#first time i've properly fished

[cyazurai]

Welcome back, once again, to Tabitha Berryman's adventures in Kentucky at the end of the world!

We begin today after she killed a rather large horde, including a zombie that was irradiated so she almost died, but she killed him and stole his hazmat suit. Now it's time to infiltrate an office building, mostly for cigarettes, which it was abundant with.

Also: water container! Always nice, even if she's living next to a whole pond.

Abort mission, abort mission!! A horde of 15+ burst in the backdoor while she was in the bathroom and she had to burst through them in order to get out, literally only got out with a scratch to the shin, and a ruined scarf (if she hadn't found that scarf in the last "episode" she would have been bitten again).

They chased her long enough she had to drive off into the middle of nowhere to disinfect and bandage her injured (pride) shin.

Next day, it's time to wind down and finally start building the frame of her house. I don't have any building mods, so it's fully vanilla build mode, but I don't care. I'll just cannibalize some homes and not have a proper roof. I hate roofing anyway (at least in the Sims).

Poor Tabby is starving and the tomato soup with thistles and spices was evidently not enough to fill her up, so it's time to put our new fishing gear to the test!

Tabitha was MADE to fish. Look at that haul! Absolutely massive feesh! She'll be eating good tonight, yes sir. Maybe some sunfish soup with thistles and tomato paste, or grilled catfish. Yum yum.

Anyway, that's where I'll end it tonight. It's been 13 days and 12 hours in-game since she started her adventure, and the water and power are still on. Still haven't found a "How to Read Generators" manual so I can't set up power for my home yet, so these fish will definitely not all be eaten before some go bad, but I've found around 4 generators so once I get the book I'll be set.

To be continued~

[genderqueerdykes]

had the consult for my gallbladder surgery. the doctor told me i need to "lose 10 - 15 pounds" before they'll perform the surgery on me, and that I would need to wait 2 - 3 months before they would schedule it. i told her i have PCOS which makes it difficult to lose weight. she told me that does happen, and offered to refer me to a bariatric surgeon who is used to bigger bodies who could perform the gallbladder removal instead. i asked her for the referral to them instead

i was very angry at her for this, as 10 - 15 pounds do not make any difference when you are 300 lbs. my weight fluctuates between 280 - 340 lbs depending greatly on what i've eaten, how much i exercise, and so on. this will also vary greatly depending on if the stone is blocking my gallbladder completely or partially- if it's fully blocking the neck of my gallbladder, i cannot get enough digestive juices into my stomach to properly digest my food, so i will begin violently vomiting to get the undigested food out, and to get bile flowing into my stomach again. i begin to lose tons of weight when this happens, and i put it back on during the periods where i can get enough bile in my stomach to properly digest my food.

i can't digest my food properly. eating "healthier" will not change this- i can't digest food at all, period. healthy or unhealthy, i can't digest anything, because a good half of my digestive juices are completely missing from my guts. there is a functional issue with the way my guts work, of course i will lose weight drastically and put it back on at times. of course the issues will be episodic.

both her and the student that was working with me kept assuming that i said that my pain got worse after "high fat" meals. both of them put this in my mouth-

the student did it first. she asked when the pain gets worse and i said sporadically, but sometimes after i eat. she literally asked me "so you said it gets worse after fatty meals, right?"

i got frustrated and said "no, it's really random." i didn't get to tell her that raw leafy vegetables and lightly steamed or cooked vegetables make me vomit. broccoli and cauliflower that aren't heavily cooked, salads, raw vegetables, lightly cooked carrots, applesauce and apples in general are all problem foods.

the doctor then came in and said "it gets worse after high fat meals, right? you said that" and i went, again, "no it just kinda happens."

i don't even eat a high fat diet. i cook at home now for every meal now that i have all the tools i need to do so. i make rice, fish, pasta, and certain vegetables that i can digest like potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and so on. i eat bread, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, and drink oatmilk. i don't eat land meats, eggs, or dairy. i don't have any of those things. i do eat french fries and fish sticks, but not for every single meal. i don't eat chips because they're too salty and irritate my stomach. i don't eat candy or sweets unless the food bank delivers them to me. i don't eat much sugar other than pancakes and certain fruits

she wouldn't listen to me and went "well when you eat fatty meals, your gallbladder has to contract more and it can cause you a lot of pain." you would not believe how many times she came back to "you need to eat a lower fat diet." "the pain gets worse after you eat a high fat meal, so eat lower fat meals and your pain will go down." "just eat a lower fat diet and it'll help."

i just kind of sighed. there were tears in my eyes. i felt defeated. they made a bunch of assumptions just because i was sitting there, being fat. i was wearing long sleeves due to it being cold and they didn't get to see that i have a lot of muscle in my body mass. quite a lot. i wanted to tell them that i'm on testosterone and physically active when and where possible, and that i frequently lift heavy objects and move, but i never got a chance. i wanted to tell them my BMI isn't what they think it is, but i just didn't bother to try

i despise that people assume that fat people are fat because they eat "unhealthy" foods. i ate high fat foods for a few months while i was homeless because i didn't have the resources to cook every single meal. it affected my liver, i'm dealing with some fatty liver. but my gallbladder has more important issues in the form of the literal stone inside. she would not stop pushing for me to eat lower fat meals. all because i was sitting there, existing, as a fat person. i wish i would've told her i can only eat fish and plant matter

i don't understand how a patient telling you they're vomiting and can't keep down certain foods does not sound like a more pressing issue than an arbitrary number. weight as a number means nothing, it tells you nothing about that person's actual body composition. i have trauma with vomiting and yet i'm going to have to keep doing it anyway despite the fact that it could kill me via dehydration or if i just. can't stop

either way i'm very unhappy with result as i already waited for a month for this consult. now i have to wait for a referral for another surgeon to go through, and to do the consult with them, too. all while being in pain and having GI issues the entire time. just because a surgeon doesn't want to take the time to learn how to operate on fat bodies. i'm tired. what a joke

[disgustingtwitches]

MDNI

Working at a restaurant with 141!(Part 5)

The shithead owner decides that he needs to sign up for a "restaurant renovation" show. Chaos ensues.

"A fucking TV show?"

Gaz frowns while polishing glasses.

"Told him it was a bad idea."

Price shrugs, lighting a cigar. You are horrified, being on the screen for millions of people to see was nerve wracking. And it'll be the first time you meet the owner.

"Restaurant renovation... Lik' he gives twa fucks aboot renovating this shitehole."

Johnny ashes his smoke and passes it to you. You take a deep drag and sigh, this is gonna be a disaster.

~

Cameras are set up everywhere, everyone's mic'd up, there are too many people in too small of a space. Some obnoxiously loud man introduces himself. He seems to be an amalgamation of every TV host you've ever seen, wearing too much cologne and too much hair gel. He puts a hand on your shoulder,

"The place looks terrible but at least they got something nice to look at here."

He flashes a smile, cheap veneer blindingly white. You awkwardly laugh while Price steps in, introducing himself. You scurry away to the back where the rest of the boys are,

"I want everyone to be on their best behavior today. No fucking around. Don't make me look bad."

The owner is a bland man, average height and weight, with a shitty haircut and wearing an ugly flashy shirt. He turns around and briefly introduces himself, he already smells like liquor. Great. He gets waved over to get interviewed by the host. You and the guys watch from the other end of the restaurant. It's quite embarrassing, the host pointing out how run down the place looks, the menu is confusing and overwhelming, and then asks if he's drunk,

"I can smell the alcohol from here Carl... it's only 11am buddy."

The owner stutters and blinks,

"I- just uh, just a crazy night is all."

The host stares, unconvinced. Carl shifts awkwardly in his chair. The next segment was ordering food apparently, so you were up. You walk up to the table as the host asks you a barrage of questions,

"How would you say the fish is here? Is everything fresh? What do you think of the steak? Do you have any recommendations?"

When you say you only ate the fries from here and he laughs loudly,

"That is not a good sign folks!"

He stares at the camera, showing off teeth that were too big for his mouth before you walk off and punch in the order. There's a cameraman recording John and Simon cooking,

"Steak and potatoes."

John reads the slip out loud, they move around the kitchen while the owner watches. For such a simple dish there's a lot of chaos, Carl is yelling at them to move faster and cook properly, John is busy arguing with Carl and burns the steak, Simon plates up the food and hands it off to you. You place the plate down in front of the host,

"Oh...oh my God..."

You keep a straight face, hands behind your back. The host looks back up at you,

"Does the food usually come out like this?"

There's a tone of disgust and concern, his eyebrows turned up, you shrug. He stares back down at the filet and cuts into it,

"It's very impressive that one is able to overcook such a large piece of meat. That takes...skill."

You watch concertedly as he picks up a piece and puts it into his mouth, it looks like he wants to cry.

He goes on to complain about the quality of the food to the camera as he walks to the kitchen,

"At least it's clean back here. I've seen kitchens in wors- is that a fucking pigeon?"

Sure enough, there is. How the fuck did it get in here?

"Oh! I just left the door open to let some fresh air in..."

Carl awkwardly tries to catch the bird while the boys watch amusedly, even the camera crew stifle a laugh.

"Christ Almighty, what is wrong with you man?"

The host shakes his head, watching the whole scene in disbelief. Eventually, the bird is out of the building and the sweep of the kitchen continues.

"Food is not expired, everything is stored properly, it's all very well organized. I was honestly expecting worse."

The host walks up to the bar next, plucking up bottles and examining them,

"So, Kyle is it? How long have you been working here for?"

"Just a little over five years."

Gaz leans against the bar. There's a gasp and the host waves the camera over,

"Look at this shit,"

He points at the label,

"Expired in August,"

You look over at Gaz and Soap, they look like they're about to piss themselves, holding back laughs.

"Of 2012!"

The host looks disgusted,

"Why didn't you throw this away?"

"Carl told me to not toss anything."

Kyle shrugged. Soap is almost in tears, shaking, trying to bite back a howl of laughter.

The next two days are like this, you don't know why Carl hasn't pulled the plug on this fiasco yet,

"I think he's getting drunker as the days go by."

Johnny says, ashing his cigarette. There's a nod from Simon,

"I think he enjoys being embarrassed, seems like the type to get off on that."

'The big finale' as the host calls it, means getting a new menu, refreshing the cooks(John's) skills, and cleaning out the bar. The place is opened and there's a line out of the door. It's overwhelming, the customers are putting on a show, acting like dickheads and sending everything back even when there's nothing wrong with the food. Simon and John are on top of everything, putting out food as fast as possible, Carl is shitting himself running around the kitchen like a headless chicken. The night goes by fast and everyone is at the bar,

"So the cooks are for the most part competent, the waitress is amazing, and the bartender is well... The man can do no wrong. The problem here is you,"

The host points at Carl who is fucking sloshed swaying back and forth,

"I genuinely think this restaurant would be better off without you."

Carl starts bawling. The host is visibly uncomfortable. The boys and you are looking at each other. Then when all the cameras and lights are gone, it's all back to normal. Carl is looking for reassurance from anyone and you and the boys just pack up and head home, Price patting him on the back,

"You'll be alright."

~

A few months later, you're all sat on the couch watching the TV. Johnny's over the moon pointing at the screen,

"Look thare A am! See hou sexy A look?"

He's smiling and waving at the camera in the background of the scene where Carl is crying his eyes out. That gets a laugh out of Gaz,

"You're a sick bastard, Soap."

Once the episode dropped, the restaurant got busy for a few months. Most of the customers are horny women ogling at Kyle. On occasion you get the request to bring out "the scary looking one" and you just laugh it off.

"You're so lucky working with all these guys, I don't know if I'd be able to control myself,"

A particularly drunk woman said to you one day. You just smile while Kyle winks at you over his shoulder.

[noearchives]

sober me up

(what happens when the one piece boys are drunk?)

characters: portgas d. ace, trafalgar d. water law, sanji.

note: personally i've never been drunk enough to the point where i lose my mind or anything like that ... so this is just based off of my imagination and stuff i see in movies ;;

cw/ tags: gender neutral reader, mentions of alcohol, unestablished relationship, mutual pining.

portgas d. ace

"woah,” ace whispers, head tilted to one side as he looks at you through half-lidded eyes, saying your name in the same way he did when he met you for the first time.��is that really you?”

you're not sure if he’s putting up an act to flirt, or if he’s actually so drunk to the point where he can’t tell his imagination from reality. not knowing how to reply, you hand him a glass of water in a fluster in hopes that he’ll sober up, and he downs the entire thing in one go, mistaking it for liquor.

“wow,” ace says again, awestruck. it’s like his eyes are put in a spell to look at nothing else but you. his reaches for your face, stroking your cheekbone with his thumb. nonsense runs off his tongue as he stumbles deep into your gaze in spirals. “you're so pretty i could kiss you.”

he pauses. “can i?”

fuck it, you think. he’s drunk out of his mind, you're tipsy enough to use it as an excuse. it won't hurt if you kissed your best friend who you’ve been pining for since the dawn of time when he won't even remember anything the day after, right?

so you agree to his request, and ace wastes no time with how quickly he slides his tongue into your mouth just after two seconds of his lips meeting yours— it’s like he doesn't want you to breathe.

when he finally lets go of you, you gasp like a fish out of water while he looks at you stupidly. his mind is filled with you, you, you. one kiss isn't enough to satisfy him— he’s been dreaming of this for months, afterall. with both hands on either side of your face, he makes a bold statement once again.

“let’s do that again.”

trafalgar d. water law

law doesn't drink much, but he can't say no to his crew when they offer. initially, he planned to stay sober for the rest of the night to look after all of you, but as shachi and penguin continue to pour him drink after drink, his head grows heavier with every sip of liquor.

he stays quiet even when he’s drunk. no bold confessions, no impulsive acts, nothing. he just watches his crew drink themselves stupid, the faintest hint of a smile at the corner of his lips.

with the loud hustle of the bar and the deafening laughter of your crewmates, it’s hard to notice how intoxicated law has become until you feel a foreign weight on your shoulder. a white fur hat lands on your lap, and you only realise your captain’s resting his head on you with his eyes closed then.

“captain?” you say. your heart’s beating out of your chest. “captain, you're drunk.”

“i know.” he mumbles in reply, looking silly with his cheek squished against your shoulder.

“let me get you some water.” you try to move out of your seat, but your body doesn't budge. law’s arm holds you down firmly, and you feel the skin under his touch tingle. “captain," you say again, weaker this time. you're not sure if your lungs are working properly with how he's rendered you breathless. "you've gotta let me go," you say, betraying your heart.

"no," law mumbles against you. his hold on you tightens, and you swear he's nuzzling into your neck.

at that point, you decide that he's had one too many and that he needs to be sobered up or else he'd be in a sour mood the morning after. you awkwardly prop his arm on your shoulders as you drag him back to the polar tang with the knowing gazes of your crewmates on your backs, your captain's hat in your hand as you strain to support his weight.

"ah, young love." penguin sighs.

sanji

being an absolute lightweight, sanji's already swaying with his tie off and a few buttons undone after two shots.

"oh, my love." he sing-songs. my love? you raise an eyebrow at the nickname. "the way you look at me makes my stomach flip. your eyes are brighter than the stars, and the way you say my name tugs at my heartstrings. would you make a poor man like me happy by just looking his way?" he rambles, freestyling a verbal love letter for you right then and there. you've heard him do the same for robin and nami, but never for you. (until now, of course.)

the crew's swordsman physically cringes in second-hand embarrassment. "curly, do all of us a favor and shut that mouth of yours."

miraculously, sanji doesn't retort like he usually does. instead, he takes your hand in his as he continues his weird love poem. "if only this wasn't a dream, and i had the courage to confess my love for you in the real world. alas!"

... and he starts crying. actual tears rolling down his cheeks and everything. "but i know you would never love a pathetic man like me!" he sobs into your lap, kneeling before you as your ship's navigator averts her gaze out of embarrassment, grumbling about how her efforts of keeping his secret are wasted.

though ridiculously stupid, his confession made your heart stop. after all this time, it turns out that he's equally as smitten as you are when you thought his heart belonged to someone else. (it's hard not to assume with the way he behaves around good-looking women.)

"why did nobody tell me...?" you ask, looking around as the strawhats look away with a supressed grin.

"because he said he'll kick our asses if any of us said anything. geez, both of you are so stupid. can't you see the way he makes those disgusting heart eyes at you every time you pass by?" the swordsman grumbles.

sanji's arms are still tightly wrapped around your waist after he's done with his improv love poem. "you're so warm, even in my dreams..." he mumbles. it seems like he still hasn't realized this isn't a dream.

the two of you are going to have a looooong talk when he sobers up, you're sure.

[brynn-lear]

Sugar Pills (Yandere!Capitano/Reader)

Questionable Overview: You're getting real tired of Dottore's theatrics. Which is a great shame, considering how it's only now that Capitano learns the value of surface acting and masking. (from my series: #Capitano's So-Called Liability)

CW/Tags: there is no "real" age gaps since this is a Howl's Moving Castle scenario, slowburn/soft yandere themes, afab!reader, mild violence. While this fic isn't "too dark", the reader isn't mentally stable. Please prioritize your mental health first, you matter.

Prev || Next

When coming up with a proposal, you've learned that it's best to approach a harbinger when they're in the middle of an arms race. It's been ages since you've applied this knowledge, but luckily, dusting off memories of yesteryears isn't challenging.

"Can't even spare me a proper welcome?" You yawned, dropping a beaten and dead fatuus just inches away from an unforgettable metal-laced shoe. The sound of their empty vision clunked on the hard floor. "I might not be as much in the spotlight these days, dear, but isn't it good manners to greet your elders properly when they visit?"

The aforementioned shoe brushed the body away. "Hah. You make a terrible habit of flaunting that cosmetic age of yours."

And yet, there you stood, glaring with a smug head up high. No ordinaire can don the demeanor you flaunt in front of the second-ranked harbinger. You'll always keep the cloak-and-dagger act. Dramatics are second nature to those who earn their keep through blood money. You only saw it right to greet him with a more appropriate entrance. Bold and unfaltering in resolve.

"And you have a great habit of looking younger with each passing day," you feigned a chirpy tone. "Isn't that right, Doctor?"

Behind a crow's mask, crimson eyes bore holes into your very being.

Since you received that "birthday present" from him, he had sent out men to secretly nag you behind the Captain's back. They ask you why you haven't taken the medicine at best and attempt to drug you at worst. This rendezvous had been going on for weeks. Enough times that could manifest anger and murderous intent out of you until it did.

After reaching the limit of your patience, you murdered the last person to spike your perfectly fine water, took his vision and portable waypoint, and teleported to his master harbinger's base. Too much work just to get someone to stop pestering you.

The feeling is mutual. Il Dottore— the last of his perspective— also found your presence troublesome.

The second-ranked harbinger spent his "free" time in a painfully bright, pale room. He likes to dub this phase a "recovery state." Typically, there would be plenty of "him" to go around— but striking a deal for a gnosis always beckons a great deal of self-sacrifice. Or self-sacrifice-s. 

Hence why you pushed to visit him this instance. Despite his placid demeanor, you're confident he's eager to prove that there's a method to his madness. Oneself is always the greatest competitor. 

A proper arms race. 

"You know very well that I do not take youth as a compliment," he retorted, though his tone was considerably friendly. He made repeated tapping motions on his armchair, almost impatiently. "What trivial matter have you dared to interrupt my brainstorming session with? Speak now— I'll let you know I'm engaged with matters of greater significance."

"I've done my due diligence of personally replying to your last letter." You glared down at your last victim. "Consider this my thanks."

Without tearing your gaze away, you fished the medicine from your coat and threw it at his chest with all your might. The bottle shattered on the floor.

Greatly "offended" by your rude antics, Dottore defeatedly abandoned his scrawls and turned to properly look at you.

"You decided to skip the pills. How delightfully reckless of you, Granny (Y/n)." He sardonically smiled.

At least he has the decency to name you correctly.

You rolled your eyes as you approached. Once you were just a foot away, you stabbed the corpse's head once more with your cane's pointed base— the force harsh enough to splatter the livor mortis flesh and brain matter on the floor of his beloved laboratory.

What an unnecessarily extreme scene, befitting of your old title.

"I grow tired of your games, Zandik." You spat back. "Must you constantly send your men to make futile attempts to lace my food with your de-aging concoction? I don't appreciate discarding their bodies— much less some perfectly fine meals."

If Capitano were here, he would've made a vague comment about how your value on human life is concerning.

But he doesn't have to know about this interaction.

"You complain about my work, yet I vaguely recall an era in your life in which you'd routinely wake up screaming like a rooster in the morning." Dottore shrugged and pointed to himself. "And who provided you with a cure-all for those night terrors? Go on. I would be enthused to know."

You crossed your arms. The jaded look in your eyes heightened his interest. Hence, Dottore stood up, his footsteps crunching the shattered glass strewn about.

"Let me wager a proper hypothesis for this ...irrational behavior. A possible psychological or existential leaning toward death may be at the root of the patient's ongoing resistance to the recommended treatment." He craned his head like a bird inspecting its prey. "In simpler terms for meager minds like yours to understand: you're not accepting my charity since you wish to die. Is that right?" 

Dottore is a reasonable man. Disarmingly charming, even.

This particular segment just hates you.

You smiled back, returning the same malice.

"Who knows?" You tapped the beak of his mask. "Doesn't matter. I didn't come here to get psycho-analyzed. I came here because I want to strike a deal."

Dottore paused.

"I had a prediction that you would ensnare me with a gambit. No small wonder that Omega has found you a captivating individual, (Y/n)."

Many miss the fact that the good Doctor has a "seductive" air about him. He has a charisma that people will either dismiss in fear or fall victim to. You're part of the secret third group— the coworkers immune to his antics.

"Yes, well, I do pride myself on hosting the best picnics by the meadows of Ardravi Valley." You spoke, voice oozing with the same playful banter you once reserved for his deceased copy. "I've got no abundance in lifespan like you. I'd dare say I'm selling myself at a very limited-time offer."

However, this Dottore was not the one you befriended. This was his murderer.

"Playing the card of wisdom with that appearance may fool the world, but you can't dissuade me." Dottore clicked his tongue. "Are you mimicking Sohreh?"

What a surprisingly plain question.

You shrugged. "Am I?"

Feigning impassivity while he could, the Doctor placed a hand on your shoulder.

"Talk."

"I've only one wish, which is for you to stop being such a nuisance." You scoffed. "What can I do to get you to stop trying to make me your side experiment, Doctor?"

Intuition rarely fails you. You knew that this was a matter that could be reasoned with. The problem is that you needed to figure out what your bargaining chip would be. But by the look on his face, he had already sorted that out minutes, maybe even months, before you arrived.

His hand that once hovered on your shoulder slowly snaked towards your neck.

"I have a proposal," Dottore spoke softly.

You hardened your expression. "Spill."

"I can assist you in experiencing that honorable death you craved so much— at the right time and place." Using his thumb, he applied mild pressure against your throat. "However, I'll need you to befriend the upcoming tourists in Natlan."

You blinked.

… What a strange request.

"Befriend… The tourists?" You grabbed his intrusive hand, yanking it away. "What are you on about?"

"Under favorable circumstances, I would have had a copy extract these, but the old conventional tools are unavailable."

"But why?" You raised an eyebrow. "Dear, I just can't quite wrap my head around why this is the gamble you're betting your chips on—"

"And that is precisely why The Tsaritsa dubbed you La Ruffiana and not a respectable title," Dottore smirked, chuckling lowly. "Hence, I'll gladly elucidate you with brief guide questions in a language you're sure to comprehend."

"I'd rather we both save time by revealing the answer, pronto."

Since you had forgotten to let go of his wrist, he used your grip to pull you closer to him.

"Tell me, (Y/n), during the Sumeru fiasco…" With faces just inches away from each other, he tilted and teased your ear with his breath. "Who, indeed, served as the paramount subject in my quest to engineer a being that transcends even the might of the archons?"

… Who?

You placed a hand on his chin to create a respectable distance. "Child, I really hate to say this, but the world doesn't just spin around you and your little experiments. I wouldn't know a thing about that poor, nameless puppet you're on about. But if I had to take a wild guess, you're talking about that man you went and turned into a sorry excuse for an All-Knowing God, aren't you?"

Dottore grinned, baring his sharp teeth.

"I perceive that our memories from that period have been tampered with. Nevertheless, your hypothesis remains merely superficial. There exists an individual whom I regard as the genuine subject of this experiment. Would you toss one last conjecture?"

…

You let out a strangled air, unable to properly articulate your disbelief.

It's the traveler. Of course, it's her.

Dottore aspires to transform humans into gods, yet his attempts have thus far been in vain. Save for one young woman who sought refuge in both Mondstadt and Sumeru, all subjects have perished during testing. In your days as a harbinger, you've watched others toil over the vulneraries and prosthetics the Doctor would jam into them. Your visit to certain hospitals by the desert is your testimony to his apathy. He is driven by relentless curiosity, never pausing for the ethical implications of his research, but would spend hours on the feasibility of his experiments.

You were relieved when you heard he used an inorganic lifeform in his last experiment. But if that was a mere dud, then…

"Don't tell me— all this time, your real goal revolved around how the traveler could ascend into Godhood?" You gawked. "So whatever that puppet was, is nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy in failure? Your experiments in blasphemy will always find new ways to make me utterly sick."

You flinched as Dottore caressed your cheek. It wasn't the contact that shocked you.

It was the respect in his eyes.

"Hmm... About a year ago, you'd make conscious efforts to bite your tongue. I must remark that I am fascinated with the concerning spike of confidence your senile age brings."

"Things change." You mocked him. "You should try growing older. About a year ago, I wouldn't have this deal with you, too."

With that, the verbal contract was set into motion.

"We'll keep in touch."

He pulled away.

You scoffed. "If I believed in Celestia, I would've prayed you'd become a decent person."

"How unfortunate that you'll need a stronger God to achieve that ambition," Dottore laughed. "And materializing a stronger God is precisely part of my current objectives."

This heretic.

"I see now why you and Capitano are far too different to be colleagues."

You glared.

"Have your glory. You may receive everything— the ego in victory— the spoils of war. Celestia may even watch you steal the blessings of ascension. But you have no honor. You live with no happiness."

You grumbled while you walked away. The erratic sound of your cane reflected the rhythm of your anger and disgust. Before you left, you gave him one high note to end on.

"You dance with no music."

As soon as you were out of the vicinity, Dottore quickly returned to his near-incoherent scrawling.

"I'd rather be a fool who performs for no one," he grinned, his stomach tucking in from stifled laughter. "Than a blabbering grandmother scared of sugar pills."

"(Y/N)!!!"

Upon your supposedly quiet return to the inn, you were greeted by a pair of large hands squeezing your cheeks with trembling worry.

"I told you to call me Granny—"

"Where have you been?!" He tilted your head, inspecting for wounds like an incompetent father. His strength would usually cause grief, but you've grown used to this. It's a sensation that's hard to hate.

His hands are rough but not unkind.

"When I awoke, I realized you were not in your room." He spoke, evident that he was reeling himself from rambling. Been a long while since you saw his long and gorgeous hair this messy. "Had I not instructed you not to wander alone without one of our men at your side."

The inn's staff whispered among themselves while his men stiffly avoided gazing at you two. You cringe at everyone's bloodshot eyes. There's more room to pity the Natlan locals— they didn't ask to be involved. Capitano ordered a search party this late on your behalf when there was zero need for it. The attention was getting embarrassing.

You should've known that he'd notice your absence.

Damn it. You were barely gone for half an hour.

"Steel yourself, child. I don't need your men to coddle me." Months have passed, and he has yet to accept that you do not have a respectable position as a personal assistant. "I can wander around Natlan as safe as I please, kid. Are you seriously doubting my strength?"

That dirty tactic sobered him up.

"You know that isn't so." Capitano sighed, letting you go. "I know you're plenty capable, however..."

"Need I remind you that before the incident, I was originally the Harbinger tasked with retrieving the pyro gnosis?" You shook your head, feigning disappointment. "You should know by now that I've studied this place's typography and wildlife. No encounter could shock and harm me— even with these old bones."

"It's precisely why I worry over you," Capitano glared slightly. "With your curse, you could've been marked by foes out there."

"I didn't go anywhere far. I was just sightseeing."

"That explanation doesn't wash. I saw the glow of a portable waypoint when you came back."

… How observant. That's the first ranked harbinger for ya, you supposed.

"Okay, maybe I went home for a bit, so what?" You pouted. "It's a bit too warm in here for my liking."

The inn's staff immediately froze up.

"N-Not that it's bad, of course!" You laughed nervously. Ah, shit, let's not involve them. "It's my fault 'cause I didn't raise that concern with them. Old ladies such as myself are so stubborn. Hmm, hmm!"

Gradually, Capitano relaxed.

"I understand. At least, I'll choose to understand your fib for now."

"Not quite out of the cage yet, am I?" You joked.

"Not at all." Capitano exhaled softly, a hand barely covering his gentle smile. His voice made it painfully apparent that you're off the hook.

He's such a terrible liar.

Before you could comment on this, Capitano reached out his hand.

"Come with me." He wagged his fingers towards him, beckoning you to come closer. "Let's continue our conversation somewhere private."

Out of the 11 harbingers and those who had come and gone, you know Capitano the most.

"I didn't realize Natlan nights can be cold." You spoke thoughtlessly.

He stared at you blankly. "Cold enough to prevent you from running back home, clearly."

"Ah."

And likewise, he knows you best as well.

You digressed in an instant. "Why did you bring me here, Little Captain?"

You stood by a cliff, staring at the quiet night in the humble town. There's a noticeable increase of guards on patrol since the Fatui arrived in Natlan, but with Capitano as the lead, you saw no reason for their alarm. Obviously, Capitano didn't bring you here to make that observation. Judging from how his stare is on the ground and not the beautiful sight, public perception is pushed at the back of his mind.

"Your cane…" He whispered.

"What about it?"

"You forgot to wash the blood away."

Inspecting the cane without lifting it, you realize what he meant.

"Oh."

"Who was it?" His voice sounded a bit more stern.

Your eyebrows furrowed. "Who was what?"

There was a shift in the air.

"Who attacked you?"

…

You laughed uncontrollably.

"W-What?! Pfft— puh-lease! No one attacked me." You poked his helmet. He stared you down, unamused. "No-bo-dy."

Capitano has yet to let his anger go. He spoke steadily, but he wasn't fooling you. "I'll ask once more: who attacked you?"

"Don't tell me your memory is worse than this old lady's," you clicked your tongue. "I just told you, it's nobody."

Capitano shifted his foot down slightly. "Elena reported that you were assaulting a fatuus with your cane in an isolated dining area."

Curses. You thought you were alone. To be caught by Elena, of all people? Your senses must be dulling.

"Well, one of your men— I suppose— was disrespecting their elders."

"I ordered a headcount. None of my men have gone missing." Capitano crossed his arms. "Besides, they know better than aggravating my most prized assistant."

Should've known that lie won't fly.

"Okay, maybe it wasn't one of your men." Obviously it was Dottore's, but you bit your tongue. "But you should know I'm a polarizing figure in the Fatui. I heard someone say that getting rid of me is a noble act cause they'd be removing your right from employing an absolute loser."

"(Y/n), where did you get those ideas?"

Honestly? Straight out of your 'lovely' imagination. If not inspired by Pantalone's past remarks as well— just cruder.

It’s almost commendable how easy it is to assume everyone is out to get you. The work environment certainly helps. A strange grin or remark is sufficient to validate any doubts. Probably illogical for you to live life this way. You're aware enough that not every whisper is about you and that not every grin hides some hidden agenda, yet the uncertainties still seep in so effortlessly that it almost seems like breathing.

You've yet to find someone who will prove your inherent distrust wrong. That body you hurled at Dottore earlier was no exception.

"Whoever attacked me doesn't matter; I got rid of them."

"I know you did. I don't reserve any doubt whatsoever. That is not the issue at hand." Capitano shook his head, his last words hiding a slight growl. "What I am perturbed by is how you had hidden this from me."

Your eyes widened.

"I-I'm sorry, forgive me, Capitano." You fumbled. "It was genuinely not as big as you think it is. A traitor was in the mist, and I took care of it."

"You were targeted, (Y/n)," Capitano said, nearly whispering as he gently took your hands. No matter how callous he was or how much his skin resembled etched maps, they held yours with great care.

His eyelids drooped slightly, hiding unspoken grief. "You were attacked when I made an oath that I would protect you while you are under my care..."

Capitano's tone softened further, almost withdrawn from hurt.

"I should have been there..."

You've never been one to immediately process emotions in a snap. When you and Capitano share ideas, theories intersect like constellations on Teyvat nights. But that look in his eye? You can't read what he's thinking.

"Why do you fret over it, dearie? Death is but a doorbell away for me." You hummed with a wide smile. "I'll be claimed soon enough. Maybe tonight might even be the night. Oh, honey, it's no skin off the Tsaritsa's back if an old gal like me bites the dust."

…

You have a feeling you said the worst thing imaginable at that moment.

…

Capitano said nothing.

In fact, you'd wager that was on purpose.

There's a glint in his eye. A look that you couldn't place— a dangerous thought you can't hear. It ringed endlessly in his ears, and the slight tremor in his fingertips proved it. His blue eyes stared straight into your soul.

A revelation. An epiphany. A newfound raison d'etre that he refused to let anyone know— you specifically.

Something about him drastically changed.

But that look vanished in an instant.

Capitano's mouth curled upward.

The smile did not reach his eyes. 

"I prefer if it's kind sleep who takes you tonight," Capitano muttered. "Death is far too early for a woman like you."

"A woman like me?" You chuckled. "You meant grandmother, right? And what do you mean by that?"

"A woman like you deserves all the time in the world, not to be taken prematurely. Your spirit is far too bright to be dimmed so soon." He took off his cloak. "Because a woman like you is a woman loved by many."

Capitano wrapped his cloak around you before you realized it. As you looked down, you noticed how much larger his frame was than yours. The cloak reached the floor when you donned it. Though it was night, the cologne he put on reminded you of sun-drenched clothes and steel— but it's possible that this was just Capitano's natural scent.

"I should add cloaks as an interest for your late birthday present." You could practically hear the smile on his face as he said, "It suits you."

Something about the way he sounded was way off now.

The weariness from your conversations with Dottore seemingly washed away. You grabbed a fistful of the cloak and raised it. "I think every tailor in Teyvat would beg to differ."

Capitano chuckled. "Respectfully, they wouldn't know any better."

"And you do?" You raised an eyebrow, but that grin on your face is too difficult to wipe off. "I don't think you know me well, little Captain."

You continued.

"Anyone can learn to like me, but to love me…"

Is devastating.

You trailed off, eyes back on the quiet streets. You've always admired those who teased on the edge of retirement and eternal sleep, their bravery surpassing the young's. They act on reckless abandon, unburdened by the opinions of others. Alice saw this in you, and she knew— deep in her heart— that she'd be more than willing to help you embrace that freedom in whatever form that may take.

Since you became a "grandmother", seemingly everything and nothing has changed. You've pushed away those who pretended to care, only to find that no soul can stand to be with you. Maybe it was a glorious boon or just as the witch said— a desperate cry for help, nothing more. The experience so far taught you things you already knew you hated about yourself that you wondered if this were all for the sake of mastery. Have you destroyed yourself for nothing? Who knows. But you'll continue to take solace that maybe, just maybe, death may end the loneliness you've endured for so long.

But if you so badly chase for death…

"████████."

You looked at him.

"Can I ask for a favor?"

You're going to do it right.

Taglist: @macaronilovingracoon, @lucienbarkbark, @meimeimeirin, @notthefib987, @meowmeowakutagawa

[sanguineterrain]

hello! are requests open? 😅 i’d like to request for a drabble with a newlywed jason and yn if so!

sure thing! short and sweet <3 jason todd x gn!reader. newlywed fluff.

****

"Okay, toaster from Wade and Logan. Keep or give away?"

"Who the fuck are Wade and Logan?" Jason asks, upside down on the couch. His tie and suit jacket are gone, two buttons on his shirt undone.

"Dunno. I think Roy invited them."

Jason sighs. "Give away. Why did people give us so many toasters?"

You both look at the four toaster boxes in front of you.

"Maybe it's the fashionable thing to have toasters in every room," you say.

You put the fifth toaster in the pile. You didn't even have a toaster on the registry.

"We should give them their toasters back when they get married," Jason says.

"That would be extremely funny, and I'm always ready to commit to the bit."

"I know. 'S why I married you."

That makes you giddy. You look at the ring on your left hand.

"Dude, I can't believe you actually married me," you say.

"I can't believe you're calling me 'dude.' Did I marry a frat boy?"

You grin at Jason. "I love you, man."

"Ridiculous. Gimme my ring back."

"Nope!" You slide to the floor and sit criss-crossed in front of Jason. He folds his arms. You kiss him, mouths slotting oddly due to him being upside down.

You pull away. "No take-backsies."

"Curses!" Jason shakes his fist. "Beaten by the take-backsies rule once again."

You shrug. "I guess you're stuck with me for the foreseeable future."

"Guess so."

He rolls onto his side, so he's lying on the couch properly. He leans in for another kiss. You wrap your arms around his neck and kiss with all your might. Jason tugs you up onto the couch so you're atop him. You sit up on your knees, straddling his stomach. You take his left hand.

"Dude, you look really hot in this wedding ring," you say.

"Not as hot as you, babe."

"Way hotter," you say and suck his neck. Jason holds you steady with a hand on the small of your back.

"Tryin' t'maul me? Thank God pictures are done." He doesn't push you away, not even a little.

"Marriage turns me on, broski. I love a man who'll enter a legal contract with me."

"You're a freak," Jason says. "I love you."

You sit up and grin. "I love you too, J.T. Morgan."

He pulls a face. "That's worse than broski."

"Is it, though?"

"It's actually the worst thing I've ever been called," Jason says, deadpan. "My first day as your husband and I'm already being bullied."

"I was bullying you way before you became my husband, J-dog."

"Now you're just saying anything."

"Fine." You lean in so close that your perception warps, and Jason's face looks like it's in a fish-eye camera. "How 'bout I call you pretty boy?"

"Hm." He shifts the way he does when he's getting flustered. "I'll allow it."

"Sweet boy? Angel? Honey bunches? Handsome? Love of my life?"

He clears his throat. "Any of those will do fine, yeah."

You grin and kiss his cheek, watching as Jason pulls that soft, shy smile. The same smile he gave you when you said "I do." You'll never forget it.

You snuggle into his chest. Jason wraps his arms around you, throwing a leg over yours.

"What about the gifts?" he asks.

You shrug. "They can wait. Right now, I'm spending quality time with my husband."

His arms tighten around you. "Now that's a name I'll definitely never get tired of being called."

[chaos-in-deepspace]

Stalker Rafayel (but it's not what you expect, and also you're oblivious)

Just a word before this: These are all SFW things. Nothing graphic. This isn't how I perceive Rafayel at all, but there's a little more info at the end as to why I wrote this.

Stalker Rafayel who is obsessed with you while you're in college and begins learning your schedule. He never shows himself but he's always there in the background watching you and sometimes sketching you in his sketchbook.

Stalker Rafayel who decides one day to break into your dorm room and his first thought it "Damn bitch, you really live like this?" and begins cleaning. You come to your dorm room later and see everything is spotless and put in place and you just think "Oh wow, the college must have someone who cleans the dorms before showings. Weird but okay I guess, at least it's clean?"

Stalker Rafayel who notices most of the time you are eating cup of noodle or cheaper foods to make ends meet. He begins stocking your fridge with actual foods. You see this and you're like "I don't recall going grocery shopping but also I've spent the past three days studying and don't remember much so I must have."

Stalker Rafayel who sees you graduate college and leaves you a graduation bouquet but it's filled with money as well as paid vouchers to several spas because he realizes you haven't been taking care of yourself at all.

Stalker Rafayel who continues breaking into your new apartment to clean and leaves cash in your clothes pockets and on the counter. You don't remember where the money came from but it's just chilling in random places so you must've put it there at some point, right? Also hey, free pocket money!

Stalker Rafayel who stole your phone at night and put a tracker app on it so he can see where you are. He also installed a tracker on your motorcycle so he can see how fast it's going and if you're speeding or being reckless he can manually make the bike go slower.

Stalker Rafayel who was the one who told the kid to ask you to catch the fish, just so he'd have an excuse to be suave and catch it for you. When he walks away he's mentally patting himself on the back for having such an amazing plan.

Stalker Rafayel who knew you were going to be going to Mo Studio and had the door unlocked already for you. He was planning on making a good impression for your first actual meeting but fell off his perch instead because he was so nervous. He had legit had 20 mental scenarios on how he'd introduce himself properly and it all fell apart and he's legit laying in bed for a week thinking about it over and over again.

Stalker Rafayel who is happy he employed you as his bodyguard so now he has an excuse to just send you money whenever he wants instead of having to sneak it into your apartment (he still does it though because he's worried).

Stalker Rafayel who notices you haven't been getting much rest or breaks from work. He invites you out for dinner saying he needs some protection while he eats. He slips something into your drink while you're not looking. It's nothing that would actually harm you, but it does give you a headache bad enough that you have to call out of work the next day and get some proper rest.

Stalker Rafayel who is always checking your work schedule and any free day you have or whenever you have enough vacation time is telling you he needs to travel and is bringing you along. He's taking you to all inclusive vacation spots and dragging you to the spa and every other form of self care so when you go back to work you're fresh.

Stalker Rafayel who follows you around while you're working and is secretly taking out any wanderers or issues so you don't have to worry about it.

Stalker Rafayel who is fine with other people getting close to you, but the moment he notices you're uncomfortable in a situation is suddenly stepping in. He's fine with other people perceiving him as the villain who doesn't like people touching 'what's his' as long as you're comfortable it's all he cares about.

Stalker Rafayel who eventually gets you to agree to dating him, and is then inviting you to live with him just so he can make sure you're taken care of. If you decline then he's just going to find every excuse to have you stay the night until you're practically living with him.

Anyways...I feel like a lot of people write yandere stalker versions of the guys and they always do the same type. There's other ways to write yandere, this is just one of them. Enjoy to anyone who likes stalker content.

[vsnyarbll]

Pillow talk between Aegon II and his wife

(drabble)

words: 877

warning: explicit language, fluff

You were lying top off Aegon. His arms were around you. His eyes were closed, but you were sure he wasn't asleep- he was playing with your hair. 

Your head rested on his chest, and your hand gently caressed the side of his body. 

It must have been past midnight already. 

The only light in the room came from candles that were almost out. Even the moonlight didn't shine in through the open windows. 

You felt happy to have him. You kissed his chest, and Aegon began to run his other hand along your arm. 

You'd had a long evening. Aegon's hard kisses had softened- he didn't want to hurt you. 

You tried to think of something else as your mind drifted again to the way he had kissed you and held you all night long.

You wanted more, you always did when it came to Aegon, but you weren't sure your body could take another round. 

"Aegon?" you said calmly.

Aegon didn't open his eyes, but he murmured. 

You focused on the first thing that would take your mind off Aegon's body and... his cock. 

"Do you think fishes drink water?"

Aegon's hands stopped moving over your body. "Fishes?" 

Your question was clear. "Yes?" You said.  

"Isn't it... meal?"

You lifted your head from his chest and looked directly at his face. He had opened his eyes. Aegon was looking at you with an expression that said he wanted more, too.

"Aegon, they are animals."

Aegon raised his eyebrows in surprise. 

It was hard to believe he was a prince who had been taught lessons for as long as he could remember. 

"Animals? Then I think they drink?"

You threw your hair back. "Water?"

"No, my love, wine."

You patted his chest and laughed. 

He watched your laugh with a crooked grin.

Since you married, it was always difficult for him to wait for night during the day. He would want to go to his room and feel every inch of your body again. He would want to hold your chin and tell you to open your eyes while you closed them in pleasure. He would want to feel his body tremble every time you moaned his name.

He never wanted the nights to become days. You were the only thing that made his life better. 

"What?" you said with tired eyes and a smile as you watched him looking at your face. 

Aegon's smile grew. "Nothing." 

He loved you. 

He was afraid to love you. It scared him to put you at the center of his life. 

But he loved you deeply. 

He didn't want someone to fix him. And you didn't want to fix him. He would never be an ideal prince like Aemond, but neither of you cared.

You two were the most compatible couple of the seven kingdoms. 

He was thankful that he had a life to share with you.

He even thought of going to the Sept with his mother. 

While his mother thanked the gods for their health, he would kneel beside her and thank the gods that you had accepted him into your heart. And... that he could fuck you every night. 

He kissed your cheek firmly. "Let's sleep. I'm worried that if you don't get enough sleep, you won't be able to speak properly tomorrow."

You muttered something under your breath and buried your nose in his neck. 

"And make sure you rest. I don't want Daeron to make fun of us again if you can't walk tomorrow." He said, unable to stop laughing. 

You blushed and lightly pinched his arm. "Like it's my fault." 

Aegon placed a kiss on your shoulder. "Of course, it's your fault! I could have kept my hands off you if you weren't so delicious." 

You lifted your head from his neck.  

When Aegon saw your flushed face and strand of hair sticking to your forehead from sweat, he stroked your cheek. 

Contrary to what you expected, he didn't say anything to embarrass you again. 

“I've never loved anyone as much as I love you.”

a/n: I love him so much you don't understand

[vivwritesfics]

LANCE GETTING THESE REALLY FUCKING EXPENSIVE LINGIRE FOR HIS GIRL

TELLI G HWR TO PUT.THEM ON

HER NOT KNOWING TBAT THE PANTIES ARE THOSE KINDA VIBRATING ONES

AND HE MAKRS HER CUM IN PUBLIC

Sorry love for the screaming

Got very fu king excited for this 🫶😍👹👹🫠🫠

The first line made me think of Labyrinth and then i wanted to watch it buuut netflix told me to fuck off

Changed it slightly bc i don't like writing vibrating panties, but there is still vibration... in the panties

Warnings: Smut, use of toys, public acts, edging

F1 Masterlist

"I've brought you a gift," said Lance as he fished through his bags. It had been the Miami Grand Prix and his girlfriend hadn't been able to go with him, she had work of her own to do.

Lance had been in the states longer than she'd expected. He wasn't just there for the Grand Prix; he'd made an entire trip out of it. He'd stayed in New York for a couple of days, went to a couple of shops and bought only things for his girl.

She'd had most of her presents already, but these Lance had held this one back. This one was special.

Hesitantly she took hold of a the bag, overflowing with soft pink tissue paper. From the bag alone, it looked expensive. "What is it?" She asked him as she went to pull open the bag.

"A crystal."

"Open it," he said, and she did just that. She pulled open the bag and pushed the tissue paper to the side, digging through it.

It was soft and pink, with floral lace patterns spread across it. The material was oh so soft and silky under her fingers. "Wow," she gasped, pulling the lingerie out of the bag. "Lance, oh my gosh," she cried as she threw herself towards him and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you," she said and kissed his cheek.

"Wear it tonight," he began. "We're going out for dinner."

She squealed and kissed him again, this time properly. Lance couldn't help but smile as she made her way to the the shower, leaving her new underwear with him.

He smirked as he picked it up. There was one last present, one he had been keeping stashed away. This one she wouldn't know about later.

After making sure the vibrator was paired up to his phone, Lance shoved it between the material of the panties. He took the underwear into their bedroom and laid it out on the bed, along with the dress he wanted her to wear.

She got out of the shower and got changed. If she noticed the vibrator there, she didn't say anything. She placed her purse over her shoulder, took Lance's hand and made her way out of their penthouse apartment.

Lance waited for their main course to be placed in front of them before he turned on the vibrator. His fingers were itching to turn it on, but he waited patiently. Goddamn was it hard.

As soon as their waiter placed the food down in front of them and walked away, Lance turned it on. He didn't miss the way her body jolted as the low vibrations started.

"You okay, babe?" He asked, and she hesitantly nodded her head.

"F-fine," she stuttered as she tried to eat.

He turned up the vibrations and she shut her eyes, fingers shaking as she tried to eat her dinner. It was damn near impossible now. "L-Lance," she cried, rocking forward on her seat, receiving more friction.

Lance turned it up to the highest setting. She couldn't help the moan she let out, obviously rocking in her chair.

He turned it back down and she looked around at the other patrons in the restaurant. Nobody was looking at them, nobody noticed.

He used the vibrator to tease her throughout the entirety of dinner. Again and again he brought her to the edge, only to not let her tip over. "Lance, please," she whispered out of desperation.

"Patience, baby," he said as the waiter placed the bill in front of them.

Lance paid, but she couldn't take it anymore. "Bathroom, now," she said as she grabbed her jacket and walked through the restaurant. Lance was only happy to follow her, still playing with the vibrator app.

[youronlydarlin]

warning: kinda sad ANGST, Simon losses you :( , ooc kinda?? But he's soft for you only, trust me bro

This was kinda inspired by that one part in the comics where our poor, Si holds his mums skull, n he jus'... Kinda nuzzles into it. I dunno it just bought on some sad feeling, mkay...

Simon who slightly raises the cup of tea he's drinking each time he has one, just to let you know he's relaxing. Or trying his best too, at least. Doesn't know what he'll do if he worried you from beyond the grave. Sometimes he looks at all the belongings you left behind. Saying how they probably miss you, but not nearly as much as he does.

Unlike some, Simon uses your things. He doesn't want the house to go through the pain of loosing you too. So he drinks from your mug, and sits on your chair. Reads your favorite books, but never takes out the book marks in case you want to continue reading them. He also completes your bucket list for you, and even though he's the one doing them he always whispers 'good job, to the wind, hoping they'll carry the messenge to you.

Simon who speaks to your framed pictures. He remembers each, and every memory behind them. "Bet your happy... Now it'll always be my turn to grab the 'bloody groceries.." he jests. He hopes that one made you laugh. Knowing you, you would've. It's a mystery how you always laughed at his lame jokes. Though your laugh's always been better than the awful punchlines.

Simon who passes by that cafe you bugged him to go with you to, and he feels his throat go dry. He never got to take you there because of a sudden call from Price, telling him about an urgent, albeit sudden, mission. He definitely regrets not taking you out on dates more often. There's so many shops opening that he knows you would've loved to see.

Simon who's heart breaks at how quickly the world turns without you. Everything's moving so quickly, leaving him behind like it's already moved on, and he hates it. He hates how there's less clothes to fold now. Food is served, but only for one. The taste of it is flavorless, and dry. It's times like these, that he wishes he should have took the time and learn your recipes.

But what's worse, is that your side of the bed is cold. And it'll remain that way forever. At times he'll reach for you absentmindedly. Nightmares about war traded for dreams about you, but during those dreamless nights where sleep doesn't visit he'll stroke your pillow the same way he'd do to keep your hair out of your face, and pull the covers over the empty space you once occupied. He wonders if it's cold where you are right now. But just know that he's always willing to warm you up if ever you come back.

Simon who...

Stands at the doorway. Bag slinged over his shoulder, full of everything he needs and more for deployment. He knows he can't leave without properly saying goodbye, so he fishes out his wallet, and digs out a picture of you. He holds it up to his face, and it's funny. How you're not even staring at the camera when the photo was taken. No, you were staring at him. This one's always been his favorite. So he clears his throat, and wishes you don't hear the slight shake in his tone.

"..By now you would've told me to be careful.. And I will, by the way. But, m' sorry for all the times I didn't...'

....

" I have to go now. Don't need them gettin' on my ass for 'being late.. so.."

....

"..You just rest now, ok, love? There's nothing else for you to worry about' anymore. I love you, always. Wish me, and the boys luck, yeah?.."

He gives a light kiss to your photo, and it's as if you're with him when he steps outside the door..

a/n: This was a challenge to write, and I don't know what to feel about the results. I'm just polishing my english, I guess. M'not good at writing angst, you can probably tell, also my grammar feels off on this one, again. English isn't my first language, sorry. So please correct me on any mistakes I've made! But putting all that aside, I hope you like this more than I do! And, always remember that you are loved, and cared for! Have an amazing day, my darlings!

Yours, truly,

–dolly

[thefanficmonster]

The Tortured Journalists Department

Declan O'Hara x Reader (Female) [Rivals TV]

Warnings: Age Gap (Reader is 21), Swearing, Emotional Infidelity, SPOILERS for Rivals S1

Genre: Romance, Fluff

Summary: The characteristically prominent electricity that pits journalists against one another also has a magnetic sort of pull that brings them closer. As Declan and Y/N find out the hard way

"Alright, listen to me." Y/N had rushed into the O'Hara residence like spring wind, bringing warmth to a house Declan has felt cold in ever since the departure of his wife.

She headed straight into the kitchen where she dropped several files and folders, splaying them out on the table. It was evident from her pace alone that she'd come with an agenda but that didn't bother Declan. If there was one thing that could stray his thoughts from Maud it was work. And Venturer still required a lot of it.

"It'd be quite impossible to not listen to you, my dear. Especially with such an impressionable entrance." Declan chuckles, taking a drag of his cigarettes as he comes to stand across the table from the girl.

"Good, because I didn't spend an entire sleepless night drafting all this for you to not pay me any mind." She grumbles as she flicks open the folders, flipping past the formality pages to the main course of the idea she's about to pitch.

Y/N is one of the Corinium refugees that jumped ship the second Declan resigned. She was a paid intern and the face of Corinium's 'After Dark' segment focusing on rather scandalous topics and entertainment targeting the young adult demographic. However, with the continuous undermining she felt from practically everyone, she had long been planning to break the chain binding her to the company. The only thing - or rather, person - that kept changing her mind was...well, I think it's pretty darn obvious when you take note of when she finally decided to go through with the decision and leave.

Declan pulls out a chair and takes a seat, leaning forward with his elbows on the table to skim all the files she's laid out for him "I'm all ears, darling."

"You better be." Y/N says with a clap of her hands as she takes a deep breath, "So, I've been thinking, we should set Venturer free from the shadows of Corinium. Because, right now, especially with you as the face of the company, we seem like a bitter revenge attempt. Just an endeavor to bite back at a company that wronged you. Of course, that is not my personal opinion, but-"

"I think it is."

"Hush!" She scolds him as he interrupts her, "I'm far from done."

Declan laughs, smoke curling around him as he lifts his hands up in surrender, motioning for her to continue.

"Thank you." She narrows her eyes, "So, I'll cut to the chase, seeing as how your attention span is one of a fish. My idea is to make Venturer unique in more ways than one. Truly make it our own. And....take down two birds with one stone." She says with a knowing look.

Declan quirks an eyebrow at her, tilting his head to the side, "And what's this second bird you speak of."

Y/N points a manicured nail down to an underlined name he recognizes, "The Scorpion, of course. They have a massive monopoly over London's printed journalism and they don't even know how to use it properly. They have a wide reach and use it to spread gossip and rumors. I can count on all ten fingers the amount of nude pictures I've seen in a supposedly serious paper just this past year. It is abhorrent. That being said, what do you say?"

Declan places a hand on his chin, giving the documents she's put so much thought in a more thorough look. The idea had never even crossed his mind - the Venturer merging two separate branches of journalism, setting in motion a domination attempt of the entire field.

The more he ponders it, the better it sounds, but it doesn't exactly show on his face which makes Y/N feel nervous for the very first time since she started working on the pitch. She hadn't for a second doubted that it would be a good idea but right now she feels rather unsure as she takes in Declan's thoughtful furrowed brow.

"You don't have to give me an answer right away. I know it's a hefty endeavor and you have to consult with Rupert and Freddie and Cameron. I probably should've gathered all of you to properly pitch the idea but I wanted you to be the first to hear it in case it was an utter embarrassment. Again, think it over, and get back to it whenever you-"

"It's genius."

Her rambling comes to an abrupt halt, leaving her slack-jawed and wide-eyed. For a moment, she refuses to allow herself the joy of success, opting to make sure she hadn't misheard him first. "Come again?"

"It's genius." He doubles down on his original statement, "You're a genius, love. Which is why you'll be the leading force behind Venturer Daily." He smirks when he sees her eyes grow impossibly wider, "Like the name?"

The airy laugh that leaves her parted lips carries all the disbelief, worry and uncertainty from her body, giving way to relief childlike excitement that displays itself with a wide grin, "Venturer Daily.....yes, y-yeah, it has a nice ring to it." Her mind is already a whirlwind of potential topics and stories she could report on. How she'd have complete control of all that'd get printed and released into the world for all of London society to read. And beyond - nation wide even.

But then logic and rational thinking kicks in, curbing her thrill, "Wait, don't we have to consult everyone else before making such decisions?"

Declan shakes his head, "With a passionate pitch like yours they'll immediately climb onboard even if they are initially against it. Which I honestly doubt, there are very few downsides for them to pick at."

"Alright, fair. What about my writing? What if I don't have what it takes to transfer the charm I have in front of the camera to a printed page?" She asks, more so wondering aloud rather than actually directing the question to Declan.

Still, he points a scolding finger at her, "Never let me hear you doubt yourself like that again."

The sternness in his voice causes something to stir inside her, like ripples in a still lake that progressively become waves when she sees the intensity in his eyes. Because of course that's how her body reacts to strict praise and attention from a man twice her age that also happens to be her boss.

Her next worry is voiced a little quietly, almost sheepishly, "I don't even have a typewriter of my own."

He doesn't give an instant reply to her raised concern. Instead, he motions for her to wait a moment before leaving the kitchen, heading up the stairs in the foyer.

Y/N is left standing alone in the kitchen with a flushed face and a speeding heart as she chews on her bottom lip in anticipation. Her fingers drum nervously on the edge of the table as she takes a deep breath, willing her heart to slow down and take it easy. All in the hopes of not being let down in the end.

Let down she most certainly isn't when Declan comes back down the stairs, typewriter in hand, and places it on the table in front of her.

"Problem solved. Anything else bothering ya? If there is something, let me know so I can take care of it for ya, alright? You just focus on getting me a newspaper draft within the next two weeks. Sounds good?" He asks, as he stands beside her, hands on hips, spine straight and a satisfied lopsided smirk on his face.

The earlier mentioned waves turn into a full on tsunami.

Y/N runs a gentle hand over the polished black typewriter, her fingers lingering on the golden accents adorning it. "You would give this to me? Are you sure?" She asks, mouth agape in disbelief as he nods "T-thank you....I promise to take good care of it. I'll have it returned in pristine condition as soon as I purchase my own."

Declan immediately shakes his head, clicking his tongue, "Oh no, no, no, darling. It's yours. Yours to keep, that is."

Y/N's disbelief is palpable as she quirks an eyebrow at him, "How could you ever bring yourself to part with something so beautiful." She gathers some of the dust layer that coats the keys, "And something you've had for a long while, no less."

Declan doesn't show it, but his heart clenches as he sees how gentle and almost loving Y/N is to this object that he too feels such a connection to. He'd originally bought it for Maud's birthday a few years back only to earn himself a displeased reaction from his wife who demanded something - in her words - actually valuable as a birthday gift. Seeing someone be as appreciative and admiring of this typewriter as he'd been the moment he saw it returns that same excitement he'd felt when he was preparing to gift it to Maud. This time however, the excitement isn't deflated by disappointment. If anything, it's amplified by seeing it be mirrored in Y/N's eyes.

Eyes that hold such adoration.

Adoration he witnesses morph into something else when her eyes meet his for a split second before she throws her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. The action stuns him, mostly because it's coming from someone who's not typically openly affectionate but he welcomes it none the less, returning the gesture with a flutter in his heartbeat.

He's unsure of how to describe what he's feeling but a small voice in his brain is condemning him for it. For how good it feels to have someone's arms wrapped around him with undivided affection he hasn't been treated to by his own wife in years.

Speaking of his wife, he catches glimpse of her smiling face framed on the coffee table in the living room. He should feel guilt but he doesn't. Especially not when he remembers that he hasn't been on the receiving end of that smile in a long, long while. The notion causes his arms to tighten around Y/N, his face nestled into the crook of her neck, each inhale filling his nose with the sweet scent of her perfume lingering on her skin and in her hair.

"Thank you..." She whispers as her arms slowly loosen around him. He doesn't even have time to feel disappointed to no longer feel her warmth around him when her lips press against his cheek, sending sparks of electricity throughout his entire body, setting every nerve ending aflame.

Before he's even had the chance to gather his bearings, Y/N has already collected the files and folders she'd brought, leaving them in a neat pile on the table. She picks up the typewriter in her arms, the weight of it evident in the way she's carrying it like an infant - or rather that is a display of the care she feels for the gift.

It's obvious the kiss was an improvised action on her part. There's a solid chance she herself was surprised by it considering how flustered she is now as she's doing everything in her power to leave the O'Hara residence.

"I'll have a draft delivered to you in a couple days." She says hastily, one foot practically already out the door, "I promise I won't let you down."

Declan's arm seems to have a mind of its own as it shoots out and gently grabs hers, stopping her in her frazzled haste to run away. His thumb swipes over the soft cotton of her sweater, allowing her to feel the warmth of his touch on her skin through the fabric. His eyes are warm and inviting, exuding comfort and reassurance she's never been offered by anyone before.

"You could never let me down, darling."

His words might as well have been a physical force the way they knock the breath clear from her lungs.

In another universe, she might be a better woman. The kind that wouldn't kiss her still-technically-married, twice her age boss. But in this universe she has no such restraint.

And clearly neither does he, seeing as how he meets her halfway, their bodies symbolically separated by the typewriter she's cradling - a disappointing gift to one, but a beautiful memento to another.

* * * * *

A couple days later, Declan finds a draft of a newspaper wedged into the side of his front door, waiting for him, a bow neatly tied around it. He reads through it while sipping on his morning coffee, smirking at the bold title - Daily Venturer, a slight variation of the name they had agreed upon.

Y/N's passion is warming the pages in his hand, eliciting genuine emotion and reaction with each paragraph she has written, the word alive on the crisp paper.

He's about to close it when the farewell block of text at the bottom of the last page catches his attention. It's not printed, instead handwritten in beautiful cursive

⋰ May you find my writing even half as beautiful as your own soul, dear reader

May you have enlighten yourself with my words the way you've enlighten my life with your presence

May your heart be warm as the coffee I'm sure you're drinking as you're reading

May all be well always ⋱

Yours only,

~Y/N

[storiesfromafan]

Benny x Reader

A/N: first off, want to say this is my first time not only writing a Benny fic, but also writing something different to my usual stuff. So please be kind, as I am terrified to post this haha.

I have been thinking about this idea, and possible series, for over a week. So I finally bit the bullet and wrote out the first part. It's more of a set up for the reader, as I want to make this a series. As well, I left out places and such, but tried to do it in away that its not bad. Only because I'm from Australia and don't really know much with America, only what I've seen in movies and TV shows.

If it is not really liked, I will take it down. But if anyone is interested, I am happy to keep going. I have two more parts kind of planned out. But there is a few idea's I'm not 100% sure of. So if anyone want to talk Benny and these ideas, please message me.

Alright, I guess on to the story then...

“Tell me about the first time you met Benny?” Danny asked moving his microphone towards you.

You were sitting on your couch, lit smoke in hand. “Honestly, the first time I saw Benny, that was something. He saw me more then I really saw him”.

“What did he say to you? Or what did you say to him?” Danny asked adjusting the recorder.

You chuckled. “We never said anything to each other, well I said something but it wasn’t to him. You see I’d just gotten back from living with my Aunt for over three years. I’d gone to live with her when I was nineteen, prior to that for the last ten years the woman had been on my dads case. She believed a man couldn’t raise a girl. My old man wouldn’t listen to her. So I grew up a tomboy, eventually he entertained her request”.

You took a drag from the cigarette between your fingers, before releasing the smoke. “I can tell you living with that woman was torture. Along with her daughter, who had just gotten engaged when I arrived. They both took to teaching what is expected of a lady, how to dress, walk and talk. The only way I survived it was when I made friends with some locals there that raced motorcycles. When my Aunt found out, she flipped out, sent me back after I wouldn’t change my ways...”

~~~

How you managed to pack up three years in two large suitcases surprised you. But here they were, back in your old room on your families farm. The room looked just as you had left it, only a tad dusty from half assed cleaning courtesy of your dad and brother. Looking around brought back memories. Your best friend pushed past you and took a seat on your bed.

“Can see the males of the house don’t know how to clean properly” she commented running her hand over your bedding.

“Unfortunately not. If they did, along with being able to cook, then women would not be required” you laughed lifting and bringing a suitcase over, before dropping it on the bed.

“Agreed" she laughed with you.

You began to unpack the suitcase, which had mostly shoes, tops, bottoms, personal items. Once that one was done you removed it from its place before replacing it with the second suitcase. This one had a few more tops and bottoms, but mostly your dresses.

“Lilly, do you mind getting the dresses out and I will hang them up?” You asked her as you put away the last of your tops and bottoms.

“Sure” was her response before taking out the first dress and handing it out to you.

You thanked her while taking the garment from her hands, putting it on a hanger and then placing it in your closet. While doing this together Lilly filled you in on the town gossip, along with that of people you had gone to school with.

“You remember Anne, right?” – You nodded your head – “she has turned into a real Miss Prim and Proper! No doubt it’s her mummy’s doing, dolling up her daughter in hopes for her to catch a big fish!”

You laughed. “Really? You believe her mum would do that?”

Lilly gave you a pointed look. “Just about every girls mum wants her daughter to land the perfect catch. They practically raise girls to be perfect house wives. My mum done it with me, it’s only half stuck” she laughed pulling out another dress.

You felt a pain in your heart at your friends words, for you didn’t have the luxury of growing up with a mum. You only knew your mum till you were eight, before she died. You love your dad but you missed your mum, and all the stuff you missed out on learning from her. Thankfully Lilly’s mum was a great second mum, not to mention your Aunt when she would come and visit would also give you a little of what you missed out on.

Lilly sighed holding your dress to her body, “I’m so jealous of all the lovely dresses you have”.

You smiled softly. “They are nice, but not ideal for a farm”.

“Well of course not! But when we go to town or parties, they will be perfect! Maybe I could borrow one or two sometime, specially when I have a hot date” Lilly asked leaning toward you batting her eyelashes.

You laughed taking the dress. “Sure, but make sure they are cleaned before returning them. Don’t want any suspicious stains on them”.

She gave you a disgusted look retrieving another dress. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m a lady” Lilly proclaimed sweetly.

You laughed taking the dress from her hands, while she gave you an offender look before she in turn laughed, not hurt by anything you said or done. That was your friendship, completely open and honest. Since you were both children you got on like a house on fire. You told each other everything and not once judged each other. Lilly was the sister you never had.

Once you had finished unpacking that was when you heard the revs of a motorcycle. You looked to Lilly, just as she looked to you. Without saying anything the both of you left your room and headed outside, hearing the revs again you figured it was coming from the old barn away from the house. Both giggling at the intrigue, you both headed for the barn. You were the one to put your weight into opening one of the barn doors, wiping your hands on your jeans walking into the space, Lilly right behind you.

Before you was your older brother, Andy with a racing bike. He looked up when realizing he wasn’t alone, wiping his hand on an old rag. Once his eyes landed on you did he smile brightly before pocketing the rag and coming over to engulf you in a big hug, which lifted you off the ground.

You laughed. “What a great welcome home”.

Andy laughed swinging you around. “Welcome home kid. I’ve missed you!”

You hit his shoulder telling him to put you down, which he did reluctantly. “You saw me a few months ago”.

“Still missed you!” He laughed.

You shook your head at your older brother, before eyes going back to the racer. “Project of yours?” You asked as you walked toward the bike.

Both Andy and Lilly followed you. Andy took the place he had originally been when you entered the barn, while you moved to the other side of the bike, Lilly chose to stand back. You looked over the bike, admiring it’s beauty. Motorcycles was the one thing you and your brother had in common. It was a great way to bond together when you were a teenager.

“When did you start racing?” You asked running a hand over the bikes seat. “Does dad know?”

Andy rolled his eyes. “Yeah he knows. I’ve been racing on and off for seven or so months”.

“He has ever since joining the Vandals” added Lilly.

You looked to your friend before back to your brother with a raised eyebrow. “Really? The Vandals huh? When were you going to tell me, hmm?”

Picking up a tool, Andy went back to adjusting something on the bike that you couldn’t see while shrugging his shoulders. “Does it matter?”

“You usually tell me these things Andy, I feel hurt you didn’t mention it” you said with a touch of sadness. “And dads fine with it?”

He laughed. “Of course, he’s fine with it. Since he knows most of the guys in the club”.

You nodded. “Alright.”.

“Don’t worry (Y/N), Uncle Johnny keeps an eye out for his boys” Lilly spoke up, knowing you worried about your brother.

Yes, you recall Lilly mentioning her Uncle Johnny, and that you had met him a few times when he had stopped off at Lilly’s house, was the leader of The Vandals. He seemed like a nice man, always looking out for his family. You also recalled her mentioning the club, but you hadn’t been around when it turned into a riding club, just when it was in the early stages of a racing club.

After that you and Lilly chatted with Andy while he worked on the bike. The atmosphere had returned to a happy and fun one. You learnt about what had been going on with Andy and the farm, along with your dad, who you still hadn’t seen yet. You couldn’t wait to see your old man, you had seen him a few months back when you saw Andy, but you missed the time with him. You had missed both men in your life. But now you were back where you belonged.

“There” sighed Andy dropping the tool in his hand and turning the bike off, “I think that will do for now. Just have to test her”.

“Her?” Both you and Lilly questioned looking at Andy.

“Yeah, her” he replied moving to kick up the bikes kickstand and holding the bike up. “It’s been nothing but temperamental and trouble, just like a female”. His tone was teasing, telling you he was joking around.

“Sounds more like a male” retorted Lilly with a laugh.

Andy shot her a dark look before laughing himself. You shook your head laughing at the two of them. Eventually he admitted defeat when he and Lilly went back and forth a bit more.

Andy began to move the bike around and then out the barn door, both you and Lilly following behind him. Out in the sunlight you can see the bike better, watching as Andy gave it another look over. You stepped up to him and watch him. Once he was happy with the bike, Andy was about to get on when you stopped him.

“Could I give it ago?” You asked softly. You’d ridden bikes before when you were a teen. Plus when you were living with your Aunt, which may or may not have upset her.

He looked at you unsure. “I don’t know kid. She hasn’t gotten all the kinks worked out of her. I still have this issue with her taking off when you go up in gears, she just accelerates and can be hard to handle”.

You nodded but smiled. “I promise to be careful and not go too fast. Please, can I?” You gave him the biggest puppy dog eyes you could.

Andy wasn’t sure if he should let you, but Lilly came to your defense. “Come on Andy, you know she will be careful. It’s just a few laps, it won’t hurt”.

Reluctantly he agreed and you shot Lilly a big smile, which she returned. So with his consent, you grasped the handle before moving to swing your leg over the bike, and sat down taking hold of the other handle. Andy stepped up and walked you through starting her up, you knew what to do but let him instruct you. He went over everything; front brake lever, throttle, clutch lever, gearshift lever and rear brake pedal. With his instructions he stepped back from you and let you go.

You started out slow, going around in circles before both your brother and friend. Lilly was cheering you on, which made you laugh. Gradually you picked up the speed and at Andy’s words, you did wider laps.

“You look so cool!” Called Lilly. Which you rolled your eyes at.

“Alright kid” Andy called. “Why don’t you take her back up behind the barn, then down toward the house and then turn right to take the long way back to the barn, get her speed up a bit more”.

You nodded giving him a solute, which made Lilly laugh and your brother call out for you to keep your hands on the handlebars. You did as he instructed before turning around and riding up behind the barn. As you looped back around you revved up the bike, and as you straightened up and headed for the house, you shifted the gears. Unfortunately the little issue your brother warned you about decided to come forth as you gained speed. The bike jerked with the acceleration, you held onto the handlebars tightly doing everything to keep the bike in check.

Andy noticed the change in your body and figured out what had happened, panic setting in he began calling out to you. He couldn’t do much more than that. He prayed you could handle the bike, and didn’t want to think of what could happen to you.

All the while before you had gotten on the bike, none of you were aware that your dad had returned home. Along with him were two men from The Vandals, the older male had dark hair while the younger dirty blonde hair, with stubble to match. They were discussing some business before heading around to the back of the house, when they all caught the sounds of a bike.

“Take it Andy’s working on his racer” the older male commented to your dad.

He laughed. “Yeah, the boys determined to smoke the competition Johnny”.

Johnny laughed. “He’s a good kid and rider, no doubt he will beat them”.

The Three started to make their way around to behind the house. They all looked up to the barn to see the bike take off up behind the old building. Your dad noticed two figures standing by the barn, one looked to be Andy, which confused the man. He wondered who was on the bike then. That was when the bike came back into view, heading towards the house. The shouting from the barn caught everyone’s attention, worry setting into your dad.

You had been so focused on staying in control of the bike you hadn’t noticed the three figures walking into your path until last minute. Upon seeing them you quickly dropped the gears on the bike before hitting the back brakes. With the light weight of the bike you managed to turn it right, planting your right foot to the ground and pulling off a slide stop. Dirt kicked up at your manoeuvre, you sat there a little stunned as the bike idled away.

You blinked a few times before turning to look at the males before you. But mostly to your dad, who looked just as stunned as you.

“Ah, hi dad” you said slowly. “Didn’t know you were home”.

He looked at you, to the bike you sat on and then back to you. “What are you doing?! You shouldn’t be riding that!”

You flinched at his slightly raised voice. “I was testing the bike for Andy...”

He shook his head. “Did he tell you about the issue it has with acceleration?” – You nodded – “and he still let you ride it!?”

“Well I promised to be careful” you replied.

Your old man shook his head. “You shouldn’t haven’t gotten on it (Y/N), what if you had crashed! Turn it off and get off it, now!”

“But I didn’t crash, I think I handled her pretty well” you defended as you turned off the bike before getting off it.

By this time both Andy and Lilly had jogged down to the scene. Your dad turned and began to have words with your brother, while he took the bike from you.

“Seriously Andy, I thought you’d know better than to let anyone on that bike before getting it sorted out” he said with a deep sigh.

Andy looked down while apologizing.

“It’s not all his fault, I wanted to ride it” you came to your brothers defense.

“Yes, well I’m disappointed in both of you. What if something had happened to you? Your brother would have to live with that” he guilt tripped you.

“I am sorry dad. But I kinda knew what I was doing...” you said softly not looking at the man before you.

That was when you noticed the other two on lookers. Suddenly you felt embarrassed that both of them were witnessing you and your brother getting a scolding.

While from the time you had stopped and until you finally noticed them, the younger of the two males had been looking at you. He was surprised when you had slid stopped the bike you were on. It had been like an Angel had slid before him. He was impressed by how you had not only handled the bike, but also your dad. But found you cute when you got embarrassed by him and Johnny. He could tell there was more to you, and it was fascinating.

Before you could really take in the two Vandals, your dad sighed once more. “Andy, take the bike back to the barn. (Y/N), go back into the house with Lilly”.

Lilly walked up to you and linked arms with you and began to pull you to the house, reluctantly you let her do so. All the while Lilly softly comment on the events. But before disappearing into the house, you watched your brother push his bike back up to the barn, then you looked to your dad and the older male watching your brother. Looking to the younger Vandal you saw him looking at you, and not to were the other two beside him was looking. But then Lilly pulled you into the house, severing eye contact to the young Vandal.

“What was that Fred?” Johnny finally questioned.

Your dad sighed. “That was my daughter. She got back today from her Aunts”.

Johnny whistled. “Might have your hands full with that one. But I will admit, that stop was impressive”.

Fred shook his head. “Don’t let her hear that. Don’t want to encourage her” he laughed darkly. “Come on, the sheds this way”.

Your dad started to walk again, while the other males followed. Johnny continued to ask about you, which your dad filled in. He said how he’d lost your mum when you were eight. How he did his best to raise you, all the while his sister-in-law kept hassling him about letting her take you in and raise you.

“The old battle-axe didn’t think I could raise a girl” Fred said with a sigh. “She was kinda right. I raised a tomboy”.

Johnny laughed while the other male smiled. “Nothin’ wrong with that” comment Johnny.

“I agree” said Fred, “but (Y/N) missed out on a lot not having a mum around. Thankfully Lilly's mum was there when it came to female things”.

Johnny nodded before following Fred into the shed. The younger male decided to wait outside, which was fine with the pair. Walking over to a fence before the shed, the young male lent back on the post, retrieving a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket. Taking out a cigarette, he pocketed the packet and pulled out his lighter. With the cigarette between his lips he sparked the lighter and lit it. Taking the first drag he put away the lighter, eyes looking back at your house as he released the smoke into the air.

Honestly, he can say he had never seen a female ride a bike before. Usually the females that were around The Vandals were always on the back of one. So seeing you handle that bike like you had was not only impressive but also a turn on. He hoped to cross paths with you again sometime soon.

Johnny came out of the shed with Fred. “Come on Benny, were done here”.

Moving from the fence post, Benny followed both men back to the front of the house and where their bikes were. Once on their bikes, they both started them up. They sat there for a few minutes, which allowed Benny a few more drags from his smoke before tossing it off to the side. He and Johnny began to move their bikes back to turn around, when Benny got a glance of both you and Lilly by the window. With a small smile, they both took off, heading back into town and to the bar.

~~~

“As I said, it was something. Me embarrassed by my old man having words with me. I didn’t really take Benny in at the time” you stated putting out your cigarette.

“You said Benny noticed you more?” Danny asked checking his recorder.

“Yeah, he told me so later on. He’d call me his Angel on wheels” you laughed.

“So the next time you saw Benny, you finally spoke to each other?”

You laughed more at his words. “Unfortunately, no. We might have if the time was right. But that second time I saw Benny, I really saw him...”

A/N: please don't hate me for this lol. I am also sorry for the use of (Y/N).

[jeonginsleftcheek]

The sun to me

Chapter VI. Caught.

pairing: hwang hyunjin x afab!reader

word count: 7.3k

chapter summary: caught in each other's hearts, you rise like the tide, souls entwined and playing notes that only two people in love can discern.

warnings: alcohol, hyun and reader talk about mommy issues, vague descriptions of masturbation

~ Masterlist for the series

~ next part

❤️Red gardenia - a silent way of saying 'I love you'

Only a few days later, in the wee morning hours, Hyunjin stalks the empty streets once again.

His mind is blank as he still didn't wake up properly, his backpack weighing heavy on his shoulders and a big thermos cup containing his favorite bitter liquid held in his hand.

Only this time he's not planning to wander around the island alone, he's meeting up with Delmar, the somewhat mysterious man who had asked him to join him in his fishing adventures.

Delmar waits for him on the pier where Hyunjin had met him for the first time, his figure once again manifesting itself in front of Hyunjin's eyes.

"Hey, boy!"- Delmar laughs, way too chipper this early in the morning.

"Morning."- Hyunjin's voice is groggy and Delmar let's out another laugh.

"Rough night?"- he asks, his hand coming down on Hyunjin's shoulder, smacking him in a friendly manner.

"It was fine, I just haven't had my morning coffee yet."- Hyunjin answers, blinking fast.

"Don't be a slave to such addictions."- Delmar grips the rope that keeps his little boat on the berth. He pulls the boat closer to the shore and nods at Hyunjin who still didn't process the sentence the man had uttered.

"Get in."- he says, with another wide smile.

Hyunjin somewhat clumsily jumps, his feet landing on the prow and he almost slips, barely catching himself as he flails his arms, making Delmar laugh again.

After he joins him, it doesn't take long for them to take off, Delmar sitting at the edge, manouvering the little fishing boat that barely fits the two men.

Hyunjin is a little too aware of how small the boat is and how they're getting further and further away from the shore, only the darkened sea in sight, as the sun still hasn't come out of it's sleep yet.

It's a bit eerie but for some reason it calms Hyunjin down at the same time, just like when one floats on water, unaware of what's deep beneath as they lay peacefully on the surface, only the sky above.

The wind that the movement of the boat creates is what refreshes Hyunjin, making him feel more awake and new as he manages to take a few sips of his coffee.

The boat slows down near a cove, and Delmar stops it, anchoring it in place. The motor sounds are finally silenced and the quietness of the early morning falls upon them.

"Alright, this is the perfect spot. Let's get to it." - Delmar pulls out two fishing rods, prepping his first as Hyunjin observes.

"Me and Isaac go fishing sometimes. I have to come and get him in his little castle and pull him out of that studio. He's always in there."- Delmar shakes his head disapprovingly, and Hyunjin lets out a little chuckle.

"He is always in there, but these last few days I've been joining him."

"Oh yeah, you're also some kind of artist, right?"- Delmar says and Hyunjin doesn't know if it's mocking or he's being serious.

"Yeah, I paint."

"Well, let me show you the art of fishing then, my friend."- Delmar lets out another laugh as he prepares the second rod, giving it to Hyunjin.

"Sounds good."- Hyunjin nods, after a few more sips of coffee and the first sun rays peeking out, he feels more energized and ready for the adventure ahead.

The scenery around him is nothing short of beautiful and he wishes he could capture it with his camera, but he didn't want to bring it to the boat in risk of it falling into the sea and disappearing forever.

Delmar takes out some live lures and Hyunjin makes a disgusted face for a second, making Delmar laugh for the nth time in the misty dawn.

"Hopefully your clothes are not too expensive, art boy."- he teases Hyunjin and he shakes his head.

"It's fine, it doesn't matter."

"Hope you have enough patience too, cause that's the most important thing you need when you fish."

"I like to think I do."- Hyunjin remembers all the times he sat and painted for hours and hours, just to hate the painting he'd created, throw it aside and start all over again.

The fishing rods with lures get lowered into the water and a comfortable silence settles between the two men.

"How did you decide to come to this island? I mean, it's not exactly big or famous and there's not much to see really."- Delmar breaks the silence after some time.

"Exactly."- Hyunjin rasps, clearing his throat.

"Oh. So you're hiding from someone?"- Delmar chuckles. "On the run from the police or something?"

Hyunjin snorts, Delmar must be watching lots of crime thrillers in his free time or reading those sorts of books.

"Just trying to ground myself and find my inspiration through simple things like this."- Hyunjin answers.

"This is a good place for inspiration. Might not have much but what little it contains, it can be very inspirational, more than your big city."

Hyunjin lets out a quiet laugh.

"The city is anything but inspiring."

"That's why I stayed here my whole life."- Delmar says. "I love it here! I have my little house and my little boat and my fishes! What else do I need? Nothing."- he finishes with a big smile.

"I wish I had that."

"What, nothing?"- Delmar jokes and Hyunjin rolls his eyes at the funny man.

Silence envelops the two men again before Hyunjin's rod gets tugged on. He panics for a moment but Delmar jumps in, letting out an excited sound as he helps Hyunjin reel the fish in.

"That's a good catch!"- he exclaims and Hyunjin feels so proud of something so simple, his heart full as the early sun warms up his cheeks.

Hyunjin has never felt this calm as the last few days, his soul slowly healing under the influence of the beautiful island and the good people surrounding him.

He can't wait to come visit your flower shop later.

You're working on a bouquet for Catherine and Bennet as their marriage anniversary is coming up soon, just as you hear footsteps approaching your little shop.

"Morning!"- you hear a gentle but excited voice that gets your heart jumping in your chest.

You whip around quickly, your skirt flowing around you, a flower still in your hand as your eyes fall on none other than Hyunjin.

The sight of him has you swallowing saliva that gathered in your mouth.

He put his hair up in a little ponytail and he's just wearing a simple white shirt and jeans but he makes them look so good, the jewelry around his neck and fingers is exquisite but tasteful. What makes him look even more irresistible is the wide smile on his face, the one that reveals his dimples and crinkles the skin around his shining eyes.

"Morning."- you let out a breath as you smile at him.

"That's pretty."- he lifts his hand up, pointing at you with a long slender finger and a wave of electricity runs through your body.

"W-what?"- you're confused for a second, your face burning in embarassment.

"The bouquet your making."- he smiles, his own cheeks rosy.

"Oh... That. Yeah, it's for Catherine and Bennet. Their wedding anniversary is in a few days so I'm just making a few different bouquets so Bennet can choose one to bring to her."- you explain as you turn back towards the flowers.

"Ah, that's really sweet."- a brief picture of Hyunjin giving you flowers like that for your anniversary, one that didn't even happen; runs through his mind and he has to shake the thoughts off before he gets too lost in them.

"It really is. They're so sweet together, still in love after being together for some time. The flowers are red gardenias. They had them as decoration on their wedding day, and they symbolize love. Lots of couples use them for their wedding day. You know the Chinese actually used to put them in love potions?"- you talk, not noticing how Hyunjin came closer to you, peering behind your shoulder, his eyes softened as he looks at your gentle hands and nimble fingers working so calmly with the delicate flowers.

"Hm, really? I hope it worked for them."- Hyunjin's voice rings right behind your ear, making you jump a little as the bouquet almost falls out of your hands but Hyunjin is quick as he wraps his arms around you and grips your hands and the bouquet.

The temperature in the room seems to reach it's peak as you gasp a little, your heart literally beating out of your chest both from your hard work almost disintegrating and from the way Hyunjin is pressed behind you, his soft hands on yours.

"T-thanks, I got it."- you say nervously but he seems to linger just for a moment, the tip of his nose barely grazing your hair as he takes a whiff of your sweet shampoo.

Lightning bolts run through his body as his mind almost becomes too clouded to think as result of being this close to you and feeling your warmth.

"Good morning!"- a happy voice calls out and the speed with which the both of you jolt away from each other should be studied by scientists.

"Barbara! Good morning!"- you answer, somewhat breathless. It must be 9am now.

"Oh, hello there. Aren't you just such a handsome young man?"- Barbara almost swoons at the sight of Hyunjin who also looks out of breath, his face flushed, the redness spreading all the way to his neck.

Hyunjin chuckles awkwardly as you place the luckily salvaged bouquet at the side.

"This is Hyunjin. Hyunjin, this is Barbara."- you say.

"Oh, you're the painter staying at Isaac's house? Oh how wonderful! Welcome to our little island."- Barbara shakes Hyunjin's hand a little too violently as you stifle a laugh at his desperate face.

"Thank you."- he says politely when she finally lets go of him.

"What's it gonna be today, Barbs?"- you ask.

"Oh, I just adored the zinnias you put together last time. And Whiskers particularly liked them so I would love for you to-"

"Make another one? No problem."- you smile at her and get to work immediately, ignoring the big question mark above Hyunjin's head.

"So, how are you managing here? Is Isaac treating you well?"- Barbara asks Hyunjin.

"Of course, he's taking great care of me."- he nods.

"What about our y/n here, she's quite the catch, don't you think?"- Barbara nudges his arm, winking at him and nodding at you.

Hyunjin panics, his lips opening and closing as you chuckle, looking up from the flowers before you.

"I'm right here, you know?"- you shake your head with a small smirk on your face.

Hyunjin looks absolutely embarassed and you feel for him, your own heart beating fast in your chest but you're trying to look calm and collected on the outside.

"What? I'm just saying, you're both young and... single?"- she looks at Hyunjin who nods just as you look up. "Why not make the best of it while you have time?"

Hyunjin went to answer but Barbara kept talking.

"Ah, I wish I had more time with my Albert. But he's gone in the clouds and there's nothing I can do about it. I do have my cats though. I know they love me."- she nods to herself as if to bring herself some comfort.

"They do."- you smile, giving her the finished bouquet. "It's on the house."

"Y/n, you are such a darling, you know that?"- Barbara smiles happily before winking at Hyunjin.

"Ah, it's nothing."- you wave your hand as she makes her way out.

"See you later, my little lovebirds!"- she chirps before walking out of the shop.

"Don't mind her."- you notice Hyunjin's flushed face and contemplative look.

"Right."- he purses his lips before giving you a small, shy smile that makes your stomach do flips.

"Hey, so what are you doing in the evening?"- Hyunjin asks, breaking the quiet moment and your heart skips a beat again.

"Not much. Why?"- you ask, getting back to your previous bouquet just to busy your hands and eyes with something else.

"I was thinking that you could show me more of the island."- Hyunjin says, biting on his lip nervously and your eyes get stuck there.

"I would love to, but the places I want to show you are not that welcoming during the night. But we can take a walk on a beach nearby if you're up for that?"- you suggest.

"Oh, that sounds great. I'll meet you back here around 7?"- he asks and you nod.

"Alright, sounds good."- you smile. "Are you leaving?"

"I mean, I don't wanna be a bother while you work."- he smiles awkwardly.

"You're not. Look around, there's no customers, only flowers."- you chuckle, gesturing with your hands theatrically and Hyunjin laughs, taking a deep breath in after that, the smell of all the flowers mixing together and getting him somewhat lightheaded.

"Can I help you somehow?"- he asks.

"You don't have to. You can just sit and..."- your eyes fall to his backpack. "Maybe sketch if you want?"

"I could do that."- Hyunjin stares wistfully at the sketchbook poking out of the bag. "I do need some coffee first. You?"

"Sure, you can get some for us at Bennet's restaurant."- you say.

Hyunjin grabs his wallet and leaves, coming back just in time as you finish the bouquet.

"Thanks."- you say as he hands you the coffee and you bring him out a chair.

"I can never have enough coffee and I think this is my fourth cup this morning?"- Hyunjin tilts his head with a confused look on his face before he sits down.

"I don't think your intestines will be too happy about that."- you chuckle and he giggles embarassingly. "But who am I to talk? I'm also crazy for coffee."

"I actually woke up pretty early this morning, at 4am."- Hyunjin starts.

"Oh?"- you encourage him to keep talking as you start preparing the second bouquet.

"Yes, I went fishing with Delmar."

"You did?"- you smile. "How was it?"

"Oddly calming."- Hyunjin squints, playing with the pages of his sketchbook absentmindedly.

"Delmar has that effect. He seems boisterous but he's a relaxed man. Plus, being on the sea in the crack of dawn must be really relaxing."

"It was, my mind was blank. I was just enjoying the moment, and I don't really get a lot of chances to just be in the moment like that in my daily life."- Hyunjin sighs.

"Really? You must be very famous."- you chuckle a little, arranging the flowers.

"Nah."- Hyunjin shakes his head and finally opens his sketchbook, propping it on his thigh that's propped up on his other leg. He looks around as you let out a snicker.

"I kinda don't believe that."- you say, as Hyunjin presses his hand on the page.

"You're kinda famous too, though. At least here on the island. You're the only florist here."- he makes a point as you work away and hear the scratches of his pen on the paper.

"I guess I am."- you chuckle. "So, did the two of you catch anything?"

"Oh, we sure did! He brought some to the restaurant and some for himself and then for Isaac. So, I think I caught my own lunch."- Hyunjin lets out a laugh.

"It's gonna be even more delicious, trust me."- you smile and you fall into small talk, you putting on some gentle music in the background to keep the atmosphere sweet and light.

The small talk eventually turns into comfortable silence as you work on the bouquets and Hyunjin works on his sketch.

Both of you are as calm as can be, lost in your own imagination but aware of each other's presence, instilling some kind of comfort into one another's soul.

The quiet acoustic music adds new notes to the already intoxicating smell of the flowers, bringing a trance-like state to the pair of you.

Hyunjin doesn't even realize it but his heart is guiding his hand for the first time in what feels like an eternity, amidst the shapes of the flowers his pen finds the shape of you.

You finish up the last bouquet and look at Hyunjin, your heart stirring awake again at the sight of his brows furrowed, his lips parted, his hair is now down as he runs a hand through it.

He tilts his head left and right as he stares at his sketchbook adding lines seemingly at random, but it makes perfect sense as every single dot creates a full picture that says more than a thousand words.

He must've felt your eyes on him as he looks directly at you, catching you staring at him.

"Are you done with your arrangments?"- he asks and you nod.

"I think I'm done too."- he smiles proudly, still somewhat timid at the same time as he brings the sketchbook closer to his face.

"Can I see?"- you ask and he quickly nods, his hands shaking a little as he reaches the sketchbook towards you.

Your hands accept the somewhat heavy book and as your eyes adjust, you gasp.

"Is that- is that me?"- you ask, your throat dry suddenly.

"Yeah. You and all your flowers."- Hyunjin smiles fondly but you can't look up from the sketch.

"It's beautiful."- you say, mesmerized.

You're beautiful. He wants to say, but the words die on his tongue and he swallows them.

"It is."- he says and you look at him, your legs suddenly feel like they're made out of jelly.

"Can I have a look through?"- you ask and Hyunjin stands up.

"Sure, there's not much there though. As you know, I'm experiencing a little art block right now."- he scratches the back of his head as he stands next to you, the warmth from his body heating you up to your very core.

"That's okay."- you flip the pages to the beginning.

As you look through, all the unfinished sketches that Hyunjin has abandoned and hated, surfacing out and reflecting in your eyes, bring out his vunerability out in the open, letting you have it and do with it as you wish.

The numb pain that suffocated him in the city, pricks at his heart like little invisible needles as you silently study the unfinished buildings, faces and views. The severed hands reaching out for your throat and huge laughing mouths with teeth so big that lurk in the dark with the intent to swallow you whole.

At last, you come to the wave, the one smudged with Hyunjin's pain in liquid form and you turn the page slowly to see the sketch of you he just finished.

"Not exactly what you expected, huh?"- Hyunjin asks as you bite on your lip and stare at the drawing.

"It's really gloomy, most of the time."- you say quietly before you look up at Hyunjin.

Time seems to be frozen in one frame as his face is close to yours and you can count all the unfallen tears in his eyes and hear every gentle breath he takes in.

Hyunjin becomes entranced by your beauty and the way you look at him, like you actually see him, like you actually know him, like your eyes are somehow magical, connecting your heart to them and pouring out into his own heart, seeing the tip of the ugly inside him and still not turning away.

His hand reaches up and your breath gets stuck in your throat as Hyunjin touches your hair delicately.

"There was a petal in your hair."- he whispers, holding onto it and showing you the red petal of the gardenias you worked with just a few moments earlier.

"Oh, thanks."- you chuckle, leaning away a little as you come back to reality.

You clear your throat and hand him back his sketchbook and Hyunjin still looks somewhat hypnotized.

"Well, it's almost my lunch time. Do you want to join me?"- you ask and that seems to break his trance.

"Um, Isaac asked me to have lunch with him. But, let's have a raincheck on lunch, and I'll uh- see you tonight?"- Hyunjin is somewhat panicked as he hurries to his backpack to put his sketchbook away.

"Yeah, see you. Have a good lunch!"- you stand on your tippytoes as he suddenly slings his backpack on his shoulders.

"You too!"- he calls with a smile before hurrying out of your shop, leaving you confused with a mix of feelings and his smell enveloping you in a hug, even more prominent than all the flowers surrounding you.

What was that?

What was that?

Hyunjin can't wrap his mind around the overwhelming feeling blossoming inside him.

When was the last time he felt like that, when just one look from you could make him crumble and crawl at your feet?

It's dangerous waters he's dipping his toes in but he can't help but want to emerge his entire being into the wild stream and let it take him wherever it wants as long as he gets to hold onto your hand the whole time.

The urge to kiss you when you looked deep into his eyes, staring right into his wounded soul was almost too hard to tame. His eyes flutter like delicate wings of a butterfly and his lips purse involuntarily as he imagines pressing them into yours, drinking you in like you're the very water that quenches his deep-seated thirst.

You may not have put your kind hand in his, but your loving nature touched him, played some kind of intricate song inside his heart and Hyunjin knows it's too late to even try and back out.

The seed was becoming a sprout and now it needed the sun's warmth and the freshness of water to nurture it into a full blossom.

Hyunjin opens the door to Isaac's house only to be greeted by loud laughter coming from the dining room. He leaves his backpack next to one of the shelves in the hall and follows the sound.

"Oh, here's my helper!"- Delmar turns to look at Hyunjin with a wide smile, a glass of red wine in his hand.

"Come join us, Hyunjin. You came just in time! I prepared the fish for lunch."- Isaac beckons him quickly.

Both of the men's cheeks are rosy indicating they've been enjoying the red liquid for some time already.

Hyunjin joins them, and as soon as his butt touches the chair, Delmar pours some wine in his glass.

"Drink up!"- he chuckles and the three men clink their glasses.

The meal is filled with laughter and stories from the older men's younger days and Hyunjin feels a pleasant buzz in his body from the wine, his mind constantly running back to you.

Hyunjin's glass is never empty even when he drinks the last drop, the space gets filled with more. The men have now started singing and talking nonsensical things, so Hyunjin excuses himself, getting up on wobbly feet as the alcohol rushes through his bloodstream.

Delmar protests but Isaac calms him down.

"Let the boy go. He's got plans."- Isaac looks at Hyunjin pointedly and Hyunjin hiccups as his face gets incredibly warmer.

"Hope those plans involve a pretty lady."- Delmar wears somewhat of a sleazy smile making Isaac scold him.

He must get like that when he's drunk and Isaac shuts him up before he can say anything else.

Hyunjin grabs his backpack and makes his way upstairs, feeling a bit disoriented as the wooden sculptures scrutinize him and observe his drunken stumbling.

He walks into his room, closing the door and weariness washes over him, making him topple over and fall on his bed face first, a grunt leaving his lips, muffled by the covers.

Hyunjin turns on his side and falls asleep instantly.

His dreams are a whirlwind of moving pictures, the red smiling faces of Delmar and Isaac, your kind eyes and soft hands, his mother's cold ones squeezing his heart until the last drop of blood has seeped between her knuckles. His canvases, splashed with color turning into thick blood that slowly drips down onto his expensive shoes.

Nothing makes sense anymore, unless it's filled with you.

Hyunjin awakes with a start, finding that he has an ache in his neck and that he's covered in sweat after the alcohol-inducing turmoil of dreams that have tortured him. His eyes adjust on the clock sitting on his nightstand and he gasps, lifting up in panic.

It's already 6:20pm and he feels like he's been run over by ten trucks. He gets up quickly, peeling his sticky clothes away, feeling gross as he hops in the shower, the cool water calming down his simmering skin.

Hyunjin's eyes are closed as he stands under the water, snippets of his tortured dreams playing behind his eyelids.

He hasn't called his mother in months. Maybe he should do that one of these days. Just not today, not when you've made his day beautiful, brought back a piece of his soul with just your existence. He doesn't want to be ripped to pieces again, his mother's cold voice piercing through his skin like a knife that twists and turns until he becomes numb to the pain it inflicts.

Shivers settle in his body, all the way to his bones and he turns the water up to a warmer temperature, closing his eyes once again and thinking of you.

You, surrounded by all the delicate flowers, you who is so strong but gentle and loving like a summer breeze caressing the landscape and swaying the grass like you're making it dance.

You, who are making his heart dance too after he thought it withered and shriveled up, dying between the cold concrete, buried somewhere to be forgotten.

No, it is not forgotten or buried, it is resting in your hands that are warming it up and watering it with the kindness that's undoubtedly running through your very being like you were made from nothing but pure love.

Hyunjin craves you, craves to be close to you but he thinks he doesn't know how.

Maybe it's because he's coming down from the alcohol, maybe it's because of his mother's bitterness or maybe it's because you actually see him, but he lets his hot tears mix with the droplets of water sliding down his cheeks to be taken away by the drain.

He'll be okay. He'll be okay. He'll be okay.

Standing in front of your flower shop, you're jumping from foot to foot in excitement.

You've spent the afternoon in a kind of haze, like you were walking on clouds the whole time, your heart full of Hyunjin.

You couldn't stop thinking about him, and you didn't want to, with him everything felt right.

The way he looked at you and smiled at you, the closeness of his face to yours poured a comforting feeling all over your body and soul, making you wish you could fall into him deep and let him catch you and hold you until the end of time.

Any other man who held you close, whose hands touched your skin, whose lips kissed yours, none of them had been inside you the way Hyunjin is, not even if they were physically inside you, it all meant nothing next to Hyunjin's presence embracing your heart.

He's five minutes late and you see him rushing towards you like a hurricane coming down at you, his legs taking long strides as his cardigan flails behind him like a magic cape, his hair wilding around his smiling face.

"I am so sorry for being late!"- he says as soon as he's within earshot.

"It's okay, it's only five minutes."- you chuckle and he tries to open his mouth just to cough and you let out another giggle. "Take a few deep breaths."

He does so, opening the water bottle in his hand and taking a few much needed gulps.

"You didn't have to run like that."- you said.

"I didn't wanna make you wait."- he smiles apologetically.

"I don't really have anywhere else to be."- you snicker and he laughs a little.

"So you're just hanging out with me to kill some time?"- he asks as you start walking.

"Something of that sort."- you tease.

"Ouch."- Hyunjin shakes his head, his hand splayed dramatically over his heart.

He knows you're only joking with the smile you give to him, and the two of you walk closer than you did before, your shoulders brushing a few times as you make your way to the beach, electric shockwaves running through your bodies.

"So... I got a little drunk in the afternoon."- Hyunjin pouts comically and you burst into laughter.

"Let me guess. Delmar and Isaac."

"How'd you know?"- he asks and you giggle.

"I've kinda been living here my whole life."- you joke. "They're always like that when they get together."

"Good to know but, I mean, you could've warned me before."- Hyunjin teases.

"Eh, even if I did warn you, they'd find a way to rope you into their shenanigans."- you shake your head as the gravel crunches beneath your feet again, noisy in the otherwise quiet evening.

"I believe that."- Hyunjin chuckles. "Also, they got even more shitfaced than me. It was horrible!"

You laugh, your shoulder bumping against Hyunjin's again and he shivers.

"I fell asleep after, that's why I was late."- Hyunjin excuses himself, not mentioning how hard it was to stop the tears flowing once they'd been released.

"It's okay, I really don't mind. You woke up at 4am anyways, I guess you needed sleep."

"You're right."- Hyunjin nods as you finally make it to the beach.

"Wanna sit over there?"- you ask, pointing at some rocks near the water.

"Sure."- he nods.

The sun is almost swallowed by the sea now, the first stars making themselves visible on the slowly darkening sky.

Hyunjin stares up as the two of you sit down on a towel you brought.

"That's Venus."

"The planet?"- Hyunjin stares at the shining dot.

"Mhm. It's visible during this time of the day."

"How do you recognize it?"

"Planets don't flicker when air passes by them. Stars do. And they're usually bigger and brighter. Plus if you observe the sky a little too much, you will learn the movements and placements."- you look down from the shiny planet to find Hyunjin looking at you now.

"Do you?"- he asks, his eyes flicking to your lips.

"Do I what?"

"Observe the sky a little too much?"- he chuckles and your face warms up a little as you giggle embarassingly.

"Only sometimes. It's just a mindblowing fact that were actually looking at the past."- you say, turning away to see the sun has settled down, the sky becoming more darkened, pulling the blanket of stars further over itself.

"I heard about that. But I don't understand how it works."- Hyunjin admits, a sheepish smile on his face as you look at him.

"Because of the speed of light. For example, the star Sirius is some 8.6 light years away. That means the light from it that's hitting us tonight has been traveling for 8.6 years."- you explain and Hyunjin gasps a little.

"So we're looking at something that has happened 8.6 years before?"- he asks, pursing his lips as he looks up, his brows furrowed.

"Mhm. And the further the star is, the effect gets bigger. Like there are stars that are millions and millions light years away. They may even not exist anymore but the time it took the light to travel to our eyes makes it seem like it's still there in the sky now."

"That's insane!"

"It is."- you chuckle at Hyunjin's flabbergasted expression.

"You're really smart."- he smiles at you.

"Nah, I just have a lot of time on my hands."- you say and he shakes his head.

"I know other people who also have lots of time but they waste it on dumb shit so you are definitely smart."- he nods and you laugh.

"Alright, if you insist."- you say and he laughs, only then making you notice how close he is to you, your knees brushing against each other's.

"What's that one?"- Hyunjin points to something in the sky and you lean closer to look at the direction.

"The three stars?"- you ask and he nods. "Orion's belt. Look."- you slowly trace it with your finger in the air and Hyunjin follows with his eyes.

"It's a constellation."- you say.

"Wow, why does it look like there are actual lines between the stars?"- Hyunjin asks.

"I guess we like patterns, so much so that we tend to create them even where they don't really exist. We need to pinpoint the meaning of things that surround us."- you gesture with your hands.

"I guess that's true. Don't you think there's some kind of pattern to it all though?"- Hyunjin asks.

"Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Like there are moments of synchronicity that really make me think that there are some big hands up there, rearranging everything to fall perfectly into place. But then some other times, I just think life is random and the universe doesn't care about us, it's just chaos that we're trying to make sense of for the sake of our own sanity."- you explain.

"Don't you think us sitting here together has some deeper meaning?"- Hyunjin asks and you look at him.

"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things though, as long as it has meaning to us."- you smile and he returns the smile, thousands of stars reflecting in his brown eyes.

"I like that. It doesn't have to be some great design, just something we make out of it."

"Sometimes it's better not to question those things and think too deeply into it because it can drive you crazy."- you say.

"I agree with that. Overthinking about anything drives you crazy anyways. That's why I try to put all those swirling thoughts out on blank canvases. Or well, I used to do that, now I just feel a bit lost."- Hyunjin sighs as he looks at his lap, his fingers picking at a loose thread off his jeans.

"It's okay to be lost sometimes. It can actually be good, I think. It helps you find something new and maybe something even better than what you had before."- you observe the way his hair falls around his face, framing him like the most beautiful painting on a wall of some prestigious museum.

"True, I guess I became too rigid about everything and detached from myself. I'm slowly coming back to me, being here. Away from all the shit in the city."

"What is so bad there that's got you this lost?"- you ask and Hyunjin freezes a little.

"You're gonna think I'm a horrible person if I tell you."- Hyunjin doesn't look up at you.

"I doubt that. Really, I won't judge."- you say and your gentle voice soothes Hyunjin's scared heart.

What if you hate him after he says it all out loud? Could he lie to you and tell you some other story, one that doesn't belong to him? No, he could never lie to you, tarnish whatever it is that's entwined between you now.

"Well. If I'm honest with myself in this moment, I became a sell-out."- he snorts sarcastically. "I used to paint for the love of art, but now it's just for money. My manager pushes me a lot. I even opened up my own gallery with his help, where I host shows of my own and of course help other artists with their exhibitions. I always wanted that, you know, to do what I love and actually make money from it. But it just doesn't feel like me anymore? You know that saying, be careful what you wish for?"- he looks up at you and you nod carefully.

"Well, I got exactly what I wanted. My name in lights, my paintings on the walls, and all the expensive shit I could ever afford. It's just that, at the end of the day I'm lonely and indifferent to the world around me. It feels like I'm a shadow of who I used to be, just an empty shell going in a fucking circle."- Hyunjin lifts his arms up in frustration, before letting them fall in his lap again.

"And I have to do some things I'm not proud of."

"Like?"- you say quietly and he looks at you.

"You know what exclusive rich people parties include?"- he asks and you nod slowly.

"Drugs?"- you ask and he sighs.

"Sadly, yes."

"Can't you just say no?"- you tilt your head at him.

"Ha! My manager would eat me alive if I missed any chance to have some sleazy rich fucker buy my shit."- Hyunjin shakes his head.

"I know I sound like a spoiled rich guy and that is exactly what I despise. I never wanted to become this, you know."

"Hey, it's okay."- you smile a little. "We all have our burdens. If it's any consolation, I feel lonely too. The only time I'm not lonely is when I'm in my garden, cause the flowers are alive and they're there for me. I know it sounds crazy because they don't understand me and they can't talk back to me but I feel like they can still listen for some reason. Since my mom died, I never had anyone that close to me, well, I was kind of lonely next to her too. She'd spend more time in her garden than with me. I hated her a little for that."

"I hate my mother a little too."- Hyunjin had never said it out loud and he almost gasps at the slip up. "No, I hate her a lot."- he bites his lip, it's out now.

"How so? If you want to share."

"She never loved me. She only loved her paintings and she wanted me to be absolutely perfect. Sometimes she'd make me paint for hours and hours until my hands were cramping and she didn't care if I cried so I stopped that and never cried before her again. She wanted me to go to the most prestigious academy, the one she attended too, to become some acclaimed painter. She scrutinized every single detail, not just in my paintings, but me in general and one time I talked back to her. Oh, she didn't like that at all. I cursed her out and she slapped me across the face and called me an ungrateful bastard. So, I sat and painted even with my head throbbing with pain. So, ugh, I have a love-hate relationship with what I do. I'd love to just paint for my soul, not for other people. Also, I am sorry for trauma dumping."- Hyunjin feels embarassed as he looks at you but you are still there, gentle as ever, your eyes kind as you scoot closer to him.

"It's okay, we're both kinda doing that tonight."- you chuckle quietly. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that, it's horrible to not have your mother's warmth while growing up, I can kinda relate to that. My mother was a little more present than yours, but ultimately she was living for her flowers. She screamed at me when she was sick, telling me to go take care of her garden and not let her flowers die, she threatened to crawl into the garden herself and do it even if she died right next to them. She was hard to take care of when she fell sick. I know this is horrible to say, but I couldn't wait for her to die. She'd be in peace, I'd be in peace. Like I had to leave my whole life in the city to move back here and take care of her. And she was difficult on purpose."

"I'm sorry y/n. That really must've felt horrible."- Hyunjin looks at you sympathetically.

"Glad it's over now. It's just that sometimes I feel like I'm becoming her."

"You're definitely not."- Hyunjin says quickly.

"How do you know?"- you tilt your head at him.

"You're too warm and kind to be cold to people around you."- he smiles, making your cheeks warm up.

"Oh. Thank you?"- you say and he chuckles.

"Look at us, getting closer through our mommy issues."- Hyunjin shakes his head and you laugh, shivering a little.

"Are you cold?"- Hyunjin notices and you nod.

"A little. Forgot my jacket."- you say.

Hyunjin doesn't say anything, just takes his cardigan off and gently drapes it over your shoulders.

"Aren't you gonna be cold?"- you ask, your heart beating fast as you put your arms through the sleeves, enveloping yourself in Hyunjin's scent and warmth.

"No, I'm warmed up."- he smiles at you sweetly, his cheeks rosy.

"So, how long are you planning on staying here?"- you ask, looking up ahead as the darkness had settled in, making it hard to discern where the sky starts and the sea ends.

"I don't know yet. Honestly, I never want to leave."- Hyunjin says and you chuckle a little.

"I guess the charm of our little island has gotten to you."- you wiggle your eyebrows at him and he giggles.

"It definitely did."- his eyes are on your lips again, and your chest constricts at the thought of Hyunjin going back to the city and leaving you behind.

"That's good to hear. You're welcome to stay here and become a permanent resident."- you smile and he thanks you dramatically before the two of you fall into more light topics of favorite movies and music, just to lift up the heaviness from before.

It is well after midnight as Hyunjin walks you home, insisting that you keep the cardigan and return it to him some other day.

And as he walks back to Isaac's house, the black clouds gather more closely.

Hyunjin lays in bed that night, restless and inspired, excited and aroused, in love and out of his mind. Grabbing his sketchbook he works tirelessly into the wee morning hours, drawing shapes of you into the pages, shapes that are already etched into his heart. The hand that was holding his pen, eventually ends up between his legs, as he imagines the two of you shaped like a tide, waves crashing on the rocks in fervor, sweat dripping down his forehead as he clutches himself and moves faster. He wants you, needs you, loves you. And he realizes that when your name spills from his lips just as he spills on his hand, hips stuttering from the explosive feeling it brought to him.

You are restless too, clutching onto his cardigan, giddy like some teenage girl with a high school crush, and you dare to dream about him, your mind constantly going back to the brushes of knees and eyes on lips. Your fingers dance on your skin, imagining it's Hyunjin's, hot and wet on your core and inside you as you inhale his scent.

As the white explodes behind your eyelids, a fire burns within your soul, the warm sea gushing between your legs, fireworks sizzling through your body, your mind screams his name.

Hyunjin. Hyunjin. Hyunjin.

✨Taglist: @moonchild9350 @janepg @velvetmoonlght @hwanghyunjinismybae @jehhskz @laylasbunbunny @porangporangmeong @jeonginslefthand @sapphirewaves @simpforleeknaur @laughatdanger @lixies-favorite-cookie @linavc @quokkacidal @thisaintredwine @m00gyu @yaorzu-blog @skzfelixlove @tajannah-price1 @puccaaak @aft2rsexs @xxkissesforchanniexx @aprilmaejune77 @lilmeowneow @stayjinnie @astrobebba @danihwang882 @kaysungshine @nchhuhi @1810cl @chartrucewhore @babigriin @jisuperboard @alisonyus @minluvly @instantsoulnight @kkamismom12 @its-stayville-forever @s3ungm1nxxl0ve

[jintaka-hane]

Two Days

(Beckman x f!Reader)

Masterlist

Img source / source

Summary: You and Beckman have been navigating a long-distance relationship for a while. Now that he's docking at your port, you’ve got two precious days to reunite and reminisce about the day you first met — a dreadful evening when nothing went as planned. Word Count: 5735 Notes: This is my contribution to 'The Great Beckmaning'! It was a looooooot of fun to write, and I'm considering writing about what happened after the tavern brawl, hehe. My gift for the Beckman’s wives army! Warnings: Mild NSFW, father!beckman x mother!reader, established relationship, one sided enemies to lovers, shanks being silly, misunderstanding, longing, kissing, petting, domesticity, fluff, mentions of alcohol, guns, cigarettes, swearing, mention of pregnancy.

"You sure you can manage without me?" a familiar look of concern crossed the first mate's face.

"For the fifth time, Beck, YEEES!" bellowed the pirates of the Red Force in unison.

"I've left some instructions for—"

"Beck! We'll be fine, trust me!” Shanks said, avoiding the note he was handing and pushing him down off the ship.

“But… the hole in the starboard bow needs—”

“AYE!! SHOVE OFF, BECK!”

"A’right, a’right…. behave yourselves..." he looked at the captain, "especially you”.

"Enjoooooy! Don't worry about aaaanything… and give her my regards," Shanks added, clumsily winking.

And the second in command of the Red Force disembarked, unsure of what he would find upon his return.

It was a port he knew like the back of his hand, in a fishing village neither too small nor too large, populated by smiling and friendly folk.

He walked through a bustling square where locals sold their wares—a display of colorful fruits, fresh fish from the morning catch, and an eclectic array of handmaded items. In one corner, a quaint bakery beckoned with the tempting aroma of freshly baked pastries. He entered and bought the ones he thought you would like the most.

With the bag in hand, he continued down the street until he reached a modest yet charming house. He grasped the doorknob and turned it, the familiar creak of the door indicating that it was not locked. With a gentle push, it swung open.

He had warned you countless times about the importance of locking the door and securing your home, yet you never seemed to heed his advice. However, he wouldn't scold you this time. Not when it had been three long months since your last meeting, and he only had two precious days to enjoy your company.

"Y/n?" He called out to you, but there was no response.

His steps carried him first to the kitchen. He placed the bag of pastries he had purchased upon the counter, a surprise awaiting you. As his eyes scanned the room, he noticed that the wooden frame of a window needed repair, and that the pantry door wasn't closing properly. He would attend to that later.

He then made his way to the living room where he found you. Your graceful form was reclined upon the couch, peacefully lost in slumber. The way your hair spilled over the cushions, your chest rising and falling in rhythmic breaths, and the flawless complexion of your face adorned with a faint smile in repose, rendered you truly breathtaking. A pang of longing gripped his chest, proof to the months he had spent yearning for you. But these two days together would surely mend any distance between you. 

Beside you laid a beautiful baby girl, her eyes wide with innocence and curiosity as she gazed up at him with a smile.

"Here you’re, little one. I've missed you," he murmured, scooping her up into his arms and holding her close. With care, he raised her up to meet her gaze, marveling at the sight before him.

“So pretty... must have inherited your mother's genes, otherwise I wouldn't believe it with a father like me...".

The baby giggled at him, reaching out to touch the x-shaped scar on his face, but then her expression grew serious, her cheeks flushing red. Beckman chuckled as he noticed a peculiar odor beginning to permeate the room.

"Ok, ok, let's change ya," he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

He carried her to the bedroom, where he knew all the diapers and baby wipes were kept. With utmost care, he cradled the baby in one arm while using the other to retrieve the baby changer from your dressing table. Placing the baby, who giggled once more, in the changer, he gently removed her clothes and diaper. With ease, he cleaned her with a wipe, dried her tenderly with a soft towel, applied cream, and secured a clean diaper in place.

It was a curious sight to behold Benn Beckham, a rugged pirate of the seas known for his strength and fierceness, handling and caring for a delicate baby with such tenderness.

Once the baby was dressed, they made their way to the kitchen, disposed of the soiled diaper, and returned to the living room. Beckman settled into a rocking chair beside the couch, cradling the baby close. He hummed a sea shanty as a lullaby in his deep voice, stealing glances at you from time to time, careful not to disturb your slumber. 

Farewell to the harbor, To my old hometown

Lets all sing out with a Don! As the ship sets sail

Waves of gold and silver dissolve to salty spray

As we all set sail to the ends of the sea…

Gradually, the baby's eyelids drooped until her eyes closed entirely. A smile graced Beckman's lips as he watched her drift off to sleep.

"Sleep tight, princess," he whispered tenderly.

Then, sinking back into the chair, he studied you thoughtfully. How was it that you had never left him all these years? You were a stunning, independent, and strong woman, and he couldn't help but wonder why you had remained by his side. In a town filled with men eager to win your affection, you had never once betrayed him or hinted at parting ways. Perhaps, he mused, this was love after all... And the fact that he returned to you every time he had the opportunity was his way to show you that he loved you back. And he always will.

As he admired your poised figure, memories of the day you had first crossed paths flooded his mind. What a chaotic mess it had been...

*** *** ***

It was shaping up to be a real wretched day. Shanks, in his usual state of inebriation, exhibited an unusual level of clumsiness, leaving him feeling like a caretaker tending to an unruly child. Whenever the captain sank into such a state, the crew inevitably followed suit, burdening him with additional duties both aboard and ashore. Having remained docked in the same port for a week, their departure was scheduled for the morrow, yet Shanks, in his folly, proposed a return to the tavern they had frequented the day before. Once more. The man seemed insatiable in his thirst for drink, oblivious to his prior excesses. With a sigh, Beckman acquiesced, resigned to another evening spent in the tavern...

The evening unfolded in customary fashion at the bar, with men swaying clumsily to the music and belting out off-key tunes. The crash of shattered glass echoed through the room as drinks slipped from careless hands, earning disapproving glances from the tavern's owner. Finding solace in a secluded corner, he ordered a pint of ale, lit a cigarette, and scanned the room in search of distraction.

Idiots, the lot of them, he mused.

His gaze wandered until it suddenly fixated on something that caught his attention. Across from him, nestled in a quiet corner, sat an intriguing woman, effortlessly beautiful and serene amidst the chaos. Engrossed in a book, she sipped at her drink, while a bag of pastries from a nearby bakery lay at her feet.

Must be one hell of a book to keep her absorbed in a joint like this.

He chuckled softly, entertained by the improbable sight of such a striking lady amidst the tavern's humble surroundings. She seemed to be alone. Could she perhaps provide him with some stimulating company for the evening? Surely, she would be the most engaging conversationalist in the room. It was worth a try.

However, before making any advances, a habitual reflex led him to gauge his captain's interest in her. His eyes swept the room until they settled on Shanks, who was engrossed in merriment with Roux and the others, urging him on with raucous cheers of 'Drink! Drink! Drink!' 

Well, he thought, it seems she is mine for the takin’.

With a nod to the barman, he summoned him over.

“Boy, fetch that lady another round of whatever she's havin’. Put it on my tab,”' he instructed. The boy acknowledged the order and set off to fulfill it.

He observed from afar the woman's reaction when she received her pint of stout, the way her eyebrows arched in surprise. She glanced toward him as the barman gestured in his direction. Meeting her gaze, he raised his glass in greeting, only to receive a disdainful snort in return before she returned her attention to her book.

Darn. Not the smoothest start...

He felt a mixture of irritation and intrigue, but he was reluctant to come across as the sort of man who embarrasses himself by persisting in front of a woman's indifference. So he made an effort to brush it off, attempting to ignore her and the way she had rejected him with such disinterest.

As he tried to shift his focus, his mind wandered to the tasks awaiting him before the next day's departure. He made mental notes to check the main mast, which had been damaged in an attack, and ensure that the cargo was securely arranged, wary of any imbalance that could jeopardize the ship's stability.

He hadn't been listing his tasks for even five minutes when he noticed that Shanks had also become aware of the presence of the woman and was approaching her, stumbling toward her table with an oversized grin. With a gesture he likely deemed elegant, he extended his hand.

"Evenin’, sweetheart. I've come to rescue you from the clutches of boredom that book must be inflicting upon you. Care to dance?"

"Get lost," she shot back without even sparing him a glance.

Beckman chuckled.

The red pirates howled.

Shanks placed a hand over his heart, feigning heartbreak, then turned to the crew and erupted into laughter with the others.

“Bad luck, cap’n!!” one man shouted. 

Turning back to her, Shanks remarked, "Well, I'll take that as a no, then. What are you drinking? Want another?"

"No, thank you" she replied firmly, and to further encourage him to depart, she added, "I've already been offered a beer by another man," smiling proudly at her own response.

"Oh? Is that so? I must be late then... And who might this gentleman be, sweetheart? I'm curious," he pressed.

With an air of indifference, she slowly pointed in his direction, causing him visible discomfort.

Shit. 

Shanks and the entire crew turned their attention to him. Shanks's eyes widened, and after several moments of silence, the room erupted in laughter once more.

Despite knowing Shanks well enough to understand that his actions were not intended to ridicule him, he couldn't help but feel exposed and irked by the situation. 

"Well, let's all raise a glass to our first mate!" Shanks declared, breaking the tension. "MAY HE BE LUCKY!".

"HEAR, HEAR!" echoed throughout the room as everyone raised their glasses, some of them whistling.

The captain turned once more to the woman, leaning in to whisper something in her ear. Then, with a broad grin, he directed his attention back to Beckman, raising his fist with his thumb pointed upward and offering a clumsy wink. And with that, he rejoined the men, who erupted into cheers.

Beckman pinched the bridge of his nose. As a man who valued the discretion of his affairs, he couldn't shake off the sense of shame engulfing him.

Perhaps he should go and offer an apology on behalf of his captain, then simply leave her be. That would be a good idea... so he did just that, approaching her table and pulling up a chair to sit beside her.

Drawing nearer, he couldn't resist stealing a better look at her. Her lips and delicate complexion caught his attention. His gaze inevitably wandered to her curves, wondering what it would be like to lose himself between those thighs. His thoughts took an improper turn, thoughts that he knew would trouble his sleep that night. Shaking off them, he reminded himself of his purpose: a simple apology. But before he could utter a word, she spoke nonchalantly.

"You never give up, do you?"

A tough one. Attractive and pretending to be out of reach, a good combination.

He left the chair on the floor and kept a calm smile.

"Doll, I just wanted to apologize for-"

"Doll?" She raised her eyes, interrupting him. "Fuck off, you drunkard. I hate pirates, you are all scum".

His smile faltered as her words caught him off guard.

"For someone who despises pirates, you speak like one, woman," he said, and glancing at the four empty glasses on the table he added. "And drink like one too..."

She shot him a lethal glare, and he raised his hands in surrender. "A’right, a’right, I'll leave you be."

Disappointed, he made his way back to his table. He was taking his seat when he spotted a group of men entering the tavern, armed and wearing expressions of menace. Their faces twisted into grimaces that spoke of hostility and a readiness for conflict and it appeared that they outnumbered their own group.

Not good.

They advanced through the crowd, shoving people roughly, taunting them, snatching their glasses and draining them defiantly in front of their angry stares. Tension hung thick in the air... and it reached a breaking point when one of them seized a chair, hoisted it into the air, and without giving anyone a chance to react, brought it crashing down onto Yassop's back. He cried out in pain and cursed.

"What's wrong with ya, ya scurvy dog?!"

Fuck.

The atmosphere grew heavier with tension, fists tightening, jaws clenching, and guns aimed at one another. Beckman instinctively reached for his rifle, drawing it from his sash. 

"Beck? You still with us?" Shanks called him out, staying calm.

"Right 'ere".

“Please, no slaughter!" shouted the tavern owner.

Briefly, Beckman’s thoughts drifted to the lady, now frightened and huddled against the wall with her eyes fixed on the distant exit door, unattainable and out of reach. She was trapped. With long strides, he placed himself between the crowd and her, a protective barrier.

"Stay behind me”.

Damn, if she wasn't even willing to talk to him before, she surely would never want to see him again after what she was going to witness.

As one of the pirates moved toward him with a knife in one hand and a broken bottle in the other, intent on attacking, Beckman plucked the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers and flicked it toward one of his eyes. The ashes danced through the air with a spark before landing on their target. 

“Don’t get cocky”.

And then chaos erupted.

*** *** ***

Back to the present, his mind wandered back to the same question that haunted him every time he saw you. What if he quitted everything and chose to stay with you? Didn't he deserve some happiness? He liked his life at sea but missed you terribly. And the baby, she surely needed him; as her father, it was his duty to raise her. But would you want that too? After all, you chose your path, and he, his…

Did you even need him? Perhaps not... he knew you managed perfectly well on your own. However, the red-haired one did need him and maybe that was the main reason he wouldn't bring himself to stay. No, for now, he couldn't stay, and both of you knew that, despite the yearning you held for each other.

Maybe one day... in the future... he could sort things out, he could even ask you to be officially his wife -would you accept?-, and build a home for your family, far from the dangers that came with a price on your head.

He rose from his seat and carefully placed the baby in a cradle that had been placed in the living room. Then, he made his way to the furthest window of the room, opened it to prevent bothering the baby with smoke, and retrieved a match and a cigarette. With practiced ease, he lit it and took a drag, inhaling deeply as he stared out of the window.

You opened your eyes, taking a few seconds to focus your gaze until you saw him. His unexpected presence caught you off guard.

A smile spread across your lips as you admired the sight: his broad shoulders outlined against the light, the curve of his neck, the way his now slightly gray hair was tied back in a ponytail... Throughout the years, he had continued to dress simply, wearing a black shirt and a yellow sash in which he usually kept a weapon. A tough and threatening appearance concealing a kind heart and a good man.

Relishing in the moment, you continued to observe him as memories of the day you first met flooded back. What a disaster it had been.

*** *** ***

You were enduring a dreadful day. 

You had poured an entire year working very hard to open a bookstore, spending all your savings and efforts on finding a location, negotiating prices with suppliers, and advertising to make yourself known in the town. It was months of hard work and effort and it had only been a week since you opened. While business could have been better, you were not doing badly.

But that morning all your dreams were dashed, a group of pirates stormed into the town and set fire to several shops just for fun. From your bookstore, you could only save one copy, the one you happened to have in your bag at that moment. 

You HATED pirates.

Seeking solace, you went to the tavern to have a drink and give your brain a break. You were overthinking too much about your future and were exhausted and moody. You wanted to be alone, so you didn't doll up—no makeup, no provocative dress, nothing—to keep idiots away from you.

As you sat there, already on your third pint of black beer, a group of pirates swaggered into the tavern.

That's all I needed... A bunch of brutes... And they're already drunk? Not surprised. 

You considered leaving the tavern, but no, you weren't going to be driven out by a bunch of thugs. You just wanted to relax a bit, and those drunkards didn't seem like a real threat. You thought that if you pretended to read the book you managed to save from the fire, no one would try to approach you, so you seized it and set it on the table.

Until now, with the rush, you hadn't had a chance to inspect it. Flipping it over, you were met with a cover depicting a suggestive scene—a blonde-haired woman in a purple dress, her knee on the lap of a sun-bronzed, bare-chested man, unmistakably a pirate, while lavender-hued letters announced:

'How to Seduce Pirates, Part 2 (Take Him to Bed)"

A flush crept up your cheeks.

Seriously? Out of an arsenal of nearly 3000 books, I could only save this one? 

Surely, it wasn't the kind of book you'd want to find yourself reading in a setting like this… but there was no other choice.

The atmosphere crackled chaotic, a symphony of raucous voices and clinking glasses filling the air. Men, their movements awkward and uncoordinated, swayed to the music, their off-key singing punctuated by the sharp sound of breaking glass. 'Drink! Drink! Drink!' they chanted, their voices rising above the chaos.

Amidst the tumult, maintaining the pretense of reading became an arduous task. You sighed deeply, the book in your hands a shield against the uproar. Not even five minutes had passed when the barman addressed you.

"Here you have, ma'am," you glanced up at the boy, noticing him set a beer on your table and gesture towards the man who had ordered it: a pirate, of course. A tall one, with black hair tied back in a ponytail. He smiled kindly at you, lifting his drink.

You really weren't in the mood.

What an arrogant prick, how dare he disturb me like that? I'm not even going to thank him...

You snorted and redirected your attention back to the book. But glancing at the pages, your mind tricked you and started conjuring up images of the man.

Alright, he's attractive, I'll give him that. With that black t-shirt barely covering his chest. 

That chest...

Maybe I'm being stubborn and could just talk with him... that might help me forget my problems... even if just for the night… I could rip off his sash in one pull and see what's underneath...

NO. 

He's a pirate. 

Absolutely not. No way. Never.

You were lost in your thoughts when a red-haired man with a big smile stumbled over to your table. With a clumsy movement, he extended his hand and addressed you.

"Evenin’, sweetheart. I've come to rescue you from the clutches of boredom that book must be inflicting upon you. Care to dance?"

How? And why? Can't they leave me alone? 

"Get lost" was the best reply you could muster. 

The man put on a little show to make his friends laugh.

“Bad luck, cap’n!!” one man shouted. 

Turning back to you, he remarked, "Well, I'll take that as a no, then. What are you drinking? Want another?".

"No, thank you" you replied firmly, and to further encourage him to depart, you added, "I've already been offered a beer by another man".

"Oh? Is that so? I must be late then... And who might this gentleman be, sweetheart? I'm curious," he pressed. 

Oh, that black-haired man was going to regret bothering you. With an air of indifference, you slowly pointed in his direction and watched as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The lines of expression beneath his eyes grew deeper and against your will, you thought he was really cute like that. 

The red-haired man and the entire crew turned their attention to the uncomfortable man and after several moments of silence, the room erupted in laughter once more.

"Well, let's all raise a glass to our first mate!" 

Ah, the first mate.

"MAY HE BE LUCKY!"

He won't be, not with me, anyway. 

"HEAR, HEAR!" echoed throughout the room as everyone raised their glasses whistling.

"He is a good man, sweetheart, don't be scared of him," the man whispered in your ear before leaving with his friends, who greeted him. You were a bit shocked and didn't know why, but you sensed that that drunkard meant no harm.

Well, you sighed, not like I am changing my mind. Having already chased away two of them, I'm sure I can continue drinking in solitude. 

But you were mistaken, because two minutes later you felt a presence scanning your body.

The first mate. 

With a chair in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth, a strand of hair falling over his face.

Oh, for god’s sake…

"You never give up, do you?" you threw at him without taking your eyes off the book. For a moment, you felt him hesitate.

"Doll, I just wanted to apologize for-" 

"Doll?" You thought he was mocking you and you exploded, a surge of hatred resurfacing in you. You had tried today to go unnoticed and failed miserably. The memory of your ravaged bookstore brought tears to your eyes, yet you fought to restrain them. And moreover, you felt guilty for being drawn to this man. All you wanted was to distance yourself from him and continue drinking alone.

You did direct your gaze upward, very much upward, honestly, how tall is he? to look at him.

"Fuck off, you drunkard. I hate pirates, you are all scum".

You flinched at your own words and regretted them immediately. Too harsh, even if you wouldn't take them back now.

"For someone who despises pirates, you speak like one, woman" he said, glancing at the four empty glasses on the table he added. "And drink like one too...".

Fair point.

You gave him a deadly look and he raised his hands, defeated. "A’right, a’right, I'll leave you be”.

He turned away and walked off from you, while you stood there wondering if you had been too harsh. Your thoughts were interrupted as you spotted a group of men entering the tavern.

Great, more pirates, you thought, all the same crew, you supposed.

They were armed and wore expressions of menace, appearing unfriendly and eager for conflict. 

They advanced through the crowd, shoving people roughly, taunting them, snatching their glasses and draining them defiantly in front of their angry stares. Tension hung thick in the air... definitely they were not the same crew.

In a moment of escalation, one of them seized a chair, lifting it high into the air. Without a moment for anyone to intervene, it came crashing down onto the back of another man. His cry of pain mingled with curses as he writhed in agony.

"What's wrong with ya, ya scurvy dog?!"

The tension in the air thickened, fists clenched, jaws tightened, and guns leveled at each other. 

You stood up, visibly worried about your safety. Your eyes flickered to the exit door, tucked away in the opposite corner of the room and blocked by the crowd of pirates. It was going to be impossible for you to escape from that place. Where could you possibly go, or hide? 

"Beck? You still with us?"

Beck.

"Right ’ere," he answered.

“Please, no slaughter!”

In that moment, you caught sight of the first mate, holding a rifle in one hand and a cigarette still dangling from his mouth, moving toward you as though he intended to shield you.

"Stay behind me," he said over his shoulder.

Damn, minutes before, you didn't even want to talk to him, and now you just wanted to see him again.

As a pirate moved toward you, intent on attacking, the man protecting you plucked the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers and flicked it toward one of the pirates' eyes. The ashes danced through the air with a spark before landing on their target. 

“Don’t get cocky”.

And then, the hell started.

*** *** ***

Alright, enough with the nostalgia, you thought, bringing your focus back to the present moment.

Restraining your urge to run towards him and jump into his arms, you pondered over what would be the most fitting greeting for him.

"Benn Beckman, you have balls to smoke near the baby in front of me," you decided to say to him, your arms crossed.

He turned towards you immediately, initially taken aback by your confrontational tone, but relaxed when he saw your face. Leaning his elbows on the windowsill, his eyes locked onto yours as he raised the cigarette to his lips and took a defiant puff.

"Well then, c’mere and try to take it from me".

You stood and approached him, attempting to maintain a serious expression. Raising your right hand, you tried to pluck it from his lips, but he was quicker, lifting it with his hand out of your reach. You huffed in frustration, grabbing his shirt and pushing him down pretending to go kiss him. He smelled like a mixture of tobacco, salt, seawater, and damp wood. As he leaned down to kiss you, you seized the opportunity to snatch the cigarette from his fingers just as your lips were about to meet.

With your prize secured, you dashed away down the hallway chuckling at his puzzled expression. He pursued you immediately, his steps echoing in the hallway as he closed the distance. Before you realize, strong arms enveloped you, lifting you by the hips effortlessly.

“Gotcha”.

Turning you gracefully in mid-air, he spun you around to face him. You giggled as you encircled his waist with your legs and clasped onto his shoulders, steadying yourself.

“I think you have something that belongs to me,” he said with a raspy voice.

You raised your hand, the cigarette poised between your fingers, teasingly moistening your lips with the tip of your tongue. 

“Do you mean this?” 

With deliberate allure, you took a drag before exhaling the smoke slowly, your eyes locked onto his.

“No, this,” with a hunger born of desire, he pulled you into a deep, passionate kiss.

You released the cigarette from your grasp, allowing it to fall to the floor. Without hesitation, he swiftly brought his foot down upon it, extinguishing the ember with a resolute stomp.

He swept you into the kitchen, his lips still crashing into yours, before carefully seating you on the cool surface of the dining table. With your eyes shut, you remained oblivious to where you were until the chill of the table beneath your thighs prompted you to open them and take in your surroundings. You barely had a second to look around before you felt Beckman’s fingers touch your chin, drawing your mouth back to his again.

You tilted your head, deepening the kiss, and heard him growl softly. You smiled at this, your hands tracing the contours of his back until they grazed the yellow fabric cinched around his waist.

All the while he devoured your lips, you began untying the sash, a task that with practice, you had learned to do quickly. The moment it came undone, it slipped from his waist and dropped to the floor. Then, pressing your hand against his chest, you broke the kiss, your lips parting to catch your breath.

"How much time?,” you asked.

"Two days”.

"Okay," you replied without complaint or further inquiry. Both of you knew that arguing about it would only cause pain and frustration, as there was nothing that could be done. 

Slipping his hands beneath your shirt, he began to caress the skin of your stomach, his fingertips sending shivers down your spine. "Enough time to put another child in this beautiful belly”.

You huffed and tried in vain to shove him off. “Don't you dare, Benn Beckman”. He chuckled and started kissing your jaw, leaving a trail of kisses on your neck, and you thought you heard him mumble we’ll see against your skin.

He pushed your legs slowly, spreading them to make room for your bodies to embrace. When they reached the limit, his hands moved to your small back and he pulled you firmly towards him. You gasped at the resolute movement.

“C’mere”.

A stray lock of hair escaping from his ponytail tickled your face, and with the tip of your fingers, you attempted to tuck it behind his ear, only for it to promptly slip out again.

"Where is the boy?" He asked between kisses, unable to separate his lips from yours or his hands from your back.

"Out. Playing with some friends," you managed to say.

"Mmh,” he adjusted his position to center his body with yours, his legs firm against the dining table. “One day I must teach him to fire a gun,” he mumbled.

"He is… only four… years old, Beck”

“Mmmh,” he murmured absentmindedly, his attention focused on the task of urging your body to recline upon the table's surface. You surrendered to his gentle push, letting him guide you until you were lying on your back, utterly exposed to him. 

He took a moment to observe you, his gaze lingering on your swollen lips and your chest panting beneath him. You were a sight to behold.

“Fuck, look at you... you’re beautiful…”

His fingers lifted the edge of your skirt and tenderly traced the curve of your thigh, from knee to hip. A warmth began to spread wildly through your lower body as he kissed your neckline, unbuttoning your shirt impatiently at the same time. You raised your legs, wrapping them around his waist with a firmness that conveyed your desire to pull him closer, molding his body against yours in an embrace of longing and urgency.

“Beautiful and all mine…”

Your back arched instinctively, a silent expression of anticipation coursing through your body. He used this movement to slide his hands under your back, lifting and drawing your body even closer against his.

“Bed? Beck…” 

“No time,” he managed to say.

He devoured you hungrily, his hands looking for the buckle of his belt in a desperate attempt to free himself. Your breaths quickened in unison, your bodies attempting to meld together…

"HI MOM! I’M AT HOME!"

His movements halted abruptly at the sound of a joyful four-year-old entering the house.

Fuck

With a swift motion, you disentangled yourself from his embrace, hurriedly smoothing down your disheveled clothes and tousled hair.

“I’ll take care of you later," he whispered, pressing his forehead against yours. A promise he’d better fulfill.

--------------

You had sex all night. 

It was an intense session in which your bodies sought each other, embracing and clutching in a dance that lasted until dusk, aiming to reclaim all the pleasure you had yearned for those last months.

Striving to keep both of you hushed, for fear of waking up the kids, he did his best to swallow your moans and stifle his own grunts against your neck, relieving tension in silence.

He whispered praises ranged from the utmost devotion to the dirtiest and most obscene terms, and performed the sweetest and most affectionate caresses intertwined with the most brutal and energetic thrusts.

Every time you reached a peak, with hearts fluttering in unison in your chests, a simple glance, word, or touch reignited a flame that took you all night to quench.

In the soft morning glow, as the sun ascended, you lay in bed, your body exhausted and sore. Your head nestled against his chest, feeling the comforting warmth radiating from his body. He stared at the ceiling, clearly lost in thought, something heavy weighing on his mind.

"Darlin’," he broke the silence. 

"Mmh?"

You lifted your head to look him in the eyes, quietly awaiting his words.

For a moment that seemed like an eternity, he hesitated.

"... you know I'd never smoke right next to the baby, right?"

So, that's what it was.

You couldn't help but smile.

Finding comfort in the moment, you nestled your face against his chest once more, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your cheek.

"I know, Beck," you murmured softly, your fingertips gently caressing his scarred temple. "I love you."

-------------

Taglist: @i-am-vita @fanaticsnail @gingernut1314 @lourvedreams @atinymonbebestay @ici-spicy @firefistussy

[dilemmaontwolegs]

If you need ideas for the Temptation snapshots, I've got one. It's Scotty's wedding, Daniel's Kitten is a bridesmaid. She looks stunning in a curves complimenting dress. Daniel can't take his eyes off of her but she doesn't have time for him. She's running around, helping everybody with everything till Daniel decides he can't wait anymore and drags her to the bedroom for a quickie only after that they realise that they've fucked in the newlyweds bed

Temptation Snapshot || DR3 {6}

Warnings: 18+ only, nsfw, smut WC: 1.4K F1 Masterlist Story: One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six || Seven Snapshots: One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six

The Bachelor’s Party/Hen Night Vegas baby! That was the caption to the clip of Daniel arriving in Las Vegas for Scotty’s bachelor party - the two Australians 100 percent ready to unleash hell on Sin City with their close-knit group of friends. At just over 2000 kilometres away, you were boarding a private boat with Chloe in Vancouver as her hen night began far more sedately. While the next 24 hours with the bridal party was all about pampering and enjoying the beautiful views out on the water, the groomsmen were making promises to each other that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Come morning light everyone would start making their way to Venice where the big event was going down - for better or for worse. You had a feeling the boys would certainly be feeling worse.

You were utterly relaxed after a massage and a soak in the hot tub on the top deck with the girls, the stars glittering in the night sky. Chloe’s friends were an endless stream of gossip and it was hard to keep up with their exciting lives until your phone started to vibrate on your sunbed. 

“Excuse me,” you apologised as you stepped out of the warm water and saw a facetime call coming in from Danny. “Hey, I thought you would be too busy to call?”

“You should come here, kitten,” he slurred as the camera moved erratically and you heard Scotty’s laugh in the background. “Look,” he tried to pan the video around and you guessed he was somewhere on the strip from all the bright lights. “White Chapel! We could get married right now.”

You tilted your head so you could properly see what he was showing you. “You want me to come to Las Vegas and get married at a White Chapel?” you laughed with a shake of your head. “You know my dad would never forgive you if he didn’t get to give me away.”

“I just want you all to myself, as Mrs Ricciardo,” he whined as the camera turned back to his face and a chorus of whipping sounds erupted from the guys around him. “Fuck off! You’re whipped too.”

“So you admit you’re whipped,” Scotty shouted happily and the call was dropped as they started a little scuffle, more like brothers than friends.

“You have that man wrapped around your finger,” Chloe teased when you slipped back into the steaming water.

“Look who's talking,” you said with a wink and grabbed your drink, raising it up to clink it with hers. “You mastered the art first.”

“I suppose I did,” she giggled before toasting with the circle. “To our boys, and their peak golden retriever energy.”

The Wedding Day “Behave,” you warned Daniel when he tried to corner you in the hotel’s corridor. “I’m a woman on a mission so keep your hands to yourself.”

“You know I can’t help it when my kitten gets all bossy,” he chuckled as he pinned you to the wall with his body. “No one will notice if we slip away for a few minutes.”

“Chloe would, since I’m meant to be getting her shoes.”

Reaching into his breast pocket he pulled out a tiny book similar to what you would get when you bought a raffle. Licking the pad of his thumb he started to flick through the pages before humming and ripping a tab out. “Here,” he said as he tucked it into your cleavage. “That is contractually binding too, I might add.”

You fished the paper out and opened it to see it was a comical voucher for a quickie in the nearest room. “I’m sure my lawyer would agree with you,” you joked as you straightened his lapels. “Where did you even get this?”

“I may or may not have stolen it from Scotty’s presents, but I thought it would have been a waste to go to them. I know him and it would end up in the bin before they even went on their honeymoon. So?” His eyes darted to the door beside you and he wiggled his eyebrows. “You look ridiculously sexy in that dress, kitten, and it is doing all sorts of crazy things to me.”

“Well I would hate to get in trouble with the law, since this is contractually binding…”

His smile grew and he tested the door only to growl when it didn’t open, but the next one was left unlocked. “Better make it quick, baby, I have no idea who this room belongs to.”

The spike of adrenaline made you rush to lift your dress and Daniel’s belt snapped open as he shoved his trouser halfway down his tattooed thighs before pulling you onto his lap at the edge of the bed. Your bodies joined with a harmonious moan and you relished the full feeling when you hadn’t been prepared for him, something that rarely happened.

“Fuck, you feel so good, kitten,” he moaned, his hand reaching for your hair before you grabbed it.

“This took two hours, don’t mess it up.”

“Okay, okay,” he obeyed, settling his hands on your hips and using his strength to guide you up and down his cock. You didn’t have the same issue with his hair, the short curls still left untamed, so you dragged your fingers through them as you bounced on his lap.

“You look tired,” you commented before you lost all ability to think, noticing the dark bags under his brown eyes. “Did you conquer Vegas or did Vegas conquer you?”

A smirk played on his lips and he shook his head. “Sorry, kitten, the boys all made a promise. Scouts honour.”

Your head tilted to the side as you stopped riding him. “Is that how it is now?”

“Don’t stop, baby,” he begged as you started to climb off his lap. “Wait, wait, okay.”

“What happened in Vegas, Daniel?” you asked, neither pulling away nor lowering yourself back down him.

“Nothing like you’re thinking,” he muttered.

“Daniel…”

“I may have gotten a little bit shitfaced,” he admitted and you lifted an eyebrow that made him crumble. His head dropped into your cleavage as he confessed, “I was totally off my tit drunk and so was Scotty, and we may have crashed out on the same bed.”

You slipped back down his cock until you were saddled on his lap again. “That’s not bad, why were you trying to hide it?”

“Those assholes took photos of us cuddling and crying together because we missed out girls now can you please move before I start crying again.”

It was a quick jumble of words barely more than a whisper but you caught them, just, and they caught you off guard. In a split second your head was thrown back with a laugh and you cradled him to your chest.

“Fuck me, keep laughing, kitten,” Daniel moaned. “So fucking tight when you do that.”

It drove Daniel wild and he started bucking his hips as you rode him, hitting deeper with each change in the angle until your eyes screwed shut and your heart hammered. You wanted to kiss him like your life depended on it but the makeup hadn’t been set long enough and you weren’t willing to risk smearing the masterpiece.

“I’m gonna cum, daddy,” you whimpered as heat flushed your skin and you pushed through the ache in your legs from the position. Your orgasm ripped through you like a bolt of lightning.

“Fuck, oh fuck, fuuuuck,” Daniel groaned as your cunt gripped his dick like a vice and he filled you with the thick ropes of his cum. “Shit, kitten, you’re gonna kill me with that pretty pussy of yours,” he commented as you climbed off and rearranged your dress into place.

“I think you just need more self-control,” you teased as you looked around the room and froze. There on the table was the white Jimmy Choo box you had been sent to find, next to a plate of delicate handmade chocolates and a neatly written card dedicated to the newlyweds. “Oh shit.”

Daniel looked up from his belt he had rebuckled and saw you grab the shoes from the box, his eyes taking in everything as he came to the same conclusion. “Oh shit,” he laughed, biting his knuckle as the sound grew. He looked back at the bed and quickly swiped a hand across the blankets to smooth out the indents of his ass. “That bed is getting some action today.”

Taglist {1}: @moonvr @copper-boom @yunnie-f1 @ophcelia @lightsoutletsgo @alwaysclassyeagle @neiich @omgsuperstarg @starwarssavy23 @fdl305 @faeb1tch42069 @sweetestrose569 @pleasantducktimetravel @dr3lover @writerscurse @christianpulisic10 @alexisquinnlee-bc @purplephantomwolf @belennasif @ryiamarie @mickslover @tyna-19 @destourtereaux @sunf1ower16 @octaviareina @laneyspaulding19 @booknerd2004-blog @mimimarvelingmarvel @chonkybonky @jpg3 @bangtanxberm @ohthemisssery @eviethetheatrefreak @kimi240302 @andydrysdalerogers @formula1mount @storyteller-le @dakotali @daddyslittlevillain @elijahslover

[zikadraws]

An actual question which is pretty popular in the Splatoon fandom, how do you think lings wash themselves? Keep themselves clean. Canonically it is stated that water affects them.

Well I actually think I got a pretty good idea of this one !

I've made a little illustrated guide which pretty much summarizes it all, but here is my thought process beneath it anyways. (Long post buckle up)

So, while it's true that in my mind their ink is already taking care of most of their dirt, one can only swim into their own body fluids before it starts to reek. Especially while being a(n ink)fish. Besides, enemy ink inevitably creates irritations if not properly cleaned off at least once or twice a day. (Off The Hook advises to clean your tentacles thoroughly after a match canonically.)

Now about the water issue, the main thing to keep in mind is that it's mentioned it dissolves Inkfish, sure, but only if they are submerged in it (because ink is less dense that water). So I think that they can take water drops, although it's also mentioned (in a game dev interview) that their skin actually breaks really easily.

But they CAN clean themselves nevertheless ; they just have to follow a few rules.

-----------

Absolutely NO BATHS.

Showers only, but put on the lightest drop setting, to the point the water feels more like drizzle (the type of rain they endure the best), just enough to get them moist and allow them to get themselves clean.

(There are specially designed shower heads on the marketplace for that, although it's the norm to have a shower with multiple options. It's recommended to always test the shower when looking for a new place, and use a portable spawner for the first times to be extra secure. Also, check your water pressure before going for a shower.)

Be gentle with your skin and tentacles while cleaning. Use foamy soaps, preferably, and soft sponges. If you're too rough, you might break the skin.

Only run the water to get yourself moisturized, then to wash the soaps. Not any more than needed.

At any time, if it starts to sting, or you feel weak, cut the water and take a break. Listen to your body.

If you don't have the time to take a shower, if you're not feeling like it or simply don't have a shower, there are always specialized body wipes available anywhere in stores. Fitting different kinds of skins & tentacles, with various perfumes, they are ideal to be used between Turf Wars or for a quick groom on the go. You can even clean yourself integraly this way if you wish, but please if you must do that in public, do so in Swim Form. Be decent.

(However, keep in mind the body wipes may be somewhat cheap and required to be at least recyclable, and also a huge market/job source, they still represent a budget, and important waste. Avoid resorting to these only. Water is in most places paid for by the community.)

In any way, do not neglect your hygiene. Else you may develop irritations, itching, dry & crusty tentacles (especially in choppy tentacuts), infections if nontreated injuries, and of course bad odor, which gets pretty bad as you count as a fish. All of these can get you mocked of and ostracized, as Freshness comes from having your turf and yourself figured out and taken well care of (we like to show that off), and unlike you may think- YOUR PEERS NOTICE.

And, of course, always brush your beak and scrub your tongue at least twice a day. Bad hygiene within the beak is the least tolerable, squiddos <3

-----------

And so yeah, those are their golden rules when it comes to hygiene. As you can see, I might have gotten a little overboard with it, but I wanted to make it feel like a legit cleaning guide, as I suspect that's something that is taught thoroughly to young Inkfish.

They have various illustrated child books/notices about cleaning safety, and probably have at least one mandatory class about that when they're in elementary school or younger. Being fresh 'n shiny is pretty important, and they are taught to take care of their turf/living space and of themselves, because they need that so they can then properly show off. So they are taught how to do it properly and safely early on, and they're not kidding about that.

I mean in a social system where the store managers can straight up refuse to serve you if you're deemed not fresh enough, you've got to be a little serious when it comes to your personal figure.

Alright, I hope you enjoyed my explanation ! I had a lot of with it~ :))

(Also before I go, I just wanna add a filter I made of this same guide, to make it look like a poorly taken scientific report picture like in a Sunken Scroll, 'cause I thought it was Sunken Scroll material. Enjoy.)

(Thanks for asking, bye 🎵 =:> =:> =:>)