#i put on the eyeliner first this time and discovered that its Not It but with eyeshadow its alright

[outfoxt]

I found my pants

[n0vazsq]

A night to remember | AP80 x Reader

pairing . . . alex powell x gf!reader

summary . . . Getting ready for your date for Alex, he can't help but ask about everything considering your makeup

request . . . yes!! based on this request!

word count . . . 1.1k+

warnings . . . none!

faceclaim . . . N/A

alexavia yaps . . . AHHHH IM IN LOVE WITH THIS ITS SAUR CUTE <333

taglist . . . @barcapix ,, @f1lover55 ,, @ilovebarcaaa ,, @httpsdana (lmk if you want to join the taglist!)

. . . The apartment was filled with the soft hum of music as you stood in front of your vanity, finishing your makeup for your date with Alex.

You’d told him he didn’t have to arrive early, but, true to his eager and punctual nature, he showed up at least thirty minutes ahead of time.

Now, he was sitting on the edge of your bed, dressed in a black shirt and dark pants, looking effortlessly cute and already ready to go.

He’d been scrolling through his phone at first but quickly abandoned it in favor of watching you, his gaze lingering on you with an intensity that made your heart flutter a little.

"You’re really good at that," Alex said suddenly, his voice breaking the comfortable silence.

"At what?" you asked, glancing at him through the mirror, your brush still hovering near your cheek.

"Your makeup. Like, how do you even know what goes where?" he asked, his head tilted in genuine curiosity. It was the way he said it that made it sound like the most intriguing question, as if makeup was some secret art he was eager to understand.

You smiled, dipping your brush into your blush. "It’s not that hard. You just practice a lot and figure out what works for you."

Alex got up from the bed and wandered over, leaning casually against the side of your vanity.

His curious gaze flickered between your face and the array of products scattered across the table. "What’s that?" he asked, pointing to the compact in your hand with a little smile, clearly fascinated by everything.

"Blush," you explained, "It adds color to my cheeks."

He nodded thoughtfully, his eyes scanning your face before narrowing a bit. "Do you really need it? Your cheeks are already kind of pink."

You laughed, lightly tapping the brush against his nose, leaving a tiny dusting of pink powder. "That’s sweet, but yes, I do. It ties everything together."

Alex grinned, swiping at his nose with the back of his hand. "Right, right. I see. Can’t forget the details." His eyes fell to another item on the table, his curiosity unwavering. He picked up a small tube of mascara, holding it up like he’d just discovered a rare artifact. "What’s this one for?"

"That’s mascara," you said, smiling at his continued intrigue. "It makes my eyelashes look longer and darker."

He turned the tube in his hands, inspecting it closely like he was trying to figure out its entire function. "Do you put it on every eyelash? How do you not poke your eye out?"

"Carefully," you teased, taking it from him and unscrewing the cap with ease. "Watch."

Alex leaned in closer, his gaze now laser focused on the mascara wand as you swept it across your lashes with practiced ease. He watched every movement so intently, his brows furrowed, and you couldn’t help but laugh.

"That’s… impressive," he said, sounding almost awestruck.

"Thank you," you replied, setting the mascara down with a little grin. "Anything else you want to know?"

His gaze darted to the eyeliner on the table, like he had just found another mystery to unravel. "What’s that for?"

You picked up the eyeliner, holding it up for him to see, the shiny pen glinting slightly in the soft light. "This is eyeliner. It defines my eyes and makes them stand out more."

"Can I try?" he asked suddenly, a mischievous glint in his eyes as if he was already planning to do something ridiculous.

You burst out laughing. "You want to put eyeliner on me?"

"Why not? How hard could it be?" he said with a grin, his eyes twinkling with playful confidence.

"You’d probably stab me in the eye," you teased, raising an eyebrow.

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. But you have to admit, it’d be funny."

As you moved on to your lipgloss, Alex was right there, hovering over your shoulder, watching your every move like a fascinated child in a candy store.

"So, lipgloss is just for your lips, right?" he asked, a genuinely curious tone in his voice as though this were the most essential question of the night.

"Yes," you said, carefully applying the shade you’d chosen. You added a quick smile, glancing at him. "Not as complicated as mascara, I promise."

"Does it stay on all night?" he asked, sounding like he was genuinely concerned about your lipgloss' staying power.

"Not really, especially if we’re eating or drinking. That’s why I usually bring it with me to reapply," you explained, tapping the tube against the side of the vanity with a thoughtful expression.

"Interesting," he murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as though he was mentally filing all this information away, clearly fascinated by the precision and detail you put into it all.

Once you’d finished, you leaned back, taking a final look at your reflection, your fingers brushing over your face as if to check for any imperfections. Then you turned to Alex, flashing him a smile. "All done. What do you think?"

Alex’s eyes softened as he took in the final look, his gaze lingering on you with a warmth that made your stomach do a little flip. "You look beautiful. But then again, you always do."

Your cheeks warmed at the compliment, and you playfully shoved his arm. “You’re such a charmer.”

He grinned, shaking his head slightly, before holding out his hand to you. "Ready to go?"

You nodded, taking his hand as he helped you up from the chair. As the two of you headed out the door, Alex glanced back at you with a teasing smile. "So, if I ever need to put on eyeliner, I know who to call."

You laughed, shaking your head with a smile that couldn’t quite hide how fond you were of him. "You’ll be the first guy I’ve ever taught."

"Lucky me," he said, squeezing your hand as you both stepped into the night. With the cool air greeting you both, the city lights twinkling around you, you felt a rush of excitement for the night ahead.

The date with Alex was only just beginning, but the warmth between you both was already filling you up, making everything feel just a little bit more special.

[crybabyddl]

Black Coffee

Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Chapter Two

Warning: swearing, miscommunication, awkwardness, coffee shop au, modern au

Author's Note: I apologize for the abrupt end to the first chapter. I wasn't sure how to connect the next plot, so I just decided to post it instead of letting it rot in my drafts like I usually do. Enjoy! :)

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

----

Eddie spent the day unpacking more boxes, crushing the cardboard down with his boots. He told himself he had to do four hours of productive work before doing anything fun. However, around hour three, he was hanging up his beloved guitar. As his fingers accidentally brushed against the strings, he couldn't resist the siren call of his instrument.

Eddie indulged in his craft, getting lost in the fluid movements of his fingers and the melodies they produced. Today's setlist was comprised of songs from Rush's catalog, as well as some deep cuts from Metallica and Judas Priest.

It was two hours later when his hand started cramping up, and Eddie placed his prized possession back on its mount. Looking down at his watch, he made the executive decision to treat himself to a coffee.

Could he have made some from the Keurig he'd set up on the counter just hours earlier? Sure, but where's the fun in that? Eddie would much rather take a stroll down to the coffee shop he discovered yesterday. He needed to try the coffee a few more times before making the final verdict on this shop being his favorite.

That's how Eddie wound up ordering another small black coffee in the cozy café. To his disappointment, the girl who took his order yesterday didn't appear to be around. Regardless, Eddie tucked himself into the closest two-seated booth, slowly letting the caffeine seep into his bloodstream with each sip he took. He had to admit, it was really good coffee--just as good as it was the day before.

Despite his appreciation for the sepia-toned ambience and warm atmosphere that the coffee shop had, the sound of the pop music station, other customers' conversations, the espresso grinders, and the whirring of the milk frothers became quite overwhelming for Eddie. Not to mention the tension headache he could feel coming on due to the dim, yet concentrated overhead lighting.

As he went to throw his cup in the garbage, Eddie decided to take a risk.

"Excuse me." he approached the side counter where a chestnut-haired gentleman stood, drying dishes.

"How can I help you, sir?"

"I was just wondering if, uh, the barista with the cool eyeliner was working today."

The man paused for a moment before seemingly putting together who Eddie was talking about.

"No, she's not. Did you want me to take a message?"

"No, that's alright. Thank you."

"Sure thing."

Eddie knew better than to say anything, for fear of coming off as creepy. It was already slightly odd to be asking if a specific employee was working there. Maybe it wasn't as weird as it felt, but every action felt awkward, forced, and out of character for him lately. It's part of the reason why he packed up and relocated to the small town his parents moved to when they retired. There was a therapist he was going to start seeing, one that was actually supposed to help him work through his problems, not just listen to him rant about what was bothering him.

On the walk back to his apartment, Eddie tried to anticipate all the talking points his mother and father would bring up when he went to visit them tomorrow after his first appointment with the new therapist. How was the appointment? Did you tell her everything? Did you finish unpacking? Do you need to go grocery shopping? Did you sleep last night? Are you eating enough? He knew his parents were just looking out for him, wanted to make sure he was doing alright, but Eddie was twenty five years old, he was more than capable of taking care of himself... most of the time.

---- the next day...

8:00am

"Oh my god, you guys," you began in a tizzy. "I almost slid into a ditch on my way here."

"The roads are that bad?" asked Nancy, who'd been at the café since five this morning.

"Yeah," you reached behind your back to tie your apron. "It was really coming down over at my house. I think it's supposed to start here around noon."

12:02pm

The cafe had been steadily busy throughout the day, but the hours still seemed to pass far too slowly for anyone's liking.

Two minutes late, like always, Steve makes his grand entrance, bundled in a navy puffer jacket and a plaid scarf, likely from Ralph Lauren.

"Holy shit," he panted exasperatedly as he hung up his coat and scarf. "I almost ran myself into a ditch."

Nancy's eyebrows quirked as she glanced over at you to see if she was hearing your coworker correctly, but you'd since gone over to help a customer.

Once you returned, you and Steve exchanged stories of your treacherous commutes while Nancy tried to predict which of your fellow baristas scheduled for today would be the next to come in with a similar tale to tell.

"Oh, Y/N, someone was asking for you yesterday."

"Really? Who was it?"

"I didn't get his name, but he just asked if the 'girl with the cool eyeliner' was there."

You thought for a moment, trying to recall if any of your friends from high school or other jobs were slated to be in town this week, but nobody came to mind.

"I have no idea who that could be. Most of the people I know either wear just as crazy of eyeliner as me, or would know me by name. What did he look like?"

"He was probably around our age, maybe older. Long wavy brown hair, leather jacket, had on a shit-ton of rings."

You stood up a bit straighter upon hearing Steve's description of the mystery man. It sounded like the cute guy from a couple days ago... he ordered a black coffee... Eddie! His name was Eddie.

"Did he say anything else?"

"No. Do you know him?"

"That's the guy I was telling you guys about the other night."

"Oh, okay. Yeah, that checks out."

The rest of your shift went by much faster, knowing you'd made just as much of an impression on Eddie as he did on you. Even though he didn't come into the shop by the time you finished your shift, just knowing he wanted to see you was enough to hold you over for a while.

7:03pm

Your phone buzzed. A text from Steve.

Stove: Btw that guy came in an hour after you left

Your phone buzzed again, another text from Steve.

Stove: I gave him your number

----

[anevbedo]

Albedo x Oc things >_<

No nsfw I'm feeling nornal

-theyve gotten someone to install a little pull up bar on their bedroom ceiling for laika to hang onto (spine decompression). it was actually albedos idea and he sincerely regrets it now because laika found out his biggest pet peeve is people cracking their back/joints. she knows any and every possible way to crack every bone in her body and she CONSTANTLY pisses him awff with it

- when laika needs to leave but wont (because whats personal space) the one and only thing albedo can do is pinch her. he discovered it one random day and it was actually Cyrus who introduced him to the concept of pinching. he would always pinch younger adventures and albedo wondered why they were so displeased until he pinched laika without warning. she kinda considers it revenge for cracking her knuckles

-he generally likes to be destructive ish in small ways. when she gets home from work or something like that he likes to lay down on top of her and smudge her makeup before she takes it off. normally just her eyeliner or lipstick if he hasn't licked it off yet. he also likes to hide some kind of small item of decoration that she just barely notices and put it in a place that's not too different. the item gradually gets bigger over time and he'll just hide like a fucking area rug and she barely notices but she can tell that something is off and she's like standing at the front of the bathroom and pondering as to why it looks like that (the asshole changed the shower curtain). his FAVORITE thing to do is to change things into different containers. laika has cute like soap dispensers and stuff and he likes to put the soap into the original containers to fuck with her.

- laika refers to him in mean ways when shes talking about him to people BUT IN AN ENDEARING WAY OFC. she says goofy stuff like "that little shit BIT ME LAST NIGHT????" and then goes him and calls him her sweet baby angel or something stupid

- casual biting from albedo. mightsjsut. be an autism thing but he thinks her skin is nice and soft. in his head her skin is plump and sweet and succulent and chewy and sometimes he'll make the mistake of biting her neck after she puts on perfme but he doesnt really gaf. his favorite parts to bite are her trapezius (idk i cant find the normal person word but its like the super plump part between her neck and shoulder), her thighs, just any generally plump part of her, and the chub underneath her upper arms. its very hard to get to. he has to sneak attack her when shes like putting somethign up on a shelf and it happens so rarely that she never thinks "hmm what if he bites me"

- i think she gets like cuteness agression and has to leave the room when hes asleep to avoid tearing his autistic little face off. probably also goes the other way around except albedos is more just pinching her a little bit and not wishing death upon her

- one of albedos favorite things is laying down with laika before maintenance day when shes all gross and you can smell her deodorant and her hairs a big mess. when she smells like normal human with a whisper of dusting powder and the hair oils she uses. if shes not wearing a tank top then she makes sure its a big ass oversided tshirt or hoodie for albedo to stuff his head under and get as close to her as inhumanely possible.

THEY HAVE PETS!!!! two pigeons and a cat. The first pigeon and the cat were actually meant for laika because she had this phase where she hated her curly hair and then albedo bought her a curly feathered pigeon and then a curly haired cat later. They ended up having to buy ANOTHER pigeon later because the first one was so lonely 😭 and it's just a regular white pigeon. The pigeons names are Minoo and Kuno and then the Kitty's name is Parisa

- albedo is like a huge cuddler in the morning and especially with parisa. And he has all kinds of nicknames for her including pari, miss kitty, and paz. He loves to feed her and play with her but his favorite thing of all time was when she was still a kitten and she had to be bottle fed. He also loves feeding her stuff he technically isn't supposed to as long as it won't harm her because he'll get all the attention afterwards, especially if it's a piece of deli meat.

- they have rules for who does which chore that CANNOT suddenly change under any circumstances. Laika sweeps, cleans windows and mirrors, does the dishes, and cleans the kitchen and bedroom. Albedo mops, dusts, cleans other little glass knick knacks (laikas too scared of dropping them), and tidys the living room and cleans the bathroom. They do what they can easily do like once a week and for bigger deep cleaning things they tackle them together. They also do laundry together (one of them actually works and the other one just sits and stares)

- albedo kinda just like rawdogs a fuckin cucumber and tomato with some crackers for breakfast. theres been multiple instances where laika found him on the back porch at 7:00 am on a dewy morning taking bites out of a head of fresh cauliflower or eating brussel sprouts cut straight off of the stalk. not even washed or anything

[vegantinatalist]

Were you always anti-makeup/makeup-free? I was always a "tomboy" so I never got into makeup when most the other girls my age did. I remember my mother encouraging me to wear some to like events or whatever. And I just remember thinking it's fucked up that girls "have" to wear it but boys don't. Boys can show up to events bare faced as is, but I'm expected to change how I look? Why? I liked my face as it was.

I think most girls/women are lying when they say it's not for others. You literally cannot even see your own face unless you hold a mirror up so how is it for yourself... Of course it's for others. And women get treated better the more attractive they are to others so women notice the difference in how they're treated. It's conditioning. I always felt so alone for realizing things like this at a young age (~13-14) and going against the grain of society by myself.

i think i have a slightly unique experience with the makeup thing. i quite literally did not understand why people wore "natural makeup". it went over my head. i was clamboring to get my hands on makeup but thats because im an artist and a goth and i wanted to just paint my face in freaky ways, like not conventional ways, i just wanted to be expressive and artistic and unusual. and i didnt get why everyone hated it so much, i didnt get why everyone wore makeup but hated anything beyond the standard template of makeup, and i just kept doing my thing. i didnt do anything beyond lipstick and eyeliner and eyeshadow though. like FUUUUUCK concealer, so uncomfortable. my mom was a makeup obsessed woman but she also kinda had healthier views on it than most so she was like really conflicted about it. she was sad i didnt want to wear makeup like her, but also was like "do ya thing be free". but then she also hated my goth vibes because christian lol. and also she has crippling self esteem issues and would always break down crying like "theyll make fun of you!!!" even though i was like girl i do not care lol.

it wasnt until i discovered radfem that it clicked. like i already kinda understood women were all piss scared to deviate from the norm but i thought it was just because most people seem to have more obsessive attachment to tradition while i was more of a free thinker. i just literally never felt or sensed that it was gender expectations being placed on me, i was totally oblivious to how i was treated for not conforming, probably because i WAS pretty conforming a lot of the time. i just happened to love very girly artsy clothing. i loved corsets and short skirts and showy sundresses and stockings with patterns and pigtails and all kinds of super girly things, but then i would also do things like wear avant garde ass facepaint or shave my head and wear boring baggy sports clothes with 0 hesitation whatsover even with people around me complaining, i didnt feel forced to be girly, in fact i felt unique cause everyone around me went through a hard "i hate pink and dresses" phase where i did the opposite. now i understand why they were going through that phase, they were sick of what they had previously been forced to do.

the only time i clearly noticed gender expectations being put on me was when my dads italian friend came over and yelled at me for trying to play skates after my mom put me in my dinner dress and he said specifically that girls should never be dirty or sweaty. i never heard anyone outright say it like that, they usually dance around the "girl" part and make it seem like its just deviation from the norm that upsets them. if i had been raised by that guy i know things would have gone very differently lol.

anyway i actually ended up boycotting makeup for environmentalism/veganism reasons first, then i learned about radfems perspective after and it only made me more certain. i realized i felt VERY sad without goth makeup in particular, and although its not like its a gender expectation thing, i realized i should try to be content with the way i naturally look. now i dont mess with the face when i dress up, and actually i think it forced me to become a better artist overall. my goth look looks more "real" now if that makes sense, and i learned how to cut my own hair and it looks more suited to my face, in general paying attention to other details and making them suit my face, instead of the other way around where you put together an outfit that doesnt suit your face and you change your face to suit the outfit, was a great decision. i realized i dont actually hate my face, i was just not doing things that suited it because makeup is an easy way to not have to learn the best way to cut bangs that suit your features, the best way to not have to learn how to take care of your skin, the best way to not have to learn what colors go well with your natural colors etc. not saying anyone has to learn these things i just enjoyed it.

[callsigndreadfrost]

I'm out here doing adult shit, pertaining to the car they left me, that my idiot sister and her idiot husband shoulda done years ago but fuck me sideways, right? Nobody likes doing adult shit but you gotta do it anyway. That man is the actual physical embodiment of the word man-child.

Edit: finished this at home. Been at this nonsense all day long.

So while waiting for this long ass line I'm gonna talk for a sec about Jelani (the original version).

You look up any of his info in whatever post on here or my account on toyhouse and under gender you'll find it says non-binary.

When I first came up with this character around late 2006 I had his gender as male. He was born male, assigned male at birth, and identified as male. So if people asked about this particular character or in questions I'd say he was male and used he/him pronouns. Through the years and as I developed him I would then answer this as "unsure/questioning" 'cause I honestly felt it was right for him and honestly I was set on leaving it as unsure/questioning forever but with time and as I discovered the non-binary option I kinda unofficially used it for him. I just kinda fell in love with that idea for him.

So probably like 2 years (maybe) after sitting on that change and really feeling like it just fit the character I said that he identified as non-binary after years of questioning his gender. So now in questions of the character I put down non-binary because that's how he identifies.

Now, his feelings when it comes to being non-binary doesn't mean that he disowns anything and everything within the spectrum of genders. He's very comfortable with he/him, they/them or she/her pronouns.

In fact, Abigail had asked him if he was okay with her referring to him only by she/her which he's totally okay with and ever since then she only uses she/her pronouns when addressing Jelani.

As for how he presents himself, he's basically just masc. He dresses masc, he presents as masc, behaves as masc--you get the idea.

"Okay but he paints his nails and uses eyeliner, mascara and eye shadow."

Okay, and? That shit is for any gender. He. Still. Presents. Himself. As. Masculine. He uses any pronoun but he himself says he's Sanaa's son, Loke's brother, Jelani's grandson, Angelus's husband and so on.

Yes, Angelus sometimes refers to him as his husband but also his spouse (gender neutral) or his wife (Jelani gave him permission to use this for him) as a way to be supportive. He also uses all pronouns for him too.

While we're on the subject of Angelus...he's had he/they for several years now but I recently changed it to he/him, it/its. HOWEVER! The it/its pronouns are only allowed to be used by other queer people.

Abigail also has permission to refer to him as Loke's sister or Ingvarr's daughter or Angelus's wife and so on.

Now, since the start I have had his sexual orientation as pansexual. For the past year and a half I've been kinda playing with it a little. Again, as I've developed him I've played with the idea that after long years he started to kinda question that too.

This feels like an rp session but lol I actually write a fuck ton of bits that I don't publish 'cause they're just little indulgent pieces with no real plot or point or no regard for construction, I just word vomit it into the document. That's where a lot of development comes from.

Anyway, I recently changed his orientation from pansexual to gay.

I always made it clear that even though he was pansexual he had a strong preference for men. In fact, he would often joke that he was more gay than actually pansexual. He has had relationships with women before but they were few and far in between. In fact, at one point he and Ginger were actually a couple. Of the few relationships with women he ever had that one was the longest he had and it only lasted half a year lol.

As the years went by his attraction to women and people who identify as women/female lessened and lessened to the point where he just wasn't interested at all and was only attracted to men and other masc non-binary people. Yes, this absolutely fucking includes trans men. His first romantic partner was a trans man (well, boy, they met when they were around 12 or something like that).

There's no such thing as trans exclusion within my non-evil characters. Ew. Come the fuck on.

I could've just retconned a bunch of stuff but I like doing it this way. It feels natural to how real people explore their identities. So this was just a whole long post just to say Jelani's gay now.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

.disclaimerwidth:90%;margin-bottom:1rem.disclaimer__lineswidth:100%;margin:0 auto;border-bottom:1px solid #999;padding:0;max-width:150px.disclaimer__copywidth:100%;max-width:355px;font-family:Brown Regular,sans-serif;font-size:.9rem;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3em;color:#333;padding:0 0 .4rem;margin:1rem auto;text-align:center All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. With seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals to her name, Venus Williams is a force to be reckoned with in competitive tennis. But we find her projects off the court — from launching activewear collabs for a good cause to championing women’s equality in sports — just as inspiring. Her latest move is a partnership with Dove for The Body Confident Sport, an initiative focused on building confidence in young female athletes (you might have spotted the ads at the Superbowl recently). For every Dove item purchased from today until February 28, the brand is donating to organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help support girls in sports. As her first-name twin, I had the opportunity to catch up with Williams for a quickfire Q&A, diving into everything from her beauty routine to her advice for the next generation of athletes. Read on to discover her favorite affordable body care products and how she keeps her makeup game as strong as her serve. DashDividers_1_500x100 I feel most powerful when… I’ve finished a workout; nothing feels better than that. Power to me means… Controlling my own mind and my own choices. What do you do when you feel powerless? I push myself even harder because this is the time I can learn the most, whether it’s about myself, life, or the situation at hand (more on that below). What’s your power anthem?  I actually don’t have one! Who is your power icon? Definitely my mom; she taught me how to be strong and powerful. What do you wear when you want to feel powerful? Something short! Keep reading for the rest of our Q&A with Williams. DashDividers_1_500x100 Refinery29: Tell us more about your collaboration with Dove and why this project means so much to you. Venus Williams: The Body Confident Sport initiative is the only program of its kind that focuses on the coaches and how they can help build confidence in girls — who are at this very impressionable age — and encourage them to stay in sports. [In addition to the donation mentioned above, Dove has also partnered with the Women’s National Football Conference to host football camps and clinics for girls, and is providing resources and webinars to coaches through the Women’s Sports Foundation]. I’m so excited about this because I can’t imagine my life without sports. When I was at that age I also looked up to these coaches. I know firsthand the impact [that] positive talking and negative talking had on your confidence. R29: What are some go-to beauty products you turn to when you need that boost of confidence? VW: I’m always moisturizing, so I bring rose water everywhere. Whether I’m on the plane or in the car, I’m always spraying it onto my skin. I love layering serums and moisturizers, too. My recent favorites have been the Dior Capture Le Sérum, $145, and the Dior Capture Creme, $145. When I’m on the court, I love to wear eyeliner and bold earrings to accessorize. My favorite eyeliner is Milani’s Stay Put 16HR Eyeliner, $9.99. It’s waterproof and you don’t have to worry about smudging. If it goes on, it stays on. I also wear this when I go out at night. R29: What are some of the best beauty lessons you’ve picked up from your loved ones? VW: I’ve learned to always wear sunscreen from Serena, and put on long sleeves and leggings when I’m out in the sun. One of my older sisters always said, “Update, don’t be late!” I’m inspired by her to always refresh my style and treat it as a fun project every few years. I learned from my makeup artists to always put on a layer of moisture (like a water-based serum) on my lips before sealing it with lip balm or makeup. R29: Let’s talk about body care. Do you have any affordable favorites? VW: I’ve been using the Dove Relaxing Body Wash Lavender Oil & Chamomile, $6.97, and I love the scent. I also love the Dove Exfoliating Body Wash, $9.97, which makes the skin tone more even [thanks to a formula designed for melanin-rich skin, packed with moisturizing ceramides and gentle exfoliants like salicylic acid]. I also recommend the Dove Glowing Long Lasting Gentle Body Wash, $6.97; I just love the mango scent. I’ve been using a body scrubber when I shower with these products. It’s really good for your lymphatic system. You can also use the scrubber to dry brush, which gives you softer skin. R29: Do you have any advice for young girls on overcoming self-doubt? VW: It’s okay to live with a little bit of self-doubt — it’s just a part of life. I always tell kids that there are ups and downs in life, but what’s important is the decisions that you make when you believe in yourself. When I’m on the court, if I feel good about what I’m wearing and how I style myself, then I can just focus on my tennis. When girls have the opportunity to play sports, they have a lot less time or concern about what other people are thinking, and instead, they are thinking about what they can achieve. Focusing on what I can achieve has made a great difference to me, and I spend less time thinking about how other people are judging me. I’d also say that every little thing adds up: Even going to the gym for 15 minutes is still a way to take care of yourself. You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish in 15 minutes if you don’t give up. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Amanda Nguyen Is Ready To Take FlightWe Tried Huda Beauty's Ube Makeup CollectionWe Tried $492 Worth Of Primers To Find The Best Source link

[norajworld]

.disclaimerwidth:90%;margin-bottom:1rem.disclaimer__lineswidth:100%;margin:0 auto;border-bottom:1px solid #999;padding:0;max-width:150px.disclaimer__copywidth:100%;max-width:355px;font-family:Brown Regular,sans-serif;font-size:.9rem;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3em;color:#333;padding:0 0 .4rem;margin:1rem auto;text-align:center All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. With seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals to her name, Venus Williams is a force to be reckoned with in competitive tennis. But we find her projects off the court — from launching activewear collabs for a good cause to championing women’s equality in sports — just as inspiring. Her latest move is a partnership with Dove for The Body Confident Sport, an initiative focused on building confidence in young female athletes (you might have spotted the ads at the Superbowl recently). For every Dove item purchased from today until February 28, the brand is donating to organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help support girls in sports. As her first-name twin, I had the opportunity to catch up with Williams for a quickfire Q&A, diving into everything from her beauty routine to her advice for the next generation of athletes. Read on to discover her favorite affordable body care products and how she keeps her makeup game as strong as her serve. DashDividers_1_500x100 I feel most powerful when… I’ve finished a workout; nothing feels better than that. Power to me means… Controlling my own mind and my own choices. What do you do when you feel powerless? I push myself even harder because this is the time I can learn the most, whether it’s about myself, life, or the situation at hand (more on that below). What’s your power anthem?  I actually don’t have one! Who is your power icon? Definitely my mom; she taught me how to be strong and powerful. What do you wear when you want to feel powerful? Something short! Keep reading for the rest of our Q&A with Williams. DashDividers_1_500x100 Refinery29: Tell us more about your collaboration with Dove and why this project means so much to you. Venus Williams: The Body Confident Sport initiative is the only program of its kind that focuses on the coaches and how they can help build confidence in girls — who are at this very impressionable age — and encourage them to stay in sports. [In addition to the donation mentioned above, Dove has also partnered with the Women’s National Football Conference to host football camps and clinics for girls, and is providing resources and webinars to coaches through the Women’s Sports Foundation]. I’m so excited about this because I can’t imagine my life without sports. When I was at that age I also looked up to these coaches. I know firsthand the impact [that] positive talking and negative talking had on your confidence. R29: What are some go-to beauty products you turn to when you need that boost of confidence? VW: I’m always moisturizing, so I bring rose water everywhere. Whether I’m on the plane or in the car, I’m always spraying it onto my skin. I love layering serums and moisturizers, too. My recent favorites have been the Dior Capture Le Sérum, $145, and the Dior Capture Creme, $145. When I’m on the court, I love to wear eyeliner and bold earrings to accessorize. My favorite eyeliner is Milani’s Stay Put 16HR Eyeliner, $9.99. It’s waterproof and you don’t have to worry about smudging. If it goes on, it stays on. I also wear this when I go out at night. R29: What are some of the best beauty lessons you’ve picked up from your loved ones? VW: I’ve learned to always wear sunscreen from Serena, and put on long sleeves and leggings when I’m out in the sun. One of my older sisters always said, “Update, don’t be late!” I’m inspired by her to always refresh my style and treat it as a fun project every few years. I learned from my makeup artists to always put on a layer of moisture (like a water-based serum) on my lips before sealing it with lip balm or makeup. R29: Let’s talk about body care. Do you have any affordable favorites? VW: I’ve been using the Dove Relaxing Body Wash Lavender Oil & Chamomile, $6.97, and I love the scent. I also love the Dove Exfoliating Body Wash, $9.97, which makes the skin tone more even [thanks to a formula designed for melanin-rich skin, packed with moisturizing ceramides and gentle exfoliants like salicylic acid]. I also recommend the Dove Glowing Long Lasting Gentle Body Wash, $6.97; I just love the mango scent. I’ve been using a body scrubber when I shower with these products. It’s really good for your lymphatic system. You can also use the scrubber to dry brush, which gives you softer skin. R29: Do you have any advice for young girls on overcoming self-doubt? VW: It’s okay to live with a little bit of self-doubt — it’s just a part of life. I always tell kids that there are ups and downs in life, but what’s important is the decisions that you make when you believe in yourself. When I’m on the court, if I feel good about what I’m wearing and how I style myself, then I can just focus on my tennis. When girls have the opportunity to play sports, they have a lot less time or concern about what other people are thinking, and instead, they are thinking about what they can achieve. Focusing on what I can achieve has made a great difference to me, and I spend less time thinking about how other people are judging me. I’d also say that every little thing adds up: Even going to the gym for 15 minutes is still a way to take care of yourself. You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish in 15 minutes if you don’t give up. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Amanda Nguyen Is Ready To Take FlightWe Tried Huda Beauty's Ube Makeup CollectionWe Tried $492 Worth Of Primers To Find The Best Source link

[chilimili212]

.disclaimerwidth:90%;margin-bottom:1rem.disclaimer__lineswidth:100%;margin:0 auto;border-bottom:1px solid #999;padding:0;max-width:150px.disclaimer__copywidth:100%;max-width:355px;font-family:Brown Regular,sans-serif;font-size:.9rem;font-weight:300;line-height:1.3em;color:#333;padding:0 0 .4rem;margin:1rem auto;text-align:center All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. With seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals to her name, Venus Williams is a force to be reckoned with in competitive tennis. But we find her projects off the court — from launching activewear collabs for a good cause to championing women’s equality in sports — just as inspiring. Her latest move is a partnership with Dove for The Body Confident Sport, an initiative focused on building confidence in young female athletes (you might have spotted the ads at the Superbowl recently). For every Dove item purchased from today until February 28, the brand is donating to organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help support girls in sports. As her first-name twin, I had the opportunity to catch up with Williams for a quickfire Q&A, diving into everything from her beauty routine to her advice for the next generation of athletes. Read on to discover her favorite affordable body care products and how she keeps her makeup game as strong as her serve. DashDividers_1_500x100 I feel most powerful when… I’ve finished a workout; nothing feels better than that. Power to me means… Controlling my own mind and my own choices. What do you do when you feel powerless? I push myself even harder because this is the time I can learn the most, whether it’s about myself, life, or the situation at hand (more on that below). What’s your power anthem?  I actually don’t have one! Who is your power icon? Definitely my mom; she taught me how to be strong and powerful. What do you wear when you want to feel powerful? Something short! Keep reading for the rest of our Q&A with Williams. DashDividers_1_500x100 Refinery29: Tell us more about your collaboration with Dove and why this project means so much to you. Venus Williams: The Body Confident Sport initiative is the only program of its kind that focuses on the coaches and how they can help build confidence in girls — who are at this very impressionable age — and encourage them to stay in sports. [In addition to the donation mentioned above, Dove has also partnered with the Women’s National Football Conference to host football camps and clinics for girls, and is providing resources and webinars to coaches through the Women’s Sports Foundation]. I’m so excited about this because I can’t imagine my life without sports. When I was at that age I also looked up to these coaches. I know firsthand the impact [that] positive talking and negative talking had on your confidence. R29: What are some go-to beauty products you turn to when you need that boost of confidence? VW: I’m always moisturizing, so I bring rose water everywhere. Whether I’m on the plane or in the car, I’m always spraying it onto my skin. I love layering serums and moisturizers, too. My recent favorites have been the Dior Capture Le Sérum, $145, and the Dior Capture Creme, $145. When I’m on the court, I love to wear eyeliner and bold earrings to accessorize. My favorite eyeliner is Milani’s Stay Put 16HR Eyeliner, $9.99. It’s waterproof and you don’t have to worry about smudging. If it goes on, it stays on. I also wear this when I go out at night. R29: What are some of the best beauty lessons you’ve picked up from your loved ones? VW: I’ve learned to always wear sunscreen from Serena, and put on long sleeves and leggings when I’m out in the sun. One of my older sisters always said, “Update, don’t be late!” I’m inspired by her to always refresh my style and treat it as a fun project every few years. I learned from my makeup artists to always put on a layer of moisture (like a water-based serum) on my lips before sealing it with lip balm or makeup. R29: Let’s talk about body care. Do you have any affordable favorites? VW: I’ve been using the Dove Relaxing Body Wash Lavender Oil & Chamomile, $6.97, and I love the scent. I also love the Dove Exfoliating Body Wash, $9.97, which makes the skin tone more even [thanks to a formula designed for melanin-rich skin, packed with moisturizing ceramides and gentle exfoliants like salicylic acid]. I also recommend the Dove Glowing Long Lasting Gentle Body Wash, $6.97; I just love the mango scent. I’ve been using a body scrubber when I shower with these products. It’s really good for your lymphatic system. You can also use the scrubber to dry brush, which gives you softer skin. R29: Do you have any advice for young girls on overcoming self-doubt? VW: It’s okay to live with a little bit of self-doubt — it’s just a part of life. I always tell kids that there are ups and downs in life, but what’s important is the decisions that you make when you believe in yourself. When I’m on the court, if I feel good about what I’m wearing and how I style myself, then I can just focus on my tennis. When girls have the opportunity to play sports, they have a lot less time or concern about what other people are thinking, and instead, they are thinking about what they can achieve. Focusing on what I can achieve has made a great difference to me, and I spend less time thinking about how other people are judging me. I’d also say that every little thing adds up: Even going to the gym for 15 minutes is still a way to take care of yourself. You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish in 15 minutes if you don’t give up. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Amanda Nguyen Is Ready To Take FlightWe Tried Huda Beauty's Ube Makeup CollectionWe Tried $492 Worth Of Primers To Find The Best Source link

[just-some-random-blogger]

You know what, I was gonna dump this in the tags but I'm really going off now lol. In case it isn't obvious this is my opinion. Agree or disagree as you'd like 🫶 I mostly focused on the music aspect

Shadowheart is the clear answer. I don't think I need to elaborate but with her aesthetic and the 'no one gets me but my fellow comrades 😔😫' attitude, I'm 86% sure she cried when she watched the ghost of you mv for the first time. Definitely was one of the more aggressive people who went 'you wear pink, we wear black 🙄' but grew out of it like the rest of us.

Karlach could be a second, just cause she's pretty punk rock and I think she'd milk the phrase ITS NOT A PHASE MOM til the milk is sour and some. Definitely puts on eyeliner. She always tries to do a wing but fucks it up and claims she wanted it smudged anyway. EMO.

Wyll could be next. He uses what a catch donnie to measure how long a trip is (or the black parade, which is his life anthem; that song is literally for him). Destroyed his hair from chronic straightening. His dad banned him from touching his hair after he tried to color it (and honestly man fuck that guy, he's just jealous cos he's bald af).

Minthara would probably be into something more metal tbh. I feel like she'd only be into emo if idk karlach introduced it to her. She'd love a good mosh pit. Mosh pit instigating queen.

Astarion, if he was, would never admit to liking emo music. He probably discovered northern downpour, got interested, found out the band is the same one behind I write sins not tragedies, then gagged himself. Emo scum begone!

Gale would be interested in anything handed to him with passion but is a more casual listener. Just dabbles, ya know. Probably listens to Paramore the most because he has the hots for hayley and thinks shes an incredible performer. Thinks he looks hot in eyeliner.

Minsc is like gale. If you like it enough and you share it with him, he'd like it too. He would HATE the idea of skinny jeans tho. Super turned off by it. What do you mean I have to suffer for the aesthetic? Boo can't fit in my pocket. Nothing can 🫤.

Lae'zel would probably know of emo music and be indifferent towards it. But upon learning shadowfart is emo, would absolutely LOATHE emo music. 👎👎👎👎👎 Boo you whore. You can't sit with usssss!

Halsin would be open to emo culture if you shared it to him but girl this dude's spotify is mostly nature sounds 😐. I don't know what to tell you. Probably appreciates the emos who don't use deodorant 😭💀

Jaheria, respectfully, does not give a fuck. One of her 99 kids is probably emo and so she's like 'oh that's nice' but, again, clearly does not give a fuck.

Notes:

Emo here is defined as 00s pop-punk with emotionally forthright lyrics in the style of My Chemical Romance, etc. Known also for spawning a subculture with androgynous alternative styling with lots of belts, skinny jeans, black, and eyeliner (both genders). (Sorry Rites of Spring fans or any 90s emo fans lingering in my notes).

Fan, here, does not need to be overt - e.g. a companion could be a secret fan who does not belong to emo subculture, but really enjoys the music.

[thisismeracing]

His pretty girl | CL16

Pairing: black!plus size!fem!reader (she/her pron.) x charles leclerc

Warnings: curse words, twitter environment, one hate comment, fluffffff, not proofread etc etc. Minors DNI!

Summary: Fans start to notice Charles around an influencer’s profile and its essy to put two and two together to discover just how in love he is.

an1: This imagine is just a small reminder that you deserve love and appreciation it doesn't matter your size and shape. You are beautiful and you are enough and you don’t need to change a thing to fit in ❤️

a/n2: none of the pictures used are mine, they are all from Pinterest and other apps. everything else is made up by me and I do not give permission for it to be published on a different platform. I would appreciate it if those things could be taken into consideration 💛

my masterlist | my taglist

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, and others

yourusername 🥂

view all 3,459 comments

yourbestie the prettiest!

user1 WHAT IS CHARLES LECLERC DOING HERE????

countryswift 💖💖💖💖💖💖 I absolutely loved the outfit

randomrain the glasses and hairstyle on point!!

yourusername

liked by pierregasly, lilymhe, and others

yoursername it is my birthday and I sure am looking like a present 🤌🏾

view all 5,289 comments

ririumbrella happy birthday, yn!!!

goldenhour1990 The yellow dress is everything to me! 😍

lilymhe LOOKING GOOD, BABYYY

charles_leclerc Happy Birthday, pretty girl ❤️

⤷ tripletifosi ARIANA WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE????

⤷ yourusername 😘❤️

charlessainz now thats sus, first he likes, then he comments calling her pretty girl 👁️👄👁️

ferrariwinningstreak Y’all reading too much fanfic, its just a comment, chill

haterrandom Yo did charles leclerc really called a fat girl pretty??? 🤣🤣☠️

⤷ yourusername how is that you know how to bully people online but you dont know how to read?

⤷ rainbowmerc sHE ATE HAHAHAHAH ILY QUEEN

yourusername

liked by pierregasly, lilymhe, and others

yourusername Proud to announce that my lip gloss will be launching in a couple of months 💘👄 more infos at ynthebrand.com

view all 5,268 comments

francisca.cgomes OMG This color looks fantastic, Yn!!!! 💖

charles_leclerc nice lips

⤷ russelracing I- is he flirting??!

⤷ carlossainz55 not smooth, not smooth at all, charles

monacoprix1 why half of the f1 crew is here?

⤷ lechair16 they are clearly trying to help charles get the girl

user1 where’s the eyeliner from?

⤷ yourusername its from my brand, honey! You can find it at ynthebrand.com, the reference is 163 💕

mercedes44 Yn is so pretty and so kind, I am sorry but Im now a stan

charles_leclerc

liked by alex_albon, yourusername, and others

charles_leclerc 💙 such a pretty view

view all 11,209 comments

charlesleprince you are indeed 😍

pierregasly me and kika are mad we were not invited!

⤷ francisca.cgomes I am not, he’s lying! I was actually pretty happy you took the time to share with her and only her 😌💗

gaslygaslight IS THAT A SOFT LAUNCH I SEE????

winnerwinter I am so glad I am alive to see Charles Leclerc date a plus size black girl 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 I wont ever feel sadness again, my life is complete

interlagosf1 You can tag Yn, we know its her

sainzswift I will be personally reporting and trying to delete any hate comments against my new fav couple

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, lewishamilton, and others

yourusername *insert here that smart remark sebastian vettel made*

view all 7,020 comments

scuderiaferrari Everybody is a ferrari fan ❤️ we are happy to have you, Yn!

⤷ 164455f1 you mean she’s gonna be in the paddock today?!

charles_leclerc woah, you look good in red 😏

summertimecharless Charles Leclerc is so whipped I am loving to see it hahahaha

lilymhe 😍😍😍😍😍😍

user19 She keeps getting prettier

yourusername

liked by francisca.cgomes, lilymhe, and others

yourusername get yourself a man who gives you flowers just because 💐💗

view all 4,278 comments

taylorandf1 what if I want yours, Yn? 😭

charles_leclerc nice boyfriend this one you have

⤷ yourusername he’s quite the catch, I am glad I gave him a chance 😉

brightsideee Charles giving his gf flowers without a reason is the reason why my bar keeps getting higher

fantasticf1 You just called me single in 7 languages. I don’t know 7 languages, but I know these pics called me single

fan2000 She looks like an angel, I 100% understand Charles, I would do anything for her too

charles_leclerc

liked by yourusername, pierregasly, and others

charles_leclerc life with you is so much better, I am the happiest after you showed up 💛

tagged: yourusername

view all 9,520 comments

carlossainz55 happy for you, Charlito

yourusername I love you ❤️

⤷ charles_leclerc je t’adore ❤️

⤷ fan47 HE ADORES HER AS IN HE WORSHIPS HER 😭😭😭 Im waiting for my turn, God!

taylorsversion22 Its their world, we just living in it

grandprincemonaco charles leclerc official profile is now a yn fan account? I support it

********************

If you liked it, make sure to like and reblog <3 feel free to talk to me as well, my inbox is always open! And I will start a taglist on my posts, to be part of it you just gotta comment/send an ask saying so, and most important: have your age in your profile (I don’t interact with minors!). See you guys next post! <3

[shylittleunicorn15]

have my au style of kwazii

i tried to make him have the design as an orange tabby and a calico mix as good as i could get him

and yes i do plan making calico jack also a calico orange tabby mix

this was my first time drawing a octonauts character and background

this was also my first attempt at making the octonauts octo-alert logo on the door:

idk what if that's what it is or just the octonauts' logo

I've got headcannons and i wanna share em

(i know my grammar is horrible hush)

-kwazii and calico jack are part of a family of pirates from japan so kwazii didn't know any English calico jack learned way before him

-kwazii always wanted to know what is was like to be a stowaway and that's how kwazii became an octonaut he stumbled into a box on land after a few minutes it was picked up and put into the launch bay dashi went down to help tweak and was the first to discover kwazii after his head popped out of the crate dashi helped get him out and alerted captain barnacles who brought him to the sick bay to make sure he wasn't hurt after that they went back on land and attempted to let kwazii return home but the feline just wouldn't budge instead they let him stay with them how he truly became an octonaut was because he saved a baby snail from getting eaten

-barnacles was the one who taught him English they became good friends because of it

-kwazii developed a crush on barnacles(dont judge me i dont judge you for your ships) so the little box instead of the ship in a bottle on the shelf is little pictures of barnacles with hearts on them there also seems to be the shade of black lipstick kiss marks on certain ones

-peso, dashi, and kwazii developed a chaotic sibling energy

-kwazii was shy at first when he became an octonaut now he's to crazy

-kwazii likes wearing eyeliner and sometimes lipstick(the shade black of course) he helps dashi apply her makeup too

-kwazii does not wear male clothes despite being transgender he would take his oversized pink sweater with a star on it, very short navy blue shorts, and black knee-high stockings any day he does change into a diver like suit when they go on missions outside of the octopod

-he got top surgery but wants to keep the ability to have children

-his pronouns are he/they but he prefers to be referred to as a he no one knows why

-he found a random scale nobody knows what it came from but its making kwazii feel like he wants to jump into the water without a helmet so he locked it in a small lock box in his chest he hid the key in his scratching post

-kwazii has a big soft spot for babies and children and has dreamed of having his own some day

-kwazii sees professor inkling as a father figure as his father died after a run in with other pirates costing in both his parents' deaths

-calico jack's crew told him to take kwazii and run while they were gonna hold them off he hopes they're still out there(they are they'll reunite soon)

-kwazii has an older brother and and and older sister his sister is sadly deceased but his bother is still alive with his grandpa's crew still an the lookout for him and kwazii his name is Arron

-kwazii has adhd and plays with anything that seems fun to him shellington has had to lock away his test tubes and experiments because of this

-kwazii wears an eyepatch to cover his blind eye

-he can be a little menace sometimes

-when kwazii first joined the octonauts tunip and the veggimals have had to be kept away from him after he tried to eat them a few times he knows now he is not allowed to eat them

enjoy

i struggled so much with this little menace please enjoy

just a question do you want to see more headcannons and art about the others? (i could probably draw calico jack and give you guys some headcannons)

[minyoongees]

FANTASY || JHS

✧ pairing: boyfriend!hoseok x reader

✧ genre: crack, smut 

✧ word count: 1.4k

✧ summary: When Hoseok hears the shower running, he can’t help but let his fantasies run wild.

✧ snip: “Who is the intruder in the bathroom he just had potential sex with

✧ warnings: mentions of oc’s body parts in sexual ways, mention of hobi’s body parts in sexual ways, doggy style, begging, hair pulling, mild edging, mentions of an intruder, oc being waaayyy too close to her sister (yes this counts as a warning, y’all single child won’t get it), embarrassing situations

I’d be glad to know what you think of this! 

The sound of keys jiggling fills up the empty hallways, practiced hands opening the lock within seconds. It opens with a creak and he cringes. For any sound from him could alert you of his presence and it could shatter his plans of scaring you.

He tip toes inside, softly sliding the keys into his dress pants' pocket. He strides forward slowly to your room, hoping to find you sitting on the vanity so he can scare you enough for you to mess up your eyeliner (he's pure evil and he knows that).

But an empty room and the sound of the shower running bums him out.

“Y/n baby we're gonna be late this way!” He calls out in the general direction of the shower door.

He lifts his arm to look at the watch on his wrist, “It's 7 already! We'll miss our reservation, just try to be quick yeah? I'm waiting outside in your room.”

So much for scaring you, he's got the scare now. They'd cancel the reservation he worked so hard on to book. It's not really a special day, but it really is. It's the same day 2 years ago you and him had sex for the first time after 3 months of dating. Now it wouldn't be something that special, you see (at least not special enough to work a month overtime to afford that expensive restaurant). But you had such explosive sex that day, you couldn't let this opportunity go now.

That day he made you cum 4 times, discovered your love for his tongue and discovered how you it makes you go dizzy when he chokes you a little. He loves to see your ass jiggle when he hits it from behind,

“Hobi, please-”

“What is it baby, what do you want”

You didn't even know what you were begging for, your head was empty except for Hoseok's dick and the way he was making you feel.

“What do you want?” he growled again with a particular sharp thrust of his hips and even any slight thought you might have had, flew out the window. The pleasure made your muscles relax to the point it was hard to speak. So he took the hint for himself.

He grabbed your hair, pulled your back to his chest and began grinding in you. The sudden change in positions had his dick grazing your insides from an angle that gave you the leverage to come back to reality. You moaned and whined so loud at the sensation. The knot in your stomach was loosening up, you were losing your orgasm but you were still so on the edge of it. You whined again, tryna back up into him and he, just chuckled. He chuckled. At your misery. That's right.

But before you could do something about it, Hoseok started thrusting again at a fast set pace.

“Good girls don't whine y/n and you know it, they take what's given to them” He growled.

He snakes his arm around your waist, fingers to your clit and other hand lingering on your neck. He bends you forward and hits right at the spot which makes you go limp in his arms. Any smart reply on your tongue is swallowed back down. Your orgasm creeping back up on you, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

“This is hands down the best sex I've had”

That's what you said to him in the heat of the moment and he hasn't forgotten it ever since. Even in the later hours it kept him wondering what exactly was it that he did to make you feel this way. Though he couldn't pin it exactly, but whatever was it he did, it only got better. Maybe it was the day you got to know one another' s body more, or got more comfortable with each other, but it really did change the way you look at each other now.

He can still hear the shower running. But he's got something else on his mind now.

He lifts himself off your bed and walks to your bathroom door and leans on one shoulder there.

“Hey sweetie!” He calls out, and waits for you to answer.

The shower stops running and he's met with complete silence. He knows you're listening.

“Remember the time you said I was the best sex you've ever had?” Yes, he knows he's twisting your words around, but he cannot bring himself to care enough.

“That was when I tried chocking you for the first time, you were so submissive for me, eyes all droopy. You couldn't even talk all your smart comebacks died down in your throat. Oh I remember the way your ass jiggled and the way you moaned so much, like, it's the most motherfucking beautiful sound I've heard in my life,” getting father away into his memories he didn't even realize when he started to palm himself in his pants.

“Oh I can't wait to see you tonight in that red satin dress of yours. You always look like such a sin, always so submissive for me, making me feel proud that they all know who you belong to.” he violently palms himself, his own hammy fantasies taking him too far. He couldn't think straight. Not right now when all his blood from his brain had rushed to his dick.

“I can't wait to come home and taste your lips like champagne, can't wait to pepper kisses all over your chest and thighs, eat you like the three course meal you are and kiss your fingertips—”

He seemed so adamant on fucking you that the time constraint seemed nothing like a problem to him anymore. But before he could execute it-

The keys jiggle again and he hears the familiar creak of your door opening. Wait- Who else had your keys?

He runs outside the bedroom to find you setting the groceries down on the table.

If you're here then who's in the bathroom taking a shower he just had potential sex with??

Automatically, he assumes the worst when all the blood rushes back to his brain.

“Oh hey Hoseok, when did you get here?” You chime.

“y/n!”

You turn to him startled and he grips your shoulders tight.

“y/n listen to me, now don't panic and listen,” he said, a little too exasperated for him not to be panicking himself “there is an intruder in your house and he's in the shower, I have no idea who he is but you lock the door and I'll call 911, it's okay we don't have to panic—”

“Wait what? The intruder is showering?” you question, like it's the stupidest thing ever, because it is!

“What are you talking about?” you laugh and say.

You took in his form, his formal shirt and those dress pants, silver hoops dangling from his ears, his blonde hair styled back. A small smile arose your lips at the sight of him.

“You forgot didn't you?” you take his hands off your hands and hold them in your hands, “Baby remember how I postponed our date to tomorrow 2 weeks ago because Jisoo was coming over?”

He turns his head back to look at her head peeking out of the door, hair dripping wet, tryna hold in a laugh.

You both look at each and start laughing. Hoseok drags himself to the couch, embarrassed, "Yeah yeah laugh all you want”

He hides his face in his palms and calls out "Noona you should've said something!” his voice muffled.

“Oh it was too funny to stop you, with all the ass jiggling and the three course meal” She laughs again.

“Wait, what?” You question “What happened here?”

Great that's what he needed now.

“Oh nothing sweetie, come here” he pulls you to him with your wrists,”I might've said something about how I wanted to fuck you tonight because I thought it was you in the shower.” He says in a small voice into your skin. Even saying it out loud now makes his skin crawl.

He can hear Jisoo laughing again with you as you place yourself next to him on the couch. You take his hand from between his palms and press a soft kiss on his cheek

You take the moment to put your lips next to his ear and whisper,"Don't worry, it'd be better than your fantasy”

[esperantoauthor]

Follower Celebration Fic!

@blaineandersimp and @porcelain-nightbird requested a BadBoy!Kurt story so here you go! Thank you to all of my lovely followers, this is for you! I hope you enjoy it!

Title: Full Service Author: Esperanto Length: 2,700 words

Summary: When Blaine's car breaks down, he finds himself being rescued by a very snarky mechanic.

Read it below the cut or on Ao3

There was a strange thunk from below followed by the insistent hum of the tire pressure warning turning on. Blaine cursed and pulled his car off the road. He took a moment to stare out into the half-darkness of the late summer evening. He wished, futilely, that the tire would just… be okay. That he could close his eyes and when he opened them, the yellow light would turn off and he could drive the rest of the way home.

When he opened his eyes, nothing had changed. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and discovered that there was no service on this particular back road. This is what he got for avoiding the highway.

“Fuck,” he muttered, hitting the wheel with the palm of his hand in frustration.

He mashed his finger against the dashboard, turning on the hazard lights, and then killed the engine.

He was seriously regretting not letting his dad teach him how to change a tire.

He took a deep breath. He needed a plan.

Lights flashed in his peripheral vision and he looked over his shoulder to see that a car was pulling up behind him.

He was pretty sure he had seen an episode of Bones that started exactly like this. But this might be his only chance at getting help. He swallowed thickly.

Someone was getting out of the car. It was large and black. He watched in his rearview mirror as the dark figure approach his car. Blaine still flinched when they rapped on the glass of the driver side window.

Letting out a shaky breath, Blaine rolled down the window.

A pale-faced boy with cold, blue eyes stared back at him. He seemed to be appraising Blaine. Taking in his mandated blazer and tie, his carefully gelled down hair. The boy smirked slightly and then rested his elbows on the frame of the open window, bringing his face even closer to Blaine’s.

“You have a flat tire.”

“I’m aware.”

“Well, that’s something at least.”

“Did you just pull over to mock me?”

“No, but I can’t deny it’s becoming an increasingly appealing temptation.”

Blaine let out a small grunt of frustration.

“What, Daddy never taught you how to change a tire?”

Blaine’s jaw dropped at how close to home this stranger had just hit.

The boy seemed to realize he had struck a nerve. Tone a modicum less harsh, the boy added, “Well mine owns a tire shop. He just locked up but lucky for you, I have the key. Why don’t we get your spare on and then you can follow me back to the shop to get a new tire put on?”

“Or you can just put the spare on and I’ll drive back to Westerville before I miss curfew,” Blaine countered. He checked his watch. If the boy could get his tire changed in the next thirty minutes he would just barely make it back to the dorm in time.

“Westerville? Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not driving all the way to Westerville on a spare tire.”

Blaine scowled.

The boy rolled his eyes. “Whatever, it’s your life. If you want to roll the dice it’s no skin off my teeth. Just don’t expect me to come bail you out a second time. Come on, pop the trunk.”

Blaine pulled the lever to release the trunk and then followed the boy around to the back of his car. Now that he was out of the vehicle, he could take in more of his strange savior’s appearance. He was dressed in black from head to toe with metal studs pressed into the cuffs of his black denim jacket and the cartilage of his ears. He was also unexpectedly, upsettingly pretty.

The boy was pulling a large metal device out of his trunk that Blaine hadn’t even been aware was in there. Then, suddenly, he began dumping the contents of Blaine’s trunk out onto the dirt.

“Hey!” Blaine shouted in protest.

The boy paused his reign of destruction and gave Blaine a scathing look.

“You’re… you can’t just put my stuff on the ground!” Blaine knew that his voice was pitching embarrassingly high but he felt suddenly vulnerable with his fate in the hands of this stranger.

“I’m sorry I don’t have an ivory pedestal upon which to put his majesty’s things,” the boy drawled.

Yep, the boy had definitely sized him up and passed his judgement already. Blaine loved his uniform but it sure did lead to a lot of assumptions.

“I don’t think it’s unreasonable not to want my personal possessions on the ground. Just… if you give me a minute I will clear out the trunk and put them in the back seat.”

The boy took a step back, palms out in resignation. “Whatever, I thought you were in a hurry, man.”

Exasperated, Blaine quickly gathered his shoes and backpack off the dirt and carefully set them into the backseat of his car. As he began shifting the rest of his items, his curiosity got the better of him.

“Why do you need me to clear out the trunk anyways?”

“Where did you think your spare tire was exactly?” he spit back.

“I… I guess I never really thought about it.”

The boy muttered something indecipherable under his breath but Blaine would have bet good money that it wasn’t complimentary.

When the trunk was cleared out, the boy pulled some invisible handle and the entire bottom of the trunk lifted up, revealing a spare tire. The boy’s eyes sparkled with triumph.

“Time to jack!” he declared.

Blaine let out an undistinguished snort.

“The car, Pretty Boy, not your dick.”

Blaine turned very red and began coughing so violently that he had to step away from the car. He could hear the boy cackling with laughter, clearly very pleased with himself.

“Alright, stop being such a prude I need you to give me a hand for a minute.”

Blaine took a deep breath in a desperate attempt to compose himself.

He crouched down next to the boy, admiring the way that the car was now a good foot off of the ground, lifted up by the large metal contraption the boy had found in Blaine’s trunk. The boy was expertly undoing the large metal bolts that attached his wheel to the car.

“Hold out your hand,” he instructed.

Blaine did as instructed and after a few more turns, the first bolt came loose. The boy set it in Blaine’s hand. “Don’t you dare lose those,” he warned.

“I’m Blaine, by the way.” They were crouching inches apart. Blaine felt like he should at least know the boy’s name.

“Huh. I’m Kurt.”

“Thank you for helping me out, Kurt. You didn’t have to do any of this. You could have just driven past me. Really, I appreciate it. Thank you.”

Kurt tutted. “Whatever. I can’t just let idiots flounder. It’s my only personality flaw.”

“Well, I guess mine is that I never learned how to change a tire.”

“Yours is worse,” Kurt said scathingly but when Blaine looked up he saw that the boy was smiling.

“Hand,” Kurt prompted as he loosened the next screw.

The tips of his fingers were warm against the palm of Blaine’s hand. It sent a shiver down his spine.

—

By the time Blaine made it back to the tire shop, darkness had fully settled over the city of Lima and his curfew was dead in the water.

Kurt switched on the lights and they turned on one at a time, until the whole shop was lit up. It was a nice shop, Blaine had to admit. Everything was well organized and gleamingly clean. Kurt looked out of place with his torn jeans and his navy blue eyeliner.

“If you don’t want to get grease on your uniform you should either stand back or put on some of those, Prep School.” Kurt pointed to a row coveralls hung on hooks.

“I told you my name, Kurt. Why do you insist on calling me stuff like that?”

“Oh so you don’t go to prep school?”

“That doesn’t answer my question!” Blaine countered, frustration beginning to rise.

Kurt narrowed his eyes and then laughed. “You’ve got me there. I don’t realize you would be so touchy about it, Blaine.”

“I’m not I just… well, maybe I am. I’m more than just a rich prep schooler with no functional skills, okay?”

“Okay. Then what are you, pray tell?” Kurt asked with a mischievous grin.

There was a loud sound as the spare tire dropped to the floor. Kurt regarded it with satisfaction and then wiped a drop of sweat from his brow, leaving a smudge of grease in its wake.

He moved the spare tire aside and then looked at Blaine expectantly.

“I… I don’t know…” It came out hushed and pathetic.

“Oh, so you’re normal. Well, that’s a relief.”

When Blaine looked at him, Kurt was actually smiling.

“Not normal enough for my dad to teach me to change a tire apparently,” he muttered to himself.

Kurt must have heard him because his eyebrows furrowed together. “What do you mean, not normal enough?”

“Oh you mean you couldn’t figure that out from one look at me? Your system might be flawed there, Kurt.” Blaine couldn’t resist the opportunity to seize the upper hand back from Kurt in this conversation.

Kurt, it transpired, was unflappable. With a shrug, he simply agreed. “Might be. Maybe I’ll plug my brain into the diagnostics computer after I make sure your car doesn’t have any other problems. So why aren’t you normal, Blaine? Besides being a rich idiot.”

“Too gay to be normal.” It came out strained despite Blaine’s best attempts to sound breezy.

“Well, that makes two of us.”

Blaine felt his eyebrows raise.

Kurt smirked in response.

“Well, I guess my dad was wrong. Being gay has nothing to do with your ability to fix cars.”

“Clearly,” Kurt said with a grin. “We have the same brand of tire as what’s on your car. Do you want me to just match the tire or did you want something cheaper?”

Blaine pulled out his wallet and frowned as he paged through the bills. "I only have fifty bucks.”

“Yeah, well that’s not going to cover a Michelin tire, my friend.”

“Can I get you the rest this weekend?” he asked, biting his lip nervously.

“You promise you’ll come back?” Kurt asked, raising a single eyebrow.

“Yes! I promise.”

“Hmm… I would need your phone number so I can harass you if you don’t show.”

“I’ll show! I may not know what I am but I know I’m reliable. And we’ve already established that I’m a rich idiot so you know I can pay. Please,” he whined, giving Kurt the full force of his puppy dog eyes.

Kurt turned slightly pink and took a step backwards. “Well, those are probably in violation of the Geneva convention or something,” he muttered, gesturing vaguely towards Blaine’s face. “Yes, fine. You’ve convinced me. Now stop making that face, for the love of God.”

Blaine grinned in triumph.

Kurt disappeared into the back room to locate Blaine’s new tire. Blaine checked his watch and realized that if he didn’t call in soon his parents were going to get a message from the school saying that he hadn’t signed back in.

Kurt reemerged, expertly rolling a large tire over the concrete floor, humming to himself. Blaine pointed to his cell phone and then stepped over to the side of the garage to call his parents.

“Look, Dad, I don’t know what you wanted me to do!”

…

“Well I couldn’t call triple A because there wasn’t any cell service!”

Blaine began to pace.

“Well, I didn’t get murdered, actually. A very nice boy is almost done changing my tire.”

…

“No, he didn’t overcharge me. And you should really reconsider giving me an emergency credit card because I didn’t even have enough cash to cover it and if he hadn’t…”

…

“Look, I’m sorry I don’t know what else you want me to say. Are you going to call Dalton or not?”

…

“Okay. Well, thank you.”

Blaine hung up and then bitterly added, “For nothing.”

He looked up to see that Kurt was openly staring. Blaine let out a sigh and put his face into his hands.

“Um, are you okay?” A hand hesitantly rested on his shoulder. Blaine looked up to see that Kurt was standing next to him now.

Blaine rubbed his eyes and then nodded. “Fine.”

“So, your dad kind of sucks, huh?”

Blaine nodded again.

“Sorry about that,” Kurt said softly.

Blaine looked at him in surprise.

“What? I’m not a complete asshole. Just like… most of the time. Besides, I’ve heard gay guys love assholes so…”

A fit of laughter overtook Blaine. It was loud and uncontrolled. After a moment of stunned silence, Kurt joined in. They cackled and guffawed until they could barely hold themselves upright. Blaine laughed so hard he had to wipe tears from his cheeks, or maybe the tears were from something else, but the release felt good regardless. Blaine had to lean against the wall to stop himself from collapsing and Kurt had to lean against Blaine for the same reason. Kurt dipped, nearly falling over, but Blaine managed to wrap and arm around his waist fast enough to keep him upright.

“Woah, there!” he said, still cackling.

For some reason, that only made Kurt laugh even harder. He clutched at Blaine’s blazer and pressed his face into his chest to muffle the laughter. Blaine felt his whole body grow warm. He didn’t drop the arm that was around Kurt’s waist.

Kurt lifted his head and suddenly they were nose to nose.

Blaine realized neither of them was laughing any more.

He felt the warm breath from Kurt’s exhalations on his cheek. Kurt smelled like honey. Blaine reached up and wiped the smudge of grease from the side of his cheek. Kurt let out a barely perceptible gasp.

“If I kiss you will you still pay me for the tire?” Kurt whispered.

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to?” Kurt whispered again.

“Yes.”

The wall was pushing into his back and his hand was somehow on Kurt’s neck now and then hot, warm, wet. Blaine groaned into the kiss, pulling Kurt’s face closer, still not remembering how exactly he came to be pressed up against the wall but very glad that he was. He felt like his whole body was melting and if not for the insistent pressure of Kurt keeping him upright against the wall, he would be goo on the floor right now.

Kurt wrapped one of his legs around Blaine’s and holy fucking shit Blaine had to grab the back of his thigh to keep him from falling over. Once they were stabilized, Blaine felt himself sink back into the kiss, letting Kurt be in control. Letting himself be pressed into the wall by Kurt’s firm chest and insistent hands.

Kurt’s tongue brushed against his and he felt his knees actually start to go weak.

Then suddenly he could breathe again, ragged gasping breaths. Kurt didn’t sound any better.

The stared at each other in silence.

“Wow, the sign wasn’t kidding about full-service,” Blaine joked.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Please, the rest of our customers wish they were so lucky.”

“Oh, so you mean you don’t make-out with all of your customers?”

“Considering that most of them are over the age of forty, consider us both relieved.”

Blaine let out a reluctant sigh. “I really do need to get home. My dad’s only going to get madder the later I make it back, and he’s already pretty furious.”

“Well, I’ll see you next weekend then.”

“Kurt, are you asking me out on a date?”

“What? No, I… you said you would be back to pay for the tire, so I just…”

“Too bad,” Blaine replied with a wicked smile. He scooped his keys up off the table, leaving Kurt utterly gobsmacked. He hopped into his car and started the engine.

Kurt rapped on the window of his car. Blaine cooperated and rolled down the window.

“You are very frustrating, has anyone ever told you that?”

“Sure, my parents tell me that every day.”

Kurt looked sad for a moment. Then his smile returned and he reached through the window to put his hand on top of Blaine’s on the wheel.

“You know, you can pay me back for the tire anywhere. It doesn’t have to be here.”

“Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?”

“Breadstix? 10am? They have all-you-can-eat pancakes.”

Blaine grinned.

“It’s a date.”

[hen-of-letters]

@spnprideweek day one: flags

This little ficlet for #spnprideweek is brought to you by my big, non-binary bisexual love for this beautiful fandom, and my desire to fix that moment in 'Baby' when Cas indulges Dean by saying "werepire", but Dean doesn't hear him and Cas doesn't know. It ended up getting a bit long, so there's more under the cut or over on AO3. Thanks!

Dean's at Pride, and feeling a rising level of discomfort.

It's not the fact that he's wearing eyeliner in public for the first time in his forty-two years. Hell, he'd been wanting to do that ever since he was a kid, dreaming of being a rock star. The covers of music magazines in gas station racks had been windows on a world free from the brutally narrow definition of what his Dad meant when he told him to "be a man". Gradually, though, he'd learned what is gloriously apparent today under the hot June sun: that there are as many ways of being a man as there are men.

It's not because the sleeveless white t-shirt he's wearing is somewhat snug. (The heat had made him shed his pink, purple and blue plaid shirt - the one he'd worn today because Claire always called it his 'bi flannel' - and tie it around his waist.) He and Cas are both wearing a little of their contentment on their waistlines these days, and he believes Cas when he says that he adores his body because he means it when he says the same to Cas.

It's not the big, heart-shaped sticker slapped on his chest, which is striped in the colours of the bisexual pride flag in a way that's much less subtle than the flannel. Dean's always known that he wasn't only into chicks, but putting a name to it is new. Dean's had jobs and Dean's had roles, but having an identity had always seemed like a luxury well beyond Dean's means. Now he's not constantly running for his life, though, he has the breathing room to figure himself out. And he's good with this part of himself. More than good.

It's not the two flags that are padding the pockets of his jeans. One, he'd bought for Cas: it's striped in pale pink, pale blue and white. Earlier, he'd gone with Cas when he'd met up with some friends he'd met online (having managed to get past all the cats this time). The ex-angel had found that discussing their experiences of being trans had helped him feel happy in the body that had become his own. Dean could only feel immense gratitude for the way Cas' face had lit up afterwards when he'd talked about how he was creating himself, becoming himself, and embracing the human condition of change.

Dean hopes that the gift of the trans pride flag will show Cas that Dean understands and loves him, and the same is true for the other flag, which he'd picked up for Jack. It's yellow, white, purple and black. Dean had had to do a little research when Jack had used the term non-binary - it's amazing how the world can move on while you're living in an underground bunker. He'd kept on researching, too, after he'd learned the basics. Maybe he was still figuring himself out. Maybe there was more to discover about himself, and wasn't that fantastic?

Jack is wandering around somewhere with Claire and Kaia. Jody and Donna are here, too, with Alex and Patience. Adam and Michael have probably partied their way through fifty international pride parades by now, but they should be meeting up with everyone else later. Sam and Eileen are not far away. Eileen was the one who's slapped the bi pride sticker on Dean's chest - with unnecessary force, if you asked Dean. She'd grinned at him, showed off the identical sticker on her own chest, and said, with a suitably cheesy wink, "we need to stick together". He remembered the moment he'd nervously asked her the sign for 'bisexual', and when she'd shown him - the letter signs for 'b' and 'i' - she'd added, "me too," and Dean had scooped her up into a crushing hug.His love for his family is endless, and them all being here is definitely not why he's uncomfortable.

And it's not the body glitter freckling his cheeks and his shoulders with gold, although his feelings might change by the time he tries to remove it tonight. He'd been gilded with it when he'd been dancing up a storm with a group of drag queens. They'd admired his eyeliner - a deep brown shot through with gold along his upper lashes - but winked and said it was "a little subtle for Pride". As soon as Dean had seen the tube of glitter, he'd yelled "hell yes!" and even managed to hold still long enough to be coated in the stuff before moving his body to the beat again. Although he's sure his feet will be aching later, so far his favourite cowboy boots are not the source of his discomfort.

It's not the bright pink feather boa, either, which he'd acquired from the same source as the glitter, when he'd been sent off with a kiss to the cheek and the words "be bold, honey!" He'd expected the boa to tickle or irritate, but for some bizarre reason the sensation of feathers around his shoulders and the back of his neck feels incredibly comforting and reassuring. He feels warm and safe and oh. Oh.

As that particular realisation sweeps over him, Dean tightens his hold on Cas. He's standing behind him with his right hand on Cas' hip, and his left arm is up over his shoulder and wrapped around his chest. His hand is splayed out, at once putting his silver wedding band on display and somehow attempting to conceal Cas from the eyes of his many admirers (and, well, good luck with that. Cas is incredibly beefy these days).

Which brings us to the source of Dean's discomfort; to the thing that's deepening the furrow in his brow and the dimples beside his pursed lips: namely, the sheer number of guys hitting on Cas.

It's not like Dean can blame them. Cas' muscular frame is wrapped in black jeans and a tight black t-shirt bearing the Led Zeppelin 1975 tour logo. The short sleeves show off the floral tattoos trailing down his left arm. Cas is wearing a rainbow-coloured enamel belt buckle and, because he's determined to be the death of Dean, black cowboy boots. Before they'd left, Dean hadn't been able to resist grabbing a black kohl pencil and smudging a little along Cas' upper and lower lashes. And, okay, maybe Cas' wide-eyed bewilderment every time he's flirted with is vaguely amusing. But when Dean is right here? Not cool.

Right on cue, here's another one. From over his husband's shoulder, Dean levels his very best glare at the guy. It's a look that can stop a demon dead in its tracks. A vampire would tremble. A werewolf would wet itself. But one young gay guy with a few drinks in him? Totally unaffected. Like the others, he's all smiles and understanding when Cas politely, if awkwardly, waves him away. (Literally. With a final dorky little wave goodbye.)

Dean realises that he's moved his right arm around Cas' waist, so now Dean is wrapped around Cas like some kind of koala/octopus hybrid. An octoala? A koctopus? Definitely koctopus. Heh.

Dean snorts at the thought, which is somewhat unfortunate, given that his face is right next to Cas' ear. Cas flinches and turns his head around to fix him in a squinty glare.

"Koctopus?" Dean says, apologetically.

Cas narrows his eyes further and tilts his head to the side.

"Um, the way I was wrapped around you. I was like a cross between a koala and an octopus."

Dean nudges Cas. "So what does that make me? C'mon, you know you wanna say it."

Cas just tilts his head a bit further to the side, either in confusion or outright despair. Dean has untangled himself from Cas and stepped back, and looks down at the ground, suddenly self-conscious.

Dean feels Cas' hand on his shoulder, and then it smooths over his back, finding the back of his neck underneath the boa. Whatever his shape, Cas' touch has the exact same effect on Dean. He looks up into the impossibly blue eyes of his husband.

"You're a very glittery," Cas begins, softly, "and very beautiful," one corner of his mouth lifts, and then he purses his lips together, trying to hold back the smile, "koctopus."

The corners of his eyes are crinkled. He's not amused by the joke, Dean knows, just absurdly pleased to be saying something he knows will make Dean happy. Of course Dean knows that Cas loves him, knows the whole cosmic-realm-crossing magnitude of it, but in little moments like this, he's floored by it. Dean can't help his sudden exhale or the massive grin that breaks across his face. He wraps his husband up in hug that they hold for a good long moment, before Dean leans back to kiss Cas.

No one had ever explained to Dean how difficult it is to kiss someone when you can't stop smiling. He'd never had that problem before Cas, but now it's practically a daily occurrence. It's a menace because kissing Cas is one of Dean's favourite pastimes. Now, they trade little pecks between wide, toothy grins, until passion takes over and the kisses become heavier.

It takes someone wolf-whistling for them to part, and then they're back to grinning and staring into each others' eyes, until Dean spots something on Cas' face. And something else. And something else. In fact, there's something all over Cas, and that something is gold glitter. It's on his face, his hands, his Zeppelin shirt, and even in his hair. Dean runs his fingers through the unruly curls - Cas has been wearing his hair longer lately - in an attempt to shake it out, but only deposits more glitter into Cas' locks.

"Oops," Dean says, "I kinda glitter bombed you there. It's all over your shirt, too. Sorry, Sunshine."

He doesn't sound terribly sorry.

"This is your shirt, Dean."

"Aw, man."

He does sound a little sorry now, but his future laundry woes are forgotten when Cas presses another kiss to his pouting lips. They're forgotten again when something across the crowd catches Dean's eye.

"Oooh," Dean exclaims as he drags Cas towards the stall he's spotted.

It's selling cowboy hats in every configuration of colour imaginable, and Dean is practically jumping on the spot excitement. Cas looks his husband up and down, slowly.

"You think your outfit's lacking accessories?" he deadpans.

"Yup," is Dean's gleeful reply, "and so's yours."

Cas' groan is lost to the noise of the crowd and the beat of the music, so no-one will ever know if it was one of protest or defeat. He does, in fact, end up wearing a black cowboy hat with a rainbow band, so if it was protest then it was highly ineffective. Dean's has a pink crown, purple band and blue brim, and he's carrying another black one with a band in the non-binary flag colours for Jack. Cas admits that Jack's going to love it.

"Damn, this is awesome," Dean says as they head back to meet up with the rest of their family.

Walking hand in hand with Cas, Dean's thoughts wander. Dean could kick his younger self for every time he'd called someone gay or a girl as a way of saying they were weak. Because all he can see in the people around him is strength. He grins again, giddy with the atmosphere of defiant joy. All around him is everything he'd spent his life fighting to protect: freedom, family, and love. Holding his husband's hand a little tighter, he's grateful that in the end he gets to have both: freedom and peace.

[bubblegumbeech]

Finding Home

Phic Phight Prompt by @hauntedozone

Sequel to Home with no Memories

He’d been alone on the road for a week now.

In all honesty he should be half dead, exhausted and starving and desperate to find something to eat or drink. But he wasn’t. Well, he was exhausted, just, more emotionally.

It would be easier, he thinks, if he knew who he really was.

His memories were still so fractured so damaged, he didn’t even really know what he was looking for. Just that he was following some vague idea, a concept, a feeling of family and comfort and home and everything a parent was supposed to provide.

So why was he walking away from them?

Easy, Danny thought, It’s because parents or not, those feelings of safety and comfort? Weren’t something they could provide. Even when they tried, even when all that effort was put forward to be those perfect, sitcom style parents, they couldn’t do the bare minimum and not lie to his face .

He wanted Jazz.

He didn’t even know who she was. Not really. But he wanted the feelings that came with the odd memory of her, the comfort, the warmth. The vague annoyance that he was so sure family members were supposed to feel towards each other instead of the full blown fear that held him in its grasp whenever Maddie- his mother - got near him.

In all honesty he wanted to know who he was. What he was. Daniel James Fenton. Missing for five years before being found, unconscious by his parents and brought to a hospital where they kept him for a month, planning their fake lives, their lies, and everything else.

That’s what he does remember. But who else was he?

Why didn’t he look any older? Where were the others? Why was he the only one found and why was it five years later?

But Danny didn’t have the answers. He might never have the answers. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to go look for them. First, however, he needed a place to start.

It was novel, being alone. It was pretty freeing as well, no pressure to pretend to be the child that someone else had been missing, no fear of being discovered doing something wrong. No fear of discovering something and it being wrong.

Danny had gotten used to being a wanderer, following a gentle tug in his core that seemed to pull him further and further away. There was no knowing where he was going, and he didn’t exactly have fair for a bus, or food, or really anything at all. So he had to just keep walking.

It took him a week before the hunger hit, and it hit harder than he’d expected. There was something wrong about it, he couldn’t help but think, he’d never heard of hunger being this deep, of seeping into one’s chest. His stomach growled, and he felt a tug towards something. He followed.

The tug took him towards a rest stop with a small diner, open 24/7 and full to the brim with truckers and other poor souls either caught on the road late at night or spending their lives transient and traveling. Just like Danny was now. He wouldn’t mind it, honestly, if he didn’t have the bone deep feeling that he was supposed to be somewhere, and that it was wrong for him to be away.

He walked in, hoping he passed for old enough to be driving on his own, and sat down at a table in the corner. The hunger was so much, just so much and he hadn’t eaten in so long. He’d been convinced that whatever it was his parents had done to him, it had taken away his hunger. It seemed now, that hadn’t been the case.

Maybe he could order food and run? There were plenty of places to hide in the woods, and he’d be good for at least another week right? Unless he just couldn’t feel hunger until it was pressing, didn’t he read somewhere that humans can go a week without food? He was still human, right?

“Hey sweetheart, where’s your parents?” asked an older lady in a waitress uniform, her hair was tied back in a tight but messy bun, and her apron was covered in stains. She set down a glass of water, looking worried and Danny smiled, tried not to look as tired as he was.

“I just got my license,” he lied, “so this is kinda my first roadtrip.”

A flicker of understanding passed behind her eyes and she smiled, “got lost huh?”

Danny ducked his head, an attempt at feigning embarrassment. She just shook her head and handed him a menu, “let me know what you want okay? And don’t let any of these old losers bully you, they’re the rough and rowdy kind.”

Nodding his thanks, Danny opened the menu. It was full of foods he couldn’t fully remember, things he wanted to try, but his eyes landed first and foremost on the burger on the top right. Out of all of them, that one felt the most familiar and he tucked the Menu away.

He sipped on his water, trying not to gulp it down too quickly. He didn’t want anyone to think he was desperate, they might think he was a runaway. They might call his parents. He needed to make it through this without being too suspicious, just eat, and run. Easy. People did it everyday.

When the waitress came back and he placed his order she didn’t look twice at his half empty water, just filled it quickly with the water from her jug and promised his food would be out right away. He waited eagerly.

Eventually, in an attempt to ignore the hunger eating away at the very center of him, he started people watching. He was in a small booth in the corner, so it wasn’t difficult to look around, see all the different people living their lives in the exact same place Danny happened to be.

There were a few sitting alone, silently reading the newspaper or some book, but most were sitting in groups, talking loudly and sharing exploits. Danny had no way of knowing if these people were strangers or friends with each other but he ached none the less.

What would Sam be like, sitting here surrounded by rednecks? In the few fuzzy memories Danny had, she always looked so elegant, all black clothes, sharp eyeliner, expensive fabrics. He couldn’t picture her in a place like this. Then again, he could barely picture her at all. The only truly solid image he’d had of her was from the article.

The one that proclaimed her missing. Along with Tucker and Jazz and Danny himself. He fought back tears, there was no use in breaking down now. He had to find answers, somehow.

His stomach growled again.

After he ate of course. The waitress came back with a huge burger and a whole plate of fries he hadn’t ordered and set it down in front of him. Danny had looked up at her, ready to tell her the mistake, but she simply waved him off and explained it was on the house. He looked hungry after all.

And well, he was. He tucked into the burger, and then the fries, and by the time he’d finished it all along with his third glass of water, his stomach was full to bursting and he had to sit back and take a deep breath. But despite the meal, he was still hungry. He could feel it, the pull in his chest screaming out for something, but he couldn’t eat another bite. He’d tried.

He fought back tears. What was wrong with him now?

The waitress walked over once she noticed he was done, “are you alright? Was the burger no good?” she asked and Danny shook his head, trying not to let her see his face.

“It was fine. Better than any burger I can remember,” he forced a smile.

She frowned, not taken in at all, “Sweetheart, I know our food ain’t that good. Something wrong? You want me to call someone-?”

“No!” he shouted, a touch too fast and far too loud. “No, I … I have to do this on my own.”

The waitress shook her head, she was practically flooded with worry and concern and it tasted almost bitter on his tongue. Tasted. Danny frowned.

“I- Do you want to hear a joke?” he asked.

Startled the waitress set down her jug, “of course sugar, let’s hear your joke.”

It was clear she was humoring him, but Danny didn’t care. He needed something, and there was an inkling of a possibility, a thought that maybe this might work, and he was going to jump on it with everything he had.

“Where does the General keep his armies?” he asked, banking on his knowledge from reading popsicle puns when he was sneaking out back home. No, not home. Back where his parents were.

The waitress rolled her eyes, “I suppose in the barracks?” she smiled.

“Nope, in his sleevies. Do you think glass coffins will be a success?”

“I don’t-” she tried to say, caught off guard by the pun and trying to humor him with a laugh, but failing, obviously, in her confusion.

“Remains to be seen. Did you hear about the guy who lost his left arm?”

“Uh no I-”

“Ehh, his hand writing’s all right now-” his joke was interrupted when he heard her bark out a laugh, a genuine one and Danny’s chest hummed with the sound. He breathed it in, and felt something ease, just a little, in his chest.

“I’m glad you laughed, my usual clientele don’t usually get my jokes. It's hard to explain puns to kleptomaniacs. They always take things so literally.”

This one had her snorting behind her hand and looking at him completely anew, “kid you are something else you know that? This your attempt at getting a free meal?”

Danny smiled awkwardly, “is it working?”

She rolled her eyes, “keep trying charmer. I’ll go get your bill.”

Danny absorbed just a bit more of her laughter before she left, letting it settle under his skin, comforting and energetic. It wasn’t enough, not nearly, he realized, but it took away the edge and he found himself feeling mostly normal again. Well, as normal as someone who could apparently eat emotions was.

He was gone before she returned.

It was an unsettling feeling to be sure. He still wasn’t fully confident he still needed to eat, if the only thing that had taken away the painful emptiness in his chest was going to be emotions. What else was wrong with him? He didn’t age, or if he did it was slowly, he didn’t eat actual food, the cuts and scrapes he had gotten while walking through the trees to follow that tug, that pull in his chest that kept him going, all went away as quickly as they appeared. He was almost tempted to cut his hand deeper and time it as the skin stitched together.

Was that something his mother had done?

One thing he did know, he needed sleep. It was to biggest hurdle in his entire time traveling, almost a week away from home and he’d needed sleep more than anything else and it was almost grounding. It helped him feel human even as he laid awake, looking at the stars and somehow knowing the names of every constellation but not remembering why.

He wondered if Tucker was okay. If he’d complain about traveling like this or insist they took some gas guzzling car. Would he have counter arguments to Danny’s fractured morals, comment on how one little meal won’t hurt a restaurant but it could be life or death for him. That felt like something Tucker would say.

Danny kept walking.

He’d prepared after the first stop at the roadside diner. First, he’d shoplifted protein bars and trailmix,then he’d charmed the rest stop cashier into a roiling laugh after defending her from a particularly rambunctious drunk that had wandered in and made a mess of things. She’d thought it was hilarious to watch a grown man get his ass handed to him by a teenager, and Danny’s chest had practically purred with the satisfaction. As if that right there had been the first meal he’d had in months.

After that he felt lighter, like gravity wasn’t affecting him as much, and the pull on his chest got stronger, leading him away and into a certain uncertainty. He was excited now, pushing all the thoughts of experiments and inhumanity aside, there was an adventure to be had. And he was going to have it.

Looking at the stars helped too.

It was secondary of course, but whenever he felt frustrated, or tired, or on the edge of just stopping and giving up right then and there, he’d look up at the stars. Orion was there, watching over him, the big dipper and canis major, and every other constellation he could point out with ease. It gave him the energy he’d needed to go on, keep moving forward. To find the answers he so desperately needed.

One of the things he stole had been a watch. It was a large, ticking one that had caught his eye as he walked around the large store, trying not to seem to suspicious. It reminded him of something, the analogue clock he'd convinced Maddie and Jack to buy before he ran away perhaps? Or maybe, it was the ticking that was familiar. Either way it had been a comfort when he wrapped it around his wrist, holding it up occasionally to his ear just to listen. He let himself have it, this one thing that brought him comfort as he fled the only possible home he could remember.

It helped him sleep at night.

The first time Danny disappeared, it was because he was scared.

He was in the middle of the woods, decently far off the trail and mostly unconcerned with being found. Most people wouldn’t be out this far, this late, and they certainly wouldn’t be so far off the trail. Which was why, when he’d heard voices, hushed and excited, he went still.

Danny knew why he was here, the instinct he was following, homing beacon, whatever it was, it didn’t care where roads were, and it cared even less for forest paths. He wouldn’t get lost, and even if he was out here in the woods for sometime, he’d figured out exactly how to keep the hunger at bay. At least, for long enough.

The voices grew louder and Danny tried to think of what to do. Did they know he was out here? He hadn’t exactly been bothering to keep quiet, and if he could hear the crunch of leaves and foliage underneath the stranger’s boots as they walked nearer and nearer, then surely they had heard his own, far less careful steps.

Thinking, quickly and with no small amount of panic, Danny stayed still and calmed his breathing. If they knew he was in the area but he didn’t make a sound, it would take luck to find him, or some kind of tracking skill, shit. His eyes started looking around at the trees, picking out branches he might use to climb, but none of them looked like they’d hold his weight. Even if he himself felt lighter, it was unlikely a tree would agree with him.

He struggled to calm his breathing as the voices stopped, but the steps grew louder. What should he do? They were coming straight towards him? Why would they stop talking if they were trying, somehow, to sneak up on him?

His heart beat in his chest, an uncomfortably fast rhythm and Danny squeezed his eyes closed just as he heard someone break through the thick of trees in front of him.

“Brett there’s no one here,” a voice spoke, less than a foot away and full of gravel.

Danny opened his eyes.

There were two men in front of him, both holding weapons, one was a large pistol that had Danny’s heart almost stop once he caught sight of it, while the other was holding a large machete, likely used to make traveling through the wood like this easier.

“He’s hiding then,” said the stranger with the gun, “you saw the snag of blue fabric on the tree. He definitely went this way. Just, look in the bushes or something.”

The other guy, the first one to push past the trees and into the small space Danny was now standing, sharing with them, started swinging his weapon around and calling out in a sing song voice that had the hairs on the back of Danny’s neck rising.

“Come on out kiddo~.” he said, “we’re just worried about you. It isn’t safe getting lost alone in the woods at night. I mean, who knows what kind of scary people you could run into-”

Bret had slapped him on the back of the head, and ignoring his partner’s cry of outrage, said “you idiot. Do you even know how not to run your mouth?”

“Oh come on,” he’d said, carelessly waving his machete around, inches from where Danny was standing, back flush against the bark of a tree. Danny sucked in his breath to avoid being nicked. Even if they apparently couldn’t see him, the last thing he wanted was them getting a bit of blood on the blade and wondering where exactly it was from. “What’s he gonna do? Run? It’ll be easier to catch him then.”

Danny had to admit, that was certainly true. But he was eying a small trail between two of the trees nonetheless, maybe even if he made noise, if he was still invisible they wouldn’t be able to find him right?

The blade slid through his chest and into the tree.

He didn’t breath, didn’t risk the rise and fall movement of his chest, and braced for the pain. Like an idiot he’d gotten distracted, let them put a giant knife through him, and now he was going to bleed out in the middle of the woods on some quest for answers he didn’t know existed. His thoughts raced past, half formed memories that he’d been holding onto with desperation and emotions he didn’t properly remember feeling, interspersed with the image of his parents, crying on the driveway as he walked away. Was this what happens when an amnesiac watches their life flash before their eyes?

The blade got taken out of the tree, a thick piece of bark falling off and onto the forest floor before the man sheathed the thing. Danny raised his hand to his chest, confused. The pain had never come.

In fact, it was like nothing had happened at all. The blade had simply gone through him.

Like a ghost.

He ran away, running through trees and their branches, his steps silent and weightless, his hands barely there and transparent as he lifted them in front of his eyes. This wasn’t possible. It didn’t make sense, people can't just stop existing like this. That’s something he’d know, someone would have mentioned it as a possibility.

Right?

Something was wrong, horribly wrong and Danny fought against the feeling bubbling up in his chest, tried to force it down, and ran face first into a tree.

Groaning, he felt around his tender nose. Apparently being incorporeal wasn’t a permanent thing, it was just… something he could do now. Or maybe, it was something he could always do. How much of him as he currently existed, was from his parents experimentation, and how much was from when they’d tried to “fix him”. Would he ever get an answer?

Danny let his head fall back into the grass and listened for the sound of anyone following him. It would be quite a feat, he supposed, if they even realized he’d left with the way it went down. So instead he looked up at the sky, started counting stars, and let himself fall asleep right there. This dream was of an endless forest and a strange, guttural language he’d never heard before, but found himself understanding.

After he got out of the woods he went to a small town. It was nice, cozy even and the people were pleasant to be around. Even if they threw him the occasional odd look due to his filthy worn hoodie and unwashed hair. He took the chance to sneak into a gas station bathroom and try to wash some of the dirt that had caked on his face, there was nothing he could do about the dark circles though. They were a permanent fixture at this point and Danny almost wouldn’t recognize himself without them.

Once he was finished with that, he walked around a bit more, looking for stuff he could do, people he could help. The ache in his chest had come back after his long stint in the woods, and he was eager to take this opportunity to try and soothe it.

Unfortunately, a filthy stranger walking around town wasn’t exactly the most trustworthy character and Danny struggled to find anything he could do that wouldn’t just scare someone off. It was when he’d asked around outside the arcade if anyone needed help with something around town, that an adult man had stopped what he was doing, looked him up and down, and said “you trying to get a job?”

Danny, not knowing really how to answer, just nodded. He was, in reality, just trying to find someone to help payment not needed, but he wasn’t going to turn down an offer like that either.

The man just sighed and said that he’d needed help moving some of the machines into the back and that, legally, it was a two person job. He offered twenty bucks and Danny shook his hand eagerly, a large smile on his face.

The man introduced himself as Marsh Hangreeve and explained that there were about half a dozen machines that needed to get moved, either they were broken without repair, no one really played them any more, or they were so outdated that all the cords were starting to fray and become a health hazard to the younger kids that sometimes wandered around the arcade.

The first one they lifted had been lighter than Danny was expecting, and they were able to easily maneuver it exactly where Marsh had wanted it in the back storage closet. Once they’d set it down, he’d had given Danny an approving look, nodded, and led him to the next one.

They were on their way back from carrying the fourth, and Danny was feeling pretty pleased with himself, when a kid no older than six had ran past them and tripped over the wire of one of the damaged games, pulling it off balance. The entire machine tipped back, towering over the fallen child and Danny couldn’t stop himself from running forward if he’d wanted to. His very being hummed and pulled, and he was there, one arm holding up the machine and the other curled around the child, protective.

Marsh had screamed a warning, but it hardly mattered. Danny lifted the machine easily back into place and gently picked up the child in his other arm, before stepping away and setting him back down.

“Hey,  are you okay?” he asked the frightened child, concerned.

“Is he okay?” Marsh scowled, “are you? Boy I told you those were a two man job why would you run over trying to get yourself squished like that!”

Danny rolled his eyes, clearly it wasn’t as heavy as it had been made out to be, “and let him get crushed instead?”

Looking over at the kid Marsh breathed out a frustrated sigh, “I guess you have a point. But don’t do it again or you can forget the twenty bucks I owe you. Here kid, let’s find your parents.”

Danny smiled, it felt good, helping people.

Was that the human part of him though? Or was it something else?

When Danny and Marsh finished the job he’d gotten his twenty dollars and a free dinner, and Danny gratefully accepted. Despite everything, he really did like being around people. Humans were kind by their very nature, and Danny basked in that feeling as much as he could on his journey. Sure, sometimes he felt more like he was taking advantage than anything else, and it was selfish almost, to seek out civilization only for his own needs.

But he tried not to think about that too much either- it sometimes caused a physical ache in his heart- and let the free meal settle as he fell asleep again, under the stars. They were particularly bright that night and he could have sworn he heard the ticking off a clock as he drifted away to sleep.

It was getting colder. It made sense really, he was headed north afterall. And he’d made plans for that, for the winter cold and the snow. He’d gotten a winter coat from walmart by sneaking in through the walls, it turned out he could spread that particular power to anything he touched, and fought the wave of guilt that hit him every time he did something like that.

He justified it in his mind with two different familiar voices. One that was easy going and carefree and told him, “hey you need that more than anyone else does, besides who’s going to miss one silly coat if it’ll save your life it’s worth it right?” The other was more steady, almost righteous and it said that “large conglomerates like Walmart and other stores gain most of their fortune on the backs of workers. They could stand to lose a bit of merchandise.”

His plan, once it got too cold to stay outside, had been to use the truck stops and sleep there, insulated from the cold at night before heading out again in the morning and continuing to walk. He’d had the fleeting thought, that perhaps he was headed to the north pole, and that there was no way for him to get there, no matter how long he walked, because that just wasn’t what humans can do.

Then again, he should have known better than to think himself limited to what humans can do.

It was when he woke up, covered in snow and more comfortable than he’d been any time Maddie had tucked him into bed under layer and layer of warm blankets, that he realized the cold didn’t just not affect him: it was a comfort.

Danny had held the snow in his hand and marveled at it. It didn’t melt, nor did it’s cold sting at him, and Danny found himself sitting, enraptured, by the intricate detailed designs that every flake formed as it fell. He blew the snow from his hands and watched as more formed, icy and solid and buzzing with the same kind of energy he felt just underneath his skin. Could he make ice now?

Was he Jack Frost or something? It certainly made sense, Jack Frost could apparently turn invisible and supposedly took the form of a young man riding on the wind. Then again, he’d never read anything about Jack Frost being able to turn visible, and Danny didn’t think he could fly.

Could he?

How would someone even go about discovering that?

As eager as he was, Danny wasn’t about to go jumping off cliffs or anything, not when he was so close to his answers. To the end of the rope that’s been leading him, tugging at his chest. So Danny just shook the snow out of his hair, marveled at the comforting soft feel of it, and continued his trek.

Amity Park had a sign on the outskirts proclaiming it “a nice place to live” and Danny felt something click into place as he walked past the town’s boundary. His emotions were suddenly running wild, as if he’d been starving them, and suddenly he could feast. He had to take a step back but there was something stopping him, a cry for help and he ran towards it, energy flowing all around him too much to keep inside too much to hold and he felt as a bright light surrounded him and he flew forward, his legs fading behind him until he came upon a scene straight out of his nightmares.

It was a monster, terrorizing a young woman, probably in her early twenties if that. The monster was large, glowing, and only just opaque enough to not look like some kind of hologram. Danny flew in front of it, putting himself between it and the girl and growling a warning. He wasn’t thinking about how his feet weren’t touching the ground, he refused to question it for fear of the ability going away without his control. He didn’t look down.

The monster stopped, a stunned look on its face, “ghost boy?” it asked. Danny frowned, why did that voice sound familiar? Was he really something from his dreams? How much had he dismissed as fantasy only for it to be reality, law of nature breaking reality?

“What did you call me?” Danny asked, risking a glance to see if the woman had run yet. She hadn’t, instead she was just standing there, smiling, and when she noticed him looking, she waved. He fought a blush, what the hell?

The monster laughed, “I knew you hadn’t Faded! They all told me I was crazy to hunt for prey long dead, But I, Skulker, was right! And here you are!”

Danny didn’t know how to react to that. Did he know this thing? Wait, no, clearly he knew this thing. It was somewhere, scrambled with the rest of his memories. Flashes of cages, and fights, constant paranoia, and Danny felt his hand grow cold as he built ice in it to attack with.

The woman called out though, no longer afraid, “oh please. He’s only been gone, what a year? Weren’t you crying just last month about how much you missed him?”

Danny turned around to face her, “weren’t you scared? Why are you still here?”

At the same time the monster, Skulker, sputtered, “I was merely lamenting the loss of such rare prey!”

The woman just giggled, “how can I leave when my hero has finally retuned to save me~”

There was something weird going on here. For one, everyone seemed to recognize him, but neither of them had used his name. For two, he and this Skulker were clearly floating in the middle of the day and almost no attention was being paid to them at all beyond the woman who’d originally called for help.

Who clearly no longer felt she needed it.

“Hold on,” Danny said, struggling to sort through the information he was being given, “you two know me?”

Skulker’s grin dropped and the girl gasped.

“What do you mean by asking such an absurd question! You and I are mortal enemies! Of course we know each other!” geez, he didn’t have to get so offended.

Danny crossed his arms, “what’s my name?”

“Uh,” Skulker looked down towards the woman before looking back at Danny, “you know you’re usually a bit more tightlipped about that. It’s really not sporting to hunt prey that isn’t in it’s right mind.”

Danny scowled, “why would I be tightlipped about my name? Ugh, this is a waste of time. Just,” he pinched the bridge of his nose, “leave the lady alone and go do something I don’t know, Hunter-y that won’t piss me off.”

“Why would I-”

“Or I can freeze you into a block of ice that doesn’t melt,” Danny threatened, feeling the energy build behind his eyes.

At Danny’s glare, the hunter gulped and feigned looking at his watch. “Huh, looks like it’s time to go feed that gorilla, I’ll uh, be back to hunt you later Welp!” He flew away.

Danny sighed and let himself float gently downward until his feet touched the floor. The woman ran over to hug him, eager, and Danny just let himself go intangible, unwilling to be touched so casually by someone who basically amounted to a stranger.

“Do you know my name?” he asked, warily.

She blinked, “Of course! You’re Phantom, ghost boy and savor of Amity Park. Did you hit your head or something?”

“Or something,” he answered, still stuck on something she said, Skulker had called him that as well, “what do you mean when you say ghost boy?”

Her eyes widened and she brought one of her hands, slender and perfectly manicured, to cover her mouth as she gasped. “There is something wrong. I knew you wouldn’t leave for so long without a reason!”

Quicker than he could react to, she grabbed his shoulders and led him to a store front window. Whatever she was trying to show him was probably inside, but Danny was struck instead by his own reflection, ghostly and glowing with bright green eyes.

He disappeared.

The woman called out to him, not thrown at all by his display of power, or by how much a freak he must be. Was he the same as the monster he’d almost fought earlier? They’d called him ghost boy, was Skulker a ghost? Was he?

But he couldn't be. That didn’t make sense.

Someone couldn’t be alive and dead…

Unless…

Experiments…

“We were trying to fix you Danny.”

His chest hurt again. And he followed it subconsciously, taking a path through town on auto pilot, and trying not to think about his changed appearance. When had it happened, why? Was it something he could undo, like the other powers he had?

Why did this town feel so different from all the others? What was the giant spike of energy drawing him like a moth to flame in the center of everything. Was that what was pulling him here? Or was this just where he needed to be?

How long was it going to take to get him memories back anyways. There wasn’t even a clock tower here! Hadn’t that been his goal, the one thing he knew to look for?

His path had brought him to an old torn down building on the end of a residential street. It hurt, for some reason, to look at the rubble around him and not know what happened here, or even what it used to be. But he knew there was something here. He could feel it. The energy buzzed around him and he looked around, checking if there was any other crazy people or dangerous “ghosts” before he simply, let himself fall down through it.

He found a lab.

Not just any lab, but the lab from his nightmares. The beakers, the buttons, the ominous table with thick metal cuffs and dark green slime long dried on it. He put his hand to his chest, almost feeling the scalpel as it sliced into him. Taking a breath, he pushed it away, buried and hidden, he could think about that another day.

For now, all his attention was on the glowing green and purple swirling mass of energy that was singing at him like a song. It pulled him in, and he floated towards it, this power newly discovered and yet second nature, just like all the rest.

He hesitated for a moment, before he went through it. What if what he was looking for was over here, on this side of whatever that was, and he couldn’t get back out? What if he really was dead, and that led to the afterlife? What if he was missing the answers to his questions by going through?

But he’d followed the pull to this town and he’d found familiarity as foreign as it was, and now he was following his gut.

He braced himself and flew through.

What he found was a swirling green void that made no sense and defied what little laws of nature Danny remembered existing, like gravity and sense. Danny had the feeling that it went on, winding and stretching, for an eternity and that no matter what way he went, he could get lost forever and never find his way back.

That didn���t matter though, because right in front of him, larger than life and bigger than anything around it, was the clock-tower he’d been searching for.

It didn’t look like it belonged there, in fact, with it’s size and the relative barrenness of the collections of floating rocks and doors around him, it seemed rather ill placed. Like something had forced it somewhere it didn’t fit and Danny approached it cautiously.

There was no reason to believe that this was safe, just because he wanted it to be, just because his shattered mind had somehow put together that it was. He stood at the doors. In all reality they were ominous and foreboding. The entire tower was, sharp angles, deep purples and glowing greens. He didn’t feel scared though, so he lifted his hand to knock.

The door opened before he even touched wood and there, right in front of him, was another ghost. One he’d never seen before, with blood red eyes and a nasty, twisting scar hidden partially under a deep purple hood and a clock, ticking, familiarly, in his chest.

Danny felt tears build, his lips wobbled, his hands trembled as he clenched them tightly into fists, and when the ghost lifted his arms Danny flew into them clutching tight and crying. He heaved large, ugly sobs into his shoulder and felt a hand stroke down his back to comfort him.

“Welcome home.”