#and yes those are drills they can rotate

[eggo-tistical]

erm! mom says its my turn to make a bioweapon

beta design cause ill be tweaking stuff wueuau

[herrmannhalsteadproduction]

May I request different first meeting + meet funny? 😘💕💕💕💕

Cos we all deserved some fluff and floof in life heheheehe

Yes, you can! I hope you enjoy this and it makes up for the sad one!

Here be fluff, a different first meeting, and some laughs:

Donut Day was sacred.

This fact had been drilled into Tommy from his very first shift at Harbor. If it was your turn in the rotation, you came to work, donuts in hand. Or else.

Tommy was no fool. He'd never let himself find out what 'or else' was.

When it was his turn for Donut Day, he left two hours early so he could hit Pete's Donuts—arguably the best donut shop in all of L.A.—grab a selection of everyone's favorites, which he had memorized, thank you very much, and still make it to work on time.

Tommy was the king of Donut Day.

Except today—

Today, some guy—some punk kid—was going to cost him his crown.

To be fair, it wasn't entirely the kid's fault. Working an afternoon shift meant stopping by Pete's after the morning rush, but before the lunchtime restock was complete. Tommy thought he'd arrived early enough, but the shelves were looking pretty sad.

Which would have been fine if this guy hadn't made it through the door before him, securing a place in line ahead of Tommy, and seemed intent on buying out the place.

Nevermind, it was all this guy's fault.

Him and his...legs...that seemed to go on for days.

"I'll take that last Oreo one, please," the guy said and Tommy huffed under his breath.

Sorry about your luck, Jenkins. You're going to have to live with your second favorite—

"And that last strawberry shortcake one, too."

"Seriously?" Tommy whispered to himself, cursing his bad luck.

"Ooh, and that last triple chocolate one—"

"Oh, come on!" Tommy exclaimed, the words bursting out before he could stop them. Because really? Even the triple chocolate?

His favorite?

"Dude, what is your problem?" The guy whirled around to glare at him and Tommy felt it like a punch to the chest.

Because the donut thief was gorgeous.

Forget the legs for days and the muscled back and the equally muscled chest and arms—good god, the arms—how could Tommy focus on any of that when he was faced with the most beautiful blue eyes he'd ever seen.

And pouty lips on a mouth that had dropped open ever so slightly as the Donut Day interloper stared back at him.

"My problem?" Tommy asked, tearing his eyes away from the pouty lips back to the beautiful blue eyes that had gone wider when he took a little step closer. "My problem is you're going to get me fired if you keep buying up all the donuts. Or at least have a whole crew of hungry firefighters calling for my head."

He sent the donut thief a rueful smile. "Think you can help a guy out?"

"Y-you're a firefighter?" The guy said and if Tommy thought he was gorgeous before, he'd clearly misunderstood the meaning of the word. The grin that stretched across his face lit it up so brightly, Tommy suddenly understood why moths made such poor life choices.

He took another step closer. Drawn in by the light.

"I'm a firefighter too," the guy exclaimed. His face fell suddenly as he looked between Tommy and the display case of donuts. "It's my turn to bring the donuts too and if I don't bring the right ones, I'll never hear the end of it. Chim really likes those Oreo ones and Hen loves the strawberry shortcake—"

"Wait." Tommy laughed, shaking his head. "Are you at the 118?"

Of all the coincidences...

"Y-yeah, how did you know?" Blue Eyes grinned and this time he took a step closer.

"I used to work there, with Howie and Hen and everyone," Tommy said. He stuck a hand out. "Tommy Kinard."

"B—uh, Evan," Blue Eyes—Evan said. "Evan Buckley."

"Well, Evan Buckley, let's see if we can figure out a donut arrangement that works for everyone, yeah?"

The next ten minutes were spent playfully haggling over their choices—even going so far as to ask the very patient counter employee to cut a few in half. Tommy was pretty sure she'd been Instagramming most of their exchange so he didn't feel too bad about it.

Finally, donut boxes in hand, he and Evan left the shop, both lingering for a moment out on the sidewalk.

Tommy didn't miss the way Evan's eyes lingered over him at the same time. Zeroing in on his chin for some reason.

"That was some pretty good trouble-shooting in there," Tommy began, shaking Evan out of his chin-centric thoughts.

"Oh, uh, yeah," Evan said, shaking his head with a little laugh. "I'm going to get roasted over those donut halves though."

"You won't be the only one," Tommy said. He could already hear Jenkins' voice ranting at him over it.

But more importantly, he could feel the seconds ticking away before he and Evan would be going their separate ways and Tommy—for some reason—really didn't want to let that happen.

"You should give me your number," he heard himself saying. "So we can commiserate later."

"O-okay," Evan said, already digging his phone out of his pocket. "A-and you should give me yours. Tell me how you like the lime and jalapeno donut."

The one he'd talked Tommy into trying even though Tommy had zero tolerance for spice.

He was somehow already a complete pushover for this man.

They entered their numbers into each other's phones and handed them back with little grins.

"I should get going," Tommy said reluctantly, not able to put off the inevitable any longer. "It was really nice to meet you, Evan."

"You too," Evan said. "Tommy."

With one last smile, one last look, Tommy headed down the sidewalk to his truck, Evan leaving in the opposite direction.

Tommy turned back for one last last look and almost blushed at getting caught by Evan as he did it—before he realized Evan caught him because he was doing the exact same thing.

And Evan was definitely blushing.

Well.

How about that?

Despite his little donut thief adventure, Tommy still made it to work in plenty of time. He dropped the donuts off in the kitchen and stepped back as the hungry masses fell upon the boxes.

"Kinard!" Jenkins yelled out a few seconds later. He emerged from the huddle holding up half of an Oreo donut. "What the hell, man?"

"It was for a good cause," Tommy said. "Trust me."

Jenkins kept cranking at him, but Tommy was already tuning him out, attention caught by a new text on his phone.

A message from Evan.

Tommy opened it, chuckling over the picture of a very disgruntled looking Howie and Hen.

They're questioning our choices, the text read.

We'll just have to do better next time, Tommy wrote back.

He chewed on his lip, watching as three bubbles blinked in and out on his screen until finally—

Same time next week?

Can't wait, Tommy replied quickly.

He was going to be doing some heavy editing of the donut rotation for the foreseeable future and everyone was just going to have to deal with it...

Because Tommy had a donut thief to woo.

(This was from this ask game!)

[000png]

can you show us your plant shelf? *williams dafoe meme* i am somewhat of a plant connesir myself

YES although these pictures don't really do it justice tbh 😭

so there's only one spot in my house that gets any sort of decent natural light by this big window so originally I had ONLY the table here that was getting crowded and discovered over the toilet shelving happens to fit perfectly over it. so I got one with adjustable shelves which will be nice if/when I get bigger plants!!! one is drilled into the wall for stability but the others can move around. some other details

I have a tiny mushroom shelf thing I plan to also put on the wall, and then put a tiny plant on. in general I might use that space between the shelves and the painting for wall planters/fun shelves/misc shit like the mushroom one. I might just get more mushroom shelves and get a whole fungi situation going on tbh, but I don't want it to be too cluttered either

the cat is fun AND functional!! it's solar powered so it's actually a helpful measure for me if that area is getting enough light at a given moment (the grow light kinda activates it all day but before it wouldn't wag it's tail on rainy cloudy days, for example)

I don't have a lot of grow lights so I put everything that needs more light on that one shelf. I might invest in a humidifier for this corner as well but I'm hesitant bc I also have a lot of exposed art in my house and even though its separated away I don't wanna raise the humidity too much

basically I'm locked between plants that don't need a lot of humidity or sun just with how my house is and the fact I also have a lot of art to be mindful of

tbh a lot of the placements are temporary, I move plants around a lot to rotate who gets more window light on the table (which only really gets direct morning light but is just bright indirect light otherwise )

I'm banking on the pothos and pink panther plants to grow huge and trailing but since they're babies right now those spaces look kinda empty 😭

currently the table (who some may remember from my decoupage phase) and top shelf is where I store my misc supplies

I also have this other corner that is kind of more my "nursery" corner rn but I have bigger plans for

this is a weird fucking lamp that I found at goodwill and then I happened to find this plate thing at target that fit perfectly into the top slot. if I'm lucky I might find similar things for the other slots but for now I'm also thinking I can get a hanging plant situation configured here

the lamp actually has two slots for lightbulbs, I'm not using the one that blasts directly up right now but I think if I get more wall planters i can fill that corner with more wall/ceiling plants :)

the only thing is the grow lights extend past the holder so I'm literally using dryer lint sheets as a lampshade for now otherwise it hurts to look at 🤣 wip I say as if it hasn't been like that for months

I usually put propagations/tiny plants on the top shelf, right under the lamp grow light blasting downwards. I plan to combine those pilea glaucas into a 4 inch planter one of these days but I might wait until spring bc it's growth is slowed down a lot right now

I want the monstera and arrow plant to be floor plants with trellis that I will probably put closer to the window with the other shelf once they're bigger :) money plant idk where I'm gonna put it officially but it needs more light so I put it with the grow light

other notes while I'm gushing about my plants

I've found I'm quite fond of fast growers so I'm focusing on trailing plants like the pothos, monstera, and arrow plants, but I started with peperomias so I have a lot of them

but my absolute favorite is the chinese evergreen!!!! she has been growing so happily and busting out new growth, I like it so much I bought another baby red variation that is in quarantine right now but I'll move to the nursery shelf with the pilea glaucas later :)

[yumester]

sending this back to sender. i need a full dissertation on pAInter STAT

Oh, look it's the silly mutual once again in my ask box, wailing and screaming like a drenched kitten or that one generic male character from the hit game going through the worst experience ever— (gets shot)

Anyway, here's my opinions on The p.AI.nter from the hit Roblox game.

You know the drill, putting a read more for my and everyone's safety.

Fucking character of all time, man. Not including Sebastian! We hate Sebastian in this house! 🗣

They made this shit in the lab and called it straight up cocaine for lore heads. And by lore heads I mean me homie!! /j

Gonna mainly go over each label but might go into detail later on so watch out.

Everyone but me is wrong about them <3: I mean this in the nicest way possible. Pressure fandom has already failed miserably at the characterization of Sebastian. We've seen it all, to people anime boyifing the hell out of his visage, to the literal creators having to ward people off by adding changes to the game's data by removing voice lines. Man is not your big monster hubby with a tortured soul. Okay, maybe he is a tortured soul, but more literal than that and less likely to cry on your shoulder or even give you the benefit of the doubt to hold you at arm's length. Anyway, I've seen some people babify the hell out of p.AI.nter as well, and it sucks. I'm sorry, but it's true. It is not your friend, guys. It just wants to paint.

they got done dirty but the creator/s: Okay IDK if you've even peered at the recent updates or uploads from the main creator, but it was shown that p.AI.nter will be updated to be killed at some point. I don't know if they already patched that through the other day because, for one, I haven't played the new update. And, two, I think anyone who tries to do so is a dumb bitch because all p.AI.nter does is trick the player with fake doors and has turrets in occasional rooms (yes, the turrets can be annoying at times but who cares). In my head, I feel like the entity adds some charm to the existing enemies you face during a play through. And removing those elements just feels like a waste. Technically speaking, you only get to The p.AI.nter's room in a certain percentage. Though I will say it makes sense in canon why you would be able to destroy it as Urbanshade as talked nonstop about removing any and all adversaries that get in its way, mainly Sebastian (Unfortunately and thankfully, in Sebastian's case, Sebastian can't be killed). But, I will also say, The p.AI.nter's document, however tragic that it is, kills me at the fact how they handled its owner's death. Like really? Accidentally killed with a rifle to the head because of some dumb guard, no less. If I was that sentient AI, I would no doubt feel endless dread and sorrow. Though, then again, The p.AI.nter is already had several moments of killing itself and been depressed while under Urbanshade's care.

ADOPTION PAPERS ADOPTION PAPERS FILING THE ADOPTION PAPERS: I won't bother writing a whole paragraph, so take this GIF of p.AI.nter as Edgar instead. <3

i am constantly going insane rotating them in my brain like a fork in a microwave: I can not overstate how much I love this little guy. I don't talk about it much nor articulate the words in discussing this freak like I wish I could. But The p.AI.nter is a character that resides in my head twenty-four, seven. Like I'm writing a fanfic about Sebastian right now—well before you sent this, but all I've been thinking about is this dumb AI. Its relationship with Sebastian. Its overall role in the story of the game and so forth.

the popular ships for this character suck: OKAY, OKAY! I know I reblog and sometimes like content of The p.AI.nter with Sebastian together, but that's mostly because I find ship art in general to be an endearing thing to look at from the views of a consumer. However, canon wise it just doesn't… click is all I'm going to say. I DO LOVE THEIR DYNAMIC, HOWEVER!

constantly listening to songs and mentally holding them up like a paint swatch: To be fair, I'm always listening to music, I'm a music junkie at heart and, brother, this shit is breakcore!

I WANT TO STUDY THEM LIKE A COCKROACH: All I'm saying is robotic characters growing sentience is a form of love in video game writing, baby. Also, like I loved The p.AI.nter even before friendly fire update. But y'know me, when it hit beta with its new voice and new face with the MS Paint program that has scratchy line art, circles for eyes and wobbly smile—I was ecstatic! I'm not an engineer or a computer nerd by any meanings, but I wouldn't give to be in Pressure for a spell to like look at inside and out in a non-sexual way of course LMAO.

whats wrong with them (affectionate): SO, SO MANY THINGS! MAINLY URBANSHADE </3

#LETTHEPAINTERPAINTFREELYCHALLENGE

not enough screen time: Maybe this is the me that “likes this character a normal amount” talking, but it makes me sad that The p.AI.nter doesn't say much when you visit its enclosure in heavy containment. Like, you visit Sebastian's shop, and he has like hundreds of dialogue, all of which include snide remarks and shouting at you. It's freaking Gianni I get people! But anyway, my man deserves a little more, thank you. <3

they've never done anything wrong in their life <3: Watch this video from 1:25 and 2:23 and tell me I'm wrong.

my opinions would be received by most fans as akin to hitting a wasps nest with a baseball bat: i shan't say...

This is the best character in the work: Discounting the most integral character, Sebastian fucking Shoelace, we have The p.AI.nter! Yippie!!! My blorbo, my absolute bestie, my man who hits me in the ass with high grade turret bullets to only die to the next room, my “locks me in a room with my wife as we discuss divorce papers and play 7 minutes in heaven” wingman. <3

Anyway, thanks for coming to my TedTalk!

[wifeysaremylifey]

📖

fate

((Ah, yes, SO! I feel vastly inadequate at answering this, but I'll try. Forgive me if I ramble.

My only contact with the Fate series as an active consumer is having played FGO for a whole year. I usually have multiple gacha games in rotation and I liked Magia Record (RIP that game), and FGO played similarly, so I started it. Played through a good chunk of the story but I was in event catch-up hell towards the end.

The only character I had any investment in emotionally in order to consider them is Mash, even after playing a lot of story. But from like the units I knew mostly through gameplay... I really like Sherlock Holmes and Mata Hari.

Mata Hari in particular is who I fed all my grails to in the hopes she got strong enough to justify using. ... She didn't. But I kind of like how she acts and how you can't tell just how much she likes seducing and/or killing sometimes. It kept me guessing.

As for Holmes- I don't mind him acting that superior despite the fact that canon Holmes is not as much like that at all (despite what BBC Sherlock might have drilled into people's heads). I like that he still wants to prop people up as shown in one of his high bond dialogues, because I always felt that was a key part of canon Holmes and that's the kind of thing I love RPing when I can...

So, yeah! I'd like to try any of those three, perhaps! ... If I ever get more informed about the series, since- as far as I know, the only one out of these that I hear anything about outside of the game is Mash. So I assume the other two are super minor.))

[startrekfangirl2233]

Okay, I recognize some of those titles, or my context clues can figure it out 😂

but could we hear about Midnight Watch ? it's caught my eye! 🥰

Hi Vinny! I'm about 90% certain that you know about Midnight Watch.

Here's a little summary:

The Queen's Guard both defends the people of the capital and protect the denizens of the once prolific fae kingdom who live in a section of the Queen's Timberlands. What happens when Fae and Human need to work together to quell a primordial threat encroaching in the heart of Fae territory and the Queen's Timberlands?

And here is a little snippet:

There’s a sign in the middle of Portmiota Timberlands Watch House’s announcement board, half hidden by bounties and notices, smoke smeared and tattered. It proclaims one of the mottoes of the Queen’s Guard, all members of which take a rotation in the Portmiota Timberlands, and is the first thing every new addition to the watchhouse has drilled into their head before they patrol the woods for the first time.

In the middle of the night, if ye hear a song summoning ye to the forest center, go not, for only peril and your death awaits. Naught else.

Sir Robert Floyd has made this motto his guiding tenet since he set foot in the watchhouse as a young boy eager to escape his mother’s fussing, following behind his father as he Captained the guard. It’s not a surprise that Sir Floyd is the youngest Captain of the Guard, at only four-and-twenty. But it’s still a habit for him to glance at the tattered sign, which sometimes seems to glimmer with verdant magic, dripping with it like a spell woven into the parchment or like there is a potion mixed into the faded ink.

Thanks for asking about The Midnight Watch!

Ask me about the WIPs in my WIP List!

[dysloyalty]

TRUST for maxima

TRUST SYSTEM || Maxima Baelsar

► SELECTION: “At your command.” When paired with Emet-Slech -Character will receive a bonus in Determination, Critical Hit and Direct Hit Rate when paired with Emet-Slech. -

► JOB: Machinist (DPS).

► WEAPONRY: Edenmorn Pistol - a customized Pistol offered to Maxima by the Emperor as a congratulatory gift upon being promoted to a commander position in the XIIth legion.

► A.I. BEHAVIOR: Maxima always stays ahead of the group, pulling as much aggro as she can when encountering mobs. She will open with AOEs for the first two rotations, then spam single-enemy attacks on the enemy with the most health, rotating if this enemy no longer has the most health among those aggro'd.

If paired with Emet-Selch, she will aim at and shoot the enemy closest to him, to ensure their route goes by him so he can then aggro them. They have a few unique dialogues;

Dialogue 1: If in the middle of a large swarm of enemies;

Emet-Slech: "Bring the numbers down, will you?" Maxima: "Yes, sir."

Dialogue 2: If swarmed by enemies during a boss fight;

Emet-Slech: "Tch. Maxima." Maxima: "On it."

Dialogue 2: When a boss is low on health;

Emet-Slech: "Now, as I've taught you." Maxima: "This shouldn't take long."

► BATTLE LINES: “Don't worry about me.” - Starting Attack Line. “THERE!” - Most critical strikes “Sloppy.” - Other critical strikes “I've got it.” - Assisting an Ally. “Stand aside.” - During Hypercharge, Drill and Heat blast rotation.

►LIMIT BREAK: -Maxima will only use a limit break on level three in a situation where the boss is dealing major damage OR when a boss is under 10% health. The level two Limit break is the standard MCH LB. The level three variant involves Maxima aiming at the boss with her pistol, with bursts of lighting surrounding her. After the LB is done charging, she swipes the air in an X formation, very similar to Gaius van Baelsar's Terminus Est, and shoots once in the middle of it, sending a large beam of light similar to the regular level 3 LB for machinists, that deals great damage to the boss. • “Clear the way!” - Use of level 2 LB. • “Fear the wolf's cub.” - Use of level 3 LB.

► KO’D: • “Ah ... my mistake ...” - Type 1 • “Embarrasing ...” - Type 2 • “My apologies, sir ...” - When paired with Emet-Selch

► REVIVED: • “I will correct this at once.” - Type 1 • “Pray, forget about this.” - Type 2

BONUS: Send “My Turn!” via ask for unique dialogue options if our characters were selected to fight in the same party!

[fishing-croagunk]

Game Clearing 2024: A Retrospective

You know the drill by now, it's time to go over all those games I played and beat this year.

More detail about my experiences with each game under the cut.

her tears were my light - Jan 8 - Jan 8

Starting off with a game I planned to play last year, but just didn't for some reason. Back in 2022, I played BAD END THEATER by NomNomNami, and I really liked and alluded to trying out some of her other games. As of writing, this is the only other one to be released on Steam so far (though a lot more are available on itch). And, I also really liked it. It's a nice little game, and I would recommend checking it out. Of course, I am purposefully being light on details since I want you go in as blind as possible.

New Zealand Story: Revolution - Jan 11 - Jan 12

When I originally purchased this, I was wondering how much it was changed. It seems like not too much, as it seems almost all of the levels retained their layout from the arcade original. They even have the Heaven levels, which I was pretty surprised about, since this game has infinite continues and a level select. Since it's on the DS, they added in a lot of minigames that use the Touch Screen. Things like Spot the Difference, launching Tiki upwards, and a balancing act. These mini games are fine, but there's one issue with them. Sometimes, winning them will warp you to another level. This means if you want to save the Kiwi, you sometimes need to intentionally lose these minigames to progress in the level, which is a bit counterintuitive. There is a reason to do this, as saving every Kiwi in every level unlocks Expert Mode, where Tiki turns magenta and more enemies spawn. I would not say the Expert Mode much harder than the regular stages, except for a couple chokepoints caused by the increased enemies. I would definitely recommend this version, if you can look past the touch controls.

Tetris Plus - Jan 14 - Jan 18

An arcade game that made its way to home consoles (and the Game Boy), I quite liked it. The meat and potatoes of this game is the Puzzle Mode, where you guide the Professor through a board and to the goal. The professor can climb and fall off of blocks, so in some stages it's easier to have him climb rather clear lines. These strategies really only work if you get the right pieces, and the game's piece rotation means that you may be waiting a while for the only piece that can clear a line for you while hoping the ceiling doesn't come crashing down first. One minor complaint is that since the first few worlds can be played in any order, they all start super easy. Despite being based on an Arcade game, the offers infinite tries, and you can even save your progress. Other than a versus mode and classic Tetris, there's also an edit mode where you can create your own levels, which I think is really neat. I'd say the Puzzle Mode is worth checking out. Also, outside of an arcade-only sequel, the Professor and the Assistant haven't appeared in any other Tetris games which is a bit of a shame as these two are the closest thing Tetris has to mascots (unless you count the SS Tetra crew)…

Cult of the Lamb - Jan 19 - Jan 21

It was pretty fun returning to this game again. Overall, I would say that I like a lot of things added, like the outfits and the drinking. Part of me did wish had more to do on the crusade-side, other than completing Purgatory lines. I did not unlock everything that was added, and that was largely due to me knowing I have a lot of new games to check out. Still, if they are continuing to add content to the game, I'm still gonna come back every while to check it out!

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Feb 10 - Feb 22

Ah yes, the New Soup series. I really like it, and had a lot of fun revisiting Mario U and Luigi U. Honestly, I would have done that even if I don't log my game clearing. I did like playing as Toadette (who I main in a lot of the spinoff titles), even if does trivialize some levels. I also decided to check out the side content, since I literally have no memory of ever playing it. Boost Rush is a perfectly fine mode, and I'd imagine it'd be more fun with friends. The challenges however, are awful. A lot of them take stages from the Story Mode, and add a twist. There's the ones where you run through a course as fast as possible, but most of them don't feel like they were designed with speed in mind. Stringing one-ups off of one series of bounces, collecting coins or avoiding them. Many of them were a pain to just complete, I can not imagine going for a Silver or Gold Medal on all of them! With all that said, since this makes up a very, very small portion of the game (and one I'd recommend skipping completely), I would say I really enjoyed playing New Soup again.

ALIEN XENOBLASTER - Feb 22 - Feb 24

Definitely one of my favorites so far. If I had to describe this game, I would say it's like Donkey Kong, but you have a gun. And you are not Mario, you're trying to stop everyone from reaching Pauline. The enemies come out in waves, and your gun has limited ammo, so make sure you have time to restock before a Goob reaches your cardboard cutout. It's pretty addicting, and I liked the little cutscenes before each boss battle. Oh, and you can play as Peppino and Annalynn, alongside other guest characters. I'm a bit sad more people aren't talking about it, so I'd definitely recommend this one, no notes. Also, this game may be receiving updates in the future, so I might talk about this game again.

Pokemon: Kanto Expansion Pak - Feb 25 - Mar 1

Ah yes, a romhack I was looking forward to ever since it was announced. You might think this would just add in some new mons and call it a day, but no! This hack has new areas, new trainers, and new music, just to name a few. I'm intentionally being vague again since I want more people to go into this blind, but I would definitely recommend it.

Ufouria: The Saga 2 - Mar 9 - Mar 12

I was very excited when this was announced, as I personally consider the NES original to be one of my favorites for the system. And really enjoyed the sequel! It has just as much charm as the original, and the art style is wonderful. I did not care for the achievement that required you to grind coins, but that's completely optional anyway.

Pizza Tower - Mar 13 - Mar 25

It's time to bring the Noise. I was very happy when this came out, mainly because it gave me an excuse to play Pizza Tower again. The Noise's moveset is pretty different from Peppino's, but once you get acquainted with it, it's downright fun. I don't know if there's going to be any more updates to this game or if they're moving onto a new project, but either way I can't wait to see what these devs make next!

Donut Dodo - Mar 29 - Mar 29

Oh boy another arcade-style game! But for whatever reason, the game just never clicked with me. The gameplay's alright, the music and art is good, but I just thought it was okay. To the point where after beating the game once, I felt like moving on. I'd definitely say to try it out, maybe you'll like it more than I did.

Pokemon Silver '97 Reforged - Apr 11 - Apr 17

I really love the unused and beta content in games. And one good example of this is the Spaceworld Demos of Gold and Silver, which were wildly different from the versions we all know today. So naturally a romhack exists that takes these early concepts and turns them into a full fleded game. And this romhack does a great job at that! It's honestly great just going through the early version of the region and seeing / using early designs of mons, as well as mons that never got to exist. Honestly, if this was the game I got to play all those years ago as Gold and Silver, I probably would have loved Gen 2 as much as I do now!

Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate - Apr 17 - Apr 17 & May 27 - May 27 & Jun 27 - Jun 27

I love Homestar Runner. One of my earliest memories online was watching toons on the site, back when Flash was all the rage. And while I never got the chance to play the Telltale Homestar games, I liked checking out this little point-and-click adventure. It's a bit short, but it also has plenty of jokes in it, and a lot of that brand humor I've come to love to the Brothers Chaps. I'd honestly say to play this even if you don't know Homestar Runner. Additionally, the game got two major updates, one Roomisode with Dangeresque Too and the ability to finally play Rig Rug!

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong - Apr 25 - Apr 26

For someone who played the GBA original last year, I was hesitant to play through it again. But then I saw that they added more levels and made some improvements (like removing the score system). The original levels played just as good as they did on GBA, although that might be because I sort of remember what I needed to do. The Plus levels didn't feel nearly as painful for similar reasons. I really liked the two new worlds added, they really fit the feel of the other levels. Plus, I also got to try the Expert levels, which were not as bad as I'd thought they be. I honestly hope they'll make a sequel to this that focuses on the puzzle platforming and not become Lemmings for some reason.

Gimmick! Special Edition - May 1 - May 1

I've played a few of Sunsoft's older titles, but Gimmick is one I've never got around to, until I saw it on Steam. While it is just an NES game, the ability to use save states and rewinds is a nice feature. I would definitely say to pick it up or to play it if you can.

Wario Land 4 - May 4 - May 5

After not playing any of the Wario Land games, I decided to finally rectify that by playing this. And I really liked it! The movement, the transformations, the exploration, it's all so great! I also found the escape sequences to be fun as well. I can definitely see myself playing through this one multiple times!

Gauntlet Dark Legacy - May 7 - Jun 5

This one's a bit of an interesting inclusion. So I actually host Parsec sessions my buddy Nyte (aka Spycrab). And up to that point we've only done Mario Party, but then he encourages me to check out this arcady action adventure RPG, and it was amazing. We ended up playing through with two other friends during our adventure, and it definitely added to the experience. There's so many classes to choose from, so many places to explore, and plenty of stuff to do as you gain exp and gold. Even if you can't find anyone else to play with you, I'd still recommend it.

Grapple Dog - May 8 - May 10

Momentum is what makes or breaks a good platformer. And what would be better for momentum than swinging around on a grappling hook! That's the core mechanic of this game, and not only is it fun to swing around, but the levels are designed to take what you know about Pablo and his grappling hook and take it into directions that makes each world feel great, but one gimmick never overstays it welcome. If you're a big fan of platformers, go pick this up now. And apparently they're working on a sequel, so this definitely won't be the last time you hear about Pablo.

Pokemon White - May 19 - Jun 15

As you can probably tell, I am a huge fan of Pokemon, but for some reason never played Gen V. And I can safely say kid me was missing out. I like the world of Unova, I like the story and the characters, the gameplay is great. There's a reason why many people say Gen V is the peak of Pokemon, and I agree with them.

Mr. Driller DrillLand - May 27 - May 29

Mr. Driller is a series I know vaguely about, so I was definitely curious when they re-released a Japan-only GameCube title to Steam, though this time everyone gets to play it. While I do suck at this game, I quite like how each of the attractions puts their own spin on the formula. Maybe I'll play another game in the series, maybe Namco Bandai will release another game if this sells well. Either way, this game's quite good.

VIVIDLOPE - Jun 25 - Jul 1 & Nov 29 - Nov 30

Of all of the games I've played this year this is definitely a unique one. The game is itself is a like a mix between Q*Bert and Vib-Ripple, for the people out there that have played the latter. I really enjoyed the game, although I did have to switch to a lower difficulty for some of the later levels. I am quite glad that switching to Easy mode and using items has no real penalty other than rankings. While I don't see myself getting all V-Ranks, I might try to get all S-Ranks someday. Additionally, there's a couple extra modes that are also great. Later I came back to play the new update, tying into the Swtich port. Adding in Miss Noir as playable character, and a ton of QoL changes. There's also the X levels, which are scrapped levels, which are probably the hardest levels in game, although the reward you get for beating all of them is really cool. It's a shame more people aren't talking about this one, so it's a strong recommend for me.

Pokemon Emerald Rogue - Jul 2 - Jul 5

It's rare for me to revisit a romhack, but Emerald Rogue received a major update that makes the previous version look barebones by comparison. A re-done hometown, more places to explore, and we're up to Gen 9 now. There's also plenty of ways to customize your adventure, beyond just difficulty settings. If you like Pokemon or Rougelikes, I can't recommend this hack enough.

The Simpsons Game - Jul 7 - Jul 14

Out of the dozens of Simpsons video games out there, there's usually three (four if you count the arcade game) that are generally considered to great: Road Rage, Hit & Run, and The Simpsons Game. And finally getting to play it for myself, I can definitely see why. The writing and humor is spot-on, with plenty of moments that'll get at least a chuckle outta you. The gamelay is alright, you get to play as all of the Simpsons family, and they each have unique abilities that spice up the platforming and puzzle-solving. Generally I'd say to check this out if you're a fan of the show. Also, I played the PS2 version, thinking that the removal of the hub area being the only major change, only to learn that a lot more was changed between generations, including mechanics and entire sections of levels altered or removed altogether. That being said, I do think both versions are good, though I might have to check out the newer gen version at a later date.

Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore - Aug 8 - Aug 8

The CD-i games are legendary, and while I've heard the gameplay is actually decent, most people remember them for the cutscenes. Arzette is a very solid spiritual successor to those games, improving and expanding on the gameplay of Wand of Gamelon and Faces of Evil. There's also a bit of Hotel Mario sprinkled in there for good measure. However, I do think this game definitely stands by itself, with its plot, characters, and music. Honestly, even if you have no experience with the CD-i games, I'd still strongly recommend it!

Wario Land: Shake It! - Aug 24 - Aug 31

I remember wanting to play this one back during the lifespan of the Wii, and finally getting to play it now, it's a very solid game. I think it plays with the formula well, and the motion controls do not take away from the experience! I really liked the secret levels, and the bosses. I did not feel compelled to do the missions, but I did enjoy the little puzzles involved with getting the treasures. Honestly, I think you'll have a good time even if you don't care about completion, largely due to fun levels and wonderful art style.

Demon Turf - Sep 7 - Oct 7

I've played quite a couple of 3D platformers, but I really like how this game takes that formula. Beebz' kit is very fun to use, and the platforming will let truly understand just how wild your moveset is. While I don't care for side content, I do think some of things on offer are neat, even if I don't care to complete it. The game's humor is also excellent, it's worth stopping to chat to the locals of the levels, they've usually got something neat to say. If you like 3D Platformers, I would certainly recommend trying this one out.

Monster Party - Oct 8 - Oct 8

With the Halloween season upon us, it felt appropriate to finally tackle this cult classic. I've seen a few Let's Plays of it way back when, but never played it myself. The levels themselves are fine (outside of the damn labyrinth), but that's not why you play this, you play for it the bosses. Highlights for me have to be the Already-Dead Spider, the Dancing Zombies, the Evil Cat, and the Fried Foods. I would say the game gets easier and harder in the later levels. Easier, since the game starts giving out pills like candy (cause even the devs know trying beat bosses with Mark is a pain in the ass). Harder, because they get really stingy with health pickups, and Bert's laser goes from a quick shot that shoots straight, to a slow wave shot that can whiff very easily. Despite all of that, I would still recommend playing this game, as it's a short adventure, especially if you use save states.

Papa's Freezeria Deluxe - Oct 10 - Oct 14

I have never played any of the Papa Louie games. While I'm sure plenty of people have memories of playing the games on websites in computer labs, I never did that back when was in school (mainly because we played Melee during lunch period and had Quake 3 Arena on every school computer). However, when I saw that one of the games was heading to PC, I knew I had to pick it up. The formula is pretty simple, but man is it fun and addictive. This game is also very casual, as messing up an order only results in a lower score and tip. I'd say to try out any game in this series, as they recently released a new entry where you make ice pops. It's only on mobile though, which is a bit of a shame, as I'd love to see more of their library get ported to PC (like those platformer games that are no longer playable).

Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure - Oct 15 - Oct 16

I've always wanted to check out Boogerman, after playing as him in Clayfighter. And, seeing as I have played the Earthworm Jim games, it was about time to get messy. And boy, is this game kinda rough. Power-ups are usually scarce, but getting hit once loses them, and you start at two, but can get up to three. As his name would suggest, the boogers are your go-to weapon, a quick projectile that gets better with milk. The gas is very situational, either needing to be charged, or so close ranged you're gonna get hit using it. The only time I use it is with a pepper, to fly over enemies. There's also bonus routes, but they're more likely to get you killed than reward you. The mountains are probably the worst levels, as you are pelted with rocks most of the way, and one missed jump can mean losing a lot of progress. Also, no continues and you get a password when you game over, but if you'll probably be on an emulator with save states anyways. I would only recommend this people who think they have the stomach, and I ain't taking about the gross visuals.

Backyard Baseball 2005 - Oct 23 - Oct 25

I have a lot of nostalgia for the Backyard Sports series, my brother and I played them since the first game. Although in my case I watched him play most of the time, as I was too young to use a computer. We even still have all of the CD-Roms, though we stopped buying them when Humongous was no longer the developers. With Backyard Sports apparently coming back, I was hankering to play one of them again. I have the most nostalgia for the 3D games, Baseball 2005 especially. I had never unlocked everything in one of these games nor finish a season, so I was determined to do both. And it was just as fun as I remembered! While there was a bit of jank sometimes, I was also playing this on Windows 10, on a disc I can best describe as "well-loved", via a USB disc drive. I would honestly recommend trying any of the Backyard Sports titles, especially with some of them coming to Steam. Will I be playing through any of them here? Perhaps.

Super Mario RPG - Oct 28 - Nov 3

Here's a game I've heard get universally praised, but I've never played. Actually, I have played the SNES original before, but that was back when ZNES was the go-to emulator, and I don't think I got far. Finally getting to play it now, it might be my favorite game I've played this year. The mechanics really clicked with me, I enjoyed the story, and the game is beautiful. While I have very little experience with the original, I do think most if not all of the changes and additions add to game's overall experience. Regardless if you've played the SNES version, if you've got a Switch, I can't recommend this one enough! A Super Mario RPG remake was seen as a pipe dream for some time, and this game is certainly a dream come true!

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - Nov 6 - Nov 11

I've never actually played any Mario & Luigi title. So with this coming to NSO, and Brothership coming out to unanimous praise, I knew I had to finally play one of these. And yeah, I can see how this game created its own series. Funny writing, dope mechanics, and a fun world to explore. The minigames were fine, though I never wanted to play any of them more than once. Definitely worth checking this one out (or its remake). Now, will I play Brothership, and any of the games in between? Definitely, and probably.

Sonic Frontiers - Nov 12 - Nov 19

I haven't played that many Sonic games, but I heard good things about it, so picked it up. While I usually don't care for open-world games, I liked it here, even if I have no desire to fully complete it. I enjoyed the various puzzles and levels, and the boss fights were cool, although it got kinda annoying when I was running to get some place, only to have stop because I've entered a boss's arena. Story was also pretty good, though I don't want to spoil anything here. And before you ask, I have also played the Final Horizon, thought it was really cool, and it somehow ended the game on an even higher note for me.

Mendel Palace - Nov 26 - Nov 26

It's sometimes hard to remember that Game Freak makes games outside of Pokemon. Many of them are still held in high regard, such as this one, which is their first one. The game is simple, but challenging: flip tiles and slam the enemies into the walls. Learn what the various enemies do and capitalize on the various tile types. You also get infinite continues, so you don't have to worry about losing progress when you game over. There's roughly a hundred levels to play through, so it'll probably take you an afternoon to beat it. One interesting thing is the Extra Mode, which removes the map menu, but gives you 100 new levels to play, all of them much, harder than the base game! Do you unlock it by beating the game? No. You gotta hold START and SELECT as the game boots up. No idea how anyone was supposed to know that, but I would certainly recommend trying this mode. Additionally, there's also a whole manga about the characters in the game, which apparently ran for a few years, and to my knowledge has not been translated. If I had a nickel for every time a video game got a comic about it afterwards, I'd have two nickels. Either way, a strong recommend from me, especially if you like NES titles.

And here is the year end tierlist. Since I don't really play "bad games", the C and D tiers are a bit misleading. Nothing I've played would receive less than a 5 / 10.

[helenaheissner]

Love During Robot Fighting Time: Chapter 9

Hello, lovelies! Hope y'all are doing well :)

Don't forget you can read three chapters ahead on this story, twenty chapters ahead on "A Dream of Summer Rain", and two chapters ahead on "Magical Girl Exorcist Squad", by becoming a paid subscriber on my Substack or my Patreon!

Thank you so much for your continued support of my work! Every little bit helps me to keep going :)

And now, back to our regularly scheduled nerdy romcom shenanigans!

***

Faith

I slammed my tiny fist against the button as the fight started, and Olivia did the same. She’d always been the one to do that when she was on my team. When she was my…

I’d first met Olivia when she transferred to my school our sophomore year. She’d been under the impression she was the only girl in the engineering program, and I’d sort of agreed with her at the time, albeit only half-heartedly. I was never really sure what she saw in me- the first time we met, I was late for class and rushed in with my hair a matted mess of bedhead and my baggy sweatpants practically falling off and the bags under my eyes staging a protracted police action against the rest of my face. She’d been sitting there in that white marble room at one of those annoying, uncomfortable swivel-chair desks, nursing a pink drink while the professor berated me for being tardy on the first day of class. 

The only free chair had been the one next to her, so I sat down while mumbling that I’d overslept. When class was over, she turned to me and asked what the real reason was that I’d been late on the first day. 

“It’s… It’s lame,” I’d said. 

“Pfft, I’ll be the judge of that,” she’d said. “Trust me, I’m a connoisseur of lame.”

“Well then you and I will get along swimmingly.”

“Mayhaps, haps-may. Now c’mon, tell me.”

I’d reached into my backpack and retrieved my notebook and showed her my preliminary designs for what became the Dai Gurren. As the stars lit up in those big brown eyes, my heart flared inside my chest and intelligent thought was drowned out by lustful, infatuated static. 

She’s asked to help me with it on the spot. She seemed surprised when I’d said yes. 

I asked her out on a date a week later, and I was definitely surprised when she said yes. 

Olivia’s new robot, the Tooth Fairy, was a massive apparatus of rebar and plastic on two wheels, all painted sleek white, with a long, single blade spinning vertically down the middle. Had to be careful about that thing- the drills on Dai Gurren were precision instruments, better suited to dealing with flippers and percussive weapons than spinners. But the problem every spinner had, at least in my experience, was that they needed time to achieve maximum velocity. 

Dai Gurren had no such problem. 

I’d promised myself I’d remain stoic and steely the entire fight. I’d worn a black gown that night, like I was dressed for a funeral. Zeke had even traded in the tux for an all-black suit and tie. No frills, no theatrics, no making a show of ourselves. This was all awkward enough as-is without any of us adding to it. 

And yet I found myself screaming as I had Dai Gurren careen towards the enemy bot at full speed. 

Tooth Fairy swerved out of the way at the last second, forcing me to pump the breaks and reverse before I went crashing into the rotating screws. I narrowly avoided that fate, only for Tooth Fairy to take me from behind before I could reroute. Sparks jetted out DG and decorated the arena while my bot was forced up into the screws and whittled away at. Finally, I managed to slide out of her terrible grasp and get on the run, but she was relentless in her pursuit. 

“I think it’s time, Faith,” Zeke said, his smooth, dulcet tones helping calm me down by a small measure. I needed to stay calm, needed to focus, or I WOULD lose this fight. 

“Good idea,” I said. We’d installed a backup weapon, a retractactable knife that came out the left hand side and swung backwards in a slicing motion. It wouldn’t do much good against all that rebar when TF had us pinned, but at the proper angle we could navigate it past the defenses and trip up the vertical spinner. 

I wonder how Calloway… How Kate would feel, if she knew we’d gotten the idea from her- a simple blade to puncture an opponent’s weapon unexpectedly. Crude, but effective… Like her, I suppose. 

I turned DG left, left, left around the slots where the kill-saws would rise in the last minute of the duel, then let myself ease up on the controls. Had to be precise about this, or the blade would do nothing more than dent the rebar. 

“Now,” I uttered, and Zeke slammed the button on his control pad. From the left hand side emerged the switchblade, not even hidden (the announcers had even mentioned the thing going into the fight) so much as downplayed compared to the rest of the busy design. 

Olivia took her hands off her controls, and her bot stopped while our’s kept moving, and the arc of the blade missed by a full inch. 

She resumed her assault, and the vertical spinner sliced up the mechanical limb that propelled the switchblade clean off. 

I let out a tiny gasp as my eyes went wide and my jaw dropped and my heartbeat thundered inside my chest. TF’s spinner had achieved maximum velocity. 

I slammed the speed controls, trying to put as much distance between our bots as possible, but she just kept coming. I headed for the hammer, the whack-a-mole device situated in the far-right corner, hoping to lure her into it and then pivot out of the way, but I was too slow as she barreled into me and took another chunk of DG, then fled as the hammer came crashing down and shattered DG’s drills. 

“NO!” I screamed. I drove us out of the way of the hammer just in time for her to crash into us weapon-first again, carving a hideous vertical gash into DG’s faceplate. 

Smoke plumed out of DG alongside the sparks. I tried to reroute us, but the wheels were slowing down. Dammit- she must have gotten some of our wiring. Our wheels were barely spinning, and TF loomed in front of us with her damn rotating guillotine. 

The announcers were shouting something, but I’d tuned it out. 

All I could think about was when Olivia dumped me, she’d completely ghosted me. I’d tried calling her the next day, but it became clear she’d blocked me right away. Email netted a similar result, and when I’d sent Zeke to go to her apartment on my behalf, he’d come back within a half hour stating that Olivia had threatened to call the cops if he didn’t leave. 

So that had been that. 

I hadn’t actually spoken a word to her since she’d left me. 

Sorrow and fury competed for space inside my heart as her bot crashed into mine and crippled it, ripping its metal shell apart and leaving a smoking heap where once stood a mighty machine. She drove circles around us while Marty Weston screamed, “HOLY MOLY! WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT! THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS HAVE BEEN HANDED THEIR FIRST DEFEAT OF THE SEASON BY THEIR FORMER TEAMMATE! OH THE IRONY! OH THE HUMANITY! WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY BRUTAL DISPLAY! AND FAITH WATANABE IS BACK TO BEING SPEECHLESS.” 

I kept trying to say something, kept trying to move. Eventually, Zeke put a hand on my shoulder and I had to stop myself from sobbing into his chest again- it would look bad if I did that on camera, I knew it would. I’d just be throwing a hissy-fit that I’d lost, same as Kate always did, and I… 

I didn’t wanna be like her.

Guilt slashed across my chest as I thought that, but there it was. Especially if it turned out she and I had a lot more in common than I’d initially believed. 

I looked over at Olivia, and I remembered the first time we’d gotten Dai Gurren up and running- it had been a Friday night, and like the idiot I was, I’d suggested working on our robot together as a date night. Zeke had been busy with his own date, some girl who’d turned out to have stood him up and left him stranded at an Italian restaurant for two hours, so Olivia and I had the workshop all to ourselves. 

She’d had her hair up, like she did tonight, and she wore a green t-shirt and jeans, like she was wearing tonight. She kept her hands on the control panel as the wheels started spinning, and a smile erupted on her face as DG finally began to move around. 

“IT’S ALIVE,” she’d screamed, “IT’S ALIVE,” while dancing around and looking me in the face. “It’s alive. It’s our baby and it’s alive.”

That was when she’d kissed me. It wasn’t the first time, but the kind of forceful passion and awkward glee as our lips met felt like our first kiss all over again. 

This time, she stared me dead in the eyes from across the way, her face blank and unreadable. She walked away, and I stared at her until Zeke was forced to usher me out of the box and towards the post-fight interview. 

To say it was uncomfortable would be an understatement. Zeke and I stood to the left of Marty Weston while he interviewed Olivia and her team, and Olivia was the picture of professionalism. She said nothing about me, nothing about our history, simply talked about the design of her bot and what she’d done to prepare to fight DG. 

That was the thing- she didn’t mention Zeke or I by name at any point. 

By the time she was done, I was barely present. Felt like my heart was lodged in my throat, barely beating as it obstructed any words from making it out. Zeke handled the questions in the interview, and I barely heard a word he was saying. 

I barely heard anything at all. 

It was like I didn’t even exist. To her, to myself, to anyone else. 

I didn’t say anything, do anything, feel anything. 

Until I felt Zeke’s arm around my shoulder again as he led me back into the pits. The tears in my eyes blotted everything out, but I noticed a second set of arms wrapped around me. Tall, but not as tall as Zeke. Slender and smooth and delicate, save for the rough hands that squeezed my mid-back. 

It was Kate. She held me up while Zeke hugged the both of us, and I let myself cry, not sure who’s chest it was I was sobbing into.

The weirdest part was, at that moment, I didn’t care. I was just happy there were both there with me, there for me. 

[ananka-fasteners]

Ananka

Q1) Are there hex bolts specifically designed for woodworking?

Ans) Yes, specific hex bolts are designed for woodworking purposes, often known as "wood bolts" or "hanger bolts." These specialized bolts cater to the unique demands of woodworking projects and are crafted with features tailored to working with wood materials. Here is an overview of wood bolts and their distinct characteristics:

1. Thread Configuration: Wood bolts are characterized by a dual thread design. One end is equipped with wood threads, which are coarse and designed to firmly grip wood. The opposite end features machine threads that allow for the attachment of nuts or other fasteners.

2. Pointed Tip: The wood-threaded end of a wood bolt usually boasts a pointed tip. This design facilitates easy initiation of the bolt into the wood material without the necessity of pre-drilling.

3. Nuts Not Always Required: In woodworking, wood bolts are frequently used without nuts. They can be directly threaded into wood or employed alongside wood inserts for secure connections.

4. Tailored Sizes: Wood bolts are manufactured in sizes and lengths tailored to woodworking projects. They are often utilized for fastening legs to tables, chairs, and other types of furniture.

5. Materials: Wood bolts are typically crafted from steel or stainless steel. Stainless steel variants are favored when resistance to corrosion is paramount, such as in outdoor furniture or projects exposed to moisture.

6. Use of Washers: While wood bolts offer effective wood-gripping capabilities, washers can be employed to evenly distribute loads and prevent damage to surfaces. Flat washers or fender washers are commonly used in conjunction with wood bolts to enhance connections.

7. Installation: Wood bolts can often be installed without the necessity of pre-drilling, particularly in softwood materials. However, pre-drilling might be advisable when working with hardwoods to prevent splitting.

8. Applications: Wood bolts find widespread use in the construction of furniture, cabinetry, woodworking projects, and applications necessitating robust and dependable wood-to-wood or wood-to-metal connections.

When utilizing wood bolts, it is crucial to select the correct size, length, and material for your woodworking endeavor. Adhering to proper installation techniques, which might involve pre-drilling in certain cases, will contribute to secure and successful connections. Always adhere to the recommendations of the manufacturer and follow woodworking best practices pertaining to the specific type of wood bolt being utilized.

Hex Nut Suppliers

Q2) How do you ensure proper alignment when threading a hex nut onto a bolt?

Ans) To ensure proper alignment while threading a hex nut onto a bolt, it is crucial to establish a secure and effective connection. Adhere to these steps to maintain alignment throughout the nut threading process:

1. Examine Threads: Before commencing, inspect the threads on both the bolt and nut. Verify that they are clean, undamaged, and devoid of debris or obstructions. Damaged threads can lead to misalignment during the threading process.

2. Hold Nut Correctly: Grasp the hex nut between your thumb and fingers, orienting it with the threaded opening facing the bolt. Ensure that the flat sides of the nut are parallel to the corresponding flat sides of the bolt.

3. Initial Alignment: Gently position the nut onto the exposed threads of the bolt, aligning the nut's threads with those of the bolt. Exercise caution to prevent tilting or placing the nut at an angle.

4. Start by Hand: Initiate the threading process by manually turning the nut clockwise (righty-tighty) using your fingers. This manual start guarantees that the nut enters the threads smoothly and without encountering any resistance.

5. Monitor Progress: As you rotate the nut clockwise, monitor its progression. Confirm that the nut is threading onto the bolt in a straight manner. If you experience any resistance, misalignment, or a sense of "cross-threading," halt immediately.

6. Reverse If Necessary: In the event of encountering resistance or an irregular threading sensation, reverse the nut's motion by turning it counterclockwise (lefty-loosey). Realign the nut with the bolt's threads before restarting.

7. Utilize Wrench or Tool: Once the nut has been threaded onto the bolt manually for a few rotations, employ a wrench or an appropriate tool to proceed. Steadily secure the bolt with a wrench while turning the nut clockwise using another wrench or socket.

8. Apply Uniform Pressure: While continuing the threading process with the wrench, ensure uniform pressure is applied to the nut to prevent tilting or binding on the threads. This practice promotes the maintenance of proper alignment.

9. Regular Alignment Checks: Periodically verify that the nut remains aligned with the bolt's threads throughout the threading process. Should any deviation or misalignment be observed, adjust the nut's orientation before proceeding further.

10. Final Inspection: Upon achieving full threading of the nut onto the bolt, visually inspect the connection. Confirm that the nut is flush against the material and that no gaps or misalignments are present.

11. Torque as Required: Should your application necessitate specific torque settings, employ a torque wrench to attain the recommended torque value. Adhere to the directives of the manufacturer or established industry standards.

By adhering to these guidelines and meticulously monitoring the alignment of the nut with the bolt's threads, you can ensure a seamless and successful nut threading process. This results in the creation of a secure and dependable fastening connection.

High Tensile Fasteners

Q3) How do you ensure proper torque when using power tools for washer installation?

Ans) Ensuring proper torque when using power tools for washer installation is crucial to achieve a secure and reliable fastening connection. Here's how to ensure proper torque when using power tools for washer installation:

1. Choose the Right Tool: Select a power tool with adjustable torque settings. Many power tools, such as electric drills or impact drivers, have torque adjustment features that allow you to set a specific torque value.

2. Select the Correct Torque Setting: Refer to the manufacturer's specifications or engineering guidelines to determine the recommended torque value for the specific washer and fastener combination you're using. Set the power tool to the appropriate torque setting.

3. Practice on Scrap Material: Before starting the actual installation, practice using the power tool on scrap materials of the same type and thickness as the ones you'll be using in your project. This helps you get a feel for the tool's torque and speed settings.

4. Use a Torque Wrench for Calibration: To ensure accuracy, use a torque wrench to calibrate the power tool's torque setting. Tighten a fastener with the power tool and then measure the torque applied using a torque wrench. Adjust the power tool's setting if necessary.

5. Use a Torque-Limiting Attachment (If Available): Some power tools offer torque-limiting attachments that help prevent over-tightening by disengaging the tool when the preset torque is reached. If your power tool has this feature, consider using it for added accuracy.

6. Apply Gradual Pressure: When using the power tool, apply gradual and steady pressure to the trigger. Avoid applying sudden or excessive force, as this can lead to over-tightening.

7. Pay Attention to Feedback: Many power tools provide tactile and audible feedback as you reach the preset torque. Listen for any changes in sound or feel as the tool nears the desired torque value.

8. Stop at the Right Torque: As the power tool reaches the preset torque value, the tool may stop turning or exhibit a change in sound and vibration. Once you notice this feedback, release the trigger to stop the tool.

9. Inspect the Connection: After using the power tool, visually inspect the connection to ensure that the washer is properly seated and flush against the material. Check for any gaps, misalignments, or signs of over-tightening.

10. Double-Check Torque: For critical applications, consider using a calibrated torque wrench to double-check that the installed fasteners meet the specified torque requirements. This provides an additional layer of assurance.

11. Avoid Repeated Tightening: Avoid repeatedly tightening a fastener using a power tool, as this can lead to over-tightening and potential damage to the washer or material.

By following these steps, you can ensure that power tool-assisted washer installation is performed with the correct torque, resulting in reliable and secure fastening connections in your project.

Carbon Steel Fasteners

Q4) How do you ensure proper alignment when threading a nut onto a stud bolt?

Ans) Ensuring proper alignment when threading a nut onto a stud bolt is essential to achieve a secure and reliable fastening connection. Here's how to ensure proper alignment during this process:

1. Inspect Components: Before beginning, make sure the stud bolt and nut are clean, free from debris, and in good condition. Inspect the threads on both the stud bolt and the nut to ensure they're undamaged.

2. Hold the Nut Correctly: Hold the nut between your thumb and fingers with the threaded opening facing the stud bolt. Make sure the nut is held perpendicular to the stud bolt to ensure a straight start.

3. Align the Nut: Position the nut at the end of the stud bolt, ensuring that the threads of the nut align with the threads of the stud bolt. Hold the nut steadily in this aligned position.

4. Start by Hand: Begin threading the nut onto the stud bolt by turning it clockwise (righty-tighty) using your fingers. Apply gentle downward pressure to keep the nut aligned with the threads as it starts to thread.

5. Avoid Cross-Thread: As you start threading the nut, make sure it starts straight and threads smoothly onto the stud bolt. Be cautious not to cross-thread, as this can damage the threads and compromise the connection.

6. Turn Gently: Continue turning the nut clockwise by hand until it's threaded a few turns onto the stud bolt. Make sure the nut remains properly aligned with the bolt's threads during this process.

7. Use a Wrench or Tool: Once the nut is threaded a few turns by hand, you can use a wrench or an appropriate tool to continue tightening. While using the tool, maintain downward pressure on the nut to prevent it from tilting.

8. Apply Even Pressure: Whether using a wrench or your fingers, apply even pressure to the nut while turning. This helps prevent tilting or misalignment during the threading process.

9. Check Alignment: Periodically check that the nut remains aligned with the stud bolt's threads as you continue threading. If you notice any deviation, adjust the nut's angle to ensure proper alignment.

10. Tighten to Desired Torque: If your application requires specific torque settings, use a torque wrench to tighten the nut to the recommended torque specification. Follow manufacturer guidelines for torque values.

11. Inspect the Connection: Once the nut is properly threaded and tightened, visually inspect the connection to ensure that the nut is flush against the material and there are no gaps or misalignments.

By following these steps and being mindful of proper alignment, you can ensure that the nut is securely threaded onto the stud bolt, establishing a reliable and stable fastening connection for your application.

Inconel Bolts Price

[mistrdctr]

Stephen can sense what's coming before it's actually coming; It means he's got a second or two to mentally prepare himself for whatever the kid is bringing up next, since America's really not that kind of person who just lets stuff go like this without attempting to fight for whatever she wants to have, really.

It's admirable most of the times, but very much exhausting at all the others.

... And there it is, the way her face twists, expression changing, lips pursing, her eyes downcast. Okay, okay, Strange can work with that. He can handle it. he's seen many sad faces in his life so far and he knows she's just trying to trick him here---

---She follows that expression up with mumbled words, however, and those are what actually makes him feel as if a spear is drilling itself right through the center of his chest.

Ouch.

Thing is, as much as this is just a way for her to try and get him to do what she wants him to, there's also a truth sticking to her spoken syllables: The sorcerer has been pretty busy lately, not visiting Kamar-Taj as much as he did a few weeks ago, and America might as well be seriously missing him...

Shit.

A deep breath is being taken, bright eyes rolling in their sockets, followed up by a sigh so powerful it could probably rotate the earth around the sun itself with its sheer existence alone as Strange folds his arms in front of his chest, pouting.

"... What kind of dance are we speaking about anyways?"

He's not really saying yes verbally just yet, but his curiosity might as well be his doom here.

America has expected this dismissal. It had appeared every time she had imagined herself making this exact request, which is why she has come prepared to practise some manipulation skills. Nothing major, of course. Just enough to get her own way.

After recovering from the minor heart attack Stephen has given her by materialising out of thin air, America attempts her first trick. Pure heartbreak displays itself on her face, lips pulling a perfect pout and, although she hasn't quite mastered the act of making her eyes teary on command, the sad frown she pulls off is perfectly executed.

"I thought it could be something cool for us to do together," she adds, eyes downcast. This is her second trick. Guilt-tripping. "Since you've been so busy lately I don't get to see you as much..."

[aizawasbrazybaby]

Fire Force Men Catching you Masterbate(NSFW)

Casting: Black Reader x Volcan x Akitaru x Takehisa

•

A/N: Hey my loves! Happy pride :) I’ll be posting these (drabble/hc’s?) for all of June so here goes☺︎

Volcan

Oh, that precious boy. All he wants to do is show you a new invention maybe even test run it

How is he supposed to know what you were up to

Playing with yourself during the daytime

Did he hear the lewd sounds bubbling in your throat? Of course.

It’s not his fault he thinks it is just a erotic scene from those movies you watch

“Y/n! You gotta see this!” Volcan excitedly burst open your door without knocking

A bad habit he obtained since becoming your housemate

You gasp forgetting your bedroom door wasn’t locked..also a bad habit on your end

“…”

If only your blush was visible you’d be the same color as Volcan

“Why don’t you learn how to knock!”

A thin sheet covers your boobs and only that part of your body

He palms his crotch dropping the painted sphere

It clinked a metallic sound as it hit the floor

Kicking the door shut behind him he makes his way to the left side of the bed

Ever so gently pulling the sheet off

“At least say something,” you turn your head away

“…can I?”

You huff and spread your legs

Well that’s all he needs before you were being repositioned like a stuffed animal

Legs resting over his shoulders as he eats you out

Torso twitching as your orgasm builds and releases on his face

To think it ends there, silly girl, must not know Volcan

Flipping you atop him with his tip fucking you

“More want more,”

Granting your wish he bottoms out

Head instantly poking your cervix

Delightful, that’s what it was for you

Volcan: head empty only your sopping cunt on his mind

No doubt he’s already thinking of the type of ring to buy

Akitaru

If the sun were any lower you would mistake him for some type of childhood monster that turned out to be a pile of clothes in the light

Dark rings settle under his eyes

“Mind if I nap with you? Shin and the others are being too loud on the game.”

..he definitely doesn’t wait for you to respond

Seen an empty spot on the bed calling his name and takes the opportunity

It takes him a minute but he hears it

That low buzzing

“Aki hold on!”

Yeah he’s not gonna do that

Peeling back the blanket the buzz grew louder.

“What is that?”

“…my vibrator”

“Oh,” he lays down before popping back up, “ohh.”

*que awkward bird cawing*

“Did-did you need help?”

You nod lifting the oversized shirt that fit like a loose dress, exposing the golden vibrator sitting in your cunt.

He pulls it out halfway then softly pushes it in

Occasionally rotating it in a circle

“Am I doing this right?” he ask, lips coming down on your neck

“Fuck yes Aki, jus like that,” you hum

He lays his tired head on your chest listening to your heartbeat intensity

All he wanted was a lick of sleep but he wouldn’t dare leave you hanging like this

Besides

The sight of you unraveling was mesmerizing

Legs shaking, sweet white cum pouring out of your pussy, fingers digging into the wrist that is drilling you

A sight for sore eyes

Akitaru couldn’t help himself; wanting to see if you’d react the same way

He drags the object out slipping his fingers in

Instantly pressing against that sweet spot

Poor Aki could have fell in love with you off this

The way your soft moans turn into borderline screams. Chanting his name over and over and over

He tangles himself in your arms finally getting the rest he needs

It would come to no surprise that the rest of the nosy team had their ears pressed to the door trying to hear more

Takehisa

“You are such a dirty degenerate woman!”

There are only a few times where Takehisa raises his voice at you

When he’s surprised or you do something incredibly stupid

“You walked in during my private time?” Spit clings to your fingers before being massaged on your clit

“Dumb whore,” he stands in front of you, “your in my room masterbating on my bed!”

“Ouch rude…can I get away with it if I say I thought I was in my room?”

“No. You know why not? because you said that the other two times.” he folds his arms

Sure the first time was truely an accident but he was the one to instigate going further

You spread your lips revealing your pink walls, “and it’s the same outcome everytime. You ‘catch’ me pretend to mad, I go to leave except you eat me like a starved man.”

Takehisa may be good with suppressing his emotions through his tone but those expression..

His front teeth dig into his bottom lip with red decorating his face

Eyes stuck on that delicious cunt he yearns to lick again

“Let’s skip the theatrics and get into it,” you close your eyes laying flat

A zipper came down and you feel yourself being pulled to the edge of the bed

“I agree,” he slides his head inside, “no more games.”

A serious look covers his face as he rams into your tight pussy

If only I could tell you how much he wants to never do this again because it’s inappropriate and unprofessional

He does. Wants to do it every chance he gets

You were his guilty pleasure

Being distant subordinates at work and his play thing behind closed doors

Sure he was stern and allll about following the rules and blah blah blah

Butttttt secretly he wished to open his door and find you in his bed again

“You know what you are right? Go on.”

“Your filthy slut.”

Takehisa bucks his hips smiling down at you, “useless across the board unless your being used by me right dirty bitch?”

“Yes hmm lieutenant ‘m useless.”

He fills you with his hot seed giving your lips an aggressive peck

[hornyf0ckers]

Request: The demon brothers' + side characters' reaction to MC doing a stupid trend on Social Media

Alright, im going to post a part 2 with the side characters

The Demon brothers' reaction to Mc doing a stupid trend on social Media

Chapter 16 Spoiler warning on Belphegors part

Trigger Warnings: Mention of death and nearly passing out in belphies part

WARNING! Do not try to recreate any of these trends as they are seriously dangerous

Lucifer

you are doing the Cereal challenge with Beelzebub when Lucifer walked in on you two

Beel was adding the milk in your mouth when you suddenly saw Lucifer in your room

Before Beel was able to eat out of your mouth you started laughing, spilling the cereal all over your and Beels face

Lucifer was just in shock

Wtf are you two doing?

He didn't know if he should just sigh or yell at you

He just stared for a good second before he pinched his nose and giving you two a judgemental look and telling you to clean it up

Tho you couldn't take him seriously and Beel was just sad about the cereal

You two had to to 2 weeks of cleaning duty

"I expect this kitchen to look as clean as ever. On top of that you both will have cleaning duty for 2 weeks, maybe this will stop you from doing such stupid things next time."

Mammon

You tried the Corn cob challenge (The challenge where you put a Corn cob on a drill and tried to eat from it while it's rotating)

Mammon was just looking for you when he heard weird sounds from the kitchen.

He thought it was Beel at first but he had just passed im hin the hallway earlier so that couldn't be him.

So with that he started to investigate hoping it would be you.

And oh boy it was you but what the hell are you doing?

You were trying to eat a corn cub out of a rotating drill, did Beel have something to do with it?

"Yo Mc whatcha doin'?" -Mammon

"Doing a challange, want to try?" -Mc

"Hell yeah" -Mammon

Let's be honest ofcourse he would join whatever shit you are up to

You both had fun laughing like idiots

Until Lucifer came in-

Mammon probably caught his hair in the drill by surprise

Leviathan

You tried the Baby Swing challange(The challange where you try to fit into a baby sized playground swings)

You and Leviathan were actually out for once to buy rurichan figurines.

Levi didn't pay attention to you for 5 minutes when you called.

"Leviathan please help me im stuck" -Mc

"You're what? Where are you?" -Leviathan

"Im stuck come to the playground next to the stall"

He panicked

He ran as fast as he could only to find you stuck in a baby swing

"Dont look at me like that help me out!" -Mc

He was dumbfounded

Why? Just why?

Leviathan panicked and didn't know what to do

Because he doesn't work out he failed to pull you out of the swing so he had to call Lucifer

Guess who's not allowed to be left unattended for not even 5 minutes anymore.

Yes you.

Satan

You did the DIY Vampire teeth Challange (where you glue fake fangs with nailglue on your teeth)

You saw this "hack" on Devilgramm and just thought: yeah sure why not, nothing can go wrong. (Haha)

Your teeth looked quite good but as soon as you tried to pull them off there was one slight problem: it wouldn't come off.

After a few more failed attempts you went straight to Satans room.

But when he saw you he instantly laughed

Not because he finds it funny(well he does) but because you looked cute

You actually remind him of a cat if you had a second pair of fangs

He definitely took a picture

"Why would u do that with nail glue?"

"Idk, they did that so I did that too"

He teased you a bit before helping you, after all he knows how toxic nail glue is.

He actually had to ask Asmo for help.

After exhausting hours they finally got it off

Prepare yourself to be dragged into the dentin next morning

"You look quite cute with those fangs but please don't every try to use any type of glue that isn't supposed to go on teeth. If u want to dress up that badly I can ask Levi for some advice. "

Asmodeus

You were doing the 100 layers challenge(The challenge were you put layers of make up or or other things on your skin) with some makeup you stole from Asmo (or your own)

You took the challenge a step further and decided to do 100 layers for your whole face (why? because you are just you)

When you were done with the 50th layer of makeup Asmo came into your room

"Hey Mc have you seen my? -Asmo

Asmo stopped in his tracks

He was just looking at you in shock

Then he screamed

"OMG MC WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?! YOU LOOK LIKE A MONSTER OH MY DIAVOLO"

In just a moment he was shacking you, lowkey panicking

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!?! IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO PUT MAKEUP ON YOU JUST ASK ME HUN"

when you told him it was a challenge he couldn't believe it

Why would someone do that? It's a waste if makeup and bad for your skin

You got atleast a 3 hours worth a lecture on why you shouldn't do that and how he can do your makeup

He helped you wash it off and you two did skincare after

Beezlebub

You were doing the Milk crate challenge(The challenge where you stack Milk crates into a pyramid)

How did you get so many Milk crates?

Simple.

Beel bought so much Milk that they ended up with tons of Milk crates.

As the fool you were, you started stacking them up one by on

Unfortunately it worked out so u ended up with a huge pyramid large enough to reach a tree branch

Were you done with the Challenge? No ofcourse not, you just had to climb the entire pyramid

When you were halfway done climbing the pyramid Beel walked past the garden, immediately seeing the large pyramid.

And most importantly you on it.

He was confused for a hot second before panic settling in

You climbed on one more crate before the pyramid collapsed

Luckily for you Beel was there to catch you, blocking you from the falling crates

"Mc why would do such a thing? You could have hurt yourself" -Beelzebub

You had to explain the challenge to him but that didn't ease his worries

"Why would humans do such challenges? They are dangerous, if you really want to do such things please invite me next time. I don't want you to get hurt MC." -Beezlebub

Guess who's not allowed to go in the storage room again.

Yes you.

Belphegor

You were doing the Blackout challange (The Challange were you hold your breath until you pass out)

Please tell me why you would do that

Anyway you started your counter and began holding your breath

Belphegor was sleeping next to you

Tho Belphegor suddenly got a weird feeling which caused him to wake up

When he woke up he saw you next to him but holding your breath for some reason

He was quite sleepy so it took a while for him to realise what you were doing

Depends on how long you can hold your breath you began feeling lightheaded

"MC? What are you doing" -Belphegor

You only looked at him and showed him your timer.

"Are you holding your breath?" -Belphegor

You nodd

"And for how long?" -Belphegor

You shrug

Because Belphie thought you wouldn't hold your breath for much longer he just waited patiently.

But u didn't breath.

Why won't you breath?

You didn't look good as your face began to become a bluish color.

"Mc you are holding your breath for too long let go" -Belphegor

But u only shook your head.

Belphie remembered the time where he killed you, your skin turned the same color.

"MC" -Belphegor

"Let go" -Belphegor ; but you refused to listen.

Belphie tickles you causing you to gasp for air.

"Mc why would u do this? Haven't you got enough of not being able to breath?" -Belphegor

You explained that it was just a challenge but that made him more angry.

"You shouldn't do something like that because of a stupid challenge, are you dumb or something?" -Belphegor

Even if he's tired he gave you a little but very strong lecture on why you will never do such a thing.

He then proceeds to cuddle you to make up for that.

Prepare to be accompanied by him from now on.

[sparetimeimagines]

Royal Services | Oikawa Toru | Tobio Kageyama

Tags; Smut, Oikawa!Boyfriend, Threesome, Oikawa showing Kags what his s/o can do, threesome, Double Penetration, Jealous Oikawa, Body Worship, Kageyama x Y/n x Oiwaka

REQUESTED

Masterlist

“Spread your ass like a good girl.” The pretty king stands behind you with both hands highlighting yours. “Who’s a good girl?”

“Me.”

“That’s right. You are a good girl.”

Kageyama lies on the bed, stroking his cock as Oikawa bends you over still standing.

“Tell me what you’re going to let Kageyama do?”

His cock brushes against your ass, feet trembling below you.

“I’m gonna let him fuck me.”

“That’s right. And where are you gonna let him fuck you?

“In my ass?”

“That’s right, Little Cutie.” He kisses your shoulder, watching you pant over his head tipping in the folds of your cunt instead. He slowly pushes in, the pressure making you slip on to his toned body.

Your boyfriend’s hand cups your neck as he brings his lips to your ears.

“You’re being such a good girl. Letting me fuck you like this. It feels good, doesn’t it, Princess?”

Pathetic pants leave your lips with each thrust he makes into you. You eye the setter who watches you directly, sharp breaths match your hazy glance.

“It does.” You whimper as he smacks your ass.

“Mmmhm. Do you see him watching us? Watching me as I fuck you? You see, I’m allowing him to have you as a treat. So you better treat him really good, Princess.” He kisses your ear lobe. “I want you to make him cum. I want him to wish he was fucking you everyday. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir.” You nod and he slides out of you, pushing you on to the bed towards Kageyama.

The latter stops stroking his cock, hand dropping with you welcoming him with your lips trailing his hips towards his swollen head.

The bud of precum perfectly teases the tip as you let your tongue slowly work towards the top of his length.

The mean scowl on his face makes your heart race, nothing like the warm, dangerous eyes of your boyfriend. You see, Oikawa was manipulative, knowing he can get what he wants through his looks. He’s one hundred percent sure he can land anybody he wants, and knowing that makes you extremely attentive to his needs.

What makes you different?

Kageyama’s jaw opens, yet nothing comes out. Lips part enough for you to catch his awe as you lick the tip in circular motion. You eye Oikawa as you go down on Tobio, quickly flickering your eyes to the raven headed boy.

His head rolls back, his cheeks red and soft breaths leave his lips.

"That’s my little cutie.” Toru cups your ass rubbing friction on the cheek. “Show him what he’s missing.”

You smirk bobbing your head more vigorously earning a moan from Kageyama.

Oikawa slips a finger into your needy heat, knuckle deep letting your core give in to the new found pleasure.

“Mmm yes.” Muffled, you perk your hips, letting your boyfriend’s finger sink lower inside you.

“Needy girl.” He smirks kissing your cheek, allowing his finger to pump in and out your delicious cunt. “You’re so pretty with his cock in your mouth.” He adding another finger to your tight cunt. “You make me so hard, Princess.”

You take Kageyama in the back of your throat, his hand surfacing at your crown, pushing your head closer to his brim.

“Wait... hold it.” Tobio breaks his silence. His tone nothing short of intimidating, and to be fair, that turns you on.

Oikawa smirks at the feeling of your cunt convulsing around his fingers.

“Aww does my Princess like to be told what to do?” Toru's long fingers take the slick from your cunt and brush circles into your clit.

“Toru...” you moan just as Kageyama hits the back of your throat, the vibrations making him let out a series of groans, grunts and moans as his cock slide in and out of your pretty puckered lips.

Meeting his cock with a gag at the back hitting your throat once more and this time he stays there bottomed out.

“Take it.”

You push against him, tears in your eyes gagging again.

“Aww. Too much for you?” He grasps your jaw as tears roll down your cheek. “Again.”

Bringing your lips down to his cock, he grasps your head this time fucking your mouth.

Oikawa rotates his fingers back inside you, your cunt dripping down your legs.

“You’re right. She is such a good girl.” Kageyama claps your cheek twice before pulling out.

Oikawa releases his fingers from your pussy, sliding them in his mouth.

“Princess, you’re so sweet.” He grasps each side of your hips and swipes his tongue across your entrance. “Let me taste you.”

His arms wrap around your thighs, he tongues your sobbing hole with the aggression he pent up watching the younger setter fuck one of the many holes he agreed to.

The cloudy feeling in your brain returns and your red cheeks expose you.

“Toru, I’m gonna cum.” You pant hearing him chuckle.

“But Princess I’m not ready for you to cum yet, can’t you wait just a little bit longer for me?”

You shake your head and return to Tobio's cock, letting it rest in your mouth with a slight bob. Those heavy eyes of yours study his blues as he watches you take him.

“She’s amazing right?” Oikawa brags on you seeing Kageyama throw his head back. “How about you let him fuck you, Litte Cutie?”

You eye the pretty brunette from the rivaled setter’s cock; still firmly placed in your mouth. With a nod, you take him to the back of your throat, gagging his head sensitive and pulling off.

Kageyama lets out a tight grunt still holding his composure.

Winking at Oikawa, you turn to Kageyama crawling over his body with ease. Thighs parted on his hips, you rise to his chest, slowly peppering his core with your lips.

Slowly, sensually, you make sure to keep his eyes on yours the entire time.

Each divot from his abs, the v cut down to his hips, back to his pecks, you take his nipple in your mouth with a smirk. His body stiffens under you, obviously never having someone play with his nipples before.

“What’s wrong, your Highness? Not used to being out of control?” Oikawa laughs.

Tobio's eyes flicker to Oikawa with a glare. In retaliation, his hands grip your sides, pulling you to his face. Your lower lip into his teeth, he grips your ass into him.

“Tobio...” You moan feeling Oikawa’s attention burn holes into your ass.

Balancing your lips with his own, Kageyama firmly smacks your cheek his cock twitching against your leg and you reach down to stroke it.

“She’s such a needy girl, your Highness, I’m sure she’ll find some use with you.”

The anger rises in the setter below you, lips breaking from you, moving to your neck with aggressive bites. His hand hovers yours, the calloused hand moving yours over his cock with a firm demand.

“Keep it up Shittykawa. I’ll convince your girlfriend to leave you.” He growls biting your lip. You let out a gasp and he slides his cock into your tight pussy.

“Oh... my God.” You rise off him with a with a wince.

“Am I too much for you... Princess?” He smirks, holding your hips down with his cock pushing deeper inside you.

“Mmhmm.” You whine with a sharp breath.

“You’re so tight.” He slowly starts to thrust his hips into yours, allowing himself to feel every inch of your tight pussy.

“Toru..” You moan looking back at him.

“No no Princess, we had a deal.” He kisses your lips. “Make him feel good.”

Kageyama lets out a heavy sigh hiding his cock in you.

“Do you ever fuck her? Damn.” He picks his pace up into a steady rhythm.

“Tell him, Princess. Tell him how much I fuck you.”

“Mmm everyday, Tobio.”

“Her perfect tight cunt is all mine.” He kisses you again as Tobio smacks your ass.

“Yeah. Sure.”

Bottoming into you with thrusts faster than earlier, your moans spark like fire.

“Fuck.” You cry out over your hips smacking his.

“Yeah? That feel good?” You nod and he snacks your ass once more.

“Who’s fucking you Princess?”

“You are.”

“What’s my name? Who’s fucking you?”

“Kageyama.” You cry out.

“Who’s cock is inside you?”

“Kageyama Tobio mmm fuck.”

Pushing you on your back, still inside of you, he drills your cunt.

“That’s right, Baby.” His lips silence yours as he’s finding a way to make you cum. Rolling his hips into yours, he watches your eyes roll back. “Nuh uh. Watch me.”

You nod profusely and keep contact with his heavy blues.

“Yeah, I bet you like my cock, you filthy slut.”

“I’m not a slut.” You pout and he kisses your lips.

“No? Then what are you?”

“Toru’s Princess.”

“But who’s fucking you now, Slut?”

“You are, Tobio.”

“So wouldn’t that make you mine?”

He smacks his cock against your cervix causing you to yelp.

You eye Oikawa who’s stroking his cock eagerly waiting on your answer. "No."

"Wrong answer." Tobio drills his cock into you, not leaving room for your breaths.

“Hey... don’t break her, Kageyama, we’re just getting started." Oikawa warns, Tobio slowing his pace once more.

Oikawa brings his cock to your mouth and allows you to take it.

“Easy with her.”

Kageyama rolls his eyes grabbing your hips, fucking you hard with a smack.

“Damn Princess, those lips are perfect.” He moans his hand in your hair looking down at you. “Are you ready? I’m getting impatient.”

Kageyama pulls out of you and you sit up as Oikawa lays on the bed.

“Come’re Baby.” Oikawa pulls you into his arms, having your waist straddle him. “We’re gonna have some fun.”

He takes his cock and slides into you with a long moan escaping from your lips. Grabbing your ass on each side, he lets his cock fill you completely

“There we go, Princess. Is that better?” He smirks and Kageyama groans. “What’s wrong, your Highness? You’ll get your turn in a minute.”

He laughs thrusting into your tight cunt.

You rock your hips on top of him as he collects your hands for your balance.

“See, she can take control too.” Watching your tits bounce before his eyes, he smirks. “Look at her body, fucking stunning.” His hand runs along your stomach back to your hips. “The least you can do is worship her.” He grasps your tit while rubbing his thumb over your cunt as you bounce on him. “How does that feel, Princess?” He licks his fingers, returning them to your swollen flower.

“So good, Toru.”

“Yeah? You’re so red... does my baby want to cum?” He applies more pressure to your bud making you nod profusely.

“Mmm then cum baby. Come on my cock. Let Kageyama hear your pretty moans.” He begins with quick short thrusts, cheeks clapping against his thighs as you bolt forward, tucking your face in his neck.

“My Princess. Fuck. Cum for me.” He pants with his high quickly following his words.

Crying out, your pussy squeezing him tight, milking his cock for everything he’s got, you climax feeling his cum spurting inside you.

“Good girl. Ride me sweet girl.” Oikawa watches you lazily ride your high and Kageyama rejoins the bed.

You rest your head on his chest as his cum slides out of your pussy with his cock, drip by drip. 

“Here Princess. Come rest. The Cold King wants to take your ass.”

“Already?”

“Mmhm. You promised. And you don’t want to break your promise, right?”

“But... it’s so tight.” You pant against his chest and he nods.

“That’s right, Baby. Don’t worry. I’ll be right here.”

You perk your hips up for the raven headed boy as he spits on your tight hole, rubbing his thumb on it.

“You be nice to her, that’s a very sensitive spot.” Oikawa warns him. “Kageyama’s never done this before. I promise you he will be gentle, Princess.”

He kisses your forehead, as Kageyama pushes a finger inside you.

“Mmm, Toru.” You whine. “I’m so tight.”

“Just relax Baby, push out for him.” He brings your closer to his lips as Tobio fingers you.

“My Princess likes that, don’t you?” He watches as you bite your lip, the ends curling up with the rising tension.

A series of moans and murmurs leave your lips leaving Tobio's cock throbbing.

“Use the lube. You don’t want to hurt her, Stupid.” Your boyfriend motions to the side of the bed.

Kageyama returns with kisses on your shoulders, tracing down your back.

“That’s right baby. Relax. Let us make you feel good.”

Kageyama kisses your shoulder again as he takes his cock and pushes it against your tight hole.

Crying out with the pressure, you feel him stretch you slowly.

“I’m hurting her...” he hisses while Oikawa shakes his head.

“Keep going. She’s ok.” You nod against his chest and Kageyama keeps sliding in until he slips completely.

“Oh my God.” You gasp feeling his cock practically in your stomach. You keep repeating yourself as Oikawa kisses your lips.

“Ok start slowly. This is a lot of pressure for her.” Oikawa litters you with his lips as Kageyama thrusts inside you. “You’re ok Princess, right?” He asks and you nod. “No mam, I need to hear it.”

“I’m ok. Keep going Kags.” You let out a long sign and he picks up the speed slightly. “Oh my God. You’re filling me up. You’re so thick. Shit.” Gasps keep leaving your mouths until you feel him grip your hips, gradually growing rougher.

Breathy moans catch uncontrollably in your throat as he drills into you, leaving Oikawa to shove his tongue in your mouth.

The slick of his tongue as he presses it against you makes you push against his cock adding friction.

“Oh fuck.” You cry out.

“Are you ready for me, Princess?” Oikawa grabs his cock from beneath you and begins stroking.

“Toru you too?” You pant opening your eyes.

“Mmhmm. You can take us both.” He kisses your forehead. “I know you can.”

You nod and bite your lower lip as Kageyama stops to allow Oikawa to slide in.

“Oh my God.” You cry out as Oikawa thrusts inside of you.

“You’re ok, Little Cutie.” He kisses you and nods at Kageyama to continue.

The two begin thrusting inside you. As one leaves another enters leaving you in a constant moan, a mind fog. You can’t form words anymore. But the stretch is enough to leave you a body in between the two.

“You look so pretty, Little Cutie. How do you like two cocks in you?”

Your thoughts are clouded by the double penetration of the two setters filling you.

“Hmm? Tell me.” Oikawa pinches your jaw, forcing you to look at him.

“I love it.” You smirk.

Your eyes begin rolling back as sweat clamps hair too your face.

“Yeah? Who fucks you better?” He kisses your lips, letting his hips thrust up into you with a steady pace. Your high builds quickly and cunt begins convulsing for you.

“Princess.” Oikawa tugs on your lower lip. “Answer me.”

Both stop at the same time and you let out a frustrated moan.

“Let me cum, please.”

“Tell us who’s better and we’ll let you.”

You begin wiggling your hips in between them chasing your high.

“Nuh uh uh.” Oikawa smirks. “No cheating. I believe I asked you a question, Y/n.” The Grand King holds you still with your cheeks red. “I trained extra hard to make time for you today, don’t you think you should answer me when I ask you a simple question?”

What he says is conniving and honestly it makes you a tad bit mad; so obviously, you’re gonna choose Tobio.

“Hmm? Did we fuck you stupid?” He chuckles.

You put your body weight on Toru, bending back to spread your cheeks for Tobio.

“Tobio.” You moan. “Make me cum. Toru is being mean.” You glare at the older setter and back into the latter. “Please?” You look back at the setter who blushes.

“Oh, you’re choosing him, huh?” Oikawa furrows his brows, gripping your hips as he begins to thrust into you harder than before. “No. I’ve heard enough from your undeserving mouth.”

The smacks of your hips versus the pressure of his cock smacking your cervix leaves you breathless.

“Fuck Oikawa.” You cry out and he brings his two fingers into your mouth.

“Shush. I don’t want to hear your filthy mouth. Kageyama, do something or get off.” He orders, his whole demeanor changing.

Tobio moves his hips with the intimidating older man.

“I don’t appreciate you acting like a brat, Y/n. Especially when we have a guest here.” His hips smack yours. “You’re embarrassing me. You’re mine.” Oikawa hisses removing his fingers from your mouth, his teeth pulling your lip in.

The overwhelming sensation of Kageyama inside you and Oikawa being jealous has you cuming on the spot.

“That’s right. Cream on my cock my Princess.” He bites your neck as your body goes erect.

“Mmm. Shit.” You pant leaning back into Tobio, his hands covering your breast. “God, yes, hold my tits. Fuck I’m cuming.”

Tobio squeezes your breasts tight, biting your neck from behind. His grip is firm and he’s losing his momentum.

“Mmm. Cum in me, Tobio. I want you. I want you so bad.” You cry out against his bites. His body makes short jolts when he suddenly empties his balls inside your fucked out asshole.

The reaction of you getting off and Tobio succumbing to your orders has Oikawa joining on your highs. The way you look fucked out by another man has never made him cum so fast. To see the one who annoys him falling apart by his lover’s demands leaves him fulfilled, his cock dripping from your swollen cunt.

“Good girl.” He moans kissing you. Tobio pulls out and collapses beside you, panting and out of breath.

Oikawa follows suit, allowing you to lay on the bed in between the two of you.

“You did such a good job, Princess. Just relax, take it easy.” He chuckles kissing your forehead. “Don’t move.”

Oikawa slides off the bed to the bathroom. You turn to Kageyama who’s red and breathless. He observes you watching him and reaches for him bottoms.

“No... stay. Wait, stay.” You pulls his hand, stopping him in his place. “Stay with us. Stay with me.”

He looks down at you, and leaves his shorts on the ground, settling with his briefs. Rejoining your naked body on the bed, he allows you to cuddle into his side.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” You yawn with your eyes closed, the setter stiff below you, but he wraps his arm around you.

"My my my, he's out to steal my Little Cutie." Oikawa returns, kissing your legs, eventually dabbing you with a damp towel. "You just rest, Princess. Let him serve you."

Toru eyes the setter with warning eyes but that fades when he sees your sleepy composure cuddled into him.

"Just this time, Kageyama. You understand me?" He crawls under the covers behind you wrapping his arm over your waist pulling you into him. He lays on his side as Kageyama stiffens.

"Right now we serve her. We give her what she wants." Oikawa says sharply. "You wanted the experience, you must follow suit completely. In the end, its about her." He kisses your cheek. "As long as she's happy, we've done our job."

[pollenallergie]

how does it feel to be so completely correct??? to know older!tom so astoundingly well??? to be such a creative genius????? genuinely, i can’t imagine a more perfect answer to this!!

he is absolutely a lego adult and he has absolutely forced his mates to go on at least one trip with him to Windsor simply so he could go to LegoLand. the rides are sort of dumb, the kind that are clearly geared towards little kids and aren’t at all thrilling, but Tom doesn’t care, he’s not there for the rides. no, he’s there for the lego inspiration (and to purchase some exclusive lego sets that you simply can’t get in any of the shops near him). tom sees that LegoLand has a mini version of the London Eye made almost entirely out of lego bricks, that actually rotates like the real London Eye??? guess who just got inspired to start a new, overly complicated project when he gets home?! oh there’s a lego double decker bus that actually drives round Miniland? there’s another overly complicated thing for Tom to try to recreate when he gets home.

you’re right, he genuinely thinks he’s daft, wholey a bumbling idiot, but then he also just spontaneously engineers a whole ‘working’ replicas of like modern feats of engineering like it’s nothing at all. like once he built a whole functioning model of Hibernia, one of the largest oil rigs in the world, like the machinery starts operating with a mere click of a button, as if it were really an oil rig drilling for oil in the middle of the ocean somewhere. what inspired such a build??? he saw an oil spill on the news and, like the bizarre man that he is, was like ‘wow those oil rigs are really impressive… horrible for the planet, but impressive. what if someone made an oil rig that just… didn’t drill for oil?? all the same cool shit going on, but no actual harvesting of oil or ruining of the planet’ and then he did just that.

you’re constantly reassuring him that he’s actually kind of a fucking genius. like, yeah, he’s silly and common sense certainly isn’t his strong suit sometimes, but he’s fucking brilliant.

also… yeah you two can’t work on the same lego set together; he’s too particular about everything and too snippy and you’re too blissfully ignorant about the ‘art of lego engineering’ and too nonchalant about the whole ordeal… so he often buys you easier lego sets so that you can participate in his hobby without actually messing him up. while he’s building a perfectly-to-scale replica of the Burj Khalifa, you’re working on your bonsai tree set. he builds much of the infrastructure of his lego town whilst you make sure it looks pretty (building trees and parks and cute lil homes and all the little people that inhabit the town).

… also that bit about him creating a perfect recreation of your first date out of lego bricks… i’m not crying, you are!! 🥹🥹🥹 (okay, fine, so i am crying 😭💖).

and absolutely 100% yes, fucking yes!!! to the record collection!!! (yet another thing he’s overly particular about). i have nothing to add to that but except that, yeah, it’s accurate.

for your consideration,

he also nerds out about rugby… the man is a massive rugby fan. he’s never been all that into football (not american football, but football), mainly because it’s simply not violent enough for his tastes… he doesn’t enjoy watching sport unless there’s an absolute guarantee that someone will get their shit fucked up. so, he loves rugby. it’s the perfect combination of all the appeal of things like soccer or basketball, mixed with just pure aggression. and the fans?? super passionate about the sport but also typically not total dickheads like footie fans (no offense), so being in the stands at a rugby match is way more fun than at a footie match. rugby is really aggressive and has a greater tolerance for violence, so, with that, comes better sportsmanship amongst the teams (which is necessary to avoid serious injuries), which then encourages greater sportsmanship amongst the fans (usually). tom loves the atmosphere of a rugby match almost as much as he loves the sport itself.

also Jago is a daft little fool who has absolutely ingested some of Tom’s lego bricks before… resulting in Tom having to make him vom them out (a thing that both him and Tom loathe equally as much).

also, like many men who grew up in tourist spots in Cornwall, he’s a massive nerd about surfing as well. he watches surfing competitions on the telly (which you find to be insufferably boring 90% of the time, and interesting the 10% of the time when the surfers actually do something that looks cool). he’s also insufferable in the summer… constantly dragging you along to the beach when the waves are just right (which is, unfortunately, usually super early in the morning) so that you can take pictures and videos of him whilst he surfs. every time he comes back in after doing a super cool trick, he’s like an energetic lil puppy, all like “love, did you get that?!?! it was super fucking sick, did you get it on camera???” and if the answer is no, that you failed to get it on camera, he will go back out into the waves and try to recreate the trick until 1) he gets it just right and 2) you get it on camera. does he ever post any of these surfing pictures and videos anywhere? no, no he doesn’t. he just shows them to his mates, most of whom are also massive nerds about surfing.

… tom also regularly stops you in the middle of what you’re doing to show you a cool clip from an “epic surfing compilation” youtube video on his phone. he’s like “babe, that’s fookin incredible, innit?” and you’re like “yeahhh *is lying* *does not actually care* *only pretends to care about surfing because you love tom and tom loves surfing*”

what do we think older!tom grant nerds out about? everyone nerds out about something. most people nerd out about quite a few things. so what is/are his thing(s)? what does he nerd out about?

[captainmarkone]

Chapter Two. characters: ransom drysdale x reader. warnings: none (for now), slow burn type of thing. summary: Hugh Drysdale is known for being a well known playboy; the only son of real estate mogul Linda Drysdale, the oldest grandson of famed Author and Publisher Harlan Thrombey. Not knowing what real love is, not knowing where and who to get it from until he meets someone... something that could possible change him and his life all together. But it'll take a real good woman to do so. a/n: second installment of this Ransom fic. I hope you all love it. if you see mistakes, no you didn't. this was written on my phone and not thuroughly proofread. whoopsie.

Homecoming Dance was just around the corner and I was the lucky member of staff to be a chaperone. Voluntold as they like to say. I had no choice but to agree. Not like I had anything planned for the weekend, especially Saturday night.

“Tickets will be sold at the day of the dance. And if any one has someone that would like to volunteer for the dance to be a chaperone, please contact me or the principal or even Mr. Levinson,” I said, putting my number up with the principal and Mr. Levinson number.

“Please let them call or text us before Friday, please!” I expressed, the bell ringing. Dismissing the class, I smiled at each one and waved them off.

Sighing softly, I sat down at my desk and sat back against the chair. Spinning slowly toward the board and looking at the names of those that needed to turn in late assignments.

“I’ve gotten four calls in the last hour,” Ari said, sitting at a student desk that was in front of mine. His hands gripping the front of it as he sat. He chuckled softly. “All of them women. But I did say yes to all of them,” he muttered, leaning back against the seat.

I smiled at him, shaking my head as I watched him. “Well aren’t you so lucky. It must be because they think their kids' teacher is very attractive. I haven’t gotten any!” I said, soon hearing my phone vibrate on my desk. Scared me too. “Looks like my luck is about to change!”

“Hello?” I answered, a familiar voice on the other end. “Hu- Ransom! Hi there. You’d like to…. Chaperone? Didn’t peg you for the chaperone type. For a high school homecoming dance,” I teased, I could see Ari lifting his brow.

“Yeah well, I don’t have much to do on a Saturday night,” Ransom said. He did, but he’d much rather get to know her.

“Well, I’ll put your name down. I’ll even use ‘Ransom’ as preferred name,” I said, smiling as I wrote his name down. “Great. Saturday. 5 pm. Sound good?” I confirmed and he answered ‘yes’. “See you then,” I said, hanging up.

Ari looked at me, smiling wide as he let out a soft chuckle. “Was that… you flirting?” He asked, tilting his head slightly.

“What? No. He’s cute but no. Agh, maybe. He drove up next to me when I was walking to my car. Said he wanted to make sure I got in my car safely,” I confessed, smiling softly to myself. My eyes glanced at Ari, who was just watching me thoughtfully.

“Seems he might think you’re cute too,” he said, soon standing to his feet and smiled softly. “See you Saturday,” he said, knocking his knuckle on my desk before exiting.

SATURDAY NIGHT --

The weekend had finally rolled by. Every student telling me about their dresses, suits, and other forms of attire they were planning to wear. Some even showing me pictures. I was happy my students were excited to show me, that they liked me enough to share.

Having been sent home to get dressed, I took the opportunity to look nice. After all, Ransom was going to appear. If he did. Shit. He might’ve changed his mind. Decided chaperoning was something dumb to do on a Saturday night.

‘Why are you even worried? Why do you even care? Jeez,’ I thought, shaking my head. The thoughts fleeting as I applied my mascara. Doing the final touches to the natural looking make up I decided to do.

I had dressed in the knee length red dress that had a floral pattern and the sleeves weren’t that long; cutting at the middle of my upper arms, strings tied into a not so perfect bow.

I slipped on my nude, two inch heeled sandal. The one that didn’t have the strap that wrapped around my ankle. Looking myself in the mirror, I fixed my dress. Leaving my bed room, I made it to the front door of my apartment. Unlocking the door and grabbing my small purse in the process. I walked out and made my way down the stairs, happy I only lived on the second floor.

Getting into my car, immediately locking the door, I started it up and leaned against the seat while pulling on my seatbelt.

I made to the school in time, an hour before the gym doors opened for the dance. Getting out of my car, I locked it and rounded the back of my car when I heard someone say my name. Walking up next to me, Ransom slowed. Wearing a tan overcoat, a Persian scarf, and cable knit sweat underneath with slacks for his pants. His shoes a light brown to tie in the tan jacket. I smiled at him, while his lips turned up slightly.

“Wow. You clean up very nice,” I said, smiling warmly. “Wasn’t sure if you were actually gonna show up.”

He tilted his head at me, as if I was joking.

“Only because… who really wants to spend their Saturday night… chaperoning a high school dance,” I explained further, walking with the male toward the entrance of the gym.

“Wasn't too sure, either. Dances were never my thing unless I had a hot date and we hooked up behind the bleachers on the track field,” Ransom said, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched me. His eyes scanning me.

“Well, I definitely owe you one for coming. We only have you and another guy chaperoning today. Most are women. I was voluntold to be here,” I said, chuckling softly as we approached the gym. One of the yearbook committee kids at the table with another person; assuming someone to keep her company.

They greeted me, and I smiled at them. “Hi Maxine. Hi Danny,” I said.

Ransom opened the door for me and I walked in. He was soon beside me again, as if not wanting to get lost. “Don’t worry. It’s very hard to lost in a school like this,” I teased, walking to the large group of women that surrounded the refreshment table.

“All right, I’ll be giving everyone their duties! I have about ten of you. This is great! Oh, hey!” Ari was speaking to the group, waving at me when he saw me. “About time!” He exclaimed, eyes shifting to the male beside me.

“You must be Hugh Drysdale,” Ari said, “I’m Ari Levinson. Welcome!” He continued, looking at the list on his clipboard. I could have sworn I told Ari to call Hugh Ransom.

“It’s Ransom! Don’t call me Hugh,” Ransom said, smirking softly as he eyed Ari that soon shifted his gaze toward me then back to Ransom.

“Sorry man. Ransom. Got it,” Ari confirmed, and I nudged Ransom softly. I smiled and I could see his lips slowly turning into a smile.

Calling my name, Ari said, “I want you and Ransom at the refreshment areas. Around an hour in, we’ll rotate so everyone can get a chance to dance if they’d like to. Vilma,” he continued, telling the other ladies where they’d be.

“You look really beautiful tonight,” Ransom said as we walked around the table to set up the cups of punch. I smiled, letting a small chuckle escape my lips.

“Thank you,” I said, filling the last cup that would fit on the table.

The lights soon dimmed, the DJ playing a song as kids started to flow the gymnasium. Some dancing to the fast beats of the new music, some throwbacks being played. I continued to fill cups of punch, Ransom busy at the side of me and handing out plates of food. From the stage, I saw Ari come up to the mic. “Staff and volunteers, time to switch,” he said, telling the DJ to keep up the good work.

Ransom and I moved to the side as Vilma and Jackie took over the table. We covered the exit nearest us and that’s when a random slow song began to play.

“Wanna dance?” Someone said, and I looked to my left to see a student. Hand extended. “Why it’d be an honor!” I exclaimed, taking it and glancing at Ransom. Making my way to the dance floor with Frankie, I rested my hands on his shoulders as he didn’t quite have a growth spurt just yet. His hands rested in between my hips and waist.

“Sorry kid, but imma cut in. She owes me a dance,” Ransom interjected, hand on the kids shoulder. The kid nodded, stepping to the side and that was when Ransoms moved from my hip to his arm wrapping around my waist, his free hand taking mine and letting my other hand wrap around his neck.

“Why, Hugh. Didn’t know you could dance,” I said, smiling softly as I watched his features lighten.

“Hmm. Dancing is fun when you have someone beautiful as your partner,” he said, and I had to shake my head. Eyes looking into his, hand wrapped in his, my other playing at the hairs at the nape of his neck. It was a surreal moment.

In the corner of my eye, I could see Ari in the corner of the gym. Eyes locked on me. When I made eye contact with him, he smiled and looked away to tend to a task the he saw on his clipboard.

The song soon ended, and we drilled our movements. Eyes staring into his, I licked my lips nervously as his hand moved from my frame and his hand cupped my cheek.

“I don’t know… why or how, but for some reason I couldn’t get you out of my mind,” he muttered, eyes slowly drifting to my lips.

“I know your type Ransom Drysdale. And I will not be played,” I whispered, slowly moving from his trance. “One more dance?” I asked, continuing to play with his hair. He nodded in agreement, pulling me close.

From what I research about Ransom was that he was a playboy, a womanizer. Why was he so sudden in wanting to kiss me (at least I assumed he wanted to)? To be near me? To have his mind filled with thoughts of me? It burned in the back of my head. My guard was up, and it would never come down around Ransom. Not now, anyway.