#hate hate relationship

[veinsandknuckles]

You’ll just have to learn the hard way, pt 6

Brad Bakshi/cis f!Reader part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 (explicit) PG From a distance, Brad seems like a perfectly nice (and distractingly handsome) man. When you start working at Mythic Quest, he catches you looking on your very first day and happily lets you misunderstand him; by the time you realise what he’s really like, you find yourself already entangled.“Friends” to enemies-with-benefits, conflicted feelings, hate fucking with a slow build and all that good stuff.

----------------- You’d expected Brad to let you stew for a while after that encounter. In fact you’d almost hoped he would because you needed the time to recover. No matter how closely you watched yourself or tried to distract yourself with more important things, you couldn’t stop the memory of how his touch had felt, how that deceptively soft voice of his had sounded in your ear as he toyed with you...

But the very next day, he sauntered over to your work station and stood watching you until you stopped what you were doing.

“Can I help you?” Forcing yourself to sound calm and unconcerned took every ounce of strength you had.

“How would you like to have dinner with me this Friday? I have reservations at Le Foie Heureux.”

You weren’t sure what you’d expected, but this definitely wasn’t it. As the heat rose up your neck, you turned to check if anyone was listening in. No one was. It sounded as if he was suggesting a date, and that made you instantly suspicious.

“During work hours?”

His eyes narrowed. “No, that’s called lunch.” There was absolutely nothing in his look or voice to indicate he gave a single shit what your answer would be, and nothing whatsoever to betray his motive.

“What’s this about, Brad?”

“Wow,” he snorted. “Was it really that long since someone asked you out?”

God, the look on his face. He actually seemed to believe you’d jump at the chance to be subjected to his insults and condescending looks for an entire evening. “Am I getting paid to be there?”

“Are you a call girl?”

“If I was, I wouldn’t be sitting at this desk.” One job was bad enough.

“Then I don’t see why I should pay you.”

You gave him a look and let your silence speak for itself.

“Alright, suit yourself,” he relented. “Let’s go old school and call it ‘working overtime’.”

“Fine.” You were starting to sweat. You thought you’d called his bluff, but he seemed determined. What was the catch? “You have my number.”

“But if I am gonna be paying for the pleasure of your company, I think it’s only fair if I make some demands of my own.”

“I didn’t m-“

“Wear something cute. Not slutty, but... you know.” He waggled his hand. “Not not slutty. And play nice, you wouldn’t wanna make a scene in a place like that”

You clenched your fists, just to maintain your volume control. “How about I just don’t show up?”

“I’ll make it worth your while.”

What did that mean? “And are you planning to play nice?”

Brad grinned. “Oh, you know me. I’m always nice.”

------

There was only one way to find out what the hell Brad was planning and so, after reminding yourself you could storm out any time you wanted, once Friday evening rolled around you got a little dressed up (flattering, but erring on the conservative side - there was no reason to give Brad everything he wanted), did some soul searching in the mirror and climbed into the ride he’d ordered for you with only some mild trepidation. Typical of him not to bother collecting you himself...

It was a cold evening and the clouds looked heavy. Perhaps it would snow tonight.

The car came to a halt outside the restaurant. It had already looked intimidatingly fancy when you’d googled the place, but seeing it in person you were even more sure you’d stick out like a sore thumb.

Why would a miser like Brad choose a place like this? He’d probably end the evening by pretending he’d misplaced his wallet.

You thanked the driver and texted Brad you’d arrived. You wouldn’t put it past him to stand you up, just to make you look like an idiot, but when you walked towards the doors with all the confidence you could muster, there he was, waving the staff away and ushering you in himself.  Of course Brad looked right in his element.

“I was starting to think you’d stay home and sulk, just to teach me a lesson.” He looked you up and down. “Yeah, that’ll do.”

“Oh, just shut up.”

“That’s the first thing you’re gonna say to me? You promised to behave.”

“I promised no such thing.”

“Whatever. Are you coming?” He offered his arm; you eyed it with suspicion and opted to walk by his side at a very safe distance. “We’re right over here.”

You followed his gesture and saw, a few tables down, the only remaining empty seats in that half of the restaurant. Two free seats, at one table, but on the other side of the table sat two men you’d never met before in your life. They were talking amicably with each other and gesturing so broadly one would think they owned the place. To remove all doubt, there was Brad’s suit jacket, slung across the back of one of the empty chairs.

“What the hell?!” you hissed and grabbed his arm, digging your fingernails in through his shirt.

Brad didn’t seem to feel it. “Oh, didn’t I mention? I’m trying to grease up these two idiots and I figured, you know. Something pretty to look at never hurts.”

“Oh, I will kill you.”

“That could be fun. Can we just have dinner first, though? I’m trying to work my magic here.”

You’d both slowed to a halt, but that couldn’t last. The servers were trying to move around the two of you and you were right out in the open. Even in this rich, warm, golden mood lighting, it was just a matter of time before at least one of Brad’s intended marks spotted you.

“Am I supposed to know who these people are?”

“The guy in the grey suit is Gabriel Fairisles, the little guy is Fred Lawson.”

“That doesn’t tell me anything!”

“If you can’t be bothered to familiarise yourself with the most important names in your business, that’s hardly my fault.” Before you could reply or even begin to make a decision, Brad waved and caught their attention.

Storming out was still an option. But by your own suggestion, you were on the clock and when you’d pictured yourself walking out on him, Brad had been the one left looking foolish.

The man in grey - Gabriel? - stood up, arms spread out in welcome, adding another witness to the list should you choose to turn tail and run. It seemed that the only way out was through.

[killingmyselfbutnotdying]

"Friends dont look at friends that way" COWARD. I look at my friends with awe in my eyes, my chest is filled with love, im glowing because i get to be near my friends. I look at my friends and i would give them my everything. SO SKILL ISSUE, look at your friends with all the love that you have

[lesbianshepard]

while frustrating, the funniest response to historical erasure of same sex couples is people wildly overcorrecting and assuming any interaction between two men in history was a secret homosexual relationship covered up by Big Historian. i saw someone on r/sapphoandherfriend sincerely ask if Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were lovers.

[cutetanuki-chan]

she's mesmerized

[esperfraud]

This came to me in a vision.

Feel free to add your own favorite "eldritch being x traumatized mortal" ships!

[carlyraejepsans]

[asthedeathoflight]

I think an underrated angle on 2x05 is something that either Jacob or Assad said in some interview somewhere, which is that in that episode Louis is addicted to heroin. Thats why he has that whole stash of drugs that he gives to Daniel, that's why he gives Daniel the drugs even though he's already got him alone. He didn't just use those 128 boys for sex he was using them to get high. Bring them home, get them to shoot up, and then drain them to get that secondhand high.

It clarifies something that's always confused me about that scene, which is why Armand saves Daniel the first time. He wouldn't save Daniel as a person, he clearly knows Daniel needs to die, but he's not seeing Daniel as a person there. Daniel is just a substance. He rips him away from Louis to stop him from using.

And i think that adds a whole other layer to the fight he and Armand have to think that this is Louis on a bender, with Armand cleaning up after him because he's not stable enough to. Louis in the bed for a week isn't just healing from the burns, he's going through withdrawal. Him at the table with Daniel giving him the "bright young reporter" speech is probably the first time he's been sober in months.

It adds another layer to Armand's desperation, that Louis has been running from both Armand and himself in this way, and of course Armand wants to erase that memory. Of course he wants to pretend that that fight never happened. Not just to protect himself but in a way to protect Louis from having said those things. When he describes the fight to Louis afterwards, he says "you said the worst things you've ever said to me." And he doesn't really know how to forgive Louis for that so he just wants to bury this rock-bottom moment and move on like it never happened. After all, Louis was high, he didn't really mean it, but if he remembers then maybe he might think that he had a point. Better to wipe the whole experience away.

[nonomives]

I did something

[deeeaahh]

[elainiisms]

y'all are always complaining about how gay rep has to be perfect and unproblematic like speak for yourself i personally love it when they try to murder each other

[cottonfiend]

"You want to talk? We'll allow it."

[beesleeps]

"kabru doesn't even like laios"

meanwhile, kabru:

[anti-terf-posts]

reasons to get top surgery:

boobs 😡😭😔🥲😮‍💨

reasons why not to get top surgery:

boobs 🤭😋😄🥰😍

[welcometogrouchland]

Extremely bad batgirls comic I made featuring Steph's sex life and Cass' ability to read everything but the room

[dapper-lil-arts]

The entire premise of Alicorns being on another untouchable level dissapears when you account for Cadence's basic-ass taste in men

[carrotsnake]

ok now that book of bill has us gf fans all in one place it's time to pass around my favourite still again