#having my memories turned into a cube would be nice

[magnimice]

A therapist isn't enough,I need to be put in Rusty Lake Mental Health and Fishing

[nocturnowlette]

If you want to fall into a puppy mind space much, much easier from now on (especially to me), read this post.

Hello. This is a nice visualization exercise as well as a look into our mind's sensory memory. This is also centered for puppies. It will work regardless of if you are one or not, but you may feel like a puppy during some parts of this. Very dumb and very happy.

This is best done in a dark room, your phone or monitor being the main or only light source visible. This script is also better experienced having read the first script I've made, here. It's not necessary, though.

This script is also best read imagining a voice, or reading at the pace that a voice would speak. Try to keep the text you are currently reading at the middle or on the lower half of your screen.

That being said, let's begin.

Now, the first thing I'd like to talk about is visualization. I personally feel as if it is misunderstood. When I speak about visualizing something, I mean our ability to simply conceptualize it. You know what a cube looks like, and you can summon a memory of it. Even if you cannot see it, you know what it looks like. I still consider that visualization.

I, personally, can visualize things in a more literal way, including color. I used to not be able to, but with enough effort and hypnosis, I was able to. This post will mention colors, but it is not necessary in order for this to work.

Now, let's talk about senses.

Our brains are sponges when it comes to senses. Out of almost everything, senses are some of the most impactful and longest lasting aspects of memories for us. How many times have you smelled something or heard a song or tasted a food that brought you back to an earlier place? Our minds store large libraries of senses, cemented deep within you and waiting to be called on.

And, in the right circumstances, they can be called on without that sense actually being present.

Imagine what a TV remove feels like in your hand.

Just like that. Somewhat cold, plastic, and smooth.

It's as if the remote isn't there, but all of the little senses and memories surround that invisible remote, until you can make out the outline in your brain just from everything you feel from it.

In your mind, at this moment, this remote is real in some way.

Now, I'd like you try and imagine something a bit more abstract, a brain made of glass. Inside of this brain is a special blue liquid.

This is your brain, and that liquid is your thoughts.

The more full your brain is with your thoughts, the harder it is to visualize. I'd like to drain a bit of this liquid out.

You come to notice that, at the bottom of the glass brain, there is a metal spout. This spout can, once turned, begin to drain the thoughts from your mind.

As your thoughts begin to drip out of your brain, you will feel your mind begin to empty, bit by bit. There's more and more room in your mind for my words to fill, to imagine things stronger.

An invisible hand appears, and, just barely, turns the spout on. It's not nearly enough to be considered a steady stream, but there is the occasional droplet leaking out.

Going...

Drip.

and then...

Drop.

So slowly, and yet, your mind begins to feel strange. A tad emptier, like your thoughts are swimming. The drips are causing ripples through the rest of your mind, and your thoughts feel like they're vibrating ever so gently.

Drip.

...

Drop.

...

Drip.

...

Drop.

...

With every

Drip,

you feel your thoughts begin to slow just a bit more.

With every

Drop,

you feel more and more relaxed.

The more you imagine this brain, the more you Focus on my voice, the more it comes to represent your thoughts. The more it Drips, the more your thoughts slow down.

The tap is turned ever so slightly more.

Drip...

Drop...

Drip...

Drop...

A slight, but very real increase in frequency. Little droplets, little thoughts, dripping out of your mind. Every new thought that comes in simply seems to Drip right out.

As you continue to Drip and Drop, you find that it's becoming easier and easier to Focus on this text. There's already some room for my words to fill your mind, and, much like these visualizations, the more of your mind you lend to Focusing on my words, the more real they become.

The tap turns a bit more.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Your mind is already getting noticeably empty. A fifth of the liquid has now drained out, leaving more and more room for my words to move in.

Your Focus on my words only gets stronger.

The tap turns significantly more.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

With every

Drip,

you feel your thoughts begin to slow more.

With every

Drop,

you feel more and more relaxed.

The drops are getting larger, bigger and bigger bits of your mind simply draining away.

More room for you to

Focus

on my words.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Steady, easy, Dripping and Dropping. Half of your mind is already gone. So hard to think. So, so hard to think. So easy to

Focus.

The tap turns more. Going...

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

25%. Only a quarter of your thoughts remaining.

Draining so, so fast.

However, the tap now closes.

Your mind is so, so empty, but not completely empty. I don't need you mindless just yet.

Focus on my words.

In a state like this, it becomes so much easier to visualize. My words are so real in your mind now, so concrete that they can help you imagine more complicated things.

Now, I want you to imagine a hand.

It is somewhat transparent, and light blue. It looks very simple, like a glove with an invisible hand inside of it. Despite the complex shape, hands are so native to us that imagining it is just so easy.

Right now, it is splayed out like it's preparing for a high five.

You see the hand begin to slowly spin horizontally, for a few seconds.

It comes to a stop, palm facing you again, before flipping backwards vertically, slowly and gently for a few seconds.

It comes to a stop again.

You can imagine it from any angles you wish, flipping and turning and moving. It's so much easier than you thought.

With every new angle and position, it becomes easier and easier to imagine. It becomes more and more real in your mind. More and more defined.

The hand slows again, with its palm facing you.

You can see each finger clearly.

You see its thumb, next to the index finger, then the middle finger, then the ring finger, then the pinky.

Each finger is individually controllable.

See it close into a fist.

See it open out, splayed, like a high five.

See every finger except for the thumb close.

The fingers, once again, open to the high five position.

My words are puppeteering a hand entirely within your empty little mind.

The thumb and middle finger connect in the middle between them. The pinky and ring finger move down to the palm, while the index finger remains upward, relaxed.

It's in the position to snap its fingers.

However, it stays there, not snapping just yet.

When I do snap my fingers, it will feel like a shockwave sweeping through your mind. You will feel utterly, utterly mindless, thoughts wiped away in an instant. Your focus on my words will sharpen, and the world around you will simply fall away.

I will begin counting up from 1 to 10. You will feel the tension between the thumb and the middle finger get stronger and stronger as it counts up, energy only getting stronger and stronger.

When I next say "Snap.", you will drop into a deep, deep state of trance.

1.

Feeling the pressure in the fingers increase, the hand now inside of your glass brain.

2.

The energy building surprisingly fast, an aura of power emanating out between the middle finger and the thumb.

3.

It Grows Stronger.

The aura beginning to form waves of power, ones that bounce off the walls of your glass brain. Feeling whatever thoughts you have left being disrupted.

4.

Stronger.

The power feels like a constant resonating denseness in your head, overpowering all of your thoughts. So Strong already, and only getting Stronger.

5.

Stronger.

Knowing that this energy is only a small fraction of the incoming snap, wondering just how powerful this will be.

6.

Stronger.

The aura is getting too strong. You notice a small crack at the top of your glass brain. It only gets Stronger.

7.

Stronger and Stronger.

The cracks make the outside world so difficult to see. My words and my hand consuming all of your thoughts. Feeling so intensely Focused on my words.

8.

Stronger and Stronger.

The crack continues to spread, the border of your mind becoming so loose, so deeply Fragile.

9.

So Intensely Strong.

Overpowering.

No thoughts.

Mind nearly shattering just at the power of it.

10.

Mind-meltingly Powerful.

The potential energy alone making you completely Mindless.

The cracks have spread to the bottom of your brain, all remaining liquid rapidly leaking out.

Dripping.

20%.

Dropping.

15%.

Dripping.

10%.

Dropping.

5%.

Spilling Out Entirely.

0%.

All Gone.

All thoughts completely drained out, waves of energy only bouncing more and more off the hollow walls of your glass brain now. So, so Fragile. Ready to Shatter entirely.

And yet,

11.

Still, Stronger.

Your brain should already be Shattered. Something is holding it together. If it wasn't it'd simply fall apart the moment it was released.

And yet, it only gets stronger.

The snap so strong now that it will annihilate your mind entirely.

Entirely engrossed in my words, so Deeply Focused on me.

Nothing else exists.

12.

The glass itself is almost turning to dust.

Stronger.

and Stronger.

and Stronger.

Already in trance, not even needing the snap to be utterly subject to my words. And yet...

13.

Snap.

Shattered.

Mind Completely Gone.

Utterly Subject to my Words.

Focus.

Focus.

Feel your Focus double every time I say

Focus.

Nothing else exists.

Nothing but my words, and the hand.

It continues to float, gently, in front of you, palm facing you.

It goes, again, into the position the snap. And,

Snap.

So deep, and yet Deeper and Deeper still.

More and More Focused on my every word.

You can no longer think.

There's no more place for your thoughts to go. Your brain is gone now. Thoughts might pop in, only to disappear. They vaporize instantly. No more thoughts.

In your thoughts, or out loud, I want you to

Bark.

So Easy to

Bark.

It feels so Simple and Natural to

Bark.

Whenever you see my posts, see my name, see my profile picture, you will feel a sudden, desperate impulse to

Bark.

Every time you see my posts, see my name, see my profile picture, or talk to me, you will feel the need to

Bark.

Sometimes it will happen automatically, sometimes you will simply want to. You'll see my posts, and desperately want to

Bark.

It already feels so Natural.

Bark.

...

The hand appears once again, moving to a snapping position.

1.

Feeling the pressure in the fingers increase, the power emanating through all of you, through all of my words.

2.

So Much Stronger.

The energy building even faster than before, the aura of power everywhere already.

3.

Stronger and Stronger Still.

The aura melting your consciousness, Focus only getting stronger.

4.

Every part of your consciousness entirely focused on my words, nothing left that isn't needed. Every single part of your mind directed towards absorbing my words.

5.

Snap.

Bark.

Every time you

Bark,

you feel your mind become so much more Open to me. So much more Open to anyone you trust.

Every single time that you

Bark,

your mind becomes Desperate for my words. It needs to absorb them. Any and every command is followed so Easily.

The only time you don't follow commands is when your subconscious feels threatened by them.

If you don't trust the command or the person commanding you, your mind will Simply and Easily reject it, and you will come out of trance immediately.

Unless that happens, you will

Bark

every time you see my posts.

When you

Bark,

you will become so, so Desperately Open to my words.

Your mind will be an empty sponge, and it will absorb everything I say. If you have a trusted one, or an owner, you will absorb everything they say as well. Happily and Eagerly.

Every time you're commanded, you want to

Bark.

Every time you

Bark,

you feel more Open to commands.

It's almost like a soft loop, gently pulling you down.

Barking and Barking your Mind Away~

...

Now, I will bring you out of trance. If you wish to remain in this state, you can stop reading now. it might be hard to get back, though, so only do this if you're sure. It can be very hard to escape, but your trance will fade over time, very very slowly.

Once awake, you might want to follow my blog. You might want to reblog this script. You might want to send me an inbox message telling me how it felt. You might want to message me directly, if you're brave enough. Though, ultimately, you can do as you wish~

...

Counting up now, from 1 to 10.

1.

Glass brain reassembling, forming back so perfectly that it feels like it never broke.

2.

Brain beginning to fill, thoughts returning so, so Easily.

3.

Brain getting so, so full so quickly.

4.

Feelings in your limbs returning.

5.

Beginning to feel aware of your surroundings.

6.

Focus gently releasing on my words, though still paying attention.

7.

Brain almost filled now, so close to awake.

8.

Feeling refreshed and happy, triggers cementing in your mind.

9.

All thought processes returning to normal, and

10.

Wake Up.

Hello. I hope you enjoyed. Consider reblogging and following my blog. I post a lot of hypnotic content and other various things, and you might find yourself rather magnetized to my posts. I intend to make more scripts in the future, so you can look out for those as well.

That being said, I hope you enjoyed, and have a nice day.

[selfaware-bungou-stray-dogs]

Little comfort things

Self-Aware! BSD AU x SAGAU Imposter AU

Self-Aware! Kunikida Doppo x GN! Reader x Self-Aware! Paul Verlaine

Description: You can't sleep. Doppo and Verlaine are here to make you feel comfortable.

Set in a week after Lost and Found. At this point, BSD Cast don't know, what happened to Reader

Warning: OOC. English is my second language.

Shortish comfort fic

__________

You tossed and turned in your bed. You opened your bloodshot eyes. You couldn't sleep. You were afraid of sleeping. Because each time you close your eyes, you saw Teyvat. That wrenched place... For the last week you couldn't sleep, the only time you could catch some sleep, was during dawn hours, while you lose focus on anything, because of exhaustion.

You sobbed and hit the mattress. You wanted to sleep! You don't want to feel afraid anymore.

You groaned and put the pillow above your head. You remembered, how it was, when you were a kid and had a nightmare.

If you were a kid again... Your parents would probably put your favorite blanket around you, took you to the kitchen and make you a cup of cocoa. You will have your favorite toy with you, hugging it, while drinking your cocoa and eating cookies. Then you will go to bed, and there would be no nightmares.

But you were an adult. There were no little blankets with colorful print, no favorite toy, no cocoa in a cup with cartoon animals on it, no cookies with smiley faces...

Only memories about Teyvat, fear and guilt of making BSD Cast worried about you...

___________

"Are you sure, that you need my help?" asked Verlaine, looking at your parents' place. Kunikida nodded slightly.

"Yes. [Y/N] are..." Kunikida didn't finish. Everyone knew, what was happening to you. "Maybe, their parents knew, how to help them."

Verlaine nodded, yet, asked again.

"But, why me?"

Kunikida sighed and open the car's door.

"I need someone, who will make [Y/N] feel safe. If there's no way to comfort them, we need to find how to do it ourselves. And [Y/N] see you as a protector."

Kunikida stepped outside from the car. Verlaine followed after him.

"Besides," Kunikida's ears became slightly pink. "I need someone, who will help to came up with a believable lie."

__________

Verlaine was carrying a box in his hands. Your parents were sweet enough to share stories about your childhood with "[Y/N]'s nice friends". With some sweet words, Verlaine managed to get some of your old things from your parents.

Verlaine didn't know if it was true, that things from childhood can lift person's spirit. Well, at least Kunikida was sure of it. Verlaine only hopped, that it would help you.

Tonight, they will help you.

________

Another night, another sleepless night.

You just lay here, looking at the ceiling, thinking about anything you can, to distract you from Teyvat.

A quiet knock on the door cut your line of thoughts.

Did you wake someone up?

You sat up and spoke. Your voice was hoarse.

"Come in..."

The door was opened, and Verlaine stepped into your room. You looked at the floor. You didn't want to look at Verlaine. You were too embarrassed.

Verlaine took a few more steps, until he stepped right before your bed. You were waiting for him to ask you to be quiet.

Instead, something soft was wrapped around your shoulders.

It took you some time, before you realized, what it was. Such an old, soft, familiar thing. Now, it was too small for you and only can cover your shoulders.

"M-my childhood blanket?" You looked at Verlaine. You can't believe it. How he got it from your parents' home? Then you saw another thing. A familiar toy in his hands. Your favorite one.

You didn't resist, when Verlaine gave you the toy. You only hugged it closer to your chest.

And then Verlaine pick you up.

"Let's go, Dear Opal. Your cocoa and cookies are waiting for you."

When Verlaine carried you to the kitchen, a little ghost of a smile appeared on your face.

Kunikida was here. He was keeping an eye on a pot. A bag of milk, few sugar cubes, box of cocoa powder, bottle of whipped cream, box with chocolate chips, a bottle of vanilla sauce and bag of marshmallows were on the table.

Kunikida turned towards you and Verlaine, and a smile appeared on his face.

"It's almost ready. Give me another minute."

Verlaine and you nodded. Verlaine put you on one of the chairs.

Soon, a big cup of cocoa (with whipped cream, chocolate chips, vanilla cream and a marshmallow) was put before you. Ingredients were put away and were replaced with a big bowl of cookies.

Doppo and Verlaine didn't touch their cocoas, until you make a first sip.

Then Kunikida spoke.

"[Y/N]. I want to tell you that we all care about you. All of us love you. You are dear to all of us. Don't be afraid of asking for help. We will help you. We will be here for you."

Then Verlaine started talking.

"Please, don't be ashamed of being vulnerable. We... didn't know why. But we will be here regardless of the reason. You deserved everything in this world."

You didn't answer, but another faint smile touched your lips.

Then you whispered.

"Thank you..."

The rest of the cocoa drinking were in comfortable silence.

You felt calm. You were among friends. Your little comfort things were there.

For the first time in a week, you felt truly safe. And sleepy.

You finished your cocoa and eat the final cookie.

Kunikida and Verlaine noticed your sleepy expression. Kunikida gently pat your head.

"Let's get you to bed, My Ideal. We will keep you safe. We will stay in your room tonight."

Verlaine pick you up again. Both him and Kunikida returned to your room.

You were put into bed and tucked in. Your childhood blanket and toy was put near you on your bed.

Verlaine and Kunikida got themselves comfortable on your bean bags. It seems, they were serious about staying in your room.

Your room was dark. You closed your eyes.

And finally had a long dream without nightmares.

_________

Kunikida and Verlaine observed your sleeping figure. At this moment, all their problems disappeared. You were sleeping. And you were slightly happier. With small steps, they will help you. With small gestures and warm words.

Because you deserve every bit of happiness they can and will give you.

________

Tag list: @withered-blossoms , @myluckymoon @cocodrilofeliz @c4xcocoa @vvyeislazzy @whisperingwinters @nervousinfluencertidalwave @ayameshu

[builtbybrokenbells]

Guilty Pleasures

Due to a strong foundation of trust and a willingness to share, a situation which would normally be catastrophic, seems to turn out to be quite rewarding.

Pairing: danny wagner x f!reader, jake kiszka x f!reader

Word Count: 20.4k (i am so sorry)

Warnings: SMUT 18+, threesome, unprotected/protected sex, rough sex, anal sex, double penetration, oral (f!receiving), oral (m!receiving), face fucking, fingering (f!receiving), dirty talk (lots and lots of dirty talk), choking, biting, name calling, praise, slight impact play, daddy kink, dom/sub, voyeurism, degradation, jealousy, mentions of cheating/thoughts of infidelity, arguing, asshole/shit disturber Jake, angst, fluff, sorry if i miss any!

this is pretty much pure porn. plot at the beginning, but mostly just sex. took a break from gdw for a little while just to straighten my thoughts with it, and came up with this idea and could not stop myself from writing it. it’s super long and very lightly edited, so I do apologize for that. please don’t judge me too hard for this one 😭 as always, be kind, enjoy, and don’t mind any grammar mistakes!

also! italics are the memories/past, everything else is present! thought I’d try something new this time 😁

The chime of the bell above the door signalled the entry of the newest patron of the bar. Normally, you would have eagerly greeted whoever walked in, but tonight, you were caught up in the chaos of the already crowded room. Dollar bills were waving in front of your face, hands raised in the air to catch your attention, and the occasional shout from an impatient customer filled the already loud atmosphere. Beer bottles were flying across the sticky wooden countertop in exchange for cash. Margarita and shot glasses were lined before you, only empty for a moment before they were shoved in the proper direction, too. You were working faster than you could comprehend, barely hanging on but surviving from the thought of your coworkers starting shift in a few minutes.

You took the early shift, thinking that you could breeze through the night with minimal stress and effort. For the most part, you were correct in thinking so. Unfortunately, when the clock struck eight, the city’s nightlife took a dramatic turn. As a result, the bar was quickly overrun with guests desperate for a buzz. Some were understanding, kindness oozing from them as long as they had a drink in their hand. Others were not, but you couldn’t blame them. There were far too many people in the bar for only a single bartender, and that wasn’t really a management issue, either. You were an establishment that was plagued with long time regulars and middle aged men in search of companionship. Every now and then a group of older women would check the place out, but rarely anyone under 30. So, you were confident in saying that it was unusual for you to house so many people in a single night, let alone all at once.

You rushed through your last few customers, serving everyone who had been waiting in hopes that they would still be generous enough to leave a tip. For the most part they were, and for that you were thankful. When the last person retreated, happily sipping on their beverage of choice, you took a moment to breathe. With both hands planted on the countertop and your head towards the floor, you took a much needed minute of rest. When a body presented itself in front of you once more, you thought you might shed a tear just at the thought of fixing another drink. “What are you drinking tonight?” You asked, aiming to sound as cheery as possible.

“You don’t know by now?” At the sound of the familiar tone, your head snapped up in surprise. “I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t hurt.”

“Shut up,” you landed a playful smack on his arm, your first genuine smile of the night fighting its way on to your lips. “Of course I do.” The words fell from your lips as you reached under the counter for a glass. You scooped a few ice cubes into the cup, the sound ringing nicely to his ears. You turned, grabbing a whiskey bottle from the top shelf, wasting no time pouring a double shot over the cubes. “Top shelf whiskey, always. Doesn’t matter the price, as long as that’s where it’s from and it’s a double.” You smirked, turning to place the bottle back in its place. “Three or four ice cubes. Not enough to water it down, but enough to keep it cold.” You continued, reaching for a citrus peel neatly arranged into a spiral from a plastic container beside the glasses. “And something to make it look pretty, as long as it doesn’t change the taste.” You arranged it neatly on the rim with a hint of cockiness seeping through your pores. “And served with a smile, because that’s what makes it taste the best.” You placed it in front of him, paired with the sweetest smile your cheeks could adorn and a soft wink.

“You really do know me, trouble.” He picked up the glass, swirling it around so the ice could cool the liquid. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”

“You should be, Jacob. I wouldn’t be a very good bartender if I forgot my favourite customers’ order.” He took a small sip, fighting the urge to dish out another compliment. He knew better, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t tempted.

“Busy spot tonight,” he noted, looking around at the bustling room. The booths and tables were so full that people had taken to standing by the walls, content with being seatless and lost in chatter with each other. “Suppose you actually had to work, not just sit here and look pretty.”

“Nothing wrong with doing both.” You reminded. “Although I don’t think you’d know too much about the working class.”

“Right,” he chuckled, taking a seat on one of the stools. “But I do know a thing or two about looking pretty.” You gave him a shrug, not willing to play into his ego.

“Where’s the rest of your company tonight?” You changed topics, careful not to tread too deeply. “Not like you to stag it.”

“On their way. I’d give them about ten minutes, then I’ll worry.” He assured you. “Maybe I just wanted you all to myself for a night.” He posed the theory as if he had never divulged in the glory of seclusion with you. You ignored him, unwilling to admit that you didn’t mind him on his lonesome.

“What can I get for you, darlin’?” You asked, barely looking up from your hands.

“Whiskey, top shelf. You can pick.” The voice rang through you as if it was blessed with the grace of god himself, settling in your chest and warming your soul. You finally broke your focus from your lime cutting, curious to see if the face matched the beauty of the voice. As if it were some kind of sick joke, the sight of his face seemed even more heavenly than the sweet tone of his words. “Only a couple ice cubes, though. Don’t want to water it down too much.”

“Top shelf?” You asked for clarification. Normally, nobody even eyed the liquor that far up in fear that it would break the bank.

“Price doesn’t matter, sweetheart. Quality does.” As beautiful as he was, he did seem a tad cocky. You supposed you could brush it to the side unless it became a real problem. You scooped a few ice cubes into the cup, turning to the wall of liquor to pick his poison. You used the step stool to reach for a bottle on the far left. You brought it down with caution, returning to him with a raised eyebrow. He glanced at the label and gave a nod of approval.

“Single?”

“Always a double.” You could hear a smile hidden in his tone. You poured the whiskey over the ice, the crackle striking him with curiosity. “Ice usually goes in last, does it not?”

“Been doing this a long time,” you chuckled “tastes better this way.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” He hummed. As you turned to place the bottle back in its original place, you could feel his eyes burning into you. When you turned back to him, your suspicion was confirmed. He seemed shameless about his unwavering stare. “Got anything to make it look pretty?” You let out a sigh, pondering what you could add to it. You pulled out a citrus twist, showing it to him. “Will it change the way it tastes?” He smirked.

“Unless you’re planning on eating it, no.” You teased, garnishing the rim with it. “Probably wouldn’t be very pleasant if you did.” You passed it to him, smiling at the peculiar interaction.

“That smile will make it taste even better, though.” He noted, eyes still glued to you. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Y/n,” you said, feeling a hint of a blush plaster your cheeks. “What about you? Never seen you around here before.”

“Sweetheart suits you better.” He noted. “I’m Jake.” He replied, taking a sip of the beverage. He gave a nod of approval paired with a little smile, one that stole the air straight from your lungs. “Just moved here, thought I’d check the place out.”

“Satisfied so far?” You weren’t shy in admitting your question was laced with filthy undertones. You were certain you would let him take you right then and there with no guilt at all. He was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen, and his interest in you was very apparent.

“Incredibly,” he let out a small laugh. “What about you, trouble?”

“What about me?” You shot back, thankful that the bar was nearly empty. You thought it would be worse than torture, having to cut your conversation with him short.

“Are you satisfied, sweetheart?”

Jake was the devil in disguise, and that you were certain of. His charm was like no other, but his intentions were his downfall. He would do anything for a night of fun, but that’s where his involvement ended. He was quick with a joke, always trying for a laugh. Compliments were steadily flowing, and his gaze was always the same; attempting to undress you with his eyes alone. You were sure Jake could make a great friend if you allowed him to get that close, but it was much too risky for you to entertain. You had fallen victim to him once, and had never fully recovered. To step in time with him was assurance of certain death, and that was something you could never forget. Although beautiful, his love was not something desirable. Despite knowing that, you seemed desperate to convince yourself of the fact every time you were near him.

“Aren’t you always trying to get me alone?” You chuckled, hearing the door chime once more.

“Always trying, never succeeding.” He shrugged, taking a long drink from his cup. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“I wonder why that is, Jacob.” You rolled your eyes. The conversation came to a halt as soon as the words left your mouth. Danny, Josh and Sam had joined you two at the bar, taking a seat beside their brother while still amidst their own conversation.

“I wonder, too.” Jake said, always needing to get the last word in. You clenched your jaw, already finding yourself annoyed with him despite only being in his company for a short time.

“That’s it, beautiful. Just like that.” His desperation was evident, heavy breathing sounding through the room and staining the walls with sin. It was a sin you would never be able to forgive yourself for, one that was made in a moment of weakness and left an air of suffering in its wake. “Does that feel good?” His fingers were knotted in your hair, laced around the strands like a snake settling in for a kill. No verbal response could compare to the vulgarity of your moans. “Tell me how good it feels, baby.”

You broke your stare from his face, feeling a wave of indignation washing over you at the vile memory. It was something that plagued you, seeming to poison every pleasant thought and ruin it indefinitely. To him, it seemed like a typical Sunday afternoon activity. Jake was always dripping with sex appeal, and sex was his favourite pastime. It was a horrendous pairing of traits. He had no remorse for his actions, none at all for making you fall for him and then disappearing as if he never existed at all. You were a one night stand, and he left your apartment that night with no intent of ever speaking to you again. You were a fool for him, in love by the first touch, and you were nothing more than a conquest to him, a challenge with little significance, and you were one he proved so easily forgettable.

You never wanted to see him again, almost happy he had vanished after the initial shock wore off. You vowed if you were to see him again, you wouldn’t even cast a glance in his direction. You did well; the first few times he came back around the bar you barely even acknowledged his existence. That struck a nerve in him you didn’t even realize he could have. Emotion was very low on Jake’s list of priorities, but you seemed to invoke every single one in him. It bothered him so much that he refused to return to the bar you worked at for many months in fear of facing rejection again. He avoided you just long enough for you to meet a fantastic person, one who seemed very willing to give you the love you were looking for. One that found himself sitting in the same bar seat Jake had once sat, staring just as longingly at you as Jake did. This time, the patron was in it for more than a hookup, and had fallen for you far beyond anything Jake could ever comprehend feeling.

It was fantastic; a dream come true, even. Someone who loved in the same way you did, adorned the same outlook on life, and had the same morals and passions. It was so fantastic that it seemed too good to be true. “Hey, beautiful.” Danny leaned over the counter, placing a kiss to your cheek as you sat a beer bottle in front of him. “I missed you.”

Correction: it was too good to be true.

“I missed you.” You smiled, eyes fluttering closed at the feeling.

“Ten more minutes and you can join us on the other side.” Sam joked, eyeing the clock.

“Oh, I know. I’ve been counting the seconds.”

Jake had done such a good job at disappearing that he had dug his own grave. Instead of mustering the courage to confront you, to apologize and make amends for his actions, he gave you ample opportunity to fall in love with his best friend. As if it was some type of sick joke, a repercussion for the sins you committed with him, you had no idea that they were so close until it was far too late. You were already falling fast for the curly haired boy who appeared to be the exact opposite of Jake Kiszka. You were so desperate to purge Jake from your life that you failed to realize Danny was a sure way to allow him right back in.

“My friends are gonna join me, tonight. Is that okay?” Danny was nervous, that much was obvious. But, he was cute when he was nervous, and you couldn’t imagine why meeting his friends would cause any kind of problem.

“F’course it is, handsome.” You smiled, handing a bottle to him after ridding it if the cap. “You know, draft would be much cheaper. And better for the environment.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he smiled, finding it impossible to stop admiring you. “They can be a lot, sometimes. I just don’t want them to scare you away.” He chuckled.

“I like you, Daniel. I’m dating you because I like you, not because of your friends. Besides, crazy never really bothered me much. I work at a bar, so I’m sure I’ve met worse.” He laughed, nodding along to your words.

“Suppose I can’t argue that.” He agreed. “If you like them, we can properly hang out sometime. I just thought that if you didn’t, you could pretend to be busy with something else.”

“Thoughtful, but not necessary. I’m sure I’ll love them.” You leaned over and placed a kiss to his cheek. “You worry too much.”

“I like you, what can I say?” He smiled, appreciative of your attitude. “Plus, they keep pestering me about coming here all the time. Figured I couldn’t keep you a secret much longer.”

“Oh, so I’m a secret?” You teased, sending him a wink.

“Not like that,” he rolled his eyes, but he was laughing as he did so. “If I could, I’d keep you all to myself for the rest of my life. What if you like one of them more than me?”

“Impossible.” You assured him, sending look of finality to show him you were serious. “I’m going to clean off the booths, give me a shout when they get here, okay?”

“For a kiss,” he smirked.

“That just comes with the service.” You giggled, leaning forward and capturing him in a moment of sweetness. “That better not count as my tip.” You joked as you pulled away.

“I’ll give that to you after work.” He assured you as you shuffled out from behind the counter.

“I’m counting on it!” You replied, already busying yourself with clearing away empty bottles and glasses. By the time you finished the line of booths, your tray was full to the brim. You hummed along to the music playing over the sound system as you returned to your post, barely noticing your surroundings as you discarded the tray full of clutter. When you swung around, you noticed there were more people at the bar than there were previously. Danny had a smile stuck on his lips as he found himself in mindless conversation with his company. You even found yourself smiling, too, looking over the new faces in attempt to familiarize yourself with them.

The first two looked strikingly familiar, both showcasing features that were not only perfectly suited for their face, but also had an air of similarity. You figured they must be brothers. You and Danny had yet to discuss much other than each other, as the relationship was quite new. You were certain in its strength, but meeting friends was a huge step forward in the process of loving each other. You didn’t stare for too long, realizing that there was another friend you had yet to see. Your head turned down the line of boys, landing on someone who had already made quick work at staring at you. Your stomach dropped, quickly understanding the reason for the other boy’s familiarity. You felt like the ground was stolen from underneath you, that the universe was wrapping its cold fingers around your neck and slowly strangling the life from you. Your palms were sweaty, head spinning with no sign of stopping.

“Remember my order, sweetheart?” He murmured, glancing to his side to make sure Danny hadn’t noticed your volatile reaction.

“Of course I do.” Your words were paired with a scowl, at a loss for ideas on how to dig yourself out of the hole you were in.

You threw your apron in the laundry bin, counting out the cash tips to mark them down in the book. Once it was recorded, you let your hair down from its elastic, running your fingers through the mess of knots the nights stress had created. Once you were able to rid yourself of the aura of darkness that was looming over your head, you managed to force yourself back out into the bar. The noise was immediately overwhelming, seemingly much louder now that you were on the other side of the counter. “Whiskey sour, please.” You gave your coworker a smile, silently thanking them for showing up on time.

“You staying?” He asked, immediately springing to action at your words.

“Guess so.” You sighed, placing the change on the counter. “As if I’m not here enough.” You grumbled. “Danny thinks we should spend our free time here, too.”

“At least try to have fun,” he laughed at your grim expression. As soon as the drink was in front of you, you took a long sip.

“You too.” You chuckled, turning your head to scan the crowd. You noticed that the boys had claimed a booth in your time away, settling in with little hesitation. You walked over, grabbing a chair from a table and placing it at the end of the booth.

It had been years since you and Danny had started dating, and it had been phenomenal. You didn’t have a single complaint aside from Jake, and neither did he. A year or so prior, you had even moved in together. You adored him, and he was your whole world. You had no doubt in choosing him as a life partner, but you did wish that you had never given in to the temptation of Jake. Because even years later, he still looked at you the same way he did that first night he showed up at the bar. Even with no hint of success, or an idea that he would ever have you like that again. He was relentless, and it was excruciating.

Even as in love with Danny as you were, you couldn’t lie and say that Jake was not attractive. You had fallen into bed with him once, and for good reason. You had no desire to be with him, no need for him in any way that mattered, but he was like a parasite, begging to leech life directly from the source. He flirted as if you weren’t practically married to his best friend, as if he didn’t care about hurting him in the crossfire. You shot him down most of the time, but even the best of people had their moments of weakness. There were some nights, albeit few and far between, that you found yourself tipsy enough to entertain him for a moment before the crushing guilt took over.

Danny was not ignorant to what happened between you and Jake. In fact, he was quite aware of Jake’s intense infatuation with you. It would be untruthful to say that it never caused any issues, but there was no world in which it wouldn’t. Danny was quite trusting in you, confident in your love and knew you respected him enough to never stray. That was wholeheartedly true, and being unfaithful to him was never a thought that crossed your mind. Sex with Jake, even as mind blowing as you knew it was, was not worth risking a lifetime of love with Danny. It was futile, and you knew that one night with Jake would always be just that. He hated the thought of commitment, and would never settle down. It was not worth losing everything that Danny gave to you.

“We have to tell him!” You spat, palms landing flat on his chest and pushing him backwards. You were not one for physical violence, but Jake always seemed to bring out the worst in you.

“Fine, then tell him!” He barked back, neither of you caring about your volume or presentability. “Why does it have to fall on me?”

“Because you’re the one who started it! You finally got me to have sex with you, and then you left! You disappeared! You got what you wanted, like always, and now look at the problems it caused!” You exploded. “I’m not risking losing him over someone like you.”

“Someone like me?” He chuckled, looking at you with a fierce shield of carelessness, as if your words hadn’t cut him deeper than a knife. “Fine, we’ll tell him. I’ll go in there and tell him just how good you look from behind, or how beautiful those slutty little noises sound, especially when my name was stuck on those pretty lips. I’m sure he’d love to hear about all of that.” He smirked, lighting a fire in you like no other.

“Fine, I’ll go in there and tell him how you spent weeks getting me to fall for you. Came in here every night so desperate for attention that you couldn’t leave until we kicked you out. You wanted me so bad that you drank us out of liquor, and when you finally had me, you broke my fucking heart. Would you like me to tell your brothers, too? ‘Cause I can talk all night about how terrible of a person you are.” His eyes changed; the defensive nature he previously held was obsolete. He knew he had done wrong, but he had no idea how badly he truly hurt you. He was at a loss for words, so he said the only thing he believed held any meaning.

“I’m sorry.” He muttered. The cold air of the night was nipping at the tip of your nose, but the wind hitting you was unable to compete with the slap of his pathetic apology.

“Fuck you, Jake.” You shook your head, grimacing at the thought of him being apologetic about his actions. “I’m telling him. I really like him, and he deserves the truth. Dishonesty isn’t really my thing, even if it is yours.”

And tell him, you did. It was a tearful confession, an admission of guilt for something you didn’t really need to be ashamed of. He was almost too understanding, showering you with comfort when you felt like he should have walked out. It did sting for him to hear, but he was not willing to blame you for a choice you made months before ever knowing him. His willingness to accept you as is was more than enough for you to fall in love with him. He appreciated the truth, and from there on you two had built a loving life with each other. The thought of Jake was less daunting and more manageable. For the first little while, Jake backed down with the understanding that he was in the wrong. He allowed you to live your life, pretending as if he never knew you until Danny introduced you to each other. It was the amicable thing to do, but unfortunately Jake had no idea how to maintain that outlook. It only took a few months before his insufferable personality made its inevitable return.

“You’re quiet, tonight.” Danny nudged you, sending a soft smile your way.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. It was a long shift. I’ve never seen it this busy in here.” You said, taking a long drink from your glass. It was nearing the end, and you were itching to go for another one, just to escape Jake’s burning stare for a moment.

“That’s okay,” he placed his hand on your knee under the table, sending a jolt of comfort through you. “We don’t have to stay out for long.”

“It’s okay,” you assured him, placing your hand atop of his. “We can do whatever. I’ll be happy as long as I’m with you.” He gave you a lingering stare, one that told you he felt the same way, but he wasn’t sure if he completely believed you.

You weren’t certain as to why Jake was bothering you so much more as of recent. Bothering was not the proper term, really. He never bothered you; his advances were not uncomfortable or troublesome. Infuriating by times, yes, but he was harmless in every sense of the word. He was affecting you more, and that was a strange feeling. You had spent the last few years managing to ignore almost every sly pass or risky comment. It had become routine, Jake capturing you in a moment of seclusion and doing his best to make your loyalty falter. It was always the same story; a few eye rolls, a scoff, and maybe even a playful shove that had incredible amounts of hidden frustration behind it. Jake was the master at flirtation, and you had mastered rejection. It grew increasingly easier over time, and now it was barely a chip off your shoulder. The beginning proved tough, but you persevered to a point where it barely bothered you in any way that mattered. Lately, it seemed like it was more impactful than your typical game of cat and mouse. His touches held more emotion, lingering for a moment too long. His eyes held unspoken words, and his moves were no longer meant to maim; they were aimed to kill.

You found yourself playing into him more, entertaining the idea before ultimately shutting it down after the crushing guilt took over. You would never do that again, and even more so, you would never do that to Danny. You repeated the mantra in your head until the words seemed to bleed from the walls. As firm as you were on your stance, Jake had a devastatingly intoxicating attitude, and you weren’t a stranger to his temptation even long after his initial strike all of those years ago.

“Making drinks even on your days off?” The dulcet tone caught your attention, unexpected and causing you to stutter with your movements. The bottle of vodka moved off target and caused a small spill on the table. You didn’t look up to the perpetrator, no need to see him to know who it was.

“You know me, live to work instead of work to live.” You chuckled. It was true; you were so invested in working that a social life had never been a priority for you. Money was a wicked motivator, and even if the bar was not typically bustling, your regulars were quite generous with their tips. You’d been working at the same bar since you had moved out of your parents house and you had no imminent plans to leave. The owners were nice, they had given you a promise of a manger’s position if you ever wanted it, and you thoroughly enjoyed your coworkers company. The wages weren’t awful and the tips were great. You saw no issue with working, and made it a point to do it as much as you could.

“Makes me think that you don’t want to be at home.” Jake theorized, taking a step closer to you as you swiped away the spilled alcohol. “Is everything as fantastic as you make it seem, or is being tied down not all it’s cracked up to be?” He was beside you, now. His charm was radiating from him, inviting you in without you even noticing how badly it burned. You could feel the warmth from his body slowly surrounding you, a feeling that you hadn’t experienced in a long time. You finally looked towards him, trying to maintain some semblance of passiveness with his advance.

“I’m quite content, Jacob.” You said, holding his stare with no intention of backing down. “Makes me think that you’re projecting.” He let out a chuckle, shaking his head at your need to argue.

“Was just a thought, sweetheart.” He looked towards the table. “Is it such a terrible thing to be worried about a friend?”

“Considering you and I are far from friends, and I know you’re not worried about anything other than sex, yeah.” You also looked to the table, pouring the mix into the three glasses before you. You placed straws in each of them, giving a slight stir as you did.

“I didn’t know it was a crime to enjoy sex.” He shrugged, a smirk toying at his lips.

“It’s not. Think lots of people do.” You snipped, looking towards him. “It’s a crime to want it from your best friends girlfriend.” He chuckled, shamelessly enjoying the fire in your tone.

“Not if I had you first,” he reminded, thrilled by the shift in your expression. Talk of what came before Danny had been strictly forbidden, and you both had done well adhering to it after the initial blowout of the truth. His hand slipped to your waist, fingers dangerously dancing close to parts of you he was no longer allowed access to. The tips of his fingers settled just near your ass; not close enough for an offence, but clearly toying the line between right and wrong.

“That never happened, Jake. Remember?” You prompted him to recall the harsh boundaries you had put in place months prior.

“Oh, I remember,” he smiled, pulling you in to him a little closer. “I think about it all of the time. How could I forget?” It was clear that the two of you were not speaking about the same memory. There was no space left between your bodies, your chest pressed to his and his lips hovering over your own. “Do you remember?”

“Jake,” you warned, knowing that this was far beyond any level of comfort for anyone. He was pushing every possible boundary, and you weren’t sure if it was because he wanted you, or if he just wanted to see you crack under the pressure. Most of the time, anything Jake did seemed more like a punishment or a test rather than anything positive. You wanted to believe he was genuine, but you knew him to be sly and willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted. You could feel him pulling you in despite both of you being as still as possible. It was just how he was; his eyes were inviting, as was every other physical aspect of him. The only deterrent was his personality, and even that wasn’t completely horrible by times. But it was a trick, as it always was, and as much as your body wanted to fall for it, you knew it was more than wrong. It was despicable.

When his nose was touching yours, brushing together with a million sparks of electricity, you finally came back to reality. You raised your hand, pressing it flat to his chest and pushed him backwards. You were livid at yourself for allowing him to get so close, but even angrier at him for trying so hard to make you fall for it. “What’s wrong, sunshine?” He smiled. The air was still laced with notes of whiskey. It radiated off him as if he used it as holy water. At one time, the scent was alluring, deadly when mixed with his cologne. Now, it seemed repulsive. “Not even once, for old times sake?”

“Never again.” You snapped, unwilling to believe that he truly thought you would agree to his request. “You’re hammered.” You noted, feeling the choke of tears in your throat. “Go home.” The regret for even allowing him near you was debilitating.

“All alone?” The smirk he held was infuriating.

“Go home, Jake.” A third voice broke through the tension in the air. You both turned to the entryway of the kitchen, seeing Danny standing with his arms crossed. He didn’t seem angry, more like he just wanted to put an end to the chaos and move on. Jake raised his hands in surrender, casting one more sideways glance at you before shuffling towards the door.

Sam sat a third drink in front of you, prompting you to utter a small thank you for his kind gesture. You were already tipsy, before you even joined them for a drink you could feel your head swirling from exhaustion. Alcohol certainly did not help you wake up, nor did it help the incessant memories from the past. You wasted no time bringing the straw to your lips in attempt to wash down the bitter aftertaste of remembering. You closed your eyes, desperate to focus on anything other than the ache of knowing Jake in any other way than surface level. Even the burn of the whiskey was preferable to the burn of him.

“Maybe you should slow down, baby.” The concerned tone was less of a comfort and more like a stab to an already open wound. You set the glass back on the table, eyes flickering to your boyfriend. You bit the inside of your lip, trying to focus on him and him alone. You could feel Jakes eyes searing into the back of your skull, begging you to look at him instead. Had it been a battle for affection, a challenge of courtship, you could be more sympathetic for the boy, but everyone was painfully aware that Jake was not after you with intentions of marrying. Sure, he liked you, but it was in a way that only Jake could comprehend. To everyone else, it seemed like he viewed you as a conquest, thinking he would have gratification like no other if he was able to steal you back for just one more night. It was vile, and no matter how much you tried to stop it, it only seemed like he was even more mesmerized by you.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry.” You nodded, fidgeting with your hands on your lap. You looked guilty, even if you had nothing to be guilty about. There was never an instance between you and Jake that Danny was unaware of. He was the first to know, and he knew it all. Perhaps your guilt was not accredited to your night spent with Jake, but rather your deepest desire for the chance again. It was horrendous to even consider it, but Jake was unlike anyone else. Again, you had no desire to be with him in any way that mattered, and in truth, sex did not necessarily matter. At least, not in any way worthwhile. You knew that you were undeniably attracted to Jake, and you likely would jump at the opportunity to have sex with him again, as long as it didn’t hurt anyone else. Knowing that it was implausible to invite Jake in without disaster, you shoved that idea as far down as humanly possible. For a long time, it never seemed to resurface, but every time he attempted to ignite the old flame, it seemed to push forward a little more. Tonight, it was impossible to ignore.

By times it seemed like guilt was the only emotion you knew how to feel. Guilt for past mistakes before Danny ever came in to your life, and for being in his life after said mistake. Guilt for giving into his temptation, even if it was just slightly, and even more so for rejecting him while knowing you would accept if the circumstance were different. There was no possibility you could bring the idea up to your boyfriend, and you weren’t sure if you even wanted to. The desire was strong, but not nearly enough to risk losing everything. Instead, you opted to suffer in silence. It was always better that way, anyway. A problem could only be true once it was spoken into existence.

You knew you were incorrect about all of your conclusions, but you chose to continue on the path, anyway. It didn’t matter if you kept it silent; Jake Kiszka was very much a problem, and that would never go away unless it was dealt with directly.

Perhaps it was the decade of friendship that made the predicament so troublesome. You would never bring the situation to an ultimatum, mostly because it was wrong to make him choose between you two, but a small part of you was afraid that you would not win that battle. Your relationship was strong, and had been since the very beginning, but you were unsure if you could compete with a lifetime of friendship, nor the bandmate bond. Jake was going to be a part of Danny’s life indefinitely, and not just in a social setting. They were family, coworkers, and friends. You knew that if you wanted to be in his, too, you would have to learn how to cope with the reality.

“You okay, trouble?” Josh smiled, pointing his gaze at you. You gave a nod, trying to look as pleasant as possible. Even the sound of the nickname made your stomach churn, even if Josh used it in a much better way than his brother did.

“Oh, yeah. Think I just need to get out of the work zone and into the fun one.” You chuckled.

“So what’s with that, anyway?” You asked, handing the whiskey glass to the boy in hopes that you would be lucky enough to brush fingers with him. Any contact was worth the world, even if it was minuscule.

“What?” Jake grinned, doing just as you hoped he would. As he received the glass, he let his fingers rest on yours for just a second too long.

“Why do you call me trouble?” You laughed, unsure of where his nickname originated.

“Oh, I forgot your name. Had to think of something on the spot.” He joked, taking a sip of his drink and watching for a reaction. You rolled your eyes, knowing very well that it was a lie. “You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?” He sighed, leaning in a little closer.

“I would appreciate it.” You gave him a sweet smile, coaxing the answer from him.

“It’s my indirect way of saying I like you, sweetheart.” He hummed, eyes never leaving your face. He was revelling in the blush that dusted your cheeks. “Plus, a girl as beautiful as you is nothing but trouble.”

“Don’t flatter me, Jacob.” You brushed him off, but felt yourself leaning closer to him over the bar top.

“But it’s my favourite thing to do.”

“I’m going to grab another drink.” You announced, standing as you looked over the table. “Anyone else?” All of the boys put in their orders, thanking you for the offer. Just as you were about to turn, Jake stood, too.

“You’ll need someone to help carry them,” he said in response to your pointed stare. Without argument or agreement, you turned and walked towards the bar. You didn’t have to see him to know he was following; you could feel it. You took post at the bar, waiting for the bartenders to come to you. Jake joined you, wasting no time placing a light hand on your back. “What’s bothering you, sweetheart?” He asked, voice low enough so only you could hear him.

“I’m just peachy, Jake. No need to worry.” You grumbled, pulling out your card to pay for the order.

“For some reason, I don’t think that’s true.” He also pulled out his wallet, ready to race you for the bill. “Usually you already would have threatened to throw a drink at me. Tonight, you won’t even look at me.”

“It would be a waste of a perfectly good drink.” Your response was short and sweet, clearly showcasing your desire to end the conversation.

“Have I got you that bothered, tonight?” You could hear the smirk in his tone before you even looked at him.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” you scoffed, finally looking over to meet his eyes. The sight of his face was enough to make your heart skip a beat, so beautiful that it was almost haunting. The parallels of the two universes were debilitating when you thought about them for too long; one in which Jake would trip over himself to flatter you, and one where you would kick him to the ground before he could try.

“Don’t have to; you do that for me.” His smirk turned into a smile, his hand still lingering on your lower back.

“How many times do I have to tell you this is never going to happen?” You sighed.

“When you actually mean it.” He chirped back, wasting no time.

“I think I’ve been pretty clear.” You argued. “You know, like the the million other times I’ve told you.”

“Right,” he nodded, but mischief was dancing in his eyes. “So you don’t like it when I stop by to see you before everyone else? Or when I tell you how pretty you look?” He chuckled, already knowing the answer. “I think that you do like it, just not when Danny’s around.” And he was correct, as disgusting as it was. You had said a million times that you didn’t care for his antics, but he could see the dishonesty as if it were written all over you and stamped on your forehead in big, red letters.

“I think that you should learn how to listen, Jacob.” Even as you spoke, you could feel yourself leaning into his side ever so slightly, wordlessly inviting his attention and touch.

“I’m listening, y/n.” He assured you, mouth leaning in closer to your ear. You were enveloped in a cloud of alcohol, both of your inhibitions lowered and the primal pleasure from the touch was undeniable. “I’ll listen to you all night, if you’ll let me, but I don’t think you’ll be doing much talking.”

“Jake, I’m in love with your best friend.” You reminded.

“I’m not asking you to be in love with me.” He said, lips barely hovering over your ear now.

“This is wrong. You have to stop.” You muttered, but the warning was feeble, barely any strength behind it. He had finally gotten ahead, and he was relishing in his victory. “He’s your best friend, Jake. This is despicable.”

“Fine,” he seemed like he was going to bargain, but knowing Jake, his bargain was not worth the time or energy. “If you won’t let me take you home, you can go over there and bat your eyes, give him a sweet little smile, and ask him if he’ll let me join.” The idea struck you like a blow to the gut, settling in your bones and engulfing any existing thought in your brain. It seeped under your skin and into your veins like poison, diluting any healthy rationale and suffocating any moral. You had been so volatile at the thought of Jake that it had never even crossed your mind to think of that possibility. He could see it in your eyes, the flash of excitement at the suggestion. “See? I knew you didn’t mean it, trouble.” He tightened his grip on you slightly as he watched the elation deflate from your eye. He wasn’t suggesting it, he was only offering the idea to prove his point. “You want me, but you don’t want to hurt him.”

“Yeah, because the only use I have for you is sex. I’m in love with him.” You snapped, furious that he had played you in such a way.

“That’s all I wanted to hear, sweetheart.” He grinned. “But, if you do want to ask him, I don’t mind sharing.” He hummed. “I’d do anything to have you, again.”

“Fuck you,” you brushed off his comment, turning to the bartender and ordering the list of drinks that the others had requested.

“You’d like to,” he teased, paying for the order before you could even think of doing so. He gave you one last smile before grabbing two glasses from the counter and making his way over to the table. You tried to satiate the bubble of anger as you waited for the rest of your order, but it proved nearly impossible. You walked back to the table with a sour taste in your mouth and an overwhelming urge to go home. Worse than anything else, when you returned, the distant pained look in Danny’s eye made the interaction all the more disturbing. He knew, like always, and there was no way to hide it. When you looked to him, he averted his gaze towards Sam, who was sitting on the other side of him.

“I don’t know what to say, Danny!” You exploded, tears prickling your eyes. “I love you, and I want to be with you. Always have, and I’ve known that from the minute I met you.”

“I feel that way too, so I just don’t understand what’s so special about Jake! If you want to be with me, and you love me so much, why does it seem like you cling to the attention from him?” He ran a hand through his hair, not wanting to be upset with you but having no other way to express his feelings.

“If I could have it my way, I’d never speak to him again! I never wanted to, and then I started dating you and he magically appeared!” You tried to word your frustration as best you could. “I’m not trying to entertain him, but it gets a little hard to ignore him when he’s always around and doesn’t want to leave me alone!” You took a seat beside him at the table, silently begging him to look at you. “Danny, you have to know that I would never do that to you.”

“I know!” He snapped, causing you to recoil from the harshness. He finally looked up at you, remorse evident in his eyes. “I’m sorry, y/n. I know you wouldn’t.” He assured you. “Do you have feelings for him?”

“No, baby.” You reached out for his hand. It was not a lie; you did not have any romantic feelings or anything of the sorts when it came to Jake. You were attracted to him, and you knew that he knew as much. You didn’t have to remind him. “I only feel that way for you.” You assured him.

“It’s just hard, y/n. He looks at you sometimes and I wonder… I just wonder when the day will come when he finally grows up and realizes that he wants to settle down, because I know you’ll be the only person he’s looking at.”

“Jake will never grow up.” You shut that idea down, both of you quickly realizing how blasphemous it sounded. “And it doesn’t matter if he’s looking at me, because I don’t want that with him. I had feelings for him a very long time ago, and he hurt me really bad. There’s no part of me that feels like that way for him, now. I fell in love with you, and fell for a reason. I want you to know that you’re the only one who has my heart.”

Danny was fidgeting with his hands, a sure sign that he was upset. You couldn’t blame him; if it were the other way around, you would be, too. You wished you knew how to ward off Jake for good, and in turn suffocate any of the remaining sexual desires for him. You hated that amidst the struggle, Danny felt hurt enough to doubt your love for him. Of all the things that you have felt, or imagined about Jake, they didn’t hold a candle to Danny. Under the table, you reached out for his knee. You rested your palm on his leg, thumb gently running over the fabric of his jeans. You could feel him relax under your touch almost immediately. His eyes flickered towards you, seeing the sincerity in your face almost immediately. He leaned back in the booth and slipped his hand atop of yours, a silent show of affection.

You motioned your head towards the door, pleading with him for a moment alone. He nodded, standing first and allowing you to lead the way. You both headed outside, hand in hand with no regard for anyone else at the table. When you broke out onto the patio, the cool evening stung your skin. You were almost nervous to look at him, unsure of what to say. “I know you’re attracted to him, y/n. It’s not a secret.” The words weighed you down as if you were buried in cement.

“I don’t love him, Danny.”

“No, but you do feel something for him.”

“Not in any way that matters.” You took a step towards the wooden fence of the entryway. He followed, looking down at you as he took your side. “Not in any way that compares to you.”

“I know.” He assured you. “Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.” He shrugged.

“I know.” You felt your chest ache at the proclamation of pain. That was something you never wanted to cause him. “I don’t know what to do. He’s… persistent.”

“Yeah, always been that way.” Danny explained. “Guess it didn’t matter as much before because I’ve never loved someone as much as I love you.” You looked to the ground, the weight of shame making it impossible for you to look at him. “Look, I’m not mad at you.” He said, his hand snaking around your waist. “I knew that this would always be an issue, but I love you enough to work through it.”

“I don’t think that’s fair, Danny.” You sighed, closing your eyes at the feeling of his touch. It was the most comforting thing to ever exist.

“Listen, you’ve never actually done anything with him, have you?”

“Of course not.” You shook your head, unable to imagine betraying him in such a way.

“He’s a dog, and I’m sure you know that. I’m not really worried that you’ll leave, or anything like that. I think maybe in the beginning I was, but I know that after this many years, if something was going to happen, it would have happened already.” He pulled you into him, allowing you to rest your head on his chest without actually having to turn to look at him. “I don’t think you slept with him and then got with me as revenge. If so, you’ve played a fantastic game.” He laughed, and you did too. “You’ve told him him to back off, and I have, too, but I don’t think he would have stuck with it if he didn’t believe there was a chance.” You closed your eyes, bracing for the impact of a breakup. You wouldn’t blame him if he did. “It’s okay to be attracted to him. You’re human, and it’s a normal human thing. I also know you enough to know that you wouldn’t have gotten with him at all if you never felt anything for him.”

“It doesn’t make it right.” You were fully willing to take blame, to understand that this was a despicable thing for you to be feeling.

“No, but what I’m saying is, I continued to date you knowing the history. Still do. You were always honest with me. You’ve never lied to me, and I respect that more than anything else. I see you two together; I know that spark is there. I’m not going to punish you for that because you’ve never tried to hide it or lie about it. It’s normal for you to be attracted to people, and it’s normal for me to be hurt about it. But I think our spark is a hell of a lot bigger, and I love you far too much to not try and work this out.” You finally felt a tear slip from your eye as you wrapped your arms around him.

“I wish I never met him. I wish I could have met you, first. I don’t want to feel this way.” Your words were muffled from your face being buried in his chest, but he got the message. He held you to him, placing a kiss to the top of your head.

“I know, and part of me does, too.” He whispered. You both sat there, holding each other in hopes that it would take all of the bad away. “I think that you need some sleep, because I can see how tired you are. We can figure out how to get through it, and I know we can, but it should be in the morning.” He said, cupping your cheek in his hand and guiding your head up to look at him. He swiped away the tears with his thumb, giving you a small smile to let you know he meant everything he said.

“I don’t deserve you.” You mumbled, completely lost in his eyes. The more you stared, the more things seemed to feel better. He was home, and he always would be. He was the love of your life, and you were more certain of that than anything else. “I’m sorry that I caused this. I wish I could go back in time and make some different decisions, maybe we wouldn’t be here.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t know you at all.” He theorized, and that was the worst thought of all. “It’s been four years, bug. We can make anything work. I know you love me, and I trust you; I always have.” he leaned down and placed a kiss on your lips, the feeling more soothing than any words shared.

“If it means I get to keep you, I’ll never look at him ever again.” You swore to it, knowing deep down that when it came to your relationship with Danny, you would go to the ends of the earth to salvage it.

“I don’t think we’ll have to go that far.” He chuckled, placing another kiss to your lips. “And you do deserve me. I know that you do, because after four years, you’ve never given in to him. If he flirted with me like that, I’m sure I would’ve cracked by now.” At the thought of it, you both dissolved into a fit of laughter. “Jake has always been Jake. I think he feels like he lost, and he never really got over it.”

“He did lose,” you laughed “if it were ever a competition between you two, he wouldn’t have even made it to the starting line.” You leaned up for another kiss as you finished, so incredibly grateful to have someone so understanding. Danny was the best in every sense of the word, and you had known that long before that night.

“I think after so long of you brushing it off and telling me it was okay, it was just routine. At first, him and I had plenty of words and none of them were polite. After a while, I saw that you could handle your own, and you always told me not to worry or fight with him. I trust you, but I probably shouldn’t have been so passive about it.” He explained. “If I ever thought he pushed it too far, or if he had made you uncomfortable, I would have killed him. Still would, actually. But you always seemed to laugh it off. Every time I mentioned it, you never seemed to care about him flirting, just about hurting me. I think we’ve all known for a long time, and I think that it just became so normal that we chose to ignore it.”

“Jake never bothered me.” You shrugged. “He’s harmless, and I know that. Think everyone else does, too. He just loves to flirt, and he loves attention. Sometimes, it’s actually kind of funny to see him try so hard and make a fool of himself. I care about Jake as a friend, and I do quite like him for company, but I guess I never wanted anyone to fight about it because I knew he could never be you. I think we all just let it go too far without talking about it.” You said, allowing your fingers to dance with his. Your eyes scanned his face, noticing how beautiful it looked in the dim moonlight. You felt stupid for ever having a shred of attraction for Jake, because Danny was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen, inside and out. You had the world in your hands, and you took it for granted. “I never wanted to hurt you. I never want to hurt you. You’re the most important person in my life, and I love you with every ounce of my being.”

“I love you, and I know you love me. I know we love each other enough to make anything work.” You knew he was right, because there was nothing you wouldn’t do to keep him by your side.

“Thank you for being the best.” You whispered. “And for wanting to work it out. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“I know you will.” He placed a kiss to your head. “You don’t have to thank me for anything.” You rested in his arms for a moment, and the longer you spent there, the more things seemed to look up.

“I’m gonna head home. I think I need to go to bed.” You told him, pulling back slightly.

“Do you want me to come with you?” He said, looking down at you with concern.

“No, please stay and enjoy the rest of your night. I ruined it enough already.” You shook your head. “I’m just going to take a shower and go to sleep.”

“I’d enjoy it with you, too, you know. And you didn’t ruin anything.” He told you, looking more serious than he’d ever been.

“I know, baby.” You assured him. “I’ll be okay. Go in and have a few drinks, and have fun. I’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready to come to bed.” You smiled, standing on your tip-toes to place a kiss on his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you.” He hummed, stealing one last kiss before you made your departure. “Call me if you need me, or even if you just want to say hi.”

“You know I will.” You gave his hand one last squeeze before taking a step away. He blew you a kiss before you turned out of sight, and as always, you pretended to catch it. He only went back inside once you were out of sight.

Luckily for you, your home wasn’t too far away from the bar. You normally walked to and from work, and it was almost your favourite part of the day. It allowed you a few moments of peace, and you could decompress from any of the day’s excitement. As you made your way down the street, you felt the weight on your shoulders lift. You felt better knowing that Danny was aware Jake was no more than a guilty pleasure, and that he was the love of your life. Part of you still felt dirty for even feeling as such, but the knowledge that you were both willing to work through it was more important than anything else. As you tumbled up your porch stairs, you wasted no time unlocking the door and bustling inside. You were eager for a shower to wash the stress of the day off, and your stomach was begging you for a bite to eat.

You kicked your shoes off and immediately went to the kitchen. You rustled around in the fridge before you found leftovers from last night’s dinner. As you warmed it up, you unbuttoned your jeans and slipped out of them. You placed them on the back of a chair and made a mental note to throw them in the laundry basket later. You ate in silence, enjoying the sound of nothing after hearing the constant buzz of a bar for hours on end. You threw your dishes in the sink and made your way upstairs to the bathroom. After you showered, you felt like a brand new person. You took extra time to do your skincare routine, and blow dried your hair before climbing into bed. The sheets were welcoming, still lingering with the scent of Danny’s cologne. When you nestled your head in the pillows, you were surrounded by the smell of his shampoo. It was the epitome of comfort, and you wished you never had to leave. It didn’t take too long until your eyes grew heavy, and the thought of sleep was too tempting to resist. You pulled the blankets up to your chin and drifted off into a slumber.

When you woke, it was still dark outside and the bed was still very much empty. You thought it was strange, figuring Danny would be back and asleep long before then. You rubbed your eyes, looking to the alarm clock on your beside and noticing that it was well into the night, now. You figured that Danny was the safest with his brothers, and you need not worry about someone over a foot taller and much stronger than you. You were about to close your eyes and fall back to sleep, but you heard the distant shutting of a door and muted chatter. Danny must have invited the boys over, which he so often did. You figured now that he was home safe, you could sleep soundly.

You settled back into the pillows, lax against the mattress and welcoming of any slumber that was willing to come to you. The sound of the same chatter began to fill the hallway, striking you as something even more strange. If you were sleeping, Danny aimed to keep the house as quiet as possible. It was unlike him to be speaking so loudly, especially so close to the bedroom. You sat up again, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Before you could even think to speak, or stand and confront the disturbance, the door of the bedroom creaked open. The chatter was obsolete, now, and the hallway light pooled in through the opening. You saw Danny, immediately prompting a smile on your face. Once he saw you were awake, he took a step inside. “Hi baby.” You crooned, excited that he was home. He didn’t respond, just took another step further into the room.

Behind him was another body, one that you couldn’t recognize through the darkness. When he turned and the flash of light reflected off the walls just right, your stomach dropped. “Hello, trouble.” You could hear the smirk in his voice.

“What’s…. What’s up?” You looked between the two boys, unsure of how to react to the situation.

“Mind if we turn a light on?” Jake asked. “Hard to see your beautiful face when it’s so dark in here.” The words settled in the pit of your stomach, making you unable to form a coherent response. Even in the simplicity of the statement, the tone of his voice alone sent a rush of arousal straight to your core. You were too close to sleep to have any inkling of right or wrong.

“Y-yeah,” you stuttered, looking to your boyfriend for an answer. Even in the minimal light, you could sense an air of mischief on his features. You shuffled around, searching blindly for the lamp on your nightstand. Once you located the switch, you flicked it on. A soft yellow hue decorated the walls, illuminating both boys in all of their beauty. “Better?”

“Much.” Jake smiled, but it was all but genuine. You weren’t sure if you were in a dream, mind crazed from the days whirlwind of events and fabricating some sort of twisted narrative that you wished was real. Although you seemed awake, the haze of dream and imagination nowhere in sight, the situation seemed too odd to be true. You watched the two, curious as to what they were doing, and even more so about what they were thinking. If you were in reality, they were acting more out of character than they ever had before. “Did you get some sleep, sweetheart?” Jake questioned, eyes lingering everywhere except for your own. He looked as if he was already imagining what lie beneath the mountain of blankets.

“Yeah,” you nodded, figuring the best way to find out what was happening was to play along.

“That’s good,” Jake nodded, looking to his counterpart. “You’re definitely going to need it. Long night ahead.” He gave another smile, but this one radiated excitement. You looked to Danny, silently pleading with him for an answer.

“What?” Danny asked, tone only moderately harsh. You could tell the softness was dancing behind his eyes, waiting to be seen. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” He took a step towards the bed.

“What is this?” You pried, unable to answer without more information.

“Come on, sweetheart. You’re smarter than that.” Jake urged you to answer your own question. You looked between them, studying each of their expressions for a moment. When you did, your eyes widened, mouth slightly agape in shock. You recognized both expressions far too well, and one was something you hadn’t seen in a very long time. “There you go.” Jake gave the small utter of praise, happy you were on the same page.

“I figured if you want him so bad, I’ll let you have him, but I’ve gotta have my fun, too.” Danny murmured, also looking at you with a hunger in his eyes you had only seen a few times. You were gazing at him in wonder, as if he’d given you the gift of life, unable to imagine a better way to rid yourself of the horrendous things you were feeling about Jake. “That sound okay to you, baby?” He asked, moving to your side. He looked down at you, the streak of dominance that he had a tendency for was incredibly apparent. As he waited for a reply, there was no doubt in your mind that he was more than serious. It was grievous, the fire dancing in his pupils. There would be no backtalk, no bargaining, nothing of the sorts. He was kind enough to let you have a taste of your own guilty pleasure, but it was under his authority. He was in charge, and you didn’t have the power to be anything other than obedient.

“Yes, daddy.” You spoke, in utter awe of the power he had over you. Jake looked to Danny, his expression showing nothing short of elation at the sound of your words. Danny took a glance over at him, a small smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. You could smell the alcohol from both of them, understanding that within their drunk ramblings, you must have came up in conversation. In attempt to settle the score, this was their conclusion.

“I told you.” Was all he said.

“Told him what?” You squeaked, almost embarrassed at your own willingness to submit to him.

“I told him all about you, baby.” He assured you. “Told him how well you listen, and all about how much of a whore you can be.” The ache between your legs was growing more intense by the second, still unable to comprehend the situation you had found yourself in. “But he’d know all about that, wouldn’t he?” His comment was snide, but you didn’t let it bother you. Your eyes flickered to Jake, a nervous jitter rushing through you. You were quite familiar with Danny’s character, and when the whole thing was over, he would go right back to the sweet boy you saw most of the time. He reached out, grabbing your chin in his hand and guiding you to look back at him. “I’m talking to you, not him.”

“Y-yes,” you nodded, agreeing with his statement. “He does.” You felt no shame in it, now. What was usually the elephant in the room was now nothing more than a driving force for the nights events.

“It was so good that you’re still thinking about it, yeah?” You nodded against the force of his hand, a small noise of confirmation sounding from your chest. “Better than I can make you feel?” He raised an eyebrow, but in no way were you willing to engage in his trap with both of them holding so much authority over you. “He’s going to get you off, and then we’ll see if you can give me an answer.” Your cheeks burned red, now nervous at the thought. You knew that Danny and Jake had likely discussed this in depth before coming home to you, but you weren’t sure if Danny really knew what he was getting himself into.

“I-I don’t-“

“What?” He snapped. “Been inviting him in for years, but now you’re too shy?” He taunted. “All talk, no action?” He could see the spark of indignation in your eye, happy that he’d pressed the right button. “Don’t worry, I’ll get my turn, too. So, you just keep your mouth shut and do as you’re fucking told.” He said, no debate about the matter.

“Okay,” you agreed, eyes never once straying from him. Although you had desperately wanted a moment like this with Jake, you still seemed to be plagued with guilt over the matter even with Danny’s explicit permission. He noticed it in your eyes as he moved to sit on the chair you had placed beside the bed. When you put it there for the intent of reading, you surely never thought it would be used for such a vulgar showing.

“It’s okay.” He assured you, his tone much softer than it was a moment before. “I’m okay.” You were both locked in a staring contest, but as he uttered the profession of comfortability, your worried gazed turned into a silent profession of love. Under the hard exterior, he let a loving smile peek through. You let out an exhale, content with knowing he was okay. With that, you turned to look at Jake, unable to deny the flutter of excitement in your belly. When he saw the hopeful gleam in your eyes, he couldn’t help but smile down at you, too.

“Never thought I’d get to see you like this again, trouble.” He stated, taking a step towards the edge of the bed. You sat patiently, waiting for an order from him. Although long ago, your night spent with him left you aware of his love for control, too. “Are you going to be good for me, too? Listen to me just like you do for him?”

“Yes, sir.” You nodded, entranced by the thought of him touching you again. He took a deep breath, the sound of the words washing over him like a shower of relief. He was more than thrilled that you had remembered him so well, thrilled that after so many years the experience for you was still so memorable in your mind.

“Come here, angel.” He beckoned you towards him, expecting immediate action. You slipped out from under the blanket, rising to your knees and moving towards him on the bed. When you were within arms reach, he cupped your cheek in his hand, peering down at you with adoration. He wasn’t shy to admit that he was elated to have you again. As much as his tirade was about mischief, the need to make you admit you wanted him, it also had a lot to do with his own need for you. He leaned down, wasting no time in pulling you into a kiss. It was hungry, desperate to make up for years of abstaining from the feeling. His other hand found your hip, fingers inching under the t-shirt that was covering you.

The sensation was unexplainable, the pleasure derived just from kissing him was overwhelming. Paired with the feeling of his hands on your skin, it was driving you insane. He used his wrist to hold up the fabric as his palm drifted towards your ass, he let his hand rest there, the cool metal of his ring he adorned on his finger sending a shiver through you. His grip was tight and showcased exactly how excited he was for the ability to have you again. He broke from you but didn’t move too far away. His nose was still ghosting over yours, almost as if he was scared you would disappear if he moved too far away. “Seems like you were waiting for us,” he noted, his finger slipping under the thin material of your underwear. “Were you hoping that we would come and take care of you?” He cooed, his sympathy clearly false as his lips drifted towards your jaw.

“G-god yes,” you let out a shaky sigh as his lips ghosted over your neck. He was making it a point to show you how well he remembered the sensitive spots, finding them with ease in hopes you might let a moan slip past your lips. He’d been yearning to hear it for so long that he wasn’t sure he could wait any longer.

“Let me take this off, angel.” He hummed, letting his hands snake under your shirt. As if the realization truly hit you as to what you were doing, you froze at the request, quickly looking to Danny with a hint of panic in your eye.

“It’s okay, baby.” He said, noticing your worry. He was sitting in the chair, observing the sight without a worry in the world. “This was my idea. I’ll tell you if I’m uncomfortable.” He said, hoping to crush your fear once and for all.

“Let me take care of you,” Jake said, also attempting to ease your worry. You looked back to him, giving a slight nod. With that, you allowed him to slip your shirt over your head. The cool air hit you immediately, but Jake was quick with his hands to warm you back up. His thumb brushed over your nipple, the light touch sending a jolt of electricity through you. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to see you like this?” He asked, taking a moment to admire the sight before him. You bit the inside of your lip, nervous about being on display for both boys at once. “It was terrible, only being able to dream about it.” He muttered, leaning forward for another kiss. Perhaps it was because of the incessant need for him that had been eating away at you for months, or maybe because you were finally realizing that he wanted you just as bad, but you were a mess before he even took your clothes off, and you were desperate for him to keep going. He pulled your bottom lip between his teeth, gently biting down as his hand continued to explore your breast. The friction from the pad of his thumb was delightful, even if he was barely touching you. You let a small moan slip into his mouth, immediately sending him into euphoria.

“Did you miss me?” His fingers trailed down your torso, ticking the skin as he familiarized himself with you.

“Yeah,” you admitted, all sense of shame disappearing long ago. He moved back slightly, ridding himself of his shirt.

“Let’s get rid of these, okay?” His fingers slid under the side of your underwear, pulling it back and releasing his hold so it snapped back against your skin. You nodded, laying back on the bed and removing the flimsy fabric from your body. Jake moved towards the side of the bed, casting a sideways glance at Danny as he did so. “If you ask him nicely, do you think he’d give us some alone time?” Jake smirked, raising an eyebrow at you as he asked. “You always seem to get your way.”

“Watch it.” Danny warned, clearly not a fan of his joke.

“Just thought I’d try.” Jake said, brushing off the harsh reaction.

“Can’t perform under pressure?” The snide comment was used for show, Danny making it a point to let Jake know that he was not the one in charge of the situation.

“Feeling left out, Daniel?” Jake asked as he undid his belt buckle. “Jealous, maybe?”

“Haven’t really seen anything to be concerned about, yet.” The argument only proved that Jake was invited over solely for the sake of you. After four years of strictly monogamous dating, Danny never seemed to have an interest in sharing you with anybody. You knew he would never do anything that would put a strain on your relationship, or anything that he was blatantly uncomfortable with, but you were certain he was likely struggling a little bit with the situation. When you turned to look at him again, his eyes didn’t seem angry at all; he was relaxed, sitting as if this was a normal occurrence. You realized then that Danny wasn’t worried at all about competing with Jake, because he knew there was no need. He just wanted Jake to know that the situation was reliant on his generosity, and he could put an end to it if he wanted to do so.

When you looked back, the comment seemed to spark a flame in Jake’s eyes. One that spoke loudly about his love of competitive sport, and to him, this was exactly what the situation was. He opted not to respond, instead climbing into bed on the opposite side of you, ensuring Danny had a perfect view of what was coming next. You watched your boyfriend for a moment, searching for any signs of discomfort, but he was perfectly pleased with watching you fulfill your fantasy. You assumed it was because he knew that Jake would only have you for a moment, and he was promised a lifetime. Danny was never one for jealousy, and it was evident that not even in this situation did it bother him. The conversation you both shared earlier had allowed him to settle any fear and open his mind to possibility. Jake and Danny had shared an in depth discussion before even uttering the idea of him joining Danny. Rules, boundaries, and the knowledge that if someone was uncomfortable at any point, it would be over. The harmless banter was inevitable, but they were both on the same page; they were in it to please you, and that was it.

Jakes hand slipped between your legs, his fingers immediately running through your folds to gather the arousal he’d been causing you. As if it was something he did so often, something he knew so well, his fingers immediately found your clit. He traced circles into the sensitive bud, sending a rush of emotion through you. It had been so long that you had almost forgotten how fantastic it felt to be touched by him. He kept the pressure light, but his motion steady. He barely had to do anything to pry a moan from your lips. “Just like that?” He asked, looking over your face with a distant longing behind his eyes. “Does that feel good?”

“So good,” you breathed, eyes fluttering closed. You could feel his erection strained against his jeans, begging for any type of relief. You were eager to touch him, almost more so than you were for him to touch you. From what you remembered, Jake was not one to take things slow, but you wondered if he was pacing himself in fear of crossing any boundaries. He had spent years pining after you, always being shot down and eventually he had to understand that he would never get an opportunity to be with you again. Now that you were here, with his hands on you, and his name rolling so beautifully from your tongue, he wanted to savour it.

He increased the pressure, gaze never faltering in hopes to sear the memory into his brain forever. You let a gasp out, your hips raising from the bed to meet the movement of his thumb. He gave you a small smile, content at the reaction. “Give him a show, sweetheart. Make some noise, thank him for being so kind.” Jake purred, eyes flickering up to Danny for a moment. Your eyes followed the same direction, catching your boyfriends gaze just as Jake slipped a finger inside you. You held his stare, feeling a moan rise in your throat. You weren’t sure if it was from Jakes movement, or the carnal desire that was written all over Danny’s face. His jaw was hard set, chest heaving with his breath, but his eyes were not angry; they were half-lidded, clouded with enjoyment from the sight.

Jake gave a slight curl of his fingers as he began pumping them into you, his thumb drifting over your clit each time. The feeling was intense, only made worse when he leaned down to pull your nipple into his mouth. Your pleasure was impossible to hide, the work Jake was doing was intensified because you had the opportunity to watch Danny. With his eyes locked with yours, you felt a great need to reach out and touch him. You thought he looked quite lonely, and you were overwhelmed with the desire to have him, too. He noticed the look you were giving him, quite elated at the knowledge you still wanted him even with Jake so accessible to you. You saw him palm himself through his jeans, clearly worked up and desperate for relief, too.

Jake let his teeth sink into your nipple, just slight enough to catch you off guard. Although he would never admit it, he did feel a spark of jealousy upon noticing your disengagement from his actions. He sped his fingers, pulling you back into a cloud of euphoria. Your eyes fluttered closed, your head resting back on the pillow as your mind swirled with the threat of an orgasm. Abruptly, he stopped his movements, violently tearing you away from the dream-like state. You turned to look at him, barely catching his eye before he was slinking downwards on the bed. He settled between your legs, guiding one over his shoulder. You let a sigh of delight out as he brought his mouth to your cunt, running his tongue through you to get a taste of his own hard work.

“F-fuck,” you gasped, his tongue making quick work at circling your clit. Your hand instinctively reached for his hair, fingers tangling in the roots and giving a slight tug every time he hit a particularly pleasant spot. He added his fingers to you, resuming his earlier pace. You were thrown into a whole new dimension of bliss, already close to a climax with little effort. His tongue was just as devilish as his personality; every move was calculated, aimed for maximum impact. He was desperate to get you to an orgasm, needing it more than he needed water to survive. His own enjoyment was almost overshadowing yours, every now and again he would let out a moan against you just to show you how happy he was to be of service to you. “Jake, m’gonna cum.” You warned.

“Look at me.” Danny spoke, now. The order ran through you, his voice sending a new type of pleasure through you. You let your head fall to the side, more than willing to follow the order. The look of longing in his eyes was stronger than you’d ever seen from him before. It was strong enough that it immediately sent you over the edge upon noticing it. Your climax hit you hard, all of your muscles tensing as you let out a slur of moans and curses. The walls were decorated with your sounds of pleasure, the memory sinking into the foundation with intent to stay forever. The obscene display was almost too much for Danny to sit through, his need for you too great to be ignored.

“Taste even better than I remember, sweetheart.” Jake’s voice echoed in your ears, but you were too far gone to cognitively understand what he was saying. You barely had time to come down before Danny was on his feet, barking an order at Jake to get up.

Your head was spinning, trying to focus on something other than the residual energy of your orgasm pulsing through you. At Danny’s request, Jake stood without argument. Your orgasm was glistening on his chin, adorned like a trophy of his most proudest moment. Without another word, Danny stripped himself of his clothes and took the position that Jake had previously held. He wasted no time, immediately placing soft kisses to the inside of your thighs in attempt to convey his love for you. Danny was not jealous of Jake because he was pleasuring you; he was just eager to do it himself. “I told you I’d get my turn, baby.” He mumbled, lips still ghosting over your skin. Jake was watching you, almost seeming unsure of what to do with himself. “Do you want me, beautiful?” His fingertips grazed the outside of your thighs, selling on your hips in a firm hold.

“Yeah,” You nodded, reaching out to cup his cheek with your hand. You let your thumb drift over his cheek, showcasing the love you had for him in the small gesture. He turned his head slightly, placing a kiss to the pad of your thumb.

“I want to hear how bad you want it,” he muttered, his voice low and his order clear.

“Please, daddy. I need you. I need you so bad.” Your shameless begging was put to good use, as usual. Danny was always willing to give you what you wanted, but there was a few things he liked hearing. You were never one to deprive him of his desires, mostly because they were few and far between. He let out a hum of satisfaction, pleased at the sound of your words.

“Okay, baby.” He sighed, as if your begging was tireless and brutal. He was so quick to give in to you that it even bothered him, sometimes. “You know I’ll always give you what you want.” He was inches away from you now, so close that it was near painful to wait any longer. “But you have to take care of him, too, since he was so good to you.” Without looking up, Danny nodded his head towards Jake. The thought was thrilling, to be used by both boys however they wished. You thought that there was no better idea in the world. Your eyes fluttered towards Jake, looking expectedly at him, as if you were waiting for him to tell you what he wanted. The expression was crippling for him, the innocent aura engraved into your face tainted with your willingness to do whatever he pleased. “Show him what a good little whore you can be.”

“Yes, sir.” You breathed, nearly vibrating with excitement at the thought of Jake taking the rest of his clothes off.

“She always been this obedient?” Jake asked, a hint of humour in his tone.

“Took a while,” you could hear the smirk in Danny’s voice without even looking at him. “But I think it paid off.” You bit the inside of your lip, holding back any snide comments you wanted to convey about his jabs. You knew better, and in truth, he wasn’t lying. It was very rare for you to talk back in the bedroom, and even more so for you to contest his authority in any way. Danny was so kind and catering in every aspect of every day life, but during sex, his kindness was limited and his word was final. You learned quite quickly that if you chose to challenge him, it only made it harder for you to get what you wanted.

Jake hummed an agreement, an unspoken praise for Danny’s work. As he unbuttoned his jeans, Danny prompted you to shift closer to the edge of the bed. Jake kicked the rest of his clothes to the side, uncaring about where they landed. The sight of him naked began to form another knot in your belly, promoted without any touching at all. Jake was gorgeous, and it seemed like he had only gotten more so over the years. “Open,” he commanded, stepping closer to you. You did as he asked, turning your head to the side and opening your mouth, welcoming him to do as he wished. At the same time, Danny lowered his mouth to your cunt, resuming what Jake had been doing earlier. Jake wasted no time thrusting into your mouth, immediately letting out a hiss of pleasure. He started at a slow pace, not wanting to push you too far too soon. You let out a moan, muffled by his cock in your mouth. It was your way of telling both boys you were more than content with the current situation.

Danny slipped his fingers into you, curling them to hit the spot he’d grown so familiar with. Jake was phenomenal, but it was no comparison to your boyfriend. He had spent nearly half a decade memorizing every like and dislike, and undoubtedly had the power to bring you to an orgasm in seconds. Both sensations were equally intense, Danny’s tongue was focused intently on your clit and sending waves of pleasure through you, while the knowledge of pleasuring Jake was euphoric all on its own. Jake let out a groan, unashamedly admitting his enjoyment as he began to move his hips a bit faster. You closed your eyes, aiming to keep your breathing steady and your body relaxed.

“Fuck, y/n.” Jake hissed, his head falling back as he spoke. “Look so pretty with my cock in your mouth.” His words sent another rush of arousal through you, seeing every nerve on fire. The praise was heavenly, so good that you realized you could survive off the sound alone. The position you found yourself in was more than just unexpected, but something you never would have imagined possible. Although your processing of the information was difficult, it was incredibly welcomed. Just because you had never thought it possible did not mean you hadn’t dreamed of it a time or two. You almost felt in debt with Danny, knowing that his permission and kindness had given you something so fantastic. You weren’t sure if you could ever thank him enough.

You let out another strangled moan as Danny’s fingers hit the perfect spot, sending another wave of pleasure throughout your body. Paired with the feeling of his tongue, you were dangerously close to the edge once more. You couldn’t verbally warn him, but he knew the signs all too well. His fingers were searing into your hips, holding you to him as he let out a hum, just to let you know that he knew you were close. It was a permissive gesture; he had no intention of stopping or withholding anything from you. Jake was lost in his own world, barely able to comprehend the feeling of fucking you again, even if it was only your mouth. He was hoping you would finish soon, just so he wouldn’t have to pull away first. Danny felt you tense under his hold, now speeding his movements in hopes to bring you to an orgasm. Although he didn’t find himself jealous that Jake was touching you, he did find himself envious that he wasn’t the one behind the moans falling from your lips. He was eager to please you, wanting the gratification of your orgasm like he needed it to survive.

“Are you gonna cum, angel?” Jake managed the words out through gritted teeth, still blissfully lost in the feeling of your mouth. You looked up to him, both of you knowing that you couldn’t respond. He smiled down at you, liking it much better that way. Instead of tormenting you further, he continued to fuck your mouth so you couldn’t get the chance to speak. You watched his face, in awe at the beauty of his expression. Although the scene was far from graceful, he managed to encase gracefulness despite the lack of it within the room. You felt the knot in your belly tighten to a point of no return, and without further warning, another orgasm washed over you. Your muscles tensed as your eyes squeezed shut, and your moans, although silenced, filled the room. Both boys were elated at your performance and were more than ready to move on to the main event.

Jake pulled back from you, letting out a sigh of discontent at the loss of the feeling. “Good to know that you can use your mouth for more than just back talk.” His voice was hoarse, strained by his own need for you. He was eager to fuck you, so much so that he wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait.

“You want him to fuck you now, baby?” Danny asked, mouth still hovering over your cunt. If he could have his way, he’d stay between your legs all night. If it were any normal day, he would have. Your eyes flickered towards him, unsure of how to answer. “It’s okay, you can say it.” His gruff tone made him seem more confident than he truly was; in fact, this was the part he had been dreading all night. Everything that had happened so far was fine, and he was more than willing to admit that he didn’t mind sharing you at all. In the previous context, at least. He’d been struggling with the idea of Jake fucking you, and he was nervous about the possibility of you enjoying it more than you enjoyed him.

“C-can…” you trailed off, looking between them both. You were anxious to speak, not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. That was the last thing you wanted to do, especially after both of them being so good to you.

“It’s okay,” Jake said, joining in on the conversation. “Whatever you want.” You nodded, knowing that it was likely painful for him to say that. It was vicious, Jake’s need for control in the bedroom. You’d only been with him once, but you remembered it well. For Jake to take the lowest rung of the ladder and realize he had the least important opinion was likely very hard for him to comply with. But it didn’t seem like he had any disdain on his face, nor any trouble with accepting it. In truth, it didn’t bother him at all. He was just elated to be there.

“Can you fuck me?” You asked Danny, a hopeful gleam in your eye. His fear of being obsolete was diminished within a second, the question settling over him like a warm embrace.

“That’s what you want, sweet girl?” He crooned, fighting back a grin.

“Yes, please.” You assured him, the corner of your lips turning upward into a soft smile.

“We can do that,” Danny breathed, rising to his knees. “Come here.” He held his hand out for you. You took it, making a move to sit up. You shuffled to your knees and he immediately brought his hands to you, fingers dusting across your skin as he pulled you into a kiss. He was ecstatic at your question, but he didn’t have to say it for you to know. He was worried that you would rather fuck Jake, but the whole ordeal had only seemed to make you fall in love with him more. He was a phenomenal partner, one that loved with his entire heart and soul. You had nothing to ever complain or worry about with him, and the fact that he was willing to potentially risk his own comfort to give you something you wanted was something you could never expect from him. But, he had done it valiantly and with no hesitation, and he seemed to be enjoying it, too. Your guilty pleasure had opened your relationship to a whole new world of possibilities.

He pulled away, moving to the other side of the bed. “Come here,” he beckoned you towards him. You didn’t need instruction to know what he wanted from you. You kneeled in front of him with your back to him. You placed your palms on the edge of the bed, giddy with excitement. His hands took to your waist, and you looked up a Jake with a hopeful expression. The look alone could have sent him to his knees. “Are you going to be good for us, baby?” Danny asked, lining himself up with your entrance.

“Yes, daddy.” You were quick with a response, eager to continue. “So good, I promise.”

“That’s my girl,” his words came out in more of a growl. Jake took a step towards the bed, gently grabbing your face in his hands.

“You tap my leg if you want to stop.” His order was firm. “Even if you just want me to slow down. I want you to be comfortable.” His eyes showed heaps of concern as he spoke. You barely knew Jake to be caring, but perhaps in the years of lusting after you, he had grown quite fond of you. You thought it would be hard not to, even if you were a heartless creature. You wouldn’t describe Jake as heartless, but definitely careless. His affection was much different than a typical persons, but it was still phenomenal, nonetheless.

“Yes, sir.” The words sent a shiver down his spine, thrilled at the thought of fucking you again. He didn’t even care about penetration; he was more than content with the idea of your mouth for the rest of his life. Danny and Jake shared a look, both agreeing that they could continue. Without any further hesitation, Danny pushed himself into you. You let out a groan, already overwhelmed by the feeling. You didn’t have time to think much about it, because Jake had snaked his hand toward the back of your head, grabbing a fistful of your hair. He held your head in place as he brought his hips forward, resting the tip of his cock on your lips as he waited for you to open your mouth. You didn’t make him wait; your lips fell open, an invitation for him to continue as he pleased.

Danny started slow, his thrusts steady but not powerful. Jake was the same, both of them wanting you to get used to the feeling before pushing you any further. Their caution was endearing, but you were too far gone to care for it. You pushed yourself back on Danny, a silent show of your desire for more. A fire flashed in his eyes, the movement sending him into a state of ferocity. His grip on you tightened, and the power behind his hips increased. You let out a moan, the tip of his cock slamming against your cervix as he fucked you. The vibration from your moan sparked the same reaction in Jake. Both boys quickly realized that you were perfectly happy being used by them, and they were happy to utilize it. Jake held your head steady as he set a pace with his own hips, the first moment of sweetness quickly replaced by primal desire.

Jake hit the back of your throat, the feeling coming as a shock to you. Your throat constricted around him as you fought back a gag, but it only drove him further. Danny was lost in you, unable to find any more worry. He brought his hand up and landed it with a sharp smack on your ass. The lingering sting from the impact was irritating, but pleasurable all at once. Your fists were gripping the edge of the mattress, holding on tightly as you bounced back and fourth between the two. “Such a good little whore,” Jake hissed, his grip in your hair tightening further. “God, you take it so well.”

“Feel so fucking good, baby.” Danny agreed, the praise from both sides almost too much to bear. Danny reached around your waist, bringing his fingers to your already sensitive clit. He traced circles as he fucked into you, holding you firmly with his other hand so you could keep your balance. The speed at which Jake was thrusting into your mouth was almost too much to keep up with, but the beautiful sounds that he was singing were all the motivation you needed to keep up with him. Tears were stinging your eyes, falling and making a mess on your cheeks. Every so often, the urge to gag was too strong to hold back, but you persevered mostly because of the pleasure you were receiving from your boyfriend. Your skin was tingling with the threat of another climax. The release you needed was urgent, but you had no way to express it to him. Instead, you let out a slur of muffled noises in hopes that he would recognize the message.

Thankfully, Danny knew you well enough to recognize any message you were trying to convey; he could read you like a book, even in his sleep. “Cum for us, baby.” He demanded, but he was pleading with you. He couldn’t keep up the pace much longer either. His own orgasm was close, too. Jake was on the same page, noticing the state of both of you and recognizing it was similar to his own.

“Cum all over his cock, angel. Show him how good it feels.” Jake joined in on the fun of encouraging you. They had stopped viewing the night as a competition, and rather as a team effort. His words settled in your stomach like iron, the weight too heavy to withstand. He slowed his hips slightly, respectful enough to let Danny take over for a moment. Danny noticed his withdrawal, taking the opportunity to pull you back on him. As he did so, Jake pulled out of you entirely, wanting to give you two the moment of intimacy. Now, with the freedom of your voice, you let out a cry of pleasure. The moan tore through your chest, coating the walls like an obscene decoration.

“Fuck, Danny.” You croaked, unable to find the energy for anything more than that. Within seconds, you descended into another orgasm. Your limbs were trembling, threatening to give out from underneath you. Danny held you up, making sure you knew you were secure as you rode out the high. When the intensity began to fade, he slowly withdrew from you. His chest was heaving, but less from lack of oxygen and more from his carnal need for you. He caught eyes with Jake, sharing a silent thank you for his kindness in letting you two share each other for a moment.

“His turn, baby.” He spoke lowly, now understanding that he would be more than selfish to deprive Jake of an experience like that. His fear was satiated, no more anxiety about losing you or being forgotten. He was aware that there was never a need for the worry to begin with, but your performance and enjoyment spoke louder than any verbal reassurance. Jake looked to Danny as if he granted him the opportunity of a lifetime. Before anyone moved, Danny quickly glanced towards the table by your bedside. He moved towards it, rummaging through the drawer before finding a condom. He flashed it towards Jake, who reached for it with no hesitation. You were all under the same knowledge that Danny called the shots, and you were both more than willing to comply.

Jake slipped on the condom, immediately taking to you to help you stand. With his assistance, you steadied yourself on your feet. He guided your chin upwards and brought you into a kiss. Your hands landed on him, holding him to you in hopes the moment would never have to end. Years worth of pent up frustration and desire was all fizzling away to a dramatic end. When you had imagined the lifetime of torment to be over, you never thought it would be in such a fantastic way. No guilt, nor shame. It was the best possible outcome for a normally grievous situation. He parted from you, but ultimately leaned in for one more kiss. The temptation was too hard to resist. Once he managed to will himself away from you, he took a seat on the edge of the bed.

Danny moved to join you both, standing in front of you in anticipation for the next move. Jake guided you backwards towards him, slowly bringing you down to meet him on the bed. He lined himself up with you and used a hand on your shoulder to pull you down on him. Immediately, he let out a sigh of satisfaction. He had no way to express his gratitude for being granted the opportunity to have you again, so he opted to show you, instead. He used his hands on your hips to set a pace, prompting you to eventually take over. “That’s it, angel.” His mouth was just next to your ear, his breath tickling your neck. “Waited so fucking long for this.” He purred, happy when you continued to grind your hips down on him. “Be good for him, sweetheart. Treat him the same way you did for me.” He ordered, placing a kiss to your shoulder. “He’s been so good to you, letting you be a little slut. Thank him for it.” He let his teeth sink into the same spot his lips were kissing you.

The position was much more gentle than the last, allowing you to recover from the roughness. You looked up to Danny, giving him a smile that was all but sexual. It was your way of saying I love you without having to speak it. Your eyes told him all he needed to know. Danny brought his hand to your face, wiping away any tears still littering your skin. He gave you the same smile, both of you caught in a wordless conversation that was dripping with affection. Jake slipped his one of his hands to your front, fingers settling on your clit. He traced slow circles, causing a whimper to fall from your lips. His other hand came up to your throat, his fingers wrapping around it like a snake going in for a kill. You gave Danny a few innocent bats of your eyelashes, inviting him in with vulgar intent. You opened your mouth as Jake’s grip on your neck tightened. Danny moved forward, and you bent down slightly to meet him.

Danny let you set the pace, understanding that as bad as he wanted you, there was a lot of stimulation on you. You brought him into your mouth as you moved your hips on Jake. You took him as far as you could, feeling him slide down your throat. The pressure from Jake’s hand made it all the more pleasurable for Danny, the already constrained space becoming all the more apparent. Danny let out a groan as you bobbed your head down on him, gradually increasing your speed as you worked. Jakes fingers were working tirelessly at your clit, his own moans filling the air as you came down on him. He had his forehead rested on your back, eyes screwed shut in pleasure as he attempted focus his attention to his hands.

Jake shifted slightly underneath you, allowing him to reach a little deeper into you as you gyrated your hips. The new sensation caused a moan to tear through you. The vibration caused a stutter in Danny’s slow movements, the sensation almost bringing him to an orgasm. All three of you were desperate for a release, but both boys were aching for relief. As much as they loved pleasuring you, they were dangerously close to the edge. Your head was swimming, swirling with lack of blood-flow, which only made the pleasure all the more intense. Jake could feel you tense against him, your walls constructing around him, the feeling sending him into a frenzy. He let out a raspy moan, the sound shooting through you as motivation. You had never once imagined Jake could sound so desperate, so needy for someone or something. To know that it was for you was one of the best feelings in the world. His fingers tightened around your neck once more, the blood supply cut off completely. Danny took it upon himself to pick up his own pace, a slur of curses falling from his mouth at the tightness of your throat.

Without warning, another orgasm took hold, seizing every inch of your body. You wanted to cry out, to scream in response to the overwhelming amount of pleasure, but it was as if your brain short circuited. You couldn’t focus on a single thought; you were completely lost within both of them. Jake let out a growl, finding it near impossible to stop himself from orgasming at the sight of the state you were in. He held on just long enough for you to regain your mind, and he loosened his hold on your neck. Danny pulled back, also dangerously close to cumming. The two boys looked at each other, sharing one single coherent thought. They had no idea how they were going to end the night, and they weren’t sure if they even wanted to.

“What do you want, angel?” Jake said, holding your hips so you wouldn’t continue your movements. “How do you want us to finish?” Danny was appreciative that Jake asked, because they both knew it was in their best interest for you to decide. You lifted your head, a mess of spit decorating your chin and more tears prickling your eyes. You looked exhausted, barely able to hold yourself up, but you knew you wanted them to finish, and you knew exactly how to do it.

“I want…” you trailed off, taking a long inhale to slow the spinning in your head. “I want you both.” The boys shared a look, wide eyed and in shock at the idea.

“B-both of us?” Danny stuttered, unsure if he heard you right. “Like, to fuck you?”

“Mhm,” you hummed, unable to speak from the sheer excitement of the thought.

“Are you sure, trouble?” Jake’s comment proved that he had been yanked out of the cloud of sex, his rationality returning to him momentarily. “Don’t do it just because you think that’s what we want.”

“Im sure,” you nodded “that’s what I want.” A rush of excitement ran through both of them as they glanced at each other. Danny immediately went back to the night table, grabbing a bottle of lube from the drawer. With a small smirk on his lips, he tossed it to Jake.

“You heard her.” He said, knowing that you would never suggest it if you weren’t comfortable.

“Has she… I mean, have you?” Jake asked, still processing the request. Danny gave him a nod, answering any questions that he had with one swift motion. As if he wasn’t shocked enough, the thought settled in his bones like lead. After a few seconds, a smirk began to grow on his lips, too. “Kinky little thing,” he noted “sounds like I really missed out.” Danny’s apprehension of Jake’s smart comments had completely disappeared. This time, he found his words almost comedic. Jake helped you to your feet once more, immediately prompting you into Danny’s arms. “Guess we have to give the lady what she wants.”

Danny leaned down, placing a kiss to your lips. As he did so, he placed his hands on the back of your thighs and scooped you up as he straightened his back. You instinctively wrapped your legs around him, holding on to his arms for support. Jake moved closer, his chest pressing against your back. You leaned into him, accepting his presence with warm welcome. “I’m going to go slow, okay? Tell me if you’re uncomfortable.” He explained. You gave a nod, already aware of the process. After four years, you and Danny had grown quite experimental in the bedroom. The only shock was that it was somebody other than him doing it. Jake placed a few kisses to your exposed neck, starting his exploration with his hand. He started with his finger, slow and cautious in fear of making you uncomfortable. The feeling was new, something you didn’t experience all that often, but it was enjoyable. You let out a whimper, closing your eyes and eager for him to continue. Jake locked eyes with Danny, both sharing a silent agreement of comfortability.

With Jake’s support, Danny slipped his arms under your thighs as you leaned back into Jake. When Jake felt you were comfortable enough, he moved his hand to allow himself access to you. Danny used one hand to line himself up with your cunt, and Jake did the same with your ass. “Ready, baby?” Danny asked.

“Yeah,” you sighed. Danny moved first, slowly pushing inside of you. Jake was more hesitant, but gently brought his hips forward. When he didn’t hear a single utter of discomfort, he continued. When both boys were inside of you, you let out a sigh of relief at the feeling of fullness.

“This is what you wanted, angel?” Jake murmured, already victim to the pleasure. “You just wanted to be a whore for us? Let us have you however we wanted?”

“Yeah.” You gasped, pivoting your body slightly to wrap an arm around Jakes neck. Your other hand was holding Danny’s shoulder, keeping yourself anchored in place as they began to move.

“Is it everything you dreamed of, baby?” Danny asked, matching his movements with Jake’s. They weren’t moving fast, but they were pulling you down on them as they moved, increasing the pressure building in your belly.

“God, yes.” Your head fell back, lost in the feeling of both of them inside you.

“It feels so good, doesn’t it?” Jake growled, his fingers digging into your hips. “Tell us how good it feels.”

“S-so good.” You whined, squeezing your eyes shut. The feeling was transcendent, more powerful than anything you had ever experienced. “It feels so fucking good.” You couldn’t contain your moans any longer, every sound that was begging to come out did just that, painting the room with sin. It was pornographic, the scene absolutely vulgar, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. The obscenity was fantastic, and you never wanted to leave the moment. If you could, you would have stayed there and fucked them for the rest of your life, just like that.

Both of the boys had been teetering the line of their own orgasms for the entire night. They had no idea they would enjoy the evening as much as they did, and they too were dreading the inevitable end. As much as they wanted to climax, they weren’t willing to do so without one last orgasm from you. “Can you give us one more, sweetheart?” Jake hissed, picking up his pace. Danny followed suit, using his strength to pull you down on them.

“You can do it, baby. I know you can.” Danny encouraged you, hopeful that you could do as they were asking. Most of it was due to his need for you to be fulfilled, but some of it was because he was scared he couldn’t hold himself back any more. “You’ve been so good for us, just keep it up for a little bit longer.”

“So proud of you, angel. Doing such a good job. Taking it so fucking good.” The combined praise was exhilarating; you had never felt so appreciated by anyone in your entire life. “One more, beautiful. I know you have it in you.” Jake pleaded.

“Fuck!” You exploded, the word followed by a guttural scream of pleasure. You couldn’t bite back the sound; it tore through you with a ferocity you had never felt before. “I’m gonna,” you assured them, a long jumble of curses flowing from your mouth, following the statement. Jakes hands were burning into you, Danny’s grip on your thighs tightening even more. They aimed to keep their movements synchronized, not wanting to jeopardize your ability to climax. The muscles in your abdomen tensed, your grip on them growing stronger as the burning in your belly reached its peak. You let out a shriek of euphoria, every nerve in your body ablaze with the relentless pleasure. You felt like you were ascending to another dimension, completely unaware of anything other than the feeling of them inside you. Your body was exhausted, and your mind was, too. You were completely fucked out, and they knew that. Before you came down, they both let go, too.

The room was filled with filthy sounds, swearing and slurs of names. The climax was intense for everyone, nobody could comprehend the emotion of the high. You all floated back to reality together, sleep calling to you before the bliss even came to an end. Euphoric was not a strong enough word to describe the feeling lingering throughout your body. After a moment of rest, both boys carefully withdrew from you. You all shuffled to the bed, Danny laying you in the nest of pillows and blankets, his body radiating with an air of love. They shared a look, scared that they might have pushed you too far, but after a moment, a smile began to creep on to your lips.

“How was that, angel?” Jake asked, hand resting on your thigh as a loving decoration.

“It was… phenomenal.” You breathed, finally able to sort your thoughts. “Just… yeah. Phenomenal.” You reiterated your point. They both let out a chuckle, happy that you were content and feeling the same way. “So, did you guys just decide this at the bar? Friendly talk over a few beers?” Their light chuckles turned into full laughter at your question.

“Think the thought was bouncing around for a while. Time was finally right.” Danny said, collapsing beside you.

“Saw that look in your eye when I brought it up, earlier. Couldn’t really resist that.” Jake added, thumb brushing over the skin that was littered with finger shaped bruises.

“I don’t mean to sound greedy… but was that a one time thing, or…?” You trailed off, finally opening your eyes to look between the two. Jake looked to Danny, knowing that he had the ultimate say in the matter. After a moment of silence, Danny gave a shrug.

“Suppose we could try it again, sometime.” He smirked. “If it would make you happy. You know I’d do anything to make you happy.”

“I wouldn’t mind that.” You confessed, a smile breaking out on your lips. “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Jake said, adding a touch of humour to what would normally be an awkward moment. The aftermath should have been dripping with an uncomfortable nature, but it seemed perfectly right. There was no discomfort present at all. You rested your hand on top of his, giving it a gentle squeeze. You reached your other one out to Danny, lacing your fingers together.

“I do think it’s bedtime, though.” You stated, feeling a yawn start to surface.

“Right, we did interrupt, didn’t we?” Danny asked.

“Glad you did.” You hummed.

“So, what now? Do I get to sleep in bed, too?” Jake joked.

“Not a chance.” Danny shook his head, paired with a laugh. “Sorry, man.”

“Have some hospitality,” Jake feigned offence, but his smile told the joke for him. “Couch?”

“Definitely.” You and Danny mumbled, already feeling sleep settle in your bones.

“Understood.” He stood, giving your leg a gentle squeeze. “Hope you’re not too sore in the morning, trouble.” He said before gathering his clothes and disappearing into the hallway. Once he was out of sight, Danny pulled you into his arms.

“I love you,” he mumbled.

“I love you.” You said, relaxing into his hold and resting your head on his chest. “More than anything.” You placed a gentle kiss to his chest. “Thank you, baby. I don’t even know how to tell you how fantastic you are.”

“Like I said, bug. Anything to make you happy.” And he meant it; if allowing you access to Jake every now and again meant that he could keep you happy and have you forever, he would. It was something he could learn to live with, because he knew deep down that Jake was just a guilty pleasure, and he was the love of your life.

[sarcasticgaypotato]

The Best Solution

On cold, clear nights that bathed the world in pale blue light, Chell turned her chin up and looked at the sky.

She was not afflicted with the condition known as ‘sentimentality,’ no matter how many scorch-marked, heart-adorned metal cubes got thrown her way and left behind in fields of wheat a hundred miles away. But the ravaged surface world offered her little (save for her own freedom) and the nights were as quiet and lonely as the days, just without an excuse to fill her time by finding something to busy herself with under the light of the sun.

So, she looked upward and let her mind wander.

Every streak of a shooting star she hoped was a certain circular heap of scrap metal finally burning up in the atmosphere.

“Let go! I’m still connected. I can pull myself in.”

Of course he could. If she had given him half a chance, he would’ve pulled himself back in just fine—and let her fly off into space without a second thought if it would save his own steel.

The cold vacuum of space. When she closed her eyes, Chell could still feel it in the wind that tickled the stray hairs on the back of her neck, in the cold that stole the breath from her lungs as she gasped it. That rush of weightlessness, her eyes watering and freezing her eyelashes together, and that pit in her stomach that said, after everything she had survived, this might be it.

She stared up at the moon; a pale white beauty, once near enough for Chell to reach out and touch, now as distant as ever. A sliver in the night sky, it grinned down at her with a smile that knew the taste of her fear. An untouchable queen who would have her head, if she had her way. Chell would have called it as familiar as it was deadly, if not for one thing that nagged at her mind as she stared, lost among stars and memories alike.

This was always the point in her late-night stargazing that Chell started scratching absentmindedly at her wrist, where the phantom burn of cold metal claws still seared into her skin.

Chell never fell for any of GLaDOS’s tricks; she knew her too well. That hate was familiar, expected. Working together in Old Aperture was a surprise only for a moment; it was logical if they wanted to survive. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, or “Everybody likes revenge,” as a certain someone had put it. 

She trusted GLaDOS’s intelligence enough to know that she would play nice for as long as they had a shared goal, and for as long as Chell held all the power. Don’t bite the hand that holds your consciousness trapped in a potato battery, or something like that.

Chell had even been fairly confident that after they beat Wheatley (she never had any doubt that they would), as long as she kept her guard up and an eye on her, GLaDOS wouldn’t risk betraying her. The world’s most intelligent lifeform had finally learned that Chell wasn’t worth crossing—it only took two losing battles for the lesson to sink in.

GLaDOS would keep her end of the bargain as long as it was convenient to do so. That was why Chell couldn’t make sense of what happened. No matter how many times she replayed those seconds in her head, watching her own memories in slow motion as GLaDOS knocked Wheatley free of the chassis and sent him spinning into space, robbing Chell of her only anchor to Earth. 

Freefall. 

Could you call it falling without gravity? Spinning, flailing, her body wrenched outward, seconds away from dying in space, embarrassingly outlived by the very same moron who was responsible for this whole mess. In the second that she had to process her impending death, Chell took a small hint of satisfaction in knowing that at least she took him down with her. Sure, the lack of air wouldn’t kill him as quickly as it would her, but he was far from a self-proclaimed king of Aperture out here. He was nothing but a hunk of junk destined to get knocked around by asteroids like a pinball. At least GLaDOS had a death worth bragging about under her non-existent belt; Chell had blown her to bits in what she would humbly call ‘a spectacular fashion.’

GLaDOS. Was her last thought before unconsciousness took her going to be about GLaDOS? How apt. GLaDOS would’ve loved to hear that, not that Chell would’ve ever told her, even if she had the chance.

She wouldn’t have the chance. She wasn’t supposed to.

When Chell felt that familiar metal claw clamp around her wrist, the first thought her fading consciousness could conjure was that GLaDOS wanted to be personally responsible for flinging her out into space, maybe so she could get a good spin on the throw. The realization that GLaDOS was pulling her in, back towards Earth, to safety, was one that proved entirely too much for her oxygen-deprived brain to process. So, she passed out.

GLaDOS could have done nothing at all, and Chell would have died. If she wanted the satisfaction of doing it herself, she could have crushed her under a metal plate or thrown her in the incinerator while she was unconscious. Instead, GLaDOS saved her life, watched over her recovery until she awoke, and then … let her go with only a bit of theatrics and nothing else. 

She pinned the blame on Caroline and made a big show of deleting her, neither of which Chell believed for a second. That golden eye took her in, unflinching, with the same inscrutable expression before and after the automated voice cheerfully announced Caroline’s removal. A long dead secretary Chell had never crossed paths with had nothing to do with this; there was no difference between the GLaDOS that pulled her from space and the GLaDOS who watched the elevator ascend to the surface now.  

This was all her, and she was supposed to give them both a satisfying conclusion to them parting ways with weapons lowered, standing (even if one of them didn’t have legs) on equal ground. GLaDOS was supposed to make this easy by sending her off with an insult or a half-hearted threat of one last murder attempt for old times’ sake.

“Killing you is hard.”

Liar. 

Killing me would have been easy if you wanted to.

Why didn’t you want to?

[backtothe99]

(18Trip Translation) Tao Kinouchi SSR: Best Wishes Snap - Level +1

proofread by jellyfish_apple, azurecrystalz and niri

While the story uses the male protagonist's name (Kaede), the differences in the script depending on the protagonist you play as have been noted down

Part 1

Location: HAMA House Living Room

Everyone at HAMA Tours: Happy birthday~!!

[Pop, pop!]

Tao: Thank you so much. You really went out of your way for me today…

Tao: Like, everything’s amazing. The living room is decorated so beautifully, and the food looks so fancy and tasty.

Chihiro: Hehe ♪ We’ve got all of your faves here, TaoTao~! Meat, fish, naan curry… ♪

Chihiro: But celery’s banned from HAMA House for today, sorries~

Raito: The information you put in your profile book was a great help. By the way, the curry is authentic and ordered from an Indian restaurant the Kitakata family has close ties to.

Nagi: We tried baking the naan ourselves. The Night Team will take responsibility and eat the uneven ones, so please enjoy the pretty ones.

Nayuki: Good grief, to think they were even discussing getting a tandoor installed for this.

Liguang: In the end, we simply asked Kamina how to make it in a frying pan.

Kaede: We’ve got seconds, so eat to your heart’s content!

Tao: Okay, thanks. The smell alone is enough to make my stomach rumble…

Chihiro: The cake absolutely meeeelts in your mouth! Props to our in house Chef Ushipoyo!

Chihiro: It’s a cube cake tower made of TaoTao’s fav game consoles and video game boxarts♪

Kinari: The cake has been recreated to look like the original “Surpass The Original! A Chronicle Cake For Veteran Gamers”, with icing used throughout.

Tao: Amazing… There’s so much attention to detail. Even the buttons from the very first Enstation are exactly the same.

Liguang: Doing such thorough research is a good trait of Kurama’s

Kuguri: So, where would you like to start? I will feed you whatever you want.

Tao: Yeah, no need…

Kinari: Tao, happy birthday. My gift to you is this assortment of video games.

Tao: I’m amazed you found this many! There are all sorts of stuff in here, both old and new…!

Kinari: I was researching what you would like, and this naturally happened.

Kinari: … Confirming increase in body temperature and heart rate, as well as looseness in cheeks.

Kinari: I am happy you are happy with it. I look forward to continuing working alongside you as members of Ev3ns.

Tao: Same here. Thanks, Kinari.

Liguang: Shēngrì kuàilè (1), Kinouchi. Take this.

Tao: Wha… This is… the new jacket from my favorite brand!? No, I can’t accept something as nice as this.

Liguang: Stop being shy and just accept it. Lots of people would want to be in your shoes.

Tao: Y… Yeah… Okay then, thank you.

Tao: Oh, by the way, how is Xingbing-san doing? Please thank her for coming to our concert the other day for me.

Liguang: … Got it.

Nagi: … As always, Liguang-san’s got the air of a king. His luxurious presents are beyond the realm of man…

Tao: Hachinoya-san?

Nagi: (I should’ve given him my gift earlier.  But it’s too late to turn back now, so I’ll just pretend it’s not garbage.)

Nagi: My gift is the complete collection of Elephantastic Memorial discs. The volume 1 debut performance footage includes a bonus scene that’s a must-see for all fans. But, um…

Nagi: I hadn’t considered the possibility that you might already have this. If you’d like, you could maybe keep it to show it to your friends, or you could use it for emergency funds in case of financial trouble.

Tao: I don’t own a single one, so this makes me really happy. Let’s watch them together at some point.

Nagi: Ba-dump. So this is the carefree smile of the unspoken rizz king... So charismatic.

Tao: (I got presents and a cake. This is pretty much a picture-perfect “birthday party”.)

Tao: (… It would’ve been unimaginable back then.)

Chihiro: Taaao! Howzit? Are you happy?

Tao: Yeah. This is the first birthday I’ve properly celebrated since coming here.

Tao: And that’s without mentioning all these things you’ve done for me. Of course I’m happy. No amount of thanks will ever be enough.

Chihiro: I see… Ehehe, I’m glad ♪

Chihiro: Theeen, time for a toast~?

Chihiro: Look, Raitin got champagne. He was all, “I’ll splurge for Tao’s birthday~☆” 'bout it!

Tao: Seriously?

Tao: (Actually… Is it just me, or is Chihiro more excited than usual today?)

Kuguri: … But of course, maci.

Tao: Woah, Kuguri-san! … Uh, could you not read people’s minds so casually?

Kuguri: Fufu, you’re pretty much an open book, maci.

Kuguri: Our brave nyuszi even managed to drag me around to help for today. Does that not send a thrill down your spine?

Tao: Wha…

Chihiro: Wai– Don’t be a snitch, Kugurin! So embarrassing~!!

Tao: Chihiro…

Chihiro: … You always grant so many of my wishes. I wanted to celebrate you properly in return!

Chihiro: Happy birthday, Tao!

Tao: … Yeah. Let’s make this a great year, with everyone.

Tao: (I’m really so thankful…)

Tao: Ah…

Tao: (This is the party game Taiki and I talked about wanting to play… The game was sold out back then so we couldn’t get it.)

Kaede: Tao-kun?

Kaede: Did you maybe find some game you’d like to play? Which one?

Tao: No. It’s just…

Kinari: No matter how “ordinary” something is. It becomes “special” when you do it on your birthday. … That is something you and the others have taught me, Tao.

Kinari: As such, playing games on your birthday will become a special memory for you as well.

Kaede: Yeah, Kinari-kun is right.

Kaede: No need to hold back! Plus, it’s been a long time since we played a game together, Tao-kun! Let’s do it!

Chihiro: What’s it gonna be, Tao~?

Tao: Then… Just for a while. I’ll go bring the console!

Part 2

Tao: Hah… I had fun.

Tao: (After that, everyone else came too. We ate delicious food and played games.)

Tao: (The President’s thorough planning blew me away, and the game Ushio gave me was fun too.)

Tao: (I had a few intense matches with Ryui-san, and Chihiro took a picture of the Chief and Hachinoya-san trying to figure out which character is which…)

Tao: (I made so many memories. I never thought I’d get so excited…)

Tao: … Haha. I was so into it that I started sweating.

Tao: Alright, time for a bath.

Muneuji: Kinouchi-san.

Tao: Muneuji?

Muneuji: I am glad you are still here. Could I take up some more of your time for the Random Gift System assignment?

Muneuji: … I became so engrossed in cheering during the matches earlier that my duties nearly slipped my mind.

Tao: You and Akuta were holding megaphones and cheering loudly from the back, it’s no wonder you forgot.

Tao: Thanks to you guys, I got even more fired up… Or actually, the games became all the more fun.

Muneuji: There is not a single person who would not be excited watching such a heated battle. I have also learned something today: the world of gaming is deeply complex.

Muneuji: Ah, I am neglecting my duties again. I’ll cut to the chase.

Muneuji: Happy birthday, Kinouchi-san. May this year be a fruitful one for you.

Muneuji: This is my gift to you.

Tao: Oh, bar soap!

Muneuji: Yes. I resolved to make this my present when I found out that you like bar soaps.

Tao: Bar soaps are nice. You slowly make the bubbles yourself, and they’re smooth to the touch.

Muneuji: Agreed. I also enjoy the faint, nostalgic scent they carry.

Tao: I get you. It’s such a gentle scent, isn’t it?

Muneuji: I asked Azekawa-san to analyze your skin type, and carefully selected and ordered the ingredients for this bar soap based on those results. Please give it a try if you’d like.

Tao: You got a custom-made one!?

Muneuji: It is not particularly difficult. Anyone can do this if they know the procedure. Would you like to order one together next time?

Tao: Sounds interesting! Let’s discuss the details later.

Muneuji: Understood. I will look forward to it.

Tao: … Oh yeah. Muneuji, I was about to go for a bath, so do you want to try this soap out?

Muneuji: …

Muneuji: Truth be told, out of all the items I ordered, this was the most refined, so I was curious how it would feel to use… I will take you up on your offer then, thank you.

Muneuji: As the opportunity has come to us, I will wash your back, Kinouchi-san.

Tao: Uh, that’s…

Tao: (A little embarrassing. But…)

Tao: (… It’ll remind me of the past.)

Tao: Then, I’ll also—

Kuguri: Let’s go, maci ♪

Tao: Uh!?

Muneuji: Domeki-san.

Kuguri: To think you’d be entrusting me with your defenseless back. … Okay. I’ll take such good care of you both.

Chihiro: Heeey! There you are, Kugurin~!

Chihiro: Gee! No spoilers! I told you we’d invite them together!!

Tao: Chihiro? And…

Muneuji: Azekawa-san and Kitakata-san as well. The entire Evening Team is here.

Chihiro: It’s gettin' late, so we came to invite y’all for a bath!

If the protagonist is male: Chihiro: I invited Chiefy too, but he had some work to get done and couldn’t make it. Sadge.

If the protagonist is female: Chihiro: Chiefy stocked up on fruit milk today! Let’s all drink up after the bath~!

Raito: A lot of us have gathered. Shall we all wash each other’s backs? You know, the way they do it by being in a circle.

Muneuji: Taking a bath while getting to know the Evening Team better… Yes, this sounds like it will be a valuable experience.

Tao: Oh man…

Tao: … Oh, the sun’s setting.

Tao: (… Today was a good day.)

Muneuji: Kinouchi-san?

Tao: It's nothing. I'll be right there.

NOTES: (1) happy birthday in chinese

[manheeiim]

chapter four: sweet on the inside & outside

-- a ghostly love masterlist

The next day, we all sat in our usual circle in the gymnasium. Mr. Martin was talking to all of us as we passed the donut box around. 

“There’s an old cider mill off Route 47, and my parents would toss us in the Dodge Coronet. We’d each get a bag of warm, greasy donuts. That was my idea of nirvana.” Mr. Martin says, thinking back to his memories as a kid.

I grabbed a glazed donut from the box before handing it to Wally who took it, making sure that he grazed his fingers over mine as he did so. He got a jelly donut out of the box and handed the box over to Rhonda.

“What’s that about?” She asks. He looked at her confused. “You always leave me the worst one.” Rhonda complains. I bring my hand up to my neck and rub the side of it. I don’t know why but she has gotten on my nerves ever since I met her. 

“What do you mean? It’s lemon glazed.” Wally tells her.

“Nobody wants a lemon donut.” Rhonda remarks.

I mean she was right about that.

“Guys, the subject is nirvana.” Mr. Martin says.

“No, the subject is entitlement.” Rhonda retorts. 

“Oh, okay. I’m entitled because I like anything filled with jelly.” Wally sighs. “It’s not my fault I like things with sweet stuff inside of it.” Wally then adds, looking over at me and giving me a wink. 

“Oh my god.” I say, shocked at his constant boldness, especially in front of the others.

“Ew. Just ew.” Rhonda says. “I don’t even want that anymore. That’s gross.” She says.

“Guys, the subject is nirvana.” Mr. Martin repeats.

“Excuse me, can I be excused? I just want to eat my donut in peace.” Wally says.

“More entitlement.” Rhonda puts her hand up in disbelief.

“It’s not entitlement, Rhonda. Okay? It’s about- it’s about digestion.” Wally tells her.

I can’t hold back my laugh. Wally looks over to me and smiles after hearing my laugh.

“Oh, Lucia. I’ve just been reminded. I have a homework assignment for you.” Mr. Martin tells me.

I blink a few times, “Homework?” I ask.

“Well, kind of. I want you to write your obituary. Everyone here has done it already.” He says.

 “I…” I trail off. I sigh. “Okay.” I shrug. I didn’t have the energy to complain right now.

There’s a sudden weird sound and I looked over to see Wally slurping the jelly out of the donut. “Oh, my god.” He says. enjoying the jelly.

“Um… I’ll just.. start that now actually.” I say.

“Yeah.” Mr. Martin says, agreeing with me.

<3

I then spent the next day writing my obituary. Even if the last few months, or well, years of my life hadn’t been that great, there were some core memories that I had. I guess writing it out was nice. I found Mr. Martin in the hallway after I’d finished so that I could give it to him. “Mr. Martin.” I say and he looks over. “I finished my obituary.” I told him.

“Wow, thank you.” He says as he takes the papers from me.

“You’re welcome.” I softly say.

“How did it feel? Writing all of that out.” Mr. Martin asked.

“It felt… nice.” I admit.

“Good.” He smiles.

There’s a few moments of awkward silence. “Well… see you.” I say and he just nods before I turn around and walk away.

<3

I sit on the bleachers in the pool room with Charley as Rhonda sits on the edge of the pool and Wally sits in a float in the water, wearing only some swim trunks and sunglasses. Charley was applying some of Rhonda’s sunscreen to his arms. Why? I don’t know, there was really no point. But, you do you, I guess.

“Uh, easy with the coppertone, hun.” Rhonda comments.

“Yeah, that bottle’s got to last her another 60 years.” Wally says.

I watch as she kicks her foot in the water, splashing some water at him, “Don’t be a cube.” She says.

I giggle at what she’d said. Yeah, she was definitely from the ‘60s. She looks over at me with a scowl on her face. 

“I- I’m sorry.” I say, not really meaning it. “It’s just.. nothing. It’s nothing.” I say.

“You are such a bug.” She says.

I twirl a part of my hair with my finger, “Alright.” I dismissively say. 

“I love this smell.” Charley says, rather loudly, trying to get us to stop. “Coconut, verbena. You can be anywhere; Miami, Aruba.” He tells us. “I miss a good sunburn.” He says.

“I miss pussy.” Wally says and everyone looks over at him. “What? I thought we were talking about stuff that we missed.” He tells us.

I cover my face with my hands. I can’t.

<3

“So, how have you been adjusting to the life of the undead?” Wally asks as we sit on the bleachers. It was nighttime and so it was quite pretty with all the stars and all.

“The life of the undead?” I ask, giggling at the way he phrased it. Wally smiled after hearing me laugh. “Um, yeah. It’s… actually not been that bad. I think it’s actually better than things were when I was alive.” I say.

“Really?” He asks and I nod. “Why? Cause I’m here now?” Wally asks, smirking at me.

“No.” I partially lied. I mean, honestly, I wouldn’t admit it to him just yet, but… I was glad that I met him, even if we were ghosts and even if he was constantly making inappropriate jokes.

“I’ll change your mind, don’t worry.” He says.

“Oh, really? And how exactly are you going to do that?” I ask.

He looks down at my lap before looking into my eyes again, “Well, I have a couple of ideas.” He teases.

I gently push his chest, “You’re a little too bold.” I say.

“Nothing wrong with that.” Wally shrugs. 

“When it comes to you.. there is.” I tease back.

“I can’t help it when you look like that in your uniform.” Wally tells me.

“So, if I wasn’t wearing this then you wouldn’t be like this?” I ask.

“Nah, you’d be fine either way.” Wally says.

Was it so wrong that even if his boldness was a lot, that I liked it?

[aisclosed]

Match Found ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ - 17 . Let Me In (20 Cube)

Synopsis: Jungwon is sick of his friends' constant teasing over his lack of gaming skills. Determined to secretly improve and prove enha wrong, Jungwon sets out to learn to play, except he has no clue where to begin. Luckily for him, y/n is a girl with too much time on her hands, a desperate need for distraction and is more than happy to indulge him. Only, things are never that simple and Jungwon soon finds it difficult to explain exactly what the pair have become. college Student! Jungwon x gamer! Reader

prev masterlist next

(2.4k) written work :: warnings: cursing

It's dark. The only source of light is the small lamp in the corner and the dim screen that illuminates Jungwon’s face. His fingers hover listlessly over his phone screen, landing once again on the Twitter icon. 

Jungwon chews on the inside of his cheek as he refreshes your profile. Once. Twice. And again. Nothing new, just like the last 40 times he had performed this ritual. So he resorts again to looking at your last tweet. 

He basically has your caption memorized at this point, and your image burned into the back of his eyelids. That doesn't stop him from examining the picture over once again, committing each detail to memory. “She's on a date with him, that could've been you. It should've been you,” a traitorous voice hisses spitefully in his head. 

“Shut up. It couldn’t have been me because I wouldn't have been able to afford to take her to such a nice restaurant in the first place. That's why I’m even in this position. Stupid La Raisin or whatever it's called.” Jungwon rebukes the envious voice bitterly.

He sighs at the realization that he’d officially lost his sanity and had begun arguing with his inner consciousness. Closing his phone with a resounding click, Jungwon watches as your picture fades to black and tosses the device somewhere to his side. 

Exhaling deeply, Jungwon stares at his ceiling trying desperately to distract himself from the fact that you were somewhere, sitting across from Na Jaemin, probably planning your perfect future together. One that doesn't include him. Fuck this sucks so bad. 

It's silent, save for the occasional honks of traffic outside and the muffled laughter and yells from his roommates downstairs. Silence that only welcomes more thoughts that inevitably trail back to you.  Maybe I should’ve joined game night. Anything would be better than drowning in my own self pity up here alone. 

His inner monologue is broken by the chime of a single notification. Jungwon reaches for his phone wearily, expecting a chiding text from Jake for sulking in his room again. But his screen reads differently. 

Y/N <3 : Hey. I’m outside. Let me in? 

Jungwon stares unblinkingly at his phone, waiting for the mirage to fade from view. Or a follow up text that says 'wrong person sorry' or 'jk its a prank'. It doesn't, instead another bubble pops up underneath the previous one and Jungwon’s heart feels as if it might leap out of his throat. 

Y/N <3 : Come on Jungwon, don’t make me ring the doorbell. Just open up, yeah?

Jungwon blinks, and in a flash he’s bounding down the stairs before he can even think to deny you. He ignores the way his roommates' heads turn curiously at his haste, stalking over to the door and throwing it open. 

You jolt at the sudden movement before your eyes land on Jungwon and you relax into an easy smile, “Hey Jungwon.” 

Jungwon stares back at you, as if he can’t believe that you were truly in front of him. His eyes trail over the satin fabric of your dress, the fur haphazardly draped over your shoulders, and the necklace that sits snugly in the hollows of your clavicle. You swallow nervously at his lack of response and his eyes follow the movement up to your flushed face, finally landing on your eyes. 

“Jungwon? Who is it? You good?” Sunoo questions from inside the house but Jungwon doesn't bother replying. Shifting awkwardly at the tense air, you cock your brow teasingly at Jungwon, trying to fake nonchalance. “So? Are you gonna let me in?” 

Jungwon wordlessly opens the door a bit wider, tilting to the side to offer you entry. Internally you sigh in relief and step inside, ignoring how Jungwon’s fingers brush against your waist to steady you as you take off your heels. 

Choosing not to wait for Jungwon’s direction, you make your way further into the house. You greet the boys with a quick wave before marching up the stairs to Jungwon’s room, plopping yourself down onto the edge of his bed. Jungwon’s stood still at the bottom of the staircase, looking up at where you had disappeared into his bedroom. 

“Bro, what are you doing? You’ve been miserable for weeks. Go. Talk to her.” Jake motions exasperatedly at Jungwon who nods numbly, stumbling up the stairs. Jungwon walks into his room shutting the door behind him, finally facing where you look at him expectantly from his bed. You gesture for Jungwon to sit beside you but he declines with a shake of his head, standing at an arm's length from you. 

He regards you for a second, taking in your appearance. Unlike the usual sweats and oversized tees you donned around him, you were dressed to the nines. It suited you, the draped satin across your body, the fur coat that had slipped slightly, exposing your bare shoulder that seemed to glow under the moonlight.

Your jewelry glitters even in the dim lighting, and it's almost painful to look at, the way you shone. You didn't seem the slightest bit uncomfortable in your attire, you wore it like a second skin.

You looked so out of place amongst Jungwon's simple belongings. His jaw clenches at the thought, you were right in front of him, but you had never felt farther out of reach.

“Why are you here?” Jungwon asks quietly and your smile falters slightly at the question. It’s the first thing he’s saying to you after weeks of radio silence, and it stings. You push down the hurt that bubbles underneath the surface of your skin and shrug impassively. 

“I wanted to see you, I missed you,” you answer simply. “You didn’t miss me?” Your eyes bore into Jungwon intently, scanning his face for any indication of the warmth you so desperately craved. 

Jungwon brushes off your words, continuing resolutely, “You should be on your date with Jaemin, why are you here Y/N?”

Anger flares in your chest, and you scoff, crossing your arms in annoyance. “Jungwon, do you really dislike me that much?” 

“No, I-”

“Then why do you insist on forcing me to go through with this Jaemin thing? Why do you insist on ignoring my feelings and distancing yourself from me? At this point I'm just convinced that you’re sick of me,” you glare at Jungwon accusingly. 

“I am not sick of you,” Jungwon splutters indignantly, “I just want what's best for you. Jaemin is a nice dude with a stable future, he’s perfect for you. You're supposed to be with someone like him.”

You throw your hands up in frustration, “Oh my fucking god Jungwon. I want you. What don’t you understand about that? Even Jaemin can see that I’m not supposed to be with him, I belong here with you. And if you don’t want me here then just tell me. But if you do, stop hiding behind this Jaemin thing just because you’re too much of a coward to admit to yourself that you have feelings for me.” 

Jungwon’s nostrils flare at your accusations and his fists clench tightly at his side. “I’m not hiding behind anything,” Jungwon snaps, “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything else in the world, and I want to be selfish but I can't.

I have nothing to offer you. I’m a dance major not some CEO, I don’t even know where I'll be in 5 years. I can’t guarantee a secure future for you. I won’t subject you to a life where you have to give up on your wishes and be forced to work in your dad’s company for me. So if being with Jaemin means that you’re secure and happy then yeah, I'm going to push you towards him.”

“Honestly Jungwon, you're worse than my father,” you scoff rolling your eyes, “Regardless of all the shitty comments my dad made, at least he left the final decision to me. But you? You chose for me without even considering or asking what I wanted. I don’t care about my future if you’re not in it. What made you even think for a second that I would care about any of that?” 

“Yeah? Well I care. I care because I know you deserve the entire world and I can't give you that. I can’t even come close. And I won’t be able to live with myself knowing that I robbed you of the life you deserve just because I was too fucking selfish to let you go,” Jungwon seethes through gritted teeth. 

You rise to your feet in anger, stalking over to where Jungwon stands, leveling him with a steely glare. “None of that matters to me, Jungwon. I don't care if you don't think you’re what I deserve. You're what I want. You're what I need. And if you didn't want me, if you didn’t want more from us and you were happy with the way things were between us? I was fine with that. I could deal with the burden of my feelings being unrequited.”

“I would’ve been fine if we had stayed nothing more than friends, as long as it meant you were a part of my life,” your stare hardens and you poke Jungwon’s chest angrily, “But you wanted to cut me out of your life entirely. Are you seriously okay with us ending like this?”

Jungwon grips your wrist tightly, halting your motions and yanking you closer to glower into your eyes. “Don't you get it? There could never have been an us in the first place, you think that doesn't kill me? To know that you’ve always been out of my reach and I’ve just deluded myself the past few months into playing along with this stupid fantasy? Y/N, you were never mine to begin with.”

Something inside of you snaps. With your free hand you grab a fistful of Jungwon’s collar and pull him down. Your lips crash together in a bruising kiss, fueled by a desperation to make Jungwon understand just how wrong he was.

Jungwon stiffens at the contact before giving in, finally allowing himself to do what he had yearned to for the past month. He melts into the kiss, slotting his lips against yours with equal intensity. Jungwon releases your wrist , his hands sliding up your jaw to cradle the sides of your cheeks in an attempt to bring you impossibly closer. 

You kiss Jungwon with the force of every drop of emotion you feel for him. But Jungwon kisses you like it may be his last opportunity to ever do so, as if you're already slipping through the gaps of his fingers. He kisses you like goodbye.

The sentiment is enough to jar you from the feeling of his lips against yours and you break apart, panting as you look up at Jungwon with blazing eyes. 

You take a shaky inhale. “Don't ever fucking say that. Not when everything I’ve ever wanted and needed is there in your eyes. I love you Jungwon. I love you more than what I know what to do with,” you step back, letting Jungwon's hands drop limply from from your face. You run your hands through your hair in aggravation, jaw clenching as you look for the words to somehow get through to him.

“I’ve always been yours, and I always will be, whether you want me or not. I told you before, I’ll take every bit of you that you allow me to have. But I refuse to concede what you’ve already given to me. It's not fair. I refuse to lose you entirely, especially just because you're too much of a coward to even take a chance on us,” your chest heaves under the weight of your confession. 

Jungwon’s brain feels as if it’s short circuiting, he knows you’re waiting for an answer but all he can think of is pulling you in for another kiss. He opens his mouth to say something, but the vision of you before him, with disheveled hair and reddened lips has his mind coming up blank. 

You scan Jungwon’s face, not really knowing exactly what you're looking for. He's still frozen, his mouth opening and closing around sentences that refuse to escape. The pretty flush of his cheeks and his blown out pupils are enough to make your anger deflate and you collect yourself with a shuddering breath. 

In the absence of the adrenaline and the blood roaring in your ears, you feel the brunt of the exhaustion and the emotional toll the night had taken on you.

You drag your hand down your face with a groan looking up at Jungwon tiredly, “Look Wonnie, I’m sorry. This isn't how I wanted this conversation to go. You don't have to give me an answer right now. I know it's a lot. So just take some time to think everything over okay? And if you're still not sure that's fine, we can figure it out together. But please, just don’t shut me out again.” 

You give a small smile and utter softly, “I really do love you Yang Jungwon, more than anything. I’m gonna go home now okay?”

Jungwon's unable to do anything but nod stiffly in response, swallowing harshly. You give him a final fond smile and turn to leave and his fingers twitch slightly in a last attempt to reach for you.

You open the door and six boys stumble in, landing in a heaped mess at your feet. They scramble to their feet stammering apologies and excuses, as you smirk at all of them in amusement. 

With a shake of your head you wave them off wearily and leave, sparing one last glance back to find Jungwon still glued to the spot you left him, his eyes firmly stuck on you. 

The room is dead silent as the boys wait with baited breath to hear the front door click shut. The close of the door is deafening and all six heads swivel towards Jungwon. 

“Hyung, holy shit. That was insane.” Niki says reverently and Jungwon nods mutely, letting himself crumple against the side of the bed. 

The comment sparks a bombardment of questions and exclamations but all Jungwon can hear is the echoes of your confessions ringing in his ears.

His mind races back to the way your lips molded perfectly against his, the brightness of your eyes under your lashes when you finally pulled away. The barely subsided heat crawls back up his cheeks and Jungwon buries his face in his palms with a strangled whimper. 

“Fuck I think I'm in love with her.”

prev masterlist next

a/n: sooooo..... yeah :) vote on my next work here!

I might shatter your perfection, Your small world , It’s perfect on its own, But don’t push me away, take me, Please let me in.

taglist: open! send me an ask to be added! <3

@woncloudie @itsactuallylina @ifearjwn @fadedluvv @mangowonyo @shinsou-rii @aki1e @makiswrld @jaehaki @criyiy @ilovewonyo @zeraaax @climbingmandevillas @pkjay @flower-lise @haodnd @beomgyusonlywife @dimplewonie @lacimolela @enhacatalog @llama-lyna @ahnneyong @coalalalinha @cupidsheqrts @curly-fr13s @jungwonsgfnameyukie @sserafimez @run2seob @luvlee1313 @strwberrydinosaur @sweetjaemss @kimipxl @simp4jakesim @chirokookie @astrae4 @mimisamisasa @w3bqrl @captivq @rindomo @aylauwon @positivelyinlovewithjungwon

[razorblade180]

Names

Furina:Aether, we need to have a very important conversation. Promise you’ll take this seriously.

Aether:….I know we’re both over 500 but I’m not in the mindset of a family besides finding my sister.

Furina:Not the conversation I wanted in the slightest! I just gained my freedom in case you forgot. I just wanted to discuss cute little names for one another.

Aether:*scrunches face*

Furina:What!? Why that face!?

Aether:Never really was a fun of that sort of thing.

Furina:Said the man who accepts titles like they’re going on sale.

Aether:You know…

Furina:I’m not calling you “Executioner”

Aether:Then what’s the point of any of this!? It’s so cool.

Furina:I told you to be serious!

Aether:May I ask what brought this on?

Furina:*red* I just…think they’re neat. It’s only natural that people who are close to one another to give names that show the affection.

Aether:….

Furina:Is this you silently judging me?

Aether:No I’m just fighting tooth decay. Your answer was unexpectedly sweet. Still, I’m not really good at these sort of things.

Furina:That’s because you’re an overthinking. Surely you’ve known me long enough to have something to describe my magnificence.

Aether:Furina if I’m being honest, if I had to compare you to anything it would either be those floppy ear bunnies that get angry sometimes, or an emotional kitten.

Furina:Please never say that second one again.

Aether:What’s wrong with kit- okay I see. Told you I suck at this! Why don’t you just go force and tell me what you have in mind.

Furina:…

Aether:You haven’t the slightest idea.

Furina:I thought maybe we could workshop or something!? Cut me some slack. I typically shorten names but yours feels weird. Plus that would be boring.

Aether:We’ll what do you typically want to call me?

Furina: What, besides “mine?”

Aether:….

Aether:You’re going to make kitten stick if you keep talking like that.

Furina:*red* Nooooo! Focus Aether! We don’t have to commit to anything right now. Just spitball.

Aether:Despite the fact you constantly smell like a pastry mixed with rose water, I’m not about to call you a long winded dessert or something as dull as cupcake.

Furina:First of all, my shampoo is daisies and not rose water. Second, I appreciate you noticed I smell nice. Third, cupcake is wonderful but taken by Clorinde.

Aether:Who calls her cupcake?

Furina:I’ve…said to much. Dismiss that from your memory.

Aether:…Tweetie. I like your singing. You’re like a free songbird.

Furina:That’s not a bad attempt.

Aether:It’s funny how nicely you said that while obviously rejecting that.

Furina:*smiles* I am a woman of many talents. We should probably call it here. No need to force these things. I only wanted to bring attention to it. Rest assured that I will put the utmost care in whatever my heart chooses.

Aether:Seriously, it could just be my name.

Furina:Awww, is someone embarrassed about this sorta thing? You are surprisingly introverted despite all of your achievements.

Aether:You’re one to talk.

Furina:Hehe, true enough. *hugs him* I suppose “Aether” is as glorious as any other name. I’ll admit that I personally enjoy how it sounds.

Aether:*flustered* I swear, where do you get your energy?

[Sometime later]

Navia:Have anything planned after this?

Furina:Not really. I should probably run through some lines after this tea party but I don’t actually feel up to it. Maybe a nap or-

Aether:*walks by*

Navia:Oh! Hi Aether!

Aether:*turns head* Hmm? Oh hi Navia. *looks at Furina*…..

Furina:??? What’s with the silent gaze? Is there something on my face?

Aether:*red* N-No. I was surprised to see you is all, Sugar Cube.

If a ghost were to sneeze right now, everyone would hear it. Navia’s eyes widened as she let out the smallest of gasps and saw Furina’s mind come to a screeching halt while her face became every color of red. The actress slowly put down her tea, stood up, and dragged Aether by the hand around the corner.

Furina:I’ll be right back Navia.

Navia:(Where is Clorinde and Charlotte when I need them!? I have to talk about this with someone!)

Aether:W-Was that bad?

Furina:*grabs scarf* No no no. It was simple, realistic even. Not to mention cute. However… you were absolutely right about the embarrassment. I don’t think my soul can handle that! Just call me Furina.

Aether:I wanted to do that from the start! I said that in front of people!

Furina:I’m sorry!! I thought I was strong about this but I was horribly wrong!!!!

[kx0e]

RAHHHH TYSM FOR ASNWERING MY PREVIOUS QUESTION!

So. I had 3 problems-

1. Constant study but no results

>I make sure I atleast spend 2 hours atleast twice a week doing full body or partial body sketches with references (from lineofaction🔥), and have been since 2021, but going from barely any art ability to now, all i've managed to do is drawing things from the neck up☠️ No matter how many different kinds of faces or perspectives i try its always the 3/4 side view. And i can barely even draw a recognizable jawline😭 (but then on any whiteboard or public art thing its as if the spirit of a medieval master artist possesses me)

2. motivation

>how on this earth do you stay motivated to draw your favorite fandoms😭 theres tons of shows i LOVE or games that I adore, whos characters i literally am obsessed with, but once i pick up a pencil its as if I've never seen them in my entire life💀

3. I know youre not really an oc artist (understandable, if I had the ability to draw genshin and/or persona characters forever, i WOULD.) But if you do have any, is there any specific place you got inspo from? a lot of art advice i see is to turn an object or concept into a character of some sort, but no matter where I look, and how inspiring it is, as previously stated, all traces of muscle memory delete themselves the second i pick up a pencil☠️

Have a nice day, Im really bad at explaining i apologize, and TYSM for hearing me out💖

long reply

1 - maybe doing some theory rather than drawing could help you, if you study the human skeleton and muscle you might understand more how the body works and therefore how it must look in different poses (read MORPHO). Other advice is to trace your references with basic shapes and landmark (just a cube and a cross for the face) and then do your study, you can also do quick studies focusing on only one part of the body but draw it under all angles (the thing is to not rush, if you have trouble drawing the face as a whole, draw all the element separated and add them little by little)

2 - this honestly depends on the person, im someone who loves fandom art but i have zero OCs because im not interested, dont force yourself to draw things you dont want too it usually ends up looking bad anyway !

3 - i do look at objects first when doing character design, but i also like to look at plants or in fashion history books. Most of the time i first do a global search on pinterest to find the general idea and then go to more specific sites depending on what im going for

i think you should take your time and draw only when you're in the mood for it, when you feel motivated pick up a pen and DONT THINK just draw whatever

remember art takes time, patience and a lot of practice, dont force yourself and draw for yourself first ^^

[mrmcwigglyman]

I have attempted to translate this to the best of my ability. Parts I'm unsure of are in [brackets]

And yet Rin Penrose has no idea what a good fused VTuber is. Because when it comes to making one using one’s mind, well I, Omegaα, have it covered because of my [AI something], my ESP powers, and the fact that I am [backed] by [cyberlink tech]. If Penrose wants to draw a fusion [type] VTuber, why not just do me, Omegaα, the founder of Hololive English, and my queen Yuko Yurei. I know why. It’s because Rin Penrose has no idea what a baby made by fusing different VTubers would turn out looking like, but that’s where imagination comes in with inspiration and creativity. Oh yeah, and Rin Penrose cannot see how it would turn out on paper in her mind in 3D, or the way I, when using my memory data to make a VTuber, know how it will turn out before i put it on anything, even paper, because i see my drawings in my mind in more then a few dimensions, like what you see when looking up at someone if you are lying on the ground on your back, or looking at someone from behind as you walk up from the backside, or face to face as if you were to walk up and say hi to them and give a handshake, or from above like looking down on a map that’s up, down, left, right, front, back, side to side, circling around at a distance in an orbit that covers all dimensions, all in your mind from all angles and sides all at the same time as you make in your mind your drawing that’s 6D. It works with things that are flat, too. Take paper: if you draw on one side, that picture is 1D; one-sided. if you draw on the back of the paper, be it a new drawing or you’re trying to make a back for what’s on the front, then you have 2D.  if you have a rectangle and fold it in 3 [parts] and in all 3 squares you have 3 pictures of the same thing, lay the 3 folded sides together and now you have a triangle box with no top or bottom, but it has 3 sides and they all link to make the triangle, and on all 3 sides you have all 3 pictures: That’s 3D. Now, if you take a piece of paper that’s big and make it into a cross, then fold it. If there’s pictures on all 4 sides of this cross turned into a box you now have a 4D picture on a box or cube, and if you take that cross box, and fold it one more time, now it’s 5D, and what can you do with it? Pick it up in your hands, add on top of that the time you took to make it and the space of time in which you finish, and now it’s 6D as it can be seen from all sides. This has been Omegaα. Have a nice day.

And when it comes to making a drawing in your mind, if you can visualize that drawing, in all sides, and in time and space, in your head, when you are thinking of how to make it, it can be seen  in your mine in 6D, as there’s not anything saying you cannot picture it in your head going from one flat picture to a 3D [avrat] like what you see on a home computer when using a sculpting program. The only difference is that it’s still in your mind, so if you even want to alter the picture or [avrat witch in your moine] using your imagination, inspiration, and creativity. Since you have yet to put it to paper or anything, you can make it different at any time you want to. For me, Omegaα, when I use my memory data to make a VTuber, I just gave you all a clue to why I do not put all my ideas to paper, and that’s that they can not be made already unless i do so myself with my ESP power my [AI something] and my cyberlink. This is why I often get asked to do favors for others, too. Friends, YouTubers, VTubers, anyone I know and meet. Have a nice day.

there's a lot to unpack here

Roleplaying as Omegaα

Shipping either Omegaα or themself with Yuko Yurei

Calling Rin solely by her last name.

There are TONS of instances of metathesis in the misspellings. ("now"->"won", "know"->"wonk", "above"->"avob")

Incredibly huge misunderstanding of how dimension works.

Picturing stuff in your mind is apparently better than drawing or modeling something because *checks notes* you can change it in your mind but once you draw it or model it you can't change it?

I've wasted so much time deciphering this. hav a nices day.

[thetransintransformers]

Megop Week 2023

June 15th, Day 5

Sharing a meal

An altercation in the G.H.O.S.T cafeteria leads to painful memories and an amazing apology casserole.

(Set in the Transformers Earthspark continuation, but with a slightly diverged timeline)

Lunch break at G.H.O.S.T was not necessarily the worst or best part of the day. A nice in-between of questionable food portions, and a less than stellar understanding of how one cooked with Energon. Such was the case with Megatron taking up the issue, pointing at his tray. “This is just three entire cubes of energon.”

The resident chef seemed to only shrug. “Is it . . . is it supposed to be different?”

Megatron continued. “It could be.” with an impatient crossing of his arms. Optimus stood by his side, a typical awkward chuckle as he budded in. “We completely understand if you didn't know, haha. Our eating habits are certainly different from humans.” trying to smooth over the interaction. Megatron wasn't having it as he continued, directly involving Optimus now. “Prime, you've been here 30 years and they never bothered–”

“Oh, would you look at that!” Optimus cut him off, already quick to start pushing the ex-decepticon away from the food line. “Ha, it seems we won't have much time to eat if we stand around here all day. C'mon, Megatron!” He hurried, towards the direction of a table for the Autobots.

Elita-1 sat idly at the table, watching the two walk over. She couldn't help but smirk, having seen the abrupt altercation from afar. “You act like this is the first time you’ve eaten in this cafeteria.”

Megatron only grumbled, setting his tray down a bit roughly. Why did he even bother? Just three cubes no need for a whole dining tray with that. He grabbed a cube, already biting into it, still looking right pissed off as he ate.

Optimus only sighed, taking a smaller bite out of his own cube. “We can't really argue, Megatron. G.H.O.S.T has already provided us so much.”

A quick glare and it was obvious Megatron was far from convincing him of anything good. Elita-1 could see this just as well. Despite her earlier amusement, it was a tense atmosphere. Like hell, would she spend her next lunch break having to deal with her coworkers’ marital issues. She was on her way to stand up, “Well, uh, good look resolving this whole thing–”

Sadly for her, Optimus was ever the opportunist, and ever bad at reading social situations. “Elita, actually. Have I ever told you about the first meal Megatron and I shared?” He only hoped this lightened the mood, reminding Megatron of such a fond memory. Elita felt compelled now, as she sat back down. “Oooh nooo, no! Uh, no you haven't.” A nice save.

Megatron equally seemed unenthused, putting down a portion of his cube. “Optimus, you might want to tread lightly about that story.”

Optimus seemed taken aback by that mention, as he continued, finials flitting for a moment. “Oh? Why not, it's a lovely story, isn't it? Just me, you, and a tray full of plain energon just like this.” He sighed lovingly, hands wrapped around Megatronus' arm. Megatronus couldn't help how lovestruck his conjunx was and sighed, a bit more sympathetic. “Optimus you remember exactly why it was a tray full of plain energon like this right?”

Optimus didn't have a thought in his head as he began again. “Oh well of course, because you–!” He gasped out, battle mask deploying over his mouth to stop any full story from coming out. At this point, Elita caught on pretty quickly, her own antenna lowering. “Oh . . .”

Megatron sighed, pushing his tray away. “You two can split the rest.” before promptly standing up and leaving them. No doubt to train, and relieve the built-up tension. Optimus couldn't help but get up as well, leaving Elita-1 alone.

It was a short trek into the hallway before Optimus caught up with Megatron. “Megatron, Megatron I’m sorry, it-it slipped my mind.”

Megatron groaned, turning around with a bit more of a snappy attitude. “Slipped your mind? How does something like that slip your mind Optimus?”

A few agents stopped in the hallway to listen in, but one glare from Megatron, and they were scurrying to their workstations. Megatron straightened up, “Just . . . drop it, Prime.” He pinched the bridge of his facial plating before turning and walking off again.

Optimus watched him go, slapping a metal servo against his face in such a horrific display of embarrassment he could feel pain. Dejected, Optimus began walking back to the lunch table. “I uh, I’m sorry about that Elita. I . . .” He sighed. “I fear I’ve reopened some old wounds.”

Elita only crossed her arms and sat back. “Seems like it. So? What are you going to do about it?”

Optimus looked surprised for a moment, before a determined smile crossed his face. He moved a bit closer, whispering as if it were a secret. “I may need your help.

—

It was a hassle to convince Megatron to follow him back into the cafeteria during after hours in G.H.O.S.T headquarters, and even more do to have him cover his eyes the whole way there. Luckily, with a little bit of charm, anything was possible.

“This had better not be another bonding exercise Prime.” Megatron warned.

Optimus spoke with a chuckle. “I promise you, it’s not. Really, we are never doing that again.” He gulped.

Once they were close enough, Optimus beamed and spoke with a gentle tone. “Alright, open your optics now my love.”

Megatron complied, red optics opening and then widening at the sight.

There at one of the cybertronian designated tables was a romantic set up:

Plain tarp, painting into table cloth, and lit candles borrowed from the Maltos. On the clot sat two plates, two full cube glasses of energon, and in the middle, the crown jewel.

“Is that?” Megatron tilted his helm in disbelief. “Iron fillings casserole?”

Optimus complied, “With an energon reduction drizzled on top, the way you like it. Elita helped me figure out the proportions, and, actually Alex helped me gather from the junkyard—“

“Out of my way!” Megatron interrupted, simply ravenous for a meal other than plain cubes. The excitement alone made Optimus smile.

They both took their seats, Optimus, ever the gentle mech, serving Megatron a plate. “I also took the liberty of giving G.H.O.S.T the recipe so we could have a bit of variation in our diets.”

Megatron took the first bite of the casserole, all but melting at the familiar delectable taste. He swallowed with a satisfied sigh, “I have to say Optimus, this is your best apology yet.” He teased before taking a sip of liquid energon.

Optimus hummed, reaching his servo across for Megatron. “And I truly am sorry for it, my love. Could you ever forgive me?”

Through another mouthful, Megatron chuckled, holding Optimus servo gently. “Prime, I wasn’t even made 40 minutes after the fight.” He confessed, growing more tender. “But yes, I forgive you. I did fly a bit off the handle myself. Could you forgive me?”

Optimus nodded, “It was warranted, but yes.”

Megatron hummed, taking the time to just be in each other's company and dine the night away.

**30 years early**

G.H.O.S.T’s prison walls drew in a cold Megatron had never before felt. He hated it, stripped away from his fellow Decepticon stranded in Witwicky. The sooner he could blast through the walls and scorch their miserable base the sooner he could—

The thought didn’t meet its end, as a heavy door opened. From his peripheral, Megatron could see the Prime walk in, carrying a miserable excuse for his prison meal:

A tray full of plain energon.

“Megatron.”

“Optimus.”

The two exchanged, acknowledging each other's presence. While Megatron referred to the Prime, as cold as ever, there was a dwindling warmth in Optimus’ words.

“I convinced the director to add just one more cube, as a treat you might say.” He tried to smooth over, only earning ire from the Decepticon.

“Oh good. My obedience rewarded with the most basic of privileges.”

Optimus winced and spoke, “No no, that is not what I meant, I—”

“Just leave me be, Prime.” Megatron hissed.

But Optimus did not, no, he was far from fulfilling that request. He kneeled, letting the field that kept Megatron in confinement dampen.

“We’ve been fighting for such a time, Megatron. Longer than I’m sure either of us care to recount.” He began, setting the tray gently down on a small cell table.

“Perhaps, for the time, we set aside those difference. I am willing to extend an olive branch.” He went on.

Megatron scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Is that so? And what have you done to prove any comradely exists between us.”

Optimus spoke, “Well, the extra energon can be a start.”

Megatron rolled his optics, but Optimus continued. “And, perhaps temporarily cutting the surveillance cams here and in the west wing back lot could help.”

At that, Megatron faced Optimus as if his helm was off his neck. Was he mad? Was this a trick? No. He knew the Prime, and this was no trick. He spoke, shakily. “You’re going to let me go?”

Optimus nodded, pressing a few things to turn the drill off entirely. “I’ve seen a change in you. I only hope, this will allow that change to grow, and perhaps then, we can meet halfway.”

Something burned in Megatrons spark as Optimus spoke. He was trusting him, him to leave, to even come back seeking alliance? It was foolish, The Prime was utterly foolish for believing it so.

And yet, why did that foolishness make Megatron see something so beautiful in the mech he called his nemesis for so long?

“Stay.” He spoke. “Before I go. Stay and share a meal with me.”

Optimus smiled at that, “You want me to eat the pity energon don’t you?” Megatron couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes yes, perhaps.”

And so they sat, side by side, eating a tray of plain energon.

[booniesoil]

Deer in Rusty Lake might mean something else

A lot of people theorize that the imagery of deers in Rusty lake represents hatred / violence towards family, which is something I totally see with Nicholas Eilander and Albert Vanderboom, but I don't know why that would be applicable to Dale Vandermeer. He is perfect!! Actually, I theorize / believe that people with deer representations in Rusty Lake could mean something a bit opposite. First of all, I think the true reason the use of deer is so common and inconsistent is generally because it matches the style or Rusty Lake, so they reuse deer carelessly (sorry Rusty Lake, I LOVE YOUR ARTSTYLE I DO), but,:

I think a more accurate telling of deer for characters in the series would be reaching enlightenment. Between the three characters, they may be taking steps, and may be some of the only characters taking steps towards enlightenment in different ways. (I haven't played all the games in the series recently, so a lot of my information may be out of date or flawed, and it is not fully defined what enlightenment is, or how to reach it outside of possibly drinking the elixir, so I am making inferences). I don't fully know what the purpose of sacrificing Jakob is, but Nicholas had taken interest in using Caroline's memories for whatever reason he needs them for. Intentional or not, helping the lake or not, Nicholas may have been taking steps towards enlightenment.

Dale, to me it seems like the plans Aldous and Mr Owl are attempting to him is to get him enlightened (without his knowledge). He's already a corrupted soul, but as far as I know Mr Crow is attempting to change his negative memories into positive ones, changing memories gut keeping the past, it's all vague but he ends up with the golden cube, which might be a step to enlightenment. Ambiguous stuff I hope it all makes sense.

But most exciting, to me, is Albert. Albert may be unintentionally in the process of becoming enlightened. Seeing as Mr Crow is trying to turn Dale's negative memories into positive ones, seemingly to enlighten him?, Albert is ACTIVELY and unintentionally taking steps to enlightenment by personally changing his past, negative memories of his family into positive ones by. Murdering them all. Nice man! 

Ms Pigeon is the closest character I could think of that may be applicable to whatever I've layed out here, since she does take interest in extracting memories before she dies. I don't fully know the rules here, but maybe she's too side of a character to have an association with deer, or perhaps have not started her experiment, already has a harsh enough connotation with pigeons (although Albert has MANY connotations with many different things, Mr Pigeon can definitely have multiple, too) to provide a second animal connotation, or she may have already reached enlightenment.

William is a character that seems like he's massively failing at becoming enlightened! For being the one with the most work done, he got killed by drinking the elixir, took all the steps to reviving himself, and got reincarnated as Laura, who seems like she got, once again, doomed to a fate opposite to enlightenment. Laura has a ton of bad memories, as does Dale, but her bad memories are utilizing a lot by the lake crew, and ultimately she is not getting steps done to getting closer to enlightenment. She pretty much is held hostage at this lake by her brother to extract bad memories after bad memories to help enlighten Dale. If I am READING THIS CORRECT. 

I think I good way to see if this fits is to crosscheck if random deer in the games could also indicate this, but I haven't done that yet, I'm just keeping in mind Albert, Nicholas, Dale, and William.

I hope that all makes sense! I hope someone use understands this and gets EXCITED by it because I think it's a far more exciting theory with a bunch of potential than the previous one!

Edit: ADDING ON TO THIS. Playing through Paradox for the first time in years, Laura outright said that one of them will die and the other will reach enlightenment, and I absolutely do not see that being Laura. You have no hope I am sorry Laura.

[neufhistoires]

Loveless Marriage (FrUK) Chapter 4

Loveless Marriage

Chapter 4

Word Count: 4,604

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Arthur woke up with a terrible headache.

The Englishman turned over on the bed, covering his face with his duvet in an attempt to block out any sunlight that was seeping in through the blinds. 

He was definitely hungover, but unfortunately he could remember the previous night as clear as day. He could remember the Frenchman helping him up the steps after they had gotten into a fight… the way he had plopped him down onto the bed… helped him unbuckle his pants… the way he had forced himself onto Arthur and suddenly kissed him.

Arthur shuddered at the thought. His memory was too good.

His head hurt so badly that he might’ve even considered calling Francis to bring him a glass of water and medicine, but the last time they saw each other was so uncomfortable that he would rather avoid the other man at all costs. Well, they did live in the same house and Arthur had woken up rather late, so he probably wouldn’t actually be able to avoid him. But at the very least he wouldn’t be initiating any conversations with the other man, and he most definitely wouldn’t be asking him for help with anything again. Yes, he would have to be more careful next time he decided to drink, he thought.

Reluctantly, Arthur got out of the bed, the duvet wrapped around his shoulders as he dragged it along the floor and opened the door. The blanket was rather large, so he had gotten it stuck on a few things, like the door, as he made his way downstairs.

He had been on the lookout for Francis, hoping he wouldn’t bump into him or something. However, when he got to the kitchen to make tea, he was surprised and confused to see a woman that he had never seen before using the electric kettle.

The woman turned around and let out a small yelp when she saw Arthur standing there, dark circles under his eyes, messy hair, and a huge duvet wrapped around him.

He would’ve felt bad about it and maybe even apologized, but he had no idea who she was or how she had gotten in.

“Who are you?” He asked flatly, reaching for the electric kettle since she appeared to be done with it.

“My date,” Francis replied with a smirk as he leaned in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. 

That reply had caught Arthur more off guard than seeing a stranger in his house.

Francis had made a move on him the previous night, and now he was suddenly inviting a date over to their house? The Englishman couldn’t understand him at all.

“Oh, really? I don’t want to interrupt you two then. I’ll just take my tea upstairs,” Arthur replied, not a hint of annoyance in his tone.

“That’s nice of you,” the girl responded, a relieved look on her face. She probably thought Arthur was crazy based on his hungover appearance.

No, if having a girlfriend meant that the Frenchman would leave him alone then he really didn’t care if she was there. He truly meant that he would just go upstairs with his tea, but…

Francis seemed bothered by the Englishman’s comment for some reason, his eyes widening some when Arthur didn’t seem to care that he had a date over.

“Are you really going to try to carry a glass tea set up the steps with that duvet wrapped around you? Don’t pretend to be such a gentleman– just drink it down here like you usually do,” Francis replied, his tone oddly cold towards someone who just said he didn’t want to interrupt his date.

Arthur glared daggers at Francis as he reached for the sugar in one of the cabinets.

“I hope I die trying to get up the steps so I don’t have to see you anymore,” Arthur muttered under his breath as he continued to prepare the tea, pouring the hot water over the tea bag and mixing in cubes of sugar. 

“You’re taking an awfully long time making that tea for someone who doesn’t want to see me,” Francis said, walking from the doorway over to the counter where Arthur was making the tea. Although it wasn’t really true because the Englishman was making a bit of a mess as he rushed to get out of the kitchen. The awkward tension was unbearable, especially because the Frenchman seemed to be ignoring his date.

“Maybe if you weren’t looming over my shoulder I would be able to make it faster! Piss off!” Arthur eventually yelled at him and finished making the tea. However, he turned around a bit too quickly and his feet got stuck on the duvet. He had almost dropped the tea set, but the girl, who was supposedly Francis’s date, put her hands on the tray and steadied it so it didn’t tip over. 

There was a bit of an awkward silence as Arthur looked winded from almost falling, Francis looked embarrassed from making Arthur so mad that he yelled at him, and the girl looked terribly uncomfortable from being in the middle of the whole thing.

Eventually, the girl took the tray from Arthur so he could focus on dragging the duvet around, and said, “Why don’t you drink your tea down here? I really don’t mind.”

Arthur simply nodded in response, mumbling, “Alright, thank you,” as the girl carried the tray into the living room for him. He followed behind her, turning around for a second to glare at Francis again as they all entered the living room.

The girl set the tray down on an end table beside a single chair, which Arthur sat down in. Then, Francis and the girl sat down on the couch together.

Arthur was trying to ignore Francis and simply focus on his tea, but Francis wouldn’t stop glaring at him, so naturally he ended up doing it back.

“So… you two are roommates, right? How did you meet?” The girl asked, trying to break up the awkward silence and tension that had appeared as soon as Arthur did.

Arthur looked over at her, then back at Francis, and let out a small laugh. So that was what he had told her– that they were roommates.

“Well, you see, mademoiselle,” Francis started before Arthur could reply. “We met through our families’ companies, but just because our parents can get along doesn’t mean we can.”

Francis had given a surprisingly honest response, but he couldn’t end it there.

“Just look at him– you can understand why I can’t stand him, right? Stumbling around this late in the day, drunk. It’s really a hassle having a roommate like him,” Francis added, but he wasn’t even looking at the girl as he spoke. His eyes were glued on the Englishman who was still glaring at him from across the room.

“Oh, shut it! You were drunk last night, too! At least I should hope you were after that!” The Englishman yelled at him before taking a sip of his tea.

Francis blushed some at his comment, probably out of embarrassment more than anything. 

“You two argue a lot, but it seems like you’re close. You actually like him, don’t you?” The girl asked Francis, a smile on her face. Although it seemed a bit forced, like she was wondering how much longer she had to listen to two men argue.

For some reason, the Frenchman’s face felt hot when he heard that question. He even felt a bit tongue-tied, which was rare for him.

Arthur noticed Francis’s reaction and got embarrassed, too. That was the one time he wished the other man would’ve yelled something nasty at him instead of falling silent.

“I guess it wouldn’t be surprising if he liked me,” Arthur teased sarcastically, mostly trying to rile Franics up enough to fight him on it.

And it worked.

“Yeah, yeah, because I’ll take anyone, remember?!” Francis retorted, causing Arthur to choke on his tea because it wasn’t quite the response he was expecting.

“You’re still hung up on that?! Besides, saying that you wouldn’t take anyone would imply you have some sort of special feelings for me!” Arthur yelled back, letting out a laugh like he thought he really got one over on the other man.

However, once again, Francis fell silent. His heart rate had seemed to increase to a speed that he didn’t know it was capable of and he let out an awkward laugh. 

Arthur thought that surely some sort of retort was coming after that, but nothing. Then his expression changed, too, and he looked disturbed.

“Oh my God, I shouldn’t have bought you that wine– you think I like you,” Arthur said, his eyes wide as he pointed a finger at the Frenchman accusingly.

The girl stood up from the couch, causing Francis to stand up, too.

“Where are you going?” Francis asked the girl, giving her puppy dog eyes, as it was very obvious she had enough and was leaving.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t listen to this anymore. I don’t know what you two have going on, but you’re clearly not just roommates,” the girl replied, shoving past Francis, but he grabbed her hand and she turned to face him again.

However, before Francis could say anything, Arthur interjected with a, “Look– it’s not like I want to be engaged to him.”

The girl furrowed her eyebrows and said, “You’re engaged?! You’re disgusting!” 

Then she slapped him and stormed out of the house, leaving Francis with a sore cheek and an angry, hungover, British man.

Arthur’s words hurt even more than Francis’s burning cheek. He didn’t want to be engaged to him? Well, he supposed it wasn’t the first time he’d heard it… or that he hadn’t said it a few times himself, but… for some reason it hurt this time.

“Something tells me you invited that girl over just to rub it in my face,” Arthur started, setting his now empty tea cup down on the end table and standing up. “But the whole thing blew up in your face. I mean, what were you thinking– fighting with someone during the entirety of your date?”

It sounded like the Englishman was scolding him, but Francis wanted him to be jealous because he had a date, not try to tell him how he could’ve made it better.

“I don’t want to hear about how to have a good date from someone who’s never been on one!” Francis yelled, visibly upset.

“Well, going on five hundred failed dates isn’t exactly something to brag about now, is it?” Arthur yelled back, a smug look on his face afterwards.

“They didn't fail! They were all successful, except for this one– because you ruined it!” Francis retorted, pointing at Arthur.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s all my fault that you couldn’t stop harassing me while I was just trying to make some tea,” Arthur replied, folding the duvet so it was easier to get it back upstairs. “If you really don’t like me then how about you try leaving me alone?”

Arthur stormed out of the room, taking his huge blanket back upstairs with him. Francis simply watched him run off before he plopped back down onto the couch with a sigh.

Francis was beginning to think he was cursed because even though the Englishman’s words made sense, he couldn’t bring himself to follow through with them. Of course he shouldn’t talk or pay attention to someone he disliked, but just like the intrusive thoughts he had the night before, the girl had said the same thing– maybe he liked Arthur.

But how can one gauge whether or not they like someone? In an attempt to disprove the theory that he might’ve liked Arthur, Francis continued to ask himself this question.

Thinking about someone all the time, wanting to talk to someone all the time, flushed cheeks when a certain person’s name is mentioned; all of these feelings could be signs of loving someone, or hating them… but what about when you haven’t seen someone for awhile? Missing someone– surely that’s a sign of love, Francis thought.

Testing his feelings was the only way he could understand them, so he decided that from there on out he would stay away from Arthur. He would distance himself from the Englishman as much as possible. Seeing as they lived together, it would prove difficult, but he was going to give it a try. His hypothesis was that if he ended up missing the other man, then he liked him; if he didn’t end up missing the other man, then he didn’t like him.

With that plan in mind, Francis continued on like usual, completely unphased by his date that left him. He tidied up the living room, fluffing the decorative couch pillows and vacuuming the floor. When he came across the tea set that Arthur had left on the end table, a scowl took over his face. Why? Because he just realized that the whole time he was cleaning he had been thinking about the other man. Even when he was out of his sight, he plagued his mind.

Francis sighed and picked the tea set up, taking it out to the kitchen to clean it. Arthur probably wouldn’t even thank him for cleaning it, he thought. He would probably just say that he planned on coming back to get it, but Francis could hear the shower running upstairs, so he knew that wasn’t the case. Arthur had forgotten it.

The tea set was cleaned and put away, so, out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong. Within the time it took Francis to wash, dry, and put away the tea set, Arthur had already finished in the shower, gotten dressed, and returned to the kitchen.

Francis glanced over at Arthur and they made eye contact for a second before he quickly looked away and started to hum, pretending to be immersed in a new task, which was simply rooting around in one of the cabinets until the Englishman left the kitchen.

Arthur furrowed his eyebrows at the Frenchman’s clear attempt to ignore him and walked over to him. Francis panicked a little bit, seeing as he didn’t actually have any reason to be messing around in the cabinet and now Arthur was hovering over him. He was tempted to ask him what he was doing, but that would’ve ruined the whole ignoring him and pretending he didn’t exist to see if he missed him thing.

The Englishman cleared his throat, hoping Francis would acknowledge him or at least hurry up because he actually wanted something from that cabinet… but Francis didn’t budge, so Arthur ended up having to say something.

“What’s taking you so long? I want to get my water bottle,” Arthur eventually said, annoyance apparent in his tone.

Francis almost replied, but quickly stopped himself. Without looking up, the Frenchman pulled the water bottle out of the cabinet and held it out for the smaller man.

“Thanks…” Arthur replied hesitantly as he took the bottle, still standing there staring down at the longer haired blonde. “Francis…” Arthur started and the Frenchman felt his heart skip a beat at the sound of his own name. He rarely called him by name. “Are you alright?”

Francis was trying his best not to break so early on in the test that only he knew about, but upon hearing the earnestness in the other man’s voice, he decided it would be too rude to ignore him. He finally looked up at the Englishman and replied, “Oui, I’m fine.”

Arthur didn’t exactly believe the other man’s response, but he figured he might’ve just been upset because his date left or something, so he thought he would let it go.

“Okay… Well, I’ll be in the garden, so let me know if you need anything,” Arthur replied and then filled his water bottle and went outside, a small basket of gardening supplies in hand.

The Frenchman had stayed frozen, still pretending to look for something in the cabinet until he heard the door shut. Then he finally stood up and shut the cabinet, leaning against the counter as he contemplated what he should do.

He had forgotten that Arthur liked gardening, hence the reason he had wanted a house with ample space for one. Out of curiosity, Francis peered out the kitchen window, which had a clear view of the small garden in their yard. There he saw the Englishman crouched over the dirt with a small shovel, making a hole in the land. 

Francis hadn’t noticed what Arthur was wearing when he was in the kitchen because he had been so determined to not look at him, but now he could see that the Englishman was wearing a tan gardening apron, gloves, and a sun hat. The Frenchman let out a small laugh, but he had forgotten that the window was propped open slightly, so Arthur heard him and looked over to find Francis staring at him from inside the house.

Arthur’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment and Francis started to whistle, pretending he wasn’t just staring at the other man.

So Francis wasn’t upset about something after all, Arthur thought. No, he was just his usual, creepy self… watching him and laughing from the window…

“I’ve had enough of you!” Arthur called out, throwing a fistfull of dirt at the open window. However, when Francis laughed again at that, the Englishman ended up laughing, too, before he returned to gardening.

Francis hadn’t exactly been doing anything in particular, but he figured he could start preparing dinner or something while he was free…

Dinner was a bit of a failure last time, Francis thought. But he could make up for it by making something that was equally delicious and avoiding alcohol this time. 

As the Frenchman rummaged through the cabinets, trying to see what he could make with the ingredients they had, he decided that he would make quiche lorraine. He had made it dozens of times in the past, so it had become something that he could make without a recipe on hand. There were a few hours before dinner, but he liked to take his time with things, and the dish could be served hot or cold, so it wasn’t exactly an issue if he finished it too early.

Francis pulled on an apron and got to work, nonchalantly glancing out the window at his fiancé every now and then. He hummed and put the ingredients together at a leisurely pace until he eventually placed the dish in the oven and waited for it to bake.

While he was relaxed against the counter, waiting for the oven timer to go off, Arthur came back inside the house and entered the kitchen.

“What are you making? It smells good,” the Englishman admitted, his stomach growling some, which caused his cheeks to turn pink.

After all that time laboring in the garden, he had worked up a bit of an appetite, and the smell of delicious food that he hadn’t accidentally burnt to a crisp was rather inviting.

Francis smirked when he heard Arthur’s stomach growl and he turned to look at the timer again. Well, once again, he supposed it would be rude to ignore him while he was standing right there asking him a question.

“Quiche lorraine. It will be done in 10 minutes,” the Frenchman replied with a smile. There was something about having a simple exchange of words with the other man that made Francis’s heart flutter. It was kind of nice when they didn’t argue so much– a nice contrast.

“Quiche? I haven’t had that in awhile,” Arthur replied with a thoughtful look on his face as he sat down at the kitchen table and started to untie his boots. He wasn’t terribly covered in mud or anything, but Francis supposed Arthur was just removing them to be cautious, which the Frenchman did appreciate, seeing as he had just vacuumed the floor.

“Well, since you’re hungry we can have an early dinner tonight,” Francis replied, but mentally cursed himself because he realized he was just carrying on a conversation at that point. It was almost like the more he pulled away from the Englishman, the more he kept appearing in front of him. 

“Oh, are you sure? I know you like to eat later,” Arthur replied, uniting his gardening apron once he removed his boots.

“Oui, I suppose it doesn’t hurt to eat earlier sometimes,” Francis replied, but once again, he returned to pondering why he suddenly sounded so accommodating, as well as why Arthur wasn’t being sarcastic with him.

“I’ll go change my clothes and come back straight away then,” Arthur said, folding the gardening apron and picking up his shoes before he took them upstairs with him.

As soon as Arthur left the room, Francis went back to thinking about the secret test he had put himself through. Whether it was accurate or not, he hadn’t been able to get any real results from it because he couldn’t get away from the Englishman. More than anything, his problem was that he… didn’t want to get away from the other man. It was hard to admit it to himself, because he knew there was no turning back once he did, but… if he imagined a life without Arthur in it, surely he… would miss him.

And just like that, Arthur had returned from upstairs and the oven timer went off.

“Just in time,” the Englishman said with a small laugh, walking over to the cabinet beside Francis to pull out dishes and utensils for them.

Meanwhile, Francis was frozen, still in deep thought about the revelation he just had. He would miss Arthur if he wasn’t around, which meant… Well, he did look kind of cute in that silly gardening outfit he had on, Francis thought, making his face heat up.

“Aren’t you going to… take it out of the oven?” Arthur asked awkwardly, as he had already set the table and he knew the timer went off.

“Oui, oui, of course,” Francis replied with nervous laughter as he opened the oven and reached for the tray.

“What do you think you’re doing?! You git!” Arthur screeched and pulled Francis’s hands away from the tray before they touched. “You need to use an oven mitt– even I know that!” Arthur continued to yell and handed Francis an oven mitt. He really almost touched the burning hot dish with his bare hands because he was so lost in thought…

“J’sais, j’sais, j’sais,” the Frenchman muttered in response as he put the oven mitts on and pulled the dish out of the oven and set it on top of the stove.

Once the dish was out, Francis turned the oven off and Arthur let out a sigh of relief.

The way Arthur had panicked and thought fast so that Francis didn’t burn his hands to a crisp was also kind of endearing to the Frenchman… 

“Merci, Arthur,” Francis said, his eyes locking with Arthur’s in a way that made the Englishman’s heart race. He had no idea why the taller man was staring at him that way.

“Yes, well, be more careful next time,” Arthur replied dismissively before he turned away from him and grabbed a knife to cut the dish.

“It still needs time to cool off,” Francis said, frowning as he watched Arthur take a knife through the quiche.

“It’ll cool off faster if we cut it and put it on a plate. I’m hungry now, remember?” Arthur replied, dishing out two servings of the quiche and bringing them over to the table.

“Okay, fine,” Francis replied with a small huff as he followed the shorter blonde over to the table and sat down across from him. 

Francis watched as the Englishman blow on the quiche expectantly, hoping it would cool down faster and he couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, which caused Arthur to stop what he was doing and look up at him.

“Why do you keep laughing at me?”

“No reason.”

“Well, there’s got to be a reason, because you were doing it earlier when I was in the garden, too.”

“Arthur, can I ask you something?” the Frenchman asked, breaking eye contact with the Englishman as he averted his gaze down to his plate.

“Yes, go on…” Arthur replied hesitantly when the other man looked away from him.

“If you never saw me again… would you miss me?” Francis asked, his voice growing softer and fading into somewhat of a whisper towards the end of his question as he looked back up at the man across from him.

Arthur seemed taken aback by his question and the way he was acting, but sarcasm came naturally to him, like second nature, so that was what came out…

“Would I miss you?” Arthur repeated and let out a laugh. “No, no. I would have to have some sort of celebration. Maybe I would open a bottle of wine,” Arthur joked.

Of course Francis was aware that it was sarcasm, but… could the other man not take him seriously? Was it because he… didn’t really care about him at all?

Francis felt as though his heart had been crushed, like he was embarrassed for even asking such a question. The best cover up would’ve been to reply sarcastically in return, to show that he, too, had asked the question with the intention of it being some sort of joke, but… he couldn’t get any words out.

Arthur had expected just that. He thought Francis would reply with a joke, too, or maybe even laugh at his joke and then they would return to talking about dinner like they had been, but he didn’t. The Frenchman was suddenly uncomfortably silent.

Looking up from his plate, Arthur was shocked to see the hurt look on the other man’s face. So he was really trying to have a serious conversation, Arthur thought.

Arthur let out an awkward laugh amidst the dead silence that had encompassed the room, but even then, Francis refused to look at him, lightly tapping the hot quiche with his fork.

The room fell silent again.

“Francis, I… I was just messing around. Of course, I… would miss you,” Arthur eventually said quietly. Then, their eyes met for the first time since the Englishman made the joke, and Francis smiled softly, the dejected look leaving his face completely.

Arthur used to think that Francis liked fighting with him, like it was his favorite hobby or pastime, but maybe he misunderstood him, he thought. They were living together, so it would make sense if they made more of an effort to get along with one another, Arthur thought.

“You would miss me… wow, what a confession,” Francis murmured softly before he took a bite of the quiche. “It turned out really good didn’t it?” He added, pretending he hadn’t said that first part.

Arthur’s cheeks flushed because he heard the first part loud and clear, despite Francis’s attempts to brush past it.

“If you want to tease me about it, then I’ll take it back!” Arthur retorted, raising his voice.

“You can’t take it back– you already said it. You would miss me!” Francis replied with a smirk, wearing a smug expression on his face.

“I wouldn’t miss you!”

“You would– you said so!”

Well, maybe they couldn’t stop fighting with each other, but it didn’t mean that they wouldn’t miss each other if they parted ways…

[staysafedontdie]

I thought I was free of BG3, but I was not.

(sorry Im not using the real app so it's not letting me edit correctly)

So, I made another Redeemed!Durge playthrough.

While my first one was narratively and cognitively dissonant, story-wise (an unusual looking Githyanki Bard, doing serial murdering in Baldur's Gate? Brushing elbows with powerful people? And no one noticed???) I decided to chalk that up to Bhaal being incredibly cocky. He has the old man voice and is much more tired than my current PC.

My goal with this updated playthrough was two-fold:

Make the ultimate Durge - constantly underestimated, can go anywhere, no one bats an eyelash at their presence.

Get Astarion as the first and only companion and using a specific guide (https://reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/s/visFK1mKzl - top comment), get the scenes that I initially missed. (Most of the companion scenes are tiered/have priority, I think it's a combination of specific character and approval. Most often Astarion's scenes get overwritten by Shadowheart, Lae'zel, or Gale.)

So, my new character is a Female Half-Elf Bard (Sword Bard OP), with more traditionally Elven features, tanned skin, freckles, and light brown hair with a bit of blonde from sun-bleaching. She looks like the personification of the sun. Someone who's never gone a day without.

But she's also pretty, and forgettable -which is the important part. Other than the shattered dagger throat tattoo, a scar over her lips and the dagger earrings, she's just the girl next door. And since she's slight in build, she's constantly underestimated. It made for quick work to lure people to their doom.

the WORST part is that I've been writing blurbs between playing.

I've written over /16,000/ words. On my phone. Mostly idling in game, headphones on, listening to the ambient music. Or laying in bed. It's not even edited, it's just terrible stream of consciousness stuff.

I call the story collection 'Brief Moments in Time' and one of them involves my Half-Elf, Lysithea, having a core memory unlocked when Astarion is spouting lines at her during the Tiefling Party. Turns out she not only LIKES pick up lines, but also COLLECTS them. They were very useful for luring people to their deaths - like a less sexy version of what Astarion used to do for Cazador.

Here's the little memory flashback I have for her. The ending lines are meant to invoke that moment with the dying Mind Flayer you find at the crash site in Act 1. (Compassion??)

-----

The settings are vague, but the bustling environment must be a local tavern. She’s sipping ale quietly from a table that has a strategic vantage point. The occasional scratching of a quill in a book accompanies her gaze, making sure to take notes on would be targets.

But just over by the bar, she hears a drunken man say a fun pick-up line a little too loudly. Like Astarion she used whatever means she had to lure people away to their doom, and she pays attention to the honeyed words to try and see if they’ll be of some use to her.

“Are you a Gelatinous Cube? Because I feel like this encounter is going to end up with me inside you.”

Past the rage and the darkness that consume her, there’s a small bubble of… joy.

Joy?

-----

And then she spends the next little bit spouting lines at Astarion, which he rather likes because she calls him beautiful. And it's nice to be on the receiving end of such attention every now and again.

She's also aware the entire time he's using her, but doesn't care. She's got no sense of who she is, beyond a few small things, so she's using him as well for companionship and to help curb the urge and build new memories. After all, they're a lot alike.

UGH I JUST CANT STOP WRITING LITTLE GARBAGE THINGS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE BEEN CONSUMED. NOTHING REMAINS BUT BG3. please help me 😭

BUT!!

...In the future I want to do a Wyll run where I romance Karlach because I heard he goes with her at the end to Avernus anyway and they're so sweet to each other 🥹

[elpscroll]

Saturday Report 114

All right, just finished writing Saturday Report 115. Now, time to relax and make some more progress… What do you mean it's Saturday again?

Hello there! I'm making good progress with animating the chunk of writing I completed. I am really close to where I stopped, which is good! However, I'm going to have to start writing again, and I'm not sure if I'm going to keep switching between animating and writing… Right now, I'm leaning towards not doing that, but we'll see.

This branch has really turned into a very good mix of possessions and body swaps. I really like it, especially now that I'm cleaning up the Corny story. I've been thinking about some other stuff to add while I work on this, but I'm also trying to control myself from going too crazy.

The winner of the next update poll is: Memories route stuff! I am very surprised by how many votes that option had. It really overshadowed the mini epilogues, but you know what? I kinda get it. I mean, we already had updates for all available routes. It would be kinda weird to not "close it off" (Family doesn't count).

Well, once I'm done with this, I will be working on Memories! Get ready to see more of Abby's sister, Vein, and also Amelia, the substitute principal. Do remember that I lost the plans for the stuff I wanted to do there due to a phone accident, but I still have my cube brain that remembers most of what's on it! I just need to write it.

Well, that was all for today. Hope you have a nice Saturday!

What am I doing?:

Updating dialogue and a few things in "Rough and Tough"

How much is done?:

I did a pretty good amount of writing and animating and Music and sound in the new Corny stuff in Rough&Tough.

Progress of the update:

Rough writing:

Did pretty much all in the "Talk to Convince" path and I got to right before Corny, Abby and Axel go out for the first time.

Animation:

Almost getting to the end of the chunk of writing I did in Corny story, very close.

Music and Sound:

Almost getting to the end of the chunk of writing I did in Corny story, very close.