, his mom, had come home with a surprise.

C.C, cheerfully: “Billy, Mary! Come downstairs!”

Marilyn: “We have a surprise for you two!”

As the two eight year old twins sped down the stairs (still taking care to not trip), they saw the surprise- one of each of his parents arms.

C.C: “Do you two know what these are?”

Mary: “Is it.. an egg?”

Billy, who absolutely LOVES pokémon: “Are those pokémon eggs??”

Marilyn, chuckling: “Yes, yes, you're both right, dearies. These are your very own pokémon eggs.”

Billy and Mary, both over the moon: “REALLY?”

C.C: “Really. Now, how about we heat them up?”

Mary: “Yes, please!”

/ / /

Two weeks later, the eggs finally hatched.

Billy: “Mom? Dad! Something's happening to the eggs!”

Mary: “They're shaking!”

C.C and Marilyn, who came to check in and saw both eggs shaking, and cracked: “Oh!”

C.C: “They're hatching!”

Marilyn: “Quick, grab the camera!”

As C.C grabs the camera, both eggs finally hatch, revealing two very small Shinx.

Marilyn: “Oh, they're perfect, don't you think so sweethearts?”

Mary and Billy, who are looking at the kits like they hanged the moon in the sky: “Yes!!”

C.C, laughing at their enthusiasm: “Way to go, champs. I just know you will make great partners.”

The Shinx mew, looking up at their trainers.

/ / /

A year later, Billy's life goes downhill.

His parents pass away in a unfortunate plane crash while on a work trip, and Mary has gone missing.

His uncle, Ebenezer, took all his inheritance money, and threw him and his Shinx, now named Tawny, to the streets, making them homeless.

This year is also the year when itty bitty Billy becomes the champion of magic, blessed by the gods.

When he shouted the name of the wizard who gave him his connection to his patrons, he became a superhero, someone powerful, kind and to be looked up to- Captain Marvel.

And that is not all- the divine lighting that strikes Billy to transform him can also split, hitting Tawny, and turning him from a small little Shinx who only knows Spark, to a big and mighty Raikou, one of the most famous superhero pokémons of all time.

/ / /

Billy is 10 and looking at the sunset from one of the highest buildings in Fawcett city with Tawny when out of nowhere, they hear something land behind them.

Tawny, who was almost sleeping at being pet, startles, getting up along with Marvel to look behind them.

..Only to see Batman, and his terrifying Noivern. One of, if not THE most skillfull pokémon and trainer duo, ever.

Batman: “Captain Marvel, right?”

Marvel, still processing on why Batman is in Fawcett, and in the same rooftop as him: “Oh.. yes, right, Mr. Batman sir.”

Batman: “I've come to let you know that you are formally invited to the Justice League. You don't need to make an decision now, but-”

Marvel, with no hesitation: “Yes.”

Batman: “..Understood, we're glad to have you.”

Marvel, with the biggest smile ever: “Thank you for the invite!”

/ / /

Some days later, and he meets with the people he'd idolized basically his whole life.

Superman and his trusty Dragonite, the Flash and his Jolteon, Wonder Woman and her Aegislash.. the list goes on!

One day, at the watchtower (wow, he really did come far, didn't he? This is a whole space station!) that Billy realized some things-

Tawny is the only legendary pokémon in the team so far. And, as everybody knows, legendary pokémon are both extremely rare and hard to catch. Funnily enough, he never thought of a cover story to how he met Tawny.

GA, who some minutes ago was training with his Decidueye: “Hey, Cap?”

Marvel, who was petting Tawny, the big cat purring loudly: “Huh? Yes?”

GA: “How did you catch Raikou? Aren't those rare, since only Ho-ohs can create them?”

Marvel, internally blue screening: “Oh! Um. Yes. So.. Tawny just.. he chose me! Yeah. Came right up to me and clicked his head against the poké ball. Isn't that right, Tawny?”

Tawny, looking at Billy with a look that screams 'Really? That's what you came up with?': “Rai.”

(By the way, when the twins reunite, i think Mary's Shinx would turn into a Zeraora.)

[bloodchapell]

castle of sand— senku i. 8: we live together now

brief summary: a drastic change in the world, and a drastic change in your relationship. does archenemies serve it right still?

what to expect: implied psychological and verbal abuse, mentions of suicidal intentions

your sword's note: this was beautiful, they're getting there, next chapter will be 10B% more sentimental, all past and future parts + playlist of this series available on my mistresslist

Sparrows all around suddenly turned into stone over the weekend. You had asked Senku if he had seen the sparrows through text message but he didn't reply, trying to avoid your philosophical ramble about the sparrows and what they felt like. He spent the weekend analyzing them and the circumstances around them, and on Monday morning he got ready as usual to go to school. You were not by the door when he got out, he waited a few minutes but you didn't come out. You were usually punctual, except of course when the household matters got out of hand and you had to walk late and patched up like a martyr. He assumed that was the situation, playing with the candy in his pocket as he walked to school.

He didn't see you during the day. You didn't show up to class at all. He texted you, reminding you to be ready to go to the beach after school, saying that Taiju, Yuzuriha and him would pick you up from your house. You didn't reply. He wasn't faced, your replies were so sporadic that they could take a few minutes or business weeks.

"Listen up, Senku! I've made up my mind. I'm going to confess the feelings I've had for Yuzuriha for the past five years!" Taiju stormed in the lab announcing his decision.

"I'll be cheering for you so hard that my vocal cords snap. From here in this science lab." Senku said sarcastically yet Taiju thanked him.

It was the last five minutes of lunch break. He automatically expected you to walk in asking what was it that he was doing, but your entrance never came. Some mild annoyance, simply at the breakage in the routine, after all he still found you more bothersome than the average, but whatever.

Taiju walked towards the first floor, in front of the big tree that Yuzuriha was waiting by. Senku knew that you would have been there watching if you had gone to school, probably yapping nonstop about the beautiful moment that was about to happen. While the rest of the club members placed bets against Taiju, Senku placed 10 billion yens on their love while opening a can of an energy drink. Then the green light hit and everything was dark.

Senku started counting, it was his first reaction. He had once counted for two months straight while keeping up with his regular life, so he thought he would be somewhat prepared.

He counted and counted and counted, trying to mentally control the time in which he revived, spring after spring, until one day the spring came and the prison around him broke. As it turned out, everyone had somehow become stone statues. He made sure to mark out the outline he had been laying on with rocks and analyzing the pattern in which the stone had broken off. After making himself some covering made out of vines, he had some weird exchange with the local monkeys and then calculated the date to be April 1st of 5738. What an insane sounding date.

The first step on going back (potentially even surpassing) where modern life left off, was making fire. It took him a while, but he wasn't able to, Taiju and Yuzuriha would have done it, a smile creeped in his face though when he mentioned to himself that you would have put the wood stick down and sit for a while thinking about how it all felt... that was the last thing he needed to do, being overwhelmed with the reality of things was the least he needed.

...

After two months or so of hard work just to simply survive, the house he was building was finally done, but Senku was too exhausted simply surviving to actually do some science. He needed to find Taiju. With a small clay cup, a shovel and a lot of hope, he walked back to where he woke up, a hand sticking out of the ground highlighted in the ground and he started digging.He stood still for a while as he looked at Taiju, but the sentimentality was soon over when he decided to yell at the statue. How did he even get out of the stone? The sight of a bat diverted his attention to a nearby cave. He went inside and found nitric acid dripping from the top. To check if the external agent that helped the stone corrode was in fact the nitric acid, he took a bit of hair from the back of his head and in a few seconds under the drops it undid the stone. With a gigantic smile he waited until his clay cup got filled and ran to throw the liquid over Taiju's statue. Nothing happened.

"I just need a working hypothesis, come on, think." He stood still for a second after having tried the same method with the statues that were around. "That's it, I was thinking. For the entire 3,700 years I was petrified, I remained conscious."

If it had to come to thinking, his mind went to only one person. Though he was sure Taiju was still conscious, the astronomical levels of thinking that were probably required for the stone to break with a simple cup of nitric acid were hard to find. Senku cursed his luck, if you were in school, it was an easy task, you'd be somewhere around the area. Clearly you were not the manpower he needed, but it was better than nothing.

After dragging Taiju's statue to the cave and leaving it under the drip of nitric acid, Senku stood outside for a second, simply making mental calculations and forming hypotheses, and for some reason, probably exhaustion, let his head fall back a little and therefore he looked up. Your statue was sitting on top of the cave.

It took him a good while to climb the cave, and once he was there he wondered why the hell you were around but he hadn't seen you in class. Whatever, he would ask you later. He turned the cup down and let the liquid he had collected in the cup bath your statue.

Senku had never been so happy to see you as when he heard the stone crack.

You were sitting with your legs crossed, one hand resting on the same surface you had been sitting when you got petrified and your other hand was close to your lips with your index and middle fingers up, just a few inches away from your mouth that was slightly open. Your eyes were closed.

"Was I reborn?" You say once the stone around you has broken, putting your hand to rest on your leg.

"No, what the hell are you talking about?" Senku said thinking if revivng you was a mistake. "You were not reborn."

"I died and was reborn." You said again, not a question but an affirmation. "After death, I spent both an eternity and an instant in a state of nothingness, there was no hell or heaven, just inward awareness, pure bliss of thought, until the pace stopped satiating me and I grew desireful of living again, though I wished to be brought to the world in a different condition.“

“That makes no sense, if you had been reborn you would be a baby.”

“That is reasonable, then the absolute truth is that I hallucinated a world into existence, what a solipsistic world!” You said looking around. It was then Senku sighing, maybe spending so much time thinking had finally fried your brain.

“Let’s try to be logical here for a second.” Senku asked looking away once his frustration stopped clouded him and he realized you were naked.

“Not so imperative but I can do that.” You said placing your hand on your chin. “I was sitting in the edge of the rooftop, thinking very hard, feeling very hard, I closed my eyes and ought to stop feeling and stop thinking, by any means possible, and so, my mind was freed from incarnation and left to wander.”

Senku initially wanted to shush you away and get to work, but a few points in your explanation seemed to be out of place. His question of why were you in the school but didn’t go to class remained, from your words he assumed you ended up somehow in the rooftop by the time petrification happened. What concerned him was hearing you explicitly said you had wanted to stop feeling and thinking, it contradicted who you essentially were as a person, it made no sense that someone who paraded and was paraded around because of their ability to feel and think ever so deeply suddenly wanted to stop it.

"Flimsy argument. You didn't die just because you wanted to stop your brain for a second. A mysterious green light swept earth and turned every human into stone just as it did to sparrows." Senku rationalized. "What were you even doing in the roof? Why didn't you go to class?"

You hesitated for a second. It was logical that Senku and the rest of the world were not hallucinations, but it felt like it and after experiencing both an eternity and an instant of plainness, it was kind of hard to differentiate what could possibly be real from what could possibly just be not. If it was not real though, why were you adamant to reveal the truth? At least the last part of the day?

"It doesn't matter what I was doing, I needed to take a breath." You said, it wasn't completely false, a breath and a smoke. "I didn't want to go to class, I stayed in the nurse's office sleeping because my head hurt a lot."

"I heard some yells coming from your house in the morning." He said looking around for vines and throwing them at you after he cut them. "Before ever becoming archenemies we are essential neighbors, so I just happen to have that SS tier information."

The vines fell on your head, unflattering. It was then that you noticed that you were naked, but in your confession it was not like it mattered more than deciding if the world was real or not. You tied the first rope of leafs around your chest and the other one around your waist. For a second your mind wandered away and your eyes unfocused but Senku asked his questions again and then you could feel everything all again. You remember how for a good while of the eternity that was also an instant, your mind kept going on over the miserable events of the morning and even all those who you managed to remember.

"I actually would not like to talk about that Senku." Clearly afflicted you said, his attention again on you. This was different from a simple I am fine.

"You can tell me, you know?" He decided to sitting down besides you, wondering what you kept looking at. He remembered the last time he had asked you if you were okay, after the drunk escapade you two had. He felt some sense of unfamiliarity even though the situation had already happened, the opposite of deja vu, a jamais vu.

"I know." You said embarrassed. "But I can't possibly tell you any of this."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" You repeated his question and a smile creeped in your lips, trying not to laugh. "Come on, not for anything you are my archenemy. Put some respect on our relationship."

"Say it, why?"

"So many reasons." You smiled. "I find it rather embarrassing, and since you are not my friend after all I could not bring myself to place such a burden on you... and maybe I think you are not the best person to talk about my personal situations with."

So essentially he was right, so many thousands of years ago.

"We are living now in the stone world." He started diverting the topic. "Every single thing from the world we used to know is gone by now. It might as well not really matter, take an absurdist approach to this. It is hard to think about things when you are trying to survive, and if you keep dwelling on it then maybe things won't be easy."

"I suppose." You say sighing and kicking your feet. "Since I had not taken care of the house on Friday, my mom was really mad, once I went home that day she refused to speak to me at all. On Saturday she left early and I did not see her for the whole day. On Sunday she claimed to be sick and made me do all the chores, I tried talking to her but she was intransigent as always but pretended that everything was fine. I told her I would go to the beach on Monday and that I would not be able to make lunch for her and she went crazy, it was really bad and I didn't control myself and told her a lot of things that are true yet should have not been revealed; her arguments remained the same as always. The next day when I woke up to go to school, she had my computer and was reading through the dissertation I had been working on for the philosophy society, when she saw that I was there, she sent the document to the society and deleted it, I again was not able to manage my emotions and one thing led to another and she ended up... kicking me out. I didn't know what to do and she didn't allow me to get any of my things so I went to school and stayed in the nurse's office."

"Why were you on the rooftop then?" He was quick to notice the lack of details in your narration of the events, he knew for a fact that you were not only extremely detailed but always made sure to include your wordery into the narrations.

"I needed to take a breath." You repeated, excluding the part in which you were smoking. "I got a call from my dad saying that he was going to adopt a child with his new girlfriend and he asked how things were, I lied to him and said everything was perfect and hung up."

"Is that all?"

"No..." Though your hands didn't fidget and your voice didn't shake, your demeanor changed. "I was sitting on the edge of the rooftop and I was thinking that once the day was over I would kill myself. I didn't know how but that was all that was left for me to do. When the light you mentioned happened, I had my eyes closed and when everything went dark and I couldn't move I assumed that I slipped from the edge willingly or unwillingly and died... though for some time I also thought I had deleted myself from existence with my own mind."

The confession of the last part was what pieced everything together. Before petrification, you had no problem explaining the events to him when he asked you what had happened, of course you avoided going deeper into the situation but you at least summarized the situation.

Senku was shocked to say the least, he stayed quiet for some time, processing that the way you were was not simply a game and that you were actually depressed and in a horrible situation in life that lead you to even consider suicide as the only alternative. Though he had cursed petrification for so many reasons everyday since he woke up, he found himself grateful at least for it turning you into stone before you could do anything. He couldn't help thinking again about Byakuya asking him to befriend you, logically as an adult he understood what was happening to you and wished to at least help you by making his son your friend.

"Why would you kill yourself over being kicked out?" He said more to himself, even when he understood that it was not a decision you came to only because you got kicked out by your mother. "You could have just lived with me."

"What?" You laughed inevitably. "It is not that simple, additionally I thought you genuinely hated me... I still do, so why would I even bother you like that."

"I don't hate you." He was quick to answer, you turned around to see him and his words only got weight when you saw his eyes get teary. "I am just afraid of you, you are too much for me, you were going over so much stuff that I don't even begin to know or comprehend that I have always been scared to deal with you because I don't know how to."

"You don't have to deal with me, we are not friends." You smiled at him.

"I want to deal with you." Senku interrupted you.

You stayed silent for a second, sneaking looks at him. "Then that would make you my friend." You said and your insides twisted in an unknown feeling similar to anxiety.

"Okay, whatever, I can live with that." He shrugs and you can't help but smile as you feel your own eyes get teary now. "Don't even think about hugging me though, you are half naked."

"How did you know?" You ask laughing, letting a few teardrops leave your eyes to fall on your fingertips since you placed your hands in your face.

"It looked like it." He says shaking his head and then turns to see you licking your fingers. "Anyway, are you that thirsty that you need to do something so fucking weird? There is a river close by."

"When I cry I eat my tears so I can feel them better."

"What the fuck..."

The familiar silence that forms between you two invades the area. Senku then gets up and you follow him. It was easier to get off the top of the cave than to get there.

"By the way, since civilization fell down, the only place to live is the house I built." He mentions somewhat appalled at your relative lack of interest for what had happened to the world. "That means we live together now."

taglist: @thelonestarinthesky

[blazehedgehog]

Let it be known: I am not a huge fan of Cloudflare. They bent over backwards to protect places like 8chan until they were literally forced to relinquish their contract. But very recently Cloudflare has taken a very hard anti-AI stance that, assuming they mean it, I can really get behind. This is a 17 minute video about that, but the first 4:45 are what's really shocking. A transcript:

Let me give you the actual numbers, because we have the data going back 10 years. So. the best metric that we found to describe how much harder your business as a media creator, as a content creator has gotten is to look at just Google data, and look at how many pages did Google scrape (which is what they're taking from you) in exchange for how many visitors [you get in return].

And think about the Google product 10 years ago. The Google product 10 years ago, you did a search, you got 10 blue links [editor's note: pages to visit] and the trade with you is you gave them your content, they took little snippets of it, described it, and then and in exchange they sent you traffic, right.

10 years ago the answer was, for every two pages they scraped, they sent you one visitor. On average across the entire internet. We have really good data on that. What has changed over that period of time, over the next 10 years, up until six months ago, [is] we've added two billion people to the internet. We went from four billion, to six billion people using the internet.

So that should be good for you as a content creator! More people accessing it! The Google crawl rate has not changed at all. It's been remarkably consistent over that entire time. And so if you just had those two facts, you would actually think that for every scrape you would have gotten more visitors.

But you all know that's not what's happened. How much harder did it get over the last 10 years to be a publisher? I've asked that to a bunch of people, and the answer is "God, it's about three times harder." And that lines up exactly with the data.

So what changed over that period of time, is for every six pages that Google scrapes, now they send you one visitor. And that was six months ago. [It used to be you'd have your] 10 blue links and […] you could monetize that, or get value from it in different ways.

Instead, now they give you an answer right on the page. Sergey and Larry used to brag about how their job was to get people off google.com as quickly as possible. Now 75% (actually not now, six months ago)… 75% of queries to Google get answered on Google. Which means that if you were an original content creator, your information is getting summarized, and then sold (because they still put ads there) but you don't get that traffic anymore. And that's the good news.

Because what's happened in the last six months? The answer is that in the last six months, it has gotten even harder than it did even over the last previous 10 years. And so the traffic ratio now is for every 18 pages that Google takes from you, you get one visitor. It's three times worse in six months, and what changed?

We can track this on region by region by region by region, and the answer is AI overview. Where they're taking your content, and someone else's content, someone else's content, they're smashing it all together, [and] they're giving you an answer right there. I bet that the answer today is that 90% of queries to Google get answered without people clicking on a single link.

The business model of the web has been search -- fundamentally, for the last 35 years that's what it's been. Yeah, advertising and other things, but it's all funded and founded by search. That's been the business model, [and the way] you get value is by one of three things: you either sell subscriptions, you sell ads, or you get the value of just ego. Fame, right. A lot of content creation is done just for fame. All three of those things are going away, and they're going away fast.

And that's just the Google data. It's still the good news. What's the ratio for OpenAI six months ago? 250-to-1. What is it today? 1,500-to-1. What's changed? People trust the AI more over the last 6 months, which means they're not reading original content. So that means those three things go away.

What's Anthropic? 6,000-to-1 six months ago. What is it today? 60,000-to-1. People aren't following the footnotes.

And so if you believe that the business model of original content creation is driving visitors to that content, I just have a really bad story for you: the future of the web is going to be more and more like AI, and that means that people are going to be reading the summaries of your content, not the original content. And what I'm worried about, why I'm wearing black today and motorcycle boots even though it's like you know 32 degrees outside, is I don't know... if you can't sell subscriptions and you can't sell ads and you don't get an ego hit from knowing that people are consuming your stuff… Why [is anyone] going to create content?

---

His point being: if people aren't being rewarded for creating things, not financially, or even from the simple pleasure of knowing someone else has appreciated your work, will they keep creating? It's easy to point at an image generated by AI and know that it contains stolen assets, but even something that feels victimless, like AI summaries, are a kind of theft.

We can be flowery about creativity all we want and what it means to do things just for the sake of doing them, but there are a lot of other equally important things people do for the validation they get from others upon doing them. We can't just shun the concept of appreciation and pretend it has no place in creativity. People need to know their work is being seen and loved, and that includes writing and music and everything else.

This is genuinely a landmark concept and it's one I don't think a lot of people are grasping.

[weirdgenetic-fuckup]

heyy can u do a fem reader x slash smut with like daddy kink and praise kink or some shit like that. he’s just so damn fine and also the most recent slash one u did was 10/10 anyways thanks sweetie

A/n: I've had this idea for SO LONG and I needed an excuse to finally write it so thank you <3

Warnings: Smut, age gap, fingering (f receiving), squirting, daddy!kink, praising, if you think I missed anything let me know otherwise enjoy!

Part 2, Part 3

You were living with Duff for University, it was cheaper for you to go to school in a different country and he happened to have signed up to take in exchange students. Duff was an advocate for better education and obviously wanted to do what he could so why not?

He was great and when he found out you were into rock he wanted to introduce you to his band, Guns N' Roses.

He brought you down to the studio just so you could sit around and hang out. You, however, noticed a certain someone paying special attention to you.

Slash had a hard time taking his eyes off of you and you didn't miss the way he continued to shift uncomfortably in his seat every few minutes.

You weren't sure who brought it up since you hadn't been in the room when they were discussing it but Duff told you about Slash's oldest son, London, and said he was around your age so he wondered if you'd want to hang out.

You agreed since Duff and Susanne had been talking about a date night anyway, thus leading to you spending the night at Slash's house.

London was nice enough, you shared some interests and had a fun time but when it got later you retreated to the guest room.

You tossed and turned but you couldn't ignore the sounds coming from the downstairs TV. You got out of bed and made your way towards the noise and found Slash on the couch watching some horror movie from the 1980's.

He didn't seem to notice you until you sat down on the couch. He glanced over at you, shamelessly eyeing you in a band shirt and nothing else. It was big enough to cover you but even so it had him readjusting himself again.

"What're you doing down here?" He asked, keeping his voice low though no one should be awake to hear.

"I heard the TV." You replied simply, gesturing to the glowing light across the room.

Slash pat the spot next to him. "Come closer, no need for you to be over there." You hesitated a moment, biting your lip before moving closer to him.

He had his arm over you, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze. Knowing he enjoyed this you leaned into him, resting your head on his shoulder.

You weren't watching the movie and you sure Slash wasn't either, you were too busy thinking about Slash and that musky smell coming from him, his big hands resting on you and the couch. Fuck, you couldn't get him off your mind.

"What do you think you're doing?" Slash asked, not taking is eyes off the TV. You looked up at him with a confused expression on your face. You hadn't even noticed the way you were mindlessly touching yourself, your hand squeezed between your thighs, your hips bucking up every few seconds.

"I-I wasn't- I didn't-" You stuttered, trying to explain yourself and failing.

"C'mere." He ordered, patting his thigh. You moved to sit in his lap, your back pressed against his chest. He hooked your legs over his, spreading them with ease. He ran a hand over your thigh, teasingly tapping your sensitive inner thigh. "Now, why'd you really come down here?"

You bit your lip, back arching at his touch. "Wanted to see you."

"Just 'see'?" He whispered, words falling right into your ear. His hand moved further up, fingers rubbing your clit through you pretty lace panties. "Wet through your fucking panties already." He grinned. "Might as well take them off if they're gonna be that useless, huh?"

You nodded weakly, shifting in his lap to help him take them off of you. You gasped when his calloused fingers touched your bare clit, two rubbing the sensitive bud in circles.

You moaned at the feeling, letting your head fall back onto his shoulder. Slash slipped a finger into you and your eyes widened, another gasp leaving you.

Slash shushed you. "Watch your fucking voice." The digit inside you moved at a slow pace, pushing and prodding at your gummy walls until he found that heavenly spongey spot. Once he found it his pace gradually increased.

Your hands clenched and unclenched, begging for something to grip as Slash finger fucked you. "Fuck, just like that." You moaned, voice airy. He inserted another finger and you moaned louder at the stretch. "Oh, fuck, feels s'good."

A warmth grew in your gut, spreading to the rest of your body. Slash groped your chest, plump lips sucking your neck, his thick fingers sliding in and out of you, using your wetness as lube.

"You keep doing that, sweetheart." He muttered, referring to the way your walls kept fluttering around him. "Gonna be a good girl and cum on daddy's fingers." His words fueled the knot growing in you and when it snapped he pulled his fingers out of you and rubbed your clit.

Your vision went white, you couldn't hear how loud you were being but you felt Slash's free hand slapping over your mouth, you could hear his deep groans in your ear.

Your breathing was heavy and your body was twitching as you came down from your high. "Look at that." Slash's soft voice came in your ear. You struggled to figure out what he was talking about, soon you saw the puddle and splatters on the wooden floor in front of you, the wet spot on the couch more prominent than anything. "I'd definitely like to see that again."

"Dad?" A tired voice called. You panicked and sunk down on the couch, using Slash's broad body as coverage.

"Yeah?" Slash responded, looking over the back of the couch.

There was a long moment of silence before you heard footsteps walking away.

Slash looked down to you. "Fuck was that for?" You chuckled softly and moved back up the couch. Slash gave your thigh a pat. "Why don't you go to bed and I'll clean up for you?" You nodded, leaning against him for a moment before getting up.

You took a step away but Slash pulled you back, wrapping an arm around you and kissing your abdomen. "I'll be seeing more of you soon, right?" You smiled and nodded before heading back upstairs.

You paused outside the guest room, just a little ways further was Slash's room. He was still downstairs cleaning, he deserved a reward for that, right?

You slipped into his room and crawled into his bed. The sheets smelled just like him and you couldn't get the thought out of your mind of him getting in with you, knowing he slept naked.

You pulled a pillow close to you, inhaling his scent deeply before bringing it between your legs and grinding against it, eagerly waiting for him to come find you.

[sturns-angel]

bsf!matt finds out bsf!reader has been feeling the same way he has... ❗️SMUT - MDNI❗️ ❕WRITER'S NOTE: this is my first smut that i'm actually posting, PLEASE tell me if this is ass.❕

"get off of me, you freak!" nick shouts, shoving chris with an exaggerated amount of force. chris stumbles back towards the counter and i can't contain my laughter. they've been 'arguing' for the past 10 minutes while matt and i simply sit back and enjoy the entertainment.

i had agreed to filming a video with the triplets before finding out the topic; 'say it or eat it'. the challenge of eating something disgusting doesn't scare me, it's the questions. they've been ruthless thus far and i can only assume they're gonna get worse. i've already been asked 2 questions as of now and i just know that the rest will be harsh.

'describe your first love.' nick read from his phone with an almost evil smirk. i stare at the spoonful of sauerkraut that's set out on the table in front of me and gulp. 'in what way?' i ask, eyeing the brothers standing beside me.

i had reluctantly answered the question in order to avoid the punishment.

'matt! describe the last dream you can remember, including embarrassing details.' chris announced as he pushed a small bowl of blue cheese stuffed olives towards him. matt groaned, rubbing his hands over his face. he looked to the bowl, then slowly lifted his head as he found my eyes. i raised my eyebrows as i waited to see how he'd handle the situation. before chris can continue with his peer pressure, matt grabbed 2 olives and popped them into his mouth.

chris takes a swig of hot sauce to avoid his question and immediately runs to the sink to rinse his mouth out.

"y/n!" nick grins, holding his phone close to him as if he's trying to hide a secret. "who's your current crush?" chris squeals and jumps around while i stare at the poorly cooked shrimp (thanks to chris).

"that's not fair!" i exclaim as i wince away from the dish. "the only way i can answer that is with a full-on name drop!"

matt chuckles and quickly joins chris in the background of the initial set up, leaning against the counter. despite my gaze being set on nick, i know matt is staring at me. i can practically feel his gaze burning into my skin.

"okay, okay. i know you hate shrimp so i'll make it a little easier." nick explains while he locks his phone and sets it on the table. "describe your current crush; physical or however you choose."

i can feel the heat rushing to my face as i think of my crush. about 5'9, brown hair, blue eyes, full lips, standing within arms reach of me. my mind wanders while chris rushes over to me and throws an arm around my shoulder.

"c'mon y/n! shrimp or most-likely-shrimp-dick?" chris laughs and i nudge his side. when i turn my head to give chris a disgusted look, my eyes meet matts. his gaze is hard, yet somewhat playful. he's always been a bit more protective over me than the other triplets. his judgements of any guy that i showed the slightest bit of interest in were harsh.

i look back to chris who is impatiently waiting for my response. "this is ridiculous." i scoff and brush my hair out of my face. "he's funny, nice, and attractive. done." i throw my hands up. chris and nick groan in annoyance at my answer.

"y/n, that's so lame! we need more than that, like the color of his eyes or..." nick trails off, but chris is quick to continue. "what's the first initial of his first name?" chris asks.

i quickly pick up a piece of the shrimp and take a bite, silently gagging as soon as it hits my tongue.

the last round of questions go by fast, the usual chaos occurring as we finish out the video. matt makes his way over to the camera to do his regular outro and i feel an arm wrap around my shoulders once more.

"thanks for doing the video with us. i'm sure it wasn't easy with your crush here." nick says with a wide grin on his face. i roll my eyes with a soft laugh. of course nick knows about my feelings for matt, but that's as far as i’ve been willing to take it. matt and i have grown super close over the past few weeks and it's made me realize i want more than what we currently have, i just can't bring myself to risk our friendship.

"nick, i'm sleeping in your room tonight and i'm going up there immediately. i'm exhausted." chris explains as he makes his way over to the stairs. nick nods and adds in that he'll be joining him while following close behind.

"are you staying the night?" i hear matt ask while i clean off the table, quickly joining to help me.

"yeah, i'll probably just crash on the couch again." i explain, wiping the table off once matt clears out the last bit of food. he lets out a soft hum in response. we spend a few minutes in silence as we finish cleaning the kitchen before matt finally speaks.

"do you wanna watch a movie? i'm not really tired and movies are a bit boring alone." he asks, wiping his hands off on some paper towels. "unless you're tired - i mean - don't want to-"

"yeah, we can watch a movie." i cut him off with a soft smile. we settle in on the couch in the living room and quickly decide on a thriller. luckily, i came over in a some sweatpants and a t-shirt so i was already pretty comfortable. the same can't be said for matt. about 10 minutes into the movie, i notice matt fidgeting and tugging at his jeans. "you alright?" i ask once matt stands up from his spot on the couch.

"yeah, i'll be right back." he quickly mumbles and rushes off to his bedroom. i turn my attention back to the movie, barely picking up on the plot. matt soon returns in a pair of sweatpants that sit low on his hips and the infamous cropped pink t-shirt.

as he makes his way over to the couch, i can't help but notice the lack of a waistband from his boxers. my eyes slowly travel down and it becomes very obvious why the waistband is missing; no underwear.

i quickly shift my gaze back to the tv, watching the main character move around aimlessly through her house. my mind melts away from the movie when i feel a dip in the couch, much closer than earlier.

"alright, babe. don't hog the blanket." matt jokes, pulling the small throw blanket closer and tossing it over his legs. the 'innocent' pet name is nothing new and neither is the effect it has on me. i subtly smush my thighs together and give some slack to the blanket.

15 minutes. 15 absolute agonizing minutes go by before i shift in my seat, somewhat forgetting the arousal between my thighs. matt slings an arm over my shoulders and i feel my breath hitch in my throat.

sitting close on the couch, sharing a bed (but keeping our distance), locking arms in a crowded place; all of this is normal for us. normal for best friends. as innocent as it seems, this is uncharted territory. i'm not even sure where to go from here so i slowly lower my head onto him, resting on his collarbone.

"y/n." matt whispers and i hum in response. i wait for a moment, only silence following his initial speech. right as i'm about to speak, he clears his throat, obviously contemplating his next words. "now that the camera's off, can i know who your crush is?"

i laugh softly and bring a hand up to my face, pinching the bridge of my nose as i think. not much thought needs to be put into who my crush is. i just need to tread lightly. i want to have matt in my life in whatever way he'll allow. telling him the truth about my feelings could easily ruin that.

"c'mon, i thought friends were supposed to tell each other everything." he jokes, reaching his hand down and lightly tickling my side.

"it's not really - it's not a big deal." i respond, hoping that will satisfy him. of course, it doesn't.

"is he your age?" matt presses. i purse my lips and keep my eyes trained on the tv.

"he's like a year older." i answer with a shrug, doing my best to keep my response as nonchalant as possible. matt lets out a low chuckle, shifting slightly.

"okay... do we know him?" he asks. i know who 'we' is. he wants to know if i've mentioned this crush to his brothers, possibly brought him around without matt knowing.

"yeah." i respond softly. he clears his throat once again, but this one sounds more forced.

he knows. he knows and he's uncomfortable. why didn't i just lie? why didn't i just avoid the question completely in the video? of course, he's uncomfortable. i'm supposed to be his best friend, but i've secretly been thinking of something more. why did i-

"is he - um - like, in the house?" matt's question pulls me out of my thoughts then immediately throws me back into them. i start to lift my head off of him, trying to create some distance between us, but his arms tighten around me. they squeeze around my waist and hold me close to him.

i try to answer his question, but i feel like all the moisture has left my mouth, making it impossible for any words to form. i settle on a soft nod.

my heart feels like it's about to beat straight up my chest and out of my throat. "y/n." matt says, his voice slightly more serious than before.

i don't move. i'm practically paralyzed in the realization that he definitely knows. my breathing is sharp, shallow.

"y/n/n." the nickname gives a slight ease to the conversation. i slowly lift my head to look up at him. before i can fully move, i feel his slender fingers rest under my chin to pull my face closer to his.

his face is so close to mine, our noses brush together slightly. my eyes lift to meet his and we're frozen like this for moment. a moment trapped in time. it's intense, yet comfortable. my brain turns to mush and the words fall out of my mouth before i can even register what i'm saying.

"he's right in front of me."

his soft lips are a stark contrast to the harshness he pushes them against mine. this is all i've wanted for the past month. this is all i've dreamt of and it's even better than i imagined.

his lips mold perfectly to mine as if they were made for this, made for this moment. his hand moves down from my chin, wrapping around the back of my neck. i quickly bring my hands up, letting one rest comfortably on his chest while the other reaches up to caress his cheek.

he deepens the kiss, pulling me impossibly close and swiping his tongue over my bottom lip. i shift once again in my seat, pulling my knees up and leaning on them. his tongue explores my mouth as he quickly pulls me into his lap. i swing one leg over to straddle his lap.

"i need you." he murmurs against my mouth before moving his attention to my neck. his soft lips quickly find the sweet spot just under my ear and nip at it gently. "i've needed you for so long." he whispers.

"matt..." i whimper, gripping his shoulders tightly. he hums against my neck, hand traveling down and sliding under my shirt. his fingertips brush over my sensitive nipple and i can feel a smirk growing his face. he cups my breast, slowly and gently massaging it.

"did you expect this to happen or am i just that lucky?" matt chuckles and moves his mouth back to mine, swallowing the soft moans i let slip out.

i groan softly when his hand suddenly leaves my skin. he grips the hem of my shirt and gives it a soft tug, silently asking for permission. i quickly pull the shirt off of me and watch as his eyes travel over my torso, growing darker. the sudden realization hits me that my best friend is staring at my bare chest and i move closer to him, attempting to cover myself. his hands hold firm on my waist.

"you're perfect..." he mumbles, looking into my eyes with an expression i've never seen from him. i scoff, rolling my eyes and shifting my gaze away from him. "y/n." one hand reaches up to gently grab my chin, turning my attention back to his face.

just as he's about to speak, we hear the sound of a door opening upstairs, followed by heavy footsteps. our eyes widen and i throw myself off of him. he quickly moves the blanket over my body and i curl up into a ball, snuggling into his side.

just as chris rounds the corner, my eyes land on my shirt that was carelessly thrown to the floor. shit. "y/n, if you drank the last pepsi 'm gonna-" he freezes, staring at us for a moment. i quickly move my eyes to the tv, pretending to be interested in the movie. after sitting in silence for what feels like an eternity, chris squeals and runs back to the stairs. "nick!" he shrieks and i feel like my face is on fire.

"fuck, here we go." matt groans, running his fingers through his hair. chris makes it about halfway up the stairs before he turns around and peeks over the ledge of the wall.

"also, on the couch? you have a bed, matt!" chris exclaims, grinning widely despite him trying to act disgusted.

🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

my head is thrown back against the arm of the couch as i bite my lip, trying my best to conceal my moans. matt's fingers pump in and out of me quickly, curling to hit just the right spot. while his fingers work to bring me closer to climax, his mouth is moving back and forth between each of my nipples, softly nipping at the sensitive buds.

he was so quick with his movements once chris disappeared upstairs that i was barely able to register what was happening. now here i am, completely bare in front of matt as he pushes his fingers into me.

"fuck, matt!" i exclaim quietly, rushing my fingers through his hair and tugging lightly. he moans against my skin and i feel myself clinching around his fingers tighter.

the burning in my core is building, growing stronger and stronger. my walls flutter around his digits and i can feel my eyes rolling into the back of my head. i feel like i'm floating, preparing to release what's been building in my stomach. i'm fully prepared to let go when i suddenly feel empty, his fingers pulling out of me and dripping my arousal onto the couch.

before i can protest, matt shifts, pulling me into him with his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. he quickly lifts me off the couch and i instinctively wrap my legs around him, tucking my head down and leaving hungry kisses up and down his neck.

he rushes us over to his room, closing the door with a swift kick and tossing me onto the bed. he quickly removes his shirt and throws it across the room, groaning as he stares down at my leaking cunt. he reaches for the waistline of his sweatpants, but i quickly sit up and swat his hands away.

he stands at the foot of the bed while i reposition myself, sitting on my knees and leaning back on my heels. i swiftly pull his pants down and his thick cock is released, springing up towards my lips. before his pants can hit the floor, i lunge forward, wrapping a hand around the base and sucking his tip into my mouth.

"fuck, y/n..." he moans, staring down at me as i sink my mouth further down. i'm intimidated by his size, but the urge to please him and feel him as much as i can overpowers the intimidation.

i hold him in my mouth for moment, looking up at him and meeting his gaze. i maintain eye contact as i slowly pull his length out of my mouth, sticking my tongue out farther to tease the underside of his cock. quickly, i push him back into my mouth, bobbing my head quickly and using my hand to pump what i can't fit.

my free hand reaches up and grips onto his thigh to keep myself stable. matts grunts and moans fill the room, causing my wetness to grow. i can feel my arousal dripping down my thighs as matts hands move to my shoulders and he lightly shoves me off of his throbbing dick.

"i need to fuck you. right now." he admits, kicking off the sweats that were just pooled around his feet. "lay back, sweetheart." he instructs and i immediately obey, laying back on the bed and letting my head rest against the pile of pillows.

he climbs on top of me and uses a knee to gently nudge my thighs. i spread my legs, allowing him to slot his body between them. the tip of his cock brushes against my neglected clit and i can't contain the moan that escapes me.

"you have to be quiet, babe." matt chuckles, reaching between us to position himself at my entrance, dragging his tip around it. i giggle softly and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to mine.

"matt, i think they already know what's happen - fuck!" i interrupt myself with a shriek as he roughly pushes his thick cock into me. before i can make another sound, his hand travels up my body and clasps over my mouth. he stays still for a moment before slowly pulling out and slamming back into me.

he lowers his head and grazes his teeth over my earlobe. "i don't want anyone else hearing these pretty sounds. this is only for me." he whispers as pistons in and out of me.

my moans are muffled by his hand and he quickly moves it, shoving his ring and middle finger into my mouth. without a second thought, i wrap my lips around his slender fingers, tasting the residue of myself on them from earlier.

"fuck - feel s'good." he grunts lowly, lifting his head to rest against mine, our sweaty foreheads connected as he stares into my eyes. his eyelids are low and i can feel mine slowly closing, succumbing to the pleasure. "keep 'em open. i need - shit - need to see you."

i lazily open my eyes and stare into his, drowning in the feeling of his cock pushing into me with a rapid pace. his tip brushes my gummy, sweet spot and my lips fall away from his fingers, letting a moan fall past my lips.

reluctantly, he pulls his fingers out of my mouth and loosely wraps them around my neck. "m-matt..." i whimper, feeling my pussy pulse around him.

"give it to me, pretty girl. fuck - make a mess all over me." he grunts, his thrusts losing rhythm and stuttering. "gonna stay quiet f' me?" he asks breathlessly.

i shake my head rapidly, knowing the pleasure is too much for me to be quiet. a smirk slowly creeps up his face, a sinister look appearing in his eyes. he pulls out quickly and i subconsciously push my hips down, searching for the feeling that was just ripped away from me.

he roughly grips the back of my thigh, pushing it up and leaning over me once again. my leg dangles over his shoulder as he quickly pushes back into me. he instantly resumes his pace, hitting a new, deeper spot inside of me.

"fuck!" i exclaim, throwing my head further into his pillows. he props himself up on his forearm, his other arm snaking between us. i feel his hand pressing against my abdomen, creating a brand new sensation for me. i'm a blabbering, whimpering mess beneath him as he pushes me closer and closer to the edge. that familiar burning sensation makes another appearance and i can't hold back anymore.

he leans in closer, whispering obscene things to me, but i can’t concentrate on his words. the only thing i’m able to focus on is the knot in my stomach completely unraveling.

“matt, oh-“ his lips connect to mine, cutting me off. he grunts against my lips and i can feel his cock twitching inside of me. he chases his high as he pushes me further and further. i’m slightly overstimulated, but i don’t care.

“fuck, fuck.” he mutters against my lips before stilling inside of me. i can feel him filling me up, soft grunts leaving his mouth as he softly drops my leg.

we lay there in a comfortable silence for a minute, his head resting in my neck and my fingers raking softly through his hair. once we’ve both caught our breath, he shifts slightly, the movement of his now soft cock inside me causes me to wince.

“‘m sorry, i couldn’t even think straight. i should’ve pulled out.” he huffs, slowly pulling out. he sits up and i can see something flash in his eyes as he sees his cum slowly leaking out of me.

“it’s okay, matt.” i giggle. “i’m on the pill.”

“okay, good because i definitely need to see this again.” he says calmly, reaching down and pushing his release back into my pussy. i whine at the feeling, my face scrunching in discomfort.

“shit, sorry.” he whispers before quickly moving off the bed and putting his sweatpants back on. he quickly shuffles out of the room and i lay there staring at the ceiling. i can’t believe what just happened. obviously, i’m happy about what happened, but now we have to figure out what the hell this is. are we just friends who occasionally fuck? does he want to actually date me? will this never happen again? pushed to the back of our minds, pretending it never even happened.

i’m pulled from my thoughts when i feel matt softly brushing a towel against my core, cleaning me up. when he’s done he tosses the towel in his laundry basket and climbs on the bed.

“you can wear this if you want. just thought it’d be comfortable. it’s my favorite sleep shirt so…” matt says, holding a black t shirt out to me. i sit up and take it from him, giving a quiet ‘thanks’ with a soft smile. i slip the shirt on and sit back against the headboard.

when i turn to look at matt i see that he’s already looking at me, eyes soft and a small smile on his face. “what?” i ask shyly.

“you’re so beautiful.” he responds, voice barely above a whisper. i can feel myself blush and i look away, staring at nothing in particular. “stop doing that.” he says as he grabs my hand.

“i’m not doing anything!” i defend with a giggle. he pulls me closer and reaches down to grab his blanket, pulling it over us. he shuffles a bit, laying down comfortably. he drops my hand and holds his arm out, sending a silent invitation for me to join him.

after settling next to him and laying my head on his shoulder, he speaks up. “i’m not a liar.” he says. i give him a confused look and he turns his head towards me. “when i compliment you, it’s always the truth. you really are beautiful.”

i can’t stop myself from smiling and i move a hand up to rest on his cheek. i pull him in and kiss him softly. this kiss is probably the softest one that we’ve shared at this point and i can feel every emotion, every unspoken secret between us.

just as i pull away, ready to say something, the door opens quickly. matt and i snap our heads to the doorway and see nick and chris with smug smiles.

“awww! what a cute couple!” chris squeals, clinging onto nicks shoulders. nick shrugs him off and i feel matt snatch a pillow from behind us, throwing it at the boys.

“get the fuck out!” matt yells while i hide my face in his chest, trying my best to conceal my laughter.

[dark-swan-baby]

begging for an NSFW alphabet but chrismd

Hiiii sorry I took so long on the updates I've been busy with stuff hope you enjoy this :D

ChrisMD Nsfw Alphabet

a= Aftercare (what they're like after sex): He would clean you up and bring you some water

b= body part (their favorite of theirs and their partner):  He loves your hands he loves when you run your fingers through his hair or when you get new nails and show him plus his favourite thing about his appearance is now his hair hence why he loves your hands running through it

c=cum (anything to do with cum): When you first started dating he wore condoms but later in the relationship he stopped and started cumming on your chest

e=experience (how experienced are they): from what we've all heard from Theo, cal, Harry, George and Arthur this man has been a dog so yeah he's pretty experienced

d=dirty secret (a dirty secret of theirs):  Not really one of his but he asked you ever so kindly if you could wear the golden bikini Princess Leia wore and to his surprise you did

f=favorite position: feel like he's a fan of 69 cause let's be real Chris loves a good munch and so do you

g= goofy (are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc): you would think he would be a bit goofy but no when he's in the mood he's in the mood

h= hair (how well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.) : it's a little hairy down there but it's clean and shaped up nicely

i= intimacy (how are they during the moment, romantic aspect...) : He's pretty romantic like he will say sweet things and when it starts with foreplay he'll kiss your chest and neck softly and passionately

j= jack off (masturbation headcanon) : doesn't Jack off as much as he used too he just goes to you for sex than using his hand

k= kink (one or more of their kinks) : okay hear me out on this one but he has a slight breeding kink not a huge one but idk

l= location (favorite places to do the do) : his office he likes bending you over his desk

m= motivation (what turns them on, gets them going) : when you were shorts or wear his clothes the man absolutely loves it

n= no (something they wouldn't do, turn-offs) :     Feet surprisingly for a man who likes football he hates feet so nothing to do with feet (I didn't know what to put here :p)

o= oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc) : loves receiving but when he gives you head it's the greatest man ever like he's starving for your taste

p= pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.) : he's the fast and rough type

q= quickie (their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.) : he's the fast loves sex but will never say no to a quickie

r= risk (are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) : loves them back in the day when he did the thousand pound or hundred pound videos a couple of times you sucked him off under the desk

s= stamina (how many rounds can they go for, how long do they last...) : I would say a good 3, 5 on a good day

t=  toy (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?) : not on himself but you he bought one of those remote control vibrators and uses it when your out at partys or when your sometimes in his videos

u= unfair (how much they like to tease) : he loves to tease you likes to keep you on edge won’t let you cum until your really whiny

v= volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make) : not too loud but he does grunt and groan

w= wild card (get a random headcanon for the character of your choice) : when he brought you home to his family his sister was soo happy she finally had another girl in the family

x= x-ray (let's see what's going on in those pants, picture or words) : 4 inches but a good 6 when hard and thick

y= yearning (how high is their sex drive?) : surprisingly high he’ll get all touchy then you’ll have sex

z= zzz (... how quickly they fall asleep afterward) : not too quickly first he cleans you up then the two of you cuddle for about 10 minutes then the both of you fall asleep

Let me know who else you want to see :D 🤍

[inseparabiles]

I know damn well when Geta threw his drink in Caracalla’s face it felt like a hard slap. He has the hands of a parent that would use a slipper to discipline. Especially when their parents came from Libya and Syria. That stuff runs in the family.

Sorry this is going to be a 50 000 word essay and also a biography about me the author but

I genuinely don't think he intended to throw it at Caracalla at all, I think it is meant for Dondus, the issue with this situation being that Dondus is seated on Caracalla's shoulder and therefore throwing a drink at Dondus means throwing it at Caracalla.

It's obviously because of Caracalla - Geta snaps when, despite holding his shit together at the brink of a full-blown spiral and trying to both manage the situation and calm his brother who really isn't helping, Caracalla outright lays the blame on him for what's happening. As if Caracalla hadn't made the same choice that Geta ultimately committed to (thanks to Macrinus) and enjoyed it to the full, but Caracalla can never do a thing wrong, and if something does go wrong, that's Geta's fault. Geta's supposed to keep them safe and make things go smoothly and protect them, and Geta's clearly failed to do that, and now they're facing an actual uprising on the streets that's directly threatening their lives.

I don't know if this scene is relatable to people who don't have sensory processing issues and this is always as embarrassing to admit to, but I've unfortunately been Geta approximately 10 000 times in my life. Three or more things are happening at once: an immediate stressful overarching situation, somebody yapping shit in my ear, and then add in an extra like maybe there's 15 discord notifications back to back or my cat starts meowing because he hears people talking and wants food and comes bump his stupid face to my leg repeatedly. I've thrown things. I've ran (blind, not comprehending what the shit is even happening) to hide under desks. I've slammed doors, I've had idiotic meltdowns that start with an attempt at shouting but are incomprehensible because my mouth refuses to form words and my brain stopped working. I'm prone to these because I'm autistic and I don't really... have good coping mechanisms for my meltdowns? But anyone can hit a wall with processing, and these situations trigger fight/flight/freeze like nothing else. It's basically one of the few things that actually does get fight out of me - I mostly freeze under most stressors, but fuck me if there's noise and stress and some kind of sensation at the same time, and unoptimal circumstances like bright lights or music blaring in the background, I black the fuck out and whatever the shit happens next is the same thing that people do when faced with acute danger like something falling onto them or grabbing them from behind or coming at them with a weapon drawn. The best I can do, which is pretty much what Geta is also doing, is focus my control on minimising damage because the last remaining shreds of my sanity are FULLY AWARE I'm about to exert force well beyond reasonable reaction: don't throw the fucking glass, throw the wine in it. For me, this has meant throwing the nearest object away from my target rather than at the target, or choosing to hurt myself instead of whatever the fuck is the primary threat present, or any other nonsensical and unoptimal last-minute 180 from the reaction that is inevitably coming whether I stand by it or not.

So in this scene - processing the situation beyond locating the immediate threat (Dondus chirping alarmedly while Geta's trying to handle these 15 other stressors and now his fucking twin is being UNBEARABLE) and trying to resort to non-lethal force (wine not glass) is just about the best I could ask of Geta. I've been there SO many times and this is the saddest handshake I have with him the whole movie because it's like... yeah, me too. And before this scene, I didn't realise how foreign this is to most people. Now I'm just surprised it's in the movie. So many people have somehow gone through their whole lives without entering a primal survival state once and like. Wow. Incomprehensible to me

Geta freezing in response to his reaction is also extremely familiar to me. 18 years ago, I had one of these situations happen under unbearable circumstances - I was told I was going to be locked away in a group home against my consent for a full year, when I'd barely made it through two months in there. I don't remember what triggered the actual reaction then, but as per usual, it was something to do with my mum not knowing when to step away to let me equalise on my own, probably because I was very much perceived to be a threat to myself in that state but nevertheless not allowed the means to stabilise from that, so I threw my comfort object at a wall. It's been 18 years and I still remember the abject horror I felt immediately when it hit, because that portable CD player was my lifeline. It was literally in that situation what was keeping my shattered sanity together and I fucking. I nuked it. It was what I happened to be holding so I threw it at a wall as hard as I could because that was my 180 from doing whatever it had been that was the worse out of the options. It wasn't intentional. I regretted it right away. I wanted to take it back. It made my life infinitely worse. I felt like I'd killed my only friend. But you can't take that back and just like I couldn't un-nuke my CD player, Geta can't just unthrow the wine at Caracalla, or Dondus for that matter.

But the situation that Geta creates by having that reaction, which I fully don't believe he had any real control over at that moment, has life-altering consequences even though the harm it caused was minimal. It would have been bad enough if he'd just hit Dondus, because Dondus seems to be some kind of a proxy for Caracalla's... everything: he doesn't seem to really process Dondus as an external being or a monkey for that matter, but a side of himself, all the good in him that must be protected, the child that he was that couldn't be saved, that he's stored in this animal who reminds him of it in an idealised and comprehensible manner and that is under his control and that he can show unconditional love to because Dondus is unconditional to him.

(As a side, I can't help but think about how utterly it would have broken Caracalla's remaining humanity to live long enough for Dondus to grow up. Dondus is a baby; as babies, monkeys are like innocent children. As teenagers, they get testy the exact same way people get, they test their boundaries and they get bored, but because they're not people, they can't be reasoned with. Caracalla is not a zookeeper or any kind of an animal scientist, and nobody in ancient Rome understood an animal's recreational and enrichment needs. Dondus would have become an unmanageable monster to him very quickly in the conditions that he's kept in, and this perceived abandonment and betrayal would have destroyed Caracalla in ways that honestly terrify me. But I digress. Severely.)

Just as Macrinus gets through to Caracalla by presenting imaginary threats to Dondus, Geta has already done something which has destroyed the trust between them by directly attacking Dondus specifically. It doesn't matter if the wine hit Dondus or Caracalla or if they'd been on the different sides of the room and Geta had cast the wine at one of them only, it would have hit both. And I think Geta knows this.

With that out of the way? You're also not wrong. This scene is so much about their father and their childhood, and I (SCREECHING BECAUSE I HAVE NO WORDS STRONG ENOUGH TO EXPRESS HOW MUCH I) hate the fact that in the final cut, the thread that brings this together is cut, which is Geta's recalling of how he would put himself between their father's rages and Caracalla and endure the beatings for him. The reason Caracalla can be as bratty and insufferable with Geta is because they had that trust. Because Geta would not hurt him, or retaliate. Except that he does, suddenly. To Caracalla, who enters a regressive dissociative state from the trigger, Geta has just shown that he is not his protector - he's a threat, he is their father, he is capable and willing to resort to physical violence to regain control, and he will punish Caracalla specifically for either his insolence and disobedience or for his own mistakes. Geta has broken his own promise of always being Caracalla's safety; another reason why Macrinus is so successful in convincing Caracalla that Geta intends to blame him for everything that happened, even though Geta showed no real intent to do anything like it.

Meanwhile, Geta himself is recognising that he is his father's son, after all. He is, suddenly, in his own body, the man who broke them. He is very much now, in the midst of everything else, trying to come to terms with his own capacity for violent retribution - and just as Caracalla, trying to wrap his head around the fact that he did resort to violence against him, even if he didn't intend to. Is that how it felt like for their father? Is he no better than him? And why, why did it feel the way that it did?

And, maybe, also why he even bothers. Would it not be easier this way? Caracalla's not getting better. He's just getting worse no matter what Geta does, no matter what he sacrifices, no matter how much he endures. He can't control Caracalla any more than he can control Rome, not through the means that he's been applying. Not through love, not through gentleness. Is it worth it? Would he not do better on his own? Would it not resolve this, if...?

I don't at any point believe that Geta actually wants to harm his brother. But I fully believe that being the sole support network and full-time caretaker to the only person you love and who loves you in return in life, who is chronically and terminally ill, is a job that no emperor should be tasked with alone while he's also trying to navigate ruling a goddamn fucking empire. This happens to people all of the time in real life: a loved one gets sick, so you become their caretaker. You get no sufficient support from your circumstances and burn out, and your love becomes resentment, your affection hate, your patience a readiness to lash out because you are at your wit's end and there's nothing left to give in there. People, real people, spouses and daughters and sons and sisters and brothers end up horribly abusing the vulnerable person they used to love and still do love more than anything and whom they wanted to care for because it's too much and there's no end and it is hour in and hour out dedication to someone who no longer shows you the tiniest bit of gratitude. Someone whose mind's gone, or who is always angry at you because of their own pain, and you don't even fucking remember what you loved them for anymore. You just wish they were dead already. Wish it was over. Wish it stopped. Not because you hate them, but because it's unbearable, and you're only one person.

No one else is helping Geta with Caracalla. Nobody else can even touch him. Without prompting, Geta tells that to Macrinus; "every day it gets worse."

And, at the end of the day, they are their father's sons. Both of them are. Both of them have been taught that violence is a conflict resolution. That violence is the means of regaining control over any situation: on the global stage, but also privately. The only love and gentleness they ever learned was with each other, and nothing reinforced this. In this moment, they must both be questioning whether it was ever real to begin with, or if they were just playing a game that has now ended.

[solasfenheral]

some bemused vg bitching below the cut

i am. very bemused by the way this game seems to pull its punches at certain moments. like its afraid to really step on your toes and get in your face thematically. which is a deeply strange experience considering i've never ever felt this way about a dragon age game before???

to be honest. I half wonder if it is a product of this game being a sequel that came out so long after it's previous title and right off the heels of two games that received cold to lukewarm reception critically and within the community. I know there would've been extreme pressure internally for this game to be a critical and commercial success and you see that in how polished it is, how there have been huge technological improvements in things like hair which bioware has always gotten some flack for. and I can't help but feel that history contributed to how. cautious of me this game feels at times.

but its just. strange. it feels so strange to get something like the push up scene at the end of taash's personal quest chain. like what are you doing, with this lukewarm defense of trans identity. have some BITE about it man, I know you care about this! it's like the game doesn't want to commit to locking you out of companion content because they wouldn't tolerate transphobia but also doesn't want to accept it, so you end up with this bizarre kind of. half ass defense of transness without really standing its ground about it.

and one hand I get it because I don't want taash's storyline to be about defending themselves from player transphobia when they're already struggling with coming to terms w their identity throughout the game, but this scene man. its so damn strange.

and like. the way this game handles religion is so damn bizarre to me! which is a critique I've again, never felt for a da game! it feels SO strange for bellara to be like. lol yeah the gods being evil actually makes it EASIER for me to let them go like ffdsjkfhjks what....? epler I am in your HOUSE, this is not how faith worksssss

in trying, it feels like, to avoid steeping on toes about what the revelation of the gods would MEAN to the elves, vg just. really fails to grapple with the importance of faith in people's lives and the pain of what losing that or it being challenged means.

i wouldn't even be as annoyed if like. at least ONE of our dalish companions had complicated feelings about their faith and it was something they could discuss between them! it would be really interesting to contrast davrin's pragmatism, his preoccupation MORE with the lived reality elves might suffer with this knowledge come to light under the current systems of oppression, his understanding of the dalish mythology as important to his culture and his sense of SELF w/o ever having really believed in them personally, with someone like bellara who DID believe and is working through an arc about grief and trying to find a new understanding of what dalish culture looks like now with such a key tenant being challenged!

how do you understand death and what comes beyond death when such a central pillar of your life has been challenged! oh my GOD the depth the funeral scene gains when u have this subtext.

there's not a single banter on how harding reconciles her understanding of the Titans to her belief in the maker!

its just. CRAZY to me that this game seems to be trying to dodge the religious and political bite of its own story fsdhfjkds aaaaaaaa

man this isn't even touching how bizarrely fast rook's regret prison does its switcheroo and goes from neve/bellara's blaming rook for losing them to rook going don't worry your death wasn't my fault to davrin/lace like my GOD lemme stew in the survivor's guilt man ur not even giving me an understanding of why rook can process this!! lace or davrin literally died like! 10 minutes ago to their understanding!!!

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 795: The peak of their limits!!

Pag 1

2: Isn't there anything I can do?

3: Listen to him

4: You don't have to say anything back, you can just nod

5: Just listen to his nonsense

6: Like always

8: To... Toudou-san

Pag 2

1: He'll arrive soon

2: In just a few minutes he'll pass on this road right before our eyes

4: There's no need to stay back

5: Right now, he's fighting

6: He's running against his rival for “the last kilometer”....

His muscles are aflame, he's wiping away his sweat, and his body is screaming

Pag 3

1: His limbs are numb because the blood isn't flowing until his extremities

His heart rate is at its limit, his body feels like it's in danger and is trying to stop moving

2: He's fighting against his own body that's trying to stop, and against his rival who's moving forward

It's the “peak of their limits”

3: The peak of... their limits

4: That's the fight he wanted

5: Watch him closely

Call out to him with me and he'll be happy

6: Don't worry

Racers recognize even the quietest voice

And then

Pag 4

1: they can turn them into power!!

Pag 5

1: Sooreeeee

2: 700m left until the mountain line!!

They're lined up!! They're neck and neck!!

So close!

Pag 6

1: 600m left!!

2: The race passes through the intersections with Mt. Hiko's trailhead!!

Goo Hakogaku!!

Don't lose, Chiba!!

They're neck and neck!!

Pag 7

1: Neither of them is stopping!!

Pag 9

2: So much sweat is falling on the road!!

3: They're passing through the last intersection and then will face the final gate

4: They're entering a narrow road!!

Pag 10

1: 500m left!!

2: They're still pedaling!!

Pag 11

1: Since earlier my fingers in my right shoes

2: keep getting cramps

3: The blood isn't reaching their tips

4: It's not, but

6: I'll keep turning my legs!!

7: I'll tighten up my shoes to reduce the pain!!

Pag 12

1: Mountain King tightened his shoe's dial!!

Woah he's serious!!

2: What does it mean!?

Biking shoes have a dial

3: During a long race, cyclists' feet get thinner, so they turn their shoes' dial up to tighten and secure their feet in preparation for the final dash

Wire

Depending on the direction you turn the dial, it tighten or become loose

4: In the scene of European races, it's something cyclists do a lot to prepare for the race before the finish line!!

5: Is Mountain Kind going to attack here!?

But right now it looked like he was trying to avoid the pain in his leg

Pag 13

1: This is bad!!

It's not just my fingers

My arms have lost feeling too when I'm dancing

3: But it's okay, it's just right

My legs are moving

4: And you're next to me!!

We're still fighting!!

Pag 14

1: If my arms won't move then I can just swing my bike from my shoulders!!

Pag 15

1: Manami attacked again!!

Amazing!

He's going!!

2: In the hardest section!!

He's leaving Mountain King behind using his dancing!!

Pag 16

1: He's opening a gap between himself and Sohoku's Mountain King!!

3: Mountain King is in a tough spot!!

4: He instinctively dropped his head!!

Pag 17

1: Try to have fun, Onoda

4: Races are hard

5: When your opponent accelerates in an unexpected moment, when the attack is stronger than you had imagined

6: Remember

Pag 18

1: You can't win a race without going through tough times

2: Teshma-san....

3: “Just before” means that there are many options

Like, will my opponent get exhausted? Could he make a mistake? You'll be thinking like that

4: Surprisingly, victory or defeat depend on these little things

Pag 19

1: Well, that's just my advice though

I actually always end up slowing down at critical moments, and so I lose

2: That's not true at all!! At this year's Inter High it was Teshima-san who won the mountain prize!! Thank you so much for that!!

I get it, I get it

3: Well, you're an earnest person and won two times already, so it's like I'm preaching to the choir

4: But there are times when you're weak

5: I've seen that many times too

9: During a race, when it's “just before”, just remember this

10: When there is both a hard road and an easy road

Pag 20

1: Don't hesitate to take the hard road!!

2: Right now for a moment, I was thinking “why am I going now” and “when it's hard to breathe”!!

Pag 21

2: My chest hurts!!

3: My legs hurt!!

4: But still!!

6: I'll choose what to chase!!

Pag 22

1: Mountain King is accelerating and chasing!!

Aaaaaagh

4: Sangaku!!

5: I'm ready!!

[hearts4golbach]

Busy. (Jake Webber x Fem!Reader.)

warning: smut

-

"jake?" I called from the living room. he was in the kitchen making food. "can we go out tonight? we haven't been on a date in like 2 months. I miss you."

"uh, I can't tonight, babe." he explained, "me and johnnie are working."

"yeah, that's all you've been fucking doing." I mutter under my breath.

"what?" Jake says a little louder.

"nothing." I said with an annoyed tone.

he walks into the room and wraps his arms around me, kissing my cheek. "tell me what's bothering you."

I pushed his arms off and stood up. "you don't have time for me anymore and it's honestly annoying as fuck." I knew I should be considerate because he's working, but I also had a right to be mad.

i walked away before he could answer, shutting the bathroom door to take a shower.

10 minutes later, jake knocked on the door. "I'm going to head out, can I come in?"

"okay." I mumbled.

he walked in and I peaked out of the curtain. "yeah?"

he placed a kiss on my lips. "I'll be home later."

I frowned. "I'm sure you will."

he texted johnnie, saying he was on his way before exiting the bathroom.

-

I sat on the couch for 3 hours watching 'Sonic Underground' because that show is fire as fuck and always made me feel better.

my limbs were spread out all over the couch as I drank diet coke. I was giggling at the show whenever I heard the front door open.

"honey, I'm home!" Jake called jokingly. he was more chipper than he was earlier.

"I'm in the living room." I answered, not bothering to match his energy.

he walked in, carrying food in one hand and flowers in the other.

"oh, cute. did johnnie get you flowers?" I teased.

he rolled his eyes and handed them to me. "they're for you."

"thank you, baby." I gave him a sad smile.

"whatcha watching?"

"sonic." he handed me one box. it was my favorite take out. "awe, jake."

"this is our late little date. I promise, I'll take you out soon." he smiled and began to dig into his own food.

I was still quite angry at him, though. he sensed that.

"if there's anything I can do to make it up to you, I will." he offered.

I felt my cheeks heat up. "I don't think I should say the first thing that came to mind."

jake smirked before pulling me in for a kiss. I think he got the hint. he kissed me deeply, moving his hands up to cup my face.

"I'm sorry I've been such a dick lately, I've been so caught up with work and johnnie."

"it's okay, you can make it up to me now."

he pulled me into his lap. "I intend to." he groaned softly as I grinded my hips against him.

"I want you, jake." I pleaded, holding back a moan from the friction.

"then take me."

I began to take off his shirt and pants, planning to fuck him right here on the couch.

he took of my clothes as well, tossing them somewhere in the living room. we were both left in our underwear.

"you're already so hard." I whispered in his ear.

"you have that effect on me." he began to kiss my neck, trailing down to my covered chest. his hands snaked around my back, unclipping my bra.

he cupped my tit with one hand while the other was on my hip, grinding me down onto him. "fuck, jake." I moaned softly.

"you're so perfect." he said, smashing his lips onto mine.

he quickly pulled off my underwear, leaving me naked on top of him. I palmed his length through his boxers, feeling his cock twitch under my touch.

"fuck-" he whimpered, pulling down his boxers. his dick sprang up. "are you okay with this?" Jake breathed out, his eyes trailing up my body.

I nodded eagerly. he grabbed my hips and positioned himself at my entrance. I slowly took his length, making him let out a needy moan.

"shh." I placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "these walls are thin, the neighbors will hear."

"I don't care." he pants, beginning to thrust in and out at a slow pace. he looked at me with desire and need in his eyes. "you feel so fucking good."

"you're so good, jake." I placed my hands on his chest. I wasn't a very verbal person while we fucked, but I wanted to change that.

"oh, fuck." Jake gasped, throwing his head back as I picked up the pace.

he looked back at me, watching as I bounced on his hard length. "oh my-" I moaned. "faster, jake."

without hesitation, he sped up the pace. his hips met mine with a primal rhythm. the sound of it filled the room. he groaned into my neck, going at it harder.

"just like that." I breathed, placing my hands on his shoulders for more stability.

"you're so fucking tight." he grunted, digging his fingers into my hips as he pushed deeper. "I'm so close."

he continuously hit my g spot, making me lose control. I moaned incoherent swears as his cock throbbed inside of me. "you're driving me crazy." I managed to utter.

"I know." he said with a smirk. he gripped my hair, pulling my head back as he began to leave dark hickeys on my neck.

"shit," I breathed. "I'm close."

"cum with me, babe." he grabbed my ass.

my body tensed with his final thrust, pushing deep inside as he shot his seed. he cried out in pleasure, kissing me lazily.

"how could I ever be mad at you." i say, trying to catch my breath.

[slutdilf]

A Quick Break

Paring: pedro pascal X male reader

Warnings: Smut, blowjob, dirty talk (a little?), established relationship

Note: I put them in a established relationship just to make it a little easier to write. Also had pedro speak Spanish a little because I’d be a puddle on the floor if he spoke to me in Spanish

Request by: @pedropascal111 : here’s an idea I’d say during the process of filming their was a kiss scene with him and someone else but he’d always make eye contact with you every time, then they have like a little break from filming say 10 minutes or sum and yknow stuff goes down but you gotta keep quiet then go back to filming like nothing happend 🧍‍♂️😭

“Ok and action!”

The director's call snaps you to attention. The scene has started. Pedro and the costar you've been trying hard not to compare yourself with move into position. They start talking, and even through their character's bickering the connection between them is apparent.

You catch Pedro glancing over at you- was that on purpose? Did he mean for you to see the smile in his eyes? You're not sure.

A few minutes pass. The scene is ramping up. They're moving closer together...

They're practically chest to chest now, the tension in the air as thick as smoke. You bite your lip, watching anxiously. Pedro is looking straight into the costar's eyes, but even as the other actor returns Pedro's gaze, you notice your boyfriend's eyes flick in your direction again.

The scene reaches its climax. They're nearly forehead to forehead, and it's almost as if the pair don't remember that the camera is there, that other people even exist. As their lips touch and the kiss begins. You feel the jealousy in your veins building up each time you see the their lips interlocking. Thinking of you wanted to just walk onto set, grab pedro and slam your lips into his to make sure the entire crew knows that he’s your boyfriend.

The director calls, "Cut, perfect, let’s take 10 and we can rendezvous for the final take of the episode. " The costars disengages fading into her dressing room as Pedro almost instinctively makes his way over towards you.

"Hey," he grins as he reaches you. "You alright?"

You nod, but you don't really know how to put into words the mix of emotions you're feeling.

Sensing your unease, Pedro takes your hand in his own and raises it to his lips, kissing it softly. "Come on. I've got a little break before the next scene. Let's go somewhere private."

He leads you over to a small room and closes the door behind you. The room contains little more than a couch, small table, and a mirror set up for makeup.

Pedro takes a seat next to you on the couch and tugs you into his lap. Pressing a kiss into your shoulder, he murmurs, "You looked so unhappy watching that scene. Jealous, perhaps?"

You freeze, not quite knowing how to respond. Pedro chuckles, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you closer against him.

"Don't be mad, cariño. Acting isn't real. I love *you*."

He nuzzles your neck softly, his lips caressing your sensitive skin.

Despite his reassurances, a little ember of jealousy still smolders in your chest. As Pedro continues to kiss along the column of your throat, his lips finding the spot just behind your ear that he knows you’re sensitive to, you pout a bit.

"It looked real," you mutter petulantly.

"Yeah, like I said, I'm an actor," he replies, nipping gently at your earlobe. "But it's all fake, I promise. I don't feel this way about anyone but you."

With a light movement, he rolls the two of you so that you're lying lengthwise on the couch, your head resting back on the arm rest as he cages you beneath his body.

He lowers his mouth to your neck once more, this time focusing on the junction where it meets your shoulder. You let out a soft gasp as he mouths the sensitive skin, his lips leaving a trail of heat as they move down towards the collar of your shirt.

Between kisses, he asks, "Am I going to have to prove myself to you?"

His lips have found the hollow of your collarbone, and he begins biting and sucking in a way that you know is going to leave a mark. You moan, the sound escaping from your lips before you can control it.

"*Yes,*" you reply in a strangled whisper.

"That's what I was hoping you'd say."

Pedro lifts his head just long enough to flash you a cocky grin before he dives right back into his work, his mouth closing over yours. The kiss is hot and hungry, his tongue pushing impatiently between your lips. He slides his hips forward, pressing his body down against yours.

The weight of his body on top of you, the pressure of his hips against your thighs- something about it is making it hard for you to think straight. You feel your hands slide up into his hair, your fingers wrapping around the dark strands and pulling him closer.

Pedro groans into your mouth, the sound more growl than anything else. He pulls his mouth away from yours just long enough to pant out, “can’t wait to get you home tonight”

His face lowers again, this time finding its target further down on your body. He mouths down your neck, across your chest, and when he reaches the V of exposed skin above your collarbone a shiver runs through you.

He tugs at the hem of your shirt. "But right now I’ve got 10 minutes so let’s make this quick."

The word comes out as a command, and the authority in his voice has you complying almost before you know what you're doing.

Your shirt hits the floor, and then his mouth is back on you again, teeth and lips teasing your skin. He drags his tongue along each rib, leaving a burning stripe in its wake. When he reaches your stomach he pauses, glancing up at you through his eyelashes.

"You still mad at me, mi amor?" he asks, his tone slightly mocking.

You open your mouth to protest, but can't manage to form any words when his tongue traces a slow line just above the waistband of your pants. The only thing that comes out is a breathless moan.

Pedro's eyes flash with satisfaction at the sound. "Thought so."

With a lazy smirk he sinks to his knees between your legs. His hands slide along your thighs, pushing your legs apart.

You gasp as he tugs you forward as much as the edge of the couch will allow, settling himself between your legs. Your hands tighten into fists around the material of the couch cushion as his fingers make quick work of the button of your pants.

He starts to ease the material down over your hips, and you lift them to help him. Soon your pants fall to the floor, and you're left in only your underwear and whatever will be left of your dignity.

Pedro grins as he takes in the sight of you. "Mi Carinõ," he exclaims, his Spanish voice melting you. He knew how much you melted into a puddle when he spoke in his native tongue. You didn’t know what about it made you so turned on, but Pedro knew it did and used to his advantage at any given moment.

Still keeping eye contact with you, he leans forward, his breath hot on your stomach. He places a small kiss on your abdomen, just below your belly button. And then another just below that. And another.

He continues the slow line of kisses all the way down to the edge of your underwear.

Pedro's hands are moving up and down your legs, caressing your skin like it's the most precious thing in the world. Every touch is sending sparks through your body, and you can feel the heat building between your legs.

"Pedro," you gasp, "please-"

He looks up at you again, one eyebrow raised. "Please? Please what, love?"

His tone is innocent, as if he's trying not to laugh, and you want to strangle him for acting like you weren’t completely at his mercy right now you wanted to strangle that teasing smirk and then kiss his stupid face so badly.

"You know what I mean," you whine, and immediately curse yourself for how pathetic it makes you sound.

Pedro chuckles darkly, his hands still roaming up and down your thighs. "Do I?" he teases. "I need you to use your words, cariño."

In response, you grind your hips up against him, desperate for any friction. A groan falls from his lips as the movement pushes your aching need against the line of his jaw, and you can practically feel his smirk on your skin as he nuzzles your bulge

He begins mouthing at the shape of you through your underwear, applying just the *perfect* amount of pressure. You let out a moan, unable to keep quiet anymore, and instantly one of Pedro's hands is over your mouth.

"Shhh," he hisses into your skin. "We're supposed to be being quick, remember? You don't want the whole crew to hear you, do you?"

You bite down on your lip, determined not to let any more sounds escape. Pedro grins. "That's a good boy."

With those words he hooks his fingers over the top of your underwear, and slowly, slowly begins working them down over your thighs.

“Mmm…” pedro hums burying his face into your groin and taking a deep breath as he looks at you with almost puppy dog eyes as if he’s just completely enamoured by your presence. You run your hand through his fluffy hair his brownish black locks tangling in your fingers.

Pedro moves his mouth down to your length taking you in his nose touching your abdomen as he takes you in whole. His tongue swirling around the head of your cock.

You were biting your lip hard you were sure you could taste a small amount of blood from just how much. But that was the least of your concerns right now. Soft small muffled quiet whimpers escaping your mouth as you try to keep quiet while Pedro works his mouth on your dick.

You wanted to scream in pure ecstasy and pleasure but you couldn’t you were doing everything you could to muffle those moans biting your lip, burying your head into the cushions of the sofa, biting the edge of the cushion. But nothing could stop the small little whimpers. As pedro bobs his head up and down pumping your hard length with his mouth. Your hand gripping his hair tightly tugging at him more and more as you could feel the pressure of your release

With almost every nerve your body has to stop the sounds from leaving your mouth. You let out a whimper that echos the room. As you cum. Followed by a deep groan from Pedro and then a small little gulp.

Pedro extracts his mouth from you and looks at you with those enamoured puppy dog eyes again. The remnants of your release on his lips.

So lost in the moment of both of your pure joyful and blissful thoughts you snap your head to the door as it knocks and the voice of a set boy is heard “Mr pascal we start in 30 seconds.”

“Be right there.” Pedro says back in a voice so nonchalant like he wasn’t just giving you the most wild blowjob you’ve gotten.

At that moment Pedro stands up and wipes his mouth and looks in the mirror “you ruined my hair.” He grumbles in a slight teasing tone. You got up and raised your hand into his hair ruffling it messing it more than it already was.

“You cheeky little-“ Pedro says in a laugh as he tries to comb it back to how it was prior to the break. With what little seconds you had to spare you both quickly got yourself into a normal looking state to head out.

Pedro heads out his hand intertwined in your hand as he walks to the set he looks at you as he raises your hand to his lips “be right back.” He whispers as he lets your hand go.

You saw his facial expression almost immediately change into his acting face as the director yelled “Action.”

You watched the rest of the filming process with less jealousy this time around knowing that pedro did indeed love you and that the work on set was just a fake experience.

[pitufitaispunk]

Velvet Ring

Chapter Three: Maybe

Pairing: Riff x Latina!Reader (West Side Story 2021)

Velvet Ring Masterlist

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June 10, 1957

I wake up at 5:30am and pull myself out of bed, my head pounding. It had been a week since I'd allowed Nardo to tell Manuel that he could accompany me to the dance and now, Manuel follows me around everywhere. It was sweet at first, he reminded me a bit of a lost puppy. Manuel would only walk me to and from work, but now he reminds me more of a parasite. This clingy behavior has quickly become irritating. He's began to join me to go to the market, he hangs around the florería all day, and he's also started coming around the apartment a lot more. It feels suffocating. That little window of time I had after work that was just for me has become 'Manuel Time' and I barely ever get a minute alone anymore. However, it's also been a week since my encounter with the Jet. I don't know what happened with him, but I haven't seen him anywhere. Not that I would want to anyway, but it's still weird. Maybe the Jets were up to something, probably thinking of new ways to make my brother and his friends miserable. That thought makes me feel even more guilty for 'missing' the Jet.

I put on my slippers and shuffle across my room to grab my pink robe, wrapping it around myself before walking out into the kitchen. I glance over at Anita and Bernardo's bedroom, seeing Bernardo is still asleep in their bed, but I can hear Anita in the shower. I begin making some eggs for myself and for her, considering she almost always made breakfast for us. When she walks out of the bathroom, she's wrapped in a towel with a blue shower cap on her head. She smiles at me and sits down at the dining table, "¿Por qué estás despierta tan temprano?"

I shrug, placing a fork and a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her, "I like the quiet." I grab my own breakfast and sit down next to her. We eat in comfortable silence before I speak again, "Anita, ¿puedo preguntarte algo?"

"Claro," She nods, wiping her mouth with a napkin, "What do you want to ask me?"

I look down at my lap, fiddling with the hem of my robe, "I just wanted to ask about the Jets."

She quirks a brow at me, "The Jets? Why do you want to know about the Jets?"

I look up at her, stilling my hands, "I'm just curious. Nardo never tells me anything and I don't think it's safe to be so clueless about everything going on around me."

Anita sighs, "I know as much as you do, nena."

I know she's lying and give her a pleading look, "No me mientes, Anita, por favor. Just tell me anything!"

She puts her fork down again and points a finger at me warningly, "Fine. But you don't tell your brother I told you." I nod eagerly, making her purse her lips, "Well, you know they're the reason Bernardo is always stressed," She says softly, I nod. "And to put it simply, Y/N, they're destructive little gringos who think they own the streets. They terrorize Puerto Ricans day after day because they think we don't belong here. Or rather, they think we don't deserve to be here in their glorious country." I swallow hard, guilt weighing on my chest. Anita takes her shower cap off and begins touching up her hair, "Anything else you want to know?"

I nod, "Do you know any of their names?" I ask, trying to sound casual about it.

Anita huffs softly, "Why do you want to know their names? Do their names matter? They're all the same anyway." I purse my lips and Anita raises her hands in surrender, "Ok, ok, no te pongas de malas. Well, there's, eh... Riff, the leader. Obviamente." I pinch my brows at her words, clearly it wasn't that obvious to me. I've heard Bernardo say that name multiple times, but the leader of the Jets was still faceless to me. Anita continues, counting them off on her fingers, "The... ¿como se dice? Ah, the second in command is Ice. Hm... the youngest is Baby John, the buff one is Diesel... Ay, there's too many to count, but you get it." I wondered which of those names might have belonged to the Jet I've met or if she even mentioned him. Anita gives me a tight lipped smile, "Now are we done here?"

I laugh softly and nod, "Creo que eso es suficiente. Gracias, Anita." As I stand to clear our plates off the table, Anita grabs my wrist. "Don't go snooping around the Jets, ok? Now that you have all the information you need about them, you will stay away."

I laugh awkwardly, "I wasn't going to snoop, lo prometo." She gives me a look and I sigh, "I'm just tired of everyone treating me like a kid, I don't need to be protected from this stuff anymore. It's time for you, Bernardo, and everyone else to accept that... Well, I should go shower before work." I scurry into the bathroom, locking the door behind me before Anita can get in another word.

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At work, I seemed to keep getting distracted. I accidentally knocked over a potted plant, I tripped over a box of new gloves and ended up tearing my dress. I was a total mess and it was all because of that Jet. I've always been a fairly curious girl, but I'd never wanted to know about someone this much. It wasn't because I liked him or because he's good looking, it was because he confused me. Why would he flirt with me? He knows I'm Puerto Rican, so why would he flirt with me? A million questions begin to flood my mind. Was it all some cruel trick? Was he planning an attack on me to get back at Nardo? Does he even know I'm Bernardo's sister? I don't think I'm on his radar now, but I hope I see him again soon, just so I can give him a piece of my mind.

"Y/N, ¿estás bien?" I hear Lupita's voice call and I'm snapped out of my thoughts. I look up and see Marisol and Lupita giving me strange looks, then I realize I'd been watering the same plant for about 5 minutes now and the pot was overflowing with water. I hurry out to the alley to drain the water, cursing softly under my breath. I then hear footsteps shuffling towards me.

"Looks like someone had too much to drink."

I freeze. I know that voice well by now. It's him again. I quickly take off my name tag before he can see it. I look up and there he is, towering over me. The Jet. He was wearing a thin white tank top with dark blue jeans and scruffy black sneakers. I place the potted plant down on the cement ground, stand up straight and narrow my eyes at him, trying to look tough.

He just laughs and steps closer to me, "So, you work here?" He asks, pointing towards the florería.

I scoff softly and gesture to my uniform, "Do you think I just wear this apron for fun? Yes, I work here."

His eyes widen, surprised that I finally spoke back to him. The look of shock is quickly replaced by amusement as a smug grin grows on his face.

I turn to head back inside then I hear him step closer to me again. I look back at him, my brows pinched, "You can't come in."

He smirks, his hands in his pockets, "Wasn't going to. So... what's your name?"

I snort, "I'm not telling you that."

He tilts his head coquettishly, giving me a sly grin, "Aw, come on. What's the harm in just telling me your name? Promise I won't wear it out." He drawls.

I roll my eyes at his attempts to charm me, "There's a lot of harm in telling you my name. You could... I don't know, sic your boys on me."

This makes the Jet laugh heartily, "Sic my boys on you? That's a good one. Come on, sweetheart, I'll do you one in return if you just tell me. Besides, don't you wanna know my name?" His gaze has softened, but I'm still wary. It could all be some kind of trick.

I scoff, "No. You Jets are all the same anyway."But it was lie. Obviously, I've been dying to know his name, but if he knew that, he'd just think I liked him. Jets are very cocky that way.

He hums softly at my response, then looks up at the sign above the door, an white plank of wood with the words 'Empleados Solamente' in fuchsia colored cursive letters with flowers painted along the sides.

"What's that mean?" He asks, pointing up at the sign.

"Employees only." I say firmly, crossing my arms over my chest. I wasn't going to back down or give this Jet the satisfaction of knowing that he scares me just a little.

His gaze flits back down to me and he smiles, his hands raised in surrender, "Alright, doll. I get it, I get it. I'll get out of your hair... if that's what you really want." I purse my lips and he laughs, "I'll take that as a yes."

He begins to walk away before he stops himself and turns to look at me again, a smirk on his face, "So... will I be seeing you at the dance?"

I pinch my brows, "What?"

He shrugs nonchalantly, "Will I be seeing you at the dance?" He asks again, putting emphasis on each word.

I lean down to pick up the potted plant then look up at him again, "Maybe." I say softly before quickly hurrying inside, locking the door behind me.

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After work, I am accompanied by Manuel back to the apartment. He quickly explained to me that he got too busy to drop by today during my shift, but he didn't know I was secretly glad I finally got some time to myself for the first time in a week.

Manuel is a quiet boy, so the walk back home is always an awkwardly silent one.

I look up at him, my lips pursed, "So, Manuel, how was work today?" I ask, making an attempt at small talk. Manuel and all four of his siblings work at a panadería, La Noria, ran by his mother and father. Bernardo always sent me there on Fridays to pick up some mallorcas, so we could have something special for dessert.

Manuel beams at my question, "Estaba bien. It was a busy day, but you know I love it there more than anything. ¿Todavía vas a venir mañana a comprar tus tres mallorcas de siempre?"

I laugh softly, "Sí. You know how Nardo is, he loves mallorcas."

As we finally arrive to the apartment, I fish my keys out of my purse and unlock the door, letting Manuel and myself in. He makes his way over to the couch and plops down tiredly, letting out a long sigh.

I quirk a brow at him, "¿Estás cansado?"

He hums sleepily and nods, "Sí... y tengo muchísima hambre. Could you make me something? Unos huevos o algo."

"Por supuesto." I roll my eyes and grab a pan from the cabinet. I was tired too, but I would make him some eggs anyway. I walk over to the stove and place the pan down, slicking it with oil once it's heated up. I crack two eggs into the pan and sprinkle some salt on them.

Manuel sits up slightly and cranes his neck to look at me, "Gracias, Y/N. You'll make a great wife someday."

My eyes widen. Did he mean I would be a great wife to him? I suck in a deep breath and turn to look at him with a forced smile, "Thank you, Manuel. Because that's always been my dream. To be a great wife."

He smiles at my words, obviously he didn't pick up on my sarcasm. I know Manuel means well by saying that— as well as my brother and a few other men I know— but I hated that they always saw me as a future housewife, when that's not really what I want to do with my life. I admire the women who are devoted to their families in that way, but I would really love to run a flower shop of my own someday or maybe a bookshop. In all honesty, I’m not sure what I want to do yet, but I have hope that I could do either one. When I’ve saved up enough money from working at the florería, I would also like to go to university. Not many people I know do because it’s so expensive, but it’s a secret desire of mine. It's something I don't really talk about with anyone, but mainly because I know people would only try to talk me out of it with how much money it would cost me.

"Y/N, could I have a glass of water?" Manuel asks softly, his voice startling me a bit.

I plate his eggs quickly and nod, "I'll get it for you right now." I hand him his eggs then get him a glass of cool water.

He quickly eats his eggs and gulps down the water, then checks his watch, "Hm, I should get going now. My parents said I have to be back to the bakery by 5:00." He stands from the couch and hugs me, "Gracias por todo. You're amazing."

I smile sheepishly, "It's nothing." Manuel returns my smile before leaving the apartment. Once he's gone, I sit myself on the couch and kick off my flats, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Soon after Manuel leaves, Anita and Bernardo come back home from work. Anita groans softly as she peels her heels from her sore feet and places them neatly by the front door, Nardo rubs her back before making his way to the fridge to grab the carton of milk. Anita practically limps over to the living room and sits on the couch next to me, "How was your day, nena?" She asks, stroking my hair tenderly.

I smile softly, my eyelids drooping as her gentle touch soothes me, "Uneventful."

She stills her hand and gives me a smirk, "Uneventful, huh? Bernardo and I saw Manuel leave just now… what did you two talk about?” She waggles her brows at me suggestively, making me roll my eyes.

“Nothing. He sat on the couch, half asleep, while I made him some eggs. Manuel isn’t a very talkative person.” I shrug.

Anita sighs softly and sits upright, lowering her voice so Nardo wouldn’t hear, “Ay, nena, I told you that you don’t have to go out with him if you don’t want.”

I lean my head on her shoulder, “But you see how happy it’s made Nardo. I don’t mind it.”

Anita purses her lips, “I just don’t want you to feel obligated to date whoever your brother wants you to. There are plenty of nice boys in our neighborhood.”

Our neighborhood. I force a smile and nod, “Sí, lo sé. I’m content with Manuel for now. He’s a sweet boy. A little clingy, but sweet.”

Anita laughs and pulls me into a tight hug, “If you say so, Y/N.”

Bernardo walks into the living room, biting into a crisp red apple, “Vamos al mercado.”

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