#i know all these facts about your stupid presidents and yet not ONE of you could tell me what happened in the engadine maccas

[ehlnofay]

all love and joy to all my darling american internet friends and mutuals etc etc but if I ever have to learn another thing about us news ever again I think I'm going to blow something up

[kwiyosin]

let's talk about childish jelous varsity!satoru :P !!

pairings: varsity!gojo x reader

synopsis: you help your aunt manage her cafe during your free time because hey, free food and you also get paid! plus, it keeps you entertained during game season when satoru is always training. you made a new friend too! student council president!kento, who frequents at the coffee shop.

it's game season so varsity!satoru is busy again. he's the star player anyways. you didn't mind though, not only you got used to it, you support him big time! of course you'd visit their training from time to time, but it's boring to watch boys playing with balls all day!

you would often help out at your aunt's cafe, it's near the campus, it gives free food, it gives you extra cash, and keeps you entertained. varsity!satoru doesn't mind either, plus his sweet tooth even loved the fact that you work at a cafe and alway smells like sweets!

what he did mind though, was when he decided to surprise you after his practice ended early, but when he came to the cafe, he was flabbergasted! varsity!satoru could only watch as he sees you in a booth, chatting with someone. and it's not just someone, it's the student council president!

varsity!satoru can't seem to tear his eyes from you figure, smiling and chatting with the student council president. he was only snapped out of his state when his best friend, suguru hit the back of his head. “get moving dipshit.” suguru says, walking inside the cafe, passing him.

“no suguru look! she found someone else!” varsity!satoru would whine, pulling suguru by his shirt. “they're just talking are you dumb?” suguru replies, rolling his eyes at his white haired friend. “but she's smiling stupid and giggling! she only does that with me!” satoru whines, again. “she does that with everyone, dingus.” ieri comments, pulling both guys out of the way, into a booth.

when the baristas got the orders for three people, you retreated back to the kitchen to help out. satoru did not notice it though, he's still whining about how easy you found someone else as he sulk at their booth.

satoru had his head slumped on the table, a huge pout on his lips as he threw tantrums. ieri and suguru was frowning at him. “look, i know i am very busy right now but other than that, what else did i lack!?” satoru asks his friends, earning an eye roll from both and a “maturity, perhaps.” from ieri.

“am i that childish? i know people gush over nanami-san for being so responsible and so mature. i didn't know my girlfriend would be one of them!” satoru says as he hits his head on the table. “yes, you are.” says the two. “...was busy for a sec and found someone else already...” satoru murmurs, slamming his palm on the table.

“whoa, easy there. my aunt will make you pay if you destroy her table.” hearing your voice, satoru immediately perks up, his head turning your direction. he was about to greet you but then remember he's upset. upset that you found someone else! he turns his head the other way, facing the wall.

“dumbass/stupid” suguru and ieri said at the same time. you gave satoru a questioning look as you placed the tray of their orders down. “didn't see you guys come in, by the way, sorry.” you says, trying to make a small talk. “'course you didn't. you were busy.” satoru, whose eyes are still glued on the wall, mutters.

“come again?” you asks, not really hearing what your boyfriend said. he did not reply though and he's still not facing you. you found it very...weird. “hey, 'toru how was practice? i thought you'd be done in at least two more hours.” you try to talk to him, but again, no reply. “suck it up satoru.” ieri says, so done with his tantrums.

“...toru?” you called out to your boyfriend but satoru kept his eyes glued on the wall. he wasn't even just looking away, he's literally sat there facing the wall. he looked so fucking stupid. yet you can't figure out why. “is he okay?” you ask, turning to his friends. “when is he ever okay? that guy has some screw loose.” ieri says, playfully rolling her eyes.

suguru sighs, looking at you with his tired eyes. “he's jealous because you wer—” “I AM NOT JEALOUS OF NANAMI-SAN!” oh. oh. you and ieri stifle a laugh and suguru face palmed. everyone in the cafe, including kento, has heard satoru. now everyone's eyes are on him.

satoru realized what he just revealed, although his words said otherwise, everyone in the room understood the situation. he could only stare at you with wide eyes, watching as you fight the urge to burst out laughing.

“i see.” you manage to say in between laughs. “in that case, it's okay for me to leave then? nanami-san and I still have a lot of matters to discuss about the council, i have a lot to learn being the newly elected vice president anyways.” you add, looking directly at satoru with your teasing smile.

oh right. oh shit you're right! satoru had forgotten that you're the new vice president! “don't leave. :c” satoru murmured, embarrassed at his own actions as he scoots over, giving you a place to sit. once you sat down, you let out a laugh.

“i'm not jealous.” he tells you, his voice dramatically low. “mhm, you're not.” you replied, playfully rolling your eyes at him. “dude you're embarrassing.” suguru and ieri said in unison.

𐙚 : short and crappy ik,,, :[ i got bored okay!!

plus i really love the idea of jjk hs!au i'm thinking of what roles the other characs should play :P

[jetblack4realz]

protector - haymitch abernathy

growing back

masterlist

your speech in the capitol shakes snow's stability - and haymitch isn't happy about it.

warnings: sexualizing, allusions to sa and gross people, spoilers to sotr, age gap of like 3 years

word count: 2.3k

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

haymitch was nervous.

you made him nervous.

in so many ways that he didn't even know what to do about it. on the train, in his home, in the capitol - your presence made his heart beat just a little bit faster and he resented it.

but especially tonight, especially with your upcoming speech that you'd insisted to nelsie that you write yourself, his nerves were going wild.

and the way you looked in that damn dress wasn't helping either.

black velvet, one shouldered, a cut out on your waist the same side as the missing shoulder, and matching golden accessories.

your stylist wanted to showcase your unique attributes: the black for your relationship with haymitch, the velvet for your love of the capitol, the gold petrel necklace that sat perfectly on your collarbone for your victor heritage, and the cutout outlined the scarred gash that the games had left you with. and of course, the one shoulder just exposed more skin that sponsors were sure to eat up.

he was sure that all the fashion tabloids would be talking about his design.

you thought it was rather calm compared to other victor outfits.

haymitch almost wanted to thank your stylist - you were drop dead gorgeous. literally.

your makeup was perfectly simple - and yet it was still sharp and mature. just a winged liner and gold inner corners, glossy red lips topping it off. when he saw you walk backstage to meet him he internally groaned at the fact that it'd rub off on his own lips, and then he kicked himself in the ass for thinking that.

you hadn't kissed since district 3.

it didn't feel right. not yet.

not that he was planning it, either, or that he was counting down the minutes until he was able to kiss you again. that's not what he wanted. he just wanted to protect you without things being awkward.

obviously.

"do i have to say anything?" he asked you with raised brows, one hand clutching his third glass of the night tightly as the other hung loose by his side.

you smiled gently at him, and he felt his heart give way at it again. "no, you don't. i know not to say anything stupid."

"just be polite, praise the capitol, and then we can get this damn party over with and get out of here," he said anyways. you ran a hand through your hair as you rolled your eyes, and his hand flexed at his side out of reflex.

"i know," you told him. "just remember your promise."

"hey, i'll do what it takes to keep you as close to me as possible," he answered, grinning lopsidedly. his hand twitched at his side. "as long as you hold up your end of the bargain."

"and i will," you said with a nod, your smile disappearing as you glanced over his shoulder to where the podium was placed in the center of the stage. the capitol higher ups were eating dessert with loud, giggly chatter on the rest of the floor, and you could just barely see where president snow and his family were dining on the center terrace.

a beat passed, and then, finally, he reached out to grab your hand, his thumb running over the back of it. "you're gonna do great, honey. don't think too hard."

"too late," you said, smiling thinly at him as you squeezed his hand. "but, thank you."

another moment passed, his brain running a million miles a minute before he opened his mouth to speak again.

but he was cut off.

"you ready, sweetheart?" mags asked, coming to your side with the toddler on her hip.

you let out a heavy breath before planting a smile on your lips again and nodding. "as i'll ever be."

"you do great, cuz!" fish exclaimed.

that brought a real smile to your face, and you let go of haymitch's hand to place yours on the boy's cheek.

"thank you bubs," you told him, pressing a kiss to his nose and earning a giggle in return.

the air seemed to loosen around you four as the little laugh filled the space, and haymitch's heart calmed for a moment.

and then mags was handing him the child.

she looked at him intently. "hold him for me? i need to tell them she's ready."

"oh, i can just-"

"here," she said simply, placing fish in haymitch's arms. she turned to you with a motherly smile, patting your cheek gently. "you're going to be fine. just remember to breathe, yeah?" you nodded. "okay. knock 'em dead."

the older woman walked off of sidestage to speak with whoever was in charge of this whole ordeal and then only moments later nelsie was pulling you to the curtains.

"bye cuzzie!" fish exclaimed, and you waved with a small smile. the boy turned to haymitch with a grin that mirrored the one he had exclusively for playing the 'rascal', and it made haymitch smile too. "hi mitchie."

"hey kid," he said, adjusting the boy to settle more comfortably on his hip.

the sound of the microphone being tapped echoed through the room, and at once both haymitch and fish's attentions were on the stage, haymitch shuffling closer to give them both a better view of you.

he could barely see the side of your face, your brightly painted red lips pulled up in the same easy-looking smile that you used every time you were in public. the crowd was cheering loudly, their claps piercing and screams awfully high-pitched. he didn't realize so many people had been crammed in the ballroom of the president's mansion - or maybe it was just the way the walls were curved that was amplifying the sound.

either way, you didn't seem phased by it, a stark contrast to your image in district 1.

but, the face of the boy you killed wasn't on the back wall, and you weren't surrounded by victors and civilians and the families of dead tributes.

no. now you were just surrounded by people who either wanted to sleep with you or be you.

and just one who could very well want to kill you.

"she looks pretty," fish mumbled in haymitch's ear, and the man nodded with a thin smile.

"yeah. she does."

he couldn't keep his eyes off you. you were mesmerizing.

your shoulders were straight, your chin stuck out properly as you offered the crowd a small wave. you laughed a bit as the applause continued for far longer than you were used to, shaking your head humbly even as more whoops sounded through the room.

"please, please," your voice was smooth and at ease, and he couldn't say he wasn't shocked. the crowd listened to you, waiting for your next words, and haymitch even found himself leaning forwards in anticipation.

"ever since i came here that first day after the reaping, i have been welcomed with the warmest arms in panem. i could barely believe i was even here - the capitol, with all its shining lights and flamboyant fashions, was more than a simple girl from district 4 could imagine in her wildest dreams. it's comfortable, it's safe. there's ease here. everything glows, and it has this peacefulness about it that just makes me think that maybe this is what the world could be like."

there were a few scattered claps as everyone was hanging onto your next words, bright smiles on their lips as they gazed lovingly up at you.

"and it's comforting, in a way, to know that peace always comes at a price... and that someone has already paid it."

you scanned the crowd with a gentle smile.

haymitch's hold on your cousin tightened.

"your generosity has overwhelmed me. it affected me so much that i wondered why? and then i realized that some cages shin so brightly that they don't even seem like cages at all. my eyes have been opened in that way."

the capitol citizens were in awe - this poor district girl, imprisoned by district life and finally set free in the capitol.

the victors scattered in the crowd knew better - the prison was the capitol. haymitch knew it. mags knew it. and they were both confident that snow knew what she was saying too.

"before and after the games were so exciting - caesar, i've had the time of my life with you," you laughed as you pointed at the purple-haired man. he grinned, a hand over his heart as he waved the compliment away. "the best performances are the ones where no one realizes it's all a play. and you, sir, are the expert!"

the crowd laughed again, caesar doing a faux-bow as the cameras panned to him.

your smile remained on your lips. "in some ways, it was vaguely similar to my experience in the games themselves, and in many ways they were so starkly separate. i'll never forget the feeling that swelled in my chest when i watched that first little girl go down. or the feeling that followed my first and last kill."

haymitch held his breath.

vague. stay vague.

"it didn't make me feel like a winner, but i was told i was. i couldn't believe it." somehow you were still smiling, and you hadn't tripped up yet. your voice was breathy, like you were astonished. "and yet i was the last one. maybe not a victor, but a survivor."

haymitch's smile was wiped clear, his lips parted in shock as you continued.

shit.

the capitol cheered. you grinned. and then you sobered.

"in so many ways, we are all survivors of something. the only ones left standing. and we're all taught to smile through it. i think it's beautiful, really."

your smile was too wide, too shiny, and yet they ate it up. they cheered louder.

haymitch's breath was stolen from him, his heart pounding as he waited for your next words.

"but we're all more than what we've survived! more than what's broken. because what's broken can always be fixed. though it can't be fertilized with silk and rubies, it will always find a way to grow back. and though my games have left me a bit scarred-" you let out a laugh, patting your exposed side where everyone could see the jagged line from where thornton had stabbed you with a spear before you killed him, "that's what i'm here in the capitol, the most prosperous place on earth, to do. to growing back!"

he managed to breathe again, but only to let out a puff of disbelief.

and then you turned, accepting a champagne glass from the avox that had speedily approached your side, and then raising it high in the air.

the capitol echoed your words: "to growing back!"

and your eyes were on snow.

haymitch's were on you, wide and dilated in fear.

you all sipped your glasses, and then once yours was once again on the avox's tray, the crowd was on their feet and cheering loudly. a few tables in the back began chanting your name, and you lifted your hand to your heart with a sweet smile as you gave them a little curtsy.

you blew them a final kiss and a wink before laughing and exiting the stage.

now, haymitch had gotten pretty good at schooling his features in the past few years of performing for capitol benefit.

but this... this was too much for him.

he wasn't angry, he knew that much. no, it wasn't anger that was filling and constricting his chest. it wasn't frustration that was burning the back of his throat and making his heart pound so hard he was sure fish could hear it, or at the least feel it in his hands that were still wrapped around the boy.

no. not anger.

not rage.

there was time to be angry later.

instead he was filled with the most unpleasant, tremor-inducing sense of anxiety he'd felt since the repercussions of his own games.

"haymitch?"

he shook his head, eyes on the floors, curtains, ceilings, avoxes; anything but you.

"h. hey."

he stepped back, blinking quickly as he finally met your eyes.

you knitted your brows, reaching forward but he pulled away from you. "hey, i - i'm sorry. i felt like it had to be said. i needed to do something-"

"don't." he held his free hand in the air, shaking his head again as he balance fish on his hip more firmly. "i don't - i don't want to hear it. you knew... i told you. i told you what he'd do and you just... threw it away!"

"he won't do anything, my family is untouchable-"

"no one is untouchable."

mags appeared, and for the first time since he'd met her, haymitch saw a thin veil of anger on her features. she tried to disguise it, eyes softening the slightest bit when she met his, but her lips were twitching down and brows knitting together.

haymitch thrusted fish back into her arms.

"excuse me."

"haymitch-!"

"let him go. he needs to breathe."

"i didn't mean to... i don't... i just wanted to do something right for once. i've done everything else wrong."

"i can't tell you what right and wrong is, sweetheart, but i can tell you that this will have repercussions."

"but, the capitol loved it."

"doesn't matter," haymitch muttered under his breath before he finally burst into the hallway.

his hands were shaking, his breath was short.

his feet carried him far, down the hallway, up some stairs, down more winding hallways as his brain ran from him.

fire.

gumdrops.

caskets.

an empty white house.

liquor.

he didn't know he'd survive. he didn't know his actions would kill everyone he loved. he didn't know.

you knew.

he'd told you. mags had told you. snow had told you.

you knew.

and you still risked it all.

[rigordoll]

TENDER.

LEON KENNEDY.

This include: fluff, unestablished relationship, f!reader, short smut at the end.

first time writing something lol!! sorry if it's bad, I'm just bored.

When you hear the name 'Leon kennedy', the first thing that would came into you mind may be the 'stoic and stern agent that saved the president's daughter' and you wouldn't be wrong about it. he is, indeed, an strong man that goes through a lot just to make sure that the others won't be damage by anyone or anything.

He would do anything for the ones he loves the most and he definitely loves you the most, even if he doesn't tell you that and thinks that would never be able to do it.

Yes, he's surely a brave agent but that 'brave agent' seems to dissappear when you approach to him with a gentle smile and a tender touch.

he isn't sure how he managed to get you into his life, it's like you just appeared from nowhere just to make his pretty much pathetic life a little bit better—much better actually—but he just rather play fool about it.

Leon actually don't know what label put in whatever you two have. he spends the little free time that his job leaves him with you, not that he would have anyone else to spend it with, you're almost his entire social life without counting Hunnigan that is pretty much tired of him and his stupid pick up lines in the most inappropriate moments where he's fighting for his life but that isn't important here right now, what it's important here for Leon it's you. He knows every single detail about, he had taken any chance given to learn something about you and he will still do it if you allow him to.

"You have been quiet." Leon said softly to you while he looked at you sitting in front of him.

Leon had decided to take you out that night to a restaurant since the next day he would have to travel to another country for a mission and God knows when he would come back or if he would even come back alive.

"It's just that... I'm gonna miss you." You said quietly like it was some sort of secret and that made Leon's gaze soften. you have been always so open about your feelings for him and he loved that, even if at the beginning he found it overwhelming, overwhelmingly good though.

"Oh come'om, I'm here yet." He said with a playful tone, trying to lighten the mood. he didn't want you all sad and nostalgic when he was still there sharing a nice meal with you.

"I know, I'm sorry." You said softly with a chuckle while looking at him, your eyes gleaming with love and that's just a sight that would give him a warm and cozy feeling in his chest.

He definitely loves you the most even if he doesn't know how to tell you.

The rest of the night went smoothly and with the light usual banter between the two of you. he continued to distract you from the fact that tomorrow he wouldn't be there to make you laugh and hold you. oh that sounded so dramatic, it wasn't even that big of a deal to be honest but it felt like that, being apart from him felt like that.

It didn't surprise you how the night ended with Leon's hands exploring your bare body under his in the comfort of his bed. his lips grazing your pulse point on your neck while your hands wrapped around his shoulders to keep him close, to ground yourself in the present and his presence. you just wanted to be there with him and remember every single detail of him since you couldn't get enough of him.

he just looked so beautiful with rosy tinted cheeks and gleaming dark blue eyes that stared at you with such attention and adoration while you melted under his touch. his hips were settled against yours, the tip of his cock nuzzling against the gummy spot inside you that made you gasp and cling to to him with every griding motion of his hips.

One of his hands gripping your hip and the other holding your hand while he moaned into your neck. he was so lost in the moment since all felt so warm and... right. being with you felt so right in every single aspect.

but how wouldn't it feel right with the consistent thrust of his hips against yours, hitting the spot inside you every time and with his hand moving between your bodies to rub your needy clit? how wouldn't it feel right with his lips kissing the side of your face as he moaned your name? how wouldn't it feel right with how good you were squeezing him and arching against him? how the fuck wouldn't it feel right when you came around him and muttered the words 'I love you' to him?

you didn't even register your own words until Leon released into you and collapsed on top of you after it. all you could feel was a warmth spreading through you as the only sound that filled the room was both of yours uneven and heavy breaths.

Leon was still processing your words before wrapping his arms around you and resting his head on your chest to listen your heartbeat.

a comfortable silence settled in the room while you played with his hair before he finally tilted his head up to look at you.

"I love you too."

well, it seems that Leon could tell you those words after all.

LMAO IT'S THE FIRST TIME I WRITE A FIC, LET ME KNOW IF I CAN IMPROVE SOMETHING AND I'M SORRY IF IT'S CHOPPY OR A MISSPELLED SOMETHING, ENGLISH ISN'T MY FIRST LANGUAGE!!! 😔🙏

[moreespressoformydepresso]

I was talking with two friends yesterday and it reminded my barely functional brain of a TBOSAS AU I apparently haven’t posted yet, so I bring you: the tributes stop the games by being grumbley

A while back I made a post about the headcanon that the tribute names are being pronounced incorrectly and that’s what makes them seem “weird”, and I can think of several ways this might get the games cancelled. The most obvious one being the mentors combining their growing fondness of their tributes with the knowledge that the Capitol proudly and openly mispronounced every single name on the tribute list and was convinced of it being the right pronunciation until the tributes corrected them. Bonus points if the mentors try to “correct” the tributes and getting hit in the face with reality.

“It’s actually pronounced T⟨r⟩ee-tsj Mè⟨r⟩an…”

“That r can’t be right and your emphasis is off.”

“A- are you-“ Treech gave Vipsania a look somewhere between disbelief and disdain. “Are you trying to correct me on the pronunciation of my own name?!”

The other tributes are cackling behind him and Vipsania splutters, trying to save herself from the embarrassment, before realizing how stupid that was and clearing her throat, changing the subject rather unceremoniously. Every chance the tributes get, they correct the mentors on misinformation or mispronunciation. It starts off as pure spite for the sake of entertainment, but soon becomes genuine annoyance with just how confidently incorrect these stuck up brats are. Meanwhile, the mentors realize with every correction that maybe they don’t know as much about the districts as they thought they did. Every little thing they get wrong makes them wonder even more what else they thought to be true is actually bullshit. It also gets them (and the rest of the Capitol) a little more interested in District culture since the tributes share some super cool or interesting things.

On the other hand, though, the tributes also confirm a thing or two, except the way they describe it has a totally different vibe than the rumors the Capitol took as fact. For example: I have a headcanon that District 7 partially relies on edible tree bark for nutrition, especially in the cold winters. In summer they smuggle as much food from the forest as possible to stock up for harsh famine winters where they cannot grow their own extra food and all the animals are hidden for their winter nap. District 10 eats all the parts of the animal the Capitol doesn’t want, they’ve found ways to make even the disgusting bits taste good. 9 and 11 have found ways to secretly grow small patches of plants that don’t look out of the ordinary but are actually super nutritious. They eat things like tulip bulbs and sugar beets and parts of plants the Capitol sees no value in. (These headcanons are inspired by the hungerwinter)

At first, the mentors are disgusted with the idea of eating bark or the “bad” animal parts, but then the tributes talk more about it and it truly hits the Capitol that the districts are basically living through the seige the Capitol hates the rebels for so much. Festus is particularly affected by the D7 bit, because a whole district is kept alive by tree bark because his dad can’t be bothered to just send them more food. Why? Because it would lessen profits. It gets the mentors to realize just how dire the situation in the districts is, even 10 years after the rebellion, and the outcry against the Games and the fact that the Capitol is doing exactly what they hate the rebels for gets so bad that the president is forced to shut down the games to focus on putting out this political wildfire.

The mentors whose parents have say in the districts twist their parents’ arms into fixing these conditions, if only so they can stop thinking about tiny children chewing on intestines or tree bark or flower bulbs in a desperate bid to survive.

[ultralightpoe]

Masked Martyrs- Finnick Odair

Authors Note: Part seven of the halloween Event! Do enjoy! More hunger games coming soon...

Warnings: talk about prostitution

Word Count: 981

Requests: OPEN

~2024 Halloween Event Masterlist

[Thank you for the gif @down-in-dixie ]

ENJOY!

The lighting in the capitol was always off, and no one seemed to understand you when you said that. In district 7 there was nothing but natural lighting since the electricity often went out and everyone had to work during the day. But it also had some of the best stars, the best view of the stars really, since everyone shared them. But the capitol seemed to hate those stars. 

Or maybe Snow was keeping you from them as some form of punishment. You might have done something wrong. Maybe he didn’t like the way you greeted the ‘guest’ he had sent over the other day. Or maybe you hadn’t smiled enough in that last interview. 

Really he could find any reason to punish you if he wanted to. 

“He’ll see you sulking.” A smooth voice fills the air, and your peace and quiet is immediately shattered by none other than Finnick Odair. “And he’ll-”

“If you don’t mind fish boy,” You begin, not bothering to tear your eyes away from the tech lamps on the wall, wondering how long it had taken to make them. “I’m staring at the stars.”

“Those, lumbergal, are not stars.” He laughs, not seeming to worry about your attitude at all. 

“They are the closest thing I could find.” 

“THERE YOU TWO ARE!” Someone cheers, a clapping sound pulling your attention. As you turn your head to see whoever was approaching you manager to catch Finnicks gaze for a second before spotting the capital's favorite stylist. 

You hadn’t bothered to learn his name, you knew Snow would manage to make him disappear the second he got bored of him. He had gone through 6 since you won your games. 

“I spent far too long on the prizes of the Capitol for them to lurking in the corner. Come come. Immediately. Our brave president has requested you make an appearance.” Before you could move to get up the stylist was turning to meet you where you sat, shoving a gold envelope in your hand before his hands were upon you. 

They roamed to fix up the stupid dress he had made for you, and though you flared with unease you had learned long ago to ignore it.  And though Finnick was in the room you tried to remind yourself that he would know this life as much as you and you shouldn’t have to worry about it. 

And yet his hand came to flick the stylists off of you with ease, a glare set in his eye as you stood up. 

“We’ll be right out.” 

“I was sent to-”

“You gave us the message, we will be out soon.” Finnick snaps before an easy smile breaks out. The stylist wisely chooses not to fight on it, rushing off to find another one of his costumes as you take to fixing it yourself. 

He had made a capitol worthy fairy costume for you, and wearing a dress with this much cleavage made you miss celebrating hallows eve in your district even if there was no food or warmth in the beginning of winter. 

Finnick had been dressed as…. Well you had no clue. 

With blue glittery makeup sitting on his cheekbone and a thin strand of pearls wrapped around his arm. A sheen blue fabric was draped on one shoulder that covered his stomach but not his pecs, and you didn’t even want to keep looking at the pants. 

“A siren.” He mumbles, smiling as he watches you watch him. 

“Fitting.”

“Because I’m a whore.”

“No.” You snap out, throat tight. “Because you were made for water. And the fact that you think I would….. Would ever call you that….”

You shake your head, moving to walk away quickly with that envelope still in your hand. He follows, fixing the back of your dress before fixing your wing and moving to walk alongside you. 

“The envelope if you will. I’d like to get our dear presidents message before you destroy it.” He quickly swipes the envelope from you and tears it open, reading the words. You watch as he tries to smile, as if what he was reading wasn’t bothering him, but you could also see the way his jaw tightens. 

“What does it say?”

“He wants us to meet a client-”

“Together?” You blurt, stopping in your tracks. 

“Yes.”

“But-”

“Do you want to see lanterns?”

“I’m sorry?” You laugh before he reaches for your hand and drags you with him. He leads you through the back tunnels of the capitol building and if you were a better person you might have thought about ways to escape. 

But you were broken and you knew it was a useless plan. 

Not that any of that mattered anyways, because as you followed the ‘siren’ through the halls you could only get excited. For the first time in months you were excited. 

He pushes a thick door open with ease and leads you out for you to realize you had managed to sneak into the gardens where they had lit the pumpkin lanterns. 

“Oh… my…”

They had been decorated with glitter, the same gold glitter that you had been decorated with, and the fires were different colors. 

The warmth of the fires was perfect, like an invisible blanket, and the colors mixed with the gold glitter made it almost magical. 

“How did you know about these?”

“I saw them setting up earlier, which is why I came to find you.” He hums, leaning against the wall as you trace a finger through glitter. 

“And you came to find me?”

“You’re the only person I knew would like it as much as I did.” He smiles and you can’t fight the smile that crosses your own lips. 

“Happy Hallowed Eve, Siren.”

“Happy Hallowed Eve, Fairy.” And for a second, as you peered into his eyes, you could see stars again.

-

[thank you for the gif @starefantasisedroolrepeat ]

[ovur]

my god you americans are whiny pissbags you'll elect a r*pist fascist idiot as the president Twice and make sure a gun has more rights than a black person but god forbid an animal who's always lived outdoors despite having been domesticated for 6000 years goes outside and lives a fulfilling life instead of bedrotting their poor little life away staring out of your tiny apartment window, clinically depressed. the irony of posting that family guy meme of them in evening attire as if your inane opinion on this matter was any classier than your uncivilized embarrassing 'culture'. I've had 5 outdoors cats, not once has anything happened to them in my safe suburban environment where I have a 1800 square metre garden (dgaf what that is in your bs imperial system, learn to use proper measurements). they've all lived 15+ years which is way more than the average life span of their species and have died of natural causes. they've caught a rat or two, what a travesty and an abomination for continuing the proud ancient tradition of pest control! we don't have any of the predators you yanks have listed in urban areas and unlike you, we have a working public transportation system so our suburbs aren't as car-infested and speeding isn't allowed. although if you train your cat to be an outdoor cat they are intelligent enough to stay away from cars and the middle of roads. cats are extremely curious, playful and independent animals who need the stimulation of roaming around, scenting etc that only the outdoors can to offer. some of my friends have indoor cats (and I don't attack them for it like a lunatic btw) because they don't have a safe private garden. none of them have lived as long as my cats though, maybe because their entire life consists of sleeping and hiding from children/ dogs high up in a cat tower and eating. what a depressing existence. if fact I have several fellow cat lover friends who refuse to adopt a cat rn because they live in a flat and say it would be inhumane to force a cat to live there as they would be unhappy and depressed. I risk a shorter life too by leaving my house every day yet I'd rather go tomorrow than spend my entire life between four walls in captivity. so you may as well suggest it's also too dangerous for people to go out without a leash but I guess you freaks have already normalized mentally ill gooners identifying as pupself and going out in a fursuit so one can’t expect any respect for anything natural from your deranged utterly fucked country to begin with.

I've never had racist transphobic eurotrash in my inbox before, how exciting. You can type and type but at the end of the day you're still a pussy who's bitching anonymously in my inbox. Please don't act like you care about black people either, you inserting that dumbass line proves you're racist on top of being too scared to say any of this with your url attached. This is not the gotcha you think it is, Europe is just as racist and they love acting like they're not, you're a great example. I'm sorry you're not capable of providing a life of quality for your animals so you need to let them outside, you're stupid enough that I think they really are better left exposed to the elements, you've convinced me. You're talking about a DOMESTICATED animal, they will always come home until one day they don't. Either they'll be picked up by someone who will actually love them, which is what I hope for, or what's going to happen is what you want since you can't be bothered to take care of them, they'll be put out of their misery. Anything is better than having an "owner" like you though. I'd mention the environmental issues too but we all know you don't care about anything but yourself, you don't even care about your pets.

[automaticheartcrusade]

What I like about Charles Coven is the “there’s only one thing I value more than treasure, my own life”- line. Because this is telling us that he’s not your typical greedy money hungry man who gets off to the thrills and will say “fuck all” just cause he’s in power, he’s actually smart and won’t make a dumb decision that’ll threaten his life. I know we haven’t seen much of him yet, but I can’t help but like that about him since most mean powerful greedy character archetypes in media are so reckless. And here’s the thing, Charles should honestly be a boring character since the spooky rich man trope isn’t anything special, (I mean come on, his motivation is wanting all the money in the world), but that one line of dialogue adds something interesting to him. He seems like the kind of guy to play his cards right and not do anything stupid. If he has to accept defeat and step down, he will, as seen at the end of Yellow Jacket, where he could have easily told one of his men to fire at Ethan, but chose not to, like…even if it’s just for the plot, it’s a character decision that makes sense.

On top of that, Charles is just so fucking intimidating man, because he’s well acted and well written. What makes him terrifying is his calm demeanor. He never yells or overreacts and that’s why he’s scary, cause instead of yelling at you, he’ll calmly threaten you with a wide smile. He mostly talks in this friendly manor, but in a passive aggressive way, and he’ll only appear as nice to lure you in and get what he wants from you. Literally the “welp! You’ll never see him again! :P” is the best scene. And I absolutely love it when villains are written like this. They aren’t shying away that he’s a bad guy, but they’re also not hitting you on the head with him. He’s not like Hidgens or Linda where he’s this unhinged and loud person, he’s not even like Wilbur Cross despite people comparing them. He’s just….Charles, a man you should fear and not trust at all, cause he is only using your for his own personal gain. I mean this guy literally has the power to THREATEN the president of the United States and get away with it. And the fact that he flat out told Bill that he wants everyone under his foot, how outward he is about his power hungry ways but can keep his job as head of CCRP is terrifying. And the fact that he’s after Lex and Hannah is terrifying. HE’S JUST TERRIFYING BUT ALSO A SILLY BEAN AND I LOVE HIM.

[luc1dvisual]

eat that girl for lunch - college!au giselle x reader

synopsis: your dancing on her tongue, your might be the one

pairing: aeri uchinaga x reader (use of her real name, non-idol au)

genre: wlw, 18+ (pairing is over 18), studentxstudent, delinquentxnerd

word count: 2.4k+

You were the Student Council President at School of Performing Arts in Seoul. You are loved for your kind attitude and your need to do right by others. You were in the Practical Music Department and are the top of your class, leaving many both envious and in awe by you. On the surface, you don’t seem to dislike anyone, in truth you didn’t hate anyone but one girl.

Aeri Uchinaga was also a student at the School of Performing Arts but she was very different to you in many ways. She may have also been in the same department but she was not known of her stellar grades or good attitude. She was known to be a bit of a ...player. She was known to mess around with both genders and many have started rumors that she pays girls to sleep with her and that she hurts girls for her own pleasure. Some go as far to say she even works as a sex worker on the side despite her family being loaded. 

You hated everything about Aeri. You wholeheartedly believed her to be a slut and that she would fuck anything with a pulse. Aeri disliked you for acting all stuck-up and your stupid high-pitched voice. You would sit at the main table at the centre of the gardens under the sun, next to the water fountain as you would turn and see Aeri sitting alone under a tree. Due to these rumors, Aeri didn’t have many friends and she would never speak more than 5 words in class. In truth, none of the rumors were even true, she was just very introverted and didn’t like talking to people as she didn’t know what to do or how to keep the conversation going.

It’s a normal school day and it is second break as Aeri sits under a tree with her head phones in and her eyes closed. You look over at Aeri and your usual hatred bubbles up. You can’t stand the fact a girl like her could just walk around freely without any consequences. A idea then forms inside your head and you storm over. You call out Aeri’s name a few times which get no response as the other girl’s music is on full volume. She then stomps on Aeri’s foot which makes the ravenette’s eyes shoot open and take her head phones out. “Can I help you?” she says, clearly tired.

“Why do you do the things you do? Random but I can’t help but ask” You say in your fakest tone possible. Aeri feels the uneasy air around her and she knows her answer to this question will determine the course of their conversation. “I’m sorry.. I don’t understand what you mean?” she says, clearly confused. “You don’t have to air out your sex life for all the school to hear.. that’s what I mean!” You say in the same fake tone yet your intention was clear from the start. “I don’t know what your talking about, I don’t do that in the first place.” Aeri was confused at first but now she was a bit offended. “Oh now you want to act dumb? The entire school knows that your a whore, stop lying!” You think the other girl is just playing dumb to get out of it. You knew you needed to confront her, you won the council elections so you could do whatever you wantl. Right?

Aeri knew to a certain degree about all the rumors but nobody said anything to her. It’s not as if they had the right, so who does this girl think she is talking to her this way? “Who the fuck even are you? What makes you think you have the right to talk to me like this?” She says trying to keep her cool yet clearly irritated. “_____, student council president, school’s top student” You confidently say, as if she was waiting for the question. She says the last part specifically to get on Aeri’s nerves, assuming her grades to be slipping, as everytime you saw her, she had her headphones in and was off daydreaming. “More like School’s Pain in the Ass” Aeri mutters off as she gets up, finally now noticing how short the other girl is compared to her. Your ears perked up at the jab “Pardon? Do you want to repeat that?” You said annoyed, yet knowing your position gave you the upper hand. “I said.. your a pain in the ass.. now piss off” Aeri storms off, she did not have the time for this.

You were not done, you grabbed Aeri’s arm. “You shouldn’t even be here! You should be in a whorehouse, and I’ll make sure you go right there!” you said, raising your voice a bit. Aeri wanted to lose her shit, but she acted surprisingly calm when a idea popped into her head now “Fine” she said coldly. Your face was filled with confusion as you didn’t expect it to be THAT easy “Fine? What?” she inquired. “Fine. I’ll go to a whorehouse…” the black-haired girl said. You looked at her visibly confused yet waiting for something more, there had to be something more. “…if you win a bet.” Aeri finished with a smile. You crossed your arms and rolled your eyes “What are the terms?” 

You said, annoyed by how unserious the other girl was to the claims yet intrigued by what she was going to propose. “I’ll drop out and go to the red light district.. if you come first during the next exam” You genuinely thought she was joking until you saw on her face how serious she was. Aeri’s face then turned sinister “But.. if I come first, you have to open your legs for me” Your face went pale at this and considered forgetting it all together. But no.. she needed to come first and keep everyone else safe from Aeri. You nodded and quietly said “Deal” before walking away.

Days went by and whispers about such a bet swirling around the school, many wanting to make their own assumptions about such a deal. Of course as people do, they exaggerate the story or add their own silver lining that would make more people interested. A week in and when it reached your ears, the story sounded absurd and almost convinced you that you never even talked to Aeri. Obviously, it was not true but this further convinced you that you could not lose this bet. You were convinced you did not even need to study and that you would do perfectly fine, telling yourself that you were just pure talent and you did not need to overwork yourself. Instead of studying, you partied and only worked to fufill your Student President duties. Many remained excited for the next evaluation, excited to see you crumble and for Aeri to live up to her infamous reputation.

The end of year came and all dashed over to the ranking board. Your heart dropped when Aeri ended up on top and you came second. You could feel everyone staring at you, whispering in satisfaction about you not ending up on top once. You are trying to get out the crowd of girls but it’s almost suffocating. You turn your head to see Aeri with a surprised expression on her face 

You and Aeri walked into the hotel room together, tension in the air. You lost the bet by 2 points, you didn’t even realise how intelligent Aeri was until she saw the board. This pissed you off as not only were you ranked down to number two, but also because it showed how sneaky the other girl was. You was convinced Aeri started the rumors about herself for attention and only hated her more for it. She certainly seemed quite pleased with herself when she shut the door and pinned you to the wall with a smirk. The taller girl had a height advantage over you and looked down at you , hands to each side of your head. You looked up with a annoyed stare, internally beating yourself up over losing. You were snapped out your thoughts when Aeri kissed you and couldn’t help but melt into the kiss.

They kissed there for about a minute or so before you were picked up, automatically wrapping your legs around Aeri’s waist as you were carried to the bed. You were placed gently on the bed surprisingly and you two kept kissing, fighting for dominance. Clashes of teeth and tongue ensued and Aeri got the upper hand due to your inexperience. Aeri takes off the other girl’s sweater and unbuttons her shirt. She was about to go for the your skirt before her hand was grabbed “You first” you said bluntly, mainly out of embarrassment of being half naked. Aeri sighs as she shrugs off her jacket and unbutton her own shirt, not fully taking it off but unbuttoning most of the buttons. You looked up at the pretty sight and really tried not your best to look down but you eventually did which made Aeri laugh quietly.

“Enjoying the view?” She said softly teasing. Your face went red with annoyance and strangely.. also arousal. You turn your head away which makes Aeri hold back her laughter again. She decides to get attention someway so she takes off the brunette’s shoes and stockings. She takes off your skirt and protection shorts, revealing your underwear. Jimin starts to kiss up the exposed side of your neck and whispering “Babe.. look at me..” she initially whispers softly but got no reaction from you. She then decides to start lazily rubbing her finger your clothed clit.

Aeri watches your face any sign of pleasure and laughs quietly at the sight in front of her. You shut your eyes and clamped a hand over your own mouth, remaining the same even when Aeri was feeling the wet patch in your underwear. “Look at me” she whispered quietly that gained no response. With this, she knew she had to try harder which made her act on impulse and slap your ass, which finally gained a reaction. “Ah!-” a startled moan finally escaped your mouth despite her action in protest to the pleasure. Aeri at this point was hot and bothered by how long one fucking moan took, making her urges take control of her for a minute and grasp the smaller girl’s throat by force. Your face clearly distressed, tried to gasp for air but the noises that did escape almost emulated a bird’s chirp. You squirmed in the older’s girls grasp yet felt.. hot for some reason. “Your really fucking bipolar you know that? You want to agree to a bet with me yet you want to be stubborn and not take your punishment well?” Your eyes were still adverted due to embarrassment at this, she did start all of this yet she does not want to just take it as she was so sure she would be on top, she never messes up. “S-sorry.. keep going..” she hesitantly opens her legs. She’s never been with anyone, let alone a girl so she was pretty nervous. At this, a idea popped into Aeri’s head as a form of punishment.

She took your bra and underwear off, making you completely bare under her. She took a minute to admire your body — she wanted to do this for a few months now and the opportunity just presented itself without her asking for it. She saw how shy you got at the intimacy and she enjoyed the pouty expression on your face — it just made Aeri want to fuck you more. She played with your breasts and teased your nipples, enjoying the whines and occasional whimpers that escaped you. She took it a step further and started licking and sucking hickeys on your breasts. Aeri loved marking girls in general, especially the pale ones as the marks were more evident. 

She looked down with a smirk to see how wet you were getting and how you thrusted up for some friction which was unsuccessful. You tried to form words which you could start then would turn into a whine. Your legs shaked which indicated you were about to cum which is when Jimin removed her hand and mouth off her tits. You let out a noise and said confused “Aeri.. what..” Aeri stroked your hair and said “You weren’t supposed to, that was a punishment.” You kept a pouty expression and crossed arms which made the other girl melt “Fine.. do you want your reward?”. Your eyes lighted up at this as you nodded frantically “Please unnie.. I’ll be good..”

The room is filled with your high-pitched moans as Aeri slips her tongue you. She keeps a tight grip on your ass, one hand on each side, tight enough to leave bruises. Aeri;s tongue plays with the other girl’s g-spot as you thrust upwards into the other girl’s mouth. Aeri starts sucking and you manage to grab a handful of the other girl’s hair as you hold Aeri’s mouth in one spot, right on the place you like it most. Her tongue goes even faster which makes your hips buckle and your moans get louder. You finally cum in Aeri’s mouth and fall onto the bed. The ravenette finally looks up at the brunette after swallowing it all, wiping her mouth and laying next to her. 

There is about 30 seconds of blissful silence before Aeri finally says “Did I live up to all your fantasies?” she says with a smirk. Your face goes red and get embarrassed “Shut up!” which makes you flip on your side, forgetting for a second you were bare naked. You peaks your head back around to see Aeri checking her out, making you let out a cute yet annoyed noise “Turn around you perv!”. The taller girl grabs a blanket and drapes it over them both up to their waists. Aeri then moves over and spoons you , one hand on your waist and the other travelling up to your marked breasts. You shake your head and says “No! Not again!”. Aeri puts her head into the pillow and buries her face in your hair as she inhales the flower-scented shampoo you use. She finally says “Fine.. let’s sleep now”. You would be embarrassed to admit how easily you fell asleep after that but you did sleep very well.. in Aeri’s arms.

note . . .

i originally wrote this as a jimin x reader fic and I was choosing between which one was better. discreet was definitely better written and this sat unfinished in my google docs for a few weeks. i reread it, tweaked it a bit (it's still cringe) and finished the fic for giselle. so if the fic happens to say Jimin anywhere, just lmk so I can change it

navigation: kpop masterlist , aespa masterlist

[after-hours-art]

Aftercare

Pairing: Chuck Bass x f!reader

Genre: fluff

Warnings:

Aftercare. This term never really figured in Charles Bass's dictionary, but if it somehow found its manifestation in reality, it could come up in rather weird ways. A generous tip if his partner happened to be one of his dad's hotel staff members or a regular sex worker. However, most of the time... all he did was offer a glass of water in the morning and point at the door.

That is until he met Blair Waldorf and later... you.

You were definitely higher maintenance. Not because you were brought up in such an environment, but in his eyes, you simply deserved more. Not meaningless sex but a, hopefully, long-lasting relationship. Well... it didn't turn out with Blair, but he still has a shot with you, doesn't he? Another thing that connected you to the famous Queen B is the fact that both she and you, for some reason, insisted on hiding a relationship with Chuck. Not that he didn't get it. With Blair, because she was still with Nate at that time. With you... he simply is the last person someone with a reputation like yours should be seen with. The school president shouldn't mingle with the outlaws after all. Yet, here he is. Under your pink satin bed sheets, eating you out like a man starved.

With a low hum, Chuck smiles as you reach your high, his tongue gently lapping on your soft, delicate folds.

- You taste divine.... - he groans and smiles sheepishly. His right hand travels down your thigh.

- So fucking perfect. - he murmurs, leaning up, connecting your lips in a searing kiss. You return the favour, tasting yourself on his tongue that finds its way inside your mouth. He finally breaks the kiss, letting you both breath. You look down at him and smile shyly.

- So I guess I should... - you start getting up, a force of habit making you want to leave even though you two share the bedroom. A solid grip on your hips forces you to stay in place.

- Chuck... - you start, but he still holds you in place.

- Don't you fucking dare to get up.

- What? Why? I should get dresses and...

- No. You shouldn't do anything. - he pushes the sheets off his back and gets off the bed. - You stay here. I'll wipe myself, put on some pants, and give you an aftercare of your life.

- After- what? - you frown, confused. Obviously, you know the concept of the aftercare, but you never experienced it firsthand. Your previous boyfriend never found it important enough to provide you comfort after a sexual encounter. And since he was your first, you never found yourself worthy of said affectionate aftermath of sex.

- Aftercare. Time when you shut up and let me pamper you, Y/N. - Chuck leans down and kisses your forehead. You drop down back on the pillow, turning your head to the side, observing as your boyfriend quickly washes himself and pulls on his boxers. You roll your eyes, but can't help and smile when he walks over to you with a washcloth soaked in warm water.

- Smiling like a stupid to the cheese? - Chuck jokes and gently runs the cloth across your privates, gently washing off any remains of lube and your bodily fluids. You blush and look away.

- Chuck, stop. I can shower myself. I really ca-

- You can, but you don't have to. Y/N, showing you that I care about you and want to comfort you isn't a trap. I'm not him. I won't throw a chocolate bar at you and call it a day or demand one more blowjob before I take off. - he says, the wet cloth in his hand gently cleaning you up. - Although, I remember that the taste of chocolate helps you settle and... overpower the taste of other things. So, if you want some Lady Godiva, just say a word.

You bite your lower lip and nod. Chocolate, no matter the brand and quality, really became your go-to for soothing yourself after intercourses in your past relationship. But here comes Charles Bass with the most charming smile, just the right amount of foreplay, being attentive, gentle touches, and now the aftercare.

- You're staring at me like I'm about to kill you. - he says softly, putting the washcloth on your bedside table. His voice brings you back to reality.

- It's not my fault this whole thing is weird.

- Caring for my girlfriend is weird? - he raises his eyebrows, gently pulling a sweater with the logo of your university over your head to keep you warm, knowing that nothing works better on you when you're overwhelmed than the safety and warmth of your favourite sweater. He chuckles at the sight of your messy hair. - My little scholar... doing so well at university. - he lays down next to you, gently pulling you closer so you rest on his chest. He runs his fingers up and down your spine, soft material wrinkling under his hand, his touch gentle and soothing. For a moment, you both just lay in silence. You close your eyes, listening to his heartbeat, feeling your body gradually relaxing under Chuck's gentle caress. As you are about to drift off to sleep when you feel a tender squeeze at your waist.

- Y/N... Y/N? You asleep? - he places a soft kiss on your head, coaxing a soft hum from you. - Awake? Good. I had your maid draw us a bath.

- Bath? - you murmur in a sleepy tone. The presence of your boyfriend often causes you to feel sleepy which, as you later found out, is tied to the fact that the feeling of safety that he provides allows you to stop being so tense all the time.

- Yeah. Bath. You wash off the sweat and all? - his grip tightens on your waist as he sits up, scooting to the edge of the bed, holding you in the bridal style as he gets off the bed.

You wrap your arms around his neck to secure yourself as he carries you to the bathroom. He gently places you on the side of the bathtub and opens a wooden cabinet where you keep all your bathing supplies.

- Pick your bath bomb of the day. - he smiles, holding a painted white wooden box where you keep your collection of bath bombs and bath salts. You look in the box, and after a moment, you pick the one that smells like your favourite flower. Chuck smiles, watching you take the bath bomb and putting it in the water, soft smile on your face as you eye the dissolving toiletry item, making his heart feel warm. He quickly undresses, helping you do so as well. The little clothes you had ended up folded on the counter. His hand finds your palm, serving as a safety rail as you get in the bath. The warm water combined with the smell of the flowers successfully soothes any tension that remains in your body.

- Come here... - Chuck says as he gets in the bath, too, sitting with his back resting against the edge of the bathtub. He gently pulls you closer, letting you sit between his legs, your back leaning against his chest. His right hand moves from your waist to your stomach, gently caressing your skin. He starts placing butterfly kisses on your neck, his nose brushing against sensitive skin.

- Chuck, can we not waste...

- We're not wasting time. - he interrupts your words. - I don't know who was dumb enough to put in your head the idea that giving you aftercare is a waste of time, but it isn't. I want you to feel safe around me, Y/N. You're not a disposable toy I kick out of my bedroom once I'm done. - he places a few more kisses on your neck. - You're my love. And my love deserves all the best.

- But... Chuck... - you gasp when he gently sucks on your neck, leaving a red mark.

- No 'but', Y/N... You deserve the aftercare. - he kisses the hickey he left on your neck. - I'm sorry, I bit you a little too hard. - he gently caresses the side of your neck, warm water from his fingers dripping on your neck.

Your heartbeat quickens slightly, the tenderness of his actions making you feel all sorts of things. Part of you wants to get out of the bathtub, no matter how relaxing the warm water and smell of the flower bath bomb are, and hide in your room like you used to do in your previous relationship. But there's also a quiet desire to stay safely wrapped in his arms and let him take care of you. You close your eyes, tilting your head back, resting against his shoulder as his hands gently roam around your body, gently washing off the sweat from the devil's tango you indulged before. A warm hum comes out of his throat once he realises that you start to relax.

- See? Not that much of a time waste. - he murmurs against your neck, his right hand gently brushing against the swell of your breasts as he works the lather of body wash against your skin, his fingertips tracing patterns on your ribcage.

You shiver under the caress, yet you don't pull away like you would usually do. Chuck lets out a soft purr, placing a kiss on your nape.

- HaveI finally gained the entirety of your trust, love? - his warm breath grazes over the back of your neck as he visibly enjoys you, trusting him enough to relax in his arms. - You're beautiful when you relax, you know? - he wraps his arms tighter around your waist in an attempt to keep you warm while the water in the bath cools down. - You should let me take care of you more often. - his lips find the nape of your neck again, tracing butterfly kisses down to your shoulder.

His fingers stroke along your ribs in soothing motion. He loves you like this, rare like a painite moment when you let go and relax. As much as he knows you trust him, he still treasures moments when he has you completely calm in his arms, knowing how hard it is for you to let your guard down.

- I can take care of myself. - you murmur, slowly sliding out of his once the water gets cold.

- I know you can, Miss Independent. - he says, reaching his arm out in case you lose your balance. Soon, as you wrap a fluffy blanket around yourself, he gets out of the bathtub, too, drying himself and changing into fresh clothes. You spot a set he has prepared for you - a white set of off-the-shoulder white top and white shorts along with a fresh set of underwear.

- I'll leave you to it. - Chuck says, kissing the side of your head and walking out.

As bizarre as it is, despite being able to actually perform sensual entwinement but when it comes to an end, you become too shy to even change in front of him. He knows it's linked to something in your past and he respects it, letting you stay under the duvet, preparing bubble baths so your body is hidden under foam or simply leaving the room per your request. You take your time, your back facing the mirror, so you don't have to look at your naked form as you put on the white set. You let out a soft sigh, finally turning around, brushing your hair, letting them loose so they can dry after the bath. You walk out of the bathroom. Upon not finding your boyfriend in the bedroom, making your way to the kitchen annexe.

- Chuck? - you say in the void of the penthouse as you walk through the open living room area. You finally find him in the kitchen, dressed in one of his regular suits, making coffee. He hands you your favourite mug with steaming coffee inside.

- Just how you like it... - he murmurs, making one for himself. - I got a waiter for the restaurant to bring us breakfast. I forgot to ask you what you'd like today so... - he takes his mug from the coffee machine, taking your free hand in his, guiding you to the living room where two waiters who just got there started to settle the whole breakfast menu of Empire Hotel for today on the bar.

- You didn't... - you start but he once again cuts you off.

- I don't care that I didn't have to. I wanted to. I want to. You're my love. - he puts his coffee mug down on the bar and cups your cheeks. - And I'll keep spoiling, loving, caring for you till it'll finally get thought to that thick skull of yours that you're worthy of the aftercare, baths, cuddles, dates, everything.

He places his right hand on the side of your neck, his fingers brushing against your nape, his thumb caressing lightly your jawline as he pulls you closer. His gaze boring into your eyes, as if having silent conversation. You can feel your heart pounding inside your chest as the tension between you two rises, the air thickens. Finally, he pulls you closer, his lips crushing against yours in a searing kiss as he pours all his love and heartfelt promises into you. His left hand soon finds its way to the other side of your neck, gently cupping it as he deepens the kiss. Not breaking the kiss, you place your coffee mug on the bar so you won't spill the hot liquid on either of you. You subconsciously move closer, yet not initiating anything more.

When he pulls away, both of you are slightly out of breath, yet smiling. His thumbs gently caress your cheeks before he drops his hands down, taking your palms into his. He turns to the bar, eyeing the dishes.

- Pick your poison, love. I'm thinking maybe pancakes since we have a day off?

[acanth3]

The Sound Of The Stars English Translation

EPISODE 13/14

Mika: ……

…..Eh?

Shu: If you say that you don’t want to go on this space trip, let’s just cancel it!

No matter what COSPRO or the world says, just ignore them. I will take all responsibility so–

Mika: W-wait a minute, Oshi-san! Let me think about it!

I’m not that smart, so many things suddenly comin’ up my head can’t keep up

Shu: Is, is that so? It’s best to do what you like.

Mika: Well, first of all. Why is Oshi-san here?

Shu: I came back here to apologize to you. 

Mika: Why? I dont want Oshi-san to apologize to me, you didn’t to anythin’ wrong?

Shu: No, I proceeded with this space trip plan without consulting you, then you became angry with me, right?

Mika: It’s too late for that now!? It’s been awhile since I got angry about that

I was convinced to go to space, my dream is goin’ to come true, I’m grateful for this. 

Shu: Then why are you ignoring my calls?! You’ve never ignored my calls for this long, have you!? 

Mika: Calls from Oshi-san…..? 

Huh, really? I got hundreds of calls from Oshi-san?!

Shu: Have you not noticed up until now?

Mika: I’m very sorry Oshi-san, recently i was workin’ so hard with studyin’ and trainin’, I haven't been bothered to check.

I’ve been doin’ my trainin’ and studies from mornin’ till night, it’s even in my dreams or I’m readin’ my english book

Shu: I guess that’s all that happened. It shouldn’t be this fussed over. 

I’ve never been ignored by Kagehira before, so I thought I finally touched your scales. 

Mika: I also really wanted to go to space with Oshi-san so I tried my best.

….So, I should apologize.

Shu: Hm? What do you mean? 

Mika: In order to go to space, you hafta pass an exam

I’m too stupid to pass it

Shu: …..

Mika: There’s only 3 days left till the exam, I haven’t even passed a test.

No matter how hard I try I can’t get a good score. I’m so pathetic and a bad person

Jun-kun and Vice President who tried to help me with Oshi-san. I can’t forgive myself for not passin’ their expectations

Im ashamed of myself…..

Shu: …..So that’s why you're here in the back of an alley and squating? 

Fufu, When I threw around Kagehira, you were a doll

…..It’s good to see you so at ease, Kagehira. This feeling of helplessness, every artist experiences it 

Actually, I’m forced to feel helplessness right now.

Mika: Eh….really?

Shu: Weren’t you listening to Ibara? I still haven’t produced a song for this project yet. 

I guess, I ‘An Itsuki’ am not strong enough to take on the theme of a ‘universe’ 

Mika: That’s not true, if Oshi-san isn’t strong enough, then who can do it?

Shu: Of course, there exists better artists than me. Do other amazing works with the theme of ‘universe’ also exist? 

As long as they exist, there is doubt in my skill

Aa, this is frustrating. It’s disgraceful that I can’t express the amazing work of the ‘universe’ 

—But at the same time, I’m happy. 

Mika: Eh..?

Shu: It’s proof there’s further more growth for an artist like me

If you’re an artist too, Kagehira, you should be happy with this knowledge

There’s such beauty in this world that I can’t draw, and I’m looking forward to draw it by my own hands one day! 

I’m aiming to have that day come earlier, so I ran away to face this together. 

What about you Kagehira? Are you going to abandon your room for growth and run away like this?

Mika: ….. I don’t want to. Because I’m here with Oshi-san. 

Shu: In that case, you need to come to terms with your lack of strengths. It’s the destiny of an artist. 

You know people that were once kings have walked down this same path? 

If you stepped closer than anyone else you would have seen the ugly truth

Mika: …..I see

Oshi-san, you told me not to abandon pitiful me. 

Thank’s to you, I feel better now. After all, Oshi-san is my Oshi-san♪

Shu: Fufu, I’ve experienced most of these blows as an artist 

…..well, in your case, it’s just a single setback. 

As a matter of fact, what do you think of space travel? 

If you actually don’t want to go, I’ll go bow down to COSPRO and the rest of the world.

Mika: There’s no need for that, I want to go to space. 

I’m goin’ to make mah dream come true, it’s proof that ‘dreams can come true and reach for the stars’ 

Because my goal as an idol is to inspire the children in mah hometown. 

That’s why this dream shouldnt just be a stick in the mud 

I will absolutely sing to everyone on Earth, “I have become a star!”

Shu: Fufu, alright. By the way, your eyes mark your words as an idol.

‘Dreams can come true and reach for the stars’...huh, I like that. 

Mika: Huh? What’s up Oshi-san? Yer’ mumblin’ to yerself..

Shu: Kagehira, thanks to you I have thought of the final image production! 

Aa, after all, listening to you was the fastest way. Listening to your determination, all my problems have been resolved. 

Mika: Uh….what do you mean? 

Shu: I took on the theme of the ‘universe’ as a grand idea 

What is the universe? What are the stars? I was obsessed in how to express it 

I forgot the most important thing in art. 

The concept of the universe can’t be done by people who wish to know what’s beyond Earth

I foolishly grabbed onto the stars sparkling in the night, if it wasn’t for your dream, I wouldn’t have even known of this. 

I’m grateful for you Kagehira, nearing the ends of my contemplations, listening to your determination the stars had begun to sparkle once again. 

Mika: Hm~? I don’t know what the type of person Oshi-san is talkin’ about.

Shu: Now, let’s go complete what we both need to do!

I will create an ark that will send you to the ends of the universe, and I need you to control it with your additional knowledge. 

I hope you can achieve it, Kagehira

[bloodyminyard]

a (long) comprehensive list of buck related things in 7x04 that have me losing it as i rewatch:

- the stupid starry eyed look he has while getting the tour from tommy

- the terrible “i need mo jo” joke that tommy laughs at purely bc it was endearing

- “you didn’t call me because you wanted to see the toys”

- “you need to raise your bar kid” my GOD the “kid”

- ofc, the “no way!! eddie was in the army!”

- god they are so FLIRTY “really?” “my fees are competitive” “let me buy you a beer no WAY buck is this clueless

- eddie being so excited about the fight, and specifically the idea of buck joining help

- “keeping my options fluid” SIR

- evan?!?!?!????

- the close up shot as the fly off my heart

- the look on bucks face when eddie talks about tommy, boy is devastated

- “i saved a baby in a pipe once!” yes you did were so proud

- not buck related: but i adore ravi so much

- OKAY BUT BUCKS STUTTER !! they way he trips over his words when he’s surprised or nervous or even upset 😭

- “i do. i really do.” MY GOD OH MY GOD FUCK ASHHH AHHH

- and the SIGH after as eddie walks away, the building up the courage to ask more

- THE SAY HIS FACE DROPS WHEN EDDIE ASKS HIM TO WATCH CHRIS OHHH EDMUNDO WHEN I CATCH YOU

- “i keep saying, chris it’s not a video game” “because it’s harder than a video game???” maddie i see you and am so sorry you have to deal with this

- SAME WITH “he’s made an impression in a very short time” “i can see that” LIKE SHE IS SO NOT GONNA BE SURPRISED WHEN BUCK COMES OUT TO HER 😭

- “i don’t think you lie to a child just to ingratiate yourself” bro it’s not that serious i promise

- sorry brb imagining buck asking chris all these questions about tommy and chris going 🤔🤔🤔

- buck being upset that eddie invited tommy to play basketball even though eddie always asks him and he says no bc he doesn’t like it… he’s so me i can’t

- “was there a heart around it?” there might as well been maddie!!!

- peacocking buck we love and hate to see (it’s so embarrassing i have to close my eyes. “maybe we should hoop” sir please stop)

- the pouting OLEASE he’s so

- his smile

- the “evan” throws me off every TIME but also it kindaaaaa

- “what are the odds?” bro chill

- the smile when tommy fists bumps him oh i see you gay boy even if you don’t yet

- “so i’m your basketball beard” brother you don’t even KNOW

- i’m sorry the song that’s playing while they play basketball is “playing with the boys”🤔🤔… the lyrics too “i don’t wanna be obsessed but my desire with the boys” (and YES i am aware it’s a top gun reference, however that movie is also gay is hell and so is this song, moving on)

- tommy cocking his head when buck runs into him like oh my

- poor chim does not deserve to be put in the middle of all of this

- “well you bucked that up didn’t you” :(

- okay this scene between maddie and buck afterwards is actually so important to me, i love their ability to communicate, and how buck openly admits that he doesn’t know if he meant to hurt eddie or not, and that he was angry and lashed out, and maddie’s reaction to it :( “that’s not how you get someone’s attention”

- “i guess i was trying to get his attention” buck is the representative of the “i don’t know why i do the things i do until tons of self reflection after the fact” club, same im the president actually

- i do love that we get to watch him try and figure out why he acts and feels the way he does in real time! even at the end he still doesn’t entirely know until tommy is in his face staring at his lips

- the stutter is back 🫶

- “evan…” STOP THE WAY HE SAYS IT THAT TIME MAKES ME GIGGLE I CANT

- this entire scene drives me crazy btw i can literally pick it apart piece by piece… but the way he smiles throughout it makes my heart go akrjeidjdjsjd

- the chemistry is fucking IMMACULATE btw!! the flirting is so natural and it shows through buck being oblivious about it!! like brother no one stands that close to each other

- buck figuring out how he feels AS he speaks!!! poor boy is trying to catch up as fast as he can

- everything about the “okay” after tommy says “i can teach you”… the smile, the eye squint, the head tilt, like oh my GOD

- the way the tone changes when buck says “good” my GOD, the way his face drops as he comes to the realization that maybe it was about tommy the whole time

- the “cause trying to get your attention has been kinda exhausting” punches me in the gut EVERY TIME I WATCH THIS LIKE FUCK OH MY GOD BUCK LIKES MEN FR? and the way he says it GOD, like i said, he’s literally figuring this out as the words come out of his mouth (“i guess so”)

- okay my ONE nitpick about the kiss scene is that tommy grabs his chin, and then when it cuts it’s the two fingers under the chin, it’s inconsistent and i think i like the chin grab better

- the absolute STUNNED look in bucks eyes after the kiss!!! as the perfect oliver stark put it: he’s found something he’s been missing for a long time

- tommy is so worried in the split second before buck tells him that it was okay

- the wordless nod after tommy asks if it was okay THIS MEANS SO MYCH TO ME

- you can FEEL the sense of relief and wholeness radiating off of buck

- “better than fake mouth static” AKSHSISHS

- his eyes following tommy’s lips as he laughs, and then the brief look down like his whole WORLD has just been turned upside down before tommy speaks again

- i am so fucking here for buck being asked out and being stunned by it

- the stutter again 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

- tommy’s smile as he leaves like tee hee ur kinda cute

- the entire of his expressions at the end. there’s panic, there’s confusion, there’s happiness OLIVER STARK THE MAN THAT YOU ARE !!!!

in conclusion: this is everything i wanted and more, the brain rot is everywhere, i cannot escape this episode

[tenderlywicked]

Tell us about your dr who fic!

Happy Now is almost finished! By which I mean there are still two or three chapters left :) It’s about the retired Fourteenth Doctor unexpectedly meeting a younger version of the Master. As it’s always with me, there’s a lot of angst and hurt/comfort. As it’s always with these two, there’s a lot of miscommunication :)

Summary: The Doctor can finally have a peaceful, happy life … except of course he won’t be able to stay away and leave the Master in UNIT’s clutches for long, even if it only bodes trouble. When he finds the way to reverse the Master’s transformation, he’ll get the version of his arch-friend he’s been least expecting.

As for the Master, he’ll have a hard time figuring out what the Doctor might want in return for his help. There must be something, right? There’s always a catch.

And that's how it starts...

Whoever thinks being shrunk into a tooth and then reacquiring your usual size is anything but agony—they are very welcome to try it themselves. The Master whimpers, not quite lucid enough yet to be embarrassed about the pathetic sound he makes. With it, comes a vague awareness that his vocal cords are, in fact, working, and it can only mean one thing: he does have a body again. Which is both good news and bad news. The latter because everything fucking hurts, hurts, hurts. It feels just as bad as when he’d accidentally tested his Tissue Compression Eliminator on himself.

“Are you all right?” a voice comes from somewhere close, as familiar as the hopeful stupidity of the question.

The Master would have snapped because no, he obviously isn’t all right, but there’s a giddy thought muffling his irritation: He found you, he came for you. To be honest, he hadn’t expected that. Had stopped himself from hoping.

“Doctor,” he croaks out.

He blinks, tries to focus, his vision blurry. The face he knows all too well comes into view … and he has to blink again because—what? The Doctor looks much older than during the clash with Rassilon when the Master has last seen him. How much time might have passed?

“Can you move?” the Doctor asks urgently.

That’s a valid question, better than the previous one. He isn’t sure. It’s as if his muscles, tendons, and even bones have been stretched on a rack. He tries to rise up and fails at both accomplishing this feat and suppressing a groan. Stubbornly, he makes another attempt and finds that he’s lying on the floor in the Doctor’s arms, just like that time when he’d got shot on the Valiant. With the exception that he’s naked. He doesn’t have the strength to be mortified about it either, or even to make a joke of it.

“It’d be easier to get us out of here if you could,” the Doctor says almost apologetically.

“Where are we?”

“UNIT headquarters. At first, I thought it would be better to carry you out…uh…the way you were, compressed, so to speak, but they’ve got a lot of empty labs here, and necessary equipment. A cylinder with Numismaton gas and other stuff… So it seemed like a good idea to do the reversal here. Anyhow, now we need to sneak out, and it might be a bit of a problem. I mean—your face. I mean—even the erased year aside, you still got yourself quite famous down here, assassinating the US president. Hard to forget such a Prime Minister.”

“Stop yapping,” the Master orders. Maybe it comes out more like a plea. He’s dizzy and still not quite in control of his body; too many words—they barely sink in. But ‘UNIT headquarters’ sounds bad enough. Not that the Master is going to complain about being resurrected as such, but couldn’t the Doctor find a suitable lab anywhere else?

[shoppinghauer]

My main issues with online feminism, which includes hispanic instagram (LatAm and Spain) and tumblr anglosphere (think Europe + USA sometimes Australia) are:

They think of non single women (married or with a bf) as the primary pick me in society. I dont doubt a lot of them priorize their man but also, the way feminist depict them as "brainwashed" is just childish. My main problem is that obscures the fact that you can priorize men even if you're not in a romantic relationship with them. Boymoms, male relatives such as brothers or fathers are constantly excused or justified just as much as romantic partners. Yet Ive barely see criticism against this. Whats more is that mothers are excused as if the pressure of maternity excuses throwing under the bus your own daughter (why is never the other way around?? Fucking over your son bc of your daughter). Even women have justified horrendous actions made by their male friends (trans or gay) in cases where there is no attraction involved. Just social leveraging.

Speaking of attraction. The way they talk about assault as being a result lf violent sexual desire aka pretth privilege doesnt exist because hot women are more attacked. This is by far the most imbecile of all takes. Assault and sexual violence are a result of control and domination, not attraction. The more vulnerable a woman is, the likelier she will be assaulted. This includes older women, girls, runaways, homeless, sick, disabled, immigrants, addicts and poor women. This has nothing to do with how you look and everything to do with how much will men get away with assaulting you. The fact ive read "are you saying elderly or poor women arent attractive" when talking about assault is proof that even among so called feminists, the idea that sexual violence stems from attraction is still ingrained. Stop it for the sake of god.

I know fish can't see water but american feminists really really ignore how much of their culture affects misogyny worldwide. The impact of the american worldview on misogyny is not little stuff. The consumerist, hollywoodesque point of view is native to the USA. American feminists call this "liberal feminism" to distance themselves from what is just plain american misogyny. This shitshow of "eyeliner sharp enough to kill a man" is a product of the american perspective of making everything a marketing campaing. This goes back to Max Revlon, Edward Bernays and other PR gurus who knew that the best way to make profit was to market everything. American feminists are limiting their analysis by thinking this is a matter of contradictory branches of feminism (lib vs rad) and not a matter of americanized misogyny. Lets remember radfem stems from marxism, the actual one not the tumblr version.

The way how no one actually read books but everyone wants to say something smart. From "capitalism of words" to "you can escape from labor exploitation by being a tradwife " everyone loves to post half assed essays who say stupid shit or not saying anything at all. Ive been accused of being a russian psyop, an spanish white woman with guilt, or even wishing rape on another woman just for stating sociology 101 points. Basic knowledge of marxism is a must if you call yourself a feminist. Im sorry but how else are you gonna understand women's oppression today (in a capitalist system) if you think tankies are psyops. Gimme a break, some of you are worse than breadtubers.

The lack of interest in women's news around the world. Basically if it isnt a major tragedy in Europe or USA or a fucked story about the Middle East (which for the majority, those countries are interchangeable, see: "if she's from Algeria why isnt she in a hijab" even tho Algeria is in Africa but whatever), no one cares about women. The North American continent got its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and everybody in here was busy whining about a stupid pop princess poll bc a nobody TIM got the upperhand. Cmon. Spanish feminist were more preoccupied about a fat woman announcing New Year's Eve than the historical election of a woman in a hispanic country. And that is just the most egregious example.

If i think of anything else Ill add it but this is my experience as someone who has been on feminist circles for a decade.

[mossadspypigeon]

“zionism was invented by jews for jews. the majority of diaspora jews support it in some form because it’s the jewish landback movement.” okay. so when do palestinians get to do it? clearly, this logic is flawed. everyone should know that the nations we come from have always been somewhat mixed, that’s just how humans are. stop trying to justify ethnostates by whitewashing them as “landback” movements.

do you have to work to be this stupid? logic? you want to talk about a concept you’re allergic to? do you not know what the fuck jordan is, or any of the peace agreements palestinians said no to? or who palestinians even are? they’re arabs, you googly eyed fucking turd. jordan was originally supposed to be the palestinian state and was until their terrorist groups came in and started executing kings and shit. now jordan doesn’t want palestinians in their country.

“whitewashing.” jews aren’t white, you raggedy ass bitch. we have never once been considered white until whiteness was the new bad thing to be. that’s why the shoah happened in the first place, dingus. we were never welcomed anywhere either after a chunk of our population was FORCIBLY DISPLACED BY OPPRESSORS.

but history doesn’t count right? when jews are involved? 😂 i see you, dude.

just say you don’t know what indigenous levantine people actually look like or lmao WHO THEY ARE or where arabs come from or how they got to the levant. or what landback even is. or basic history. or how ethnicity works. so, in other words, you don’t even go here.

also arabs have 22 ethnostates. japan even counts as an ethnostate. i don’t see you hating them. instead, i see you hating the one jewish country instead. and you want to act like you’re not a fucking bigot.

we have one strip of land the size of new jersey where everyone has equal rights. yes, arabs have equal rights there and have parties in the knesset. the minority leader of the knesset was the EX ADVISOR TO ARAFAT for ages. he’s still in the knesset. an arab judge sentenced a jewish president. more arabs live in israel than jews live in europe currently. but you have a problem when jews want our land back. you deny history and basic facts when jews are involved. suddenly we’re what hitler and all the other jew haters said we were: invaders, a scourge that needs to be cleansed. and yet you think you hate nazis, right? you argue their points in every message you’ve sent, along with arab supremacist points.

and for some reason, you feel like you can talk over jews on what our ethnicity is and who we are. arabs are suddenly indigenous to the levant to you and jews are european. your worldview is so fucked, martians would likely know more than you.

you cannot colonize a land you were displaced from. indigenous status does not expire. learn some fucking history that wasn’t spewed out by the PLO propaganda wing in the 60s.

yes, fayez sayegh, head of the PLO propaganda wing in the 60s, helped come up with all the shit you are currently spewing, including the MYTH of israelis being settler colonialists. (khalid helped too.)

(also sayegh? syrian who’s buried in lebanon but pretended to be “palestinian” btw.)

he also contradicted himself before he joined the plo and wrote:

“Until World War I, Palestine was essentially and inextricably a part of the Arab World. As a political entity, it had no existence of its own; it was an indistinguishable part of a larger Arab region, subject to Ottoman rule. As a community, its language and dialect, its culture and social structures, were identical with those of the surrounding Arab communities.” (1956, Sayegh “Arab Israeli Conflict”)

aka the truth before he dedicated his life to chugging out propaganda you all eat up like candy. although tbh before the 60s, arabs didn’t like being called palestinians. that was actually reserved for jews, which is why they stole the term later.

but anyway, in conclusion:

jews are from judea. arabs are from arabia. you’re a moron who’s spewing bullshit. hope that helps.

you done? like what exactly do you know? 😂🥱

[werezmastarbucks]

3. picturing violence

pic credit

masterlist

word count: 7143

warnings: verbal abuse, convos about rape

music: tsunami by bambie thug

author's note: i invented the term of nomad agent

Chibs took off his helmet and looked into the sky. It was nice sitting on his bike again. The ass just didn't feel the same for the whole last week when it didn't feel the firm and steady seat of his favorite beast.

Now that the club's wallet was two and a thousand bucks lighter, it stung like the sum was much higher. Nobody dared to fuck with bikes before. The fact that the parking lot stod empty probably gave them all some kind of light trauma, he was thinking. He knew Juice had one. He was seeing it in his eyes that shone with the lost expression, asking silent questions. Obviously, it was just a little scare. But it did have an unpleasant smell of trouble.

He got off the bike and moved his legs, aiming for the bar door, thinking only about what he wanted to drink. The time is two o'clock, ripe time for whiskey. He wanted nothing more from this world until there was a glass of whiskey in him, calming his nerves and warming his body. After a spell of hot weather, suddenly June, the month, not the bitch, brought cold winds from the ocean. It was pleasant and even chilly at times. Whatever the fuck was happening with the climate.

He walked, eyes focused on the bar door, trying to not see anything else. And yet, and yet. Click-clack of the heels on the asphalt was following him. Chibs added some speed to his stride, hoping that maybe she was running towards someone else.

"Filip!"

"Ohhhh, shit", he grumbled. The holy door only ten steps away from him, as the slender hand caught him on his shoulder. He turned to see Lyla's flushed face. The Barbie curls around it, popping with every movement she made. Her hand clutched his shirt like she was going to stay there forever, hang down from it like a keychain.

"What is it, doll?" he asked, not even trying to make his voice sound friendly. He put his palm on top of hers, guiding her further into the bar. But she said:

"The studio! It's been busted! We're closed!"

Chibs stopped in his tracks, clutching her hand.

"The- what?"

"She... she came in today, with a bunch of cops, and closed us! She even wanted to arrest me but postponed it, because... because I have to pick up the kids..."

As she was stumbling through her words, Chibs started seeing red.

"What is she? Who is she?" he asked calmly.

"You know", she started fevereshly combing her hair, her fingers trembling. Everything was ruined for her; her only source of income, her job, her stability. But she didn't cry; Lyla rarely cried. She might become hysterical for some time, to work through the initial shock, but she always swam up. So Chibs was patient with her.

"The agent, that bitch that took your bikes".

A sardonic grin pulled on his mouth. The desire for whiskey was now replaced by the need for blood. He could just picture her stupid knowing smile, the eyes that looked at the girls like they were less than, as she was slapping around their bare asses, ordering them to line up for her.

"Did you tell Opie? Jax?"

"Yes, yes, they're at the club", she pointed her finger there, where he was initially going, "they're waiting for you. I was going to ride back to the studio, to see what was left, and..."

He switched off. Tapping her on her bare shoulder covered in goosebumps, whether from cold of distress, he rushed on for the door, pushing it with his shoulder, digging for the cigarette in his pocket.

"Sorry, I'm late", he grumbled as he entered the chapel. A dozen of attentive eyes turned up to him.

"Hey, Chibs. You found Parker?"

"Yes", he said and heavily fell into his chair by Clay's right hand. By the looks of it, the President was just as pissed. His bloodshot eyes told him he didn't get any sleep, either. For the last two weeks all they did was clean up their messes that were blown up like ant houses by June Pallum. They cleaned it up, she went on and blew the next one. After she seized the bikes, they barely made it to the gun deal with the Niners that evening, scurrying for the old, vacant bikes, the cars and the licences for them. The very next day after the deal, before they had a chance to receive the delivery from Ireland, Laroy was arrested for human trafficking. If this was something petty like the stuff she got them for, a parking ticket, debauchery, he would've been out. But June sure struck gold. She couldn't have been working alone: the timing, the charges were too instrumental to be a coincidence. She waited until the deal was through, and they had a warehouse full of fucking military guns, to arrest their buyer. Now, she was free to dance into their garage with their own warrant.

They simply didn't have time for anything else. This morning Chibs spent six hours searching for an obscure replacement for Laroy to sell off the guns to; a risky and unreliable choice, but they now had to get rid of those as soon as possible. The shit was just falling from the sky. The funniest thing was, this was all perfectly legal. None of the regulations of fair labor were upheld in Cara Cara, because working around them was more comfortable for everybody involved. More money for the club, less taxes for Lyla, more breaks and higher pay for the actors.

Listening to the heated complaining around the table was like watching someone cradling their blown off arm. He bit the butt of the cigarette and then killed it in the ashtray, blowing out the smoke through gritted teeth.

"Ya missing the point", he interrupted. Bobby fell silent, his mouth still open as he was in the middle of a rant.

"We need to ask ourselves why it's so easy for... her. It all, what we do, has turned sloppy. Porn studios are legal in the state, but do you ask yourselves why it took one morning to shut it down?"

"Because of all the loops", Jackie supported him. It looked like he was the only one actually paying attention. The others were too preoccupied with the fact that June was too young, that she appeared to suddenly; scared by the three big letters to think straight. This was all true, but besides the point.

"We need to get our shit together. Obviously she doesn't respect any of the agreements we used to have with the city".

"Used to have?" asked Tig unhappily, "You think she's going to go against absolutely everything? That means no more girls in the club".

"That your biggest concern now, Tig?" asked Juice.

Clay was listening quietly, again. Chibs started to suspect that Morrow found it particularly difficult to be disturbed like that by a girl. Gangs, rivals, cops, he could understand. But his mind was struggling to justify the nonsense whose top of the head didn't even reach his chin. It didn't make any sense to him. Instead of looking at the problem at hand, no matter how absurd, he was trying to create the ways how it wasn't what they were seeing. And Chibs was right.

"Tig, Juice, Kozik. Dig into it, find who's the boss. This little fly is starting to piss me off", he boomed. Everybody fell silent.

Chibs rubbed his chin. He exchanged looks with Jackie.

"Clay", he started, but Morrow raised his hand. He struck the gavel. The point was closed.

As the chapel epmtied up, he was still sitting, biting on his busted lip. The shoulder blades had a slow, pleasant ache, because last night, he was unloading these shit trucks full of guns, racing against the time. Now at least he had a minute to breathe.

Jackson left his chair, pushing it away woth force, and walked alongside the table to land across from him. His sky-blue eyes were piercing the man's face.

"I think he's making a mistake".

"You damn right he is", Chibs said. Too tired to focus his eyes again, he was watching the smudges on the table, floating in circles.

"What does it matter who she's working with, how many of them. We need to be one step ahead, clean out our own shit not to give her an opportunity to grab us by the balls".

"Where do we even start?" Jackie said. Then he suddenly grinned. That was true, it was funny. Chibs couldn't hold back a chuckle, too. Yes, she was now in their fruit garden, where illegal activities and violations were hanging for the taking, so low that she didn't even need to stand up on her tiptoes. Every business - smeared with compromises. Every partner they have, with dozens of warrants waiting to be issued on their names. Every building they own - full of ammo, drugs or severed heads. She didn't need to have a boss, a team or an advisor. She just needed on thing: not care about the order of things.

"Why do you think she's doing it? What is she trying to do?"

"I don't buy the sexist shit", Chibs shook his head.

"What sexist shit?" Jackie frowned.

"The morning she took the bikes, she gave me the whole lecture about how we are barbaric, low-IQ, insults to the civilised community or whatever. Said we shouldn't exist because we don't treat our women right".

Chibs allowed a crooked smile across his face, looking at the youngster who huffed.

"Talk about nuance. No, there has to be something else".

"I agree, Jackie. We need to know what this something is. I refuse to believe that the Bureau sends this random ass profiler folicule to clean Charming of one single gang. Sounds funny when I say it".

"What do you think it is then?"

He was watching every move of his face, Chibs realized. It made something crack and heal in his chest, this fact the he missed the moment when Jackie started looking up to him. This was true though; as he was growing up, Jackson first relied on his step-father, but then step-father started falling away. The issue of Clay not being all there was a different story. Jackie then started listening to Bobby, who was always good at telling him when he was stepping wrong. But when did this happen, that he looks at him with this kind of expectation? Waiting for his judgement. He probably knew that Chibs loved him to no end. And Chibs, himself, realized that it wouldn't be long before Jackson was fit to replace Clay. Maybe, if he's the President, shit like this doesn't happen.

"Too early to say. We need to dig, Clay was right about that".

Jackie nodded.

"Dad's trying to make everybody see that he has the biggest balls in town", he said, his lips curling in the expression of resentment. "He's going to try to make everything fix itself by the sheer force of him being the fucking boss of Charming. Like everybody has to respect the way the things are, just because".

"Don't be too harsh on him", Chibs advised, "no matter how badly he does, family goes through three hundred loops".

Teller gave it a pause, his finger nudging someone's cigarette butt around the table.

"What does it mean?"

"You cut off a stranger after one strike. But family gets three hundred".

"It's almost like you don't know my family. They're already on strike four hundred fifteen".

They laughed again.

Nobody wanted to go see the police. For the obvious reason that they were all afraid that, should it be them to go, they will smother the bitch upon seeing her. They had to draw the short match, and Juice had the end of the stick. Together with Lyla and Opie, he was elected to go to the station and bargain the studio back. Not even sure it would work; but there were certain regulations that could still save the business. Thus, even before dinner time, the two thousand hole turned into twenty thousand. And all they had left to do was drink. Chibs, however, was thinking about his own little hunt. Mindhunter. Mindreader. These were the words floating around his head as he finally got to the bar, hugging the bottle, his savior. First, he needed to check with Ally, see how she's doing about Laroy. He didn't have a lot of hope about it; Laroy wasn't one of them, wasn't her client. She was already doing them a huge favor by getting involved with this. Perhaps they could pull her from him and guide onto the studio. After all, Parker was going to buy off all of the guns tomorrow.

Chibs started to return to June's file like it was his nighttime story for bed. Memorizing every ambiguous line, trying to read between them, see the clues in the numbers.

Twenty-nine, with three serial killers in jail under her name. As far as he knew, sometimes it took tens of years to catch even one. This devilish determination could mean rotten trouble. She caught the Florida Cutter. Chibs remembered him, from the news. This was a big case around five years ago. The guy who cut out women's eyes. It took almost thirteen years to catch him, and this little shitter was the one? She was only twenty-four back then. Nobody should even have taken her seriously at that time in the Bureau. She might have something behind those cherry eyes, boring him from the picture. Maybe she's gone through some crazy trauma or something. Shit like this usually motivates girls to overachieve to the ends of the world.

And the dog test. p a s s e d t h e d o g t e s t. What does it mean?

He took a sip and looked around the bar at the boys. Happy was picking his nose, Bobby at his side, telling him something. Jackson on the phone. Lyla gathering her stuff, lighter, phone, bronzer or some shit, all in different spots. Always left her shit lying around, happy, vibrant girl. Juice was pacing at the door, a stark contrast to Opie who waited like a security guard. Clay was nowhere to be seen. They were on their own.

"Still readin?" Tig slapped him across the back, and Chibs hissed like a hyena.

"Yes, a word a day", he snapped.

"What are you hoping to see there?" without waiting for an answer, he plopped himself onto a stool next to him, grabbing him by the shoulder.

"You know what I was thinking? We gang up on her. Problem solved".

Chibs slowly moved his eyes onto his face. Sometimes he wanted to poke out his stupid peepers.

"Gang up on her, huh?"

"Yeah. Gang rape. I bet you she won't be as cocky after it. Fuck all that smug out of her".

He had to let the flare pass over his body first, to calm down a little. Then he felt his neck crook like he was an actual desert dog:

"That's just a great idea, Tig".

His face lit up.

"You think?"

"Yes. This kind of great ideas put us in the kind of shit we're in now. Gang rape, what a marvelous initiative. Let's just fuck her in all of her holes because this won't have any consequences. It's not like she's with FBI or anything. Because Sam Crow is built exactly on these values: gang bang any bitch who comes our way the wrong way".

Tig blinked with one eye. He noticed Chibs' jaw tighten and pulled the bottle from his hand.

"Alright, it was a joke. Don't need to get all fired up about this".

Chibs returned to the file that still didn't have to say anything. He closed it, unable to look her in the face. He couldn't shun this picture out of his head now, implanted there by fucking Tig. Something about this was very wrong. Now, choking her, with her clothes on, that was another matter. He closed his eyes, relaxing on the stool, picturing himself squeeze the life out of her. That's better.

"I'm not really going to rape anybody. If I want to, I can get any woman in this town, no force applied. You gotta see the difference between jokes and reality, dude".

"Please, shut up", he whispered.

Jackson was pacing across the parking lot towards the blue Toyota that was swerving into a spot. He raised his hand and waved it, wondering what this Parker would look like. The voice on the phone sounded youthful and wicked, but the guy looked nothing like that. A bit overweight but handsome in all accords, he got out of the car and closed the door with a swing of a person who was about to enjoy his day.

"Morning!" Jax yelled. Parker greeted him with a tip of an invisible hat. This was bad; clownish behavior didn't mean good business. But he had to make it work. Wouldn't get another chance.

They finally shook hands. Parker had light green eyes that he raised to the sky, to look at the clouds.

"Nice weather in California, huh?"

"You had a good ride?"

"Long, hot, and without sleep, thank you", the man smiled. Jax gestured towards the clubhouse,

"Coffee? Breakfast? Let's talk after you've relaxed a little".

His ears moved towards the sound of the end of the world. Light tap-tap-tap.

"Good morning, gents".

The voice he was now listening to in his disgusting nightmares.

"Oh, for fuck's sake", he moaned, turning to her. June tried a solemn expression on her face.

"What's the matter with me, I keep hearing this all the time now, wherever I go".

He clenched his jaws, thinking as fast as he could, but nothing except curses came to mind.

"Maybe it's a sign, agent".

"Hi, I'm agent Pallum", she held her hand out to Parker. Jax slapped it away in the last desperate attempt to shield the buyer from this soul-sucker. Parker bat his eyes at her.

"Are you here to buy the guns?"

"The guns?" Parker asked innocently.

"Yes, big Irish guns".

Jax was glad that this dude was quick-thinking.

"What are you talking about, agent?" he tuned in. "What guns? This is a car service point".

June looked genuinely lost for a second, only to reveal a sly frown.

"Oh, silly me. I must be at the wrong garage!"

All three of them gave a polite laugh, musles tense. Jax felt the vein beating on his temple.

"So, you must be the other Alex Parker, not the leader of the 'White South' movement?"

"No, miss, you must be mistaking me with somebody", Parker said politely. "But I'm afraid I haven't seen your badge".

Jax was seeing red. She knew the name, the time and the place. She knew she didn't need to find the guns per se, just to upset the deal. She slid her hand into the back pocket of her jeans and produced her badge.

"FBI, huh?" Parker chuckled. His eyes darted to Jax who was silently begging him. Begging. The man started inching back towards his car. Jax tried to move his head, swing it on his neck half an inch, but the fish was wiggling off the hook.

"Yes. So what's wrong with your car, mister Parker?"

"Breaks", he said shortly, "but seeing as some commotion is up today, I think I might have to find a different car repair for myself".

"There's one three streets away, Lindon and Brothers".

"Thanks, agent".

"You're welcome", she followed him until he was in the car again, placing her palm on the roof.

"Don't run into an accident, mister Parker".

Her polite smile was reflected in the dark window. Blue Toyota started again, and they both stepped away to let it out of the spot.

Jackson was watching his best chance at avoiding the shitstorm drive out of the lot. He could feel his hands turn into fists in the pockets of his pants. By themselves.

June shifted her weight from one foot to another.

"Six fucking am. You couldn't have it a bit later?" she asked. Jax couldn't unglue his jaws. He specifically made it so early to avoid her.

"I need a coffee".

She had the audacity to turn around and walk towards the bar.

"You're not getting anything in my bar!" he yelled. June stopped, her eyebrow raised, like he was the one who's insane.

"You're not keeping the guns right there, are you? You're not a complete idiot?"

He followed her, his legs moving out of his volition. He wanted to just lie on the ground for some time, to think. Maybe they can just drown the guns. In a swamp somewhere. Maybe they can drown her there, too. The swamp, it devours the body, you can't find it. She'll just disappear.

The bar was quiet now, everybody at the ready, in warehouse, waiting for them. The plan was to treat Parker to a breakfast here, discuss the price, and then drive him out of town. He pulled the phone and stabbed the buttons to start a call. Without losing her out of sight, he stopped at the door and fell onto the bench, waiting for an answer.

June, meanwhile, pulled the door opened. The last time she entered the bar, she was a promising, bouncy whore. Now she wore a turtleneck and dark-grey jeans, and on the belt of those, she had a holster complete with a gun.

As she entered, she was presented with an unpleasant sight: two blondes, one of them Lyla, in the danger-aware positions on the two sides of the bar. Bobby on a stool, with his hands up, yelling promises at the second blonde, the one closer to the door, who held up a gun. Her nose was bleeding.

"I am already coming back, Jackie, almost at the parking lot", said Chibs on the phone. "Happy fucking vomited. I need to fetch his medicine".

"He was drinking last night, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, it's the nerves".

Jax turned his gaze towards the gates, expecting to see his bike riding in.

"We're screwed, Chibs", he uttered.

"No worries, Jackie. We'll find someone else".

"How? She's already here".

The call ended as Chibs rolled into the garage territory. Jax stood up to walk to meet him when he heard a scream from the bar.

"And who the fuck are you? Another fucking girlfriend?" Ima yelled. June couldn't hold back a grimace.

"Jesus Christ. Why do you all have a problem with dying the roots?" she inquired. Ima shook the gun, clearly at the end of her patience. June evaluated the situation: unstable lady with a small caliber, one of the idiots at the bar, useless, drunk from the night, and Lyla, just there. The black eye of the barrel was pointing at her. At six am. It made her angry.

"Don't approach! You're the FBI bitch", proclaimed Ima.

"The BAU bitch", she muttered tiredly.

June assumed a more stable position.

"Turn the gun away from me", she warned. Ima didn't seem to hear her. But it was annoying that every time she was here, something wild was going down.

"On your knees!" Ima demanded. June stepped to her. The gun jumped up and down, like it was nodding in acknowledgement. June ducked and hit her on the elbow from below, seizing the weapon and pushing it away, then twisted her arm. Ima yelped in pain. June couldn't stop herself, bringing her down on the floor and twisting it just a little further, to release the anger. There was no crack, but she shook her well, pushing her away with her foot.

Lyla produced a shriek-like sound, unsure of which direction to move. Ima was sobbing on the floor. And there was nobody behind the bar. June rubbed her forehead, looking at Bobby who was still sitting on a stool, one hand in the air. She groaned quietly, deciding on another place, and left the bar.

As she saw the light again, it was violently interrupted by a black flash. Like she ran into a tree. She stumbled on her feet, catching herself on the nearby table, but still collapsed on the floor.

"Found anything interesting?"

June blinked a couple of times, holding herself up on the elbow. The hit was so refreshing that she saw colors much birghter now. This dude. The iron dude. He was standing above her, Jackson Teller behind his back, like he had summoned his dad to protect himself. She laughed out at this picture, and yelped at the same time: her nose stung.

"You should be serving coffee at this time of day", she uttered, holding her palm at her face.

"The only thing you'll be served is me fist", he replied. June got up. Lyla stumbled out of the bar.

"Yeah, get that, bitch", she roared. June dropped her jaw in amusement and surprise: she neutralized the girl who was about to shoot this idiot!

She sniffed, surrounded by these people who hated her so intensely it was almost sexual. She especially didn't like the kind of look Telford gave her. Like he was trying to stomp her out with his eyes.

"You got a reason to be here?" he asked.

"I got a reason to arrest you for attacking an agent on duty", she said, breathless. She was finally up, reevaluating everything she was preparing herself for. If one loving slap of a wrist blasts her into the ground so hard that her body leaves an impression - she needs to change the tactic. Maybe she should start carrying a knife with her, think about the close range weapon. Chibs stepped up to her, eyelids lazy, giving him the jaded look of a killer.

"Then arrest me. You got a car to drive me to the station?"

Ima finally got up from the floor by the sound of it. She was looking for the gun. Lyla jumped out and hopped towards Jackson. June's hand reached for the holster out of habit. But the girl just whined, gun hanging soggily from her hand, as she left the doors and walked past all of them, unnoticing.

"I have no wish to see any more of you small dick jerking asshole today", June admitted.

"Then vanish", Jax said. June nodded. It was quite humiliating to be honest, the walk of shame in Ima's steps. The blood was dripping from her nose onto her turtleneck and jeans. Assaulted officer, she could actually take him away for some time. Even give him a good charge. Maybe a couple of years in prison. To avoid them, a great deal with DA. That she would burn up and put him away for even longer. Her car was parked outside the gates; she wouldn't risk it getting vandalized or even getting locked in here. It's incredible how childish those criminals were, about the illegal things they did. That's the thing she was always amazed at. How little self-awareness they have.

They had to regroup. Come on now, Chibs, he thought. You got this. Just a quick plan B. Problem was, they didn't have it.

He was chainsmoking, sitting on the sofa arm while Gemma was in the shower. Studying the pattern of the carpet. Sharp tipped leaves and oranges on the brown background. Someone banged on the door, and he went to open.

"Mexicans agreed", Juice was panting, "Jax dropped the price about three times, but they agreed".

Chibs closed his eyes. His hand grabbed the boy by the neck and pressed against his body.

"Thank fuck, Juicie, thank fuck".

He decided not to bother Gemma, left her a message on the phone, and set off with Juice. The drop was in three hours. This was the closest to the complete disaster they've been in months. They sent Happy and Tig to the station; a couple of Prospects headed to her house to guard June even if it meant nailing her hands to the floor. The police didn't give a shit. It was only when she gathered them in a team that the everyday business became a problem suddenly.

The world was delightfully purple while they drove towards the warehouse. They also had to move the storage to a new one, outside of the city. They now worked overtime. No sleep at all. Everybody was angry. But Chibs felt good, for once. At least he guided some of his frustration onto her today, so she fucked off hopefully. Drew some blood, which was proof that she was human. The brat occupied his thoughts like a tiresome burden. At the same time it was a welcome challenge - he wouldn't tell that to anyone, of course. He was the kind of person to welcome change, especially if it was a change for the better. Maybe it was high time they finally got their shit together. The talks of going legit have been floating around for years, all to no avail. Sometimes it took one bloodsucking bug to get you straight. Not like that, of course. The stress was wearing them out. Their ego was being attacked. But her bleeding nose was a pleasant sight, raw, almost beautiful. She was a good-looking girl. Shame that she came from hell.

"You think we're okay for tonight?"

"I hope she stays at home mending her nose", Chibs replied. Juice shifted in his passenger seat, black spears moving with sweat on his skull.

"Don't wiggle. Don't worry. Keep on the course".

"Okay. How are you staying so calm? If it goes wrong, we'll lose so much money".

"It's going to be okay, Juice. Just go by the plan. We'll figure it out. Three foot world".

"What's a three foot world?"

Only focus on things that are at your reach if you want to succeed. The things you can reach for with your hand. June's nose was wheezing a little, but the pain ceased. The bruise might manifest, but it's not broken. She went to the bathroom for the third time this day, because it kept bleeding. Captain tried to send her home, what a joke of an excuse. They knew, that she knew, that Mexicans are with CIA. And she knew about the drop later tonight because the said Mexicans called her up to warn her. Finally her actions became clearer for everybody, and they stopped treating her like she was some kind of a gift for the station. Gradually the courteous admiration turned into a polite wariness, then, finally, friendly warnings. Don't bust that business, June. It's half-legit. Don't arrest that person. He works with the DA and feeds the info on gangs. No, she didn't care. And they finally were getting ahold of that. Needless to say, Captain quietly let go of his promise to find her an office. He caught her when she was leaving the bathroom.

"June!"

She winced, shifting in her jeans, unpleasant cold in the spot where she was trying to wash off the blood furiously.

"I'm not going home", she sang, moving on. Boulder caught up with her.

"But you're not going to the drop tonight, either, right?"

She looked into his face. Will her body withstand another altercation today? Sure, why not. She had slept about five hours, it was nice. The collision actually seemingly energized her. She was absorbing the pain. The cruelty. The hatred. And converting it into energy. Didn't even feel hungry, only carried on on coffee, and it was already four o'clock.

"Well, no, if that's what you want to hear".

"Listen", Captain shook her by the shoulder firmly, "you can't interfere with their CIA operations. It's final. We're working in a bulk here".

"Is this an order?"

"You know damn well I can't order you. But what I can do is call your superior".

"I have no superior", she said simply. Boulder's jaw unhinged with the unspoken question.

"I left the department, didn't I tell you?"

"Wh..."

"I'm a nomad agent at the moment. Kind of... nowhere at all. I'm in between titles", she nodded to herself. She didn't wish to startle or offend him. Boulder was trying really hard to hold everything together, he was a nice man. To her displeasure she found out that this town was full of pleasant and rational people. But her inner dedication was just a little stronger than all that.

"So, what the hell are you even doing here?" Captain asked, aghast.

"This is my case. I've got it from the city last year. Been working for it for a long time. Call it my passion project".

He gathered himself back together.

"So, this is not an order from above".

"No, no. I thought I made it clear in my application".

"It was written so convolutedly, it's impossible to read", he nagged. "And you mean to tell me that all this shit you've been stirring, it's just for your own kicks?"

"Not at all. SAMCRO is just a bunch of criminals. Vile shit for Charming. I do it for the city".

Boulder's face was distorted, changing expressions like channels on TV. His lips moving, disbelief written all over.

"That makes... you get no team. If you go there, June, you go alone. You got it?"

"Yeah, sure", she agreed. "No team".

He left her, retreated into his office and probably started making calls. He wouldn't get anything more than 'yeah, right' from them. She had this one right, to choose cases now, because she'd earned it. When she thought about this, she usually scratched at the scar on her elbow. Pondering, she returned to her desk and sat down, feeling for the airpods case.

No team means no result. But she can't let this opportunity to hurt them slide. Even if she's just an inconvenience that makes them tip off and argue, that's good. It doesn't take long for a bucn of people like that to implode. Her ears moved with the rattling sound of motorcycle engines outside. She jumped up, gathered her stuff and ran for the back door.

Chibs lifted up his purple glasses onto his forehead.

"What a nice weather", he murmured. Bobby hummed approvingly. "I wish it was always mild like that".

"Amen, brother".

The round man stepped to and fro, finishing his smoke. They were scanning the lot with their eyes. Big old warehouse, essentially stables, stood above them like a mountain; even if there was sun, at this time it would be overshadowed. Looming above the lot like it was giving shelter. Jax and Clay were speaking about something quietly aside.

"They're coming!" yelled Kozik. Everybody changed their poses. Shoulders up, backs straight, necks squashed like they were turtles. Someone spat on the ground for good luck. Chibs and Bobby moved like the hands of the clock to greet the two cars with their backs to the warehouse.

They watched the Mexicans emerge from the vehicles, glasses glistening, smiles on their faces. Yeah, anybody would smile for the deal like that. 70% discount for a hundred guns. It could have been the most embarrassing moment this year. He was observing them as Clay shook Romero's hand, Jackie pacing behind his back. The lion cub was impatient for action, every day he was all springs in legs for doing the things differently from his step-father.

Not even ten minutes in, the sound of the car. A Chevy Malibu, the color of cherries, swerved on the dirt road, finally making it into the lot.

Jackson's head snapped towards him as his arms fell down from his chest. He couldn't believe it. Chibs showed his teeth. They all, CIA included, watched the small frame of this girl leaving her car, her hand snapping the door closed. The sunglasses, the jeans from morning, Chibs couldn't believe any of it. He grabbed Bobby by the collar, like he was to blame for it. But Bobby understood. He tapped on his fist, and Chibs pushed against him, giving himself a start.

"I'll deal with it", he rumbled, passing Jax by. She was walking towards them, her hand waving like she was joining a party. Chibs clocked the gun in the holster, and a pretty addition: knife in a thigh rig. He didn't give her time to say anything, simply grabbed her by the neck, his hand snaking in a flash towards her gun. June tried for the knife, but he was quicker again, still holding her almost above the ground. Having her unweaponed, he then took her by the shoulder and dragged.

"All good", he waved at the party, "continue".

"Isn't that Pallum?" Romero asked. Clay gave the pair a tired look.

"Yeah, sticking her nose into the littlest of our daily business".

Romero frowned.

"We did warn her against showing up. It's the conflict of agencies. She is aware of what we're doing here".

Jackson nodded.

"We're starting to think she's rabid".

Chibs dragged her into the warehouse, only a little resistance on the way. Her hands clenched on his forearm, nails digging into the brown leather of his jacket. He pushed her in the back, then took out her knife from his harness where he'd put it.

"How's your nose, sweetheart?"

She found balance again and looked around.

"Hurts a little. Why?"

"Wanna more? Move", he ordered.

June started walking into the depth of the warehouse. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to put her here, where all the fucking guns were. But she wasn't supposed to be here to begin with.

"What exactly is your problem?" he asked, pointing her knife at her. "To the wall. Walk over to the bar".

June was walking, her back forward, looking at her weapon in his hand.

"Do you even know how to use this thing?" he nudged her. "A good trailing blade. Might hurt yourself".

"Give it back to me and I'll show you", she promised. Chibs shook his head. He removed a pair of handcuffs from his jacket pocket and shook them at her. As he approached, she kicked him, but not too successfully. It's like she wasn't even trying. Chibs pushed her legs with his knee, knife at her throat, and hit her in the shoulder to slow down. After a little struggle, one handcuff was in place around her wrist, and he had to put away the knife, because obviously it wasn't working on her. She got cut a little just below her ear and didn't feel it. Tugging on her left braid, he jerked her head to disorient her. He didn't like the way her hair felt in his palm. Silky, slender. He clicked the second handcuff on the bar, screwed into the wall, and stepped away at once not to get kicked again. He valued his balls very much.

"What is even your point here?" he asked, genuinely curious, "Coming alone to the drop where you know CIA will be. You got nothin' else to do?"

She was panting, fidgeting with the cuffs, looking just a little wild. Her eyes were rolling.

"The point is", she said through her teeth, "being as infuriating as possible".

Chibs turned away to join the others. He needed just about five minutes without her, to think what to do. When she spat into his back:

"Especially to fucking imbeciles like you".

Sometimes the scars on his cheeks felt like whiskers. They tugged his lips when he didn't want to smile. But guess that was the point of the Glasgow Smile. He mustered his patience to look at her again. She was tugging at the cuffs, as if measuring them. Her fingers working at the metal screws.

"You got no life. No family, you pathetic bitch. And your hobby is - this?"

"You have no idea the things I have for you and your miserable, cretinous crooks for friends. Is that what you call a family?" she pronounced slowly, showing him her teeth. Chibs couldn't look away from what she was doing with her hands.

"A bunch of low-life, vomit inducing drunks, kicking their girlfriends in their uteruses, dusty, greasy, big road cowboy imitating taints", as she was spitting the insults, it was like she was growing. Chibs was paralyzed by this absurd sight, the hatred that was enlarging like a ball of fire. She fixated her hand against the bar and pulled on her thumb. Gritting her teeth, she cracked it. Chibs' lower jaw started producing the sour saliva of pain because watching it was like watching a gory movie. Her braids swinging against her shoulders as she pressed her eyes closed for a second, taking in what must be severe, sharp shock of ache.

"Feral bitch", he uttered under his breath. His limbs were frozen. June was moving in slow motion, the feelings he was getting were particularly indescribable. All the while she darted for the gun he so carelessly dropped onto the box five steps away. Before he could do anything, even close his mouth, she pointed the gun and him and started shooting.

Bang, bang, bang, thankfully his body was used to this sound. He ducked and squatted, hiding himself behind a box of ammo. June walked the straight line, unloading a magazine into the box. He had to act, or she'd kill him here, he wouldn't be able to take the humiliation. Crawling around the box, he circled her and grabbed a handful of sand and hay. He waited until he saw her legs and kicked her, sending the hay into her face. They clashed, and jumped out again. There were the gunshots from the outside, again. Heard from all directions. Screams, the sound of screeching wheels. Perhaps someone else heard about their big discounts and trouble with selling the guns. Maybe June herself let the Niners know. He heard her moan lightly, like a kitten: she located the thumb back into place. Things started gathering into the picture for him. The walls crackled and groaned with the bullets flying through. The echo of wooden bars and metal boxes made it into cacophony.

Suddenly she was at his side, again. Chibs reached for the gun, but June pulled herself on top of him, they both trying to be closer to the ground. She felt him up, searching for her trailing knife. Chibs held the barrel of his gun against her ribs, but she probably barely felt it. Her face was disfigured from some hidden emotion that he couldn't place. The blade flashed in the light from the ceiling, so quickly, that he didn't even blink. Then it slid against his cheek, just above his old scar.

"That's for my nose". He could barely hear her voice in the loud banging. Then she stood up completely and started off.

"They're shooting, June!" he screamed. She was already at the door, simply lucky not to get snagged. She looked back at him before leaving the warehouse.

Chibs was left sitting there, the cut pulsating, hand holding the gun, dick hard.