#especially since I'll be in a bus for like. four hours and maybe I'll get to sleep there.

[hexagonaldecency]

Me: Can I have regular sleep cycles please?

Brain: We have regular sleep cycles at home.

The sleep cycles at home: four nights of not sleeping at all and four days sleeping all day averaging out at 10 hours of sleep a day.

[mrsvalbaker]

Amberline

Disclaimer: This story is going to be dedicated to a very good friend of mine, why she thinks I'm good enough to let me write a character for her, I dunno.

This a Kyle Scheible x OC, there's definitely smut, adult situations, all high school characters are portrayed by adults. There's mention of eating disorder.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Part I

Sacramento High School was no longer a public school.

This year it was changed to a charter due to its very low performance.

To be honest, this town is now poor or rich, and I fall into the latter as my mother loves to remind me. It's why I've been babysitting since I was twelve, and why this past summer I was working at a doughnut stand at a fair, and this school year I'll be working at Blockbusters.

College doesn't pay for itself, and mom made it no secret that she wasn't going to donate one red cent, why should she even though my babysitting and doughnut money go toward the nice apartment we live in and toward her payments for her Lexus she can hardly afford.

I don't even have a car, and does she ever drive me to work or school? No, it's my bicycle or a bus.

She's one of those southern women that always drone on about earning things, telling me life ain't easy and I best get a grasp of that early, especially since I'll be joining the rich kids of Sacramento for my senior year.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic High School is so graciously funded by Charlene Sixkiller, my dearest mother. She said it'll help me get to a good school. I'm truly grateful, but I feel so pressured, I feel like school and me leaving at eighteen is all we talk about at home.

I don't even know what I want to do.

Like fuck.

I love writing but my mom says that it doesn't pay the bills. It's a big reason why she won't help me with college, because I'm choosing to be an English Major.

Okay so maybe I do know what I want to do with my life.

I write gothic novels, a cross between horror and romance. I'm not very good at it but I love writing, between that and my diary it's the only way I can actually express myself.

-

It's awkward going to Catholic school and you're not a catholic, mom was brought up southern Baptist, and I hardly know a damn thing about my dad. Although he's probably the same, being from the same area.

I've only been to my mom's hometown of Rocky Mountain, North Carolina five times in my life, and every single time I count the hours for when we return to California.

My dream school is UCLA. It's hard as hell to get into, but going to this school will help. L.A. is far enough from central California where I won't have to deal with my mom again, and besides my dad's there. Maybe I can find him, ask him why I wasn't worth sticking around for.

My alarm clock blared Good Charlotte throughout my room. With a long groan and a painful stretch, I literally threw myself out of bed.

Dragged myself to the bathroom and pulled myself into the shower. I know being goth at a catholic school is going to be a total nightmare, but I was still Gung ho on making a good first impression. I washed my hair twice with the fruity smell of my Garnier shampoo and conditioner. Then massaged my loreal color mask into my waist length black hair before combing it through and clipping it up on top of my head.

My acne is starting to clear up but there's still some stubborn blemishes on my cheek. I washed my face with a morning burst about four times before using the scrub, why did I have to have problematic skin? Between acne, my fat ass and my boobs, I felt like there were twenty signs to point out how much of an ugly freak I am. I still tried though, some days I didn't think I looked bad, but days like today…

I scrubbed my skin with my electric apple lathered loofah until it was red and raw, and then rinsed my hair mask. I turned on the radio and brushed my teeth to the new Red Hot Chilli Peppers song By the Way, my eyes gazed with judgment at my reflection. How shall I fix myself today? I was getting over an eating disorder from last year, this weight is new to me. My doctor said I looked great, but sometimes I see a dancing hippopotamus in fantasia.

I rubbed Ponds onto my face and Bath and body works toasted hazelnut lotion on my skin. I sprayed my Secret powdery deodorant on. Blowing drying my waist length, ebony hair took a half an hour and that was me rushing. I sealed it with my Garnier serum and then did my makeup, far too much black eyeliner just past the point of you have gone too far, and cherry chapstick.

I pulled on my black panties and bra before pulling on the gray pleated school skirt I was forced to wear, I felt like a soldier preparing for war. The white buttoned down shirt was tucked in and I threw on my black zipper hoodie leaving it unzipped. I pulled on black knee high socks and scrunched them down before tying on my doc martens oxfords. I shoved on my many bracelets from a Hot Topic haul and made sure my black, stretchy choker constricted my neck. I brushed my hair down one more time and sprayed on my Victoria's Secret love spell body spray I got for my last birthday. I looked at myself, the kohl making my green eyes pop like I was on something. I wouldn't call myself hideous, just not pretty, not enough.

I wasn't enough for my old friends, when I was found passed out in the girl's bathroom everything changed. Nobody wanted me around, Alyssa and Taylor stopped sitting with me at lunch, and Alyssa started dating my crush Zach. They all acted like we never met.

But I was always the one who brought the least to the group. If I couldn't make it to a Marilyn Manson concert, they still went, but when Alyssa had the flu and couldn't make it to Disneyland, everyone canceled.

I was the one who was everyone's shoulder to cry on, at twelve I taught Taylor how to use pads and take motrin when she got her period, I told Zach he was good at drums, and anytime Alyssa had guy troubles it was me who lost sleep talking to her until 3am on the phone, it was me who bought her Häagen-Dazs and watched her stupid guilty pleasure show with her, Sex and the city, it was me who washed her hair and ran her a bath.

But it was never enough. Who knows, maybe I'm not meant to be happy. It's not in the cards for me I think.

The main reason for starting fresh and going to a new school wasn't just about college. It was so I wouldn't have to see the faces of the people who were supposed to be my best friends in the whole world, and couldn't get off their asses to visit me in the hospital.

I put my headphones and placed my Simple Plan CD into my player and turned it on blast.

Mom already left for work, she wasn't the kind of mother to prepare me a big breakfast for my first day. I grabbed an apple and granola bar and left to go catch the bus, getting catcalled on the way by guys old enough to be my dad.

Getting on that school bus was what you expected, the kids caught a look at the girl with black hair and equally black eyeliner and snicker or get out my way faster than a bat out of hell.

I sat in the very back next to a girl with shoulder length, dirty blonde hair pushed back by a headband that matched her gray school skirt.

She started talking to me, I saw her mouth move but couldn't hear one word. What is wrong with her? Can't she see that I'm wearing headphones? I wanted to ignore her so badly but I could not be rude to save my life. So I tapped the pause button with a black nail and pushed my headphones down before looking at her. "Can I help you?"

She smiled and laughed. "I was just saying you're new, I've never seen you before."

She wanted to bother me for that? I smiled though. "Yes, you're right. How perceptive of you."

The girl just laughed. "I'm Gretchen, I go to Mary's too, what grade are you in?"

"I'm a senior."

"Me too! We're the only seniors on the bus, did you know that?"

Thank you Gretchen for making me feel like such a loser.

The bus ride consisted of Gretchen asking for my entire autobiography. Was she a news reporter or something? All she got out of me was that I went to Sacramento High, which she made a snobby face at, and that I didn't leave behind any friends.

Once we got off of the bus, she didn't leave me alone. She was telling me about everyone who went to our school. I nodded along without paying attention but couldn't find the heart to be mean. I mean she's taking the time to get to know me and be my own personal tour guide.

"Amberline is a really strange name." She said suddenly.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that, I'll change it when I get the chance."

She laughed and I held back the urge to roll my eyes. "I'll just call you Amber, come on Amber I'll take you to morning mass?"

"Morning mass?"

She nodded. "It's a catholic school of course."

I followed her to the chapel, it was all very beautiful and sacred looking. Pairs and pairs of eyes focused on me though, and I noticed boys filing in, which confused me since this was an all girls school. I asked Gretchen about it.

"The boys school shares certain things with us like the chapel for morning mass." Then Gretchen gasped and whispered loudly to me. "Oh there he is!"

"Who?" I asked with confusion, she was acting hysterical.

"Kyle Scheible!"

Walking in the line of boys to the priest was a boy far too handsome to be in high school, but you could clearly tell he is in fact in high school. Is he the usual ghostly pale and manic panic black haired with piercings type I go for? No, he was so much better than that. Something I thought I'd never say.

I can't believe that I can actually understand Gretchen's state of hysteria, but I do.

He has hooded, sleepy looking dark green eyes, with flecks of Hazel, I saw this as he walked by me. His lashes were poetically long and his nose pronounced beautifully. His lips were drawn in a pout that matched his careless posture of hands buried in the pockets of his khakis, which should have taken away how hot he is but it didn't.

His hair, God his hair needed the attention of my fingers combing through the dark chocolate curls. He wore it longish in a poetic way, his lean physique made him look taller, and he has the sort of neck you just know smells so good.

And because Gretchen isn't that great of a whisperer, he did look over. It was a lazy look over at first, like he was used to these whispers of him, which he probably was. But then his lazily droopy eyes popped open and bit when looking over at us. At me.

Oh no, oh God he was looking over at me? I immediately felt self conscious, what if he notices my breakouts? What if he finds my nose strange or finds me annoying looking? It's a catholic school. What if my look was too Crucible for him? Why did this guy who I don't know, opinion matter so much to me?

He looked at me, he really looked at me– Oh God, he stepped out of line to walk over straight to me. I could barely hear Gretchen's panicking, it was just me and him in this place of worship. Someone whispered how Kyle never approaches anyone.

He then stood over me, my eyes widened a bit and a hardly there smirk painted his pursed lips. His dead eyes swept over me, and in a lazy voice he asked, "Do you smoke?"

"Yes."

I don't know why I said it, I've never touched cigarettes in my life and I've only had one beer when I decided alcohol wasn't for me. But for this mystery boy, I thoughtlessly said yes.

"I mean no, I lied, I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that." I said breathlessly. Why was I out of breath?"

Kyle just…smiled at me, it looked foreign on his lips like he wasn't used to it. "What's your name?" His voice was musically calm.

I opened my mouth to answer but I was up next to bite the wafer and sip the wine. I didn't hear from Kyle for the rest of the day.

@meetmyothersouls

[pickledpascal]

Bewitched

Chapter Five: Collar Full

Warnings: SMUT !!! beau is the bottom (obvi)

Word Count: 3.8k

Bewitched Masterlist

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It was right after Winter Break and Kiera was up early to try and make Dalia some breakfast before she went back to school. One of her safe foods was toast with peanut butter so Kiera could always rely on that if she didn't want to make anything overly complicated. 

So she made two perfectly toasted pieces of bread and slathered them in a layer of peanut butter. Kiera took a bite of hers once Dalia’s was finished. 

“Did you know that, in Texas, if you take a cowboy hat off a cowboy and put it on your head, it means you're basically married?” Dalia appeared out of nowhere. Kiera got used to it. It had been a phenomenon since she could walk. 

Kiera set Dalia’s plate in front of her on the counter. “No, kiddo. I didn't.” She smiled softly. 

Ever since meeting Beau, Dalia had been obsessed with finding out everything she could about him and Texan traditions. Kiera was convinced Dalia was teetering on breaking her rule of not eating ethically sourced meat just to try the barbecue. That was until she realized they'd likely never travel to Texas. Dalia didn't like planes and she hated being in a car for more than a few hours. Kiera was glad Dalia was younger when they moved to Montana or else it would've been an even worse nightmare. 

Dalia dug into her toast, pursing her lips as she chewed. “You should do it to Beau.” She said before taking another bite. 

Kiera rubbed her forehead. Dalia had also been intentionally trying to get her with Beau. Not that she needed any help. In fact, it was a little funny. 

She took a sip of coffee and sighed. It wasn't her favorite cafés coffee but it'd do. Kiera wasn't going since she was able to work from home today. There was no need to leave the house just for coffee unless she was going into the office.

“Maybe I will.” Kiera smiled into her mug. 

Dalia didn't smile but her eyes held a sparkle of mischief and pride. Maybe one of her plans would work. For once. Her mother was so keen about what went on in her head that Dalia thought she had some sort of mind-reading power sometimes. 

Kiera took Dalia's plate and washed it along with her own. “Wanna get a ride to school or take the bus, sweetie?” She called over her shoulder.

“I'll take the bus.” Dalia responded. 

Kiera could hear her shifting, probably to get her backpack. Dalia was still very short. Especially compared to her mother. Kiera believed she'd be five-eight by her pre-teens. Now, though, Dalia stood at about four-five.

—----

Not knowing whatever possessed her, Kiera thought it would be nice to invite Beau over for lunch. For a surprise. She completed her work earlier than usual and she knew Beau had a lax day at work so his deputies wouldn’t mind if he had a particularly long lunch break. She hoped. Kiera wasn’t so sure about Jenny. 

She didn’t visit the precinct often. The very thought of being in a room full of cops made her skin crawl. But when Kiera did visit, the blonde was attached to Beau’s hip. Every room he was in, Jenny made sure to be in it with him. Kiera wasn’t jealous. She knew Beau loved her and her only. He was hopelessly in love and everyone could tell. That’s why Jenny tried to butt into every conversation Beau and Kiera had, sat at the edge of his desk a few times, and even offered to go out with him for drinks. Drinks were ultimately turned down to have dinner at Kiera’s house as he listened to Dalia talk about mythological creatures or whatever kind of lore she was obsessed with that week. 

“Hey, darlin’! I got sandwiches from that diner you—” Beau’s words were cut off at the sight of Kiera sitting with her legs crossed on the couch. He nearly dropped the two boxes of food he had in his hands.

Kiera herself looked normal. Oh, except for she was in nothing except for black, lacy lingerie. Her hair was in its naturally straightened state but it looked so different against her exposed skin. Beau had barely even seen her exposed shoulder. Seeing all this new skin made him feel like a Victorian man who caught a glimpse of a woman’s ankle. He noticed the small silver piercing on her belly button. So his suspicion was right. Kiera did have piercings elsewhere beside her face and ears. The new question became if she had one in a lower spot.

Kiera had to suppress a laugh at Beau’s reaction. He was like a deer in headlights. She took the food from his hands and set it on a nearby table before she tapped on Beau’s cowboy hat. He had a few he rotated through. This one was a deep brown color that had a black sash wrapped around the base of the crown. She smirked at Beau as she took it off his head and put it on hers. Beau swallowed thickly, wide-eyed as he watched the movement. 

“Hey, cowboy,” She smirked as she wrapped her arms around Beau’s waist and pulled him close. Kiera pressed her lips to his. That was all it took to unfreeze him. His arms found their way to her neck as he leaned into her lips. “Missed me?” She pulled away with a breath.

Beau chased after her lips. “You have no idea,” He breathed as he tipped the hat back for better access. As if he had a moment of clarity, he stopped himself while Kiera got her lips acquainted with his neck. “Darlin’—fuck—I still have work.” He reminded softly. The reminder was for himself. He knew if he ended up in bed with Kiera he wouldn’t want to leave.

“I know,” Kiera whispered into his ear. “But I think the sheriff is entitled to have a little break every once in a while.” She pushed Beau’s jacket off his shoulders as she sucked a few bruises onto his neck. Ones that he wouldn’t be able to hide with any kind of shirt or jacket unless he wanted to invest in a scarf. 

Kiera might be a territorial lover. She wanted Jenny to see them and hopefully get the message Beau wasn’t hers for the taking. 

Beau let out a low whine, only spurring Kiera on more. “Darlin’, we need—” He drew in a sharp breath as Kiera bit underneath his jaw. “Your bedroom?” 

It had been so long since he had sex. He wasn’t the type to have one-night stands or friends-with-benefits kind of relationships. He wanted to do it right with Kiera. Not on her couch, which was comfortable, but not nearly as comfortable as he imagined they would feel on her bed. 

She must’ve forgotten about that part, a little too lost in desire. Kiera pursed her lips as she took Beau’s hand and guided him up to her room. It was the first time Beau had seen her room even after the countless times he’d been to her house.

The room wasn’t too different from the rest of the house except for the black walls, a few handmade dreamcatchers above her bed, and the velvet drapes over her windows. Without the lights on, Beau imagined it would look a little horrifying and hard to navigate. However, with a few nicely placed lamps that emitted warm light, Beau knew he’d love to get his brain melted by Kiera. If that’s what she wanted. 

Beau would do anything as long as Kiera wanted it. 

Pulling Beau back into reality, he could feel her fingertips underneath his shirt. He helped her take it off, pulling it from his head as Kiera’s hands spread across his stomach. He didn’t realize just how big her hands were until that moment. Her hand lifted to his shoulder as he turned in her arms.

“Your whole body is freckled.” Kiera breathed, admiring the dots on his shoulders as if they were stars in the night sky. Among the freckles, she noticed a few tattoos she had never seen before on his bicep and chest. She honestly didn't expect Beau to be inked. She'd ask about those later. 

Her hands lowered to Beau’s belt. Her dark eyes flicked up to his. “Little help?” She didn’t have much experience unbuckling the kinds of belts Beau wore—he nearly always had a hefty silver with a Texas Longhorn engraved on it. 

Beau chuckled softly as he unbuckled it with ease and slipped it from his jeans with one hand. He dropped it as Kiera dove in for another kiss, cupping his face as she stepped forward. He stepped backward. The back of his knees met the mattress, causing him to fall with her on top. 

“Shit.” Beau breathed while Kiera wasted no time to work his jeans open. The cowboy hat hung onto the edge of the bed once it fell from her head.

Kiera let out a small laugh, “That’s the first time I’ve heard you swear, cowboy,” She slid his jeans off his legs with ease before she crawled back up his body. “You should do it more often.” She whispered into his ear.

Beau couldn’t respond, afraid of what would come out of his mouth if he did. So he opted for another, deeper kiss. Kiera let out a small noise of satisfaction against his lips and Beau tried his best to memorize it. He didn’t know when this would be able to happen again. 

He had quite a few dreams of what it would be like to have sex with Kiera. Some of them ended up with him in the shower with his dick in his fist as he imagined fucking Kiera. Or sometimes, the other way around. She was fairly open about her genitalia with him. Likely because she thought he’d care and end their relationship. He didn’t care. Not in the way Kiera thought he would.

Kiera rolled over so she was on the bed and pulled Beau over her lap so he straddled her waist. He let out a surprised noise at the movement. “Now this is the position I want you in, cowboy.” She hummed. Her bra was discarded and Beau didn't have enough time to admire the new skin as a hand slipped under the fabric of his boxers on his thigh. 

Beau sucked in his bottom lip as he lifted his hips to take off his boxers. He was so desperate for Kiera that it almost made her laugh—if only she wasn't just as desperate for him. Her hands immediately went to his hips once he was fully naked. He devoured Kiera's lips in a hot kiss as his hands roamed all over her body. 

“Fuck, sweetheart,” Kiera sighed against Beau's lips, pulling away. “I know you need me but,” His lips almost stuck out into a pout. He didn't feel like waiting. “You need to be prepped okay? Especially cause this is your first time.” She reasoned softly.

Beau watched as Kiera opened the drawer to her nightstand to grab some lube. “What makes you think this is my first time?”

The face Kiera made at the comment needed to go in a museum. She quickly collected herself and replaced her expression with a smirk. “Well, you haven't had me yet? Now have you?” 

Beau swallowed thickly as he shook his head. In the back of his mind, he was aware of the bulge he was sitting on. It was hidden underneath the lace of her underwear. He ground his hips down on it to get a better feel. Beau’s legs tensed slightly. Even covered, albeit thinly covered, he could feel how big she was.

“Rethinking your choices?” Kiera asked softly.

Beau shook his head. “No. I want you inside me. More than I did before,” He admitted. “Please. I—” He was cut off by a lubed finger pressing inside him. He didn't curse but he was surprised, the wind knocked out of him for a second. 

“Continue. You were on the verge of begging,” Kiera smirked, pressing a kiss to a newly formed hickey. “I liked it.”

Spurred on by her words, Beau let out a soft whine as Kiera added a second finger to stretch him properly. “I need your cock, darlin’, so fucking much.” He wanted to move his hips against her fingers but her spare hand kept him in place. She was strong and he wouldn't be surprised if she could press him up against a wall and have her way with him. “God, fuck!” Her fingers curled in just the right way. “Fuck, I've dreamed about this.” Beau sighed. The words left his mouth before he could think about them. 

Kiera cocked a pierced eyebrow. She added a third finger that made Beau let out a soft whimper. “What did you dream about? Can't just leave a girl hanging, sweetheart.” She teased.

“I-I imagined,” Beau took a deep breath as Kiera moved her hand so her fingers could thrust in and out of him. “Your cock inside me. M-Making me feel amazing,” Trying to remember his dream was getting hazy, too caught up in what he was feeling. “You were deep. You bent me over my desk. Pulling on my hair. You tried to keep me quiet. You–fuck!–even gagged me with a scarf for good measure. I—ah—had a long shower thinking about it.”

Kiera hummed softly and leaned upward to kiss Beau. He had a feeling she would keep that in the back of her mind for later. “I like that idea too,” She removed her fingers but before Beau could whine about the loss, she cut him off. “Take off my underwear, sweetheart.”

Eagerly, Beau did as asked. Like he expected, Kiera was large but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. And the piercing on her tip—that made his mind reel with anticipation. He wanted to know how it would feel. Thankfully, he was about to know. He licked his lips at the sight of her completely bare. Completely bare and underneath him. The rise and fall of her chest, her parted lips, her dark eyes that somehow looked darker, her hair that somehow still looked immaculate and not tousled. She looked perfect. 

Kiera lifted Beau's hips and let him slowly sit down, her cock slipping inside him. He screwed his eyes shut for a moment as she bottomed out. Yeah, that piercing was a welcome addition. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly, reveling in this feeling. Beau couldn't remember the last time he had done something like this. He just knew it had been a while. A long while.

“That's a good boy.” Kiera murmured, caressing his hip bone with her thumb. She still couldn't believe the miles and miles of freckled skin Beau had. Every single inch of him donned the little dots. Some were more apparent than others, bigger, and darker while others were more faint. 

Beau’s thighs clenched underneath Kiera's touch at her words. “Fuck.” He breathed softly.

Kiera looked up at Beau, a bit surprised he liked her comment. She wasn't sure he'd like that. In fact, she didn't think he'd like to be the bottom in the equation. That wasn't to say she would always top but from the way Beau was looking at her, she had a feeling he enjoyed this a lot. 

“You wanna ride, cowboy?” Kiera’s hands moved to capture Beau's so he could balance correctly. And so he had something to hold onto. 

Beau licked his bottom lip as he looked down at Kiera. “I think the song goes: save a horse, ride a cowboy. Not save a horse, get a cowboy to ride you,” He teased softly, only making her smile wider. “But I think,” He rolled his hips and her lips dropped open. “I can make an exception.” 

Kiera's jaw tightened as she looked up at Beau, squeezing his hands as he started to move properly. He couldn't believe his eyes. Her dark stare. It looked like she would eat him if she could. And the small blemishes across her skin. Her strong hands. The muscle in her arms and abs and her light, feathery noises just—God. It was all so perfect for him. She was amazing. Everything he could have ever asked for. 

“That's it,” Kiera breathed, eyes scanning Beau's body until they fixated on his blissed out face. “So good, sweetheart.” She wanted to feel up his thighs more but she knew Beau would prefer holding onto her hands like a lifeline instead. Maybe next time. 

Beau couldn't help the noises coming from his lips. His brain felt like it was on fire and his body felt wonderful. The aches in his muscles didn't matter. Chasing his high did. Chasing his high on Kiera's dick was the best part of it. Her cock, her bed, her house. He wanted her to own him. He didn't voice it. His lips were too caught up with whimpering and moaning with each drop of his hips. 

He couldn't help but feel like this was everything he had ever wanted. And more. 

Kiera adjusted her hips slightly so her cock drove in a different angle. The angle was perfect to hit his prostate. Beau let out a sudden, loud moan at the change. Certainly more. 

“Fuck! Ah–Kiera—” Beau choked on his own words. He felt like he couldn't breathe. His lungs were screaming for air. “Fuck, baby, I—” He didn't register what he was saying. Words just jumbled out of him. 

“You wanna cum, sweetheart?” Kiera asked. She was more collected than Beau but he was still able to hear her harbored breaths and soft, pleasured noises. She was just intrinsically less vocal than he was. Beau let out a low whine, lips slightly ajar as he nodded. “Use your words.” 

He nearly choked on air. Beau had to collect himself while Kiera stared at him with a knowing look and a ghost of a smirk on her face. She knew how she affected him. “Yes,” He finally said, “Please, baby, fuck—” Kiera bucked her hips upward and forced a moan out of him. “Please! I-I need you. Need to. Fuck—so bad.” 

“Need to what?” Kiera challenged softly. She set Beau's hands on her stomach and moved hers to settle on his hips. Fuck next time. She wanted to hold his body.

“Need to—ah—cum on your cock!” Beau moaned, losing any restraint he had left. He turned into a common whore. He couldn't care less. He was focused on Kiera and the way she felt inside him. 

The delicious drag of in and out. The feel of her hands on his body, her fingers digging into his skin. He wished she would be able to leave a print there to remind him of her while he was by himself. A reminder of who he belonged to. Who he loved. 

Fuck, he loved Kiera. 

Kiera pulled Beau down until he was a few inches away from her face. “Then do it.” She pushed her lips against his in a fierce kiss. 

He moaned against her, leaning into her touch as he felt his orgasm build and build until he came. The tension in his body released and he had to do everything he could not to just collapse on top of Kiera. She pecked Beau's cheek and then peppered a few kisses on his jaw. 

After a few moments of painting, Beau looked up at her. “You, uh—You didn't cum.” He swallowed. Beau still felt dangerously hot. But he also is a courteous lover. He could still feel Kiera hard inside him. He also knew she was close. There was a look in her eyes, her bated breath, the way she held onto him like a lifeline. 

“I didn't,” Kiera confirmed. The edges of her lips threatened to form a smile. “Do you wanna change that?” She asked in a whisper. Her hands lowered to rest on Beau's thighs. And he wasn't sure that his brain could malfunction more, though it did. 

Beau nodded wordlessly, his bottom lip jutted out. He was sore, but not terribly, so he pushed himself up to straddle Kiera properly again. “C'mon, darlin’, I wanna feel it,” He breathed as he rolled his hips. She let out a sharp breath. “Please, darlin—” His voice was slipping more and more into his native Texas accent. He was plenty sensitive after he came. “I need a reminder of you, fuck!” He whimpered as she thrust her hips into his. 

“That's what you want?” Kiera asked lowly, licking her teeth. For the first time, Beau noticed a metal bulb on her tongue. 

His mind was too busy reveling in pleasure but the sight was tucked into the back of his mind for later. His throat pushed out an “Uh-huh” as he rode her, thighs tense and sore and he knew he wouldn't be able to sit comfortably for a while but he couldn't have cared less. 

“Ah—fuck!” Kiera hissed softly, head leaning back into her pillow as she came. She drew in a shaky breath as Beau relished in the feeling of her inside him. 

Beau breathed heavily, his mouth was dry as he looked down at Kiera's blissed-out and sweaty face. He knew he didn't look much different. He brushed a hand through her hair while her hands ran up and down his thighs. The touch was maddening. And almost made him want to go again. 

Almost.

“I'm hungry now… thanks for bringing food.” Kiera hummed softly, leaning up to bring Beau into a kiss. 

——

Beau stepped into the County Sheriff's department, hair a little messier than this morning but otherwise he looked the same. Minus the cowboy hat he wore earlier. 

Mo met him as he neared his office. “Have a good lunch?” He asked smugly before he got serious, “We got an update on the Neighborhood Killer.” He handed Beau a file as he followed him into his office. 

Going into work mode, Beau flipped open the file on his desk and sat down. He hissed and immediately stood back up to notice Jenny came into the room. She looked at him weirdly. He coughed as he glanced down at the file. 

Another murder. Near Kiera too. 

Beau pursed his lips. He really hoped Kiera was safe. He didn't want Kiera to be in danger. He tried his best to reassure himself that nothing would happen.

-------

taglist: @deans-spinster-witch

taglist open here !!!

[marjorierose]

Went out this evening after a day of working from home and had a rather thwarted city mess-around.

The pharmacy in my old neighborhood (my new neighborhood does not have one) wouldn't give me a flu shot; they said to call later and make an appointment. I've never needed one there before, but they've gone through some changes, especially since they burned down in the 2020 uprising and rebuilt. I still like them better than CVS, because they don't treat customers like de facto shoplifters and make you ask a staff member to unlock the bath soap, so I'll try to remember to call back.

The library next door to the pharmacy is closed pending a demolition and rebuilding, but I knew that already. I looked over the signs posted in the door, but they just had QR codes and no expected opening date. I walked from there down to my old house. It's been repainted, and there was a light on inside, but it looks similar otherwise, down to the rather dangerously uneven front steps. I had kind of expected the new owners to totally gut it. I wonder if they have re-hung the windows; they needed it.

The coffeeshop around the corner from there was closed--it looked so dark that I was momentarily alarmed, but it was just because it's Monday. The oddball new shop next to that which has a manifesto in the window but no clear idea of what they sell--tarot decks maybe--is closed on Mondays too; so's the small indie bookstore I've never yet made it to. I could have gone into the new Taiwanese tea shop but I couldn't think of something I actually wanted in cold weather.

I did remember that Ducks was supposed to be available at the library that I actually use nowadays, so I caught a bus there and looked on the shelf for it, but I didn't find it, and neither did the librarian. He put a hold on one of the copies from another branch for me.

I just barely succeeded in catching the next bus onward from there. There was a fender-bender at the stop where I got off, so I skirted that and, rather than wait fifteen minutes for a connection, walked on ahead and periodically checked if a bus was coming yet. Eventually one came and took me the rest of the way to where I live now--except that the staircase from the major road down to my block is closed off, which I guess I would have known already, if I hadn't been getting around mostly by car lately. It was quite decisively blocked. I guess they're replacing it. I went the long way around and finally returned home with nothing I hadn't had when I left, except a post-it note with the phone number of the pharmacy, and a large packet I found in my mailbox that told me my insurance policy has been renewed even though I called them weeks ago to tell them I have a new job and they should cancel it.

Still and all, I got in several thousand steps, read a few chapters of my current non-brick book on the bus, saw that the Megan Rapinoe beer garden is now done with construction, got to sneak a peek at the ink drawing the librarian was doing in between patrons, and walked past a garden where someone had chalked I HOPE SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENS TO YOU TODAY on the brick retaining wall. And I didn't spend twenty-four hours straight in my home, which is something I've been somewhat prone to doing lately. When my routines get dull I always start thinking is this just how it is going to be from here on out, but if I go observe anything it's obvious that nothing stays the same for all that long.

[cileevi]

The Speed Of Pain: One Won't Hurt Me

Chapter Two

June 28th, 1997

Las Vegas

Charlotte

" I know that things are going wrong for me. You gotta listen to my words. Heirs of a cold war that's what we've become. Inheriting troubles, I'm mentally numb. Crazy, I just cannot bear I'm living with something that just isn't fair. Mental wounds not healing. Who and what's to blame? I'm going off the rails on a crazy train. " 

The show has been over for a good half hour but I love going out on the stage when no one's here and singing a little something. One day, God willing, I'll be playing for large crowds just like my dad. I even dream about it at least twice a week. Maybe even more now that I'm on the road.

No complaints here since this is the first breath of freedom I've gotten ever. After being stuck in Florida and then Michigan for the last four years of college, it's refreshing to be traveling around. Especially when I get to spend sibling time with Jack and Kelly. I really wish my mom would have had more kids than me. It would have been nice to have what they have.

" Hey. That sounded good. Just like him actually. " I hear from behind me and almost jump out of my skin in fright. 

Feeling my face heat up I say, " thanks... I didn't know you were listening. " 

I know deep inside he's resisting the urge to laugh at the look on my face. " I was and I can't wait to hear more. I also saw you out there tonight. You were really rocking when we went on. " 

" You were ON. " I say with a shrug.

He cracks a smile. " I even caught you singing along. Never would have thought that you were a fan. "  

" I'm insulted. Ozzfest isn't the first time I've seen you on stage. You guys usually put on a great show. " I compliment truthfully. " When you aren't literally cutting yourself open that is. "

His smile widens at my words. " The first time I didn't actually set out to cut myself. Someone threw a broken bottle and it was spur of the moment. After that... I guess I just wanted to keep up the shock value of it. "

Marilyn

" Not gonna lie, when I first saw it, I was worried. " She says as she puts a piece of hair behind her ear.

I love it when girls do that. It's an easy giveaway as to whether they're interested or not. Not that I'm looking or anything. It's just nice to know I have this kind of effect on such a beautiful woman. That she'd even be worried about my well-being without even knowing me yet.

" It looked really deep. Do you get stitches after? "

Pursing my lips I lift my shirt to reveal the scars that litter my stomach and chest. " Nah, but they do hurt like a bitch for at least a few weeks after. "

It looks like she's having an inner fight about what she wants to say to that. " I don't mean to sound judgemental... But what exactly do you get out of it besides pain and scars? "

I don't think she'd ever understand if I did explain. No one would. So she'll have to settle for a watered-down version. 

" Every artist worth their weight in cocaine is willing to suffer for their art. " I tell her shrugging before pulling my shirt back down. 

Before I can stop or talk myself out of it, I ask, " so... You gonna hang out with me tonight? "

Charlotte

As if I'd say no. " Sure. I just need to get my jumper from the bus. "

" Hurry. I'm too sober for my own good. " I hear him call out.

I chuckle as I enter the warm bus. It's crazy how Las Vegas can be so hot during the day and then so chilly at night. Grabbing my jumper, I pull it over my head. Going over to the full-length mirror I straighten my hair and reapply my lipstick. 

" You were great tonight dad. Everyone was actually. " I say as I make sure the rest of my makeup is holding up.

Dad, who's painting at the table, looks up and says, " thanks, Schroeder. Where are you off to? " 

" I'm hanging with Manson and the band tonight. " I tell him with a smile.

Kelly pops out of nowhere and wraps her arms around my waist." Can I come? " 

" Sorry sis, " I say while removing her arms. " We're going to a club where there's going to be drinking and illicit drug use I'm sure. " 

She frowns and I know one of her famous attitudes is roaring its ugly head. You know who's to blame though? Marilyn. He made her his new best friend and now she wants to do whatever he does. Not really a good thing. I know he has been dying to get out and have some adult fun soo she'll get over it. He loves hanging with Kelly and Jack, but it can't be a good look for his rocker reputation to always have kids around. No matter how cool they are.

But a smokin' hot blonde? Always in style.

" We'll do something fun before we leave Vegas. " I promise just to avoid her shenanigans. 

Her expression goes from bratty to excited in five seconds. " Promise? "

" Me too? " She and Jack both say at the same time.

I couldn't just take one and not the other. What kind of sister does he think I am?

" Yes, and yes. " I say before going to lean over and kiss dad on the cheek. " Don't wait up old man. "

Waving me off he says, " have fun, Schroeder. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. "

" That doesn't leave a lot of things that I shouldn't do. " I say with a huge smile.

Sharon laughs having caught the last part of our conversation as she walks into the bus. " Go on darling, Marilyn's waiting. You know better than to keep rock stars from their partying."

" Okay, I'll see you all for breakfast. " I say as I walk down the four steps and open the door.

I step down on the asphalt and just as I'm closing the door I hear, " yeah right. There's no way we're seeing her before noon. I know how Manson likes to party. "

Looking at Marilyn, I know he heard too. Laughing he shakes his head and wraps an arm around my shoulders. " We'll see about having you up before two. I'm surprised Kelly didn't get dragged out while hanging on your leg. "

" I had to bribe her and Jack with doing something fun tomorrow. " I say chuckling.

He laughs along. " She's a fun kid, they both are... " He says before stooping in front of me with an evil look on his face. " But tonight we're doing things a bit more age-appropriate. "

Can I just say that I don't like that evil look? It's like he knows what's going to happen even before it does. Shrugging it off, we head over to a pretty little Jaguar. 

...

" Come on, we're getting shots. " He says while pulling me through the sea of dancing bodies to the bar.

I can't help but look all around. The atmosphere is crazy here. I'm such a noob when it comes to this stuff. Marilyn seems right at home though. After ordering, he hands me a double shot and I swallow it quickly without asking what it is. 

Big mistake.

Making a sick face he laughs at me. Pulling him down to my level, I yell in his ear, " I've been nice to you, why would you want to kill me "?

He laughs and I go to order something to get the nasty taste out of my mouth. Before I can, he's already handing me a beer. Taking a long drink I look back up at him.

" What was that? " I ask once the taste is gone.

It tasted like battery acid. 

" Absinthe. Come on. Let's find the cool table. " He says in my ear before leading me over to an empty corner.

Pulling out a little baggie of white powder he empties out some onto a small compact mirror he pulled from his pocket. " Let's really start the fun. "

" I don't know. I'm already feeling the absinthe. " I say not lying in the slightest but also knowing I've never done blow.

Not to mention if my Dad were to ever find out... He doesn't speak highly of cocaine at all. Sure he has done enough for ten people in his lifetime, but that's how he knows that he doesn't want it for his kids. 

" Then it won't make a difference if you do a line or two with me. " He reasons with a charming smirk.

... However, I am twenty-two and need to make my own mistakes. " Okay. " I say throwing caution to the wind. " I suppose one won't hurt me. "

Famous last words. 

" I knew there was a reason that I liked you. " He says as he separates the white powder into two identical lines on the compact.

Putting the tip of a straw into his nose, he leans down and snorts one of the lines. Holding his left nostril he holds the straw out to me. Taking it I mimic what he did and regret it instantly as the powder burns through my nasal cavity. Three seconds later the burn is replaced by numbness.

" That's gross. " I say as I feel the powder liquefying in my nose.

He laughs and pulls my legs up into his lap. " You get used to it. " 

Yeah, right. " I don't know how. " 

" Just give it a few minutes and you'll see how. " He says as he takes off one of my heels and starts rubbing my foot.

I don't know if it's the drug or what, but his hands feel like pure silk on my already hurting tootsie. " I shouldn't have worn heels. " 

" Yes, you should have. I have a reputation to maintain, you know? " He says before running his index finger down the bottom of my foot.

My whole body jerks trying to get away from his finger. " That tickles! " I say as I damn near climbing him like a tree.

" Watch it, blondie. " Marilyn chides as my jumper opens a bit more revealing more of my barely there bralette. " A man could get the wrong idea. "

Laughing I get off of him and attempt to sit back but end up laying flat on the long seat. He shakes his head and pulls me back up till our faces are inches apart. " If you get the wrong idea, it's because you're thinking the wrong things. " I blurt out.

" Oh, I'm thinking all the wrong things right now. " He groans.

And just like that, my panties are soaked. Well played, Manson, well played. Does he do this for fun or is it just natural?

" Naughty, Mr. Manson! " I say giggling like an idiot.

Putting his lips next to my ear he says, " I can have you creaming for me in under two minutes ".

I debate my response when we're interrupted. 

" I thought I'd find you in your favorite corner. " 

Turning my head away from him I see THE Johnny Depp standing in front of us. 

" Hey man! " Manson says before getting up and embracing the actor. 

Johnny eyes me when they pull apart. " Who's your friend? " 

" This is Charlotte Osbourne. " Marilyn introduces. " She's Ozzy's daughter. Charlotte, this is Johnny Depp. "

Holding my hand out I say, " Hi, it's nice to meet you ". 

" Likewise! " He says taking my hand in his and placing a kiss on the back of it. " What are we drinking? " 

Marilyn's on his feet in seconds. " I'll get us a round of shots. " 

" No! " Both Johnny and I insist. 

Johnny damn near forces Manson to sit back down. " I'll get us some shots. Be right back. "

Laughing at his back, I see he has learned the hard way as well. Manson just sits in his spot looking like a scolded child. Smiling wide I poke him in his cheek. He playfully bites at my finger making me laugh again. 

I look at him and he does something that damn near takes my breath away. He smiles. Not just a superficial smile that he has been plastering on his face all day and night, but a real genuine smile. 

Wow. 

Time stands still for both of us. It feels as if a magnet is pulling our faces together slowly but surely. Our lips get about an inch away from each other when Johnny returns with drinks in hand. 

" Alrighty. One absinthe, and two rums. " Johnny says completely unaware of what he just interrupted. 

Reluctantly, we both sit back in our seats. Damn, Johnny. I was sooo close to kissing the lips that I've been looking at all night. I don't even care if it means messing up both of our lipsticks. 

Manson and I down our shots quickly and it's just now that Johnny notices the tension. 

" Did I interrupt something? " He asks in confusion.

I look at Manson who's looking at me as well. I imagine my cheeks are just as red as his at this moment.  

" Where are the rest of the band? " Johnny asks trying to bring us back around to talking.

" Off somewhere wreaking havoc. I didn't want them to ruin our night. " Manson says shrugging. 

I laugh at that hard for no real reason. Leaning in, Marilyn says, " you're feeling it now huh? "

Now that he mentions it... Yes, I am feeling it. I laugh again and bump shoulders with him.

" Don't tell me you have already started the real party without me. " Johnny asks in a mock hurt tone. 

Marilyn cracks a smile. " As if I knew you were going to show up. " 

" Excuses. " Johnny continues to joke. 

Going into his pocket, Marilyn pulls out the baggie with the cocaine in it. " Well... You can always join us for the next. " 

Johnny grins evilly and we all do a line together. I hate to say it, but he was right. The second one burned less than the first. After that and many more shots of rum, time became a blur of laughs and off-beat dancing. 

<>

When we get back to Marilyn's tour bus he helps me up the stairs. Trust me, I need the extra help. I'm honestly lucky to be upright at this point.

We're about to head back to his bunk when we hear, " Are you serious? You went and got Ozzy's daughter shit-faced? " 

We turn around to find the one called Twiggy standing by the kitchenette looking at us like we committed murder. I crack up at the look which makes him glare at Marilyn harder. 

" What's the problem? " Marilyn asks while wrapping his arm around my shoulders. " This here is a legal adult female. "

Deciding not to let him take his bandmate's judgment I chime in. " I'm twenty-two, not twelve. Besides, my dad knows where I went and with who. " 

He rolls his eyes but has nothing else to say. We then head back to his bunk like we were originally heading before he interrupted us. Once there Marilyn starts going about what must be his nightly routine. He pulls out a bag of makeup removal wipes and begins wiping his face. Passing the wipes to me I do the same.

" Do you have a hair tie? " I ask him when my face is free of makeup.

He takes one of the ties off of his wrist and hands it to me. Leaning over, I finger-brush my hair into a high pony. I just then notice how hot I am when I feel the cool air hit the sweat on the back of my neck. He takes his shirt off and throws it haphazardly behind him. Which does nothing for how hot I am at the moment. He's really good-looking for someone who thinks he's not. Scars and all.

Removing my jumper, I hear an almost inaudible gasp behind me. I feel one of his large palms on my lower back and his breath on the back of my neck. " Your skin is so milky and soft. "

" Let me sleep in one of your shirts? " I ask over my shoulder with a shy smile.

Reluctantly, he moves away and starts digging in his suitcase. He picks one of his longer shirts with the devil printed on the front.

" Thanks. " I say when he hands it to me.

I shimmy out of my pants and fold them before setting them on top of the suitcase. Unhooking my bralette, I look up at him and wink. He's sitting in his bunk, eyes wide as I pull it from my chest and feel the cool air hit my nipples.

" Damn. You're fucking beautiful. " He damn near whispers.

I feel my cheeks redden under his intense gaze. My insides quiver and my lady parts flutter. I've never really dated around or entertained a man in this way before. Nor has a man ever made me feel these kinds of things.

After letting him look at my mostly naked body for a few moments, I slide his shirt over my head and pull it down. " You're not so bad yourself. "

" Come here. " He says as he gets under the blankets.

I can see his hard-on through his boxers just as he covers himself with the blanket. Is that really all it takes to get him going? A little naked tittie action? Good to know. 

When he's situated he lifts them for me to slide in next to him. " Hold on. " He says before sliding his arm under my knees and switching sides on the bunk so that I'm facing the wall.

I turn onto my side and pull the blankets up to my shoulder before scooting closer to him. Reaching his arm out, he pulls me into his chest. Damn. He was talking about my skin being soft, but his is like a baby's.

Just before I'm about to fall asleep, I ask, " you know the time "?

" When we came in it was close to four. " He mumbles.

Okay, so I might not make it for breakfast after all. Lunch. Lunch is better. The second most important meal of the day.

" Thanks for taking me out with you tonight. I had fun. " I yawn out. 

" Me too. I guess blondes really do have more fun. " He jokes while stroking my hair. 

I giggle into his chest. " Do blondes usually get you up like that? " I ask as I lift the blanket up to look at his erection that hasn't gone down in the slightest. 

" Honey, you just showed me your perfect body in all its naked splendor. Any man would rise to the occasion. " He says as he smoothes the blanket back down over his lower half. " A lady wouldn't have mentioned it. " 

I laugh harder. " Maybe... It's hard to ignore though. " 

" Stop trying to take advantage of me, Charlotte. " He huffs out in mock aggravation. 

Once I stop laughing the bus quiets down again and I settle back into his chest. " Goodnight, Manson. " 

" Goodnight, Blondie. " He sighs out already half asleep. 

[iamanartichoke]

So I'm looking for Thor spoilers, as you do, and I ended up on the Marvel spoilers subreddit, where I found and read a few Christian Bale interviews. And, well, I'll take Takes I Wasn't Expecting From Christian Bale For $500, Alex.

Cut; I don't think this is spoilery, but idk what people are considering spoilers at this point, so just to be on the safe side. (Also for length, this got long. And mostly pointless.)

Article Link.

"There's an awful lot that I wish was in this film, which you can't have a four-hour long film because there's so much gold that's on the cutting room floor, hilarious stuff, and creepy as hell stuff, but that was perhaps pushing it to a realm where maybe it wouldn't have been able to be family friendly, which we always wanted it to be. But Taika's sensibility, the comedy, the tragedy, the ability to have the Taika-ness and the humor of that. But he's got great sincerity as well. He's a real artist. And so, man, it's moving. That is the bloody surprising thing with this film. It's a very moving film and then two seconds later, you're laughing your ass off."

Incidentally, Christian has nothing but complimentary things to say about the rest of the cast as well, and specifically made mention of how welcoming Chris was (which might be in a different interview than the one I linked).

But, yeah. I'm not really sure why this perfectly lovely take surprises me, except to say that maybe seeing someone of Christian's status, I guess? expressing such admiration and respect for Taika is unexpected to me? By "status," I don't mean to undermine anyone else's accomplishments, as I obviously recognize the credibility of the actors who've worked with and praised Taika in the past -

- but, for me, I just consider Christian to be on his own level. The types of projects he tends to choose, how absolutely talented he is, how clearly intellectual he is - I may be biased due to having been a fan for literally most of my life (since the early 90s! Fuck I'm old), but I just have a lot of respect for him and have (somewhat subconsciously) elevated him to a bit higher on the totem pole of admiration. Even higher than Tom.

This was going to be a sidenote, but it turned into its own paragraph: I love Tom. I do. I got on a plane for Tom. I didn't get on a bus when I lived in Boston and Christian was filming American Hustle two towns over. My regard for both of them is clearly very different, and I'm not really sure how to explain it. I don't think that either is better than the other, in terms of talent/skill, but I do think that Christian is the more accomplished, experienced actor. Which makes his compliments for Taika hold more weight for me than Tom's?

Which sounds bad, but all I mean is that Tom was, obviously, very much a part of the Thor universe, he was entrenched in the role by the time Ragnarok came around, he had relationships with all the cast, and I think being in that position would hinder one's objectivity not just for the role but for the movie/universe in general. And, while I appreciate very much that Tom never has a bad thing to say about anyone - well, at the same time, Tom never has a bad thing to say about anyone, so whether he truly enjoyed working with Taika, especially in that context, or if he was just being diplomatic when promoting the film is anyone's guess.

Contrastingly, Christian is brand new to the MCU, to Taika, Chris and the cast (mostly), and to the Thor universe in general. Coming in as a blank slate like that, again, combined with Christian's body of work and tendency to be straightforward with his feelings (he's always very polite and complimentary, but he's not nice the way Tom is? Again, I don't know how to explain the difference, except to say I've never felt like he gives "fluff" answers; he doesn't heap on the praise if it's unwarranted, either (in my observations, anyway) - would naturally, I imagine, give him a much more objective point of view about the experience, making his feedback feel more legit, in a "here's my unbiased yet professional opinion (and I know what I'm talking about)" kind of way.

(I don't think I'm words-ing very well but) the thing is, I've always been lukewarm about Taika, at best. I've said this ad nauseum, but despite being critical of it, I liked Ragnarok. But I liked it as its own separate film. I didn't like it as part of the Thor franchise; I didn't like it as an overall story bc I didn't think it was well-written, and there were a lot of "problematic" implications within said story. Others have criticized it more thoroughly, but I have certainly done my fair share. And I think I mostly still have those opinions.

But I was way, way more upset about Infinity War than I could have ever been about Ragnarok, so that softens it a bit, too. And, look, this doesn't apply to anyone I am currently still mutuals with, but it does apply to a lot of former mutuals - regarding Ragnarok, at the height of wankness there was a lot of meta being passed around and analyzed and whatnot that made it easy to sort of spiral down into an echo chamber, encouraged by people who, again, include former mutuals who seem to feed on the negativity, despite claiming otherwise ("we wanted to like it, honest; endlessly criticizing hurts us more than it hurts you," etc). And the way that this dynamic played out - and is still playing out - after the Loki series came out was extremely eye-opening (and disappointing) to me bc suddenly, people whose Ragnarok takes elicited "yasss" from me were suddenly (I felt) posting takes that not only did I (sometimes wildly) disagree with, but that were fueled by an element of vitriol that fed right into the negativity (and made me very uncomfortable).

That's neither here nor there at the moment, just context I guess, but my point is that while I mostly maintain that Ragnarok is fine/enjoyable as a standalone film but has issues (at best) as part of the Thor franchise, said opinion left me feeling very "meh" about Taika as a filmmaker. I never hated him as much as some other people did (I hate(d) the Russos and Infinity War a lot more, fuck those assholes) but I didn't really respect him, either. And despite being interested in Thor 4 and excited for Christian Bale, I'm not really approaching it with any expectations of being blown away by the film itself; I'm mostly assuming it's mediocre.

Which - all of this was just a really rambly way of saying, well shit, if Christian Bale's probably-objective opinion is such a glowing review, maybe I should re-assess how I view Taika as a filmmaker? Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to dismiss this movie as "probably mediocre but it's Thor with Christian Bale so sign me the fuck up." Actually give it a fair chance. I mean, shit, I could still walk away from it saying, "Nah, my opinion hasn't changed, definitely mediocre," but at least it'd be a more genuine take, I suppose.

There is literally no point to this post, sorry. It's 1:30am and I'm having all kinds of feelings and I'm just Like This, okay?

Also, I just realized I didn't actually find any fucking spoilers.

[holocene-sims]

Astronomy asks: how about 5H, 6H, and 7H for Shannon and Colm? 😚

thank you for the ask!! ❤️

i'm in a picture mood today despite all of them coming out not quite as i wanted them to...so have this as a free bonus ✨

5H ⇢ do you have a hobby? which one(s)?

probably surprisingly, shannon is big into video games 🎮 she's also a bit of a musician and singer on the side, just rather shy about it

one of colm's hobbies is not playing sports but watching them. this man has a whole ass twitter account where he rambles exclusively about sports, mostly gaelic football and soccer (okay, football...i'll call it by the word the rest of the world uses) but grant is also slowly turning him into a hockey fan, albeit a very confused one

has he ever gotten into a fight on twitter over sports? yes

another one of colm's hobbies is reading about and debating philosophy, though. go figure. sure, it was his major, but shockingly he is interested in the subject itself and didn't just pick it at random

6H ⇢ do you consider yourself a workaholic?

honestly no (?) for both LOL

shannon kind of is but more so in the way that she enjoys the subject she's an expert in on a personal level, so she doesn't mind churning through a ton of papers or writing one up. but it's not the work she's concerned with, it's the actual content for her personal interests

colm definitely is not. don't get him wrong, he's passionate about his current work with the bar he owns, but he went that direction in life because it feels less like work and more like having fun. the whole, you know, 9-5 bullshit would actually kill this man. he really hates working on other people's time and he'd rather NOT be on the hook for some stupid boss

7H ⇢ what do you consider green flags in a relationship?

they're married, so i'll answer for each of them one of the green flags they saw in each other

for shannon, one of those green flags was willingness to sacrifice to not stand in the way of each other's ambitions.

if you think about it, they have a very unconventional relationship. they were together at the same university, always around each other, for four years in ireland, then he came to live with her in the u.s. they were there maybe a few months before she decided to go back to get her doctorate. he didn't want to go back, especially since he'd already established the bar, and she didn't want to force him to go back either, so they lived separately for six years. they even got married in the middle of that, when she was about a year out from finishing her degree.

but at no point was the distance ever an issue for them because they put in the work so their relationship didn't fall apart. it sucked but he trusted she would come back and she trusted him to wait. he was willing to sacrifice so many opportunities for them to be together. and she knew he was absolutely the one for her when he said he would wait a thousand lifetimes for her if that meant achieving her dreams first.

(he's very proud of her btw)

for colm, one of those green flags was how much she cares about investing in him and his interests. didn't matter if she knew absolutely nothing about his passions, she wanted to hear him talk about them and she remembered everything he said. she'd ask him randomly about those passions, too, like if she saw something online about it or just had a question. plus, she tried her hardest to come up with questions to keep him talking, even if those questions were stupid

that meant a lot to him, especially having grown up in a very chaotic household where he felt like literally no one paid any attention to him and didn't care about him as an individual. he was shocked really that she cared so much but he felt like that said a lot about her. and of course, when it came time to pursuing his passions for a career, she was his biggest supporter and still is. in that six years apart, despite being hours and hours away, she did more for him in keeping the bar alive and running than the people he is in business with 😭

[wastelandcth]

In the Mountains - cth

summary: who would've thought hiking with the boys would have ended up being so eventful? as the fifth member of 5sos with a crush on a certain bass player, you’re about to find out. 

author’s notes: thanks to @calumspupils for sending this request in! I hope you enjoy it!

masterlist || request

You didn't really know how you'd gotten to this point in your life. How you had ended up in a band with four people you'd give the world to, it all still seemed like a fever dream. Most mornings you'd wake up either on a tour bus or in a hotel room miles from home wondering if this was your real-life and it wasn't until you were sat at breakfast with your bandmates that you realized how grateful you were for the twists and turns that had led to your crazy life.

Some days you'd play shows and feel like you were on top of the world, rocking out on stage with your best friends. Some nights the views from the airplanes you'd grown used to being on took your breath away for so long you were afraid you'd actually imagined it all. That all the cameras flashing and fans screaming out lyrics you'd written with the four guys on stage next to you were a figment of your imagination and you'd wake up one day to find it all gone.

"Hey, I know you don't love hiking but...I'm sure we'll make it fun," Calum's voice rang out in the car, bringing you back to the moment at present, "And I'll be there to tell you all the jokes and point out cool rocks," he said with a wink.

Calum Hood. You'd turned your head to face him, the California sun was hitting his skin and making him glow. His bright smile adorning his face as the sunglasses he was wearing slid down his nose to reveal those brown eyes you'd fallen for. His soft voice and gentle teasing bringing warmth to your stomach that always seem to linger whenever you two were alone. It was something that you thought you'd kept to yourself, a little secret, but the comments online only left you a blushing mess.

If you were being honest, you'd been in love with Calum since the first months you'd spent with the band, getting to know each other and making sure you'd be a good fit into the group. those weeks had been filled with outings together where all five of you would spend hours on end telling stories about growing up and then laughing over how the internet blew up when they introduced you to their fanbase. But those few weeks were also spent trying your best to not make a fool of yourself in front of Calum, who seemed to always be at the right place whenever you stumbled or when your voice would crack while you were practicing alone.

You two had clicked instantly, both stuck to each other's hip as you took on the world. You'd write together, spending hours on a couch drafting out possible songs and humming along to tracks that had potential in matching the band's sound. You'd even become neighbors at one point when you'd first moved into the city to be closer for band work. He'd helped you move into the apartment next to his and you'd spent many weekends at each other's place, laughing over the awkward silences when you'd both caught each other glancing for a few seconds too long.

So you were in love with your bandmate, your best friend, with Calum Hood. How bad could it be?

Apparently, very bad. You and Calum had never been the subtle type and although you both pretty much knew there was more than friendship between you two, no one made a move to make it more. Ashton had asked you once when you two had gone out for lunch after a studio session.

"I just can't understand why you two haven't already gotten over it and got together. You'd thought about it, he's thought about it. Just do it," Ashton huffed, shaking his head as he watched you tense up and shake your head.

"The band is what's important, Ash. We can't let our feelings get in the way of fucking up what all five of us have created. He knows that and I do too," you'd replied, laughing quietly as Ashton only shook his head and mumbled something under his breath.

But Ashton was always one to try and make others happy in his own special way. And that's how you found yourself in the car with Calum on the way out of the city for a hike you were less than excited about. You knew Ashton was up to something when he'd texted the group saying that you and Calum would have to drive to the trail together since you wouldn't fit in his car with Luke, Mike, and their partners. As a form of payback, you'd purposefully told Calum to pick you up thirty minutes after the original time to make sure you were the last ones to get there because there was nothing more than Ashton hated than being late. And that's how you found yourself driving out of the city with Calum, lost in your own head over how beautiful he looked.

"Mhm, you always make things fun," you chuckled and winked back at him, "We're gonna need it especially now that we're late and Ashton will definitely kill us."

The hike had gone surprisingly good considering three of you were not the most athletics and Luke and Michael had constantly been racing seeing who could go the farthest faster. Ashton had tried his best to keep everyone on track until you and Calum had teased him about being the mom friend as he'd set up his phone on a rock to shoot an update video for fans to let them know about the band had been up to. It had all been going according to plan until you moved closer to Calum and twisted your ankle, ending up on the floor staring up at the blue sky.

"Oh my god, I'm going to die. Just leave me here to die because I'm not making it," you cried out, "This is the end of me!"

In a matter of seconds since your back had hit the ground, four familiar faces hovered above you, one of them looking more concerned than the others. The pain shot through your spine and down your leg, your eyes closing as you tried to stop the tears from falling down your cheeks. Soon enough you found yourself being lifted up from the ground and a warm body pressed against your back. You could hear all the guys fighting over what to do, which meant your ankle wasn't twisted backward since none of them had screamed or puked their guts out. Their voices all mumbled into one as you breathed through the pain and it wasn't until Calum's warm breath was hitting your ear that you felt yourself take a deep breath in and open your eyes.

"I'm gonna stay here with you until Ash and the others can get a ranger to bring a car or something like that, okay?" he mumbled softly, his hand rubbing at your back as he helped you sit back against a rock.

"Please don't let my leg fall off, I need it to run on stage and to kick Michael when he steals my food," you whined.

"That's not gonna happen, okay? I think you just twisted it and it's all going to be okay, sweet girl," Calum mumbled and kissed your forehead, "Promise."

The sun was still high in the sky by the time you started thinking Ashton had left you both in the desert. You'd both been sitting on the ground together, watching as  your ankle grew and grew in size as the time passed by. The pain had dulled and your head was resting on his shoulder when your brain had started to think of the worst.

"You know, this wouldn't have happened if you were Australian. Us Aussies are known for our athleticism," Calum chuckled as he nudged your side with his elbow, "It's a well-known fact."

"I can do a better Australian accent than all four of you," you scoffed, rolling your eyes as you smacked his thigh, "And I can outrun pretty much all of you except Ash."

"Except right now."

"Calum Hood, I swear if you don't stop making fun of me-"

"What? Are you gonna hit me again? I dare you-"

You don't know what came over you. Maybe it was the heat of the sun beaming down on you both. Or maybe the fact that you were thirsty since Michael had taken the only backpack with water with him before you two realized it but Calum's lips looked very nice and it took no self-restraint for you to lean in and stop him mid-sentence.

"Maybe you should twist your ankle more often, huh?" Calum chuckled as you both pulled away, "Or bully you more often."

"Shut up and kiss me again, idiot," you laughed and pulled him back in for another kiss.

"Who knew all I had to do was get you two alone on a hiking trail for you to finally kiss, huh?" Ashton's chuckled made you both pull away, making you both look like a deer caught in headlights.

"Oh shut up, I'm never going on a hike with any of you again," you huffed and gratefully took the park ranger’s hand as he helped you on to what looked like a golf car.

It was a short trip back to the medical center, where they treated your very swollen ankle with ice while you downed all the water you could get your hands on. But you were grateful that Calum hadn't left your side once, his hand in yours as you squeezed it whenever you'd hit a bump or when the park ranger wrapped your ankle. His hand was still in yours as you both drove back to the city and it never left yours even when you both laid on the couch in his living room that night, drifting off in each other's company for once accepting that maybe, just maybe, this could be more than just stolen glances.

taglist: @hoodhoran @finelliine @moonlightcriess @dinosaursandsocks @mxgyver @calpops @karajaynetoday @notlukehemmo @calumrose @devilatmydoor @lyss-xo @lowkeyflop  @hemmo1996-5sosvevo @myloverboyash @notinthesameguey

[paradise-creator]

Hellooo!! I love love LOVE the diamond box matchup you did!! You're amazing!! Your blog is incredible!! Now I'm here for a romantic haven box Haikyuu matchup pls🥺

Appearance: My name is Kay! She/her, black, straight, 5'1, I have a slightly athletic & curvy-ish figure (lol idk), short-ish hair(like mid-neck), dark brown eyes, shoe size 9, I like to dress comfy so I'm always in oversized hoodies, sweatpants, sneakers, sweatshirts and shorts. I like colorful clothes too, high waisted jeans and shorts and boots. I'm not very fashionable but I try lol.

Personality:

Basics: infp-t, Hufflepuff, Taurus sun, scorpio moon, sanguine, chaotic good, ambivert.

Some positive traits: I'm optimistic, friendly, energetic, organized, enthusiastic, observant, happy, open-minded, loving, encouraging and inquisitive!!

Some negative traits: I'm annoying, perfectionist, insecure, forgetful, easily distracted, kinda lazy, argumentative, too nice at times and clingy.

I love learning new things!! Currently I'm learning Korean, how to draw, how to paint and songs on the saxophone.

When I'm up for it, I love fun physical activity!! Going for a hike, going to the gym, bungee jumping, mountain climbing, going camping and etc :D

Although I love going out, nothing beats lazy days at home. I can spend hours by myself and still be happy. When alone I usually sleep or watch a movie/anime or practice my drawing or saxophone or try and learn something new!

I have a horrible memory and can never remember important dates 😭 I've forgotten my own birthday a few times (rip) so people can get mad at me for missing appointments, forgetting birthdays and other important days. I try my best to organize everything necessary on my phone calendar so I can be reminded.

I love seeing people happy! Nothing can fulfill my day more than knowing I put a smile on someone's face! I usually try my best to help out anyone who needs it and to the best of my ability! This has led to me getting taken advantage of in the past but I can't help but try and make others happy. I've developed a thicker skin and some trust issues as I've grown up because of it.

I love hyping my friends/family up!! Do you need a boost in confidence? Here I am, ready to help you remember the absolute king/queen/royalty that you are!! I'm usually very energetic and enthusiastic about many things and I love spreading positivity around!!

My love language is physical touch! So touch is very important to me in my relationships. Though I am insecure so I tend to think that I smother the people I care about with too much affection idk lol. I live for hugs and cuddles and hand holding 👉🏿👈🏿 but because of that I feel like I'm very clingy and annoying skskfksjd

I'm introverted in nature so although I mean usually full of energy and love making new friends, I can't do it for too long lol. My social battery runs out really fast and I have to hide away and recharge before I can be fully social again, otherwise I won't be my best self. I treasure personal time and understand when people need time for themselves too.

I love spontaneity!! I love living in the moment and doing stuff just for the hell of it!! Wanna go on a road trip? Dance in the rain? Build houses for charity? Go to McDonald's at 2am? Go on a long walk? SIGN ME UP!!

I can also be lazy and unmotivated to do stuff. If something doesn't interest me, I'd find myself incapable of doing it or I'd do it with great difficulty. I'm one of those 'do something when inspiration/motivation hits you otherwise it'll be absolute shit' types.

But when I do have motivation/inspiration that's when my perfectionism comes in and I have to do it in the best possible way and anything less is an insult to me, my family, my ancestors and descendants lmaoo. Unfortunately I subconsciously set a very high bar for myself which can be overwhelming and stressful but when I manage to produce work of that quality, it's very satisfying and rewarding jshkshdhsj

I have more to add but I feel like this is getting way too long 💀 lemme just move to the next section heheheh

Hobbies: I LOVE listening to music, learning new things, watching movies/anime, sleeping, reading, writing, playing saxophone (I'm still learning tho lol), swimming, drawing, journaling, making friends, and cooking!

My music taste: any type of rock (punk rock, grunge, j-rock, metal), pop, KPOP, RnB, jazz, dubstep, lofi hip hop, rap, trap, krnb, anime OP's and bangers from: Elvis, the beach boys, Queen, Khalid, Ateez, Harry styles, Kendrick Lamar, p!atd, mcr, fallout boy, Nirvana, BTS, mxmtoon, Marianas trench, twenty one pilots, stray kids, Jay Park, crush, Dreamcatcher, Skrillex, MJ, troye sivan etc

Fun facts:

I'm more of a cat person but I live dogs and think they're adorable!!

I have four piercings and I plan on getting more soon!!

I'm a night owl, and get super grumpy in the mornings especially when woken up unexpectedly >:/

Although I love making friends, I only have like 1/2 super close friends and like 20+ acquaintances lol

I want to get a tattoo soon but idk what to get :(

I'm super addicted to coffee (rip) and if I don't take some for some time (like a week) I'll get the worst migraines and I won't feel better until I drink some coffee 😭

That's it!! I hope i wrote enough stuff!! Did I leave anything out? If you need more pls tell me and I'll send another ask :D Take your time!! I'm in no rush. I'll patiently wait even though you get writers block or have a large amount of asks 😌 pls stay safe and healthy!! Drink lots of water, sleep well and have an amazing day/night!! 💙✨

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Hello and Welcome my Starlight!

The Haven box includes:

- Match up

- Sun drop

- Journal of Feelings

- 3 am shenanigans

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

I'd match you up with

Sugawara Koushi, Vice-captain of Karasuno

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Sun drops

- OKAY so like, as I read your description I thought of Akaashi or Yaku or Sugawara

- Me being the indecisive author I am had trouble picking

- But then I remembered that you loved to do spontaneous things.

- And that's when I realized that Sugawara is THE ONE

- You two would be deemed the "3 am couple"

- Or in the team it would be "Epitome of Chaos"

- He takes care of you

- He will alway remind you that you don't need to be perfect

- Insecurities? BE GONE

- Nagativity? BE GONE

- That's basically his motto

- He is both your mom and partner in Crime

- did I mention he will take care of you?

- CUDDLES AND KISSES FOR DAYS

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Journal of feelings

- Once this man realizes that you LOVE physical affection. He will give it to you. EVERYTIME HE SEES YOU

Kay entered the gym to watch her boyfriend play. She tried sneaking in and so far it has been great. She thought she was off the hook but then felt a familiar arms wrapped around her waist. "I found you~" Sugawara said with a smile.

- You both would often plan pranks and majority of the times, it would succeed

"Okay okay, so what are we doing today?" Kay asked the silver haired male. "Oh~ maybe we can scare Asahi or anyone for that matter with a beetle?" Sugawara suggested. "That's--no," Kay responded.

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3 am shenanigans

It’s 3 am in the morning. Almost everyone is fast asleep or in their homes, well almost. The night sky is littered with diamond in the sky. The streets were silent but it was comforting. A few people walked here and there. And a few cars passes by there and here. “What are we doing up so late?” A silver haired man said as he yawned. “We’ll be going to Mc Donald’s! What else?” The female responded as she smiled at him. “Is it even open at this time?” He asked. “Koushi, darling, it is open,” Kay, the lover of our beloved silvered male man said as she smiled. Sugawara chuckled and held her hand, the smile on his face was evident. “You know, we should be sleeping by now right?” He said as he pulled her closer. “And so what? I wasn’t planning on sleeping early! I slept the whole day yesterday and missed the chance to hang out with you,” The girl responded.

A small blush appeared on the male’s face and he giggled. “That’s very sweet bu-“ He was about to say but was silenced by the girl. “That was very sweet but we could’ve done this later on or tomorrow. Well, sorry to break it to you, Love. But, we are here,” She said as she pulled the male inside the fast food chain. And soon enough, the two got their orders and enjoyed their meal. “I don’t know why but this hits different,” Kay said as she eat a French fry. “It really does. Especially since you are here,” Sugawara stated as he patted her head. Now, she was the one blushing. As the two chatted, the other customers and staff glanced at them every now and then. None of them were annoyed at their interactions. On the contrary, they enjoyed watching them,

Some felt envious of their relationship. Some dreamt to have something like that. And others remembered the times of old. The two were so sweet, it’s almost too much. Laughter and chattering echoed through the building from both the couple and the people around them. Then they were dub the “3 am couple” as the two would often venture in that restaurant at 3 am in the morning.

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Author's note

I'm so so sorry for the long wait! This week has been hectic. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this matchup~ and thanks for requesting!

[bangtansdoc]

Into the light.

Part 1.

Ost: OMG!- Joy red velvet ( Ost of the great seducer).

Pairings:Park Jimin(BTS)×reader

Genre: Fluff, horror(maybe Idk), Vampire! Au, CEO! Au, secretive and very clingy-ish Jimin. Ack guys this is one's a long read. Hope you can follow through to the end.

Ost: Joy(red velvet)- OMG!(Ost of the great seducer).

Word count: Honestly I don't even count it anymore.

Synopsis: You need money. Park Jimin has money. You end up getting a job as a house keeper in his gargantuan mansion. But what secrets might the handsome CEO be hiding underneath his flashy image?

PS: This whole fic was inspired by Jimin's GDA 2019 looks. It was le'jin'dary.

He watched as blood pooled out from her body. There was so much blood. He wondered if it was normal for her to produce that much, considering who she was. He tried to reach out to her, to hold her hand, even though he knew she was already gone. His vision faded, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he joined her.

***

"Hey Y/N are you watching the news right now?!" Your best friend's voice screeched out of the phone before it reached your ear. "No I'm not Joon. What's the problem?!" "Go find a TV right now. Or..." "Joon! I'm on my way to work now. Can't it wait?" "It IS about work. And it can't wait. Y/N..." "Ok see you later Joonie!" "No don't you...." You quickly hung up the phone as you felt a migraine creeping along your head to the base of your skull. You leaned your head against the bus window and sighed. You were exhausted. It was bad enough that you were working two part time jobs(they were initially four but Joon had argued that if you didn't tone it down you would flunk all your classes and probably end up in a hospital which had ended in you clocking him over the head and eventually conceding cause....he was right) but you also had a big test that you really weren't prepared for. You brought your fingers to your temples and massaged them lightly. "Don't fret Y/N." You spoke softly to yourself. "You can do this. Only two more years left till you graduate. You got this." Your phone buzzed with a text message. It was Joon. "PICK UP THE PHONE NOW YOU STUPID BRAT." You sighed again and switched off your phone. "Not today Namjoon. Not today." You whispered again to yourself as the bus arrived at your stop and you disembarked.

❇️❇️❇️

You jogged lightly towards the glue factory, adrenaline coursing through your veins as you prepared to tough it out through another day of work. So it was to your surprise when you met several employees loitering around the factory's compound, with several men moving boxes out of the factory and into a large truck. You quickly approached the elderly woman that was the head of staff. "Mrs Avery?" She looked at you and relief washed over her face like you were the answer to all her problems. "Oh Y/N! Thank goodness you're here!" "What happened?" "Don't you watch the news dearie? Some whistleblower reported the president of the factory for embezzlement. So they cut us all off, packed up and are 'moving to rural areas'. Pssht." Your eyes bulged out of their sockets. "What?! But-- but---" "There's nothing we can do dearie. We're all out of jobs now." She said again as she quickly made her way to another group of employees. Your mind raced and spun around. Packed up...cut us all off....out of jobs... Your tuition fees were due in a month. And you were perfectly, utterly and catastrophically broke. You fumbled for your phone in your trousers pocket and dialled your best friend's number. "Joon! I'm doomed! Doomed Joon! I'm- I'm gonna get kicked out of school. The factory---it-it shut Down. I don't have any money Joon! What am I gonna do?!" "Calm down Y/N! Your tuition isn't due for about a month. You have plenty of time to find a new job before then. "No no no! Don't you get it?! No job will have as high a pay as a factory in time, and no factory will hire a part timer now after this whistleblowing incident!" You could see practically see Joon scratching his forehead in thought. "Ok Y/N? Take a deep breath." He paused as you did so. "Now calm the hell down, and come on over so we can figure out what you're gonna do." You blinked back several tears as you hung up and bolted for the bus station.

❇️❇️❇️

"Maybe you should ask your parents for some cash." You stared at Namjoon like he had just sprouted horns. "Kim Namjoon. How long have we been friends?" "Since kindergarten." "Exactly. So you of all people should know that that isn't an option." "But you're really desperate now. You can't do this alone." "So what's gonna happen to my FIVE siblings Hun? I've been taking care of myself by myself pretty well. Now is no different." Namjoon sighed exasperatedly like you were the dumbest person in the world. He was probably right. But what were you to do? Growing up in a family of eight was no joke. Your father was a teacher and your mother owned a bakery. But their earnings alone were not enough to cater for all your needs. So you had decided to unburden them by fending for yourself. You had started working as soon as you were old enough. Your parents were apprehensive at first but you were able to alleviate their fears of your working affecting your studies. You had worked your way through high school, moving from job to job and had been offered admission into a prestigious University. Your family was again afraid that the tuition was too much for you to handle alone, so you had borrowed money from Namjoon, which you were still currently trying to pay back. It had seemed that luck was on your side when you got a job at the glue factory. The working hours were reasonable and the pay was good. You figured that if you saved enough you would be able to make it through the four years of college. Until this happened. "I could lend you money again." You covered your face with your palms. "I still haven't finished paying you back for the last time you lent me money." "It doesn't matter." "It does matter! Our tuition is not chicken feed!" Namjoon shrugged. "It's not my fault my parents are rich." You groaned again before throwing a plushie at him. "Dogmatic jerk." You muttered under your breath. "Don't worry. I'll think of something." "Yeah well whatever you think of, better think of it fast."

❇️❇️❇️

"Hey hey Y/N check out what's on the news right now." Namjoon said as he plopped down beside you in the school cafeteria. "Do you spend all your time watching the news?" You asked teasingly, making him open his mouth in thought which you giggled at. "Probably." He replied and you burst out in laughter. "Anyway guess what?" You decided to humour him. "What?" "You know the glue factory you used to work at? The one that got whistleblown?" You looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Ok ok you do. Well park Jimin just bought it." "Park Jimin? The mega ultra super rich business tycoon?" " Yeah, the mega ultra super shady one. Something's not right about that guy. I know it." You rolled your eyes. "You've 'known' it for six months now." "Yeah I mean all people know about him is that he's super young and super secretive. We're talking about no friends, no family, not even a freaking pet....." "Namjoon..." "And he lives in this gigantic mansion with no one but his housekeeper." "Maybe he just likes his privacy." "Yeah no one ever just ' likes their privacy' . Especially super rich business moguls. He definitely has something to hide." Namjoon paused. "I'm thinking of making him the protagonist of a book I'm writing." You stood up with your tray of food. "Goodbye Joon. Call me when you have something better to discuss. Like where to find a job maybe?" "Hey I'm helping out as much as I can." You leaned towards him and kissed his cheek. "Well you should help out more than that." Your phone buzzed with an alarm. "And there goes my lunch break." You shoved your food into Namjoon's arms. "I have to go job hunting." "Hey let me come with." Namjoon said as he hurriedly stood up. "No you don't have to. I'm going to the job center to ask if they have any openings. And you have class." Namjoon raised an eyebrow. "And you don't?" "Well I won't even have a class to ditch anymore if I don't get a job now. See you." You said again as you quickly made your way out of the cafeteria.

***

You stared at your phone and sighed. It had already been a week since you had been to the women's job center. They had been skeptical, especially after you had stated all your conditions, working part-time during the week, Sundays free and also the fact that you were a student. However they had promised to get what they could for you, especially after you had begged them that you would work anywhere as long as the pay was good. But now here you were, staring intensely at your phone. What if you weren't able to find a job in time? You were sure that asking your parents for that much money would definitely affect at Least one of your siblings. You rubbed your temples and felt that awful migraine creeping along your skull again. You were not a happy-go-lucky endearing kind of girl who was always smiling even while suffering, but you always kept a healthy level of optimism in your tank, never letting your troubles or problems get the better of you. Namjoon had also played a great part in that. You fell back on your bed. But lately it had been getting harder to see the good side of things. You groaned in frustration, wondering if the job center was really finding it hard to get you something to do. Your phone suddenly buzzed to life, and you sprang off the bed like a rabbit, stumbling to the dresser and grabbing your phone like your life depended on it. You glanced at the caller ID and curled your toes in anticipation. "Hello is this Y/N/L/N?" A soft voice boomed out of the phone. "Yes. Yes it is." You said quickly, your heart in your throat. "Ok. I'm from the women's center. I'm happy to inform you that we've found a job for you." You heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh thank God. I thought you weren't gonna be able to." The voice let out a soft chuckle. "Well it was difficult. But we managed to get something for you last minute. You are really lucky. The job offer sprang up out of nowhere. And it meets all of your conditions." You couldn't believe your luck. You wanted to leap into the air in Joy. "Thank you so much. When can I start?" "Uh, you still have to come down here as Soon as you can to get more details. Your employer is very particular about the people he hires. He is a private man and wants to interview you first." You mused on this. "Whatever he wants. As long as I get the job." "Ok then. Come down to the agency tomorrow so I can give you the details." The voice said and hung up. You fell back on your bed again smiling like an idiot. "YES!!!" You shrieked as you wriggled about. You heard a small voice at the back of your head. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch Y/N." You pushed away the thought. Things were finally looking up.

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You sat down in front of a desk with a computer on it. You had arrived at the job center and had been waiting for about twenty minutes. You checked your phone for the time. You were beginning to get agitated. Where was the attendant? A middle aged woman suddenly plopped down in front of you. She greeted you with a warm smile. "Miss Y/N?" She asked and you responded with a nod. "Sorry for taking your time." "You spoke to me on the phone?" "No my coworker did. But she's out sick today so she told me to take care of you." "Oh." You responded and waited for the woman to continue. She switched on the computer and began to tap at the keyboard. "Ok so you've been offered a job as a housekeeper." "Uh can I know who I'm working for?" The woman smiled. "They wanted you to find out when you came for the interview." You were confused and began to wonder if this was some elaborate prank by Namjoon. Really. How private could one person be that they were keeping their identity a secret from their prospective employees? Were they some kind of mafia clan? You started to think of declining the offer when the woman, as if sensing your doubt, spoke up. "It's not dangerous Y/N. And I promise you the pay is very good. The CEO is just a very private man." CEO she said. There was something off about this woman too. You eyed her carefully. Ok Y/N. Let's see how this goes. "Alright." You said finally. "Great." She tore out a slip of paper and scribbled something on it. "Here's the address. Your interview is in two hours." "Two hours?! Well why didn't you...." "I didn't think you'd accept the offer." She didn't think you'd accept it? Exactly what was going on? You hurried to get your things. "Good luck!" The woman yelled after you as you dashed out the door.

You stopped short in front of an enormous gate. The gate had two iron carvings of a Jade dragon embedded into it. You heaved a sigh and pressed the doorbell. You waited for a while and was about to press it again when a deep male voice boomed over the PA system. "Yes?" Yes? Oi. "Uh, I'm from the women's center. I applied for the post of housekeeper." "Oh. You're early!" Yeah barely. You thought as the voice said again and after a while the gates slid open. You stepped into the compound and gasped so hard you almost passed out. Before you was the largest compound you had ever seen. There was a huge maze like garden on both sides of the compound, and sandwiched in between them was a beautifully lit walkway. There were lights and lanterns decorating each side of the walkway and you could only imagine how it would look at night. You walked slowly and gasped again when you saw the house. At the far end of the compound stood the biggest palace you had ever seen. In front of it was a pavilion, and in the pavilion was a water fountain with water sprouting out of it. The house was enormous and you felt as if you were standing before the tower of Babel* instead of a freaking house. The mahogany doors swung open and a well dressed Man with blonde hair walked out and towards you. He was just as beautiful as the house. You began to wonder if you had accidentally walked into another dimension.

"Y/N? Welcome." The man said cheerily, smiling at you constantly. "Come on." He spoke again and you shivered. You followed him into the house and your eyes almost fell out of their sockets. You were standing in a very grand Hall, fit for a king. Now you weren't an artsy girl, but you could make out several pieces of art work placed in the hallway by the walls, all leading up to a glass stand, above which hung the portrait of a young girl in a hanbok. You stared at the portrait, entranced by the girl's beauty and how sad her face looked, before wondering what sort of creep you were about to work for. "Beautiful isn't it?" You heard the male's voice beside you. He was also staring at the painting. "Yes. Yes it is." "It's the most exquisite piece of art in the mansion. Apparently the CEO described the girl to the artist himself." You turned to face the man. So he wasn't your employer? You had thought that this CEO being so private would've interviewed you himself. Guess even the most private still order lackeys around. At this point you still didn't know who exactly you were working for. Just what kind of mess were you getting yourself into? "This way." The handsome male led you towards a beautiful set of spiral stairs. You ascended quietly as the man led you again into a parlour room. He sat down on a cushion and you sat opposite him.

"So Y/N. Hi. I'm Kim taehyung. I'm CEO Park's PA." An alarm went off in your head. CEO Park. CEO Park. CEO Park!!! "I'm sorry do you mean CEO Park jimin?" Taehyung studied you. "Yes." Oh God!! CEO Park jimin, the super secret mega business mogul that Namjoon disliked. Why hadn't you seen the signs? It was when taehyung had asked if you were alright that you realized you were gasping for breath. "I'm fine. I'm fine." Taehyung studied you again. God was he handsome. You hoped the CEO looked nothing like him or else it would be very hard for you to concentrate on work. "Okay." Taehyung leaned back on his chair and crossed his legs. "Let's discuss the conditions of your employment." "But I haven't accepted the offer yet." Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Well you're here aren't you?" You shifted in your seat. "So you'll be working Mondays through Saturdays, like you requested. Your job requires regular maintenance of the essential parts of the house. A Gardner and a mailman come occasionally. You'll also be residing here..." "What?" "Yes. In order to be fully efficient you can't afford to commute every day. Trust me it'll be much easier if you lived here." You sighed and wondered again if you were making a mistake in accepting this job. "You'll be receiving six thousand dollars at the end of every month..." Your eyes widened and your voice caught in your throat. "I'm sorry. Six thousand dollars?!" Taehyung smirked at your reaction. "At the end of every month." He paused. "Do you have anything to add?" You cleared your throat. "The-the pay for this month, can I receive it now? Like up front? I really need the money. I promise I will work for the full month I owe." Taehyung narrowed his eyes before placing a piece of paper before you. "That's a contract. Sign it." You carefully picked up the contract and signed it, sealing your fate. Taehyung smiled. "There. With that you can't run away. We will catch you if you dupe us." You gulped. "I'll speak to the CEO. The money will be forwarded to your account before the end of the day." You smiled brightly as tears brimmed in your eyes. All your money problems had just been solved in under an hour. "Thank you so much." You gushed, extremely grateful. Taehyung smiled a boxy smile at you, almost as if he was as excited as you were. "Anything else?" He asked. You sighed. "When can I start?"

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"YOU WHAT?!" Namjoon yelled at you after you briefed him on your new job. "Y/N..." "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before I decided this Namjoon, but I really need this. You know that." "Yes, but..." Namjoon ran a hand through his brown hair. "Forget all jokes now. I've read a lot about CEO Park to know that he's hiding something. Something that could be potentially dangerous. Working for him.... Living in his house, puts you at risk. He could be some kind of secret mafia boss for Christ's sake!" You stared at Namjoon's concerned eyes and pulled him closer to you. You knew he was just worried about you , but you honestly thought he was just being paranoid. All in all, you couldn't blame him. You cared about him just as much to be paranoid if the roles were reversed. You planted a chaste kiss on his soft lips. "I'll be fine Joon. Really. I promise the second something seems off I'll quit immediately." You smiled at him and his expression softened. "Fine. But that doesn't mean I'm okay with it." "I know." "When do you start?" He grumbled, a sound you associated with a large, pouty bear. "Uh, tomorrow. Wanna help me pack?" He stared at you, incredulous. "Tomorrow? But shouldn't they at least have given you some more time to pack?" "I chose to start tomorrow. Better to get it over with as soon as possible right?" Namjoon shrugged as he picked up a pink bra, scrunched his face and tossed it aside. "Can't argue with that." He said as you grabbed the bra and stuffed it into your suitcase. "Trust me Joon. It'll be over before you know it. Oh and by the way, you should see his house. You'll love it."

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You stood up from your crouched position and stretched your back. You had already successfully moved into the CEO's mansion and had been working for a week now. You saw taehyung regularly, he always popped in with a smile and the excuse of ' fetching some documents' when you knew he was probably checking up on you, obviously at the CEO's orders. Said CEO had not shown his face in the house since you arrived. You hadn't even seen his car in the driveway, not that you would notice anyway, with the fleet of cars parked in it. It was always the same routine everyday, and it was exhausting, but the amount at the end of your Bank book made it totally worth it. It was actually a bit easier because you were on break and you braced yourself for the stress you would face once school resumed. You took one last look at your Bank book for encouragement before exiting your room to begin the days duties. You made your way downstairs to the storage room and passed by the front door. You stopped abruptly as you saw a pair of male shoes placed beside yours. Must be taehyung's. But he had left the previous night. And why didn't he let you know he was back in the house? When did he even get in? You rolled your eyes and shrugged off the thoughts. He probably had something else to take care of and it wasn't like he had to tell you each time he came in. You grabbed your equipment and made your way to the pool.

You pulled back the sliding glass doors and stared at the exquisite marble pool before you. You gently placed the cleaning equipment on the floor and was about to drain the water when you noticed a movement in the pool. "Taehyung?" You called out, as you cautiously approached the pool edge. There was no answer. You moved closer and slipped on the marble, tumbling into the pool. Now you hadn't meant to be so overdramatic, but your fall had caught you off guard. You thrashed and flailed in the water, your movements causing you to sink further in. Suddenly, strong arms gripped your sides and hoisted you out of the water. You felt the arms holding on to your sides and a pair of legs wrapped around yours to stop them from thrashing about in the water.

You sputtered and coughed, before opening your eyes and both your heart and time stopped. In front of you, with his arms around you was the most beautiful human being on the planet. His eyes were a deep blue and they stared at you intensely, his lips were plump and pink, and his blonde, wet hair matted across his face. The sunlight reflecting on the water hit his face and he shone. He sparkled like an angel and you became as dumb as a mule. He must have sensed that you were in shock as he put his arms around your waist and guided you out of the water and into the folding chair. He stared at you again, before grabbing a towel and he began to walk away. Your brain came out of autopilot right then and you scrambled to your feet. "Wait!" You yelled, and the man stopped, turning back to you, his eyes burning with curiosity. "Thank you for-for saving me. My name's Y/N. Who- who are you?" You sputtered out. "Y/N right?" His voice came out, soft and pleasant. "You must be the new house keeper. I'm your boss, Park Jimin."

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Part two will be out soon! Hopefully!.

Comments would be appreciated!!!

[frogsandfries]

I feel like today was productive

If e x h a u s t I n g.

It was almost a hundred degrees today, and of course I still haven't learned my lesson about just drenching myself in sunscreen. I got burnt AGAIN. So that's just great. I've got like a band on my arm that's just taken it the worst--I had gotten burnt wearing a longer sleeved shirt, then wore shorter sleeved shirt, I think, or maybe the other way around, and somehow this area...... got as much exposure as higher and lower areas on my arm, I thought, but it's more burnt? I'm so annoyed, because I've got two badly burned patches on one arm, one of which was shiny and is now scaly AND burnt.

Not to mention, my lips were so sore and dry today, no matter how much I drank.

We checked out four apartments today--the first one was kinda gloomy, kinda dark, and small. So he met us over at a second one. That one honestly was lovely; we would've said yes if he'd even sent the paperwork, and honestly, I wanted to keep our options open. Unfortunately, I don't think it was anything we did; I do think it was to do with the gas leak he had to deal with.

The second apartment building we went to, the first one was lovely and well-lit, with vinyl in the living room. The second was kinda gloomy, and very stuffy, with carpet in the living room, with just a square of vinyl just inside the door. Eww. I would've been happy with the first one. I guess we even got approved for it, but I didn't really end up hearing anything back from them today like I thought was supposed to happen.

The only downsides to this apartment were:

It was near the highway knot, a church, the university and not much else. My partner was especially annoyed that there weren't any restaurants in reasonable walking distance. I think eventually I would've gotten annoyed at the commutes to the grocery store.

We grabbed a freezee and marched for a bus--the march is what did in my burn. I could've gone for my own freezee, but hey, between the two of us, we mostly finished it before we got to the restaurant. Also, bonus points for carrying my own straws, or we wouldn't have had a straw for the slushie.

Finally, we got lunch/dinner. I had a pretty delicious, if weirdly citrusy, eggs benedict. There is nothing quite like a perfectly, delightfully, poached egg. 👩‍🍳😗👌

While we were cooling off and relaxing with our meal, we even got a call back from the nice apartment we checked out Friday. They said they turned down the income tolerance and even cut the rent on the unit because they really liked us.

So.

I'm so eager for tomorrow. I want this one apartment. By bus, it's a twenty minute commute. It's a half hour walk, which I'll need when I spend eight hours a day on my ass. The other one is an hour and a quarter by bus, and the one that didn't even send us an application is fifty minutes by bus.

I think before when/if we leave town tomorrow, I'm going to contact my recently former workplace to see about getting my check early, or call them back when I have the new address that I need it sent to because I won't be able to come back out here to get it.

In other news

I was really excited. I got an email from RedBubble saying my order shipped.

I received.

One.

Item.

Just my button.

I was really looking forward to having the masks I ordered--especially since we'll be in the city and they're much more conscientious about wearing their masks. I really shouldn't, personally, since my asthma is already such a shit show, but I really ought to keep one on me. Plus, wearing my logo is great advertisement, and wearing any of my art is a great way to show off.

At the rate my orders were finished, the masks won't arrive to the original address till Friday, which means it probably won't get to us till like Tuesday or Wednesday. 😬😬😬 If we move tomorrow or Wednesday.

Anyway, as usual, I've got a new piece that I'm working on, and of course, I'm having as much fun with this as I did the pineapple mermaid, even if my fairy basslet will wrap up quicker than the pineapple mermaid.

I have several items on my shopping list for the first few checks. I honestly don't know what to expect, but of course, I'm still putting ten percent at least into my loans and investing and maybe a personal items savings pool. I might roll over my retirement if/when my employer offers me something.

More necessary, I obviously want kitchen stuff, like a wok, some nice pans, a mug of my own eventually, some things to organize and prettify my kitchen. Kitchen towels. Maybe a nice soap dispenser. I want a rug for the living room. I'll need a desk sooner than later, especially for when I'm working from home, but also so I have a place for my eventual art materials hoard--my cross-stitch stuff, my polyclay and eventual sculpture tools, my tablet, gel pens, notebooks, sketchbooks. Maybe a small laptop at some point. I'm going to eventually need/want some kind of drawing stand for my tablet. I actually might make one out of foamcore so it's the perfect angle for me.

I also want a nice kitchen table and some nice chairs. I really want to move in. I want to get some diamond paintings and other posters and start making artwork to show off. I want a better tablet than I have right now. The hardest part is probably going to be not blowing every last dime each check.

I eventually want to send the pineapple mermaid off as a custom plushie, but the place I think would best serve my goals is doing commissions as a lottery, so who even knows how long it would take to get my spot in line--I don't want to get pulled super unexpectedly early and be unprepared for her to go to the plushie artist. I think I might, however, send the fairy basslet for just a regular commission. Just to get a taste for their work.