#at this point like we can't keep going on like this

[uncle-fruity]

I organized a booth at my local pride where we gave out free water and did a pay-what-you-can art store to increase accessibility for poor people at Pride. We raised enough money to cover the cost of the booth AND the cost for the 2025 booth AND some.

I also helped organize, alongside some friends of mine, a bake sale to help our friends keep their home, which was being threatened with foreclosure. These were disabled trans folks who had fallen behind on payments because of lack of access to transportation, limiting their job opportunities. We didn't raise enough to fully pay stuff off, but we raised enough for at least one of their mortgage payments, which bought them some time & wasn't nothing.

My friends helped pay for me so I could take a road trip with them to visit our other friend who lived a couple of states away from us. I got to meet an online friend in the process, and we all went on a float trip and to a really cool museum and a great production of Much Ado About Nothing. It was a lot of fun and I got to hang out with a bunch of my old college friends.

I started the year with the intention to interact more with my friends and the general community and succeeded. I joined a comic maker's group and got two of my comics published in their anthologies. The local queer art group that I founded back in 2018 started having in person meetings again after we had to stop in 2020 due to covid. I made an effort to reach out to the people I care about more than I had been able to in past years. My socializing really improved and my goal to meet new people and foster relationships with already existing friends was a success!

I started going to the library more, and tbh learned a lot about the things they offer there and found some really interesting books that would have never occurred to me to look for in a book shop.

There were some bad things that happened, too. Bad things are inevitable when you're living in poverty and your local government couldn't give two shits about you or your neighbors. But the good outweighed the bad, and I felt that I contributed positive things to my community and that my community came through for me as well.

Despite everything, my sense of self worth has seriously improved. My life has significantly improved in the last two or three years because at some point I decided I wanted to be an active participant in it. There were several years where I was extremely depressed, bitter, and isolated. Years of burnout and anger brought on because I took the extremely difficult steps to stop talking to my abusive family. I struggled with everything and felt like very few people would be there for me if I fell through the cracks. But you know what? I came out on the other side. My friends proved my paranoia that no one loved me wrong. It's not all perfect and there's still plenty of difficulties that I face, but I am generally happier and healthier and kinder than I used to be, and that's huge.

I know things look bleak and hope can feel foolish sometimes in the face of great hardships, but finding joy is an action you must take upon yourself when you can. Even if all you can find are the little things. And when you can't, I hope you have people who love you to make it hurt less. I hope good things come your way soon. I hope good things come for all of us. Let's do our best to make it happen for ourselves and the people we love in 2025!

hey honest question, did anybody have GOOD stuff happen to them in 2024? cause it was really bad for me and for most people i know, so it would be nice to hear about anything that's been going WELL for any of you. even if it's small stuff. just to know there's light out there.

[clare-875]

Flirting For The Mission (Luffy, Sanji, Zoro)

_____ Pairings: Luffy x Reader; Sanji x Reader; Zoro x Reader Summary: You go undercover and flirt for information, your boyfriend doesn't particularly like it. Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Comfort, Harassment, Unwanted Touching/Kissing [One Piece Masterlist] _____

- Luffy -

The man in front of you is charming, or at least that's what he claims as he talks to you. "Women just can't seem to resist me it seems-" You force yourself not to sigh and not to leave your place next to him as you try to remind yourself what is at stake. Your crew was undercover again, on an island full of powerful enemies, and half of you had gotten captured. In desperate need of information, you had volunteered to flirt with this man, but you hoped the grimace on your face had contorted into a believable smile.

Fortunately for you, this man is so in love with himself he barely seems to notice, but unfortunately for you, it means you have to try a bit harder to get him to spill the information for you. You lean closer tilting your head in mock interest and you force a laugh from your throat at a tasteless joke he spills. He looks up and meets your gaze, eyes sparking in what seems to be surprise and desire; maybe he had finally looked at you properly instead of getting lost in his rants about himself.

A short distance away, Luffy, Zoro and Nami watch from a distance. Unfortunately for you, Nami had already been recognised by the enemy earlier on and so she hadn't been able to take your place, more required to keep a low profile. She was eying you carefully whilst Zoro indulged in drinks and Luffy indulged in the meal placed in front of him. In all honestly, Luffy had been so distracted by the prospect of food he had barely registered the plan that was actively taking place.

"Numi whe-re's [y/n], 'might be hungfy foo!!"

An irk mark rises on Nami's forehead as she hears Luffy's words muffled with the plates of food he devours. "She's trying to get us information, idiot! Were you even paying attention to the plan?!" She whisper-shouts to her Captain who tilts his head in utter confusion, hands not stopping as he continues to reach for food. "Reaflly? Where?" He swallows another plate-full harshly as he grabs a piece of meat. Nami nods her head in the direction of you.

You had leant even closer to the man in front of you, to the point where you were reaching for his hand and causing him to flush red at the proximity. You smiled prettily and gazed up and through your eyelashes, your dress revealing soft flesh that the man couldn't help but admire. He whispers something in your ear that has light laughter fill the air, though Luffy only thinks of the fact that it sounds more strained than usual. Your Captain doesn't know why a sudden twisting feeling erupts within him at the sight of you and him.

"Wow, so you're a commander of this lot, are you?" You say in what you hope is a teasing tone, playing with the man's hands in what you hope is a believable flirt. You nod to the others who are at the bar where you and some of your crew reside; at the men who enjoy their drinks and their meals. "Impressive, isn't it sweetheart? You know, we even captured some of the Strawhat crew this morning. They're nothing compared to our strength-" Finally, a glint of a true smile makes its way onto your face at his words. "Is that so..."

Back at the table, Luffy pouts and suddenly and surprisingly to Nami, slows the pace at which he eats as he watches you. "Why's she there with him?" Nami sighs deeply, though she looks proudly at the way you seem to be getting them the information they so require. "I told you, she's getting information. We need to find out where they're keeping Sanji and the others." Luffy's frown remains on his face. "Why can't we just beat them up?" Nami keeps her eyes trained on you. "Because we don't want unnecessary fighting-"

Her words seem to die on her tongue however as she witnesses a sight she wishes she didn't have to.

You had been about to leave the man in front of you, having got the information you required. But, in your distraction and excuses, you hadn't seen as he leant forward, and suddenly his lips were on yours. Freezing in utter shock, you pushed him back and away as bile rose within you. You see a flash of his confusion before all of a sudden he is flung from the seat in front of you, your boyfriend standing from his seat with an outstretched fist in the air.

Steam seems to unravel from Luffy's skin, his eyes sharp with an anger you have only seen in battles. He pulls his arm back to him from where he has punched the man who had harassed you. "Hey, what do you think you're doing to [y/n]!!" The man you had just taken information from was now unconscious, but his subordinates took notice of your boyfriend's actions. "Hey, it's Strawhat Luffy!!" Zoro takes it as a cue to retrieve his swords but it is for naught as Luffy goes on a rampage, fists flying along with the bodies of men.

You look on in shock until Luffy finally finishes and makes his way to you. "Luffy I-" But before you have the chance to continue, he has connected his own lips to yours, making your words falter in your mouth. When he lets go, Nami and Zoro are looking at you dumbfounded as Luffy grins at you. "There, all better." You blink in utter surprise until a soft, true smile reaches your face, causing Luffy's insides to churn in warmth. "Thank you, Luffy." Your boyfriend grins wider, satisfied with your contentedness.

"No more kissing for information next time! We can just beat them up!"

You continue to smile and try not to roll your eyes.

"... okay Luffy."

- Sanji -

"You expect me to stay here while that no-good, brainless, revolting, bastard touches my [y/n]-chan so carelessly?!"

Zoro's teeth clenched together in blunt irritation at the crew's cook who looks like he is about to explode from the utter rage that fills him. "Yes, now would you control yourself, damn cook?!" Sanji's anger remains on his face, fire building in his eyes at the nonchalant expression on Zoro's face, vastly contrasting his own. "Get out of my way!!" Sanji tries to side-step the swordsman who pulls out two of his swords. "She said she can handle it!"

There is then a flurry of movements as Sanji and Zoro attack each other, legs kicking and swords slicing. They continue only for a short moment, however, as Sanji hears your light laughter from within the building they wait for you outside. The two men pause, looking into a window and at the elaborate party that takes place from within it. As Zoro looks for potential threats, Sanji's eyes instantly go to you.

You are adorned in an utterly beautiful dress that elegantly glides across the space in which you walk side-by-side with a man you try to pry information from. Your group - the Sanji, Zoro, [y/n], group - had come to this Island later than other members of the crew after being separated. However, you had all learnt that Luffy and the others had been captured, resulting in the need to know exactly when and where. The place you were at now was large and full of enemies, so discretion was necessary, thus you volunteered to flirt with one of the executives in charge, much to Sanji's dismay.

Sanji's heart jolts in his chest as he looks at you from outside. How can you be so beautiful? You were like a goddess, an angel. But inside, Sanji felt as though he was also thrown into the pits of hell. The man you talked to was old and rich and completely enamoured by you it seemed. Your flirts and charm were working, as the man seemed entranced by the younger woman on his arm, showing such keen interest in him; Sanji's woman.

"So, powerful man, large mansion, elaborate party, what's the occasion?" You look up with sharp eyes glinting hypnotically; the older man is no match for you. "Well, we captured the Strawhat Crew this morning, if you could call that a source for celebration. Especially their Captain, though his bounty would only be enough to pay for this one party." You smile and let out light laughter, the sound like ringing bells to the man next to you, but it sounds strained to your boyfriend who listens in.

"Care for a drink?" The man holds out a glass of champagne, and you reach for it, but his hands linger and pull you closer to him so you are flush against his side. You force away the sick feeling in your chest and fight to keep the smile on your face at the sudden proximity of him against you. "Thank you," you murmur, as an uncomfortable feeling erupts within you. But you remind yourself you are so close, finally having heard the utterance of your Captain's presence here on this island. Your thoughts, however, are unlike Sanji's.

"That slimy bastard!"

Sanji's anger erupts with such vigour, that he is practically clawing at the glass he looks through, causing Zoro to have to push him back and away from the visibility of those inside. "Have you lost your mind?!" Zoro basically shouts at the cook, but Sanji retorts just as quickly. "Have you?! That's my girlfriend in there-" Zoro tries not to slice off the head of his crewmate, not understanding why he finds it so hard to let you just do what you need to do.

Lucky for him though, amid Sanji's incoherent rambling you have finished your task and were running up to them. "Hey, guys!! I got the information!" Sanji instantly freezes his words and turns, whilst Zoro finally lets his headache ease. "Finally-" "My Love!!" Sanji turns to you instantly, heart in his eyes at the sight of you still adorned in your dress. His hands however then reach for yours, suddenly as serious as his sudden happiness had come.

"Are you okay, love?" You smile gently at the concern that brims in his gaze but you nod easily, finding comfort in the presence of your boyfriend. "I'm fine, but I think we need to go quick before he notices I haven't just gone to the bathroom." Sanji seems to tense once more at the remembrance of the man and how he had touched you, but you seeing that, gently kiss his cheek before guiding him away. "Come on!" Sanji can't seem to say no to you as he nods hesitantly, all the while Zoro grumbles under his breath about how the show of your love has him nauseated and confused.

"Don't pull that lovey-dovey shit while I'm around-"

"Shut up Marimo!"

- Zoro -

"... I don't like this."

Zoro's voice was low as he eyed your figure by the bar, teeth gritted against the other. You were adorned in a beautiful black dress, one you know that he loves, one the man in front of you is enjoying a bit too much. "She'll be fine, she can handle this." Nami rolls her eyes at your protective boyfriend and the permanent frown on his face. He could trust you in battles to take down a thousand men, but not one at this bar who looks to you in clear desire.

"Why couldn't you do this?" Zoro sharply retorts, grip tightening against his bottle of sake to the point where it creaks beneath his fingers. "[y/n] knows these people, and you know we need to keep a low profile if we want to find where they're keeping Luffy and the others." Nami sighed as she thought of the crew who had somehow become captured again by powerful enemies. They needed information, and you were their best bet; it was the best plan they'd got.

Zoro stays silent to Nami's words, eyes not wavering from yours. He can see how you force a smile, hands lingering on the arms of the man in front of you flirty. You batted your eyelashes and laughed, making Zoro's insides churn. He tries to control his emotions and his haki that threatens to spill out from within him, cursing the way you have him so wrapped around your finger. He takes a rough swing of his beverage and continues to brood in the low lighting of the room next to Nami.

You, on the other hand, are getting bored beyond your mind listening to this man talk to you about his role on this vast Island controlled by pirates. The only reason you knew anything of these pirates was because their Captain had taken a liking to you many years ago, before you joined Luffy. But now you see how lucky you were that you rejected his advances to join such a revolting crew. The man in front of you reeks at the proximity you both share and his hand is coming dangerously close to your upper thigh.

"We actually captured a bunch of rookie pirates tonight, the crew of some idiot with a straw hat." The man continuously seems to lose himself to the alcohol in his grasp, but your heart jumps at the mention of your Captain's name. Finally. But just as you are about to get him to expand, that is when his lingering hand finally grasps for the flesh of your upper thigh, his yellowed teeth flashing beneath a sickening smirk. "So, sweetheart-" His words are cut short with the sound of shattering glass.

"Zoro!" Nami whisper-scolds the swordsman and tries to tug him back to his seat to very little avail. "That bastard..." The shattering of glass had been from Zoro's bottle of sake, its contents now spilt upon the table and his unrest causing many eyes to turn to them. But Zoro doesn't care anymore. All he sees is the uncomfortable expression on your face, the grimace that you try to contort to a smile, the hands of a man that isn't his on your figure; the woman he's meant to protect. He witnesses you try to pry back the attention of the man as you lean close to him, making him sick.

"Zoro, come on, please!" Nami continues to whisper as eyes still linger on her and the swordsman. Zoro finally turns to meet eyes with the navigator and her touch falters on his shirt as she looks at the deadly glint in his eyes. Zoro knows what is at stake, but isn't used to being forced to stay put when you are so uncomfortable. He knows what is at stake, but at what cost? At least on battlefields, he can step in if he deems it necessary. He grits his teeth defeatedly and sits back down, eyes now trained on the table to try to control himself.

It feels like eons when you finally make your way back to them.

"Okay, I know where they are we can go now!" Zoro's eyes snap upwards to meet your warm gaze, before travelling behind you to the man asleep on the bar table, most likely your doing. His hand itches for his sword to go and make sure that when the man wakes, he will have no wretched hands any longer, but he recedes. "Let's go," Zoro's voice is short and sharp and he avoids your gaze. Nami rolls her eyes once more at his attitude as you give her a questioning glance, but she shrugs in response as you go to lead them to the crew.

Only a few moments pass when Nami goes to find the keys to where the crew are confined and you go to Zoro who leans against the wall of the room you are yet to enter. "Zoro," you murmur as his gaze reluctantly meets yours. "Are you mad? Look, it was all just to get information, you know I wasn't flirting with that guy on purpose I-" Zoro cuts you off sharply, as he eyes the way your eyebrows furrow together and he realises his anger of the revolting man had seemed like anger towards you.

"I know. I trust you."

Your eyes widen in surprise, and even more so when a slight flush reaches the tips of his ears. Your surprise then morphs into a sigh and a smile lingers on your face as you realise he had just been worried for you, and most likely trying not to commit murder of the man you had to manipulate for information. "If you want some consolation, I did give him a good punch to the ribs before he was knocked out." You whisper as you reach for his hand that had been clenched into a fist. It instantly unravels at your touch as he allows you to hold it and you guide it to the side of your thigh where the man had touched you.

Zoro's eyebrows seem to furrow, but he seems to concede to your words as he traces your figure, trying to eliminate the man's touch from your skin. "That's my girl." You grin as you look up to him when Nami sprints back to you, a hoard of men on her heels. "[y/n]!! Zoro!! Deal with them!!" In her grasp is the key to your crew's confinement and Zoro smirks as he readies his swords, seemingly more at ease now that you are next to him again.

"Mind if I take care of them?"

"By all means."

[all-purpose-dish-soap]

SOULMATE SOAP HAS MY HEART. I DONT THINK THERES ANYTHING I WOULDNT DO FOR HIM

67 / 2.8k / soap soulmate au, epilogue

...

"Anything, you say?" Soap's eyes sparkle. "A dangerous proposal, hen."

You roll your eyes. "You know what I mean."

"I know what you said." He grins at you as he towels himself off. "I’m wonderin' what exactly I could get away with, bein' offered anything. No limits, no boundaries..."

You can't help but let your gaze trail down his form. He's totally naked and still dripping wet. "Anything within reason."

"Where's the fun in bein’ reasonable?"

You lean back, pulling your feet up and crossing your legs atop the low hotel coffee table where you're seated.

You and Soap have been getting to know each other here—intimately, as soulmates and people—for the past two days. You don't live near Glasgow and wouldn't tell Soap where exactly you call home, so he offered to get the two of you a hotel suite near the mountains while the higher-ups figure out what to do with you.

You figured he'd offer to take you out on a date or something, but so far you haven't made it out of the hotel room yet. It's more like a honeymoon than a vacation. You can't say you're disappointed with all the things he's shown you, though.

"Oh, so it hasn't been fun for you yet?"

Soap laughs at that and throws the towel to the carpet. No point in modesty. You’ve seen and touched every scar and bruise on his powerful body, but it does nothing to deter your gaze.

"Been plenty fun. But now I know I could be gettin’ away with even more if I play my cards right."

"Such as?"

"Marriage."

You scoff. "Pervert."

"Am I?" He leans toward you and braces his hands on the edge of the coffee table. He loves the way you try to resist looking at him but can’t help yourself. Your gaze keeps trailing down to his abs. "I think you like the idea of me down on my knees. I’ve seen you enjoyin’ the view."

Your back straightens. He's so cocky. Still, your eyes don't meet his. If anything, they dip lower. "Laswell called while you were in the shower."

"Did she?" He strolls across the space between the bathroom and the bed to his duffel bag. You lean back and watch him languidly as he digs around for his phone, his handsome mouth settling into a frown. He won’t find it. He sees why once he glances over at you to see your catlike smile.

Soap crosses his arms and looks down at you. "Resigned to petty thievery now, are we?"

You shrug and hold his phone out, letting it dangle from your fingertips like a mouse by the tail. "It's not like I have any other jobs to preoccupy my time."

He pauses to admire the view down your tank top—his tank top—and then snatches the phone away. "How many times do you want me tae beg and grovel for forgiveness? Not that you deserve it, ye wee hellion,” he mutters, scrolling through his recent calls.

"At least three more times." You lean back on your hands as he walks away. "Aren't you going to ask me what she said?"

"Are you going to tell the truth?"

"I was considering it."

"Were you?”

You sigh and watch him raise his phone to his ear. You miss when he hung on your every word.

"Go for Soap."

Soap makes a show of talking on the phone with Laswell. He tries not to glance at you too much. You and your sharp pout and the black tank top you’re wearing and how it rides up on your hips and leaves nothing to the imagination. He’ll have to do something about that later.

"Aye. Understood." A slow grin stretches across his face. "Now that is good news. Pleased to be workin' with ya, Laswell."

He hangs up. You cross your arms. "Well?"

Soap tosses his phone on the bed and turns back to you. "Ought to chew you out for answering a call on a secure line."

"Kate already did."

"Did she, now? And you’re on a first-name basis?" Now he is amused. "Don't think I'm not keeping track of every little rule you’ve broken so far. You’re in enough trouble as it is."

You bounce your leg against the tabletop. "What did she say?"

Soap closes the space between you. In the time it takes him to reach you, you stand up, bare feet on the low table. It puts you barely above eye level with him.

"She didn't tell you the news, then, did she?" His lips twist into a smug smirk. "Serves you right."

You stare him down. You don't often get the chance to, so you capitalize on it for all you're worth. "She did," you lie.

"You’re lying, darlin’."

"How would you know?"

"You'd be right pissed off already, for one." He wraps his hands around the backs of your bare thighs idly. His thumbs brush the underside of your ass. "For two, I know better than to take you at your word. Might as well start assuming the opposite of what you decide to tell me."

"That's not a nice thing to say to your soulmate."

"You’ve never been nice to me in your life." He pulls you closer, making your legs part so he can hike his thigh up between them, his foot flat on the table between yours. He grins at you. "I seem to recall you threatenin' me that first night we met."

You push against his chest to steady yourself. "I was trying to protect your dumb ass. You were going to get yourself killed."

Soap’s hand slides up to the small of your back to help you balance. "Didn't get killed, though, did I?"

"Only because I told you to hide."

"My guardian angel."

"You're lucky you got away when you did. If you compromised us, I would've gutted you."

"Vicious, vicious woman."

"Stubborn mule of a man."

"Gorgeous, disobedient pain in my ass." Soap takes your chin in his fingers and lifts it, drifting closer to your lips as if drawn in. "Not tae mention ornery."

"You're ornery."

"Now, that's hurtful. You ought to give me some sympathy."

"Give me one good reason why."

His hands slide up to cup your ass. "Because I’m your soulmate, and I’m entitled to a little sympathy for the fact that your brazen attitude makes me crazy."

You rub at his collarbone. "If you're my soulmate, it follows that you deserve it."

Christ, he loves when you say shit like that. He leans in to mouth the underside of your jaw and murmur directly against your ear. "You know what I deserve? And you’re gonna give it to me?"

You tilt your head up. His lips slide further down your neck. You preen. "Someone has to."

He lets out a dark huff of laughter at the response. You’re all too eager to push back at him, and nothing gets him hard faster than a challenge.

Just as he latches onto your neck and begins marking you with a new hickey, you push him backward onto the hotel bed. Soap laughs as he lets himself fall. Then he sits up on his elbows and leers at you. His hair is already mussed and his breathing already heavier than normal.

You climb over him, plant your palms on his shoulders, and press him down into the comforter. Right as you stoop down to catch his bottom lip in your teeth, though, you look down at him from above and frown. "Wait, but what did Laswell say?"

Soap pauses. “Now?”

"Yes." You can’t stand not knowing. "Tell me."

Soap grabs two handfuls of your ass and squeezes in annoyance. Ruin the mood, then. "She said she heard back from the program." The program meant to protect the soulmates of military operators and other agents who could be compromised by the existance—or any knowledge whatsoever—of a soulbond. Like witness protection.

You suck in an annoyed breath. "Are you really gonna lock me up in some safehouse?"

“I’d love to—chain you up, put you in a cage, keep you somewhere all safe and sound so nobody else can touch you.” Soap watches you with an off-kilter gleam in his eyes. His words draw an image in your mind that isn’t remotely unpleasant. “But it won't be with the program, no. They denied the request."

You perk up. "Really?"

Soap grins at how excited you get. “Aye. Said your old job makes you a security risk. Too hot to handle.” He lets out a huff as his hand slides up your bare thigh. “But don't get too excited. Laswell found another opening. Or… made one. Something in her sector."

You sit back in surprise. "CIA?"

"Aye. Turns out your impressive track record of selling violence for money makes you a font of useful intel. " Soap watches you, gauging your reaction. "Couldn’t let that go to waste, now, could they?"

You glare down at him. "What's the catch?"

Soap can see the wheels turning in your mind. He grins. "Oh, hardly a thing."

Your hands tighten on his shoulders in warning. "Johnny."

He grins up at you, all teeth and confidence. He loves the way you say his name. “You should go into intelligence. You’d be a hell of an interrogator. You’d get me to tell you anything and never even bat those pretty eyelashes at me."

"John, I swear to God."

He laughs as he sits up on his elbows, his free hand running up your leg to wrap around your hip. "Alright, alright. Pushy." This is almost how he wanted you: straddling him on the bed, hips pressed together. "You're the perfect hire because you come attached to your own soldier, aye? Package deal. Someone to keep an eye on you."

"What, like a handler?"

"Somethin' like that," he muses, tracing his finger along your spine.

You give him a doubtful look. There's no way Laswell would stoop so low. But seeing the shit-eating grin on his face gives you a sinking feeling. "I'm an asset?"

"Course not. An asset would've defected of their own free will. And since you runnin’ away with me is still off the record as of yet…"

Still perched across his hips, you cross your arms. "And what if I say no?"

Soap narrows his eyes.

The world flips. You're on your back, pinned underneath him against the bed. He presses your wrists against the comforter. "Then you'd be a hostage."

You pull at his grip, but it does no good. "You can’t do that."

"I can."

"Says who?"

He leans close. "Says your new handler." He lets the word sink in, lets it make your mind race with indignant heat. That's how he likes you best. His lips trail along the side of your neck, mouthing at the sensitive skin there in a way that makes you arch up. "Talk or don't. Either way, I'll have a convenient excuse to keep you locked up tight."

Naturally. He lets the truth slip out so easily. Likely because he never intended to give you much of a choice. He's learned his lesson and knows very well not to trust you to stay in one place anymore. If he wants to keep you around, he needs to play dirty. Like you.

He trusts you with his life, yes, but not with your own. And certainly not with his heart.

You scoff. But instead of resisting, you relax your body and let him have his way. "Fine. If it makes no difference, do your job. You know what that is, right? Extract my intel."

He pauses with his mouth against your neck. You’re giving in already. He isn’t used to that.

He shifts his hands to thread your fingers together and pin them higher over your head. He lets his mouth brush your neck as he speaks. "I intend to."

"Go on, then. Let’s see a real interrogation. Nothing like that silly warehouse you had me in before."

Soap’s face falls into a scowl. Cheeky. "That wasn't an interrogation, hen. That was a rescue." He settles one muscular leg back between your thighs. "Bloody eager to test my patience. And for what?"

"Mm."

He lets his knee nudge up against your core and grind against it, skin to skin. "You want a fight?" His voice softens, barely. "You want control?"

You think about it. But ultimately, you let your eyes close and relax your body that much more under him. "No, I trust you."

“Oh?” You’ve never said that before. Those words sound good coming from your lips. “Do ye?”

You open your eyes a fraction to narrow them at him. "Don't look too far into it."

“I’ll look as far as I please. Trust me not to hurt you, trust me not to let you leave...” He kisses you. It steals your breath again. "Trust me to give you what you need. Am I close?"

"You're trying to rile me up."

A dangerous grin slowly spreads across his face. “That's what I do best, sweetheart. So you trust me, eh?" When he gets like this—dark and heated, predatory—Soap looks more dangerous than all the weapons he’s ever used combined. A man as trained and deadly as Soap can get downright lethal when he’s playing with you. “Are you sure you should be trusting a man like me?”

"No, definitely not. Horrible idea."

He lets a laugh rumble out of his chest and his knee grinds against you again, earning himself a soft gasp. "But you’re still doing it, aren’t you? And you know what I'd do if your sweet little ass pulled another runner."

"I'm shaking in my socks."

His eyes flash with heat as he smirks down at you. He can feel your thighs clenching around his leg as he continues to grind against you. "You ought to be," he murmurs. "You know I got you. And you owe me."

"Do I?"

"Aye. For runnin' away from me, for lyin', for makin' me hunt you down. For makin' me drag your ass out of a frozen river. For makin' me think you were gonnae freeze t'death the moment I finally got you in my arms." He gives you such a heated look, you find yourself looking off at the ceiling behind him rather than holding his gaze. "And that's not even gettin' into all the stitches I got 'cause of you. You owe me for every single one."

You swallow. "Are you planning to hold that stuff over my head forever?"

If you had any idea how it felt to see you disappearing into that river, you probably wouldn’t be asking that.

"That depends on whether you plan on bein' the sort who needs to be kept in line forever," he growls. "Or whether you're gonnae let me keep you safe, darlin', always where I want ye."

Your face warms and your chest flutters. Damn it. "Fat chance," you retort as quickly as you can to cover up the butterflies.

"Forever it is, then." He lets go of your hands and reaches up to grab your chin. Soap has big hands, strong, with too many scars along his knuckles given his young age. "You’d do well to remember that every time you think about runnin’ from me.” His knee grinds up against you again, a tease and a promise all rolled into one. “Now tell me again that you trust me.”

"Nnh." You squirm. "Johnny, c'mon..."

"No, go on. Say it for me. Say you trust me. Say it out loud." He leans in closer. He's hungry again. Starving. "Let me hear it again. Sounds as pretty as you look."

You roll your hips against his knee again, seeing stars against your eyelids when his thigh muscle clenches.

His grip tightens in warning as he fights to keep control of himself. "You’re pushin’ it, hen."

"Do something about it," you murmur. You wanted bite in your voice, but it's not quite there. "Handler."

Coming from your mouth, it does funny things to his mind. His muscles coil tight with need. But then he relaxes. He has all the time in the world to do everything he wants to you. He bites down gently on your ear, earning a breathless shudder from you. His hands snake under your hips, pulling them up higher as his body slides between your legs.

"That's right. All mine."

...

the end :) thanks everyone! soap loves you <3

...

← previous part / [epilogue]

part 1 / more Soap / masterlist

...

send me a prompt for more of him? :)

[chocobje]

How I like to characterize Sprout is that he’s great talking with the ones he’s close with (Cosmo, Astro, etc.) But incredibly socially awkward with others. He comes off as brash, but he’s trying his best.

What guidelines do you try to follow when writing Sprout? I’m just curious.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to yap about one of my favourite characters hehe..

You asked for guidelines I gave you a character analysis instead.

(Don't mind the images I didn't want this post to look naked)

ALSO NOTE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS IS MERELY MY INTERPRETATION OF HIS CHARACTER. EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN!! Don't take my post as a mandatory guide to follow.

Let's talk about what's canon:

I like checking the Wikipedia for his dialogues every now and then to make sure he's not too out-of-character.

Sprout comes off as blunt, he does not sugarcoat his words when he has something to say.

Not even an excuse or a reason as to why he doesn't want to join Teagan for tea; It was straight up a "no" until Teagan told him Cosmo will join them too. (Also I want to point out he doesn't immediately say yes when he's told Cosmo will be there, so for all we know he'd still decline even if his best friend's joining Teagan).

Dandy's dialogue when you purchase Sprout. I think about it a lot. Out of all the character dialogues, the one with Astro is what I feel like is an example of his overprotectiveness coming across as "pushy".

He'd definitely be the type to scold his friends. Especially after Gardenview's shutdown with all the Twisteds wreaking havoc and whatnot. I don't think Sprout is fond of going on runs, but only does so he can watch over everyone and keep them safe. He makes sure everyone is focused and on high alert, he doesn't want anyone to be reckless.

He prioritizes safety over answers. His dialogue with Rodger shows that. Maybe he's also curious as to what has happened, because in Vee's dialogue he tried talking to Dandy only for Dandy to walk away. I assume Sprout just wanted to check up on him rather than knowing what's going on with Gardenview and the Twisteds.

Another thing I don't really see often is how Sprout is actually pretty forgetful and impulsive.

For a Toon who's constantly keeping watch on everyone he surely does not apply the same kind of attention to himself.

He talks before thinking about his words, but once he realized that he immediately apologized to Vee. I don't think he always notices when he comes across as rude though.

I actually think he's actually quite reckless when he bakes. I obviously can't show it in this post but if you look at that animation with Cosmo and Sprout baking they're not even measuring the ingredients. I mean what. 😭

The way he bakes feels so impulsive and it just looked like they were winging it. Somehow despite that their baked goods still end up great and that's honestly impressive.

Okay now for that dialogue between Bobette and Sprout, I was getting there-- I've never made a gingerbread house but from what I've seen from other people it requires a lot more patience and carefulness.

Sprout is neither.

According to him, his gingerbread house fell apart immediately and then he stopped trying afterwards. It's honestly funny.

I feel like this also shows through his stats. Both his extraction speed and skillcheck is 2 stars. His stamina and speed is way higher. He prefers running around, probably to make sure he can watch over everyone during their runs. That or because he has long legs.

Anyway to recap; Sprout in canon is blunt, pushy, overprotective, and impulsive. But he genuinely has good intentions and means well. He cares for his friends, which is why he scolds them because he wants to make sure they're safe.

Now for some headcanons:

Okay this is the part where I make stuff up. So it's just my take;

• He has ADHD.

I'M STARTING WITH THE NEURODIVERGENT HEADCANON.

This is not a unique headcanon. I've seen so many people who headcanons this too so it's relatively popular. Personally, I only see him with ADHD. (I'm projecting).

He's forgetful, impulsive, and quite socially awkward in a way aswell. He's easily distracted. He keeps forgetting about the oven. He's impulsive when baking. I'm a very impulsive and reckless person myself, I constantly make mistakes when I draw, yet somehow they end up okay 😭. When I'm not able to draw something right, I give up immediately. (I projected this onto the gingerbread house thing earlier).

• He comes across as intimidating.

You know in Kids' birthday parties when there's a mascot a lotta kids go run and hide? I based it off of that. I remember when I was like, 6 or 7, when a mascot came in I cried and hid under a table. They were tall.. <\3

I feel like there was a concerning number of kids who were actually afraid of him, despite how friendly he appears both in person and in the show. Maybe it's the RBF when he's not smiling..

I also like to think he's taller than some of the kids who comes to Gardenview which plays a factor to the whole "intimidating" thing. The way Sprout deals with this is giving the kids cupcakes or other sweets. Once the kids actually talk to him they're immediately comfortable.

• He was one of the very first to become "Twisted".

I don't have a concrete idea on how the story of the game goes, but I always imagine the Mains being the first victims. Sprout is a healer and he keeps an eye on everyone, so he had to go first.

���

Okay, I think that's all now. If you read all of that wow thanks, this took me hours to write 😭. I love overanalysing characters.

[fourraccoonsinacoat]

I've worked in the corporate world for a while, have been on both sides of the interview process multiple times and will often coach people on interview etiquette. Here are my favorite questions that I tell job seekers to keep in their back pocket for the "any questions" segment:

What are three primary skills you want an ideal candidate for this position to have? (Shows you're being thoughtful about the skillset required and are interested in their interpretation of what an ideal candidate would bring to the table. Make note of whether the interviewer lists personal skills [adaptability, ability to learn, etc.] or hard skills [knowledge of a specific software, budgeting experience, etc.])

What is something you'd like to see the person in this role accomplish within the first six months? (Shows you're thinking past the interview process and are interested in what their immediate goals for the position are. Make note of whether what they say is realistically achievable. Be cautious of roles where tons of achievements are expected at the outset. Six months is not a lot of time when you consider the time needed for onboarding and settling in, especially at larger companies. Do not take a role where you are set up to fail.)

Ask a question about benefits that also allows you to share something unique about yourself. If you have pets, ask about whether the company partners with any pet insurance programs. If you like getting involved with employee groups, ask about DE&I programs or employee clubs. (The point of this question is not really to gather information, but for you to leave an impression and separate yourself from other candidates. I can't tell you how many times I've done post-interview round ups after we've had a candidate go through an interview gauntlet, and we'll be talking about a candidate and bring up a personal anecdote they shared with us as a way to refer to them - especially if we had several candidates interviewing. For example: "The girl with the cat named Cannoli." / "The guy who was asking about our LGBTQ+ employee resource group." / "The person who runs that frisbee golf group." Drop anecdotes about yourself that make you stand out.)

[holyblonded]

media day shenanigans | stargirl

pairings: alexia putellas x teen!reader, barcelona femeni x teen!reader

summary: you are notorious for your interesting takes on media day but alexia just wants one good picture to hang up

warnings: none

notes: new series yall 💪🏾

You bounced through the halls of the training center, Alexia close behind you attempting to rub her headache away. Carla, the social media manager, was waiting at the end of the hall with the rest of the crew filming players on their walk to the locker room.

"Bon dia!" You greeted. "Media day!"

Media day was your favorite day of the season. You had a reputation to upkeep with your media day photos. Each one planned with care, your first year you dressed as a wizard from Slytherin, you second year you dressed as an emo person, and this year was going to be your best on yet.

The only downside of this media day, Alexia was your partner- per the captain's request. Alexia just wanted one good media day photo of you to hang up on the mantle at her Mari's house to go up with her and Alba's pictures, and today was the day.

Your antics began almost immediately after Carla handed her a camera.

"Here," Carla said, thrusting the camera into your hands. "Media team all agreed that we need behind-the-scenes content, and you're the only one who somehow makes chaos look marketable."

"You mean iconic," You corrected, grinning. "You've chosen well, Carla. I won't- nay can't let you down."

Alexia groaned behind you. "Great. As if she needed more encouragement."

You spun, pointing the camera at Alexia. "Say hi to your adoring fans, Ale!"

Alexia waved half-heartedly, her expression deadpan. "Hi. Help me."

You turned the camera on herself as she walked into the interview room, where Ale was already seated, looking poised and professional.

"Welcome to the Estrella Show!" You announced dramatically. "Today's guest is Ale—footballer, fashion icon-ish, and... part-time owl?"

Alexia raised an eyebrow, amused. "Excuse me?"

"Why is your face fixed like that? Like you're about to chirp 'who.'" You cackled and pointed to the reporter, who was trying not to laugh.

The reporter composed herself and smiled warmly. "Alright, ladies, let's dive in. Alexia, what's do you expect of the team this year?"

"The same thing every year. Trying our best, giving 110% every time and constantly improving," Alexia responded.

"Y/n?"

"Me? Oh, easy—vibes. I expect this team to have immaculate vibes. We win? Vibes. We lose? Vibes, but sadder. As long as we're all vibing together, it's a success," You nod, approving of your explanation.

Alexia facepalmed. "Why do I even try?"

"Because you love me," You grinned, suddenly going limp and leaning on Alexia.

The reporter laughed. "Alexia, what's it like partnering with Y/n for Media Day?"

Alexia sighed but couldn't help a small smile. "Exhausting. But... entertaining, I guess. She keeps things interesting."

You gasped in mock offense. "Only 'interesting'? Ale, venga, I'm phenomenal."

The interview proceeded somewhat smoothly—Ale stayed composed despite you trying to "spice things up" by asking Ale to rank her top five weirdest pre-game rituals. Midway through, you panned the camera toward Alexia, who was sitting nearby, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"She's pretending to be annoyed," You whispered to the camera. "But she loves me. Deep down. Very deep down."

The cafeteria was buzzing as the team settled in for a break. You, ever the opportunist, set your camera down on the table at just the right angle. Mapi sat across from Lucy, deeply engaged in a conversation with Ingrid.

You filmed the camera panning over plates of food. "We have here a wild Mapi and if you look closely you can see her famous pasta—delicious, tantalizing, guarded like the crown jewels. But today... today it's mine."

In the background, Alexia's voice could be heard faintly. "Do not start something."

Your eyes gleamed mischievously as you reached out, snagging a bite from Mapi's plate. Nobody noticed—at first. Then another huge bite. And another.

By the time you went for a fourth, Ingrid burst out laughing. "Mapi, are you really not seeing this?"

"What?" Mapi frowned, looking confused as the table burst into laughter as you filmed yourself dramatically chewing.

You feigning innocence. "What's so funny?"

Mapi's eyes narrowed, finally realizing her plate was half-empty. "Estrellita!"

In an instant, you was on your feet, camera in hand as Mapi bolted after you. The chase wound around the cafeteria, chairs and tables screeching as the team laughed and cheered.

You darted around the room, camera in hand, screaming, "THE CROWN JEWELS ARE MINE!"

Later in the afternoon, you and Alexia sat under bright studio lights for their second interview of the day. A staff member handed them a stack of photos, each one zoomed in on a teammate's body part—eyes, hands, or tattoos.

You rubbed your hands together. "Oh, I love this."

The first photo appeared on the monitor: a close-up of a tattooed arm.

Alexia leaned forward. "That's easy. Mapi."

"Correct!" the staffer said.

You groaned. "Ugh, you're no fun, Ale. Let me have a go."

The next image was a zoomed-in ear with a small earring. You squinted dramatically. "Hmm... Ingrid?"

"Wrong," Alexia said smugly. "It's Pina."

"Dang it!" You threw your head back dramatically while Alexia shook her head with a grin.

The next image popped up on the screen—a close-up of someone's knee.

"That's Caro!" You shouted immediately.

Alexia squinted. "That's not Caro. It's... Frido?"

"Wrong," said the host. "It's Ingrid."

"SEE!" You said triumphantly. "You doubt me, but you're wrong."

"So are you," Alexia rolled her eyes as her comment was ignored by the excited teen.

The next image was a zoomed-in elbow.

"Definitely Salma," Alexia said confidently.

"Nope, that's me!" You said, holding up your arm dramatically. "See? I'm an icon."

Alexia muttered something under her breath about needing a transfer to a quieter team.

By the end of the game, Alexia had a comfortable lead, but you declared yourself the "people's champion" anyway.

Finally, it was time for the photos. You stood beside Alexia, camera in hand, narrating her every move.

"And now, dear viewers, the moment you've all been waiting for. The photoshoot!"

When it came time for the pictures, you bided your time, waiting for Alexia to get distracted. Sure enough, while Alexia was chatting with the photographer about lighting, you made your move.

You grabbed a wig that matched Alexia's hair almost perfectly and threw it on, smoothing it into place. Grabbing a jersey with Alexia's number, you turned to the camera Carla had left nearby.

"Ladies and gentlemen," you said in a low voice, imitating Alexia's serious tone, "I am now the captain of this team." You strutted onto the set, striking Alexia's signature intense pose. You'd even managed to replicate Alexia's serious expression.

The real Alexia turned around mid-conversation and froze. "Estrelleta..."

"What are you doing? What are you wearing?"

"I'm you," You declared, striking a pose. "This is my homage to our captain."

The photographers and crew burst into laughter, snapping photos as you leaned dramatically against Alexia, mimicking her every move. You gave your best captainly glare. "Focus, team. This is serious business."

Alexia sighed deeply but couldn't fight the grin tugging at her lips. "You're impossible."

"And you're my partner today," You said, taking off the wig, switching her jersey, and tossing it to Alexia. "Now come on, Capitana. Let's make this photo mantel-worthy for Eli."

[imsofreakingtired]

Sevika x mascfem!reader headcanons 💙

(haven't seen anything like this on tumblr before so i needed to be the change i wished to see in the world 😔)

ANYONE WHO KNOWS THIS ARTIST'S ACC PLS LMK SO I CAN TAG THEM

~~~

spotting her at the gym only to get distracted by her thighs

(and she in turn getting distracted by your abs)

thrifting together, she has a hawk eye for exactly the type of oversized band t shirts you like

her being confused as hell by your skincare products (she uses a 3-in-1 but her skin is fucking flawless)

"why is this shampoo in a petri dish" "sevika my love. those are moisture pads"

her making fun of how short you are but following you around in bookstores in case there's a book on a top shelf you want

you making fun of the way she always hits her head on low hanging stuff (you kiss it better after)

listening to her nerd out over some car mechanic thing (you dont know what the fuck the difference is between a straight and inline engine cylinder but at this point you're too afraid to ask)

her listening to you rant about the gay subtext of the classic novel you're reading (she tried to read it but got bored by the monologues of "a pathetic straight white man")

begging her to try on one of your baseball caps with some shit like "MILF" printed on the front (acts like she's annoyed but you saw her smirking at herself in the mirror) (baby knows she's finee)

walking in the park together and she swings you on her arm like a baby monkey

the foyer is just a mess of doc martens and converse (yours) and her timberlands boots

sevika gay panicking over you on the days you decide to put on lip gloss

"do we have to go out? with you looking like that?" "i know sevi, try to control yourself"

and then you absolutely losing it on the days she wears a tux

"call me a bond girl the way i-" "no."

watching gay shows like Killing Eve and yelling at the tv together like dads during a football game

(neither of you know how the show ends because you started making out in the middle of it and one thing leads to another and,,,)

sevika running her fingers through your long hair after a shower (she says it relaxes her)

you tousling her short hair like she's a puppy (you are the only person she allows to do this)

beer cans and monster energy drinks in the fridge

she can cook like a 3 star michelin chef, you can make successful fried eggs on a good day

"baby, just sit down and let me do it" "i swear i didn't burn it last time!"

sevika picking you up and tossing you over her shoulder to carry you to bed when you're exhausted from working late

"i need to finish this in three days-" "will you finish it? because it looks like it's finishing you"

sevika losing a bet and having to let you put eyeliner on her (jokes on you, the second you see her in eyeliner you're a gay puddle on the floor)

(wheezing) "babe get up" "HGNNNGGGHH NOOOO what have i DONE" (still dying from laughter) "whats wrong with you" "you're too hOTTTTTT!!!!!!"

you being sevika's impulse control on her endless woodworking ambitions

"you are not building a raft in our living room!" "you say that now, but what if there's a flood and we could be the only ones safely out while everyone else is waiting to be evacuated."

sevika wearing your hoodies and you taking pictures because it's fucking adorable how small they look on her

watching something sad and comforting her when you hear her sniffling (she swore she never cries at movies)

cackling together outside the supermarket after the cashier lady calls sevika your husband

she keeps getting cuts on her hand that she doesn't feel and never remembers how she got them but she likes how you fuss over her and bandage her fingers

she is endlessly confused by your jorts

"why can't it be jeans or shorts?? like pick one" "yk you like how i look in them mama" "..."

also is confused by why you Need to wear Only Flannels during the first week of October but she's supportive <3

grumbles that she misses your hair after you get a wolf cut but then you catch her staring at you when she thinks you're not looking with the softest most lovesick puppy dog look on her face

sevika making rings and necklaces for you out of scrap metal but she hates making a big deal out of giving gifts so she just leaves them at random places where she knows you'll see them

you ask her about them ("sevi did you make this??") and she'll quickly be like "no idk where the hell that came from" and then not a minute later she'll be like "...do you like it?"

yea......sevika x mascfem reader.....

[letstalkaboutfandomsbaby]

╔══•.·.☆.·.♥︎.·.☆.·.•══╗

buff guy

╚══•.·.☆.·.♥︎.·.☆.·.•══╝

ʚ Part 3 ɞ

❥ CW: chubby fem reader x buff guy, reader has insecurities

❥ A/N: hello my lovelies! Here is part 3, i hope you enjoy 💕

"Your boyfriend is coming this way."

"Shit!" You duck behind the counter, rushing through the coffee bar and into the back room. You take a deep breath once you're back there, freezing when you hear the bell at the door ring. You glance out the back room and curse when you see him standing at the register, glancing around the coffee bar. You decide to hide in the back until he leaves.

You hear the door ring several more times, but choose to ignore it. You busy yourself with reading ingredients on bottles when your coworker suddenly rushes into the back room.

"Girl! Get your ass out here! Your boyfriend is holding up the line!"

She grabs you before you can protest, dragging you out to the work area. At the front of the line is Guy, hands in his pockets, eyes flicking to you. Your friend practically shoves you to the register, crossing her arms as she waits for you to take his order.

"Th-The usual?" you ask, fiddling with your hands.

"You haven't responded to my texts." You swallow, curling into yourself.

"I-I've been busy."

"That's a bad excuse."

"Hey buddy, hurry up!" a man behind him scolds. "I've got places to be!"

Guy turns around to stare at the shorter man. His eyes widen and he steps back, looking frightened. Guy turns back to you.

"I came here to ask you if you're free this Saturday."

"I'm busy."

"I think you're lying."

"Hey," your coworker interjects. "I'm all for you pursuing my friend here, but we gotta keep this line going." She types his order into the register. "She can take a break once this line is down and then yall can talk, okay?"

"That works for me." He pulls out his card, pays, and then walks to the pick-up area. You slump, taking the next customer's order as your coworker starts making drinks.

"Now go talk to him already. His staring is creeping me out."

You glance at Guy who's been watching you during the rush you just had. Your coworker shoves your shoulder and you sigh, taking off your apron and hanging it on the swinging door into the work station. You walk to Guy's table, sitting down across from him, defeated.

"So why haven't you texted me?" he asks, getting straight to the point. You shrug helplessly.

"I don't know..."

He leans forward, arms against the table.

"If you're not interested, I'd rather you tell me now. I don't want to keep bothering you if you hate me."

"I don't hate you..."

"Then what is it? Is it the gifts? Do you not like them? Did I come on too strong?"

"No, no... I promise it's not you."

"Then what's going on?"

You feel tears well in your eyes, and you look down to hide it.

"I'm worried you won't like me once you get to know me... I'm worried about disappointing you..."

You glance back up at him, and his expression is emotionless. You quickly wipe your eyes, sniffing.

"Do you know why I took you to dinner on the first date?" You shook your head, and he looks down at the table. "I took you to dinner because I wanted to see how you would eat in front of me."

"...Do you have some kind of fetish of something?" He scoffs, smiling.

"No. But I have been on dates with other women, and it always went the same." He draws invisible circles on the table. "They'd always order a salad, or something small, avoiding an appetizer or dessert. They would rarely finish their plate. One woman's stomach actually growled when I walked her to her car."

You snicker at that, sniffing again. He smiles at your laugh, folding his hands in front of you.

"But you didn't do that. You had an appetizer, a main course, and dessert. I loved it. I loved seeing you comfortable enough to be yourself and eat without shame. And it really solidified my feelings for you."

"Would... would you have not liked me if I didn't eat like I normally do?" He shrugs.

"A part of me would've been disappointed. I can't be with someone who can't be true to themselves, so to see the person I'm fond of limit themselves like that would have hurt." He makes eye contact with you again, sincere. "I like you, Y/N. I like your smile, your laugh, your ability to be true to yourself. You're a wonderful person, and I just want to make you happy." He straightens out, smoothing over his shirt. "But if you don't want me to pursue you anymore, I understand. I won't text you anymore, and I'll stop coming here."

You pause, chewing your bottom lip. He stares at your mouth as you do so.

"I..." You inhale deep, twisting your mouth. "I just feel like you're out of my league. Like, what if you wake up and want to date a model or some kind of influencer? I'm worried you'll get bored of me..."

He laughs at that, covering his mouth. He scratches his jaw, glancing at some artwork on the wall.

"I've dated girls like that before. Trust me: you're far more interesting than they could ever be."

You gulp, cheeks burning hot. You glance at your coworker who is glaring at you, tapping her watch.

"Oh!" You push your chair out, standing up. "I-I gotta go back to work."

"I figured." He stands up with you, grabbing your hand before you can walk away. "Do you like movies?" You hesitate, then nod. He pulls you closer; you're almost nose to nose. "Let me take you to a movie this weekend. We'll go to whatever you want to see. I'll buy a large popcorn and whatever candy you want."

You scoff, smiling softly. You feel like you could blush.

"Sure. I guess we can do that." He smiles down at you.

"Thank you."

You try to leave again, but he doesn't let go of your hand. Instead, he brings it to his lips, closing his eyes and kissing the back of your hand gently. Your heart flutters as he lets you go, grabbing his drink and turning away, walking out of the coffee shop.

You return to your post, retying your apron around your waist as your coworker walks towards you.

"Look, I'm all for yall having whatever romance shit you got going on, but could you at least not let it interrupt our work again? I got bills to pay."

You laugh, feeling lighter.

"Sure, I'll try."

[maligatorthealligator]

Yeah this was geared towards college (which is why I said "student help center" and "professor"). There are always reasonable accommodations to be made. You may not get them. That doesn't mean that they don't exist.

The purpose of a reasonable accommodation in a school setting is to allow you to perform to the degree that your average student would. If your grades are high. Then you don't actually need an accommodation to achieve a performance that your average student could achieve. If you can complete the work and complete it to a high degree then you don't need anything to be adjusted to achieve that goal.

This is part of the problem with school administrators at lower levels of education (it exists in higher education but not AS badly because you don't have to rely on adults to advocate for you. You ARE the adult who can advocate for yourself.). They're looking at accommodations as if they're exclusively to assist you in school (and technically they are because legally institutions are only required to provide accommodations for the experience they're specifically responsible for, but as we all know: struggling to achieve highly in school can wreck the external parts of your life) rather than the accommodation allowing you to perform life the average student in ALL of your life. You would have to prove that completing that goal is adding undue burden to you compared to the average student (losing out on time eating, or with family, or deteriorating mental/physical health). This is hard to provide evidence for when the only thing a school is looking at is academic performance like is true in middle and highschool. You have to rely on adults to push for you. To provide this evidence to the school and keep shoving until they get somewhere because all evidence of this is documented exclusively OUTSIDE of school.

In college, most students live on campus and most colleges collect information on how life it going outside of academics (do you go to activities, does your RA hear arguing with your roommates, do you show up to your dorm late/drunk/etc, are you using your meal plan, have you been talking to the student help center, going to the free tutoring, talking to the TA, talking to your advisor, etc.). They have more data about how all this shit is actually impacting you. There are still things they won't do without a diagnosis (don't want to get sued), but a lot of colleges are setup to help you get those diagnoses. This often makes getting accommodations easier in college.

You still have to push for it. You still have to jump through the hoops. Often times it still isn't easy (partially because sometimes what someone needs isn't a reasonable accommodation, but actual meds because 15-30 extra minutes can't do what chemical assistance can and it never will), but it easier and more common than in middle and high school.

And if course sometimes a reasonable accommodation for you might hinder the experience for someone else. These things can be in conflict (like if you verbally stim a reasonable accommodation is most likely to be distance learning because you are disrupting the audible landscape. In some classrooms the verbal stimming may not be an issue! Other students may not be bothered. In others, there may be students who have a hard time focusing and the verbal stimming pulls their attention away. Your service dog may be terrifying to someone so the seating arrangement may have to be adjusted. Compromise often has to happen in social settings.). Which is of course why it has to be a "reasonable" accommodation.

But the point is: yeah the system requires too much of the burden of proof to be on individual students who already NEED help and often those individuals get denied accommodations because they are literal children who can't advocate for themselves and the school is only looking at the impact IN A SCHOOL SETTING. Which. Hurts a lot of people.

And sometimes schools don't have the staffing to adequately provide an accommodation which is admittedly a different, though related issue.

An ex-colleague of mine was complaining to me the other day about the ai problem in her students' papers, and I told her, "Just make your students hand-write them in class. Easy." She looked at me like I was insane and tried to explain how that would never work, but I just said,"That's how we did it for a thousand years. The invention of word processors doesn't erase all that."

To me it seems obvious. Readings are done out of class, handwritten essays are done within it. No more ai papers.

[genderqueerdykes]

One thing that's upset me a lot lately is not just the hate towards trans men&mascs by trans women&fems but the amount of trans men&mascs who respond to anyone who tries to call it out by calling them transphobic for doing so. I've literally been told BY trans men that I'm speaking over women for saying rhetorics like "kill all men" make me extremely uncomfortable. And it's made me feel so helpless because- now I can't even speak out among people who I thought would get it? Really?

And this often comes from trans men&mascs who are at the very start of their transition so I'm theorizing this might stem from the (very familiar) feeling of being a traitor to womanhood by becoming a man. And that maybe they're trying to get rid of their guilt by sucking up to women and downplaying their own oppression in order to be "one of the good ones". Which is something I've definitely been guilty of myself at the start of my journey.

But I've also seen this being spread by trans men who are very far along their transition, who go about it by enforcing gender roles in the grossest of ways (telling me to 'man up' and take it, claiming that transfems are these vulnerable things that need protection from us big strong mascs-)

And the worst thing is I've seen transfems react POSITIVELY to it, like???

I'm not even mad. I'm just... this is terrifying to me.

I'm a trans man and I've always believed we were trying to divorce ourselves not only from gender roles but also from the gender binary and they Do always claim to do so but then they turn around and enforce it the second they can benefit from it in some way. (Which, I don't know if they don't realize it, but the transfems don't even do! It's misogyny! You're not a little baby that needs protection! You're not some innocent pure being that can't ever do wrong! They're not affirming you, it's just a new recipe for oppression!)

It's gross and scary and so so sad. It's like watching a friend of yours suddenly say something racist and having this realization of oh. I'm not as safe with you as I thought.

i'm right there with you anon, people are horrible about this and it's just going completely unchecked. it's not good that so many trans men and mascs are also spewing the same tired rhetoric that trans men and mascs are speaking over trans women just by virtue of talking about being transmasc/a trans man. it honestly isn't helping transmascs/men to do this to each other. it's just needless virtue signalling to try to get brownie points with transfems

the "kill all men" stuff has to stop. it's not okay. so many men are transfems and trans women who haven't realized it yet. trans mens & mascs lives are so important. gay mens lives are important. bi/pan/mspec mens lives are important. aromantic mens lives are important. asexual mens lives are important. asexual mens lives are important. men of colors lives are important. the list goes on

if someone doesnt want to receive blind hatred from someone else for no reason, they shouldn't do it back to them. it's not fixing anything it's furthering the divide. that's all it's doing is creating a larger wedge inbetween "men and non men". it's not keeping anyone safe. it's hurting everyone. thank you for taking the time to send this. i really appreciate you. take care

[honeypiehotchner]

The Gambit (Hotch x Fem!Reader) -- part eight

More lore! Work and life have kept me busy busy busy but trust I am still here for this fic and will be finishing it! (Also if you can't tell I started writing this fic after I first watched the Seaver episodes and thought I can write this so much better and with so much more angst)

Warnings: Rossi being Rossi, Hotch doing something he really shouldn't be doing but he thinks it's justified and maybe it is so who's to say if he's in the wrong!

You first knew something was different about your dad when you were ten.

There were the usual, obvious things that confused you as a kid. Like when he’d go away for long stretches of time, only to return like nothing had happened and act like he was never gone at all. Or when he’d return with these extravagant gifts, as if that made up for the birthday party he missed, or the big recital. Or when you heard your parents arguing, your mom tearfully asking if there was someone else, and screaming “I don’t believe you!” when your dad insisted there was no one.

There are the less obvious things that confuse you now, things you look back on when you want to analyze his behavior. Why he traveled so far to find his victims, why he tried to live a double life, why he did any of it at all. You dip your hands into the memories day after day and each time you come up empty handed. Why did he let you get kidnapped, only to help them find you? Was he ever behind your kidnapping at all? You don’t know. You’ll never know.

Even if you could ask him, you don’t know that you would. Your mom picked you up, changed your name, and moved you away for a reason. She gave you a fresh start. She’s the reason you are where you are, and you’re not going to throw that away. 

You had no idea Rossi worked on your father’s case all those years ago. You knew the BAU had gotten involved briefly at one point, but not who. 

What are the odds and what kind of bad luck streak do you have to have to be working with one of the investigators who helped catch your father?

The ceiling offers you no answers. You left the precinct as quickly as you could, wanting to take a hot shower and crawl in bed and pretend to be asleep when Hotch or Rossi inevitably knocks on your door later.

Rossi knows. He must. Why else would he look at you like that? And if he does, how long has he known? Has he told Hotch? Would he tell Hotch, or would he keep it quiet? Does he know that part of your file is sealed? Does he know you discussed it with Strauss, keeping that part of your life sealed because it isn’t relevant, not after all the work you did to create a separate life?

You’re going to make yourself sick if you keep asking this many questions, but how are you supposed to stop? 

You’ve worked too hard to create a life completely separate from your father to let it all unravel like this. You knew it was risky going into this line of work, let alone the BAU, but with a name change and two decades worth of distance, you thought it was deep enough in the past. You thought you had buried it far enough below the surface.

You cannot afford to have it haunt you like this, to interfere with your work so badly that you flee. You have to figure this out. And you have to get yourself under control.

+++

Hotch and Rossi are, like most nights, the last two at the precinct, trying to squeeze out some final leads before calling it a night. They don’t get far, and it’s Rossi who caves, saying they should get some rest for once. Hotch is quicker than usual to agree.

“What was that about earlier? About The Strangler?” Hotch asks. “Since you worked it, do you think we have a copycat on our hands?” 

It’s a poor excuse for a subject change, and Rossi is onto him in a second.

He shakes his head. “No, we don’t.”

Hotch grabs his cup and heads for the door. “And…Y/N? She seemed shaken up.”

Rossi raises an eyebrow, changing the subject slightly. “You two seemed to be getting along today.”

Hotch lets out a laugh as they exit the precinct. “We’ll be back to our usual selves tomorrow, probably, don’t worry.”

“I hope not,” Rossi says, rounding the car to hop in the passenger side. “You’re the only people who like to hear you two bickering, you know.”

Hotch rolls his eyes, sticking the keys in the ignition. “I don’t like arguing with her. She just insists on it.”

“And you push her buttons.”

“I don’t try to.”

Rossi only smiles to himself, always happy to rile Hotch up in whatever way he can, especially when it comes to you. It’s too easy to do it.

Rossi is able to convince Hotch to head back to the hotel, but not to grab a drink at the bar.

“I think I’m just gonna head to bed,” Hotch says, pausing outside the elevator. “You should too.”

“I will,” Rossi smirks, though he turns toward the bar anyway, nodding to Hotch as he presses the up arrow for the elevator.

Rounding the corner, Rossi finds a familiar face perched on a bar stool, nursing a glass of red wine.

He watches you briefly, gauging whether you’d like to be left alone. He can’t tell. He decides to slide onto the stool next to you, waving the bartender down to order two fingers of whiskey.

You won’t look at him. You won’t look anywhere other than your wine, but you knew Rossi and Hotch had come back. You could hear Hotch’s voice from the lobby, your body tense as you prepared for them both to make their way here and see you not at all asleep like you said you’d be.

You meant to sleep. But your mind was wide awake, and before you knew it, you were dragging yourself downstairs for a glass of wine, hoping the alcohol would tire you out.

And now, apparently, the price you’ll pay is a conversation with Rossi.

Seeing as he’s here alone, you figure there’s no sense in hiding behind cryptic sentences and silence. Better to rip the band-aid off now, while no one else is around.

“How long have you known?” you ask, studying the stem of your glass instead of looking him in the eye.

The bartender sets Rossi’s whiskey down in front of him. Rossi nods to him, and hands a black card over. “Another glass of red for her, please. On me.”

You swirl the remaining swallow of wine in your glass before downing it. The bartender replaces it with a silent smile before leaving you both alone.

Rossi takes a sip of his whiskey, studying the array of liqueurs along the wall across from him. “Do you remember meeting me?”

It’s not an answer to your question and it confuses you. “Yeah? You told me ‘good luck’ with Hotch because I was late.”

“No,” Rossi shakes his head with a fond smile, turning his head to look at you. “You were young.”

You wrack your brain, trying to remember when you might’ve met him. You come up empty, but you’re not surprised that you don’t remember. Your memories are hazy at best from those times, but the few you do remember are vivid. Just none of them include David Rossi.

“It was brief,” Rossi says, taking your silence for the answer it is. “After we had found you, and we needed to talk to your mom about some of what your dad admitted to while we had him in custody while we searched for you.”

That day comes back to you in fits and starts, flashes here and there. A much younger David Rossi floats into your mind, but with no words to accompany him, except—

“Didn’t you offer me a cup of coffee?”

He laughs quietly. “I did. I was trying to lighten the mood.”

“It worked,” you say, remembering with a smile. You pause. “So you’ve known the whole time?”

He shakes his head. “I thought I recognized you the first day, but I ignored it. It wasn’t until tonight that it clicked all together. You are twenty years older, you know.”

“Hey,” you feign hurt, punching him lightly in the arm. “You too, old man.”

“Don’t remind me,” he chuckles, taking another sip of his whiskey. “Have you told Hotch?”

You practically snort into your wine glass. “God, no.” You pause to take a long sip, needing it to steel your nerves. “Only Strauss knows, because she saw my background check before I asked to have some of it sealed. My father and original name were part of what I decided to have redacted.” You take a deep breath. “My mom moved us away and changed our last names for a reason. A fresh start. A new life without being haunted by what my father did.”

Rossi nods slowly. “Well you’ve got everyone suspicious after how you acted earlier.”

You grimace. “I know.” Not your finest moment.

“Why not get it over with and tell everyone?” Rossi asks. “Or at least Hotch?”

You roll your eyes. “He’ll look at me differently.”

“Will he?” Rossi argues gently. “How do you know?”

You give Rossi a look. “Because I know him.” 

Rossi hums. He doesn’t need to say anything to prompt you to continue.

“He already hates that I’m here — as if working with him is any better — and I’m sure he’s looking for any reason he can to tell Strauss to get rid of me,” you scoff. “The last thing I need is him saying I’m unfit for the job just because I’m a little shaken up at a random mention of the man who nearly killed me and my mother.”

Rossi goes still beside you, turning his head slowly.

You sigh, finishing off your second glass of wine. “You’re telling me none of you suspected he had tried anything with my mom and me?”

Rossi shakes his head. “We were never told otherwise, and your mom—”

“Yeah, well,” you shrug. “She loved him.”

Rossi frowns at your dismissal, resting his hand on the bar, but not touching you. “No one will fault you if you need time.”

“I’ve had two decades of time, Rossi,” you cry, placing your forehead in your hand. “I thought that was long enough.”

This time, he does reach for you, resting a hand gently on your shoulder. He’s never seen you this broken up, not even when you were thirteen, after they found you, when they all expected you to be upset. You were put together back then, your brain having not had any time to process it all. Now, you’ve had the time to process, you’ve lived your life in between, and it still haunts you. Because it always will. Because these things don’t just go away, no matter how badly you want them to.

“It’ll always be hard,” Rossi says. “I’m sorry I can’t say it goes away.”

You snort, burying your face further into your hand. “I wish it would. He’s dead, I wish he’d stop following me around.”

“You couldn’t have chosen a different career?” Rossi teases, shaking your shoulder a bit before letting go.

It does make you laugh, because he’s right. “I know. What was I thinking?” Your mother tried talking you out of it, but you never listened. She eventually came around to the idea after she heard you talk about how much you loved helping people, but it always worried her somewhat.

“I have no idea,” Rossi says, smiling around his whiskey as he finishes it off. “I’m having another, would you like one?”

You shake your head, sitting up. “No, no…I should actually go to bed now, I think, but thank you. For the wine and the uh, conversation.”

“Anytime,” Rossi says, squeezing your shoulder one more time. “Get some rest.”

“You too,” you give him a pointed look, eyeing the new whiskey the bartender sets down.

“I’ll sleep good after this,” he picks up the glass, raising it toward you.

You roll your eyes as you head back toward the elevator, strangely feeling lighter — and not because of the alcohol. You’ll begrudgingly admit, talking it out with Rossi helped.

But that doesn’t mean talking to Hotch about it will have the same effect.

+++

Back in his hotel room, Hotch takes a shower and crawls into bed. He tosses and turns for an hour, staring a hole into his eyelids. He gets up to take a walk around the room, hoping it’ll help. All it does is make him pause when he spots his briefcase, knowing what lies inside.

The files he asked Garcia to pull weren’t unusual. Just your background check, with one condition. To unseal whatever was hidden. 

Because he had thought it was odd for you to have parts of it sealed, let alone that Strauss agreed to let you. But it wasn’t something he particularly wanted to argue with Strauss about. 

After seeing you stop breathing entirely at the mention of The Strangler — an obscure case, one truly infamous only to Reid and his eidetic memory — Hotch is worried. That’s the only name he can think of to give the feeling swarming in his chest.

He’s worried about one of his agents, and dammit, he feels like that is a justifiable enough reason to do some digging. If it concerns the well-being of one of the agents he oversees, he wouldn’t forgive himself if he didn’t try to get to the bottom of it. Even if they seem hellbent on keeping it hidden.

That’s all the convincing he needs to do for himself before he walks over and snatches his briefcase off the desk, opening it with a click. 

Your file lies right where he left it, along with Penelope’s sticky note. Her gel writing makes him pause.

Should he be reading this?

What’s his alternative, though? Asking you outright? That will only start a fight, or worse, you’ll quit on the spot. You’ve made it clear that you don’t want to tell him what’s going on, and if he pushes too far, you’re both liable to say things you can’t take back.

This is better. It’s going behind your back, but it’s better. Is it really betraying your trust if it’s clear you don’t trust him? You don’t even like him, which you have made abundantly clear. 

You seemed to open up a little to him today, but that doesn’t mean tomorrow you won’t be right back to the way you were yesterday. There’s no way to know for sure.

So, Hotch stops the back and forth, and pulls the file out, flipping to the second page. Then the third. Then to what was sealed.

The words jump out at him too fast for him to understand them, his heart thundering in his ears as he reads.

Your name — the one he knows you by — is not what you were born with. Well, your first name is, but your middle and surname are changed entirely. Your original surname was Adkins.

Adkins. Like—

His eyes scan further, finding the inevitable on your birth certificate. Your father. Carson Adkins.

You were fourteen when your names changed. Fourteen when you moved to Washington state. Fourteen when your mother changed her surname, too, back to her maiden name — the one you now have. Fourteen when your life started over.

Because when you were thirteen, Carson Adkins, The Strangler, threatened to end it.

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

With your point about David, I think that is so true. Like, I think everyone (especially reading the books as kids) felt like they’d be an Animorph, they’d be a Rachel or Marco or Cassie, but I feel like most people would in fact be a David.

Yes! Like, to be clear, there are plenty of everyman and relatable aspects about the six main characters. Ax never pays attention in school, Cassie's a fashion disaster, Jake has no talents and no idea what he wants to do with his life, Marco could be a straight-A student but can't be bothered, Rachel falls off the balance beam, and Tobias approaches difficult decisions by pretending they're not happening until it's already too late. They all have moments where they're scared and tired and hopeless to the point where they choose to quit fighting the war. Even Rachel quits in #37, though Cassie and Marco are roughly tied for most instances of trying to leave the war.

But we also see them get up and keep going when they're sad and scared and tired. We see Jake wanting to scream and cry because he's about to ask his friends to nearly die for him, again, and then clench his teeth and do it anyway (#36). We see Rachel longing to take a ten-year nap, to have someone wake her up when it's all over, and then she charges first into danger anyway (#17). So on and on.

They feel like they're within reach. Like they're versions of us we could be, if we could just find that much selflessness and strength within ourselves when called upon to do so.

[danimia]

Have you, then, taken steps to flee this godawful country? Are you saving up enough money to afford the plane tickets and whatever immigration costs are required in whatever country you are taking refuge in? Have you, perhaps, already left? Because that's what OP is talking about. Not some arbitrary "Oh this is just too much" line that you can just look at and say, "oh yeah I'm over the line".

I'm 41 years old. My grandparents were Jews who lived in Germany before immigrating to the US.

They survived to meet each other and have my mom because they left Germany before things got so bad that they wouldn't have been able to leave, before the Nazi government confiscated their passports to trap them there. They did that not because they saw their fellow Jewish citizens being slaughtered, because by that point it would have been too late. They left when things got scary enough that they were willing to leave their families behind and flee their country, and that's the only reason I exist today. That is the line OP is talking about.

The Republicans want to boil us like frogs in a pot and hope that we'll just keep saying, "well, I survived that, and this isn't so much worse, I'll see how it goes," because they know that humans can adjust to any indignity, especially if they see that "everyone else" is going along with it.

Think about what it would mean to flee the country. Really think about it. Think about what country you'll run to; think about the plane tickets you'll have to buy and how you'll make it past TSA. Think about leaving everyone you know behind without even saying goodbye, because the longer you wait, the more likely it is that your "running away" will become literal running from "law enforcement." Buy a new pair of sneakers, just in case.

Once you've really thought it through, once you've made your plans and internalized how much it will cost you, financially and emotionally, then think about where your line is. Think: "what is the one thing that, if they do this, I know shit has gotten too real and I have to hit the go button on those plans because otherwise I am at risk of being murdered by Nazis." Think about what amount of horror it will take for you to decide that the agony of your emergency emigration plan becomes the lesser evil than hunkering down in place and hoping the law enforcers don't notice you, like I'm doing.

I don't have a line, because it's already too late for me. I don't have a valid passport and the US won't issue me one. Regardless of what happens with the government, even if we start seeing roundups of transfolk and actual gas chambers, I'm trapped here. I can't cross any land border and no international flight will let me on.

Reader, are you already trapped? If so, you have my condolences, and I wish you the best of luck in staying safe in the coming years. If not, maybe put some effort into figuring out how hard it will really be to emigrate, and then decide where your line is.

I didn’t want to be here.

To my fellow trans people in the US, think about what that line is. For me? The moment the government begins actively keeping and expanding a list or registry of transgender citizens, I will be leaving. I’m prepared to flee in less than 2 weeks if necessary.

We will make it through this. But we need to be prepared. Running is hard. Especially from the only country you’ve ever known. You’ll have to leave things behind. But you are worth saving. Lives can be rebuilt, but a life can’t be returned once taken.

Find your line. Be ready to leave if it’s crossed.

Pass it along. We all need to think about this. We all need to be ready.

[ahgasegotarmy116]

Who is My Heart Waiting for? | Park Jimin One Shot | Teaser 2

Summary: Getting closer to one of the staff on tour didn’t seem like such a bad idea…that is until Jimin realizes that his feelings for her are more than just platonic. Pairing: Rockstar!Jimin (pov) x Staff f!reader Warnings: Explicit language but that’s about it at this point (I’ll add more when I post the full version) a/n: I'm releasing another teaser since the last time I talked about this fic was 6 months ago and I want to see if I should keep it as a Jimin fic or if I should change it to Jungkook...

"Ayo Jimin!" our keys player Tyler calls out to me as we all stumble into the green room, throughly exhausted after playing our third encore of the night.

"Did you see the way that little hottie in the front row was looking at you?" his description of whatever girl he's talking about incredibly vague.

"You'll have to be a little more specific Ty, there were plenty of hotties in the front row" I throw back, rolling my eyes and opening the water bottle one of the staff gave me.

"The little blondie in the red dress?" he offers, his description yet still vague helps me sort through the girls that had been screaming my name throughout the show.

"She was practically drooling" he continues poking fun at her and I can't help but want to shift the attention away from her.

"I mean I would too if I were her" I say, throwing out a cocky comment like I always do. It's no secret that I know I'm hot and after that concert high it takes a second for me to come back down to earth.

"You're the front man for a reason I guess" our drummer Zach says, sticks still in hand, tapping on whatever surface he can reach.

"Don't give him a bigger head than he already has Z" Asher our lead guitarist says, rounding out the rest of our band with Leo our bassist chiming in soon after.

"Gotta give the man some credit though. I think I saw a girl pass out after he made eye contact with her" he teases, leaving Zach clapping me on the back making me stumble from the sheer force of it.

Leo chuckles when he sees the glare I send Zack's way but it's gone when he slumps down on the couch next to him. "Thanks" I grumble while rolling my shoulder, him being the one chuckling now, the intensity he had been using while banging on those drums still in full effect.

"Anyways" Tyler says, bringing the conversation back to where it had started "I bet she's still out there...waiting for you...hoping she'll be your girl for the night" he taunts winking to add fire to flame my protest against the idea.

"You know I don't do that anymore" I mumble, walking over to grab my phone and seeing that Sage is still blowing it up.

"Why don't you just block her? She's obviously psycho if she thinks that you're still gonna go back to her after all the shit she put you through" he says, bringing up past memories from my last relationship that I would really rather forget.

"Ty stop" Leo warns, coming to my defense when he sees how tense I've gotten from the way he's been bad mouthing my ex.

"Why? We all know she deserves it" he presses, leaving me balling my hands into fists, seriously considering shutting him up but when I turn around Ash's hand is already clamping down on my wrist.

"Just let it go" he mumbles, leaving me relaxing my hands knowing that he's right but I'm still ticked off.

"I need some air" I huff, pulling my wrist out of his grasp and shoving the back door open, leading to the fenced off parking lot behind the venue, a convenient place where I can breathe in the cool night air. 

It's become a routine I'm accustom to whenever Tyler gets on my nerves at this point and after clearing my head for what feels like mere moments I hear footsteps making their way over to me.

"I don't wanna hear it Ash, I'm fine" I sigh, my back resting against the side of the building, head hanging low, focused on the rocks I'm toying with.

"I'm not Ash" the voice says and my head pops up, watching as the familiar form gets closer. "And I didn't come here to lecture you" she says, mirroring my posture and leaning up against the wall beside me.

"Hey Strings" I mumble the name I gave y/n, one of our newish staff members. "You probably heard all that huh?" I ask and she shrugs her shoulders.

"Not all of it but I'm pretty sure I got the gist of it" she admits, shoving her hands in her hoodie to shield them from the cool breeze that's blown our way.

"You should head back inside. I don't want you to catch a cold" I nod towards the door and she scoffs. "I should be the one saying that to you Mr. Lead Singer. Last time I checked we still have a couple more shows left" she scolds and I chuckle under my breath, shaking my head.

"What happened to not lecturing me?" I raise a brow at her and she crosses her arms, biting her tongue and going back to keeping her promise.

"As long as you're out here, I'm out here" she argues and I mirror her posture.

"Don't come crying to me when you feel like shit in the morning" I say and she scoffs in response "Then you better not come crying to me either" she says and I smile, knowing that she'll be at my mercy if I need her.

"That's your job though isn't it Princess?" I say, my voice dropping and I relish in the reaction she gives me. Her eyes widen a bit but if you blinked you would've missed it and she turns her head to hide the fact that my words effected her.

"Don't call me that" she mumbles and I laugh, bumping my shoulder against her's, "You know I was just teasing you y/n" I say and she shakes her head. "Don't call me that either" she protests and I can't help but want to keep toying with her.

"Why not? That's your name isn't it?" I say, poking her in the side, making her jump and whack my arm without hesitation. "It's Strings, anything else sounds weird coming out of your mouth" she says and I smile.

"I thought you hated that name" I chuckle and she sighs, "It's...grown on me" she mumbles and I hum, content that it seems we've gotten closer.

"Seems like you've gotten a lot better at restringing our guitars though so I might have to come up with a new nickname for you. Perhaps Sticks" I say, tapping my chin and remembering how she dropped a box of Zack's backup drum sticks the other day.

"Strings is just fine since it might as well be carved into my skin from all the times they broke on me" she says in reference to the many many times she had messed up when she started working with us on our last tour.

"I'll never forget the day we met" I say and she cringes, "One hell of a first impression huh?" she scoffs, still embarrassed to this day.

"Well when your first impression of your new crew member is a shy 'Hello' and the next second their thumb is getting sliced open by a rouge guitar string then yeah I guess you could say that's one way to be remembered" I chuckle and she slides down the wall, resting on her heels and curling up into a ball.

"Oh come on it wasn't that bad" I say, crouching down next to her but she shakes her head, "I'm never gonna live that one down huh?" she groans.

"Probably not, but it was a great ice breaker...or I guess skin slicer" I say, trying to make a joke out of it but it doesn't go over well when she groans again and refuses to say anything else.

"You're lucky I was able to take you to the hospital since everyone else was busy" I say, my teasing nature with her relentless as always.

"I wouldn't call it lucky since I had to listen to your whiney singing the whole way there" she retorts and I gasp, feigning offense but this is the same song and dance we have every time this memory is brought up.

"People would pay to hear this whiney voice sing. Oh right...they do" I retort and she huffs, standing up to lean against the wall again and I follow her in suit.

"You alright though?" she asks and I breathe out, trying to figure out how to keep my temper in check. "I swear that man is more interested in getting me laid than he is in himself" I say and she chuckles, listening wordlessly and waiting for me to get it all off my chest.

"I don't understand why he's so obsessed with the fact that I'm not sleeping around. Sage and I broke up right before we went on tour and all he's been doing is trying to pawn me off to whatever girl he's noticed has got her eye on me. If he doesn't have a girl on his arm yet then he's concerned about getting one under mine" I ramble and she nods along.

"He claims it's gonna help me blow off some steam but the only time I feel the need to do that is when he's ticking me off again" I finish, trying to slow my breathing so I don't get myself too worked up again.

"He's just trying to look out for you but I will admit he's probably not going about it in the healthiest way...but he means well" she tries to reminds me and I know she's right, but something about the way he goes about it just rubs me the wrong way. 

"Yeah I know" I mumble running a hand through my hair in an effort to brush off the emotions this whole ordeal is bringing me.

"You wanna get out of here?" she asks making me chuckle. "That's my line" a wicked grin spreading across my lips making her push off the wall and walk away. "Suit yourself" she says, brushing off my teasing as me declining her invitation. 

"Hey wait up! I didn't say no" I protest jogging over to her and draping my arm around her shoulders, leaning on her so she stumbles and tries to push me off.

"You're pushing your luck here" she says but I wrap my other arm around her as well and follow her to the car that's parked next to the tour bus. "Liz gave you the keys?" I ask, surprised that our manager is letting her take the car for a spin.

"Not in so many words. She told me to look after you so I figured I would need a car to do that properly" she relays and when I walk over to the drivers side first and hold out my hand she tosses me the keys.

"If she tries to chew your ass out about it just tell her it was my idea" I say and she rolls her eyes before we both sink down into our seats. "Can't have my favorite staff member getting fired now can I?" I say and she sighs. "Don't let Liz hear you saying that or I'll really get fired" she warns and I turn the key in the ignition to start the car.

"Everyone knows you're my favorite, Strings" I say and she crosses her arms over her chest and slumps down into the seat. I take that as a good reaction since she usually gets shy when I say stuff like that but I'll have mercy on her this time and enjoy our night.

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[tulpanya]

take me out!

includes : (mouthwashing) anya, curly, daisuke, swansea.

summary : it's time for a date! the types of date [character] takes you out on!

warnings : gn! reader. pet names ("hun" - curly, "babe" - daisuke).

ANYA

quiet night in.

The smell of takeout wafted through the air as you brought in the food, Anya's mouth already watering. Unable to wait any longer, she paddles her way over to where you're serving the food on some plates. "This was a good call, Anya." You grin, the food getting to you as well. "We really needed a night in!" She nods in agreement.

"And I already rented the movie," She chirps, taking her plate and walking with you back into the living room, where blankets, pillows, and various candies are strewn for maximum comfort.

Snuggling close together under the covers, with full bellies and a good movie, Anya couldn't help but feel her heart do little somersaults because this was a night she definitely needed.

café.

It was a small cafe with a warm environment, and you and Anya often frequented the place whenever you two had time. "They have a new design- a cat!" Anya says, she's always been in awe of how they manage to do the cute little designs in her lattes. You both order and when she shows you the cat you can't help but snicker.

"Why're you laughing?" Anya asks, confused by your reaction.

"Because it looks just like you!" You say between laughs, begging for her to hold it up a little so you can take a picture of her and cat-latte-art-her. She gives an awkward smile, not quite seeing the similarities but pleased you seem so happy. You instantly make the picture your lockscreen.

"Wha- don't do that!" She cries out, embarrassed by the photo.

"But you and cat-anya will give me strength when I can't persist!" She, reluctantly, lets you keep the picture as your lockscreen.

botanical garden.

You were running late, and as much as that disappointed you, it was also totally worth it to see Anya standing there in all her beauty. Despite the most beautiful flowers surrounding her, she was, without a doubt, the most gorgeous thing within the vicinity. After she anxiously checked her watch and glanced around, you finally snapped out of your stupor and greeted her.

"Anya, sorry I'm late- a train-" Anya lets out a relieved breath, reaching for you and pressing a quick kiss to the corner of your cheek.

"I'm just glad you're okay," She pulls away and chuckles at how flustered you look from a simple kiss and her worry. "Should we... walk?" She asks, her hand reaching for yours, interlocking fingers with you.

"Y- yeah! Yes, let's go!" The flowers were nice, but you both seemed a little distracted with each other— you'll both have to visit another time.

CURLY

stargazing.

It's so cheesy and cliche, yet Curly somehow manages to pull off a 'night under the stars' perfectly. A beautiful spot, a comfortable blanket, some simple snacks, and of course an extra coat that he can wrap around you should you get too cold.

He's got your head resting on his shoulder/chest, and he occasionally points out a constellation. "Over there is Delphinus," He says, his eyes never leaving the stars. He truly loved the night sky, it's obvious he always had. You hum, snuggling closer to him.

"What about that one over there?" You ask, pointing to a bright one.

"That," He says, a grin on his lips that just screams trouble. "Is Venus, planet of love." He moves so he's hovering above you now, mischief in his eyes. He leans down, pressing a kiss to your lips, before another, and another, and the planets and stars are long forgotten as you two kiss under the night sky.

hiking.

Whether you have been hiking before or not, Curly is always excited to wake up early with you and go for a hike. He's like a golden retriever with how much energy he has as you two move through the rocky terrain.

He's still ever the gentleman though, "Let me help you," He says, lending you his hand to step over a particularly rough part. He doesn't really let go of your hand after that, much preferring to make sure you stay by his side instead.

By the time you two reach the top, the view is most definitely worth it. "It's beautiful," You breathe, eyes looking out over the horizon. Curly smiles, his gaze trained on you and only you.

"Sure is."

food truck.

It's greasy, messy, but Curly absolutely loves getting food from a food truck with you and just walking around the city/a nearby park. "Damn," He mumbles with a mouthful of food as the greasy food began to drip down his chin. You can't help but laugh at his panicked face as he tries to lick it up (and fail).

"Hold on you big baby," You tease, grabbing a spare napkin you shoved in your pocket and wiping the grease away for him. He swallows his food and bites back a laugh.

"Thanks," Curly leans in for a kiss but you push away his head, "Wha- hun?"

"Oh, no way! You choose to get extra garlic. I'm not kissing you." Curly whines for a little, pouting about not getting a kiss but eventually gets over it at the promise of kisses after he brushes his teeth. "You're something else, you know that?"

"You love me." He declares rather confidently, and you can't deny he's right.

DAISUKE

videogames.

"I'll be your player two, babe." Daisuke so chivalrously offers up the player one position to you, which you gladly take his offer for. It's a two-player puzzle rpg game where you have to help each other throughout the game- and Daisuke is already vowing his 'life' to you.

"Not that way, not that way!" You exclaim, trying to keep Daisuke from falling off the screen during a boss battle.

"I know, I know!" He squeaks tilting with his controller, "The controls are all backwards ugh! I'm tryin', just give me a second, okay?" You both are so focused and intense, fighting the boss battle with the utmost seriousness. And when that beautiful flash of 'You Win' shines on the screen you both hug each other with relief.

"Finally!" You cheer, "I thought we'd be stuck at that boss for hours!" You fake cry tears of relief, and Daisuke joins in with your faux tears.

"It's all because of your amazing leadership, babe! Thank you for not leaving me behind~"

"I literally couldn't..." You say, suddenly a little deadpan. You pull away and give him a pointed look, and all Daisuke can do is giggle, knowing he caused more trouble than help throughout the game.

"It's because my guy was all weird- next time I'll be player one and you'll see!"

"Suuuure, Dai... Sure."

karaoke.

The first time Daisuke took you to karaoke you didn't expect him to have such a nice voice, but now you look forward to going to karaoke with him just to hear him sing!

"This one's for you babe!" Daisuke points to you, just as he has for the last several songs he's dedicated to you. You simply clap and cheer as he dances about, singing another love song. That's when he realizes that it's actually a duet, and he begins to beckon you on stage.

"C'mon," He urges you to hurry, and you (albeit hesitantly) join him on the little stage area and take the extra mic. You join in on cue, both of you now singing your hearts out together- and the next several songs continue on like this until you're both so exhausted you collapse on the sofa in the karaoke room.

aquarium.

"I have a special connection with the fish, just watch." Daisuke says almost too confidently before putting his forehead against the fish tank with his eyes squeezed shut. You just watch in amusement, wondering how long he'll do this. Finally he snaps his eyes open and turns to you with a proud smile.

"And... what did you just do with this special connection?"

"I just told all the fish that I love my partner so, so, so, sooo much." He says, nodding along with his words. You snort a laugh, shaking your head at his antics. "What? It's true! They had to know, don't need some stingray trying to woo you."

"I doubt that'd happen," You say, wiping some tears from the corner of your eyes from laughing too hard. "But good to know that all the fishes know how much we love each other." Daisuke grins, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you to the next exhibit.

"Now I gotta go make sure the crustaceans know too."

SWANSEA

sport event.

Swansea had somehow managed to snag some pretty good tickets to an upcoming game of his favorite team- and he had invited you to come with him. You didn't know much about the sport, but that didn't stop you from researching into the game as much as possible before going with him.

Swansea had to bite back a snicker as you showed up fully decked out in the opposite teams merch- seems you got a little confused, but your enthusiasm melted his heart. "I- I know that!" You declared when he told you about the mishap. "I wanted us to have a rivals-to-lover thing going on."

"Riiiight..." He eyes you suspiciously, not believing you one bit but he'll let it slide. Despite the embarrassing mistake, Swansea seems proud to have you by his side as you two attend the game even though some other attendants seem to be giving you a nasty glare. He just flips them off before wrapping his arm around you.

restaurant.

Swansea enjoyed listening to you chat about your day, the quiet atmosphere of the cozy restaurant only added to the experience. When the food finally comes out you excitedly get ready to eat, only to notice Swansea's meal looks a little more appetizing.

"Mm? Oh, no... No, absolutely not." Swansea sighs, shaking his head. He could already feel a little headache forming.

"Just a bite?" You ask, batting your lashes. Swansea groans, begrudgingly offering a bite of his food. That was, as he knew, a mistake as you moaned about how good the food tasted. You then offered him a bite of yours. He rolled his eyes.

"Give it to me."

"Thank you~" You coo, swapping plates with him. You take his hand and give it a little squeeze. "You're the best~"

"Just eat your food."

bowling.

"You're not winning." Swansea said, rolling his eyes. You had never once won since you two started going bowling regularly. You scoff at him, putting on your bowling shoes.

"I'll have you know I've been practicing!"

"Alright, if you win, what do you want?" Swansea concedes, indulging your competitiveness. You hum, thinking before a grin grows on your face. He did not like the sight of that.

"When I win, I want you to admit that I'm a waaaaay better bowler than you." He scoffs this time. You shrug, standing up and approaching the lanes. "Afraid you'll lose, Swans?"

"Hardly, I'm just thinking about how good you'll look vacuuming."

"Wha- If I lose I have to vacuum?!" Swansea rolls his shoulders, his gaze hardened by the bet you two had set up. "W- Well, that's only if I lose- which I won't! So prepare to admit your defeat and to vacuum!" You say, before ultimately losing the match.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

[sapphira-mydnyte]

💚🐍Bartender's Enchantment🐍💚

Sebastian & Garreth have the day off & go visit Ominis, but the boys are in for a surprise of their own.

Garreth & Sebastian couldn't turn away at who happened to be leading the team in the place with the bosses out of town. "Bloody hell! I didn't think Gaunt was going to be left in charge today, not with as packed out as the place is." Sebastian was the first one in the door that morning, had seen the place fill to capacity within an hour & it hadn't stopped. "It was just the two of us at opening time & he told me it was his turn to run the place since his boss & the assistants are out in London for a corporate meeting. He has more seniority than the rest of the staff save for those three uppermost managers. I don't know how he does it since most usually want nothing to do with him. Maybe it's because he's on the clock & everyone knows he can't act up while working that they've all filled the place." The brunette turned towards the redhead in front of him, trying to hold back a laugh at the thought.

"Ha! Ominis may have a sharp tongue, but he keeps the place up no matter who he's with. Plus.... I've noticed a few of the ladies in here stealing looks at him." Garreth hadn't been there as long as Sebastian had been, seeing as how he came closer to lunch time than at breakfast. Sebastian wasn't scheduled to work that day & neither was Garreth, but since both of them had the day off, they decided to work on their projects at the little coffee shop that Ominis worked at.

Sebastian ran a branch of BACA in Hogsmeade which kept him busy with countless children needing assistance in the courts against their abusers & none came more fierce than he did. Although his main job was still Head Auror of the Ministry, his work between the department & the club earned him clearance to the muggle world to help the kids of both worlds. In having such a rare day off, he had to come visit his best friend. "It's a bit of a shame that my best friend doesn't have the day off, but I know he's getting overtime for it today."

Garreth let out a little giggle at the thought of the trouble the three of them would cause if Ominis got the day off. "Come on Sebastian, you know the three of us would be causing mischief with the kids you work with if Ominis had the day off! You KNOW we'd get nothing done & goof off." Sebastian stuck his tongue out with a sly smirk on his face. "Nothing wrong with that! When was the last time WE got to go have that level of fun anyway?" Garreth put his head down as he broke into a face-hurting round of laughter. Garreth, being the inventive Weasley that he was, not only ran the potion shop in Hogsmeade with Mr. Pippin, but also helped his aunt at Hogwarts as substitute professor for Professor Sharp when he had to be out. His aunt & Pippin himself agreed to give Garreth the day off with Sebastian since the minister had popped in at Hogwarts to check on the staff for his annual audit.

Ominis, having heard the two of them in the corner, shook his head as he finished brewing the drinks his two friends were enjoying. He was blind, but his hearing was second to none & so were his senses of smell & taste. It wasn't like he could ignore his friends either since they came in on their day off, so he walked all the way to the back of the shop to where Sallow & Weasley sat. "You don't think I didn't hear that? I heard every bit of it. I had today planned off, but those in power just HAD to have their weekend meeting. You'll have to forgive me this time as it wasn't my fault this came about." Clearly, the blond wasn't too happy in having to work & miss a day out with his friends. He was heartbroken, but determined to make it up to them. "I already told Lera, Mika & Sirus that if I worked today I wanted Valentine's Day off with no setbacks & no excuses. My day off request was negated today, so hopefully they make it a point to allow me off for the holiday. The last thing I need is to be flirted with on that love-sickening day by females"

Natty, having chosen to stay in Scotland & try her hand to learn more on the delicious drinks, made her way to the boys just as he finished talking. "Ominis, you've ran the place since six this morning & we have friends here. Go on, take an hour or two off to go be with them. I'll take your place as your second in command. Besides... it has been a bit since since I've seen the three of you enjoy yourselves like you used to." She hugged all three of the boys before returning to the bar, happily waving at them. She had come in at ten that morning, ready to take on the lunch crowd & took the reigns from the heir. "Come on everybody! Let's get to it! I'm giving Ominis a break since he came in early to get our morning rush taken care of."

✨