#but not being able to make A SINGLE PENNY for almost a year is doing a number on me mentally

[thewintersoldierdisaster]

a/n: i’m almost shocked at how fast this fic got written?? thanks to anon who indulged my fun little request for a new hockey to write about (inspired by @wyattjohnston ‘s post earlier about how there’s only fics for certain hockeys in the nhl fic tag and also bc i have so much fun writing for new guys in the fic exchanges!!)- how could i resist vancouver’s own prince charming? hope you guys enjoy because i had fun writing! ☺️

word count: 2.7k

tw: single dad!brock, nanny!reader, dirty talk, minor daddy kink, fingering (f receiving), handjob, dirty talk, nipple play

summary: you’re nothing but the nanny for brock’s daughter, until one night all the lines get blurred

Kya snuggles closer to you in her sleep, blonde hair tickling the underside of your chin. Her cheek is pressed up against your collarbone and her little body is hot, making you feel all sweaty where she’s connected to you.

The TV casts the room in a faint blue light, the low volume serving as white noise along with Kya’s little puffed air snores.

You think about moving her to her bed, but she’s so soft and cuddly when she hasn’t been lately and you can’t find it in your heart to get up. Unfortunately, the four-year-old has your heart in a vice-like grip and you’d do anything for her. Including being a human mattress.

So you stay on the couch, stroking her back and humming softly when she stirs briefly. Eventually, the clock ticks over to the eleven o’clock hour and you know it’s only a matter of time before Brock’s home and your shift is over. Not that you have to go very far to get home - your pool house turned bachelorette nanny pad is practically spitting distance from the back door. If you tilted to the left a bit and angled your neck, you’d be able to see the little planter with multicolored flowers that Kya had helped you plant last week.

And by help, you mean crushed a few daisies in her little fists and ate a mouthful of dirt before you could stop her.

A+ nannying for sure.

You’re still thinking about it when a familiar voice startles you from your thoughts.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Brock’s voice rumbles through the dark room, laughter around the edges.

Without thinking, you reply, “just thinking about the handful of dirt I let Kya eat last week.” Then you wince, wondering why Brock’s presence always makes you say the stupidest things.

He laughs fully now, stepping around the couch and dropping into the armchair. He’s in his post-game look - rumpled suit pants and button down with the sleeves rolled up, bare feet with his loafers kicked off in a pile at the front door, and blonde hair darkened from his shower. His palm rasps over the few days’ worth of stubble growing on his chin and his face splits into one of those smiles that makes Twitter (and you) swoon.

“She’s gotta get vitamins and minerals from somewhere, right?” He teases and your cheeks heat.

This.

This is why he makes you say the stupidest things. Because he’s a real-life Prince Charming with the personality to match.

You smile back at him, a reflex. “There are some leftovers in the fridge, if you’re hungry and want to get in your own vitamins and minerals,” you joke back, shifting Kya on your chest when she starts to slip.

Brock shakes his head. “I’m good, thanks. I’ll take Princess Ky upstairs and you can get some rest,” he stands, arms out to grab Kya.

Weirdly, you shift and hold her closer. “It’s, um, I don’t mind. She’s been really snuggly today and it’s nice,” you shrug one shoulder. “She watched a little bit of the first.”

“Yeah?” Brock’s face lights up. He loves it when you bring Kya to games and he gets to wave at her during warmups.

“Mhm,” you smirk, “she was obsessed with Quinn.”

Brock narrows his eyes at you, scrunching his nose in disgust. “Real nice,” he shakes his head, “making fun of the guy that your best friend over there belongs to.”

Your cheeks lift in a smile, your arms holding Kya comfortably. “Don’t be jealous of my bond with Ky. Daddy’s still her favorite.”

Something flickers across Brock’s face, there and gone before you can analyze it. He chuckles, says, “I better be since I pay for all those chicken nuggets she inhales like a freaking vacuum,” and excuses himself upstairs to change.

You watch him leave, chewing at your lower lip while you study the curve of his ass in his slacks, feeling awful even as you’re appreciating his form. Kya mumbles in her sleep, nonsense words and a ‘Daddy’ and your name, eyelids twitching as she dreams.

Brock’s back a few minutes later, comfortable in sweats and a threadbare t-shirt. Still barefoot, now he smells like mint toothpaste in addition to the locker room soap. “Sure you don’t want me to take her?” He asks, sitting down on the couch with you, a cushion’s worth of space between your bodies. “Feels like I should let you off the clock and hold my kid now that I’m home.”

“I really don’t mind,” you promise him. “Kya’s…she’s exactly what I want my own daughter to be one day.” You think maybe you’re over sharing, but it’s late and Brock just looks so domestic and comfortable. It’s easy to pretend when he looks like this. His eyes soften as he studies you and the way you’re holding Kya.

“She’s a pretty cool little girl,” he agrees warmly, reaching out to run a hand over her head. His palm

makes her hair staticky, fine strands lifted into the air. You blow at them gently, giggling when they stick to your face even after you try smoothing them back with a hand.

“You know,” he says too casually after a comfortable pause, “she, the other day when you were off, she said that she never wants you to leave.”

A little piece of your heart breaks with his words because you know one day you’ll have to leave. It’s easy right now, nannying for Kya while you get your Master’s, but what happens next year when you’re finished with school and you have to find a real

job.

Your face must show your distress, because Brock coughs slightly and rushes to say, stumbling over his words, “I didn’t mean, she’s four. You know, they say stuff all the time. When you do have to leave, it’ll be okay. She’ll be okay.”

He means well, you know that, but it doesn’t help and to your horror, your nose starts to burn and tears well in your eyes. You don’t really want to cry in front of Brock, not over something that’s at least a year away, but you feel the dam starting to break.

“Um, I do think I’ll head out for the night,” you say quietly, trying to not let your voice crack. You shift Kya in your arms and transfer her to Brock’s, making sure she stays asleep. “She really should be out for the night. So, um, I’ll see you in the morning.”

He takes her easily, arms practiced with adjusting her weight against his chest and her head on his shoulder. You jump up from the couch and wave over your shoulder, heading for the back door, ignoring Brock’s whispered shout of your name.

It’s so silly, to get so emotional about Kya outgrowing her need for a nanny, her need for you. But you’re more attached to Ky and Brock than you’re willing to admit, even to yourself.

Right now, your best option is to play your sad music playlist and cry, just to get it out of your system before getting back to normal in the morning.

The music helps. The crying helps more. The two glasses of wine help the most.

And then there’s a knock on the door, scaring the ever living shit out of you. It’s so late your visitor can only be one person.

“Brock?” His name is a question on your lips when you open the door, your brow furrowed.

“Hi,” he looks upset and your brain works sluggishly to figure out what could be bothering him. “Can I-?”

He gestures a little and you nod, stepping back automatically. “Yeah, of course. It’s your pool house,” you say. “Is Kya asleep?”

He nods, holds up the baby monitor. You can see Kya’s little body sprawled out on her bed and a smile curls your lips - she sleeps like a starfish, arms and legs akimbo. “She’s done for the night,” he replies quietly, setting the monitor on the little table you have next to the door for your keys.

Brock’s been in the pool house before, a million and one times. But this time, the air crackles like it does before a thunderstorm, your nerves on edge.

“What are -“

“I’m sorry.”

You and Brock speak over each other, words getting jumbled in the air. You giggle a little and Brock smiles, his shoulders relaxing.

“I’ll go,” he says, still smiling. His hands run through his hair, the strands flopping over his forehead before getting pushed back into place. “I’m sorry, for what I said. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“Oh,” you aren’t expecting the apology and you start to excuse him, “I didn’t -“

“You did,” Brock cuts you off. “Your eyes are all red and I’m so sorry. I just thought, Ky loves you so much, that you’d want to hear what she said about you. I wasn’t thinking about - about you leaving.”

“I’ll have to eventually,” you shrug, the wine dulling the sharper edges of your emotions.

Brock’s jaw works and you wait for him to speak, patient like he’s Kya. A few seconds go by and he scratches at the back of his neck. “I’m not good at - I want you here, as long as you want to be here. I don’t care if Kya is a grown woman with her own kids, I’d want you here.” He pauses and his words sink in, battering at the boundary you’d built around your heart.

“What?” You whisper, hands fluttering at your sides. You suddenly don’t know what to do with them.

“I…I think, no, I am. I am definitely falling for you,” Brock says, tone firm and eyes soft, crinkled at the corners. Those damn blue eyes that have starred in a fantasy or two of yours. He reads your silence as negative, apparently, because he frowns and continues, “if I just made this uncomfortable, we can forget it ever happened.”

“No!” You nearly yelp, Brock’s eyes widening at your sudden increase in volume. “No,” you repeat quieter. “I don’t want to forget this happened. I’m just … surprised. I didn’t think you thought of me as anything but Ky’s nanny.”

His smile is contagious and you’re both grinning like idiots at each other.

“You haven’t been Ky’s nanny in my head for a long time,” he confesses. “Just been hoping you felt the same way.”

“Definitely feel the same way,” you giggle, feeling hysterical.

“Can I -?” He steps forward, into your space, and you nod, knowing what he’s asking. And then all you know is Brock’s mouth on yours, his hands warm on your waist, his hair soft under your fingertips. His tongue traces the seam of your lips, teeth nipping at your bottom lip when you open your mouth. A groan fills the air and you’re not sure if it’s yours or his.

Your chest crushes against Brock’s, bodies flush against each other. His cock is prominent against your thigh, hard and hot through the layers of fabric separating the two of you. For months, you’ve fantasised about this, wondered what it would feel like to get your hands on Brock and it’s better than you ever imagined. Hot and hard, his lips soft against yours, his hands gripping at your ass, dragging you closer and closer. Your hips chase his, involuntarily moving for relief.

“Brock,” you whine his name, surprising yourself with the neediness that colors your tone. He growls against your jaw and lifts you, arms braced under your ass, settling you on the countertop in your tiny kitchenette. He steps into the space created by your spread legs, your thighs at his hips, ankles locked at his lower back.

“Shit, wanted to do this for months,” he mumbles against your skin. His lips mark a hot trail down your neck and over the heated skin of your chest. His hands are down the back of your shorts, kneading at your ass.

His cock presses against your heated core and you moan, loudly and unashamed. Brock’s laugh is clearly delighted and he presses himself against you harder, drawing a strangled moan from your throat.

“Making such pretty noises for me,” he croons, dragging one hand up your side to grope at your breast, rolling your nipple until it’s a stiff peak. “What other noises are you going to make for Daddy?”

“Oh my god,” you keen, arousal flooding your panties. “Brock, oh my god, I need you to touch me.”

“What’s the magic word?” He replies, ducking his head to suck at your nipple over your shirt. The scrape of his teeth and the wet fabric makes you shiver, clit throbbing.

“Please,” you wail, grinding your hips against his.

“Please…?” He trails off and your heart pounds in your chest, pleasure coiling low in your stomach.

You sigh, a shaky exhale. “Please, Daddy, touch me. Please make me come,” you whisper the words in his ear, nipping at his earlobe.

Brock whips your shirt off, tossing the fabric to the floor. You’re not wearing a bra and normally you’d be self-conscious, but Brock’s staring at you like you’re the first woman he’s ever seen and you’ve never felt hotter. “Christ,” he mutters, palming your breasts and kneading them tenderly. “So fucking gorgeous. Just, just fucking stay with me forever, please?”

You nod, agreeing. “Yours, I’m all yours, I promise,” you cradle his face in your hands and kiss him deeply, leaning in as close as you can.

Somehow, his shirt ends up on the floor with yours and your fingers can trace each muscle on his chest and stomach. You drag a nail over his nipple and his skin erupts in goosebumps, so you do it again, skimming your nails over his skin and scratching at his biceps.

“Mark me up,” Brock encourages you, lifting your ass off the counter with one hand so he can tug at your shorts and panties. “Make sure everyone knows I’m yours.”

He’s certainly doing the same, sucking bruises onto your skin. There’s a bite mark over your breast and it feels like his fingers dug bruises into the flesh of your ass.

“Just want you,” you blink away a sudden rush of tears, still in disbelief that this is happening. “Been thinking about you for so long, Brock.”

Your fingers dance down to the waist of his sweats, pushing at them until his cock springs free and you can get a good look at it. It’s just as perfect as his face, thick and long and hard as steel.

“Come on, honey,” his fingers swipe at your clit, making you inhale sharply and arch your back. “Put your hands on me. Touch me.”

You obey, wrapping your hands around his cock and stroking him. Softly at first until Brock grunts and wraps his hand around yours to increase the pressure and speed. “Like that,” he instructs you, leaving his hand in place and using the other to smear your arousal over your clit and inner thighs.

“I don’t have any condoms!” You gasp, Brock’s index finger teasing at your entrance. The thought hits suddenly, annoyingly.

“Doesn’t matter,” he replies, kissing the moan from your mouth when he plunges his fingers into your cunt. “I’ll make you feel good just like this.”

Brock’s a man of his word.

He makes you come twice, once on his fingers and one on his tongue. The first time you make a mess of the counter, dripping all over the place. The second time he’s got you laid out on the couch, his stomach splattered with his own come from the handjob you’d given him.

And then he cuddles.

Wipes between your legs with a towel and wraps

you in his arms under a throw blanket. Kisses the crown of your head and tells you all the filthy things he’s thought about doing to you.

“Hey,” you pipe up, amusement bubbling in your chest, “do I get a bonus for every blowjob I provide?”

Brock’s surprised laughter vibrates at your back, shaking your entire body. His arms wrap around your chest and squeeze. “No,” he deadpans, sounding like he’s struggling to hold back his laughter, “but we probably should talk about your job.”

“Tomorrow,” you insist. “I love taking care of Ky. So we’ll work on a transition.”

The transition from Ky’s nanny to Brock’s wife and Ky’s mom takes about six months less than you anticipated.

“Best job promotion ever,” you tease Brock at the altar, Kya practically glued to your side and shouting her excitement when you kiss for the first time as husband and wife.

[just-some-little-lads]

My Love, Like Winter, is Eternal

Summary: You find you can't sleep, and your partner resting right next to you listens to your late-night thoughts.

Word Count: 1.3k

Tags: SFW, Fluff, Second Person POV, gn! reader.

It’s easy to forget what lies beneath a frost. When the world is coated in so much snow, one might lose memory of the blooms in spring. Most people think of winter as this harsh and cruel season. It often comes hand-in-hand with negative metaphors like death or apathy or the end of any good thing. There was a time when you thought much the same. Now…you can’t help but almost feel bad for winter- for snow. There’s so much warmth there that goes unnoticed.

Poetic thoughts like these came easy to you in the early hours of the morning. Especially during nights where you couldn’t sleep. Maybe that’s why you found yourself finding feeling sad for an environmental passage of time of all things. Well…you had to give yourself some slack. There was a reason why snow had such a loving space in your heart; why you found yourself telling your coworkers who dared complain about the cold all the wonderful things you could do in the snow. Even after all the odd glances you got most times. A noble task, you would tell yourself. One might call you a…polar protector? A Snow Spokesperson! A Blizzard Bodyguard! A—

A large hand covered your face, cutting you free from your thoughts. After successfully catching your attention, the hand moved back to the body it belonged to. “You’re thinking too loudly…” Voice low, tone slightly slurred with half-consciousness, Zayne brought a thumb and forefinger up to rub at bleary eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose.

You felt a bit guilty for waking him up, knowing he’d be heading back to the hospital in a few hours. “You can read my thoughts?”

A huff of a single chuckle escaped him as he turned on his side towards you. As he spoke, his arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you toward him. “I think I have a few years to go before I can read your thoughts, but I can read your body language. Tossing and turning, fidgeting hands, rapid breaths. Symptoms of someone far too awake. What’s keeping you up?” A note of concern seeped into his tone. He kept you close while fixing and straightening some wild strands of your bed-hair. Based off his smile, you could tell you looked a bit more on the disheveled side. Something he was all too happy to fix. Meanwhile, he still looked as refined as ever. Gorgeous, like a statue chiseled from ice plucked from heavenly mountain-tops. Or perhaps that was just the rose-colored glasses talking. You found yourself still falling head-over-heels for him, and crushing like you hadn’t been together for a while. “Hey…” Zayne’s smile faded, his hand moving from your hip to your cheek. Apparently, he’d taken you staring at him in silence as some sort of hesitation. “Talk to me. Is something wrong?”

Well, now you felt a bit sheepish. Zayne was probably thinking you were plagued by some kind of stress. “Just thinking…about snow.”

“Snow?” he asked, incredulous that something so simple was keeping you awake, almost looking more worried. “Don’t tell me you’re making winter plans already?”

“Not really…”

The mattress shifted as he propped his head up on his elbow and sighed. His forefinger began to trace the outline of your face. “Penny for your thoughts? I won’t be able to sleep if you continue being so cryptic.”

You groaned a bit, not able to handle the thought of him getting no rest just because of your silly mind. “I’m just thinking about how sad it is that the cold gets such a bad rap.” As you explained that, you noticed how his face contorted into a mixed expression of confusion and amusement. You gave him time to speak, ready to hear him laugh or tell you to put you and your crazy mind to bed. Nothing was said by him, seemingly waiting to hear your intense thoughts at three in the morning. “It’s always talked about like some heartless, lifeless thing, but it’s not! Ice cream is cold and it’s one of my favorite things! In winter, you can wear cute coats and scarves, warm up with hot chocolate, and snuggle up by the fire. Plus, snow is so pretty. When it falls…it’s so comforting. I just… I wish people saw all the good in it that I do.” You glanced up at him, still waiting for him to roll his eyes.

Instead, he only looked at you softly- lovingly. With a little tug, he pulled you closer, lying back down while tucking your head under his chin. “I see. So, you think winter is sad that so many people dislike it?” He adjusted the blanket around you both, making sure your heads were comfortably on the pillows.

For some reason, you felt like crying. Maybe it was just because you were sleep deprived. Or perhaps it was because you tended to forget how safe of a space Zayne was. He’d joke with you, follow along with the bits you came up with, even listen to whatever you had to say running on four hours of sleep like he’d also gotten a degree in therapy. “I bet it gets lonelier than the other seasons…”

“Hm.” He closed his eyes, and for a moment you thought he’d fallen back asleep. When he spoke again, his voice lowered, his face nuzzling your head ever so slightly. “I think…that the snow is content enough being loved by you.” Zayne’s body was warm. Perfectly so. His hand ran up and down your back in slow hypnotizing rubs.

“I’m just one person in a world with millions of people… It deserves more than just me.” You were starting to feel drowsy now, eyelids going heavy at a rapid pace. A little moan rumbled in your throat as you shifted about to get comfortable, turning on your other side so Zayne was curled against your back. His presence was like a soothing blanket, your body enveloped and protected from things that might do you harm. Ever your valiant healer even outside of battle.

A kiss pressed into the back of your shoulder as you slotted yourself against him, fitting like a perfect puzzle piece. “I don’t think it’s greedy,” he whispered softly. “It sees the way you rush outside to greet it when it’s snowing, even if you’re not wearing something warm. It’s happy to take on the role of being cold so your hot chocolate tastes that much better, feeling the heat run down your throat…into your stomach…sinking down into your toes.” The way he was speaking was slow and purposefully melodic, like the narration of those resting meditation videos. He was trying to put you to sleep. Zayne took a deep breath, like he was minutes away from falling asleep himself, forcing himself to stay awake until he knew you were at peace. “It’s glad to make the world quieter so you can find yourself drifting off much easier.” He kissed the back of your head, resting his face against your body with a large exhale.

For a moment, you listened to the soft sounds of his breathing, staring at the subtle rays of moonlight seeping through past the curtains. All the strange anxiety that had kept you up melted away. You had to admit to yourself that you weren’t quite worried about the winter at all. But you weren’t sure where the doubt came from. Here he was, making you feel loved like you never had before. “You think so?”

“I know so. The winter will…always be there for you. Forever.” A small waver of emotion filled his voice.

“And my love, like winter, will be eternal for you…”

With one last squeeze, he laughs. “Oh? And here I was thinking we were talking about snow, but I’m flattered.” Words laced with mirth, he tried to pass off that he wasn’t aware of the true meaning behind your worries the whole time. You jabbed him a bit in the ribs with your elbow. In return, he used his Evol to press an icy cold hand against your back.

In the end, you both ended up not getting much sleep at all anyway, but neither of you cared in the slightest.

[sorchathered]

Break my heart again 🖤

Pairing- Jake “Hangman” Seresin x reader

Warnings- language, angst, Jake being an idiot, Bradley being a douchebag

Summary- Jake broke your heart and regrets it more than he can say, what happens when he sees you again but you’ve moved on? Or have you?

Jake Seresin could be a real son of a bitch. He knew it, everyone around him knew it, and after he broke your heart that rainy September night you knew it too. It played out like a bad romcom, “it’s not you it’s me, I’m just not ready to commit” all the pathetic vague bullshit that really just meant that he wanted to be able to be single and hang out with the boys instead of being “tied down” to you. It hurt, especially when it felt like it came out of nowhere. You had been thinking of forever, and apparently he’d been looking for an escape route. So you did what any heartbroken girl would do, got a new look, drank too much with the girls and blocked him from every social media you could.

That was nearly 4 years and two duty stations ago, all of Jake’s drinking buddies had grown up and had families, and now he was on the outside looking in a very different window. Longing for something he should have held on to, knowing it was too little too late.

He’d been back in California for almost a month, the special detachment had become permanent and it looked like the Dagger Squad was here to stay. He was in his own head while everyone headed out for the day, Coyote finally breaking him from his trance with his suggestion to meet everyone at the Hard Deck for dinner and drinks, a couple of the guys' families had made the move to Miramar and it would be a full house. Jake agreed, still in a fog but at least pretending to be interested in the prospect of meeting everyone.

Every night at the bar seemed to go the same these days, he’d drink a few beers, beat the brakes off everyone in darts, and take some pretty girl home only to kick her out in the morning. It was getting sad if he was honest, he hadn’t planned to be nearly 35 and alone, he figured he’d have a wife and at least a kid by now, he was tired of feeling sorry for himself. He needed to stop this endless cycle of bachelorhood, something had to change. He grabbed his beer from Penny and made his way to the pool tables, jolted from his pity party by the sound of the prettiest laugh he’d ever heard. He knew that laugh, hell it had haunted him for far too long. His eyes scanned the area, frantically searching for the face it belonged to, when there you were. Long hair in loose waves down your back, in a red sundress that could make a supermodel jealous, and your arms wrapped around none other than Bradley Bradshaw himself.

It was like all the air had been sucked out of the room, it was too hot and too loud, Jake felt like his skin was suddenly too tight for his body and he couldn’t seem to school his face to at least look normal. Javy’s wife Britt caught on that something was off, Jake was standing at the entrance of the pool area with his eyes wide and mouth gaping, so she kicked her husbands foot and ushered him to figure out what had his friend so shaken up.

But when he looked at Jake’s field of vision he knew, Bradshaw’s girl had looked familiar when they’d walked in but he couldn’t place her until now. He’d known you were Jake’s biggest regret, and he imagined seeing you in the arms of his biggest rival, probably stung like a bitch. He calmly made his way over, grasping his friend by the elbow and pivoting him towards the side exit, the night air would help, and maybe he could get him to spill his guts in the process.

Fuck this was a nightmare, he’d been thinking of you more and more lately these days, and seeing you in Rooster’s arms was enough to make him nearly throw up the contents of his stomach. He’d never felt this unsure of himself in his life and this was the final nail in the coffin. Coyote was worried, Hangman was never off his game, always the most cocksure bastard you’d ever met whether it be in the air or on the ground but this version of him was someone he’d never seen.

“Man come on, you gotta level with me. Was that y/n back there? I know that’s a sucker punch Seresin but you can’t let this drown you, it’s been what? Almost 4 years? You can’t seriously still be hung up on this” he shook his head in disbelief, his best friend had a wild reputation as a Casanova but somehow 30 seconds around this one girl had knocked him to his knees.

“She was everything. Everything you could hope for if you wanted to start a real lasting relationship and I tanked it before we even had a chance. I wanted to fuck around and sow my oats, what the fuck did that even do for me?! I’ve got nothing at home to keep my going, no one to miss me when I’m gone, and now she’s with fucking Bradshaw? Jesus. I don’t know if I can do this tonight man, I think I’m just gonna head out.” He smacks Javy on the arm and heads out to the lot, hating the sympathetic look he knows he’s getting from his friend.

Back in the bar everyone has noticed Jake’s abrupt exit, especially you. Leaning in to press his lips to your ear Bradley says “Well that took less time than I thought, you sure have got him twisted up honey.” He’s grinning, the little shit stirrer, and while you had expected more of a reaction you knew you were in for it when Jake finally got his head on straight.

You’d met Rooster in Japan, working as a medic while he was on a rotation around six months before. It had been a fun friends with benefits situation, no strings and while you couldn’t deny that the sex was phenomenal you were still in the mindset of settling down. Bradley knew that and had told you whenever you were ready to cut things off he’d respect it, you were a good friend and great company but he wasn’t marriage material and he knew it. So when he’d headed back to California and found out that not only was Hangman there, but that you were still hung up on him he had a golden opportunity. Fuck with Jake a little, and maybe get you your happily ever after, it made perfect sense to him even if you thought he was crazy for suggesting it. You couldn’t deny that it was working, Jake had been rattled and ran for the hills, maybe Rooster’s plan wasn’t so half brained after all.

Bradley made it his mission to irritate Jake as much as possible the following week, making sure to let everyone in his radius know he was taking lunch to his girlfriend, loudly answering your phone calls, even dropping flowers off at your office one day. It was maddening, Jake felt like he’d been deflated, he couldn’t even bring himself to string together a sentence when you were around not to mention how much you being around was affecting his ego.

He still hadn’t spoken to you since you saw him at the hard deck, you were so frustrated, you’d really thought he’d come show his ass and the two of you would have it out but it was almost like he didn’t even care you were here. You were so in your head as you headed for the elevator that you ran smack into a warm wall of muscle, dropping your files and your bag. “Oh shit I’m so sorry, I wasn’t even looking are you o-“ you cut off as you looked right into the pretty green eyes of your ex.

“Hey, yeah I’m ok, you alright? Here let me help you” he made quick work of gathering your stuff, accidentally brushing your hand as he handed you one of the files. You knew he felt it too by the sharp intake of breath, just being around each other was enough to bring it all back, it made you want to climb him like a tree and beg him to take you back. You were far too stubborn for that so you stepped away from him like his touch had set you on fire, for someone so uninterested in your presence he certainly looked offended by the action, brows creased with that pesky forehead vein poking out that you always used to pick on him for.

This was awkward, you’re not his anymore but being this close to you may drive him insane. Your perfume is the same, your hair is a little lighter but it suited you, and you looked so damn beautiful, just like you always had. He needed to say something, just staring at you was going to freak you out but he couldn’t find the words. Jesus when did he get so weird?! He muttered out a “see you later” and started to head back down the hall, but you grabbed his hand at the last second, yanking him back towards you.

“Ok what gives?! You’ve been so weird since I got here, I know things ended badly with us but you left me remember?”

“Oh trust me sweets, I remember. Biggest fucking mistake of my life.”

“I’m sorry…what?” He had to be fucking with you, this wasn’t what you expected at all.

“I did leave, and it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done. Fuck y/n I think it about it every damn day, I was stupid and thought I wanted to party my life away, all it left me with was a broken heart and an empty house. I know you’re with Bradshaw now so we shouldn’t even be talking like this-“

“I’m not with Bradley.” You blurted out. “I mean we dated for a little while but he knew how much you hurt me and couldn’t help himself. He certainly knows how to get under your skin.”

“Yeah well, I probably deserve it.” He said as he ran his hand over his face.

“You do” you said with a grin, but noticed he hadn’t let go of your hand.

“So you’re saying that you’re single then?” He said with his smug grin, all it took was knowing he had a chance to bring back the Hangman persona, you shook your head with a laugh, he was already reeling you in. “Yeah, yeah it looks like. Who’s asking?” He chuckled as he pulled you closer, hooking a finger under your chin.

“I am baby, and if I have it my way you won’t be for long.”

Stubbornness be damned, you’d had your fun and now all you wanted was to give in to whatever was causing the butterflies in your stomach, so you let him kiss you. Hot, heavy and definitely indecent considering the environment, you basked in what it felt like to have his lips on yours again. He pulled a way a little, reveling in the way you tried to chase his lips; maybe he had affected you more than you’d let on too. One thing was for sure, he wouldn’t break your heart again, he was already dreaming up ideas of forever, it finally seemed like you both were on the same page.

🏷️ Tagging- @mamamaystbr @mamachasesmayhem @attapullman @roosterforme @bradshawssugarbaby @bobgasm @sailor-aviator @goldenseresinretriever @sarahsmi13s @hangmansgbaby @sebsxphia @mynameismckenziemae

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Could I get a ScarVio Latios, whichever, Reader who pretended to be human to attend school? He can do what the Latias from the anime movie could do “bend light” to make himself look human. The Latios does have to be careful of anything accidentally bumping into him could go through the illusion (he isn’t a zoroark), but otherwise he has been enrolled for a few years. He already caught himself and hid his own Poke Ball so that worry is gone.

Latios can speak the native languages through telepathy.

Can you do Clavell, Arven, Kieran, or Penny’s reactions to being invited to the Latios’ dorm and he decided to reveal himself? Maybe he looks up to Clavell as a second uncle while the other three remind him of his sister who’s on the other side of the world. The point being he decided it might be time to finally tell someone he was actually a Pokemon, in case y’know the government looked closer at his records.

I just think it would be funny.

Waahh I love that movie!! I was hoping for a request like this!

Couldn't think of anything for Arven and Penny so hope Clavell and Kiki are okay!

Director Clavell

For years you've been able to disguise yourself as human to attend Paldea's academy, having always wanted to experience the daily life of one.

Aside from your red eyes, inability to speak (at least verbally), and your hair looking like the fins on your true form--you'd say you've blended in pretty well!

Not a single teacher nor student suspected you were a Latios, and you had every intention to keep it that way..

Until one day, a few months into your treasure hunt, you overheard Director Clavell discussing something with a few teachers..who claimed they saw you flying over Mesagoza.

Of course...you may have been chasing after something that day and forgot to turn invisible.

With telepathy, you're able to hide and hear their full conversation...and your heart drops when he suggests finding and capturing you so no other student risks their life trying to do the same-

It damn near terrifies you into almost breaking the illusion as you bump into a table whilst fleeing (you keep forgetting that you're no Zoroark, who are master of illusions).

It hurt a little to hear that from Clavell especially, who you looked up to like an uncle ever since he personally reprimanded the same bullies that the former director failed to punish for harassing you (the latter basically said it was your fault for never speaking up).

You've been attending this school since that huge fallout between Team Star and their own bullies, and you wanted to believe Clavell could be better than him in every way.

You just didn't wanna be shunned, expelled, and/or caught if he did find out about your records..and the lies you told on it.

But after he learns the truth of Team Star and allows the leaders back into the Academy, you find enough courage to request a meeting outside your dorm room, insisting you knew about the Latios that was recently sighted.

Although you quickly insist that he comes inside, and he grows concerned.

Surely this discussion could have been done inside his office..

However, Clavell soon realizes why you wanted him to come here specifically, as you revealed yourself to be that Latios, telepathically sharing everything:

Why you wanted to disguise yourself as human, the passion you had as a student at his Academy, how you admired him ever since he defended you and spoke up against Team Star, how you caught yourself in your own pokeball, etc.

You were fully ready to be expelled for this.

Not only have you lied to him and everyone else in the Academy..but you've also caused an uproar within the student body over your presence around Mesagoza.

Plus...surely he'd never believe a Pokémon could be a student. Something like that couldn't and shouldn't happen..

But while Clavell did have his suspicions when he looked at the records you submitted for enrollment...

Now he sees that even a Pokémon could have the same dream as a human student: to go on their own treasure hunt.

And to deny you that would make him feel guilty.

In the end, he allows you to continue your studies and promises to keep your identity a secret.

He only asks that you don't go flying around the plaza nor skip any classes.

Kieran

Having attended BB Academy for a few years and being a League Club member, you'd see Kieran from time to time, struggling to make a name for himself and hiding behind his sister 24/7.

He keeps assuming you never spoke to him because he did something to make you mad...

Until one day when you defended him from some bullies and patched up some minor injuries he got from a Pokémon battle gone wrong.

In a way, he reminds you of your sister Latias..who lived on the other side of the world, yet was always in your heart.

He opened up surprisingly fast afterwards, and you became his first official friend! The one he'd always ramble about Ogerpon to, alongside some other legendaries he's read about.

He mentions Latios, which makes your heart skip a beat as he mentions dreaming about flying across the sky on one some day--but meeting Ogerpon is his greatest wish.

However when he left for Kitakami on a trip and came back less than a week later....he changed. Not for the better, but for the worst.

No longer did he cry to you about any bullies..but rather became just like those bullies.

The moment he walked into the club room with his hair up and jacket open, you sensed a strong shift in his aura.

It was dark, foreboding, cruel..anguished.

You already saw into his mind: being rejected by the Legendary he idolized, his dreams crushed by an outsider, being lied to over and over again...and a constant whisper that he is weak and has to be stronger and stronger and stronger.

He was hurting. But..what could you do?

Now he looks at you as just another club member, asking if you've been training your team and getting annoyed when he remembers you don't talk.

When Drayton says something snarky, he slams a hand on the table and startles you into nearly dropping your illusion.

Somehow nobody else sees it--except Kieran.

And he looks shocked, but you rush out of the room and flee the Academy, diving into the water as you turn into your true self.

You don't come back for a while, afraid that he saw who you truly were and believed he'll despise you for keeping this secret from him.

Eventually, though, you find yourself flying around the academy entrance again, invisible as you overhear him give a humble apology to Florian/Juliana...and you realize he has changed again--for the better this time.

It warms your heart, as you sense his aura is good.

Soon you invite him to your dorm, promising to explain everything to him.

And Kieran is surprised by your memorabilia of Latios and Latias, along with photographs you managed to take of the legendaries.

"Wowzers..you got to meet them both? You must've been a huge fan of them! Haha, kinda like how I was a fan of Ogerpon.." He chuckles.

You realize he's not fully understanding, so you ask him if he remembered the day you suddenly fled the club room..and it finally dawns on him.

"Wait, I remember..you did kinda look like Latios for a split-second. But I'm sure my eyes were just playing tricks on me. No way could you be-"

In a small bout of frustration, you show him that you are indeed a Latios, and he's absolutely stunned when he sees your true form and hears your actual voice inside his head.

He almost yells (out of amazement, not anger)--but you keep him quiet...and then he just starts awkwardly gushing and stammering like he used to about Ogerpon, but instead it's about you and the shock that he's been friends with a Legendary after all this time.

He feels bad for nearly exposing your secret, but you forgive him, answering any and all questions he had to the best of your ability.

You trust him enough to reveal the pokeball you caught yourself in--having managed to "cheat" the system by registering yourself as a trainer so that your Latios-self couldn't be caught by anyone.

Kieran just finds you to be SUPER cool fr.

Since he's always wanted to fly on the back of an Eon Pokemon, you decided to fulfill his dream and take a small flight around Unova's ocean.

He's terrified as HELL but at the same time couldn't be happier, clinging to your neck and grinning.

[otrtbs]

oooh wat is ur current job? and wats the one u want? time 2 Make A Plan bestie

at the risk of doxxing i work for/in a museum in a curatorial/collections/registrar capacity. and it’s not so much the job (sometimes it is the job) as much as it’s the location. just know. i am. suffering here. location wise. and i mean that. like where in the fuck am i rn??

but also our museum isn’t like a huge …MoMa or MET situation and they’re acting like we are ?? and we are not. yes. i know that every museum is underfunded. however … nobody in my almost year of being here has helped “bring us up to museum standards”. like it is all on me. and they want me to make all these big MoMa like moves as a single 24yr old girl with a staff of one (me, myself, and i) and a budget of like $2.

also re: museum standards …

for reference. one time. somebody came in when i was out sick and dropped off an artifact that they wanted to donate and the person behind the front desk accepted it .. and just put it behind the front desk wedged in between two cabinets. for months. i’m talking 7 months. no paper work. no signature. no contact information from the donor. nothing. so 7 months later and someone else is cleaning out the front desk and they find a fucking wrapped artifact and hand it to me like “this is a nat problem” AND IM GENUINELY LIKE ??? what. the fuck my guys?? and everyone aka my boss is like “well. it is ur job to bring us to museum standard and ensure that this doesn’t happen again” like i haven’t told everyone and their mom not to accept donations when im out. like you’re telling me the front desk person didn’t even get a name or phone number???? for a museum. donation???

also while i’m here ranting and raging. i am doing the job of 2-3 people right now. (making pennies btw but it’s find im an art history major ik what i signed up for) when i was hired… i was told that they were actively looking for someone else to take over half of my duties and should expect only to do the volume of work i was given for a few weeks maybe two months. and they have yet. to hire ANYONE to help me. but i’m sitting here watching 8 part timers get hired and 2 new people on the education staff while being told help for my position just “isn’t in the budget right now” :| like “museum standard” is that there would be a TEAM of people to help me.

and most times it’s fine because i do get to do a lot of cool stuff i wouldn’t normally be able to do … but there is zero time off, im highkey doing too many jobs, and my friend just went in for her yearly eval and they’re saying no raises … not even 2-3% to keep up w inflation. like fuck yall fr 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

anyway…. i would take the work stress if i lived somewhere i love. so im just trying to Move. i need a new city ASAP but i still would like to work in a museum/gallery space. and so far my plan has consisted of panic applying to linkedin jobs on the clock 😭💀

[azucarmorena97]

Money Ties (Jungkook Love Story || Pt.3)

Pt.2 || Pt.4

Your parents have worked hard to get to the top and have made sure to teach you everything you need to know to be successful in this business: from tough but lucrative financial decisions, down to the right ball gown for any given banquet. A promising and extravagant future awaits you- that is, if you agree to one teensy detail...

Son of Mr.Jeon Sr. and heir to June Company, Jeon Jungkook is an immature playboy with nothing to offer a woman but good looks and a crap ton of money, and he stands to inherit much MUCH more, so long as you both enter into the arranged marriage contract that was drawn up before the pair of you were even born.

You're more than willing to try, but you're not sure you'll be able to stand each other long enough to inherit a single penny...

Series Warnings: There will be smut in the near future and I will label those chapters as such. As I say before most of my pieces- I do not endorse any themes, ideas, or behaviors in this series. This is all purely fiction/fantasy! Feel free to inbox me suggestions/ideas/what you'd like to see in this series and I'll see what I can do! Enjoy <3

Recap: "I hope you know you didn't ruin anything. My husband and I feel very strongly, even more so now, that you're the perfect fit fr our family." Your heartbeat picks up in your chest; you were sure you blew your chance to bits, but here she is, offering it all on a silver platter for you.

On your way back to your suite, you try calling your dad three different times, and each time the calls go straight to voicemail. For the most part, you've gotten used to getting his voicemail and can even recite it word for word- but right now, him being here for you is crucial. Even though your mom couldn't make the time to actually be here, at least she shows she cares, even if it is through blowing up your phone every hour; at least it's something. She even helped pick out the gifts for the Jeons: gold cuff links for Mr.Jeon, a lovely pair of jade earrings for Mrs.Jeon, and a silver chain with a medallion fo Jungkook. All your life, your dad said he couldn't wait to be there for when you would finally sign the agreement that they'd spent years tailoring and planning, only to cancel last minute because of work. Well, if he wants to leave you out in the cold to figure this out by yourself, then you're gonna do it your way.

Once inside the suite, you peel off the pretty little outfit you'd carefully put together for tea and toss it onto the bed, switching into a pair of baggy sweats and an oversized sweater, and the warmest socks you packed. You're finally going to dive into the manila envelope. You plop yourself into bed and take out everything, ignoring the initial feeling of being overwhelmed at the sight of the busy papers, looking past the legal jargon to find the bare bones of it all. In a matter of twenty minutes, you're completely locked in; you highlight, circle, annotate, even cross out some parts. You slowly realize how little your parents are settling for in this "partnership", as your dad likes to call it. According to this contract, their precious daughter is only worth 15% of the 'Jeon Empire', while Jeon Jungkook will be the majority owner of June Company, including hotels, restaurants, as well as owning shares in your parents' company and other smaller endeavors. Well, that just won't do. If you're going to be committing yourself to a marriage, it's for the long haul. All of your adolescent and teenage years were spent avoiding boys like the plague for fear of getting too attached and ruining your parents' dream for your life. Even your college years have been all about work and climbing up the ladder to get to this point- 15% is horse shit.

After three agonizingly long hours, the contract looks like a Frankensteined version of itself; torn apart and put back together. You hold it up in triumph- you almost want to take a picture just for the memories. "Proud of you," B/f/n says through a loud yawn. You had to call her about an hour in for moral support. "No, don't be tired. You can't be tired. It's still early!" "Hun, it's 3AM here." "Oh right..." You sigh, stuffing the contract back in the envelope, "I forgot about the time difference... ugh, I'm just so bored here. I have nothing to do." "Girl, you're at a whole luxurious hotel, all expenses paid- if I were you, I'd be doing a spa day, visiting the restaurants, drinking up all their liquor- you just don't like being alone." You roll your eyes. She's right, of course, but you're not gonna give her any validation. "I guess I'll just try to get some sleep...I have a big day tomorrow." "What time are you meeting them?" "We're meeting for brunch at 11." "First it was 'high tea' and now Brunch," She echoes with a sleepy smile, "How classy." You roll your eyes, "Good night, B/f/n," You laugh. She waves lazily and then you hang up the phone. "Well, since this is an all expenses paid hotel..." You bite your lip and look over at the door, "...I'm gonna go use their copier."

AT 6AM, your alarm goes off scaring you violently awake. It had taken you hours to finally fall asleep in the first place. You'd tried to close your eyes after your face time, but ended up tossing and turning until 2AM. This jet lag is something else. Or maybe it was stress for today; I mean, you are preparing to sign a contract to marry a man you hardly know (and also kinda hate), which was essentially created when you weren't even a thought in your parents' mind yet, which will, in turn, lead to lifelong stability for you and your family as well as further growth for your family's businesses so everything is kind of on your shoulders and will all fall apart if you don't do your respective part- oh God, you might have a panic attack and you haven't even gotten out of bed yet.

You speed through your morning routine so that you can look over your edits again, though as soon as you sit down, your phone begins to buzz with all your incoming notifications. You scroll through, ignoring some texts, answering a few emails- and then you come across one from your dad from an hour ago. You take a sip of your coffee as you open up the message and, when you do, you almost spit the coffee out against the pretty clean white hotel wall. Staring at you is the "finalized contract" (or so it's entitled) that your dad made 'edits' on for you to print out and sign. You look over the entire thing and with every sentence you read, you feel the anger rising in you. The "edits" he made didn't even make the deal that much better for you, not to mention, how can your dad flake on you in regards to coming on this trip, ignore your calls and texts, but still have the nerve to send me this shitty contract at the asscrack of dawn on the DAY OF the supposed signing? Fuck that. You're gonna send them your draft and your parents can cry about it. You're done doing things their way. You open up your laptop and quickly go to your saved files, opening up YOUR finalized version that you'd scanned and re-typed. You cue it up in a message and type in Mr. and Mrs.Jeon's email addresses, along with their lawyer's email. For a moment, you hesitate, letting the mouse hover over the 'send' button, but then you count how many times your parents have made you feel completely alone in just the duration of this trip, plus every time you've had to make yourself small for others to be big- "Fuck it." You hit send and then close your laptop to put your outfit together for brunch.

Brunch is held on the balcony at their hotel restaurant, Juniper. The vibe is definitely upper class, and you see it's bustling with guests. "Hello, Miss; will you be dining alone?" The hostess asks. You shake your head, "No, actually- I'm with the Jeon party." Her eyes widen for a second before she bows, "Oh yes, Ms.L/n, allow me to show you to your table. You smile and bow in return, feeling slightly embarrassed that she clearly felt the urge to kiss your ass a little extra just for being associated with the Jeons. She leads you around the corner to a wall of windows, much like the ones on the roof top when you'd gone for tea. As she opens the double doors, you see Mr. and Mrs.Jeon sat at a table straight ahead, Jungkook's back facing you. Your heart starts beating rapidly in your chest; it's happening. This is it. The entire ride here, you were psyching yourself up saying you'd be confident and strong and that if they didn't like the changes you'd made to the contract, they could kiss your ass- but right now, you feel your legs might turn to Jello. "Y/n!" Mrs.Jeon calls out excitedly, getting out of her seat and running over to you. Mr.Jeon and Jungkook look over in your direction; one giving you a big smile and the other...with a rather unreadable expression on his face. You smile and bow, "Good morning everyone." She politely dismisses the hostess and guides you to the table, where Mr.Jeon and Jungkook are standing to greet you. "Annyeonghasimnikka," You bow again. "So polite, isn't she Jungkook?" Mr.Jeon says, lightly hitting Jungkook's shoulder. You bow slightly, "Hello, Jungkook." He nods, "Hey." "Please, sit," Mrs.Jeon says. You immediately notice that Mr.Jeon is wearing the cuff links you'd gotten him, and Mrs.Jeon is wearing the earrings; Jungkook seemed to be the only one not wearing his gift. Figures. "We haven't ordered just yet so you have some time to think about what you want." "Oh that's okay, I'll take whatever you recommend." "Oh, I love that. I'm getting you my favorite- the praline french toast is so good paired with the fritata and...the eggs benedict with salmong." "Sounds good," You laugh, finding it endearing how excited she is. You wonder if she ever chews Jungkook out like your mom does to you You spend most of the time talking to Mr. and Mrs.Jeon; basic chit chat about life, how the food was, and other pleasantries- until Mr.Jeon receives a call and excuses himself from the table for a moment. Then, Mrs.Jeon says she wants to check in with the chef about something really quickly, leaving you and Jungkook at the table alone. You take a sip on your mimosa and then turn to him, "How are you, Jungkook?" He straightens up a bit and clears his throat, "I'm fine. How about yourself?" "I'm good...I- I'm hopeful that today's meeting goes well." He nods slowly, seeming deeply pensive about what you've said, "Well, it should be quite lucrative for you if it does." His tone is almost bitter-sounding. You furrow your brows, not liking how he's making it seem that you'd be the only one benefiting. "Well, according to the contract, it should be quite beneficial for the both of us, wouldn't you say?" "Oh, please. What are pennies to bills," He scoffs. "I mean, considering you can't even get a penny of mommy and daddy's money unless you get married, I'd say we're in the same boat," You lean back, deciding you're done with the niceties. He wants to be a jerk? Two can play. He glares at you, knowing you're right but, of course, refusing to admit it. "Don't you ever get tired?" "Of what?" He asks, face scrunching in annoyance. "Of the stick up your ass?" You smirk, crossing one leg over the other as your swirl your glass from the stem. "This whole thing is fucked and you know it," He says, throwing himself against the backrest of the chair in defeat. You nod slowly and thoughtfully, "Maybe, but as I always says, 'Anything worth having is worth fighting for.'" He rolls his eyes, "Whatever."

"Sorry, Kids. I just had to get that done before I forgot. Is your father still not back yet?" Mrs.Jeon asks, sitting back down at the table and looking around. "No, I guess he's still on the call," You say, "He sounds like my dad." Mrs.Jeon laughs, "Well, birds of a feather flock together." "I'm sorry everyone- Y/n, I just got off the phone with your father. Goodness, it's such a shame he couldn't come," Mr.Jeon says, a big smile on his face as he sits down. "You- you spoke to my dad?" "I sure did. I'd called him this morning about the finalized contract he'd sent me last night but he didn't get back to me until now since he was on the golf course." It takes everything in you to keep your eye from twitching. The golf course. Priorities. You plaster a fake smile on your face and clear your throat, "Actually, Mr.Jeon, the one he sent you is not the finalized version." He looks up confused, "No?" You shake your head and reach into your purse for the crisp new manila envelope, "I had to make some edits of my own." They all look at each other and then back at you, "Oh- alright," Mr.Jeon takes the envelope and he and Mrs.Jeon look over it together. You can practically see the gears in their heads turning, meanwhile, Jungkook is looking at you with his eyes narrowed wondering what it is you're up to. "Y/n," Mr.Jeon laughs nervously, "This is...substantially more than what your father and I had previously discussed." You nod, "Oh yes. 40% more, to be exact." "Mhm..." Mr.Jeon hands the paper to Mrs.Jeon who continues reading. "I believe the 15% we'd originally agreed upon was quite generous as even a fraction of the money we receive from the various businesses would be quite a profit for you." You purse your lips as you listen, trying your best to be as respectful as possible, "Yes, that's true. It would be quite a lot, however, I think it's reasonable to divide assets 50/50 between spouses, seeing as how I'll not only be a part of June Company itself but also be behind the scenes as a wife. Not to mention, when I have kids, there is no longer incentive for Jungkook to stay married to me, is there?" Mr.Jeon looks at his wife, who is looking back at him with the same concerned expression. "Y/n, our motivation for having you marry our son isn't to...produce an heir," Mr.Jeon says, "It's to help him mature and give him something to work for." "Dad, I don't need to get married to mature. I'm capable and I'm ready to run the company. Please, just let me show-" "You shut your mouth. With all the debt you've gotten me in with your incessant partying, the charges in property damage-" Mr.Jeon's face is turning more and more red, while Jungkook just looks away. He's completely quiet as he his father continues hurling criticisms and but Mrs.Jeon puts her hand on his chest to keep him from saying any more. "Mr.Jeon, I want to be able to help all of you- but I think both I and Jungkook are sacrificing a lot, and a large portion of that sacrifice is on yours and my parents' behalf. He and I will both be turning our lives around for the sake of our families. I just want to make sure we're both getting what we need from this." Jungkook turns slowly to look at you, his expression softening, along with his father's. Mr.Jeon is silent for a little while. "I understand if this is something you and your family cannot get behind and if that's the case, we can rip up this contract and put it all behind us, no harm done- but if you all want this as much as we do, these are my conditions," You say as gently as possible. You glance at Jungkook, whose eyes are fixed on you- causing for you to quickly look back at Mr. and Mrs.Jeon. "Well...I think we'll need some time to think this over. I'll have my lawyer look this over and we'll let you know what we've decided by tonight. How's that sound?" Mr.Jeon asks, giving you a tired smile. You nod, "That sounds just fine, Mr.Jeon. Take all the time you need."

You grab your bag and stand up and everyone else follows suit, "I had a lovely brunch. Thank you so much for putting it together for us to have this meeting." You turn to Jungkook, "I hope we're able to move forward together," You say with a bow and, for the first time, he bows in return. "Please have a good rest of your day," Mrs.Jeon says, stepping forward and hugging you goodbye. "And as always, please let us know if you need anything," Mr.Jeon says with a genuine expression. You nod, "I will."

Of course, not two hours since your brunch with the Jeons, and your dad was already blowing up your phone. How interesting the way that works, isn't it? Your dad only calls when you don't do things exactly as he asks. You sent every single call to voicemail until they stopped coming in altogether- though he'll most likely call right before bed. You'd spent the rest of the day out and about near the hotel; something you thought you wouldn't get a chance to do this time around. It helped to get your mind off things for a minute. You'd even gone to a cute little cafe and answered some of your work emails (you can't ever completely disconnect, though it doesn't hurt to at least have a change of scenery).

By the time you come back to your suite, it's already 8PM, though of course you're not even a bit tired, so you decide to bother B/f/n for a bit. "Mm...hello?" "Hello," You practically sing into the phone, "did I wake you?" "Mhm..." "Well, wake up- I gotta tell you what happened today." "Y/n, look, I promise I'm interested but I do not have the mental capacity to receive any new information right now..." "You're no fun." "Hey, I already told you, you have other options for entertainment." "The spa's closed right now, I've already gone to the eateries inside this hotel, I've used the free wifi and even the copier. I've done everything, there's nothing left, B/f/n," You whine. "Not everything..." She says, sleepily eyeing you. You instantly know whatb she means and you violently shake your head. "Nope. Uh-uh. I am NOT getting a drink by myself." "Oh come on, if you wear one of those skimpy little dresses you packed, I promise you won't be alone for long." You narrow your eyes at her, "How do you know I packed skimpy dresses?" "You just told me," She smirks. How does she do that? "And what am I supposed to do if a man walks up to me and offers me a drink thinking he's gonna get some?" "Oh come on, you're not even engaged yet. Live a little." You roll your eyes, "Clearly, you're very sleep deprived and that's why you're talking crazy. Call me when you're rested." "Sounds like a plan," She says before abruptly hanging up the call.

You sit and look over at your suitcase, contemplating your next move... "I guess a drink won't hurt."

The hotel bar is nicely tucked away on the first floor, a small ways away from the lobby. It's decorated with gold trim and pretty golden flowers along the cherry-wood walls. The vibe is definitely dark and sultry- you suppose you dressed appropriately: off the shoulder a-line mini dress and some simple strappy heels. You put a lot of effort into looking effortless tonight. It's not as packed as you expected, though it's definitely not empty; people are sat at various tables, holding conversations, the occasional stray laugh reaching your ears over the soft music. You'd hyped yourself up before coming down, saying you weren't gonna worry about who was or wasn't looking at you; you were just going down to have a drink and then go right back up- but when you realize the room is full of mostly men, you hesitate to take a seat. "Welcome in- can I get you anything, Miss?" The bartender, a kind-looking older gentleman, asks when he sees the lost puppy look on your face. "I-uhm, yes. I'll take an espresso martini, please?" "Of course." You set your clutch down on the bar and then take a seat. "Meeting anyone?" The bartender asks. You laugh sheepishly, "No, just...wanted to get out of my room." "I suppose that's a good thing," He says. You furrow your brows, wondering if he's gonna take the opportunity to be creepy, "And why is that?" "Because that young man over there has been watching you since you walked in," He says, nodding behind you. Your heart flutters a bit, and you feel flattered by the possibility of someone actually checking you out.

You turn slowly to where he'd nodded and scan for a moment before finally seeing him. How did I not notice him before? "That's the hotel owner's son, you know," The bartender adds. Jungkook's expression is a bit unreadable, but he's definitely looking at you. His eyes are completely fixed. You turn around quickly and bite your lip. You can't leave now, he'll know it was because of him and you can't stand the idea of him feeling like he drove you out of that bar. No way. You straighten out your back, forcing your body to relax as much as possible- or at least have the appearance of relaxation. The man puts your drink in front of you, and you gingerly take your first sip. "How can you drink those things?" Jungkook's unmistakeable voice says from right behind you, causing you to choke and spit some of your drink back into the glass. Your eyes widen in horror. "Bless you," He smirks. He looks over at the bar tender and signals holding up two fingers, to which the man nods. "Jungkook," His name feels so strange on your tongue; up until this trip, you've just refered to him as 'the Jeon's son', and using his name still feels so...intimate, somehow. He leans back in his seat, looking at you as though he's sizing you up, "And who, might I ask, did you dress up for tonight?" "Myself." You say, side-eyeing him. He's very brazen for someone you've only just met again after so many years. "Hm." "Hm, what?"

"Oh nothing...it's just, well, humans are performative beings, you know? Everything we do, whether consciously or not, is to attract." "Oh? And you're saying this to imply that I'm trying to attract someone?" You take another sip of your drink, trying to hide your unexpected nervousness. He shrugs, a cocky smile spreading across his face. "And who do you think I'm trying to attract, Jungkook? You?" You scoff. "Hey, you said it." You blush slightly and look down at your drink, your fingertip running up and down the stem of the glass. He definitely smells like he's been drinking- a lot- but you also catch hints of musk and wood- even burnt cinnamon. Shitty men shouldn't smell this damn good. You glance down at his neck and squint your eyes; is that-? "You're wearing the necklace?" He furrows his brows for a second in confusion before the realization sets in, "Oh- yeah. I look good, don't I?" His lips turn up into a coy smile. You clear your throat and shrug, "I think I'm just good at picking out jewelry." He chuckles and shakes his head, "Your disdain for me is quite amusing." "Almost as amusing as your insistence on flirting with me." "Well, don't get too flattered, you might fall in love." "Ha," You scoff. The bartender sets two shots down in front of Jungkook, who then slides one over to you. "What's this for?" You ask, immediately suspicious. "To celebrate." "Celebrate what?" "Us, of course." "Oh please," You roll your eyes, "Just the other day you were yelling at me and accusing me of attacking you, then you implied that I was some sort of gold digger and was just trying to mooch off of you." He nods thoughtfully, "Yes, that's true, I said some pretty...crass things. I suppose I should apologize for that. As far as the shot, well- I've decided to accept it." "Accept...what?" "The fact that this train is leaving with or without our 'yes', so we may as well enjoy the ride along the way, right?" As he says this, his eyes fall slightly, and only for a moment. You almost wonder if you'd seen it at all. "And what's caused this change of heart?" "Truthfully...this entire arrangement has been hanging over my head all my life. It felt like a noose slowly getting tighter and tighter. But seeing my father so stunned by your demands...it felt like my first deep breath in a while." You're surprised at how genuine Jungkook is being right now, though before you're able to respond to what he's just said, your phone buzzes in your clutch. "Excuse me," You say. It's a text message from Mr.Jeon. You quickly swipe it open and your mouth drops in shock. 𝙼𝚛.𝙹𝚎𝚘𝚗: 𝙷𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘, 𝚈/𝚗- 𝙸 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚆𝚎'𝚟𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝚆𝚎'𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝟷𝟸𝙿𝙼 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚊𝚠𝚢𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝.

You look up back up at Jungkook, who simply picks up the shot and holds it up in the air, "To the ride." Your shocked expression turns into a smile, and all you can think to do is pick your shot up as well. "To the ride."

[foundedroses]

*credit to artist for fan art!*

★⋆. ࿐࿔ "play me like a game of poker"

smut warning head!! mdni!

pairing: sigma x f!reader

plot: being the first to gamble against the manager of the sky casino also meant being his first.

wc: 3.2k

cw: fem!reader, cursing, fingering, mentions of squirting, unedited.

a/n: oh how i adore sigma with all my heart 3 this may or may not be my first posted drabble and, holy shit im actually pretty proud of it!

───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱

The sky casino was always a busy place, especially past the hours of 10:00pm. That was when the casino grounds were definitely more packed than usual. People drinking, others losing their entire life savings, the casino was always bustling with customers, and that you knew when you first ever stepped into the establishment.

Gambling was never really your thing. You never really cared for it, and you definitely didn’t want to lose every last penny that was sitting in your bank account by attempting to win a game.

───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱

You clutched the little black purse of yours as you headed inside of the gambling room of the sky casino. It truly was a grand place just like others’ were raving about. Your expectations certainly weren't let down. The room was loud with the sounds of chatter from other customers, the sound of dies rolling against the playing tables, and also the sounds of glasses clinking against each other.

All those sounds were foreign to you, as someone who had honestly never stepped foot in a casino before. The idea of gambling away never really intrigued you like it would most people. What really interested you was the manager of the casino. That is what piqued your interests deeply.

The casino manager, Sigma, really was a remarkable man. Being able to control and maintain an entire casino on his own as one person was truly something impressive to you.

You never really believed in the whole love at first sight thing, but the second you stepped into the building and was greeted by Sigma himself, you knew that your believing was clearly wrong. You almost admired the man in a way not many other people did. Thinking it was love was silly, but maybe, just maybe it was.

You tucked your purse under your arm as you bustled through the crowds of people. You weren’t quite fond of large crowds. You tightened your grip to your bag as you made your way through the large room.

Glancing around the almost open space, you spotted an empty table at the far end of the gambling room. You let out a small sigh and speed-walked over to the table, trying to get there quickly in case you’d lose it.

You kind literally tossed your bag onto the other chair, securing the table as yours and pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. You exhaled softly and leaned back against your chair; you leaned your elbow onto the table, chin rested in the palm of your hand as you gazed upon the busy people in the same room.

Everybody had their own thing going on. They were either chatting with one another, gambling or drinking. You, on the other hand, were doing none of the above. Instead, you were seated alone at a single table, staring into the lively group of customers. The only reason you had decided to come out that night was to hopefully catch a glimpse of Sigma, or even strike up a conversation with the man, which you knew would never happen in one hundred years.

Seeing all the people communicating with each other, having the time of their lives sort of made you feel bad about your own, single, almost pathetic life. You breathed out a sigh and watched on in silence, for what felt like hours, but was actually mere minutes as you were so suddenly broken from your maladaptive daydream by the sound of somebody placing a champagne glass on the table in front of you.

Annoyeddly, you groaned out loud, making sure the person who had approached you could hear the irritation that laced your exclamation. “Seriously, just because you bought a woman a drink means I owe you nothing.” You spat out without looking up to see who was there. ‘So, instead of buying me a drink please me, why don’t you start by leaving me alone.’ Normally you were never so rude to strangers, but you seriously weren’t in the mood for random flirting. You had your own things to worry about.

The man who had approached your table, seemingly surprised by your crash out, cleared his throat before speaking. “Oh, I apologise. I had just assumed you were waiting on somebody. You don’t owe me anything at all.”

You let out a scoff. “Please, when a man buys a lady a drink, he automatically thinks-” You raised your head as you uttered the last part of your sentence. Your waterfall of words quickly dammed up when you saw that Sigma was in fact the man who approached your table with the glass of alcohol.

Your eyes widened two times the size and you fought back the urge to drop your jaw in surprise. “Shit, oh shit. I really gotta look up before I speak…” You thought to yourself, regretting your every life choice at that second. With almost a shaky voice, you quickly mouthed. “Sigma, I am so sorry. I had no idea you were the one who gave me the drink!” You practically shouted your apologies at him, frantically trying to gain his forgiveness for your improper behaviour.

The man must have thought you were insane, yapping on to him like a chicken with its head cut off. A small smile escaped his lips and he only nodded his head. “I don’t expect an apology, y/n. No worries at all.”

“He said my name! Sigma said my name!” You resisted the urge to act like a massive fan girl and forced yourself to stay composed. You smiled back softly, straightening your spine as you looked on. “W…What are you doing over here? Don’t you have a whole ass casino to run? That mustn't be an easy task to do all by yourself.” You said, slowly sliding the glass of champagne closer to yourself.

“Actually, I came to speak to you.” Sigma responded, pulling out a chair and sat down in front of you. “Me?” You pointed your finger at your chest, looking around for a moment, just in case somebody else happened to be standing around the two of you. Nope. It was just you two.

Sigma nodded his head. “Yes. I’ve noticed that you don’t enter the gambling room as often as my regulars do. It’s strange to me as you’ve been staying at the casino for quite a while.” He began.

The fact Sigma was wondering about your whereabouts wasn’t what was confusing you, what was was the fact that he knew all of his customers by heart, and knew your name, even considering the fact the two of you have never spoken before, apart from when Sigma had greeted you on your arrival a few weeks ago.

You forced a nervous chuckle and crossed your arms on the table. “Really?...I guess I’m not much of a gambler, huh?” You giggled awkwardly. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever gambled a day in my life. I’d assume I suck at it.’

“I guess that is true, I have never seen you in here before…” Sigma trailed off. He stared back at you, his greyish eyes piercing into yours. ‘If you’ve never gambled before, how do you know that you suck?’

“Huh?” You raised an eyebrow, sitting up straight, totally involved in the conversation that had started between the two of you. “I don’t know…I just have really bad luck when it comes to chance.” You explained. It was true, you had bad luck when it was a simple chance, like bidding and betting. You always lose at those.

Your response must have amused Sigma, as he chuckled at your answer. “Gambling isn’t just about chance, y/n. It’s about strategy.” He mentioned before slowly rising from his chair. ‘I’ll show you. Please give me a moment.’

With that, the multi hair coloured man left you, alone at the table, just like how you were the second you entered the room. You didn’t even attempt to stop his leave. You just sat there in plain silence, hoping that he’d return and not just leave you there in quietness.

A few minutes went by and Sigma had returned holding a deck of cards in one hand. Your (e/c) eyes followed him as he returned back to the chair he once resided at.

“Sorry for the wait, y/n.” He always apologise so professionally. Sigma began to shuffle the deck of cards in both hands, with your eyes watching him do so. He cleared his throat and raised his gaze to your face. “I'd like to play a match with you. If that’s alright, of course.”

The question he had asked totally flew over your head for the first half. Your brain didn’t process it at first, only until Sigma asked the question again. “Y/n, would you care to gamble with me?”

Now understanding and hearing his question, you didn’t hesitate to nod your head frantically. “Yes. Yes, I would love to.”

Sigma smiled softly and bobbed his head in what seemed to be approval. He stopped shuffling the deck of cards that he was holding. “I don’t think this is the best place.” He said. ‘I can take you somewhere more secluded if you’d like?’

A secluded area? With the man you were sure you were in love with? That was more than a reason for you to agree.

───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧

Now, you were seated across from Sigma at a small booth in a rather confined area. The room the two of you were in was not too illuminated, dark enough for the glistening glow of the small lightbulb to make visible your shadows, but light enough for you to be able to read the numbers on the cards you held in front of your eyes.

Poker. A simple game which included a deck of cards and chips. That was certainly something you could follow along to without making too many mistakes.

Sigma sat across from you, holding seven cards fanned out in one hand. “Y/n, you understand the rules?” He soon asked you, passing the cards from one hand to the other.

Did you understand the rules? No, not at all. You wanted to say that you did, but that would be nothing but a lie. You had the faintest idea on how to play. An uncomfortable giggle escapes your lips and you shrug your shoulders. “I mean…I wouldn’t say I’m entirely knowledgeable on the game.”

With narrowing eyes, the man before you tilted his head to the side before uttering in response. “Did you just want to use this time to get closer to me?” He questioned. The ability to know what somebody’s true intentions were would be insane to have. Sigma didn’t have that ability, but yet he read you like a book.

A little bit stunned, you wanted to deny the accusations that had just been thrown at your face. But yet, you didn’t. You didn’t try to deny it. Instead, your brain compelled you to do the next best thing. Or, your heart made you do the next thing you could think of.

You set the cards in your hand down onto the table and stood up. You slowly strided your way to Sigma, your eyes reflecting an almost lustful glare. You didn’t hesitate once when you just so quickly slammed your lips against his, earning a shocked gasp and panicked look from the other person.

Sigma reached for your shoulder, confused, he didn’t dare pull his lips away from yours, almost as if he was hypnotised to keep his body connected with yours.

His readiness of his actions spoke for itself. You leaned more into it, soon finding yourself straddling his lap with your arms hanging around his neck. You let out a soft, shallow breath when you finally pulled back for air. You stared into the casino manager’s eyes with your own, eyelashes battering flirtatiously.

“Y/n…” Sigma trailed his eyes and his focus away from your face and down lower. His gazed down at your body, eagerness painting the sclera of his eyes when he glanced back up at you.

Seated across his lap, body pressed against his, you could almost sense the feeling of lust radiating from the two of you. You could also quite feel the heat that was seemingly pooling in between your thighs as you ever so desperately needed more than just some simple kissing. “Sigma…” You whispered his name in almost a sultry tone. You shuffled your body up closer to his, your breasts colliding with his chest when you made your way up to his view.

The duo hair coloured man gazed at you in sheer silence. He didn’t even have to speak for you to know that all he wanted was to feel you.

Your lips curved into a sneering smirk and you straightened up your body. “Sigma?~…” You hummed, snaking your arms around his neck, staring into his eyes with your own. ‘All I need…is you~…that is all that I ask for~”

Your words came out nearly lewd as you begged for his attention. The sound of your slight breathy voice was enough for Sigma to cave in. The man firmly nodded his head and took hold of your hips with his hands, swiftly manoeuvring your body onto the table in front of you two. He looked almost starstruck when he took notice of your breasts lightly bouncing when he seated you upon the table, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink and he looked away.

With your body planted on the surface of the table, you squirmed around to get comfortable, your short cocktail skirt rode up your thighs as you writhed over. Sitting like this in front of the manager was never a part of your to do list, but you were glad it had invited itself on because you were soon becoming restless with the dampening wetness of your own arousal that had been seeping through the fabric of your panties. You slowly opened your legs apart as you tried to get more comfortable on the table top.

All Sigma could do was open his eyes wide and blush heavily. He, in almost all silence apart from his slight heavy breathing, nestled himself between your now parted thighs. In all honesty, he had no idea what the hell he was doing. He knew he had a job to make you feel good, but he just didn’t know how.

You couldn’t lie and say that his confusion wasn’t adorable to you, but you had no choice but not to react as you were keeping all your attention on your body’s responses, trying your hardest to keep your composure and to hold back from losing control on the spot. “Sigma~…” You reached for the man’s hand and slowly placed it down between your open legs. You gazed up at him with half-lidded eyes and slightly parted lips, mumbling back to him. ‘Play me the way you play poker…that’s all I want…all I ever wished for~”

Confessing to him just made Sigma panic the slightest bit more. Now more determined and motivated, he slowly began to slide down your lacy panties, strings of your arousal connected to the fabric only made the man blush harder. He pulled them down to your ankles and lifted up your dress above your thighs. He took a good hard stare at your now exposed pussy, eyes tracing the fixture of your cunt ever so quietly.

The almost stone cold glare of his made you shiver. You were desperate. Desperate for his touch. Desperate to feel the man five inches deep inside of you. You suddenly grabbed Sigma by the hand and pulled him towards you even closer than he already was. “Don’t keep me waiting~…”

“Of course, y/n~…” Outing those three words for his mouth, Sigma slowly moved his hand closer to your weeping core. Long slender fingers slowly glide along your slick folds, tracing each and every curve of your pussy lips with pristine gentleness.

A soft moan tumbled past your lips and you threw your head back. Your fingers circled around the edge of the table as you opened up your legs wider to give him better access.

Sigma took that as an invitation to keep on going. His two fingers slowly made their way higher up your anatomy, reaching your most sensitive point as he began to gently tease at your already swollen clit.

“F-Fuck!~” You gripped onto the tabletop, knuckles turning white from how hard you clutched the wooden table as you felt the man just so carefully tease you. “Hah~…keeping over, oh fuck~”

Moan after moan fell past your pouting lips when Sigma started to get the hang on it. He gently rubbed the pads of his fingers around against your puffy bud in circular motions, drawing more and more heavy moans from you. “Like this, y/n? Is this right?”

His complete obliviousness was evident that this was his first time. And that just made it all the more enjoyable for you. You nodded your head to his question, your hand reaching down to the top of his head. “Yeah…just like that~” You whimpered, gently threading your fingers through his two-toned coloured hair.

Sigma felt almost pleased with himself as he didn’t stop his near repetitive motions. He moved from stroking your clit, to gently teasing at your wet entrance with two fingers, the anticipation driving you insane.

Tears pricked the corners of your eyes when he traced your wet folds for the eleventh time. Those tears threatened to spill past your lower lash line as you panted out to him. “Sigma, so help me…if you don’t finger-fuck me in the next three seconds…”

Your warning almost seemed threatening to the man in front of you. Taking your words into consideration and without thinking about it for a second, Sigma plunged two fingers deep inside of your wet heat, tearing a moan straight from your mouth.

You clenched your eyes shut tight and dipped back your head, Sigma’s name spilling from your lips as you felt his fingers stretch you out good. You raised your arms to hook around his neck to draw yourself more in.

Despite being almost constricted by your tight grasp, Sigma didn’t dare to stop, thrusting his fingers in and out of your tight cavern at a slow and steady pace. The slapping sound of your slick meeting his skin soon filled the room as the manager finger-fucked you plain stupid.

You started to ease up with your lewd moans as the coil within your body began to snap, leading up to your chasing climax. You groaned out more moans and yelps when you felt Sigma hit your spongy sweet spot multiple times, that being your breaking point, the final straw that would break the camel's back. Your eyes rolled into the back of your head, your vision going blank as a guttural moan was torn straight from your throat. You tightened your arms around Sigma’s neck as you came with a loud groan, your words broken into separate syllables as you squirted straight on his hand, back arching as your body convulsed and trembled.

“Y/n…do you know how beautiful you looked just then?” With his fingers still deep inside of your dripping cunt, Sigma spoke softly to you as you slowly came down from your high. His voice was clear and calm, his face still flushed but still, he was calm as ever.

‘You are better than any poker game I’ve ever played.’

───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧───｡‧˚ʚ 🂱 ɞ˚‧｡─── ｡‧˚ʚ 🂱

[easypeasylindyvesey]

well.

it’s officially over.

first & foremost, this was not the season any of us were anticipating. as always, there was a lot of potential, a lot of excitement, perhaps tinges of revenge they wanted to go after as a result of the ECF loss.

a team that had a good record of 12-4-1 through their first 17 games quickly did a complete 180° spin, and unfortunately, they were never able to fully recover. i mean, not being able to win more than 3 games in a row once this season? says a lot.

and to think this was pretty much the same team from last year, i don’t know how you go from president’s trophy winners to almost 40 regulation losses and bouncing in and out of a wildcard spot.

but if we’re thinking rationally, there was no full team identity this year. no motivation, no determination, and especially not wanting to hold any accountability when their play started to subside.

it pretty much started with the whole social media fiasco, then trouba getting traded, and then kakko, and then chytil, and so on and so forth (i don’t even wanna mention my boys).

but if there was one word to describe this season, it would be drama.

drama, drama, drama.

it never seemed to end.

between the players, other staff, coaches, and management, it was a continuous cycle us fans kept finding themselves in, us talking about on here, expressing our thoughts & opinions. i think it’s what bonded us the most🤪

regardless, this team needs a clean slate. and that starts with getting rid of lavi. it’s funny because after the ECF loss last june, i said in my rant how i hope we would keep him because he seemed to establish such a good rapport with the players and seemed to genuinely care about their success. ten months later, i could literally care less. don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

as for drury? i don’t even know. he’ll probably continue acting the way he does. not that i know much about him, so i can’t make a judgment call, but this entire season was full of toxicity, some of which could have been avoided through clearer lines of communication.

i won’t focus on players that might end up leaving right now because it’ll just make me sad, but if there’s one thing i think we can all agree on, will cuylle needs to be re-signed. this guy was one of the most consistent performers on the team this year. he ended the season with 45 points, 300+ hits, setting a new franchise record, and just proving himself every single game why he deserves to be here. give him all the money that he wants. he’s earned every penny. he’ll become the guy that every other team in the league wishes they had, but i’ll be happy with him continuing to be an underrated yet budding star in the league. he can absolutely hit 50 points next season. i’m sure of it!

next, please give the kids more playing time (berard, cuylle, othmann, perreault, rempe). pretty self-explanatory, but their effort was absolutely incredible this season. they need to stop being having shadows being cast over them because they play bottom 6 minutes and start getting more opportunities at the top, in addition to poweplay and even penalty kill. it would increase all of their confidence if they could try out every single aspect of the game.

i don’t even wanna get started on the defense, but that has to be cleaned up fast. as for k’andre miller, i would say his future is up in the air in new york. yes, he’s got a long reach with the stick and can make good defensive plays, but he turns the puck over too much and usually ends up responsible for opposition goals. i guess we’ll have to wait & see.

goaltending? can’t really complain. was shesty’s record down this season? yes. was it his fault? no (it never is. how the heck do you ever blame a goalie?). but he had 6 shutouts this season!!! that’s pretty good!!! and i’m so happy that quickie is staying for another year. getting 400 NHL wins, in addition to making crazy ass saves that wouldn’t make you think he’s 39. i’m giving both of them my flowers.

overall, this season could’ve been a whole lot different if they had been able to work through their struggles at an earlier time. the outside noises and drama definitely contributed to their play. hell, we could’ve probably been seeing them begin round 1 on sunday, but we’ll never know. and maybe it’s best if we don’t.

but what i DO know is that i had such a wonderful time being on the lb with all of you. welcoming new mutuals, our fun interactions, and nonetheless, the infamous tumblr’s hockey hoes group chat. this community is so special to me, and i’m glad we’re all able to connect based on this silly little sport.

don’t worry though, i’ll still be around for playoffs. and before y’all ask, if it wasn’t evident enough, i’m rooting for the avs, canes, and oilers. i’m just very excited to watch jimmy and ryan (that’s if jimmy doesn’t end up sitting, which he probably will). i’m glad they got out when they did, and that they get a chance to go back to the playoffs and work with a very smart, strong, and insanely skilled team. i’m very very excited for them.

and for the oilers, i seriously hope it’s their revenge year. i want to see leon and connor win a cup together. they’re so deserving, and it’s evident through their play. they beat the kings last year. they sure as hell can do it again.

am i gonna miss watching this team? eh. i guess. but i hope they have a relaxing and reflective summer vacation, and that when they come back in september for training camp, with hopefully some new faces, they’re locked in with more of a drive and a purpose, being able to put this disappointment of a season behind them.

we get to look forward to off-season content, the days inching toward their return, and kenny albert taking over as the play-by-play announcer! he was definitely a good choice for sam’s replacement. it’s also the centennial year for the organization, and apparently, they’ll be alternating between FIVE jerseys, so it’ll be exciting to see what they come out to look like!

anyway, it’s been a wonderful time with all of you since october, and while training camp seems like eons away, we can look forward to the release of the preseason schedule and the regular season schedule! maybe i’ll have another birthday game where they win this time🥰

the future is uncertain, which is, initially, a scary thought, but luckily, we’ll all have each other.

DMs/asks are always open to chat, and cheers to surviving a crapshoot of a season together. i will see y’all for playoff hockey!

forever and always, i love all of you, and i love this team. let’s go rangers❤️🥂💙

[bridgyrose]

Jaune arc waking up from a nightmare only to learn he is not in his room. He soon discovered he is the older brother to penny as he has somehow gone back in time 1 year before beacon as penny big brother.

(Well, if we're going to do this, we're going to do this right with a time travel au)

Jaune fell out of bed with a yelp, heart still racing from the panic he had felt in his nightmare. Watching his friends fall one by one off the bridge into the void, seeing Winter grab the relic and going through the portal as the bridge under him finally dissolved, plunging him down into what seemed like an endless void. And yet, as he untangled himself from his sheets, he found himself in an unfamiliar bedroom. A single bed, no hand-me downs from his sisters, just bare wooden walls with Atlas tech integrated into it for lights. 

“Are you up yet, Jaune?” Pietro asked between a couple of coughs. “You’re uh… you’re going to miss coming up to Atlas with me. I know you’ve been wanting to train to be a medic and I-I’ve managed to get you an interview.” 

“A-a medic?” Jaune asked as he started to get dressed, still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that he was living with Pietro. Not that he minded, what he remembered of Pietro made him enjoy the idea, though he never really thought about a life without his sisters. “R-right! My uh… my dream… job!” He fell back a bit as he pulled his pants up, falling onto the ground and almost hitting his head against the dresser. “I’ll be right out!” 

“Thirty minutes.” 

Jaune sighed and picked himself up as he finished getting dressed, pushing the thousands of questions that ran through his mind to the side as he grabbed a quick breakfast before following Pietro out and to the airship to Atlas. He pulled his coat close as the cold air nipped at him, a sudden realization that he hadnt unlocked his aura yet just like before. Though, he had to admit it was better than the alternative of what could’ve happened falling into the void. Though, if he was here, then Ruby and her team had to be too, right? 

He shook his head to try to push the question away for now, wanting to focus on what he could find out about this life he was living first before trying to worry about his friends. If they were here then they’d be fine, but if they werent…

“Everything okay?” Pietro asked. “You’re quieter than normal.” 

Jaune nodded as he was pulled out of his thoughts. “Y-yeah, I’m fine. Lost in thought is all.” 

“What about?” 

“About a few friends of mine.” 

Pietro smiled a bit. “I’m glad you’re making friends. Though, you do have to make sure to spend some time with your sister.” 

Jaune almost wanted to ask what Pietro meant until he realized who he was talking about. Penny. His hand shook at the thought as the image of him running a blade through her ran through his mind, heart racing as his breathing started to shallow a bit. “She’s okay then,” he muttered under her breath.

“What was that?” 

“I-I’ll make sure I spend plenty of time with her!” 

“I have no worries about that.” 

Jaune relaxed a bit as he boarded the airship with Pietro, heart still racing as he saw Penny’s face in his mind. She was here and okay, then that meant his friends were still here as well. He pulled out his scroll and started to search up where Ruby and her team ended up. Weiss was the easiest to find, still heiress to the SDC, a bit of a relief to what she could’ve been. Ruby and Yang were a bit harder to find, but thanks to the Atlas network, he was able to find that they were still in Signal Academy, which meant Beacon was still a year or two away, plenty of time to get back into training to get himself back on track. Blake seemed to be a mystery on her whereabouts, the only information being found on her was a missing post from her parents, which he’d normally worry about if he didnt already know about her past from before. 

Then, he found himself searching up Pyrrha, staring at her picture in an article about her winning her fifth tournament, a first for someone as young as her. Jaune tapped on her picture, running a finger down it as a few tears welled up in his eyes. He was pull back in time into a different timeline, his friends were okay, Beacon was still standing, and he now had another chance to do things right with Pyrrha.

“Another friend of yours?” Pietro asked as he looked over Jaune’s shoulder. 

“N-no,” Jaune answered as he put his scroll away. “Someone I would like to get to know though.” 

“I’m sure you’ll get to meet her one day.” 

Jaune nodded as the airship landed in the Atlas Academy hanger, nervously stepping off as he followed Pietro through the Academy. It looked just the same as it did before, a bit of a welcome sight all things considered. Though the alarms were still fresh in his mind, listening to the soldiers going after him and his team in order to arrest them after Ironwood declared them enemies. Though what really made his heart stop was hearing his name called, and then feeling a familiar, mechanical body slam into him.  

“Jaune!” 

He froze when he realized Penny was there hugging him, alive and well and mechanical just like she was before Beacon. His breath hitched as he remembered plunging his sword into her, his body shaking as he saw himself in that same nightmare, the look in her eyes as she asked her to trust him. 

“Is… is everything okay?” Penny asked. 

Jaune slowly nodded and hugged Penny tightly, thankful she was here. “Y-yeah, everything… everything’s fine. Had a nightmare last night and… and a bit shaken up by it.” 

“Then we should take you to get checked-” 

“No, I’m fine, really.” Jaune took a deep breath and relaxed himself. “I’m fine. The nightmare felt a lot more real than it was.” 

Penny pulled away and smiled at him. “If you are sure. But I do have to go train, so I will see you later.” 

“Training?” Jaune paused for a moment. “PIet- dad… I… I want to train to be a huntsman.” 

Pietro paused in his step. “A huntsman?” 

“Y-yeah, to help protect people. A-and Penny.” Jaune pulled out his scroll once more to show an application for Beacon Academy. “We can both go to Beacon. It’ll be safe, no one will know she’s an android and she can make a few friends. It’ll help her be ready for whatever she’ll face.” 

Pietro looked at the application, and then to Jaune. “It’ll take a bit longer than a year to get you ready for this.” 

“I know, but I can do it.” Jaune smiled a bit. “I’m ready to be a huntsman.”

[princessconsuela120]

Chapter One: Summer —✰

Series Masterlist

Chapter Art by @clownfacepancakes120

Chapter Warnings: mentions of death, mentions of war, maybe cursing…?

Author’s note: and she’s here! Constance’s big debut!! I hope you all enjoy, and lookout for new content coming soon!!

—✰

Summer had ended as quickly as it began, before they knew it Connie and Sebastian were leaving the Sallow home in Feldcroft to spend the rest of the summer with the Weasley family. The Weasley family burrow was much more comfy and spacious as anything Sebastian or Connie were used to. It was all sort of intimidating. Especially for Sebastian who had been stressing questions about his uncle as the school year drew closer.

He knew it was inevitable; people would talk. Soon enough after Solomonms death, almost all of Feldcroft were discussing what could have happened to the man. It was only a matter of time before word spread to the rest of the world. No one knew the truth of what happened in that mine, no one except Sebastian and Connie. And Anne of course, but she didn’t have the heart to tell anyone. Sebastian was sure Anne had told Ominis about everything, he had been more distant than usual. At this point in his life, it was true that Constance Larkspur was his one and only safe haven.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Connie asked softly, causing Sebastian’s head to jerk over to her. He smiled softly at her, shaking himself out of his dreadful day dream.

“Just, thinking.” He responded, making Connie scoff slightly.

“Yeah, no duh.” She teased, making him chuckle slightly. It had been a common occurrence over Summer break for Sebastian to space out. Mostly, Connie would find, the Slytherin boy would be using these daydreams to replay the events of that night in his mind. She would be lying if she said she didn’t worry for him.

“About?”

He didn’t answer her, just continued to stare ahead. A small frown tugged at his lips and Connie couldn’t help but feel her heart ache at the sight.

“Hey. It’s over. You’re okay now, yeah?” She reassured. He didn’t say anything, just looked up at her and nodded. She knew there was nothing she could say to heal his pain. But she was damn sure gonna try.

“Yeah.. yeah I know.” Sebastian just shook it off, nodding as he walked ahead. Connie sighed to herself, jogging slightly to catch back up with the boy.

The two had been making a quick detour to Hogsmead, which was only a few miles from the Pitt-Upon-Ford Hamlet where the Weasley family was located. They weren’t going for their normal reason however, though they were sure to stop in Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. But their reasoning for visiting the lovely village was actually for a much more gloomy reason.

Constance had been stressing as well about starting this school year. Not only due to the fear that surrounded the place, the memories of her gruesome defeat against Ranrok. But also because this was her first year starting Hogwarts without Professor Fig. Given it was only technically her second year at Hogwarts, it was still a troubling thought, to begin school without him. So she and Sebastian both agreed that before they arrived at the Weasley’s they would first make a small pit stop, to help ease the ache in Constance’s heart.

“Morning Professor,” Constance said softly, gently placing a single rose beside Professor Fig’s gravestone. It lay in the graveyard just outside of Hogsmead, beside his wife. His grave was littered with flowers and small gifts, likely from other students and professors. His stone read ‘Eleazar Fig 19 -19. Beloved teacher and colleague. Devoted his life to his students and to Hogwarts.’ It was a bittersweet title for Connie to read. There was no doubt in her mind Professor Fig had devoted the past year to her, and to the better of Hogwarts. She knew deep down there was no way she would have been able to do any of the saving she had done without him. He had saved her. If she was being honest, she had sort of felt like it was her fault he was dead.

“I know you’re in a better place, with Mariam.” She took a deep breath, stepping back slightly. Her back was now pressed against Sebastian’s front, but he didn’t mind. Instead, he grabbed her hand, and gave a light squeeze. “I miss you though. I know Hogwarts won’t be the same without you.” She felt a small tear trickle lightly down her cheek, catching itself in the fabric of her sweater. “I know that I’m safer there now, now that Rankrok’s gone. I can’t help but shake the feeling that something is awaiting me this year, something better than the fate I had endured before. I know that you didn’t want me to obtain the dark magic the keepers had warned me about. I know I’ve disappointed you. I’m sorry. But I truly believe that this magic I yield can be for good.” She felt Sebastian squeeze her hand at the mention of the ancient magic, the magic he had told her to peruse. “I promise that I would never follow the path Isadora had followed. Thanks to you, I see the dangers of it all now.” She knelt down, placing a hand on his grave. “I hope to see your painting at Hogwarts, I received an owl from Professor Weasley that your portrait is awaiting me there. Although our colorful headmaster refuses to hang it anywhere in the castle, I believe I have the perfect spot for you to keep up to date with anything new at school.” She explained, taking Sebastian’s hand to help her stand back up.

“You ready?” He asked, earning a nod from the girl, as she wiped a few stray tears on her sleeve. Sebastian offered his arm to her, which she happily placed her hand in the nook of his elbow. She didn’t mention Solomon. She wanted to, knowing Sebastian needed to be able to grieve for his uncle. Even if the travel to the cemetery was for Professor Fig, both teenagers were aware that Solomon Sallow was also buried in the same location. But she didn’t bring him up, didn’t ask if Sebastian wanted to visit his grave as well, they just continued their walking. It was one of those silent things that they both understood but neither dare spoke a word about it. So alas, they continued their walk to the Burrow.

—✰

“Is it always this crazy here?” Constance called out, yelling over the sounds of children’s laughter and screaming, the four of them entering into the chaos of the Weasley burrow. Griffin and Opehlia both chuckled, having been used to the mess in front of them.

“There’s five of us, what do you expect?" Griffing asked in a teasing manner, pushing his way through the chaos. Besides the twins, the Weasley family consisted of three younger kids, none of which had yet attended hogwarts. There was the oldest, Owen, who was ten years of age, almost ready to attend school. He sported the famous Weasley ginger hair and freckles, his eyes a deep green. Then there was Beatrice, the third oldest after the twins and Owen. She had the same hair and eyes, and the same sprinkled freckles across her cheeks. And lastly was Dorian, the youngest and purest of them all. Unlike the rest, his eyes were a deep green, similar to Ophelia’s. They all came together to create a chaotic scene, shouting at each other as they ran around the house wrecking havoc. It brought a smile to Constance’s face, one that felt like knowing that goodness exists. One that felt like maybe one day she could have a home like this.

“Not a zoo that’s for sure.” Sebastian teased, earning an eyeroll from Ophelia as she slung her trunk onto the table.

“Just make yourselves at home. Mum should be home shortly.” She explained, smiling at the couple before running after her younger siblings. Constance could sense Sebastina nerves by the way he stood, swaying slightly from side to side as he grabbed onto her hand.

“Great, more people to introduce myself too.” He whispered to her, making her frown at him as she sighed. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, sending him a soft smile as his shoulders relaxed.

“Hey, it's Ophelia and Griffin’s family, if they're anything like them you’ll be just fine.”

“Alright, yeah. Just don’t leave my side.” He pleaded, earning a look from Constance as she squeezed his hand.

“Where else would I be?” She said softly, making Sebastian nod at her, his nerves slowly fading at the touch of her hand.

“Excuse me mister?” Beatrice asked, standing in front of Constance and Sebasdtian with a pure smile.

“Me?” Sebastian asked, pointing to himself questioningly as the little girl nodded.

“Mhmm.”

“Con, what do I do?” Sebastian whispered to Connie, feeling his hands sweat at the thought of conversing with a child. Connie couldn't help but laugh at him, feeling soft at the fear he felt.

“Go on, she won't bite.” she reassured, making Sebastian take in a deep breath before kneeling down to her level.

“How do you know that?” He asked teasingly, earning a slight shove as Constance pushed him closer to the girl.

“I like your green tie mister.” She said quietly, squeezing the stuffed niffler she had in her arms. Sebastian smiled at her, fixing his tie with pride as he smirked back to Constance before looking back at Bea.

“Is that so? You know, green’s my favorite color.”

“Mine too.” Bea cheered, making Seb chuckle at her excitement. Constance could feel her heart swell at the sight.

“Really?” He turned back to Constance with a smirk. “We may just have another slytherin on our hands.” He teased, making Constance roll her eyes as Bea looked at him confused.

“I don't really know what a slytherine is, sir.” Sebastian and Constance chuckled at her mispronunciation, before Bea gasped and reached for Sebastians wand. He let her hold it as she stared at it in awe, practically drooling at the sight. “Mommy says one day I'll get to learn magic just like Griff and Ophie.” She explained making Sebastian smile as he took his wand back, doing a small spell to impress her. Soon, small fireworks erupted from his wand, making the young girl smile and clap.

“Yeah, well, magic is pretty neat if you ask me.”

“I love magic, I'm gonna be the greatest wizard of my time.” Beatrice explained, making Sebastian look back over at Constance as he stood up.

“We may have just found a mini you sebastian.” Constance teased, noticing the smug smirk on Sebastian's face as he joined her back at her side.

“I was just thinking the same Constance.”

They didn't have much time to talk to Bea more before Rosalind Weasley burst into the room with a giant feast floating behind her. She had been aware of Sebastian and Constances stay for the last week of summer, and was anticipating their arrival. It was nothing like Sebastian or Constance had ever seen before. There was an array of foods, from chicken legs to dinner rolls, and even fancy goblets to hold everyone's drinks. And it all floated perfectly into the table as Rosa released her wand, letting the table be made. She smiled at the group, hugging her children as they ran up to her.

“Mum’s home everyone!” She turned to Ophelia and Griffin, noticing their arrival with a smile. “Oh my twins, hello hello. And two unfamiliar faces. No don't tell me, Constance and Sebastian.”

“Right on the money Ma’am.” Sebastian said kindly, smiling at the older woman as she placed a hand softly on his shoulder.

“Oh please, call me Rosa. I’ve heard so much about you both.” She explained, making Sebastian raise an eyebrow at her.

“All good things i hope?” He said, masking her nod with a chuckle.

“Amazing things! Like how you both are at the top of your year! Congratulations!”

“Thank you Mrs Weas-Rosa.” Consdtance said, watching as Mrs Weasley pulled out a bag full of gifts. She began handing them out to everyone with a cheerful expression.

“I made you all gifts, everyone, take one pass it down.”

Constance carefully opened the packaging, smiling when she opened it. Inside was a yellow sweater with the letter c carefully stitched in the center. She looked around to see everyone with a similar sweater as they pulled the jumpers over their heads. It was an odd experience, receiving a gift, Constance had not gotten gifts from anyone really since her family split apart. Come to think of it, Constance didn't have much family experience at all.

“It's lovely Rosa, thank you.” She complimented kindly, pulling the jumper over her head as Mrs Weasley smiled at her.

“Of course sweetheart. Now everyone sit, it's time for dinner.”

They began dinner, everyone being asked different questions either about school, or their lives. Edmund Weasley, the twins' father had joined in as well. The meal was unlike anything Constance had ever experienced, maybe more food than they even have at Hogwarts. It was a nice feeling, getting to live in such a loved home. She could feel the joy just from sitting at the dinner table. But she could also tell just by looking at him, that Sebastian was thinking of Anne. He hasn't spoken to her since the war. Well, in all fairness, she hasn't spoken to him either. They were at a crossroads, and seeing a happy family only made Sebastian miss his own, even if it wasn't so happy anymore.

“So, you really saw Ranrok up close?” Owen asked, a look full of wonder occupying his face before Rosa gasped at his question. Constances entire body froze.

“Pardon?” She asked softly, nearly choking on her food as she looked at the younger boy.

“Owen honey, what did I say about questions? I'm sorry honey, he doesn't know.” Rosa said softly, turning to Constance who pressed her lips together nervously, before smiling to reassure the older woman.

“No, it's quite alright. Um, yes, I did see him up close. I fought him too.” she explained. And suddenly, she was back. She was infornt of ranrok, and she was losing. She nearly lost her life, and she could feel it,. All the pain, a;l the fear, all the heartache, it all came rushing back as she saw her friends surround her. It seemed as though she was trapped, here, trapped losing to ranrok forever. Trapped failing.

“Woah. What was it like?” Owen asked softly, making Constance sigh. What was it like? It was hell. It was war, nothing good can come from it.

“Excuse me one moment.” She pushed her chair out, leaving the house to go and pace outside, Sebastian following swiftly after her.

“Constance?” He called, searching for the blonde before he found her, pacing. He could feel the anxiety radiate off of her, standing in front of her to try and stop her pacing but it didn't work.

“Sorry, I just…remembering it was a lot.” She said with a sigh, finally stopping as Sebastian grabbed her cheeks. He frowned at her, making her mimic his expression.

“Do you need anything from me?” He asked softly, but she nodded.

“No, no this I have to face alone. Thank you, Seb.” He smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently.

“You’re alright now. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

She knew it was true, she knew he was gone. All the pain, all the stress, it was worth it, they had won. But now a much deeper darker war rooted inside her, one that she wasn't sure how to control, one that could take over her life if she wasn't careful. It was moments like these where Constance wondered what would have happened if she destroyed the repository, instead of taking its magic. She wondered what would be different, if anything at all could be. She wondered that alot, mostly when she was alone, and feeling the effects of it.

[tngrace]

Meet Grace

🏷: @mrsjaderogers @bayisdying

Name: Grace Nicole Michaels

Nickname: Gracie or Spicy

Occupation: Single Mom & Dispatcher

Description: 5'4" - Green eyes - dark brown colored hair, naturally curly - curvy

Background: When Grace was a fresh sixth grader, she met her best friend in the whole wide world. Baylie was an eighth grader and two years older than her, but they clicked. They were inseparable, all the way until Baylie graduated high school. Baylie even lived with Grace for a few months. When Baylie was off to college to become an RN, Grace still had two years of high school left and unfortunately they lost touch.

Grace decides she's not ready to commit fully to what she wants to do with the rest of her life, despite her parents pushing her to decide. So she decides to start with community college and get a bunch of her general education classes out of the way, so that when she does decide she's ready to jump into her degree. Her first year seems to fly by, and she meets her second ever boyfriend. He dotes on her and everything is wonderful. She wishes Baylie was there to meet him because she thinks he might be the one, until they get a surprise.

In Grace's first semester of her second year, she learns she's pregnant. Breaking the news to her parents is harder than she expects. She knows they're disappointed, but they are supportive. Her boyfriend on the other hand, totally bails. He was already at university, so breaking it off with her and blocking her number was easy to do. He claimed the baby wasn't his, even though Grace knew it was, and told her to forget all about him. She was heartbroken, but also knew she had to get it together for her baby - a miracle she'd been told she might never have.

She drops out of college and picks up two jobs to support herself. Her parents had given her a large sum of money on her eighteenth birthday and she'd saved most of it. Working two jobs was challenging around her morning and all day sickness, but she made it work and was able to keep adding to her savings. She was thankfully still on her parents' health insurance and by the time she went into labor, she didn't have to pay a bunch of money for her delivery - which ended up being a C-Section.

When she held her little boy - Cameron Luke - for the first time, she fell in love. Even at just twenty, she knew she would do anything for him. Working two jobs with a newborn is challenging and Grace ends up having to give up one of the jobs to keep from killing herself. She learns to budget really well and save every penny she can.

Grace reconnects with Baylie when Cam is a year and a half year old; Baylie has moved back to LA and is going to be working as a paramedic at station 118. Grace is so happy to have her best friend and big sister back in her life and she's so excited for Baylie to meet Cam. Baylie instantly falls in love with her nephew when she meets him, and when she sees where Grace is living, she insists she move in with her. Grace balks at that; she doesn't want to be a burden on anyone and she has been making it just fine on her own.

It takes almost a year, but Baylie is able to finally wear her down and get her to agree. She gets Grace on at dispatch and helps her get sitters and child care lined up for Cam for her erratic shifts. She takes to the call center so well, and the money is better than what she'd been making. They settle into a routine together and life is great. This is the happiest Grace has been in a while.

Follow along as Grace meets the 118, falls in love, and raises her little boy with her newfound family. - What If Masterlist

[naamahdarling]

This makes me livid.

I'm not going to assume this family wasn't knowledgeable or doing their utmost. I'm assuming they were doing everything they could.

But I need you to know.

This is not how it has to be, and there are things you can do to prevent this. Please do them so that you aren't stuck hoping to die or hoping your loved one will die.

If you or a loved one has a lot of medical debt or you know they will incur it, check laws in your state. Know your rights. We should not have to do this, but WE DO.

A person's will and how it is laid out has an effect on how and in what order debts are deducted from the estate, which can sometimes affect how much money beneficiaries get. If you have beneficiaries, get your wills in order! Get things set up to benefit debtors as little as possible. There are things that might be able to be done. If someone involved is disabled, find an estate lawyer experienced in their specific form of disability benefits (company, government/SSI/SSDI, etc.).

Spouses are NOT necessarily responsible for their partner's medical debt. The estate of the deceased IS, but individual debt collectors from clinics or care facilities are severely limited in what they are allowed to collect on from the actual survivors. DO NOT TRUST THEM IF THEY SAY THEY CAN. There are laws about them not being allowed to lie to you but they will still try. My ex worked in the industry for YEARS and was extremely aware of the predatory shit shady companies or even just shitty individual agents would pull. Never trust a debt collector. Ever. Know your rights, understand debt collection, record all calls.

In some cases, especially involving state funding of end of life care, and situations involving disabled folks (deceased or beneficiaries), the state may not legally be able to evict a survivor to collect that debt from the liquidated estate (i.e. selling the house after kicking you out).

Children are almost NEVER liable for ANY FORM OF parental debt.

Never ever ever pay a single penny on a debt you did not cosign or take on yourself. Do not even verbally acknowledge the debt on the phone. Claim to be unaware of it and state that it is not yours until they show proof. In general, unless it's trivial, and you do intend to pay right away or make arrangements right away, don't acknowledge even debts that are yours, not even verbally, until they have proven to you that you owe them, and force collectors to communicate leaving a paper trail and send you documentation of everything. Record calls using Talker ACR and Talker ACR Helper. If they say you have 90 days to dispute, wait 89 days and then dispute it, even if it is accurate and you know it. If the collector isn't the original place that owned the debt, insist the collection company show proof they own the debt. Contact the original place and see if you can still settle the debt there for less. Delay, deny, defend yourself. Draw things out as long as you can by their rules and seek legal advice. Fight. ACT LIKE THEY DO. BE A HORRIBLE PIECE OF OBSTRUCTIVE NITPICKING SHIT.

If you marry, get a pre-nup that lays out your debt arrangements, do it in a way that keeps your finances and debt as separate as possible. Pre-nups are not just for people who don't trust each other. They are a powerful tool to protect yourselves from predatory practices outside the marriage as well.

YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES. YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR ASSETS. DO NOT LET THIS HORRIBLE SHIT HAPPEN UNOPPOSED, AND NEVER ASSUME THAT THE SYSTEM IS TOTALLY UNSTOPPABLE.

YOU PROBABLY CAN'T KEEP EVERYTHING BUT THEY DEFINITELY CAN'T TAKE EVERYTHING EITHER.

FUCKING FIGHT.

[farehamflorist]

On this very day nineteen-years ago we opened the doors to our very first shop. Nervous, excited and terrified in equal measures we were also filled with a confidence that only comes from having the courage to take the leap in the first place.

At times, many, many, many times we have considered if we should have stopped ourselves, remembered the idea was born from a very drunken night out, and carried on as we were - pretty sure Clive thinks that still on a daily (almost hourly) basis - however, here we are all those years later still plodding along.

Don't get me wrong it has not been, is not, easy by any means. The team of florists we planned to have within a few years never became a reality - it's still just me with Chris helping out with deliveries - the shop moved to new premises that were half the size of the original (I do prefer where we are now though) and my salary has risen by just 39p per hour - a lot to some of you but that still only takes my currently hourly rate to £3.64; I don't get paid for overtime either!). As a limited company we have yet to take a dividend as many directors of such businesses are able to, but I would not change a single thing. Each day is an absolutely blessing for me to be able to be here, doing what I do. I never take it for granted and know just how lucky I am - thanks again to Clive and his wife for allowing him to give up so much of his family time to help me out when needed.

I've been at the very start of romance inceptions, supplying flowers for first dates, right through the engagement, wedding and babies being born with some of my customers. This isn't just a job to us, it's about being part of a community and I honoured that so many people have allowed us to share in their moments with them. The good, sad and downright crazy.

I wasn't sure which photo's to share with this post as it transpires I have made somewhere in the region of 180000 - yes, that's one hundred and eighty thousand - items since 2006. Those range from just a single gerbera tied with some foliage, to a full on battleship complete with turrets and wire railings. There have been smurfs, voodoo dolls, sausage dogs, boobies!!!!, football crests and chocolate bars. In the end I have decided to share just a few images from bits made this week, including one which has been delivered this morning that included some daffodils - it is also St David's day today.

I hope the shop is still here in another nineteen-years (although by then it would be nice to have retired myself) and we will continue to do all we can to make it happen. We've already ridden out a recession, a pandemic, where unlike many other businesses we didn't receive a single penny from the government, and the current cost-of-living-crisis we are all going through. I will be honest with you though; if my lottery numbers do finally come up you won't see me for dust :) We all know that's not true either as I could never let down a customer so I would keep working until all future orders had been fulfilled.

Thank you for every single person who has trusted us over the years with their special orders.

[greywoodrpg]

𝕒𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕟 𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕤𝕝𝕖𝕪

he was born thirty-five years ago, is a werewolf, lives in the outskirts as a handyman, and is in no pack. he looks an awful lot like jason momoa.

“I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.”

tw: crime, dysfunctional family, violence, prison, death, drugs, addiction, gambling

There’s one good thing about being raised in poverty, it sticks to your bones like fat, it’s embedded in your every fiber and it never leaves. That much was clear to Aaron once he hit 30 and there was always money in his pocket. The fact, although hard earned through hard work, never ceased to amaze him, what a blessing, to have food, to have shelter and be able to buy anything he liked. Once it wasn’t like that, he was a far too skinny kid who stole abandoned, half-eaten lunches from the school mess hall tables. Once he’d done everything to keep himself busy and forget about things he didn’t have. His father, single and raising the rambunctious kid by himself, has had his share of bitterness. He’d never talked of Aaron’s mother, raised his hand on him if he tried asking and she always remained a ghost, open to his childish imagination who’d made her into almost a saint. He’d known allegiance from the very first day when he met the other pea in the pod of poverty, Ryden, a kid who’d shared his days, his secrets, and all the years of the next two decades until something went horribly wrong. There comes a time when the shoddy walls around you are too much to look at. There’s times when the grumbling stomach and the disdainful glances of the rich are too much to bear. Such times can drive a reckless youth into business he later regrets, into years spent behind the bars and, consequentially, lives taken. Poverty did well in training him to the bare minimum, it made his time in prison bearable if there wasn’t for the guilt. As soon as his feet hit the pavement of freedom, Aaron vowed to find him, the childhood friend who’d paid for his kindness with the life of loved ones. But nobody answered the door. Nobody knew where Ryden was and nobody cared when Aaron packed his meagre belongings with the pennies he’d saved from prison work and left the United Kingdom. The pennies didn’t last further than Los Angeles, Aaron had picked up random and short lasting jobs to make it through the month. Until a day when he’d returned to his rented room and found all of his belongings sold, the remains of money stolen and shot up the veins of his drug addict roommate… Poverty sticks to your bones like fat, it’s vocabulary is limited and when it calls, it calls to the desperate. Aaron answered that call by hitchhiking through the desert, shouted back his final rebellion and walked into the first casino of Las Vegas with all but ten dollars in his pocket. Out came a man who could afford a room in a good hotel, a good pair of pants, a shirt and sturdy shoes. Out came a man who’d gambled with his life for the last time. Or so he thought. The following years he’d spent in a small house at the desert’s edge doing what he knew best. Took care of vehicles brought to him. At first for free and when the word got around, for money the customers could afford. Never did a single mother have to pay for her dilapidated car, never did an unemployed man have to worry how he will get to work. All went well and he’d have saved up, his luck in things unlucky coming to the fore yet again when he’d stepped out of his home on a moonlit night to see what the howling in the desert was. Next thing he knew he was still on the porch, sunburned from the late hour of the day, weak and disoriented, and the sentiment didn’t stop when the disease finally came upon him with full force. Living on the city’s outskirts served well, but after a series of moonlit incidents Aaron knew that this wasn’t a way to be. Not if he didn’t want to end up in prison again or worse, shot dead because of the danger he posed. And one day he woke to a slip of paper under his front door, one that told him of a place he could reach in a day, if he traveled fast.

“what power did he attain when settling in greywood?”

None.

penned by... allegra

[jack-wess-wolf]

Okay, some actual (debatably ok) financial advice. Check your bank's rate. Like how much interest do they give you 1%, 2%, 3%? Do they charge you to keep your money there? If yes, check and see how much they are charging you and then weigh if it's worth to stay there. Some banks chaege $14/month for some accounts and in a year that is $168 (a grcoery trip or two for some people). If you have a card with that bank then keep track of what perks you get and if you use them. See if it’s worth it.

Look into your local credit unions and compare them with your bank. I have found that about 90% of thr time the credit unions give better perks overall at smaller amounts and for people not making as much money as natuonal banks (in the USA).

Additionally, if you have $100 that you are not using and are VERY LIKELY not to need for 3-12 months look into the financial institution you are using and thier CD rates.

CD's lock in an interest rate so you'll have to do some research on if you think a rate will go up or down or stay the same (banks usually offer slightly higher interest rates than what they provide for your savings/checking account). Like right now because I was pretty sure the interest rate would drop a few years back. So I have a CD at a 4.2% interest rate thst is due up next year (5 year CD) and the interest rates dropped to about 2% ealier this yeat so my CD at 4.2% is almost double what the rate is now and will stay that way for another year. HOWEVER, it means that I cannot touch the money until the 5 years is done (without consequences). I put 1/4 my savings and all of my tax return into it so it was money I was able to spare since I never plan on getting return money.

If you have $1000 or so and you feel ambitious go into stocks (although maybe not right now... there's uncertainty because of tariffs and stupid shit that is being said). Stocks is basically betting. You can bet on a single stock (high risk, high reward and lots of research and technical knowledge of thr specific stock you're looking at highly suggested) or you can bet on a variety (this is a fund or ETF and are usually lower risk, lower reward but more consistsnt) . Vanguard, Fidelity, and there’s one other big one that is popular.

If you still want to go into stocks but don'thave enough money, there are penny stocks around. I never got into them because they are huge risk, huge reward.

And.... as much as I hate to say it... cryptocurrancy acts a lot like penny stocks and while I personally would not recommend it, I will not stop you from doing your own research.

ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A JOB WITH A 401K or can open your own IRA use it. 401k get the max you can out of a match (FREE MONEY). AND IF, you can afford it do a ROTH version if you are under 50 (you can do it over 50 but anything over like 60 is... questionable measure if benefits for thr time you have left working).

I can explain the difference between traditional and Roth if anyone is interested but I have to go back to work now.

When I grow up I wanna be upper middle class.

[bleedingichorhearts]

Hey, I figured I would pop in to say your stories are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing them! I particularly enjoy your one shots! I hope you have a great day!

but if I may pose a question, when the lady wakes up from her ordeal in ‘biter’ how furious will she be. Winter coats are expensive and now there is a big mouth shaped hole in it! Not to mention blood. She will probably be preoccupied with her new wolf ‘neighbour’ hanging around though!

𝕭𝖎𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕸𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖊: 𝕷𝖞𝖈𝖚𝖘

𝕬𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖗: Hello there, lil’ Anon! I shall put two of your questions together, and your interest in my story’s and my oneshots are greatly appreciated. I hope you find a very lucky $20-$50 or a penny at the end of a rainbow for your day today, or through out the years.

𝕿𝖆𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖉: @kit-williams, @egrets-not-regrets, @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan , @sleepyfan-blog.

Starting with your plot ideas, I write/type almost subconsciously, I write/type as I go. Of course, I have some bullet points down in order to not to forget some details that I think are crucial in the story or have the small idea of the plot ready for me when I started it or get back to it, but, originally. I really don’t have the whole story plot down, but I make it as I go. Probably not a good way to do that, but I suppose it’s just how I write? Perhaps I have a secret mental plot that my silly brain won’t let me see?

Anyways, to your expensive winter coat question.

His little wolf would be quite furious with Lycus if she’s wasn’t wondering why this big Viking man was staring down at her like he just caught his ultimate prize and with the fact that he was an Space Marine she wanted to scold out to of all the humane creatures possible on this world.

Though, she swallows as she fiddles with the snow coat still on her body, her fingers still threading through the open tear on it, taking flakes of her own blood off of it. Her head, looking away from Lycus. Unable to make eye contact with seemingly piecing, ice blue eyes.

Oh, but if only Space Marines didn’t pay enough attention to detail, he wouldn’t be able to hunt, bring that animal to a local Blood Angel and bring back the newly crafted coat to his little wolf. A chuff of a gothic apology being purred at his little wolf. (that she doesn’t understand, but by the tone of his rumbling words, it seems like an apology.)

Also, she will be preoccupied alright. Preoccupied on trying to get the Space Wolf that bit her off her property, but man can that Marine be so stubborn.

He sleeping outside? Eh, no worries he’s sleeping on top of the roof. (Somehow.) Try and mislead him out of the property? Can’t, he has every single rock, every stick pinned down through out the property. Try and juke him out in public? He knows where you live, and your scent. He’s not that worried.

He hums then, every time his little wolf would try and mislead him, a certain smile rising beneath his helmet. He likes these little “games” of yours…

Bastard knows what he’s doing.

𝕬𝖈𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖑𝖊𝖉𝖌𝖊: This little… plot? Rough draft? May or may not in the next chapter for his story. So don’t expect this to be the real thing.