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harukaprism · 2 months ago

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Feeling of Pleasure

Pairing: Shorekeeper x F!Reader/F!Rover

Warnings: Smut, MDNI, 18+only, oral (Giving), fingering, virgin shorekeeper, cum eating (hehehehe), pet names. Toothrotting fluffy smut.

Word Count: 2,440

Dawn's notes: Y'all I love women.

The day was slow and rainy, you had been locked in your room going over documents and information from all the Black Shores, mostly Alto and Encore, but you needed to study and take some time to be away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life fighting TDs.

A knock came to your door soft and gentle, the smell of flowers washed in through the cracks. You knew exactly who was at your door so you gave them no time to ask for entry. “Come in, Shorekeeper.”

In walked the beautiful woman who was always in your dreams, tempting you to experience everything with her. Her pale skin had a hint of flushed pink. How new. “I apologize if I am interrupting your studies.”

Standing from your desk you threw her a smile. “You could never interrupt me.”

The pink on her cheeks only grew a brighter shade as she forced her eyes away from your face. “I have a question, it may seem an inappropriate question.”

Your heart started pounding in your ears. You could only guess what in the world she was talking about. “Shorekeeper, you know me better than anyone else, I doubt what you are going to ask me is that inappropriate.”

Watching her chest move up and down as she took deep breaths working up the courage to ask. “Why do humans seek out sexual desires?”

Now it was your time to falter. What in the world had she been watching or reading? Watching the panic raise in her eyes you let a chuckle escape your lips to try and calm her down. “Well I can only give you my reasoning. I do it to feel good, the pleasure and the feeling of giving your partner ecstasy is mind numbingly good.” You practically purred that last bit thinking of your previous escapades.

She kept avoiding your eyes as you watched her process your words. “Shorekeeper, why are you asking?”

“I have been doing some research into what a relationship for most humans looks like and the topic of sex came up constantly.” She was speaking quickly in embarrassment.

Good lord how was she this innocent and cute at the same time. Taking a moment to think about your next words you held out your hand to her. “Are you asking to know what sex feels like?”

Now her face was as red as a Pavo Plum, she blinked slowly at you as if trying to process why you would even ask her that. You waited patiently to let her think about your question, this was not something you wanted to rush her in, and if it even felt like you coerced her into this you would hate yourself for all of your days.

Finally after what felt like forever she opened her mouth. “Yes, I want to know what sex feels like. But isn't sex normally between a man and a woman?” She took small steps to your hand and gently intertwined her fingers with yours getting closer to your body.

“Typically yes, but there is nothing preventing a woman and another woman from having sex.” You let her take her time getting used to the closeness of your bodies. Her outfit left not much to the imagination, you could only imagine what she was wanting you to do or where she was sensitive to touch.

Her curious eyes watched your face. “And you will show me how this works, yes?”

You nodded at her question. “As long as this is what you want me to do.” She could only mimic your motion and that was all you needed. You walked her over to your bed and sat her down gently. “Before we begin, a few ground rules. If you say stop that stops everything, if you don’t want me to touch somewhere you say no. We take this at your pace okay?”

“And what do I do to pleasure you?” She was flustered but she was always thinking about you and you alone.

“You enjoy yourself, bringing you pleasure will give me pleasure.” With her shy nod you fell to your knees in front of her. Nice and gentle, you had to be soft with her. You ran your hand up her soft leg as you unbuckled her shoes.

Her body reacted to your touch, goosebumps racing across her skin as you took your time kissing up her legs. Working your hands to the back of her dress you kept your eyes on her beautiful purple eyes as her chest heaved, her soft hands were tangled in your silk sheets. “May I?”

Giving you permission, you slowly unzipped her thin dress letting the sleeves fall off her shoulders. As the fabric fell off her body you stared at her beautiful and perfect perky breasts, it took everything inside you to keep from pouncing on her and bury your head in between them and get lost in her body.

But this wasn’t about you, this was about her. Your lover. Your lover.

“Are you okay so far my love?” You glanced up at her watching her small reactions.

“Y-yes, I am fine. Please continue.” She was so shy, it was adorable.

“Lift your hips baby, let’s get this off you.” She followed your order letting you slip the dress off of her exposing her naked body to you; save for her panties that is. And boy were they cute, lace and white lining her perfect pussy ready for your taking.

Hooking a finger in the leg band you let a smirk tug at your lips. “Such cute panties.” You cooed out to her rising up from your knees. “Do you want to watch me undress?”

Her eyes sparkled as she nodded letting you work through throwing off your clothing, panties and all. You approached the bed again watching her stare at every inch of your body, her eyes lingering on your breasts. As you got closer to her you lifted her arm so she could grope at your breast as you leaned in kissing her deeply with all the passion you could give her.

She moaned in surprise at the touch, it was the perfect opportunity to get your tongue inside her mouth. You gently brushed your tongue against her bottom lip, her mouth opened shyly giving you access. She was tentative to move as you explored her mouth, but it didn’t take much time for hers to meet yours, they danced with each other as you drank in every bit she gave you.

You had to have everything she had, nothing else would be acceptable. She was the one who broke the kiss, needing to catch her breath, staring at a string of saliva still attached to both of your mouths, which stroked your flame for her.

You were all for her taking her time but you needed more of her taste. “On your back baby.” Following your orders she positioned herself to lay comfortably on your bed. Gently taking both of her legs in your hands you positioned her right where you wanted her.

Now for the last little bit. You ran your hands up her legs grabbing at the lace that covered your desired fruit. Slowly you slid them down her legs tossing them onto your desk. “The first thing I am going to do is eat you out.”

Her head tilted at your words. “Eat me out? That is not possible.”

Ahhhh, you forgot how innocent she really was. “It means I am going to stimulate your pussy with my mouth. I promise you it will feel good.” You lowered yourself onto your stomach putting her feet on your shoulders as you raised your mouth up to her clit.

She smelled sweet, mouthwatering sweet. But what surprised you was that she was already wet. Naughty girl, her research had aroused her. First you licked your lips, wetting them some more wanting to be as smooth as possible for her, then with a deep breath; taking in her scent one last time, you raised your tongue to her opening and licked all the way up to her clit.

The moan that escaped her lips was heavenly. Just the subtle twitching of her body sent a shock of pleasure right to your core. The taste could satiate you for months, and as she smelled she tasted just as sweet. So perfect.

You kept your ministrations gentle and slow, letting her feel the pleasure drinking in everything she had to give you. The sweet addictive juices that were now your nectar of life, her very cute moans that she couldn't keep hidden from you.

“I-I feel strange.” She managed to choke out as her hips wiggled under your soft grip. “T-there is a t-tightness in my s-stomach.”

It was like the angels singing in your ears. Battling with yourself you pulled away just enough to talk her through it but also still brush something across her bundle of nerves that was the sole object of your obsession. “You are okay, just let yourself feel it and ride the wave beautiful.”

Now was your time to really go deep into it to let her experience the throes of pleasure. Latching your lips around her clit you started sucking as gently as you could to let her ride her high out to the fullest.

Your name came cascading from her lips as she reached her peak. Her body went taught for a moment then fell to your bed, not wanting to overstimulate her you detached yourself from her and watched her breathe heavily. “I have you my dear, you’re safe.”

You held her hand gently letting her twitch under your body, she needed time to come down from her orgasm. While you let her take her time to come back to reality you kept your body pressed against hers. Once she was back her purple eyes met yours again. “I still have a desire for more.”

The gods had blessed you on this day truly, but you had to be sure she could handle more. “You may desire it, but it depends on if your body can handle more. May I touch you again?” Her ‘yes’ was so shy it was adorable. You reached your free hand down between her legs, she was wet enough that you didn’t need to soak your fingers yourself.

You ran two fingers between her folds making sure to get enough of her wetness to lube up your fingers. “Alright, I am going to finger you now.” Slowly you started to inch your fingers inside her entrance. Just the feeling of her around you made you dizzy, it was everything you could have wanted wrapped in the perfect package of the wonderful Shorekeeper.

Arching your fingers up, you brushed your fingertips against her soft spot already knowing how to play her body like a fiddle. She choked out a gasp as you could only assume the pleasure rushed to her brain from her spine. You took your time thrusting your fingers in and out of her as her entrance clamped around you trying to pull you back inside every time.

“You’re such a good girl.” You cooed out to her as you brushed your thumb against her clit to match the pace of your fingers, her moans growing louder. She was so perfect, the way she called out your name as she tried, and failed, to sit still. Her beautiful breasts bouncing with her heavy breaths captivating you, you needed more of her.

Keeping your fingers inside her and circling her clit at a steady pace you leaned down over her body, wrapping your lips around her nipple sucking gently. Her squeal mixed with her wanton moans set your core ablaze. Like you said, bringing her the pleasure she was experiencing was enough for you.

She was getting close to coming again, now was the time to pull out the big guns. Removing yourself from her nipple, which was now very wet from your licking and sucking, you kissed all the way up her chest to her neck, then up her chin.

Suddenly you increased your pace of your fingers making sure to target her soft spot as you kissed her, making sure your tongue was inside her again wanting her to feel you. Her hands made their way to your back as she moaned as best she could as she tried to meet your pace but her orgasam took over her body.

Her beautifully painted fingernails buried themselves into your back as her body twitched and pulsed under you. Pulling your mouth away from hers you let her breath through it, though she was struggling. “In and out slowly baby girl.” You spoke softly as you kissed her face lovingly, she was following your orders and slowly her body started to relax falling back into the sheets.

Her eyes were glossy as you watched her very closely. “I’m taking my fingers out now.” Talking her through this last part was crucial. She whined as you did as you told her, it took everything inside you to not be a nasty pervert and make her watch as you licked them clean of her orgasam.

In private you would, she didn’t need to see that right now.

“I’m going to get a towel and some water, just lay here.” Getting off the bed softly you made your way to your connected bathroom to get a soft cloth. You took a look in the mirror and smirked at yourself as you raised your hand up that was covered in her essence.

You licked your fingers clean, tasting her one last time. After finishing you wetted the towel with warm water and made your way back to her laying pliant on your bed. Her knees were pushed together blocking you from touching her sensitive pussy again. “Let’s get you cleaned up darling.” Sitting in front of her you spread her legs and gently and as delicately as you could you cleaned her up.

Once she was taken care of and the towel safely in your hamper you laid next to her waiting for her to come back to reality, to come back to you. It took some time but her eyes cleared up as she curled into your body needing your closeness.

With her face safely nestled between your breasts you heard her speaking softly. “Thank you.”

You pulled the blanket over the two of you protecting her naked body. “Anything for you my love.” With a soft kiss to her head the two of you fell into a slumber of peace.

#wuthering waves #wuthering waves fanfic #wuthering waves fanfiction #wuwa #wuwa fanfic #wuwa fanfiction #wuthering waves shorekeeper #shorekeeper #the shorekeeper #wuwa shorekeeper #sapphic #shorekeeper x you #shorekeeper x reader #shorekeeper x rover #shorekeeper x f rover #shorekeeper x ya #dawn.writes18+#18+only #dawn writes 18+

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gremlintheslut · 1 year ago

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Kinktober

Day 2 Feminization and jealousy

Axl rose

Summary: realizing he is going to lose the love of his life over what many would consider small or unimportant axl forces himself to do the unthinkable to get her to stay.

Warnings: feminization, self degradation, mommy kink, oral and implied oral (f receiving), over stimulation, anal, reach around hand job, strap on, femme dom

(sorry for the late post I didn't realize till today the schedule posting feature didn't work)

Master list (main pinned)

I can't do this. She is the love of my life and I have watched her flirt with guy after guy trying to find my replacement. I look over at her as she takes off her heels right across from where I'm sitting on the edge of the bed. I know what she wants and maybe I'll learn to want it too. I'll lose her if I don't. "I'll do it" I say to her. "What?" She says turning to look at me. I make eye contact with her and I have never felt more humiliated in my life.

"I'll be submissive" I mumble looking down not wanting to face her. "Speak up Axl I can't hear you" she says clearly annoyed with me. She walks closer to me and puts her ear in front of my face. "I'll be submissive" I whisper into her ear. She looks at me with a smile all her annoyance gone. I feel less embarrassed and more comfortable. "Really?" She looks the happiest I've ever seen her. I nod my head. "Strip naked for me ax" she says before going to the walk in closest. That was the first time she had used that nickname in 4 months before we had our last big fight.

I pull my shirt off and throw it to the corner of the room. I can hear her moving things around trying to find something. I unbuckle my belt and throw in the same general area of my shirt. I unbutton my jeans and unzip the zipper. I pull my pants down along with my boxers and step out of them. I kick them to the pile of clothes and y/n returns seconds later with a box.

She puts it down on the bed behind me and I continue to look at her puzzled waiting for her to say something. "Okay change into what's in the box and tell me when your done" she says smiling before quickly leaving before I can open the box. I open the box and I feel utterly humiliated and I'm not even wearing it yet. A pink lacey bra with a matching micro mini skirt sit folded nicely in the box.

The bra has no padding and is a tight fit. The skirt has elastic and I have no problem getting into but it does dig into my hips a little. I stand in the outfit almost wanting to cry and lock the door to stop her from ever seeing me like this. But, this is what she wants. The only reason we have had big fights and she clearly doesn't love me like she used to is because she wants this every once in a while. She will be happy to see me like this not disgusted. Y/-" I clear my throat "y/n I'm ready"

She opens the door, walks in and closes the door. I'm not looking at her. I can't until I hear her reaction. "You look perfect baby" I'm ashamed to admit but I get a semi. I feel disgusting and now I'm afraid I might actually like it. I look at her and she is unbelievably happy. I have never seen her this happy before. I look down and see she's wearing a strap on. My semi goes to a full hard on. I'm so full with embarrassment. Thank God she doesn't say anything. My face is burning and I'm staring at the floor. I'm sure even my ears are red.

Y/n puts her hands on my jaw and makes me look at her. She goes up on her toes and kisses me. "Thank you ax really thank you" my embarrassment is somewhat washed away. Her hands mover from my face to my shoulders. "Get on your knees" she says her gentleness fading and I obey without out question. She doesn't need to tell me what to do I know what she wants. I lick my lips and put them around the tip of the dildo. I slowly put more and more into my mouth as she plays with my hair and watches.

Not wanting to gag I stop when I know it's close to the back of my throat. She puts her hands on the back of my head and slowly forcing me to slowly go further. Tears fill my eyes and soon spill down my cheeks as I start to gag. She stops for a moment to let me get used to the feeling before making me go further. I hate this. I hate the gagging and this sick feeling I have in my stomach from thinking I'm going to puke. My hard on is completely gone at this point.

She grabs my hair and pulls me off. Thank God. I cough a little and wipe the spit from my face before following her next commands. "Get on the bed" she says and I nod my head doing as she says. Without saying a word she rearranges me into the position she wants me in. On my hands and knees facing the headboard of the bed. She leaves my side momentarily to get the bottle of lube on off of the nightstand which hasn't been touched in nearly 6 months now.

I hear her open the bottle and the sound of the gooey liquid being slathered on something but I can't feel any lube on me. I know what's about to happen and every part of me wants to end this now before anything happens. But I don't. I think of her smile and how sincerely and sweetly she thanked and spoke to me. I feel the lubed up tip of her strap on prodding at my asshole. She pushes the tip in and my eyes full with tears of pain and humiliation.

She slowly pushes the strap on in further. I am filled with disgust as my dick gets hard again. I'm trying my best to convince myself I don't enjoy this but I don't believe me. I feel her hips bump me as the last inch of the strap on fills me. Tears roll down my face and I hold back a sob. I enjoy this why the fuck do I enjoy this. She reaches around and with the remaining lube still on her hands she wraps her fingers around my shaft.

She starts to slowly move her hands up and down my cock as she moves her hips matching the pace of her hand. She is very gentle clearly not wanting to hurt me. I let out a moan as she hits my g-spot for the first time. It feels so good and the pleasure distracts me from my thoughts. She speed up the pace. The stretching sound of the the lube up toy almost fully existing me and reentering me fill the room. My tears continue to flow but from overwhelming pleasure.

Then I say something I never knew I even wanted to say. "I'm gonna cum mommy" she speeds up in response and I cum all over the bed and her hand. But she doesn't stop nor slow down. I let out a whine of pain. "Fuck stop" I say and she doesn't listen. I'm not sure if I really want her too. My dick feels like it's on fire from the amount of stimulation it's getting and the tip is firey red. I moan loudly not caring if the neighbors hear.

I'm close to cumming again. I want to say "mommy I'm gonna cum again" but the only word I can get it is "mommy" I continue to repeat the word unable to get through the sentence. I blow another load over the bed and her hand. She still doesn't stop. At this point I feel no pleasure and only pain. Everything hurts and I'm begging her to stop in between sobs. I'm so sensitive and I can barely form any thoughts other than "ouch". I go down on my elbows and bury my face into the bed.

I haven't cried this hard since I was a child. I don't even have time to realize it myself before I'm cumming again. She finally takes her hand away from my dick. She places both hands on my hips and slowly pulls out. Once she's all the way out I colap onto the bed and cry. I lay in my cum crying while takes of the strap on and puts it on the bed side table. Climbs into bed and holds me. I calm down soon after. "What is it?" She asks me still being able to tell when I'm not saying something after all the time she has paid no attention to me.

"I thought I was gonna hate that" I say ashamed. "But you don't?" She asks and I shake my head. "I think I loved every second of it" I admit. "You don't seem happy" she says. "I feel disgusting" I say. "There's nothing disgusting about you baby and even if there was I would still love every part of it" she says and I feel way better. I roll over making her fall into her back. "What are you doing?" She chuckles a little. "It's the first time we've had sex in almost 6 months and you think I'm gonna let you go unsatisfied?" I say as I position my head between her thighs.

Words-1640

Thanks for reading💋-gremlin

#axl rose #axl rose smut #guns n roses #axl rose gnr #guns n roses smut #kinktober #kinktober 2023 #axl rose gnr smut #kinktober day 2

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missholoska · 2 years ago

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some new Underswap MH designs! properly showcasing Maddy the Dummy, and introducing Swap MH Ruins Dummy's Mad Mew Mew equivalent form ✨

info about them and design ramblings under the cut!

Dummy:

appears as the tutorial dummy in the Ruins - Asgore encourages Chara to talk to them, but no matter what action the human takes, the Dummy will take offence and leave the room after snapping at them. Asgore then takes the opportunity to tell Chara that even if a monster is rude, showing mercy is still important.

Bored Dummy:

appears as a boss in Waterfall - Mad Dummy told them to get revenge for how they were treated by Chara, but Bored Dummy doesn't really care about fighting and only does so to make their cousin happy.

at the end of their battle with Chara, Happstablook notices the commotion and makes a dramatic entrance with a glitter bomb, inadvertently spooking his cousin out of their body.

Mad Dummy:

offscreen, Alphys asks if they'll model a Mew Mew Kissy Cutie cosplay she'd been working on, as she can't find her usual training dummy to ask. after agreeing and trying on the outfit, Mad Dummy has a Mad Mew Mew-esque identity revelation, and continues wearing the cosplay for the rest of the "game".

if Chara speaks to her in the overworld, she mentions she's considering renaming herself Maddy.

???:

briefly reappears as Bored Dummy again with Maddy after Alphys' hangout event, but soon afterward decides to leave that body behind for good.

after the barrier is broken, Chara can find the uninhabited dummy body in Waterfall, and a barely-visible ghost floating near the snails at Blook Acres.

Maddy the Dummy:

loving life as an adorable mannequin model and one of Napstabot's singers. she frequently changes her look with different wigs and clothes, and has a preference for pinks and pastels, frills, and occasional edgier styles.

still very much the loud, energetic and quick-to-anger type, easily switching from cutesy charm to yelling at someone annoying, and retains her habit of repeating words/phrases three times.

doesn't become Mew Mew like her UT counterpart, but she does have a big soft spot for the Mew Mew Kissy Cutie series, though she prefers Mew Mew 2. she and Alphys have had multiple Undernet arguments about this.

has both friends and knives now!!

Pom Pom:

still lacking a body on the surface, Chara offered to knit them a custom body of their own. they liked the idea of being an animal-like monster, as well as an apple theme based on their favourite saying (that being their UT counterpart's check description). once the body was complete, they soon became corporeal and took on the new name Pom Pom.

they're shy, quiet, easily startled, and especially prone to boredom. they have little tolerance for aimless shenanigans, and will either leave a situation they dislike or just ragdoll on the floor and sleep. they stand like they're about to fall over at all times.

their new body kept some familiar features from their previous, including a cotton heart and button eyes. the heart functions similarly to Napstabot's heart-shaped core.

ghost ages are pretty vague, but they're an adult and the youngest of the ghost cousins.

I've talked about Maddy a couple times in the past, but to reiterate: like Happstablook I want to handle her character with as much respect towards her UT counterpart's story as I can, given that her role swap predates Mad Mew Mew's reveal. had I not designed and gotten attached to my Napstabot in early 2018, just months before UT's Switch port, maybe I would've swapped Mettaton and Mew Mew instead, but it is what it is. think of her as Mew Mew and Glad Dummy combined 💖

as for Pom Pom, with how little canon info there is on Ruins Dummy I just went all-in on what few details I had to work with. admittedly the apple theme is a total stretch from the "apple of my eye" part of their check description, but I liked it too much to not go with it! and them being an animal-like humanoid is to match Mew Mew being a catgirl, so I thought a deer suited their personality.

also, the reason their body was knitted by Chara specifically is I love the headcanon that ghosts can hear the narrator (based on Napstablook responding to their own check description), so after applying it to Swap MH I thought it'd be cute if Chara and Frisk have a close bond with the ghost family post-pacifist :'>

anyway I'm aware that they're pretty much just an OC-ified version of a canon character at this point, but like. people have been doing that with the humans, Gaster, Dess and AU Sanses for years. I am allowed one (1) Basically A Fan Character version of an existing character, as a treat

#undertale #safeutdr #underswap mh #ruins dummy #mad mew mew #mad dummy #ghost cousins #swap mh background characters #undertale art #holoskart

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an-au-blog · 1 year ago

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We've all seen Sora take the kids and marry Zeff or leaving Zeff custody of Sanji but hear me out: Sora doesn't die and is the one to break Sanji out of the dungeon and escapes with him. They're in some no name town in the East Blue and Sanji sneaks on to Mihawk's little coffin boat to loot him and take it back to his mom and gets caught. Mihawk walks him back to Sora who apologizes profusely and Mihawk can see that shes ill and that they're clearly out of their depth and for whatever reason, his mind cannot fathom it honestly, he offers to take the Kuraigana with him. Sora and Sanji agree too, for whatever reason, maybe they're scared because they know who he is, or they're just that desperate. Either way they agree and leave with him.

They make a supply stop a couple islands away because Mihawk realizes they have nothing except a shared back pack of clothes and that's it. Sanji is trying not to hide behind his mom from Mihawk but he's a kid who's been through a lot and Mihawk reminds him of his brothers and Judge. Mihawk gets them a few outfits and picks up some more food because of how thin they both are. When they check into an inn and Sanji's asleep Sora finds Mihawk and thanks him and says she had to save her son.

Not even a month after they're all settled in his home Mihawk finds himself extremely endeared to this duo and hopes they never leave, it takes him another three to say it and Sora cries happily and Sanji nods. Sora has taken over most of the cleaning and Sanji cooks with Mihawk a lot and Sora has improved greatly. The dynamic isnt perfect by any means but it works for them. Sometimes Sanji's nightmares will wake Mihawk up before they wake him up so Mihawk will sit with him until they do or he calms down. Sora knows a lot about caring for weapons and instruments so she'll tune the piano or clean his antique swords.

Woops Mihawk is in love and suddenly has a wife and child he didn't think he would and Newgate is going to laugh at him. Doesn't even necessarily think of the implications or anything just tells them at dinner over their plates. They don't leave until Sanji decides to go work at Baratie when he's a teen and then joins the straw hat crew. Life goes on. Everyone thinks Sanji's an orphan still since he doesn't talk about his parents. His parents read the paper.

When Perona appears Sora confirms it's not her pink haired daughter but she'll take another. And then look! Zoro's here, Sanji's nakama and the kid Mihawk almost killed, how charming. Zoro's really confused because Mihawk in the castle is different from the master training him and he's a lot softer and kind towards Sora. Sora asks them both about their adventures in pirating and such.

Zoro asks point blank if she's Sanji's mom and she laughs and mentions how that's so Sanji to not talk about them and Mihawk mentions how smart that is because otherwise oops, they're either down a son or Mihawk's bounty is unfrozen. Sora jokes that need two more to make up for the other two she has and Mihawk tells her that they cannot keep collecting kids.

Zoro is absolutely gonna kick Sanji's ass.

That's a whole-ass fix right there, damn! I actually love any au where Sora doesn't die, I don't wanna see her go ngl hahaha ':)

And I genuinely think she can melt almost anyone's heart. But have you thought about the Sanji repressions??? He's already canonically bitchy but now he'll have all the sass from Mihawk as well????? I think that'd be absolutely hilarious!

Plus that would mean that Mihawk was going to the Baratie to check in on his son, that's so cute omg :') And that could also be an excuse for why he didn't kill Sanji's "new friend" during his fight with Zoro.

Also why do I feel like Mihawk would try his damned best to make Sanji call him father instead of dad and Sanji would do it just to spite him.

Sanji: thanks for uh... you know... not killing my new crewmates

Mihawk: I guess it couldn't be helped

Sanji: Whatever, bye dad

Mihawk absolutely not having the heart to correct him at this point:... yeah.

Also Sora adopting Perona during ts makes me so happy. She would brush and braid her hair thinking if she'll ever have the chance to do it with her biological daughter. So that only makes her want to savour every moment with Perona while she can. And I think Perona would love Sora as well, she loves cute and pretty things so they'd make a great dynamic just absolutely driving Mihawk up the wall by redecorating... or as he calls it "ruining the aesthetic" or his castle.

Also... for the haha's: Sanji knowing way yoo much about swords would confused the hell out of Zoro. Not to mention that once Zoro finds out about his connection to Mihawk, I feel like he'd want to fight him even more than he already does. Bonus if Sanji is actually a really skilled swordman.

#Sanji #vinsmoke sora #dracule mihawk #mihawk x sora #is something i never thought of but could be fun :)#op #one piece au #answers

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rubykgrant · 10 months ago

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I finished up all the outfit designs for my RVB OC, Junonia! I put her here in a line-up with Poppy (another RVB OC, but she's been finished a little longer). I wanted to get a good idea for what her vibe was, but also have some variation as well. Some casual looks, a few a little fancy. Poppy's style leans a little more boho-folksy, with a splash of sporty here and there (here armor is mostly white with tan accents, so she has lots of different rosy-brown tones in her outfits). Junonia has a more casual-elegant style, not formal exactly, but lots of feminine/chic clothing, and few different comfy street looks (her armor is dark purple with pink accents, so those colors show up in her clothes).

More info for them below~

Junonia is tall and chubby, but not very curvy. She has sharp and elegant features for her jawline and cheekbones (very pretty and striking). She uses a mobility aid, a cane and some knee braces that help ease stress. She has a cane with her armor as well, but it's more high-tech, and doubles as a weapon, while the suit itself helps compensate stress on her knees (the idea of having a character who needs mobility aids, specifically canes, actually came from seeing a different character from another series; the character used them in a civilian form, but when fighting bad guys, they just magically could walk fine... I thought, hey, if sci-fi magic is involved, shy not just give them a SUPER COOL cane, that can adapt to their needs in battle and what-not! so, I transferred this thought process to Junonia. the high-tech one can automatically fold-up into a gauntlet when she's sitting, and has several other adjustments, making it like multi-tool). Her armor would be dark-purple with pink accents.

She has two prominent tattoos; around her neck/collarbone is a design of a gold chain, pearls, and a seashell. On her arm is a design of a seahorse, with the tail wrapped around her wrist (the way they sometimes hold on to rocks with their tails~). She has most of her hair pulled back, in box braids (they are short on one side, getting longer as it goes to the other side, in sort of an asymmetrical line).

Part of her story involved getting tricked into working for an organization that claimed to help people without being "restricted" by government rules... which is a cool idea in theory, but unfortunately, the people in charge of this group were insidious a-holes. Junonia was in charge of gathering intel, a medic for her team, and occasionally helping with defensive fighting (not that she isn't perfectly capable in any forms of battle, but she's a bit like Doc, not entirely a pacifist, but reserves violence as a last resort, or to defend herself/others). When the organization began to fall apart, including the people running the show trying to take out the underlings to erase evidence, Junonia got out of there quick and hid under the radar for a while... more recently, she's been involved with helping people find resources for recovery, and she's also gotten back into her habit of collecting information (like what happened to other people in her group, and where the ones responsible for the problems are hiding).

Junonia is generally a calm and graceful person, but she's also VERY clever, and can have an icy form of anger when dealing with somebody unpleasant. She's very compassionate, but doesn't compromise in specific situations. She grew up being fascinated by sea creatures, but never got to visit the ocean until she was an adult. When she was hiding, she finally was able to find a place to stay by the water, and worked on putting all her knowledge of marine life into practice. Within the group, she's something like a "reverse" of Carolina, without being an adversary/antagonist. She has the same level of tenacity as well, but more tempered (if Carolina is a bit hot-headed, Junonia is more cool). It's a bit ironic, because she knows about all the others, and at first some of them wonder if this will somehow be "uneven", but Junonia is open to sharing facts about herself, and it's very easy to enjoy/accept her companionship. She really likes horror and action/adventure movies. She's in her late 30s, and is a trans lesbian.

Poppy is short, with a fairly thick and solid build, and soft features. Poppy didn't actually "join" the army. She was "selected" to be part of a "special training program", which turned out to be tricking poor and homeless people into working at dangerous outposts. When one area was getting attacked, a lot of the people running the show took escape ships for themselves. Poppy was able to find a set of armor, and now looking "official", she helped guide all the people who would have been abandoned to safety. When she got them all to a rescue ship, a soldier asked if she had been in charge of that outpost. She basically pretended that- she TOTALLY was the boss. Yep. Hired herself, and gave herself a promotion. Before she could back out or escape, she was thrown into a new "assignment". Whoops!

She was then sent to a different group of Red and Blue Flag Zealots, meant to identify needed supplies and order more ammunition. She was designated "neutral", and had white armor with tan accents. When the teams ran out of bullets, they kept fighting in non-lethal ways, which Poppy thought was preferable to a clearly pointless war, so she just never put in the order for more. Both teams considered her a friend, playfully fighting over who's side she was on. After a dangerous incident left her knocked-out and recovering, Temple's group arrived to recruit more Sim Troopers. Poppy's group refused to join. When she woke up, they were all gone, and she had to work on making cybernetics for herself. Because she's still considered part of the Flag Zealots, the UNSC decided to throw her back into a new training program (which was actually pretty shady in terms of motives), and that's where she meets Sarge.

Poppy is meant to sort of mirror Simmons. The fact that Sarge likes her, and she's a nerd, SHOULD make Simmons hate her guts... but after one conversation, he internally just clicked with her- "Oh, sibling? Sibling!". Also, she and Simmons are trans in opposite directions (Poppy never cared much about having surgery, but she always wanted really long hair). Poppy’s got a bit of a “cheerfully dismissive” attitude when she’s not in a mood to deal with somebody. She also likes making people laugh, and when she’s really close to them, she tries to be a source of comfort. She’s got a temper brewing under there, though (she can shout and rant with the best of them, but you really need to worry if she’s coming after you quietly). For the most part, Poppy is easy-going (because she’s been through a LOT, and knows what she’s capable of), and pretty quick with sarcastic little comments. She also feels her painful emotions VERY deeply, and freely cries when upset. One of her skills is messing with audio communication, and her favorite trick is to play annoying songs as a distraction. With white armor, the prophecy of Red Team being the lesbian flag has been fulfilled!

#red vs blue #rvb

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angelicniah · 1 year ago

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Euphoric

pairing | Daemon Targaryen x Black F!Reader

Warnings: Nudity

summary: You catch the eye of Daemon Targaryen.

word count: 1.4k

A/n: This is my first series I have every done. Also is the second thing I gave written in a long time so please try to be patient with me. I will take any feedback you can give me. Anyone can read. Other than that, enjoy :). Divders by @firefly-graphics

If someone told you three years ago that you would be working at a strip club to get through college, you would've laughed in their face. But sometimes life has a way of putting you in situations you would have never thought you'll end up in.

You worked at one of the most popular strip clubs in all of King's Landing and was one of the top dancers there.

The Pink Paradise.

The club was owned by Jacqueline and Anthony Carter. Anthony handle the money and Jacqueline keep the girls in check. And together they ran the club as one big happy family. You started working there after one of your college friends that worked there told you about it. Even through things can get out of hand sometimes, you loved it there and plus the pay was good...most days.

"Alright ladies." Jacqueline announced to everyone in the dressing room, "We got some important people coming tonight, so I need you guys to do your best out there. Don’t fuck this up."

Before she leaves out, she turns to you and points a manicured finger at you, "You're on in 10."

As you are trying to finish putting yourself together, your friend Imani, who goes by Jinx on stage, comes over and leans against you vanity.

"Did you hear who is coming tonight?" She questions as she look at herself in the mirror checking her lip gloss.

"Don't know and don't care." You said, making sure your hair was good.

"Cmon. You're telling me, that you're not a little bit curious." She nudges your shoulder.

You look up at her, " I just came to get my money and go home, that's it." You told her.

She rolls her eyes, "Well I'm going to tell you anyway." She says, "It's Daemon Targaryen."

Even through the name sounded familiar, you couldn’t place as to why. Before you could as her who he was, your name is called fo you to go on stage.

"Alright, alright settle down everyone." You heard the Dj say, " Next coming to the stage is a crowd fav. Welcome to the stage Miss Luna!"

The crowd starts cheering and you take one final deep breathe before walking out.

Don't walk in here with the bullshit look up on your face. Mad about some argument from yesterday, yeah Cause tonight, no need to fight, I can ease your mind

As the song starts playing, you strut towards the pole in the middle of the stage. You grab ahold of the pole and wrapped your legs around it, twirling and pulling your body around it. You moved your body to the beat of the music.

Everyone's attention was on you.

When I put this cake in your face I got that shit that you're cravin' (ah, ah) Boy, come here Eyes rollin' back of my face And I got you feelin' the same, yeah 'Cause I want it

Your eyes scanned the crowd and locked on a pair of eyes in the VIP area. You twirled around the pole and swung your legs around it. You blocked out the sound of the crowd and kept eye with the man. It was you was dancing for only him.

Got you curling your toes While you're deep in my throat

I want it I'll be the six and you'll be nine I want it

As the song comes to an end, you put your legs out in the air into a split, doing one final spin before dropping down onto the stage still in the same position. You leaned back from the pole a little and let the money fall on you and on the floor around you.

" Everyone gives it up for Miss Luna!" The Dj says.

As you grab the money from the floor, you could hear the disappointing groans from the crowd because you had to leave.

After putting your money up, you walked out the dressing room and you changed into a different outfit.

You put the bag of money into your locker and went to grab a drink from the bar. You could see Imani sitting on one of the stools flirting with Xavier, the bartender. Once she sees you, she smiles at you.

"Girl you did that. Had they asses on the edge of their seats." She tells you and gives you a high five.

You chuckle “I mean… I try.” You said an gave a little shrug and took the drink Xavier hands you. You thank him and down it, before you hear someone calling your name and looked behind you to see Jacqueline waving you over to her. Wanting to see what she wanted, you got up and went over to her.

"You need something boss lady?" You questioned her.

"I need you to go to one of the private rooms. One of our special guest paid for a dance." She says and tells you the room number.

You had never really been to one of the private rooms, always choosing the safe option to dance out in the open. Even through you were nervous, you were also curious as to who was behind the door.

You stood in front of the door of the room you were told to go to before knocking on it and heard a male's voice behind the door.

"Come in." The voice says.

When you walk in, you see the man that was making eye contact with you sitting on the couch with a drink in his hand. He beacons you into farther into the room with the flick of his hand. Nervously, you look around the room to see a pole in the center of it and a stereo in the corner of the room.

The man clears his throat and your eyes snaps to his figure. Your eyes scan up his body as he does the same to you. You could tell just by looking at him, he was someone important. When your eyes got to his face, you see that he is already looking at you. There was something about the way he was looking at you though. The look in his eyes was intense but it also did something to you.

You went over to the stereo in the corner of the room and grabbed the remote and turned it on. As you walk over to the pole, the music comes on and fills the room. The liquor in your system gave you a little courage to be a little less anxious. You listened to the lyrics of the song, letting your body move to the beat of it on the pole.

Drip too hard, stand too close Fuck around and drown off this wave This go hard, it's the most You ever make sounds, girl, behave

The man leans forward to sit his glass on the table in front of him. He pulls his hand back and places his arms on the back of the couch, spreading his legs wide. You twisted and turned your body in different positions on the pole.

There's no limit, yeah I'm a master with the P Once you in it, yeah Disaster with the D You won't last in it

Getting down from the pole and onto the floor, you seductively crawled over to him with your ass high in the air. You leaned up and slide your hands up his legs. He stares down at you with those intensive eyes of his. Standing up, you leaned forward, putting your breast in his face. You felt him let out a breath against you and it sends a shiver up your body. You straddle him and sit down in his lap, reaching behind to unhook your bra. The both of you held eye contact with each other as you threw it somewhere behind you.

Moving your hips to the beat of the song, you felt him harden underneath you. He lets out a groan and tries his best to not touch you without your permission. He tipped his head back on the couch, giving a full view of his neck. You licked your lips and bit on your bottom lip.

He puts his head back up when you turned your body in his lap, putting you back to his front. You laid your head back on his shoulder next to his and grinded your ass back against his crotch.

"You're so beautiful." He whispers in your ear.

Hearing him says that makes you squirm in his lap. You grabbed one of his hands and laid it on one of your breasts. He squeezed it, making you let out a whimper as his thumb brushed over your nipple.

As the song comes to an end, you slowly get up out of his lap and bend down to grab your bra from off the floor. He says something as you are walking out of the room.

"See you around." He shouts over the music of the club as you open the door.

You looked over your shoulder to see he has a smirk on his face. Without saying anything, you continued out the door.

Taglist | @avalyaaa, @simbaaas-stuff, @thirteenth-fangirl

#daemon targaryen #daemon targaryen x reader #black reader #daemon x reader #daemon targeryen x reader #black author

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hyperfixationstati0n · 1 year ago

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hiii i love your works! can i request spencer x bau!reader who drags spencer to the eras tour but they get called into a case and show up to work in like crazy outfits and get teased by the team??

i LOVED writing this request. The picture above is what i envisioned when describing the outfits :) (also to whoever requested this thank you so much i love love love you!! if you have any requests send them my way!!!!!)

Pairing: Spencer x Bau!kinda femme!reader

Content warnings: None really :)

Word count: 667

Tonight was the night! You were buzzing in your seat, staring up at the stage. Your incredible boyfriend had not only gotten you tickets to the Eras tour, but also managed to get floor seats. You were holding his hand, feeling as though at any moment you would explode from sheer excitement. You look down at your outfit, a jeweled corset top and a black sequin pencil skirt. You actually find yourself at a similar height to him in your black thigh-high boots. Spencer was in an outfit you had personally orchestrated for him-a pastel pink and blue shirt (in honor of his favorite album, Lover), jeans, and his usual converse. You did also convince him to have a matching, very sparkly, 13 on his hand. Just then, the stage lights up. You both jump up in your seats. Over the years you had been dating, you managed to turn him into a certified Swiftie.

Normally, you were pretty shy. Outside of talking to victims or families on cases, you weren’t very social and tended to stay pretty quiet. But at that moment, you didn’t care how ridiculous you looked. You were seeing your all time favorite artist, with the man you loved, surrounded by thousands of other people who were just like you. You sang your heart out, even getting Spencer to dance with you during a few of the songs. It all came to a crash during ‘Style’-which really should have been a magical moment, considering it was both you and Spencer's favorite song. You have your phone out, recording the song, screaming your heart out-when you see it. A message from Hotch. Telling you that you have a case, and to get to the office immediately. Your heart drops, as well as your phone. You bend down to pick it up as Spencer registers what this really means. You look at him, completely heartbroken. He pulls you into a hug and kisses the top of your head.

“I’m so sorry” He says, having to yell over the sound of hearing your favorite song-your song-live.

You nod and try to find a way out of the crowd.

“They fucking owe me.” You tell back, grabbing his hand and making your way out of the stadium, out of what was shaping to be the best night of your life, and out to your car.

It’s not until you actually make it into the briefing room that you realize that you both look absolutely ridiculous. Not only because of your outfits-but you were both decently dissheveled from fighting your way out of the crowd. You both stand there like a deer in headlights as the whole team turns their heads. Morgan is the first one to start laughing, both you and Spencer sheepishly taking your seats. Penelope registers why you’re wearing what you’re wearing first, and her heart seems to break for you.

“Nice shirt Reid.” JJ says with a chuckle.

“Oh my goodness…you guys were at the Eras Tour?!” She exclaims, her arms dropping.

You both nod, as the information sinks in, everyone now less confused about what you were wearing.

Everyone seems very amused, but you were still pissed at the fact that you were plucked out of the concert a little before halfway through. You stare down Hotch, even he was smiling.

“You owe me. I didn’t even get to hear ‘Shake It Off’” You say, trying to seem annoyed, but truthfully you couldn’t keep a straight face with everyone laughing. The situation was too ridiculous, even Spencer couldn’t contain his laughter, as embarrassed as he was.

“If we wrap up this case quick enough, I’ll try to replace your tickets.” Rossi says, chuckling. “I’ll have you ‘Shaking it off’ in no time.”

You all burst into laughter before Hotch speaks over the room.

“Let’s get to work everyone-and you two, change before we leave.” You both gave him a thumbs up, leaning back in your seat to be briefed on the latest case.

#criminal minds #x reader #spencer reid #spencer x reader #spencer reid x reader #criminal minds fanfiction #fanfic

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bogkeep · 7 months ago

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last year i wrote my opinions on all the movies i watched on my Very Long Flights to australia, since long flights are a great opportunity to watch some movies i probably wouldn't have bothered to seek out otherwise. here's the stuff i watched this time around

the first 13 episodes of rurouni kenshin: okay so back when i watched demon slayer for the first time i asked around like "does anyone know any other Good Sword Animes. i'm in a big mood for Sword Anime" and a friend told me that they were going to tell me about THE sword anime, but with a BIG caveat. and the caveat was such that i went "ah yeah maybe i won't look into that one". i've since heard more about this series and been very curious about the story, because it sounds like My Shit. i figured in-flight entertainment is probably one of the more ethical ways to watch it, and i have confirmed that it is indeed My Shit. extremely skilled swordsman torn between his bloody past and a new life? he can win any fight, but at the cost of his soul? yeah. yeah. will say that the subtitles left in a lot of japanese terms and words that i think i would've greatly benefited to know the meaning of - like i figured it out from context eventually, but yeah. so Now I Know. at least my curiosity is sated.

the new wonka movie - it was Fine! i appreciated the sincere efforts of whimsy and trying to stick to a roald dahl-esque tone, though in hindsight it's ENTIRELY too magical and sugary sweet (hah). could definitely have done without the fatphobia - something that is very present in the source material, so i shouldn't have been surprised that it features in the prequel, too... it just made me go "nooo noooOooooo don't do that uuughhh noooooooooooooooooooo" a lot. honestly, as far as vibes go, this movie reminded me the most of the first f*ntastical beasts movie (you know, the one that came out in 2016, when we were still young and innocent) - like, decently charming, very cgi.

the old willy wonka movie - i had never seen this one before, and it provided me a lot of context for the New movie :') now THIS really hits the Unhinged Dangerous vibes the new movie lacked. easily the best played willy wonka. a grand old time. i <3 practical effects.

3/4ths of the barbie movie rewatch - is the barbie movie still fun to watch, even after a year of Essays and Takes? i think so. i was in a practical effects mood and had less than two hours left of my flight. like, it's The Barbie Movie. it will never be That Deep because it cannot escape its corporate mainstreamness, but i love the actual play-pretend whimsy and exorbitant amount of pink paint and funky outfits.

killers of the flower moon - i'd considered watching this on my previous flight, i had heard of the movie and put it on my to-watch list, but the THREE HOURS AND TWENTY SIX MINUTES runtime scared me off. not because i didn't have time (my flights were 12 hours and 7,5 hours respectively), but because i knew it was gonna be Heavy and Depressing and you gotta have the right mood for three hours of That. both of my flights had the exact same entertainment catalogues i gave it a try first thing on flight #2, knowing i don't have to finish it if i don't want. it was very good but oh boy heavy and depressing was correct! really good buildup of dread and despair as the web of murder closes in like water circling the sink. very good period piece, and everything i've read about it after indicates that martin scorsese worked very closely with the osage people to create this movie.

the lego movie rewatch - this is one of my favourite movies that i've seen many times but haven't in a while, and after the Three Hours And Twenty Six Minutes of indigenous people getting poisoned and murdered i REALLY needed something light-hearted. i was also severely sleep deprived at this point. all this to say that i was almost overwhelmed by how fun this movie is and kept tearing up at almost every scene. it's just such a good time!!!! my critique of this movie has always been that it has two tropes that annoy me - the "highly competent girl is reduced to an assistant for the clueless 'chosen one' dude" and "person who has changed their name goes back to use their ~*real name*~ because it's more valid than whatever they picked" - that only annoy me because of how prevalent they used to be at the time when this movie came out. in isolation, the story works really well and i still like it so so much. everything is awesome!!!!!!

anyway those are my movie thoughts

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bellofthemeadow · 1 year ago

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Summer of '03 | Joel Miller x Female Reader

Chapter 2 - The Garden Party

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter

Rating: M for Mature (18 + no minors allowed)

Word Count: 6K

Warning: All warnings on the Series Masterlists, will update if necessary (Re-iterating, no minors allowed! Thank you)

Chapter Summary: The annual neighbourhood garden party is the last place you want to attend as the new gal in town. But you spot Joel Miller in the corner who gives you a rather charming smile. Maybe things are finally looking up!

Notes: Hey everyone, its been a minute! I am really sorry for the delay for the chapter, but life has been insanely busy! Between work, preparing grad applications and the upcoming semester, I have not had a minute for me. Also, this chapter was really hard to write, I've been trying to make my interactions more natural and its SO HARD!

I hope you all enjoy the chapter and like always thank you to everyone who liked and commented previously, I live for all your feedbacks! If you wanted to be tagged, let me know and I'll be really happy to add you to my taglist :D Take care everybody!!!

Taglist: @brittmb115 , @bitchwitch1981, @kittenlittle24 , @casa-boiardi

As the morning sun crept through the curtains, you woke up completely groggy. The oppressive feeling was eerily reminiscent of your late teens when you'd sneakily raid your dad's liquor cabinet for a swig of that fancy cognac. You groaned and snuggled your head further on the pillow. Note to self: "Never again mix wine with emotions” The fight with Joel last night had left you emotionally drained, and the contradictory desire/hate combo that was swirling inside you further accentuated that hangover feeling you were experiencing. And on retrospect, mixing wine into the already boiling pot of emotional turmoil had not been a great idea.

Getting up slowly, you shuffled your way into the bathroom, urgently seeking relief from that awful pasty feeling in your mouth. With your teeth brushed and the unpleasantness washed away, you returned to your room. Feeling a bit daring, you cracked open the bedroom window. And what do you know? A wonderful gust of fresh air greeted you, like the universe had just dropped a perfect little slice of heaven right at your doorstep.

Your hangover momentarily forgotten, you dashed to put on your cutest co-ord yoga outfit – a playful pink ensemble sprinkled with little white dots that made you feel like your best Barbie self. You unfurled your yoga mat, eagerly anticipating the next 45 minutes of respite from thinking about one Joel Miller. As you were bending down in some stretches, your peaceful bubble was abruptly shattered by a relentless assault of knocks on the front door. Seriously, universe? Can't a person downward dog in peace?

Letting out an annoyed huff, you marched towards the front door and yanked it open, fully prepared to tear into any doorstep salesman audacious enough to disturb someone at 8:45 on a Saturday morning.

Your annoyance faded as soon as it appeared because right in front of you stood a very sheepish-looking Sarah Miller, dressed in cute white shorts and a purple cap-sleeve shirt. A broad smile lit up her face as you opened the door. You arched an eyebrow, crossing your arms playfully before teasingly asking, "I thought you weren't supposed to come around here from now on?" Sarah's response was an Olympic-worthy eye roll; the sass was strong with this one.

"I don't know what's up with my dad, he was so out of line last night! Uncle Tommy says that he's got a stick up his ass, and honestly, truth!" You burst out laughing before herding her inside.

"Ah well, men are from a completely different planet. I stopped trying to decode their language a long time ago" you giggled with her.

Sarah suddenly had a very vulnerable look etching itself on her face. "I was afraid you wouldn't want to hang out with me after yesterday. I would totally understand if you didn't want to; my dad can be a lot sometimes. Like I love him and everything, but he really needs to chill." You smiled and reassuringly bumped your shoulder with hers.

"Hey, don't sweat it, alright? I loved hanging out with you yesterday, and your dad's grouchy grandpa routine isn't going to change that. Now that school is over, maybe you could come around more, we could hang out and stuff. If you aren’t busy of course, I cant imagine that youd want to spend all of your time with your boring old neighbour!"

Sarah's smile could light up the whole of Austin with how bright it got. "I'd love that! I have a babysitting gig for most of the summer, but I'll be free every day after 3 pm, and Dad works late, so we can hang out then..." Sarah kept rambling about how excited she was, and you couldn't help but smile fondly.

"Still, now we'll make sure that Joel knows when you come over; don't want to give him another excuse to hate me, you know. He’s got a big enough list already" Sarah acquiesced quickly, "Don't worry, my dad's gonna come 'round. He likes playing the overprotective Texas man, but inside he's like a big mush of jello."

You couldn't help but snort at her words; many words came to mind when you think of Joel Miller, but "mushy," "soft," and "jello" would definitely not be contenders. Words like "intimidating," "broad," and "grumpy" would more accurately describe the man. And the sneakier voice in the back of your head would go even further and kept traitorously adding explicit descriptives that you couldn’t take out of your mind; “sexy” “arousing” and “daddy” were just a few. But you would deny ever having those thoughts until your grave. It didn’t matter how hot and steamy Joel Miller was, he was first and foremost a Grade-A asshole.

But when you looked at Sarah, who was so sweet and lively, you found it hard to believe that Joel Miller could truly be as terrible as he appeared. After all, he was the one who had raised her, wasn't he? Just the previous day, Sarah had disclosed to you that Joel was a single dad, which might account for his long hours and the fatigued yet determined countenance he wore. Observing him leaving his house in the morning, you were reminded of an old drawing you had come about in your grandma’s library when you were a child. You remember spending hours overlooking the printed carving depicting Atlas shouldering the world's weight as if an immense burden rested on his shoulders. The roles of provider, nurturer, and protector seemed etched into his demeanor – qualities, you imagined, he sought to embody for his daughter. It couldn't be easy, day in and day out. If only he was less of a dick, you would bequeath those qualities to the man: dedicated, protective, nurturer. A shame he had the personality of a constipated rottweiler.

You smiled at Sarah and gestured toward the living room. "I was about to do some yoga, you want in?"

"I don't have a mat," Sarah replied.

"Lucky for you, I have two," you winked at her. When you decided to move to Austin, you’d never be able to guess that your new best friend would be a 14-year-old girl.

"Come on, you can't miss it! It's going to be so much fun, and literally everyone will be there!" Sarah exclaimed, her excitement only adding to the throbbing headache you were developing.

You hesitated, trying to find the right words to decline politely. "Well, you know, big meetups really aren't my scene…" In truth, the idea of spending your entire Sunday afternoon at the annual neighbourhood cookout in Didi Roberts' backyard didn't appeal to you at all. The Robertsons' legendary BBQ supposedly marked the beginning of every summer and was the talk of the neighbourhood, but for you, it was more like an anxiety-inducing spectacle to avoid at all cost. As the new face on the block, you could already hear a million questions coming your way - something you'd much rather steer clear of. The prospect of being surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar faces, engaging in small talk, and participating in group activities made you feel slightly uneasy. After all, you had come to cherish the quiet Sundays you've enjoyed since moving to Austin, spending them with a good book, relaxing in the backyard pool with Sarah, or strolling through the nearby park.

“I don’t think I want to have a bunch of people asking me a bunch of questions, Sarah, you know what I mean?” Sarah clucked her tongue, putting a stray curl behind her ear as she turned toward you. Both of you were lounging in the backyard, savouring the last rays of the sun before Joel would be due home. “Nah, people won’t care. Didi’s husband left her like 2 months ago, and no one knows why!!! People are gonna be way more interested in that drama than you moving in, trust me!”

You chewed your lips as you considered Didi's new divorce proceedings being in full swing. You couldn't help but wonder why she would be so adamant to host regardless. Perhaps it was out of habit, an attempt to maintain a sense of normalcy in the midst of what you heard to be a complete shit show of a divorce. Or maybe it was an act of defiance, showing everyone that she was doing just fine despite her husband leaving her for his secretary. The jury was still out on that.

Despite your best efforts to stand your ground, Sarah's contagious enthusiasm was proving to be a formidable opponent, gradually wearing down your resistance. For every argument you put forth, she effortlessly offered a counter, until finally, your resolve began to crumble, and you found yourself giving in.

"Well, okay, I guess I could drop by for a little while," you finally conceded, a soft smile escaping as Sarah's triumphant expression lit up her face.

"Awesome! You won't regret it, I promise!" Sarah assured you, wrapping you in a tight hug.

This was how you ended up in a large backyard, full to the brim with the entire neighbourhood on a blisteringly hot Sunday afternoon. The sun beat down relentlessly, casting a golden hue on the lively scene before you. Laughter and chatter filled the air, accompanied by the tantalizing aroma of grilled meats and sizzling vegetables.

As you stepped into the midst of the gathering, you couldn't help but feel like a fish out of water. An outsider among the familiar faces, you took a moment to observe the different groups scattered throughout the yard. Kids were running around with playful abandon, their laughter like tiny bells chiming in the summer breeze. Their parents were scattered over the expanse of meticulously trimmed green hedges and professionally cut grass. The dads had for the most part congregated around the large bbq, while the moms were drinking rose and chattering on the patio chairs. And you were… there. Sarah had said that she and unfortunately Joel, would be there at 1h30 pm, well now it was 1h55 pm and they were nowhere to be found.

Suppressing a groan, you reached for your glass of sangria, lifting it to your lips and taking a hearty sip. You had arrived at the cookout armed with the special concoction, hoping it would somehow win over the crowd. Your culinary prowess might not shine as brilliantly as Gordon Ramsay's, but who needed Michelin stars when you had the “Boozy Book” written by your very own Granny Mabel? She had always sworn by the magic of adding 3 extra shots of triple sec and 2 shots of Jameson to a full bottle of white wine, claiming it made the whole thing pop. You could still vividly recall the sight of your relatives at family summer cookouts, gleefully imbibing Mabel's potent sangria, only to end up toppling over and snoozing on the meticulously manicured lawn. In your younger years, the adults' antics might have seemed far from impressive, yet your grandma's smug wink and her declaration, "Someone's got to add a little spice to these dull gatherings, my darling!" had stuck with you. Now, as an adult, you embraced the tradition with open arms. After all, people didn't have the luxury of being judging assholes when they were too intoxicated to even form coherent thoughts.

And apparently, your master plan to win over the neighbourhood ladies had worked like a charm. Initially met with unsure and haughty looks, their opinions quickly changed after just one sip of your sangria. Suddenly, you became their new best friend, and even the hostess, Didi, declared that you would be invited to every future cookout. Hip hip hurray, you thought, though a tinge of gloominess lingered.

As you sipped your drink, you found yourself trapped in a conversation with Bonny and Portia, neighbours who lived down the street. They were busy talking your ear off about their husbands and their brood of children. They were practically living novellas of family life, expressing their eagerness for the resumption of school to catch a break from their children's ever-present demands. A wry smile danced on your lips as you listened to their musings, "so much for motherly instinct," you couldn't help but snort into your glass.

As you tuned them out and Portia's voice began to fade into the background, your eyes wandered away from the endless chatter and scanned the gathering.

And there he stood, Joel Miller, the man who made your heart skip a beat. Time seemed to slow as your gaze locked onto his, and the air around you crackled with electricity.

He looked delectable in that tight blue t-shirt, his charm and charisma radiating effortlessly. Joel stood in the corner, sipping on a beer, the condensation forming delicate droplets on the bottle. The way he casually leaned against the fence showcasing his confident ease as if he owned the place. The world around you seemed to blur, and all that remained was him and the palpable connection between you.

A mixture of excitement and nervousness flooded through your veins, momentarily halting your breath. The fleeting eye contact said more than words ever could. He knew, and you knew, and it was intoxicating.

A mischievous glint danced in Joel's eyes, and a knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He raised his beer in a subtle salute towards you without breaking the locked gaze, revealing the underlying connection between you two. However, before the moment could fully unfold, he shifted his attention to a smaller man in round glasses who was chatting animatedly at him.

Joel responded with polite nods and occasional hums, but it was evident that he was merely going through the motions. His eyes, though looking at the man, seemed distant, as if his mind was elsewhere. And your eyes stayed glued to him, observing the mesmerizing bobbing of his Adam's apple with each sip he took from his beer, entranced by the subtle movements.

You felt yourself grow warmer and a throbbing ache slowly started to build deep within you. You rubbed your thighs together as subtly as you could, but the sight of Joel Miller, who, for once, didn't look like he wanted to rip your head off, was too much for you. So you indulged, taking your time to watch him – how good, strong, and wholly masculine he looked compared to everyone else. Your eyes roamed over his strong shoulders, stretching against the fabric of his checkered shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, leaving his powerful and hairy forearms on full display. With his arms crossed, his stern stance gave you the perfect view to appreciate the thickness of them. You couldn't stop looking at him. You close your eyes, feeling the pressure of the man from the other side of the backyard. Fuck what you wouldn’t give to have him bend you over the table in front of everyone at that party. To have those big strong hands hold you down, hold your hair. Maybe you’d see something other than resentment in those warm brown eyes for once.

A teasing smirk played upon your lips as you continued to indulge in shamelessly ogling the man who had been causing headaches for the past couple of weeks. Your eyes settled on his strong thighs, outlined perfectly by the well-worn fabric of his ever-present jeans. It was as if he had a personal commitment to denim, regardless of the occasion or the weather. But you weren't complaining; in fact, you were quite appreciative of this consistency. Those jeans offered you an unobstructed view of his muscular legs, each contour and sinew highlighted in exquisite detail.

The play of sunlight on his skin only intensified the appeal. The way his muscles shifted beneath the surface as he moved, the way his stride exuded confidence – it was all captivating. You marvelled at how he could maintain such an effortless air of strength and masculinity, even amidst this admittingly boring BBQ.

Your lips met the cool rim of the glass in front of you, and you took a tentative sip. The liquid provided a fleeting reprieve, its flavor momentarily drowning out the persistent tug of the dilemma that wrestled your thoughts. Should you muster the courage to wander over and initiate a conversation with him? The notion lingered, a prominent question mark dancing in the recesses of your mind, illuminated much like those incessant billboards on the highway. It was as if a colossal, bright yellow arrow was pointing directly at Joel Miller and his infuriatingly irresistible face!

But the memory of his all too recent antagonistic behaviour gave you pause. The last time you crossed Joel Miller’s path, his words had been laced with a sharpness that grated your soul raw, leaving you exposed and feeling like a misbehaving little girl all over again. Your palms felt sweaty when you were with him, and you were pretty damn sure that about 60% of that wasn’t due to arousal. Ok maybe more like 40%, but still!

When his piercing brown gaze fixed on you, warm and inviting for everyone else, it seemed to hold a different essence entirely, summoning a sense of learned powerlessness that you had vowed never to let anyone inflict upon you again. It settled deep within your stomach, a leaden weight that felt unshakable. Like an anchor, it connected you to the darkest corners of your self-destructive tendencies. It was astonishing how a devilishly handsome, middle-aged contractor from Texas had managed to raze the fragile castle of self-esteem you had painstakingly erected after you had left your parents' home at just 19-year-old.

But at the same time, shouldn't two adults be able to talk without making a big scene in public? You were twenty-six for God’s sake, not a toddler! And he was… well you didn’t know how old Joel Miller was, but he should be old enough to not throw a temper tantrum. At any rate, that smile he threw your way could have been a peace offering, maybe he realized he had been nothing short of a complete douchebag since the day you two met. And there was Sarah too. You loved the girl, and it would be really nice if you and her dad weren’t always going for the jugular like a pair of wildcats!

Just as you were lost in thought, Portia's loud voice snapped you back to reality:

“And then, Marie said that the lifeguard down at Millbrow public pool wanted to show her how he used his stick and… Hey you even listening?”

You turn your head sharply toward the woman who exchanged an annoyed look with Bonny who rolled her eyes at your blatant display of inattention. You smiled nervously before downing the rest of your full glass in one go to the look of horror of the two PTA moms. You tapped the edge of your glass for emphasis, “Empty, gonna grab a refill of the punch I saw coming in. See you two later.” Before either could utter a word, you quickly make your escape toward the large table on the patio where a large bowl of punch had been placed.

As you were making your way, you tempted a quick look towards where Joel was standing a minute ago to find… Nothing. You let out a sigh, probably better that he went somewhere else, gives you an excuse to not talk to him. As you reach the table you grab the oversized ladle and poured yourself a generous amount of the unknown concoction into your glass.

“I’d be careful with that if I were ya. Didi’s famous ‘round here for having a pretty generous pour.” You dropped the ladle with a large splash from the shock of hearing the voice of the man that had been living rent-free in your mind right in your left ear. He was close… way too close for your heart to handle. Joel let out a sharp laugh as you felt yourself grow hot.

“Glad one of us is having fun.” You grumble, “Could you give me some space, I gotta…” you point in the general direction of the punch bowl and extend your hand to start a game of go fish with the ladle. But as your hand reaches for the bowl, Joel’s own larger, browner, and calloused hand reaches for your wrist and softly squeezes. “’tis my fault, I’ll grab it. If Didi saw you contaminating her punch, she’ll throw a damn fit.” You shiver as you slowly retract your hand, “Euhh, thank yo-” You inhaled sharply as you felt his other hand grabbing your lower back, gently nudging you to the side.

You turn your head and were met with the devastatingly beautiful side profile of your infuriating neighbour. You were so close, that if you leaned in you could probably kiss the apple of his cheek. “Won’t Didi be angry with you if she sees you though?” Joel only smiles as he fishes out the ladle and puts it on the napkin next to the bowl before wiping his hand down. He turns his head in your direction and all of a sudden, your two noses are inches apart. You drew in a sharp breath as Joel Miller smiles his devil smile “Better me than you, trouble.”

You raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his taunting and dare you say, flirty word, “Trouble? Is that supposed to be me?” Joel gave a shy smile at the playful tone behind your words, and slowly brought his face inches closer to yours, your nose almost touching. You could feel his warm breath on your face. His sharp woodsy aftershave invaded your senses, leaving you a bit dizzy. “Yeah, I mean you’ve been nothin’ but trouble since I met ya…” And just like that the spell was broken.

“Excuse me?” You drew your head back sharply and took a couple of steps back, clearly, Joel wasn’t expecting you to react that way because he levelled you with a lost and slightly panicked look.

“I don’t be meanin’ anythin’ by that. I just, ya know.” He was clearly scrambling for words, but you just stared him down putting your hands on your hips to make you look as unimpressed as possible. He squirmed under your hard stare. Good, you thought. Let him feel as small as he made you feel these past 2 weeks. After 30 seconds of this suburban recreation of a western showdown, Joel seems to remember who he was and who you were because his eyes narrowed, and his lips formed a thin line.

“Sorry to burst whatever little rich girl bubble ya been living in, sweetheart. But you’ve been a troublemaker since you set foot in this damn neighbourhood!” You refused to be intimidated, not this time. Not when you had been mere inches away from kissing those plush lips that now were disdainfully scorning you.

“I don’t see how I’ve been trouble at all actually.” You replied, fixing him with an angry glar.

“What you want an itemized list or somethin’?” You felt your eyes narrowing further at his words, “I’ve been nothing but nice and friendly since the day we met! You are the one that’s been acting like a grade-A asshole!”

“Come on kid, ya bein’ serious right now?”

“Do I look like I am joking?” you retort angrily. Joel deflated at your tone and looked sheepish for a split second. You could see the gears working in his mind as he was trying to stringed together an excuse that would get him out of this.

"I didn’t mean to be rude, but ya know you ain’t the most considerate…" You let out a loud gasp, looks like Joel decided to double down.

"Is it about me arriving a ‘day later’?” You made sure to emphasize the words with air quotes, “I told you that day, no one told ME I had a schedule to abide by. If I had gotten in late at night, I would have found a hotel to crash in, no biggie. Rich girl pockets, you know." Joel looked a bit reddish at your sarcastic words and a little frown settled between his bushy eyebrows.

"Well, then you should’ve used that big New York, fancy educated brain to know not to disturb people when they don’t want to be bothered!" God this man knew how to push your button! What was wrong with him and why did he love throwing you your life back in your face like a well-placed jab!

"May I remind you that it was 1 pm by the time I got to Austin? How was I supposed to know you'd be asleep at 1 pm? I am many things, Mr. Miller, but a mind reader is not one of them."

Joel was getting quieter with each answer you were giving him, but he was not a man with the habit of letting go. He had dug himself a grave and he was in too deep to reach the top, so the only way to go now was deeper.

"Well, you did have my daughter at your place without tellin' me! That was irresponsible and downright negligen…"

"And I already apologized for that. I apologized, but that wasn't enough, was it? Why exactly? I didn't do anything to Sarah! I would NEVER do anything to that girl, and I would NEVER let anything happen to her! For Heaven’s sake, you act as if I was taking her into a cult! And you treat me like a… Like a fucking nuisance! Like I’m a fungus under your foot. And for what? Because I’m inconsiderate based on your minimal assessment of me? Based on the fact that I didn’t abide by a schedule I didn’t know about? Because I woke you up in the afternoon when I should have known that Joel Miller would be sleeping? Or because I love spending time with your daughter? From the way I see it, one of us is acting like a kid and it sure as hell isn’t me. You need to grow the hell up, Joel!"

You catch your breath as you start to notice that you two have been attracting a crowd, and most people in your general vicinity have gone completely silent. Hypnotized by the free melodrama happening in front of them, no doubt.

Joel was not letting go, and although his voice was much more subdued than what you’d heard before, he kept going his accent getting thicker with each angry word he was uttering. But you were too angry for his charming southern drawl to have any effect on you “I told ya I didn’t want ya hanging out wit’ Sarah no more! She’s my daughter and I decide who she should hang out with!”

You rolled your eyes at his last-ditch effort to apparently stick it to you. What was it with men and their refusal to admit fault? You were so tired, and the day was so fucking hot. Fuck, things had gone sideways so quickly. You really didn’t want to fight with Joel, all you wanted now was to go home, crawl into bed and sleep for 12 hours, hopefully away from all the nosy neighbours. You cringed, you and Joel would without a doubt be the number one topic of gossip in the weeks to come.

You gave him a tired smile, “I don’t even know why I am arguing with you right now, since everything I say, you’ll just twist to fit whatever weird narrative you’ve got going on. Look, I like hanging out with Sarah, she’s just a lovely girl. She is funny and kind and just completely smart as a whip. She is the first person that’s shown me some kindness since I moved here. If you really don’t want her spending time with me, I won't push it all right. I just want you to please leave me alone now.”

Your words seem to placate Joel as his stance became softer as he finally seemed to realize that you two had amassed quite the crowd with your little display. “Look, I didn’t mea..” “It’s fine.” You cut him off, “I’ll get out of your hair, and I’ll stop causing so much trouble since that’s apparently all I am good for to you.”

“Now wait a min…” His plea went ignored.

“I said it's fine Joel! And now, I am going home.” You turn sharply and swiftly make your way out of the backyard, your blood ringing loudly in your ears and tears welling up in your eyes. From hurt or humiliation, you didn’t know. Now you could see things pretty clearly though, Joel Miller was a fucking asshole.

Joel's gaze tracked your hasty retreat from the garden party, his eyes fixed on your form as you disappeared from sight. The soft murmur of his neighbors' conversations reached his ears his. Your public spat was probably the highlight of their fucking month. Vultures the lot of them!

He shot them a withering glare, his frustration palpable, his words of sharp retaliation poised at the tip of his tongue. However, before the acerbic retort could find its voice, a broad hand landed with a hearty thud on his back, interrupting his thoughts.

“Alright folk, Show’s over! How ‘bout ya’ll go find something else to entertain ya lot?” Tommy’s voice was friendly enough, but the authority underlying his words was sufficient for people to start scattering like a bunch of barn mice.

Tommy's grip on Joel's arm tightened as he led him away from the chattering crowd, angling towards the neglected corner of the backyard. The hushed echoes of whispered conversations seemed to follow them, an audible shadow that gnawed at Tommy's nerves.

Something was definitely off, but he wasn’t able to put his finger on what was going on with his brother. As they reached the secluded spot, Joel's brows were furrowed, his features a mix of bewilderment and frustration. Tommy could sense the tension in the air, a palpable unease that crackled between them.

"What the hell is going on with you?" Tommy's voice mirrored the frantic thoughts racing through his mind. "I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even I can tell that whatever the hell just went down was a complete disaster, Joel! Seriously, for the love of God, ya made the poor girl cry!"

"I sure as hell didn't plan for that, Tommy, you gotta trust me on that! I was just messing around with her, and she took it way too seriously. Not my fault she got all bent out of shape. Those city kids, they can't handle a little ribbing..." Tommy shot Joel a stare that oozed complete and utter disbelief.

"Yeah, you and I both know that's a load of crap. Whatever went down, it sure as hell wasn't because of some harmless teasing. You were just dishing out your typical Joel jerk-face. I've seen that expression before, but it’s usually reserved for when the cement guys are running late, not for the cute girl next door!"

Joel's shoulders slumped as he let out a frustrated grumble in response to Tommy's words. He shut his eyes and agitatedly tousled his hair, as if trying to shake off his thoughts. "She's like under my damn skin, Tommy!" Tommy's mouth dropped open comically, momentarily resembling a fish caught on a hook. "It's like... I can't even explain it. I don't have the right words. But ever since I laid eyes on her, it's like an itch I can't scratch, and it just doesn't make any damn sense. We've had maybe three conversations since she moved here, and each one ended up in a fight. But damn it, Tommy, it's like she knows exactly how to push my buttons! Every time she walks outside in those shorts, it just gets under my skin 'cause I know every creep on the street is staring. And God, when she's with Sarah, she's incredible. Sarah adores her. I'm just... lost." Joel's words tumbled out in a jumble, an attempt to give voice to the chaotic swirl of emotions inside him.

Tommy fixed his brother with a blank stare, his voice tinged with incredulity, "So, if I'm getting this straight, you're attracted to her, and your grand strategy was to become the biggest jerk possible? Is this your mid-life equivalent of pulling the pretty girl’s pigtails in 8th grade?"

“Fucker! Ya don’t have to be such an ass about it!”

“I wouldn’t have to be if you’d get your head out of yours!”

"DAD!" Joel's eyes clamped shut as a loud groan erupted from his lips. "For crying out loud?" he muttered under his breath, the frustration evident in his tone. He pivoted on his heel, only to find himself locking eyes with Sarah, whose expression conveyed equal parts anger and disappointment over the scene that had just unfolded. She levelled a stern gaze at him, her hands planted firmly on her hips, a mirror of the very pose you had struck during your argument.

“What the hell was that?!” she shrieked.

“Don’t start with me Sarah, your uncle is already ripping into me so ya gonna have to take a ticket!” Joel grumbled unhappily.

“Yeah well, you were a complete dick..”

“Oy, language! I don’t care how angry you are, ya know better than not mindin’ your manners!” Sarah took on a sullen look and angrily exhaled a puff of air through her nose, “What like you minded yours with her? I invited her you know, the least you could have done was to be cordial!”

Joel took a step toward Sarah and grabbed her into his warm embrace, he could feel her tears wetting his shirt, “I really like her dad, she listens to what I have to say and she doesn’t just pretend to like other adults do. She took me shopping last week, and we looked at makeup for hours, because we couldn’t decide on the right shade. I’ve always wanted to have that.”

A pang shot through Joel's heart as he absorbed his daughter's words. He knew that Sarah had borne the weight of her mother's absence in silence, and now, with stark clarity, he understood the nature of the bond that you shared with her. Regret surged within him as he recognized the depths of his own blindness, the emotional whirlwind he'd been trapped in that had blinded him to the very essence of Sarah's needs. The realization hit him square in the chest: he had been a jerk, a self-absorbed fool, but now, he was determined to make things right.

“I know babygirl. I am so sorry for how I acted; I’ll make things right ok. Daddy will make everything right.” he murmured, his voice tender as he continued to hold her close. Sarah had reached an age where grand displays of fatherly affection were met with a facade of maturity. She had declared herself "too grown up" for such things, yet beneath it all, her heart seemed to welcome his words of comfort.

After a moment, they released each other from their embrace. Sarah wiped away her tears, her determination shining through. "You promise?" she questioned, a mix of vulnerability and longing in her voice. Joel reached out, his touch gentle as he brushed away a stray tear from Sarah's cheek. Offering her a warm, reassuring smile, he answered, "I promise, sweetie. How about tomorrow, you head over there and invite her for dinner next Friday?"

Sarah's face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. "Really? You mean it? I can invite her for Miller Friday?!"

Joel nodded, his own smile matching her excitement. "Yeah, it'll be a good time."

Sarah's enthusiasm didn't stop there. "And Uncle Tommy can still come? So, it’ll be like all of us?"

Joel chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Of course. For better or worse, we're stuck with him."

Amidst the playful protestations coming from Tommy, who had been observing from the sidelines, Sarah managed a chuckle of her own.

Her gaze turned serious once more. "And you'll apologize?"

Joel's expression softened. "Yes, babygirl, I'll apologize."

"Promise?" Sarah pressed, her eyes searching for his assurance.

Joel's smile broadened, before spitting loudly in his hand and extending it toward Sarah. "Promise!"

"EWWW, DAD, GROSS!"

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