#especially for the archie run

[cable-salamdr]

HELP???????

If you do decide to go down the dark dark path I have no idea what I’d recommend first. It’s all so jumbled— or, rather, seperate, where almost every media is its own thing, so it’s hard to put together. I’d say watch Prime or watch playthroughs of games (or play them yourself, whatever rocks your boat) and go from there :]

Cable my page has flooded with Sonic. Cable, 🫵 this is your fault /lh

I just found this again and it has aged like the absolutely finest wine ever, hasn’t it? I’m still not sorry btw get sonic beamed 💙

[littlepikmins]

Getting into a special interest that has comics or is mainly comics is both good and bad cause it's like "yay! years and years of content to look at!" but it's also like "ick what the hell were they even trying to do during this run? Why was this character acting like this at this point? Imo this whole period sucked for the characters"

[cathalbravecog]

Really should be sleeping but I really just have to share that Archie my dearest finally got to Misty... At last they can see their bestie

(Their real objective is the destruction of Barnacle Bessie, the only being in existence that Archie feels negatively towards)

[m00n-d34r3st]

My favorite niche thing about mikey is how he always seem to be super successful when he takes on a career path he's very passionate about and is able to make a name for himself from literary below rock bottom nothing and it blows my mind how it's almost never talked about.

I want more of mikey girlbossing his way out of the sewer, and I need it now.

[fullsupersoniccircle]

shout out to the first online places i ever posted on, my beloveds guestbook of a Sonic fansite i can’t remember now and SonicVerseTeam

Okay, just to suit my own curiosity:

Please reblog for a larger sample size. It would be interesting to see the stats on this.

[hyperfixatedhells]

hyperspecific sso nostalgia

"you have taken a dangerous fall" or falling off of a cliff so many times that you get taken back to your stable. also the screen turning red when this happened.

magic horses only turning magic if theyre away from civilization.

having to spam W or else your horse will slow down.

waiting for the bus and using the bus ticket.

using the circus ticket.

having to drag and drop items from your inventory.

jojo siwa at the disco.

spirit around jorvik.

collecting the stars and being so excited upon finding one.

certain horses being cold tolerant, [fjord, icelandic, etc] the others slowing down upon entering the valley of the hidden dinosaur.

finding gary goldtooth in the middle of nowhere.

low quality saddle bag pets and that stupid torn saddle bag.

not being able to stack items.

having to build reputation to progress.

the saving nightdust quest.

april fools updates, especially the 2016 supershire.

the summer bonfire event, the birthday event, the st. patricks day event, all of the holiday and seasonal events.

how the areas would be decorated for valentines day, easter, etc.

those things that would temporarily change your starter horses coat into all sorts of wacky things.

the barrel race in moorland.

the old filter.

the trailers being star rider only.

the closets being star rider only.

jumping being star rider only, and justin teaching you how to jump.

no jumping in towns/cities.

the original home stable.

waiting for the fairies and just BARELY missing it.

the baronesses racetrack being under construction for SO LONG.

jorvik not having any snow during christmas.

the 2017 character update and the ORIGINAL original character, plus the original weird looking starter horse.

horse island.

unnamed stable girl, the one that came before maya.

all of the old npcs.

when you enter a new area, the name of it would flash in the middle of your screen.

speed boosts on roads.

star stable news with ylva and matilda.

the loading screen stable cat who gave you tips.

the kallters.

having to build your reputation with the hermit to buy his horses and having to build your reputation with the kallters to buy fjord horses.

the iceberg and the seals.

the clothing and tack being basically unidentifiable until you hovered over them, because the items just had a gray or gold icon with what the item actually classified as. [aka what it looks like on mobile]

the fort pinta shark.

the global store not being around and having to buy things directly from the shops or the mall.

the infamous purple car and bulldozer that would run you over.

having to fill your houses needs multiple times a day plus the little smiley face mood thingy.

only being able to care for your horse near stables.

only having three uses for your water bucket.

unused furniture.

starshine roaming around greendale.

the "glue man" and the little girl in your stable singing during halloween.

wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

the chat filter being called phil.

stacy place oh god stacy place. also archie fails

all of the star stable commercials and ads, especially that one fucking disney channel commercial.

please add your own nostalgias onto this post i would love to hear them

[shadamyheadcanons]

Hi, this is only a what if question. Just for fun!

What do you think IF Shadow did succeed surprising Amy on her birthday? (The murder of Sonic the hedgehog)

Let's just pretend the birthday key doesn't exist

I'm running out of questions

For those who don’t know, in TMOSTH, Shadow covertly tries to buy concert tickets for Amy’s birthday. Unfortunately, she unlocks his train car before he’s able to. She’s touched by his gesture and insists on bringing him with her to the concert to apologize. Although Shadow dislikes the band, he begrudgingly agrees. Without the key, he might have been able to purchase the tickets in time, keeping the surprise intact.

I believe this would change nothing--in the best way.

Although Amy used the excuse of having ruined the surprise, I don’t think that’s really why she invited him. Guilt doesn’t make someone get all blushy and shy like this:

It wasn’t the surprise that won her over, it was his devotion. It’s possible she’d consider asking Sonic instead, but ultimately—pun intended—how could she? It’s the dedication. It’s how he remembered her favorite band. It’s how he’s willing to go farther for her than anyone else because she’s special, dammit! She’s worth it! Having him by her side is just one more reminder of what he did for her, one more detail that’ll make the memory a little more special. Shadow earned this.

And he can’t say no to her, no matter the era or continuity. From SA2...

“I have to keep my promise to Maria...and you.”

...to Shadow’s own game...

“I didn’t have any reason to help her, but...I figured...”

...to Archie...

“It’s decided, then.”

...and even in the Twitter Takeovers, non-canon as they are...

“[The concert] was fine...It was...noisy, and the crowd was annoying...but Amy seemed to be having fun.”

[1]

“Amy is quite...insistent. I’ll admit Amy’s enthusiasm does make [shopping]...bearable.”

[2]

He always caves. There are official writers in every corner of this franchise who get it, especially for TMOSTH.

She’d ask, he’d agree, and they’d have a wonderful time. It’s meant to be. Aren’t they always?

Thank you for the ask!

[xviiperr]

Detailed Headcanons: Yandere Sonic

TW: Stalking, possessiveness, murder, mentions of past trauma, manipulation, clingyness, blatant lying.

Is it proof read? Sorta...but I really just wanted to get this post out here cuz it's been on my mind man, I gotta share it!

Lemme know what you guys think! Feel free to comment, like, reblog, whatever! Thanks 🫡

Sonic wouldn’t be the most possessive guy out there, I’d say a score of 50/50. With a reputation like his and ego to accompany, he doesn’t feel the need to hoard you away from others entirely. Sonic lets you hang out with your friends and his alike. However, that doesn’t mean that he’s going to let you go Scott free, Sonic’s been through a lot. There will definitely be times where he has to know where you are, what you’re doing, what you eat, who you are talking with and..and..why you are hanging out with them…? Sonic cannot lose you to another catastrophic event. Even so, Sonic understands that regardless of his feelings, he cannot limit your friendships! And he also understands, to his own justification, you are prone to getting hurt by a crazy scientist (Eggman).

That's what makes Sonic a mastermind at disguising whatever disdain he holds for others in your presence, masking his anger or frustration with a quick smile or a joke. Whenever he’s in battle with much stronger foes that strike terror into his heart, Sonic usually covers this up with masked confidence or making a few jokes to comfort himself and others. Sonic does this in both the games and the comics. If you are a keen observer, you will notice the amount of times Sonic’s eye has twitched, others mistaking it for a wink or Sonic just being plain impatient. His eyes, feet and hand motions are what you need to pay attention to the most. The more Sonic taps his foot and waves his hand, the more agitated he gets and the closer to lashing out, especially if his eyes narrow and he brandishes a sneer. Sonic then makes it a point to get in front of you, as if he is shielding you from the perpetrator.

While Sonic tries to not display his possessiveness in public, he usually fails and displays his need to “subtly” let others know you're with him, openly with physical touch, covering it up as a comforting manner. His hand is usually hovered too close to yours, almost ready to grasp it at a given chance and Sonic has to stand close to your general area. Sonic likes to feel the warmth radiating from your hand, to know that you’re still here for him; if he’s involved with you romantically, he’s going to try to hold your hand or rest his hand on your shoulder as many times as he can. Platonic, his hand will hover the majority of the time, maybe give you a fist bump or a high five. Sonic wants others to know that you are with him, friend or partner. This goes hand in hand with Tails, caring for his brother by playfully teasing him and giving lots of fist bumps. A platonic involvement with Sonic would be similar to his brotherly relationship with Tails, except Sonic is way more protective.

In the Archie comics, Sonic treated Tails like the same little boy he knew when he was growing up. Tails looked up to Sonic like he was a hero, believing that his big brother figure knew everything this world had to offer. But it was when Sonic went with his motto in the Archie comics of living in the moment, doing what he felt was right at the time, shielding Tails from Fiona Fox and ending up dating her. In the long run, this helped Sonic’s and Tails’ bond strengthen, Tails becoming more than a sidekick but an equal. Tails expressed his disdain for how Sonic sheltered him from Fiona; Tails had a major crush on her. Sonic had assumed that his little brother had gotten over it but when it came down to a confrontation, the truth was revealed. Tails yelled at Sonic, stating that he hated him for what he did, especially with Fiona.

I personally believe that Sonic has a bad habit of assuming others want to go along with his plan, especially in this au. He understands that others have their own ways about going through difficult tasks, relenting and letting them take over the missions, (.i.e Rouge, Tails, Knuckles, Archie & IDW series) sometimes, but with you, he thinks that since he is such a dashing hero, you’d automatically want to follow along with whatever he has planned. Sonic’s done this for years! Why wouldn't you trust his superior thinking and quick-witted remarks? Don’t worry, you still get some say in what you think is a good idea and what is not but, don’t expect Sonic to completely place his trust in you once he’s this smitten. He’s seen terrible things happen and he hasn't been able to save everyone that he loves. Sonic believes he has a right to be paranoid, (in a way he does and TOTALLY uses this to his advantage) overriding your decisions in favor of his.

Walk away if you want to, run even, you cannot escape Sonic. You tell him to give you space, to leave you alone, he’ll say, “Alright, alright. I get it, I've been up in your grill, I’m sorry,” (he's not too sorry). He’ll give you that space, if only for a little while. Then, Sonic’s anxious thoughts kick in and he cannot bear the thought of you getting hurt by some crazy event, (cough cough Eggman). Sonic tries to keep himself in check, tries to not crowd you but, he ends up watching you from behind. As soon as you turn your back, he dashes out of the scene. “Didn't say anything ‘bout watching,” Sonic justifies. He knows that he has broken his word. Sonic also knows that this is wrong, stalking you and violating your wishes isn't the right thing to do. And he does it anyway because he loves you, Sonic loves you more than anyone ever will.

When beating up badnicks, Sonic in this AU doesn’t hold back his punches. It’s either them or you, and he’d rather keep you alive so he can dash on by daily, forget the plans you made specifically for yourself. He will join in almost any activity you do, Sonic doesn’t want to be away from you and needs to be a part of your life. If you have a strong resolve and refuse every time, Sonic will resort to stalking you so he can still be with you, (as stated before). What about murder? Now, it's quite rare for Sonic to be driven to murder. He values the excitement around him, including Eggman and his friends. That also includes interdimensional bad guys who seriously need to lighten up. “He-hey! Lighten up chuckles! Someone had a real bad hair day;” Sonic loves his puns and mocking his foes. But, as soon as your life is in danger by the same cause, multiple times…maybe it is just better to get rid of a fun problem.

“Hey Sonic, you took a little longer getting here, is everything okay?” It's not like you need to know. Sonic totally didn't take that one idiotic Mobian villain of the week behind closed doors and showed them how fast he can actually throw punches. Or that he knew how to cut a few limbs off with just a knife. And was so clever with hiding the body where no one could find it; there was a reason Sonic liked water every now and then. He was real glad he knew how to pilot a ship and get rid of the mess. “Yeah! Everything’s fine. Remembered that I had to take care of cleaning up something back at my place, no biggie,” Sonic replies back with a smirking shrug, dismissing your concern. Man, his shoes look a little darker than usual, almost brown. Must've gotten into some mud? Probably. Smells pretty bad, he should wash his shoes.

[poison-into-positivity]

Thinking about Lucius in Red Flags and how his narrative purpose kind of runs parallel to Archie’s in that same episode.

We know that Archie’s narrative role, among other things, is to show audiences that what Ed is doing is not uniquely cruel or evil in the world of piracy, but commonplace: “In my experience, this is kind of how these things go.” Not necessarily justified, but definitely normalized.

Lucius makes a similar argument in this episode, I think, when he tells Stede about his life on the other ships, it reinforces just how different “normal” piracy is from Stede’s method. Despite having several months of experience on a pirate ship, Lucius is ill-equipped to deal with life on other ships. He plays a similar role to the audience here—we also have really only been exposed to piracy through a Stede Bonnet lens, and so Lucius’s anecdotes seem as insane and outlandish to us as they felt to him.

The combination of Lucius’ and Archie’s respective experiences are really important here I think—these reminders of the “real world” of piracy help contextualize—but importantly, do not justify—Ed’s actions in the first two episodes, especially to an audience whose primary experience with piracy in this world thus far is one that is completely one-of-a-kind.

[jess-the-vampire]

Do you think Archie would learn glyph magic (if it's made a comeback by that point) like Luz did?

he technically actually already does know glyph magic, luz offered to train him since he was little and had no magic

at least till he had a palisman

archie isn't very strong at it, mostly because glyphs kinda have always made him nervous...

like light glyphs? totally fine for him

but as a little kid, using the others had some....wild results, like when he used an ice glyph and he created a pillar that broke a window, or when he used the plant glyph and entangled himself in a vine, or when he tried fire and nearly burned his hands

Archie basically lets his anxiety get the better of him and it drastically affects his glyph magic, which doesn't happen with his palisman

it's something he needs to still work for, especially if he ever runs into a situation without sterling, and ends up entirely defenseless

[leggerefiore]

any short ideas on how some of the characters (including lucy would be nice but it isn’t necessary :D) fare against the cold? colress has a cooling system in his coat so he’d probably have a heating system too… and of course everyone has seen ingo handling the cold </3

a secret Lucy fan hiding among the masses....

characters: Ingo, Emmet, Colress, Lucy, Grimsley, Nanu, Volo, Archie, Maxie, Cyllene, Cyrus, Kabu

▲Ingo▼

● The older Subway Boss is well-adjusted to cooler temperatures. For one, the Gear Station stays a pretty consistent temperature always due to being underground, often skewing a bit cooler even with moderated air control. And, two, well, he lives in Unova. The region is known pretty well known for its icy winters. Many times, Ingo had nearly taken a tumble, walking out on the iced over sidewalks. He is well aware of how to bundle up and stay warm. That, and he finds his love of coffee quite beneficial here. The warm beverage helps keep him nice and heated. Though, he does get quite red cheeks in the cold. It is a bit cute to see. (Oh, and Chandlure is an enormous help in keeping him warm. The spooky chandelier hates to see him so cold.)

▽Emmet△

○ The younger Subway Boss hates the cold. He whines about winter and refuses to go out as much. Instead, he bundles up under a ridiculous number of blankets and runs a space heater. Ingo worries about him in this state. Unova's freezing temperatures are a maddening part of the year. Elesa watches him become a recluse in real time. The only thing that inspires him to face the day is his job. He loves his trains verrry much, so he will put on five extra layers and go to work. He has his Archeops cuddle with him to help keep him warm. Its plumage keeps it warm despite the whole half-rock thing. He loves hot chocolate, especially at this time of year, to stay extra warm. People assume he is downing coffee like his brother, but he is not.

🥼Colress🛸

🧪 The scientist was familiar with all kinds of climates. Though, notably, he did originate from Unova. He knew the cold very well due to the shifting climate of the region. Winters could be particularly harsh… So, he made his Achromatic Wearable Console able to manage both highs and lows in temperature. Should it get too cold, the internal heating kicks on and keeps him warm. Though, honestly, he prefers the cold to heat. It reminds him of a lab environment. That, and being hot, quite impacts his focus. If it is especially cold, he pulls out a scarf the same colour as his blue hair streak, which is quite a sight.

💜Lucy🐍

🟣 This Frontier Brain? She hates the cold. Hoenn is a warmer climate with mild winters. She is not at all prepared for cold weather… In fact, to her, anything under 13°c (55°f) is almost unbearable. Much like her choice in a partner pokemon, she wants to curl away on colder days and just wait for it to pass. Her annoyance is skyrocketed by fewer challengers, too, in colder weather. She usually ends up wearing a jacket at 15°c (60°f) and huffs the entire time. At least she looks a bit cool in her Serviper themed jacket. In the battle of snake woman versus cold? Cold wins.

♠️Grimsley❤️

♤ The gambler is more than used to chilly winters. Hailing from Unova, he has seen insane winters and even faced a few without heating (due to various reasons). He is more than adept at handling the cold and seems completely unfazed, even in his usual attire of a suit. It is a bit shocking to see. Though, if it becomes too much, he has his Liepard come out as a warm water bottle of sorts. If it is entirely awful, his Houndoom is out and absolutely pressed against his side. Though, he never lets it reach his face. He does get a bit of red in his face, however. In truth, Grimsley prefers warmer climates. Which is why he ponders Alola some days. For now, however, he will deal with Unova's insane seasonal shifts.

🐈���⬛️Nanu❤️‍🩹

🌑 This old man? Does not mix well with the cold at all. Alola is his home, and he quite enjoys the tropical paradise's climate. Yet, in his last life, he ventured all over the world and experiences climates of all temperatures. He discovered quite quickly that he hated colder environments. A heavy coat over his suit made him look goofy when mixed with his cheeks as red as his irises. Many asked him if he was quite alright. He wanted to say that he felt like he was going to freeze to death, but he bit his tongue. No, Nanu did not enjoy those times at all. He was glad to be in Alola, where he did not even have to think about the cold unless something to do with Mount Lanakila came up.

💫Volo📜

⭐️ The merchant is more than adept at facing the various temperatures offered up by Hisui. Though, more often than not, the region offered up cold temperatures that would scare many away from settling. Yet, Volo dared to face this region's extremes with ease. For one, he simply had too much love for where his bloodline had settled long ago, and for two, well, he found himself enjoying the isolation the cold tended to warrant. It was even in the Icelands that he met his beloved partner pokemon. The little egg-like creature wandering up to him with such gentle eyes. Yes, Volo would dare say he even liked the cold. His body did not even need many layers as the Galaxy Team members demanded to face it. Though, he did have to get out a few extra blankets for overnight. (His Arcanine would suffice it truly grew to be too much.)

🌧Archie🌊

💧 Surprisingly, the Aqua Leader manages the cold well enough. While Hoenn usually faces mild winters, he is pretty unbothered by cooler temperatures. Archie does not even get out a coat typically, which scares some people when he is still wandering around in his wetsuit like summer is not long gone. Why is he so adapted? Well, the ocean gets pretty cold, and he loves the ocean. His Sharpedo is always pretty cool to the touch, too. Oh, and his team's hideout is an actual seaside cave. Archie guffaws at people's shock of learning this often enough. He is no wimp, of course. Unlike a certain someone he knows.

☀️Maxie🌋

🪨 The Magma Leader hate, hate, hates the cold. There is nothing he can stand less than being cold. He wears a sweater in the sweltering heat of a volcano – This man cannot handle temperatures below 25°c (77°f). He simply is seen bundled up in the most mild of temperatures. Most people look at him like he is insane, even in Hoenn. His Camerupt comes out frequently enough for him to snuggle into and steal the pokemon's warmth. (His Camerupt quite enjoys this, of course.) His face is as red as his hair in truly cold temperatures, and he is utterly miserable.

🌙Cyllene🌌

🌕 The Survey Corps Captain is admired for her capable of facing many things without faltering to emotion or hesitation. However, she has one plain weakness that curses her. She hails from Hoenn. The Galaxy Team HQ is quite well insulated and even features heating – Something she dearly enjoys. She is far from used to the winters that Hisui provides her. The poor Captain braves the cold while attempting to pretend she does not wish to return to her homeland and enjoy a sweltering summer that almost could suffocate you to the dry coolness Hisui gives. She cannot bear the cold as well as she pretends to and refuses to let anyone know. Her envy for the Galarian professor being so bundled up is silent. At least, she is excited to hear a more “tropical” part of Hisui is to be developed… Perhaps she will move there one day when retiring from her work. (If ever.)

🌌Cyrus🛰

☄️ The Galactic Boss will never, ever admit that he cannot bear the cold. It will never leave his mouth – It will never express itself on his face. However, he cannot stand it. He grew up in Sunyshore – A bright, warmer place – He found himself despising that very thing and refusing to ever step foot inside that city again. However, one horrible piece remained a burden on him. His preferred temperatures. Most of Sinnoh was cool all year around, and he simply had to deal with that. Longer sleeves were simply his preferred management. Though, most Galactic members will note their boss's warmer attire choices, even if the temperature is considered moderate for Sinnoh. (Granted, the HQ is kept quite cold due to the various machines around, so many chalk it up to that.)

🔥Kabu🏅

💥 This old man… Well, he has lived in Galar for some time. Despite his origins of Hoenn, he has adjusted to the more temperate and cooler averages of the island region. Granted, he does still bundle up a bit more than expected in the cooler months. Their winters certainly are not comparable to what he faced in Hoenn. But he feels he runs hot, so it almost balances out. He finds the cooler temperatures as no real bother for him anymore. Though, when he first moved, it had been a bit of a shock. He would rather not think of how his poor his reception had been. Torkoal had been his literal hot rock during that time. Usually, he just puts on his coat and enjoys a nice warm meal to get over the cold now.

[plussizefantasia]

CozyTober Day 8: Apple Cider Donuts

Dad!Steve Rogers x Mom!reader

This is a continuation of Pumpkin Patch from last year's Flufftober Event

WC: 1.3k

warnings: none, just pure sweetness

an: we're all going to collectively agree not to mention the fact that I'm like a week behind in posting these, but I'm actively caffeinated and on a roll so we'll see how long that stays true

Your family didn’t have a whole lot of traditions growing up, and Steve’s mom tried her best but it was hard balancing work and a sick son, especially during the depression. That just meant that the traditions you made with Caleb were just that much more special.

Last year the three of you made the trip to Henderson Orchard for their fall activities. You had spent the whole day watching your son have fun and fawning over your husband and how amazing of a father he is. You carved up your pumpkins and thus began a new family tradition.

Caleb is six now and despite the fact that he is adamant that he is a ‘big boy’ now, he’s still your little man and you still want to take him out for a fun day together. Finally, the weather cooled down enough that it felt “fall-ish” enough to make the trip. 

You made French toast for breakfast with some chopped strawberries and vanilla yogurt and waited patiently for your boys to wake up and amble their way downstairs. Steve used to be an early riser, years of military service and the need for a strict regime made his internal clock kickstart hours before your own. A life of domesticity had dulled that clock and now it wasn’t as rare for you to wake up before your husband.  

Steve was the first of your boys to join you in the kitchen though, taking the mug of coffee from your outstretched hand and placing a kiss on your shoulder as he passed you. 

“You made breakfast?” He asked.

“Don’t sound so surprised.” you chuckled at him. 

Steve and you enjoyed a few quiet moments together. Both of you are silent, merely enjoying each other's presence. There was a time when you would have tried to fill the silence but after ten years together small talk just didn’t feel needed anymore. 

Your peace is disrupted by the thuds of tiny feet from above you, followed by a creaking door and then even faster thuds down the stairs.

Caleb turned the corner and ran into the kitchen.

“Mom, Dad! I woke up in my room and wanted to tell you about my dream so I ran to your room but you weren’t there which was sad, but then I smelled breakfast so I thought you would be in the kitchen so I ran downstairs and then I found you.” He rushed out in one breath.

“I’m glad you found us, buddy. Do you still want to tell us about your dream?”

“Yes!” He yelled, “I-” He paused, “I forgot it.” He shrugged and plopped down on the stool next to Steve. 

Steve ruffled his hair and placed a plate in front of him. Caleb wasted no time digging into his breakfast and like his father, demolished the food within minutes. 

Soon the three of you were packed into your car and on your way to the Orchard for some fall family fun. 

Caleb spent the entire drive there regaling Steve and yourself all about what his new friend Archie and he get up to on the playground. He told you all about how Archie wasn’t very good at running games or climbing games or games with balls but that he was super funny and “Soooo smart mommy, like smarter than Uncle Tony.” 

As soon as the orchard was in view though, Caleb quickly switched gears, “What are we gonna do this time Dad? Will there be goats like last year? What about the corn pit? The corn pit was fun, though I got corn in my shoe. Are we getting pumpkins again? Are we getting apples? Can we get both? I don’t know how we’ll carry both though. Maybe Daddy and I can take them to the car so we don’t have to carry them. Can I help you carry the apples and pumpkins to the car Dad?” If there was one thing you don’t think you’d ever get tired of, it’s the energy your little boy has. His curiosity knows no bounds and it’s something that Steve and you are doing your best to foster in him.

“Why don’t we look around a little first before making too many plans, okay bud?” Steve said to reel Caleb in and more importantly, to get him to breathe. 

The three of you take a lap around the place, looking at all there is to do and making a game plan for the rest of the day. Caleb and Steve have fun in the Corn pits once again, you help Caleb pet the cows in the barn and all three of you once again pick perfect pumpkins. This year you also check out the apple orchard on the far side of the property and get a large bag on honeycrisps, both to eat and bake with.

While you were over there you noticed a small white cabin-like building with smoke coming out the chimney and other people trailing in and out. You pat Steve on his shoulder and nod your head in the direction of the building.

“Why don’t you boys take the apples back to the car while I check this place out and then we can meet back at the tables near the corn maze to check in?” 

“Okay, Mommy,” Caleb yells before giving your leg the quickest hug in the world and then grabbing his father’s hand and pulling him off in another direction. 

You chuckle and head towards the building. 

When you get inside you’re met with a woosh of warm air and a spectacular smell. Looking around you see this place is absolutely full of all kinds of baked goods stacked on tables, along with a bustling kitchen team behind the counter kneading, icing, and plating all kinds of amazing culinary creations. 

You smile to yourself and step towards the counter, wanting to get a nice treat for your boys.

When you got into view of the tables you had told the boys to meet you at, they were already sitting there and your heart melted a little bit at the sight you witnessed. Caleb sat next to Steve on the bench, his head leaning against Steve’s shoulder and Steve’s arm wrapped around Caleb’s back. 

You felt a smile spread across your face and you quickened your pace to get to your little family quicker. 

“Well, aren’t you two just the sweetest?” You asked as soon as you were within hearing distance, both of their head’s perked up and they landed their eyes on you immediately. 

“We don’t have anything on you, Doll.” Steve winked at you and you took a seat across from them.

“You wanna know what else is sweet?” You lifted an eyebrow and looked at Caleb.

“Cotten Candy.” He replied matter-of-factly.

“That is true but I was thinking something a little more substantial.” You laughed and placed the boat of apple cider donuts on the table.

“Donuts!” Caleb yelled and began to practically vibrate in his seat.

“Go ahead, buddy.” Steve looked down at him and nodded his head towards the sweet treat, holding back a laugh when Caleb launched himself at the sugar-covered rings.

The three of you talk and share your treat until they are all gone and when Caleb wobbles his lip and bats his eyelashes at Steve, you all walk back towards the bakery and get more.

Caleb holds his donuts in front of him and walks slightly ahead of Steve and you, the three of you making your way back towards the main thoroughfare.

“So, are we keeping this tradition?” You bump your hip against Steve’s and look up at him when you ask.

He chuckles and pulls you into his side with an arm around your shoulder. His gaze stays locked on Caleb while the little boy ventures forward. “Yeah Hon, this one is for keeps.”

[toasttt11]

hospital visits

March 6, 2021

Hayden was finishing putting on her purple converse after the game she just played and her team had won when her phone rung and she paused as she only has her notifications on for a few people so she quickly pulled out her phone immediately and frowned seeing Ellen calling.

“Hi?” Hayden spoke sounding confused as her family doesn’t usually call her this quick after a game.

“Hayden.” Ellen’s voice cracked slightly making Hayden sit up alarmed, “Luke was injured in his game and we’re taking him to hospital, it’s his foot we aren’t sure the damage but there’s a bad laceration.” Ellen told Hayden seriously, There was so much blood and it was making Ellen worried.

Hayden clenched her hand taking a deep breath, “I’ll be there in a few hours.” Hayden didn’t care if she had anything planned her baby brother was injured that is all that matters.

Ellen nodded and said her goodbyes.

Connor who noticed how worried Hayden was, “What do you need?” Connor immediately asked squeezing Hayden’s shoulder softly, not asking anything more just being there for Hayden.

“Can you watch Archie for me and tell the coaches i won’t be at practice tomorrow.” Hayden quickly asked Connor as she knows Lauren and Connor have a key to her house.

“Of course.“ Connor easily accepted not even asking what is wrong just letting Hayden grab her stuff and run out of the locker room.

Hayden quickly got into her car and started the quick drive to the airport.

Hayden immediately bought the next flight out to Michigan which with her luck was only minutes away and she rushed to the terminal and got onto the plane last.

She let out a long breath as she sat down and the plane was getting ready to takeoff.

Hayden knows lacerations are incredibly dangerous injuries and may seem small but can cause a lot of damage, she just hoped Luke would be okay and she hated he got injured but especially in his draft year.

It felt like the longest flight in the world for Hayden and she spent the entire time counting down the time until the plane landed.

Hayden booked it off the plane immediately and quickly got out of the airport and flagged down a cab and told the driver the address to the hospital her family is at.

She checked her phone and Quinn couldn’t come out yet as he had a game to play and Luke told him to stay and play. Jack would be here later tonight.

Hayden rushed into the hospital and to the front desk, “Luke Hughes.” Hayden immediately told the nurse and was told what room he was in.

Hayden rushed down the hallway and toward Luke’s room, she walked in letting out a sigh seeing Luke in the room and walked right to him.

Luke blinked seeing Hayden walk in and smile drowsily as he has had many pain killers, “Haydes.” Luke slurred out.

“Lu.” Hayden breathed out relived as she bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead and rested her head on top of his head as Luke grabbed her hand and clung to her tightly.

“How is he?” Hayden asked looking up at Ellen and Jim quickly but keeping her full attention on Luke.

“It could’ve been a lot worse.” Jim told her honestly squeezing Ellen’s hand reassuringly, “He will need surgery to make sure everything is okay and heal the correct way but he will be okay.” Jim finished telling Hayden.

Luke was lucky it wasn’t a lot worse and his injury will be something he will be able to heal completely from.

Hayden let out a sigh of relief and brushed his hair out of his face and kissed his forehead again.

Ellen took a deep breath wiping her face of any tears as they had only gotten the good news about Luke minutes before Hayden came.

Ellen let go of Jim’s hand and grabbed a chair and dragged it to the side of Luke and that Hayden was standing on and pressed a kiss to her nieces cheek, “Sit Hayden.” Ellen gave her a stern glance seeing Hayden about to protest, “You just played a long game and was just on a flight.”

Hayden nodded listening to Ellen and sat down in the chair not letting go of Luke’s hand as she watched him slowly fall asleep.

Ellen and Jim started talking with Hayden quietly as Luke was fast asleep and wanted to hear about things going on in her life that they haven’t heard about yet and it was a good distraction for all three of them.

Hayden had been in the hospital for a few hours and it was getting extremely late when Jack came hurrying through the door and let out a long relieved breath seeing Luke alright.

Jack walked in right to Luke and kissed the top of a sleeping Luke’s head and let a breath out and the tension released from his shoulder.

Hayden stood up and Jack immediately turned to her and pulled her into a tight hug, “Hi Haydes.” Jack softly whispered resting his head on his best friend’s shoulder.

“Hi Jacky.” Hayden gently whispered back resting her chin on Jack’s head and hugged him back tightly.

The doctor came in a little later to take Luke to surgery and Luke luckily was still sleeping so he wouldn’t even realize and wouldn’t be anxious.

Hayden, Jack, Ellen and Jim all waited in the surgery waiting room as they called Quinn to update him on everything that was happening.

Hayden rested her head on top of Jack’s head as Jack used Hayden’s shoulder as a pillow as the two quietly talked to each other as they waited for Luke’s surgery to be finished.

Hayden was glad to be with most of her family but Quinn even if this isn’t a reason she wanted to have to be with her family because Luke is hurt.

March 7, 2021

After a few more hours of waiting and the sun was already starting to come back up Luke’s surgery was finally finished and everything went really well and they were allowed to go back to Luke’s room and wait till he woke back up. The doctors told them that his surgery went really well.

Ellen and Jim went to Luke’s side first and Ellen gripped Luke’s hand tightly and Jim pressed a kiss to his sleeping son’s cheek.

Hayden waited till they were done and walked over pressing a kiss to Luke’s forehead before sitting in the chair next to him letting Jack see Luke too.

They all waited around Luke’s bed for him to wake back up.

Luke groaned and his eyes squinted open seeing most of his family around his bed, “Hi?” Luke croaked out and Ellen grabbed a cup of water for Luke to drink.

“Hay!” Luke tiredly beamed realizing Hayden was still there and gripped her hand tighter.

“Okay we already know who the favorite is but come on!” Jack scoffed playfully as Luke didn’t even acknowledge him but he wasn’t surprised as he knows that everyone’s favorite sibling is Hayden.

Luke teasingly smirked back, “Hi Rowdy.”

Hayden laughed at the two as Ellen and Jim watched three of their four kids with a fond smile.

[lovelylivewirez]

Figured I should post this on it's own since @au-sonic-smackdown has already begun (but I kept forgetting so... a few days later it is lmao)

I'll take this as a chance to ramble a little about this AU as well- putting under the cut tho bc it's gonna get a bit long and is probably a bit disjointed lol

So Sonic in this AU is immortal, right? He's like a demigod kinda. But so are Shadow and Tails (Shadow being the Ultimate Lifeform and Tails being a kitsune). They live far into the future, long enough to meet Silver as a child and see him grow, and will live far longer still.

Sonic is a nomad and lives anywhere as long as it's off the grid. He doesn't like other people knowing of his immortality out of fear that it will be exploited somehow. Eggman Nega would eventually prove that fear true, and some of his scars are from encounters with him.

(Some scars are from his childhood, but the prominent one running down his torso and the one in his ear, as well as a few other big ones covered by bandages, are relatively recent. They're indicative of some of the ways he has died before, if you're willing to take a guess.)

Shadow has taken over the role as Mobius' current hero, at least in the eyes of the public, but Sonic has remained a hero of legend. Silver also does his fair share of hero-ing, too, and is constantly chasing after Nega and foiling his plans with Shadow's help. Sonic will come in and help often, but leaves just as quickly as he came, often remaining unseen.

Meanwhile, Tails uses his kitsune powers to appear as a regular fox and hide his status as immortal. He poses as a local mechanic in Onyx City (the city from Archie Sonic Universe's Silver Age arc, but like. A good future instead of a dystopia) and helps Shadow and Silver covertly with his advanced tech.

When he's not saving the world from impending doom, Sonic either wanders the world to find places to nap in, hangs out with Tails or Shadow, or is hunted down by Nega.

Sonic's immortality allows him to regenerate and come back whenever he dies. The Chaos Energy inside of him won't let him die, he just heals and comes back, but it often leaves a scar, especially if the injury is severe. It's left him with chronic pain and fatigue. He uses a cane he carved himself out of a stick, unless in werehog form, where he just walks on all fours instead.

As a werehog, he's extremely irritable and pretty feral, but since he can control when he transforms most of the time (except new moons), he avoids transforming unless the boost in strength is absolutely necessary.

He's gotten pretty attached to lots of old things that remind him of his friends. Even if those things have started to decay, he hoards them in secret burrows across the world and refuses to let them go. His memory is not the greatest and has gotten worse as he aged, so he holds onto things that remind him of his late friends to ensure they live on in some way.

Anyways, that's all I have for now. Go vote for your favorite Sonic in the smackdown!

[realm-sweet-realm]

What do you think the villains like to read?

Giovanni: Giovanni doesn’t have much time to read for leisure, or to keep up with what’s popular that he might like. If he has the time for it, he’ll read whatever is suggested to him by whoever’s around to suggest something. He generally prefers television since his brain gets enough of a workout running his criminal empire, but if he had time off and weren’t getting that, he’d use books to make up the difference.

Maxie: Maxie is well-read. Very well-read. Unfortunately he’s also very set in his ways and prone to interpreting what he reads in a way that confirms his worldview. So yes, he’s read a ton on geology, and yes, he could hold his own with Steven Stone in a debate about rocks, but none of that will convince him that throwing rocket fuel in a volcano is a bad idea. He doesn’t have a ton of time for fiction, but he does like it, especially alternate histories.

Archie: Archie may not be as loud about his intellect as Maxie is, but he’s as well-read on ocean life and ecosystems as Maxie is on geology and land development, and he’s very passionate about it. He’s not as blinded by bias as Maxie (still pretty bad though), but Maxie has a bit more breadth to his knowledge. Archie likes action novels as well, especially post-apocalypse-related ones.

Cyrus: Cyrus researches both for work and for leisure. He’s read a lot about myth and engineering, as well as any information he could access on how other evil teams were run. He’s the type of person to read everything there is to read about very niche aspects of his interests just out of curiosity.

N: it’s a good thing N likes physics, because any fiction he read had to be vetted first so they wouldn’t give him any wrong ideas. He read a lot of math, physics and Pokémon care stuff as a kid while his fiction was being vetted for him. As a young adult, he seems like he has a childlike taste in fiction (lots of middle school adventure books and whatnot), but really he’s just making up for lost time.

Ghetsis: Ghetsis enjoys reading history, in particular anything to do with war or dictatorships. He loves imagining himself as powerful and violent historical figures and thinking about how he could have played their cards differently. He’s also a fan of theatre and likes reading playwrights. Not a fan of very unrealistic genres like fantasy and horror, but so long as it’s realistic, historical fiction is good, too- the more violent the better.

Colress: reads cutting edge scientific journals with his morning coffee. For fiction, science fiction is nice, but he will nit pick all the unscientific parts and try to think of ways he could make it work in reality. To him it’s part of the fun. This makes him either extremely interesting or extremely obnoxious to talk to about it.

Lysandre: Lysandre likes consuming media, including books, and he has very discerning tastes. While his favourites are old classics, he keeps his eye on what are considered to be the best books published that year. Poor-quality or mediocre media, especially if it’s popular, is just another sign that most people aren’t cut out to preserve the world’s beauty.

Guzma: Guzma doesn’t read very much- he’s not bad at it, he just learns better from the internet or practical experience. He has watched a lot of videos on bug Pokémon biology, though- enough that he could carry a conversation about it with a entomologist. Videos or other internet sources are his go-to when he needs to figure out a skill to maintain Po Town, and he has had to learn a lot of things as problems arise. He’s not dumb by any means.

Lusamine: Lusamine is pretty big into escapism. She likes reading fantasy, historical fiction and romance novels and cries over them easily. She also likes magazines about fashion, beauty, interior design and the like. Why can’t the real world be that beautiful?

Rose: speculative fiction. Unfortunately he’s rich and stupid enough that he he thinks he can make some of the ideas in these fiction novels into reality. If it hadn’t been Eternatus, it would have been something else. He’s well-read when it comes to finance, too.

Piers: Piers is self-taught when it comes to both his passions, and as such has read a lot about music and battle strategy. He liked fiction when he was younger, but nowadays, between his obligations as a gym leader, a musician, a leader is Spikemuth and up until recently Marnie’s caretaker, he doesn’t have time to read.

Penny: Manga, and lots of it. Also an avid AO3 user. She’s especially a fan of yuri.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Same as it ever was 6

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as neglect, bullying, manipulation, cheating, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Between your home life and work, you just can’t catch a break. Especially after you draw the ire of your boss.

Characters: Lloyd Hansen ft. Pete Brenner

Note: have a happy friday.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

Sunday gives you an excuse to get away. Pete, like a dog with his tail between his legs, doesn't even try to come up with an excuse to 'work'. You take Simone with you to the grocery store, warning the slug that he can handle Malik for a couple hours alone. You notice the pout in his lips but don't acknowledge it.

You don't need much but you take your time. You agree to buy Simone an Archie comic, shrugging off the extra few dollars as you notice her growing restless. You made her leave her book at home. You're happy she loves to read but she can't ignore the world all the time.

"You wanna get lunch?" You ask as you push the cart through the lot.

"Mm, I dunno," she drags her feet, "I'm tired."

"Probably 'cause you need to eat," you judge her with your elbow, "come on, how often is it just the two of us."

She grumbles but you ignore her reluctance. You're in no hurry to get home and you can scrounge enough for a sit down in the diner. It might be the last nice thing you can afford.

You load up the bags on the trunk and drive down the block to the same place you would take Simon when you were still pregnant with Malik. Those days were nice and so far behind you. The memory makes your heart ache.

You open the door ahead of Simone and follow her into the mom and pop shop. You're seated by the window in a booth. You order coffee as your daughter gets an apple juice. You peruse the menu but you're not very hungry.

"Oh, they still have the grilled cheese," you say.

"Yeah…" she continues to read the menu, nonplussed by your suggestion.

You tap your toe and cup your chin as you look out the window. It's a nice day even if you're gloomy inside. You turn back to the table and flip over the menu. 

The waitress returns with your drinks. You sip your coffee before you order a mac and cheese and Simone gets chicken fingers. You hand the menus over and smile at your daughter. She's old enough, she'll catch on soon.

"So, what's your latest adventure about?" You ask.

"Uh, well, I just read one about a knight. She's a girl and she goes off to fight an army of trolls…"

You immerse yourself in her retelling of the children's novel. You don't care, it's better than reality. You giggle and smile as she becomes more animated. She can be so monotone but her passion makes you proud.

A figure approaches, breaking your trance, and you look over expecting the waitress. To your chagrin, it's not.

You grip the edge of the table as Simone's voice peters out and she looks at the man with her cool deadpan. You clear your throat, fighting the urge to reach across and shield her. Mr. Hansen smirks down at you as he glances between you and your daughter.

"Funny running into you here," he snickers, "enjoying your weekend."

"Just having lunch," you say crisply, "hope you're having a good Sunday."

You turn straight on the bench and look at Simone as you gesture for her to face you. She frowns as you try to come up with an escape plan. You don't even know what to say and he's not going anywhere.

"Oh I'm having a wonderful weekend. Look at you, how cute, this must be the spawn."

"Spawn?" Simone murmurs, "hey, what's your deal, guy?"

"Sim," you wave her off, "that's good to hear Mr. Hansen. I hate to keep you so–"

"Room for one more?" He winks.

"Ew, no," Simone speaks before you can, "mom, tell him to go away."

"She's mouthy. Not hard to guess why," he scoffs.

You slide off the seat and stand, stepping between him and the table. You arch a brow, pleading with your hands out.

"Please, sir, we're just enjoying a meal out. I'll see you tomorrow. At work."

He watches you, his amusement playing on his face. He's enjoying seeing you squirm, just like before. He always knows the most sensitive spot to hit. Your kids would be top of the list.

"Tomorrow," he winks as he leans back on his heel, "we got a special meeting, don't we?"

"Sir," you hiss.

He chuckles and rolls his eyes, "alright, ladies, enjoy your lunch."

He backs up and struts away. You don't sit until he's out the door. What on earth is he even doing in a place like this? It's not exactly a Michelin star experience.

You settle back in and swallow, turning to watch out the window. He isn't in his usual suit but still dressed nicely. A peach polo peeking out under a teal bomber jacket and canary pants. Tacky if you say so yourself.

"Who was that weirdo?" Simone asks.

"My boss," you lean back, "just saying hi."

"He's strange. Like the villain in the book I was reading," she scowls out the window, "you need a new job."

You laugh despite yourself, "you have no idea. First things first, I'm starving."

🗄️

You get home, exhausted. You put away the groceries and tidy up. Of course Pete couldn't clean up after making a mess of the kitchen for a simple PB and J. You sigh as you finish and look in on the kids in the living room.

Malik colours as Simone creases her brow at her book. You hear Pete outside working on his Corvette. For a brand new car, it sure needs a lot of maintenance.

You tell the kids you'll be upstairs if they need anything. You go to the bedroom and open the closet. You're so anxious about tomorrow, you may as well get ready to face the music.

You pick out an outfit. Nothing special. You don't have anything fashionable. It's not like you need more than a striped blouse and worn black pants. You just don't want to come back up there to grab it all in the morning.

As you come downstairs, you hear Malik giggling. You peek in through the doorway with your armful of clothing. Pete sits on the floor at the coffee table beside the boy and scribbles with a crayon. He meets your eye as you pass and gives a sheepish smile. You shake your head and keep going.

You open the door to the basement and the cool air sweeps around your descent. You put the outfit on the folding table beside the camping cot. Your first few nights have been less than comfortable. As cozy as your own marriage.

You check the dryer and take out the towels, folding them on the top and stacking them there. You hear footsteps on the stairs. You keep your back to the airy space.

"Hey," Pete says. You're not surprised. He keeps trying to corner you. "So…"

"Busy," you grab a basket and set the towels in it.

"Hm," he stops only a few feet from you, "Simone said you ran into someone. Your boss."

"Yup. Nice guy," you utter dryly.

"I thought Mandy was your boss."

You roll your eyes as you lift the basket and turn, "one of many. She's up in York now."

"Ah…" he hangs his head, gripping one hip, "a lot's changed."

"I'm not in the mood to talk so let's not do this."

He huffs and steps into your path. He puts a hand on the basket. He looks you in the face.

"I will be home every day at six–"

"Too late."

"Please, can't I just try? Can't you?"

"Me? I tried, Pete," you snap, "come home at six anyway. The kids will be happy."

"What about you?"

You stare at him grimly. Your eyes tingle and you look away. Your chest rises and falls.

"I haven't been happy in a long time. Don't think I will be again," you shrug and pull the basket away, striding past him, "I didn't make you happy either, did I?"

He huffs and trails after you as you cross to the stairs. As you go to make your ascent and he grabs your arm and spins you back to him. Before you can react, he snatches the basket from your grip and places it on the stack of rubbermaid bins by the wall.

He puts his hands on your arms and pulls you against him. He leans in and you turn your head, his lips crashing into your cheek. You shove on his chest and growl.

"What are you doing?" You pinch by his ribs.

"Baby, please, let me make it up to you–"

"Don't touch me," you push on him, "get off."

"I love you. I mean it–"

"Stop!" You hit his chest again but he doesn't budge, instead wrapping his arms around you, squeezing the breath out of you. How is he still so strong when you only ever got weaker? "Pete…"

"You can't walk away–"

"You already did," you keep your voice down, mindful of the open door above.

"Let me try. I wanna make love to you–"

"Pfft, yeah right. Go get tested and I might even consider letting you hold my hand," you snarl, "get off of me now."

"Wha– I'm clean–"

"Get!" You bring your knee up and feel it collide with his crotch. He releases you and staggers back, cupping his most precious possession. "You're a dirty fucking weasel."

You turn and pick up the basket and stomp up the stairs as you hear him whimpering. Serves him right. You can't help but smile at the ounce of power you feel in that moment. 

🗄️

Monday morning both too quickly but not fast enough. You get up with the kids and get them ready for school, filling a thermos of coffee for yourself. You drive them to school and send them off with dread in your chest.

For a moment, you idle outside the school. You miss the days when you only worried about spelling quizzes and dodgeball. You hope at least your kids never end up where you are.

You follow the crawl of traffic out of the school zone and reluctantly steer towards work. You yawn and drain half your thermos before you get to the office. As you shoulder your bag and look up at the corporate facade, you feel the world threaten to crumble around you. No, not the whole world, just yours.

You enter behind a few others and try to find your courage in the elevator. You peek over at your coworkers; you recognise two but the other you don't know. There's not much workplace camaraderie, more of an understanding to get your work down and clock out.

You follow them out and go to your desk. You sit and pop the lid off of your thermos. Just enough to get you through this. You don't unpack your lunch, certain you won't be eating it there.

You turn on your PC and sign in. You're in no hurry to get started on work. Your calendar pops up with the internal schedule reminder. There it is, a meeting in ten minutes. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

You get up and go to the bathroom. You can do this. You dealt with your scoundrel husband, you are still moving, you're not dead in the water.

But how do you survive this? Do you beg? You quit and take the loss? No you can't. You need this job and if you get fired, at least you'll have a hope at severance. 

You avoid your reflection. That old woman isn't you. You go out and check your watch, pausing as the shine of your rings gleam in the fluorescent light. You slide them off and put them in your back pocket. 

You check the schedule one last time and go to tbe meeting room. There's no one there as you find the door shut. It's clearly empty on the other side of the windowed walls. You lean against the plaster and tap your sole.

"Ah, there she is. How's it goin', toots? You need some chamomile? The chairs sure are comfy, aren't they?" Mr. Hansen struts down with his hands in his pockets.

"Sir," you greet flatly. He's mocking you. Jokes on him, you're always tired. 

"Come on," he twists the handle and swings the door open so that it bounces on the hinges, "get moving."

You don't react to his crass tone. You merely step into the room as the light flicks on as the censor picks up your movement. You walk along one side of the table as Hansen shuts the door.

You hover behind a chair as he goes along the wall and tugs each cord to repel the blinds down, blocking out the hallway. Uneasiness bubbles in your stomach as you watch him. You expected him to make your humiliation public.

"Have a seat, honey buns," he faces you, approaching the other side of the table.

You sit and fold your hands on the table top. He has no paperwork, not even a computer. You wonder what exactly is going on. 

"Is someone from HR–"

"Look, let's keep the sticklers outta this," he waves you off, kick one foot out as he shifts his weight to one hip, "unless you really want a disciplinary slip. Me, personally, I can't be fucked with that paperwork."

You frown and flatten your hands on the table, trying to keep your anxiety from showing. He looks at the gesture and tilts his head. His cheek dimples and he snorts.

He doesn't comment. Not at first. He paces up and down the table and bites his thumb. 

"Alright, let's get to business," he stops at the end, close to the corner, "what are you willing to do to keep this job?"

"Sir?"

"Pretty daughter you got. Probably eats up that paycheck in no time. All those cute shirts and ugh, the growth spurts–"

"Mr. Hansen," you swallow, "please, I don't think my family has anything to do with this."

"They have everything to do with this," he insists, "let's not pretend."

"I'm not– I'm sorry I fell asleep. It won't happen again."

"I gave you an out. All you had to do was put your hands down my pants and you could've napped in the boardroom. No problem. I do it all the time," he snickers, "but no, you're a stubborn little bitch. Makes me wonder what the old man sees in ya. Really, cause a tight ass ain't fun unless you get inside–"

"Mr. Hansen," you exclaim, revolted by his lewd words.

"Whatever he's doing, he's not doing it right. You need to loosen up, toots," he runs his thumb across his mustache, "and that little girl won't be so proud of mommy if she ends up working at Burger King like some stoner teenager–"

You sputter, heat creeping up the nape of your neck and speckling down your body. You shake your head. Did he know or is it a lucky guess? Either way, you don't have the energy for this. You're done being a joke for men.

"Just spit it out. What do I have to do?" You sneer as your hands ball.

His lips slant and he smothers a noise in his throat. He slowly walks closet until he's right beside you. You turn the chair to face him as he leans down and puts his hand on yours. He unfolds your fingers and feels along the indents left by your rings.

"Looks like trouble in paradise," he winks, "well, I'm the good kinda trouble. Trust me."

You stare at him. You're not as naive as you once were. There's no denial here. This is real life, a bitter pill you need to swallow.

"That's it? A hand job and I keep my job?" You squint.

He laughs and cups your chin, "oh, you think that's it?"

You can't help but let your surprise bleed through. Your not some young hot thing. Is he just trying to rub salt in the wound or is he serious?

"I…"

"Hand, mouth, cunt, ass, tits," he pulls away as he lists of each word, "you look in tact for the most part. But most importantly…" he shoots you with a finger gun, "you're desperate. What more could I ask for?"