#drifty rambles

[driftingdryad]

I can't get DomMasochist!König out of my mind, so now I'm going to get him stuck in yours too so we can all suffer together ₊˚⊹♡

DomMasochist!König, who becomes a ravenous beast when you fight back as he manhandles your writhing body to the ground. Who grunts in pleasure as you lash out with your nails — pointed little claws done up all pretty on his dime — swiping down across his chest, catching at his collarbone. Who loves when those claws scrabble desperately, painfully, against his wrists and forearms as he pins you by the throat and brutally rams his length into you without an ounce of remorse.

DomMasochist!König, who's cock gets so hard it aches when your kicking feet make near miss brushes against it as they find painful purchase against his muscular thighs. Who hisses out praise — Scheiße, kleines Mädchen, you fight so good for me — as your small fist lands a blow across his cheek like a bruising kiss from an angel.

DomMasochist!König who will eat your pussy until you're a sobbing overstimulated mess begging for him to stop, but he won't. Not until you're so desperate that your heels are beating against his back like a drum, or digging into his shoulders as you try to push him away. Not until you're grabbing searing fistfuls of his hair and wrenching at it with all your might

DomMasochist!König who will slot his meaty forearm between your teeth as he rails into you from behind in his office, 'Be quiet, or else my men will know how much of a little Schlampe du bist, mein Engel'. You know what he needs, and he'll reward you with a deep rumbling moan, breath hot against your ear, as you sink your teeth into his flesh so deep that blood bubbles into your mouth and dribbles past the seal of your lips. You keep your jaw locked tight, whimpering around his arm as his controlled thrusts become frantic, your tight cunt and sharp teeth driving him towards earth shattering oblivion ♡

[artsycloudysleepy]

Drawing Dump!

oh and meet another OC: lily/iliad (fae/faer, has two names)! fae's the God/Guardian of the Arts in Fabrication (so art, music, writing, dance, and drama). faer design is my fav so far if i'm being honest haha, really like how it came out :D

(nye this is one of the two OCs who i've written with MDD so far! cody also has it - am going to make some human ones too methinks. thanks so much again for the tips!!!)

pppppllllluuuuusssss chara and asriel art i already posted in january but still like enough to promote again now that i uh. actually have followers :3

(also this is TOTALLY targeting a mutual who should really play undertale....................... hint hint hint /silly)

@mylackofgrammaristerrifying @mrrotten @nyenylon hiiiiiiiii hope you guys are having a fun timezone!! what're you guys up to? :)

[drifty-draws]

reconnecting to therianthropy ideas

hello y'all! first post! so recently i had a friend ask me how they can get reconnected to therianthropy, so i made a list and i thought i'd post it here!

-take walks in the woods or wild space -listen to a stream running while sleeping -sometimes when i sleep, i curl up into a ball on top of my covers -watch documentaries about your theriotype -go swimming in a lake and play on the shore if you have an aquatic theriotype -listen to your theriotype’s vocals -eat meat, if you’re a carnivore, or eat a salad if you’re a herbivore -take a cold shower and pretend it’s a waterfall -i’m dragonkin and being on the prow of a boat feels an awful lot like flying, but other options are standing facing the wind with arms outstretched, watching flying POVs with a fan pointed at you, and daydreaming, i guess -make a mask out of cardboard or buy a base (it’s okay if you can’t!) -lay in the sun outside -play with a pet, if you have one -if you have a lupine theriotype, play Wolfquest 3 Anniversary Edition on Steam. i’ve heard it has amazing graphics and hunting! -chew on something rubbery. i have an inflated rubber egg that i love to chew on -make a tail out if yarn. it takes a LOT of time and effort, but it feels good once completed -put glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling to simulate the night sky -watch Wolfwalkers, Brother Bear, Nimona (all relate to shapeshifting into a creature) -read Warriors if you have a feline theriotype -read Nat. Geo. magazines and articles -i like wearing sunglasses on my head because it feels like i have ears, but you could also wear a hat or a headband -draw your theriotype -if you have a nocturnal theriotype, try pulling an all nighter (if your parents will let you) -try hunting one of your stuffed animals (close the door in case you shift -climb a tree! -look up videos on how to get a shift by meditating (i personally don’t meditate but i’ve heard it works) -if you’re home alone, put a bowl of water or soup on the floor and eat/drink it like your theriotype would -if you can, try to get a tag to hunt something for real! when i hunt, it really connects me to nature (if you can’t, don’t sweat it) -go on a hike and try to act like your theriotype -make a den in your room or backyard -paint rocks or shells -decorate your room to match your theriotype -do quads, if your body allows. don’t worry about having the perfect form or jumping high, just have fun! you feel more natural the more you do it (i find going up stairs or uphill to be easiest) -find alterhumans in your area and make a pack -look at therian boards and concept art on pinterest -make a paw imprint in clay then hang it up -make a hidden therian/otherkin symbol in your room

thanks for reading my ramble! if you have more ideas, please feel free to comment!

stay wild 🐾 -drifty

[rasenko-tsudzu]

Simple and Obvious

CW for hypnosis stuff!

Hi! It's been a while! I'm doing great!

Hypnosis is a lot of fun for a lot of reasons. And I love pretty sights. Silly mesmerising beautiful sights that you can't look away from. But I also find it fascinating that all hypnosis takes is a few pretty words!

Being hypnotised really is as easy as saying yes to someone. To letting someone decide your reality for you for a little while. We all do it one way or another whether we realise it or not. Trance happens constantly, when we focus on games or shows or books. It can be subtle, but it can also be obvious.

And it being obvious turns it from a tricky little game into a very simple one. It's easy! All you have to do is imagine what someone puts in your head for a little bit. Now covert stuff is fun! But so is the opposite. There's an appeal to someone knowing you just can't help it, right?

They say something simple. Something like "you like hypnosis, right?" And of course you agree, because you do, but you're already realising what's going on, what's about to happen. "It feels good to be hypnotised, right?" Yes, it does! And you say so! But they know that already. They're not asking you for knowledge. They're asking you in order to put the thought in your head.

"It'd be nice to be hypnotised, right?" Yes, it would! It really really would, and you're getting a little drifty just thinking about it, but if you aren't careful you'll fall, so you try to blink back up, but "you want to be hypnotised, right?" and yes, you do.

"You'll let yourself be hypnotised, right?" Yes, you will. You'll be hypnotised. It feels too good not to be.

"You're being hypnotised, right?" And you know it, you've known it all along, but all that does is make it harder to think. Thinking is soooo much harder than just saying yes and agreeing, you're so used to it already, so-

"You're hypnotised."

You're hypnotised.

You like it.

It feels good.

It's nice.

You wanted it.

You let it happen.

You're hypnotised.

And if you really are, that's ok! Take a moment to blink back up for me, all right? Don't worry, I'm just rambling on about fun things about hypnosis! I just find it really interesting that sometimes our want for something is so strong we let it replace our reality for a little while! If someone asked me questions like that, I'd say yes too!

[rimouskis]

dude not to scuff my foot against the dirt about choices I made while fully knowing the consequences but also: my dad texted me saying that not only did he and my mom go meet my glamorous flew-in-from-LA movie-industry "aunt"*, her husband, and her dad at a swanky jazz cocktail bar to celebrate my "aunt's"* dad, who's 96 today(!!!), but also both of my sisters are there, both with their significant others 💔

*she's not my aunt, she's my mom's cousin, but "first cousin once removed" is a mouthful and also I call her my aunt lol

sometimes it's like man. the older I get the harder it is to live away from everyone.

it's dumb, because I love pittsburgh and I am very often so happy that I moved out here. something that's always stuck with me is my dad once told me he regretted how he and my mother never made the jump to live elsewhere. a huge part of him clearly wanted (and maybe still wants) to live out west. they honeymooned in colorado, and my dad said he wished they'd moved out there. but they both got jobs and just stayed, and now forty years later here they are, each only an hour from where they grew up.

so I'm glad I did it. I think I've gained a lot of life experience, and have gotten to know and love this city and its people. I could see this being a permanent home for me, sincerely. I have a wide network of friends across so many age groups, and I like the culture and the rolling hills and the greenness everywhere and of course the hockey ;)

but also I think about like, what if my sisters marry their boyfriends, both of whom I like. what if they settle down? I know my middle sister wants kids. I can't imagine not being around for that.

and then, on the flip side, I want to live so many places. I want to try out seattle so, so damn badly. I turned down a job offer out there a couple months ago and I don't regret it because it wasn't the right timing, but god. I want to be out there so badly.

but also every year feels closer to a year that my sisters really put down ROOTS. and it's like I can see the street lamps starting to flicker on, the universal signal for the kids out on the street to go home.

it's a complicated thing! and it's not a bad problem to have, not really. I have a lot of possibilities in front of me. there are good and bad consequences to any choice I could make. if I won the lottery I'd just have an apartment in each city and bounce between them, haha, but alas I've never bought a ticket.

anyways, I just think a lot about the lives of my sisters that I've missed out on, and my parents, and the people and family we have. but on the other hand I have a life I've lived and made and really, really enjoyed out here, so it's just a weighing of the scales, and I have to find some peace in balancing them because I feel like my story out-in-the-world isn't quite done yet.

this is getting rambly and off topic but I'm reminded of how my high school best friend once was surprised when I said I thought I'd wind up back home one day. she said I'd always been a bit drifty, a bit gone-where-the-wind-took-me, and she wasn't wrong. when I was in high school, I said I'd never move to the big city!!! I was going out west!!!

ah, how wrong I was, ahaha.

it's a complicated thing, feeling like you belong in many places at once. I belong home with my family and the city where all of our friends and family are. I belong here, in Pittsburgh, where I learned how to be an adult and where I have friends and colleagues and a million habits I enjoy and holes-in-the-wall I know and shopkeepers who wave hi to me in recognition and so many things I'd hate to give up. and every damn time I step foot in the PNW I just have a bone-deep feeling of "I belong here, I want to feel how I feel here all the time, I want to see these sights every day, I want to have the ocean and mountains and green green nature around me."

but there's only one me! and I certainly haven't ascended to the "live in three states for funsies" income bracket 😂😂😂

[emptyofbrains]

Rituals

Forgive me if this ends up a ramble. Im a little drifty... and stoned. just a pinch.

I love rituals. I think they powerful and romantic. As someone who is Neurodivergent I have learned to integrate many routines in to my life. They help me to provide structure to those areas that need that little bit of extra support.

But routines are not rituals. They share some similarities, for sure. At their core they are repeated actions one does. Its the intent behind them. The weight and respect we give the actions that separates them.

I love incorporating rituals into my dynamics. It just adds so much!

For example, within my first M/s relationship we had a ritual that as soon as I entered my Domme's house I would: strip naked, fold and put my clothes away in their cubby and lastly i was to kneel on my own little corner rug with my collar in my hands. Then I would wait until told to present my collar.

From the moment I entered the home I know that each part of this ritual has meaning and weight.

I stripped to separate the time in service from the rest of the day. This time is special and it deserved focus. It made me feel vulnerable and open. I was naked and without barriers between my Domme and I. I also stripped because I was commanded to and it pleased my Domme.

My clothes were folded and put away to show respect to my Domme and her home. It also removed the last bit of the woman i was before i stepped into this home for this time. Unless I were go into that closet and pull out my cubby there was no sign she existed. No bags, shoes, clothes or phone insight.

By the time I got to my little corner rug to kneel, my mind was only focused on this space and this moment. That is how I would remain until the ritual ended.

When I would be collared and my Domme took what was hers.

I don't miss the person but I do miss the ritual. Powerful stuff

[emptyofbrains2]

Rituals

Copied from my original profile.

Forgive me if this ends up a ramble. Im a little drifty... and stoned. just a pinch.

I love rituals. I think they powerful and romantic. As someone who is Neurodivergent I have learned to integrate many routines in to my life. They help me to provide structure to those areas that need that little bit of extra support.

But routines are not rituals. They share some similarities, for sure. At their core they are repeated actions one does. Its the intent behind them. The weight and respect we give the actions that separates them.

I love incorporating rituals into my dynamics. It just adds so much!

For example, within my first M/s relationship we had a ritual that as soon as I entered my Domme's house I would: strip naked, fold and put my clothes away in their cubby and lastly i was to kneel on my own little corner rug with my collar in my hands. Then I would wait until told to present my collar.

From the moment I entered the home I know that each part of this ritual has meaning and weight.

I stripped to separate the time in service from the rest of the day. This time is special and it deserved focus. It made me feel vulnerable and open. I was naked and without barriers between my Domme and I. I also stripped because I was commanded to and it pleased my Domme.

My clothes were folded and put away to show respect to my Domme and her home. It also removed the last bit of the woman i was before i stepped into this home for this time. Unless I were go into that closet and pull out my cubby there was no sign she existed. No bags, shoes, clothes or phone insight.

By the time I got to my little corner rug to kneel, my mind was only focused on this space and this moment. That is how I would remain until the ritual ended.

When I would be collared and my Domme took what was hers.

I don't miss the person but I do miss the ritual. Powerful stuff

[mywifeleftme]

50: My Blood Valentine // Loveless

Loveless My Bloody Valentine 1991, Creation

Since every Loveless review turns into a soup of adjectives, I collected all 593 adjectives I've used in the previous 49 reviews in this series and bolded the ones that apply to this record:

Fun, diesel-powered, affable, strutting, crooked, deranged, maudlin, endearing, bald-faced, serviceable-at-worst, dollar bin, rabid, vast, empty, folky, sublime, earwormy, intuitive, high, clear, clean, blue, tense, urgent, nervy, ecstatic, great, glum, boyish, chiming, insistent, operative, bare-assed, incongruous, sincere, passionate, deeply felt, stomping, joyous, slower, melancholic, funereal, heart-rending, echoey, overt, stunning, straight, simple, popular, shot, mild, in-the-pocket, gnomish, stern, strict, self-imposed, underrated, deconstructed, long, moody, intuitive, desperate, blueish, deeper, fond, cosmic, bigger, stoned, economical, driving, blistering, sedate, tentative, pretty damned good, hidden, opposite, elemental, amphetamized, duff, satisfying, mixed, dismal, fresh, stone, radiant, perfect, silken, delighted, spellbound, minor, charming, superb, funky, polyrhythmic, light-and-shadows, needless, dyspeptic, profound, most-spun, experienced, good, nostalgic, masculine, music-as-healing-ritual, granola, fervently-wanking-chaos-magic, drifting, moaning, shifting, droning, extraordinary, spare, hushed, silverene, bloody, hunted, icy, singular, pure, pensive, fine, increasingly-gnarled, sucks, Joy Divisiony, extremely sweet, gripless, gloomy, exhausting, rich, high camp, ambiguous, distant, regal, enormous, unearthly, cold, adventurous, inscrutable, cerebral, robotic, landmark, cavernous, cyborgian, nearly-lost, vintage, lyrical, unpredictable, tuned-in, vivid, stretchy-faced, EC Comics-y, state-of-the-art, DIY, talented, metallic, gangrenous, niche, stark, outsider, minimally-arranged, amelodic, piping, windburned, sinister, unsettling, loose, imagistic, oblique, surreal, fully-realized, excellent, expanded, skeletal, entrancing, solemn, buzzing, intense, key, quirky, revered, true, anointed, durable, going-nowhere-and-loving-it, woolly, unique, infectious, goofy, ferocious, valuable, searing, slick, sporadic, nocturnal, satiny, tragic, high-thread-count, theatrical, mournful, acrid, dramatic, fallen, expansive, confrontational, blunt, palpable, subtle, melodramatic, incestuous, trauma-dumping, erotic, heartfelt, beautiful, melodic, drifty, flighty, sad, oppressively sincere, life-changing, trenchant, wreathed in ritual smoke, crackling with spiritual lightning, unruly, madcap, mind-bending, raucous, thrilling, idiosyncratic, striking, bludgeoning, fucked up, choreographed, discomfiting, walloping, deafening, glitchy, chill, tweaky, archetypal, harder-edged, stately, audiophile's dream, mangy, hallucinatory, strafing, high-octane, winsome, hyperactive, irresistible, indelible, deathless, casual, disjunctive, winkingly earnest, faint, uncanny, perpetual, traditional, stranger, megawatt, queer, velveteen, definitive, cutesy, irksome, satisfying, sentimental, introverted, psych-y, rambling, wistful, confident, twinkly, loopy, smeared, ramshackle, reverb-washed, tie-dyed, emblematic, frenetic, rusty, steam-driven, recursive, mesmerizing, unobtrusive, special, bespoke, lesser-known, rare, popular, gentle, tropical, lilting, ebullient, svelte, percolating, obscure, fantastic,

sweat-soaked, drum-driven, cardiac, giddy, sugarcane, charismatic, pan-Black, white, beloved, considerable, pretty funny, moderately offensive, legendary, snarky, just fucking fine, dogshit, scathing, amusing, awkward, replacement-level, cromulent, left-field, psychedelic, burly, bad, dunked upon, seedy, modest, hedonistic, sock hop vibes, peaceable, immaculate, sodden, unquenchable, galvanizing, warlike, leftist, fuzz-drenched, fiery, swashbuckling, heartfelt, frosty, forlorn, far-right, intelligible, powerful, unforgiveable, militant, fulfilling, wonderful, sweaty, righteous, dashing, rustic, clumsy, soulful, gushing, stupid, generous, weird, dumb, highly defective, new-dime, candy-eyed, weary, miserable, idiot, loudest, imperious, gender euphoric, good-natured, hilarious, deviant, compulsive, dimwitted, blind, unappeasable, important, cigarette-smelling, elaborate, impossible, virtuosic, bitter, gifted, religious, absurd, naughty, leaden, adolescent, brilliant, skewed, greying, golden, horniest, explicit, blithe, comic, well-lubricated, sepia-toned, disreputable, frigid, hygienic, grimy, kinetic, cramped, pitiless, pulverizing, soothing, agitated, stabbing, intricate, strong, smoldering, cyberpunky, towering, lukewarm, unmissable, clever, hot-rodded, impersonal, garage-y, tender, bottle rocket, unflappable, noisy, apocalyptic, primal, song-like, formless, fascinating, blobby, resplendent, dreamy, rawer, full-bodied, pitchy, spacy, catchy, sorely missed, startled, maximalist, uninhibited, gargantuan, turbulent, insular, sedate, rapturous, exquisitely-arranged, sensitive, melismatic, intimate, smoky, slow-developing, distinctive, beguiling, abstract, conventional, languorous, foggy, hazy, fetching, ambient, breathy, salival, opaque, concrete, urban, herculean, ass-kicking, nimble, technically proficient, sledge-assed, steely, poppy, unfaltering, Hendrix-pilled, divebombing, frizzy, anthemic, crusading, acid-scarred, spiraling, hair-raising, outraged, minimal, sick ass, dazzling, abominable, smooth, pretty, serene, personable, organic, ambling, overwrought, anachronistic, back porch, Appalachian, death-shrouded, sun-dappled, haunted, existential, straight up and down, starry-eyed, flashy, timeless, odd, ur-technical, Queensrÿche-adjacent, darker-hued, bonkers, tortured, plodding, groaning, busy, old, iconic, aphoristic, gusty, small, sexy, feathered, cool, exécrable, stolid, matter-of-fact, squinting, rumpled, abject, homeliness, unmatched, stacked, entry-level, de rigueur, reliable, working-class, scratchy, aspiring, feral, plaintive, quavering, venomous, scuzzy, balls-to-the-wall, professional, weakest, passable, immortal, subdued, worthy, heavy, powerfully Afroed, languid, string-sweetened, deft, gliding, lapidary, pizzicato, stirring, pogo-powered, lyrics-forward, deadpan, passé, strange, head-spinning, immense, endless.

Or simply, as friend and critic MJ O’Neill once put it, the sound of lipstick smeared in a dream.

50/365

[v-poreons]

In case you're wondering, I'm three uncatchable shiny Starly into this hunt, with nearly 200 hours logged on the game but only 6 actual minutes of playtime. I love shiny hunting

[driftingdryad]

Y'all ever accidently write 'baklava' instead of 'balaclava', then have to take a moment to sit with the image of Simon laid back on a luxurious bed wearing nothing but his mask and covered in sweet pastry treats? 100/10 would recommend!

[flopity-flips]

excuse the lack of frames but whats the ppd community lookin like on tumbly lmfao.

[apiratewhopines]

Killian, Persuaded

Chapter Five - Straight and Narrow

Summary: In which our hero learns the hard facts

Chapter Five on AO3

“I’m useless but not for long”

-Clint Eastwood, Gorillaz

Killian was irritated to learn walking to the principal’s office as an adult was quite similar to being marched to the headmaster’s office as a teenager. He was informed by Iris’s teacher when he dropped the girls off that morning his presence was requested for a brief conversation regarding who knew what.

He followed the hall monitor, a rather self-important sixth grader who wore his limited authority like a crown, and noticed the miniature lockers lining the hallway were neatly numbered and uniform in their metal blandness. An admirable attempt to brighten the institutional neutrals of the concrete block walls was made by using artwork from some of the younger grades but it failed to completely divert attention from the sameness of the structure.

Of course, when the last time someone had been in a school involved traversing the halls of a former castle to find his classes and room, a recent construction such as the one he was currently trapped in would lack a certain ominous je ne sais quoi. At home in drifty, rambling spaces tacked on to the main keep as the centuries marched on, the straight and carefully planned layout of the elementary school left him feeling like a sore thumb.

He was a hot mess. Even kindergarteners had it more together than him.

As if to prove his point, the bell rang loudly and the hall was immediately flooded by hundreds of tiny people, scurrying about like they were late for important business appointments. It would have been easy to lose his guide in the chaotic shuffle of humanity but the young man raised his hand in the air, his training having clearly prepared him for all potential pitfalls. He continued to cut a swath directly down the center of the hallway and Killian followed slowly trying not to look like an oversized tourist in Lilliput.

Stopping outside a brightly lit office in the center of the building, the hall monitor opened the door and ushered him in before shutting it with a quiet click behind him. The feeling of being ambushed increased tenfold.

An elderly woman was perched comfortably behind a low counter but either she didn’t hear him come in or was unconcerned with his presence. He cleared his throat several times before her owlish eyes shifted from the ancient desktop monitor to the doorway. When she adjusted her bifocals to get him in focus, he flashed his most charming smile and greeted her. “Good morning, lass! I believe Principal Mills is expecting me.”

“You’re a bit old for a talking to,” she observed with a kindly smile. “And I’m a bit old to be called lass.”

“I wholeheartedly agree with the former observation but respectfully disagree with the latter. A woman such as yourself will never stop causing hearts to flutter,” he flirted, taking the opportunity to study the neat, well-organized office. “I’m Killian Jones.”

“Trust me, I know,” she informed him with the same sweet smile. “We don’t get many visitors in Storybrooke, especially famous ones with handsome faces.”

“Keep it up, lass, and I’ll start blushing,” he murmured as he finished his inspection of the room. Fairly certain the woman who demanded his presence was ensconced behind the closed door to his right, he leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “Any idea what the old girl wants to talk about? I swear I haven’t stolen anyone’s lunch money.”

Lips twitching in amusement, she whispered back, “What about copying someone’s homework?”

“Innocent until proven guilty.”

“Well, we’ll hold off on calling Sheriff Swan then.” The secretary, whose gold-edged nameplate announced was Mrs. Ruth Nolan, winked at him and continued, “You can have a seat. She’s finishing up with a student right now.”

Knowing a dismissal when he heard one, he tried to pick the largest chair available, which unfortunately was better suited for the school’s general population than a grown man in his thirties. Stretching his legs out, he distracted himself from the cramped position he was forced to bear by looking at the picture lined walls. Decades of graduating classes stared back at him from matching frames. The youth of Storybrooke were displayed like a visual time capsule beginning as far back as 1983.

Giving into curiosity, his stood to get a closer look at a particular picture from the mid-nineties. He was delighted to find off to the far side of the grouping there was a tiny blonde figure with a miserable expression captured by the camera lens.

Clearly, Emma had been as happy about entering this building back then as he was now.

Hearing the door to the principal’s office open, he looked over and found himself staring at Henry’s upset countenance. The boy’s nose and eyes were red, presenting an image of someone doing his best to keep from crying. Concerned, he moved to his side and asked, “Alright there, Henry?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” he muttered, refusing to meet Killian’s eyes. “I need to get back to class.”

He watched as the boy walked quickly out of the office. When he glanced back, he was faced with a striking raven-haired beauty many years younger than he expected. Pushing aside his surprise, he demanded, “What happened to him? Why is he upset?”

“Excuse me, Mr. Jones, did I miss the part where you were Henry’s guardian?”

Practically frost-bitten from her tone, he replied flippantly. “You know what they say, it takes a village.”

“And every village needs an idiot,” she responded, not to be outdone. She raised an eyebrow, daring him to continue their increasingly venomous exchange. Not used to being so directly insulted, he backed down and preceded her into the spacious office when she gestured for him to enter. Sensing the undercurrent of tension, she sighed and said in a more professional tone, “Thank you for coming in. I realize you were under no obligation to meet with me.”

“To be completely honest, I don’t have much going on right now. Even so, I am intrigued regarding what you could possibly want to talk about. As you so eloquently pointed out, I’m not anyone’s guardian so our topics of conversation would be limited at best.”

With a tight smile, she said, “I understand from Iris that you’re looking for a job.”

Gobsmacked, Killian leaned back in his chair and stared at Principal Mills. “My niece told you I was looking for work?”

“She insisted I consider you for one of our open teaching positions,” Mills answered with a grim look.

“Rather forward of her…”

“I try to encourage assertiveness in all of my students, especially the girls. Too often in this world, women are demeaned for having leadership abilities. Iris is one of the best students I’ve ever had. She’s focused, smart, hard-working, and fortunate enough to have a supportive environment at home.”

“She’s definitely all that and more, Ms. Mills. But you can’t be considering me as an instructor. What would I even teach? How to develop a cunning wit and condition leather?” Although, it was his valet who usually handled the leather so he wouldn’t be much help there either.

“Obviously I’m not considering it. You’re totally unsuitable.”

Ah, this was more the speed of conversation he was expecting. If he had a dollar for every time someone tried to make him feel inferior since his fall from grace, he wouldn’t have needed the family money in the first place. Nodding, he stood to leave. “Lovely chat. I’ll see myself out.”

“Sit down, Mr. Jones. Despite your lack of suitably for a job here, I wanted to invite you to volunteer at the school. If you intend to stay in our community, it will allow you to make some excellent contacts and spend time with your nieces who, for reasons that escape me at the moment, think you are a talented man.”

“Just to be clear: You’re saying I’m not good enough for a paying job but you’ll allow me to work for you without compensation.”

For the first time, real mirth flitted across the woman’s face and it completely transformed her. Gone was the severe lines of displeasure. Instead her eyes came alive with laughter, her cheeks flushed softly and her lips parted to reveal a smile that would probably turn heads if you were into that kind of thing. Recently, he was more attracted to women—one woman really—who wouldn’t give him the time of day. “Maybe there is a brain behind that face after all. Your first assignment will be to chaperone the Halloween sock hop. You should probably recruit some help as well.”

Ignoring the fact he had no idea what a sock hop was, he responded, “I haven’t said yes.”

“You will. Even if you don’t want to, Iris will talk you into it,” Principal Mills assured him. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a school to manage.”

—

He emerged from the principal’s office relieved to have survived the encounter. Despite the brief show of emotion at the end of their meeting, he was half convinced the woman was some sort of evil cyborg.

Making his way down the empty hallway unaided, Killian was almost to the door when he heard a sniffle behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Henry distractedly trying to open one of the tiny lockers near the bathroom. Retracing his steps back to the young man, he leaned with careful casualness against the next section of lockers and asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Henry took great pains to wipe his tears as covertly as possible but subtlety was not a natural talent for most ten-year-old boys. As extraordinary as Emma’s boy was, it seemed he fit squarely in the norm on this at least. “Are you going to tell Emma I was in the principal’s office?”

“Your secret is safe with me. I hope I can count on your discretion regarding my trip there as well. She’s quite scary and I have a reputation to protect.”

“Who? Ms. Mills or Emma?”

The lad was definitely stalling, probably hoping Killian would drop the subject. With a grimace, he admitted, “Both, I suppose. So how did you end up there?”

Coming to a decision, Henry made his way to Killian’s side and stuck a similar pose next to him. Eyes closed, in a soft voice he asked, “Did Iris tell you I’m a foster kid?”

“She may have mentioned something to that effect.”

“It’s okay, it’s not like it’s a secret. I’m the only foster child in the whole town. Anyway, some of the older boys like to remind me my parents didn’t love me enough to keep me. Repeatedly. So today, I punched one of them and he cried so hard they had to call his parents to come get him.”

“Well done, lad. Proud of you.”

“But Ms. Mills says it’s better to use your words,” Henry argued without any real conviction. Sneaking a glance at Killian, he had a hint of a smile on his face.

“She gets paid to say those things,” Killian pointed out. He was at a loss as to what to say next. On some level, he knew he was supposed to be a responsible adult and reinforce the message of keeping violence to a minimum. However, he was never particularly good at being responsible, or an adult for that matter. “Listen, I’m not saying you should clock every bloke who irritates you. That makes you no better than the bullies. But long ago, your moth—Emma—told me something that stuck with me. My life would have turned out much better if I had heeded her advice.”

Having Henry’s complete attention now, he hoped he was doing the right thing. He had no idea how much of Emma’s past she shared with her foster son and he would hate to break any confidences, even though it could hardly make things worse between them. “She said sometimes you have to punch back and make the world see you for who you really are. Never forget, Henry, you’re not the only foster in Storybrooke. Emma was one too and look at how great her life has turned out. She’s a respected sheriff, she has more friends than she has time to spend with them, and she’s got you to make sure she eats a vegetable every once in a while.”

Hearing a watery chuckle from his companion, he nudged Henry softly. “What is it the kids are saying nowadays? Don’t let the haters get you down.”

“It sounds weird when you say it,” Henry criticized.

“It’s the accent,” Killian joked. “Everything sounds weird when I say it.”

Picking up his backpack, Henry took a deep breath. “I guess I should go back to class before I get in trouble again.”

“Do you want me to walk with you?”

“No, I’m good now. Thanks, Killian. I’m glad you’re here. It’s nice to have a friend.”

Watching his small form until he turned the corner, Killian wondered why his chest felt like it expanded to twice its normal size as he made his way back home.

—

Walking into the kitchen, a scene of chaos unfolded before him. Liam and the twins were supposedly showing Robin and Roland the best way to make a cake and the results were disastrous. Broken eggshells littered the floor, there was flour on every surface—including the ceiling and the children—and one of the twins was currently stirring sugar into the can of chocolate frosting Elsa bought for the occasion.

“Bloody hell.”

“Welcome home, little brother. We have quite the situation brewing and we need all hands on deck,” Liam shouted over the sound of the mixer Robin and Roland were using in the corner.

Trying to remind himself he had thought silence was the worst part of his dire straits, Killian rolled up the sleeves of his blue button down and made his way over to Linnea. Plucking the girl into his arms, his scowl turned into a grin when the little one flashed him a disappointed look. His mother used to make the exact same expression. Liam just may be the luckiest man in the world. “Darling, what kind of cake are you making today?”

“Sugar cake,” she answered as if it should be obvious.

“Excellent, that happens to be my favorite kind,” he replied with mock seriousness. Linnea proceeded to smear sugar-laced chocolate frosting into his beard as he looked to the adults in the room and asked, “What exactly are we trying to accomplish here?”

“We’re practicing,” Liam said by way of explanation as he took a pan away from Lily.

“For what? The apocalypse?”

His questions went unanswered as Roland, or perhaps it was Robin, changed the setting on the mixer and a shower of half incorporated cake mix splattered over everyone in the room. Like the true hero she believed him to be, Killian curled his niece away, taking the brunt of the sweet blast himself.

Slipping and sliding through the mess on the floor, Liam valiantly fought his way to the corner and pulled the cord on the offending kitchen appliance. Before anyone could say a word, the back door opened and Elsa walked in with the poise he was beginning to think she had trademarked. Taking in the scene, complete with abashed adults and delighted children, she rolled her eyes and muttered, “So much for a quiet lunch with my husband.”

Jumping into the fray with grace only she could exhibit, it was merely ten minutes later that shining, happy faces were properly settled in booster seats at the kitchen island, floor scrubbed, countertops spotless, and two layers of yellow cake placed into a preheated oven. She hadn’t even broken a sweat.

Killian thought he may be a little bit in love with her.

“I hope it goes smoother this weekend,” she observed with a wry look at Liam. Leaving the adults to tidy themselves up with the wet wipes she threw on the counter by the sink, she walked to the refrigerator and pulled out leftover roast chicken and a salad. “We could always order a cake from the diner.”

“It was going fine, love. We will make you proud at the party.” To make amends for the mess she walked into, Liam began to plate up lunch for everyone.

Killian assumed it was the heated glance the two shared that made Robin smirk as he asked, “What party?”

“Emma’s birthday party,” Elsa replied as she poured milk into plastic cups.

“And Emma would be?”

“Our neighbor, who happens to be Killian’s ex-girlfriend.”

Never mind, he wasn’t a little bit in love with her anymore.

The way Robin’s eyebrows raised left him concerned they would disappear into his friend’s hairline. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to retreat now, he settled in for what was surely going to be an extremely tedious conversation.

“Ah, I see. Would she happen to be a stunning blonde?”

“You’ve met her already?”

“Just spied her across the way,” Robin said through a grin. Looking at Killian with a sly side-eyed glance, he added, “I’m sure you’ll all have a rousing good time. I do hope there will be plenty of fireworks.”

“You should join us,” Liam offered as he took the stool between the twins. “It’s usually only our family and Henry so the more the merrier.”

“Go if you want, Robin. I can watch Roland if you need a break,” Killian murmured. The truth was even though he knew her birthday was approaching, he hadn’t been aware of a celebration and he wasn’t entirely sure he would be welcome.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Killian, you have to come. It’s not like you to slink away,” Liam argued, completely aghast at the idea.

“I’m not slinking away. I’m simply not forcing my company on someone who would rather not have it. Consider it my birthday present.” If he grew morose at the realization he had never spent a birthday with her, it was nobody’s business but his own.

“I don’t know,” Robin observed thoughtfully while he cut Roland’s chicken into small pieces and poured a frankly obscene amount of ranch dressing onto his own salad. “It didn’t seem like she minded your company the other day on her porch.”

“Oh, I haven’t heard this story,” Elsa said, propping her elbows on the countertop and looking at Robin with interest. “Do tell.”

“Nothing to tell,” Killian interrupted with a warning glare at his friend. The last thing he needed was his family getting the wrong idea about something Robin took totally out of context. “She was thanking me for helping out with Henry is all.”

Elsa studied him as she popped a grape tomato into her mouth, still resting her head in her hand as if sitting up straight was beyond her abilities at the moment. “Well, you won’t be able to get into any porch shenanigans at the party. Walsh is coming.”

Mirroring Elsa’s stance, Robin asked in a melodramatic whisper, “Who’s Walsh?”

Behind Elsa, Liam rolled his eyes and started mouthing his answer to Robin’s question, something appearing suspiciously like ‘Prat.’

Unamused, Elsa said, “I can see your reflection in the oven, Liam. Walsh is the man Emma is dating.”

Heart dropping, Killian focused on shallowing his bite of food which had suddenly become a difficult task. He wasn’t surprised. Not really. It would be much more shocking for a woman like Emma not to have someone in her life. The only part he couldn’t figure out was where the hell the guy was hiding. He’d been there for nearly three weeks and hadn’t seen him once. Kicking himself for asking but unable to stop the words falling from his mouth, he muttered, “How long?”

With a resigned sigh, Elsa said, “About a year I guess.”

“That’s not dating. It’s a relationship,” Robin pointed out. “What’s the matter with him?”

Once again, Liam was mouthing insults about the man behind Elsa’s back. She turned around and swatted at him with her napkin. “Honestly, what kind of example are you setting for the kids?”

“They don’t know what I’m saying,” he responded, face shining with innocence. “He’s just…I don’t know. He’s the kind of guy you never notice and never miss but he still annoys the cra—crayons out of you.”

“Really, Liam? Crayons?” Giggling, Elsa started collecting plates and stacking them in the sink. “Besides, you don’t have to like him. You’re not the one dating him. He’s good to Emma.”

“There is more to love than being good to someone, sweetheart. You can’t tell me you’re a fan.”

“I’m not not a fan. He’s a little vanilla for my taste,” she answered slowly. With a teasing grin at Killian, she added, “But she’s definitely dated worse.”

“Hey, that’s my little brother you’re insulting,” Liam retorted defensively. Turning to plead his case with the other men, he said, “Now you both have to come to the party so you can see for yourselves.”

[skipspuppy]

feeling hazey and drifty for so long like this is sooo good. I feel like I could melt into a puddle and just let myself sink into a fog of vague memory and awareness. its so good. so good. and if if i had more brrain power id ramble a storm. rihgt now im content to be good and wait, letting myyslef get even more lost in the freling. yeeah.

[belletarot]

𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 — (𝟔/𝟐𝟑/𝟐𝟏)

reader comments: hi babes!! i know i’ve been a little drifty on this blog lately, but it’s been a little stressful trying to get this blog up and running officially. i’m excited to be bringing back collective readings at least every day if i can stick to a consistent schedule. i may even open readings after this little vacation weekend i’m having, but i won’t waste anymore of your time rambling. onto the collective reading!! remember to take only what resonates with you! (っ◔︣◡◔᷅)っ

what i’m mainly seeing here for a lot of you is that generosity in this time would serve you best. doing good for yourself is great, but sometimes you need to pass that good onto other people around you, especially for the people you care for. passing on your generosity and your kindness onto others does very good for you, as long as you keep in mind who you are giving that said generosity to.

there also seems to be a lot of movement with the collective energy. some of you may be moving locations (i’m seeing lots of things with housing and moving out of state) or even just a lot of different things changing in your life at the moment. a lot of you have taken on various responsibilities that can be very demanding or just big in general. remember, if you are not happy with what you’re up to in life, you are not at all obligated to stay there. if your work life is not pleasing you the way it should, do consider moving jobs or switching careers.

i’d say the overall message is to just be kind to both yourself and others around you. even if things seem very hectic or out of place at the moment, that doesn’t mean life is necessarily bad. keep a good mindset of how things are going, and remember to constantly be looking out for yourself and those you care about, even in the more hectic moments. live in the moment right now, and don’t take anything for granted.

daily affirmation: all things are well and will continue to be well!

i love hearing your feedback, please let me know if this resonated! <3 ask box is always open.

tips are never required but greatly appreciated!!

cashapp: $tarotbelle

paypal: @tahrahdevlon

[sekikai]

Things I like to know about rp partners!!

FILL IN:

i like to be called: Lee

my favourite colour is: red and black

gender: Female but like. i dont really care what pronouns yall use.

one thing you should know about me: i’m drifty as fuck. i jump fandoms a lot because this bitch got ADD so like. Yeah.

one thing you should know about my muses: He Has So Much Love in his Heart but he doesn’t know how to show it outside of like. random rambles of gay. He also has Really Bad ptsd.

first language: English.

second language:Sarcasm

HIGHLIGHT:

age range:   under 13  |  14–17 | 18–22 | 23–25 | 26–29 |  30+ |  70+

am i okay with nsfw?: yes | no | sometimes (depends on who i’m doing it with)

my favourite/most common thing to rp is: angst | fluff | smut | crack | action | other

oc friendly?: yes | no | depends

rp blog:  does | doesn’t contain ooc posts

TAGGING:

tagged by stolen from: @purrfectstars

tagging: take the thing.

[pillowhorder]

Idk why I always say something that goes by the lines as “I forgive you” or “it’s okay” when most of the time I never mean it, I just say it to calm ppl down a little bit.. I really do have a hard time of letting shit go I suppose…. I hope you guys do the exact opposite though Don’t be like me and hold grudges for all of your life times,