#but it takes time and money to take the classes

[kngrose]

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐊𝐀 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐄

sevika with a s/o from piltover

WARNINGS: mentions of alcohol, fluff and more fluff

from reselí ᡣ𐭩 : happy new year! i hope everyone’s had happy holidays! i’d like to thank you all for the kind messages and for all of your submissions; my inbox is filled. i took a small hiatus to prioritize family and to sort out my other blog and content, but mother has returned and asks will be answered! ᡣ𐭩

Just thinking about the first time she catches you sneaking into the undercity.

You definitely weren’t supposed to be there, you or your friends; But you all had ended up feeling a little ballsy and sneaking into Zaun after a few drinks of stolen alcohol from their parents.

It was fun. One might call you shallow or privileged for ‘escaping’ Piltover to party in Zaun. Randomly appearing from your wealthy life to the common wealth; because you had that luxury.

But how could you care? It was exhilarating to get away from all the snobs of Topside and the snobby school filled with snobby teens and all their snobby parents money.

You see in Topside, nothing less than brilliance was expected of you. From a young age you were groomed to excel in every aspect of the word: your parents meticulously planning out your life. Enrollment into the prestigious school was non-negotiable, and to your parents your success wasn’t measured by personal growth, but by your accolades and connections.

It’s not enough that you’re accepted into such a narrow landing, you must exceed their expectations. Achieve feats that cement your families legacy.

And after being the top of your class, exceeding in every extra curricular, and remaining poised and graceful at all times, you’ll be expected to choose a suitor and marry into more snobby wealth.

All the rules and regulations were much too heavy a burden, and it felt nice to be at ease for once.

And so what if for once turned into every now and then…

Your friends had long ditched the idea, emphasizing that it was a ‘one time thing’ and they wouldn’t be supporting your idea to keep frequenting the ‘poor’.

Well so be it, if you had to be alone, a lone wolf you’d be. You’d navigated these streets before, you know your way there and back—

“Lost, sweetheart?”

The voice was low and sharp, cutting through the noise like a blade. You froze, your hand instinctively reaching for the small dagger hidden under your cloak. When you turned, a woman stood a few feet away, leaning casually against the brick wall. Her stance was deceptively relaxed, but her sharp gaze missed nothing.

She was larger than life, her broad shoulders and metal arm gleaming faintly under the dull glow of a nearby streetlamp. Even in the dim light, her gaze was unmistakable—dangerous and amused, like a predator catching sight of prey.

“I don’t think this is your side of town,” she continued, taking a step closer. The sound of her boots against the cobblestones echoed ominously. “Little piltie girl, right? The hell could you possibly be doing all the way down here?”

Your breath caught. You’d done everything to blend in—rough clothes, a lowered hood—but it clearly hadn’t been enough. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said, forcing your voice to stay steady.

She just scoffed, the sound deep and mocking. “Sure, and I’m the head of the Council.” She tilted her head, studying you like a puzzle she was deciding whether to solve. “You stick out like a sore thumb. So, why don’t you save us both some time and tell me what you’re looking for?”

You hesitated, weighing your options. Lying felt pointless; she’d already seen through you. But telling her the truth? You weren’t sure if that would be better or worse. “I’m just passing through,” you said, attempting to sidestep her.

Her metal arm shot out, blocking your path with a loud clang as it met the wall beside you. She leaned in, her face close enough that you could see the faint scar cutting across her cheek. “Passing through?” she echoed, her voice dripping with disbelief. “That’s funny, because people from Piltover don’t pass through the Undercity. They either come looking for trouble, or they’re running from it.”

Her words made your stomach twist. You opened your mouth to respond, but she cut you off, her sharp gaze narrowing. “Let me guess,” she said, her tone almost bored. “You’re here for something you can’t get topside. Something dangerous. Am I right?”

You swallowed hard, your silence giving you away. “Something like that..”

She huffed through her nose in amusement, leaning back just enough to give you a moment to breathe. “Thought so. Look, Piltover girl, this place eats people like you alive.” She paused, her eyes glinting with amusement as she sized you up. “You should stay where you’re safe. Never know who might be looking to ruin something so soft.”

Looking back, it’s a bit ironic.

She’d put in enough effort to try and keep you away; told you harrowing stories and showed you the daunting realities of Zaun. She’d walked you through the slums of the place, let you see the true living conditions. True, it was a lifetime different than Piltover. Also true, you now understood the shallowness of calling such a place ‘fun’. You’d seen the truth now, and it almost made you want to make a change. She’d succeeded in making you want to stay away from the undercity entirely.

Just not her.

Of course it wasn’t anything either of you had planned or foreseen; The random attraction that you just knew was mutual. Of course attraction wasn’t enough to put a label on it, but you figured when she became your unofficial guide of the Undercity that it was enough to be called acquaintances.

The first few nights were cautious. Going directly against her orders, as she’d called it, she’d caught you sneaking through the Undercity again. She figured she’d just let you wonder around and probably get mugged or whatever. But she couldn’t— and against her better judgment, she chaperoned you.

Sevika didn't trust you— why would she? What sort of a pea brained Piltie would come down here? For fun, at that? She kept her distance, watching you as you wandered the undercity with the wonder of someone who had never known hardship. You’d asked questions, not just about Zaun but about her: her arm, her life, her thoughts. Sevika answered sparingly at first, her natural suspicion at war with a growing amusement at your audacity.

But you kept coming back, and Sevika found herself drawn to you stubbornness. Unlike most Pilties, you weren't trying to fix anything or impose your ideas of progress. You just wanted to understand. Over time, Sevika began to meet you intentionally, waiting at the same spot every night after her work was done.

She took you deeper into Zaun, showing you places most outsiders never saw: the hidden workshops where discarded scraps became innovation, the quiet corners where people found moments of joy amid the chaos. In return, the you shared snippets of your life in Piltover-stories of rigid expectations and a yearning for freedom that resonated more with Sevika than she cared to admit.

Your relationship grew slowly, almost entirely against your wills. For you, Sevika was a stark contrast to the life you’d known: a life of politeness, restraint, and pretense. Sevika's blunt honesty and strength were intoxicating. For Sevika, you were a reminder that not all Piltover elites were heartless or blind to the suffering below.

Your connection deepened in secret. Meetings in shadowed alleys and hidden corners of Zaun, far from prying eyes. Sevika, ever the realist, tried to keep her guard up. "This is dangerous. For both of us," she would say.

But you were persistent. "Everything about my life is already decided for me," you whispered one night, your voice trembling. "This... you... it's the only thing that feels real."

Sevika knew the risks. She'd spent her life surviving in a world that crushed the weak. Falling for a Piltie—a woman whose family was arranging her marriage to a wealthy, ambitious topsider— was a vulnerability she couldn't afford.

And yet, Sevika couldn't stop herself.

She supposed if she’d treated you like the liability that you were this could’ve been avoided.

"Your folks are trying to get you with some preppy boy? Damn. Just imagine the look on his face when they tell him that their daughter's in love with some thug twice her age."

She’d joke about it a lot, but you could hear the insecurity behind her ‘joking’ words.

The arranged marriage loomed over you like a storm. Your parents saw you as nothing more than a pawn in their political games, and the marriage was meant to strengthen their position in Piltover's cutthroat hierarchy. It was a hard pill to swallow. You hated it, but defying them would mean losing everything; your family, your status, your safety.

Sevika would sneer at herself privately. How could she— hardened by years of betrayal and loss, find herself wanting something she’d never thought she deserved?

Love.

With a piltie… It left a bitter taste on her tongue.

"I could run away," She recalled you offering one night, laid up in her flat, voice filled with desperation. "Leave Piltover. Stay with you." But she shook her head. "You don't belong in Zaun, and I don't belong topside. Running won't change that. Not to mention," She sat up on one arm looking down at you, “You know what type of hell they’d raise down here if you go ‘missing’?” You bit your tongue at her words, and she’d avoided your gaze. The truth was painful.

The alley was partially quiet tonight, the only sound the soft hum of the dying streetlights. You should’ve known better than to come back here. Every trip to the Undercity felt like stepping further into a fire, knowing you were already too close to getting burned.

The streetlights above flickered in the distance, casting a pale glow that barely penetrated the smog-choked night air. You tugged your scarf tighter, feeling the weight of it—of the lies you’d told, the deceit. But your heart beat faster as you heard the sound of heavy boots crunching the metal beneath them, unmistakable even in the shadows.

“You’re late.”

Sevika’s voice broke through the silence, low and commanding. You hadn’t seen her yet, but you didn’t need to. You knew the sound of her voice, the sharpness that always lingered in it.

You turned slowly, your heart catching in your throat when you saw her silhouette leaning against the rusted wall. Her eyes, glowing faintly in the dim light, locked onto yours with a gaze that was both predatory and possessive. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her stance confident and unyielding.

“I had to make sure no one followed me,” you said, your voice quiet, laced with the unease that always came with being here. Being with her. She raised an eyebrow, the corners of her lips curling up in a half-smile that never quite reached her eyes. “Do you think I’d let you get caught?” she asked, stepping forward, her presence commanding the space between you.

You stare at her with fond eyes; She’s was everything you weren’t supposed to want—strong, dangerous, and untouchable. She had a reputation that spread like wildfire through both cities, and you were well aware of the risks.

And yet, you’re drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

Her gaze softened, just for a second, and she reached out to gently push a strand of hair from your face. All of your reservations melted away. The rest of the world disappeared, leaving just the two of you.

“I hate that you come down here,” she murmured, her voice quieter now, a rare vulnerability creeping into her tone. “It’s dangerous… you’ve got no business in this place.”

You took a step closer, the pull between you undeniable. “I don’t care about that. I need to be here. I need to see you.” Her eyes darkened, and her breath caught for a moment before she let out a low chuckle. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Piltover. If anyone finds out—”

“They won’t.” You reached for her hand, your fingers brushing the cold metal of her prosthetic, the touch both thrilling and unsettling. “I trust you.”

Sevika’s gaze flickered to your hand before meeting your eyes. There was a long pause, the air between you charged with something unspoken. Then, in a move that was both tender and possessive, she pulled you closer.

“You shouldn’t.” she murmured, her voice a low growl. “Not in this place. Not when you have everything to lose.”

“But I do,” you whispered, your lips brushing against hers. “I trust you with everything.”

She hesitated, and for a moment, you thought she might pull away, that she might remember the boundaries that should never have been crossed. But instead, her hand moved to the back of your neck, pulling you into a kiss that was raw and desperate—filled with the months of unspoken longing and defiance.

The kiss was everything you both had been hiding. Everything you both knew you could never have. The danger, the risk, the lie of it all, wrapped in the heat of her lips, the fierceness of her touch.

When she pulled back, her chest rose and fell with the same unsteady breath you were trying to catch. She pressed her forehead against yours, her metal arm resting at your waist as she held you close.

“You’re a fool,” she said softly. “This can’t go anywhere. You know that, right?”

You nodded, your fingers tracing the edge of her leather coat. “I know. But I don’t care.”

She chuckled darkly, though there was something softer in her gaze now—something that, for the first time, made her look almost vulnerable. “We’re both fools then,” she said quietly, before kissing you again, deeper this time, as though sealing a pact neither of you could break.

please let me know if you’d like to be added to my taglist to be notified whenever i post, xx

taglist: @opropheticsoul @randomperson291 @arevik2345 @gravegoer @d3eathnotes @nikaachuuuu @elwerostinky-13 @maiiluvs @sevikasfan @hearrrtfillia @facelesshere @vanillasundaeblob @jannesyjane @bamtorriii @simp-of-the-day @hellokittyfeenie @livingdeddghirl @trizxyp @finefocks @pleasantlyhotgarbage @halle5s @ariariarr @herlilkitty @lominaria @xxblairslairxx @croissantime @saturnknows @bloodyskns @theogkqthxrjne @malacrnaruza @softsy

tags r weird!!!

[cosplayparental]

Seriously don't interact with it because when you do youre just hurting others. I know it seems harmless but my own writing for Aizawa from MHA was stolen off AO3 to program some Aizawa bots on c.ai. I wasn't asked if they could do it, I didn't find out until a friend told me because they recognized my writing style from screen shots they saw online from Aizawa bots and I haven't seen any actual justice. The bots are still there, c.ai won't take them down even though I've done everything I can to get it to happen. I don't have enough money to take them to court and force them to shut the bots down. Another app like this I only got 3 bucks out of a class action lawsuit. Months I spent spending my time to craft stories lovingly to share with others pulled away and used to train AI without my consent. No the character wasn't mine but the story ideas, the phrasing and the writing style I have spent YEARS crafting can be generated with just a few prompts. This has put a huge dent in my progress on being able to become an independent author. I'm having to change how I write so people can't accuse me of using AI because someone was selfish and put MY words into a machine.

Don't use AI. Period.

reminder that being against ai also means being against character.ai and not using character.ai and not interacting with character.ai

i've never talked to chatgpt i've never talked to character.ai i have no interest in talking to a chatbot even if it's fun or based on my comfort character. if we want companies to stop using ai we need to tell them we aren't going to interact with it - so don't.

don't talk to robots. full stop.

[rawan-soso]

As the adults struggle to find food and keep a roof over everyone’s heads, the children of northern Gaza also have their own struggles. Their mental health is in a horrible state.

I hesitated to talk about this. I don’t want people to think we have so many donations that we can afford to buy my sister toys. It’s not that we can afford it. It’s just that sometimes we have to skip a meal to buy something for her because the boredom is making her even more depressed. She has severe trauma, she has seen bombs dismember people, she has escaped multiple massacres with us. But now the other kids in the building keep breaking her toys while playing and we can't buy a new one immediately, because there are more urgent things. The cheapest thing in northern Gaza right now is makeup, because no one needs it, so I bought some. I apply it on myself and Soso to make her happy, but I don’t always have the energy or time to play with her. I’m exhausted, sick and malnourished, and I still have to do chores and spend hours at the market looking for the most affordable food, clothes, and hopefully medicine.

We have many expenses that we don’t talk about because people won’t see them as vital. Phone chargers (only used ones that die fast, because new ones are insanely expensive). A fee for the neighbors who have the internet router. Phone bills and data. Toys for the children. School books and private tutors for students.

You’re right, it wouldn’t be vital if the war had only lasted for a week. But it’s been more than a year. Our children’s mental health is destroyed, especially children as young as Soso who is only 4 years old and whose brain is developing in a genocide. Students can’t just stop studying for all this time. My other sister missed her entire last year of high school, but she wants to take university entrance exams. Dropping out of university because of the war has killed everything in me. I can’t let her experience the same kind of loss, so I pay for her books, for paper and printing, for private tutoring classes.

I had to buy three phone chargers in a month. The first one was $70. Days later, it was $100. Two days ago, a neighbor fried the second charger, and the new one was $200. I cried that day, because it wasn't even my fault. The prices of everything keep going up and I feel like I’m going insane. Even our landlord tried to increase the rent. It’s okay if I sacrifice meals. I’m used to hunger. But I have three younger siblings and I can’t watch them lose even more than they already have. I want them to study and play. I want them to eat and stay warm.

Please help me. When all of this is over, I’ll get my degree, find a good job, and I’ll never ask for anything again. But as long as the war keeps going, I need your help. I promise your donations don’t go to waste. Food and rent will always be the priority. Soso and my grandmother are the first beneficiaries. We always think carefully before buying anything. I hope we can reach the final goal soon, and that it will cover all expenses until the war ends, because I’m so tired of relying on strangers. I hate asking for money. I’m eternally grateful to anyone who helps, but the guilt won’t fade, because I wanted to be an independent girl and help my family myself. I'm exhausted and depressed.

My campaign is vetted! ✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #347 )✅️

Forgive me, you shared before and it helped a lot so I ask you to please share again @kerosene-saint @andnowanowl @omegasmileyface @4c-aperture @bahrmp3 @dhmiss55-blog @woodesnake @original-character-chaos @revalentinee @rapogirl13 @gorillawithautism @xerxestexastoast @kyoukainokanata @rabiesrabiesdog @rainyrebloggin @ok1237 @isummonedadragon @pro-pin-prinny @boxheadpaint @rukafais @butcklinkle @earlysunsetting @ceeberoni @strangeauthor @the–pony-box @blurrycow @nabulsi @90-ghost

[l0v3r666]

Hey it's me again! Hope you're doing good!

Could I get more Leona (That lion had me in his claws from the beginning and I never got away), with a captured heart for his mate?

If not that's fine. I know it's not a one word prompt or adjective. Thank you either way!

SHUT UP THIS IS CUTE!!! My favourite kind of request tbhhh

Leona’s so dedicated to you it makes him go crazy. Nobody else compares anymore, what have you done to get him so addicted?? Your smile, your smell, hell even your sleepy voice has him burying his face into your neck,,

Dedicated!Leona that doesn’t ask you to find him between classes, but just so happens he’s got his paws on your homework. You wouldn’t make a delicate princeling walk, wouldya? ;) Crewel nearly bites your head off for skipping, but that nap was worth it for the hickies alone.

Dedicated!Leona hates whenever one of your little friends gets on his tail about your relationship- if the two of you’re enjoying yourselves then what’s the problem? Those high and mighty types are always preaching about how he could improve your QOL, but hasn’t. If you really need it he’ll let you bunk in his den, but maybe he just likes the rush of sneaking around in that hunk of junk. Call him a romantic, but something about your “humble” living gets him going

UGGGHHHHHHH dedicated!Leona gets tunnel vision towards anyone who approaches him with anything but corny smalltalk and it’s not like he’s inviting that either. His family tosses lovesick herbivores at him as much as they do money, but he throws it all away for you. It’s always been you.

Dedicated!Leona wants nothing more than to marry you after he’s done with NRC’s house of horrors (if you’ll take him). It’s easy to see the win-win aspect of it! You get everything you could ever buy, and he gets a pretty little spouse. You’ll kiss your groom when the time comes, won’t you? The two of you cut a fine figure <33

[wtfaniii]

oneshot in-ho x reader whos a player not bc of debt but because she was investigating with gi-hun? in-ho falls in love w her and protects her during the games (he knew abt her as he had stalked gi hun and his team duh)

thank u🙏🏻

Just when I read this I had just uploaded a one-shot more or less with that theme of the researcher girl.

I love it, thanks for reading🤎

Paparazzi

Summary: A private detective that Gi-hun had hired to investigate those games he participated in three years ago, is taken against her will without knowing that a certain man with power and money knew absolutely every detail about her.

Warnings: Just some harassment from this sexy man, violence and inappropriate language. Also, I made a modification to one of the games so that the reader could be with them

Note: Your wishes are my command! Orders will remain open and I will try to respond as soon as possible.

Her job was supposed to be just to do some research, collect names, dates and addresses, but fate had other things in store for she.

—Form lines to advance! It will be harder for the puppet to detect you that way —Gi-hun shouted to the players who were still alive after that massacre.

The girl was shaking uncontrollably. Unfortunately, she hadn't managed to get behind someone and now the doll was in her sights. Her hands didn't stop moving and clearly noticed how one of the weapons from heaven was pointing at her.

—Please... —She whispered shakily, yeah... maybe she was a coward but it's only because survival is not his specialty.

"Player 455" heard one of the guards through his communicator, he aimed directly at the head of the trembling girl but before pulling the trigger he heard the voice of his leader "Don't shoot, let her continue" and without protest he obeyed him order.

In a gilded room, with a huge screen in front of a single sofa and a small table next to it, rested the man who led and maintained order in these games.

Drinking a little more whiskey, In-ho kept his eyes on the screen and with the remote control he focused on player 455, the poor girl was terrified, it was not the first impression he expected from her after having read her entire file.

He had read that she was a great detective, top of her class, she was cunning, intelligent, and had a couple of master's degrees completed, but seeing her afraid of dying almost made him laugh.

It was amazing how being face to face with death changed people.

—Nobody shoot her —he added over the radio without taking his eyes off the screen.

He could see the girl's confusion at seeing thatwas still alive despite moving very slightly.

In-ho knew everything about her, he knew what she was weak on, her strengths, weaknesses, her way of operating, he even knew about that beloved cat she had in his childhood and died of old age.

He had taken the time and dedication to investigate even the smallest details about her, it was the least he could do after almost discovering his identity.

The detective was so close to discovering the entire empire of these games that he had to be her brought together with Gi-hun by force so as not to let her finish the task.

He twisted his lips as the whiskey vanished and the first game, green light, red light, was over.

He didn't want her dead, or at least not for now, until he knew a little more about her, one could almost say that she had the potential to be part of this if she weren't so correct.

He put on his mask and went to the control center.

[...]

Just as she thought, some players approached Gi-hun for advice for the next game, there were only those who believed in his words because some others called him a 'liar'.

Among them was player 001, whose name was claimed to be Young-il. He was no fool, he wouldn't say his real name without being sure how much information she had about all of this.

As night fell in the bedroom everyone was sleeping peacefully, except for the girl who was sitting in the middle of her bed playing with his pillowcase, folding it over and over again and then unfolding it and repeating the same act.

—Are you having trouble sleeping? –001 asked, approaching her, who shifted a little and made room on the bed for him to sit next to her.

—My head works better at night... —She murmured, looking at him and smiling friendly.

He looked down at her hands and how the moved on the pillowcase, her were precise and firm. —You know how to tie good knots.

She had many talents and In-ho knew them all.

Or well, almost all of them.

Her ability to tie excellent knots was developed by her father, who was captain of a fishing boat that she also sailed on from time to time.

They locked gazes again in silence. In-ho considered that long-distance photos were nothing compared to being face to face with her. For two years he had been investigating her, he had sent several guards to follow her closely for one reason only. At first considered her a threat. Her intelligence and curiosity could have unmasked him, but then he started following her out of routine.

Afterwards he just kept his gaze on her out of habit and finally he had her face to face.

—What's wrong? —She asked with a frown as noticed the intense gaze on his person.

—Nothing, you should rest, we must have energy for tomorrow's games.

When he was about to stand up and go to his respective bed but she stopped him by holding his hand. The girl, seeing his inappropriate act and with more confidence than she should have, quickly let him go. —Can we keep talking? Honestly... I'm too distressed to sleep right now.

—Of course...

The two continued to talk about trivial matters for a couple more hours, they tried to keep it low so as not to wake up the other players but every now and then they received an annoying 'shhh' from someone nearby who longed to be able to sleep peacefully.

Until she finally fell asleep with head resting on In-ho's shoulder, he didn't move, instead, he let her sleep and settled down so they could both rest better.

The next day, during the next game, they formed teams of six people.

Once they were all together, along with a pregnant woman named Jun-hee with the number 222, they sat on the floor as ordered and shared the games.

The activity was to play a series of games and each time they won they could advance, all this with their feet tied together.

It would be simple, each one was good at something and that made it easier for them to continue, they were the last players to participate which was good for the girl, so she wouldn't get nervous under the gaze of the other participants and as if heaven conspired in his favor one of the games was about making a rhombus with a rope.

—I did it! —She shouted euphorically showing the perfect rhombus in her hands made with rope and on the first try, the guard made a circle and the voice said "pass"

The others celebrated with her as they advanced, until now they achieved the games at the first opportunity and had plenty of time but when they reached the part where they had to spin a top on the ground Young-il lost his sanity after so many failed attempts.

As she bent down to pick up the top once more and wrap it in the string 001 began to curse and beat himself.

—What the hell is happening to me? I can't do anything right! I'm useless —She looked at him startled every time he hit himself, until she interrupted him by slapping on the left cheek, managing to silence him and making his head turn just a little.

In-ho's fake drama to scare them was going great until this sudden blow happened, he didn't expect it but there he was, looking at her with surprise and astonishment.

—You have to calm down! —She shouted, handing him the already finished top. —Try it again and if we die I swear I'll kill you.

He nodded and took the toy, she used those words to lighten the mood and try to give him confidence (which of course she did) but eyes don't lie and her gaze begged him to do it, she didn't want to die.

Miraculously he managed to spin the top and they moved on to the last game which Gi-hun was about to lose if it hadn't been for In-ho, although the last move was not correct he shouted "he did it" this being a small order camouflaged for the guard to give the affirmative signal.

They didn't know it but at that moment they would have died.

She was ignorant of this, she didn't know that if it weren't for In-ho she would already be dead since "green light, red light"

Unwittingly, In-ho saved her at every opportunity, protecting her life without realizing that perhaps following her had already become more than just a routine.

Little by little she got under him skin, first it was in his mind and now...

[moki-dokie]

I would just about be willing to bet money on it that the CEO, or any exec of any bank or hotel chain, could not directly access or control anything with any customer for a few reasons.

Liability being an absolutely fucking huge one. most of these execs are not the level of fuck-you megawealthy elon is and are extremely susceptible to lawsuits and massive fines and even jail/prison time if they deliberately access private information without reason. Banks are highly regulated and secured by federal laws and take security pretty fucking seriously which brings us to

Nobody at executive level deals with day-to-day shit in their systems or with customers in massive corporations like banks or hotels. they've likely never seen their own banking software beyond a cursory glance during the occasional meeting. they probably don't even bank at the institution they work for in most cases, and if they do, they have an accountant that handles their finances for them. they might not be fuck you rich but they're still amongst the wealthy. you think the current hilton family have ever operated their booking software? or have any idea how to access customer information? or that any of the execs deal with the bullshit operational stuff thats about ten levels below their paygrade? i honestly doubt any of them would even know what department in the company to contact to even get to that information.

execs oftentimes do not have security clearance to directly access any of your stuff, to protect them from point 1.

is it possible they could? yes. the possibility exists. but is it probable? no. the risk greatly outweighs any sort of reward. not only are there major legal consequences, but anything at all that reflects poorly on the company, such as a lawsuit (especially a class action one) or bad press, will in turn impact their stocks, which is the ultimate bottom line any of them really care about. if you want to keep making fuckloads of money and stay in your cushy exec position, you usually keep the hell away from all things customer/consumer related and instead focus your more nefarious ambitions on things like embezzling and insider trading and bribing and fucking over smaller companies and finding loopholes around labor laws, ect.

"banks" can't access your account or control your funds. Very specific agents in very specific departments with very specific security protocols that are very heavily monitored and logged can view account details and take certain actions. And half the time those actions require approval from a member of their management. I suppose theoretically, depending on the software, a rogue agent could potentially do something wild with your account but not without landing themselves in prison and those actions being reversed really quickly lest a lawsuit happen. "Hotels" cannot unlock your door with a master key. The receptionist (or, sometimes, only their manager) can after a round of security verification or a warrant from law enforcement. and at least the times I've had to have that done at a major hotel chain, it is logged. i can't speak for the shady motels and b&bs out there that are run by individuals, but we're talking about corporations here.

and with corporations like those elon is at the head of, having that much unchecked power is unheard of. believe it or not this corporate state is actually regulated to a degree. there are so, so many safeguards in place to protect customer information. they've been slowly but methodically lessened in the last couple of decades - which is precisely what the ultra rich and far right (typically one and the same) are trying to do; get rid of so many government regulations that protect private citizens. which is precisely what elon has been put in charge of for the incoming cabinet.

one man should not ever have this much power. period. he should not be able to personally access any of this information. it's wildly unethical and opens up so, so many security nightmares. the world's wealthiest man who is possibly even more unhinged and dangerous than trump himself is, is about to have his own governmental department, and is going to be absolutely up the ass of the man who will be running this country. and he will have complete and total unrestricted access to every single tesla customer, every single twitter account.

and you have to ask, "Why would you assume he couldn't"?

because that kind of power is unprecedented outside of the fucking cia and some extremely classified spec ops of the military. and completely and utterly unprecedented in the hands of one person.

Hey how come the truck automatically locks when it explodes and bursts into flames

[woozisguitar]

happy 200 followers : )

I have a prompt for reader and seokmin, so the reader has parents in almost their late seventies and she is 25, they hope to see her get married but they never pressure her to do that because they like whatever she does.

so, she one day overhears them talking how they like her and are content with whatever they get, she bursts into tears. next thing YK, she tells her best friend seokmin about that and he decides to help her out.

so, yeah, seokmin decides they both can get marry because they both are best friends and he also likes her but never told her and type.

I'm sorry it was so longgg.

jayyyyyy :(((( thank you so so much im so sorry this took far too long but I hope you enjoy!!!

requests for 200 celebration post: open (but closing soon!)

ps: shoutout to @sherlyscatcafe for proof reading this lysm pookie <33

warning: fluff, hints of angst, mentions of weddings

one of the biggest perks in your life was growing up with siblings older than you because not once did you ever have to worry about taking over the family business or continuing a legacy. while they had everything already decided for them, your parents were a lot more lenient when it came to you. they were supportive when you told them that you wanted to take a gap year and go backpacking across europe to find some inspiration. they were also supportive when you got back and announced your interest in theatre, especially playwriting, and that this was your preferred major of choice for college. that's where you first met seokmin.  

it was the first day of freshman year, and it had been a while since you were last in a classroom setting. your parents dropped you off at your dorm, wishing you the best for class and leaving you alone to set up. your parents gave you a fair allowance which, when added to the little money you saved up working jobs, allowed you to opt in for a solo dorm. for the past year or so, you had little to no interactions with strangers who you'd see for a long time, and this made you worry that your social skills were perhaps rusty.  

you saw seokmin near the back of class. the seat next to him was empty, and he was reading a copy of hamlet. you made your way over to him and cleared your throat, announcing your presence. he looked up, pushing his glasses over the bridge of his nose, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. you smiled and pointed at the seat next to him. 

“is this taken?"

he shook his head no and smiled, moving his bag to let you take a seat. he went back to reading his book in silence, and you took this as a cue to pull out your own copy of comedy of errors.  

“what's your favorite work of shakespeare?” he asked, after a moment of quiet.  

“oh, me?” he nodded. “it's either hamlet or this,” you said, nodding at the book in your hand.  

“what about you?”  

“either romeo and juliet or a midsummer night’s dream,” he answered instantly.  

“a big romance guy, i see,” you teased him, to which he giggled shyly. “what other books do you like?”  

“not a lot by shakespeare, but i do enjoy other classics like pride and prejudice, persuasion, sense and sensibility, and you get the idea. what about you? big on romances?”  

“hmm, i don’t know. i don’t have a specific genre i enjoy; i’m more interested in the setting of the book and the background highlights of it, you know?”  

seokmin nodded in agreement, and you felt a soft glow in your chest. you barely knew this guy, let alone his name, but already liked being around him.  

“i’m y/n, nice to meet you,” you said, holding your hand out for him to shake.  

“seokmin, and likewise,” he said with a charming smile, shaking your hand. “so, what made you join intro to theatre, y/n?”  

you hesitated to tell him about your gap year. you weren’t particularly ashamed of it, but you noticed that people didn’t react well to it, often resorting to comparing you to your siblings’ success. but your subconscious argued that this guy knew nothing about your siblings and family, so you decided to tell him the truth. to your surprise, seokmin had also taken a gap year to work as an actor in a local play and decided to go to college after wrapping up to polish his skills further.  

your similar past and even more similar taste in hobbies instantly made you take a liking to him. from asking each other to be partners, taking up almost all the same classes, matching schedules, late-night binge-watching tv, attending (and performing) plays in theaters big and small, you had seokmin by your side. you had seen every possible side of each other: sad, heartbroken, vulnerable, raw—you name it. he had seen it all and still decided to stick by your side. when you told him about your plans to do an mfa in playwriting and direction rather than performing on stage, he had given you utmost support and joked that you should cast him and give him his big break.  

and much less to your surprise, you found seokmin sitting there in your postgraduate class for creative writing. when questioned about his sudden plan to pursue the degree, 'i’m just following where my heart takes me,' was all he said.  

years passed, but your friendship with seokmin only grew. he was one of the closest people in your life, your best friend, and you knew you were his too. he met your family, who accepted him as one of their own and often teased the two of you about romantic ties. he had been your date to all your siblings’ weddings, saving you from sticky situations with pesky relatives, and at this point, everyone was convinced the two of you were endgame. however, whenever someone asked, you’d just politely smile and decline, saying you’re just friends.  

but now that you were twenty-five, and your parents were well in their seventies, they started to bring up the topic of you hopefully getting married. they never pressured you into going on dates or meeting their friends’ sons, not even once, but they did express how much they’d love to see their youngest daughter get married. that was until one night, when you were staying over at your parents’ house, you overheard a conversation.  

“i’m worried, you know,” your dad said. “i’m scared one day we won’t be around, and she’ll be all lonely.” 

your mum made her way from the vinyl shelf to her husband, taking a seat next to him. “she’s capable of taking care of herself, you know.” 

“i know she is, but still, as her father, i worry. i just really hoped to walk her down the aisle to a man i know will always keep my daughter happy. i would die a happy man.”

“yes, but she’s happy now. let her be. her happiness is all that matters, after all,” your mum patted your dad’s hand and squeezed it, giving him a small smile.   your dad nodded, accepting your mother’s words.  your heart absolutely burst into parts. with tears streaming down your face, you decided that you would fulfill their one wish in return for all the love they gave you.  

“i want to get married.”  

seokmin spit out the drink he was nursing at your sudden confession. after leaving your parents’ home, you called seokmin and asked him to meet you at your regular coffee shop.  

“so... so suddenly?” seokmin asked after wiping the corner of his mouth, his drink now forgotten.  

“yeah, it’s just—” you stopped. you knew he wouldn’t judge you, but you weren’t sure yourself. part of you wanted to wait for love like everyone else, but the other, much stronger part of you wanted to fulfill your parents’ wish. you told him about the conversation you overheard and looked back at seokmin to say, “it’s just that i want them to be happy, you know? they’ve done so much for me and let me explore myself into being this person with no pressures. i just want to give back to them.”  

seokmin nodded solemnly, and you could almost hear the gears in his head turning. after a moment of silence, he quipped, “we... could get married.”  

now it was your turn to stay quiet. marriage? with seokmin?  

in hindsight, it wasn’t a bad thought. you trusted seokmin with your life and knew he would never do anything to hurt you. your careers aligned, so you wouldn’t have to worry about what the other does or how it will affect them, and he had spent over enough nights to know the two of you could coexist very peacefully in the same space.  you slowly looked at seokmin and nodded. “are you sure, though?”  

in return, he just gave you his trademark smile and said, “yeah, i’m just following where my heart takes me.”  

the two of you decided to announce your ‘engagement’ to both your families by the end of the month. you tried to be more affectionate in public, in front of your friends especially, so the sudden marriage announcement wouldn’t come as a shock. you even started to show a more romantic side of each other on your social media. seokmin took you to decide on a ring, one that he had saved for, and booked the two of you a dinner cruise with his planned proposal. all he said was, “can’t let the romantic in me die now, can i?”  

now, in the car seat outside your parents’ house, with a ring on your finger, you were worried about how they would take the news. your entire family, siblings and their spouses too, were present for this dinner, and you couldn’t think of a better place to announce it.  seokmin opened the door for you and held your hand throughout. his presence felt like the comfort you desperately needed. your family welcomed the two of you with warm hugs and kisses, no one noticing the ring. when dinner rolled around, you and seokmin shared a look, deciding this was the right time to announce it. you clinked your glass with a fork, standing up and waiting for the room to quieten.

 “we... have an announcement,” you looked over at seokmin, who gave you an encouraging smile. “seokmin and i are getting married,” you smiled in your parents’ direction.  

the whole room erupted into cheers, your sisters fighting over to see your ring while the men patted seokmin on the back. your mom hugged you tight, a small tear sliding down her cheek, and you saw your dad discreetly wipe his own. in that moment, you saw seokmin and realized maybe he was meant to be yours all along.  

the next few months passed in a blur of wedding preparations. both your and seokmin’s families were excited at the news of their youngest getting married and pressed the two of you to plan the wedding of the decade. getting over your initial hesitance, you decided to fully enjoy the planning, and seokmin’s forever-positive outlook made even the tedious tasks seem enjoyable. one night, when you finally had some alone time with no deadlines to finish and no wedding meetings scheduled, you decided to look through your old photos and videos, backing them up and sorting them. you were honestly surprised at the amount of photos and memories you had with seokmin, some of which you didn’t even remember, and you were glad to have them saved digitally. looking at the picture of seokmin you took during freshman year, you felt your heart skip a beat and small butterflies erupt in your stomach.  

he looked so much younger than he does now, yet so much the same. he gave this signature toothy grin, posing with a bagel. you giggled to yourself as you saw more silly pictures of him, and you thought to yourself, ‘what if i like him more than a friend?’ you quickly shook it off because this was seokmin for god’s sake! he had seen you get drunk and throw up in front of your long-time crush, all while trying not to get sick himself. he was your closest confidant, but now that the thought entered your mind, you couldn’t help but wonder if it’s really such a bad idea to love seokmin more than a friend.  

the wedding planning was of no help to your already tumultuous thoughts and feelings that were growing for seokmin, and spending all your time with him, along with the romantic acts he did to come off as the perfect fiancé, took a toll on your poor heart. one week after you first had the thought, you had now realized that you may have been in love with seokmin all this time.  

you remembered precisely when it started: during your second year of undergrad, when your boyfriend broke up with you, and only seokmin was able to comfort you. he held you as you cried, got you ice cream, and binged cheesy sad romance movies with you. he was always there, just a call away, and you now realized that the adoration you held so dearly for him was actually love. no wonder you barely had any successful relationships after that, because all you searched for in them was seokmin, subconsciously comparing them all to your best friend. hell, when the two of you announced your engagement on your socials, everyone from your old university, including your exes, joked that they always knew you’d end up with seokmin. it has truly always been him.

seokmin wasn’t doing so great either. when he first proposed the idea of marriage, he thought he could keep his romantic thoughts to himself. but soon, seeing you in such a romantic and domestic light, all the feelings he had spent years suppressing started to bubble over the surface. he’d catch himself staring longer than a friend should and mentally reprimand himself for slipping. thank god you were always distracted by something to notice. sometimes he felt like he was betraying you by not telling you the truth, and these conflicting emotions led to him making a very stupid decision. or perhaps a great one, his subconscious argued.  

seokmin decided to confess everything during your rehearsal dinner party, finding it harder and harder to keep his feelings under wraps. he arrived at the venue beforehand to decide on the spot where he would confess. he figured if you accepted his feelings, it should be a moment that lived fresh in his mind for all his days, and if you were to reject him, he would at least like to be rejected in front of a pretty view. always such a romantic, your voice rang in his head, and a smile formed on his face. seokmin gave himself a small pep talk, texting you to meet him by the bench around the back of your venue.  

he saw you walk out, looking around in awe at the empty courtyard, with fallen cherry blossoms from the trees scattered around. your eyes met his, and you gave him a shy smile, making his heart skip a beat. you made your way over to him, and his heart started to beat faster.  “what's up?” you said, giving him a questioning smile.  “i—” seokmin’s words were stuck in his throat. for a second, he was so mesmerized by you, just you, that he forgot what he had prepared and just said, “i love you.”  

now it was your turn to be at a loss for words. seokmin took your silence as a cue to continue.  “i... i love you. and i’m not saying this now, just two days before our wedding, for the sake of it. i have been in love with you for so long. years, if i’m being honest. you own every corner of my heart. hell, you are my heart. my everything. that's why i felt compelled to be closer to you, to have you near me. you were the one my heart made me follow, y/n. i just don’t want to marry you, if you still want to marry me, under a fake guise that i am doing this to help you, and i couldn’t help but feel like i was betray—”  seokmin’s spiraling rambling was cut off by you softly pressing your lips against his.  

seokmin’s eyes grew wide, and he froze. when you felt him try to pull back, he grabbed the back of your head and kissed you back. his lips moved slowly against yours before you pulled back to take a deep breath, a smile gracing your face.  seokmin mirrored your smile and dived back in to kiss you again. this time, the kiss was filled with his desperation and longing for you.  “god, i fucking love you, you cheesy-ass romantic,” you whispered breathlessly when the two of you separated.  seokmin giggled and kissed your nose. “not as much as i love you, pretty girl.”  

when you stood at the altar with him by your side saying, “i do,” you realized that this was your destiny all along. like a theater play, the two of your lives were written to play out this way. and while everyone wants to have the romantic interest who follows his heart all for themselves, this one will belong to you, forever and always. 

[theshiftingwitch]

2025 is the year you manifest all of your desires

And this is exactly how you're going to do it:

1- pick what you want. Make a list of all of your manifestations. Be very specific.

Are you manifesting an SP? What do they look like? How do they treat you? How many times a day do they text you? How do they talk about you to their friends/family?

Are you manifesting money? How much? All in one go or monthly? Are you winning the lottery or getting it from thin air?

Are you shifting? Where to? How long are you staying there? Do you have a s/o? What's that reality like? Futuristic? Fantastical? Plain old normal?

Jot down everything you can think of that constitutes your dream life.

2- Lose yourself in imagination:

What does this dream life look like? How is the version of yourself who has everything living? How do they talk? Walk? Dress? What does it feel like? Visualize this life every night and every morning, that's your reality! Nothing else matters.

3- Pick your affirmations: summarize your desires into 1 to 3 affirmations, those are your new mantra. Repeat those affirmations as often as you can for as long as you can. Dedicate 10 minutes when you wake up and 10 minutes before you fall asleep just to affirm. Take time during the day (lunch break, boring class, daily commute, gym, doom scroll...) and affirm.

4- Saturate your mind: unfavorable 3D circumstances? Breathe deeply and go back to your new story. Anxiety? Breathe even deeper and go back to the story. Nothing matters except for what is happening inside of you. Center yourself and go within.

5- Believe in yourself. Be stubborn. The only reality that exists is the one where you get everything you want. There are no other options so stop acting like it. You decided. It's done.

Use this routine for a full month and report back.

Happy manifesting ❤️

[angelltheninth]

First Time Meeting The Obey Me Brothers

Pairing: Lucifer, Mammon, Leviathan, Satan, Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Belphegor x Reader

Tags: fluff, teasing, first meeting, hand kisses, flirting, taking a nap, being spoiled, school council

Ko-Fi | Rules | Fandoms and Characters

A/N: The demon brothers give me so many feelings that I can only express in text form.

Lucifer is your student council vice president and you met him when you first got to his office. He didn't think too much of you, yeah you had good grades, you were pretty and popular with the rest of the students but those traits won't be enough to charm him. With him you'll have to prove you're a hard worker and take things seriously if you want any kind of praise from him.

Mammon meets you at the shopping mall when he sees you looking at some earrings. They're pretty so you must have good taste, which also means you'd have no problem hanging out with him eventually. He buys the earrings and they're the first gift he ever gives you when you get into a relationship. Now he wouldn't spend money on just anyone so you better cherish those.

Leviathan doesn't meet you in person until later on but rather over the online game you both play. You start chatting more and more and over time the games become less about the game itself and more about the two of you spending time together and getting to know each other better. When he first meets you in person he gets a little defensive over the teasing, a little different than when he's online.

Satan actually meets you at the library when he's checking out some books. He realizes you work there part-time and starts visiting even more often just to see you. Not like he's hiding it either, he 's being openly flirty, asking you where certain books are even though he knows and kisses your hand every time you hand him a book. Eventually he does ask you to hang out outside of work.

Asmodeus meets you on the first day of school and he immediately starts flirting with you. Walks you to class, he asks you to lunch, he tells you about the school and how it works but he is more on guard when you're around his brothers. Does all he can to charm you as much as possible, but also his crush isn't superficial. Not anymore at least, not when he gets to know you so much better.

Beelzebub first sees you sitting alone at the café he frequents and likes to eat at. The more he sees you the more he realizes you're always alone there so one day he asks if he can sit with you because the café is pretty busy and full that day. You start talking and soon enough it becomes common for the two of you to sit together. The staff also notices and bring you special couples drinks and snacks.

Belphegor wasn't awake when you first met him because he was taking a nap at the time, in one of the empty classrooms. Startled awake he thinks you're gonna rat him out but you found his sleeping face so cute that you can't bring yourself to do it. While he doesn't like you're calling him cute he appreciates you not telling on him. Not only that time but also every week after.

[fuzzlepiece]

Often, yes, but through 2024 I’ve had opportunities to do more of things without doing less of others by reducing their energy cost. I found a way to do one of my hobbies with far less setup/packdown and planning, so now I can do short sessions of it in between other activities as well as sitting down for a longer session whenever the opportunity arises without having to do setup or planning. Being able to get a lift with a friend to a drawing class means I can do that more often because I don’t have to factor in the energy and time it takes to catch public transport. Buying simple at-home gym equipment has meant I can work out more without spending time on travel and money on gym fees (which will eventually balance out the cost of the equipment). And since I don’t have that travel & entry fee, I don’t feel like I have to make it “worthwhile”, so I can do shorter workouts more frequently. Also, sometimes drawing in bed or on the couch has helped me to do more art. A lot of these kind of improvements depend on having money or social connections, but sometimes you can make an activity lower energy cost by analysing what the barriers are and thinking creatively about what you can actually do to improve it. Of course there is still going to be a limit on what you can do so OP has a very important point too.

Remember that if you want to do more of something, you have to do less of something else. It's that time of year where people set goals for the new year and they have plans and hopes and it's always focusing on what they want to do more of. More studying, more exercise, more crafting, more socialising, more making things from scratch. Okay, great. What are you going to do less of in order to have the time and energy to do more of those things you really want to do?

[miss-bushido]

Just take me on the floor, I can give you more

Rating: Explicit Tags: Blow jobs, facials, come eating, hand jobs, body piercings Summary: Eddie has a chance encounter with Steve at a frat party…with sexy results.

*The original plot of this fic changed significantly when I saw the gorgeous artwork by @arelliann with frat boy Steve all up in Eddie's space. The artwork in question is here.

*Originally posted on AO3:

~*~*~

Eddie stood out on the balcony, cigarette between his lips as he leaned against the railing. It was cold and windy, but he’d been overheating in the downstairs living room. Too many bodies in too small a space. He felt like he’d been suffocating as he’d pushed his way through the crush of people.

The wind picked up, swirling around him and his too-thin tank top. He shivered and stood up straight, wrapping his arms around himself. He brought a hand up to his mouth as he took a drag from the cigarette, the end going red before he took it out of his mouth and exhaled.

He glared at the cigarette, and shook his head. He’d tried to quit…too many times to count now. If he had been successful, he wouldn’t be out in freezing temps with no jacket on sucking acrid chemicals into his lungs so that the happy chemicals in his brain would surge through him.

It felt so fucking cliche to think about quitting smoking on New Year’s Eve, but here he was.

A chorus of shouts could be heard from the frat party below. Likely from them playing beer pong or doing keg stands. Maybe someone was going into the downstairs bathroom with two girls to get lucky. He’d been to the frat house often enough now to know how it worked. He wasn’t friends with a large majority of the guys who lived there, but he did like their money for his products. They had cleaned him out and he’d decided to stay. See what all the fuss was about when it came to people aching to go to these frat parties.

Apart from being in close proximity to many of the jocks he regrettably had the hots for, chief among them was Steve Harrington who he knew from his European History class, he didn’t see what the fuss was about. It was loud and sweaty and there were too many drunk people who kept knocking into him.

Which is why he’d sought some respite upstairs, trying doors until he found one unlocked. The bedroom he’d found himself in was spacious: plaid comforter and three white pillows on the bed, a pile of books on the desk by the window, the desk lamp still on. There were red Solo cups scattered on the floor close to the door, along with a few socks and some crumpled up balls of paper that had missed being tossed into the trash can.

On his way over to the sliding door for the room’s balcony, he spotted a cork board with various pictures and notes tacked to it. Movie ticket stubs for ‘Twisters’, ‘Kraven the Hunter’, ‘Wicked’, and ‘War of the Rohirrim’ were next to pictures of a group of young teenagers at a backyard pool, along with two others. One included two guys at the grill- one with the longest hair Eddie had ever seen on a man, the other with his hand on his hips as he held the metal spatula; and one picture of two young women in bathing suits- the brown haired one sipping on a Coke and the girl with short hair and a dusting of freckles across her face holding a well worn copy of The Song of Achilles. A hastily scribbled note was tacked on the lower right hand corner of the board: ‘E coming tonite!’ Eddie wanted to snoop more but he heard someone coming up the stairs and so made his way hastily through the balcony door, sliding it shut behind him so he could smoke in peace.

And so he was, though he was getting more chilled with each passing moment. A few flurries drifted by his face then, which he took as his cue to take one last drag of the cigarette before he stubbed it out against the brick exterior wall. He opened the sliding glass door and stepped back into the warmth of the bedroom, coming back in just as someone was coming out of the bathroom on the other side of the room.

Steve Harrington stood in the bathroom doorway, illuminated by the light inside. “Oh, hey man,” the jock said to him amiably, holding a hand up in greeting.

Eddie stared, trying not to drool at the sight of Steve in his tight short shorts, his backwards cap, and his too-small athletic tank top. Eddie had had dreams about this before, the natural progression of which saw him taking Steve to bed in his own apartment and undressing him with his teeth. The frat house where Steve lived had never made an appearance. The knowledge that this was Steve’s bedroom was probably going to mean the location of his dreams would shift a bit.

He shook himself internally and offered a small, slightly wary smile in return. “Hey,” he rasped, clearing his throat. “Some party, huh?”

Steve shrugged and turned the light off in the bathroom. “Yeah, it’s okay.” He walked over to Eddie and clapped a hand on his arm, eyebrows raising at the feel of his skin. “Shit, dude, you’re freezing. Were you outside?”

Eddie’s eyes widened at the feel of Steve’s warm hand on his arm. “Uh yeah,” he managed. “I was having a smoke.”

Steve’s eyes lit up as he smiled and then leaned in conspiratorially. “You have any more?” he asked.

“You smoke?” Eddie asked, trying to control his breathing at the sudden proximity. The moment felt charged, full of possibilities. Eddie tamped down his urge to kiss Steve on those perfectly pink lips. Remain calm and normal.

“Not supposed to,” Steve shrugged, “but I do. I’m trying to quit, so I figure what’s the harm in one last cigarette before the New Year?”

“Yeah, I’m trying to quit, too,” Eddie admitted. He fished the pack out of his back pocket and flipped it open. “I have one left,” he said.

“Oh, shit, never mind,” Steve said. “I don’t wanna take your last cig. No worries, man.”

“We can share it if you want?” Eddie suggested. He flipped open the top of the pack so Steve could see the lone cigarette in there.

Steve gave him a smile that made his heart hammer in his chest. When Steve leaned down and grabbed the cigarette with his teeth, Eddie felt like he could swoon. “Got a light?” Steve asked.

“Yeah,” Eddie choked out, grabbing his lighter from his back pocket. “Should we go outside?”

Steve glanced behind Eddie and then back to him. “I mean, we can, but it’s snowing now, and neither of us are dressed for it.” Eddie felt Steve’s eyes roam over his body, catching on the peek of fishnets Eddie was wearing under his ripped jeans. “But, uh, I’ll go out if you want to.”

“We can be quick,” Eddie said, turning to open the sliding door again. He did not see the way Steve’s eyes followed the movement of his body, the sway of his hair, and zeroed in on the long slender fingers that held onto the lighter.

The wind cut through them as they stepped out onto the balcony. “Fuck me,” Steve shivered, stomping his feet.

“That would be one way to warm up,” Eddie quipped before he could stop himself.

Steve raised an eyebrow and smirked. “At least take a guy to dinner first, Munson.” He honest to God winked at Eddie.

A surge of warmth went through him, and he licked his lips as he flicked the lighter to life, holding his hand around the flame to block the wind. “I guess it depends on if you’re a cheap date or not, Harrington.”

“I can be,” Steve answered. He inhaled deeply and then tilted his head up, exhaling the smoke into the air. “What’s on the menu?”

Eddie took the cigarette from Steve’s hands, his fingers brushing against Steve’s. He was trying to keep his cool, and he hoped it was working. This didn’t seem like a joke, but he had to tread carefully. Past experiences with other guys had gone wrong and ended with him on the receiving end of a few fists instead of a blow job in the backseat of a car. “Well, how about Italian? We can go Lady and the Tramp style and share some spaghetti. Maybe have some cannoli or tiramisu?” He took a few more puffs on the cigarette, exhaling out the side of his mouth. “Maybe sushi and some beers?”

Steve grasped Eddie’s wrist and tilted his hand up. He leaned down to take a drag from where the cigarette was in between Eddie’s fingers. The feeling of Steve’s lips against his fingers sent arousal spiking through him. Combined with the look he fixed him with, Eddie felt tingly all over.

“I like sushi,” Steve answered, smoke coming out of his mouth and swirling around them as he spoke. “There’s a rotating all you can eat sushi place down the street that I like. We can go there.”

Eddie nodded, mouth dry as Steve spoke. “Yeah, sure,” he managed. He started to pull his arm back but Steve tightened his hold on his wrist. “Steve-”

Steve moved closer, just as a particularly sharp wind blasted around and through them. Eddie shivered, both from the cold and from Steve’s proximity. “Let’s go inside,” Eddie murmured. He opened his fingers to let the cigarette drop to the ground before they moved to get back where it was warm.

His teeth were chattering as Steve slid the door closed, his whole body shivering. Steve was shivering, too, more than Eddie, because of how little clothing he was wearing.

Eddie tugged Steve forward to wrap his arms around him, the momentum of which made Steve all but slam into him. They bumped into the bed and then fell onto the well worn carpet, Eddie on his back and Steve on top of him.

Eddie scrambled to get up but Steve pinned him down, both bodily and with that same look in his eyes as he’d given him outside not even a few minutes ago. “Steve,” Eddie started.

“That earlier offer to warm me up still on the table?” Steve asked, his voice low and smoky. Neither of them were very cold any longer, and the more they stared at one another, the warmer they both got.

Eddie blinked and pushed himself up, both hands braced behind him. Steve shifted himself up as well, sitting on his knees to allow Eddie up off the floor as he waited for the answer. “Are you…this isn’t a joke? This isn’t-”

Steve leaned forward again, his left hand braced on the floor as he placed his right hand on Eddie’s middle. His back arched invitingly, his already short tank top riding up as he came closer and closer into Eddie’s space. “You gonna kiss me or not?” Steve whispered as he got closer.

“Fuck,” Eddie whispered before he closed the distance between them, kissing Steve right on the mouth. Steve wrapped his arms around Eddie and kissed him back, gently moving them so Eddie was on his back again on the floor. Steve's cap fell off in the momentum, letting his own long hair down around his cheeks.

He felt the hard length of Steve against his thigh, and he shivered with pleasure. He slid his tongue into Steve’s mouth, and was rewarded with a filthy moan, and Steve’s hips rolling against him. Eddie moved his own hips up, the friction it produced making him hiss with pleasure.

Steve’s hands pushed Eddie’s tank top up, and he broke the kiss to kiss down from Eddie’s mouth to his neck, over the fabric, and then to his chest. He traced Eddie’s chest tattoos with his tongue, and when he saw Eddie’s left nipple piercings, he slid his tongue around the metal barbell.

“Oh God,” Eddie gasped, feeling Steve smile against his skin. He gasped louder when Steve gave the piercing a tug with his teeth and then began sucking Eddie’s nipple. He almost didn’t realize, but Steve had moved his right hand down to palm at Eddie through his tight jeans, waves of pleasure coursing through his body. “Steve,” he panted, his back arching as Steve continued touching him all over.

“Eddie,” Steve murmured, pulling his mouth off of Eddie’s nipple. “Wanted to do this for so long,” he said, kissing his way down Eddie’s stomach.

“You have?” Eddie asked, almost breathless. “God, fuck me.”

Steve looked up and gave him a big grin. “Thought you were going to do that to me? If you want me to, though, I will.” He kissed Eddie’s stomach, and the happy trail coming up his stomach. He took his hand off of Eddie’s erection to unbutton and unzip his jeans. The fishnets underneath left little to the imagination, and made Steve bite his lip as he drank in the sight before him.

Eddie decided to help and shoved his jeans and the fishnets down, allowing his erection to bob freely in the warm air. He heard Steve’s intake of breath as he looked down at Eddie. “Like what you see?”

“Did that hurt?” Steve asked as he took in Eddie’s lorum piercing, surprise in his voice.

“It did, but it was worth it,” Eddie answered. Steve kept looking at it, eyes wide and dark. “You wanna feel it inside of you as you ride me, big boy?”

“Fuck,” Steve groaned. “Yeah…Yeah, I do.” He looked at Eddie’s face and then back to his cock before he took his own tank top off, tossing it somewhere behind him in the room. “I want to taste you first,” bending low to take Eddie fully into his mouth and to the back of his throat.

“Steve!” Eddie yelled, tilting his head back, pressing his hands down hard on the carpet. Steve’s tongue slid up and down and around the tip, expertly sucking Eddie deep. “Baby, your mouth feels so fucking good.” He let out a loud moan when Steve swallowed around the tip of Eddie’s cock, electrical sparks moving through his body, arousal and pleasure building quickly. “You’re going to make me come,” he warned, panting hard.

Steve pulled off, just enough to say, “I want to feel it go down my throat,” before he took Eddie back in his mouth.

Eddie groaned again, thrusting shallowly into Steve’s mouth as he kept sucking him off. “Steve, Steve I’m going-” He was cut off as he came hard, a loud groan escaping his mouth as he arched his back. Steve held onto his hips, swallowing everything Eddie had to give him, only pulling off and away when Eddie started to hiss with pain from being overstimulated. “Jesus,” he breathed, a big grin on his face.

“Feeling good?” Steve asked, a big self-satisfied smirk on his face as he sat up on his knees, looking down at the mess he’d made of Eddie.

“So fucking good, baby,” Eddie answered. His eyes raked over Steve, landing on the veritable tent in his athletic shorts. “Take those off and fuck my mouth,” Eddie demanded.

An obscene sound came out of Steve’s mouth as he fumbled with his shorts. Eddie sat up and helped him, pulling them down to his knees. “Stand up,” Eddie said, stroking Steve slowly. “I want to feel those thighs under my hands.”

Steve let out a whimper that turned into a gasp. He nodded and stood up, almost stumbling. “I can’t stand up. My knees are going to give out.” He licked his lips as he looked down at Eddie, precum dribbling out of his cock and onto Eddie’s hand.

“Sit on the bed,” Eddie said quietly. He gave Steve one last stroke before he put his hands on his thighs, maneuvering him to the bed. He pulled his tank top off and dropped it, and then wasted no time in pulling Steve’s shorts off all the way and spreading his legs wide so he could take Steve fully into his mouth.

Steve’s hands went into Eddie's hair, his hips jerking forward as he fucked Eddie's mouth like he had asked. An untold number of filthy moans came out of his mouth as Eddie sucked his soul out through his dick. He dug his fingers into Steve’s thighs, moaning around Steve’s shaft at the solid feel of his legs under his fingers. He imagined digging his fingers into Steve’s thighs as he fucked him from behind, bent over that desk or on this bed. He wondered what other sounds he could pull out of Steve’s mouth, and if they would be louder than the ones he was currently making.

Eddie moaned around Steve’s cock, knowing the vibrations would add to his pleasure. Steve let out a gasp and looked down at Eddie. “Eddie,” he panted, his voice rough and ragged. “I’m about to come.”

He looked up into Steve’s hazel eyes and nodded- as much as he could anyway- and swirled his tongue around Steve’s tip.

Steve came with a shout, his hips bucking forward, pushing his cock back into Eddie’s throat as he started to come. Eddie swallowed every spurt of come that Steve gave him, massaging his thighs as Steve shook above him.

He pulled off, just as an extra spurt of come came out, landing on his cheek and dribbling down to his chin. Eddie smirked and used his thumb to bring the come into his mouth. “I could get addicted to that,” he said, kissing Steve’s hip.

“Come up here,” Steve panted, reaching down to pull Eddie up onto the bed with him. He pulled Eddie close and kissed him deep, a few shivers of pleasure moving through him. “Goddamn you’re amazing.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, big boy,” Eddie said, kissing Steve on the lips and then the neck, wrapping his arms around him. He glanced at his watch and smirked. “Well, it’s officially the New Year.” It was almost 1 AM.

Steve smiled. “Happy New Year,” he said, voice low as he kissed Eddie again on the lips. “Will you stay the night?” He seemed unsure, a tinge of worry in his voice. As if this question was too much after all they’d done together over the last few hours.

Eddie nuzzled into Steve’s neck. “Yes, I’ll stay. We can have breakfast together, and then…I can take you out for sushi for dinner.”

“What about lunch?” Steve asked, twisting Eddie’s hair between his fingers.

“I was thinking of eating you out,” Eddie replied, an evil grin on his face. The sharp intake of breath from Steve spoke volumes. “I take it you’re okay with that?”

“Can we pretend it’s lunch time right now?” Steve asked, a deep flush on his face.

Eddie kissed him, licking into his mouth. “Let’s take a shower first, and then I’ll eat you out all night if you want me to.”

“Happy New Year to me,” Steve replied, pulling Eddie out of bed and into the en suite bathroom.

Eddie pushed him against the wall, his hands roaming over Steve’s body. “Happy New Year to both of us.”

[strictandfair]

When times were tough and money short, the virtous wife took a job as a school teacher. She wore her joyful, flowing dresses as teacher believing she had a duty to bring femine energy to whereever she was. Like a wolf to a sheep, the strict and industrious principle wondered how her bum under her flowing dress would take a paddling. Taking advantage of her being late because she was helping her husband, he called her darling and told her he was going to give her a paddlin. She squeaked and a few tears spilled, but she agreed that she had earned punishment. He had her bend over his desk and lifted her bottom. He gave her 12 solid pops with the paddle on her backside covered by her dress. She was crying from her punishment at that time, he warned her that she needed to be on time and next time she was wait she would get the cane which would be on her bare bottom. When told she could rise she whiped her eyes and after a minuete of calming down, she apologized and even thanked the strict principle for her punishment. She found sitting painful and when she had to sit, she squirmed in pain. The principle came in and did a teaching observation. In the portion that he shared with her said that her behavior, energy, and her teaching empathy was greatly improved and that sitting on her hot bottom must be a positive influence on her teaching. He suggested she was to report to his office for a paddling every time she had hard material to teach or she was going to have a teaching observation.

The wife hustled for the next two weeks urging her husband to hurry, so she could be on time. The fear of the cane on her bare bum providing urgent motivation. At the end of two weeks, she forgot homework sheets at home and had to turn back home causing her be 20 minuetes late. The principle came into her classroom and told her to come to his office during the short break between classes. She teared a little, but continued the class to the end. She hurried to the principle's office at break time. He scolded her and after hearing the reason for her lateness, asked her if she remembered the punishment she had earneed. She admitted the cane with tears in her eyes. He agreed and told her to bare her bottom and bend over his desk. She begged him not to give it to her on her bbare. He replied that the cane needed to aplied on the bare and she had been told how she was going to be punished the next time. If she hadn't wanted to be punished, she needed to have obied to avoid her punishment. She teared some more, but began reluctantly baring herself when he prompted her again to bare her bottom. Finally her bum was bare and she bent over his desk lifting her bare bum up. The principle inspected her bottom enjoying his first true viewing of her bottom, as he lectured her on timeliness and acceptance of punishment. She was significantly humbled before his cane tapped her bare, taught hiney preparing for the first stroke.

Sunday Ladies #67-23

[creepycranberry]

Big Black Car-

Rafe Cameron X Maybank!reader

Warnings: slow burn, L*ke, topper is very much noncanon compliant (he’s like a mix of topper and Austin’s character in IDDI), alcohol, abuse, parental death, not proofread, kook/pogue bullshit, swearing, w*rd, let me know about anything else.

________

Party music blares from the speakers over near the bonfire, making the headache you’re doing your best to ignore all the more apparent. The air is slightly crisp, October coming in hot, blowing away the last bit of summer heat.

You take a sip of your cold Shirley Temple, unlike your little brother you don’t drink alcohol. Your brother, JJ, is shitfaced on the other side of the beach, laughing with John B and Pope.

You really just came to make sure they don’t do anything stupid while Kie is away on a family vacation.

“‘You here alone?”

Topper walks up behind you, ruffling your hair and taking your drink from your hands, taking a sip to see what it is.

“Mhm.” You hum.

“You still on that no alcohol bullshit?” Topper asks as he hands you back your drink, slurring his words ever so slightly.

“Yep. You oughta go get yourself a water before you drink anymore, otherwise you’ll have a fucking relentless headache in the morning.” You say, standing on your tiptoes to hold the cold cup against his neck, “where’re the other two?”

“Uh, I don’t know where Kelce went but Rafe had a previous engagement.”

You hum in response, “so I’m guessing that’s where Sarah is as well?”

“Yep.”

“Well I’d hate to leave you all alone but I’m about to leave, I have a couple things to do at home.”

Topper makes a pouty face at you and you laugh, “Topper, I would love to stay to keep you company, and I’ll make it up to you, we can hang out another time. But for right now I’ve gotta find my brother and tell him I’m leaving and-“

JJ isn’t where you left him.

“Is that shithead here?”

You roll your eyes and nod, “of course. Would I be here otherwise?”

“Fair.” Topper exhales.

You knew Topper fairly well, his family knew your late father pretty well, you’re in the same class, have been since grade school. He's alright, a bit hotheaded and small minded but nothing you can’t deal with.

He’s better than rafe at least.

“Wait, where is he?” You say, looking around a bit more frantically.

“Where’d you see him last?” Topper asks.

“He was just over there.” You say, making your way over to the other side of the beach, “JJ!”

“Yes?” A voice calls and you see an odd shape in the shallow water, where the wet sand meets the salty ocean.

“ fuckwad.” You mumble, “I’m about to head home. Are you staying at John B’s?” You Ask, sitting next to where he’s laying on the beach.

“What do you think?” He sighs and you exhale through your nose.

“Alright then. Stay safe, don’t start any fights cause I won’t be here to help you out of them.” You Play with the blond strands nearest to his face as he nods.

“Alrighty.”

You Get up and dust the sand off of your butt, walking to where your old car sits on the lawn.

You open the car door and sit in the drivers seat, starting the car and flipping through radio stations for a little bit before settling on driving in silence.

You drive for an hour or two, avoiding going home for as long as possible and hoping your dad is passed out on the sofa by the time you get there.

But luck just can’t give you a break.

“Where’ve you been?”

Your father is sitting on the couch with what is most likely his seventh beer of the evening.

“I went to the beach, and then for a drive.”

“That was a hell of a long drive. Where’s your baby brother?” He asks.

You want to argue that he’s not exactly a baby anymore but you don’t say anything, “he’s at John B’s. You know, like every other summer.”

Your father just nods, taking a sip of his beer and looking away from you, which means you’re dismissed for the evening.

You sneak out the back door after packing a bag.

Kie’s parents let you house sit while they were away, that way you can make a little extra money. You’re pretty sure they just let you do it because they don’t want the money they give you to feel like a handout.

They’ve let you work at the wreck since you were thirteen and JJ was eleven. JJ would be wherever with Kie and the boys, and you would be in the back washing dishes for about five dollars an hour.

It was enough to get something for you and JJ to eat.

Back then Luke still didn’t mind paying rent.

You get in your car and drive to the other side of the island, making sure to lock the car as you get out.

You unlock the front door with the spare key they gave you, leaving your bag in the guest room and then going down to the kitchen to make yourself a small salad and head up to the guest room, turning on the tv and eating your dinner.

~•~•~•~•~•~

You wake up to a car horn and some yelling.

You look at the clock by the bed, 9:00.

You groan and get up, looking out the blinds.

Topper is sitting in a truck bed, hooting and hollering, whoever is in the front seat is laying on the horn.

You groan again and open the window.

“Maybank! Get down here kid!” Topper yells to you and whoever was leaning on the horn stops.

“People are sleeping, asshole!” You yell back to him.

“Aw come on, please.”

You grumble and close the window, putting on shorts as you stumble out of the guest room. you grab your purse and hoodie and go down the stairs, making sure to turn the security alarm on before leaving the house.

You lock the front door and go down the walk to where topper is now leaning on the truck door.

“Topper, what the hell are we doing?” An unfortunately familiar voice shouts from the front of the truck, “why are we picking up this fucking pogue?”

“Are you guys still on with all that kook and pogue bullshit?” You ask, moving your bangs out of your eyes.

“Whatever.” Rafe mumbles.

“Will you two get along for like two seconds?” Topper says.

“I’ll be glad to pretend he just doesn’t exist.” You shrug.

“Why do you even hang out with her dude? What is it like charity or something?” Rafe asks topper, ignoring you.

“She’s cool, dude. You would like her if you just got to know her.” Topper insists.

“Rafe doesn’t like anybody.” You shrug, getting in the truck.

Topper gets in the passenger seat and shakes his head, “she’s not like her brother dude, she doesn’t cause problems like he does.”

“Watch it.” You warn.

“I’m just saying, your brother is a bit problematic.” Topper says, defending himself.

“Yeah well you guys cause issues just as much if not more.” You retort.

“What the he-” rafe starts but Topper puts a hand up to tell home to calm down.

“Rafe, man, just be cool. She’s defending her brother, she’s loyal like that. Honestly, don’t act like you wouldn’t defend Sarah the same way.”

Rafe stays quiet, driving to wherever.

“May I ask why you decided to wake me up at nine in the morning?” You ask Topper.

“I just thought that you would enjoy a bit of a break from work for the day-“

“Oh shit work, I can’t-“

“Dude, calm down. I got one of the other girls to take your shift today.”

“I need that money Topper! If I don’t get rent paid this month the landlords gonna contact my dad about the payment and then it’s gonna be on me that-” you start to rant.

“Maybank, I’ve got it. Whatever you were gonna be paid today I’ll double it and-“

“I don’t need your handouts. I can make the money myself. I just need to get to work.”

“It’s not a handout. Just think of it as compensation for us derailing your day.”

“For you derailing her day.” Rafe corrects.

“I don’t need your charity, Topper. I can make the money on my own. I just need you to drop me off at the wreck- and pick me up later because I don’t have my car to get back to the Carrera’s.”

“Why are you there anyways?”

“I’m house sitting for extra money, JJ needs some new shirts and socks, as well as a haircut because he’s starting to look like a stray mutt and I need to get someone to clean out our gutters because dads sure as hell not gonna do it and JJ’s not around enough to do it, and I work too much to do it so I gotta pay someone else.” You stop talking abruptly, realizing you’ve overshared.

You notice Rafe looking at you through the rearview mirror, looking away when he’s seen that you’ve noticed.

“Anyways I just needed some extra money.” You shrug.

“Okay, well you work too hard anyways. Come on, have fun! Take a break.”

“Fine.” You give in and decide to just go along with it.

A little fun for one day couldn’t hurt too much.

Topper cheers and Rafe just huffs, looking to the side.

Rafe drives you to a giant house. Like thirteen of your houses could fit in this house.

“What the fuck…” you trail off as you stare up at the mansion, “this place is huge!” You exclaim.

“Not really.” Rafe scratches the back of his neck and slams his car door, heading up to the front door of the house.

“You like pool, Maybank?” Topper asks you.

“Like the game?” Topper chuckles and nods, “yeah, I’ve played a couple times, I’m not horrible.”

“Oh yeah?” He asks and you nod absentmindedly, looking at the ceiling in the room and admiring the light fixture above the staircase.

“Your house is really pretty.” You say to Rafe, sparing him a glance before peeking into the rooms off to the sides of the entryway.

“It’s uh- it’s nothing special really. A lot of the houses around here look like this.” He clears his throat. He suddenly feels awkward about his privilege. Which is strange, because if you were any other mangy ass pogue he would have owned it.

“Well I haven’t really been around here much so you’ll have to excuse my amazement.” You retort and Rafe nods.

When you get to the game room Topper heads for a small fridge in the corner of the room, “you want anything to drink, Maybank?”

You shake your head, admiring the room and Rafe busies himself with setting up the pool table.

Topper grabs a pool cue off the rack on the wall and shares to chalk the end. He goes to hand it to you and Rafe grabs it from him.

“Dude, what the fuck?” Topper scoffs.

“That one’s too big.” Rafe says noncommittally, grabbing a shorter one off the wall and handing it to you, along with a cube of chalk.

“Thank you.” You say in an effort to be polite but he barely acknowledges it.

“You want to start?” Topper asks you and you shake your head.

“I’ve really only played a couple times and I don’t really know the rules that well.”

Rafe notes your uncomfortability and walks around the table, quickly taking the break shot before Topper can insist you do, “solids or stripes?” He asks and you quirk up your eyebrows in confusion, “the balls? Solids or stripes?”

He points to the two different types of balls respectively and you nod, “uh, solids? Cause you pocketed a striped one right?”

Rafe nods, “good.” He goes around the table, focused on a purple striped ball and takes the shot, pocketing the ball with ease. He’s able to get one more shot after before he misses.

Topper leans his pool cue against the wall and gestures for you to take the shot. You shake your head at him but he seemingly insists and you turn, leaning over the table and focusing on a yellow solid ball. The cue slips off your hand as you try to take the shot and you step back.

“Try that again.” Rafe finds himself saying and you shake your head, “just get in the position to take the shot.” You do as he says and he walks over, fixing your hand on the wall of the table so the cue sits between your middle and pointer finger, “now try.”

You try and put too much force behind it, causing the ball to hop over the wall and the white ball falls into the pocket.

“You don’t have to put that much force behind it.” Top says, grabbing the yellow ball off the floor and setting it where it was on the table, handing Rafe the cue ball from the pocket.

Rafe takes another shot and gets it, he misses the next one and then steps back for you to take your turn.

You lean in to take the shot and you hear topper over your shoulder reminding you to relax. You aim for the orange ball and take the shot. It bounces off the wall of the table and lands in the pocket. You look at Rafe expectantly and he gestures for you to go again.

You get two more shots before you miss.

“Beginner's luck.” Rafe says to topper as he makes his way around the table.

“Sure.” Top smiles at you.

You find yourself becoming more comfortable as the game progresses, laughing when you screw something up instead of shrinking into yourself. Rafe finds himself looking at you as you laugh. He wins every game you play against him and you take it in stride, smiling and offering a compliment on his win each time. He doesn’t say much to you over the first few games, eventually he lets Topper step in and play. He starts giving you subtle tips, muttering under his breath as he passes you while you’re trying to figure out which shot to make next.

Topper notices but doesn’t say anything. He knows you guys won’t be friends or get close, he’s just thinking it would be nice if y’all didn’t hate each other.

“She’s kicking your ass, Top.” Rafe says nonchalantly and you hide your smirk with your hair.

“I’ll make a comeback.” Topper shrugs.

He did not make a comeback. Not in this game or the next or the last one he was willing to lose.

“Okay, I’m done.” He says, putting his cue back in its slot. Rafe agrees and takes your cue from you, putting it back with his.

You begin to collect the pool balls from each pocket, setting them in the rack and centering it for whoever plays the next game.

“You don’t have to do that.” Rafe informs you and you shrug.

“I don’t want anyone cleaning up my mess.”

He nods and crushes the soda can in his hand, tossing it in the trash and looking at Topper expectantly.

“What do you wanna do?” Rafe asks him and topper shrugs.

“Beach?” He suggests and Rafe sighs.

“I guess.”

He leaves the room and you look at Topper, “beach?”

“Yeah, swim, surf, whatever.” He shrugs and you sigh heavily.

“I don’t really want to swim.” You kind of mutter and Toppers eyebrows lift.

“What about surfing?”

“Don’t know how.” You shrug and he nods.

“It’ll be fun.” He assures you and you shake your head.

“I don’t really like the beach, Topper.”

“Yeah you do. You go with me and my family every now and then, you hang out in our pool.” He argues.

“Yeah and I watch you surf and I play with your little cousins. Or I sit on the steps. I don’t swim.”

“Why are you so against swimming?”

“I’m not against swimming I just-“ you begin to argue.

“Do you not know how?” He teases and your face turns red, realization falls on his features, “you don’t know how to swim?”

“I can like- keep myself up in a pool or something but I’m not big on the ocean.” You clarify.

“Is it because your dad-“

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” He stops talking for a minute, “I mean it’s kind of important to know how to swim around here.”

“I know.”

“Could I try and teach you?” He asks.

“I don’t think-“

Rafe walks into the room in swim trunks, swinging his key ring around his finger, “ready to go?”

You nod and quickly exit the room, leaving Rafe confused and Topper feeling somewhat guilty.

When you get to the truck there are two surfboards in the truck bed, plus a tote bag. You get in the backseat and the boys follow, Rafe looking at you for a moment through the rear view mirror.

The drive up to the beach is quiet, you learn that Rafe has atrocious music taste and try to tune out whatever shit he’s playing on the radio.

When you get to the beach you grab the tote bag out of the truck bed and head down the beach without a word. The boys catch up as you’re laying a towel down on the sand. You sit on it and rummage through the bag until you find sunscreen.

Rafe heads down to the water as you spray some onto your arms and legs, “Cameron! What the hell are you doing?”

“Getting in the water?”

“Get the fuck over here and put on some sunscreen.” You call after him and he groans.

“I don’t need sunscreen, Maybank.” He retorts.

“So you’re fine with contracting skin cancer, aging prematurely and damaging your immune system?” You ask holding the sunscreen out in his direction.

“I’ll be fine, mom.” He mouths off, walking further down to the water and you roll your eyes.

Topper attempts to follow him but you grab him by his ear at the last second.

“Ow.” He pouts and you hand him the sunscreen and give him a stern look, “fine.”

You walk to the shore line, letting your feet sit in the cool water as you watch Rafe and Topper surf. You sit in the sand, drawing in it with your finger and letting the tide erase it each time.

A shadow looms over you and you look up to see Rafe. His hair is wet and water drips off of it and onto his shoulders that are beginning to turn a pinky color.

“Need some sunscreen?” You smile.

“Why aren’t you swimming or anything?” He asks, ignoring your question and shaking the water out of his hair as it drips into his face.

“I don’t wanna.” You shrug.

He’s quiet for a minute, “do you know how to surf?”

“No. I mean I did when I was little, kind of, but I don’t really remember.” You squint your eyes against the sun as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other.

“Doesn’t your brother surf a lot?”

“I’m surprised you’re aware of what my brother does or does not do.”

“I’m surprised he hasn’t taught you.” Rafe remarks and you wrinkle your nose.

“Im not really all that interested in it.”

“And you just don’t like swimming?” He clarifies and you nod.

“Pretty much. Don’t even have a bathing suit.” You had one that topper got for you that stayed at his house mainly but the last time you wore it was last summer and it was stained a pinkish color from an accidental spill. You’ve been avoiding letting topper get you another one for a while.

“Hm.” He nods. He stands there for a minute before clearing his throat, “so uh, sunscreen?”

“In the pocket of the bag.” You smile and he nods. You can’t tell if he’s blushing from embarrassment or if his face is just sunburnt.

[sybaritick]

Custom Plushie, Costume, and Fursuit Part Commissions: Details for 2025!

General Notes

All work is about $20/hour plus materials. This is what I've found to be the best balance between "pricing things in a range people can actually afford and will buy" and "paying myself enough to be worth it to do." Yes, I make more hourly at my day job(s), and here that money has to cover self-employment taxes and other expenses too unlike a regular job. But this is something I do because I love it.

Prices listed below are without shipping. Shipping within the US is usually $10 or less; international is usually about $25 unfortunately.

I take payment via PayPal-- I will send you an invoice!

You can contact me about a commission right here in a Tumblr message, on Discord at @\sybaritick, or via mousetoothcreations.etsy.com.

If you'd like to see reviews or testimonials there are a ton available on Etsy (hundreds!) and I have a 4.9-star average rating there (tl;dr I am not going to take your money and run.)

Standard turnaround time is four weeks. If for some reason it would be different from that (long queue, complicated project, etc), I will let you know before you pay for anything!

Plushies!

these are now newly open for commissions! yaaay! For that reason, they are cheaper than they should be. Commission me now before I have more experience and start charging more.

Humanoid plushies like Labrys (top left), Zefira (top right), and Haley (rabbit-girl in the first photoset) start at $150 (with higher prices being for more details, clothing, unusual stuff that needs customization, etc)! Ask/show the character and I will give you a quote.

Animal and creature plushies (bottom row, dragon and cow in the first photoset) are a wider range. A simple beanie plush, like the handsy mouse or the beanie babirusa, starts at about $100, while something more complex like the pig or cow would run you $150, more similar to the humanoids. Something wild like the giant dragon (which is about 5 and a half feet long!! it's awesome) would be about $300, would be totally willing to do it again though just ask for more details!

Fursuit Head Bases

The classic. I've done over a hundred of these commissions! Above are some of the class of 2024. Carved from upholstery foam for you to turn into your own fursuit. They are $130 for just the base itself or $150 if you would like me to do custom eyes as well. :)

Fursuit Parts and Miscellanea

Rodent tails start at $60. Simple one-color minky ones are $60, two-color fur and minky is $70, and extras like the watermelon seeds or patches will bring it to $80-100.

Fleece ear hats are $40 for simple ones (no stripes/spots/markings on them): easy to make and I do any species and color you like! More complex ones like the cat with the tabby head pattern in the middle are $60.

Fluffy hooves are $150.

Anything else you are potentially interested in, including species I haven't mentioned: ask and I will likely be open to it. I enjoy trying new things!

OK, that's all. I'll probably make this my pinned for a bit!

[kaboom--bitch]

I wasn't even in front for this but I'm still so mad at the medical system. We called an ambulance for someone having a lot of issues (breathing difficulty, feeling like fainting, throwing up repeatedly, in excruciating pain, struggling to speak) because of pain from a physical injury and we got told by the dispatcher that this "isn't an emergency, I'm not sending an ambulance" and kept getting cut off while trying to explain. All because we made the mistake of answering honestly that they have anxiety when asked about the mental health condition history of the person.

Why the fuck does someone having anxiety mean that you're just going to discredit everything else? Why is this honestly a common thing for people to do? At least, when we went through school, if you had anxiety and went to the sick bay/nurses office for any other reason they assumed you were "just a bit anxious" and didn't actually take the time to listen to you. They sent us back to class with chronic migraines that have hospitalised us before because of how fucking little they care about mental health. We've had shit like that happen to us in hospitals too, they just treat you like you're being dramatic and you're a bother.

Who fucking CARES if someone has anxiety? Who cares if their physical symptoms might "just be an anxiety attack"? Who cares if you think they "don't really need help"? Even if someone is "just" having an anxiety attack, you're not fucking helping with the real physical and mental strain on that person by brushing them off for "just" an emotional issue. You're fucking cruel. And it's so fucking horrendous that the fucking medical system so often does this too--the people who you'd think would at least vaguely get it.

There's a special kind of pain when you grow up hearing "always call this number in an emergency to get help!" and "help is out there, go to this doctors office" and "help is just a phone call away" and you get hit with the reality that sometimes, even if what could help you is so fucking simple, you can't get it. Because the very system designed to help you is also designed to just take your fucking money, make you conform, and can just decide tell you to fuck off even in a crisis.

Don't discredit anyone's pain because of a fucking diagnosis they have. It doesn't matter what diagnosis, if someone is in pain, LISTEN.

[rosiarie]

my essential stationery as a uni student

happy 2025 my loves ! with my winter quarter starting soon, i know a lot of you are going back to school. here is a list of my essential stationery that i love. keep in mind that spending money on expensive stationery or buying new notebooks all the time is not necessary at all to succeed academically. but if you guys do need to buy new pens, pencils, or notebooks, here are my favorites.

i. bag i use the longchamp le pliage medium tote. the medium imo is the perfect size, but some more affordable options are: - trader joes tote bag (available in store. i used this senior year of hs!) - thrifted leather bag i prefer shoulder bags, but again, you can wear whatever bag/backpack you prefer or already have!

ii. notebooks here are my favorite notebooks i use for school. when i look for a notebook, i try to get one that isn't too thick or big because it is less weight to carry in my bag and more functional. for wide ruled notebooks, i prefer college ruled as i get to write more on one page and it is aesthetically more pleasing for me to look at.

muji, college ruled (economics, language, science): i use this for note-taking, both in class and out of class. i prefer writing notes on paper to taking them digitally, as it is easier for me to retain the information. maruman, graphing (math): i discovered this brand last year at a local stationery store and it's become my favorite stationery item discover! i prefer spiral notebooks for mathematic courses, as it's easier to write on and use a full page! there's only 80 sheets on this, but it almost lasted me almost my whole ap calculus ab class last year! i only needed a new notebook on the last 2 months of hs. midori, graphing (math): i haven't used this one yet! but i'm planning to buy it for my first college calc course next quarter. i'm going to use this one as a formal math notebook where i keep notes on different formulas & theorems, whereas i use maruman for homework and note-taking during class!

iii. pencils & pens

mitsubishi alpha gel - my favorite mechanical pencil ever! the gel is so squishy and it helps make note-taking easier/faster. i have a pink & silver ver of this! sakura sumo grip - i like the mitsubishi gel one more, but this one is really good too! it also makes note-taking smoother/faster.

pilot - you can find this pen in any store (target or stationery) and easily online. the ink can get messy, it does take a while to dry (wait before flipping the page!), and it is pretty disliked, but this is my all time favorite ink pen. i love the way it feels when you write with this and how it turns out. muji dupe - i think i ordered this my second year of hs, and as a college first-year, i still have half the pack left. the muji ones might be better quality (i don't know, i've never tried them), but these work fine and i quite like them! they're 0.35mm, so the letters come out very smalll.

i wish you all the best in 2024. may happiness, love, health, and success find & keep you. bisous!