#and then making friends with as many of them as possible

[shariasweet]

sweet hyperfeminine gf headcannons with sunghoon <3

park sunghoon 𝓧 female reader

sh4r1n0t3 ᪄ I love this request :3 especially after doing the drabbles about enha’s type! anyways I hope you like these… i kind of ran through this so hopefully it’s okayyy! ၃ ִ

snyp: sunghoon with his sweet, hyperfem gee eff :3 | wc: less than 1k | cw: none, just fluff • not proof read .ᐟ

wiplist. masterlist. requests.

sunghoon absolutely loves how girly you are… he loves all of the pink and lace that comes along with you—the jewels, the trinkets, the keychains. “gosh… I didn’t even realize I’d left my stuff everywhere.” you sighed and sunghoon shook his head. “s’fine...” all you could see was the mess of clothes and accessories accompanied by way too many trinkets scattered across your boyfriend’s room—it looked like a miniso had threw up in here… stuffed animals, blankets… thrown across his sofa, tucked beneath his duvet. they almost looked out of place compared to the sleek, plain interior of his home. however… unbeknownst to you… sunghoon finds it charming—he’d argue that your giant hello kitty goes perfectly stark against his black sheets… and that your collection of sweetly-flavored lipgloss is right where it belongs, tubes thrown across his bathroom sink. messy as it may be, he loves having reminders of you all over the inside of his apartment.

sunghoon has the worst cuteness aggression. you could sneeze… or breathe, and he’d be melting. of course, he’d do his best to refrain from babying you, but sometimes, he can’t help but want to pepper kisses across your cute face for no reason at all. seeing you be so kind to everyone makes his heart swell. he can feel his chest aching every time because… how’d he get so lucky to be with such a sweet girl? sunghoon would watch you be so gentle with everyone—cafe workers, elderly people… even children. your warm, comforting smile makes his heart race.

he learns every step of every routine you have. all so that he can assist in dolling you up… hair, skincare, makeup… he’s paying close attention so that he can help. “what’s this?” he points at the serum on your vanity, watching closely as you complete your pre-makeup skincare. “it’ll lock the moisture into my skin—‘makes sure my makeup stays all smooth.” you chirp, smiling as you watch him nod behind you in the mirror. “and that..?” sunghoon points as the primer standing alongside your concealer. “that makes sure it stays, baby.”

sunghoon does everything for you… even the simplest of tasks. you’re just too pretty… too charming. too kind. too sweet. how could he possibly make you carry your own bag or cut your own food? when you arrived at the restaurant, he took your jacket from your shoulders, draping it over the arms of your chair as he pulled it out. he takes your bag and sits it beside him, and when the time comes, he lets you order first. “oh! ‘hoonie, you really don’t have to.” he takes your plate, cutting the steak center of the porcelain into small, bite sized pieces before sliding it back across the table. “i wanted to.” is all he says before cutting his own food.

sunghoon opens every door and pulls out every chair! he’s a real gentleman when it comes to you. he treats you like you’re made of glass... he’ll even go as far as tying your shoes or slipping them onto your feet. “you bought them!?” you squeal when you see your boyfriend pull the box of heels from behind his back. “you glanced at them the last time we were out. they’re your favorite color, plus… they’re very pretty. they’d suit you.” heat practically rushes to your face as he kneels before you, a quiet can i slipping past his lips as he carefully holds your foot and slips the shoe on. “perfect.” he smiles, looking up at you. “go walk around, see how they feel for me.”

he loves listening to you talk about your interests. whether it be tv shows, fashion… your friend groups latest gossip. the romcom playing in the back fades into static as you talk, “I told her she deserves so much better than that!” you sighed, frustrated as you smoothed the sheet-face-mask over your boyfriends face. “I can’t believe he did that…” he murmured. reaching behind him, you grab some lip gloss. “chuuu…” you purse your lips, he does the same, sitting prettily as you swipe the gloss across him bottom lip. “now rub them together.” he does, looking at you for approval when he’s done. “perfect, hoonie!”

he buys you whatever you want… not only that, but whatever he thinks you’d like. sunghoon loves to spoil you! shopping sprees are a regular occurrence—nothing brings him as much joy as watching your face light up when you pick up a cute purse or an adorable lounge set.

he wants to help pick out your outfits—he’ll lay out the prettiest skirts for you with the laciest tops…

and if you’re fidgety? playing with his fingers, his rings, the bracelet around his wrist… he absolutely loves it. sunghoon would go as far as gifting you the ring that you constantly spin around his finger, cutely slipping it onto your finger without a word.

he loves your kisses—how your lipgloss leaves a cute sheen on his cheek and how sweet you always taste. “what flavor is that?” his tongue swipes across his lips in an effort to pick up the flavor of you lipgloss. “guess! it’s one of your favorites.” giggling, you flop back down onto the mattress beside him. “bubblegum?” you shake your head. “strawberries and cream?” you disagree again. “oneee more.” teasing, you place a slow, sweet peck onto his lips. sunghoon smacks his lips, darting his tongue out once more. “it’s cotton candy, isn’t it?” you nod, “good job, hoonie!” you’ll have to smother him in more kisses as a reward for guessing correctly.

[elysixns]

Chrysos Heirs as Romance Tropes !

Content: GN!Reader, (mostly) fluff

🌹 Note: I am not well versed in romance as a genre, so forgive me if some sections are a bit wonky! I ended up watching several romcoms for inspiration, lol

Aglaea

Meet-Cute & Strangers to Lovers

I think that Aglaea is someone who struggles to get closer to others because of her reputation. The other Chrysos Heirs know that she's a loving person, often to the point of being meddlesome, but to those who do not walk the path of fated sacrifice? To them, Aglaea is both as beautiful as she is inhuman.

Because of this, I believe that the most fitting romance trope for her would be the kind of trope in which the other person 1.) realizes that Lady Goldweaver is in fact not as scary as rumors make her out to be, and 2.) decides that they want to spend as much time as they can learning more about her.

A meet cute at the marmoreal market is the perfect place for Aglaea to stumble into her future spouse by complete accident. Perhaps they're short on cash for a gift they want to buy for a loved one, so she decides to buy it for them; maybe they fumble a sentence and trip over their words in front of her, and Aglaea finds herself endeared enough to tease them a little more.

Whatever the case, they catch her eye (or she catches theirs!), and she decides to get to know them better after that. :3

Phainon

Friends to Lovers & Mutual pining

Phainon isn't stupid, but he also isn't very bright when it comes to others feelings– Or maybe it's more accurate to say that he chooses not to read too much into what others do or say, because he doesn't want to psychoanalyze them or misinterpret their intentions.

The kind of love that can potentially blossom between dear friends is the perfect romance for Phai, because he's someone who takes quite a bit to put 100% of his trust into someone, and because he feels more confident in being able to accurately guess what his friends are thinking.

It doesn't matter one way or the other if Phainon's potential love interest is more soft spoken or outgoing, or if they show their love via kindness or competition; once Phainon's decided to trust them implicitly, it's as if he can read their very thoughts through their eyes alone.

After that happens, it's only a matter of time before Phainon prepares to confess either through a sparring competition or through a stupidly over-the-top romantic picnic on one of the many rooftops in Okhema.

Castorice

First Love & Opposites Attract

Cas has spent most of her life in shadows; not out of fear of the light, but out of fear that she'd somehow manage to extinguish it just by existing. Because of this, she's never really entertained the idea of romance to begin with; Cas could barely allow herself to daydream about friendship as a young girl, she couldn't bear to taint romantic love with her fantasies as well.

For this reason, I believe that first love + opposites attract are definitely the tropes for her. Meeting someone more boisterous and passionate than her would give Cas the courage she needs to actively seek joy in others and in herself (something that she never thought she could do to begin with).

If her love interest could manage to break down the walls that Cas has built over the course of a thousand years, then she will absolutely take her chance and confess to them (looming prophecy and eternal loneliness be damned).

Falling in love is almost always terrifying (doubly so for Castorice), but realizing that someone in the world actually feels that way about her would do wonders for her self-esteem and confidence.

Mydeimos

Power Couple & Star-Crossed Lovers

Mydei is someone who gives as much of himself as possible for others safety, so I believe he'd benefit from a relationship in which his partner were his equal on that front; someone who, like him, is willing to (and has proven to) risk their life for the things they want to protect; someone who sticks to their ideals and doesn't back down (especially when those ideals are challenged), is the kind of person that Mydei would end up being drawn to the most.

Despite fate dictating that Mydei and his love interest won't be together for much longer, he deigns to be selfish just this once, if only to find a moment of security and companionship in someone that truly loves him.

In the end, even if it's only a temporary safe haven, it's one that I think Mydei would manage to bask in nonetheless. Is it cruel on his part to indulge in romance after fate has penned such a tragic finale for him? Maybe, but it's not like his love interest is ignorant to the risk either. Whatever happens, the two of them have already made peace with the fact that they'll both burn for their choices.

Anaxagoras

Miscommunication & One-Sided Pining

OKAY!! Hear me out, I just think this one would be really funny. Imagine for a moment a scholar who decided to sit in on one of Anaxa's lectures out of sheer curiosity. His prosing speeches are almost indecipherable to them, so whenever he addresses these rambles directly to them, they simply stay silent and listen to him speak (just like me fr).

Anaxa, ever the egoist, initially takes this silence as a lack of interest, and point blank tells this scholar to stop coming to his lectures. It isn't until after Anaxa saves them during the attack on the Grove that the scholar finally confesses: they do care about Anaxa's research (because they care about HIM), they're just fucking stupid!!! And they need him to dumb down what he's talking about!

I believe that since Anaxa is such a benevolent and patient teacher, he would end up giving the scholar a second chance at proving themself to him. If anyone were to ask why he did that, Anaxa would be silent for several moments whilst coming up with some kind of excuse because he doesn't actually have an answer.

(It's the way their eyes light up when he finally gets through to them and the way they look at him when they think he doesn't notice. How interesting it is to see them smile like that.)

Cipher

Rivals to Lovers & Forced Proximity

Thievery comes easy to the Chrysos Heir whom has the blessing of Zagreus, and in all her years (of which there are many), she has never had competition in being the absolute best at deceiving others. Until one day, word reaches Okhema of a mortal who has managed to swindle almost every noble family still standing out of over half their coin!

In any other context, Cipher would've looked the other way and shrugged off such a blatant challenge for her crown (and she really did try to at first). Until one day, a certain gift that sweet Castorice was making gets swiped, and it isn't Cipher's doing this time!

The little game of cat and mouse (hah) that ensues after comes to a head when Cipher and her love interest RIVAL end up trapped in a half collapsed ruin near the outskirts of Castrum Kremnos, where, rather than fighting (or perhaps in the midst of it), the two end up getting to know more about each other whilst awaiting rescue.

Cipher ends up realizing that her love interest is way too fun to kill or best, and since she so loves to play games, she deigns to allow them to keep thieving alongside her.

[mona-risms]

Okay okaey imaginelike a. huntrix or polytrix x fem reader where reader is a rookie idol and they help her with her choreo that would be like so cutw 😭😭😭💕

◆ MAIN COURSE: poly!HUNTR/X x rookie idol!fem!Reader

◆ TYPE: SFW, romantic

◆ ALLERGEN WARNINGS: None

◆ NOTES: Wait shut up this would be so cute, esp if they're all already together (though my bad if you wanted pre-relationship 😓). I kinda spiralled here and it turned into them helping out with different aspects of being an idol SORRY 😭😭 Mira does still help though :3c

You're just officially starting out in the idol industry with your own rookie unit!! Probably with the support of the trio :3c. They all definitely helped with vetoing companies that they know for a FACT are corrupt as hell and making sure you get into a good one (either an approved company or their own, provided that the people in charge allow it). They most likely also helped you in terms of getting your skill up, and if you dare say you're being a burden to them they'll attack you (affectionately) bc they love helping you!! They love seeing you get to your full potential!! They love seeing you happy!!!!

When you debut they are your BIGGEST FUCKING SUPPORTERS of your unit EVER!!! Your other unit members are all so fucking shocked and confused about it like hello. Why. Why do they have the world's TOP 1 K-POP UNIT acting like THEIR NUMBER ONE FANS 😭😭 COMING INTO THEIR CONCERTS AND GETTING THEM TO SIGN THEIR STUFF 😭😭 THEY'RE JUST ROOKIES WHAT DO YOU MEAN 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 and when they find out you and them three are 'really great friends' they're like ?????what the FUCK

The trio would help you in the industry in so many ways :(. Hyping your unit up, making sure you're equipped with knowledge, AND they help you with their specialties!!!

You're practicing your choreo in your girlfriends' own dance studio bc you need as much practice as possible!!! But maybe there's smth that doesn't feel right or you don't know how to execute a certain move, and Mira comes in the room, expecting to choreograph smth on her own for a new song. Instead, she sees you :3c and abandons her prior task entirely just to help you via give you tips or demonstration on how to move or even recommendations!!

"..four-five-six-seven-eight, one-two-three-four-five-six..."

Mira's voice felt like a guiding metronome as you moved your body to the beat, your efforts sinking deep into not only the choreography, but your vocal stability and even your expression. It was a high-energy song, so of course you had to get used to performing it. Though even despite you having finished your trainee years, this still felt challenging—not like you've done this for long, after all.

And yet Mira was ever so patient as she pointed out mistakes and gave helpful pointers.

"..two-three-four-- stop."

Just like now.

You halted your movements and dropped your position as your girlfriend stopped the music, "Yeah? What'd I do?"

She came up to you as she pocketed her phone. "You're tensing up too much just before the bridge, it's messing with your rhythm."

"Ah.. yeah." You let out a light sigh as you demonstrated the move slower, much more controlled and much looser now thanks to the lack of timed pressure, "It just.. kinda happens on instinct."

"Feels like you're getting ready to pounce on something?"

"Mhm."

"That's 'cuz you're focusing on the transition too much—with the way the energy gets cranked all the way down, I get it." And she falls into step beside you, stretching lightly before getting herself into position, "I'm actually impressed they even have your generation performing with that insane sort of body control."

"Maybe we're just special."

That gets a soft, amused snort out of Mira as she teasingly pokes you on the side, "You are special. Now stop fishing for compliments and follow me; we'll slow it down until you get more comfortable about the transition, it should sort out your instincts then."

Maybe you're tasked with writing or rapping or even just singing through the most tongue-twisty parts of your songs, and you try to go through with it on your own but then Rumi and Zoey both hear you. It leads to them drifting over and approaching you with the want to help :3c

"Are you sure..?" Your hand creased the side of the paper, where your lyrics—colour-coded with highlights—were laid out on the page. "The two of you just got back from work, I wouldn't want to--"

"Ahh-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta," Zoey put a finger to your lips, silencing you before giving you a quick peck (she couldn't resist) and drawing back to stand up straight as she spoke, "are you gonna deny us, your very useful girlfriends, the privilege of being able to help our girlfriend and spoil her with our time? Are you? There is a wrong answer here—choose wisely."

Rumi rolled her eyes affectionately before elbowing her, resulting in a little "ow!", and moving to squeeze your free hand reassuringly, "Don't mind her. If you want to work on your own, then we'll leave you to it. But we really do want to help, why wouldn't we?"

"I.. wouldn't really wanna make the two of you feel like you're obligated to help me with something like this." A grimace formed on your lips as you looked away, "You've already helped me—us—out so much. Feels like nepotism."

Both of your girlfriends' faces softened at your admission as they looked at each other before pinning their attention back onto you. "If we're talking about nepotism, quite a few people would argue that I'm guilty of that, thanks to Celine. You?" Rumi lifts your hand to her lips, "This is you wanting to improve yourself with the help of your seniors, not exploiting connections—if that were the case, you'd have debuted as our fourth member out of the blue."

"Which would've been amazing!" Zoey piped in, but then she dials her excitement down as she shrugged sheepishly, "Though it's why we didn't recommend it—it'd be bad if you got flamed for that.. and we wanted the world to see just how talented you are on your own! So.. let us help? Not just as idols, but as girlfriends too."

Rumi nodded in agreement, "It'll be like when you watched us practice and you kiss us all whenever we got it right, just with it being the other way around this time."

"A lot more fun than standard practice, in my opinion. And much more rewarding!"

You chewed on your lip pensively before sighing in defeat, though the little smile on your lips fooled no one, least of all the pair in front of you, "Fine. But don't get all lenient on me, yeah?"

"Well, duh!" "Of course."

But they won't just help you!! They're more than happy to help the other members too, when they have the time!! Eventually it just ends up with HUNTR/X and your group becoming really close with each other, to the point where people are editing montages and stuff of your groups together in all sorts of ways ('HUNTR/X being gen z parents for 5 mins', 'HUNTR/X mentality' and it's just them fawning over you and the others, etc)

They have you taking breaks and eating properly too. I imagine at the very start, you'd still have to find your limits and stuff, especially since you'd be more prone to pushing yourself when you've only newly debuted. So they kinda watch you and make sure to monitor your rests and your diet in a way that they want you not to restrict yourself from eating and they want you fully-rested amongst the K-Pop idol lifestyle. Otherwise they'll all trap you in a cuddle pile and force you to settle down LOL

And then there's the shipping. If you get shipped with other women they'll be like "yeah okay I get it 🙏" but the moment it's with a MAN?? LMAOOOOOO SIDE EYE ALERT SIDE EYE ALERT next thing you know people are posting about how the trio's looking at said male idol like they want him buried six feet under and the internet is WILD with theories. You even look up from your phone and at them and they'll pointedly look at literally anything else 💀 they're all girlfailures I adore them

All in all, they are so willing to help you with ANYTHING in your career! Obvs they'll give you your own space to be recognised for your own talents and capabilities in your unit as a rookie idol, but they're just a call away if you ever need any assistance in anything :3c you're not just their junior, you're also their beloved gf!!!

[indiaalphawhiskey]

Hi India, sorry if this comes like I’m looking for reassurance or anything… I’m just going through the first stunts after being away for a long time.

When McDomilson started, it was a little rough, but I brushed it off pretty quickly and didn’t give it more weight than it deserved because I was like, “Louis is gay, this isn’t real.” And it’s always been that way with Louis, even when bng happened, I’ve always felt sure about him.

But with Harry, it’s different. Like, when I saw that recent video, I swear it hit me harder. At first, it just felt like an emotional ouch, and then my brain went straight to, “maybe he is with her, he looks happy dancing,” “maybe he’s not gay,” stuff like that. And I know it sounds absurd, especially because I’ve been around since at least 2014.

And I thought it was just me — but I’ve seen a lot of people express this kind of doubt specifically when it comes to Harry. I guess it’s because a big chunk of Louis' fandom is queer and sees right through the bullsh*t, but Harry’s public image is so shaped by the media — 90% of people either project the “boyfriend fantasy” onto him and see him as a womanizer. That image holds more weight, and now that Harry’s gotten so famous, it creates even more distance between the people who’ve been here a long time and him.

And I just feel really bad for doubting him, India.

So I wanted to ask: why do you think that happens ? And have you ever had doubts about Harry? And what would you recommend I do when I feel like this? Thank you for your time💛

Hey, love!

I've written about half a novel's worth on think pieces regarding the perception around Harry - both by the public and by the fandom - but I'm a terrible archivist so of course I can't link anything, so I'll make this short and sweet. (Famous last words.)

You said you've been away for awhile, and I don't know how long that is, but personally, after having lived through Olivia Wilde, I'm pretty numb to Harry stunts. That was suuuuuuuch a shitshow, and she was so infuriating, and the narrative around them was so cringe that my tolerance for anything less than whatever that crapshoot was just skyrocketed.

But, if you're asking for a more wholistic answer (which I think you are), I think you and I fundamentally disagree on two things:

1) Harry didn't look like he was having fun to me, and honestly, he never does. That kiss - faces as distanced as humanly possible and completely upright to make sure everyone got a clear view of who he was, and eventually, who she is - screams 'sigh. Another day at the salt mines.' That is not how you kiss a budding romantic interest. That's not even how you kiss a drunken one night stand. He looks like he's a breath away from counting Mississippis out loud.

And that's the thing - the only time I've seen Harry truly enjoy his time with women is when they're clearly in a platonic relationship. Family, friends, co-workers, creative collaborations, artists he looks up to... I mean, the guy bought a dulcimer to be more connected to Joni Mitchell. With that amount of passion, you'd think he could muster enough strength to cross a bridge in Civita without looking like he wanted to fling himself off it.

The truth is, we've seen Harry be so interested and in the moment with so many women, just not the ones he's supposedly in relationships with or the ones the tabloids/GP are interested in. And that's what sets us apart from the GP -- we actually have fifteen years of data, and it should mean that it's easier for us not to have such difficulty with object permanence when it comes to Harry.

Which leads me to:

2) Harry is so steeped in queer culture, it's hard for me to even fathom him as straight. From the dedication to flying the rainbow flag at his concert every single night, to wearing a rainbow pin in his off time, to the people he chooses to spend his off time with (Alessandro Michele) to his taste in art (David Hackney) to his fashion references (Keith Haring, Christopher Kane) to his collaborations and investments (Harris Reed, SS Daley) to the movie he actually fought to be in (My Policeman) -- and these are only surface level, because I, myself, am not as knowledgeable in art and queer culture as he is -- I just can't view Harry the way the GP views him anymore.

There's so much context to who he is and what he chooses to do with his free time and how he interacts with queer culture that to view him as straight is to take him so far away from fifteen years of context that it flattens him to a one-dimensional person. A snapshot in time, which, incidentally, are what all his stunts are: one-dimensional.

Because, let's face it, at the end of the day, all those stunts have one thing in common: they ended. Always. No matter how many tabloid articles talk about how serious he is, and whether he's met their family, this, that, and the other, all those women end up in the same place -- the past.

You know what never ends, though? Talk of him being queer. That is continuous - whether it's debating his fashion choices or whether or not he's queer-baiting (he's not, real people can't queer bait) or who he's dating or his songs (hi, Medicine, miss u so much girl) or whether or not he's with Louis - his proximity to queerness, the questions around it, is what always pops up and stays present. Sometimes, it gets drowned out by the GP and the tabloid articles about the female orgasm or whatever, but it never really goes away, does it?

Because Harry doesn't let it.

So, yeah. I think this fandom has always had an object permanence issue with Harry specifically, and I have no idea why that is because I don't share in that issue. I look at him, and I see a guy with a pretty solid sense of self, who has matured over the years and made concessions for his circumstances like all adults have to do, but who has only become more and more himself in his art and his queerness, and that's why the stunts don't bother me. Because I don't think they're reflective of his values, the same way I don't think Louis' stunts are reflective of his values.

I trust them both to be good people, not because I'm blind or I can't adjust to nuance or change my mind, but because I have fifteen years of context and data, none of which has ever led me to believe they're not good people, even after all this time.

And no one has to agree with me on that, but if you're asking how I keep sane, it's that. I trust them. That's all.

[nevergetoffthebus]

Excerpt from Greg Rucka's weekly newsletter "Front Towards Enemy" 1 July 2025

Once upon a time, I wrote a story I described as "a fairy tale of blood and bullets."

It was, on its face, an action-adventure that centered on an immortal woman – a warrior – who was at least 6,000 years old. I liked the idea that, if experience is the best teacher, and that, if our greatest lessons come from our mistakes, that she'd be the most lethal person in the history of… history. Six thousand years of fighting, I figured she'd made just about every mistake it was possible to have made. Since the ones that would've killed her didn't, she was the walking, talking proof that "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Andromache the Scythian, art by Leandro Fernández

I thought about all she'd have seen and experienced, and how much that would've changed, especially in the last three centuries. How the world was accelerating. How frustrating it would be to her, and how exhausting. I thought about the fact that, when a new weapon or tactic or technique came along, she could just slip off and spend a year or five or ten mastering it.

I thought about the fact that, after all her time, with all the places she had gone, the languages she had learned and forgotten, the people she had met, the cultures she had experienced, all she'd seen, she would have no patience for racism or bigotry or prejudice. Her personal experience simply wouldn't allow it. She would have long ago determined that, wherever you went, people were always just… people. Some were good, some were bad, and most were just trying to get by. It didn't matter how they looked or who they loved. They were people.

Then I thought, given all this, that kind of bullshit would actually piss her the hell off. It would make her angry. Cruelty would make her angry. Exhausted and worn down by life she may be, but cruelty would always bring her back to the battle.

I thought about how lonely her life would be, and what a double-edged sword (or labrys?) her continued existence would have become. I thought about how impossible it is to move through the world without making some connections, how impossible it would be to defend her heart for centuries upon centuries. I thought about how we fall in love when we absolutely do not want to, and I thought about how many times she had fallen in love, and how many of those loves she had lost.

Nicolo di Genoa and Yusuf ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn al-Kaysani, called al-Tayyib, or Nicky and Joe, if you'd rather. Art by Leandro Fernández

I thought about the existential dread of never dying. The cold horror of outliving the planet. The galaxy. The universe. Of everything being gone… except you. 

I really liked this woman, but that wasn't a story. It was a character, but it wasn't a story.

For a story, I needed more. There needed to be others like her. Not many. Very few, in fact. And to complicate matters, and to highlight that existential dread, I decided that sometimes these immortals could die, but they didn't know how or why, that it would just sometimes happen to them out of the blue. The wound that had never claimed them a hundred times before suddenly would. They didn't know why. They didn't know when.

Sébastien le Livre, a.k.a. "Booker." Art by Leandro Fernández

So this woman, she was the oldest of them by far, and yet she kept going. Her time just wouldn't come, and she was so tired, genuinely tired of life, and so worn down and so repeatedly disappointed by the world, and still, as friends and lovers and brothers-in-arms passed, she continued.

Writing all of this, that sounds grim, but the thing was, the story I wanted to write wasn't meant to be grim. It was, sincerely, meant to be fun. I mean, I'd created this group with this woman and these two guys who'd fallen in love trying to kill each other during the First Crusade, and this other guy who'd been conscripted into Napoleon's army, and they did what they knew how to do. They fought. They were soldiers.

And since they couldn't die, I could pretty much do to them anything the Road Runner did to the Coyote in those cartoons, you know? 

Blow 'em up, drop an anvil on them, drive them headlong into a cliff, you name it, I could do it. 

I could do it because Leandro Fernández was going to draw it, and Leo's got an amazing art style that is at once emotive and cartoony. Things that would look turn-your-guts disgusting in another artist's hands instead looked icky and goofy, not gross. Leo understood the absurdity as much as he understood the emotion. Bonus? Leo is something of a history nut, and if I said a scene was set in 1478, he'd get to work finding reference.

The first story, the introductory story, was pretty self-evident. There was a new member to the group. This new member, contemporary, she'd be our way in. 

Nile Freeman, by Leandro Fernández

And this first story would set the foundation, which meant that it had to set stakes, but it had to define the world. Mythology could wait. In truth, I didn't want to ever explain why they were immortal. I think far too many stories are obsessed with explaining the why, and I think it cheapens them. Nine times out of ten, the why doesn't matter, and answering the why very often leads to betraying the promise of the premise.

Beware the why, my children, for that way lies midi-chlorians.

I was writing the fourth issue of the original series of THE OLD GUARDwhen I realized – as I have remarked before elsewhere – that I was really writing about the death of my father. I was trying to make sense of it, not specifically (fuck cancer) but generally. Why do we have to die? What is the merit in it? What is death's benefit?

I've found some answers, one or two that satisfy me. But I still wrestle with it. I suppose that's one of the things life demands, that we wrestle with this question.

I wrote the initial series not expecting much of it, honestly. I'd lucked out big time when Leo had agreed to draw it, I knew that, and I knew the book looked amazing, what with Leo's art and what Daniela Miwa was doing on colors and Jodi Wynne was doing with the lettering. But I didn't really have high expectations for the book. I figured, eh, maybe people will enjoy it. That's not dismissive – if some people enjoy my work, that's pretty much the win condition for me.

I just hoped some people would enjoy it, that was it.

THE OLD GUARD is arguably the most successful thing I've ever written, comics or prose, which just shows you how little I understand the market and my own audience, I guess.

One thing led to another and Hollywood came calling, and the folks at Skydance were willing to let me write the screenplay. This amazing director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, read the script and wanted to direct it. Then this actress nobody had ever heard of before agreed to play Andromache the Scythian. Skydance brought in Marc Evans to produce. The movie did well enough that Netflix wanted another one.

And here we are.

I hope it makes you laugh, and maybe makes you cry, and most of all, gives you a chance to slip into a fairytale of blood and bullets, if only for a short time.

Most of all, I hope that you enjoy it.

(View in browser and sign up here https://front-towards-enemy.ghost.io/09-time-after-time/?ref=front-towards-enemy-newsletter )

[f-imaginings]

A million word fanfic doesn't happen without this.

Knowing Me Knowing You's first chapter was posted on the 31st Jan 2017, and now on 30th July 2025, 8 years, 4 months and 30 days later we've reached the last chapter.

This is first fanfiction I've ever finished all the way through and I wouldn't have got this far without the kind words, encouragement and support of you, the readers.

So this post is a thank you to the readers and a testament to the power of commenting, engaging with, reviewing and celebrating the labour of love that is fanfiction, this freely given expression of shared joy that flourishes within fandoms.

I've collected a cross section of the kind words and reviews that kept me going (and tried to keep them as spoiler free as possible but that was hard, if you didn't see your beautiful essays here it was only bc it was juicy with spoilers haha) because each and every one of these kind words directly impacted me.

I just wanted you all to know how much I valued each and every one, how many times I reread these. how they cheered me up through hard times, built my self esteem up when I needed it most, and how each of you helped me write the fic through the virtue of your spectacular comments.

I thought I'd post them as a sort of fun 'tag yourself' lmao but also to show you that I've seen, cherished and reread every remark and comment, even the ones outside of ao3.

I have appreciated every bit of fanart too, (and the playlists and animations!) but I wanted to showcase how even the smallest comments can have the biggest impact. (I've enjoyed the big comments too! You get what I mean.)

Thank you for engaging with the story, for telling your friends, for gnawing at the bars of your enclosure because this idiot scientist and his evil triangle boyfriend make you froth at the mouth with every divorce, for telling me about said enclosure gnawing haha.

Thank you for crying, thank you for laughing, thank you for feeling as you've read this fic and thank you for sharing your experience.

I feel connected to everyone who's read this, which might be mildly parasocial but I've enjoyed it too much to care. I hope you've enjoyed it too.

If this post reaches any prospective new readers who have a thirst for billford and lots of time on their hands (haha) and this cross section of reviews make you want to read it, please do! Have fun with it, tell your friends, and come back for a reread whenever you want.

It'll always be there for you!

This is where the story ends, but it isn't goodbye! For those unwilling to let KMKY go, there is always the sequel!

[stygiansun-totaleclipse]

What would make the RO's swoon and melt into a portable puddle is the MC did it?

Also yay Samira got a new piercing💘😳

(Answered assuming post relationship)

Kieran: they’ve spent so many years now modeling themself into a very strictly defined image of a prince/ss to garner and maintain the remaining Celestylian court’s respect considering they were born common that they have left themself no room for weakness or error or letting loose; everything is part of an act, a deception, some sleight of hand to play a part that they feel isn’t theirs, one that they stole. So they’d really just fall harder if mc were able to forget being royalty with them for a time and convince them to drop the act and just let loose, like walking about in the mud and grass barefoot and getting dirty and going swimming etc. Just giving them a space to freely laugh and play with someone; they’d feel very safe/trusting of and head over heels with mc to be able to let their guard down like that.

Nihm: even post relationship they’ll be very sensitive and vulnerable about their hands, as will L and Aurynn, but Nihm will be a lot more open regarding more readily sharing that vulnerability with mc if they give them the space and reassurance for it. Mc being very sweet and gentle with their ungloved hands, like kissing, caressing, or holding them would make Nihm feel weak for mc and safe with them and a complete puddle for them. They’re touchstarved when it comes to their hands and it would be very moving to them to be able to explore MCs skin with their hands, free of fear or disgust or judgement, and to show mc certain scars they keep hidden and still be loved after baring everything. Also any little gift related to or time spent indulging them in their special interest in bugs would be met with much adoration and possibly hand flappies :D 💕💖✨🦋🌈🐛🐞

Lilith/Lucien: surprising them with Starfellan gifts or going out of MCs way to incorporate Starfellan traditions into their Theian ones to make L feel seen and loved. They don’t ever expect mc to, but it makes them happy and feel closer to the heritage and parents they never knew. It means a lot, especially considering how ill-reputed Starfellans are in Theia. And it means even more that mc would care to share in that side of them. They don’t have a family anymore aside from their friends and mc now; their home now is no longer a place but the people they love. Home is wherever mc is. They’d follow mc wherever; they only ask you never go somewhere they cannot follow.

Samira: really anything that shows how much mc cares about other people—it’s one of many things she loves about them, and especially post endgame and post relationship, this carries a very weighty significance between her and mc. It’s what saved her—caring. She just loves how much mc loves their friends and family etc—just seeing them do something as small as hugging their little sister would put her heart in a vise. She knows she’ll always hold mc in this life and long after death for as long as they’ll have her; they’ll never need fear being alone. Her love for mc is immortal. (also yay new piercing 😳❤️)

Aurynn: princess carry him; tell him you love him; reassure him about certain more spoilery insecurities; be a hopeless romantic; literally just anything that makes him feel special/loved. He’s used to being treated terribly growing up and has had it ingrained in him as a boy that he is disgusting, vile, unwanted and undeserving of love, so genuine expressions of love and gentle touches/reassurances will make him just melt and be totally at his knees for mc post relationship. MC gave him life. You have his full devotion.

[rhindou]

fashion influencer ♡ — ran haitani

content. fluffy and cute headcanons about one of my favourite hcs, ran would be a perfect fashion influencer. reader’s gender isn’t specified. some pet names are used.

you never thought that you would end up with one of the most famous fashion influencers of Tokyo

he might seem a bit too serious or stoic from his appearance, but in real life he is just a sweet guy

ran wanted to keep the things private at first: he knows he has many fans that thirst over him and the fact that he’s single, so he didn’t want to expose you to unnecessary hate

things changed some months into your relationships, when he published a reel on Instagram (and a TikTok, of course) where he showed “my date outfit for today”

the Internet EXPLODED

questions and theories were everywhere in the comments of his posts

he asked (and still asks) you every time he would like to make a video or a post with you - especially if you aren’t into the social media influencer things and you prefer to keep your life as private as possible

when you accepted to make a video with him, he was SO HAPPY that he could finally show everyone his beautiful partner to his followers

“hi everyone, it’s ran from roppongi here and today we have a special guest - my adorable partner yn!”

in the short video you basically wave and smile to the audience, and then ran proceeds with explaining your outfits for a date

“today we’re going shopping to one of the biggest malls in Tokyo, so we want a comfortable but matching outfit”

he dresses you up with a white oversized shirt, brown slacks, and a black sleeveless jumper (kind of light academia aesthetic)

then, he shows his outfit to the camera, which matches yours perfectly: he just swapped the colours of the slacks and, instead of a jumper, he puts on a brown trench

as a final touch, ran lets you pick the accessories for both of you!

from your collection, you select an expensive designer bag and a pair of sunglasses for yourself and, for him, a black basque hat and one of his favourite bags

then, you both complete your outfits with a pair of matching loafers, the black ones with small golden details on them

the reel EXPLODES

you thought you were going to get random insults, because that’s what usually happens, but ran’s followers are IN LOVE with you!

obviously there are some hate comments, but they’re a very small portion of the total

“i told ya, you’re amazing, people cannot dislike you” he laughs, giving you a forehead kiss

after this success, ran asks you more often to appear in his videos and, since you feel appreciated by his fans, you usually accept

ran also suggests you to open your own fashion-themed accounts — it’s up to you

after showing you in his reels and presenting you as your partner, ran also begins to post some pictures with you

however, there aren’t any images that show you in private moments: there are very few pics with you hugging or kissing

those pictures are just for his private account, the one that only his closest friends have access to

as much as he loves showing you off, he doesn’t want that every detail of you two becomes public

he’s a loving and caring boyfriend

plus, he always asks you when you want to be included in his social media activities!

give him some love HE DESERVES IT

written by @ rhindou | 30062025

[hey-itsdollie]

HIII !! i have a angst/fluff request if you don’t mind !!

so my fav is karasu and i was telling my friend how i am not mediocre and how karasu should want me cos i do so much (basically flex all my awards and extracurricular activities) and then one of my friends said ‘honestly considering his inner struggles with himself he might think you’re out of his league 😭’

SO i was wondering if you could make something based on them being like kinda insecure END IT IN FLUFF COS I CANT DEAL WITH AN ANGST ENDING 😞 could you include karasu (obv), maybe otoya and rin and anyone else you want !!!!

THANK YOU !!!!!!!

His Insecurities

‧₊˚ ┊ The bllk guys have their own insecurities</3

୭˚. ᵎᵎ featuring » karasu. otoya. rin.

⋮ ⌗ ┆cw ⪼ angst/fluff, fem reader, mentions of insecurities, friends to ???

── .✦ Tabito Karasu

The jealousy ate him alive sometimes. The foul insults slipping past his lips faster than he could even think sometimes. Only realizing what he had said once he was having to follow up with what he was saying.

Karasu hated it. The thought of being mediocre scared him. He talked a big game–yet where were his winning scores? They were nowhere.

Whether it was simple grades, sure he was smart but if someone got a higher grade percentage–his paper would be hidden, a random high number blurted from his mouth as he faked a proud smirk.

A small backhanded comment being left where he stood as the other person was forced to just think about what he said to them. It was a defense mechanism–one that he couldn’t really pinpoint where it had started–or why.

More often than not Karasu would try to hold back with his comments. Not wanting to anger one of his close friends or come off as rude to random people he met on the street.

And when it came to you, god you were like the final boss for him.

High scores, many different extracurriculars, he wasn’t sure there was something you couldn’t do. When he saw you there was not one insult he could think of to make himself seem better. It was as if he couldn’t one-up you even if he tried.

You were beautiful, talented, and smart.

He was plain, mediocre, and a liar if you thought about it. He was nowhere near your level. Karasu felt his walls shake and struggled to repair itself when he was around you.

It got to the point where when you were around others, he would beg internally for nothing on his snarky comments to be revealed to you. Why would someone like you have the time to spend with him? A liar. A jealous filthy liar.

Unbeknownst to him, you already knew of his insulting comments. You knew yet you never questioned him about them. He was kind enough to you and others. Seemingly the insults never went further than choice of words.

And as time went on you noticed he would actually compliment you–the complete opposite of insulting. From this you began to grow great affection for the dark-haired male.

Karasu would occupy your thoughts as you questioned what his type was. Thinking that it could be a possibility that he liked smarter girls, ones that weren’t mediocre. The hope in your heart was practically spilling out.

Oh how you wished to have the chance to be with him. To have the courage to simply turn to him one day and confess all your thoughts and feelings.

Meanwhile, Karasu had begun to notice all your actions. The way you complimented him more, the way you’d make not only a bento for yourself but also for him.

You even went as far as buying him new cleats for his birthday, something he had brought up a few times but not enough to be remembered.

You were far more than mediocre and Karasu was starting to mentally feel okay about that. The jealousy turned into pride.

He was proud of you–proud of every accomplishment of yours whether or not it was big or small.

── .✦ Eita Otoya

Otoya was a known ladies man. A man who cheats on every girl he could get his hands on.

Of course, besides you.

Otoya always ignored those who tried to reprimand him on his way and outlook of dating. Why play with girls’ hearts when he could actually form a connection.

In reality he truly did form some connections. But if the relationship had gone past the comfortable line he had put–well, that would signal the immediate end to it.

The male would use the excuse that he “didn’t want to be locked down to one girl”. Something even his best friend seemed to give him a hard time about.

But Otoya didn’t really know when it started happening. The more and more he saw girls the less and less thoughts of dating went to his head. The mere thought of getting in a relationship drained him enough to not even give it attention.

Perhaps it was due to his best friend that had recently gotten into a relationship. The happy smiles and grins on his face, the constant small facts of his relationship that would be brought up. Otoya was too much of a coward to admit he was jealous.

He wanted that for himself–wanted to have a couple photos as his phone background, wanted to wake up to “good morning” texts like every love sick fool his age.

Yet it got to the point where he truly didn’t believe he could find that. Practically everyone knew of his past–the way he’d play with you for a bit then drop you once he was bored. Otoya was known as a cheater.

Which was something he didn’t want to be known for anymore.

When Otoya first met you, he didn’t think much about where your friendship could go. If it would turn intimate or stay mutual. That probably crossed his mind once or twice, but it never overstayed it’s welcome in his thoughts.

As your friendship grew Otoya found himself doing things he wouldn’t normally do. He started missing your texts–waiting for the “delivered” icon to turn to “read” as if he was waiting for a huge surprise. He found himself missing you, seeing you in every place he went.

If he saw a plushie at the mall–immediately thought of you. When a song on his playlist would play he could immediately tell if it was one you introduced him too.

Otoya was in denial–something everyone could start being able to tell. Especially his best friend.

“Eita, so is she another–you know, play thing?”

Otoya stared up at Karasu blankly. “Play thing? No way!”

Otoya often found himself getting upset when either Karasu or anybody assumed he was playing around with you. He would never do that to you. He refused to let himself do that.

He cared for you.

He cared for you so much that it hurt.

The mere idea of you being crushed over something made his heart drop, and the idea–the small chance that he could easily screw things up. Ate him alive.

But when he spent time with you, you never brought up his past. Or made nasty comments. You simply spent time with him–listening to his sometimes weird stories, laughing at his odd jokes and impressions, you noticed him.

You noticed a version of him that many had forgotten–including himself.

You brought out the best in him and he could never thank you enough for that.

── .✦ Rin Itoshi

Rin wasn’t one for making connections. Perhaps it was due to his past of being considered an “odd” kid or perhaps it was due to what had gone down between him and his brother.

Knowing him he probably put the blame on the latter.

The constant fear, almost anxious feeling he got whenever the two of you seemed to be moving along to a relationship that is higher than friendship–something more intimate than he was used to.

The small voice in the back of his head that repeatedly reminded him of how his own brother left him for a reason he did not understand. From how things currently stand he probably would never know.

Was he not enough to keep a relationship with? A connection? 

Rin tended to hide those thoughts and feelings behind a cold facade, his face almost never contracting into an emotional expression besides annoyance or frustration.

It was a mystery for him on how you–one of the few people he acknowledged as a friend–seemed to stick around. You were everything he wasn’t.

You were bright and always had a smile on your face. Animals seemed to come to you with no beckoning, children came to you for questions even when you didn’t have the answers. He heard people speak highly of you; something he only got very little when it came to soccer.

His advancements were outshined by his older brother.

But in the end, even when it got hard and he would lock himself away. Cursing out any of the other players for getting in his way. You seemed to always be welcome–whether it was just a small call through the phone or a small hang out at his place.

Oh how he was jealous of you–even if he wouldn’t admit it–Rin adored you.

He adored the airy feeling you brought to his gloomy atmosphere. The bright smile that made him forget everything else in the world. Along with the small nonsense you would ramble about that would end up circulating in his mind, even when you weren’t around.

Oh, how Rin adored you.

A friend. A relationship he has yet to fully indulge further into.

“Rinnie!”

The male shook his head out of the entanglement of thoughts, as he raised his gaze. His eyes found yours as you stood in the doorway holding a white grocery bag in hand.

“I went to the convenience store, bought a ton of the new snacks they had!”

The black-haired male nodded and made room on his bed for you. Pausing the long forgotten soccer video he had been struggling to study.

“Hey hey, Rinnie–” 

“--Hm what is it?”

You leaned towards him with a bright smile, your eyes holding eye contact with his easily. “Have you seen that new sci-fi movie? We should totally watch it!”

It wasn’t until you turned away to set up the movie that Rin’s lips curved up into a small barely noticeable smile.

©hey-itsdollie please don't copy, change, or steal my work. Thank you!

[salty-autistic-writer]

In the silence of the night, every noise is sharp and clear like the crack of a dry branch in the forest.

The floorboards creak under heavy steps. A pause. Then, the bedsprings give a quiet sigh as the mattress dips under the added weight of a body. A big body.

A body Tommy has explored in every way possible. With his eyes and his hands and his tongue.

He swallows heavily, staring up at the ceiling, listening.

His mind keeps him awake, constantly reminding him that Evan is here. That he’s lying in the bed in Tommy’s guest room. Because Eddie is back in Los Angeles with Chris, and they needed the house back, fast.

Why don’t you stay with them? 

The question was right there, sitting right on Tommy’s tongue.

But he noticed the shadow that flickered over Evan’s eyes when he said Eddie’s name.

“You can have the room as long as you want.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Please. He almost said it. Almost. Like he said so many things only almost. “But you’re doing the laundry," he added instead.

Evan chuckled then, the tension leaving his body. “Of course. I know how much you hate doing the laundry.”

They shared a careful smile.

Evan’s dropped a little when he asked, “This is not weird, right?”

Not nearly as weird as finding each other in a bar and fucking a whole night on a mattress in Eddie’s house, Tommy thinks.

And says, “No.”

He almost expected Evan to say something like, good, because I really want us to stay friends.

It might sting. Might feel like stepping into a glass shard.

But Evan didn’t say anything like that. He just walked into the house. Like he was never gone.

Now Tommy has to get used to the not-silence.

He can hear Evan turning around a few times. Can hear him sigh.

The walls are thin.

Tommy wonders what else he might hear.

Evan took a shower before going to bed. Tommy wonders if there are still drops of water somewhere on his flushed skin. He remembers. Remembers skin on skin, steam rising up, the tiles as slippery as their lips, chasing each other, laughing and moaning.

Tommy’s face heats up. He tries, but he can't stop. Everything is Evan. And Evan is here. And Tommy is an idiot. And life is difficult. And maybe, he deserves this. Maybe ...

Oh.

Tommy's breath hitches. He was too distracted to hear the new noises. And now, he's not alone anymore.

Evan is standing in the door, only wearing briefs, the moonlight making his skin gleam and his eyes sparkle. “Hey.”

“H-hey,” Tommy breathes, startled and confused, still feeling a little lightheaded from what he imagined seconds ago.

It’s okay. He can’t read your thoughts.

Or maybe Evan can. Because he licks his lips and tilts his head and asks, “Mind if I stay?”

(AO3 Link)

[joelsgoodgirl]

Give You What You Like

Part 1: Strangers

Pairing: Joel Miller x F!Reader

Rating: E/ 18+ MDNI

WC: 5.2k

Summary: You were never supposed to see Joel Miller again. You'd traded your body for pills years ago, and it had ruined you. Even after you'd found your way to Jackson from Boston, he'd still managed to end up back in your life.

Tags: afab reader, sexual themes, oral sex (m receiving), penetrative sex, degradation, mean!joel, drugs for sex, alcohol use/abuse, drug use/abuse, age gap (joel is 50s/60s, reader is 20/30)

A/N: This is a three part series! I have posted it before, but I decided it needed a revamp. I hope you all enjoy! I made a playlist to listen to while you read that fits the vibe well. You can listen to it here. Each chapter is titled after a song.

AO3 Link

You’d been in Jackson for almost three years now. You’d come stumbling through the snow, half frozen to death, delusional and starving. There’d been so many guns pointed at you, yet you still wouldn’t say it was the scariest moment you’d lived through in your thirty years of life. No, that was reserved for the moment Joel Miller came through that field with a teenager in tow. 

It had been almost ten years since you’d seen him. You were never supposed to see him again. 

“Fuck, baby, just like that.”

“So pretty down on your knees for me.” 

“Such a good girl.” 

You’re snapped out of your thoughts when someone clears their throat behind you, causing you to spin around on your barstool. You put on a fake grin as Tommy sits down next to you, beer already in hand. 

“Doin’ okay?” He asks, the look on his face far too sympathetic for you. You’d overheard him talking to Maria about Joel one day, the name ringing in your ears after not hearing it for years. You’d told them the basic details. You’d known Joel for a few months in the Boston QZ. You’d gone on a few smuggles with him, but nothing more than that. You didn’t, couldn’t, tell them about how many times you’d ended up tangled in his sheets. You were young then, certainly too young for a rough man like him…But you were naive, impressionable. 

Your grin drops, irritation taking its place. Of course you’re not okay. But it’s been too long, yet not long enough. You knew he was using you, you’d known it since the beginning. It was an offer at first, you’d gotten beaten by a FEDRA officer pretty badly, and Oxy was the best thing you could get. But at only twenty years old, you didn’t have much. So you’d given him your mouth. Down and dirty, no gentle touches or whispered words. Just the saltiness of him on your tongue and a baggie of pills in your pocket. 

“I’m hanging in there. Weird to see old friends.” You make your voice as nonchalant as possible, giving him a reassuring smile. “Who’s the kid?” You ask, curiosity getting the better of you. 

“Dragged her from Boston, apparently.” Tommy says, giving a noncommittal shrug. “Takin’ her to Salt Lake in the mornin’. Says he isn’t gonna go, but I know he’ll change his mind.” 

You swallow back your disappointment and hurt, but it must be visible on your face.

Tommy’s features become more concerned, his lips parting as he readied to ask you something.

You shake your head.

He was going to leave without a word. He’d barely even looked at you and he was already leaving. 

You scowl against your own will, taking another heavy sip of your beer. “Well good.” You finally say, the energy behind your words not quite reaching. “Glad he’s finally doin’ something good.” That comes out more sincere, softer, as you stare at the bubbles in your beer, your eyes following the lines they create as they float to the surface. 

Tommy looks at you sympathetically. You know he knows. He has to. He doesn’t say so. 

You can feel the tears stinging your nose, and you have to bite down hard on the inside of your cheek. Not here, not now. You don't deserve to cry over him, not after all these years. You finish the rest of your beer and stand from the stool, patting Tommy on the shoulder once. 

“I’ll see you around.” Is all you can manage before you’re walking out the doors.

It’s started to snow now, the fat flakes landing on your jacket. You feel the tears falling on your cheeks, streaking like boiling water against your freezing skin. 

You manage to get to your home without fully breaking down, shuffling through the slowly accumulating snow as you sniff away your tears. 

You reach for your bottle of moonshine, traded for one of your quilts, settling by the fire. 

All you can think about is Joel. How he’s just a few streets away, likely packing to ditch in the morning. Without saying as much as a word to you. 

You weren’t even sure if he recognized you. You’d had your hat on, your scarf pulled over your mouth as your gun pointed to him out in the snow covered field. You’d watched with mild irritation as the dog left both him and the girl alone. And his eyes had merely glanced over you, not a hint of recognition from him. It had stung, a sharp pain in your chest. 

“Take the pills and get the fuck out. I ain’t got anymore time for a whore who ain’t nothin’ but a good fuck.” 

His words come flying to the forefront of your mind when a quarter the bottle is gone. Those gut-wrenching, soul-piercing words. 

He was never yours, not really. A means to an end. It was never supposed to end up like this. 

An ache that never went away. He really had ruined you. His words constantly echoing in your head as you lay alone night after night. 

You’d not been with anyone since. 

You didn’t want to be. 

Your frown deepens as you tip the bottle more and more, anger bubbling from a deep place you’d decided to lock away. You still weren’t sure if you were angry at him or yourself. 

Angry at him for abandoning you when you needed him. 

Angry at yourself for falling for him. 

You’d gotten addicted to his pills and his cock. 

“I was told you could get me pills.” Your face was swollen, you were sure the officer chipped a couple of your teeth too. All because you’d had a bad day and his attitude had set yours off. 

You watched the man beside you stiffen out of the corner of your eye. You’d held your breath, hoping that you’d gotten the right person. 

“Depends on what you’ve got.” His gruff voice sent shivers down your spine, both out of anxiety and general attraction. 

You glance at him out of the corner of your eye again, your brow furrowing. “Not much. Couple cigarettes, a few rations.” You finally say, sighing softly. You were almost shocked when he turned his head toward you. 

“What’s a kid like you need with pills?” His eyes glanced over your face, over the black eye and split lip. 

“Why do any of us need them?” You ask, bristling a little bit. “And I’m not a kid. I’m almost 20.”

He laughs, bitter and biting, at you. “You’re a kid to me.” 

You bristle further, grinding your teeth and wincing at the pain that radiates through your jaw. “Yeah, well, who’s got the chance to be a kid anymore.” 

He simply shrugs, his eyes forward again. “Area four. Building 10. Apartment 17. I’ll be there tomorrow.”

Your eyes snap back to his face, a little taken aback. “Okay.” Is all you can manage, your heart stuttering in your chest.

He walks away without another word, leaving you lost in your own thoughts and anxieties of what was to come. 

You arrive the next day with a few cigarettes stuffed in your jacket pocket and nerves upsetting your stomach. You lift your hand to knock, but before you could the door was wrenched open. 

A mean looking woman appears on the other side, staring you down for just a moment before her face softens just the slightest. “Ice‘ll help that.” She says after giving you a once over before slipping past you. 

You make eye contact with Joel on the couch. He stares at you, unmoving. “Well?”

His voice shocks you from your trance as you tentatively walk inside, closing the door behind you. You shove your hand into your pocket, holding out the foil wrapped cigarettes. “I’ve only got two.” You say, suddenly aware how small your voice sounded. 

Joel eyes the packet for just a moment before sighing heavily, standing and leaving the room. He comes back with four pills in one palm, holding his empty hand out to you once he’s close enough. 

You glance down at the pills, then up at his face. “Only four?” You ask, frowning softly. 

“Lucky it ain’t two.” He says gruffly as you place the cigarettes in his palm. 

“I need more.” You say, quickly in one breath, your voice wavering slightly. “What can I do to get more?”

“You an addict or somethin?” He asks, his eyes narrowing. 

You shake your head, blinking a few times. “No…Just in pain.”

He huffs in response, pressing the pills into your palm. “Don’t come back.”

You almost see a hint of compassion in his eyes, but it’s gone before you can figure it out. You leave without another word, the pills safely in your pocket. 

He was gone in the morning like Tommy had predicted. It was almost a relief but you still felt the aching need to talk to him settle deep in your chest. A back and forth war within yourself of your past and present, hating him and needing him. 

Maria found you at the bar this time around. 

It had been two weeks since he’d left, and you felt as if you were dealing with the first loss all over again. You knew you were spiraling, feeling like you were going through the five stages of grief. Just a few days ago you were arguing with yourself, promising that the next time you’d say something. Now all you wanted to do was cry because he left you… again. 

“You need to talk to someone.” Maria said as she sat down at the table you were at. 

Your eyes meet hers for a moment before you take another sip of your homemade mead. “I don’t need to. I need everyone in this town to stop worrying about me so much and just let me work through it.” You hadn’t meant to sound so tense, your hand tightening slightly around your glass. 

Maria just shook her head at you, her lips thinning. “We’re worried about you, honey. I don’t know exactly what happened between you and Joel, but I can tell you that this…” She gestures to you, her hand trailing up and down. “…isn’t worth it. And I’m sure a smart woman like you knows he isn’t.” 

You groan softly, setting your glass down to run your hand through your hair, the other arm resting across your stomach in a protective gesture. “If I tell you anything, it stays between us.” 

Maria nods, her face serious for a moment. “I protect my friend’s privacy.”

You can’t help the warm feeling that floods your chest, a small smile finally gracing your lips before dropping it. “Not here though. Could you come by my place later to talk?” You sound hesitant, still not sure if fully confessing to Maria what happened was a good idea. But she is right, you do need to talk to someone. 

Three weeks in a row you’ve come to him almost every other day, eyes pleading for the pills. 

There was something about the way they made you float, unfeeling, for just a little bit. 

This time, though, you had nothing. 

“Please, Joel. I’ll do anything. I just need a couple more.” You hated begging, it felt degrading and made your skin crawl, but you were starting to feel less and less floaty every time. 

“I gave you an extra one last time. Fuck off, kid.” Joel gruffs at you, 

You wrap your arms over your chest in a defensive manner, a habit of yours, a crease forming between your brows. “Please.” You say again, your voice breaking a little. “I’ll do anything.” You take a chance, stepping closer to him. You’ve never offered anything like what you were offering, what you hoped he knew you were offering so you didn’t need to say it out loud. 

“Not a fuckin’ chance.” Joel says, taking a step away from you. “Don’t go offerin’ stuff like that around here, kid. Gonna get yourself hurt.” 

You bristle slightly at the supposedly endearing term, only coming out vicious on Joel’s tongue. “I’m not a fucking kid.” You bite back, irritated you have to snap about it again. You slump a little as the devastating realization of what you were offering finally hits you. “Please.” You say again, swallowing thickly. “I don’t have a choice.” You add softly, looking down at your own feet as you try to avoid choking on your own voice. 

Joel stiffens slightly at your admission, a flash of something dark in his eyes. “I’ll give you five for a ration card.” He knew it was a loss on his part, but he wanted you out. He didn’t want to give into his own desires when he saw you. Your wide, innocent eyes that glimmered with appreciation whenever he handed you over the pills. He should feel guilty, watching you slip slowly into the addictions he himself fought. You’re too young, far too young. 

You step closer to him, your heart rate picking up. “Ten if I suck your cock. Won’t come back for a week.” You rush out the words, your tongue feeling thick and heavy in your mouth. 

Joel tenses further as you come closer, the smell of something sweet wafting off you. Vanilla? Flowers? He’s momentarily distracted by the feminine smell of you, failing to see your hand come up to his chest, his muscles jumping as you place your hand over his sternum. 

You look up at his face, searching his features for any type of severe discomfort. You swallow again at his silence, stepping even closer as you slide your hand across his chest to his shoulder. He shudders under your touch, his gaze hardening on you. “It’s not as if I haven’t thought about it before.” You say, your voice quiet still as your eyes follow your hand. You startle when his hand grasps your wrist, stilling your movement. 

“You’d better have payment next week. Proper payment.” His voice is low and gruff, his grip tightening. “Ain’t gonna do this more than once.” You almost gasp in surprise when he yanks your hand in between the two of you, pressing your hand against the bulge in his jeans. 

You suck in a breath through your nose as you palm his slowly hardening cock through his jeans, swallowing the saliva building in your mouth. You’d blown boyfriends in the past, sure, but never for something like this. 

He huffs out another breath as he pulls away from you, and you almost ask until he’s flopping onto the couch, spreading his legs wide and jerking his chin at you. 

You’re far more nervous than you’d like to be as you slowly walk over to him, kneeling down in between his legs. You tentatively reach up, palming him again as you lean forward to nuzzle against the outline of his cock. 

“Jesus Christ.” Joel breathes as he lays his hand heavily against the top of your head. “Really wanted this, huh?” It sounds half amusement, half wonder. You blink up at him as you pull his belt from the buckle, opening it and working open the button of his jeans. He lifts his hips as you pull his pants and boxers down just enough, another small gasp escaping you as his cock slaps up against his flannel. Your eyes flick between his eyes and his cock as you lean to grasp it by the base, leaning forward enough to take a tentative lick of the precome beading at his tip.

The taste of him immediately has you craving more, and you finally admit how much you really did want this. You hum softly as you shuffle closer, placing your other hand on his still covered thigh to ground yourself as you finally take the head of his cock into your mouth. He groans above you as you swirl your tongue around the bulbous tip, licking through the slit. His low noises spur you on as you lower your mouth on him, starting a steady rhythm as you start to raise and lower your head. 

“Fuck, baby, just like that.”  He groans as his head falls back, his hips twitching as he bumps against the back of your throat. 

You swallow around him as you fight your gag reflex, your eyes welling with tears as your throat constricts. He practically whines as you swallow, the noise causing an involuntary moan to bubble up your throat as you hollow your cheeks, focusing your tongue on the underside as you feel him pulse against your tongue. His hand is still heavy on your head, not guiding, but simply resting. 

“Gonna come in that pretty little mouth.” Joel grunts, his eyes boring into yours as you begin to bob your head again, your fingers digging into his thighs as he begins to softly thrust into your mouth, going deeper than you’d had him yet. You gag around the intrusion but he continues, forcing your throat to relax as he continues thrusting into your mouth. “Made for suckin’ cock, huh?” He asks, his voice pure gravel as your mouth brings him closer to climax. “Just a little slut who loves having a cock down her throat. Was your plan from the beginning, wasn’t it?” 

You whimper and try to shake your head “no”, but his tightening grip in your hair keeps you still. His words sting a little bit, but there’s a part of you that sings praise at his word, your clit thrumming in your soaked underwear.

“Right, mouth too full to speak. Gonna swallow it all? Fuck-” His words get cut off as you moan around him, sucking more harshly now. “Jesus Christ.” His hips are bucking into your mouth a little harder now, his cock punching the back of your throat, tears leaking steadily from your eyes as you moan around him again. “God, such a good girl, takin’ me so well. Gonna- Fuck, gonna come. Look so pretty cryin’ on my- Fuck!” And then he was, a choked gasp forcing its way up his throat as his cock pulses in your mouth. 

You’re gone less than 10 minutes later, the precious pills tucked in a plastic baggie in your front pocket. 

So you tell Maria every little detail. How it all started, why it all started. About your drug addiction you’d fallen into being around him for almost 6 months. 

“I almost overdosed the day he left.” You tell her, silent tears now falling down your cheeks. You let out a wet laugh, wiping at your face. “It’s fucking pathetic , Maria. Even ten years later, I think I might still love him. And I hate that I do. I’ve never said that out loud.” You’re feeling a little past tipsy now, trying to ignore the way she frowns when you reach for the bottle again. 

“I don’t think it’s pathetic.” She says sadly, her eyes following your hands as you fill your glass again. “You never got closure. It only makes sense. But really, honey…Joel?” She grimaces playfully, lightening the mood immediately. 

“Oh believe me, I’m mad about it too.” You laugh, self deprecatingly.  “Of all of the men in this godforsaken world we’re living in, it just had to be him. ” You take another drink, watching as Maria’s eyes follow the movement. “I’m working on it.” You say as you lower your glass to your knee, your eyes downcast. “One thing to the next. I’m really trying.” 

Maria’s mouth sets in a tight line before she sighs. “I want you to be careful with him.” She says your name, low and serious. “I know you think you know him, but Tommy told me what they used to do. Joel is not a good man.” 

Your face drops into a frown, uneasiness crawling through your veins like ice. “I know what he’s done. I was there for some of it.” You snap, your hand tightening around the glass. “It’s not like I wanted to fall in love with a man like him.” 

Maria leans back on the sofa, giving you physical distance. “No, I know you didn’t. But I don’t want you to think he’s changed-.” 

“Has Tommy?” Your harsh words cut her off, the words out before you could even think them.

Maria shakes her head at you, her mouth immediately opening to defend her husband, but you cut her off again.

“No, you know what. I shouldn’t have told you anything. Jesus, everyone is so judgmental and acts as if he isn’t just a human being. We’ve all done fucked up shit, Maria. That’s just the world now.” You stand and snatch the bottle from your coffee table, sending her one last glaring look. “You can see yourself out. I need to be alone.” You know you’re being immature, storming out of the room like a teenager throwing a tantrum. But quite frankly, you don’t care. You finally want to feel, you finally want to let go.

You fall onto your bed, screaming into your pillow and anger, frustration and pain course through you. You turn over onto your back, sighing heavily as you close your eyes to try and ground yourself. Try to prevent yourself from thinking about all those afternoons you’d spent with him. 

It, as usual, didn’t work. 

The first time he fucks you because you beg for it. Not for his pills, not for his fingers. For his cock. You could never admit it was for him. You’d never admit to him that after just three months of knowing him, you wanted him around forever. It was a hopeless thought in a world like this, dog eat dog and love never lasts. 

He had you backed against an alley wall, his fingers pumping in and out of you. 

“You did so good, baby girl. So damned good.” He breathes into your ear, pushing you closer to your release. You’d smuggled a ton of pills into the QZ for him, managing to pass the guards unnoticed. 

You whimper and whine as you grab at his shoulders, digging your forehead into his chest. “I need more.” You whine, tilting your head to nose at his neck. “Joel, please fuck me. Been so good for you. Please.” You feel him press his fingers hard into you, curling them against your front wall as his palm grinds against your clit. 

He groans into your ear, huffing out a couple short breaths. “Yeah? You want my cock?” He accentuates his words with a harder grind into your cunt. Sure, he’d been dreaming about fucking you, wishing he was coming in your cunt instead of your fist or your mouth. He pulls his fingers from you, bringing his hand up to his mouth to lick your slick from his fingers as he usually did. “Turn around.” He says gruffly, already reaching for his belt. 

You turn around quickly, anticipation curling and burning at you as you work your pants down, bending slightly as he pushes at your shoulders. He isn’t kind when he shoves into you, pulling an agonized yelp from your lungs as he stretches you open. He almost immediately sets a sharp rhythm, the pain mixing and melting into pleasure the longer he’s inside you. You can’t do anything but whimper and whine as he practically destroys you, one of his hands clamping over your mouth while the other wraps around your waist. He pulls you back against his chest as he lifts you up, pinning you against the wall. “Shut the fuck up.” He hisses into your ear, his hips slapping sharply against your ass. “Gonna get us caught. You want the guards to know what a little whore you are? Fuckin’ dirty old men like me just to get a fix?” 

His words cause you to clench around him, used to his degrading words now, used to the way they make you gush instead of cringe. You shake your head against his palm, breathing hard through your nose as he cock reaches deeper inside than you’d thought possible. You close your eyes against his onslaught, the rough brick of the building scraping against the front of your body as he fucks you impossibly harder. You come with a sob into his hand, your entire body shaking. 

“Oh, fuck, good girl.” He praises you as he fucks you through your orgasm, grinding hard into you. “Makin’ me wanna fill that pretty little pussy up. Make you walk outta here dripping with me.” He practically growls in your ear, the first shiver of fear making its way down your spine. 

Your eyes widen as you wrench your mouth from his palm, panting hard. “No, please, not inside.” You whimper, the fear of what that could mean making panic rise in your throat. 

He groans in your ear, pulling from you before he steps away from the wall, spinning you around and pushing your head down. You immediately give into his request, dropping to your knees as you take his hard cock in your mouth, sucking on him the way you know drives him crazy. 

“So pretty down on your knees for me.” He grunts, his hands tangled in your hair so he can thrust into your mouth. 

He’s coming down your throat less than a minute later.

That was the first time you went back to your apartment and cried. The almost full pill bottle that still rattled in your jacket was the harsh reminder of exactly what this was getting you. You weren’t sure if the tears were from anger or devastation, but soon the three pills in your palm made you forget even him. 

You eventually make it back to live life as normal. Took a few more weeks, but you picked up the bottle less and less each day. Tommy was proud of you, but you still weren’t talking to Maria. Something had fractured between the two of you that day, something you weren’t sure you would be able to fix. 

But life goes on. It always does.

You get back into your routine, up before dawn every morning. Usually to the stables to greet the horses before you got to your chores. You hadn’t been on patrol duty for weeks now, Tommy giving you a break, or rather, distance from handling a gun too much right now. It irked you, being treated like you were broken. But you rationalized it to yourself, you knew he just had your best interest in mind. You weren’t unstable, not at all, just on edge. 

Everything was shifting back to normal as spring came around, the trees slowly starting to wake up, the snow starting to melt. 

A loud, pounding knock on your door startles you awake just as the sun came up on the horizon. Your hand reaches for a knife that’s no longer there as you open your front door, Tommy on the front step. 

“He’s back.” 

“You stupid girl.” Joel hisses in your face. He’s got you pinned to his front door, his forearm across your chest, crowding you.

“I’m sorry, please, Joel, I’m sorry.” You whimper, more tears falling from your face. 

“Couldn’t keep that stupid little mouth shut and fucked everything up. I should kill you right here.” He growls, pushing you harder into the wall.

You cry out in pain as your body goes limp, the fight slowly dying in you. “I didn’t think she’d tell anyone.” You blubber out, your eyes closed in complete submission. 

“No, you didn’t, did you?” He spits at you, his teeth grinding in anger. “You got FEDRA sniffin around my door because you couldn’t wait to tell someone what a whore you are. Bout the bottles every time I fuck ya.” 

You shy away from his angry words, guilt and shame bubbling in your stomach. You hadn’t known your friend was a snitch, the daughter of a higher officer. “I didn’t know.” You whimper out, feeling the pressure on your chest release as he steps away, his hands clenched in fists at his sides. You keep your body pressed against the door, crossing your arms over your stomach. “A-am I still gonna get my pills today?” You ask, more shame causing bile to rise in your throat. 

He lets out a bark of disbelief, his fists slapping against his thighs. “Ain’t that rich. Still beggin’ for a fix.” He swipes the bottle of pills off the table next to him, pouring them into his palm as he counts them. Less than 20 this time, he just wants you gone. “I’m done. This is it.” He says, his eyes finally looking up at you. 

You shake your head in panic, your eyes trained on his hand and the small amount of pills. “No, no, Joel, please. I need them. Where am I gonna find more?” You ask, panic constricting your voice. “Joel, I need you.” You say, the words choking you on their way up from the depths of your soul. It wasn’t the same admission as you needing the pills. Six months of this and you were in love with him. 

You knew he didn’t solely fuck you for the pills anymore. It became more frequent that you’d seek him out when you were craving him. The past month slowly dissolving into something that felt less like fucking. 

“Joel, baby please. I lo-” You start toward him, but slink back against the door when his face hardens and he speaks up. 

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare.” He growls, his nostrils flaring. “ Take the pills and get the fuck out. I ain’t got anymore time for a whore who ain’t nothin’ but a good fuck. Makin' off with my pills as if a sloppy thing like you means anythin'  to me.” 

You can’t help the sob that raises in your gut, bubbling up and out in an inhuman sound. “Joel, no, please, don’t do this to me.” 

He crowds you again, the anger in his eyes causing you to cower this time. “Fuckin’ pathetic.” He shoves the pills in your hand before yanking you harshly away from the door and throwing it open. “I aint gonna say it twice. Don’t. Come. Back.” 

You’re tossed out the door before you can fully think, fully process what had just happened. 

You show up at his place the week after, shaking from the slight withdrawal, and from nerves. You knock but no one answers. It’s late, much too late for Joel to be out. You lay down on the floor to look under the door for any signs of life.

It’s empty. Bare. Abandoned. 

You find one of his “buddies”. 

He’s gone. For good. Never coming back to Boston. 

You buy the pills from his acquaintance, using the rest of your ration cards. 

You almost don’t make it to the next day. 

But you move on after your brush with death. You become stronger. 

But you don’t think you’ll ever stop missing him. 

He’s ruined you for anyone else. You knew from the very first moment he had.

[pookabagi]

i swear i uploaded these but i guess i didn't?? oh well

these are some character designs i did in 2023 for a class i audited about a next-gen sequel to sly cooper

● Wiley Fox - the thief Daughter of Carmelita Fox and Sly Cooper - the older in a set of twins. Leader in a small gang she made with her friends to emulate her father's legacy, and to find clues on what happened to him, and how to bring him home.

● "Tuna" - the muscle A gal who packs a punch and is always willing to do so, Tuna provides the muscle to the upstart gang of thieves she and her friends started. Though she isn't lacking in brains, she likes to let her fists do the talking.

● Gertrude - the brains Her massive height has always made her feel awkward in society, but her friends Wiley and Tuna always make her forget her troubles, which is why she uses her incredible smarts and memory to become the brains of their little gang.

● Bijou - the rival Utterly bored of high society and its many unspoken rules, Bijou finds a thrill under the cover of darkness by robbing the people her hoity-toity parents insist on schmoozing right under their noses.

check under the cut for a basic story run-down ->

After Sly disappeared into the time paradox, Carmelita Fox discovers she is pregnant. This bittersweet revelation is followed shortly by the discovery that her entire station is corrupt, which nearly breaks her spirit. After she escapes the precinct following a confrontation with her chief, Carmelita finds refuge with Bentley and Murray, whom she tracked down to ask for help. They help find Carmelita a new identity and a place to live and stay close by while she rebuilds her life. She eventually gives birth to twins - a girl and boy she names Wiley and Todd. Over the years she builds a respectable private eye business, and Wiley grows into a firecracker of a kid while Todd grows into a timid boy that sticks close to his sisters shadow. Carmelita can hardly speak about Sly to her children without tearing up, so they rely on other sources for info. Wiley, captivated by the stories her uncles Bentley and Murray tell her about her father, and mesmerized by the possibility of finding him alive, decides to take after him and form a gang of thieves with her friends Tuna and Gertrude. Tuna, a rough and tumble pug wise beyond her years takes up the mantle of Muscle and Gertrude, the sweet and clumsy gentle giant with a mind sharp as a tack becomes the Brains. They use the intel they gather from Bentley and Murray to gather clues in the forms of ancient items that somehow have the Cooper mark engraved on them, all hidden away in the lairs of notorious collectors, wealthy families, and unscrupulous criminals.

[motsimages]

Heatwaves are coming to countries that have never really lived over 30ºC so here is some advice from Spain

@seven-oomen (I think you are already doing the best you can, given the circumstances, from what you mentioned, but just in case).

You have to turn your house into a cave. Many countries don't have blinders or anything thicker than a light curtain in their windows: you want your house to be as dark as possible during the day. Cover your windows with thick opaque curtains or with cardboard if you can't find/buy those curtains. I found isolating curtains a couple of years ago and, sure, they are a bit expensive, but they are a lifesaver (for both winter and summer). This one is harder up North because nights are way shorter than in Spain, but still worth a try.

Open only at night. All windows open to the max all night. If in the morning there is some breeze and it's fresh, leave it open until it stops being fresh. If you have to go to work before that, close everything, make it dark. Avoid opening during the hottest hours.

If the floor is not wooden and not carpet, mop it with water at night so that it evaporates and makes everything fresher. If it's wooden or carpet, I'm sorry (maybe wood also accepts being mopped, but I don't know enough about any kind of floor that's not some variation of stone or cement).

Fans are your friends. I have seen the "put ice in front of the fan" advice but never tested it, so if you do that, share how it goes.

Have all kinds of vegetables and liquids at home. Avoid cooking during the hottest hours. Here is some specific advice for food:

Cook early in the morning or late at night. Find recipes of salads, pures or any other kind of food that can be eaten cold. Brine foods are excellent: they're already cooked and vinegar is refreshing.

Some drinks that are also food are: gazpacho (there are many variations, find the one you like), ajoblanco (better than it looks like, it's like a watered up alioli with bread), tarator (Bulgarian drink with yoghurt and cucumber), ayran, fruit smoothies. None of them require heat to be prepared.

Keep a wet towel nearby to wet your neck and forehead. If you struggle to sleep at night, you can also cover yourself with a wet towel.

For daily life outside of home:

If you need to leave the house during the hottest hours: cover up. Wear a hat or a scarf or something on your head. People do not cover their heads enough and it helps in regulating temperature. You can also wet a scarf and put it in your head.

(Personally, I have realised that more layers is actually better: a hat may be itchy but a scarf and a hat is excellent because the scarf keeps the sweat which is refreshing and the hat has a layer of circulating air around. Similarly, an under t-shirt will keep the sweat and an over t-shirt will create circulating air. Long sleeves prevent the sun from touching your skin and this is sun protection but also protection from the actual sensation of burn. But that's just me and people tend to not like when I say it/not believe me, I'm putting it out here in case it helps someone)

If you don't want to cover your body, wear sunscreen for love's sake.

Carry a hand fan, water or other liquid at all times.

If you work from home or are otherwise not required to leave the house during the hottest hours, DO NOT. Buy groceries early in the morning or late in the evening. Live early in the morning or late at night. People say Spanish people like to party because we are out in the street late at night, but could there be another reason for this?

I am going to insist on this: do not be outside when it's hot and there is no shadow in the street.

And this is mainly it.

[gay-dorito-dust]

Imagine if Bobby was the person manager!reader was going out with! How do you think the Saja boys + the girls would react?

You and @twennari asked similar things so I thought I’d bring both together.

The boys had -somehow- managed to locate where exactly your date was taking place, nothing too fancy, just a well beloved restaurant with a warmth that could be felt even when the door was closed.

They were all adorned in ridiculous outfits that no one with any ounce of self respect would ever be caught in for even a second, once glance within the mirror would’ve have them rethinking every decision they’ve made in their life, but not Saja boys as they were hell bent on seeing who this person that was trying to take you from them.

Yet when they saw who it was, he was the last person any of them would’ve suspected. Your date was Bobby, the manager of Huntrix, and the boys all collectively groaned at the implications of this going forward.

Baby and romance were disheartened by this revelation, yet knew there wasn’t much they could do in this situation without making things worse for themselves in the long run, they also can’t deny that you were having a good time. And if you were having a good time without them was a bit of a blow at first but they know that being overbearing or threatening Bobby will do nothing but push you away and into his arms further.

Baby would huff about how unfair it is but would not let it show on his face, not wanting to let his innermost emotions show unless it was for his own benefit. He didn’t like the idea of you on a date and you on a date with Bobby only made him dislike him just that little bit more, yet he knew that he’ll have to act civil with him for your sake and he’ll do it for you and you alone, though that doesn’t mean he won’t give Bobby the cold shoulder now and then.

He still expects his quality time with you, but he might start writing dis tracks about Bobby in a secret notebook, and keeping it hidden from you. Baby is more than willing to keep you happy, even if it goes against his own happiness.

Romance would be sad that Bobby was being an utter gentleman with you, but it’s how he would’ve treated you if he was the one on a date with you, so he had to give Bobby his flowers when he could. He wanted to see you happy and being spoiled, so seeing you and Bobby having a genuine time together, trading stories and having a good connection in due to your line of work being the same as it brought you both together.

He’s protective over you for a multitude of reasons, he doesn’t like having to share your attention with anyone else, but he’ll have to learn soon enough as to not make things awkward for you and ruin whatever relationship you have with him in the process. There was a time and the place to be selfish and he’ll feel that always whenever he will see you and Bobby in close proximity, but he knows that if he wanted to stay in your good graces then he needed to play nice, even if those niceties with be like that of a double edged sword.

Abby and mystery were sad that they couldn’t do anything about your date with Bobby, knowing that Zoey, Mira and Rumi would be on their asses faster then they could blink.

They were forced to accept that you were on a date with the manager of their rival group, laughing and chatting it up like you were lifelong friends, even if they didn’t like how Bobby would look at you with fond eyes and touch your hand or how you’d laugh and intertwine your fingers with his, showing them without the usage of words of how good Bobby was treating you and it was only the first date of many yet to come.

Jinu is the one with his head clear and able to see that Bobby was not to be harmed in any way. He understood the upset within his group but knew that if any of them acted out, putting their mission at risk in due to their jealously of not having you, then he would have to reprimand them quickly and quietly as possible before it caught wind elsewhere.

He’s got his own thoughts and feelings about the situation. He’s jealous and he’s envious, he’s upset, he’s mad, but he knows that he can’t act upon them without putting himself and the others at risk, he’s meant to lead by example and he needs to do that more then ever. He cares for you just as deeply as the others but can’t dictate your heart if Bobby is the one you happily see a future with, it’s something he’ll have to come to accept sooner or later as there’s no point holding a grudge against Bobby, not when he’s been nothing but respectful of you.

Yet he will keep an eye on him, the protectiveness he felt over you doesn’t fade, it grows stronger and he’ll be keeping a close eye on Bobby and will act accordingly if he found anything he didn’t like. You were priority to him and the group and he won’t allow you to be treated as anything less.

Now as for Zoey, Mira and Rumi, they were absolutely ecstatic that Bobby was going on a date, a gorgeous date as he liked to claim; but they were protective of Bobby and were suspicious on whether or not this date was actually a demon in disguise.

So they too dress in ridiculous disguises and began to follow Bobby on his date and surprise, surprise, the person he’s went on about going on a date with was you! The manager of demonic boy band: Saja Boys.

Now the girls have a level of respect for you because how you tolerated those five men they was behind them, you keep them in line and didn’t allow them to make a fool out of themselves and importantly you, making sure they didn’t get up to anything that would have you on clean up duty and lack of sleep.

Zoey loves you and the fact that you were the one Bobby was on a date with almost made her squeal in happiness because you both look adorable together.

Both overworked managers of two of the most successful groups within the industry, it was a match made in heaven, and yet seeing you both get along like you have for a while was more then enough proof for Zoey to trust you with Bobby. You both understood each other’s workloads and would look out for each other, it was wonderful watching you both laugh and smile at each other as you enjoyed your date.

She hoped that you go on plenty more dates after this, develop your relationship further and deepen it and just in general be happy together. She just knows you’d both make the perfect fit for one another and will gladly make it known whenever possible, maybe even teasing you both if you were to cross paths backstage perhaps? Bobby works himself to the bone and he needs a break even when he insists he didn’t, and if being with you was the way to get him to relax and take the time for himself to breath and enjoy life? Then so be it and she’ll be your biggest cheerleader through and through.

Mira is protective of those closest to her, and Bobby is one of them.

She loves you, don’t get her wrong, but it’s only natural of her to feel on edge or some sort of skepticism towards the demonic group you manage. She was happy that Bobby was on a date, but had her suspicions on who the mystery person could be, if they were only going out with him to get to them and other thoughts like this were within her mind.Mira didn’t want to see Bobby be hurt in any capacity and while she trusts you to not do so, she couldn’t say the same for the five men that seemed to act as though they were your lovers more often then not.

She didn’t like how they’d become borderline obsessed with you and thus would keep a close eye on them in case any of them acted out, it was almost as if she was wanting them to but would reframe from such as you and Bobby didn’t need any more stress that was built upon your shoulders because of them. She smiled softly at how you both seemed to be eager to be closer to one another, shoulder to shoulder as you traded smiles and share a desert between the two of you, looking nothing like the overworked and determined managers in that moment but two people who enjoyed their date together. You both deserve that much after dealing with them and it shouldn’t be ruined, especially not by the Saja Boys who only viewed you as a possession and not human.

Rumi distrusted the group you managed more than she distrusts you.

She doesn’t want them anywhere near Bobby, yet couldn’t help but smile as she saw how happy and relaxed you made Bobby feel, the dark bags under his eyes from excursion almost became none existent whenever he practically beamed at you. That’s all she wants for Bobby, to find someone of a like mindedness as him and someone who could easily make him ease up and relax, and she’s glad he had found that in you as she watched you both genuinely enjoy each others presence.

She also knows that from this point onwards your two groups would be seeing each other more often, and this could be used to her advantage to gauge each Saja boy’s reaction and determine who she should keep the closest eye on, knowing that they’ve become borderline possessive towards you over a short amount of time and so knowing that someone was encroaching on their territory, they were bound to lash out and she would be there to keep you and Bobby out of the line of fire. You were most likely unaware of the true natures of your boys, and thus Rumi saw your date with Bobby just as much of a threat towards you as she saw it a threat to Bobby.

Rumi would make sure that yours and Bobby’s peace was left undisturbed, you both deserve that much after all you’ve done for them, you both deserve to enjoy your date without worry and focus on each other, it’s a look she hoped to see more of in the future as it would reassure her that Bobby was in safe hands; your hands.

[llamaisllama777]

EAPS/TSAMS CRACKPOT FAN THEORY: Ruin's symbol hints at a possible death.

(Tw: possible su*cide and references to it)

So, @ayyy-imma-ninja posted what Ruin's new outfit looks like and shows off a symbol hidden on the back of his suit. As you can see, it's a heart with a dagger through it and a skull with a vial of poison sticking out of it.

It's apparently a reference to Romeo and Juliet and how they both died (Romeo by poison and Juliet by dagger)

Now, this symbol could just mean nothing and be Ruin being his pretentious like drama-boy we all love or...

Ruin's symbol represents how he will die.

In Romeo and Juliet as many of you may know, Romeo and Juliet die at the end of the story, Romeo is poisoned and Juliet attempts to poison herself too, but when that fails she takes Romeo's dagger and stabs herself with it, dying on top of her lover/or beside her lover.

Now, Rusty (Ruin's Monty) was killed by Charlie's cure (The poison in this case) he died once the ruin virus was removed from him cause it basically was the only thing keeping his code together. Rusty was killed by the cure and what does this mean for Ruin...

Ruin doesn't plan on coming back after this mission, I believe he says as much in the episode "Ruin plots revenge" or "Ruin's new body"

This isn't a mission he plans on coming back from this is a suicide mission.

It makes sense. I mean I don't think they're ever trying to find it, just not saying it out loud but we all know.

Ruin has nothing left. His Monty is dead, his home dimension is dead, all his old friends are dead, his new friends hate him probably for getting Lefty killed and nearly letting them all go insane and die. Ruin has nothing.

And a man with nothing to lose can be a scary thing.

Ruin plans on taking Afton out and himself.

The dagger may represent Ruin's mission or goal.

If it represents his mission, then it's him acknowledging that this is mostly a suicide mission, and he's okay with that. He knows he'll die, and he can ironically live with that.

Or if it represents his goal, he wants to die, he wants to be with Rusty, but he doesn't want to have to use the dagger himself so he's going after Afton to hopefully take two birds out with one stone.

But hey, this is just a theory...

A EAPS THEORY!!!

Thanks for reading!

[c-x-3]

Deltarune Chapter 3 and 4 Spoilers:

You guys ever think about how Kris, Susie, and Ralsei might not even be the heroes of the prophecy. Like they almost certainly are, but there are other characters (albeit ones we haven’t formally met in game yet) that the prophecy could also apply to. If Kris ends up freed from the soul and it ends up in The Vessel like many people think will happen at some point, then The Vessel would be The Cage. That actually makes slightly more sense too, given that The Cage’s mention in the prophecy talks like it was *built*. The Girl could obviously be Susie, but given that Gerson likens her to The Dragon when asked about her role in a story based on the prophecy, it’s possible the girl is someone else. Noelle comes to mind, but Noelle doesn’t wield a sword. You know who we have seen wield a sword though? The Knight. And you know who The Knight probably is? December Holiday. But then what about the part about The Girl finding love? Well Dess just so happens to have a semi-well documented romantic history with another character. Asriel Dreemurr. A character who is the son of Toriel and Asgore, who are frequently associated with being King and Queen, which would happen to make him, what do you know, *A Prince*. A Prince who’s off at college, away from their friends and family, which could easily leave them feeling pretty *alone*.

Listen I’m not saying that I think The Vessel, Dess, and Asriel being the real heroes of the prophecy is what will happen, I’m just saying that maybe we should keep the idea in our back pockets just in case.