#first sheet is cannon characters

[edsnotden]

some portal gijinkas or. whatever the word is!

theyre a few weeks old and i'd def want to redraw alot of these i used the same fucking pose for two characters (poses are hard ok) but i still like em. i think i jsut specifically want to redraw virgils idk why i always have trouble drawing him 💀💀💀💀

glados was there for each one bc i wanted sizing consistensy but i ended up just. forgetting to follow that so ignore her and ignore the heights of the other two sheets....

some other art god im so tired . omg i need to make a new grady sheet omggggggg

[artist-issues]

Look I know Rapunzel paints and Tiana cooks, but if you guys don't think Mulan is the Most Creative Disney Princess, you're wrong.

She's literally introduced in this perfect scene that highlights her whole character, flaws and strengths:

The first time you see her she's:

Cheating, which is totally the opposite of what honor-code General Shang would do.

Undisciplined, which is what going to the army fixes.

Problem-solving—by writing the recitation she can't remember on her wrist—

BUT LISTEN. That last one is the first hint you have that she's the Most Creative Disney Princess. Because guess what? She's not the first young woman to cheat at the matchmaker test. The Matchmaker specifically checks to see if she's cheating when the test begins. But the rest of them wrote their cheat sheet on their fans.

The Matchmaker was prepared for the usual kind of tricks. But Mulan's full of her own ideas, not everyone else's.

You guys know the rest. She dresses up like a soldier—nobody suspects her because the idea that someone would do that never occurs to everyone else. She climbs the pole by tying the medallions around each other when none of the other recruits can figure it out. She lights the cannon by grabbing Mushu instead of searching for flints. She creates an avalanche instead of just taking Shan Yu out. She tricks the Huns by dressing her friends up as concubines. She defeats Shan Yu with his own sword and a bunch of fireworks.

But even beyond problem-solving, Mulan never does things like other people do. She doesn't even do things like other women do.

She doesn't just walk across a bridge, she jumps from pillar to pillar. She doesn't just bring her father tea, she puts a spare teacup in her sleeve because she knows she's clumsy.

Mulan is creative. But you know what that moment proves? That she's not just a representation of all women-versus-men. Mulan is representative of a human, who sees where she has strengths, and sees where she has weaknesses. She uses her strengths to her advantage and works to improve or make up for her weaknesses. She doesn't try to be exactly like a man. She just tries to use what she's got to do the right thing. And finding ways to use what you've got, even if it's not like what everyone else has, is creativity.

[sparticus2000art]

Revisiting my nightmare design and giving him another outfit for fun!

Also some practice with expressions based on the expression sheet by @/capochiino because I need to work on drawing faces more expressively-

I’m not quite there yet, but it’s not doing terribly I think…

Nightmare was made by jokublog

I also drew this cause I wanted to explore a better dressed nightmare- personality wise I feel like it makes more sense to have him be a bit more extravagant or well put together than his cannon design with just the hoodie.

For my own interpretation of him, I feel like it would be interesting to approach his character in a way where he does both- the more elaborate or fancy outfits preferably, but the hoodie fit as more of a crutch for when he needs it, linking his outward expression and appearance to his stability and control over his own emotions/ the corruption.

I think when he first turned, the corruption would’ve made him quite unstable emotionally, and taken away a lot of control- being visually represented by it soaking through and staining all of his clothes to be the same colour as the corruption itself. Kinda showing him being overwhelmed by the new influence. But the more comfortable he becomes, the better he’s able to manage the new state, giving him the opportunity to do things more to his own taste.

This also allows him to experiment with adding some pops of colour to his clothes, though he’d still stick to darker tones to protect his pride- so that it’s not as obvious when his control lapses and the corruption seeps through to contaminate the garments. On particularly bad days he’d revert to his cannon clothing, both to save the clothes he likes from being tarnished, but also as a way to seek comfort.

I’m not sure if I explained that super well lol, but those are kinda my personal head cannons.

[real-hot-grl-shi]

y'all srsly need to stop slandering my man (monoma) fr like he is not a egotistical asshole who only loves himself and that's it he literally glazes class 1-B. not himself. name one time that he said that he was better than class b. I dare you. he has a inferiority complex and It shows pretty clearly, but y'all just hate him bc he doesn't like class 1-A??? LIKE THATS THE ONLY REASON WHY YALL NGAS HATE HIM 💀

hes good with kids (eri), he knows when to chill out, and he doesn't really even cause any harm to class 1-A outside of season 5 when they were training!! like y'all really need to chill out. Hori literally said in his character sheet that it wasn't 'Noma's fault. LIKE?? like he cannonly got along with mina and ochako in one of the official arts- LIKE YALL CHILL OUT. 

and to some of y'all ngas saying that he ugly- bro. sorry that he looks normal and his hair aint cray cray??? like not everyone needs to look wack or abnormal in a anime. 

(its literally cannon that hes a pretty boy, and he is. ive been thinking dat shi the first time I saw him 🙄)

like if you didnt know anything about the character, mha, or anime in fact, would you look at this nga:

and say "EW HE LOOKS SO UGLY??????///" no 💀 you wouldn't. bc you know ppl that look like him in the world exist and walk on the streets. 🤷🏾‍♀️

y'all really need to stop slandering my man bc if it wasn't for him the hero would've lost. 🙇🏾‍♀️anyway monoma edit bc MY MAN MY MAN MY MANNN!!!!

also this too

BC YALL REALLY NEED TO BE HEARING DIS SHI FR.

[bit3mebabyx]

Honeymoon Suite

🐚while out of town on a surveillance mission for the DEA, you stupidly left Javi to book the hotel room. aka the classic one bed trope. 🐚

warnings: 18+, slowburn (i’ll be real half the fic is the both of you pretending to be asleep), co-workers to lovers, teasing/ flirting, Javi being the perv/ sleaze we all know he is, cannon violence lightly mentioned, afab reader, fem reader, no smut really (yet?), whole lotta sexual tension though

authors notes: first post on this account (ew). first time writing for a pedro character, but my obsession has been reborn and is overwhelming me.

The motel was the kind of place that charged by the hour and didn’t bother to change the sheets. Javier dropped the keys onto the dresser and glanced around with a raised brow. “Charming,” he muttered, tugging the curtains shut. “Really went all out on this one.”

You crossed your arms, backpack slung over one shoulder. “You booked it.”

He looked over his shoulder at you, smirking. “Didn’t realize we’d be getting the honeymoon suite.”

Your stomach dropped slightly when your eyes landed on the single, sad old mattress in the middle of the room. One bed. Of course. What a pervert. “There’s only one bed,” you said flatly.

“Wow. Thanks for the update, Agent Obvious.” He winked, peeling off his jacket and tossing it onto the chair.

You gave him a sharp look, trying not to let his easy charm get to you. “Don’t get any ideas, Peña.”

“Oh, I already had a few,” he said smoothly. “But don’t worry, I’m a gentleman. I’ll take the side closest to the door—so if someone comes in shooting, I get hit first.”

“A real gentleman would take the floor.” you commented. His eyes drifting to where you were pointing and scoffed. “How romantic,” you deadpanned.

Javi just grinned, lighting a cigarette and leaning against the wall, watching as you dug around in your bag. His eyes didn’t leave you. You felt them, the way they skimmed your legs, your waist, your mouth. He always looked at you like that. Like he was waiting for the game to begin.

“You gonna stare all night or actually do some work?” you asked, tossing your gear on the table.

He took a slow drag. “Depends what kinda work you’re offering, cariño.”

You rolled your eyes so hard you nearly saw stars. “God, you’re exhausting.”

“You love it.”

With a huff, you grabbed your pajamas and locked yourself in the bathroom. You wished you'd packed an oversized shirt and long pajama shorts, something boring and forgettable. Instead, you picked out your regular sleeping attire, a tank top that barely covered the curve of your breasts and shorts that clung too tight to your thighs. Great.

You debated staying in the bathroom all night, but that would be giving him too much satisfaction. You were a federal agent, for Christ’s sake. You could handle one Javier Peña and his stupid perfect mouth.

You opened the door and stepped out casually, pretending not to notice his eyes immediately zoning in on your tits.

“Well, well,” he said, tongue resting behind his teeth. “Didn’t know this was a sleepover and a show.”

You snorted, trying to brush it off. “They were the only clean clothes I had left.”

Javi tilted his head, smirking like the devil himself. “Sure. You accidentally packed the outfit that guarantees no man within ten feet of you gets any sleep. Very believable.”

“Shut up,” you muttered, crossing the room quickly and slipping under the covers.

He soon followed after returning from the bathroom, the mattress dipping as he laid down next to you. So close. Warm. You could smell his aftershave and cigarettes, barely masked by the minty toothpaste. You could feel him.

“Just so you know,” you said, trying to sound breezy, “if you try anything, I’m a better shot than you.”

He let out a low chuckle and turned on his side to face you. “Duly noted. But I’m more interested in where you're hiding a gun in this little outfit.” His eyes floating down to your form barely covered by the thin sheet acting as a blanket.

“Stop it.”

“Sweetheart,” he whispered, voice like molasses, “you need to relax, you've been flustered since the minute we walked in here.”

You didn’t reply. You couldn’t. Not with your pulse hammering like this and your body way too aware of his.

The silence stretched.

“You snore?” he asked eventually.

“Only when I’m sleeping next to assholes.”

“Guess I’ll find out in a few hours.”

It was nearly pitch black except for the glow of the motel sign leaking through the thin curtains. The hum of the air conditioner rattled in the background, but all you could really focus on was the man lying inches away.

You hadn’t moved much. Neither had he.

You were both pretending to be asleep.

And failing.

Javi let out a breath. “You always sleep this stiff or is it just ‘cause you’re in bed with me?”

You scoffed, facing away. “It’s because I’m thinking about all the diseases in this mattress.”

He shifted closer—close enough that the heat of his body bled onto your back. “Sure it’s not because of the tiny shorts and that tank top that keeps riding up every time you breathe?”

“Peña,” you warned, trying to pull the blanket up higher.

“Mhm?”

“I will throw you out this window.” You quipped.

“In those shorts?” he teased, voice low and scratchy. “That’d be quite the view.”

You whipped around, ready to snap, but your face ended up inches from his. His nose almost brushing yours. That cocky smile just barely visible in the dark. His hand slid under his head lazily, showing off the veins in his forearm. Completely relaxed. Like he wasn’t taunting you on purpose.

“Admit it,” he murmured, his breath brushing your lips. “You wore that just to mess with me.”

You blinked, then tried to retort. “I—I didn’t. It's hot in Columbia. I just—”

Javi chuckled. “You always this good at lying?”

You hated how warm your face felt. Hated the knot in your lower stomach even more “God, you’re insufferable.”

“Yeah,” he said, eyes on your mouth, “but I’m right.”

There was a long, heavy pause. You could practically hear both your heartbeats.

Then, with a smirk, he reached out—just one finger, brushing the hem of your tank top where it had ridden up, grazing your waist. Barely touching. Still smug.

“You should get some sleep,” he said, pulling back like he hadn’t just flipped your entire nervous system inside out. “Big day of surveillance tomorrow. Long hours. Hot sun. And if you keep wiggling in those shorts, I’m gonna have to get creative with how I handle the tension.”

You stared at him, open-mouthed.

He grinned like the devil he was.

“Night.”

You were still lying there, hours later, eyes wide open, pulse doing sprints.

He hadn’t said a word since his “creative tension” comment, just settled in beside you like he hadn’t casually set you on fire and walked away from the wreckage. And the worst part?

You hadn’t moved, Turned, yes. Not away.

If anything, you’d shifted closer without even realizing it. Just a little. Just enough that your leg brushed his. Javi noticed, of course he did.

“Still awake?” His voice was rough now, a little sleep laced. Lower.

You didn’t answer.

“You’re no good at pretending to sleep, cariño.”

He moved closer again—slower this time—and your bodies aligned like they’d done it before. He was so close. Too close. The kind of close that left no confusion.

“What do you want, Peña?” you asked, voice barely a whisper.

He reached out, knuckles grazing your cheek. “Right now?”

You hummed, heartbeat thundering in your ears.

“I want you to admit you didn’t just wear this to sleep,” he said, fingers sliding down to toy with the hem of your tank again. “I want you to say you wanted to drive me crazy.”

You swallowed. “And if I did?”

His hand paused. “Then I’d tell you it worked.”

There was a long moment where the silence stretched thin.

You turned around, the retort that had taken too long for you to come up with died when he kissed you. It wasn’t gentle, nor slow. It was hot, impatient, domineering all tongue and teeth and the kind of pull that had been building for months. You grabbed his shirt like it was anchoring you to earth, and he groaned against your mouth when your legs tangled together.

“You’re such a cocky asshole,” you breathed between kisses, gasping when his hand slipped beneath your top, spreading fire across your skin.

“You like that about me,” he muttered, lips trailing down your neck. “You like this.”

You did. God, you did.

And the way he touched you—like he’d been memorizing every curve since day one, like he’d waited for this—was making your head spin.

“You’re not gonna be able to look me in the eye tomorrow,” he teased, fingers skating towards your breast.

You bit his lip, just hard enough to make him growl. “We’ll see who breaks first.”

He smiled against your skin, already tasting victory.

[imviotrash]

Woop woop another character sheet for my AU :3

And yes it is our dearly beloved. He's not super involved in the main plot but oh my god I have so many ideas for him.

Also, good thing about the 100 years later AU is that AGNI WILL LIVE! RAAAAAAAAAAAA

Yapping and old art under the cut:

Left: my first design. I wanted to give him a very fun vibe but I kinda failed in making it look remotely flattering. I think I did much better to encompass that travel/fun/filthy rich vibe I wanted to go with.

Right: another character sheet. I love the pose but idk what I was doing at that point. I quite like the current pose and colour scheme I picked for him, it seems to encompass most of what I attempted to do before.

Left: I my attempt of drawing the red house. It was certainly an attempt

Middle: some school uniform showcasing! The students can pick their own jacket if they wish to! I'm probably gonna give those two some new jackets though!

Right: as for all characters, a lil bit of an outfit mix. I really like his "going out" outfit

Well, you've seen Maurice's side of the room, here's Soma's! Very cozy I'd say and a lot less unhinged.

In this AU I focus on Soma's and Maurices "friendship" of sorts. It's complicated and messy of course. Maurice has to learn how to get his shit together and Soma has to learn to not take everything thrown at him.

Maurice reminds me a bit of Soma at the beginning of the manga. Entitled, aggressive and idealising someone who is...just a person. We've only seen them interact briefly in cannon, but I believe their dynamic could be interesting, if developed more.

[graysnetwork]

Mayybe you could write some headcanons for keegan with.. first time? :^3

Or a short drabble in a similar context, if you want ofc eheh

hii tysm for the request!! i hope you like this cuz i made this as head cannons and a drabble at the end.

FIRST TIME - Keegan Russ X AFAB READER

Notes - i made sure to make the oneshot at the end 500 words exactly 💀🤷🏻‍♀️

Warnings: nsfw obvi, breeding kink in the oneshot

Summary: Your first time with Keegan is the sweetest thing ever

Keegans already very passionate when it comes to sex

When he learns that its your first time he's almost worried, he asks questions like

"are you sure you want to do this with me?" "I wont rush you" "You want me?"

Things like that, because he feels so honored and special that he'll be the first person to be so intimate with you.

Keegans gonna be getting you ready all evening to begin with.

As I've said in my nsfw hc's, he's a man that loves thighs, and loves whats in between them, so trust he will be eating you out first.

Keegan will be placing kisses on your thighs, making hickeys and basically be impressing his initials on your thighs for only him to see.

Keegans gonna be in between your thighs for a while, lapping at your folds so he makes an agreement to a safe word, just in case it becomes too much for you, and he takes it seriously, because he would never want to make it a bad experience for you.

Keegans going to make sure your not uncomfortable with him

(ik other writers sometimes write that character want to see everything)

thats not Keegan, if you don't want him to touch or see certain things than he wont, and he'll wait for you to be ready, in no way is he even gonna try to convince you to show him something you don't want to.

If your embarrassed about stretch marks at all, he's gonna tell you how its not serious and he loves it, it makes you even more beautiful

by this point he's hard as a rock

So once you guys get to actually taking him

He'll take it slow, however long it takes for you to adjust to his size, he will wait, theres no way he's gonna rush this especially when he feels so snug inside of you.

He will wait for you to tell him if you want more of him inside, if you start saying you might not be able to do this, he's gonna be sliding out as soon as you say it

he will jerk off, or just walk out the room and get you a water bottle so he can just cuddle with you until you feel okay again.

thats if you couldn't do it

on the other hand

At halfway your already begging for all of him inside

Keegans definitely chuckling at your eagerness

But he thinks you look so beautiful and cute under him right now, squirming at his length

Once he's fully bottomed out, he's telling you he'll move when your ready

Once he does start moving, its euphoric for both of you

and if your embarrassed to moan, its going unnoticed by Keegan because he's already moaning and groaning

if you are moaning, he's still moaning either way.

He will place kisses all over your neck, collar bone, face, anywhere his lips can reach

Keegan's already placing you hands on his shoulders because he loves marking, (just like he leaves hickeys on you) he wants you scratching his back, he doesn't even care if you draw blood, if anything he's getting more turned on

he just wants to please you so badly

After care w him is so sweet

He's gonna clean you up very gently,

run you a bath or start up your shower, he'll shower with you if you want him to

He'll get you a bottle of water, snacks if you want them

and then he'll be changing the sheets too

so you guys can go to sleep

he'll rub your back

or he'll have you laid back on the bed as he starts to kiss your thighs again, and eventually fall asleep between your legs

_

He's losing it already, he's always been this way, the minute he finally starts getting his own feeling of pleasure while making another person also feel good, he starts to lose himself and get too rough, he doesn't want to be rough with you, he's trying to be as slow and gentle for you, and make you feel so good, but your so warm, and your walls are squeezing around him so gently but so tightly at the same time, he’s never felt this good with any other girl hes been with.

 He doesn't want it to end and he doesn't know how to stop, he could stay here all night, all day, he could be inside you forever if it meant you'd feel this good. Keegan's beginning to get faster, he can barely hear your voice because he's been focusing on where you two connect, and how the noises of squelching are overtaking the room.

You knock him back into reality when your nails start to dig into his skin, “What’d you say sweetheart?” he asks so gently as he continues to go even faster, it's overwhelming, for both of you. You don't even reply, you didn't say anything, he just thinks he heard something because you've been moaning so loudly. “oh,” he says as he gives you another peck on the cheek.

“Maybe one kid won't hurt” He says, your eyes widen a bit, and he chuckles, “im kidding sweetheart” he tells you as you shake your head lightly, at this point he didn't know if he was kidding or not. “I wouldn't be opposed to having your kids” you tell him, which makes his brain go fuzzy.

You; having a swollen stomach and it being his kid, you'd be all his, with all his cum inside of you.

Shit you were making him have new kinks.

“m’I might have to cum in you baby” he moaned as he looked back down at you taking him, now he was getting even faster which you thought was impossible as he was already going so quick. And he was getting rougher, his hands and nails were digging into your hips, he was most definitely going to be leaving so many bruises on you. And he was kissing your neck again, purple bruises beginning to form.

“y’close sweetheart?” he asked knowingly, you couldn't even focus on anything, you were just seeing stars. His thrusts got sloppier as he was about to cum too, he couldn't have thought of anything better if he was being honest.

And then you two came undone together, he pulled out right before, of course it would've been so amazing to see you pregnant with his kid, but he’s sure you said that in the heat of the moment.

“C’mon lets get cleaned up” you said as laid on his side as he moved your hair out of your face, he smiled and let out an airy chuckle as you stared confused. “Who said we were done?”

[sonny201818]

Hello, this is my Hogwarts Legacy blog. I’m Sonny, she/her. This is dedicated to my MC Millie Grey.

I will post my own artwork of my MC & other HL characters as well as reblog other HL things. I will post lore of my own head cannons. I love this universe, please feel free to message me or comment telling me about your MC/lore!

Artwork/ One Shots:

*Introduction! *OTP Sheet *Character Sheet

*Snowball Fight *Millie & Valeria 🩷💚

*Slytherin Trio Rough Sketch *Millie & Sebastian Vines Entangled // Part 2

*Treasure Map *Sebastian–Ladies Man

*Trouble *We Love Fanart

*Lectured By Uncle Solomon *Ominis Sandwiched

*Garreth & Millie Potion Experiment *Trio Hug

*Sallows & Their Crushes *The Perfect Portrait (Chibi Comic)

*Sebastian & Millie Morning Cuddles *Quidditch Try Outs—One Shot + Fan Art

*First Quidditch Match *Cheek Kisses

*Love Potion Prank / Part 2 *History Of Magic 😴

*Protective Sebastian *Millie Doodles / Part 2

*Shy Millie *Smitten *Embarrassed Seb *Graphorn Mishap

Lore:

*Catacomb 5th Year/sketch

*Summer Into 6th Year Lore

*Thought I’d Find You here

*Ancient Magic Lore/Sketches

*Millie & Seb First Kiss 🩷🩷 Art + One Shot

*Sebastian’s Worries

Other:

High School AU / Part 2

New 5th Year AU

*New 5th Year *Keep Millie Warm

*Overprotective Boys

[she-whatshername]

Good mornings with the Marked Ones:

AN: I don't know if its because I am writing him a lot in Drifted and head cannoning the life out of his character but I am really enjoying Garrick these days. Also, a little slight NSFW here. You've been advised.

Garrick:

Is he up before you: Yes. IDK how he can operate on so little sleep but he's absolutely the 'first one awake, last one asleep vibes'

He is the son of the aide of the former Duke of Tyrrendor. Garrick has probably completed at minimum 5 tasks before waking you up

How's he waking you up: One of two scenarios -

Shoulder kisses. Sweet, soft kisses to your shoulders, upper back and neck. Murmuring quiet "Mornin' my love."

Or

He's being a total dick and ripping the sheets off of you and thrusting the curtains open, "Rise and shine you gorgeous little thing. My, don't you look ravishing this morning." He then proceeds to climb on top of you and kiss whatever exposed skin he could find.

You have to remind him quite frequently that your are not one Xaden and Bodhi and you're not going to be treated to bro-behavior first thing in the morning

He bringing anything to bed?: Breakfast in bed? Nope. Egotistical dick jokes. Yes

"Breakfast in bed? Oh, I have something satiate your appetite, love."

Like, sir. We are half awake please put it away.

But to our dismay and utter enjoyment, he does not.

Are you late for formation: He's not, but you almost are. Even if it is a quickie before formation he gives it his all and you're defiantly a bit disheveled as you walk into the courtyard.

Riorson is rolling his eyes at you but then you return the favor when Violet comes walking rushing in behind you with her hair in a rather messy crown braid she spends most of formation trying to correct.

[kyia7330]

The Chaotic Digital Circus (TADC AU)

WARNING! A lot of this au revolves around one of my Ocs striker! I’d advise you to read the thing below for more context 😅

also for now I have only ref sheets, I plan to post more content later :3

ALSO ALSO! This is NOT CANNON to my main series lol- this is just a cool au I thought of 😭

Ok enough stalling! Here are my silly ahh ref sheets :3

Hopefully they look cool! This was my first time drawing most of these characters- 😅

also and favourites, follows or reblogs are greatly appreciated!

might draw a TCDC hamster Pomni for shits and giggles lol 😭

[snazzydwarf]

@batpham-discord-highlights Week one: Cannon Queer Character! I just had to do Constantine, at first I was gonna do Dick but then I realised I haven't drawn Connie yet AND.... he's just awesome :) Challenge Sheet under cut!! ~~~~~

[dorminchu]

a warm place

fandom: mouthwashing genre: hurt/comfort characters: anya, curly rating: T summary: If not for the risk of opening another hole in the Tulpar she wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet through his head. Jettisoning Jimmy from the airlock would mean they're down a copilot. No one else can take Curly's place.

a/n: Sort of a sequel to my first ficlet orinoco flow. I never posted it on tumblr so here ya go!

Another endless shift in the medbay. Anya works and sleeps in the same place, only leaving to feed or relieve herself. There is no approximation of day or night aboard the ship.

Curly rarely sleeps. He squirms and whimpers, bandages rasping against the sheets, haunting the walls of the Tulpar while he clings to consciousness. Helpless, if not for his crew.

She's never thrown up on the job. Not sewing up Daisuke's open wounds or when she had to amputate Curly's hands and feet and cauterize the stump via the flickering light of the medbay.

For the past few weeks it's been difficult. She can scarcely stand to be in the room when it's feeding time.

Jimmy has taken on this duty in her stead. He's stopped complaining, at least to her face. The circles under his eyes grow more pronounced and that arrogant scowl has an ugly twist. He's a ticking time bomb. Whatever impulse possessed him to act before in the cockpit hasn't abandoned him. If it wasn't for Curly, she wouldn't be alive right now.

She could tell herself she's been going along with this charade out of fear for what Jimmy might do. That some misplaced sense of guilt compels her hand. It's not untrue. He has kept his distance thus far, but he'll grow tired of being patient sooner or later.

If not for the risk of opening another hole in the Tulpar she wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet through his head. Jettisoning Jimmy from the airlock would mean they're down a copilot. No one else can take Curly's place.

Besides, it's not just the three of them. Anya has the others to think about. Daisuke is too sweet to grasp the bigger picture. He doesn't deserve that burden. Swansea has only held his tongue for his sake, perhaps hers, if she is self-indulgent enough to allow herself this notion. Once she goes, Swansea will not hesitate to do what he deems right. It'll be easier to stomach if Curly does not witness the mutiny's barbaric resolution. The seeds of it have blossomed under his inaction. He's a sensible man. He must have guessed this was inevitable, the four of them picking at one another for wont of anything better to do—and Jimmy, the aggrieved ringleader, slave to his own impulses.

Before they ran out of rations, she and Curly were making steady progress. Curly's been well enough to write. Despite his condition his cognition is mostly intact. Even under the haze of painkillers he could use a pen with her guidance and his stump of an arm. Monosyllabic answers, jagged penmanship, but it's more than she expected. His reliance on stoicism is becoming his own detriment. Does he reflect on the universe's cruel sense of irony as often as she does? Did he ever stop to try before the accident? What kind of nurse would demand an answer, even if it's untrue?

Whatever conflict rages inside of him, she won't live to make sense of it. From their prior psychiatric evaluations he does not strike her as a man prone to holding grudges. It's a matter of pride. The type to keep quiet about his true feelings and simply go down with the ship as a last resort. If she were Jimmy, perhaps, he'd let the mask slip.

The more optimistic side of her assumes Curly would have put them all in cryostasis, given the opportunity. But that would mean acknowledging Jimmy as a loose cannon. Capable of harm. To go against the wishes of their employers in the face of a crumbling company would certainly put a damper on his chances at a promotion. That's Jimmy's influence talking. The sleep deprivation. The hunger and the months of isolation bleeding together until the line between paranoia and pragmatism is indistinguishable.

Curly was caught off guard. An honorable man disarmed by an act of senseless incongruity. His better nature has damned them all. Her silence and Jimmy's desperation have damned them all. Jimmy's been itching to finish what was cemented before he entered that cockpit. Jimmy is too simple and narcissistic to analyze himself beyond his own self-satisfaction. Eager to latch onto a man like Curly, honorable and falliable, the perfect patsy. Jimmy is an ideal co-pilot, not for his charm and qualifications on-paper, but because no captain in his right mind would grant him their seat.

Of course, Pony Express makes no distinction between remorse and culpability. The painkillers are going to run out before the rations. Or she'll make a mistake, and then Jimmy will have his final say. If she survives that long.

The portable safe under the spare bed is her trusty companion. Anya doesn't manage to sleep without it. Out of habit, she opens the lid. The revolver glints in the warmth of a synthetic sunset, safe in its mould. Her stomach clenches on itself, restless.

The sound of his breathing, shallow and wheezy, offers little comfort. As long as he clings to life, they're safe. Judging by the amount of painkillers left, she can buy him a few more weeks. It'll have to be enough.

[theghostbunnie]

How do you feel about Max’s whole situation with his parents? Are you the ones that feel like “they don’t care” in the show or the ones that feel like it’s complicated or Max just REALLY overreacts when it comes to his family?

I was actually talking about this exact conversation with my friend yesterday!

And although I have A LOT of HCs about his parents and the intricacies about them as people, (Lacey & Arjun) their relationship with eachother, and to Max, in absolutely no way do I believe everything I HC would be cannon lmao.

It is heavily implied and inferred his parents do not emotionally care about him. Multiple general comments from Max, as well as explicitly saying "they do not care." There's room for a TWIST, yes, because these are characters who have never been showcased. We only have one action known from them directly we can gather n guess things about: his sign up sheet but so many arguments could vaildly be made why they didn't give him one AND many vaild arguments why it's proof they don't care. That's why there's still room for a twist there.

And that's just the absolute soild stuff, next we get into Max as a character and the "it's all a misunderstanding/exaggeration" theory. ((Again differences between HCs and theorys, I'll respect your HC all day but a theory can be debunked imo)) It would honestly be such a mischaracterization of him. Before I get into why I would just like to get meta for a second and I don't believe parents day as an episode would have been written as heavy as it was if the core problem was just a kid's misunderstanding. Cameron went to SUPER GUANTANAMO and swore VENGEANCE on David for not being able to prove his camp was legit, because David left choosing to comfort Max, over covering Cameron's ass.

But onto it being out of character, Max as we've seen can be emotionally immature but he is still MENTALLY mature. When Nikki thinks she's dying Max struggles to see past the /logic/ of it at first to see her /emotions./ So he'd be the MOST understanding /LOGICALLY/ if his parents have to work alot. Especiiiaaaally how we've seen him talk about politics and interact with money. BRO WOULD UNDERSTAND SO WELL THEY HAVE TO WORK 😭..

In abusive or just generally not good households it can be normal for a child to believe what is happening to them is normal bc they lack a different perspective. I'm not even saying this is Max's situation this is just to preference my next point.

It is rare for the opposite assumption to out last age 5. Where a child is in a completely fine household, but believes their parents don't care based on them working so much and them having to go to school/camp. It would be out of character so much for Max specifically because he is written to be incredibly observant compared to his peers.

I believe around the start of season 5 he compares home/school/family to a train wreck? Dumpster fire? I don't remember the exact wording but if I character is telling you to your face he thinks home and school is rough it boils down to:

Do we think this character is a reliable narrator? Have we been given reason to believe they've been confused, or lying? Or can we take what they've said as a reliable source of their experience? And I think in this case Max has only shown confusion on so little things of this caliber if at all, he's a reliable source about his experience.

Like he thought David was going to kill him but that was more a burst of paranoia/David genuinely acting suspicious depending on how you analyze it.

So in short TLDR: It's heavily implied instead of canonically shown from the characters themselves so there's room for a twist, but that said twist would have to be incredibly out of character for Max. That, and the gravity it was originally written in with, is why I don't think they were going to write that route.

[tosteur-gluteal]

OMORI MLB AU MASTERPOST (might change)

Hi! I'm @tosteur-gluteal and this is a masterpost for my au, the OMORI MLB AU! You can check out the content for that au in the #omori mlb au tag!!

What is the OMORI MLB AU?

It is an alternative universe I've created as a joke, but it slowly turned into a legitimate AU of mine where Sunny and Basil from the video game OMORI are superheroes, specifically Ladybug and Chat Noir from the TV show Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

What is the setting?

It takes place in Paris, at the same time as the Miraculous Origin episode. But instead of Marinette and Adrien, the heroes are Sunny and Basil. Master Fu was in a hurry, you see... He had to choose a new guardian for the Miracle Box, and happened to stumble across a male nurse. Sunny and Basil go to a private school, as well as the Faraway kids, except here they're french and Parisian. It would be a school that's similar to the one in the Miraculous movie; very fancy.

Sunny's name isn't "Sunny"?

No, his full name is Kiyomu Fua Suzuki! He is French and Chinese (mom's side) and Japanese (dad's side). Very unusual combo. Sunny is a nickname.

What are the names of the heroes?

Ladybug for Sunny (He just chose the name of the animal his miraculous is tied to) and Catmint for Basil (He wanted to be called Stranger but the public just unanimously chose to call him Catmint so it stuck)

There are no character sheets yet, but I can show you some concepts that are still relevant today: Ladybug's final design

Sunny/Ladybug

Basil/Catmint's personality

Ladybug looking at the camera menacingly

Is Gabriel Agreste the villain?

No! In this cannon, he grieved like a normal person would. Also he won't appear in that au sorry lol

Who is the main villain?

The main villain... Is Sunny's dad! Ukon Suzuki, an overworked game designer. Shocking, amarite?

Here are some drawings of him:

He wants to order

Dilfguy

Suzuki Family

Papillon's old design

Is Mari alive?

Yes! She is!

What about Aubrey? And Kel? And Hero? AND OMORI????

Aubrey and Kel go to the same school as Sunny and Basil. Kel becomes friends with Sunny very quickly (he's kind of the Alya of this au) and Aubrey bullies Basil... Thankfully, it becomes more bearable for Basil as soon as he becomes friends with Sunny. ..And yes they'll get miraculouses Omori is a sentibeing! It was decided in this post that Omori's amok should be a rubber bracelet.

What is Catmint|Basil and Ladybug|Sunny's dynamic?

Sunny and Basil are best friends, but Basil has a crush on Sunny. Ladybug and Catmint are colleagues, but Ladybug has a crush on Catmint. By extension, Catmint has a crush on Sunny and vice-versa (see that funny date drawing)

At least, that's the status quo at the beginning of the story!

Drawings of them interacting:

Them cuddling

Aftermath of the heroes' first appearance

Unfinished comic

(Old drawing) Charm

Just them ;3

What is your gendah

Sunny the unforgiving

PPGZ reference (i'll add more once i get some time ifhfeioehm)

Will there be a fanfiction?

Yes!! It's in the making! It's gonna take some time though, since I have another AU called OMOFALLS that takes a lot of work too.

About the Playlist?

There is a playlist for the MLB, but don't expect it to make much sense yet TwT. These are the songs that I listen to when working on my au. BUT! I think the songs that represent it the most are this cover and this remix of Tokio Funka by Takamatt; as well as HERO by Ayase/YOASOBI.

[imviotrash]

Of course this AU couldn't be complete without putting my favourite of the Weston arc in there.

Yapping and old (OLD) art under the cut

Left: as one can see, probably my most major redesign. (Thank god because what was that)

When I didn't know what to do with the plot of the AU yet, I tried to stick to the cannon representation of him as close as possible (pink/red tones to represent the red house, cheery yet timid vibe etc.). Now that I have a better idea of what I wanted to do, Joanne needed a major overhaul. I wanted him to keep that very timid and frightened personality, but also give him a bit of an unsettling vibe, he isn't well liked at school in cannon and I think in my AU there should be an additional reason for that. His pale complexion & red eyes paired with some of the morbid philosophy he spits out can make him come across as awkward and weird.

I made the hard decision of scrapping his softer pink eyes for his cannon red ones. His new design is kind of a jab at the "horror game protagonist" fit & colour scheme, since he's the one who's gonna find Derek and the others first. Details such as the patch, scrunched up socks and keychain give him a little bit of a softer vibe.

Right: some outfits. As previously stated, major overhaul is needed with those. The colours are....so so bright. I think the clothes cut will mostly stay the same, but seriously need a new colour palette and less motivs on them. I do mourn for that a little, but hey Lizzy and McMillian can take that duty over quite well.

Left: I really be doing that "hand grasping in fear" pose with him over and over again, my god. Just like some of the others, another attempt of a character sheet that focuses a bit on horror tropes. Back then I thought about making one of the victims related to him.

Right: this AU stupidly enough lead me to the crack pair that was Elizabeth and him. I figured they have similar vibes in terms of clothing. (funny since they're pretty much opposites now with my redesign/rewrite).

[palmtreesx3]

GET OFF - The V-Card

The V-Card

<- Prologue || Next ->

Series Masterlist

Get in the mood for this installment:

Series Playlist

The V-Card Mood Board

Summary: (3.7k) Everyone is nervous for their first time, right? Steve and Robin are busy tackling a lot of their firsts - first day in the shop, first week in the city, first friends (or something) in the city. It’s all a little intimidating and both quickly find that old habits die hard - particularly for Steve. It’s going to take more than just a new city to really give these two a new life. Be sure to read the Prologue before reading! 

Warnings: it's a sex shop, guys - so it's generally just NSFW 18+. In this AU Hawkins is weird and cannon events happen to some extent, but not to all familiar characters. If they are present in Chicago for this AU, they have no ties to Hawkins. Absent parents, excessive drinking, poor coping mechanisms, M/F hookups and implied/light smut, mentions of female oral, our boy on his King Steve shit, one night stands, careless hookups, and a coming out. 

Shout out to @loveshotzz for the blatant Whatta Man nod in this chapter. IYKYK. 

Chicago: That Saturday, 1993

The sun was beating in through the front apartment window as Steve sat on the couch with a can of High Life, taking a breather from all of the unpacking. He has been hyper-focused all weekend on getting settled and unpacked - a complete 180° from Robin's settling in approach, which looked more like making sure her sheets were on her bed and simply ignoring the rest of the boxes stacked up inside her doorway than anything else. 

For a split second Steve considered picking up the phone and calling home just to check in, let his parents know they've got their bearings and are all safe in the city, but as that thought settled, he realized how absolutely ridiculous it was. They never cared where he was and what he was doing before, so there's no reason for them to actually start caring now that he's finally gone. Worming it's way deep in his brain another thought occurs to him - if he just would have packed up and left, it probably would have taken them months to even realize it. 

Plus, the second he talks to either one of them he knows they're going to ask about a job, and he's not quite ready for how that conversation might go. Yeah Dad, we're all set, start at the sex shop 10am on Monday!  He shakes his head and laughs to himself at the thought before throwing his head back letting the beer, just starting to warm and lose its crispness, run down his throat. It's tasting a bit bitter now…and Steve can relate. 

Pulling him from his self-deprecating thoughts, Robin swings open the door with the sound of jangling key chains being shaken like maracas, the soundtrack to her grand entrance. 

"Got your keeeeys, Dingus! It's officially official now!" She tosses the key ring over to Steve, who has his eyebrows raised as they land about 5 ft to his left on the other side of the couch. 

"Nice one, Robs. Maybe one day we'll find you some aim."

"Long shot, buddy. Better chance of me confidently shooting my shot with Stevie Nicks than that ever happening. But good on you for thinking I have any potential whatsoever."

"S'wat friends are for, Robbie." He grins at her sideways before leaning over to pick up his new set of keys. "The hell is this?" He asks, dangling the keys up in the air. 

Hopping up and down with incredibly youthful glee, Robin beams at the boy and exclaims "A TAMAGOTCHI. I got one too. Orange for you. Blue for me. Pretty sure even if we could have a pet in this building it wouldn't end well, so I got us these!" 

"This is ridiculous. I can't believe you got us a toy." Robin slips on the couch nestled up close to Steve, pressing the button on both to initiate their hatching as she presses her shoulder into his side. A beat of silence goes by before he throws his arm over her shoulders and says, "Show me how to do it, Robs. Can't wait for mine to outlive yours." He smiles down at her. 

"Eat shit. Whoever kills theirs first buys the other a drink."

The twinkling sound signaling the hatching of each of their eggs echoes through the apartment as they eye up their pets and glare back at one another.

"Oh, it's on. Never been more confident about a deal before in my life."

"Speaking of drinks … " Robin muses. " Whaddya wanna do tonight? "

Steve's not quite sure how long it's going to take for him to get used to the sheer quantity of people here in Chicago. He's pretty sure there's as many people in this club right now than there is in the whole of Hawkins. 

When they arrived, Steve was feeling a lot. It was overwhelming and nothing in Hawkins flashed so bright and shook so loud… except maybe the 4th of July Carnival and their fireworks on the outskirts of town, but that was nothing compared to this. 

One drink in and finding a place to hunker down near the bar at a table, he felt more comfortable. He was enjoying Robin's running commentary while she spent the better part of an hour people-watching, still passively feeling the heat radiating off of the dance floor, when he decided to switch over from the lukewarm beers to a sweet and sharp whiskey and soda. 

Three drinks in and sufficiently loose, Robin is fluttering around the edges of the bar and the dance floor - now making friends with some of the people she's been eying up all night with her inhibitions down as far as Steve has ever seen them. He's drunkenly grinning at his friend, happy to see a kind of social side of her that feels new, even though he knows the roots of it have been buried deep inside her for her whole life, interwoven through her heart and her brain stem, just waiting for permission to come out and untangle itself. 

"Steve! STEVE!" She shouts over the thumping bass of the music, wildly gesturing for him to come over to where she now stands, in the center of a group of people who look friendly enough for him to oblige. 

Four drinks in and now the group is laughing, hollering and leaning in hard to catch an ounce of what the others are saying. Steve's eyes are squinting trying hard to read their new friends lips as they try and converse over shots and the loud music in the dark. Turns out Robin found a whole group of people that live in the same building as they do and, as one does when they're absolutely shit faced, they all immediately began talking about how they're all new best friends, curling arms around one another's necks and slurring "I love you guys" over drinks number five and six. 

Steve is feeling a familiar twinge. It's not his fault that he has no idea that there are ways to make friends other than people pleasing or trauma bonding. Now relishing in the ease of finding city-friends over an open drink and the immediacy of acceptance that comes with puffing out his peacock feathers and playing the delicate social hierarchy game he mastered in his teens, he barely even notices that he's dusting off his King Steve party tricks. The stress of the last few years that have him wound up tighter than a watch melt away as the coy and flirty remarks start flowing like a waterfall and the locker room talk comes back like riding a bike. 

Six drinks down the hatch and Robin can't find Steve. Any other time, and Robin would be absolutely losing all the marbles in her basket worrying over Steve. Especially in this new city. She'd assume he was dead. That someone finally came to whisk him away and lock him up for all the things that he's not supposed to know. Sure, Steve can handle things. He's definitely the most capable person she knows and he quite literally raised himself, and saved himself more than once, but none of that even matters right now because she's just swaying to the beat of Janet Jackson pumping through the club speakers with her new soulmates who live on the top floor. 

Instead Steve is at the bar, queuing up drink number seven for him and drink number who-knows-what for the absolutely smoking girl at his side named Melissa, who apparently lives just up the staircase, too. She's reminded him three times so far that he can just call her Missy, but not without leaning in close, just next to his ear to make sure he hears just how sweet she sounds. And boy does he want to know more about how sweet she sounds. 

Steve's eager hands are hooked in her belt loops, the girl's bright red tube top riding up her stomach as she pushes herself into him. Her fingers are tangling through his sweaty hair and his are ghosting over her collarbone and down her arm. His lips are on hers before drink seven is even delivered, so he caps off his night with her tongue down his throat instead. 

He has no clue what time it is as they tumble through the apartment door, Melissa Missy still giggling at his orange Tamagotchi keychain as his lips chase hers once again and the door slams shut. Perfect. Robin's not home, he thinks. Completely forgetting he was there at the club with her in the first place, he tugs at the girls long blond hair at the roots, runs his hands over her glistening and glittered shoulders and shoves her down into his plush comforter the second they reach his bedroom. 

He's so caught up in this big-city hottie he managed to get into his bed on his first weekend in town, he doesn't hear Robin come in the door, nor does he notice her clanging around the kitchen to chug down a few huge glasses of water in hopes of being at least a little conscious tomorrow morning. Robin, however, does notice Steve clanging around the bedroom, especially after she hears a deep and throaty moan that is unmistakably female. 

"Ha. Fuck yeah, Stevie. Losing that Windy City V-Card." She says quietly while wobbling to her room. Meanwhile, Steve's got his head buried deep under the sheets, blindly grasping at the girl's perky tits while he lavishes at the thought of this being the kind of opportunities that present themselves here in Chicago. His first time in this big sprawling city made him feel like he was on top of the world. 

The confident bubble he found himself in all night popped when he later woke to feel the warm summer breeze from the open window tickling his now exposed back, comforter slipping down and exposing his hips along with a peek of his ass to the girl who was accidentally pulling it off as she stood up from the bed. Unabashedly naked, she stretches her arms in a yawn, Steve rolls to peek at the clock. 4:36am. "Where are you off to?" his raspy, sleep laden voice cuts the silence as she finds herself caught gathering her things. "Are you try'n't sneak out on me?" He mumbles with a smile, thinking he's being flirty and cute. 

"That's exactly what I'm doing, hon." She winks, as she snags her cheeky hot pink thong off the back of his desk chair and shoves it in her pocket on the way out the bedroom door. "I'll be quiet on my way out. Don't worry. Maybe I'll see ya around. Maybe I won't. It was fun though. You were a KING with that tongue so I wouldn't be opposed…but it's honestly unlikely." 

And Steve is there, left tangled and alone and feeling stone cold sober after that dose of honesty from Melissa, left wondering if this is how all the girls back in Hawkins felt after he dipped out on them. Having his fun but knowing it wouldn't go any further than that. Getting off under Skull Rock, in the back of his BMW, atop their pink frilly pillows with their parents in the room next door - all hanging on to the hope of just a little more - the potential of being needed and wanted and good enough for the likes of King Steve, but waking up empty and disposable instead. If he didn't already hate himself before, he definitely does now. 

"Sooooo." Robin sings out, while twirling her spoon through her milky cereal. "We gonna talk about that little Bedroom Rodeo last night or what?" 

"Robin. Please. It's too early for this." He presses his palms into his eyes, trying to stave off the pulsing just beyond his sinuses. "and did you just say Bedroom Rodeo? The fuck?"

"Well, yeah. Bedroom Rodeo… ya know. Crushing the buns? Two person pushups? Horizontal Tango? Please tell me with all that racket you at least got off?" 

"Ew Rob, where the fuck are you coming up with these?" He looks at her as she shrugs, slurping the last of her sweet cereal milk straight from the bowl as she did it. "This may be shocking, but… probably the most annoying thing you've ever said. Crushing the buns? Are you serious?" he says as he walks over and face plants dramatically onto the couch. 

Rolling over to his back and sliding on the wire rims of the glasses he never lets anyone but Robin see him in, the apartment comes into focus and so does his best friend, sitting at the counter grinning from ear to ear while tugging up her eyebrows to him in a taunt, chomping on her cereal and looking far to comfortable in his own goddamn yellow sweatshirt. His hand jutting out abruptly and gesturing to her morning attire with a furrowed brow and a questioning look, she says absolutely nothing in response. "Are you serious? Get your own clothes!"

"Eh, yours was already unpacked and my box of cozy stuff is on the bottom. I didn't get to it yet." She says casually. 

“Yeah okay. The box pile huh? Well don’t think we’re going to be sharing everything around here.” 

To which he watches her lips curl up in a Cheshire cat grin as she responds “Aw man, not even the ladies?” 

He hates this already. 

"Need some coffee, tiger? Probably a little sluggish after testing out that mattress."

His groan was loud at that one. "ROBIN! "

"Fine, I'll leave you alone…for now. But we're gonna talk about some rules for when we're Jamming the Clam later over a smoke, ya got me? Roommate ground rules at all." She winked as she sauntered down the hallway to her room. 

"Sure Robbie. Whatever you want. But do me a favor… if you're so goddamn chipper this morning maybe you can unpack a freaking box from that mega-pile. Won't be bringing back some hot piece to your room to Jam the Clam in that fuckin' disaster zone!" He shouts at her back. 

Throwing up a peace sign and swaying her hips a little more (albeit awkwardly) she makes a show of acknowledging her friends request before shutting her bedroom door behind her. 

"Robin, right? And… " Murray looks at him up and down.

"Steve" the boy scowls. 

"Wow. Okay then. Cheer up Rico Suave. Robin! You didn't tell me your friend had this much charisma when you stopped by last week."

Murray Bauman is the manager of The Hideout. Maybe he owns the place, it's not entirely clear, but what is immediately crystal is that Murray is always ready to dish it out. "Alright then, welcome to The Hideout. I wanted to name it Murray's Pleasure Emporium but that got shot down pretty fuckin fast by my partner, so it is what it is."

With his salt-and-pepper hair, neatly groomed yet slightly disheveled, and a well-maintained beard framing his jawline, Murray's appearance hints at a man who has seen his fair share of adventures. Despite his brash exterior it's quickly clear that Murray effortlessly creates a comfortable atmosphere, so it's no wonder he finds himself successful in an environment where he can push boundaries and help others to explore their fantasies and fulfill their desires.

"So here's how this is gonna work. You two are gonna work retail. You'll need to run the register, oversee the displays, manage the inventory and help the customers. Peace-a cake, right?" He spurts off while simultaneously counting the money in the register for the day. 

Robin and Steve spit out a garbled acknowledgement while Murray looks back and forth between the two. "Red, did you say you two were... roommates?"

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

Eyes knocking back and forth to look between the two friends, Steve can already see where this is going. Been there a thousand times. So he cuts off Murray's silent analysis and offers up the information needed to satisfy his curiosity. "No, we aren't dating. And .. ah ah. Wait." He cuts him off as Murray starts to open his mouth, ready to counter back "...and NO, before you go there, we aren't fucking either. Didn't happen. Won't happen. Platonic."

"With a capital P." Robin finishes the end of Steve's sentence. "We can't promise we won't be weird, but we can one hundred percent promise there will not be any lovers quarreling with us."

"Well alright then. Loud and clear." Murray says in response. He claps his hands loudly and rubs them together before continuing on with his sex shop monologue. 

"Back to business, then. Covered the retail bits - Ah, yeah here we go. As you can see, the shop offers an extensive selection of adult toys, lingerie for the ladies…or the men, sensual massage oils - a personal favorite - and other products that cater to a wide range of tastes and sexual preferences. I like the good stuff, because I have taste. So that's what I sell. I also like to have all the latest shit because I'm progressive. Call me sexually innovative, if you will. If it's new, we're gonna have it."

Steve and Robin follow dutifully behind him taking it all in. Robin's eyes are as wide as saucers and she's distracted by all of the things she does not yet understand as Murray continues to spout out information on products, business and his own personal sexual philosophies. Steve poked her shoulder and she grimaces, and returns to planet earth to hear the rest of Murray's great new hire speech. 

"The people who come in here are not sex freaks. You got that? They're normal people. Don't gotta be some pervert to want to get off and feel good, so if you can't be open-minded and nonjudgmental then you might as well not even clock in after this. Got it?"

Both nod in agreement and the edges of Murray's lips curl up in a smirk. "Perfect. Come." He directs as he walks to the register and it's adjoining display case where a wide array of colorful dildos stand spread out for selection. 

"Not that it's a job requirement or anything but, I'm assuming if you're wanting to work here and my pleasure palace your… ahem.. sufficiently experienced. Cause you're gonna need to sell the product if you get my drift. People have way more questions than you could imagine. Just yesterday I had to tell a kid that Anal Beads are, in fact, for your anus..."

Robin's mouth is aghast. Steve looks around again taking it all in and he finally laughs at Murray, who is looking them over as if he can't believe these two kids standing here in front of him know anything about the kind of sex he sells. "Listen, Murray. I didn't set out to move here to this city and work in a shop full of dildos. Surprisingly, my incredibly inexperienced friend here signed me up against my will to hawk condoms like morning coffee. Robin doesn't know shit - sorry Robs, but you don't." She shrugs her shoulders, looking at Murray and nods in agreement at her friends words. "And while I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that I'm not what you might consider all that adventurous, I've got more notches than I'm proud of and unlike most guys I can find a girl's clit. SO… I'd appreciate it if you stopped talking to me like this is 6th grade health class and let us get to work."

"I have very little to add." Robin says, "and after what I heard the other night, I'll attest to what Steve says. He sure can make 'em moan." 

Murray stands behind the counter looking Steve up and down. He lets out a loud, boisterous laugh into the still air of the shop before he starts again "Well then, Steve. I can respect that. I think you both are going to be a mess, but I can work with it... So let's hop to it."

Beyond the merchandise, the pair learn that Murray hosts educational workshops and events at The Hideout for its patrons and the community and often has specials and promos going inside for shoppers. After the first half of their day, it's clear that Murray runs a business that he is proud of and his customers are loyal. Steve decides that when people ask, he's just going to tell them he works retail. Because he in fact… does. 

As their training winds down, Murray comes out of his back office carrying a giant tray and welding some embarrassing dance moves as he delivers it delicately to the counter. "Hey, hey, hey assholes! Before we head out, we have to set up this display for tomorrow. Let's rock and roll my friends!" Robin scans the contents of the tray curiously, not so sure how all of the items fit together to make anything that resembles a display. "Uh, okay but like… what is it?" She says. 

Steve snickers as he takes in the tray full of cupcakes, bananas and condoms. "Well Robbie, despite what it looks like I don't think Murray is letting us set up snack time. I'm not sure what the cupcakes are for, but these here look like they're to practice getting the condoms on the banana."

"Bingo! Rico Suave gets the points! We're doing a condom demo tomorrow, so he's right on that. What he's wrong about though, is that the cupcakes ARE for a snack." Murray fist bumps Steve and turns to see Robin's gears turning at maximum speed. 

“What’s the matter, first time, Red?” Murray spits out, through a wide gleaming smile that Steve swears sparkles in the light, like some goddamn cartoon. 

"Actually.. ." She draws out "while I don't have the clit-finding prowess of my friend Steve here, I only strive to one day be able to eat pussy as well as he apparently can. So yes, this is my first time sliding on a condom, thank you very much." 

Murray nods and his grin never ceases, although now there's a bit more approval and admiration than taunt behind it. "C'mon then, lemme show you how to slide these on like a fuckin pro." 

Steve is beaming watching his friend speak so casually about it. Murray really is good at what he does and making people feel comfortable, or this city really is just what Robin needs, either way, the way Murray doesn't skip a beat and starts teaching Robin the art of rolling on a condom like it's just any old day makes Steve think about how many wild things they're going to get into here. And honestly it's all fine, because there’s a first time for everything.

Divider by @firefly-graphics

🏷️ TAGLIST: @livsters @katie-tibo @johnricharddeacy @angywritesstuff @k-k0129 @tisthedamnseason69 @middle-of-the-earth @thebrazilianatheist   @mochminnie @micheledawn1975 @falling-throughthe-hourglass @rafaaoli @ash5monster01 @gabessock @onyxslayss