#fun fact about this it was a thing i sketched and hadn't come back to for more than a year

[yourdadisagoodkisser]

heeeey look @ this soad thingy i drew :3

[the-thursday]

Hello everyone, this post was long overdue, and finally, prompted by our beloved Howls also leaving, it's time for me to rip off the bandaid as well.

I would also like to announce a sort of departure from Ranger's apprentice fandom.

I do not know how many from RA fandom era from few years back are still here but I assume mostly newer blogs keep up with this account.

Take a lil history walk with me, if you will. I joined this fandom around 2017-18. I was very active around here, posting all kinds of stuff, fics, takes, incorrect quotes, art and whatnot. I made many friends with whom I had a great time and I am happy and honoured that I am friends with some of them till this day. Fandom became the second home to me as things hadn't been exactly easy irl and maybe I fixated on it too much, but gods know I loved this place so much. And I wish for everyone to experience this happiness and just as I made friends who became a significant part of my life, I wish that for you as well. Being surrounded by amazing and wonderful people and sharing similar interests is one of the most pure joyous feelings in this world.

As 2020-2021 rolled around, some of you know that things in my life picked up a harsh pace and I started to drift away. In 2021 I left the fandom because of that and unpleasant things with one of the people here. It was one of the most gut wrenching decisions I had made.

In 2022, I started gradually getting worse, but also had the courage to come back at the end of the year. I felt happy and welcomed and I am so grateful to everyone who made it happen, who supported me and gave me another breath. My mental health kept getting worse but I wasn't alone and that has been everything to me.

Now it's about a little more than a year since I've been back and again, I've met wonderful amazing people who I am happy and honoured to call friends. I don't regret coming back and I am happy I did, however I think it's time for me to go again. And below, I hope to explain why.

Like I said, I've been getting worse. Last autumn and this winter have been very difficult for me and I had to rethink some priorities, as life is going on the time left for me to invest in fandoms is getting thinner and thinner. Unfortunately, among them, isn't keeping up with this fandom. With my next words I hope not to insult anyone. The truth is, I don't find enjoyment in the fandom and content itself anymore, or more like, as much as I used to. I don't exactly vibe with posts for roughly the past half a year and I don't mean this in negative way, I just think it's for me to move on. All of the new people that I've seen have wonderful content and while I don't exactly vibe like I used to, I can see that you're having fun and that's important! People come and go and I do wish all the newcomers and seniors who are still here to have a great time, but I don't think I have energy, capacity and vibes to be part of it anymore. As you know, my blog has been very much inactive for a long time, aside from dumping my dumb sketches or reblogging something here and there. And rather than letting it rot, I'd like to cleanly move on. Anyhow, on self deprecating note, since really it's not like I've been someone prominent I don't think this is a loss to the fandom and this makes it easier for me.

So to summarise, my leaving is about personal things, my life moving and the fact I don't have the mental capacity or motivation to actively keep up.

So what does this mean? I won't be posting RA related stuff on this blog anymore. This blog will turn into a neutral main blog and I'll create one side blog for art that I hope to continue to make and maybe one blog dedicated to the work of Brandon Sanderson.

However, it doesn't mean that I am not up to goof around about RA anymore, however this will be done in DMs. If I sometimes get to draw and post RA related art, it shall be posted on my new art blog with RA tag. However, I don't think there's a high probability of public RA art from me anymore, because 1) need to move on and 2) I have a very strong and maybe confrontational opinion about art in this fandom that has given me a bad taste and discouraged me from enjoying making it and posting it. I won't go into details because I don't want to sour this post for myself and for y'all with it.

I want to thank this fandom for everything it has been for me and for everyone and I wish y'all some happy fandoming!

Yours only,

The Ranger Thursday 11

[practically-an-x-man]

I'm having a scatterbrained day, so for talk shop Tue, can I get a commentary reel/directors cut style talk about how WWFA came about? How you got the idea, how Kat was developed and how you decided to insert your plot into the movie canon?

Oooh man, great question!! Thank you!!

So first things first... there were absolutely elements of Katherine and her story that were logically chosen for a specific position, and as with all of my stories, I did have the plot in place before I started writing, but there was a lot of this story in particular that evolved as I wrote it.

So WWFA? first came about after I went through a huge NATM hyperfixation in late 2021. The movies have always been really comforting and close to my heart, especially as a history and mythology buff, but there was something about that time rewatching it that just sent me headfirst into it. I don't remember how specifically I came up with Katherine as a character, but the first little inkling of plot came from the idea of an artist leaving sketches for the night guards and janitors to discover, not knowing that it was the exhibits themselves who ended up appreciating them.

So that's where I started the story: Katherine, leaving her drawings, simple and sweet. I had my point A (her leaving the drawings), my point B (following the third movie, the tablet dying and being restored), and my point C (hush now, we haven't gotten to that yet), but hadn't quite gotten all the details of how I was going to work Katherine into the story. I always had her coming along for the ride, but it's safe to say that the original concept did not have her nearly as deeply woven into the story as her final version does. She brought her drawings to life, building off the idea of the tablet bringing museum artworks and exhibits to life, but at that point I didn't have much of an explanation as to why her.

And then I started college. I'd always been a history nerd and had a good base of knowledge to start the story, but then I was a history nerd taking various college-level anthropology, history, and archaeology classes, and it took my knowledge to a whole new level. I've said this before, but I nearly wrote a paper on how I believed the Egyptian god Tutu was borrowed from the Babylonian god of the same name (though that fizzled when the Egyptologist I tried to contact never emailed me back, and he was the only expert in that particular god I could find). I love that sort of thing, and if college had been a better fit for me it might've ended up being my lasting career. My knowledge skyrocketed, so did my inspiration, and that's what springboarded the fic into its present mythology-heavy form.

As for how Kat was developed... it was a lot of those more spur-of-the-moment decisions. She became descended from Bastet on a whim, and that ended up being a driving force that worked so well for the rest of the story. Her name, Katherine Johnson, is a reference to the NASA scientist who contributed to the moon landing, but that reference itself was just sparked from the fact that I couldn't decide on a name at first. Her physical appearance, her backstory, whatever else? I just wanted to create a fun, dynamic character, someone who really felt like a real person rather than a plot device - and part of how I do that is just to stop thinking too hard about it and let things just flow.

Idk, it's kind of hard to describe. I don't want to say I was flying blind at any point, but there were a lot of areas in which the story just fell together as I wrote it. Most of my work came from creating Katherine and establishing her within the first few chapters - after that, she just seemed to fall into the story.

[mimisempai]

All this time you were cherished

Summary

Crowley wakes up from a nap to an unusual noise. When he opens his eyes, he is surprised to see Aziraphale drawing. But he's not at the end of his surprises when it comes to the subject drawn by the angel.

Notes

The day was coming when Crowley would discover his angel's hidden talent...

On Ao3

Rating G -  1551 words

That afternoon, Crowley was awakened from his nap on the bookshop sofa not by the light or Muriel's chatter, or even an impromptu visit from a customer, but by a strange little scratching sound.

He stretched before opening his eyes fully and looking at the source of the sound.

To his surprise, he saw Aziraphale sitting in the armchair opposite him, sketchbook and pencil in hand. Seeing the angel's concentration, he didn't dare move and waited for him to look up from his sketchbook.

When he did, he saw Aziraphale's eyes widen slightly and his cheeks redden a little, as if embarrassed at having been discovered.

"Oh, Crowley, you're awake?"

The demon chuckled slightly, "Looks like it. But what a surprise to wake up to, so you... draw?"

Aziraphale squirmed a little in the armchair, obviously uncomfortable, "Oh, just... a little, you know... nothing special... some sketches."

Crowley certainly hadn't been born yesterday, and if the angel was embarrassed like that, it wasn't "nothing special," as he put it.

"And what were you drawing just now?" 

Aziraphale blushed even more and closed his sketchbook before answering, "Things..."

Crowley held out his hand, "Show me."

Aziraphale shook his head.

Crowley gently insisted, "Angel, I promise I won't make fun of you."

The angel hesitated for a few moments and sighed, "Well, you would have found out eventually..." then handed Crowley the sketchbook.

Crowley sat up and eagerly took the sketchbook before opening it.

When he saw the first page, he couldn't hold back a gasp, and this time he was the one whose cheeks began to blush. 

Aziraphale had drawn him in his sleep. And it wasn't "nothing special." He didn't need to know anything about art to see that the drawing was very good. More than that, in fact. 

He said in awe, "Angel, it's... amazing."

Azirahale asked shyly, "Really? Do you think so?"

Crowley looked at him fondly, for this was not the first time he had praised the Angel, and the Angel needed confirmation. Which Crowley gave. 

He nodded slowly and said softly, "Yes, really." Then he flashed a playful little smile and added, "And I'm not just saying that because I'm the subject of this drawing."

Aziraphale replied, "It's not like I have any others."

Crowley raised a puzzled eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean, Angel?"

Aziraphale blushed again as he replied, "It's not like I have any other subject to draw but you."

To say that Crowley was surprised was no understatement, and as he lowered his eyes to the sketchbook, he noticed that it was already quite full.

He lifted the last drawing of him asleep and came upon one of him and Muriel bickering, then kept turning and all sorts of fragments of his life flashed before his eyes.

Him and Aziraphale dancing, seen through Aziraphale's eyes

Him on the terrace of Justine's restaurant

Him in the pub, apparently explaining his "kiss in the rain" scheme

Increasingly amazed, Crowley continued to leaf through the sketchbook. There really were nothing but drawings of him. And all of them so realistic, capturing him as accurately as a photograph. And more than the resemblance, Crowley could feel the emotion behind the stroke. There was no way that the hand that had drawn this belonged to someone who didn't care about him. 

He realized that Aziraphale was drawing him as he perceived him, and his throat tightened.

The further he went into the sketchbook, the more he felt like he was taking a trip down memory lane. Full of pieces of his existence, immortalized by Aziraphale's loving lines.

He wanted to touch them, but didn't dare for fear of damaging them, and just ran his fingers over the pages without touching them.

He turned the page and gasped again, the next page filled with sketches of his eyes, his cursed pupils.

His voice slightly hoarse, he asked Aziraphale, "My eyes? But how... or rather why?" 

Aziraphale came and sat down beside him, looked him in the eyes before saying gently, "Because I think they're beautiful. Like everything else about you. Even the parts you don't like."

He raised his hand and traced the outline of the demon's eyes with his fingertips, and Crowley couldn't help but close his eyes. 

The demon felt a gentle pressure on each of his eyelids as Aziraphale kissed them one by one.

He opened his eyes to see Aziraphale gazing tenderly at him before the angel lowered his eyes to his sketchbook and said softly, "Though my drawing will never do justice to their beauty."

Crowley replied, "Are you trying to kill me with your sweet praise?"

Aziraphale chuckled slightly and cheekily replied, "You're a demon, you're immortal, my dear."

To hide his embarrassment, Crowley continued to leaf through the sketchbook.

Him at the Ritz with a glass of champagne in his hand, his smile deceiving no one as to the nature of his feelings.

Him walking away from the bandstand when they'd had their big fight.

He flashed a questioning smile at Aziraphale, who just shrugged and motioned for him to continue.

Him in 1941 on the theater stage, smiling after they'd managed to mystify the audience.

Him in 1827 in the cemetery in Edinburg

And so he went back in time.

Each drawing a memory of one of their encounters.

Always the same lines, beautiful, steady, loving.

Crowley murmured, keeping his eyes on the sketchbook, "These drawings are incredible, angel."

As he flipped through the pages, he came to a sketch that made him chuckle, and then he muttered, "Bildad the Shuhite."

Aziraphale laughed slightly, "Well, what? I liked your beard."

Crowley looked at him and said mockingly, "You're not going to make me believe you drew me because of my beard."

Aziraphale: "No, I drew you because I don't want to forget anything. And that our story with Job changed a lot of things in my life, even if it took me a long, long time to see and realize it."

Crowley nodded and looked back at Bildad the Shuhite.

“But what am I?” 

“You're just an angel who goes along with Heaven as far as he can.” 

“That sounds, um...” 

“Lonely?”

From that day forward, Crowley had never felt truly lonely again. He smiled fondly as he took one last look at his bearded double before turning the next page.

Him on the day of the Flood

Him on the wall of the Garden of Eden.

Him-

"As a snake?! You even drew me as a snake?!"

Aziraphale replied, "Sure, why not?"

Crowley replied, "You can't find it pleasing."

Aziraphale kissed his temple and said gently, "What don't you understand about me finding everything about you beautiful, even the things you don't like?"

Crowley, unable to understand and at a loss for an answer, muttered, "Whatever..." to which the angel chuckled.

He saw that he had reached the end of the sketchbook and that only one page remained. He turned it over and his throat tightened again.

He was like an angel the day they first met.

He was laughing.

He looked so happy.

It had been so long and yet all the emotions of that moment were still vivid.

He felt the angel's hand find its way around his back and he leaned into his arm.

Then his eyes fell on the date and he looked up sharply and exclaimed, "Angel! You drew that six months ago! How can you remember it in such detail after all this time?"

Aziraphale said quietly, "You were so pretty! There's no way I'll ever forget it."

Crowley leaned over the sketchbook to hide his blush and flipped through it the other way, looking at the date of each drawing before looking back at the angel, "Wait, Angel, how long have you been drawing? According to this sketchbook, you've drawn all of this in the last six months."

Aziraphale replied quietly, "Well, I've been drawing for... as long as there's been drawing material, and... you'll find my drawings with my 700+ diaries. That is, if I ever decide to show them to you."

He rested his head on the demon's shoulder and continued: "I told you, I don't want to forget the time I spent with you. Never."

Crowley was speechless. He felt as if he'd been cherished for millennia. It was completely unfathomable to him.

Then he realized something: "Tell me, my angel, all these drawings, you did them when I wasn't around, so what made you decide to do it today in my presence?"

Aziraphale, still with his head on Crowley's shoulder, replied, "Because I'm tired of drawing from memory, so today I wanted to draw you on the spot. You just woke up earlier than I thought."

Crowley kissed his hair, "Glad I did."

Then he grabbed the angel's chin and lifted it before whispering, "Even if it was a little forced, thank you for sharing that with me. Thank you for caring about me all this time." Then he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to the angel's.

The sketchbook lay between them on the sofa, forgotten for a moment.

Aziraphale wouldn't need to draw this moment to remember it, because no drawing, however beautiful, could reproduce its beauty.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Growing Love series : here (After season 2)

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here (Before season 2)

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

Here's a fun article. DO'D shares ten links to things on the internet that he finds funny. I watched all the clips tonight, which made for an enjoyable evening of both watching things that ranged from baffling to mildly amusing to very funny, and of enjoying the fact that David O'Doherty picked them.

There was only one thing on the list that I'd seen before, and what an excellent pick. I've gone off panel shows a lot compared to the way I was a few years ago, I now remember spending mid-2020 watching every single episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats and Catsdown within about six weeks and wonder why that seemed like a good idea. But I stand by some of it. I still have a great fondness for early Jon Richardson (how generous I am with when I'd consider his strong "early" period to end depends on mood on a given day). I still think Sean Lock was breath-takingly funny. Catsdown was a funny show for the first bunch of seasons. 8 Out of 10 Cats was not, it was almost never good, but they did strike some excellent chemistry once they threw Sean and John together and I will never get tired of re-watching the best moment to ever appear on that show:

I enjoyed David O'Doherty deciding Carrot In a Box was special enough to include on this list, even though the list is clearly meant to be for offbeat indie humour and not large Channel 4 panel show. Carrot in a Box transcends boundaries.

My two favourite things on the list that I hadn't seen before were Simon Bird and Claudia O'Doherty:

Simon Bird surprised me because I saw student comedy and I figured it would be a sort of novelty thing where part of the humour comes from laughing at him for being so young and different to how he is now. But nope, it was just legitimately very funny. I was sorry I hadn't seen it before and glad DO'D directed me to it. Also, this was a year before The Inbetweeners started airing, I hadn't realized he was still in university so soon before it. Seems surprisingly young, though when I think about it, I guess being a year out of university is still a bit old to play a high school kid.

That Claudia O'Doherty + Natasia Demetriou sketch was really funny too, I've done some CO'D trips through YouTube but hadn't seen that one before. Obviously this rec reminds me that DO'D/CO'D being locked in a radio studio all night with Daniel Kitson back in 2006/07/08 would be somewhere on my list of offbeat, out-of-the-box choices for funniest things I've ever heard (after the fairly judgmental post I made last night about finding it annoying when comedians talk about their relationship, DO'D/CO'D is my proof that I don't always object to that, it helps if they're annoying about it in a way that's intentional and self-aware), and it's lovely that 17 years later he's still called her the funniest person he knows. The sketch made me laugh, Claudia and Natasia were both very funny in it. She's right, magic is stupid (I may be willfully misinterpreting the sketch through the filter of my own views).

Besides that, on the list there is a sketch that's probably funny if you ever watch cricket. A couple of videos where I feel like I'm missing some important context, probably related to Irish TV, that would explain why they're so funny. And Instagram account, and I think it's probably one of my unreasonable old person opinions that I have trouble with people referring to a social media account as a piece of comedy on par with a stand-up routine or sketch or something like that, but mascots during moments of silence definitely are funny. There's a video of Irish donkeys where I do not understand the point but I'm glad David O'Doherty's had a good time watching it.

There's this, which confuses me, and I definitely don't think it's the masterpiece that DO'D seems to think it is, but I did enjoy watching it:

I'm not sure how much I enjoyed that one personally, I felt like I could really see why DO'D found it so funny. It seems like very DO'D-style humour, even though DO'D whole thing is being lowkey and this video is not particularly lowkey. If you took those lyrics - and that style of delivering them - out of the giant band and transposed them to a lowkey plastic keyboard, I could see this being the foundation of a DO'D song.

On an only very tangentially related note, I was listening to an episode of the John/Elis radio show today, and they were talking about when you accidentally send a text message to the wrong person, and Elis said David O'Doherty has a song like that. Which he does, but what surprised me is that the producer Vin was the one who immediately jumped in and supplied the title and summary of the song.

I'd been thinking for some time that Vin can hold his own with comedians surprisingly well for a guy who's not involved in comedy (to be honest he'll sometimes get to the joke or punchline in a situation faster than Elis does). A while ago I heard him express interest in Andy Zaltzman, and I assumed this must be because he's a cricket fan (I have, since making that post, heard him mention cricket several times, so I've confirmed that that's not just an assumption I invented based on his race), because he's come to this comedy radio show via radio and music, not via comedy. But now he's out there referencing David O'Doherty songs, and I'd like to apologize to Producer Vin for not expecting him to know about comedy. The song about sending a text to the wrong person isn't a particularly deep O'Doherty cut, he plays it a lot, but still. Impressive reference, if you happen to be the sort of person who's impressed by Chocolate Milk Gang references, which I am. Made me like Vin even more, I'm going to miss him when they move to the BBC. Which is too soon. I only have about 40 Radio X episodes left. It seems infinite when I started and now I'm running out. For some reason I feel like the BBC ones won't be as good. I don't want to run out of Radio X. It's okay, the audiobook will add 12 extra hours.

...I've veered pretty far off topic here, the main takeaway from this post is that you should watch the lethally meta Simon Bird student routine, and the Claudia O'Doherty/Natasia Demetriou sketch. You can watch the other things from the article if you want to, as I did, but I mainly recommend those. And obviously everyone should be re-watching Carrot in a Box at regular intervals anyway, for your health.

[sugarmaplewings-fics]

I'm Yours

Pairing: Kirishima x reader

Warnings: There's kissing. A lot of kissing. Just some teenagers being dumb really. No canon characters were harmed in the making of this fic. I didn't include a cheating aspect since I don't write for that kind of stuff, but there's still some jealous!Kirishima here >:3

Author's Note:

Uhhhh I kinda forgot to make this fluffy . . . .

Thanks to uwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwi from Wattpad for requesting! (that's a really fun username hehe)

Enjoy!

-Sugar

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Swamped.

That was the only way he could describe it. Kirishima didn’t think he’d ever been so busy, and he wasn’t the only one.

Finals had the entirety of the hero course stressed, especially the second-years like himself. Between training, doing homework, and going to class, there wasn’t exactly room for being social. Any time he was able to hang out with his friends, they were studying together. Nothing he'd really describe as 'fun'. And that’s what had him feeling the worst about all this.

He’d started dating you a few weeks ago—going on three months now, actually. Things had been going well between the two of you. You liked him and he really liked you, so to him, there hadn't been any type of problem.

Even so, there was something a little unique about your relationship: no one knew about it. You yourself were never one for letting others get too involved in your business. And besides, you also knew the nature of most high school relationships. Maybe you’d announce yourselves as a couple and make a big fuss only to grow tired of the other and end it all within the first month. But clearly, that hadn’t happened.

There was a strange thrill to keeping your relationship a secret; a novelty your boyfriend hadn't expected. Though he wasn’t much for dishonesty, Kirishima practically lived for the stolen glances across the classroom you’d share, and the way he’d sneak you behind the school for impromptu makeout sessions with no one ever the wiser. You were his little secret, and he was yours.

Until it had all come to a grinding halt with the extra schoolwork.

He still tried to make time to spend with you in one of your dorm rooms, but the both of you finally had to admit to yourselves that neither of you could get any work or studying done when you were alone together. And so it was back to study groups; holding hands under the table as either Bakugou or Yaoyorozu went over the newest batch of hero laws that needed to be memorized.

God, how he wished this could all be over. Kirishima just wanted things to be normal again. When was the last time he’d even seen you? He could remember watching the back of your head duck out of the classroom at the end of the day, but after? . . . Nothing.

He frowned at the physics worksheet laid before him, mind wandering to thoughts of you as one of his sharp teeth sunk into the eraser at the end of his pencil. Kirishima supposed he should go check on you later, once he’d finished up his assignments for the evening.

…

“Did you see (L/N) yesterday?”

Kirishima’s ears unconsciously perked up at the sound of your name. He stood with his tray in the lunch line directly behind some of his female classmates. They were chatting amongst themselves as they slowly stepped forward. Kirishima wasn’t generally one to listen in on conversations he wasn’t a part of, but now they’d captured his interest. Had one of them seen him sneaking into your room?

“No, I didn’t,” Uraraka said in response to Ashido. “Is she alright?”

“Of course she is,” the pink-haired girl said, rolling her abnormal black and amber eyes as she reached for a clementine. “Actually, she may be doing more than alright.”

Kirishima swallowed. Uh-oh.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jirou asked, sounding largely uninterested in gossiping about her fellow classmate.

“Well,” Ashido began, bouncing a little on her toes, “I saw her on the tech floor yesterday and you won’t believe who she was talking to.”

“Who?” Jirou asked dryly, probably hoping to get the discussion over with as quickly as possible.

“Kobayashi Tatsuo. The third year,” Mina announced proudly.

The redhead behind them quietly sighed. Thank goodness. They still didn't know.

“And?” Uraraka questioned.

“They were totally flirting!” Ashido said. “(L/N)’s bagged a cute upperclassman boy! They’ll be dating soon, I just know it! If they aren’t already.” She smugly leveled her shoulders, grinning with an odd look of satisfaction.

What?

“I guess that’s good for her,” Jirou commented, picking up her tray from the lunch bar in order to follow her friends to a table.

“I know, right?” Mina said excitedly as they walked off. “And he’s totally cute too! I wish a hot guy would pay attention to me for once.”

Kirishima watched them leave, almost forgetting to grab lunch for himself after being so absorbed in what they were saying.

The majority of him knew he shouldn’t pay any mind to it. This sort of thing was bound to happen. Of course his peers try to figure out who was involved with who, even if it wasn’t really accurate or from the most credible source. The girls didn’t know that you were already taken by someone else, in fact, the very person behind them in line.

At least now he knew where you’d gone after class yesterday . . . but why? What were you doing on the tech floor? And who was this third year you were talking to?

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Kaminari’s voice. Kirishima returned the greeting, sliding into his seat next to his friend. As he settled into the atmosphere of his usual table, he couldn’t help but scan the cafeteria for your face, just as he had done every day, even before you were dating.

But for the first time, his search came up empty. You were nowhere to be seen.

…

Kobayashi wasn’t exactly the person you wanted to be spending your lunch with.

Really, a part of you wondered why you had to skip going to the cafeteria at all today. But then you remembered the stack of work that sat on your desk. It stubbornly refused to ever shrink, no matter what you did. Recently, it felt like as soon as you got one thing done, two more assignments would find their way right back at the bottom. And this was just another one you had to deal with.

While reviewing your materials for your upcoming finals, you’d begun to take note of other heroes’ costumes and support items. Particularly, you’d taken interest in a hero from Ukraine who’d debuted a few decades ago. Your quirk was wildly similar to his and you couldn’t help but further research his techniques, costume, and gadgets that enhanced his abilities.

You weren’t one to copy. Actually, you quite liked the way your current costume functioned and looked, with its own unique style of your own. Even so, you’d read things about him and his quirk that you honestly hadn’t even thought of for yourself, and you’d begun to make a special section in your notebook for improvements to your hero ensemble. Was it the best use of your time? Perhaps not, but you did have a practical exam coming up, and a part of you couldn’t help but wonder if these improvements you were sketching might make all the difference in your performance . . . .

You decided you could use an upgrade. Which is exactly why you went to the second-year in the support course who was in charge of making adjustments to your costume. Until your hopes were immediately dashed when you found out he was sick. Determined, you went to the next best option: Kobayashi.

He was a nice enough boy. Tall, witty, and a whole year older. You hadn’t expected to be spending so much time with him over the past week, but for whatever reason, he kept calling you back to his workspace in the shop for ‘daily check-ins’. At least he was making good progress.

But now you were spending your lunch hour eating with him. It felt strange, being alone in a different classroom with the guy—not an uncomfortable strange, merely “I’m not used to being here”. You’d let him borrow your notebook full of sketches for your costume, and that’s what he was going over with you now.

He’d ask you for clarification on one of your notes before jotting something down of his own right next to your handwriting. He had also been eager to show you his process, explaining the steps of what he was doing while you ate from your bento.

To be honest, it was kind of nice being in a different setting. Kobayashi was fun to listen to; it was clear he was passionate about what he was doing.

But still, he ran out of things to talk about. That was, when it came to your hero suit. Figuring it was too late to go back to the cafeteria anyway, he ate his own lunch with you, striking up a new conversation.

At first, you didn’t pay any mind to it. But then you began to take notice of how close he sat. Then you realized how eager he was to make you laugh, how smoothly the casual chatter flowed between you. And then it struck you just how much he peppered in compliments to you. Finally, it clicked.

Uh-oh.

You refused to meet his gaze when he waved you off after the bell rang. Dashing away, you wondered how serious he might be. Did he actually like you? No, perhaps you were overthinking the situation.

Then again, he had been being awfully nice to you ever since you’d met. But what if that was just how he was? Kaminari could be like that at times, and you knew he didn’t usually mean anything too serious behind it. Or—well—perhaps Denki the Flirt was a bad example for your case. Still . . . how were you supposed to make it clear to Kobayashi that you weren’t interested?

You shook your head to clear it of these thoughts. He hadn’t actually done anything, so what was the point of worrying about it? You were loyal to Eijirou, you knew that. You’d made a commitment to him just as he had to you, and that was all there was to it. No matter what, you’d continue whatever it was you had with him. Kobayashi wasn’t an issue you should be losing sleep over. Besides, you were probably reading too far into things anyway.

Content with the conclusions you’d made, you walked back into your homeroom class for fifth period. Settling into your seat, you faced the chalkboard in front of you, awaiting the return of Aizawa-sensei, unaware of the pair of ruby eyes fixed on your back.

…

Kirishima shot up from his desk the moment he heard a soft knock on his door. As soon as he opened up his room, you came barreling into his arms. “Hey!” he greeted you, reciprocating the hug.

“Study break!” you announced quietly, not wanting to alert his neighbors of your presence.

He tittered happily to himself, leading your bodies back to his desk where he could sit you on his lap in his chair. Settling comfortably on his thighs, you were quick to slot your lips against his. Kirishima melted into your touch.

How many days had it been since he’d last gotten a chance to kiss you? Two? Three? Either way, it had been far too long.

“Shall we take this to the bed?” he joked after a few minutes of kissing.

You chuckled at his harmless allusion. “You know I’m going to fall asleep as soon as I lay down.”

He brushed a stray strand of hair out of your face, concern morphing his features. “Have you been getting enough rest with all this going on?”

“No,” you admitted. “I was up last night with my English flashcards. I swear Present Mic is trying to kill me with this new vocab, it’s like I can’t get it in my head at all.”

“I could help you study it,” your boyfriend offered, his hands resting lightly on your waist.

“That would be productive,” you said sarcastically with a roll of your eyes. “What was it last time? ‘If I get a set right, I’ll get a kiss’ and then next thing I know, we’re making out on your bed for twenty minutes.”

He grinned up at you coyly. “At least I made studying fun.”

“That wasn’t studying!” you protested with a grin. “Speaking of, my timer’s going to go off soon—” you pressed your lips against his for a moment, “—and I want more kisses.”

Kirishima let you have your way with him, threading your fingers through his hair while you savored the taste of his lips. But there was something still nagging at the back of his mind.

“(Y/N)?” he asked when your phone buzzed and you pulled away. “Where were you during lunch today?”

You shrugged, pulling your phone out of your pocket to silence it. “I’m getting improvements on my hero costume. My regular guy got sick so I’m working with this third-year dude.”

“Ohhh.” Kirishima’s worries dissipated almost instantly. “So that’s why you were on the tech floor.”

Confused, you frowned. “Did you see me there or something?”

“Oh, sorry! I just overheard Ashido saying that she saw you down there.” He laughed. “She thought you were flirting with him or something and that you were going to end up dating.”

“Ah, well,” you mumbled, “I wasn’t sure if I should say anything or not but he, um, actually might have been flirting with me.”

Kirishima’s smile dropped, his arms subconsciously squeezing you tighter to him. “What?”

“I only noticed it today—it totally could be nothing—but I think he’s caught feelings? I mean, why else would he ask me to have lunch with him like this? Not to mention how he was smiling at me, and looking at me, and touching my hand—” You bit your tongue, stopping yourself from saying anything else. Maybe this was more serious than you realized.

Your boyfriend was silent, staring at the floor below you with a troubled expression. His ruby eyes traced over the rectangular patterns on his floor, seemingly lost in thought.

“You know that nothing’s going to happen,” you attempted to reassure him, lifting his chin with one of your fingers so he could look into your eyes. “Those feelings aren’t reciprocated and I’m not going anywhere. I’ve already picked you, Eijirou. There’s no one out there like you.” You pressed a kiss to his forehead, sealing your statements, not only to him but to yourself. “We’ll sort this out. If I have to tell Kobayashi I’m taken, then so be it. Maybe keeping our relationship a secret isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.”

When you pulled back, you noticed that there was still a pout on Eijirou’s face.

“Aw, what is it?” you asked, tucking one of his fallen sticky spikes back under his bandana.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, pulling you even closer to him.

“Talk to me, baby.” You ran a hand down his back.

“I don’t like the thought of him being around you,” he confessed into your shoulder. “I . . . don’t want him smiling at you like that, or touching you, or letting people think that you belong with him. You’re . . . mine.” He paused before laughing dryly, hiding his face in the crook of your neck. “I’m sorry. That sounded . . . totally selfish of me and probably not very manly at all—”

“No,” you said simply. “It’s actually kinda hot.”

He pulled back to look at you, perhaps to see if you were joking. Your expression was intrigued, maybe a little flustered. “Really?”

“Yeah.” You swallowed. “I . . . like when you call me yours. It’s cute. And besides, it’s okay that you feel that way. Feelings don’t have to make sense. I'm frustrated about this too.” Pecking his lips a final few times, you regretfully stood from his chair. “I wish there was something more I could do right now, but I should get going. I promised Tsu and Uraraka I’d meet up with them. We can talk about this later.”

“See you, (Y/N),” Kirishima said.

You smiled and waved, turning to the door and checking to see if anyone was in the hall before slipping back out. Kirishima watched you go, wondering what he should do.

Kirishima hadn’t even met the guy and he already hated him. Sure, Kobayashi wasn’t aware you were taken, and he had every right to show interest in you, but that was supposed to be Eijirou. It was Kirishima’s job to flirt with you and be there for you and sweep you off your feet. Your classmates should be shipping you with him, not this random guy from another year.

The redhead sighed. He shouldn’t let himself get so caught up in this. He knew you were capable of sorting this out on your own, and if you really needed him, Kirishima would help you. He couldn’t start getting whiny like some kind of child.

Besides, your friends could think whatever they wanted. It couldn’t affect your relationship. They were just high school kids. They didn’t even know what they were talking about.

Despite the fact he was trying to get back into focusing on his work, Kirishima’s mind couldn’t help but wander. Maybe once exams were over you could finally announce that the two of you were together. Then you wouldn’t have to sneak around so much anymore. He could hug you whenever he wanted, and you could sit on his lap during movie night. He’d be able to kiss you in front of his friends, no problem. Maybe, just to see the look on his face, he’d kiss you in front of—

No, no. Japanese Literature. That was what he was supposed to be thinking about right now. The sooner he finished his work, the sooner he’d be able to see you again.

…

Finally it was Saturday afternoon, and you knew you had an entire day to take things a little easier tomorrow. Maybe you’d even try to take the evening off and spend some time with your boyfriend. But of course, you had to meet with Kobayashi about your hero costume first. Hopefully it would be quick, and perhaps even the last time.

You walked down to the tech floor, heading straight for the workshop. You needed your suit for the practical exam next week, so you hoped he was ready for you.

Peeking into the room, you spotted him putting something into a very familiar case.

“Oh, are you finished?” you asked, walking in.

“Yeah,” he said brightly. “You’re all set, (L/N).”

“Thanks,” you said.

“Here,” he popped the little box open, showing off the finalized improvements he’d done and the changes he’d made that you’d spoken about together. He walked you through everything and you listened politely, asking the occasional question. Even with the newfound bitter taste in your mouth at being around him, you had to admit he'd done a spectacular job.

“That should be everything,” you said, ready to go. “Thanks for working with me.”

“No problem.”

Satisfied, you began to walk away.

“Wait, (L/N).”

Apprehensive, you stopped, turning back to him. “Yeah?”

“I was just wondering,” he began, bashful, “if you’d like to grab lunch with me sometime.”

You frowned, apologetic. “I can’t, Kobayashi senpai.”

“Why not?” He looked hurt.

You winced. “I’m already involved with someone else.”

“You’re just ‘involved’?” he asked dubiously, the expression on his face changing. “Please give me a chance. I can see that you feel something for me too. Whoever you’re with, I could be better.”

“I’m not interested,” you said firmly, any momentary sympathy you might have felt evaporating. “Goodbye, Kobayashi.”

He let you go, watching as you walked stiffly out of the classroom. As soon as you rounded the doorway, you felt something grab you. Gasping, you startled, but you were quick to register a familiar head of red hair. You saw Kirishima put a finger to his lips, pulling you further down the hall and towards the empty stairwell for some privacy.

He pushed you up against a blue-gray wall, grinning at you with hooded eyes.

“Eiji, what—?”

“I heard the whole thing,” he murmured, leaning in and capturing your lips for a quick kiss. “I thought that guy might make a move on you so I followed you down here. You held your own.” He kissed you again; this one longer, his tongue sneaking its way into your mouth. “You’re really mine, aren’t you?” he murmured against your lips, a stubborn trace of hesitancy still present and quavering in his voice.

“Of course I am, Eiji,” you whispered, touching your forehead to his. “I’m yours.”

He surged against you again, kissing you hungrily and pinning you even harder against the solid surface behind you.

You gasped against his force, eyebrows drawing together as you struggled to keep up. “Ei—” you tried. “Not here, let’s go someplace else.”

“Who cares?” he murmured, uninterested in stopping.

“Me. I don’t want to get caught by a teacher or a random fifteen-year-old. We could get in trouble.”

Kirishima sighed, finally drawing back for a moment to meet your eyes. “Okay, fine. But we’re going straight to my room, right?”

You snorted. “Where else do you think I want to be?”

He smirked, taking your hand again. “Good answer.”

Kirishima briskly walked you back to the dorms, his hand migrating ever lower down your back. It wasn’t long before he was sitting you on his lap in his bed, mouth once again connecting with yours right where it belonged.

You weren’t sure he’d ever kissed you like this before, in all the time you’d been together. His passion blazed before you, unrelenting as your teeth and tongues crashed together. He nipped at your lips until they flushed and swelled, and you knew they’d be noticeably bruised by morning but neither of you stopped. He kept going, trailing more kisses from the corner of your mouth, to your jaw, and all the way down your neck only to return right back to your parted lips whispering his name.

Kirishima’s room had never felt so hot and stuffy, even as he pulled off his uniform jacket and helped you out of yours. His cheeks burned red as his eyes, so caught up in what he was doing, the only thoughts his mind was still capable of having were simply You.

It went by in a haze. He wasn’t sure when exactly he’d lowered you onto his pillow, or how long he’d been hovering over you and caging you in with his arms as he cherished you.

But he knew one thing. His love for you wasn’t something he could hide anymore. No, he’d never let anyone think they stood a chance with you again while he was around.

One day soon, he would kiss you good morning at breakfast. One day, you’d hold hands in the halls on the way to class. One day, he’d pull you in close after school, slinging an arm around your hips just so he always knew you were there at his side.

But he was happy to be here with you now. He was happy to be your secret. He was happy, even as his kisses began to soften and slow, content with the way your body melded against his as he laid himself at your side and hugged you closer. All that mattered was that you were here with him now, and he was yours.

And you were his.

══════ ≪ .·:·.♡.·:·. ≫ ══════

Taglist: @aahilovetheatre @basicalyrandom @bumbyslair @f0leysgurl @hyunmin-1404 @kqtsukii @nabo39 @pyrofanatic​ @rainy-skys-and-bright-stars @sendhelpimstupid @ure-a-sunflower @xoxopam4​

[flamingo-writes]

Heat Waves — Rohan x Reader

Summary: Rohan can’t believe the amount of detail and effort put into the little present you had for him. The amount of love and admiration swelling in his chest drives him to show you how grateful he is in the most tenderof ways. 

Authors Note: This fic is named after the song that got me in the mood to write this, it was also the song I heard to the most while writing/proofreading this. Heat Waves by Glass Animals Why are glass animals songs so sexy aaaaaah

Fun fact: the reader's stand's name is based of this same band.

Word count: 2.8 words

Genre: tender fluffy smut

Warnings: NSFW

Date: nov.29.2020

Rohan was speechless. 

He never thought he'd be falling this hard for someone. And yet, with each new day, you made him fall more and more in love with you. How did you do it? He didn't know. And he didn't want to know either. For once, he didn't want to know the answer behind a question. He wanted to keep it a mystery, and keep the magic going. 

"You like it?" You whispered as Rohan gaze went around his room, noticing every small detail of your installation art. 

Your name escaped his lips in the dreamiest of whispers. 

"This is gorgeous..." He said breathless. 

Several pieces of glass hanging from the ceiling. White and yellow and even golden stained glass hanging from threads from the ceiling. From any point in the room, they just looked like pretty pieces of glass hanging, but in front of Rohan's bed, you could see the real thing the stained glass was painting. 

Heaven's Door. 

Rohan felt so flattered, not only you managed to make an installation art of his Stand, but the tones in the glass were beautiful. The sunlight shining through, only reflected the light in the walls, painting his room in warm golden tones. 

Rohan turned around, his heart beating excitedly on his chest. Oh, how bad he wanted to kiss you. How bad he wanted to hold you, and make you feel as good as you had just made him feel. 

"Babe, this is perfect. I love it" He whispered cupping your face in his hands, and brushed his nose against yours. 

Just how you loved it. 

He still couldn't understand how you hadn't grown tired of him. Everyone did. And to be fair, he did grow tired of everyone else. He liked to hang out with a few people every now and then, but never for too long. 

Not you. 

You leaned closer, pressing your lips against your boyfriend's in a soft melting kiss. A soft melting kiss that soon left Rohan breathless and wanting more. 

When he met you, sure he thought you were pretty. And whenever you both turned out to be at the coffee place at the same time, he'd sketch you from afar as you studied. But that was it. No other interest other than sketching you sparked from him. At least at first.

This, however, changed slowly over the weeks.

One time, you were leaving as he was walking in. In a clever attempt, taking advantage of the close proximity as you brushed your shoulder next to his, he thought of using Heaven's Door to try and peek into your mind. 

Though, he was surprised to find out you had a Stand yourself. A Stand that reacted instantly and stopped Heaven's Door. 

Rohan's hands moved down your sides, wrapping them around your back and squeezing you tightly against him, as his desire rose, wanting to feel you closer. The sweet moan that escaped your lips when he squeezed you, only fed his hunger. The heat rising between both your bodies pressed together.

You broke the kiss, resting your forehead on Rohan's cheek as you both caught your breaths silently.

"Im glad you liked it" You whispered. 

Rohan and you turned back to look at your sculpture, as the sunset shone through. The light reflected around the room, and Rohan's usual dark bedroom now looked golden. It was beautiful. The way Heaven's Door sculpture seemed to shine like the sun itself, white and yellow tones blending in all the corners of his room. The pieces of glass moving softly with the delicate evening wind coming from the window in a coordinated delicate dance. The soft clanking adding a gentle orchestra to the once silent room.

Rohan couldn't stop staring at the glass. 

The Glass. 

It had been a sudden, very thick, yet transparent glass what had stopped Heaven's Door from peeking into your mind that day. A glass that had come out of  nowhere, standing between the both of you. 

As Rohan's eyes caught a glance of what had happened, he saw a silhouette standing behind you. A tall, android looking figure standing behind you. A figure made out of glass. 

It was called Glass Animal. And it could create glass of all shapes, sizes and colors. It was for the most part, a stand meant for protection, since you could control how thin or how thick the glass was. 

However, the way you used your stand, was quite creative. Only adding to Rohan's new acquired interest in you. You used Glass Animal as a useful tool for your art. The news of you being an artist like him pushed him into developing feelings for you.

The installation art standing in front of him had come from Glass Animal. He had been there when you gathered the glass you used for Heaven's Door. And god, you looked so sexy that day. 

Rohan turned back, looking at you, and without thinking it twice, he kissed you passionately. The memories playing in his head as how the both of you became closer and closer with every passing day. How in the beginning you didn't quite like him. 

After the Heaven's Door incident. It took you a while to warm up to him. Mostly, your curiosity, since it wasn't until then that you noticed how much he frequented the coffee shop, and how he was always sketching. 

Rohan pushed you gently on the bed, as your heart skipped a beat, knowing where this was heading. 

You had been dating for almost 3 months, and you hadn't gone around it. Sure, you had come into his room before, made out, felt each other's skin, but it had never come down to it. Today it felt different. The looks he was giving you, the way he seemed completely enamored by your work, the golden tones adding to the atmosphere. It all made sense to you. It was crystal clear that Rohan wanted to finally cross that milestone with you. 

It was two days ago when Rohan arrived to your place, no plan made beforehand, he just wanted to take a break from his work and spend time with you and relax for a while. 

You were in the backyard, Glass Animal in front of you, materializing walls of glass in front of you. Several walls, all of them thin, all of them in very different colors. 

"What are you doing now?" Rohan asked,  walking towards you, noticing the menacing baseball bat in your hand. 

By this point, he knew you liked art as much as he did. However, your specialty was clay sculpture and installation art, glass being your first choice material for your installations. Something that didn't surprise him whatsoever.

"I got an email from City S's University, and they want to see my portfolio. I never take pictures of my work, so, I'm gonna be making installations like crazy and taking pictures" 

That day, Rohan watched you break glass like a psycho. The fact that you were wearing short shorts and a tanktop while breaking glass in the middle of the summer evening, scared him a bit. 

Swinging your bat far more violently than necessary, a thin layer of sweat shining on your skin, as the sun shone bright and strong in the middle of the sky. Glass raining all around, as the sunlight reflected everywhere as you fearlessly watched the glass jump everywhere. In the meantime, Glass Animal gathered all the broken class in a pile behind you as you kept breaking wall after wall.

Part of your stand's abilities included that you couldn't get cut by glass, which conveniently allowed you to break glass as if it were nothing.

Convenient. 

It was all too convenient. The setting, the gesture, the mood. Rohan had been craving this moment, and he wasn't going to let it slip. It just felt right. 

The way your skin got covered in goosebumps as soon as he crawled on top of you amused him. 

He whispered your name once more as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders and brought him closer, kissing him hungrily. 

Resting his weight on his elbow in the matress, his other hand quickly explored your skin underneath your shirt. Roaming the territory he knew all too well but was eager to finally claim as his. 

A loud  moan escaped your lips as his hand found your boob and squeezed it after teasingly running his fingers over your nipple. 

"Rohan..." You gasped.

Oh, how sweet your voice sounded. So needy and yet so sweet. It only fueled him to keep teasing you with his free hand. 

Little by little, clothing began to decorate the floor of Rohan's room. The both of you drowning in the echoes of each other's name, desperate moans and sweet nothings. 

Arousal becoming painfully evident as you took your time pleasuring each other with your hands and mouths. Anticipating what came next, eager to get fully lost in each other. 

Rohan's breath was still agitated from having you sucked him off. However, he was still so terribly turned on, and still desperate. The sight of you swallowing his cum, followed by your fingers cleaning the edges of your mouth before licking them clean was too much to bear. 

"Fuck, come here, darling" He whispered as you crawled on top of him. 

His hand went to the back of your head and pulled you in for a kiss. His togue quick to tease your lips as you rested your weight on him. His other hand held on to your waist, as he swiftly managed to flip you over, leaving him on top, and your legs around his waist. 

He jerked his hips, as you felt his erection hot against your wet entrance. You moaned into his mouth. The hunger urged Rohan to make his way inside you already, but not yet. He cared about you, and felt the excitement built in his chest. He wanted to do this with you, god, how bad he wanted it. But he wanted to make it right. 

“Rohan…” Your voice felt gentle, too gentle. He felt you had touched his heart with your words alone. “Rohan, I want you so badly” 

The consent he was about to ask for came out of your swollen lips in a desperate moan. A chill ran down his back, as he positioned himself. 

“You do, baby girl?” His voice came out deeper than earlier, it was almost delirious. You arched your back and nodded. 

“Yes, Rohan. Please” 

The young artist smiled and leaned closer, kissing you. A tender delicate kiss. You wrapped your arm around his shoulders, bringing him closer, feeling his chest pressing against yours. 

Slowly, Rohan jerked his hips, finding his way between your folds, going deeper. A whimper escaped your lips, your fingernails clawing on his shoulders as he went deeper and deeper, stretching you out. Finally, the whimper turned into an echo of his name, followed by a breathless gasp. His chest puffing with pride, he moaned your name back as he kissed your cheek and your neck. 

He began rocking his hips, slowly at first. Savouring every inch of your clenching wet walls. God, this felt as addictive as very few things in life. You felt perfect. Your voice, the rise and fall of your chest, Rohan feeling your heartbeat against his chest, the blush, the sweat. Not only it was adorable to watch you lose yourself around him, it was all so erotic. 

He remained going at a slow pace, mostly enjoying the way your body reacted to him. Arching your back, sometimes moving your own hips to make him go even deeper.

“Rohan, faster, please” You begged.

“Such an impatient little girl, aren’t you? I’m taking my time with you, doll” 

He pulled back, almost pulling out and went once more, deeply inside you. Painfully slowly. The way your back arched, and your cries became needy. The way your tone began rising slowly. He had already made you cum twice while eating you out, he was noticing the pattern in your voice as you got closer to your climax. He chuckled, and bit your neck gently. You gasped. Your fingers clawing on his skin once more. Rohan smiled against your skin. 

“You like that, don’t you? 

“Ye-yes” You said breathless. 

Rohan’s pace sped up, but not significantly. He was breathing deeply and steadily, trying to keep himself from going feral, since he wanted to enjoy his first time with you. The times he had been with other women, it was mostly to satisfy his curiosity and occasional needs, but he had never been with a woman and felt this intimate before. He never felt the need to slow down and savour everything his senses could detect.

But you were a different story. He wanted to make you feel as good as he felt. He wanted to make you addicted to him.

You lied in a melodic mess. Like an orchestra, filled with tiny details, all of them delighting Rohan. You were just too good to just have sex with you. No. He had to savour you all, hear, touch, see. For the first time, he felt the need to satisfy your needs rather than his own. Hearing your voice get progressively higher, as you continued to twist and shake underneath him with every deep thrust, the way your eyes rolled to the back of your head, and the blush on your cheeks accentuated how you felt. It was something beautiful. Right now, you looked like the best piece of art he’d seen. The best piece of art he’d made. 

He had made a mess out of you. And what a satisfying mess. 

Feeling your walls clench around him tightly, as you screamed his name. He liked it. He couldn't help himself but speed his pace, each push stronger. Your moans got louder, as he rode you through your orgasm, feeling like every inch of your body was aching in the most delicious of ways. 

An echo in the shape of your name escaped through Rohan’s teeth. 

“Fuck, you feel so good” Rohan purred hissing your jaw. You slowly regained consciousness of your surroundings, feeling overwhelmed by the overstimulation and Rohan's faster and stronger pace. 

“Ah, Rohan” You said, cupping his face in your hands and bringing him closer, kissing him. “Rohan, cum inside me” You moaned, as a chill ran down his back. “Please” 

“You sure about that?” Rohan purred against your ear. 

“Ye-yeah. Don’t worry, I’ve taken my precautions” Your voice, lust dripping from it made a chill run up and down his back as he, for a second, felt like he was dangerously close to cumming on your command. “Rohan, I want you to fill me up” 

“Fuck, babe. You’ll make me last less than I anticipated” Rohan growled.

“Would it be too bad?”

“You are mine, babe" Rohan's green eyes stared into yours as his pace sped up suddenly "All mine. Only mine” 

You cried out in response, your nails digging into his back.

With his heart beating fast in his chest, he felt dizzy with everything about you. Drunk on your scent, your touch, your sounds. His pace was growing erratic, as your voice got louder and louder, each moan higher and louder. His climax starting to condense in his belly, as you kept reacting as delicious as ever to his touch. Your grip on his skin became stringer and stronger. 

Boy, that blissful moment. It felt ecstatic. Filling you up, as you screamed his name, nails clawing to his back. One last push, goinf as deep as he could, as he came. The idea of cumming inside you, filling you up like this fed his ego. Having you in a twisting mess underneath him fed his ego as well. 

You looked so beautiful like this. 

As Rohan caught his breath, he kissed your face with soft kisses, as you purred his name, followed by sweet nothings. 

"Rohan, I—I...I really enjoyed that" You gasped breathless, as Rohan slipped out of you. 

"I know, babe...I noticed" He murmured resting on top of you, snuggling his head underneath your neck. "I did too…" You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, one of your hands caressing his hair.

"I noticed" 

The sunset now long gone, the golden tones now replaced by a pale blue light. Streetlights coming from the window, as the hanging glass made its job and reflected it all around the room.

Your breaths echoing softly as the world came back into focus,  as the both of you lied still breathless and satisfied.

Rohan was the first one to break the silence.

"Stay here tonight. Please?" 

"Anything you want, my darling"

Rohan looked up, resting his weight on his elbows before leaning closer and kissing you in the most gentles of ways. A slow, tired and breathless kiss, reflecting everything he felt for you. 

[the-stray-liger]

when your current art looks shitty compared to what you used to do that's when you know your getting better at it

ive got an old sketch on my wall from middle school of Typical Not Self-Insert Character In Cool Armor With Giant Sword. It's incredible. How did I do that. I can't draw like that now.

but I can SEE this old picture, despite the embarrassment around it's actual subject, is actually good. When I first hung it up way back when it was just because I wished I had a sword. Now I look at the confident lines, the shading, the grasp of depth perception on so many angular objects, the way the cloth of the cape falls in folds that have weight to them. I can recognize what makes it a nice drawing. I couldn't do that before.

there's this thing i read about once where people who are getting better at a skill go through this cycle of This Is Impossible to WOW I'M SO GREAT AT THIS to I Have Lost The Ability To Preform Even The Most Basic Part Of This And Should Fire Myself Forever

and then slowly they realize they can kinda do it again. Hey, they can even do that one thing they've never been able to do before!

rinse, recycle, repeat. Every year I go through it. Depression doesn't help. For a few years I didn't draw anything at all and almost burned all my old sketches. Now I'm doodling ducktale characters and making fat circular birds with twig legs.

I aged out of school and have never had a job (thank you family for not letting me starve) and my whole damn life people have been asking me why I don't sell my drawings.

because I can't draw, I tell them, staring at the things I made two years ago and couldn't replicate now if someone put gun to my head.

but sometimes, for a few months, I can. I can sit down and have an idea and make it happen. Sometimes the idea is a favorite character. Sometimes its just a random pattern of flowers. Every time it happens I'm scared it'll be the last time.

Then I remind myself of all the other people who go though some version of this stupid cycle. If you like drawing, you'll probably draw again someday- maybe not in the same style as you used to- but if it makes you happy you'll do it for the happy feelings, and if you draw you'll get better at it, and as you get better you'll learn to see all the flaws, and you'll get discouraged, and that's normal.

I also remind myself of how other people always seem to like the drawings I'm least happy with, and pass over the ones I'm actually proud of. People have different taste. Everyone else's sucks compared to mine, for example, which a completely true and unbiased fact (lol).

Right now I can draw because I never show any of my drawings to anyone. They're for me. Mine. And the voice in the back of my head chattering about wasting time and being a useless burden can go stuff itself.

Yesterday I drew a cartoon duck. It sucks. I had a lot of fun WHILE making it though. And the duck looks a lot better than it did when I first drew one a week ago. Practice makes progress. Talent is bullshit. Skills are learned and maintained.

so my advice is draw something badly and giggle while you do.

Hey anon! You're absolutely right. I remember back when I was drawing fulll time going thru a couple art blocks where everything I made looked awful bc I was learning to look at it with more critical eyes and my hands hadn't caught up yet. I feel like that's a big part of my burnout too-I suddenly learned a lot of theory and I had come to a point where I hadn't developped the skills to match and it destroyed a lot of my confidence and self esteem

It's also that at the end of the day I forgot who I was drawing for bc I was so obsessed with social media recognition and with algorithms and stuff the harder I worked the less notifications I got

And I generally have a HUGE problem with guilt and feeling like a burden too like I feel you 600% on that lol I always felt terrible bc I couldn't make a living out of my art

I think Im gonna work again on making art that's only for me and drawing things I enjoy even if it's not like the best quality or quantity. I'm gonna take it slow (even if it drives me up the wall) and have fun again!

Thank you so much for the kind word and advice!!

[killian-spey]

Death Would Be Kinder [Prologue]

Next Ch.

[Drusilla/Spike/Calendar!Reader]

Words: 1591

Fic Concept: Jenny Calendar’s sister spends some “quality time” with the Season 2 Vampire Squad.

TW/CW: violence

AN: Idea came from @prose-for-hire ‘s submission to the fic title game. It's a tad different from the original concept, but I just had so much fun with it! (Planned to be somewhere between 5-10 parts.)

It was Buffy’s 17th birthday today, but the mood seemed too heavy in the car for any giggling between the two of you. Truth be told, you both had a lot on your minds; not that you would have actually told her anything about your problems. You were staring out the window, picking absently at some dried paint on your arm; you never were able to master being tidy while you painted. Your older sister, Jenny, was driving the two of you to The Bronze, where the rest of the group was lying in wait to surprise her with a birthday bash. You made eye contact with her when she looked through the rear view at you, and you could tell she was just as worried as you were about recent developments.

Your Uncle had come into town recently and berated the two of you for letting Buffy and Angel get so close. Unfortunately for you and Jenny, if something didn't change quickly, Angel could lose his soul. All the work of your ancestors taken to curse him would be undone, and there would be no way to fix it. It's not that you wanted Angel to be unhappy, but the vengeance curse against Angel was not only important to your people, but possibly the thing that kept him from being a monster. If anything jeopardized that, it would crush Buffy and the gang. You didn't want to let anyone down.

Jenny pulled into the side street -having arrived at The Bronze- and you undid your seat belt. Before you could open your door, Buffy pulled your hand away from the handle.

“This looks funky, stop for a sec.”

You and Jenny both squinted, trying to see what she was even talking about. It took you both a moment, but sure enough there were two vamps clambering around on a truck in the shadows. Jenny tried to talk Buffy out of fighting them, but she left anyway. Something about destiny and all that. You were just impressed she could see that well in the dark.

Watching Buffy fight the vamps left you wincing, pitying the undead for having to go through such a beat down. You hung on the edge of your seat and leaned on the passenger seat in front of you. The two of you left in the vehicle hadn't had a chance to talk in private since Uncle had spilled the beans on the Angel problem.

“What are we going to do about the curse, Jenny?”

She made a face and shook her head, she didn't know what to do either. She knew more about the curse than you did -magic was never your strong suit- and if she didn't know, you both were stuck.

“If only there was a way to separate them.” You were spit-balling.

“Right, and how do you suggest we do that?”

She had a point, Buffy and Angel had been practically attached at the hip recently. You opened your mouth to speak, but paused as Buffy tossed the last vamp through a window into The Bronze. You and Jenny both made reactionary sounds that could only be summed up as “Yikes noises” and scrambled out of the car. Buffy hopped through the broken window and you both inspected the window. Jenny picked up a crate one of the vamps had been carrying and carried it inside.

After some pleasantries and some “Yeah, sorry! Vampires exist” talk with Oz, the group crowded around the mystery box. It was no secret that those vamps were Spike’s men, so whatever it was, it was definitely not good.

Your worry was confirmed when an arm shot out of the box, strangling Buffy before she and Angel managed to rip it away from her throat. According to Angel, it was the arm of The Judge. That meant Spike was building a one-man-apocalypse like some kind of demonic Lego figurine.

You glanced at Jenny, trying to communicate your plan silently as you addressed the group. “Someone has to take this thing as far away from here as possible- separate it from the other pieces.”

Jenny was quick, immediately understanding your idea.

“Angel, it has to be you. You're the only one who can protect this thing.”

It took a little convincing, but a plan was soon agreed on. You and Jenny shared a “Thank God” glance, secretly pleased that Angel and Buffy would be separated, at least temporarily. You could rest easy in the fact that Angelus wouldn't be loosed on the world in a freak accident of soul-losing proportions.

Or so you thought...

A couple hours later, you were back in the library doing research. Angel and Buffy had lost the box, and had everyone regroup to study up on The Judge.

To be entirely honest, you were doodling in your notes. Every text on The Judge said exactly the same thing, sometimes even verbatim. The Judge cannot be killed by any weapon forged by Man. It was exhausting!

Luckily for you, Buffy decided to break up the research with some good old fashioned recon, and Jenny suggested you go with them. Buffy was about to protest, but you cut her off.

“With the exception of you supernatural folks, I do have the best track record of holding my own. No offense, guys,” Xander seemed less than pleased with your not-so-subtle brag, but you continued anyway. “And, I’d be able to map parts of the facility super quick and easy. We’ll need that info if we plan on making a move.”

Reluctantly, Buffy and Angel agreed to take you with them and you snatched your notepad and pencil from the table, glad to be free from the texts and tomes… Even if it meant putting you in direct danger. You briefly wondered if maybe you shouldn't see a therapist about that someday, but shrugged it off as the three of you left the building.

---

Upon reaching the factory, the three of you climbed the fire escape and ducked into a broken, old window over a set of rafters. You had already begun sketching the layout of the rooms as you took in the sights below. It looked like some kind of party, to be plain. Vamps were crawling all throughout the place, a crystal bowl of what looked like punch rested on a table covered with cups in the middle of the warehouse space, and tall lattice-backed chairs were loosely strewn around a banquet table. You and Buffy creeper ahead on the grate walkway above it all. Your eyes were locked on the party, but you could assume Angel was following behind; he was too quiet for you to hear.

Your eyes fell on Spike, he was in a wheelchair. He seemed to be enjoying himself despite his weakened state, talking to someone just out of your line of sight. Not a second later, you saw Drusilla dancing her way across the floor, swaying to her own beat and sweeping the red chiffon ribbons of her dress through the air. Buffy gasped softly, but you didn't see whatever she'd seen.

“That's him. The Judge,” Angel whispered from behind you both and pointed.

You saw him, just as he craned his ugly blue head up to spot the three of you gawking. Fuck.

You spun to face the window, finding two vamps in the way of your escape. Buffy and Angel had flanked you from both sides, but fighting this many vamps was completely futile. Before long, the three of you were dragged in front of Spike, Drusilla and The Judge. Spike rolled his chair forward to get a better look at Buffy.

“Well, Well- look what we have here! Crashers.”

“I'm sure our Invitations just got lost in the mail,”

You almost rolled your eyes at Buffy’s one-liner. How she managed wise-cracks at a time like this was beyond you. Ignoring the monologues, your eyes darted around in search for an escape method. Nothing came to mind, but when you turned back into the conversation, Drusilla’s eyes had locked with yours.

She was ever so slightly swaying to music you couldn't hear and your eyes followed her intently. She raised two fingers, pointed at each of your eyes and gestured to her own. She beckoned you. She was enchanting. Beautiful. She was- she broke contact as Buffy suddenly made a move and you took a second to follow suit, twisting out of a vamp’s hold and knocking him -and accidentally yourself- off balance. You were suddenly unsure of your footing, almost groggy as you fought.

Angel pulled a chain, crashing a pile of video monitors you hadn't noticed down from their perch onto The Judge. The three of you scattered. You ducked behind some crates and heard Drusilla call for the lackeys to chase. You spotted Angel and Buffy slipping into a sewer drain and psyched yourself up to book it twenty feet to get there to join them. You took one last look behind the crates -Drusilla locked eyes with you- and you booked it, not entertaining her gaze this time.

As you dropped down the sewer drain, you caught a glimpse of her, just staring at you. You scanned both directions of the sewer system, but found no trace of Buffy or Angel. In a split second you picked a direction and ran. You didn't stop running. Not for breath, not to look behind you, and certainly not to entertain the nagging memory of Drusilla’s eyes, staring into your soul as they'd done just minutes ago.

Read Next Ch.

[dherzogblog]

The Birth of The Daily Show: 25 Years of Fake News and Moments of Zen

It was July of 1995 and I had left MTV to become President of Comedy Central. It was the basic cable equivalent of going from the NY Yankees to an expansion team. I was on the job just two weeks when I received a call from Brillstein Grey the high powered managers of Bill Maher, host of one of the networks few original programs, "Politically Incorrect". We were informed Bill and his show would leave the network when his contract expired in 12 months. It was a done deal. Bill wanted to take his show to the "big leagues" at ABC where he would follow Night Line. Comedy Central was left jilted. Terrible news for a network still trying to establish itself. We had a year to figure out how to replace him and the clock was ticking. So began the path to The Daily Show.

It was very much a fledgling Comedy Central I joined, available in barely 35 million homes, desperately seeking an identity and an audience. It was just over three years old, born into a shot gun wedding that joined two struggling and competing comedy networks, HBO’s Comedy Channel and Viacom’s HA!, Watching them both stumble out of the gate, the cable operators forced them to merge, telling them: "We only need one comedy channel, you guys figure it out”. After some contentious negotiations the new channel was born and the red headed step child of MTV and HBO set out to find the pop culture zeitgeist its parents had already expertly navigated. The network had yet to define itself. The programming consisted mainly of old stand up specials from the likes of Gallagher (never underestimate the appeal of a man smashing watermelons), a hodgepodge of licensed movies (“The God’s Must be Crazy and The Cheech and Chong trilogy were mainstays) and Benny Hill reruns. The networks biggest hit by far was the UK import “Absolutely Fabulous”, better know as “AbFab”. Comedy Central boasted a handful of original shows, including the wonderfully sublime "SquiggleVision" of “Dr. Katz”, the sketch comedy "Exit 57" (starring the then unknown Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert) and of course Maher’s "Politically Incorrect". In retrospect I don’t think Bill got enough credit for pioneering the idea of political comedy on mainstream TV. Back then he was the only one doing it.

Politically Incorrect performed just fine, but got more critical attention than ratings. It was a panel show, and I had something a bit different in mind to replace it. I knew we needed a flagship, a network home base, something akin to ESPN's Sports Center where viewers could go at the end of a the day for our comedic take on everything that happened in the last 24 hours….."a daily show". I had broad idea for it in my head. I would describe it as part "Weekend Update", part Howard Stern, with a dash of "The Today Show" on drugs complete with a bare boned format to keep costs low so we could actually afford to produce it. We could open with the headlines covering the day's events (our version of a monologue), followed by a guest segment (we wouldn't need to write jokes...only questions!), and finish with a taped piece. Simple, right? We just needed someone to help flesh out our vision.

Comedy Central was a a second tier cable channel then and considered a bit of a joke (no pun intended). It had minuscule ratings, no heat and even less money to spend. Producers were not lining up to work with there. Eileen Katz ran programming for the channel and the two of us began pitching this idea to every producer who would listen. One of the first people we approached was Madeleine Smithberg, an ex Letterman producer and had overseen "The Jon Stewart Show" for us at MTV. We thought she was perfect for the role. “You can’t do this, you can’t afford this, you don't have the stomach for this, it will never work ” Madeliene said when we met with her. We could not convince her to take the gig. Ok then....we moved on. The problem was we heard that same refrain from everybody. No one wanted the job. So after weeks being turned down by literally EVERYONE, I said to Eileen: “We have to go back to Madeleine and convince her to do this with us"!

Part our pitch to her was we would go directly to series. There would be no pilot. The show was guaranteed to go on air. We had decided this show was our to be our destiny and we had to figure it out come hell or high water. As a 24 hour comedy channel, if we couldn't figure out a way to be funny and fresh every day...what good were we? We told Madeliene we were committed to putting the show on the air and keeping it there till we got it right (for at least a year anyway). That, plus some gentle arm twisting got her to sign on. Shortly after that, Lizz Winstead did too.

Madleiene and Lizz very quickly landed on their inspired notion of developing the show and format as a news parody. It brought an immediate focus and a point of view to the process . All of the sudden things started to take shape and coming to life. Great ideas started flowing fast and furious while an amazing collection of funny and talented began to come on board. Madeliene and Lizz were off to the races. Now all we needed was a host.

The prime time version of ESPN's Sports Center was hosted by Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann back then and it was must see cable TV. But I had recently started to notice another guy hosting the show's late night edition. He was funny, with a snarky delivery reminiscent of Dennis Miller. His name was Craig Kilborn. On the phone with CAA agent Jeff Jacobs one day, I asked if he knew happened to know who repped him? “I do" he said. "We just signed him”. Within days he was in my office along with Madeleine, Lizz, and Eileen who were all a bit skeptical about the tall blond guy with the frat boy vibes sitting across from them. After opening the meeting with a few off color comments that would probably get him cancelled today (an early warning sign fo sure), Craig ultimately won them over and we had our host.

FUN FAC#1: Minutes after the news of Craig's hiring went public, Keith Olberman's agent called me directly to ask why we hadn't considered hiring him?

Ok, we had a host and producers...but what to call it? After sifting through dozens of ideas for a title, Madeleine called me one day and said, "I think we should just call it what we've been calling it all along...."The Daily Show". As we approached our launch date we taped practice shows and took them out to focus groups to get real life feedback. The groups hated it.... I mean with a red hot hate. They hated Craig, the format, the jokes, everything. We were crushed and dejectedly looked around at the room at one another. "Now what?" “Either they’re wrong, or we are". I said I think they are...but it doesn’t matter, we're doing this!" We never looked back.

The show took off quickly garnering some quick buzz and attention, we felt like we had crashed the party. Well, sort of. We had no shortage of fun, growing pains and drama along the way. The Daily Show version 1.0 was about to unravel. In a December 1997 magazine interview Craig made some truly offensive and inappropriate remarks about Lizz and female members of the staff. Whether it was poor attempt at humor or just plain misogynist (or both) is beyond the point. It was all wrong, very wrong. Craig was suspended for a week without pay. Lizz left the show. In the moment I chose to protect the show and its talent more so than Lizz. That was wrong too. It's more than cringe worthy looking back now, and I regret not making some better decisions then. My loyalty to our host was later "rewarded" when in the Spring of 1998 Kilborn's team, a la Bill Maher, unceremoniously informed us he had signed a deal to follow Letterman on CBS when his contract expired at the end of the year. No discussion, a done deal. Comedy Central jilted again. Like Maher, Kilborn wanted his shot at the network big leagues and we had a little over six months to figure out how to replace him. We all know how that chapter ended. That search would eventually reunite us with Jon Stewart who along with The Daily Show took Comedy Central and basic cable to the "the big leagues" on their own terms, redefining late night comedy in the process The rest, as they say, is "Fake News" history.

Fun Fact #2: before approaching Jon (who I did not originally think would be interested) I initially offered the job to a chunkier, largely unknown Jimmy Kimmel, fresh off his co hosting duties on "Win Ben Stein's Money" ...only to have him turn us down.

My fascination with late night began as a kid. I remember how exciting it was to stay up to sneak a peek at the Carson monologue and watch him do spit takes with his chummy Hollywood guests. Later on I also loved the heady adult conversation Dick Cavett would have with everyone from Sly Stone to Groucho Marx. But it was the comedic revolution of Saturday night Live in 1975, followed by Letterman's game changing show in 1981 that truly established late night as the coolest place on the television landscape. I could only dream of one day being part of it.

25 years on, I couldn’t be more proud of The Daily Show and its legacy. Those days helping build it alongside Madeleine, Lizz, Eileen and the team were among the most satisfying (and fun) experiences I have ever had. It was thrilling to take a shot at the late night landscape and try and make our mark, especially when no one thought we could.

I am prouder still of what Trevor Noah and his staff have achieved since they took the hand off from Jon, evolving and growing the show through a new voice and lens. I think my personal "Moment Of Zen" will last as long as Trevor remains behind the desk, allowing me to selfishly boast of having hired every host this award winning and culture defining franchise has ever had.

25 years later. it remains as relevant as ever, a bona fide late night institution, standing shoulder to shoulder with all the great shows that inspired us to start.

[just-like-playing-tag]

A totally self indulgent compilation of my favorite works on this blog of the year June 13, 2019 - June 13, 2020

I wanted to do this for the blog's first anniversary but then completely forgot about it lol.

The following lists are all in chronological order according to the date each post was first published.

Top 10 panel edits:

#1: Don and Gilda - Chapter 138: Demon serch (1)

Date: Jun 14th, 2019

Time: ~ 1:30 h

My very first redraw from my very first edit posted here, so it deserves an honorable mention. Back then I was young and inexperienced, I didn't even apply a gray filter (lmao I was so unskilled I even unintentionally scratched the picture, I hadn't realized until today). I'm actually very happy my first redraw was of Don, boy deserves all the love.

#2: Emma and Ray - Chapter 140: I’m Here!

Date: Jun 28th, 2019

Time: ~ 1 h

Back then this looked like so much work to me!!! And to this day, I think it turned out pretty well. I'm particularly proud of how the bow turned out. This is one I was really proud of right after having finished it; it gave me the confidence to try redrawing bigger areas. Also, the edit were I first applied the opacity of layer / opacity of brush for the gray filter that would have stuck with me.

#3: Krone's birthday edit

Date: Jul 15th, 2019

Time: 15 mins

I don't know I just really like how Krone's hair vanish to a more sketch-like style here– and consequently, how I managed to replicate such effect. I think Krone's beautiful.

#4: Emma, Norman and Ray - Chapter 153: Coward

Date: Oct 4th, 2019

Time: 4:07 h (and 67 layers lmao)

Probably the single panel redraw I'm the most proud of. That Norman panel was beautiful and very poignant at the end of a chapter I adored, so I believe it deserved all the time I've spent working on it. It's far from being perfect - the back of his head is too plain, and the difference between my brushes and the original brushes is pretty visible - but I still like it very much and am extremely attached to it. The horn looks kinda big but I honestly believe it to be more of an issue with the original than with what I had redrawn lol. Funny enough, the whole picture didn't make it to the final edit and had to be trimmed.

#5: Full Score Trio - Chapter 154: A Breakthrough

Date: Oct 11th, 2019

Time: 29 mins

I don't have a particular reason for this I just think Emma's hair turned out amazing. It took just half an hour and I didn't even use references like. Wow. @Redrawing skills where did you go please come back

#6: Mujika and Queen Legravalima - Chapter 158: The Reason I Was Born

Date: Nov 17th, 2019

Time: 2:09 h

Sis I love this so freaking much. The shift from redrawing almost exclusively people and clothes to redrawing this mess was so fun and refreshing. Even though it's a mess I think it turned out very clean and overall it looks beautiful? I remember after finishing this I felt so powerful, like now that I had redrawn this thing I would have been able to redraw anything I set my mind on lol.

#7: Emma - Chapter 161: Never Be Alone

Date: Dec 13th, 2019

Time: 57 mins

Again no particular reason except this is a very cute Emma and I think the redraw turned out pretty well. There's this big lock on the left that doesn't make a lot of sense but overall I really like it. Cute Emma is cute, and I love her determination.

#8: Emma - Chapter 166: Going Back Home

Date: Mar 9th, 2020

Time: 3:45 h

I'M SO FREAKING PROUD OF THAT RIFFLE I have not the slightlest idea why this took so damn long BUT I'M SO PROUD OF IT

#9: Norman's birthday edit

Date: Mar 21st, 2020

Time: 1:04 h

This is cool! I didn't know I could manage to draw this, but I did it! The feathers were particularly hard to clean but I think they turned out fine.

#10: Full Score Trio - Chapter 174: A New World (part 1)

Date: Apr 6th, 2020

Time: 2:11 h

I just think they're very pretty? I can't understand if I like Ray's face a lot, or not at all, but I think overall there was a lot to redraw and it turned out pretty cute! Sorry Gillian.

(Also insert pretty much every panel from the chapter 177 Isabella edit– I've spent so many hours on basically every panel there's no way I could choose only one).

Top 5 edits as whole:

#1: Emma and Ray - Chapter 140: I’m Here!

Date: Jun 29th, 2019

Complessive time: 2:57+ h

The very first edit I'm actually proud of; I'm really attached to it. It's the first edit I had put all of my effort into, and I remember feeling anxious people would have left it without notes. It kinda feels weird to think about it now, because I really don't care about notes anymore; yet, it somehow makes me happy to think that past-me wasn't let down. Thank you @neverlandstrio for your support, you may not remember but it really meant a lot to me back then! And it still makes me smile. You're the best!!!!!!

#2: Mujika and Queen Legravalima - Chapter 158: The Reason I Was Born

Date: Nov 20th, 2019

Complessive time: 7:12+ hours

This whole edit was an hella wild ride. It's midnight before a school day, when I think: "Mh, it's been a while since I last made an edit, why not make one about Musica and the queen from the last chapter?" And seven hours after this was born. I'm particularly proud of the queen's redraws on the 3rd, 7th and 9th picture (ofc), the areas which have been redrawn are pretty huge yet I think the difference with the original is almost impossible to notice?? @Redrawing skills where did you go please come back (part 2)

#3: Emma - Chapter 174: A New World (part 1)

Date: Apr 12th, 2020

Complessive time: 6:53+ h

I think the panels that were selected work very well together, especially considering the close-up / full body alternation. I love Emma, and I've always been kinda sad noticing that edits that focus one her take the less notes... She deserves all the love. Also, fun fact: for the last but one panel, I had redrawn Emma's whole left ear before remembering she doesn't have one, so I had to redraw the panel from the start. Besides from the error with the ear, the reason why this (and all the others after) took so long is because official panel take way longer to clean.

#4: Isabella and her children - Chapter 177: Mother

Date: May 22nd, 2020

Complessive time: 13:41+ h (ahah.)

Lmao tbh I can't understand how this has so few notes it's like. Technically speaking, probably the best edit I've ever done. I don't even like Isabella that much, I haven't got the slightlest idea why I decided to spend so many hours on this. Anyway, I find the composition (full body on the left / headshots on the right) really good looking in this as well! And I think the redraws turned out fine, especially Isabella's.

#5: The Promised Neverland manga ending countdown→ 1/7 chapters: chapter 1 - Grace Field House

Date: Jun 9th, 2020

Complessive time: 1:59+ h

I don't know how I came up with that idea for the composition but I find it really beautiful??? I think it does a pretty good job conveying the sudden, terrific shift of atmosphere from the first chapter, and I think that sharp bridge is very nice. I'm very, very proud of this.

Honorable mention #1: Full Score Trio - Chapter 154: A Breakthrough

Date: Oct 13th, 2019

Complessive time: 3:44+ h (+ 1:13 h of working on a panel that ultimately didn't make it to the final edit)

A very good chapter, and the edit turned out surprisingly amazing??? All the redraws look great and make it almost impossible to distinguish them from the original; honestly I feel like I'll never be able to redraw so neatly again lol.

Honorable mention #2: Don and Gilda (+ Norman) - Chapter 160: Shackles

Date: Dec 11th, 2019

Complessive time: 3:14+ h

That one is really one of my favorite scenes; I'm telling you peoples, Gilda and Don are a blessing to the earth. I think I've never mentioned it, but Gilda's hair is a nightmare to redraw??? More specifically, it takes me h o u r s to fill the texture without making it look too weird, it's the worst.

Honorable mention #3: Norman and Ray - Chapter 179: Compensation

Date: Jun 6th, 2020

Complessive time: 4:16+ h

I was so glad to finally be able to make a Norman / Ray edit, and it turned out it was just in time before the series' finale. I like how it turned out and I'm pretty satisfied with the redraws (even though my sister helped me with the lineart of some panels - it was exams time and I really couldn't afford to spend more time on it), too bad we didn't have more chapters that focused on the boys. Ray sweetie one day I'll fix your ear it's just today's not that day.

Btw, I justed realized I have never done an Emma / Norman centered edit? I'll have to make one eventually. I remember considering focusing on them alone for the chapter 154 one, but then I thought "even if the manga is gonna ignore Ray, I will chose to do not" lol.

Top 5 long posts:

#1: Reconstruction of how the Grace Field children were settled in the three bedrooms

Date: Aug 28th, 2019

I just had really a lot of fun doing it. I love putting all the little things to their own place, it's so calming to do and that's why I love making this kind of things. Also, loved how @temporoom contributed to the post! It was so nice of them to add what they had noticed to come up with more exact conclusions, that's one of the things I love the most about the internet.

#2: A study of how many times the characters of The Promised Neverland call each other through the first season of the anime

Date: Sep 10th, 2019

I REALLY LOVE IT! I mean it *was* kinda stressing to note everything, but it was very also very satisfying to see everything methodically divided and organized! And it's not just that– it's also the fact that it looks good. That's one post I have fun rereading because it's actually pretty! Also, even though it can be very stressing to learn to use new programs and sites, it's always very satisfying to look at the final result. Again, I really adore compiling these tiny little details! I would love to make more posts of that kind if i had the time.

#3: The Promised Neverland musicals headcanons

Date: Oct 27th, 2019

I mean it's literally. Putting my two favorite fandoms together how could I not love it. This is another one I really enjoy rereading, I find all the musical / character associations so fitting! I really want to make a second part, I hope to find some time to do it.

#4: Considerations on the reward / eventual series' finales (and Emma's sacrifice)

Date: May 7th, 2020

It's always nice to put down all your thoughts regarding a particular matter. It can take a lot of time (at least for me it does because... I need time to think about things), but it's so satisfying to see all of them there once you're done. Bonus points when, like in this case, it was something asked by someone else because “Wow! Somebody wants to hear my opinion on this subject! I'm flattered (◍•ᴗ•◍)”

#5: Some other considerations on the series' finale and Emma sacrificing herself

Date: Jun 13th, 2020

Pretty much the same as above. It's like some kind of clarity when the post is done and signed. Another fun fact, I had to censore the post a lot; the first version was extremely sharp and harsh, but I believe it's right to express your opinions calmly and politely.

Bonus: A thread of what the tpn characters would wear at the Oscars

Date: Feb 9th, 2020

Imagining all the children in those pretty dresses makes me so incredibly happy (╥﹏╥) I go back to look at that post a lot. I really love red carpets, I love looking at pretty dresses!!!!!

Lmao it's so funny how the post of mine I like the most are also the ones with the less notes

Anyway this was just a personal report! You don't have to read it all (or any of it actually). But it was indeed fun making it! Here's to many more months in the fandom!!!

[jokerhappylover]

With Arthur when he gets fired

You usually get up from bed feeling lazy and today wasn't different. It was about 8 AM, you woke up still feeling kind of tired, then you went to the kitchen to prepare your breakfast. After eating you went back to your bedroom to watch the news.

Subway murders. That was the fisrt new. It happened last night at Wall Street's subway station, the victims were three young men, and the most curious thing about it was that the suspect was someone wearing a clown make up or mask.

You fisrt got worried when you heard the word "murders", it's really sad and worrying that things like that happen in the city, but at the clown part you just heard yourself saying "what?", like, was that what they actually said?... Sometimes you think that you've seen everything in Gotham, especially crimes, Gotham was a rough and violent place unfortunately, but a killer clown? That's new.

Speaking of clowns, you had to start getting ready to work or otherwise you could get late. You worked at Haha's as a party clown, your clown name was 'Lovely', you wore pink clothes and make up, and pink roller skates, the children loved your character and you usually had someone else with you at the parties and places you'd visit. Carnival, his clown name was Carnival. The person under the make up was your favorite person at Haha's, Arthur Fleck.

You got ready and left the house, and you had no choice but taking the subway, it was something that you did everyday but today it felt a little different.

You arrived at Haha's, you got there a little later than usual, but no one seemed to notice, your boss Hoyt was at his office and the rest of the guys didn't even see you entering the place. All of your coworkers seemed already there. Randall was half-dressed as a clown and sitting with Gary, and other guys were around a small table drinking coffee. Then you see Arthur near the lockers, you were already wondering if he hadn't come yet, but he was there, and seeing he was there already made you feel better, he was speacil, unfortunately the clowns at Haha's wouldn't treat him so well.

You started putting your things on a table and you hear noises of things falling, when you look around you see some of Arthur's things on the floor, you first thought that maybe they had fallen from his locker, but then you realized he was taking them from the locker by dropping them on the floor, did something bad happened? Why was him doing that? Maybe it was nothing but you had a bad feeling, you were worried about him.

Then you heard Gary saying "Hey Art, I heard what happend - I'm sorry man". Gary seemed a good person and it was nice from him to say that, but you was just getting more worried, what happened after all?!?!

Then Randall says "Yeah, doesn't seem fair, to get fired like that"... WHAT? FIRED? You couldn't believe those words. Why?! How?! No, please no!! It couldn't be real, your eyes were already watering.

Arthur looked hard at Randall for a moment. Randall had always treated Arthur like if he liked him, saying Arthur was his boy and stuff but he didn't sound so real, it didn't sound like he actually cared Arthur got fired, and you were already thinking he was being fake, not only now but all this time. Maybe it wasn't nice from you to think that about other people, but Arthur had so many nicknames there, they would make fun of him... You didn't like the way he was treated for no reason.

Arthur kept cleaning his locker out, now he was stuffing all of his clown gear into a brown shopping bag. You were feeling so bad, it hurted even more to see him taking all him stuff to leave... Forever... It was almost too bad to be true.

Then one of the clowns said "Did you really bring a gun to the children hospital? Why would you do that for?" Wait, what? A gun? What's even going on here? You were getting confused and more worried.

Then you hear "So is that part of your act? If your dancing doesn't do the trick, you just gonna shoot yourself?" and a lot of laughters. The guys there were so rude and ignorant, not even when Arthur gets fired they would stop making fun of him.

Then Arthur finally says something.

"Why don't you ask Randall about it? It was his gun."

"What?" Randall said.

"I still own you for that, don't I?" Arthur answered.

Wait, you remembered of something. Some days ago while you were getting into your clown look, Arthur was sitting next to the lockers alone and Randall came, and you saw him giving something to Arthur, he laughed, it seemed like Arthur didn't want to accept it and it was a secret between them. Was that it? A gun? It all seemed to make sense.

Randall didn't like what Arthur said, he seemed really upset about it and asked Arthur to stop, he was already leaving and made a noise with his trumpet and dropped it.

You were so upset about all this situation.

Arthur came back saying "Oh no, I forgot to punch out!" and literally punched the clock and it fell on the floor, Arthur laughed. It was obvious that he wasn't okay, but you loved his attitude and couldn't help but smile after he did that and give a little laugh.

But it was a serious situation, and you were already at Arthur's side, you've always been. You take his trumpet and follow him.

He's already outside the building. "Arthur!!", you call him. He stops walking and looks at you, you got closer, with a sad look at your face. .

You show him his trumpet which he had left behind, you were giving it back to him like if he had forgotten it.

"You left this" You said. You didn't even know what words to say, you knew that he left it behind on purpose, you just wanted to be there for him, you wanted him to know that he was not alone, you were on his side

He looks at it for a second, takes it saying "Thank you" and put it in the bag. "But I guess I don't need these things anymore." he said.

You were really upset at Randall and the rest of the clows for acting like they did, but the most important thing to worry about was Arthur, and it made you really sad to think of how he was fired while being such a good clown. You just loved seeing him dancing, he was the cutest and best clown you've seen, and also the fact that he said he was always told his purpose in life was bringing joy and laughter to the world, and he knew since he was a a little boy that he wanted to be a comedian, and he's always put so much energy in bringing happiness... His story as a part clown couldn't end like that.

"Don't say that. This is not the end of the story, Arthur, we're gonna solve this problem."

He looks at you for about three seconds. He seemed to feel like you cared about him, but wasn't sure or didn't know why, he didn't have anyone close to him, someone to support him, so that was kind of unusual to him.

"Y/N... I'm fired, okay? I messed up and I'm fired, it's over."

"No, it's not. I'm not gonna let this end like that." you gave a pause and completed "I can talk to Hoyt and..." he interrupted you.

"He would never hire me back, he was really angry and yelling at me when he fired me after the children hospital thing. I'm 100% fired". He seemed hopeless. "I'm a party clown with A GUN" he completed.

"You mean Randall's gun?"

He just looks at you, like if he was surprised by the fact that believed him, that he wasn't alone.

You take a breathe and says "Look... I know it was his gun, he gave the gun to you, didn't he? I saw everything, I know it's all Randall's fault".

He just looks at you once again, this time with a little smile/smirk at his face, starting to realize you two were together at this, you two against them. Then he looks at something behind you, you turn around and you see Randall next to you, he came right at the moment when you said that.

"Nice, Y/N is on your side! Look Arthur, what was all that about? Why would you say that?" Randall said.

"What?" Arthur asked

"That it was my idea about the gun. That subway situation ain't no joke, you know, they got sketches of clowns on front of every newspaper-" Randall answered.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Randall" Arthur said.

Randall answered with "Right. Okay. I just want to make sure you got your head on straight".

Arthur looked at him and smiled. "My head's right there" he said.

Randall nodded saying "Good, I don't even know if you did it but there's no need to draw any attention to yourself. Y'know? Or we both are in trouble".

Arthur asked "What are you worried about? You didn't commit the crime at the subway did you?"

"Of course I didn't" Randall answered.

"You didn't shoot one point blank in the head, the other one twice in the chest, before chasing the third one down and shooting him three times in the back, right?" Arthur completed. He gave so many details that worried/scared you a little bit.

Arthur puts his fingers forming a gun to Randall's head, and stares straight at him. Then he leaves singing 'Send in the Clowns'. You've never seen him like that, it was like a mix of being upset and confident at the same time... something feels different. He seemed so upset about all that, it made you really sad, you'd definitely do something about it.

Randall just looks at you, he doesn't really know what to do or say, only hopes you don't do anything against him.

Then Hoyt leaves the building too and found you and Randall, also sees Arthur, already far from Haha's building. While you watch Arthur far away, slowly disappearing, you hear him asking "Why are you two here when you both should be inside the building, already in full clown look? What's going on here?"

"Nothing." Randall answers and enters the building again.

"What about you, Y/N? What you doing here? You didn't even put your clown clothes yet or started applying you make up" Hoyt asks you. You don't even know what to say.

"I was.. I was just... Trying to figure out what happened to Arthur..." You answered.

"Well, not your business. Now go get ready" he answered, he's usually not patient.

"I'm sorry Hoyt, but I have to talk to you about it. Arthur didn't do anything wrong sir. I know what happened but it wasn't his fault, it was Randall's gun"

"Look Y/N, blaming Randall in order to defend Arthur is ridiculous. I get if you two are friends but to be against Randall because he told me more about Arthur is wrong of your part, you know that."

"What did Randall told you?"

"Arthur tried to convince me it was a prop, but that's bullshit, and also, Randall told me Arthur tried to buy a .38 off him last week"

"No he didn't! He didn't buy it, he didn't even want the gun-"

"Y/N, stop it. Don't make me fire you too."

You felt almost hopeless... He just doesn't listen. But then you hear yourself say:

"Well... If you're not going to give Arthur a second chance, then fine, fire me. We two or any of us."

That was wild and risky... You knew that your clown was children's favorite, also, the only roller skater clown, and for those reasons you were important and you belevied maybe Hoyt wouldn't want to fire you, you were very good at what you do and it'd be hard to find another clown like you, but in fact you were risking losing your job, but it was for Arthur, you did that for him, and for you too 'cause you were tired of Hoyt, Randall and all the rest of the people at Haha's.

"This is ridiculous Y/N." he said.

"It's up to you to decide. But if Arthur is really fired, I am leaving too". Your heart was racing while saying that.

Hoyt didn't know what to do, he didn't want to loose the only roller skater clown, also the most successful one, but he would not give Arthur a second chance. He lost his temper and gave you his answer.

"Okay, if that's how you want it, fired."

You close you eyes, take a breathe and answers "Okay" with a little smile on the face, not sure if it's a positive or sad one.

Then you entered the building, took your stuff and left the place to go home. You had just lost your job, it was for a good cause and you were proud of standing up for Arthur, but you knew you loved being a clown and it'd be hard to find another job like that, it'd be hard to simply find another job.

At home you tried to call Arthur during the afternoon but he didn't pick up, so you tried later at night.

"Y/N?" He finally picked up.

"Hey Arthur, how are you?". You didn't even know how you'd tell him what you did.

"I'm calling to tell you that I talked to Hoyt". You completed.

"You did? And how did it go?" he asked you

"I... I'm... Fired too". You answered

"What?". He thinks it's his fault, he knew that talking to Hoyt wouldn't solve the problem, but he couldn't believe you had lost your job because of that, and he felt guilty.

"Y/N, I... I'm sorry if I made that happen, this is really unfair, you didn't had anything to do with this, why would Hoyt do that? I-" he completed. He couldn't believe it ended up like this to you, and it sounded like he was upset or/and angry at himself because he thought it was his fault, you defend him and gets fired too.

"No Arthur, it's not your fault!! I made him fire me". you said

"You.. You what?" He doesn't understand why you'd do that, he's confused

"I told him that if he wasn't going to give you a second chance, he would had to fire me too. I made him choose between me AND you or none of us".

Arthur stays quiet for 2 or 3 seconds, he couldn't believe you actually did that for him. Then he says "W-why? Why would you do that? Y/N... You lost your job because of me!"

"I know, and I did this because I'm on your side, and I'm tired of Hoyt and all those guys being like that, and of all these unfair situations. And we WILL gonna find another job, another agency or something like that, okay? Together"

"Y/N, I... No one has ever done something like that for me or even supported me, I don't know what to say... Thank you so much".

You smiled at him and said "Maybe we could even do some presentations at the streets until we find a job. What do you say, Carnival?"

"I think it's a great idea, Lovely!"

[phil-g-writes]

Andy's Dinosaur Adventure: Hattie's Goodbye

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*Disclaimer: Between the last series of Andy's Dinosaur Adventure and the first series of Andy's Prehistoric Adventure, shown on Cbeebies, the character of Hattie didn't return. I always wondered what happened to her, so while sitting with my toddler as he watched Andy and his adventures (he absolutely loves anything Andy Day does) I decided to write what I think happened. It's just for fun and for a way for me to improve my writing skills. All feedback and constructive criticism welcome.

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Andy had been working with Hattie for a couple of years now. He hoped to one day replace her as head of the Dinosaur Gallery when it's her time to move on. But she was so experienced and knowledgeable that he didn't see that happening any time soon.

Today was like any other day. Hattie was busy creating a new display in the main exhibition area. She had asked him to fetch a new fern for the Diplodocus model as the last one he had got her had strangely wilted, almost as if it was real.

He'd done as he always does. Hat, check. Gizmo, check. Waistcoat, check. Hattie's backpack, check. Jumping into the glowing clock he was transported in a haze of blue light and ticking clockwork, arriving exactly where he needed to be.

Humming a content tune Andy searched for a fresh fern as he stepped out of the way of the humongous Diplodocus stomping around him heading to the edge of the forest for the larger ferns.

Thankfully Diplodocus are messy eaters and so drop large ferns all the time. Picking one of a good size, Andy retraced his steps just in time for the clock to make its familiar warning sound of a loud bong, that told him his time here was up.

Flying through time back to the museum, he was almost getting bored of this part. Hiding his secret was becoming too easy. He had wanted to tell Hattie so many times. But she's so much smarter than him, she probably wouldn't believe him or have him locked up for being insane. No, it was best she didn't know.

Thrown from the clock back into the grand hall of the museum, Andy adjusted his shirt and glanced up to see what looked like visitors coming through the main doors, thankfully too far away to see his time traveling activities. He quickly threw off Hattie's backpack, hat, waistcoat and gizmo, tucking them down the side of the clock as best he could.

The visitors got closer just as he stood to attention. It was then he noticed one of the people coming towards him was the curator of the museum, Mr Hammond. Next to him was a small lady. She wore a light coloured pants suit, with a short bob of dark brown hair.

"Ah Andy, perfect timing. This is Mrs Pickles." Mr Hammond motioned to the lady next to him. Andy automatically reached out and shook Mrs Pickles' hand. Keeping his other hand holding the large fern behind his back. "Lovely to meet you" Andy said with a grin.

"As you know I'm due to leave the museum soon and I am very pleased to tell you Mrs Pickles will be my replacement" Mr Hammond said in an upbeat tone. Andy's eyebrows raised with surprise. He knew Me Hammond was leaving but he hadn't even considered who would replace him.

"Ah brilliant! That's great news!" Andy said cheerily. "Well, not that you're leaving sir, just that it will be Mrs Pickles who is to be, what I mean to say is…" "Yes I think we understand what you're trying to say" Mr Hammond interrupted to save Andy any more embarrassment.

"Well we best get moving. Lots of the museum to see!" And with that Andy nodded his head and looked at the floor as the pair walked up the large stairs. Once they had left Andy remembered the large fern behind his back. "Oh no, Hattie!" he said out loud as he ran as fast as he could back towards the dinosaur exhibit.

Just as Andy disappeared from view Hattie came trotting down the grand staircase and into the main hall. "Andy! Andy where are you?" she called out into the echoing hall.

She reached the bottom of the stairs, looking left to right just as the clock clicked and bonged in a sort of half hearted way, not quite a full bong but enough to get your attention.

Hattie looked over and noticed her backpack peeking out from around the corner of the clock. "What is that doing out here?" she said out loud to herself. Walking over and immediately picking up her backpack, the waistcoat, hat and gizmo fell from their hiding place and onto the floor.

She immediately thought of Andy. He's always acted suspiciously since he started. Friendly enough but sneaks off regularly and comes back with sudden knowledge of the dinosaur or fossil they're talking about. Things he definitely wouldn't have known before.

Hattie always thought he had been secretly searching the internet for information so not to appear dumb in front of her, but sometimes he comes out with the strangest theories, some even proven to be correct more recently.

Just as she was about to turn back to the dinosaur exhibit the clock lightly bonged once again. Standing right next to it she could hear the inner workings ticking, clunking and winding. So much activity inside for just an old grandfather clock she thought.

Looking at the clock face for the first time she only now realised it had a specific display for the year, this year in fact, and under it a picture of a man, well a human, as you would see sketched in an old history book.

She leaned in for a closer look just as two small doors in the front of the clock burst open and out shot a toy terrorsaur, as if it was a Cuckoo clock. Hattie screamed at the sudden shock and jumped back, dropping her backpack on the floor.

Andy was busy in the dinosaur exhibit when he heard Hattie's scream and the familiar noise of the clock. He dropped the fern he was carefully placing on the display and ran for the grand hall.

Zooming into the hall, his feet screeching across the perfectly waxed flooring he stopped just as the blue light emanating from the clock wrapped itself around Hattie who was watching it swirl around her arms and legs. She looked up and locked eyes with Andy. "I knew it!" she shouted at him, pointing her finger as the light enveloped her completely.

Andy launched himself at the clock, reaching it just as Hattie disappeared into mist. Her backpack, his hat, waistcoat and crucially his gizmo were still on the floor. Realising Hattie must have found them he scooped the items up and into the backpack.

Andy walked closer to the clock to check the dial which read 152 million years, with a sketch of a Diplodocus underneath. Andy sighed with some relief. It had taken Hattie to exactly the same time he had just been to. Maybe it could only do one time and location a day he thought. It wasn't something he'd ever tested.

Putting the backpack away carefully in his secret cupboard, Andy then headed back to the Dinosaur exhibit. All he could do now was wait. But what would he say to her? How do you explain that of course he knew about the time travelling clock but he never thought to mention it.

Now his mind moved to Hattie messing with time. Andy knows enough about time travel to know that meddling with it is risky business. He believes in his heart of hearts that he's very careful when he time travels. Though in reality he's risked changing history many times, such as giving a kazoo to a caveman for example.

Though when you think about it, who invented kazoos?

Andy had retreated back to the dinosaur exhibit and was half heartedly working when the clock sprang back into action. The museum was closed and empty now apart from Andy.

He ran back onto the now dark grand hall to see the blue light illuminating the corner of the hall next to the staircase. Andy stood about ten feet away, arms folded as Hattie reappeared with a jump into the here and now. She immediately collapsed to her knees, out of breath and shocked to her core.

Hattie looked up to see Andy standing nearby. "So, now you know" he said as a matter of fact.

"Diplodocus." she took a breath staring at the floor again. "Huge, real, Diplodocus" another breath. "Baby's hatch in the forest." another gulp of air. "Just as we thought" By this point Hattie was starting to catch her breath and looking up at him.

"Andy, this, this is incredible. Wonderful. Stupendous!" She exclaimed as she rose to her feet. "This can change everything about what we understand of dinosaurs, of human evolution!" She announces with grandiose. "We need to tell somebody!"

"Absolutely not." Andy states with a firm tone, his arms still crossed. "What do you mean?" Hattie says exasperated. "This will advance science! It will explain so many mysteries of why we're here! We can actually go and see it for ourselves!" She cheered.

Andy stands firm still with his arms crossed. "Exactly. And what sort of people will want to go see it? Scientists, historians?" he asks.

Hattie nods "Well, yes probably" she agrees. Andy continues "Or will it be billionaires looking for oil, millionaires looking for pet dinosaurs, despicable people looking for a place to hide. Never mind the people who'd want to change history to suit themselves" Andy says with a calm but firm teacher-like tone.

Hattie takes a moment to consider what Andy had said. It's obvious he has had plenty of time to think up that little speech so she moves on. "So how long have you known about this?"

Andy's bravado suddenly disappears, feeling like he's been caught out he unfolds his arms and buries his hands into his pockets "Since about 6 months after I started" he mumbles looking at the ground.

"What?!" Hattie exclaims, stepping closer to him in disbelief, making Andy take a step back in defence. "And you didn't think to tell me?" Hattie shouts obviously feeling quite hurt now. "I, I didn't think you'd believe me" he whispers.

"Well, I believe you now!" she shouts again, motioning back at the clock manically waving her arm. Andy looks up at her and smiles, he can't help but find that last sentence a little funny and he knows Hattie can't resist his silly sense of humour. A smile cracks in the corner of her mouth.

Hattie breaks eye contact with him, sighing as she turns to the side and folds her arms, a smirk still showing in the corner of her mouth. "How many times have you used it?" She asks, still not looking at him.

"Pretty much every day" he admits. "Usually when something goes wrong in the dinosaur exhibit…" "which is pretty much every day" they both say together and at that they both crack up laughing.

Fighting through the giggles Hattie attempts to say "So where have you been, or should I say when?" still chuckling to herself. "Oh you know, lots of different places and times. T-Rex to get that pumice stone I broke, Eustreptospondylus to get a replacement ammonite…" he realises now Hattie is staring at him with her mouth wide open.

"How many of my things have you broken?" she exclaims. "Ah…" he begins before Hattie bursts into laughter again, still a little delirious from her first adventure through time.

As the giggles subside she looks at him again. "So what do we do now?" Andy shrugs "I'd prefer it if you didn't tell anyone. It's just too dangerous." "Yes agreed" Hattie says in her forthright way and yet still to Andy's surprise. "Let's get some sleep and we can discuss this tomorrow" she offers. "Great idea Hattie" Andy brightens.

They walk away from the clock, gather their things to head home and exit through the staff door out onto the street as Andy locks up. Just before they part ways Hattie pipes up "Oh Andy?" she says holding a finger up. "How do you program in where you want to go?" Andy turns to face Hattie. "You just ask it. Only seems to activate when I need it though, like it knows" he shrugs again. "Hmmm" Hattie now thinking deeply "Interesting." Andy breaks the moment of thought "Anyway, see you tomorrow, and please don't tell anyone" he pleads. "I promise" Hattie beams with a big smile.

********

Though the weight of his secret is now feeling lighter, Andy struggles to sleep that night and gets to work early the next day, rather than lie awake in bed thinking. Coming through the main doors Andy decides he's going to be positive about Hattie knowing. Now he has someone to share this with. Someone he can talk to about it.

Feeling cheered up he skips through the doors, past Dippy the Diplodocus and towards the staircase. He looks up to see Hattie in front of the clock. The familiar sound of winding clockwork and swirling blue light surrounds Hattie as she turns to face him. Her face is a picture of regret.

"I'm so sorry Andy. I had to know" and with that Hattie is taken. Andy runs over to the clock to see where and when Hattie has gone. He looks at the familiar dial but there's a symbol he's never seen before. It looks like a ball flying through the air with bits coming off it and a tail trailing behind. Looking at the numbers above it reads: 65 million years.

"Extinction event" Andy whispers looking away from the clock. "Why would she go there?" With a sudden burst of speed he runs to his secret cupboard. Hat, backpack, waistcoat, gizmo, check. He runs back to the clock through the twisting corridors and double doors of the museum, finally reaching the clock. Making sure he's alone he then announces "to the time the dinosaurs died out".

The clock bursts into life and the blue light immediately pulls him in. In what feels like a shorter time than usual he's spat out into the environmental equivalent of a war zone.

Hot lava is erupting from the ground all around him. Searing hot rocks and debris is falling from the sky in every direction, dinosaurs and animals of all shapes and sizes flee past him and around the clock, the unfortunate ones falling into the lava or are trampled by larger creatures.

The air is thick, extremely hot and choking. The noise of destruction and stampeding animals is deafening. Andy coughs hard as his eyes begin to sting with the chemicals in the air. He takes a moment where he's not coughing to shout "Hattie! Hattie where are you?"

Andy takes another breath of poisonous air and immediately coughs so hard he thinks he's going to be sick.

Over the noise of the world ending around him he hears a distant voice "Andy! Wait! Please wait!" Andy looks through the dust and smog of poisonous gases to see Hattie running as fast as she can between the fleeing creatures who are also seeking sanctuary.

"Hattie, quick! We haven't got much time!" Andy shouts motioning her towards him, making sure to stay very close to the clock, using one hand to hold on to the wooden box behind him.

Hattie, now getting closer and running like hell, gently barges some of the smaller fleeing creatures out of her way as the ground beneath them cracks and crumbles under foot.

With about fifteen feet to go the integrity of the ground beneath Hattie and the creatures around her completely gives up to the chaos and collapses. Hattie, using a falling velociraptor as a leg up, leaps towards Andy who is standing on the only part of the ground not yet crumbling away.

He reaches out as far as he can while still having one hand on the clock. Hattie reaches out as she pushes the raptor to the crumbling floor, flying through the air towards him. Their arms cross paths and Andy grips tightly onto her forearm as she does to his.

Andy swings Hattie towards him and they both shout at the same time to the clock "time to head back!" "take me back home!" both exchanging looks of confusion as the blue light blurs their vision.

**********

Andy has traveled in the clock more times than he can remember. But something feels different now. It's quiet, silent in fact, and he realises he's got his eyes closed tight.

"Andy" says an echoing voice. He opens his eyes to almost pitch black. Streaks of blue light zip past him in silent fork lightning as he floats suspended in whatever space he finds himself in.

"Andy" says the echoing voice again. He turns in the space as best he can to see a circular portal about 50 yards away, framed in the familiar blue light which is crackling and giving off noiseless sparks. Through the portal he can see old fashion buildings and cars from many years ago. A figure floating near the portal comes into view. "Andy" says Hattie again, who is now visible in glimpses as the streaks of blue light illuminate her face.

"What's happening?" the echoing voice of Hattie asks, her tone quivering with worry. "I don't know Hattie. This has never happened before" he answers. "Normally I just say it's time to head back and it takes me to the museum, like it knows."

He thinks for a moment. "What did you say when you got back to the clock?" Hattie thinks before answering "I said take me back home" "And what did you mean by that, I mean what were you thinking at the time?" asks Andy.

This time Hattie pauses for a long moment. Andy broke the silence "Hattie, what were you thinking?" "I guess I was thinking of home. Of my parents. I didn't think I was going to make it back there and I just wanted to see them again" she says with a sigh.

Making sense of it Andy realises "I think the clock is pulling us between two destinations. It wants to send me back to the museum and you back to your parents." He says as he looks behind him to see his portal and an image of the grand hall where the clock is kept.

"All we've got to do is follow our portals and we'll be fine" he says with a smile. "But Andy" Hattie hesitates "My parents passed away when I was ten. If I go through that portal...it won't be the same time as your portal." Andy's face drops with realisation.

"I'm so sorry Andy" Hattie begins to cry. "Oh don't be daft" Andy dismisses. "You have been amazing. You've done nothing wrong." He nods and grins hoping Hattie will see. Hattie smiles through her tears. "You're always so kind."

"So I guess this is goodbye" Andy says solemnly. "I guess it is. Be good, and don't break any more of my stuff!" she mockingly tells him off wagging a finger in the darkness. Andy chuckles "I'll try my best" he answers honestly.

They both take a deep breath and in their suspended state push themselves towards their portals. The further they move the more out of focus they become to each other until a flash of blue light surrounds them and the familiar feel of time travel takes over.

Andy is thrown from the clock which is mechanically whining and groaning as he hits the floor of the museum. He looks up to see the clock spit sparks of blue embers. "Well you didn't like that did you?" he says to the clock as he stands up brushing himself down.

His gear safely stored away Andy returns to the dinosaur exhibit and checks the date and time on the laptop. He's been gone barely an hour, the museum will be opening soon. "Huh" he says to himself out loud, sitting down on the edge of the exhibit display.

"Ah there you are Andy!" a Scottish voice announces, shattering the silence and making Andy jump out of his skin. He shoots round to see who it is. "Are you OK Andy?" says Mrs Pickles who is rather startled by his reaction. "Sorry Mrs Pickles, you just surprised me" he says attempting a smile as he stands up to approach her.

"Well, I have been told I have that effect on people" jokes Mrs Pickles. Andy again attempts a smile, failing miserably. Mrs Pickles, noticing the strange atmosphere in the room, remembers why she needed to find him. "Oh yes, this letter came for you. It's wax sealed so must be official" she says with a nod.

Frowning as he takes the letter he thanks Mrs Pickles who disappears back into the corridors of the museum. Andy sits back down on the edge of the exhibit display and turns the letter over in his hands. He eventually decides to open it.

"Dear Andy,

It's Hattie. If my calculations are correct you should receive this letter just after you arrive back at the museum.

I wanted to write to you to let you know I'm safe and well. The landing was a little bumpy but you were right. I found my parents and they're still alive. Oh Andy it's the greatest gift I have ever been given. I have introduced myself, I know I shouldn't have, but I just had to speak to them. It took some convincing I can tell you! But they eventually accepted it was me.

I have had so many wonderful years with them. Being careful to avoid their young daughter of course!

Don't worry about explaining any of this to the museum. I've arranged for my resignation to arrive by post just after this letter. All I ask is you pretend to be shocked. I've recommended you as my replacement and included examples that will help your case. Good luck!

Look after my museum Andy. And no more breaking my things you noodle!

Love always,

Hattie"

"Andy?" It was Mrs Pickles again. "Yes Mrs Pickles?" Andy croaks, fighting back the tears. "We've just received Hattie's resignation by post! Something about going abroad on a fact finding mission. Did you know anything about this?"

Andy sniffs back his upset and turns to face Mrs Pickles. "No nothing Mrs Pickles. That's quite a shock." Andy says very unconvincingly while dabbing his eyes and looking at the floor.

Mrs Pickles narrows her eyes at him which goes unnoticed by Andy. "Well, she speaks very highly of you in her letter and recommends you take her position running the Dinosaur Gallery!" she says to him expectantly. "That's very kind of her" he manages to say while still looking at the ground. "Yes well, we'd still have to go through an interview process you understand" "Of course Mrs Pickles" Andy says quietly.

"But I have to say, she makes a very good case for you" she says with a smirk and a wink which Andy catches just as he looks up. Mrs Pickles turns to leave while flicking through the pages of Hattie's resignation.

Andy looks back at the letter in his hands and smiles as his tears tap on to the paper. "Thanks Hattie" he says to himself.

END.

[minyoonkeeks]

Late Night Maintenance // JJK

Pairing : JJK X Reader (F)

Genre: Smut/Fluff

Warnings : good old vanilla sex in all aspects, there's some oral and pretty much it. Nothing triggering (:

A/N: I know I said I was starting my new series, but my good friend who I originally wrote this fic for, finally read it. It's my first smut fic ever, and generally the second one I've even written. I've reread it and there are things I wish I could word better, but it's a growth process so I'm happy with it right now. Please let me know if you liked it (:

_________

"Yeah sure I can work with that schedule. Thank you so much for working with us, we will get the prompts out to you by the end of the week"

You quickly hung up the phone and organized your desk. It was you vacation getaway with your best friends from your hometown. All of you grew up together but when college started, you chose to stay and help out in the family travel business to get your photography started. It wasn't as big of a deal to you than to the other girls who wanted you to go with them, but it made your getaway trips legendary.

Hence why you were on your way, bolting to the airport to get on the first flight to Hong Kong. It was insane how quickly everything came together. Your best friend Lia's boyfriend Yoongi was on a special trip out during the time of your trip and was able to secure 3 more tickets for you, your other friend Becca and her boyfriend Hoseok. You only had 2 weeks to get everything ready and packed as much as you could for your week out in another country. To be honest, being at home started to feel stifling and you really wanted to see if your photography would get you anywhere else. It wasn't that you didn't love home, but it was obvious that nothing would happen if you stayed in your bubble.

So off you were, 1 week in Hong Kong with your best friends and all on their boyfriend's dime. It was odd, while Lia had Yoongi, Becca had Hoseok, and you weren't feeling any vibes from anyone. It didn't upset you, but you knew if you stayed any longer you'd end up marrying that creep from down the street who would stare at you whenever you made any trips out of your house. This was the perfect opportunity. You would see if your photography fared with any other artists, and just maybe you'd be able to get rid of some of those bad love juju vibes everyone said you had. 

"C'mon don't be like that!" Becca yelled while she finished getting ready in the bathroom. "Yeah we can't have our annual dinner without you!" Lia whined as she hugged your leg, causing it to fall asleep from how hard she was grabbing at it. "I just feel a little off. I love the guys, I do, but I don't wanna be third wheeling. I promise, we'll go out together another time. Just take today and go be in love you babies." You sighed as you changed the channel on the TV. Quickly a hotel promotion popped up for a night in at Disney Hong Kong, courtesy of the swanky hotel concierge team since you were in a hotel suite. "Look I can go to Disney at night! You know I've always wanted to go see the castle, and it's special hours for us. See I have something to do, so get ready so I can be on my way!" You feigned enthusiasm so they could get the hint and leave you alone. You really didn't want to sit through 2 hours of making out on one end and cutesy talk on the other. It was bad enough on the plane ride having to sit through it while everyone gave you pity looks and to deal with it tonight would be a no thanks since tomorrow the boys were off to do their business venture and you'd be with just the girls. "Fine, but if we come back and you are still here watching netflix in your pajamas you are dead meat." Lia stared at you, you knew she meant business, especially when she wasn't getting what she wanted. There wasn't any getting out of it either. You weren't planning on going, but 10 minutes into your Strong Girl Bong Soon rerun you thought, why the hell not? There wasn't anything stopping you, and it was free. You changed into a long sleeve with your favorite overalls decided to grab your camera and go down to see what Disney was about.

The ride to the park was quiet. You really didn't think you'd be one of 3 people in the van going to late night Disney. It was Disney, you know? Happiest place on earth? But you guessed it was because it was almost midnight that you'd have most of the park to yourself. There was an older man driving who you counted as one because otherwise you'd have to acknowledge that you were sitting next to an incredibly good looking man. He wore black tshirt over some jeans and you could tell he wasn't really looking at anything, kind of like he was lost in his own mind. As you sat down, he jolted up and looked right at you, big brown doe eyes full of innocence. You face flushed, how couldn't it, when smiled at you and very cooley said, "Hi, don't mind me, please sit." You had just about choked on air from how beautiful he smiled after talking. And so you sat in silence, trying not to fidget too much, so he wouldn't notice your awkwardness. When you finally arrived, you realized just how alone you'd be. The massive entryway only had 1 lane open and there were no cars passing by to drop off or pick up non existent passengers.

"Don't worry, it's open." The ridiculously cute boy said as he looked at you, smiling a huge bunny smile. You couldn't help but notice him now. Tall, really tall, and although he was wearing a large shirt, you could clearly see defined muscles making your eyebrows lift up from the surprise, and hoping he didn't notice. But clearly he did as he smirked giving you your once over. 

"Oh, and you know this how?" You asked, trying not to sound too out of control from how your brain wanted grab his arms as a reflex to see if he was really built because you hadn't had any decent sex in so long. He stared at you for a second, trying to gage whether you were teasing him, or you genuinely wanted to know. "Oh, I work here. I'm helping renovate the castle with my uncle since I had some time off this summer and he needed the extra help. Most of the guests don't come out at this time since I guess they like to sleep." He chuckled to himself and you made a face worthy of laughter. Was he messing with you? "Honestly, I only came to get the churros and head out, thanks" you scoffed. You chuckled under your breath as you saw his reaction, clearly not expecting you to bite back at his teasing, or lame attempt at it anyway. You walked past him and into the park ignoring his eyes as he looked right at you, smug smile from being defeated at his own game.

The park was beautiful. Lights and rides lit up, although none of them were running at this hour for safety reasons. It was ok since you came to take photos anyway. You took your camera out of its case and began taking photos. It was so relaxing, for the first time feeling like your photos were yours and not solely for the purpose of putting them on a travel ad. You loved your job, I mean it was your parents blood, sweat, and tears that went into it, but it wasn't yours. It was their dream. And being here now, taking photos and being carefree for a second made you realize what you were missing out on.

"Beautiful, right?" You heard his voice behind you. Almost as if he was so close you could feel his breath on you, and for a second you had to get a hold of yourself. "Yeah, it's definitely out of this world" you mentioned, trying to keep the ache in your pants from making you choke on your words. He ends up right next to you staring curiously as you gaze out at the landscape and it's enough to make you lose your breath.

"C'mon, I'm not on a time crunch, I can show you around if you'd like. My name's Jungkook by the way." He smiles at you and extends a hand. You take notice at how he squeezes a little too hard and it makes you think of how it'd be like for him to squeeze your thighs to let him in and you have to snap out of it. "I'm ______, sure I could go for some company." 

As he's explaining the buildings while you're taking photos, you can't help but feel him looking at you from time to time and it makes your knees weak. If it was day time, it probably wouldn't have the same effect, but something about the lights and the fact that he kept getting closer to you made you think about how his arms would feel around your waist, or how his torso would feel around your legs. 

"And here's my stop." You quickly broke out of your thoughts to look up at the dark castle. He notices how you startle to his voice and laughs a little. "Oh, I didn't realize it was so soon. Thanks Jungkook, this was fun" you mumble back, cheeks red from where your thoughts were leading you. He looks flushed and for a second he's biting on his lip, making yours do the same. "You want to come look inside? There's a few rooms that don't have access for regular customers, but I can show you if you promise not to tell anyone." He nudges you, and you feel his muscles through his shirt, yeah definitely ripped, you thought. "Sure, as long as you'll let me take a few photos, I mean not like you own the place" you laugh awkwardly and slap his shoulder. He winks at you as you both start walking towards the gate.

As you walk in you have a great sense of… nothing. Its blank, gray walls coating the inside of something so beautiful on the outside. You see the lights through stained glass illuminating your pathway and you wonder for a second where all the illusion went. Jungkook is walking slowly behind you and you fail to notice when he puts his hand on your waist as he guides you in the dark. As you reach his work destination you see it's quiet and completely alone, but you aren't nervous. "It's kind of weird huh? We're supposed to be adding a terrace and it's already there but we're waiting on the designers to finish their sketching to continue. We're supposed to meet them tomorrow. Here, let me show you." He takes you hand and laces his fingers between yours as he guides you up to the terrace.

You get there and he holds you by the waist to pick you up. As you look out and see the view you can't help but feel how rough his hands are on your waist. You turn and stare at him gauging if it's your imagination, or if he wants the same thing you do. You shake the thoughts out of your head walking towards the edge to take a closer look around the park. You take a few photos, noticing how Jungkook stands behind you, leaning against a post. It kind of makes you take a second to breath, feeling like he's staring at you and not at the scenery around him. "Come sit with me" he calls out to you, and as you turned you saw him laying a blanket down. " Since I work night shifts, I usually spend my time listening to music and sitting here. It's pretty calm, and I like hearing the way the wind carries over." He sounds happy and you smile as you walk over to him sitting next to him. He grabs your hand and holds it, and at first it startles you, but seeing his smile as he lays back a little you can't help but wonder if he would be like this all the time. If this was how he treated his special someone. You talked for what felt like hours  about your home, your job, and you ambitions. He would smile occasionally and tell you about his life. He wasn't actually from Hong Kong, but just working while he figured out where he wanted to go or do. You admired him for that, being free enough to go anywhere and do what he wanted without falling into pressure. "Why don't you come with me next time? I'll probably go back home to Korea for a few months and then set out somewhere, anywhere. We'd have a lot of fun." He remarked and looked at you, big brown eyes full of interest. It was different, feeling like you were meant to meet him tonight, and although you'd never make a rash decision, you couldn't help but love the idea of hanging out with him, taking photos, and having fun. It seemed too good to be true but you didn't let that get in the way. 

You stand up and pull on his arm to help him up, Jungkook towering over you. "Sure, maybe one day, you never know." You smile at him. He's warm and sweet and yet you can't quite place what he's thinking as he squeezes your fingers between his as he jumps off the terrace.

He pulls you down slightly and places his hand behind your neck bringing you down to his eye level. You could smell his musky scent and moaned a little too loudly into him and his soft eyes quickly turned into lust. He took your face into his and kissed you, at first with so much yearning, that you couldn't help but open your mouth to let him in. " I've been waiting all night to do that." He smiled as he let go for a quick second before attaching himself to you again. He brought you down and sat you on the edge to kiss you harder and longer. You opened your legs to let him slide his body in between yours and you gasped when you felt his hardness brush against you. "Mmm Kook, me too" you whispered. He took that as an opportunity to let his tongue slip inside you again and you only moaned louder into him, making him smirk. As he pulled away he watched you, with dark lust filled eyes, as he spoke roughly. "You really couldn't wear something a little more convenient huh?" He said as he watched you catch your breath and slowly unbuckle your overalls. "I didn't really think I'd be fucking a hot ass guy at a palace, did I?" You chuckled as he went to suck on your collarbone. He went slowly up your neck sucking and leaving love marks, as you moaned in anticipation for what was next. "I knew I was going to fuck you from the moment I saw you get on the van" he growled into your ear and nibbled, "Well then, fuck me please" was all you could say before he crashed his lips back onto yours.

His hands quickly trailed down your sides, along your breasts, making you hitch your breath. He squeezed at your nipples between the fabric of your bra causing you to moan out his name in pure ecstasy. He tugged on the ends of your shirt and you lifted up your hands to let him take it off. As he stood back for a second, you started feeling anxious, but the look on his face gave away any inhibitions about what you wanted to do to him. You unclipped your bra staring right at him as you slowly took it off, watching as he devoured your body with his eyes. "This really is the most magical place on earth. You're gorgeous, come here" he said walking back towards you.

He started kissing your lips slowly, leaving love bites down your neck and into your chest. Once he reached your breast, he kissed around reaching your nipple and sucking on it making you gush between your thighs. He looked up to lock eyes with you and trailed the other hand between your legs to feel your heat. "I think it's time we take these off don't you think?" Jungkook said as he moved to take off the rest of your clothes.

As they hit the floor, Jungkook's lips were back nibbling on your nipple as his hand made his way back to your mound. There was no denying how aroused you were when he felt your slickness soaking through your panties. "Mmm, feels like I could fit right in already huh?" He said as he moved your panties to the side and slid his fingers through your slit, making you moan in response. "I want to see you too" you said as you tugged off his shirt. You ran your fingers over his defined muscles and kissed along his shoulder blade, smooth skin hot and cold at the same time.

"Lay down for me" he whispered as he tugged your panties off. He lowered himself to your thighs, kissing along and leaving a trail of bite marks, claiming every bit of your body that he could. Once he reached your core he trailed his tongue up your slit, bringing more moans out of you. "You like that baby?" He whispered as he licked once more, this time circling your clit with his tongue. You grabbed the back of his head as a reflex, and it only made him hungrier for your juices. He groaned into your pussy lips to suck on your clit. "Mmm, you taste so good baby, I could do this all night." His voice sounding an octave lower and full of sex. All you could do was moan, hearing him call you baby made a fresh wave of arousal hit you. 'More, I need more" was all you could say as Jungkook slipped a finger into your aching cunt. Your walls clenched his fingers, happy for the intrusion as your juices coated his finger when he started fucking you with it. Your moans getting louder, and his assault on your clit, making you grind into his face. You could feel him moving his stance and looked over for a second to see him palming his erection, waiting to be released. It made you so much wetter knowing that he was enjoying this just as much as you. He noticed you looking and slid a second finger provoking another loud moan from you. "You're so tight baby, I need to make sure you're ready for me" he said as he scissored his fingers into you. "I want to see you" you said between moans, earning another groan from him as he fucked you with both fingers. He curled them inside of you, hitting your sweet spot and making you gasp loudly only making him harder. "Cum in my mouth baby and I'll give you whatever you want" he whispered into you and began fucking you harder. Hearing those words were enough and soon you were toppling over the edge, seeing white and groaning out his name "Fuck , Kook!" Was the only coherent thing coming out of your mouth as you came. He kissed your cunt, stood up, juices covering his mouth and chin, as he smiled seductively, leaving your aching pussy wanting more. "That was so hot," He took your hands and pulled you up so you were meeting his chest. "Show me how much you want me"

You lowered yourself off the terrace, knees wobbly from how you body reacted to Jungkook, and held onto his jeans. Slowly kissing down his toned torso you skimmed the lining of his jeans to reach the buttons. Undoing the clasp, you looked kissed him roughly as he moaned into you. You pulled his jeans down  slowly along with his boxers releasing him from the constraints of the fabric. As you got on your knees you let out a huge sigh. He was big, bigger and thicker than you have ever had. "You like what you see baby?" He whispered bringing it down and stroking it in front of you, making your pussy ache from the sight. He has a slight curve and he was red with how hard he was, precum droplets coming out of the slit. It looked delicious and all you could think about was how he would feel fucking your mouth. You looked up at him, and he was holding his breath to see what you would do. You smirked and licked from his balls up to the tip of his cock, feeling him tremble under your touch. You licked the precum off, slowly engulfing him in your mouth. He groaned and gripped onto the edge of the terrace as you started to bob your head, licking around the tip to give.him a little more. "Fuck ____ you look gorgeous, so beautiful baby. Take my cock in all the way." He hissed as you licked around his cockhead once more. There was no way he would fit completely inside your mouth, but as you pumped your mouth on him he grabbed your head and began fucking you mercilessly. "Fuck _____ it feels so fucking good. Your mouth feels like it was made for me to fuck it" his thrusting getting more intense only made your arousal come back faster and soon you were rubbing your clit with the same speed as his mouth fucking. You pulled away fast, sucking and popping him out of your mouth when he started getting sloppy, knowing that he was going to cum.

"Baby, I need you in me." Was all you could say as he picks you up and throws you back on the terrace, placing his body right between you on the edge. You could feel his rock solid erection throbbing close to your core. "I Don't have protection, didn't really think I needed it tonight  you know?" He says, hunger in his eyes. "It's fine, I have a thing, keeps the babies away, just fuck me already" you moaned back waiting to see what he'd do. He brought his face close up to yours and kissed you hard, hard enough for you not to notice him rubbing his dick against your slit. "Good, it'll just make the sex even better" he whispered and slammed his dick into you, giving you no time to prepare. "Fucking hell, oh shit" was all you could say as he cradled you in his arms fucking you as if he'd prepared al alongl. It stung, more than you thought it would, but hearing his grunts and moans only made you want him to fuck you harder, and soon all you could feel was the intense pleasure from his dick slapping against your cunt. He nibbled on your ear as you repeatedly told him to fuck you faster and harder, wrapping your legs around him and holding on. "You're so fucking tight baby, just like I imagined. Even better. I can't wait to --ugh-- fucking spill everything in you, on you, everywhere." He cursed as he railed into you. He placed his hand between you and started rubbing circles around your clit bringing screaming moans out of you. "Kook, fuck me harder, I need more." Was all you could say. He trusted into you one last time before holding himself as deep as he could, trying to catch his breath, and trying even harder not to cum inside you yet. He pulled out, leaving you empty for a second and climbed on the terrace, pulling you down on top of him. 

"Ride me, I want to see you ride me" he said panting. You aligned yourself on his cock, your lips slowly taking the head of his cock in as he looked with full lust in his eyes. "This is fucking amazing, you're so fucking beautiful" he gulped as you took him in inch by inch, moaning into him and dropping down giving him a kiss. It wasn't rough, just sexual and intimate, and you moaned out his name slowly grinding against him. He grabbed your thighs, the rough sweaty texture of him making you clench around him even more as you slowly roll your hips against his. "You're gorgeous Kook, let me look at you" you softly tell him as you move his sweaty hair from his face making him blush. He makes his way to your breasts and squeezes them gently making soft whimpers from where he wants to fuck into you. You lower your body and he takes a nipple into his mouth slowly circling and biting the perky nub, "yeah, just like that" you whisper as your fucking goes from intense and rough to sensual and intimate as you get closer to your release. He brings your hips lower into him, feeling his cock reach areas you hadn't ever felt someone reach and making you wimper and fuck back into him harder. "Yeah just like that baby, make yourself feel good for me. -mmmm- I want to feel you cum on my cock" he groans in small broken sentences, getting sloppier by the second. It only turns you on even more to hear him talk like that so you're grinding onto him harder. You grab the nape of his neck and pull him up with you as you move your legs around his waist. It gives him access to start fucking harder into you, holding your hips down as you ride him, unable to control your moans. He kisses you, hungrily, as if he's asking for something, and soon you grab onto him, seeing white, and feeling the pressure snap and release into pure bliss. "Fuck ____ you look so beautiful cumming for me, don't stop." You hear him through your orgasm as you go in for a kiss. He takes it and moans as he releases into you, spilling his seed inside and coating your walls. He rides out his orgasm, leaving you sensitive and holding tightly to his back to steady yourself. "Wait, too much." You say, panting into his neck.

As you slowly stop he turns and looks at you, his face happy and smiling, unable to contain himself as he kisses you again. "That was way better than working tonight, " he jokes and soon you're both laughing into each other. You nudge him playfully and rest your head on his shoulder,leaning back to lay down over the terrace. He takes his shirt and drapes it over you, and you can't tell when, but you fall asleep.

When you wake up in the morning, groggy from your late night escapade you see Jungkook shuffling away and cleaning the area. "Here, we're late. My uncle and our associates are coming to look at our progress. I'm gonna need you to go out the back," he says as he hands you your clothes, pulling you up to get ready. You quickly put on everything and follow him out the back way. He looks at you, kind of like he wants to say something, but instead kisses your forehead. "What was that?" You chuckle, cheeks reddening from the sudden intimacy. "For making my job ten times better last night." He says laughing and pulling you into a quick hug. "Oh that? No problem, anytime" you say and you eyes widen at the comment clearly stupid enough to come out of your mouth. "Yeah, I'd like that. Here, take my number call me when you get a chance to go out. And I don't mean just to do last night, although, I'd like that too" he laughs as he's trying not to blush. "Thanks, I'll see you around." You tell him as you walk out and towards the gate of the park.

By the time you get back to the hotel, all you want to do is sleep on your warm bed and bask in the way it felt to be touched by Jungkook. You let out a huge sigh and plop down only to feel someone tugging at your legs. "_____ !! What are you doing?? Where have you been? Wake up, we have somewhere to go. I promise you'll like it. " Lia says as she's tugging at you. "I told you I was going out. Where are we going? You didn't mention anything before" you groaned as you kicked her legs away wanting to engulf yourself in the pillows. "Come on, it'll be fun I promise." Becca said as she turned the shower on and Lia dragged you into it. "Wear something cute we're going out to celebrate Yoongi and Hobi making cash! They got the contract and are taking us out!" "Ugh fine, only if you'll let me come back early. I'm tired." You sighed making your way to the restroom and getting ready against your better judgement.

Once you got out of the taxi you walked into the diner looking through your purse and bumping into something hard. "Sorry, I didn't mean to," you reply as Lia's pulling you back . "It's ok " you hear a voice say and suddenly your eyes open wide and you look up. "____ this is Jungkook, sorry about that bro, sometimes she gets lost her headspace" Yoongi mentioned as you looked bewildered at the scene before your eyes. "It's fine, hey ____ nice to meet you, I'm Jungkook" he smiles wide as you take his hand and blush unintentionally at the contact. Lia and Becca share glances and giggle telling the boys to go sit down so you could have a moment. 

"What's going on" you say as you feel him tangle his fingers through yours. He gets close enough to not cause any suspicion but enough to put his hand around your waist and caress your side. " I didn't think it'd be appropriate to tell them I knew you as the girl who fucked me last night. Let's keep that between us, but…" he paused and got closer to your ear whispering, "this definitely makes things easier don't you think?"

[maneaterwithtail]

A lot of people were acquainted with him through his prolific participation in News & Politics, but to me Aaron was always an author, one half of the team behind Hybrid Theory. That fic was a bastion of creativity, drama, and wry humor; a ludicrous and ambitious premise, played gloriously straight. It provided me with much-needed hope and entertainment in years past. His death comes as a punch in the gut, and takes the wind of optimism out of my sails.

I never knew him well, and now I never will. Rest in peace, Aaron. The world is lessened by your absence from it.

-orm Ember

I didn't want to write this. 

Not just for the obvious reasons, that nobody likes to say goodbye to a friend like this. I didn't want to make this about me, because it isn't about me. I wanted to say something about him, to tell his story, to express the tiniest part of the loss I feel in a way others could understand. 

But I came to realise that it wasn't for me to tell his story. I can't. That story was for him to tell, and unfortunately, he cannot. The only story I have to tell is the story of us. So that's what I'll do. 

I met Aaron Peori when we were both new in high school, about twenty-five years ago. Glace Bay High was the tenth of the eleven schools that I attended in my eleven years of schooling, and so by then I was almost as well-practiced in "meet new friends" as I was in "meet the new local pack of bullies". Walking home, I noticed one guy about my age that always walked alone, reading a book. In other words, a fellow nerd, a weirdo, an outcast. Like me. After a couple of days of spotting this lone reading fellow, he happened to be reading a book by Christopher Pike, an author I also had books by. That was, as the saying goes, an opening.

"Hey, isn't that a Christopher Pike book?" I asked this stranger, casually, as if I hadn't already known.

He looked up at me, not even showing any surprise that some weirdo had walked up and asked about the book his nose was in. "Yes," he said, peering at me owlishly from behind his glasses, then after a moment added, "He's a good author."

By the time we reached home that day, we were already good friends. From that point on, in fact, we were virtually inseparable, aided by the fact that he lived almost literally in my backyard.

From the very beginning, we were creative collaborators. At first, we were using GI Joes and a few other toys in elaborate setpiece dioramas that spanned his house's enclosed front porch, and sometimes spilled out to occupy part of the year as well. Factions, sacrifices, betrayals, and no doubt embarassing-in-retrospect dialogue were all a part of those first afternoons and weekends.

I think he first got a copy of the Marvel Super Heroes RPG from his cousin. Before I'd met him, Aaron and his cousin had both been drawing their own comics about a space-based superhero team called Sonis. Now, with a tool that you could use tell stories about superheroes, and rules to arbitrate - our new great dioramas were ones made of words, not toys. I quickly made my own "expanded universe", about a group of mercenary superheroes called Heroes For Hire. 

At that point, what turned out to be a very long-lasting pattern was set. Aaron was the GM, and I was the player. Aaron created the worlds, and I lived the characters in them. He did want me to be the GM sometimes (it's more fun being the player!), but I was always uncomfortably aware how much better at it he was than me, and so I felt intimidated to pit my own lesser stories against the epics he created.

As time went on, another pattern that would be long-lasting emerged: Aaron and I's stories became vastly greater in scope. He rewrote the resolution system of the game to account for much higher power levels than the original design used (Ochre feats!), and eventually we dispensed with the rules altogether, playing completely free-form with no set rules and only the occasional dice roll. I learned to handle multiple characters at once, and bored at the success easily reached by my insanely overpowered characters, learned to find more fun in getting them in trouble instead. Aaron learned to handle the narrative challenges faced by trying to craft stories about protagonists who had literal "I win" powers, and weren't very likeable to boot.

Very little of Heroes For Hire would be something I wouldn't be embarassed to show off today, but my former internet nom de guerre "Blade" comes from the most central and overpowered character of those days.

About a year before I left Cape Breton, Aaron and I discovered two things of lasting consequence: anime, via his having a comic adaptation of the movie "Project A-ko" in his huge box of comics that I would regularly raid, and fanfiction, which I had been introduced to via USENET by another friend of mine, Mark MacIsaac. After I left, Aaron had more free time, and thus he started writing a story that combined two of his favourite things: the then-popular anime Ranma 1/2, and Star Wars. 

Aaron wrote prolifically, longhand on sheaths of paper, in his inscrutable and typo-laden scrawl. My role in those first stories, for all they were credited under both our names, was just to type these up and edit them - but that wasn't a small task, to be fair. I can type 60wpm despite still pecking with two fingers instead of touch-typing, a skill that dates to those early manuscripts. 

That level of collaboration, though, wasn't enough. Soon we took to role-playing games again, and I took on various Ranma characters in lengthy phone conversations where he was once again the DM. Those games formed several of the plots for Ranma: Curse of Darkness, and the entirety of the plot of Kyoto Chronicles (sadly never actually finished), along with other stories both Ranma and non that never made it to the internet. Again, he would write the scripts and I would type them up, now with more creative control and editing. 

The time came when we once again lived in the same city, able to really collaborate with both of us writing scenes. All of this finally culminated in Hybrid Theory, our longer-than-Lord-of-the-Rings magnum opus, and something we were both pretty proud of despite the various flaws and that we totally botched poor Rei's character arc.

After writing something like that, we were sure, it would be easy to write something for professional publication. But unfortunately, it never came to be. Circumstances separated us again, several promising projects got stalled after a few chapters, and then the grinding workload he faced at his job hurt his ability to write consistently.

But Aaron never stopped writing fanfiction. His mind never stopped working. Most of what he wrote was "junk" in his words, and he wouldn't even show it to me, but he was still thinking up stories and worlds and his favourite thing of all: elaborate fight scenes. He once told me he could write in any series, no matter how crappy or derivative, "as long as the main characters can run up walls".

It frustrates me that I cannot prove to anyone here how brilliant Aaron was, because that brilliance was hidden behind the various flaws in his prose style. His prospensity for typos never did much improve, though he could at least spellcheck stuff he wrote on a computer rather than longhand. He never got hung up like me searching for the exact right word, and so he often just used the same words over and over. For those that read his last work, I can only explain that I took out a ton of "snaps" - "snapped her head back", "snapped his wrist forward", "the snake snapped out" and yet there are STILL that many in there. I was going to do a much more thorough editing pass when it was finished. 

But that is all surface-level. Where Aaron excelled was in his vision for a setting and story. He could take the ridiculous and make it somehow sublime - indeed, he often challenged himself with making ridiculous or cliche concepts work. He could keep track of a million dancing pieces and know precisely which should enter the stage, and from where. It's not that I didn't contribute meaningfully to our collaborative efforts, but I often felt like a child with crayons colouring in the lines of a sketch by Da Vinci. Even if my colouring was good, it wasn't the masterpiece.

His players knew, though. Another habit Aaron kept for the rest of his life was GMing (though he enjoyed playing, when the opportunity was afforded to him), even if he couldn't do it as much in recent years. Aaron was a masterful GM, able to coax out strong story arcs and dramatic moments from players of any skill level, able to make NPCs that the players hated or loved or both, able to coax rambunctious player parties into dramatic clashes and events that never felt railroaded. But perhaps even more than that, he was a master of making game rules work for him instead of against him. Aaron loved role playing game rules: one of his primary hobbies and uses of his spare cash was to buy new gamebooks, even if he never planned to use them for a game. He'd devour them, expertly analyse their strengths and flaws, modify and house-rule them to his liking, and even a notoriously tricky game to GM like Exalted flowed smoothly in his hands.

His set of replacement Dragonblooded charms are still the best and most flavourful charmset ever made for them. And he always maintained that the best game system to run Star Wars with was the pulp action game Adventure! - which was the very last game I'd play with him. He was, as always on these matters, completely correct.

In another world, even with the problems we had, I'm sure Aaron could have been a published author. The problem, if problem it was, was that Aaron's prolificness stemmed from his own joy in writing and creating. Ultimately, if he was more interested in writing about a magical self-insert Sakura than he was in something "professional", then that's what he did. He took note of criticism and changed things if he got it, but ultimately the only critic whose opinion he internalised was himself. He wrote because he enjoyed writing. If somebody else enjoyed what he did, great. If nobody did, he'd write anyway.

Aaron and I were so close that my father asked me if we were gay once. We weren't - I'm straight, and he was (unknowingly at the time) asexual. But we loved each other anyway. We had the kind of easy camraderie and understanding where we could nostalge and talk for hours upon hours, week upon week, and never get bored even when we didn't have really anything to talk about. We were never bored of each other's company. From that very first day we met, we understood each other in ways that nobody else ever did, or ever would. I never pictured my life without Aaron in it. I was going to be a writer, I knew at 15 years old, with Aaron. I was going to move back to Canada someday - and live near Aaron. 

There is a hole, and it cannot be filled. It hurts, and it will always hurt. And yet I am greater for having it. It is unthinkable to wish that I didn't have it. My life without Aaron is unthinkable. I'll have to think of it, maybe another day, but not yet.

Aaron's last few years were difficult in some ways. He stuck in a predatory, horrible job that left him perpetually sick and exhausted, the only thing in the 25 years I knew him that actually forced him to stop writing and GMing for any length of time. He was too proud to take help, too tired to look for an alternative. He nearly died of a perforated ulcer a few years ago, and that added "chronic pain" to his ailments, and being him, he would only take painkillers when it became unbearable. It was unsustainable, we knew it, but he was always reaching for that promotion that would finally bring the shorter hours he had been asking for. In the meantime, he'd always say "Don't worry about me, I'm fine." I wish he had been right.

And yet.

In those same years, Aaron discovered himself. He discovered that he wasn't the strange not-wanting-sex freak he had grown up thinking he was, that there were many people like him out there. He got in touch with the emotions he had suppressed within himself due to a traumatic childhood experience, and while he sometimes had difficulty handling his newfound sadness (he was striken by grief like I'd never seen over the death of his grandfather) or anger (political topics were verboten in our conversations over the last few years), I believe that for all the pain and overwork and lack of creative output he was still in some ways never happier than he was these last few years.

He told me once that he wanted to find a partner of either gender, who didn't need or didn't want sex, but could be with him and hold him close when he needed it. I cried, and told him I knew he could find someone once he was out of that job. He deserved it. He deserved that happiness too.

This forum (although not solely) had a lot to do with him discovering himself, and that is why I felt I had to post about him here. You meant more to him than you know, and to some of you, though I don't know your names, I owe a debt I can never repay. Whoever you are, thank you so much. You helped him in a way I couldn't. The joy and hope of his last years came from the help you gave him.

And that's the end of the story of us. Aaron was exhausted, pushing himself beyond what he ever should have - now, at least, he can rest. Aaron was in pain, but now the pain is gone. There was nothing good or right or kind or acceptable about it, but it can't be changed, it can't be helped. 

Goodbye, Aaron. I love you. Thank you for writing stories with me.

-Chris Mcneil addressing sufficient velocity forums