#but my partner is having a hard time making rent and i am having a hard time keeping a job so...
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zafiro-anyejo · 29 days ago
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#i told my friend i would go to a con with her in december and paid for my portion already but i kept getting super depressed thinking about#going to the con#and i mainly said yes because she has bad social anxiety and i wanted to support her#but i went to a con with one of my other friends a while ago and i am totally out of it#mentally and emotionally when it comes to anything fandom related. exept anime con but that's because i like seeing ppls costumes.#it's like i am a ghost of myself.#also i have expenses that keep piling up and i was like 'even if i don't get the whole refund i would rather have the money than go#on a trip just to be miserable'#so i kept putting it off but then i was like 'well i need to tell her at least a month before or else that is going to be really bad'#so i told her last night that things came up and i couldn't go (things is work/needing to save my money). like i know i already paid for it#but my partner is having a hard time making rent and i am having a hard time keeping a job so...#and i haven't told her any of this i just said 'things came up'#so she was naturally quite upset with me and said she “didn't give a shit if [i] lose money” but would pay me back for the con tickets#and the flight#like... she has always been brutally honest and (maybe?) autistic-coded so i tried not to let it get to me. i totally get being upset#and i am somewhat bothered with myself that i even said yes in the first place & then went back on it/waited so long to decide#but also i didn't expect to be paying my partner's half of the rent for a few months sooo.....#yeah#at least i will get half back and then i don't have to worry about asking for time off if i get a secondary job soon which i definitely nee#vent#delete later#tw financial issues
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mysillycomics · 10 months ago
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Hi everyone! This is Claire. I am writing to let you all know that we did it. We saved Bailey and Tiger Fluff, and we all live together in an apartment in Illinois, my home state. We really, really did it!!!
You can read our thanks, thoughts, and more under the read more :0)
(note: Oliver also goes by Bailey! She has two names.)
There are many important people on this journey that we would like to specifically thank.
First, all of our friends (especially Peregrine, Sophie, and Jackson) who were there on the day Bailey was evicted, who listened to me and helped me figure out what to do when I felt more lost than I’ve ever been. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to act so quickly and efficiently. Because of them, we were able to formulate a plan.
Speaking of Jackson, he and his partner Cherri need to be thanked once again. Jackson drove all the way from his home, Bailey’s motel, and back to get both her and Tiger to a place to stay while we figured out what to do next. They provided a warm, quiet, and safe place for both of them in a time when something like that was so far away. For the first time in a long time, I knew that Bailey was truly somewhere safe. For that, we will be forever grateful.
While we do not have their names, we would like to thank the staff of the airport and airline who helped make this journey objectively possible. They also made Tiger into a little celebrity on the flight, and everyone, including the pilot, went to greet her and congratulate her for being so brave. She really is the bravest little kitty we know.
Next are my very close friends Elle and Callan, who invited Bailey and Tiger to stay at their house not far from mine while we secured a place of our own. They, like Jackson and Cherri, gave both of them the space to simply be. I was able to visit a couple of times, and being with my favorite people made an extremely difficult time so much better. It made me think “this feeling is what we are fighting for”.
Finally, we’d like to thank you.
To all of you who read and shared our story, you helped us to feel seen and heard and not alone. Reading words of support in the comments, quote retweets, and tumblr tags truly made me feel like we could do this with everyone cheering us on.
To everyone who donated, your generosity this financially possible. As of writing, we received $19,381 from the GoFundMe. We are now able to use the rest of funds that have been tucked away in savings for rent, food, and bills. I cannot overstate how grateful we both are. What you did for us will never leave our hearts.
While Bailey and Fluffy were at Elle and Callan’s, we found an apartment. It was small, but perfect. We toured. We applied. And we got it.
And on December 9th, 2023, we moved in and started living together! Our goal, our dream, our driving force for so long was achieved. After three years of long distance, we finally made it.
Our home is small, and has some quirks as all homes do, but it’s ours. The love of my life, the best little cat in the word, and I are all together. We are safe, warm, happy, and loved. The future we fought so hard for us now the present. Forgive me for being long-winded. I just have so much to say about all of this! Sometimes I still can’t believe that we actually did it. But we did, we really did!!!
I’m going to keep the GoFundMe up for a little bit, but once things settle more I will close donations.
Thank you!!!!!!!!! 🧸💕
____
Hey everyone Bailey here, I cannot overstate just how grateful I am to every single one of you and how thankful I am that this journey has been able to come into fruition. It was very scary being in that motel not having a plan or knowing what I was gonna do next while everything was crumbling around me. If it wasn't for Claire and our incredibly kind and caring friends I don't know what I'd do. They helped me press on and get through this with Fluff and we finally did.
Finally we're in a place that brings nothing but peace and comfort, my anxiety has dropped and I'm doing things I've never thought possible and building up strengths I never knew I had, I feel whole in a way that I've never felt before and I'm just, happy.
I am so grateful to have Claire, for years she's been so supportive and comforting and has brought this dream we've had into reality and every day I am so thankful to have her, she is the love of my life and my best friend. The life that her, myself and Fluff now share will forever be together and we can finally begin living. 💚💜
Thank you everyone, thank you to our friends who let Fluff and I into their lives to be able to be safe while we get our bearings, thank you to everyone who said such kind and wonderfully compassionate words, cheering us on as we go, every day I was looking at the community post I made on YT and it was just filled with people being so supportive, and thank you everyone who donated and got us into where we are. We could not have done it without all of you. 🐟 ❤️ 🐟 ❤️
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iridessence · 1 year ago
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I would like to take a moment to acknowledge myself and say that I am elated and proud to have manifested some of my major goals since 2018-2019. Basically before then, 2014-16 I struggled with depression and suicidal ideation quite frequently due to not having steady income, as jobs in retail seemed the only available and “safe” options, but long shifts standing at a registers or posts were damagingly hard on my body. In 2017 I got a desk job that set me on the path of financial stability and reduced physical load, which did absolute wonders for my mental health but it was an absolute blight to my existence over time due to terrible management and the usual corporate garbage. I knew that staying there was fine for a time but not sustainable in the long run, so change must come eventually.
also around then, I continued to explore self portraiture and personal style but I really wanted to perform/create Burlesque acts and book them, and invest in and actually have choreography/technique and beautiful costume pieces that looked like the visions refining themselves in my head through research. I was also perpetually struggling in the dating sphere with the deficit of romantic fulfillment that I deeply wanted. and while they weren’t hostile, things were definitely weird with my family (dysfunctional, literal small town energy, upset that I didn’t want to be around them more in the suburbs but lots of interpersonal toxicity and lack of emotional growth).
I knew that in the coming years I wanted to…
quit my soul sucking job and set out to be a full-time or at least professional level burlesque performer, creating the qualitative and classic show girl acts I dream to see on stage
work on the floor at a boutique or mom-and-pop type shop that sells goods or services that are interesting to me, especially aesthetically, such as an antique shop or a jewelry boutique etc., but a place where I could sit intermittently as needed for my physical disability. Also, ideally it would be a position where I could express myself through style at my choosing and it would be received well, and also my hours would not be very early or very late.
find a loving and supporting partner who I could lavish equal amounts of love and support on to, live with and hopefully marry
Achieve/maintain financial stability enough that I have a reduced risk for homelessness and sometimes treat myself to things that I enjoy.
Figure out why the relationship with my family was such a struggle and do things within my power and desire to fix it.
In a world that isn’t a corporate machine devoid of empathy, none of that seems like a tall order to ask… but I live in America so… It took some time, but I’m starting to see the fruits and returns. Honestly sometimes things feel like a blur and I’m not exactly sure I could say there was a huge system to what I did overtime to make it work, but I know the work was there.
As of today, September 9, 2023:
I am a respected professional burlesque performer with costumes I figuratively gag over and acts that come closer and closer to hitting the aesthetic nail on the head for what I want to embody. (I quit that shitty desk job at the beginning of 2019 and haven’t looked back since. Sent a whole ass company wide message with a long and detailed “fuck you” too.😂🙈)
i’ve managed through burlesque, social media work, donations and savings, and —since the global pandemic—,odd jobs and grants/minimal loans, to continuously pay rent and ward off homelessness 
I live with the love of my life, to whom I am engaged and actively planning our wedding (we looked at a venue yesterday!)
I’ve helped my mom on the growth of her emotional intelligence and commitment to learning more about values under the race, gender, and sexuality umbrella, as well pushed her to examine the enabling and entitlement dynamics with her adult children that take advantage of her. While my relationship with my brother and sister is not great, my relationship with my mom has been steadily getting better since the pandemic. we had a breakthrough at the beginning of this year where she acknowledged and apologized for guilt tripping me for not being around the family more, when I was (she quoted) “actually protecting myself like she should have been.”
and litcherally within the past week I was offered the job at a local boutique I interviewed with a year ago and didn’t get, and I signed an offer letter to begin work within the month. 
To say I’m happy with the way things look right now is an understatement. The world still terrifies me, but I have no choice but to carve out a sliver of its beautiful experiences for myself, and I am doing just that. It may not be perfection, but it’s pretty damn good and I’m going to do everything in my power to keep it that way and make it even better. I am living my ancestors' wildest dreams!!
for anyone reading who might be struggling right now to make things work, I hope you hold on to hope that it can get better. A beautiful life is possible even on this hell scape, even for the marginalized.
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scara-meow-che · 2 years ago
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Dainsleif's dick being infused with abyss energy(?) like his arm-
Like yea Tartaglia's last form's dick, yeah Ito's oni dick, yeah zhongli's dragoon dick,but what of Dain???? That shit must be magical 😩
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⦿ 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 ┃ eyes up here princess with dainsleif
CW. NSFW (MDNI), big dick! dain, fem! reader, use of words (princess), established relationship, teasing, first-time sex, implied oral, sex w/out penetration (thigh job and dick job? is that even a thing? idk, just read it to find out), dirty talk, magical dick (i am NOT sorry), mention of abyss princess lumine
AN. the new archon quest 🧍🏻‍♀️ it felt like a fever dream and it's a whole ass year again before we get to see this man so i am making it my mission to let him and his abyss-energy-fused dick live in my mind rent-free. also, if the anon that sent me this is still here to witness me posting this, hello :D this took me by surprise bcs i planned it to be short but here we are ig
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it wasn't every day that you get dain's attention all to yourself.
you would often see him somewhere, busy, as always. sometimes, you would find yourself conversing with a few locals when dain tries to do things on his own as he would reason out that it's for your own safety. or you'd be up and about some part of the region searching for the abyss princess as to what he currently puts as his top priority.
these repeating turn of events would, most of the time, make you question whether you really matter to him seeing as he's always invested in things unrelated to you or what interests you. you don't ask too much from him but sometimes, a little attention would be nice, or have him answer all the questions that run inside your head.
yet, when dain would see that familiar expression painting your face as you make your bed for the night, he would put everything on hold and indulge more in what you'd request. he does make up for you, well, you have no complaints when he does because he'd always be there in a heartbeat for every beck and call.
hence why you're laid out on your bed, legs spread out with him toying with your already sore clit.
the idea of having sex had never once danced in between each conversation you'd have with dain. you'd rather spend the time to catch up on each other's day and sort out a route to where you both want to go next. it never fazed you when some people asked how your relationship with dain is going, not even bothered when some old women from liyue dramatically gasped as you've never been that intimate with your lover.
as the tension builds up throughout the months of overhearing people gossiping about their partners or be the victim of a drunk local telling you the tale of their sexual escapades, it draws out some images in your head. would dain be like the same as those oni's you've heard about? or have an impressive length similar to this one tale about a dragon lord? heck, would he have a dick that grows unrealistically big just like with the harbinger that you've heard about?
but who fucking cares anyway? you're about to get the real deal right now.
"what a curious mind you have there, princess." dain mindlessly mused as he press soft kisses along your thighs, leaving you breathless as he presses himself closer to your aching core. you can feel the heat from the big hard tent on his pants as he rubs himself to the dampness of your cunt. "i thought that eating you out could already satiate your pretty little head but you still want... what? what is it that you want from me again?"
he taunts, amused when he hears a cry from your disheveled form. "ah, didn't i say to tell me if you want something?"
"but it's embarrassing to say it!" you can't even fully reason out how humiliating it is for you to casually ask him that you want to see his dick as you let out another moan when he lightly thrusts his clothed cock on your core. he doesn't even let up, continuing his cruel pace in rubbing his aching dick on your already sensitive clit.
"p-please! i just, a-ah, want to see your d-dick!"
"say what again, princess?"
having enough of his teasing, you went to give your best in bending your body just to reach the big tent on his pants. "i want to see your dick dain and... i want you to fuck me, please."
you can feel a rush of heat all over your skin, your eyes quickly darting to the side to avoid dain's amused pair. a chuckle was all you heard before you felt his hands gently laying you down back to bed. in response to his pleased titter, you scoffed and gave him a quick glare.
"i'm sorry but you're just irresistible when you're so honest with me." he paused as he takes a sharp intake of air when he pulls out his leaking cock from the confines of his pants.
your eyes widen at the sight. no, it's not because he's as big as what you heard like the one of an oni or he has that delicious curve like that of the dragon cock but it's because the hue is unlike any other, the dark blue pulses as beads of white litters on the tip. fuck, when dain gave his dick a quick stroke, you can see how it grew a bit larger in his palm.
you drool just by imagining how it would feel inside of you.
"eyes up here, princess." he gave your thighs a light smack, pulling your attention back up before you felt the cockhead rubbing so gingerly on your little nub, smearing your cum on your lower lips.
"you're so eager for me, huh?" he can feel you trembling the more he pays attention to your aching core, gliding the head back and forth your lower lips, enough to push the head inside your hole but easy for him to just pull right back out. he's testing out the waters, waiting for more of your reactions and he could only see you enjoying yourself being please with the tip of his dick.
"just look at you, so wet and ready for me." and you are, feeling your arousal pool and spill right out of your needy hole while dain keeps making a mess out of it. your hips desperately buck right up, chasing for the head but he kept you pinned down on the soft mattress as he continues teasing you.
"dain, please, want to feel more of you." your hand went to grab his arms, giving it a light squeeze that you knew would get him to listen to you.
but it did the complete opposite.
"didn't you say that you want to see my dick?"
before you could argue back, dain had gently straightened both your legs upward, his strong arms locking you in place before pushing the dark blue cockhead in between your thighs. "been wanting to do this for so long," he uttered with a low groan, his body shivering when he thrusts his cock in the middle of your soft flesh, the rushed and hasty movements of the head prods at your clit. "you look so pretty like this, just letting me use you."
you gasped for air when he purposely prods at your puckering hole, angling his abyss-energy-fused cock to dive in and out of your thighs. your eyes caught a glimpse of how each streak of white glow, the nerves pulsing as he ruts himself so needily on you.
"so keep your pretty eyes on me and maybe, if you managed to do so, i might just give you what you want."
and you did, you desperately tried your best to keep looking at dain and just watching how he use your thighs to get off. it was a rare sight to see dain lose himself, tottering over the warmth and softness that covers his dick.
at first, he was scared that he might scare you off, thinking how unusual his cock looks. compared to what he thought you'd prefer to see in between your legs, about to rail the innocence out of you, his was far off the scales.
but when he saw your eyes almost sparkled when he pulled out his dick, hands so damn eager to touch him, and both your lips spilling out how much you want more of him just sends him over the edge. his pace quickened the more he stares at your needy form, enjoying the way your eyes fluttered close whenever he brushed against your hole before proceeding in sliding his cock back on your thighs.
"i'm so close, fuck, you feel so good 'round me like this, princess." and fuck, yes, you can feel more of his pre-cum ooze around the head and coats more of your already slick skin. it felt so dirty, so filthy to watch him fuck himself with your thighs and you felt dirtier when you were enjoying how his large dick, fused with the same abyss energy as his arm, slides back and forth your thighs.
"cum for me please," you whispered, urging your lover to release his load on your skin. within seconds, dain stopped his thrusts as he buried his cock between your legs, pressing it tighter as he shoots his load on your flesh, slowly having the thick globs of his cum drip down on your core.
while dain goes to steady his breathing, you went to open up your legs to see how much cum had covered your body, the scent of sex causing your head to fizzle out that you had nothing in your mind but the need to see his dick filling you up.
dainsleif was shocked when you went to reach out for his cock, the keenness in your eyes captivating as you focused on his dick.
"wanna see how it looks as you fuck me." your request came like a cry, a whimper of desperation. and you can feel the way dain's dick twitched on your hand.
you're going to be the death of him.
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⠀⠀scara-meow-che © 2023 ┃ do not copy, modify, or repost ANY of my content
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bradshawsbitch · 2 years ago
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songbird | bradley bradshaw x f!reader
masterlist | part two
i am dedicating this fic of filth to my sweet sweet friend @rolycolysficrecs who puts up with me and let's me scream about linguistics and biting to her<3
description: Bradley and you have rented a cabin for a winter getaway. Maybe the seclusion and beauty will offer new experiences?
disclaimer: explicit smut. 18+ minors dni!!!
warnings: afab!reader, explicit smut, mentions ptsd, mental health mentions, mentions of scars, mentions of stretch marks (m and f), oral (m and f receiving), p in v sex, unprotected sex, creampies, body worship (m and f receiving), daddy kink, nipple play, emotional sex, sub space, tears, choking if you squint, minor breeding kink, aftercare, ab riding, slight hair pulling
word count: ~7K
tagging people who might like: @roosterforme @mak-32 @theharddeck @lt-bradshaw @sebsxphia @rhettabbotts @notroosterbradshaw @currentlybradshaw @bradleyssweetheart
◇─◇──◇─◇◇─◇──◇─◇◇─◇──◇─◇◇─◇──◇─◇◇─◇──◇
for you, there’ll be no more crying.
The sweet sounds of Christine McVie’s lyrics permeated the air of the small wooden cabin, the light crackling of the vinyl player further emphasizing the serene ambience of the candle lit living room. Rooster was stood in the adjoining kitchen, preparing two cups of irish coffee, currently stirring the hot coffee - the soft clinks of the spoon hitting the sides of the cups soothing you as you sat on the sofa in front of the open fire. 
Outside the window, large flakes of snow were falling from the skies, like fluffy cotton balls that engulfed the earth, covering it in a heavy weighted blanket. As you glanced at your boyfriend, your heart ached with love for him. It had been a heavy night and start of the day for him.
Usually you could hardly tell that Rooster had had a bit of a rough go at life, and that his work sometimes put him under immense stressors. He took it in stride, spreading his unconditional joy without abandon. But some days, like this one, he just couldn’t give anymore. And that was perfectly alright. He never told you, but you could recognize the signs well enough by now. 
It was December, and the holidays were coming up, which you knew were sometimes a hard time for Rooster. The two of you had barely had any sleep during your first night in the cabin you’d rented for the week - it happened sometimes when there was a change of scenery for Bradley, when he wasn’t on the job. 
It was like his body somehow refused to relax, and therefore replayed stressful events to kickstart his fight or flight, just in case. After having lived with Rooster for some time, you’d learnt how to best deal with your partner as he woke up in a cold sweat, or when he laid awake for hours - sleep evading him until the early morning hours.
It was like his body somehow refused to relax, and therefore replayed stressful events to kickstart his fight or flight, just in case. After having lived with Rooster for some time, you’d learnt how to best deal with your partner as he woke up in a cold sweat, or when he laid awake for hours - sleep evading him until the early morning hours.
You knew what it was like to love him through it all. You never tired of holding him when he needed it, never tired of gently wiping his tears away and soothing his frayed nerves. Never tired of talking soothingly to him, never tired of trying to gauge what sort of reaction he would have when he came to. Although you knew he thought you were beginning to tire of it. 
You wanted to tell him, much like Christine sang, that it was alright. You loved him. All of him. Quirks, happy and sad, and you could never tire of trying to make him the happiest he could be. 
Looking up at your boyfriend as you heard him whip cream by hand for your drinks, you were once again overwhelmed by the feelings that sprang from somewhere deep within your chest - taking in his tall and broad form.
Bradley might be tall and broad, but you knew that he must feel very small right now - and you wanted him to know that it was okay to be small sometimes, it was okay to not withstand and push through it all. It was okay to rest. He could rest with you. But you knew, deep down, that your words wouldn’t be enough to convince him - so you were going to have to show him. 
for you, the sun will be shining. 
Sitting down next to you, Bradley gingerly put your irish coffees down on the low table in front of the cozy sofa. Sighing softly, he tried to let his body relax into the cushions, his upper body leaning heavily against the backrest - palms going up to rub at his eyes. He’d slept horribly, and he woke you up because of his sitting upright with a strangled gasp that bordered on a groan from his nightmare. 
As usual, his too-good-for-him girlfriend had held him close to her chest as he rambled anxiously, keeping his palm over her steady heartbeat to soothe him and help ground him. It always worked, which ticked Bradley off. Of course he was thankful, but he was so tired of not being able to manage it on his own. He’d finally fallen asleep, his head on your chest, counting your heartbeats and matching his breaths to yours, your fingers in his hair, soothing him.  
“How’re we feeling, honeypie?” your soft voice broke the silence that had stretched in the cabin. Those words alone had indignant tears burning behind Bradley’s closed lids. Why? Why did you caring so much for him make his chest ache like this? 
“I–” Bradley had to stop himself, his voice nearly breaking from emotion, shaking his head and swallowing. Your soft body soon crawled over to him, straddling his bare thighs, settling on top of his boxer-clad lap. At the feeling of your weight pressing against his chest, feeling your soothing hands smooth over his navy blue hoodie, Bradley let out a shuddering breath, a tear slowly falling from his closed lids at last. 
“It’s okay to not be okay, you know that?” God, the sweeter you were about his bad day, the more he felt like breaking apart. “I know,” he choked out “I just so badly wanted this time to go well,” Bradley confessed, feelings of shame and disappointment rolling over him like powerful tides.
“I know, sweetheart,” you murmured against his pulse point. “You do know that one bad day does not mean that this trip is in any way ruined right?” his heavy sigh told you that he did not know that. 
“Bradley,” the way his name rolled so softly off of your lips had his heart stuttering, and as he felt your palms cradling his cheeks, he dared open his amber eyes to meet your loving gaze. “Every moment I get to spend with you is a moment I love. Of course, I love seeing my beautiful, happy Rooster - but you, Bradley, are the most important.” his girl took a beat, letting the words sink in before continuing “I will love you in every which way you come, okay?” 
Was this unconditional love? The feeling of being loved even though you felt wholly unlovable? 
“It must be hard, loving me,” Bradley couldn’t help but air out some of the fears that plagued him sometimes when he was on his lonesome, with no one to distract him from his own head. To his surprise, an airy, light laughter fell from your lips as you smiled down at him
“Darling, loving you is as easy as breathing,” your voice was warm with tenderness “besides, I’ve heard that the hardest ones to love, are the ones who need it most,” 
A long, ragged breath escaped from Bradley’s throat, some of the tears that had nestled in between his eyelashes slowly rolling down his scarred cheeks as he looked at you. The furrow of his brow was still there, and you reached out to softly let your thumb grace over the crease. He did feel like he needed love. He needed your love, and it scared him. Because if he needed you to feel good - what would he do when you weren’t there anymore?
“Can I show you all my love?” you whispered, eyes flitting fast over his face, as if you were drinking him in, afraid he might evaporate into thin air if you took your eyes off of him for too long. Bradley didn’t quite understand what you meant, so he just nodded. 
and i feel that when i’m with you, it’s alright… i know it’s right
Your hands left their perch on top of his shoulders, slowly ghosting down his arms, softly playing with the hem of the bottom of his hoodie. The slight cold touch of your fingertips against his bare lower abdomen had him sucking in a small breath of air, but you just continued further up - fingertips grazing across his abs, the fabric of his shirt bunching on your forearms.
As your palms reached his pectorals, Bradley got the hint and reached his arms over his head to let you remove his clothing for him, leaving him in nothing but his boxers. 
Tender eyes gazed at his upper body, and Bradley’s brown eyes held an unreadable emotion within them as they took in the sight of you admiring him. Your smile sent butterflies to his stomach, and he had to take another deep breath to steady himself as your palms caressed the sides of his waist. Slowly, you slipped off of his lap, down to your knees below the sofa. 
Bradley was surprised when all you did for a few moments was caressing and massaging his thighs, just settling in between his knees, looking up at him with those loving eyes. 
“I’ll love all of you, Bradley,” you murmured, your lips ghosting over his left knee. A spot where he knew his skin was scuffed from the many times he had slid on it to reach a base during baseball practice years ago. It was rather faded, but still visible if you knew where to look. Obviously, you did know. Your ever moving hands had slid upwards, slipping underneath the fabric of his black boxer shorts, softly massaging his upper thighs. 
A soft groan slipped past Bradley’s lips as his head tilted slightly backwards at your ministrations. All too soon, your hands disappeared to linger at the waistband of his underwear, inching them downwards. Bradley was all too happy to help you slide them off, and he raised his hips slightly to get them down his legs. 
Bradley softly tucked his lower lip in between his teeth at the sight of you kneeling in front of him. He wasn’t exactly embarrassed about the fact that you already had him half hard. However, you didn’t seem to be on the type of mission Bradley had originally thought. You only kept your eyes on his, smiling softly as he furrowed his brow in confusion. 
Instead, you leaned forward, letting your lips connect with his thighs, hands placed just above his knees. Your mouth ghosted over his hot skin, your breath leaving goosebumps in its wake. As your face neared his v-line, you let your lips land at the junction of his hip and thigh, and the sensation of the soft touch sent a shiver down Roosters spine along with the softest of pretty moans. 
Your nose was tracing along the side of his hip, before you slowly inched your lips and tongue towards his lower abdomen. At the sensation of your tongue licking and softly sucking at the skin near his happy trail, Bradley let out a long, breathy moan - his cock twitching at the pleasurable touch. 
“Does that feel good, Bradley?” you hummed softly against his skin, your upper body slotted between his thick thighs, your hands now steadying themselves on his waist, your forearms pressed close to his body as your nose and mouth pressed against the skin right by his navel.
“So good, baby… oh god,” Bradley moaned breathlessly. 
The feeling of the muscles in his abdomen tightening and relaxing made a rush of heat flow like a steady, warm stream to your very core, and you bit your lip softly as you gazed up at your blissed out boyfriend. His large hands had rested on your shoulders, where his thumbs gently stroked over the exposed skin where his large t-shirt hung slightly off your shoulder. 
“I love you,” you whispered against his skin, your lips sealing your words into the space where they had hit him below his ribs. Your hands soon covered his larger ones, gently guiding one of them so that your lips could press against his palm, and then his wrist, your other hand ghosting over his forearm - fingertips softly touching all of the little scars he’d got from the regular wear and tear of life. Signs of being alive.
You stroked a larger scruff, where you knew he’d gotten burnt once trying to help Mav with his jet, placing a gentle kiss to the mark before moving on to his bicep. Suddenly, the palm of your hand felt rather small as it stretched over his muscle, gripping slightly to feel the soft skin. Bradley was practically vibrating at the sensations you were giving him, his breaths becoming shallow and the occasional sharp intake of air could be heard through the silent cabin.
Lips pressed softly against the stretch marks that had accumulated where Bradley’s bicep met his chest, you hummed softly at the feeling of your body pressed up against his. His warmth seeped into your every pore as you loved him. Kissing his sternum softly, you looked up at him with a soft smile, and you were sad to see his amber eyes filled with an unreadable emotion swirling within them, tears sitting unshed on his lash line. 
“Is it too much?” you murmured, concerned, gently cradling his right cheek in your hand. Bradley immediately leant into your touch, shaking his head. “I really like how it feels,” Bradley’s voice was gravelly as he confessed, filled with emotion. Your smile soothed him, and your heart clenched at his answer. Did he mean your touch? Or your unconditional love? Either way, it tugged at your heartstrings. 
and i love you, i love you, i love you - like never before
Placing your hands on the top of his knees again, you slowly rose to straddle his lap once more, letting a soft moan slip from your lips as you felt him hard against you. Bradley’s soft release of air, his head tilting back to expose his neck and throat to you, did nothing to alleviate the burning heat in your abdomen.
“You’re so beautiful,” you murmured against Rooster's skin, lips pressed against his left shoulder, where another mark sat upon his skin. This one was larger, a little jagged, and you paid it as much attention as the other marks - giving it a soft kiss before moving up towards the junction of his neck and shoulder. There you ventured to softly let your tongue out to taste the warm skin, gently sucking the tan skin into your mouth momentarily, leaving the faintest of your own marks on his skin. 
As you had left kisses up the side of his neck, you pulled back to look into his eyes - pupils slightly dilated and chest heaving slightly, you never thought Bradley had looked so breathtaking before. 
“I love you.” the statement was final, and he would have to take that as it was - the truth. It looked as if something clicked into place in Bradley’s eyes, as your thumb stroked the long scar across his throat, sliding up to softly caress the marks on his chin, before playfully ghosting over his bottom lip. Breaking the eye contact with Bradley, you finally let your lips leave butterfly kisses all along the left side of his face, ending up with your forehead pressed against his, lips hovering above his. 
“Thank you,” Bradley spoke softly. His large hand had snaked up to cradle the back of your head, the other one settled on your hip. Smiling, you pressed a slow kiss to his lips, wanting to taste him fully. His tongue skillfully met yours in a slow, sensual kiss that took the breath out of you entirely. The hand that had moved to stroke the back of your head had tangled into your hair, softly massaging and tugging as his tongue moved against yours - eliciting soft whimpers and moans from you.
His hands slowly reached beneath the large t-shirt that hung off of your frame, his large, warm hands caressing the cool skin that sat underneath, lingering on the spot just above your hips, gently kneading the skin there, before his hands moved further up. Thumbs brushing against the underside of your breasts.
A soft whimper rolled from your lips at the sensation; even though you were determined that this venture was all about Bradley. So after only a few short moments of feeling his large hands massaging your tits slowly, and a few soft moans escaping from your lips, you softly push his hands away. Swiftly you removed yourself from your boyfriend's lap, sinking down onto your knees in between his thighs again.
“I’m not done loving you,” you smiled a little, and Bradley quirked a brow, a soft smile on his own lips to match yours. “Is that so?” he murmured, gently cupping your chin in his hand, squeezing slightly. 
Licking your lips, you slowly sank down onto the balls of your heels, taking in the sight before you. Bradley was sat naked on the large, stretched out couch, head tilted slightly back as your hand wrapped around his now fully hard cock. 
“So pretty,” you murmured softly, and Bradley huffed out a breathless laugh, almost embarrassed. Deciding to finish worshiping your boyfriends body as it had started, you pressed hungry kisses against his thighs, working your way upwards. This time, however, you decided to leave tiny little bite marks here and there - teeth sinking into the warm skin softly. Those actions rewarded you with sounds from your lover that had you clenching and almost whimpering with need.
Just before you were about to worship the last body part you had left, Bradley’s hand caressed your cheek lovingly, before moving to settle in your hair. The feeling of his strong hold against your scalp had you whimpering louder, and that familiar feeling of being completely safe engulfed you - as it often did when you were intimate with Bradley. He always took good care of you. 
“There’s my good girl,” Bradley rumbled, his voice so deep and raspy you nearly lost yourself to his touch, legs clenching together to relieve the ache that had settled deep within you. His words had fire spreading through your core, up your midsection, settling deep in your chest - his words an anchor and a familiar safety that allowed you complete relaxation, complete surrender and serenity; the very thing you were trying to offer Bradley. 
Finally, you pressed open mouthed kisses on the base of his length as it rested against his abdomen. Bradley let a long moan flow from his throat, and you could almost see some of the tension escape out of his body at your touch. Licking up the length of his hardness, you felt all the silky ridges and veins underneath your tongue and hands.
Wrapping your lips around his hardened dick, you slowly took him deeper and deeper into your mouth, tongue swirling softly against the silky skin, letting your tongue explore all the veins and ridges in full. Bradley’s stuttered moan made you hollow your cheeks slightly, sucking him further into your warm, wet mouth. The hold on your hair tightened ever so slightly, and you could feel that Bradley was trying hard not to buck up into your mouth, his hips jolting ever so slightly. 
You could almost feel yourself losing yourself in him, as you so often did. That small sliver of resilience almost slipping from you, as you heard his pleasure, felt him throb in your mouth. A small whimper started in your throat, and your eyelids fluttered close to not make it too obvious that your eyes were starting to water and almost roll back from the soothing feeling of having him in your mouth, having him love you and hearing his soft moans envelop you like a blanket.  
Licking up his length, you nuzzled for a moment where his thigh met his hips to catch your breath, placing a fluttering kiss to the sensitive skin. Trying so bad to not slip, because this isn’t about you, this is about your love for Bradley - showing him how much he means to you. Yet, Bradley seems to notice - can tell so instinctively what you need, and what he needs too. 
Soft, warm hands pull you upwards, close to his chest before he settles you on his lap again, straddling one of his thighs momentarily.
“So fucking beautiful,” he breathes against your skin, lips ghosting over the sensitive skin of your neck, the bristles of his mustache lightly scratching where his lips explored. His hands grace down your arms before they squeeze your waist lovingly, gliding up to softly cup your breasts over the fabric of his worn and soft t-shirt.
A sigh tumbled from your parted lips, and Bradley’s right there, humming softly in encouragement. His hands slowly glide down your waist, to your hips, where he for just a moment guides them to rut slowly against his muscular thigh, drawing a strangled gasp from your parted lips.
“You love me so, so good, sweetheart,” he murmurs as his hands move slowly upwards again, massaging your sensitive breasts, drawing soft mewls and whimpers from you - his fingers occasionally brushing your hardening nipples. 
“My pretty baby,” he smiles, nudging your jaw with the tip of his nose to gain better access to the skin below your ear, his lips softly latching on to lick and kiss at your pulse point. 
Your needy whine was met by a pleased groan that rumbled from deep within Bradley’s chest, and his naked body pressed hard into yours at the sound, the hot breath that fanned over your neck again making it so hard not to melt into his touch. 
“Bradley–” you sighed in protest, wanting to try to hold on to the small semblance of control you had had on the situation just moments ago. But Bradley only made soft shushing noises, covering your lips with his as his tongue slid over your bottom lip before gently taking it between his teeth. After drawing yet another breathy whimper from you, Rooster let go of your bottom lip to whisper softly in your ear 
“You take such great care of me, honey… will you let me care for you?” 
His teeth gently graces your earlobe, before his lips kiss softly just behind it. In that moment it almost feels like everything falls away except for Bradley. The snow whirling outside the windows doesn’t exist anymore. The crackling fire dancing over the logs in the fireplace are all at once running through your body like liquid water, not actually in the fireplace at all. Though Bradley’s touch resembles the soothing of the cold snow outside that satiates the burn. His hands have snuck underneath your shirt, lifting it above your head and discarding it on the wooden floors.
His lips latch on to your nipples, tongue swirling slowly in circles over the lacy fabric of your thin bra. Head tilted back in pleasure, his name is heard like a prayer to the heavens as it tumbles from your lips. 
His large palm is softly grasping your breast, kneading it gently as his mouth works kisses and licks onto the swell of it. His other hand reaches back to unlatch the clasp, gently helping you drag it down your arms, until it joins your forgotten shirt on the floor. 
“It’s my turn now,” Bradley hums, the small, but genuinely happy smile on his face making tears burn behind your eyelids. Strong hands lifts you from your spot on his thigh, gently laying you down on the soft plaid that was placed on the seat of the couch. Slowly he lowers himself down your body, his nose teasingly fluttering against your skin, his lips sporadically leading the way. 
Soon enough he’s leaning between your thighs, a tight grasp on your calf as he raises it to rest on his well muscled shoulder. There he places a soft kiss, his fingers gracing the outside of your calf, his lips kissing a trail to your knee, where a jagged scar marres your skin from where it had been mended years earlier.
Like you, he gives it a soft kiss of adoration before he continues his journey - stopping to love on the slightly pink and purple toned stretch marks on your thighs. Your breath is unsteady, and you almost feel as if you’re floating - the sensations Bradley is providing the only thing that’s keeping you from slipping. 
“Shh, baby, it’s okay… I’ve got you, love,” Bradley murmurs as he settles, his chest resting in between your spread legs, your thighs slung over his broad shoulders as your whines and whimpers of pleas get all the more frantic. Bradley’s hot breath hitting your clothed core has you licking your lips in anticipation, breath stuttering pitifully in your throat. He hasn’t even touched you yet. 
“So pretty… is it all for me, honey?” Rooster rumbles, amber eyes so filled with lust and love, connecting with yours; taking in the pout on your face, the neediness of your eyes, the heaving of your chest and your soft whimper as you nod fervently at his question. He groans, the sight enough to have him rutting his hard cock once into the cushions of the sofa. 
“Please, Roos– baby, I need you,” your soft plea has Bradley choking on a breath before he presses his lips hard against your lace clad core, tongue darting out to tease the wetness beneath it. “Anything my baby needs,” he mumbles, as he pushes the delicate fabric aside, sinking his long finger into your wet core. A sigh of relief, followed by a small moan rolls from your lips. 
“Good girl,” Bradley hums, his lips softly slotting over your clit as his finger pump slowly in and out of you. He’s sucking and licking at you, swirling his tongue with just the right amount of pressure to have you moaning and gasping. Retracting his finger, his large palms massage the outside of your thighs as he buries his face further into your slick cunt, his tongue slowly sliding downwards to tease at your hole, the tip just slightly slipping in and out and around making you grasp Bradley’s locks hard, giving an involuntary jerk of your wrist at the slow waves of pleasure rolling through you.
Suddenly Roosters’ tongue slips in and he’s properly fucking you with his tongue, his stubbled chin brushing against the delicate skin around your core, and his nose and mustache brushing and teasing your clit. 
The pleasure that’s building in your core threatens to snap, the heat from the crackling fire seeming to have moved to your insides - embers sparking in your veins as every sensation but the feeling of Rooster fades away. Squeezing your eyes shut, you gently push Bradley’s head away from your weeping core, a soft whine leaving your lips as you do so. Bradley just mouths hungrily at the inside of your thighs for a few moments, before he’s caught his breath and continues his exploration of your body that’s laid bare for him.
Bradley’s hands leave the comfortable spot they’ve had, massaging your soft thighs to continue their exploration. Fingertips ghost over chilled skin, softly tracing patterns into your hips before his palm splays across your lower stomach momentarily.
Mustache and lips pressing gentle kisses that spread warmth wherever they caress. Bradleys lips works against your skin, finding freckles, spots and small marks wherever he can - loving them just as easily as you had his. As his hands found a new resting place, holding tight to your waist, his lips once again lavished over your breasts.
Soft mewls left you as Roosters lips closed around your nipple, his tongue working slowly across it before he suckled lightly, pulling the soft flesh into his mouth over and over again. Gasps and needy moans tore from your chest as your body started to squirm, thighs clenching together to alleviate the flaming desire Bradley had awoken in your body. 
Rooster seemed oblivious to it though, moaning against your chest as his palm massaged the base of the breast he currently had sucked into his mouth, his breath becoming shallow as he heard your soft noises and felt the supple skin against his hot tongue. 
“Baby,” your broken, needy whine pulled Bradley away from your chest, and at your small whimper of “need you” paired with the slightest pout to your lush lips, had a fire exploding within his chest. He needed to make sure you got what you needed. He had to take care of you, keep you safe, keep you warm, keep you close.  
“Shh, sweetheart, don’t you worry, I’ve got you - daddy’s got you,” he murmured against your ear, placing soft, soothing kisses to your cheek, where a stray tear had escaped from your lust filled eyes. At his words, you couldn’t hold on any longer. That tiny fraction of control you held for a moment slipped away and a soft sob shook your chest as you moaned 
“Please, daddy,” you weren’t sure what you were pleading for, but desperation ran through your veins, and it seemed as if you could no longer control the soft sniffles and whimpers that heaved through your chest. Bradley’s soft touches, his soothing words touching your skin grounded you slightly, the feel of his fingers entangling with your hair, tugging softly - reminding you that he was there, that you were there. 
“Daddy’s here, baby. Relax, sweetheart… I’ll take such good care of you, I always take good care of you, hm?” Rooster murmured lovingly, his lips softly caressing yours, his other palm smoothing your hair away from your face as he looked down at you. Nodding your head, you reached for him, pulling him down so his weight rested on top of you. Nuzzling your face into the crook of his neck, you placed several kisses against the scar on his throat. 
Bradley shuddered slightly at the sensation, before his arms wound around your back as he angled his body and turned - so that he was on his back and you were lying on his broad chest. One of his hands slowly reached down, splaying across your thigh - helping you straddle his abs. 
“Pretty, pretty baby,” he cooed as you sat up completely, looking down at him bashfully as you sat with your bare pussy pressed against his hard abs. Bradley’s hands settled on top of your thighs, gently rubbing small circles into them - making your core move slightly against his chiseled stomach. Tucking your bottom lip in between your teeth, you let your head roll back a little at the new sensation. 
“That feels good huh, honey?” Rooster rasped, the sight of his girl on top of him, softly rocking against his abs for her own pleasure enough for him to let a rough groan slip, fingers tightening on her thighs to help her ride his midsection better. 
“Yes, daddy… so good,” the sentence was punctured by a long, erotic moan. Bradley’s hard cock was already leaking from the pleasure of seeing her so blissed out for him, so lost in the pleasure and safety he had been able to provide her through his touch. Waves of pride swelled deep within his chest, and he had to take a deep breath as he pressed your core closer to his abdomen, hearing your soft whines as your clit caught the friction of the ridges his muscles provided. 
“Good girl… my good girl,” Bradley rasped breathlessly, easing his hold on your hips slightly, only to wrap his forearm under the swell of your ass - lifting you up slightly. Your hand swiftly reached down, and Bradley moaned low in his throat at the feeling of your hand wrapping around the silky hardness that pressed against your ass. 
“Bradley,” you moaned softly as you teased your folds with the thick tip of Bradley’s cock, the slick of your arousal coating the swollen, red tip. Rooster’s breath stuttered in his throat as his hands massaged the globes of your ass slowly, groaning as he felt you enclose him more when he pushed your cheeks a certain way.
Throwing his head back, he wondered briefly if this was how heaven felt like. You looked angelic enough, sat on top of him, beautiful face filled with the pleasure he was giving you, lips slightly parted and brows furrowed as you panted slightly at the feeling of his cock teasing your entrance and clit. 
He let you take your time, grinding yourself on his cock, enjoying your soft whimpers as he slipped further and further into your wet heat. Rooster only rutted his hips slightly each time you sank down, and soon you were whimpering and moaning incoherently, the stretch of his thick cock enough to make you delirious. Bradley sat up slightly to caress your cheek, making soft shushing noises to soothe you as you sat still, him bottomed out so deep in you, feeling your sweet cunt squeezing his cock again and again as you tried to adjust to him. 
“Daddy!” your soft sob, paired with your quick breaths had his brows furrowing slightly, his one hand softly finding its place around your throat, not squeezing but merely there as a reminder “Sweetheart…” he murmured, “Look at me,” dilated irises found his and he licked his lips softly “Are we okay? Do you need a break?” he softly let his thumb stroke your cheek, and you nuzzled into his palm whilst shaking your head.
“Do you promise daddy?” he asked again, gauging your reaction as you nodded “Words, baby,” he reminded you. “I’m okay,” you whispered “You just feel so good… you’re so good to me,” your voice was breathless but coherent, and Bradley smiled softly up at you, his dark blonde locks making him look rather angelic as he rested against the sofa cushions. 
“Take your time, my beautiful honey,” he reassured you, letting his hands glide down your spine, allowing you support should you need it. However, your hands splayed across his abdomen, spread where your arousal was still sticking to his skin.
Bradley again felt you flutter around him, and your soft exhale reassured him. Slowly he felt you grinding your hips slowly against him, not letting his cock leave your warm heat, only grinding it deep into your core. The feeling was overwhelming, and Bradley couldn’t help but pressing his head further back into the cushions, letting soft moans fall from his parted lips as he took in the sight of you riding him. 
Bradley slowly started to meet your hips, thrusting ever so slightly against you, his cock barely leaving you before it pressed home again. With one hand resting on your lower back, 
Rooster groaned as his other palmed softly at your breast. You keened at his touch, and you tipped over, letting your chest rest against his as you fell on top of him, kissing at his sternum. Bradley wasted no time in tangling his fingers into your hair, holding a steady grip on your hair as you whined happily. He slowly fucked into you, listening intently to every gasp and moan that he drew out of your mouth. 
“It feels so good when you fuck me like this, daddy,” you moaned softly in his ear “so deep… so slow oh, god– Bradley,” his name was dragged out as he slowly drew almost all of his length out out of your weeping cunt before ever so slowly letting himself sink deliciously deep into you, the tip of his cock softly brushing against your cervix. 
“You’re taking me so good… such a good girl for your daddy,” Rooster murmured, gasps drawn from his parted lips as he ground his cock deeper into you, alternating between thrusting, rutting and withdrawing his cock almost all the way only to sink slowly in again. The sensation was delicious, almost too much so.
Bradley and you had tried a lot of things in bed, you knew each other so instinctively that playing with one another was as easy as breathing - but never had he ever felt so overwhelmed with pleasure as he fucked you slow and steady. Bradley would never have thought that it could be so sensual, so needy, so wonderful. Didn’t think he’d feel his release building up like a slow ember within him, thought he needed it faster or harder - but no. All he needed was you, however you gave yourself to him. 
Nuzzling his face into your neck, he dared one hard, sharp thrust before stilling buried so deep in your heat. You whimpered, babbling softly in his ear as his fingers tugged gently at your hair, earning him a drawn out ‘daddy’, so vulnerable, so reliant on him, so trusting of him. 
“I love you so much, my pretty baby,” Rooster moaned, one hand resting on your ass to help you meet his sharper, short thrusts deep into you. 
“Love you daddy, oh– I’m- I’m so close, daddy” you sobbed, tears leaking from your eyes as you kissed at his pectorals, your tongue swiping over his nipple, teeth sinking into his skin to ground yourself somewhat.
“Fuck baby, me too. Be a good girl for daddy and cum for me? Yeah?” he panted, not speeding up his thrust, but keeping up the agonizing pace he’d set. “Oh,” you gasped as he ground against a spot deep inside your aching core “Please, more, daddy!” you whined, soft moans and whimpers coming closer and closer, your cunt hugging his cock so well as he brushed that spot again and again. He could feel how needy you were, how badly you needed to come undone, so with a soft yank of your hair, Bradley growled out
“Cum for daddy.” it was a demand, he wanted it now. And you, like the good, good girl you were, obeyed his every word, your body reacting so well to his as he drew out his cock and gave a deep thrust that had the rubber band inside your belly snapping, your pleasured cries ringing out in the cabin, your hands grasping his biceps hard as you cried, sniffled and chanted ‘daddy’ over and over again as Bradley fucked himself into you to chase his own high.
“So pretty falling apart all over daddy’s cock,” he rasped as your lips feverishly kissed and nipped at his neck, incoherent sentences moaned against his warm skin “love being your good girl daddy, oh,” moaning as Bradley dared thrust a little faster, breath hitching in your throat as he worked you towards your second orgasm “Daddy, oh— daddy, please, please cum in me! Please fill me, I need you, please,” you babbled, soft whimpers and pouts driving Bradley absolutely insane as you fucked yourself onto his cock, you could feel his cock pulsing in you. 
“Fuck, sweet girl, I’m going to cum so hard, gonna fill your pretty cunt with all of me. Gonna fuck a baby into your sweet belly, honey, gonna make you mine,” Bradley growled, and he didn’t know where all of this was coming from, but as he saw your eyes roll back and your body shudder from pleasure at his words his hips stuttered, once, twice, before a deep, long moan tumbled from his lips as he felt himself spurt hot ropes of cum deep into your cunt.
Bradley had never had an orgasm as intense as this one, rutting his hips again and again against your wet core as he kept spilling himself into you. 
As he came down from his high, feeling his heart beat wildly in his chest as he panted, he felt your form resting on his chest. He swiftly brushed hair from your face, angling himself so he could look at you, make sure you were okay.
You were still spasming slightly, soft whimpers intermingled with needy cries for ‘daddy’ making him cradle you closer to his chest as his cock softened in you. The feeling of Bradley’s hot seed slowly running out of you had you whimpering again, nuzzling your face into his chest. 
“There’s my good girl, so good… you did so well, baby. My good girl,” Rooster hummed, holding you close to his chest as he pressed kisses to your hair and your forehead. 
“Are you okay, sweets?” Bradley asked after he heard your breathing even out, and you nodded mutely against his chest, still biting softly at his skin. “Come, pretty baby, should we clean up and maybe get in the bath? Get some yummy drinks and some snacks? How does that sound?” he hummed, looking down into your wide blown eyes. 
“Sounds so good, daddy,” you mumbled as Rooster rubbed your arms softly. When he slipped out of you, you made a small noise of discontent, and he knew that you wouldn’t react good to him leaving you right now. Therefore, he gently lifted you into his arms, feeling your arousal mixed with his slowly trickling down his hip as he held you with one arm, grabbing some drinks and snacks with the other before moving to the big bathroom.
Sitting down the food, he swiftly worked on getting the water temperature just right for the two of you, before he gently cleaned you, peppering kisses over you face as he worked, smiling at you and telling you how much he loved you. 
At last, as the tub was filled with warm water and bubbles, he gently eased himself into the tub before helping you sit in between his legs - your back resting comfortably against his chest as his arms wound tight around you. Your head was rested on his shoulder, face turned towards his as you smiled. “I love you, so much, Bradley.” you spoke softly, kissing his jaw.
“And I you, baby. Thank you for loving me so well,” he murmured, letting a loving kiss linger against your lips.
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egcdeath · 2 years ago
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kith and kin
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pairing: joel miller x f!reader (pairing from the soccer parents AU)
summary: your parents finally meet joel in the midst of celebrating your daughter’s birthday. 
word count: 8.3k
warnings: brief mention of past abuse, a little tough love from reader’s mom, no use of y/n, cursing, alternate universe: no apocalypse, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, joel is a little anxious, your daughters are sassy, very lightly edited
author’s note: i’ve had the worst writers block recently, but i love this pairing too much to let them go. feel free to send me any requests!
previous part / series masterlist
Joel paced back and forth in your bedroom, the padded sound of his socks hitting the floor pleasant at first but was becoming a bit of an annoyance by the tenth consecutive minute of the sound of pacing.
Chloe’s birthday was in just a few days and your parents had rented out a cabin on Canyon Lake, inviting you and one of her friends to come along. Seeing as you’d been together for around a year now and that there was no better time than the present, you figured it was probably about time for Joel to meet your parents.
“Joel,” you finally said sternly, zipping up your suitcase and looking up at your partner. “Relax, honey. They’re gonna love you. I mean, they’re gonna have to love you since I love you. That’s how it works, right?” you walked over to him and gently grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling him into what you hoped would be a reassuring kiss.
“I don’t know,” he murmured, pressing his forehead against yours. “What if they don’t think I’m good for you?”
“Well, this may be breaking news to you, but we’re not living in the 1700’s. We don’t exactly need my parents’ approval to have a relationship.”
Joel walked away from you, grabbing his own bag from where it laid on the floor. “I know, it’s just… I want them to like me. I don’t want you to have to feel like you needed to choose between me and your family and secretly resent me for years over that.”
“Maybe let’s unpack that last part some other time. But you’re so likable and charming, they’d have to be crazy to not like you.”
“I admire your belief in me, but it’s been well over a decade since I’ve had to meet and woo someone’s parents. What if I’m rusty?”
“Don’t be rusty, just be yourself!” you tried, smiling at your own terrible dad joke.
“Ha, ha,” his laughter was forced and monotone.
“Not the time?” You knew it was bad when Joel didn’t even respond to one of his beloved dad jokes.
“Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. But everything is gonna go great, okay? And if not, you have a few days to make them love you, yeah?”
“You’re right,” he admitted reluctantly, seemingly just wanting to move on from the conversation. “You ready to go?”
“I am. Are you?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
When you arrived at the cabin, your parents were sat on the front porch, seemingly deep in their own conversation before noticing your car pulling up.
Chloe was quick to hop out of the car, excited to see her grandparents. Given that they were practically attached at the hip, Sarah followed close behind Chloe, with the pair receiving hugs from your parents as they greeted the girls.
Still firmly seated in the car, Joel took a deep, yet shaky breath, giving you an idea of just how nervous he was to be meeting your parents. Wanting to give the man a bit of reassurance, you grabbed ahold of his slightly trembling hand and squeezed it hard.
“I promise you have nothing to worry about. You’re gonna have a great time, and my parents are probably gonna love you more than they love me. Got it?” you asked firmly, trying to sound sure of yourself despite the minor nerves you were facing yourself.
“Got it,” Joel parroted, although he didn’t exactly sound sure of himself.
“C’mon,” you beckoned, unstrapping yourself before getting out of the car. After a very subtle moment of reluctance, Joel’s door opened and your partner stepped out of your car as well.
The moment he got out of the car, you grabbed his hand, squeezing it once again as a small demonstration of your support before leading him up to the porch.
The girls were already making their way inside when you finally reached your parents, your mom giving you a tight hug and setting her head on your shoulder.
“It’s been too long,” she declared as she squeezed you for a few more beats, finally pulling away to analyze the man you had brought with you. “And who is this?”
“Mom, Dad, this is Joel. He’s Sarah’s dad,” you stepped back to wrap your arm around Joel, a slightly territorial move to show your parents that whatever you had going on was serious. “He’s also my boyfriend.”
“Nice to meet you, Joel” your mother greeted, shaking Joel’s hand and maintaining a somewhat loaded eye contact with him. She smiled at him, but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Your dad didn’t even bother with the pleasantries, giving Joel’s hand a firm squeeze and one solid shake. Both of your parents looked rather skeptical of the man, but you hoped that the stern look you were offering them was warning enough for your parents to behave around your boyfriend.
As everyone left to put away their luggage, you stayed downstairs with your mother, who indicated she wanted to have a separate conversation with you.
“What’s up?” you asked her, crossing your arms over your chest defensively in anticipation of what she might say. Based on that loaded interaction on the porch, you already had a good idea of where this conversation is going.
“Is this the Joel from Chloe’s soccer games?”
Shit. The one time your parents remember the name of someone you disliked just happens to be the one time you bring them home.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you remembered that,” you attempted to casually brush off. “It is.”
“The one you couldn’t stand?” your mother pressed, her brows furrowing as she looked at you with what seemed like disbelief.
“That was a while ago! Before our kids got closer and I got to know him better. And really it wasn’t even like I couldn’t stand him, it was more like he mildly annoyed me and we would argue sometimes. Even then, I kinda just had a crush on him. That’s why I told you guys about him in the first place. Notice how you don’t know the names of anyone else on the team who I don’t like?” you spoke quickly as you attempted to justify what you’d told your parents in the past.
“Stop. Just stop,” your mother rubbed the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. Growing up, you were all too familiar with that move of exasperation. “Why do you keep doing this?”
“Doing… what?” you said meekly, almost scared of what was going to come next.
“Finding men that don’t treat you right. Men who aren’t good for you?”
Oh. So that was what this was about. It was less about Joel, and more about your parents not trusting you to take care of yourself.
One of your biggest fears after exiting your relationship with Nathan laid in the ways that people would treat you after finding out you had stayed in a relationship that was abusive. Sure, there was the sympathy that always came with finding out about someone’s past trauma, but then there was the judgment that came with finding out you stayed. You knew people would question your ability to take care of yourself and your daughter, and you knew people would question your ability to find a significant other who didn’t end up toxic. It shouldn’t have surprised you that your mother was grilling you like this—after all, it was her that you turned to on nights where you had nowhere else to go, bringing your daughter to her home on days where things with Nathan got particularly tough.
“No! No, no, no,” you protested, emotions that had spent far too long simmering on the back burner beginning to come forward. “Joel is the best thing to happen for me in a long time.”
“Honey,” your mom sighed and looked at you with what could only be described as pity. Frankly, it made you want to crawl out of your skin. “You sound just like a teenager again, defending Nathan.”
You nearly had a visceral reaction at the comparison of Joel to Nathan. You just wished your mother could understand that even though she may have heard some of the things you’d been through, that you had lived through those things, and you would never make that kind of mistake again.
“Mom, Joel is nothing like Nathan,” you expressed passionately. “He’s an amazing partner and he may have only been in Chloe’s life for a short bit of time, but he’s a far better father to her than Nathan’s ever been.”
“I want to believe you, and I am going to give him a chance. But just know that things even seem like they might go South, your father and I will be fighting tooth and nail to keep Chloe safe. You’re an adult; you can make your own decisions, but we won’t let her go through something like that again.”
You understood the implication of her statement and frowned. You knew that your parents just wanted the best for you and your daughter, but this whole thing just made you feel like a child. Why were you being punished for being a victim? Did your parents really trust you so little? Little enough to think that you would intentionally put your daughter in harm’s way?
“Okay,” you uttered, defeat evident in your tone. “But there’s nothing to worry about with Joel.”
“I certainly hope so,” your mother said with a sense of finality.
You found yourself sitting by the lake as Joel played with the kids, deep in thought as you pondered the situation. Maybe inviting Joel was a bad idea. Your parents clearly weren’t happy and your partner certainly wasn’t comfortable. At the very least, the girls seemed to be excited to spend some time on a little vacation with the man.
Chloe ran over to you, pulling your attention away from the cyclical motion of the water as it approached and receded over and over again.
“Come look at our sandcastles! They’re really detailed,” she said excitedly, grabbing your hand and attempting to pull you up. Her excitement was contagious, causing you to completely disregard all the negative feelings you’d been stewing in after your conversation with your mother in favor of adopting some of your daughter’s enthusiasm.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming,” you laughed, following your daughter out to the shore as she practically ran all the way over to her creation.
You squat down next to Sarah and set your hand on your brow so you could protect your eyes from the sun as you looked upon the three sandcastles in front of you.
“Well, what do you think?” Sarah asked, her tone just as excited as Chloe’s.  
“I am very impressed. Great work, guys,” you expressed, beaming at the people around you.
“But which one is your favorite?” your daughter asked, shooting you a cheeky look that you were becoming all too familiar with.
“They’re all my favorite,” you replied, evaluating the castles.
“Boo,” Sarah jeered, clearly hoping for a better answer. “Which one is your actual favorite?”
“Hmm,” you fake-pondered aloud, bringing your free hand to your chin to make you seem like you were far deeper in thought than you actually were.
“We don’t have all day, mom,” Chloe commented, setting a hand on her hip.
“Hey! Good deliberation takes time,” you replied. Given that everyone was sitting by their own castle, it wasn’t very hard to pick out which one belonged to your boyfriend. Seeing as you were in the mood to mess around, you proudly declared Joel’s castle as your favorite, despite his castle not looking so hot.  
“That one,” you said, trying to hide entertainment on your face as you pointed to the least technically impressive castle. Joel’s expression matched yours as he clearly bit back an entertained smirk.
“Whaaat? C’mon, I have a moat!” Chloe gasped, throwing a hand over her heart to show just how offended she was.
“And I have a mermaid! What does his have that ours doesn’t?” Sarah protested as she gestured over at her sand mermaid.
“She’s just biased because they’re in love or whatever,” Chloe scoffed. “Don’t worry, Sare. You’re a winner in my eyes.”
“Aw, stop, I love yours too!” Sarah grinned, going in to hug her friend as the two began to compliment aspects of each other’s sandcastles.
You couldn’t wipe the smile off of your face if you tried. Somehow, being around your little found family always made you feel a bit better. Even if your parents didn’t approve and never came around to Joel, that didn’t change the fact that you genuinely were happy with the man, and even happier with the blended family you’d created.
“Girls!” your mom yelled from inside, drawing all of your attention away from the beach and towards her booming voice. “Lunch is ready!”
“I’ll race you back inside?” Sarah offered. Chloe was off on her feet before she could even respond.
You and Joel took your time getting back to the house, walking slowly as you filled him in on your mother’s one-on-one confrontation with you. Despite the joy in the moment just prior, the reality check of having to deal with your parents had brought both of your moods back down rather quickly.
“I don’t think your parents like me very much,” Joel admitted to you, a hint of shame in his voice.
“I-“ you wanted to lie to him, to at least bring a little comfort to your boyfriend who had been worried sick about your parents not liking him. “It’s not your fault, it’s Nathan’s. They think I… they basically think I have a type. It doesn’t help that they think I used to hate you.”
“Fuck,” Joel exclaimed quietly, looking away from you. “I’m sorry, I just… I want them to like me. I’m already so nervous, I feel like I’m gonna shit a fucking brick. How can I make them like me?”
“Just be yourself, okay? And relax. I’m gonna love you regardless of whether or not my parents like you. Nothing's gonna change because of what my parents think of you. At the end of the day, I’m the one crawling in bed with you, not them. Who cares what they think?”
“I care. Deep down, you care too.”
“Joel, please,” you stopped and grabbed his hands, gently tugging him over to you. “I genuinely do not care. I love you. I love our family. Nothing is going to change that, okay? Nothing.”
Joel looked at you anxiously, his eyes a bit more defeated than usual. The two of you made wordless eye contact, communicating something heartfelt without using one word.
“We’re gonna be okay, regardless of how this weekend turns out. Okay? Just be yourself and my parents will eventually come around. If they don’t, it’s their loss.”
The round table at the patio of the lake house had a shape that in any other setting you wouldn’t even really notice, but only seemed to create more tension in this particular context.
You sat next to Sarah and across from Chloe, who sat next to your mother. It just so happened that Joel and your father were sitting across from each other at the table, and you could already feel the stare down just waiting to happen.
“So Chlo, what are you wishing for for your birthday?” your mom gently asked as your daughter took a bite of her food.
“Hmm,” she hummed as she thought. “I don’t really know. And if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you! Remember, wishes don’t come true if you tell people. But I am very happy to be here with everyone. So maybe my unofficial wish is to have more family time.”
“That is a great wish, Bug,” your dad agreed. Sarah smiled mischievously at the nickname and Chloe threw her a playful glare.
“So how is school going, ladies?” your mom asked them, looking between Sarah and Chloe.
You glanced over at Joel, mostly to make sure that he was doing okay under the pointed gaze of your father. Sweat beaded at his forehead and you weren’t quite sure if it was from the dry heat or from the daggers your dad was currently shooting at him.
Thankfully, your kids seemed to be blissfully unaware of the one-sided war going on at the table. You attempted to reach under the table and grab Joel’s hand, but the odd shape of the table didn’t allow for that. He was on his own for the duration of lunch.
The conversation mostly flowed between your mom, Chloe, and Sarah, with your father occasionally butting in to comment on something. All you could do was sit and watch while your dad grilled your boyfriend with only his eyes, with not one thing you could do about it.
Finally, it seemed like everyone had finished their meals, and that Joel could finally get up and be put out of his misery. But fate didn’t seem to be on his side, as he somehow wasn’t off the hook yet.
“Why don’t you all go try out one of the trails? Joel and I are gonna stay behind and do some dishes,” your dad proposed, making pointed eye contact with your boyfriend.
The girls happily agreed with the plan, excited and oblivious of the fear that had just coursed through yours and Joel’s veins with the idea of him being alone with your father.
“Hold on, ladies. You’re still wearing flip flops. How about you go change into better shoes, then we’ll go explore a trail. Sounds good?” you asked, hoping to buy yourself a moment of time to give Joel a pep talk.
Chloe nodded affirmatively and the two of them headed inside to change. At least you could have one private moment with Joel before he had to face off your father.
You stood up and pushed in your chair before grabbing Joel’s hand and squeezing his slightly shaking palm as hard as you could.
“You’ll be okay. Just relax,” you said under your breath so that your parents wouldn’t notice. “Remember, you can’t say the wrong thing. Even if they despise you, I’ll still love you. Okay?”
“Okay,” Joel agreed, although he didn’t seem completely convinced.
“You got this,” you reiterated, letting go of Joel’s hand as the girls came back outside, talking about some show they’d been watching.
When you glanced away, your father had begun picking up plates, looking at Joel like he expected him to be doing the same. That was your cue to leave.
You mouthed good luck at Joel before your mother ushered you all away. You had no idea how your dad was going to act around your boyfriend, but you certainly hoped for his sake that he wouldn’t be too terrible.
After you and the girls left, Joel and your father picked up the dishes outside in silence, with Joel focusing on finding his composure and maintaining it, and your father being completely unreadable.
Joel politely opened the door for the man, even with his hands filled with plates, cups, and silverware. Your father simply gave Joel a curt nod rather than a verbal thank you.
He followed your father into the kitchen, trailing a few steps behind him before setting down the content of his full arms into the sink. Joel did his best not to overthink this interaction, but it was going to be his first one-on-one with one of your parents, and your father had already spent the past hour giving him a nasty glare.
The following silence was awkward and thick. Almost like those tension filled silences you and Joel had the first few times you were together with stakes that somehow felt even higher.
Joel stood at the sink, silently scrubbing away at a dish, hoping that an awkward silence would be the most of his woes that day, rather than any sort of verbal confrontation.
“You do the dishes often?” your dad asked out of the blue, breaking the awkward silence with an even more awkward question.  
“Uh,” he tried not to show how thrown off he was by the question. Maybe if Joel could treat the interaction as less of an interrogation and more of a way for your dad to get to know him a little better, things would be slightly less awkward. “I do. I mean, I’ve been a single dad for almost 13 years. Someone had to wash the dishes, and it wasn’t gonna be Sarah.” Joel chuckled awkwardly, but your father didn’t even crack a smile.
“So if you had a wife, she’d be doing the dishes?”
Joel was once again thrown off, this time by the accusatory tone your father had asked the question with. Joel tried to give the man a bit of grace—your dad was probably trying to get a good read on him, so he would try not to let it get under his skin too much.
“What? No! I-I never said that. We’d probably split our house chores. I mean, that’s what your daughter and I do.”
There. That was a good enough answer. Tell the truth while explaining why him and his daughter were a good pair.
“Oh?” your father began with the raise of a brow, setting down the dish he was working on. “Well, why don’t you have a wife?”
Joel was completely taken aback by the blunt question, but assumed it was fair enough game to ask about. He would probably wonder the same if he were in your father’s shoes.
“Uh, my last long-term partner left shortly after Sarah was born,” he answered quietly, afraid of the judgment that your father may pass upon him, and slightly ashamed to admit what happened in the past.  
“Oh,” if Joel wasn’t mistaken, it almost seemed like your father’s tone shifted, as if he wasn’t expecting that answer. “That sounds hard. Do you know why?”
It almost felt like that answer had humanized Joel the slightest bit in your fathers eyes.
“It’s a long story,” Joel dismissed, not particularly wanting to get into all the details at that very moment. “Leaving was better for her mental health.”
“Okay,” your father simply accepted, although Joel had a feeling that answer didn’t quite suffice.
“But things are better now, with your daughter around,” Joel added. “Sarah’s probably happier now than I’ve seen her in a long time. I can’t really speak for Chloe, but based on what I’ve been told, she’s been doing better too. It’s been really nice to finally have another parent around to be able to split duties with. I just wish I’d found your daughter earlier,” Joel gushed, hoping that your father would find his answer pleasing enough.
Your father was unresponsive to Joel’s statement, finishing up the last of the dishes before finally speaking again.
“You talk a lot,” your father said simply, turning off the water flow of the sink and turning to face Joel head on. “I’m not gonna beat around the bush here. I’m glad to hear that things are working well for you two right now. I don’t know how much you know about Nathan. I don’t particularly care how much you know either. What I do care about you knowing is that I will never see my daughter suffer like that again. Understand?”
Joel was taken aback by the abrupt change in tone, and just when he thought tensions between them were easing up. “Y-Yes, yeah I-“
“So if you ever put your hands on my daughter, or raise your voice even an octave higher than it needs to be at her, there will be hell to pay. Get it?”
“I do, uh, I get it,” Joel wasn’t even completely sure how he was supposed to be reacting to this sudden rant.
“I want you to say it. You’re not going to mistreat my daughter, and you’re not ever going to lay a finger on her. And god help you if you do anything to Chloe.”
“I swear. I swear I’ll never hurt your daughter or your granddaughter ever,” Joel’s words were rushed, and he swore he could hear his rushed heartbeat in his own ears. The sudden confrontation being jarring was an understatement, but he supposed that’s how your father intended it to be.
“Good. I’m going to hold you to that,” was all that your father said as turned to dry his hands off on a towel. “Thanks for helping with dishes.”
“No problem, sir,” Joel choked out, like his heart wasn’t still in his throat. He took that as an indication that he was dismissed, and he set down the things in his hand before walking back outside and heading straight to the lake—far away from your father.
As you were heading back from your hike, you were surprised to run into Joel. He looked slightly disheveled, but particularly relieved to see you. The girls seemed just as pleased to see him, talking his ear off all the way back to the lake house. You occasionally glanced over at your mother, trying to get some sort of read on her opinion of Joel, but it didn’t seem to be working.
“So what happened?” you asked as you stepped out of the bathroom, exchanging your towel for the soft pajamas you’d brought with you. “You seemed pretty shaken up after lunch.”
“Your dad just really grilled me,” Joel explained, turning off the lamp on his side of the bed as you flopped onto the mattress next to him.
“My dad can be an ass sometimes. I apologize,” you muttered, curling up beside Joel. “And I apologize for bringing you here. I didn’t know they were gonna be like this.”
“It’s not your fault,” Joel assured, hoping to bring you a little consolation.
“It is, though. I’m the one who suggested that you come. I wasn’t thinking,” you whispered as you set an arm and your head on top of Joel’s torso.
“They were gonna have to meet me eventually. Better now than at the wedding, right?” Joel quipped.
“Right,” you agreed, looking up from where you’d set your head on your partner’s chest. “Hold on, are you proposing to me right now?”
“No, not yet,” Joel began to backtrack.
“Good. You’ll need my parents’ blessing first,” you teased. “Too soon?”
“Maybe a little,” Joel stifled his laugh.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted,” you groaned. “I can’t even imagine how you feel.”
“Also exhausted, mixed with a little bit of defeated,” Joel sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “You meant it when you said you’ll love me even if your family doesn’t, right?”
“Of course!” you exclaimed, sitting up a little so you could make better eye contact with your boyfriend. “Of course I will love you even if they don’t,” you promised.
Joel still didn’t exactly look like he was buying it.
“Joel,” you began, tone stern and serious. “Every day, you make my life so much better. You bring me so many laughs and smiles, you’re always there when I need to rant, and you’re the most reliable person ever when it comes to parenting shit. You’re probably the best thing that’s happened to me since Chloe was born. So yes, it would be great if my parents loved you as much as I do. But until they figure that out, I could care less about their opinions.”
That answer finally seemed to resolve some of the insecurity Joel was feeling around wanting to impress your parents, as he didn’t bring it back up for the rest of the night.
It was far too early to be awake, but Joel was having a hard time sleeping. Sure, you peacefully snoozed next to him, and of course Joel was comforted by your sleeping presence, but despite the pep talk you gave him, the knowledge that your parents disliked him and that all of his fears had come to light weren’t allowing him to rest very well.
With not much else to do and an arm that was quickly falling asleep (thanks to your cuddling), Joel snuck out of bed and down the stairs. Maybe he could catch the sunrise on the lakefront.
As he made his way to the patio, he heard a few sounds coming from the kitchen, and went to investigate. He was surprised to find your mother already walking around the kitchen, seemingly making a coffee for herself.
“Morning,” Joel greeted, voice raspy as he announced his presence.
Your mom turned around and offered him a pressed smile. She clearly was not expecting visitors this early in the morning.
“Morning,” she repeated. “Would you like some coffee?”
“That would be great,” Joel smiled, sitting down at the kitchen table while your mother worked on putting together another mug.
“You an early riser?” your mom asked Joel, bringing a mug and some creamer over to him.
“Thank you. And no, not really. Your daughter and I usually trade off on who’s gonna wake up early and get the kids ready for school while the other gets to sleep in. I just couldn’t sleep all that well today,” Joel shrugged as he prepared his coffee just the way he liked it.
“That’s sweet,” she hummed, taking a sip from her drink.
Joel sipped his coffee as well, and found himself surprised at the quality of the drink. “This is really good,” he acknowledged. “Is this a pour-over?”
“It is! How did you know?” your mother sounded quite excited that you were able to identify any way of brewing coffee, let alone identifying how his drink was made from just one sip.
“I can taste the difference,” Joel explained.
“See! That’s what I’ve been telling my husband.”
“I also may or may not have seen your dripper. But from one coffee connoisseur to another, this is amazing coffee. I’ve always said a pour-over gets you the best flavor.”
“I completely agree! These new, fancy drip machines just don’t do coffee justice. Keurigs, Nespressos, they’re all hunks of junk to me.”
“Well someone gifted me a Nespresso for Valentine’s Day after seeing my dripper and calling it prehistoric. I use it, of course, but it doesn’t compare.”
“Since it was a gift, I can forgive that,” your mother laughed, taking a hearty sip. “Do you ever grind your own beans?”
“When I can,” Joel replied, thinking about the fresh bag of beans he had sitting on the counter back home.
“Ah! Good boy,” your mother exclaimed, clearly pleased with Joel’s answers. “You do any other special things in the kitchen?”
“Eh, not particularly. I do enjoy being in the kitchen, though. I mean, being a single parent, I didn’t really have many options but to learn how to cook since I didn’t have anyone else to carry me in that area. I will say, we’ve been baking more often. Turns out, I can make a pretty mean focaccia.”
“Baking? With my daughter? You sure you’re talking about the one upstairs? I swear I’ve been trying to get her to bake for years and she just… hates it! What’s your secret?”
“I don’t know. The honeymoon phase, maybe?”
Your mom laughed aloud at Joel’s joke. He had to hold himself back from beaming with pride. He could barely speak to this woman the day before, and now he was making her laugh?
“Whatever it is, bring some over next time. I need to be the judge of this ‘mean focaccia’.”
Next time? Thank god for not being able to sleep.
“Of course!” Joel said with what may have been a little too much enthusiasm. He sipped some coffee from his mug while he thought about something else to say to fill up the silence, but your mother began to speak once again.
“So Joel, I want to know more about you. Other than the fact that you raised an adorable kid, like coffee a lot, and used to argue with my daughter during the soccer season.”
“She told you about that?” Joel asked, unsure of how to react. He wanted to laugh at the fact that you’d shared that with your parents, either before your relationship began or recently as some sort of fun fact, but he was still walking on eggshells around your parents.
“Yeah,” your mom acknowledged. It almost seemed as if she wanted to be casual about it, but also was curious for a bit more context.
“It was a long time ago,” Joel explained as if he could make it better. “It was never anything serious.”
“Well, how did you go from arguing every week to… this?”
“After the girls became friends, they kept setting us up to do things together. After that, things progressed pretty naturally. I think we just clicked. Realized we’re a good team and like each other’s company. I mean, I really love her and Chloe. I’m really happy with our little family.”
“Family?” your mom questioned with raised brows and a tilt of her head.
Joel wondered if he’d said the wrong thing or overstepped some sort of boundary. “I mean, I guess. I would say we… function as a family?”
“So there’s no secret engagement or secret wedding I need to know about,” your mother probed.
“No! Not at all,” Joel confirmed, hoping to quell some of the concern that had seemed to find itself on her face.
“And you didn’t come here to get a blessing for an engagement?” she implored.
“No! This is only my first time meeting you guys. I mean, I’m more worried about making a good impression than getting your approval on our potential marriage. Besides, I’m not really sure she’s interested in marriage after…”
Your mother nodded as Joel trailed off, not needing him to finish his sentence to understand where he was going.
“How much has she told you about Nathan?” she queried, seeming to be even more curious about this question than she was about some of the previous questions.
“Bits and pieces. Some things I’ve inferred,” Joel answered.
“Yeah. It was pretty bad for her and Chlo,” your mother simply stated. “Maybe we’ll talk about it some other time. It might help you understand why my husband and I have been the way that we’ve been towards you.”
“No, I get it. If anyone I loved had to go through those things—let alone my daughter, I would react the same way. I’d probably be worse,” Joel stiffly chuckled into his drink. For a moment, Joel thought about punching Nathan. The perfect cathartic moment for hurting and harassing the woman he loves. He’d do it again. And he’d do it to any person who even attempted to hurt you, Sarah, or Chloe.
“I just want to wrap her up in bubble wrap,” your mother admitted. “I never want her to be hurt again, and I know it isn’t possible, but I just want to be so sure that she’ll never be hurt in that way again. I apologize for being hostile, but you understand, right?”
“Of course I do,” Joel said earnestly. “And if it’s any consolation, I would never, ever do anything to intentionally hurt her. I know what it’s like to have a wall built around your heart and to swear that you’ll never let anyone in again. Your daughter let me in, and I’d never want her to regret that.”
Your mom seemed to think for a moment, getting up and setting her mug in the sink before sitting back down across from Joel.
“Either you’re really manipulative, or you really love her. I’m gonna hope for all of our sakes it’s the latter.”
“I can guarantee that it is.”
“I’m gonna believe you. But only because I want to try that focaccia.” Though your mom stated that with the cadence of a joke, Joel couldn’t help but feel that there was some hint of truth behind her words. Sure, this conversation hadn’t fixed everything, but it seemed like she trusted him just a bit more.
You crept down the stairs, clearly trying to be quiet, but failing at doing so. You approached the kitchen and yawned aloud, attempting to alert Joel and your mother of your presence.
“Good morning,” you greeted the pair. “You better not be interrogating my boyfriend,” you told your mom as you sat down next to the man of the hour.
“Nothing of the sort. We were just talking about baking. Why didn’t you tell me you bake now? And why haven’t you baked with me?”
“I guess I just didn’t have the right pastry chef,” you chimed, stealing Joel’s mug and taking a sip of his coffee. “Did Joel tell you that we’ve been working our way up to sourdough? I just ordered some starter the other day.”
“Oh wow. You’re like a completely different person. I don’t even know you anymore.”
“Sorry,” you apologized insincerely.
“Does this mean you’ll start baking with me when you come home?”
“Sorry mom. I’m loyal to my pastry chef. Has he told you about his focaccia? It’s really good. We’ll bring it next time you invite us over.”
You pulled your chair a little closer to Joel’s and held his hand under the table, a simple reassurance that you were there, and you weren’t going to let your parents treat him any way he didn’t deserve to be treated.
“You are breaking my heart,” your mom said, clutching her chest jokingly. “Although you mended it when you mentioned bringing bread.”
Luckily, it seemed like this day had started off far better for everyone—but particularly your boyfriend and mother. The two of them were getting along swimmingly, working together to whip up breakfast, carrying the conversation throughout the meal, and even going on to converse while the girls played at the beach.
If nothing else, you were glad that Joel was growing on your mother. You still couldn’t really get a read on your father’s opinion of your boyfriend, but hopefully with your mom now on his side, she would be able to talk some sense into your father.
It just so happened that your parents had planned to set up a few things around the house in preparation for the birthday festivities for the following day, and your mother had somehow managed to talk Joel into helping them out with their preparation. Since your boyfriend would be setting up, you were tasked with distracting the girls with a day out on the town, leaving your boyfriend alone in the lake house with your parents.
As things seemed to be going well between your mother and Joel at the very least, you at least weren’t too worried about your parents shredding your partner to bits while you pampered the girls and took them shopping.
Despite this fact, you still checked in with your partner multiple times throughout the day, getting updates about things he was doing with your parents, or any particularly interesting conversations they’d had during the day. For the most part, things seemed to be going well, but as the evening began to come in, you began to hear less and less from Joel, making you the slightest bit worried.
Once you got back to the lake house, you were pleasantly surprised to hear the sound of laughter coming from the back patio, paired with the familiar scent of a bonfire. The girls seemed more than pleased to go straight to the backyard, walking off far ahead of you.
By the time you reached the patio, Sarah and Chloe had already found spots to sit around the fire, and Joel was tossing some more firewood into the pit while seemingly laughing at a conversation going on between himself and your father. Although you couldn’t have seen the evening going this way when you initially came the previous morning, you couldn’t have been happier that everyone seemed to be getting along.
You found your own seat by the fire and Joel came back to sit next to you as your mother began to ask the girls a few questions about their day.
After getting as comfortable as you could on what was essentially a rock turned into a bench and leaning onto your partner, you and Joel quietly roasted marshmallows as your daughters excitedly chatted away, just happy to be able to sit and relax after a busy day. You were curious to hear all that occurred between Joel and your parents while you were away that had made them open up to each other more, but you could certainly wait.
“So girls, what was the highlight of your day?” your mom asked, turning to face your daughters.
“We had really nice manicures. The woman who did my nails was so much better than mom is. No offense, mom.”
“None taken,” you laughed at your daughter’s blunt statement.
“If it makes you feel better, you can’t be any worse than my dad,” Sarah offered, only contributing to your laughter.
“You’re probably right,” you agreed, playfully nudging Joel.
“I thought we understood that anything regarding my artistic ability is a soft spot?” he attempted to defend himself, but it was already too late.
“Sorry, Joel,” your daughter giggled, encouraging Sarah to giggle along with her.
“I also really liked our manicures, but we went to this really cute café with really good pastries and drinks!” Sarah exclaimed, gratefully accepting the slightly burnt—and just the way she likes it—s’more that you passed her.
“We only got decaf drinks, don’t worry,” you explained as you watched Joel hand Chloe a s’more of her own. “But everything was really good.”
“You would know, since you tried everything,” Chloe teased.
“Thirteen-year-old Chloe is even more sassy than before,” you teased right back. “It’s called the mom tax. Since I was your chauffeur all day, I got to steal a little nibble of your pastries. I think that’s fair.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Sarah added in, grinning mischievously at you.
“I would probably do the same,” Joel interjected, coming to your defense.
“See? This is why I keep you around,” you squeezed his arm and grinned up at your partner.
“Ugh, you guys are always being so gross,” Chloe laughed. “Do you see what we have to put up with?” Chloe directed at her grandparents.
“You know, one day you’ll find someone that you want to be gross with too,” your mother explained.
“No way,” your daughter giggled, standing up and stretching. “Do you wanna go get ready for bed, Sare?”
“Sure!” she said cheerily, popping up and heading inside with her friend.
“Seems like they had a good day,” your father commented once the pair were gone.
“I think so. I hope so. Chlo was pretty bummed when she found out her dad was going to be out of town during her birthday, but I’m pretty sure this has made up for it. Thank you for putting this all together,” you acknowledged.
“Of course! Anything for our girls,” your mom said, smiling softly at you as she reached out to put a hand on your knee.
“Well what did you guys get up to while we were gone?” you asked, hoping to get a little insight into what you missed while you were gone.
“Joel and I did some baking, then he helped your father put together some decorations. Speaking of which, you’re gonna have to help me put up some final touches before the big day.”
“Of course,” you agreed, happy to do anything that would make your daughter’s special day more special.
“Hey, don’t worry about it. I can finish up and help you with whatever needs to be done,” Joel offered.
“You’ve already worked so much today, Joel. We  couldn’t possibly ask you to do anything else,” your mother practically gushed. Joel seemed like he was going to protest, opening his mouth before your mother cut him off. “I insist.”
You couldn’t believe that just the previous morning your mother was lecturing you over this man.
“Well, I’m not gonna argue with that. But if you need any help at all, I am more than willing to be there,” Joel reiterated.
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary,” your mom stretched her arms behind her head and yawned. “I’m getting a little tired. Would you like to go set up now?”
You were getting the feeling that the question was less of a question and more of a direction, but you agreed regardless, pressing a kiss to Joel’s cheek before you went back inside with your mom to help set up the last few things for Chloe’s birthday.
Setting things up was about as eventful as you thought it might be, other than the absolute raving your mom was doing over your partner, and the occasional sound of muffled laughter coming from the patio.
“I’m starting to think you like my boyfriend more than you like me,” you commented offhandedly as you tied off a balloon.
“Oh I do,” your mother agreed. “You think I’m bad? You should see your father. Yesterday he was so wary of Joel, but today those two have just been giggling and bonding all day. I should’ve known it was a wrap after your boyfriend made a stupid dad joke,” she glanced over at the glass door leading to the backyard.
“So what changed his mind?” you asked, setting down the balloon. “What changed yours?”
“After talking to him for a while, it was just very obvious how much he loves you and the girls. He also just happens to be a very likable guy. I don’t know how you ever managed to hate him before.”
“I already told you, it was like we were flirt-arguing!” you insisted.
“I know, I’m just teasing. I’ll still be a little cautious, but he seems like a good guy. Now, after he and your dad got over their little awkward thing, they absolutely hit it off. Just started bonding over everything under the sun. Their love of guitar, their love of DIY projects, their love of you…”
You smiled to yourself as you listened to your mom. It was great news that Joel had been able to bond with your parents, despite whatever feelings they’d had towards him previously.
“That’s good to hear. I’m happy you both finally came to your senses. He was worried sick about you guys not liking him.”
“Well, he’s got nothing to worry about now,” your mom flashed you a smile that matched yours as she finished off the balloons. “I think that’s all we needed to do. I’ll wake you up in the morning if I need any extra hands then.”
“Please don’t,” you groaned, pulling yourself out of your chair and glancing back over at the back door, where Joel and your father still seemed to be having a great time. When you looked back over, your mother was approaching you with open arms.
“I’m sorry, honey. I know you’ve already been through so much, and you wouldn’t purposely put yourself through that again,” she began as she embraced you. The apology was like music to your ears. You just hoped that Joel had also received some form of apology from your parents, as he was the one receiving the majority of the pushback. “I’m proud of you. I’m proud of you for leaving Nathan, and I’m proud of you for focusing on yourself, and I’m proud of you for finding someone good for you when you were finally ready.”
“I love you. I’m pretty fond of your boyfriend, too. Goodnight,” your mother bid you farewell, and you couldn’t even think of a proper response before she was already going up the stairs. You had much to process tonight.
Long after you’d fallen asleep, you woke up to the feeling of the mattress shifting its weight. When you turned over onto your side to see what the disturbance was, you just barely made out your partner in the dark.
“It’s just me,” Joel whispered as he settled in bed next to you. Like you were a magnet, you found yourself clinging onto him almost automatically.
“Hi,” you mumbled, voice thick with sleep.
“Hi,” he repeated, settling his arm on your hip.
“How was today?” you asked, nudging Joel over enough for him to be on his side so that you could spoon him.
“Really good, I think. I think your parents kinda like me now,” he yawned, relaxing into your touch as you held him.
“Kinda?” you muttered sleepily. “What did I tell you? They’d come around eventually.”
“You were right. I should’ve listened earlier,” he confessed as he fell into a more and more relaxed state.
“Maybe. I could care less about their opinion of you. That’s what I wish you listened to earlier,” you explained. “But I am happy that they like you so much.”
You were up bright and early to put the last little finishing touches on Chloe’s birthday decorations. You and your father taped up a few ‘happy birthday’ signs, while your mother and Joel worked on decorating Chloe’s birthday cake. Not much longer after you came downstairs, Sarah found herself downstairs helping to put her own creative spin on the cake as well.
After some discussion of when it would be acceptable to wake up Chloe, you all headed upstairs to her room to wish her a happy birthday.
As her door opened and everyone began to sing slightly off-key rendition of ‘Happy Birthday,’ Chloe slowly began to sit up as she grew more and more awake before she broke into a fit of slightly embarrassed laughter.
It was quite the scene, and probably not the most ideal wake-up call, but your daughter grinned and expressed her gratitude regardless, getting out of bed so she could attempt to pull everyone into a big group hug.
“Ugh, I love you guys so much,” she sighed fondly. “How did I get the best family ever?”
You were starting to wonder the same yourself.
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nezoriy · 3 months ago
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Hey there. I'm Seymour (aka Stanislav in regular life), a Kyiv-based Ukrainian trans man, and I am crowdfunding for my top surgery.
Long story short:
The price is USD 1875 (75000 UAH). And frankly speaking, that's A Lot for me. So, I would really appreciate any donations, even just a dollar or two. If you can't donate but can share, it’ll be of a great help too.
GoFundMe unfortunately doesn't work in Ukraine and I haven't found any other reliable services which do (pls let me know if you know any). So unfortunately I can only provide my PayPal and bank info (pls do ignore my deadname lol):
BANK INFO
From abroad in USD:
IBAN
UA803220010000026208327480070
SWIFT/ BIC Code
UNJSUAUKXXX
Receiver
MURASHCHENKO STANISLAVA
EUR within Europe:
IBAN
GB46CLJU00997185886387
BIC code
CLJUGB21
Receiver
MURASHCHENKO STANISLAVA
SWIFT
IBAN
UA793220010000026207327851826
SWIFT/ BIC Code
UNJSUAUKXXX
Receiver
MURASHCHENKO STANISLAVA
Моно банка якщо раптом:
https://send.monobank.ua/jar/56y8VGhGBg
Номер банки: 5375411221737971
Long story long:
Tumblr media
I'm an artist, a queer activist, a writer and a LARPer. I'm employed full-time plus doing some side gigs plus trying to sell my artworks, but salaries in Ukraine just aren't that great. I'm making monthly about $1200 and half of that goes for the rent. Some medical bills for my partner and my doggo already left me with about -1750 USD on my credit card. I got another credit card approved for the surgery specifically and my partner and I are planning to move out to a cheaper place in December, but I’m planning the surgery for October, so paying off the debts will be hard for a while.
I know there're a lot of causes closer to home, whenever that home is for you. If I'm honest that's why I try to ask people from outside Ukraine bc here every donation we have to make is for the survival of our people. Something like a top surgery is frivoulos compared to that.
But if you do have a spare couple of dollars, they would make a huge difference for me. The exchange rate is 1USD=40UAH, so yeah. I would be tremendously happy for any donation you can make.
If you donate more than $20, pls get in touch with me (tumblr, instagram and twitter: @nezoriy, @stanmur in telegram), and I'll be happy to do a digital painting of yourself, your partner, your cat, your OC/DnD character etc. For a donation over $50 I'll draw for you pretty much anything you want.
Please share and donate if you can.
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zafiro-anyejo · 6 months ago
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Things I was taught as a guest in another's environment
If staying the night, do not bring more things than you can carry.
2. Ask questions before doing things. For example, instead of saying "I am going to make breakfast now." and proceeding to make breakfast, ask "Would you like me to help with breakfast?".
3. If a passenger in their car, please ask before turning on the heater or AC. It's just a polite thing to do. I personally don't mind but someone might, eventually.
4. Make the bed before you leave the house. (again, I don't mind. But someone might, eventually).
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am-i-the-asshole-official · 7 months ago
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Am I the asshole for refusing to lend a friend money? 🐱🐱🐱🐱<- (for finding later)
I (28nb) have a friend (28m) who has recently had some problems with employment. He lost his job but has since found another. He is in a living situation with his fianceé where he pays half the rent.
Today he sent me a message asking, very politely, if he could have $59 dollars to cover his half of their rent. He made it clear in his request that he had not discussed this with his fianceé yet.
I said no - one reason being we recently totalled our car and depleted our savings putting money down on a new one (and those interest rates....still ouch), the other being that we've lent almost 1000k to a different friend of ours over the last two years, and haven't been paid back despite multiple verbal agreements.
We are a two income household making a combined 100k a year, but the majority of our income is spent on rent and our student loans. I feel bad because it seems surface level, $59 dollars isn't really that much of an ask. But looking at our broad finances, we're more in-debt to the institutions our loans are paid to than our actual income. We do, however, live comfortably and are privlidged enough to save some money most months. We do donate to causes, and have in the past given our friends places to stay for months at a time when they have no where to go / are in bad financial situations.
When this friend lost his job, I did help him by brainstorming with him on jobs he could do that would suit his sensory needs, and didn't involve customer service. I did research on multiple places close to him that would also suit his transportation limitations and pay him well while accentuating his skillset, and compiled links to the job listings. He has since been hired and onboarded at one of those jobs; he's a very sweet, genuine individual and I'm truly happy because I was also supporting him emotionally during this time and could see how hard this situation was on his mental and physical health.
The other reason I said no was this - he is getting married in one week from the time I'm sending this in. He made it clear in his message he had not talked yet about how he was short for rent with his fianceé. They live together, and go half on rent. I felt very concerned that he was bringing this to me first, and not to his soon-to-be-wife, who deserves financial transparency from her partner (as do we all). I don't think he ever intended to not tell her, but in my opinion money-matters should always be discussed with your significant other first in a healthy relationship.
I discussed this with my wife and she agreed. I told him we couldn't lend him the money and he said he understood. I also encouraged him to talk to his fianceé because she's his best friend and support. I didn't include my p-o-v that he should discuss money matters with her first and foremost because of their relationship and housing arrangement, because I'm hoping that's a conversation they can have in the immediacy?
But I still feel like an asshole and I'm not sure if it's because I said "No," because I have provided financial / housing assistance in the past to others and didn't this time, or because I actually am an asshole.
So - what do you think?
TL;DR - A soon-to-be-married, recently unemployed and then re-employed friend asked for $59 to cover rent. I have helped other friends in the past with rent and housing but said no because we can't afford it right now (which is true, despite being dual income) and also he hasn't discussed being short on rent with his finaceé / housemate yet.
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siriusremusblack · 2 months ago
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Hiii, how are you? I don't know if you accept questions or things like that, but I was curious about your opinion. The idea of Severus being a father has been living rent-free in my head for a long time. I find it very adorable and interesting to think about a man like Severus being a father (and personally, I think his son or daughter would be an exact physical copy of him). Thinking about whether he would be an overprotective, distant, loving, or authoritarian father—I don't know, it’s something I find fascinating, but I see few people talk about it. What’s your opinion on that?
Hello! I am well and yourself? I am always open to do asks/questions/q&a’s!
I think he would be a mix of all the above. He would be overprotective when he feels his kids are in any possible danger real or simply a perceived threat. He would be distant when he’s angry because he is scared to end up like his own father who was abusive to him and his mother so he hides away from his kids and partner, distancing himself from them until he’s calmed down. He would be loving, he might not show it all the time but he’d be loving and nurturing towards his family. He would likely have a hard time expressing his feelings because of his past trauma but he’s working towards it. He would also definitely be the authority figure in the household. Snape already seems to be a stickler for the rules at Hogwarts, he gets irritated by troublemakers likely because they remind him of the marauders. So, in my opinion even in his private life with his partner and kids, he’s the authority figure. He’s the one laying down the rules and making sure everything is in order.
Snape is also heavily autistic coded (and likely autistic) so his autistic traits would also play a part in how his relationship with his partner (or partners) and kids are. He would still definitely need to work on himself because of his trauma and he’d have to slowly open up to them, but he would definitely get to that point.
Though I feel if he were to have any kids they would be adopted. I feel like since in his life he never really felt wanted or loved for being different- he would want to give some kids from an adoption center a home, so they wouldn’t have to go through anything similar to what he did. He’d be the type of father to barge into the school’s administration department and demand they put a stop to the mistreatment of his kids by staff and students alike, he’d even threaten legal action and if that didn’t work- he’d show his faded Dark Mark just to intimidate them into complying.
Snape is heavily autistic coded because he was largely based off an autistic man. Said man said “Snape is me” or something similar- So Snape is technically canonically Autistic (at least to me haha)
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scarasimplysimping · 6 months ago
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All In
Part 1 (might be two parts idk)
(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)
Summary: A bet is placed to see if you can get the Summa Cum Laude to fall in love with you. (Scaramouche x Reader) (College au)
Contains: Idk. So it's one of those love stories where there's a bet. Hu Tao and Childe are kind of assholes for the sake of this fic, I am SORRY. Reader is also kind of an ass. Ooc. Some plot holes because I don't go to college or drink or smoke. Just roll with it.
(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)
2,822 words 15,518 characters
What a stuck-up prick.
That's what you thought of him anyway. He was *the* Summa Cum Laude of your year. He was snobby, self-centered, friendless, and to top it all off, he just so happened to be your partner for your big thesis.
It was not by choice but he had no partner because people were afraid of him and you had no partner because well... people hated you. It wasn't a project that could be done individually either, lest you wanted to die before you graduate.
"He's such a bore." You complain to your friends on the lunch table, Hu Tao, Childe, and Xiao. "I tried to make plans with him, really. I asked if he was free, and you know what he said?" You slammed your hands on the table for dramatic effect.
Hu Tao leaned in closer, strands of her hair falling onto the table, and alarmingly close to Xiao's food, making him scowl as he moved his tray.
"He said," you began, putting up a silly impression of him with a snobby expression. "I don't need bottom feeders like you dragging down my work. I'll handle everything. Pay me if you want."
Childe snorted. Hu Tao doubled over in laughter, mainly because you're impression was so on point.
"God, what a freak." Hu Tao mused as she wiped her tears from her face, she never passed on the opportunity to talk shit about someone she didn't like. Childe agreed with her but he was partly not paying attention. He jabbed his fork into Xiao's food.
"Fucker." Xiao muttered under his breath.
Your silly clique was a ragtag bunch of misfits in their own ways. Hu Tao was your childhood friend who always had something vindictive to say or some storm to stir up. She lived for the drama.
Childe started tagging along around highschool. He was a charming, silver-tongued ginger ball of sunshine, he started developing a negative reputation over time as as somewhat of a satyr, though.
Xiao was above all the petty and immature antics whichever one of you had the gall to cook up. In all honesty, he was only there because his older brother, Zhongli had asked Childe to help him settle in to the college life. Childe owed the man a favor so he dragged the poor emo wherever you guys went and you kind of just got used to his company.
Then there was you, there was one thing that set you far apart from them all.
Money.
They were filthy rich and you, an independent college student, had not a penny to your name after you decided to up and leave your family to follow Hu Tao to college. You didn't really have to work though, your friends pretty much covered most of your college expense as casually as a friend would by you lunch.
"I know I can't really help him, I mean, my grades are dogshit right now but like I don't know how to pay him either," You said, burying your face into your palms.
Childe scoffed. "I don't even think he means it. Plus, it's nothing to worry about. We've got you covered if that greedy little nerd actually demands shit from you."
"Yeah, just let him do everything by himself," He continued "Watch him or something, in case your professor wants updates.."
A small smirk formed upon his lips. "I bet he's not that hard to watch anyway."
You playfully punched him on the shoulder "Gross!"
"You gotta admit he is kinda cute," Hu Tao chided in. "Right, Xiao?"
Xiao shrugged, far too focused on actually having lunch.
Childe snaked an arm over you. "Tell you what, (Y/N). If you can somehow bed the prudish bastard before the end of this semester, I'll fork over some money for this month's rent."
"Hu Tao pays rent."
"I'll fork over some money for anything you want."
"Hmm... I want VIP tickets to La Signora's concert."
"Done~"
"Oh my archons! Like actually?" Hu Tao couldn't tell if you both were serious. "(Y/N), your charm is above average but I don't even know if you can pull this one off."
You roll your eyes." Have faith in me. I bet he's easy."
Hu Tao leans back thoughtfully, a mischievous smirk playing on her face. "Alright, (Y/N). If you manage to pull this off I'll give you a grand.
You gape at her. "Seriously?
"Absolutely."
You know were only entertaining the idea because they had no actual faith you'd pull it off, but to you. This was easy money.
You slowly turn to the brooding emo on the table. "What about you, Xiao?"
His eyes narrowed at you. "What about me?"
"You gonna offer anything?"
He scoffs, groaning internally and being the only one with a moral compass. "Only an asshole would find bets such as these any type of fun."
Childe flicks his wrist dismissevly. "We are assholes."
(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)
It was hard enough convincing Scaramouche to work on the project and your (and Hu Tao's) place but now you had to deal with the emanating silence from you both. You've barely ever talked to him but the tension in your room could be cut with a knife, or maybe that was just your imagination.
He was sitting cross legged on your bed, typing away at his laptop with several papers surrounding him. You were sat across from him in the same position, nursing a cigarette in between your fingers.
"Do you want something to eat?" You finally break the silence.
He doesn't look up from the screen as he responds. "What do you have?"
You look to the ceiling, trying to recall what you and Hu Tao had last shoved into the fridge. "Uh... Pesto... Pizza... Dumplings. Probably some leftover vegetables."
"Bring me them all." Talk about shame.
"Alright." You say, putting out the cigarette on your nightstand. You couldn't help but notice the tiny scowl on Scaramouche's face as he glanced at the ashtray.
You come back balancing a bowl of pesto, a bowl of dumplings, and a bowl of salad on a box of pizza. Scaramouche pats on the side of your bed, indicating for you to drop the offerings there.
You light another cigarette as you take your previous seat in front of him.
"The weather is pretty nice today.." A sad attempt at conversation on your end.
Silence
"So... Childe's hosting a party tomorrow night, would you like to come?" You try once more.
Scaramouche still doesn't say anything, he doesn't even look up from the screen.
You blow a puff of smoke on his face. He coughs a bit before glaring at you with cold judging eyes. At least he was actually looking at you now. "I have no time to indulge in that crap."
"You have plenty of time. That thesis isn't due for another month."
"Well not exactly, since I'll be doing the work for both of us."
"Do you have a problem with me?"
"I have a problem with people like you." He glowers.
"People like me?" You raise your eyebrows.
"People who just have everything spoon fed to them by luck or by birthright and take that as a reason to slack off for the rest of their life since everything just magically works out for them." Scaramouche wasn't wrong, you really fucked around and never found out but still, what right did he have to judge you?
"Didn't know you knew me so well." You say, blowing out another puff of smoke but this time it's to the side.
Scaramouche opens his mouth to respond, then closes it once more. You had a point. It was hypocritical of him to listen to judge you based on gossip.
Finally, he speaks after a few minutes of silence.
"I was out of line." It's an apology although he doesn't outright apologize.
"Yeah." You decide to take advantage of his momentary guilt as you inquire about what he's working on. "So, do you mind telling me what you're doing?"
"Well, I'm looking online for research papers related to the topic were studying. I'm taking snippets I find interesting and I'll save them for later to expand on them in our thesis."
Scaramouche speaks a bit more but you're hardly listening. You take this time to really observe his physical appearance. Hu Tao was right; the man was cute. His eyes, his mouth, his lips. If you took a meat cleaver to the center of his skull, you'd have matching halves.
Even his hair looked softer than unicorn fur.
"(Y/N)?" He snaps you out, a displeased expression creeps upon his face upon noticing that you aren't even paying attention.
"Your hair looks softer than unicorn fur," you blurt out.
His eyes widen slightly, and you could've sworn he turned a shade pink before he feigned a disgusted look to save his dignity. "What the hell?"
You caught on immediately. There it was. Scaramouche had a weakness. The Summa Cum Laude, the bridge troll with a big brain and purple hair (as Hu Tao once described him) is someone who gets easily flustered .
"You're kind of cute." You push on.
"Shut the fuck up." His head lowers, he dares not look into your eyes.
"Come to Childe's party with me?" You ask once more.
(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)
Scaramouche hated you. He hated your face and your voice and your personality. He hated every single atom you were made up of, but most of all he hated the way you were able to persuade him to come to this stupid party. And for what? Just because you were the first person to ever call him cute? He'd curse you and all your descendants to come.
Childe's party was just a gathering of drunks and trouble makers. His house was practically a mansion that could fit 60% of the university's student population.
He hated the blaring lights and unbelievably loud, repetitive, and distasteful music.
"I hate this!" He has to shout for you to hear.
"I know!"
"I'm going home!"
"You can't! You're my ride home!"
"We walked here, dumbass!" Scaramouche wanted to leave you truly he did but something, wasn't letting him. His moral compass or his growing fondness of you?
Childe finds you, placing an arm around your shoulder. "Hey!" He hands you a shot glass which you graciously accept and down in a couple of seconds, much to Scaramouche's dismay.
Childe pays no attention to your companion until he does a double take and realize it's Scaramouche.
"Holy shit! Is that Scara!?" Childe grins hazily. He was drunk drunk.
Scaramouche does not respond. He is frowning while Childe handed you half a bottle of gin.
You drink it within a couple minutes as you chat with Childe.
Scaramouche stands there, awkward, cranky, and out of place as the only person he's aquatinted with in this party is getting absolutely inebriated.
At some point you don't know when or from where but you get your hands on another shot glass.
"You're not drinking that," Scaramouche states firmly.
"I am." You bring the cup to your lips but Scaramouche is faster, he snatches it from you and lets it fall to the ground.
"What gives!?"
"I'm not carrying your drunk ass home just because you drank away the capability to walk!" He shouts at you.
People are staring now. Is it because of the commotion or because Scaramouche was the last person anyone would expect to see at a party?
Scaramouche didn't like the staring or the attention. "I'm going fucking home." He says, grabbing your wrist and pulling you past the crowd. "So are you."
Childe is left there, impressed. He takes out his cellphone.
To: Hu Tao
She's actually gonna pull it off. Wtf
From: Childe
You stumble and trip as Scaramouche drags you through the night. It was a miracle you could keep up. (It wasn't, he slowed his pace on purpose to match yours but it still wasn't slow enough for your drunken ass.)
"Scara, slow dooown~"
He ignores you until he feels you slip from his grasp, landing with a thud. "What the fuck is wrong with you!? Do you not have the smarts to walk!?" The boy scolds.
You decide to rest your knees a bit as you stay on the ground.
You hear him sigh sharply before crouching in front of you. "Get on."
"What? Like piggyback style?"
"Yes, damnit just get on." His face wasn't facing you and it was dark. Scaramouche was eternally grateful to the archons that you couldn't see the way his ears reddened.
He carries you like that until you're at the front door of your place. Scaramouche gently drops you off. Miraculously not panting. (He wasn't that athletic.)
"Can I trust you enough to tuck yourself in?" The boy asks, his tone was calm this time.
You nod in response.
"Alright." Scaramouche turns his heel to leave.
"Scaramouche." You call out.
He turns back to you, a little too quickly.
You try to take a step towards him except you "accidentally" trip on air and crash onto his chest. He barely moves an inch but his hands instinctively wrap around you. You can see the exact moment he scrunches his nose as well as the moment before that where his cheeks flush.
You'll blame this on alcohol later. You'll also blame alcohol for when you pulled his collar to place a quick peck on his lips.
This was the night Scaramouche nearly passed away.
(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)
Scara paced around his room. What the fuck was that? Why the fuck would you do that? His heart still raced as fast as it did when you kissed him.
He replayed the kiss over and over in his mind. Why? Just why? He mussed his hair in frustration as he plopped himself on the bed. If Scaramouche focused enough, he could still feel their lips on his, even if it was just for a fleeting moment.
Why had a drunken asshole decided to take his first kiss? Why was he reacting so weirdly?
And why did he just tuck tail speed walk away right after it happened without saying shit about it?
(Y/N) will probably tell their friends. They'll gossip and laugh at how the smartest person in their program was turned into a blushing, sputtering mess at the mere kiss of some drunk. Some overly confident, obnoxious, attractive drunk who's lips were soft as velvet.
The thought has him reeling. Rolling to the side, Scaramouche pulled a pillow over his head and groaned into it.
"I'm done guessing. What's wrong with you?" His inner monologue was broken by his cyan haired roommate.
"Nothing. Fuck off, Dottore." His words still muffled by the pillow.
"All your ceaseless brooding is keeping me distracted. I suggest you stop whining if you don't want me to give you more reasons to whine."
Silence.
That came out wrong, but it got Scaramouche to shut up so who would complain?
(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)
It was a crush. That's what Dottore had said to him. It made jackshit sense though. Why would he like you? You were just someone he perceived as a slacker. It's possibly because you were the only one who ever showed interest in him. He'll probably get over it when he finds someone else to adore, but he couldn't.
Scaramouche was once again working on the thesis, on your bed. He didn't bring up the kiss. Maybe you'd forgotten about it? A small part of him hoped that you didn't though.
Finally, he decides to speak up. "I demand compensation."
You shoot him a confused look.
"What? Don't you remember?" Scaramouche scowls.
"You kissed me..."
"Did I?" You feign innocence.
"Do not make me repeat myself." He orders. "That was my first kiss. I demand some kind of compensation." His cheeks were heating up as it became harder and harder for him to look you in the eyes.
"Oh?" You bring your index finger below your lips in an expression of mock thoughtfulness.
Scaramouche's scowl deepens at your mocking finger below your lips. "Do not toy with me," he warns. "You took something and I want fair repayment."
You chuckle, enjoying his ruffled feathers. " And what is a first kiss worth these days?" Leaning back on your hands, you look him over appraisingly. "I'm not convinced it was really your first. You seemed to know what you were doing..."
His cheeks redden as he scrunches his nose at your audacity. "You're insufferable."
"And yet you enjoyed kissing me." You smirk. "Perhaps you even want more?"
Scaramouche's embarrassment only grows at your bold insinuation. "You presume too much, fool," he bites back, though his resolve seems weakened.
You shrug. "Suit yourself. I was just about to offer a date."
He narrows his eyes at you, as if trying to ascertain if this is some sort of trick. "A date?"
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aspecpplarebeautiful · 7 months ago
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I have a certain frustration when I talk to my allo friends and family about my anxieties towards growing older. It's hard for everyone right now, I completely understand that. But as soon as I talk to my partnered friends about how they have the benefit of two incomes to afford their one bedroom, their brains shut off and perceive it as me being jealous that I'm single. And maybe I am, but that's besides the point I'm trying to make, and that's that financially the only person I have to rely on is me. Which in practice is good, because you don't want to be financially dependent on someone else. However, it sure would make the one bedroom apartment much more feasible with someone else around.
I have no interest in partnering. I don't want a QPR. I don't want to be forced to put out new roommate listings every time my old one moves out to live with their partners. I want to be just as self sufficient as my friends, but i don't have the same safety nets that they do, financially, socially. Im not trying to say that the experience of being single and struggling is exclusively an aroace one at all, but at the same time it's a uniquely different perspective than I usually see when the subject is talked about? Idk. I'm sure someone has said it better than I can, but it's frustrating!!!
There are a lot of economic advantages to being married that single people do not get. I remember listening to a CBC segment on it a while back, it's not even just things like rent/housing, it's how you're taxed, it's how multiple systems are set up assuming people are paired up, etc. It's a very legitimate issue to be talking about.
I'm with you, Anon. I don't want a partner in any way, and I don't like roommates, and things just keep getting more expensive. It's discouraging.
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roo-bastmoon · 1 year ago
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Last time I'm gonna get into this...
Within the past 24 hours, there have been FIVE attacks on Weibo with paid hashtags against Jeon Jungkook.
JK has been accused of cheating on a blonde girlfriend, leaving a string of broken hearts, getting a girl pregnant, inappropriate behavior at what looks like a club or karaoke bar, and sexually harassing female staff. These accusations are being systematically criticized and debunked when errors are pointed out.
Clearly, there is a smear campaign coinciding with the release of 3D.
Now look, I cannot promise you that all the "evidence" is manufactured. But it's definitely being weaponized. So I'd ask you to just keep an open mind, use your critical thinking skills, and be patient, because this isn't the first time rumors like this have exploded and it won't be the last. Sometimes it takes a while for the truth to come to light.
You'll never catch me in these streets acting like a cult member. I'm not going to sit here and draw up schematics and comparison photos in some desperate attempt to convince the timeline of anything. Nor am I going to say someone rented a similar apartment, staged it with mood lamps and a doberman, and then had an actor wear a mask to set up JK (more likely, it's a random couple that got filmed without their knowledge). I won't delve into conspiracy theories about companies or competitors or comebacks or cosplayers or any of that.
If later it turns out that Jungkook has a partner other than Jimin, I really hope all the members of this community join me in quietly accepting that and calmly wishing him and Jimin well. The vast majority of people here do not ship them because they are pretty dolls to play with, but celebrate them because they are wonderful human beings with a unique, decade-long relationship that makes us light up inside.
Their bond and their characters speak for themselves. And until they tell us otherwise (or, sadly, until REALLY CONCRETE evidence is leaked--which will be hard to prove in a post-fact world full of AI and deep fakes), we can theorize all day long about their behavior and what it means for their personal lives, but only the Tannies ever truly know what the Tannies are going through.
And as frustrated as we are with not knowing, they have a right to keep it that way.
So please get out of my ask box and instead refocus your energy (she said lovingly). The ajumas are most definitely planning a last minute crazy-cakes push on idolplus and the gap in votes is nowhere near safe for Jimin. It's all hands on deck!! We have less than two days to get the only remaining BTS member his end-of-year award before he serves his country, so please make accounts and VOTE.
Also please stream and buy the new releases to the best of your ability, of course.
And finally, if you have the energy, take a moment to lift someone else up today. Even if it's just a kind word in their inbox. Be a good human and do something gentle and nurturing for yourself while you're at it.
Chins up, my puppykitties. We gotta pull ourselves together.
We are ARMY, and we have battles to win.
Plus, tomorrow begins Jimtober. You guys remember Jimin? Here, let JK help you out with that.
Okay, byyyyyyeeee.
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P.S. I love you guys.
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weaselle · 1 month ago
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My perfect day is…
i want to wake up around 6:30 and snuggle someone, have coffee over parallel-play style Gentle Mentals [as in an activity that provides gentle mental stimulation, for example scrolling social media, reading a newspaper, finishing last nights chapter in the book you’re reading, doing a crossword puzzle etc]
Then trade cooking breakfast and clean up with shower times [A showers while B cooks, then B showers while A does final cook phase, plates breakfast and does clean up, and we trade off who is A and who is B depending on how we feel about cooking or cleaning- and when i'm B i'm for sure going to do be doing some breakfasts that are clean as you go finishers so my partner gets a little No Clean Up Surprise some mornings]
Then we eat, dress, and i Clock On For Myself [as an entrepreneur which i am currently trying again because i would really like my own little enterprise instead of working to make other people's dreams come true]
I'd love to spend work time with a partner, either just in the business partnership sense with someone, or with my romantic partner, who could also be my business partner if they were into that like i am, but even if we were just each doing our own work, i’d love to work with my romantic partner even just in a parallel-play sense. Like, even if i have no business partner AND my romantic partner is not my business partner, and i am just hard at work for myself as a small business entrepreneur, then in an ideal world i would like at least part of our workday to be sharing space in some way, just, to feed off each other’s getting-shit-done vibes if nothing else. But it would be nice to be able to idk, complain about a tough client, or brag about a workday accomplishment to each other, maybe eat lunch together or something)
Finish up the day in time to have an afternoon/evening shift for self, i.e. go to the gym, go to a dance class, do a big cooking dinner thing, run errands, whatever.
Have at least an hour of recreation time with partner in the evening. Snuggles and books or a show/movie in bed for favorite. Sleep by 10:30
And then days off where we lean into the romance of the moment.
Uh, you know, when you Lean Into the Romance of the Moment?
Like, if it’s raining, then we we're probably gonna do candles and books and tea or hot cocoa and listen to the rain on the roof, or light a fire in the fireplace and eat stew and binge watch something under the blankets on the couch. That’s what i mean by leaning into the romance of the moment, like if it’s morning and we’re super tired from a hard week or a late night, then we do PJs in the cafe and/or the sunglasses indoors brunch, or the wake and bake cartoons and munchies day, really lean into the romance of the hangover sunday vibe. And if it’s nice and we’re feeling it we go road-tripping or backpacking or kayaking or museum hopping or go-cart racing or nature walking or have some kind of Hallmark Holiday Date experience where we, like, go on a bike ride together and then drink hot pumpkin spice drinks while we wander the local farmer’s market. Oh and the Zoo and probably an amusement park and we could pack a day bag and hop a ferry to the city and do some urban exploration. I just. Want a life where i can live comfortably (rent a decent apartment, save for my old age) with a real partnery partner, and do those kinds of things.
ANYway, that’s what i want. Not that weird to do list i made when i first tried this.
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gatorpond · 23 days ago
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i hate to keep asking for help but i don't have other options. anything helps. please please please share this.
ko-fi link (for art sales + donations)
long story cut extremely short: i've had the worst yr of my life & was unable to work for months. i am a disabled trans person in arkansas. things were already hard. my youngest brother died unexpectedly & traumatically in may. my grandfather died soon after. my aunt is dying, likely within a month. the only family members that speak to me are also struggling & cannot afford to help me. my father, who is affluent, disowned me for being trans yrs ago & hasn't spoken to me since the funeral.
i am the only person in my household making any money. my partner - also disabled to the point it makes working from home necessary - is applying for jobs. she was hired as a contract editor recently, but they haven't sent her any actual work. having hope, then having that just snatched back destroyed me all over again. i have applied for ebt. i have applied for rent assistance. i have been denied for both twice. i say this just to emphasize i'm exhausting avenues for help.
in addition, my car broke down twice so i had to ask for help with that. i've been doing some delivery driving... but it's not enough at all. esp since my car's mileage is suffering bc of old spark plugs. i'm trying to replace those asap.
i have woodburnings, stickers, adoptables, & p2u lineart up for sale in my ko-fi shop at the link above. i have a premade fursuit up for sale on thedealersden for a massively discounted price. i spend every minute i can function working. my tablet died, but a new one should be here soon, & i will be taking digital art comms as soon as possible. i'm trying my hardest. i swear i am.
thank y'all for any and all help, sharing, etc. i appreciate y'all more than i even know how to say. you've kept me alive during this time, & i'm not exaggerating at all. i'm sorry to keep needing so much help. i'm trying to get back on my feet. this yr has just been hell. thank you.
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alexjcrowley · 1 month ago
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Braddavid/Cookiecash headcanons (I did not invent cookiecash, I took it froma a Tumblr user who took it from a fic on ao3)
-Brad's love languages are acts of service, quality time and gift giving: any kind of gesture that he can later justify saying he did it for his own benefit or amusement. Acts of service? Oh, no, I manipulated you by doing a good thing for you and now you owe me (never going to ask that favour back). Quality time? I enjoy watching you being pathetic, it amuses me. Gift giving? A bit trickier, but "there was a discount at Starbucks if I ordered two drinks/I found this at the flea market/a book, so maybe you'll spend your time reading instead of annoying me/you cannot show up to a meeting with Montreal with that tie, consider this a necessary purchase for the company".
-David's love languages are all of them, but trying a bit too hard. The kind of things that would make anyone go "that's pathetic", except, if you loose the fake coolness for a moment, they're actually very sweet. Lots of compliments. Gifts with a 50/50 rate of success (the successful ones are usually Ducktales themed). Afternoon spent renting a small paddleboat in the park lake (David falls into the water). PDA but someone burst in the office and suddenly it's a very embarassing situation. Cooking dinner but he ends up burning it and they have to resort to take out. David's love language is trying and Brad should find this utterly pathetic and weak, and instead he finds the effort all the more endearing, especially because David never gives up. What has this man done to him.
-Basically every morning, before they start living together, David woke up early to get Brad a mochaccino. Every. Single. Day. Brad had to tell him to stop (because of his ED, he feared gaining weight). David still made a point of bringing Brad coffee every morning. Brad justified to himself accepting David's kindness as taking advantage of a fool. He had the upper hand because David was gifting him coffee, surely no ripercussions, especially emotional ones, would come out that situation. Brad was winning and he had everything under control.
-David is surprisingly self-reliant. Here went Brad thinking he'd have to beat his partner with a stick to let him have some alone time, but David is way less clingy than one could imagine. He has a lot of hobbies (many stereotypical suburban dad hobbies, but still): cycling, barbecue, music (he is still trying to learn to play the guitar), meditation ("It really helps, Brad, you should try it!"), cooking (with...various results), Turkish soap operas ("My wife" "Ex-wife" "used to watch them, so to bring a spark to the relationship I started watching them with her, you know, to spend more time together, and now we're divorced but I am still hooked") and more. If you leave him alone, David will find something to do. David says it has to do with his childhood, only child and all that, he's used to lonely afternoons, he learned how to fill them. The rapidity he takes up hobbies with is frankly impressive. Brad hates to admit it, but sometimes he finds himself to envy how many pasttimes David gets up to. It's incredible for such a lively person full of interests to pass so often as a boring one. Brad will (secretly gladly) hear about David talking about his million hobbies.
-David learns Brad's birthday and never forgets it. He makes a big deal out of it the forst time, organising a surprise birthday party, just like he did when Zack told him it was Brad's birthday. Brad is not at all pleased by the situation, until he remembers birthday parties mean gifts, to him. That's the only reason he's willing to forgive David for making all that fuss.
-It becomes second nature for Brad to buy David's favourite cookies everytime he sees them. At some point they have 5 unopened boxes in the kitchen. Brad is appalled by his own stupidity while David beams with love.
-David speaks a decent (canadian) french, Brad speak a France french and costantly makes fun of David's accent. But they use their knowledge of french to talk shit about people in MQ without them understanding, especially Poppy and Ian.
-They almost stop speaking to eachothers, even before they get together, due to Brad's ED, because it's not something Brad wants to confront, but David can't repress his worry. Brad starts making small steps and David makes sure to be a comforting presence along the way, without being a smothering one. He makes sure Brad eats something everyday, often by having lunch/dinner with him.
-David is a child when it comes to alchohol. Literal child. He pretends to enjoy whisky, because that's what men his age do, but he doesn't. He is a simple red wine/white wine/beer man (that's the only distinction he does, he wouldn't know a pinot grigio from a cabernet), and he doesn't even handle it that well. Brad is an absolute snob when it comes to liquors and his knowledge in alchohol ties directly with the social value it brings in a conversation with rich people. David is an affectionate drunk, which Brad hates in public because how is he supposed to keep his cool when David hugs him and declares his love for him in front of anybody who cares to listen?
-The day David started asking people's opinion on shaving his moustache was the day Brad had to reluctantly and embarrassingly admit he liked David's moustache too much to risk see it gone. David kept the moustache and never let Brad live that down. The endless teasing made Brad reconsider the tragedy of a clean-shaven David, but it was already too late.
-David's obnoxious with petnames, really, Brad can't understand the unironical appeal in being called "baby", "honey", "dear". Well, actually dear is not the worst. The worst was Brad-bear, and, as a matter of a fact, it had never been repeated after it fatally escaped David's mouth and Brad looked at him like he was trying to kill him with mind-powers. It really is a testament to how sloppy Brad has become since he's with David, because it takes him a while to understand that David is trying to be smart, to be subtle, and failing miserably. He is attempting some sort of influence. So one day, after taking the mochaccino David bought for him, Brad goes "Thank you, darling" and David can't help but smile, blabbering something like "I-It's nothing, really". It's the little things, Brad thinks drinking his mochaccino.
-Brad starts using polish petnames for David. Even when David has no idea what they mean, he is incredibly happy to hear them. Only half of them are sort of insults.
-David has secretly started to learn polish, even though it doesn't come so easy to him. He practices it in secret in Sue's office.
-Brad has gifted David a wolf plushie. David loves it.
-David has made Brad several Spotify playlist which Brad refuses to listen to (or so he told David).
-Despite great insistence, David did not manage to get Brad to do a couple costume with him on Halloween. David still showed up with half of the couple costume. Brad tried to convince other people he wasn't David's date, to spare himself the embarrassment. And it was also working with people who didn't know him and David directly if he didn't have a ring on his finger and the words "my husband, David" didn't roll on his tongue so naturally.
-David refuses to admit he found Brad very hot in Everlight when he was fighting with the sword because he is aware, the moment that slips out, Brad will find a way to use a sword again, possibly in public, explicitly to tease him. And David is a man who knows his limits, and knows he couldn't handle it.
-David is somewhat unaware of how much Brad has softened with him, because Brad is still very sharp and sarcastic around him. David doesn't think Brad is cold towards him, but still, he thinks, 80% of the time and always in public, Brad is still pretty much Brad, he just insults him a little less. From an external point of view, anyobody who has ever met Brad can tell he is another person when it comes to David, 200% kinder than usual. When Brad "insults" David is more of a playful jab about his fashion sense or being a pushover, when Brad insults anyone else is a call from Carol in HR for Brad and, for the unlucky soul, new material for the next 5 session with their therapist.
-Contrary to popular belief (at least about Brad), David and Brad are not a very "glamorous" couple. When they first got together, people at MQ thought that David was the boring one and Brad was going to bring excitement and dare into his life. There were a lot of jokes on David not being able to keep up with Brad's lifestyle. Truth is, apart from work related events, Brad doesn't like to go out and mingle too much, unless he has a specific purpose. Outside MQ, they are the most ordinary boring middle-aged queer couple you could ever meet. At least that's the image they project in David's neighbourhood (which is not a cool, fashion neighbourhood like the one in which Brad lives). The neighbours see them at the rare neighbourhood events they attend, and David is your classic "let me work the barbecue, I have expert knowledge in grilling" suburban-dad-looking guy, while Brad only speaks about stocks and cryptocurrency.
-Brad is master at chess (he used to play professionally when he was very young) and every game of cards (he counts them), David sucks at both. Brad refuses to teach him because he likes to win (and he doesn't want to lose charming points revealing his tricks).
-Brad doesn't see the similarities between he and Huey's voice actor in the new Ducktales. He is offended when David says even he could hardly tell them apart.
-Brad tried to imitate Scrooge McDuck's voice, but he sucked at the impression. He can do a generic Scottish accent, though.
-They tried to use David and Brad in a spot about MQ being an inclusive workplace and Brad threatened to make 0 the price for any weapons again.
-Brad doesn't believe in PDA but he does believe in being the last ones to leave the office after a bit of fun in their shared room.
-People costantly assume Brad is way younger than he actually is and sometimes they give David weird looks because of it or they make illed jokes about it. David is mortified, but Brad loves it, "It's not my fault I age better than you".
-One day David asked Brad to see his number one. "What do you mean?" "You know, like Scrooge McDuck? You're such a big fan, I thought you had a number one of your o-" "Don't be ridiculous, David, I am a forty-two-year old man, do you actually think I keep an old coin in a velvet box in the name of citationism?" He does. He does, but he doesn't show it to David until he proposes. Because he proposed with the coin. He slid the velvety box on a table saying that it was his most priced possession and the fact that he was showing David meant David was the person he trusted the most in the entire world. Then Brad proceded to tell him that for him that was the greatest love gesture he could think about (after all, everyone knows that stealing Scrooge McDuck's number one would have brought to his end, Brad is metaphorically trusting David with his life)."I think...I don't say this lightly, and I will say it only once, but I think...you are to me the only person as important as my number one. This is serious, very serious for me, you understand?" David did, and was speechless. He felt almost embarrassed about the ring he bought, but Brad loved it nonethless.
-One could say that the moment he started dating Brad, David stopped with the freudian slip of calling "his wife" his ex-wife, but the truth is, since he started dating Brad, he just stopped mentioning his ex-wife that much.
-David's ex wife and Brad met. Brad's takeaway from that encounter, after David asked him what he thought of it, was "Good. I am better than her, so I have nothing to worry about".
-For the longest time, they don't meet eachothers parents. They justify it saying they're not teenagers anymore, they don't need the family approval, but people at MQ start to point out it's weird they have been together for such a long time and they haven't met eachothers' family. The thing is both David and Brad have a terrible relationship with their families. David's parents wouldn't even care and Brad's parents would only be disappointed by his choice in a partner (whatever partner really: they would either be a looser or much better than Brad and that's why they will eventually leave him). They talk about it, way before they actually end up meeting eachothers' family (in both cases, unwillingly). "At least your brother likes me, I think. He seemed nice with me. Or because you don't like your brother it's actually a bad thi-" "My brother hates you, David. He thinks you're weak and pathetic." "...there goes my hope-" "It makes me like you more." "Oh. So, I guess, every thorn has its rose." "That's not a saying, David."
-The way they meet David's parents is objectively funny, if you aren't the people directly involved. David's parents are arguing again, something about a beach house his mother obtained with David rights on Christmas (yes, the agreement wasn't "I take the beach house, you can have Christmas with David" but "since I get Christmas with David, I am entitled to the beach house, as compensation". Carol reminded David one more time she wasn't his therapist, but even she admitted that was pretty shitty). Because David doesn't spend Christmas with his parents anymore, the beach house is open for dibs, again. Mr Brittlesbee and ex-Mrs. Brittlesbee rang David's door at 8 in the morning on Saturday, just to find a black haired guy in a Ducktale t-shirt opening the door. They apologised for coming to the wrong house (and bickered accusing one another not to know where their son lived).
"David" shouted Brad.
"Mhyeah?" answered David, still in bed.
"How do your parents look like?"
"Why- why are you asking me that?" replied David, suddenly way more awake.
"I think I just met them, but now they're ringing at every door in the neighbourhood."
It was a morning not easily forgettable. The Senior Brittlesbees took a while to grasp the concept of bisexuality, while Brad had understably given up making a good impression, but still managed not to escalate the situation by being silent and bringing the Brittlesbees cups of fresh-made coffee. He was called Ted several times, despite numerous corrections both on his and David's part. The ex-Mrs Brittlesbee made a point of saying (to David alone, at least) she preferred Lindsay.
"And I prefer Brad. And since it is my life-"
"I know what is going through a divorce, David, look, your father is still sucking the light out of me! I too tried something different to shake things up, I moved to Florida for a year and it was a disaster! Don't let divorce ruin the rest of your life, Ted seems like a decent man, so it'd be better to call it quit before you make another mistake-"
"Okay, goodbye, Mom."
-Metting with Brad's parents didn't really go any better. To be fair, the meeting was set as a surprise by Zack in order to humiliate Brad, just for the fun of it. He had already understood there was something going on between Brad and David, but when he heard they were officially a couple he didn't waste time to use the information to his advantage. It didn't go well, but at least Brad and David could officially say that was out of the way. Brad's parents lamented Brad choosing someone almost "softer" than he already was. Brad felt prouder than ever for his choice.
-Brad and David fought over Jo being the best woman at their wedding. And they didn't only fight between themselves, they tried to bring Jo on their respective side with any means. When it comes to persuasion though, it's Brad's favourite field and he ended up taking Jo. They were on the verge to call out wedding because David couldn't find a best man or woman (Ian tried to propose himself for the role, but David politely ignored him for 2 months making up excuses). In the end, Sue was David's best woman.
-David cried at their wedding. In several points of the wedding. Some people asked if he was being forced to marry. He was just very happy and emotional.
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