#i can do it no problem but I've always had good FLEXIBILITY

[caffelino]

guys. afaik it's not a bone thing. it's a joint thing. with proper training and stretching you can slav squat too. it's one if the most basic human poses (aka everyone should be able to do it barring injury or disability), and all that stopped you from doing it all these years is the sedentary lifestyle forced upon you by academia and capitalism.

go workout your legs little!

[nightingale-prompts]

Batboy admits the Truth

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(Remember when this was cute and fun)

It was a tense reunion. Batman sensed it and left Nightwing to handle it.

Nightwing was of course not happy. He was downright pissed actually.

"Danny Nightingale-Grayson! Running away again?! After last time?!" Dick was about to go on a long lecture when Danny interrupted.

"I'm sorry."

"You should be sorry! I was so worried!" Dick scowled as he tried to calm down.

"I know. I was just scared. You deserve an answer. A good one. I've never had to explain all of this so please just listen." Danny hoped that this was a good idea.

Dick huffed but this was the start that he wanted.

"I'm dead. Undead at least." Danny began.

"What do you mean? Like a zombie or…like Jason?" Dick asked.

"I don't really know. Jason is like me but I'm not like him. I'm more dead than him I guess." Danny didn't know how to nail that down, revenants are their own things. Several rungs down from where Danny was.

"And how did that happen?" Dick asked gently.

"It was an accident. I was just cleaning my family's lab. The portal wasn't working and I just wanted to take a look. I thought if it finally worked they would spend more time with us. But it turned on with me in it. I didn't learn until recently that a portal to the other side required a sacrifice and that was me. I made for a perfect sacrifice at that, children make for best ones." Danny tried to make a joke but it fell flat.

Dick saw stunned into silence. All this time…Danny you-" Dick was appalled that the same people who hated him for who he was were the same people whose negligence that caused him to be this way.

"Its fine though. They didn't mean for this to happen and I should have known better then to mess with the portal." Danny said defensively.

Despite everything he still cared about his parents at least a little bit.

"That is not fine Danny. You aren't fine Danny. They made you feel like you were not human." Dick said exasperated.

Danny shook his head his face contorted.

"Dick…I'm not human." He said simply. It was plain as day "I thought you understood that. I haven't been just human in a long time. When I had wings did you believe I was human?"

"That is not what I meant. You know that. I just-"Dick didn't know what he was doing. "I'm sorry. Continue."

"I got to play hero for a while. It was exhausting but I liked it. I defended the town from all sorts of ghosts. Then i learned why they were running from their home. All the while a monster like me appeared and he…" Dark Danny's memories flooded his mind. He wasn't a ghost or a human in Danny's mind. Monster was the only thought that came to him.

Dan had haunted him since. He would always be a version of Danny that's possible even if the Nasty Burger incident doesn't happen. All it takes is for Danny to suffer another loss. It almost happened again when his parents caught him.

"I learned a lot from that experience. More then that I earned a title that made me important to the other ghosts. They are actually really cool. But when I got home my parents told me that their real son was dead and I was just a ghost in his body. They called me a murderous monster and then they…cut me open." Danny took a deep breath. His throat felt tight as he held back tears. "I…ran. I escaped and lived with the ghosts."

Danny still remembered sobbing into Clockwork's arms while covered in blood.

"I saw a potential future where this happens but I had hoped it would not come to pass." He said holding Danny in his arms.

The problem with ghosts is while they can heal quickly they are damaged by mental pain far more. Danny healed slowly from his wounds and the scars remained.

Clockwork had taught Danny shifting to help improve the boy's mental flexibility and get heal in a better head space. He knew he had to ask Nocturne to take Danny's mind and spare him from further pain when he was kidnapped. Perhaps it was foolish but the event was going to happen regardless.

Dick took in this information as best as he could but it still made him irate. Danny had been through so much but he never let that mask slip until now. He still chose Dick to be his guardian even while he battled his fears of abandonment. Even after being betrayed by people he only wanted to love him.

Dick put a hand on Danny's cheek. The teen looked at him with the pain of a child left all alone. Danny, touched starved, leaned into Dick's hand.

"Danny, I'm so sorry they did that to you. You deserve so much better. I don't care what you are, you're my son." Dick said softly.

Danny's face twisted.

Son.

He wasn't fond of that word. Bring someone's son never meant much. No, when he had a sister who filled the role of his caretaker. Danny never needed a mom or dad before so the words felt hollow, like placeholders.

But Danny didn't say anything. He just wanted this internal fight to be over.

"Can we just go home?" Danny sighed.

"Yeah, sure kiddo." Dick reassured, "Do you want to go to Batburger on the way?"

"Yeah, can I get jokerized fries?" Danny immediately perked up at the sound of his favorite fast food.

"I think they don't sell those anymore." Dick tried to sound casual because no one had actually told Danny that the Joker was dead just missing.

Well everyone believed that he was missing. It was best not to tell the public that the one of the Bats actually committed murder. Thankfully no one is going to care if Joker doesn't commit another crime spree and won't ask too many questions. Honestly, Duke and Jason are having a fantastic time.

"Really? Why?" Danny asked tilting his head kind of like a puppy.

"….no idea." He shrugged.

(Now back to the regularly scheduled fluff, i swear.)

[performativezippers]

fanfic writer habits i've had to unlearn when trying to traditionally publish original work

a list in no particular order in case you're curious

starting sentences with "And"

so. many. one sentence. paragraphs. like, yeah, this is fun for The Drama but also...not how books work

using italics for emphasis--gotta use your WORDS, zippy

head hopping. rereading old fanfics i wrote, i'm like, WHOSE POV IS THIS?? HOW WOULD JANE KNOW MAURA THINKS THIS?? jesus christ keep your pov tight, zipperoni. i had to really learn this when i was revising my first book and my agent pointed it out.

Oh. Oh. some of these are good but too many are oh [failure]

Using scene breaks to skip through transitions instead of actually transitioning. this one i'm working on right now and it's haaaaaaard.

scene choreography. if someone is holding something, do they ever put it down? are they STILL HOLDING IT NOW, FIVE YEARS LATER?

overwriting vs using a lighter touch. "that's normal. that's casual. that's fine." sometimes that's great for emphasis, but if it was always just "that's casual. that's fine." the point comes across the same way, and doesn't hit you over the head with it as much.

introducing new characters and making them memorable, vivid, and not sucking up too much space when the reader doesn't recognize them (it's lena! i love her!)

pacing! things have to happen at specific times, the book needs to end at a specific time, the conflict needs to be sown here and explode there. making that all feel organic and honest for the characters while also conforming to the genre expectations that have very little flexibility (especially for a new author trying to convince publishers I know how to write books)

ending things at the right time. at first i wrote too far beyond the climax (classic fanfic problem) and then now i seem to have swung too far in the other direction and am ending too soon after it. but the good news is that my editor asked for an epilogue. you know what that means?? A WHOLE SHORT CHAPTER OF FLUFF Y'ALL!!!

Does this need to be a curse word or can it be a different word? i mean often it fucking needs to but not always!

Just cut out the word just almost all of the time even if it feels like it's just the right word; it will hurt just a little but you should just do it.

use as much sex as the plot needs. incorporate it into the plot. don't change the tone of the piece. make it stay in character and also be hot and also serve the narrative.

got questions? want examples? have thoughts? what other things have you caught yourself doing, or notice when you read through your old stuff?

[anotherlifelesshawksloverplshelp]

~FLEXIBLE~

KATSUKI BAKUGOU X READER

Okay so it's kinda smut with plot tho (sorta not really)okay just TRUST ME ON THIS.

I've had this idea plaguing me where essentially Bakugo is definitely an intense person. He can be loving, but the mans cant help but want certain things. He loves when his baby is struggling to keep it together for him, or having to try things for his praise yk (i cant summarize things well).

After a long day/during an aggressive session, y/n cant fully handle it, not being flexible enough, so his health aware self whom always pays attention to maximize health via diet and physical wellness makes it his priority each day to stretch with her for her health and to solve their little problem. :]

It's pretty short, sorry<3

i just had to get it off my chest T^T

18+ content NSFW(mdni), fem! reader, fluff + smut, penetration(very short) <3

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` It all begun from one rough night, the product of a rough day at work. Bakugou came back home late in a fit, slamming the door behind him and throwing his stuff on the couch. What gave it away other than the slam of the door? He was a real neat freak. He believed there was a right and a wrong way to do everything, that everything had a place. When he was like this, just dropping his things, usually it had to do with some form of intense emotion. Unfortunately (or so people might say), it was frustration. "Kats, is everything okay?" You call out from the room, having been enjoying a book until he got there. You got up, trailing lightly, rather innocently out to the living room to catch him discarding items onto the couch from pieces of his gear to extra clothing. His crimson eyes lock onto you as he stepped up, pulling you firmly into a kiss.

Despite his apparent aggression, he was nothing but ever gentle with you (outside of bed of course), his big hands holding your face with much care as he took your breath away. The heat of his body radiated from his skin, the contact of your faces and the grip he had on you conducting it over to steadily increase your temperature, the room feeling hot.

When he pulls away, your delicate, flushed face looking up at him through with such pretty eyes, he couldn't help himself. His lips crash into yours again, his hands finding your waistband, tugging them down slightly. He always paused to ask, even if it wasn't verbal. You pull him in deeper, answering his question with a matching want.

He's quick to pull them down, dropping them to your ankles, which you flick away absentmindedly, too focused on his physical presence.

"Turn around for me, baby." He murmurs, patting your hip. You turn to face the counter but he shakes his head, grabbing your waist and turning you away from the surface, doing everything in his power not to slap that pretty ass of yours. "Ah, nope, we're trying something new." He hums as he broke his dick free from his pants, letting them fall down his thighs, holding the base carefully rubbing up along your folds, always sure to focus on how you could enjoy the moment. You shudder, letting out an airy sigh as he does so, voicing what you do and don't like always making him feel that much better about the way he fucks you. He can only the best, after all.

He gives a light slap to your ass, gripping the round plush of it before sliding his hand to get a good grip on your hip, lining up before sinking in, groaning gutturally as he took his time to indulge in you. You coo as he does so, fluttering at the feeling. He adjusts, drawing his hips away slowly just to make them meet again. You cant help but moan prettily over his dick, and he took that in proudly.

He pats your hip again, bringing one foot to the inner base of yours, knocking it to widen your stance, running a hand up from your ass to the small of your back, coaxing you lower. "Go ahead and get lower for me." He hums, drinking the sight. Your hands touch the ground, low enough to bend your elbows slightly, but not going as far as he'd like. "Kats, i can't go that low, I'm not that flexible!" You whine. He stops for a moment, thinking, his vermillion eyes tracing your figure quietly before noting. "we can work on that."

~~~

Forward to now, a week later and he's been going out of his way to get you out of bed in the mornings with him and walking you through his stretching routine, strictly at least 15 minutes each morning. Youd do this every morning, accompanied with another 15 once more either midday, before and after a workout, or at night.

You had gotten the lecture about health from him the morning after.

"You have to be mindful of your diet" "I know" "And your body. Strength is important for your health overall" "I know" "But without stretching it could lead to injuries and you're not that stupid are you?" You shake your head.

He only ever wanted the best for you. He was always health motivated, very mindful of his sleep, his diet, and his physical well being. You best believe he was sure to make it his priority to follow up on yours too.

You were currently sitting on the ground, legs parted and reaching to the side to touch your left foot, matching him. He looks at you and grins, getting up to press a kiss to the side of your head, giving a proud smirk to you, admiring you intently, surely with a glint of mischief as he thought ahead. "It sure feels better to be more flexible, huh?"

After all, he cared for your health. What would he do if his baby couldn't cutely press her chest to the ground for him?

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[taintandviolent]

Ride ; Jimmy Darling x Reader

summary: 7k words. Jimmy tries to get you and your friend to ride the carousel, but she swoops in with the cock block of the century. Jimmy takes it real hard, but maybe... maybe you can change that by the end of the night. aka: a little angst, a little fluff, and a whole lotta smut that centers around a carousel. w a r n i n g s: female reader, female receiving, angst, mild fluff, kinda slow burn, fingering, unprotected sex, public sex, rough sex. a/n: I have a problem... I've always wondered what it would be like to fool around on a carousel, and who better to explore that idea with than Jimmy Darling??? be fr. he's the one who would do it. comments are appreciated! full fic & taglist under cut!↓ / ao3 link here! / ♪ recommended playlist here! ♪

It was a beautiful day, really. The sun was out, the sky held big, white clouds as fluffy as the cotton candy in your hand, and by grace of whatever God, the bugs had decided to stay away. The fabric of the tents fluttered, making snapping sounds every time the breeze caught it. 

Your bag swung at your side as you two walked through the field, passing the main tent. You’d wanted to see the Freak Show, but Debbie resisted, claiming that it wasn’t “good for us to see God’s mistakes” which you thought was a horrible and cruel thing to say, especially since you’d been teased in school for being so flexible. Some people’s bodies were just… different.

“I wonder how some of them eat.” Debbie sneered, bringing wretched images to mind. Although you hadn’t paid for the Freak Show, the posters of all the… talent… told you enough. Debbie expected a response, but you said nothing, feeling like the way you ate cotton candy was a privilege. You knew it was, and knew not to take it for granted.

“Carousel rides!” 

You snapped your head to the left, searching for the source. 

The man standing on a wooden crate outside of the operator booth proudly shouted the words over and over again. Children tugged on their mother’s dresses, pointing. Many of them were towed away with a frown, but a special few were treated, their mothers pulling change from their handbags as they approached him. For the most part though, throngs of people passed him, ignoring him. They’d come for the Freak Show, and didn’t want something as normal as a carousel. He’d grabbed your attention with his boisterous voice, and as soon as you two made eye contact, he took that as willing prey. Sure, you understood why; two girls, all by themselves enjoying a casual day at the Freak Show… “Just a nickel for the ride of your life!” 

“Ladies!” He stepped down off the box, making a beeline for you. Your friend immediately stiffened and started tugging you away, but you stood fast. He was handsome enough - you’d at least give him the time of day to do his little pitch. With an annoyed huff, Debbie crossed her arms across her chest, rolling her eyes skyward. 

“Care for a ride on the carousel? Let the pretty horses carry you for a few minutes, huh?” He crooned. 

Debbie laughed haughtily, shaking her head. You pinched off another piece of cotton candy before laying it carefully on your tongue. As the sticky sugar dissolved, you kept your eyes on the man, smiling a coy, come-hither smile. Finally, you swallowed and spoke again. “I used all my money on the Ferris Wheel. You’re awful cute though.” 

He grinned boyishly, leaning closer to you. He reached forward, carefully curling his fused fingers in, so as not to scare you as they neared your face. To him, hiding his fingers was a force of habit. You seemed like you might not have cared… but the risk was too great. With a soft, warm smile, the Lobster boy dragged his thumb across the corner of your mouth, removing a small fluff of cotton candy from the corner. 

“Y’think so?” 

You nodded, your soft curls bouncing with the motion.

“Well, in that case, baby, it’s free of charge for pretty girls.” 

“Oh, I doubt that’s true.” You cooed, leaning forward towards him. Surely that would get him in trouble with the big boss later. He glanced at your lips briefly before answering, and that sent a wave of undulating heat through your core. You couldn’t help but feel special at the mention of ‘baby’ even though you were certain that he called at least fifty girls a day the same thing and more. Despite all his lavish flirting, Debbie remained unmoved. In fact, a nasty scowl had developed on her once standardly pretty features.

“C’mon, you can’t tell me you’re gonna turn down a free ride on a carousel now, are ya?” 

Debbie yanked your arm again, pursing her lips. “She sure is - get lost, freak.” 

Immediately, his debonair expression morphed into something much less friendly. Under a furrowed brow, his dark eyes narrowed into slits, darkening his once-amorous gaze. His jaw clenched, nostrils flaring with anger. As you were towed away, you tried to throw him an apologetic frown, but he’d already turned away to kick the wooden crate he’d been standing on far into the field. 

Eve was making her rounds, checking in on everyone as she usually did. For not having any children herself, she had one hell of a maternal streak in her. Her and Ethel both looked after the troupe like they were their own, and that meant making sure that everyone was holding up throughout the day before they had to be corralled for the show. Jimmy had been assigned carousel duty that day, a position he usually shone in. His chipper attitude and undeniable charm brought the crowds, but when she walked up on the carousel, she could tell that Jimmy’s mood had soured. Over what, God knows, but she intended to find out. 

A soft hand came down on Jimmy’s shoulder. “What’s going on, sweetheart? What’s that face for?”

“It just ain’t right, Eve. These gals, they’re so pretty… and they’re full of coyote piss. Worst manners I’ve ever seen.” 

“I know, but you can’t let ‘em get to you. You know they’re gonna’ say something, sweetheart. It’s the same in every city, Jimmy… there’s always at least two that have nothing nicer to say. Like your mama’ always tells you, it says more about them than it does you.”

Jimmy knew she was right. He knew every single word that ever came out of her cherry-coloured lips was always right. Strong and wise — that was Eve. So why had those two particular girls gotten under his skin so much? He knew why. Underneath all the bitterness, he knew it was because you had been the prettiest girl he’d seen in this city — maybe in a few cities —  and that made the cruelty cut a little deeper. Sure, your friend had been the one to make the comment, but you hadn’t taken him up on his offer and you sure as hell hadn’t stopped her — which had to mean that somewhere, deep down, you agreed with her. 

Antsy, Jimmy rubbed the back of his neck before craning it to look up at Eve. He offered her an appreciative smile, assuring her that he’d be fine in a few, just needed a bit to cool off. So far, she wasn’t buying it. 

“It’s ‘cause she was pretty, wasn’t it? You always get so hung up on the pretty ones.” 

That was another thing — nothing got past her. 

Your breaths rushed out in tired pants as you ran through the field, clutching your purse to your side. You’d ditched the cotton candy in a bin so you could run freely. Arguably, telling Debbie that she needed to get head on straight might not have been one of the best decisions you’d made this summer. Debbie was your ride home, and that had hammered in that you’d have to walk to the nearest store and ask to use their phone if you wanted to make it home that night. What she’d done just didn’t sit right with you… and you were going to make it right. Besides that, if the rose-tinted fantasy you’d created in your head went as planned, you might have one of the best nights of your life. 

You were completely out of breath by the time you got to the carousel, but he was still there, holding the gate open for a group of teenagers as they scurried out like little mice. A very tall woman stood next to him, hands on her hips. She turned to you first, and quirked a single brow. 

“Hi,” you breathed. “I wanted to ride the carousel. And um, talk to him.” You jabbed your finger through the air, pointing at the Lobster Boy. 

“Well, I don’t know about our boy Jimmy, but the carousel is a nickel, honey.” 

You stared for a moment, processing what she’d said. You stuck your hand in your purse, fishing hurriedly around, praying to God that a stray nickel would be nestled in the crevices. After breathily apologising several times in the awkward silence, you finally produced a silver coin, holding it out in your hand, proudly. Before the tall lady could take it, two conjoined digits laid atop your palm, pushing it downwards.

“Carousel’s closed. Lunch break.” 

Now or never. “No, wait… please. Listen, I’m sorry about my friend. She… can be such a—” 

“Oh, you mean callin’ me a freak?” He asked. 

You recoiled, the bite in his words was harsher than you’d prepped yourself for. You swallowed, and straightened up, mustering up the courage to continue. 

“Look, Mr. Darling, I really —”

“Oh, we care about names now, huh?” 

He was really bent out of shape over this. You took a deep breath, pressing on. “I really did think you’re cute, and I would’ve ridden the carousel right then. I’m sorry that my friend said what she said. She had no right and I don’t have any right coming back here, but… I just… I had to apologise.”

He seemed to consider your words. You thought you saw a flicker of something in those deep, black coffee eyes of his but his expression remained stony, his arms stayed tight across his chest. The woman next to him shifted, nudging him slightly. You cleared your throat, trying to find the confidence to continue presenting your case, but the nerves took hold. The two of them remained impassive, unwilling to see past your friend’s heinous attitude, and you could hardly blame them.

With a small, courteous bow, you turned harshly, cutting yourself off. Any words that came from your mouth were going to be downright foolish, so you marched away from the pair, leaving a frustrated cloud of dust behind you. You thought you heard the woman call back to you, but you ignored her, not wanting any other bruises on your ego. 

Thankfully, by the time you’d made it to the outskirts of the main field, Debbie hadn’t left. After some sappy apologies, some agreements that that guy was a jerk, and a promise that you’d buy her soda at the diner, she agreed to stay friends. She thought you were a lunatic for even considering him, especially with those hands he had. You offered to buy her some sweets at the store too, and with a penchant for candy, she agreed and threw the car into drive. It was her father’s car, but she sure didn’t act like it. 

The store wasn’t far, but it felt like an eternity with the way she reprimanded you. Worse than your mother would. You rode in silence, sulking — as if it wasn’t bad enough that you’d been shot down out of your pink, cotton candy sky of delusions by Jimmy Darling. You almost opened the door before she’d stopped the car once you two had arrived.

As you stood in the candy aisle, you bounced on your heels. Debbie scoured the rows of jars for her preferred types, you began picked at your nails absentmindedly. It was inevitable that your thoughts drifted back to the red and white striped tents, to the wooden horses with graceful feathers atop their heads, and your mind conjured up the warm, sticky sweet scents of caramel and cotton candy. Jimmy Darling… your expression soured. For all you knew, you’d been blacklisted from ever seeing the show or setting foot on the fairgrounds. Anywhere.

“Alright, let’s go.” She barked, yanking you out of your stupor. Her arms were full of candy. Jeez, is she going to buy the whole store?!

On the way to the diner, you drove, because Debbie was far too invested in her candies to want to drive down the road a few miles. The diner was positioned just near the field, which was a terrific business decision on the owners of the Freak Show. From the vantage point of the tables outside, you could see the Freak Show in all its glory. The Ferris Wheel spun slowly. 

From where you sat, you could see the tip of the carousel, and for a brief moment, wondered if he was still there. Was he still calling to people? Had he found another pair of girls, both of them charmed to death by him? Was he guiding them to the horses with a wink? You hung your head, spinning the straw around in your glass, watching sadly as the soda bubbles rushed to the top.

“Well, look who it is.”

Your face fell, the last bit of colour draining from your face. You clocked his voice immediately. That drove a burning stake of embarrassment through your chest, sending you into a flurry of emotion. You turned sharply on the bench to face him. There he was, as handsome as ever, standing next to another man you recognised from the posters, the one who had the fire breathing act. Without thinking, you scowled at both of them.

“Can I help you?” Lips pursed into a tight, angry line. You were hurt more than anything, but you were putting on an extra show for Debbie. 

“I sure hope so. I can’t get your face outta’ my head, doll. It keeps —“ 

“Oh, we’re smitten now?” You mocked the way he spoke to you earlier. Your voice was sharp, biting, and a reflection of the cracks Jimmy had put in your heart. You felt it, he heard it. You were livid. Now he wanted to talk, now he wanted to give you a chance when a few hours ago, all you’d wanted was a chance to apologise, to make wrongs right and he couldn’t give you the time of day.

“Run back to your Freak Show, Jimmy Darling.”  

“Only if you’re coming back with me.” 

Debbie straightened up, mouthful of jellies. Even she, in her anti-freak state, couldn’t deny the charm the man held. Her eyes darted between the two of you, waiting to see who would fold first.

“Why should I? So you can humiliate me again? Make me apologise only to shuck me off as nothing again?” 

“You went and apologised!?” Debbie blared from behind you, her mouth sticky. 

“Hush up!” 

Jimmy smirked to his friend, who reciprocated the expression, clearly impressed by your sudden fieriness. 

“Huh? I asked you a question, Jimmy.” 

“Well, see…” he paused, clearing his throat. “I was just upset back there. But my friend here talked me down, and I—“ 

“Oh, how nice of him. Maybe I should’ve found him and asked him for a ride.” The words were accompanied by a sneer. The man next to Jimmy tucked his hands in the pockets of his jeans and smirked. It was a suave, dangerous smirk and you caught yourself; almost letting your eyes linger a little too long. As he closed the distance between you two, Jimmy cleared his throat again — a nervous habit. 

“Listen, doll face…” he muttered.

Debbie was waiting to see who would fold first… and it was going to be you, because when Jimmy Darling sat down next to you on the tiny little bench, and leaned his elbow on the table, your whole body felt like Jell-O. He smiled hopefully, staring into your eyes. Even Debbie stayed quiet then.

“C’mon… whaddya’ say? After the show tonight, say around… nine o’clock?” 

If it were possible, you would’ve told him no, but the way your gaze softened would’ve given you away. So, instead of lying to him, you took a deep breath and turned back, making brief, embarrassed eye contact with Debbie before returning your attention to your very interesting soda. 

Jimmy waited a few more moments, but finally got up without another word. His friend muttered something you couldn’t hear. You were proud of yourself and how resilient you were acting, because deep down, you wanted to run back to him, clutch him at the collar and beg for his attention again. But you didn’t, and he didn’t come back, just walked off down the dirt road with his friend, laughing and joking. Your only option now was go to see him at nine o’clock. 

Somehow, even though she was still sore, you convinced Debbie to see a movie after you finished your sodas, just to pass the time. You’d gone and apologised and made her look bad, so she was mad at you and made that known. As you munched on popcorn, you thought about lecturing her on her choice of words, but ultimately, decided against it — she was rooted in her ways and you in yours. The hours dragged and the movie was no help. You couldn’t even recall the plot as the images flashed before your eyes. Some romantic plot, but you were too busy thinking about your own plot with Jimmy Darling, the Lobster Boy. Too busy swimming in his deep, brown eyes and basking in his bright, poster-boy smile. You’d give it all just to see it again… just to see him look at you the way he had this afternoon. 

Eventually, the movie ended and it was just about eight-thirty — enough time to get to the field. Debbie may have been mad, but she still offered to drive. She swore up and down that she wouldn’t pick you up, however. That was alright, you mused. If you had your way, you wouldn’t need a ride home. 

About that time, Jimmy leaned against one of the horses. There was a part of him that was screaming that this was a waste of time and there wasn’t a chance in Hell that you were coming. Another part that was more gentle, softer, and more romantic whispered quietly in his ear that something in your eyes earlier today had begged for him to touch you, to hold you close to his chest and nuzzle his lips against your neck. Girls were funny creatures, but boy did he love ‘em. Even through all the tribulations and mood swings, Jimmy was obsessed with those long-legged, bright-eyed, pink-lipped girls. There was just something about them.

Given his unfortunate circumstances, Jimmy didn’t particularly see himself as a Casanova, but the reality of it was that he was every bit of that. In every city their caravans pulled into, Jimmy always found himself a handful of girls who would swoon over him, and another select one that was adventurous enough to be moaning his name by the end of the week. He was doing ‘em a service, giving them a taste of the wild side of loving. 

You approached from the opposite side of the meadow, passing quietly by the Ferris Wheel. Everything was abandoned, the circus-goers had long since left, leaving nothing but empty popcorn bags and heavily trodden grass. The main tent was alive with chatter though, full of people. You assumed Jimmy wasn’t in there, and when you craned your neck to look over, you saw a black woollen hat poking over the top of one of the horses.

“I’m here to ride…” you said quietly, approaching from behind. 

Jimmy spun around to the direction of your voice, a delighted smile on his face. He was thrilled — over the moon, in fact. In a flurry of excitement, he yanked his hat off his head and threw it to the ground before latching onto one of the twisted golden poles. With a small laugh, he swung himself off the carousel onto the grass, the blades folding underneath his weight. He rushed up to you, like he had earlier in the day, and immediately, his gaze locked onto your lips, glossy with some sort of lipstick that you’d put on just before showing up.

“I didn’t think you’d make it…” 

“I don’t think that’s true,” you said. “I think you knew very well that I would.” 

“Sure, maybe I did.” 

You gazed up into his pitch dark eyes with a smile. For such an inky set of hues, they sure were warm. He looked back down at you, tilting his head slightly. A love drunk, half-lidded look washed over his features and with a breath, you mirrored it. You rose to your tip-toes, biting the corner of your bottom lip. 

That was a look of wanting a kiss, and boy was he glad you’d given him the green light on that one. Jimmy placed his hands on your elbows before slowly sliding them up the backs of your arms. Once they reached your shoulders, he pulled you in closer. He lowered his head with a smile, and finally, your lips met in the softest, tenderest kiss you’d ever had in your life. “C’mon,” he said, breaking the kiss as he took your hand. “You came here for a ride, and I’m gonna’ give you one.”

With your smaller hand in his, Jimmy wasted no time in leading you to the carousel. After a little deliberation, you chose the tan horse with the beautiful, golden plume on its headdress, its head reared up in an enchanting whinny. You hoisted one leg over the horse’s wooden body, holding your skirt down in the middle to avoid flashing the man behind you. Once you were situated, Jimmy took hold of the worn leather strap at your waist, wrapping both arms around you to slip the prong into the size-appropriate hole. Both his large, vascular hands came down on either hip, giving you a gentle pat. 

“Gotta’ strap you down, in case this horse decides to take off.” Jimmy teased. He gave you a wink before stepping off the carousel and making the short trek to the operator’s booth. After he’d slipped inside, he flipped a switch and pushed forward on a lever. The music started first, breathy and light. Shortly after, the carousel gently came to life; the horses that were high dipped gracefully, and the ones that were low, rose ever so softly into the air, until they were all galloping in unison. 

You held on, delighted. Even though you were no longer a child, riding a carousel still held a certain joviality. The horses went up down as light as air, and you moved your body with their motions, stretching up and curving down as they circled around their track. You wondered where the rest of the troupe was. Surely, they’d heard the sweet, mellifluous sound of of the calliope as it drifted over the tall grasses and rode on the soft breeze, inviting anyone who heard it to come for a ride, come for a ride.

Jimmy stood just in front of the carousel, watching as you swept by, circling round and round. Every time you caught a glimpse, you blushed. You didn’t have to be a mind-reader to hear his thoughts; he was admiring the way your body seemed to course with energy, following the movements of the animal below you, and matching their gait. He figured you’d do that with him, too. God, I sure hope she does. 

The carousel was going slow enough that Jimmy could step on without injury, but even then, he was skilled enough to do it at a higher speed. He waited until the black horse passed and then quickly hopped on. He was several horses behind you, which meant that you’d be looking for him out in the field on the next rotation. And you were — he saw your neck lengthen as you looked for him, turning slightly as you passed the spot where he previously stood. Jimmy travelled from horse to horse, his hand flattening on the hard, wooden rumps of each of the horses as he passed them. As he approached, you were none the wiser, still giggling softly to yourself and swaying delicately to the music. 

“Havin’ fun?” He asked, laying his hand on the small of your back. Instead of lurching upwards in fright like he expected you to, you melted into his hand. With a sigh, you dropped your head to the side, thankful that it landed on his shoulder. You got a whiff of his warm aroma; he smelled like a carnival would, a perfume of popcorn, cotton candy, warm grasses and sun. You took a few deep breaths, calming your nerves. With the euphoria of the carousel, you were already so full of emotion. Now arousal? Just because he touched your back and you smelled him? Poor little fool. You weren’t sure you could handle another overwhelming sensation. 

“This is the most wonderful carousel I’ve ever ridden,” you confessed dreamily. “And I’ve ridden so many.” 

“This ol’ girl?” He asked. He stroked the horse next to you, fingers dancing lovingly over the tresses of the horse’s frozen mane. “Aw, shucks. She probably loves hearin’ that. She’s been with us since… hell, since before I’ve been apart of the show.” 

He looked up, watching as the oiled gears rotated, bringing you up and down. Him and Eve had repaired this thing a handful times, and his mother had even sculpted a new head for one of them. The white one, on the other side. Of course, she’d done such a good job that barely anyone noticed. There’d be a day where she’d break down so bad that they couldn’t fix her, but today wasn’t that day. 

You’d made quite a few rotations by that point, and the songs would start repeating sooner or later. He asked: “Had enough?”

“I could ride this all night, Jimmy. All night.” You replied. 

“How ‘bout you ride something else?” 

Your jaw dropped open, but Jimmy closed it with a knuckle. Immediately, he started to stammer nervously, unsure of what had come over him.“Gosh, I’m sorry, that was uh —

You cut him off with a kiss, pressing your lips into his warm, plush ones. You didn’t want to hear an apology. There had certainly been enough of that today. His hand cupped your knee, caressing it softly. The feeling took your breath away, leaving nothing but a quiet little whimper that vibrated against his lips.

Moving away from your knee, Jimmy’s hand trailed upwards until he met the thick fluffy petticoat of your dress and flipped it up, delving underneath before it fluttered back down. His thick fingers grazed your slit over your panties, feeling the heat that radiated from it. You weren’t sure if you’d already started leaking into the satin, but whatever Jimmy felt was enough for him to break the kiss and gaze deep into your eyes.

“Baby, baby… c’mere.” After freeing you, Jimmy hoisted you up into his arms wedding-style. Your arms wrapped around his neck, which you immediately took to kissing and nipping playfully at. His breath hitched when you did. Careful not to hit your feet on any of the horses, Jimmy navigated around each of the horses. He finally reached his destination, and set you carefully down on the swan chair, making sure you were comfortable before sinking into the spot next to you.

“I’m real glad you decided to come tonight.” He murmured, brushing a lock of hair away from your face. “I meant what I said about not bein’ able to get your face outta’ my head.” 

“Well, I meant what I said about you being awful cute.”

Jimmy hurriedly crawled on top of you, supporting his weight on the back of the chair. His head hung between his shoulders as he leaned down, bringing his face closer to yours, his warm breath washing over your cheeks. 

“I want you real bad,” he slurred. You picked up the faintest hint of alcohol on his breath, biting and strong. “I need that heat, baby.” 

The fabric of his dark jeans were pulled taut with his growing arousal, and when you hooked your fingers around the top of his belt, your fingers grazed the warm skin of his tummy. He whimpered as you tugged him closer, urging his hips into yours. You wanted it, batting your lashes with wanton intent. God, he thought. I could fall head first into those doe-eyes if I’m not careful…

Slowly, Jimmy began grinding into you, bringing himself as close as he could with clothes on. You were so soft and warm underneath him. It drove him crazy. You whimpered pitifully, closing your eyes and melting into his touch. One of his hands was on the back of the chair while the other was beneath your ass, pulling you up to meet each of his thrusts. 

“Harder, Jimmy.” was all you said.

Jimmy thrusted deeper, rolling his hips back and forth and grinding against your centre. The hardness beneath his jeans bumped against you, rubbing determinedly against your cunt. The friction was just enough to get him stiffer, but not enough to satisfy. Like a lover persisting that something was too much, the wood creaked louder. Jimmy slowed his grinding, looking up at the old neck of the swan. “We oughta’ move this somewhere else… I dunno’ if she can handle…” 

“Handle what?” You asked, out of breath and distraught that he’d stopped. The tiniest beads of sweat decorated your hairline. Jimmy had you worked up and only from some heavy grinding. 

“Well, to be honest doll face, what I wanna’ do to ya’.” 

Your cheeks flushed, hotter than the surface of the sun. They had to be beet-red as your eyelashes fluttered shyly at him. ���Jimmy…” you whispered. He grinned, and took a few steps back, extending his hand towards you. Your curious eyes trailed down, sweeping over the bulge in his jeans. You weren’t the only one who had gotten worked up, it seemed.

You took his hand and he pulled you off the swan seat with ease, his bicep flexing underneath the cuff of his sleeve. As he led you off the carousel, your hand was swallowed by warmth and size. The journey was short, but the reason for the destination was obvious; it was secluded and out of view. Behind the carousel, between two smaller tents, the grasses were high, swaying back and forth with the breeze. Jimmy sat down first, pulling you down onto his lap.

You needed no instruction from the man beneath you; your hips began grinding back and forth on his groin, picking up where you two left off. He groaned and fell onto his back, weakened with pleasure. You could see his skin flushing with arousal. A smile curled around your lips, feeling more powerful than you could ever remember. Jimmy was beneath you, panting in ecstasy, and all you had to do was wiggle your hips back and forth to make him come undone. You bit your lip, planting your hips hard, and shimmied back and forth, feeling his bulge grind against your swollen clit. Jimmy practically whined at that. It was a high pitched, desperate, breathy sound.

“Baby…” He leaned up, his chest heaving. “You’re drivin’ me wild.” 

You nodded, knowingly. It wasn’t a secret that you were driving yourself wild; you were certain that by this point, you’d left a sizeable wet spot on his jeans. Your hands moved to his chest, taking your time with his shirt as you carefully pulled each button out of its slit. Once they were undone, you pushed the shirt off his round shoulders, letting it fall to the grass below. Jimmy watched you intently. 

“Where’s my strap now?” You asked, tracing circles on his bare chest. His skin was tanned and warm, like it had taken the warmth of the summer sun, absorbed it and made it its own. You leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on the flesh just above his nipple. Jimmy hissed in response, lifting his head to look at you. 

He looked at you curiously, a single eye brow lifted. “Your what?” 

“My leather safety strap… you know, in case this Lobster takes off…” 

“Ohoh,” Jimmy laughed a low, sweet molasses-like chuckle. “Oh, baby. He will. But don’t you worry, I’ll hold onto you nice n’ tight.” 

You pressed your lips against his, humming an excited laugh into his mouth. Feeling adventurous, you reached down the front of his jeans. Right away, the tips of your fingers were met with a velvety hot tip, slick with pre-cum. You swept the pad of your thumb over the slit, smearing the clear fluid over the tip. His heavy, swollen cock was already sensitive from the grinding that you two had been doing, so the slightest touch had him bucking his hips into your palm. The motion pushed your hand farther down into his jeans, allowing you to feel his stiff cock, and the heat that radiated from it. 

“Jimmy,” you cooed. “You’re so hard…” 

“Well, ‘course I am baby… you think you can move those hips on a guy like that and nothin’ happens?” As he spoke, Jimmy’s long, conjoined fingers gripped your hips, urging them back and forth again as if you to remind you what you’d been doing. Your body obeyed, undulating back and forth, riding the base of his cock, while your hand stroked just below the tip.

“Fuck,” he moaned. “Fuck, baby, just like that…” 

You kept up, easing more pre-cum from Jimmy’s tip. Your blush had spread to your neck, a direct result of you being embarrassed by your provocativeness. You’d never been this dirty in your life, and your first sexual encounter had been far less licentious than this — but it all felt so natural with him. 

“Ahhh, alright — I’m gonna’ lose it, baby. You gotta’ stop…” He said, abruptly yanking your hand from his jeans. 

“Well, what’s wrong with that?” 

“What’s wrong with that?” He echoed, pausing to kiss you. “What’s wrong with that is…” Another kiss. “I want inside uh’ you…” Another kiss, and he looked down at your body, watching as your chest heaved with each hot breath that left your lips. He wrapped one arm around you, flipping both of you over so that his body was atop yours. Feebly, you cleared your throat. The knot in your stomach wound tighter as you scooted back from him, arranging yourself and laying down on the shirt. 

“C-could you… use your fingers first?” You faltered, sounding more nervous than you actually were. The question was fuelled more by curiosity than fear. Jimmy’s cocoa-coloured eyes seemed to darken even more, mischievously. 

“First, huh?” An adorable crooked smile cut across his face. With lips pursed, you shot him a sideways glance. By this point, he had to have known what you wanted, but acted as aloof and innocent as ever. He returned your glance with a wink, knee-walking himself closer to you. With a tight breath, you shimmied out of your panties, setting them next to you in the grass. Your dress skirt had enough length, providing a layer of protection between your ass and the ground. 

He stretched his hand, curling and uncurling his long, conjoined digits, like a runner stretching his legs for the marathon ahead. You had him feeling nervous, like a virgin on prom night, so he was thankful for the familiarity of using his hands. He was used to this part. He knew how this went.

You propped yourself up on your elbows, eager to watch. Jimmy’s fingers fell to touch you, nearing your entrance. The tips of them grazed your slit, slipping along your drenched folds and spreading the wetness. His thumb circled your clit, sending a shockwave through your body. The muscles in your abdomen immediately tightened, and a searing ache started just above your bladder. A breathy moan left your lips as you arched your spine upwards in white hot ecstasy. 

“Feel good? Tell me, baby.” 

“Y-yeah,” you whined. “Yeah, it does.” 

He looked down at you, craning his neck to get a better view. You were more than ready; leaking like a faucet. You’d probably been ready, but Jimmy was usually a gentleman and favoured comfort over speed. He did it with all sorts of girls all across the country, for cryin’ out loud. He knew how to get ‘em worked up enough that he could bottom out in one thrust. But of course, he rarely did. They didn’t want his cock, they wanted his freak fingers. 

But not you. You wanted all of him. 

Jimmy held his breath as he curled one set of pincers back towards his palm, inserting the other into your cunt. He exhaled heavily; it was warm and slick, the sweetest thing he’d ever felt. 

“Hohh… babydoll…” He closed his eyes, and began pumping. You were already writhing and panting underneath him. Jimmy grinned bright. He loved the noises that all the pretty girls made when he touched them, but there was something special about the noises you were making. You were expelling these short, high breaths, and thrusting your hips to meet his fingers each time. The immediacy of his need hit him like a freight train. His cock twitched in his briefs, demanding attention. He needed you. Now. His cock tensed again, urging more pre-cum from the tip. 

“You ready, sweetheart?” 

He prayed to the stars above that you’d say yes. When he saw your curls bounce with the motion of your nodding, he heaved a sigh of relief and flopped over, reaching into his jeans to free his cock from its cloth prison. You couldn’t help but gawk at the way that it stood attention, red and angry and looking for somewhere to go. 

“C’mon. On top. I’ll give you the real ride uh’ your life now.”

You gathered your dress and petticoat into your hands before throwing one leg over his waist. Beneath you, Jimmy held his cock, guiding it blindly over your slick folds. You whimpered every time the hot tip bumped into your aching clit. Straightening up on your knees, you paused, doubting your ability to take him all in one go. He sensed your hesitation. 

“It’s alright baby, take it nice n’ slow.” His accent was like honey, dribbling out and coating your heart in a warm, sticky mess.

“I’ve just never,” Jimmy pressed a conjoined digit into your lips, shaking his head. “Don’t gotta’ explain yourself. It’s gonna feel good to me either way.” 

Your knees spread, slipping against the warm grass as you lowered yourself down onto his cock. At first, the squish of his head was comforting and the heat felt good — really good, but then it was the strain of your cunt trying to accept his girth. You forced your hips down further, and your cunt swallowed the head and half of the shaft.

“Ohh… my god.” As the stinging stretch subsided, making room for his thick cock, a deep moan echoed over the field. Gingerly, you moved your body up and down, feeling full and tense.  Jimmy made a fist in front of his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut tight. Sure, he got some tail every now and then, but it was his hand more often than not. He led a “satisfy them now, worry about yourself later” kind of lifestyle, and all for a couple bucks. 

But this… this… 

He groaned loud, unconsciously thrusting his hips and stuffing the rest of himself inside of you. His cock bottomed out, veiny and pressing against your slick walls. You winced, overcome by the sensation. It was almost too much, but you took a deep breath, and kept at it.  

Jimmy’s chocolate eyes softened, full of adoration, as he watched you, feeling your body tremble. She’s never ridden anyone before, save for those horses. 

“C’mere, baby. Keep that ass up, and I’ll do the work.” Jimmy’s warm arms wrapped around your back, pulling your chest to his. His arms enveloped your, warm biceps pressing against your shoulders. You nuzzled your nose into his neck, and that’s when he took ahold of your ass, digging his digits into the marshmallow-soft flesh of your cheeks. You backed your hips out slightly, adjusting to the new position. 

With a slow breath, he started thrusting up into you. His cock was so slick, messily slipping in and out of you with ease, and the way it was hitting you, the way the ridges of his head popped in and out of your cunt… made your eyes rolled backwards. 

“I don’t think you’re a freak,” you panted, meeting his hips. “I promise.”

At first, he didn’t answer, only craned his neck up to kiss you hard. His tongue delved into your mouth, swirling hungrily along yours. You moaned into his mouth. Loud. His large hands, spread out on your ass, moved up and down with each thrust, using it as leverage. You gripped his broad shoulder tight, nails leaving crescent moons in his skin. 

“I know, baby… I know you don’t.” 

The melodies of the cicadas and the rustling grasses hardly concealed the wet slapping of his thick cock as it pounded into you. Loud enough you were sure that someone could — and would — hear. But it felt so good. You couldn’t stop even if the entire freak show was standing around you, watching, taking notes. 

He fucked harder and the feeling of his cock as it massaged your cunt, hitting all the right spots at a gentle curve had you whining into his ear. In your shoes, your toes curled tightly, almost cramping. You begged for him, cried for him, and told him how good it felt. He groaned, moaned and growled in response each time you did. Called you angel face, baby doll, and honey — names that sounded so good on his lips. You shuddered hard against his warm body, drenched in sweat. 

Jimmy let out a series of pants as he picked up his speed. You were so close, whining brokenly with every hit of his cock. With a sudden deep sound, his whole body tensed. The veins in his neck popped and his teeth clenched tight, sounds of ecstasy breaking free from between them. You felt the heat of his cum coat your insides and it sent you over the edge — your own orgasm ran after his, clenching around his cock, and leaking down onto his thighs. His thrusts slowed sporadically, twitching up into you before they finally subsided. 

He wrapped his arms around you as his cock softened inside of you, both of you panting in unison. Subconsciously, he was protecting you from the chill that would inevitably settle on your sweat-coated body. As he stared up at the stars, the twinkling little pinpricks of light, Jimmy Darling promised you another ride — one home. He didn’t have the heart to tell you that this was his last weekend in your quaint little city. He wasn’t quite ready for that devastation yet.

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[peachymilkandcream]

My Husband, My Monster|Part 2|William Afton x Wife!Reader

(A/N: Part 2 is here! I've honestly had such a good time writing this so far, part of me is kind of happy to not have a technical storyline to stick to so strongly like Break Me Slowly. I'm trying my best to keep these to once a week but we'll see how well we do with Christmas coming up. Also I'm not sure how long this fic will be, apparently more movies are coming out so once it's finished I might just make some oneshots inspired off of them but we'll see. Enjoy and don't hesitate to hope in my inbox for requests!)

WARNINGS: noncon, dubcon, power imbalance, age difference, manipulation, mind breaking, yandere themes, yandere behaviours, domestic violence, misogyny, violence, William’s a warning himself, etc.

=============================================

A person's first job was always a memorable part of their life, truly learning how to become an adult and gain valuable experience. And one hell of a experience it was.

The first shift had been great, William had taken her under his wing, showing her the ropes and ensuring that she understood her position. The atmosphere of work was lovely, friendly and playful and she got to interact with children which she loved. Each section of the diner was a wonder of mechanical feats, animatronics who came to life all because her boss was an ingenious man. Ketchup stains and the occasional milkshake spill were well worth the experience of it all.

"Well done for your first day, I hope everything didn't scare you off just yet."

She smiles, taking a moment to rest her feet after the long day. "Yeah, I knew going in there would be some level of chaos, it'll be fine."

"So in that case I'll see you tomorrow at eight sharp?"

There's a pause. "In the morning?"

"Of course, although it's common to be here a few minutes early."

"Well- sir- I have class that morning-"

"And I need you here. There's the most to do in the morning."

"I understand I just think I can't make it-"

William frowns. "I thought you could be flexible."

"Well I can but-"

"No it's alright, I see how it is. I'm counting on you and yet you're not here to back it up."

She chews her lip, she never could stand letting people down. "But class-"

"At the end of the day schooling won't get you everywhere you need, job experience is what's important."

There's a long moment of pause, considering her options. "Well- I suppose I can skip one class, one of my friends can take notes for me."

Now William brightens. "There we go, I knew I could count on you." His hand lands on her shoulder, keeping it there for a touch longer than usual to let it sink in.

Her smile is tight and forced, clearly a bit annoyed at having to miss one of her classes, but that she would come to grips with soon enough. =============================================

The next day ends similar to the first, hard work and exhaustion, stains and slight discomfort. Moments of rest spoiled when her boss slid her the paper copy of her indefinite schedule.

"These are all mornings-"

"Of course, it seems like that's where you're the best suited and it's where I need you the most. Why, is that a problem?"

"Did I forget to give you my class schedule? All my classes are mornings."

William shrugs. "I'm not sure what to say, I'm sure you can get by on notes."

"I'll get in trouble-"

"Oh you've never been to higher schooling, I have, don't worry it will be fine. All that really matters is that you know the material for tests and quizzes. That's all."

She shifts uncomfortably, as if deciding whether or not to argue the point further or if she should believe him.

Finally she nods, accepting. "I suppose you're right, it'll work out in the end."

============================================

Weeks went on like this, William working her to near collapse, giving her little time for friends and family and no time for school. The exhaustion was affecting her grades surely, since she always complained about not finishing an assignment on time.

It was inevitable when she came to him and told him of dropping out.

"You had to drop out? Why?" He asked innocently.

"My grades went down too far, and I just couldn't seem to focus or find interest in the course anymore. It was for the best to just quit before I spent too much money."

"That's such a shame."

She shrugs and gives a sad smile. "It's probably for the best, if I couldn't handle the schooling I wouldn't have handled the field."

He can't help but press further. "What do your parents think about this? They paid your tuition yes?"

"They're not happy at all, which is why I have to give in my two week notice."

This gave him pause, annoyance and confusion causing him to frown. "Two week notice? I would think you'd need a job more than ever now."

She shakes her head. "My parents are moving me away, they're convinced the reason I fail is because of my friends so they believe if I'm separated from them then I'll get my career."

All of his hard work was being threatened now, he had to think fast. "You're really going to give up your entire friend group because your parents are trying to order their grown daughter around?" He shakes his head. "I wouldn't allow that if I were you."

"But what can I do? I have no where to go, I can't afford my own place even at full time pay."

William pauses for a few moments for effect. "Well, I hate to see young futures go to waste, and since my heart goes out to those in need, I would be willing to help you afford an apartment. I'll get you to make it up to me in other ways, have you work some more or something, nothing to worry about."

"You'd really do that for me?" Her eyes shine with admiration.

"Of course, I care for all of my employees, and bright young minds need independence to thrive."

"Oh thank you thank you thank you!" Her smile is so big and bright, completely oblivious to the looming clouds threatening her happiness.

[littjara-mirrorlake]

what are the other praetors like in terms of statblock?

Note that every praetor's stat block is in progress, and the supplement is also constantly being developed and changed. That said, these are some main points of what I have had and largely used in my own campaign:

Praetors are the ancient dragons of the setting. Their power level reflects this. No praetor (or Atraxa) has a CR lower than 21.

Three of the praetors, Norn, Jin, and Sheoldred, have class types. Cleric, Wizard, and Bard respectively. These three are also the ones with full spellcasting abilities and prepared spell lists. I know that in recent publications D&D has started to move away from this, but the praetors were created long before that change and I prefer the flexibility of them anyway.

All praetors have 3 legendary saves, 3 legendary action options, and 3 lair action options.

Norn

Very strong and very resilient. Not very fast. Doesn't move in combat a huge amount, focuses more on commanding allies and putting down AoE. Unless she wants to hit something really hard with her sword.

Many mechanics focus on mass ally buffs or summoning; she'll probably also have a passive aura of some kind that benefits allies, reminiscent of her +2/+2 / -2/-2 original card

Incorporates the abilities we saw her use in A Garden of Flesh, so she has an aura of shards that do slashing damage that she can dismiss to merge the shards into a very, very large sword.

In general, lots of area effects whether that's auras, buffs, or AoE

Jin

Jin's statblock is a nightmare. His legacy version has Portent (which he never used in PC encounters), but I highly suspect I'll have to cut that for the final version because it's so obnoxious to play against.

So many counterspells.

Similar to Niv-Mizzet in flexibility with spells and ability to regain spell slots as a legendary action.

Surprisingly good mobility, with psychic teleports and the like. His first card did have flash!

A lot of spell control, psychic spells, save control.

Sheoldred

Her mechanic for mounting other creatures is very weird but interesting to design. They combine HP but largely use Sheoldred's own stats (except probably physicals) and any damage goes to the mount's HP first.

Has a reanimation aura, passively raising corpses that die near her into ghouls in 1d4 rounds

She is so incredibly bard.

She can turn into spiders and it's great

Urabrask

I really hate the D&D alignment system. That said, he is Chaotic Good.

Very fast, agile, and good at hiding.

A lot of draconic features, like Frightful Presence and a breath weapon. I've always really enjoyed the dragon parallels Urabrask has.

To be honest he is currently more or less an unusually stealthy Ancient Red Dragon without wings, but I do intend to make him more unique than that.

Thinking of adding minimal spellcasting, since we've seen that he is at least capable of ichor scrying and runic magic, as well as artifice. Probably "innate spells" style instead of the full lists Norn, Jin, and Sheoldred have.

Vorinclex

Very heavy on sheer strength and pure physical damage by hitting things and running over them very hard.

Powerful regeneration, can regain HP a bunch of different ways including digesting enemies. Relatively easy to hit but hard to kill.

Being grappled by him is very dangerous and immediately starts absorbing you.

Of note is that none of the praetors' attacks really deal a significant amount of necrotic damage (with the exception of some of Jin's needles or whatever). This is partly because core-born Phyrexians resist necrotic, and the praetors spend a good amount of time beating up their own people. Also, if you're fighting Elesh Norn, you have bigger problems than phyresis.

[mechanical-sunchild]

{Can't draw so I'm going to write it!}

Therian HRT Diary, Day One:

"I was nervous that the doctor would turn me down on account of the endangered status of my desired species. He assured me that if they could do dragons they would have no problem finding a way to do Leontopithecus rosalia as well. The consulation when really well. I expected as much. I've already done HormoneRT, what's a little HumanRT as well? He assured me that the two things would not react badly with each other and my prescription will be ready for me tomorrow!"

Therian HRT Diary, 1 month:

"I'm definately a lot more hairy that I was before and even my bald spots have filled in! Yessssss. The colour has almost completely changed too, becoming the lovely orange colour I always wanted it to be. The texture has changed too. It's hard to describe but it's definately more fur-like than hair-like now, so much thicker than I'm used to and a little itchy. That's fine though because my nails are thicker, longer and stronger too!"

Therian HRT Diary, 3 months:

"I have fur covering my entire body now, shorter and darker on my face of course. I'm starting to get a lot of pains in my joints, but I'm already kind of used to that having chronic pain. What's even better is that my canines are nice and long and sharp! I feel stronger and can climb a lot better than before. My tail is starting to come in and that hurts like Hell..."

Therian HRT Diary, 6 months:

"I can't wait for tail grown and bone changes to end, ahhhh...I don't regret the HRT but Goooood. I'm moving slower because it hurts too much. I'm lucky I won't actually shrink in size, I guess. That would have really started to hurt. My fingers are done though, I think. They're much longer and stronger. My thumb is technically still opposable as it hasn't change much but it's no longer in proportion to the other fingers which means I've had to learn to grasp and hold things like pencils in whole new ways. My tail is small, but cute and just as furry as the rest of me. Yeah, I think it's worth the pain."

Therian HRT Diary, 8 months:

"Still growing the tail...well, it is going to be pretty long when it's done. I can now run on all fours just as well as on two legs, if not faster and easier. It's good to be able to stand still so I can reach things though! Cravings for insects are off the charts. I asked the doctor about it and he said I should still eat food for humans, but can absolutely eat any insects a golden lion tamarin would too. Neat! I've had a lot of fun figuring out all the new flexibility in my body, but the aches are still there so I won't push it too far. My eyes have started to darken in colour too and I no longer have much of a visible eyebrow. Weird thing to change so late but I'm not complaining! My nose is finally changing shape too. I was worried it wouldn't and the human nose was starting to look really odd! My ears are growing in size, even though I can barely see them behind all this fur!"

Therian HRT Diary, 12 months:

"I think I'm finally done! My tail is longer enough to sweep the floor unless I choose to move it now. My body no longer aches as my new bone structure has settled, my facial features have done changing and I feel full of energy all the time! I'm spending a lot of my days in trees I could only have dreamed of climbing before the Therian HRT, and even met a couple more monkeys (not my species though :( ) and a bird this way! My move to a therian-friendly village took longer than I thought it would, luckily during this time I wasn't in a very conservative area. I did get a lot of looks though and a little bit of harassment. Things are much better here and they even welcome those who haven't had the therian HRT so my partner can live with me. I'm at the end of a cul-de-sac, my neighbours to the left are a seal and a aphid (what an unusual pair /pos), and my neighbours to the right are a squirrel, a mongoose and a rose-bush. I'd only heard of plant-based Therian HRT before so it was really cool seeing this mix of animal and plant to create something new. So far everyone is really accepting and just as curious to see a primate amongst their midst! I've never been happier : ) "

[crash-bump-bring-the-whump]

Whumptober 2024 - Day 2

Fion belongs to my beloved @whumpr!!

TWs: None! Someone gets tattooed but there are no details about needles

Trust Issues | Amusement Park | Role Reversal | “You got away with the crime while the knife’s in my back.”

I need a private room, if at all possible. I will pay extra if needed.

Bastian read over the note again, checking over the supplies in the scar cover-up room. Everything was freshly wrapped, he had his sterile packages nearby, his gloves were waiting to be grabbed and put on, and the client was supposed to be showing up soon.

The bell ringing caught Bastian's attention, and their receptionist greeted whoever it was.

"Fion, right? Yeah, just sign right here."

Bastian stepped out to see a person, completely covered head to toe in black layers. A white mask covered his face, just like Fion had said he would be wearing. He looked over, his covered gaze Bastian's grin. "Hey! Come on back, I have the room all ready for you."

Fion nodded, turning sharply to follow Bastian through the door. Bastian shut the door and locked it, waving Fion to take a seat after he spread a medical drape down over the plastic wrap.

"Alright, all I need is your bicep. We'll place the stencil and go from there."

Fion nodded, gloved hands hesitating at the zipper of his hoodie. "Do...do I need to take off everything? Or can I just...take off the sleeve?"

Bastian sat down on his stool, rolling closer. "Just the sleeve is all I need. Don't worry, I promise, whatever I see in this room stays in this room. This is where I do sensitive stuff like scar cover-ups. No one else is gonna come in, and I'll only see what you want me to."

That didn't seem to fully put Fion at ease, but people generally didn't ask for privacy like this if they were easy to soothe. Bastian turned away as Fion adjusted his clothes, just to give him the extra privacy. "There's a medical drape there, in case you want more coverage. Just say when I can look, and we'll get the stencil on."

"I'm ready."

When Bastian turned around Fion was sitting in the chair, the medical drape carefully positioned so that only the area he wanted tattooed was visible. The stencil went on, Fion gave it a thumbs up, and then Bastian set to work.

The room was quiet, with Fion's music playing quietly from his phone as he scrolled casually. He was calmer than Bastian expected, no wincing, no complaining. He was rock-steady as Bastian began lining the D20 he'd wanted for his Dungeons and Dragons character.

"You play?" Bastian asked, voice low and casual, beneath the music. "I've always wanted to. Never been good at math, though."

"...You don't have to be anymore." Fion's voice was quiet, matching Bastian's volume. "There are lots of online sheets and calculators to do the hard parts now."

Bastian hummed. "The rules aren't too hard?"

"Not if you ask questions and have a good DM. It's a lot on paper, but not in practice." Fion said. "And druid is my favorite class."

"What do you like about it?" Bastian began lining the hare--not a rabbit, Fion had been adamant that this was to be a hare--sprinting from behind the die, eyes determined and uncanny as the real thing.

Fion hummed, glancing to watch Bastian work. "I like the flexibility. There's an ability that lets you shapeshift into animals, and that gives me a lot of room to problem solve."

"What's your favorite animal to be?"

Fion lowered his phone, mask tipping up towards the ceiling in thought. "It depends." He was quiet for a moment, seemingly in thought. Bastian began lining the bear exploding out from behind the other side of the die. It was all claws and power and fur, its weight visible in how it rose up onto two legs, mouth open to bite. "I like bear when it comes to combat."

"I can see the appeal, hard to go wrong when you can bring a bear to a sword fight."

That earned a little ghost of a laugh. "I like crows, too, if we need aerial support. Or spiders, if we need someone to be a spy."

Bastian whistled, low and impressed. Those were the other two animals in the tattoo. "I wouldn't have thought about spiders to gather information, that's a good one."

They lapsed into silence as Bastian kept lining. The tension seemed to leave Fion the longer he sat, able to just be on his phone. The two hours ticked by as Bastian worked, not asking for more conversation than Fion was willing to give.

Not everyone was talkative, and that was fine. Fion did wind up starting the first episode of a series that Bastian recommended, though. It was a cartoon about adventurers who have to learn to eat whatever they can on a long journey through a dungeon--one of the kids at Mariano's work had told him about it, and they'd enjoyed it.

"I'll check it out." Fion said, typing the title into a notes app while Bastian wrapped the tattoo. "And I'll let you know what I think at our next appointment."

Bastian couldn't help noticing how much more steady Fion's voice was, or how much easier his gait was as he left. He couldn't wait to hear what Fion thought.

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper

@bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @whumpbees

[loudn-mcyt]

It's time for part 2 of my sbk creators in superhero au (Part 1 with Viking and Ruby can be found here)! This time, Avid and Marma1ade are up.

Avid in this au is the Monkey Mechanist - rock star by day, mad scientist by night. I picked the colors from his OSSHA uniform - surely that's not important though :3

Avid here is a masterful inventor; he has the maximum technology bonus that's possible at this power level, and between his improvised tools, inventor, and skill mastery advantages, he can whip something up for just about any problem, and his headquarters at OSSHA labs gives him the space and materials to do it (bonus points for whoever can guess what OSSHA stands for in this au). Though he would probably prefer to avoid combat, he's not helpless. His command blocks, blocks of modular nanotechnology, allow him to create objects, restrain opponents, and shut down other technology. Without them, though, he's extremely vulnerable; his monkey traits don't do much for him in combat.

This is also the first one of these where I have to explain how arrays work. In mutants and masterminds 3e, you have a limited number of points with which to build your character. Arrays are a shortcut built into the system; using an array, you buy a single power at full cost and any number of other powers with the same or less cost as 1-point "alternate effects". This comes with a catch, though: you can only ever use one power within an array at a time. This makes it very good for combat skills, but defensive and utility abilities in an array can be a risk...

Also, most of the time when I build characters in this system, I start with the archetypes and templates within the game and tweak them to fit the character I'm working with. For example, Viking is mostly built off of the Speedster archetype, while Avid is based off of the Gadgeteer archetype. I only bring this up to mention that the ability spread I used from that archetype was called Adventurer :). Also, I didn't build off an archetype for Ruby - I had to build his character from the ground up, which is a little harder but has a lot more flexibility.

Marmalade's colors are from her dress and her eyes. Her current name is a placeholder - superhero names are hard and superhero names for mages that haven't been used before are practically nonexistent. (if you have ideas please tell me I've been trying to think of a good one since I thought of this au)

Void witch is a good description of her abilities though. Magic drawn from the Void makes her the heaviest hitter by far of the characters I've made, and the accurate attack and power attack advantages give her a lot of flexibility in fights. Most of her magic is in her array, which provides both her offensive options and a few other possibilities - noticeably her protective aura, which allows her to shield herself and others from certain effects, though she can't do much else while she has that active. She also has access to portals for movement both within and between dimensions, but she may not always have that one down; the unreliable modifier means that there's a chance for failure every time she uses it, like, for example, if she was trying to escape a limbo dimension. or something like that. On the defensive, she's very resilient, and her will defense is very good, letting her resist mental effects well.

You may also notice that each character has two complications: one that I filled out, and a blank motivation. Characters in m&m are required to have at least two complications, one of which must be a motivation (you can have more if you want). I decided to intentionally leave the motivation blank, both because I wasn't 100% sure on those and because I wanted to leave some room for speculation/development if I actually write this au.

I've written way more for this post than the last one...hopefully that doesn't become a trend these are already very long. Also I lied a little about how long these take I already had them built when I posted the other ones oops

[megamindsecretlair]

It Started With a Whisper

Chapter 2

Pairing: Sam Wilson x Black!Fem!reader / Plus Size reader

Warnings: 18+. Minors DNI. You are in charge of your own reading experience. This starts off tame, pure fluff. Soft Sam. Cursing and allusions to body parts and sex. This series will get explicit so I will keep the community label on mature. There will be angst and smut. Mentions of sick parents, responsible adulting, and unfair burdens. AAVE intentional language.

Summary: This starts off about a week or so before Captain America and The Winter Soldier. You are the front desk clerk who started a few months ago and you have a major crush on Sam Wilson, the handsome and sweet trauma counselor. Your best friend suckers you into going with Sam on a coffee run.

Word Count: 2,275k

Masterlist

A/N: The more I rewatch The Winter Soldier, I know I'm primarily drooling over Seb like everyone else, but I've really come to appreciate Sam. He's hilarious and Anthony Mackie is perfect. I just wanted to contribute a little something. While likes are awesome, please consider commenting and reblogging to support writers!

“You got a little drool there," Your best friend, Ariel, said and smacked your face with a folder. You jumped, pulled from your daydreaming, and smacked her back.

“Am not,” you muttered. You covertly wiped your mouth and Ariel laughed. “I saw that, ho,” she said.

You rolled your eyes and shuffled papers in front of you, grumbling to yourself. You didn’t want to look, but your eyes were drawn towards the front. Towards Sam. He stood talking to a veteran after their meeting and he was engaged, focused, listening. You briefly wondered what it would be like to have that focus on you.

You mentally shook yourself. You did not need those problems. Still, your eyes tracked him. How he moved, how he laughed. His smile was infectious. He was the type that not only heard you, but listened. 

“When are you gonna tell that boy how badly you want to rip his–”

“Shush!” You scolded. 

Ariel laughed and continued filing away client files. “He’s way over there, you think he can hear me?” 

You shrugged. “We just found out Norse gods are real, supersoldiers coming back from the ice and shit, and aliens tried to take over New York. So yeah, you never know.” 

Ariel laughed. “If Sam is special or whatever, don’t you think we would’ve found out by now? With how much you stare at him?” 

“Hey, I don’t stare. It’s not like I can look at anything else. This is literally the front desk.” 

Ariel held up her hands. “He ain’t sorry to look at. I’m just sayin’. You’d know if his fine ass had any super powers.”

You rolled your eyes again and focused on the meeting schedule in front of you and client emails. You bit your lip as you concentrated, intent on actually getting some work done. 

Veterans Affairs was usually a chill place. As the front desk clerk, there wasn’t a lot of responsibility. Which you preferred. The hours were flexible, boss was understanding, and despite Ariel always talkin’ shit, you had good company. And yeah, the view wasn’t bad.

Again, your mind drifted to Sam. It didn’t make any sense for him to look that fine working in a place like this. But he was good with the veterans. His groups filled up fast sometimes, to the point where he’d stay for just one more. 

You sighed. You were a grown woman. You had no business lusting after a man. 

“Good afternoon, ladies.”

You jumped and looked over at Sam. Sam, standing in front of you. Sam, looking at you and smiling. You froze. Did you conjure him? Did he catch you staring?

Ariel elbowed you as she turned in the small front desk area and leaned on the desk. “Good afternoon, Sam. How goes it?” 

“Afternoon,” you managed to mumble. You think. Idiot. How exactly do you talk to a man that you were just picturing naked? You bet it was big too. Fuck. You were thinking it again.

“Pretty good. I got some time before my next group. I was going to head to the cafe up the street and get something.” Sam kept his eyes fixed on you. You pointedly did not look at him. You didn’t care if you were being rude. You just wanted your face to stop giving away your nasty thoughts.

“Really! What a coincidence. Y/N was just saying she felt a little peckish,” Ariel said. 

You whipped your head towards her and glared. You stumbled over your words. You couldn’t deny that shit fast enough. 

“I-uh, well, my-my family packed something for me,” you said. 

Sam laughed. “Don’t worry, I know you don’t want to be seen around town with someone like me.”

Your eyes widened and you shook your head. “That’s not true! I would never–I mean, I’m not…”

Sam laughed again. “I’m joking, Y/N.” How did he manage to make your name sound so…melodic? 

You laughed nervously and licked your lips. You were a well educated woman, oldest child, and Sam turned you into a bumbling idiot. 

“One of these days I’ll wear you down. You’ll have to give me a good excuse or go on and accept a date with me.” 

Your cheeks couldn’t burn hotter. You thanked whoever was listening that your dark skin hid your blush. “Sam…”

He shook his head and waved you off. “I’m not pressuring you, I swear. I’m just sayin’, I’m a good time.” His smirk made his high cheekbones stick out. 

“She knows it. She’s just stubborn,” Ariel said. 

You stood up and bumped her with your hip, offering a small and fake apology. “I am not,” you said.

“I know it. I’ll have to impress her, right? Get her to take a chance on me?” Sam asked Ariel.

“Mhhm, poor thing needs to be hit over the head,” Ariel said. 

“Are ya’ll done laughing at my expense?” 

“No!” Sam and Ariel said at the same time. You rolled your eyes and put your hands on your hips. 

Hell, you didn’t know why you kept saying no anyway. Well, you did. But your excuses never fazed Ariel. You had a busy home life, with family that depended on you. Was it really fair to start something up if you couldn’t follow through? 

Ariel would say yes. That you deserved fun. That it didn’t have to be anything other than casual. But your crush was anything but casual. You wanted this man, biblically. You couldn’t string two sentences around the man. 

But did you want your family to run your life? Just because you were responsible didn’t mean you had to be boring. You weren’t always like this. This…goop of a puddle who couldn’t look a man in the eye. You were gorgeous, goddamn it! You had curves, a nice ass, and a cute face. Tits weren’t bad either. 

“One trip to the cafe?” You asked.

Sam grinned and nodded. “One trip. Harmless,” he said and shrugged his shoulders.

Mhmm. You looked at Ariel who pumped her fist. The bitch could at least be subtle about it. You giggled and gathered your purse.

“It appears I’m taking my break now,” you told Ariel. 

“Take ya time. All the time you need,” Ariel said and eyed Sam up and down. She was embarrassing enough for the both of you.

You exited the closed off desk area, returning the half door to its place. You were doing it. You were standing next to him. You also felt like you were going to throw up, but you’d take the victory where you could.

Sam led the way out of the VA building and you blinked into the late DC sun. You forgot how dark it could be in the building. You needed to head out more and get some sun on your bones.

Together, you walked with Sam towards the small cafe on the corner. You walked in silence for a bit, biting the inside of your cheek. You were so painfully awkward.

“I gotta say, I’m shocked to see you out from behind the desk.”

You laughed. “Not what you was picturing?” You asked.

“Better.”

You laughed and rolled your eyes. “Boy…”

He laughed. “I’m sorry,” he said and didn’t look the least bit sorry. He always looked like he knew a secret you didn’t. Instead of looking like an asshole, he looked like he was dying to tell it.

“Can you blame me? I’ve been askin’ for months.” He said. You waited at a corner for the light to turn so you could cross. Sam got on the other side of you, so that he was closest to the oncoming traffic. Your heart melted a tiny bit.

DC was expansive and yet seemed so small. Cars were jam packed, honking, and everyone was rushing around. Everyone walked with a purpose, some place to be and something to do. There was a light breeze and the sun was losing its heat.

“I’m sorry about that…”

“I’m not saying it to make you feel bad. I’m just sayin’ I’m grateful I get to spend any time with you. Whatever you’re cool with, I promise.”

“I like that you ask me out. I hate havin’ to say no.” You admitted. It was so damn true, it hurt. You did hate saying no. You hated that he would smile through it all, so understanding. But you knew he was disappointed. 

“Why do you say no?” He asked. He asked it softly, not judging. Sam was so damn sweet, you should have a cavity.

You took a deep breath as you crossed the street. It was a loaded question. Where did you start? A hermit mom who was too scared to leave the house after New York? Your stubborn but ailing dad who refused to go to the hospital? Your wild and out siblings who never took shit seriously? 

“Home life is kind of…chaotic. After New York, everyone’s been on edge. I know it was two years ago, but it doesn’t really help. We had live footage that nasty aliens exist.” 

Sam nodded his head. He held the door open for you as you went inside the cafe. The heavenly aroma of fresh bread and coffee made your mouth water. The cafe was smallish, mostly for getting the order to go. There were tables and chairs for people to sit but they were all occupied. 

The shop itself had a new age, almost hippy vibe but was every inch the upscale coffee shop political types loved. Everything was modern, clean, and even had a chalkboard menu. Because of course they did.

You stood in line. “Yeah, that was insane to watch on TV before the cameras went down. I’ve talked to plenty of people that still fear going outside. You afraid of another attack?” 

You sighed. You knew he wouldn’t judge you, bless him. But it wasn’t you that was afraid. Your mother’s nerves were so bad, they were contagious. It was easier to stay home than have her call you ten times per minute to make sure you were safe. Yes, you were aware that it had nothing to do with you. But you were trying, okay? 

“Not me, exactly,” you said and laughed. “It’s hard to explain.”

“It’s cool. You don’t have to. But I’m here if you ever need someone to talk to,” he said.

You smiled at him. “Thanks, Sam.”

He smiled. You approached the barista and ordered. You reached for your wallet when Sam stopped you. “I asked you here, it’s my treat.”

“Sam, no. I can pay for my order.”

“Never said you couldn’t. My treat,” he said. He handed the barista his card and paid for the order anyway. You scowled. It only made him laugh.

“It’s only a few bucks.” 

“That’s not the point. I don’t like people paying for me,” you said.

“Not even as a treat?” He asked. You both moved off to the side to wait for your coffee and muffin. 

“Not really,” you said.

Sam smiled. “I’m sorry. Tell you what. We can walk here again tomorrow and I’ll let you pay. I’ll even order the most expensive thing on the menu.”

You laughed and shook your head. “You just want to walk here again with me.”

“Did it work?” He asked.

You pursed your lips. Dammit, yes. You nodded and he celebrated. “I’ll take it.”

You grabbed your order and headed back towards the building, asking how he got started into counseling. 

“Counseling helped me a lot when I got back. I wanted to pay it forward. I’m pretty good at talkin’ to people. Figured it was my calling,” he said.

“You ever miss it?” 

Sam shrugged and sipped some of his coffee. You admired anyone who could walk and drink. Your drink would’ve ended up all over your outfit. And you rather liked these jeans and your flowery blouse.

“Yes and no? I don’t miss the action. I miss my brothers though. There’s a deep bond you form over there that never really leaves you.” 

You nodded. You never served but you heard that sentiment repeatedly as they checked in for groups, signed up for others, or needed resources. The military chewed you up and spat you out and never stopped to give a damn.

You continued to learn more about him, more than you managed to pick up when you started working at the VA. He was from Louisiana, he has a sister, and two nephews. His parents owned a fishing business. 

He was so easy to talk to, once you got past your initial dirty thoughts and weird hangups about him. He made you laugh so many times on the way back, your sides were hurting as you entered the dimly lit, bland government building. He walked you back to the front desk where Ariel was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

“Nothing for me? I’m hurt.”

“Good. That’s what you get for being a smart ass,” you said.

“Got your behind out walking with him, didn’t it?” Ariel laughed and high-fived Sam.

You narrowed your eyes. “I hope ya’ll didn’t plan this,” you said.

Sam held up his hands, raising his cup in the air. “On my honor as an Airman, I did not plan this.” He walked backwards as he winked at you.

“Until tomorrow, Y/N.”

“Bye, Sam,” you said and rolled your eyes. Even if it was a set up, you didn’t mind. You had a lot of fun. 

You entered the booth and sat down. Ariel leaned her hip against the desk and flipped her long hair over her shoulder.

“Spill, bitch!”

Masterlist | Chapter 2

[shamebats]

If anyone wants to see a different take on AI use in art by a professional artist who's personally using it for their work, I recommend this Reddit thread:

Text copied under read more:

"I've been a professional artist and illustrator for decades. Like most artists, I was concerned when AI image generators hit the scene. But since they sucked at first, I wasn't all that worried... but then they started to get much better, really fast. I figured I should look a bit closer to see if I should be worried.

What I found was that they really are a powerful tool if used creatively, but they are *nowhere near* a replacement for human artists. They don't understand context, they spit out a lot of garbage that needs a ton of work to refine into something useful, and you still need an artist's eye to know how to direct them to make anything that's actually good. This is why you see so many people complaining about all the bad AI art. Because there really is a lot of bad AI art out there. The good AI art? People don't even know it's AI in many cases.

But as an artist who has been around since before the days of computer art, I have had to adapt to many changes. I adapted to using a computer to make my illustrations to keep up with the times. I learned to use Photoshop. I learned to use Blender (although admittedly not very well). I see this as necessary in a world where technology is constantly evolving; you need to evolve and adapt with the tech, or you will get left behind. So naturally I looked into ways to use AI generators to help in my work flow.

I started out by using it to create textures. One thing I have always done is use a blend of photo textures in my digital paintings to create visual noise and interest. It's a great technique that's been around for years. Being able to generate my own textures with AI means that I can get exactly the texture I want, much quicker than looking through stock images or going out with a camera trying to find new textures.

As AI image generators improved, and as my prompt skills improved, I started using them to generate thumbnail images to work off of, and to generate models to use as reference, etc.

I have always been very open with my clients about my work flow, and I've never had a problem with that. If I have a client who is opposed to my use of AI, then I don't use it when working for that client. No big deal. I have some clients who actually prefer that I use AI in my work flow, as it helps smooth the process along, gives me more flexibility, and they believe that the end product can be better. Again, I'm happy to accommodate.

Well I had one such client hire me to do a book cover. They suggested I use AI to help because the cover included multiple human figures, and without AI I would have to get some very specific photo references which would cost a lot of time and money. The whole image was completely created by myself, a product of my own mind, but there were some AI elements remaining in the final image.

The client was very happy with the end result. The author of the book was especially excited. They shared it with their audience and they got a ton of positive feedback. No negative feedback at all. Just another job well done then, right?

Well, no. Apparently another artist who also does book covers decided to run it through AIorNot and it came back saying it was likely AI generated. Well, of course it did. If you so much as look at AI while creating an image, AIorNot will say that the whole thing was made by AI.

And often even if you don't.

It will say that my old abstract acrylic paintings are AI generated more often than not. That software is seriously flawed. But no matter, as in this case, I actually did use AI elements in the illustration, and my client was well aware of this. No big deal.

Well, no, it turns out that it *was* a big deal. This artist contacted the book's author who, apparently, had not been made aware that I would be using AI in my work flow on this piece. It turns out that this author is extremely anti-AI, not just for images, but in general. For him it is a moral issue, and anyone who uses AI is not fit to be employed.

My client, the publisher, explained to him that I made the image, but only used AI elements as part of the process, but the author wasn't having it. They refused not only to use the cover, but refused to allow me to paint a new cover without the AI elements in it. In fact they strongly pressured the publisher to cut off all ties with me. The publisher obviously wasn't going to do this, as they are very happy with the work I do. In fact they still paid me for the cover art, even though they can't use it now, because they loved the cover and I did the work they asked of me.

But still, the publisher had no choice but to pull the cover art.

The author put out a social media post about it, essentially accusing me of being dishonest. People are jumping on the bandwagon, calling me an art thief, telling him how morally superior he is, etc. It's a truly nauseating display. This is not a matter of creative differences to these people; it's about good vs. evil. And because I dared to try and stay relevant in a changing world, I apparently picked the side of evil. And there is no arguing with them about it being art theft. They have no idea how these generators work, and they don't actually want to know, or they wouldn't keep pushing that obvious falsehood.

I have reached the frightening conclusion that if AI generators don't put artists out of work, then they may very likely do it to themselves when the community implodes. The way I see it, you can either try to stay competitive, or you can choose to be a Luddite and fall behind, because AI image generators aren't going away. They simply aren't. And in a few years, only the zealots will remain, beating their drums in a small echo chamber where only other zealots will hear them, because everybody else will be over it and bored sick of the drama. In the meanwhile, they are only making it more difficult for artists to stay employed in this new world with AI generators, by punishing those who try to adapt!

Any artist who runs art through an AI image detector, which actually uses AI to operate, is committing extreme hypocrisy.

The irony is completely lost on them, that due to their panic about AI potentially putting artists out of work, they themselves are using AI to track down and punish artists by threatening their livelihood.

AI will put artists out of work, because artists are making it happen.

So now, my client is in a bit of a panic and adding a disclaimer that relevant covers are made with AI on all the Amazon links because, even though Amazon claims that no such disclaimer is needed in cases where AI is merely used as an assist, he is worried that people will complain about them, and they could lose their Amazon affiliate shop, which would be death to their company. So even the images that merely had a texture overlay somewhere on it now have to be labeled as being ENTIRELY GENERATED BY AI. Even though according to Amazon's own terms they were in full compliance already. And the issue there is that if an Amazon affiliate has too many products which are listed as made by AI, apparently (I'm not sure exactly) they get put in a different category or something. So even though Amazon claims that AI assistance and editing is fine in their rules, in actual practice it is not. You can't take that chance because of the witch hunt that is happening right now.

And I'm still perfectly happy to work with or without AI. I have done without it for many years. But my clients still want me to use it, because they also don't want to fall behind. So that puts me in a difficult position of feeling like I need to choose a side on an issue that I don't even think should be an issue in the first place.

TL/DR: AI image detectors, which use AI to function, are being used by artists to track down other artists and endanger their jobs. And I really hate this stupid war."

[nihilistikal]

12!! 14. 17. 20. 20 again. 23 because that sounds really interesting. 30!!! 34? ... 37. 38, but three times, because yes!

[ 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄:] 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝

⸻ 12. what’s some good advice you want to share? This past year I've been doing a lot of soul searching / reflecting on stuff and working on myself, so I'll list a couple of things that really helped me and stuck with me: Disclaimer - obviously this won't be helpful for everyone, but these things are highly flexible to use, so maybe someone finds them as useful as me.

: ̗̀➛ Journaling. Every morning I write down three things I am grateful for, set one goal for the day (can be anything from tiny tasks to larger stuff), and the book I use for this also gives me a little mindfulness task on every page, which varies. In the evening I assess if I managed to achieve my goal, how my energy levels are and check some pre-determined boxes (drank enough water, moved my body, ate healthy, was mindful.... etc), as well as answer one small prompt the book gives me. Additionally I started to braindump before bed (just writing down w/e comes to mind), as well as jotting down the things I do over the day in a list so I can see that I am not as inactive as my head makes me believe sometimes. : ̗̀➛ Refuse to deal with subtexts. People have a mouth / hands / ways to communicate with you. If they take issue with something they have a problem with, they should communicate it. Otherwise it's a them-problem, not a you-problem. You don't have to interpret what someone might think. You're not a mindreader. : ̗̀➛ Routines. This sounds dull, and believe me I had trouble implementing this, but once something is repeated often enough, it just sticks. Be it the time you wake up, stuff that helps your health (taking supplements, drinking water right after waking up, etc.) or stuff that helps with a better sleep hygiene (no displays one hour before going to sleep, reading more, drinking a cup of tea, mediation etc.) It was difficult to get used to, but I can absolutely see the benefits and try to stick to it most days, simply because I know it helps me have a better quality of life. : ̗̀➛ Romanticize your daily life as much as possible. This ofc depends on a lot of factors, but I try to apply this to the most mundane stuff like cleaning my apartment, going for walks, cooking, preparing my morning coffee... Sometimes life just sucks, but okay-ish days get instantly better if you romanticize them a little.

⸻ 14. what’s something you’ve always wanted to do but maybe been to scared to do? Hmm... in terms of actually being too scared due to phobia: Anything to do with heights. I kind of would love to experience the adrenaline rush of skydiving or bungee jumping, but I can hardly even step on a chair without having issues :'D

⸻ 17. name 3 things that make you happy My cats, my apartment (coupled with how I decorated it), autumn - the crisp air, the colorful leafs, mist, chill weather, being able to properly layer my clothes again... Also the smell of rain, a nice cup of coffee, playing my favorite games, the rush of a hyperfixation taking off - especially when rambling to someone equally as invested, spending my saturdays doing absolutely nothing except what I want and pampering myself, blond bastard men D;

⸻ 20. favourite (2) things about the night? The stillness. Barely anyone outside, everything is a muffled and subdued, most people just want to get home, so walking outside is usually extremely peaceful. Also the sky. Not so much when it's cloudy ofc, but I often spend time just staring into the night sky and looking for shooting stars, constellations, thinking about how small and insignificant we are.

⸻ 23. say 3 things about someone you hate OKAY SO. xD Admittedly it takes a lot for me to hate someone, usually I am somewhere between pettiness, saltiness, annoyance or, best case, indifference. But if I had to pick someone it would likely be work-related. Because man. These people pulled some nasty shit. SOOOOOOO- This particular person .... I'm at least 80% sure they're bi-curious/-questioning or gay-curious/-questioning. Because why else ask me about my sexuality if we hardly have anything to do with each other. Nasty fuck. They're opportunistic and manipulative to the point that I'm very certain they stir shit up behind everyone's back just because they can. They're utterly bland, boring and uninteresting which is probably why they can't stand me. And I hope they have the life they deserve (derogatory).

⸻ 30. what’s one thing that never fails to make you happy/happier? Pretty much what I listed in 17 - but if we're thinking in terms of having a shit day with extremely bad mood, I usually try to parent myself. Make myself a hot chocolate with vanilla, some sweet treats, order food if I don't have the energy for anything else and just all around allow myself to exist without having to do anything much. It absolutely helps to alleviate any negativity after a while. Also ofc having my cats around me to cheer me up. And putting characters in situations, if my energy levels allow.

⸻ 34. any pet peeves? Certain high pitched noises. Or generally loud, penetrant noises. Rudeness. It's not hard to show a modicum of politeness and yet I can hardly move outside one day without being upset about how utterly rude people are. Unclear instructions / constantly flipping priorities around without any sense and brain (again, very work related xD). People not knowing concert / mosh pit etiquette. And phones at concerts, beloathed.

⸻ 37. share a secret I am fairly spiritual and used to be a practicing Wicca. I am, however, not overly supersticious. The way I approach things is I like the look for a scientific explanation first, but am open to believe there is something more to life, death, etc. than that. I mostly keep my believes and practices as well as experiences to myself.

⸻ 38. fave song at the moment?

: ̗̀➛ Akira Yamaoka - Rain of Brass Petals - Three Voices Edit : ̗̀➛ The Anix - Crimson : ̗̀➛ Lady Gaga - Disease : ̗̀➛ Bonus: SHOSTA - Feuer

Thank you so much for all these!!

[zephyra-in-the-house]

Heya zephyra

How're u doing 💓

Um u got any tips on how to start or make a fanfic ?

I wanna write my own fanfic I just don't know how to start

I already got my OC done and the back story of my OC

The only problem is how to start 🫤

Thought maybe ask someone with experience like u ❤️‍🔥

So u got any tips or advice ?

Thanks 😁🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

That's a good question!

Honestly, I'm not sure how I've managed to get this far in my writing. It amazes me just how many people follow Second Chances and continuously read each new chapter. I never once thought that I'd get to this point but I'm very grateful for all the love and support I've been shown because it just motivates me to keep writing~

With that aside, I started out on a pretty big scale when I first started writing fanfics. I've written two so far and basically it started as one little scene that I had in mind and then I built around it.

I'm not sure how other writers do it but I think my way may be a little unorthodox LOL

I say that because I never start at the beginning. In fact, most of the time, I will get inspired and think of a scene to write but it's almost never a beginning scene.

Instead, I always end up coming up with little scenes that are sprinkled throughout the entire length of the story. It could be a certain kind of hug or a fight between certain people or one particular conversation or something simple like that. I will then take those little puzzle pieces and splatter them all over my canvas called Google Docs. Then I go through and I reorganize each scene based on where I think they would fit during the story's progression.

Therefore, I ended up with a canvas that had various colors splashed on it.

Since the beginning, I always knew that I wanted to start with that first chapter where Macaque gets food from "Pigsy’s". That was my absolute starting point no matter what.

So, I wrote that and then I went through my colorful canvas of ideas and I split it into sections. Each section was for a specific chapter. Now, after I wrote that first chapter, I developed a process where I have the current chapter I'm working and then a more or less concrete sketch of the next 2-3 chapters to come.

I don't write more than that right away. I have ideas for chapters beyond that but nothing concrete. That's because a fanfic is constantly developing. There is no way to make concrete plans. What you plan for chapter 10 might be completely changed because of something that you thought of for chapter 6. Or you could end up writing more than intended for one chapter and have to split up certain chapters (*cough cough* the shopping trip *cough cough*). Either way, I've learned that it's better to be flexible with what you plan to post when it comes to fanfic.

That's kind of how I started and that's how I've been making Second Chances so far.

In any case, I feel like I'm rambling at this point 😅 I could talk about writing techniques and strategies for days but!

My main advice is: you do you.

When it comes to writing, there is no correct way to do it. It's kind of like art in that way. You can add as many scenes or as many wild colors as you want or you could be a completely black and white artist or someone who only writes poetry.

Either way, the key to anything creative is to just do it. It doesn't have to be good. It doesn't have to be perfect. I can't count how many times I've written something and then came back to it and gone "that's absolute shit what the fuck was I thinking". On the flip side, I've also had times when I write something and toss it to the side and I come back and I'm like "Who the fuck wrote this cause I know it wasn't me man that shits too good" 😆

So just write what you want to write and make it as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. The best thing I ever did was get into the habit of writing just to write. Whether it was a memoir or a poem or a short scene in a story I'm doing, I just write. Freeball it.

Thank you! I wish you well on your adventures!

[femmefatalevibe]

hi, idk if you answered this before, but how did you manage to become self-employed by 24? also any career building tips in general?

Hi love! Well, I'm nearly 25 now (Leo baby here, lol) and have been self-employed since around 21/22 full-time. I would say the main factors at play are a combination of starting my career as early as possible (first real internship in the fashion industry at almost 16 and starting freelancing at around 19), earning a full scholarship to a top private university, and freelancing throughout college allowed me to have a lot of time and freedom to work on my skills, build my networks/portfolio, etc. (I'm not going to discount all of the privileges and resources I've had working in my favor, including the ability to begin my postgrad life with zero debts, that would be disingenuous, for certain).

In terms of career advice, I would say here are some of my most important tips:

Figure out where your skills and passions align. Then determine the lifestyle/work culture you thrive in and what sacrifices you're willing to make in your chosen career path (for some, it's always traveling/talking to people 24/7, working late hours, unpredictable/unconventional hours, potentially lower pay/less predictable income, etc.). It truly depends on your top values, your personality, and your goals/priorities in life.

First focus on getting incredibly talented at your craft. Find a mentor(s) who will push you with their feedback/suggestions. Take classes/skills courses/read books & articles to gain more applicable knowledge/hard skills. Join clubs, apply to internships, volunteer, and request informational interviews in your desired field.

Make your skills marketable. Create a professional resume and/or neat portfolio/collection of work samples. Discover and articulate your USP (that should essentially serve as the backbone of your elevator pitch). Frame your skills through a customer/business-centric lens. How does your experience/skillset solve their problems and help a company/client achieve their goals?

Build a network for yourself. Don't be shy to reach out to companies/individuals who inspire you. Speak with your secondary school teachers and professors for connections. Create peer-to-peer networks, too, so you can grow together. Be a fearless networker and connector. Help others, do favors, and make the person glad they met/hired you. Make it your objective to be memorable through your work ethic/providing high-quality work products and showing up with a motivated & overall positive attitude allows people to like and trust you with their time, clients, money, etc.

Master the art of a killer email/cold pitch. Especially in today's world, learning how to sell yourself through intriguing emails/LinkedIn messages is the key to unlocking potential success. One client or opportunity can create momentum that will be useful years down the line, too.

When in doubt, follow up – on an email, pitch, job opportunity, connection, etc.

Be ruthless and relentless with your research. For new contacts, connections, opportunities, and information to support your pitches/job interviews/networking conversations, new technologies, and trends within your field. Read everything credible you can get your hands on. Display working knowledge and practical applications of these concepts and how they can benefit the person in front of you/their business.

Create systems. For how you structure emails/pitches, conduct research, different types of workflows/ work template structures for different types of projects, time-blocking, client funnels, etc.

Get comfortable with rejection. Use it as a primer for self-reflection and refining your craft/processes or help you pivot your approach to help you achieve your goals. Never take business decisions on behalf of a company personally (and vice versa).

Give yourself breaks, but don't give up. Tapping out for good is the only surefire way to fail at an endeavor. Be flexible in your path, but zeroed in on your goal(s). Learn when to quit or pivot, and when it's time to coast or seek growth.

Hope this helps xx

[beforeiread-studies]

Korean learning - Month 8 update.

Yesterday I was feeling all depressed because I haven't been doing much for my Korean lately, but then I remembered, hey, you live in Korea now, so I'm probably underestimating this last month.

Things I did do

I moved to Korea! While this hasn't meant practicing with natives, I've been exposed to a lot of Korean just by walking down the street or watching YouTube ads or trying to order coffee (I'm terrible at that, kiosks to the rescue).

I decided that if nothing else, I will come out of this semester reading Hangul at a way better speed. So I try to read all the signs I can see when walking or on the bus. You can find some of my attempts here. This has been quite effective. I tried watching a cafe vlog video by Zoe and while I couldn't read fast enough, I at least did not breakdown crying during the attempt. Progress is progress!

I finished reading the Easy Korean Reading series. 8 books, I'm so proud of myself!

I randomly tried listening to a Choi Susu podcast, and my level is finally good enough that I can do so with ease! I'm currently on the 16th episode. This was one of my top goals to reach from months ago, so I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking it out so far. My plan is to watch all the episodes and then go back to the beginning and so on until I'm ready for the Intermediate level podcast.

I had one Italki lesson since moving here. I realized that my schedule is just too busy and flexible to book others so I think I won't have other classes in a while.

But it's not a problem, because I signed up for 2 Korean classes (one is super beginner level, unfortunately, but the other is a perfect lower intermediate)! I also signed up for a language exchange and taking information about another so we'll see how it will go in the next month.

I have met a lot of people who speak Korean as a second language and have been asking them for tips on resources and grammar.

Things I didn't do

I basically didn't keep up with Anki at all, which is one of my biggest regrets. Since I'm so behind, it feels like such a chore every time I open the app and it's always the same old leech cards, so it doesn't feel like I'm progressing at all. But Anki is NECESSARY so my strategy to combat this is: 1, try to do Clozemaster every day first (it's way easier and funner). After that, opening Anki will seem easier. 2. I have set a limit of 15 min on Anki per day. This way I won't feel guilty if I don't spend hours on the thing. My deck is at 1700 cards now and I know around 900 of them.

I dropped from the King Sejong Course. I just forgot I had even enrolled with all the stress of moving to the other side of the world, and when I remembered I decided that I wanted to go out and do fun stuff since I'm in Korea. I might sign up for another course once I'm back in Italy, because the little I attended I really liked.

I haven't found an alternative to the Easy Reading Korean series yet. There is nothing interesting enough on Kindle Unlimited and I did buy a physical book, but it's a bit too difficult and I forgot about it after a couple of days anyway. Maybe I should really give Marry My Husband the webtoon a go.

I did not study on my Korean grammar workbook and actually left it in Italy. I will pick it up again after I'm back at home.

Plans for next month

Ok, all in all I think I did the best that I could.

Find a new resource to read from!!!

Keep up with Anki like I explained in a previous section.

Hopefully the language exchanges will work out.