#i've looked high and low for another game i can play on the side

[spicyschemmenti]

SMOKE AND SCARLET ➫ melissa schemmenti

pairing: mafia queen!melissa schemmenti x detective!fem!reader

synopsis: you’re a detective dead set on taking down the city’s most untouchable crime boss - melissa schemmenti. the job says you should put her behind bars but damn if you don’t want to kiss her first.

warnings: mild sexual tension, family ties to crime, organized crime, power imbalance, mention of violence/weapons, smoking, alcohol use

word count: 2k

author's note: let me know if you want to be tagged for this story and/or future melissa WIP'S. okay, not entirely sure i've got the whole 1920's theme down yet but i googled enough research to make it passable. i think

TAGS: @mako-mermaids2021

CHAPTER ONE

The speakeasy on 9th Street is packed, buzzing with heat, liquor, and the low hum of a jazz band playing something slow and sultry in the corner. The scent of cigarette smoke clings to the air, mixing with cheap perfume and the bite of whiskey. It’s the kind of place where people come to drown secrets, strike deals, and forget the world outside. And right now, you’re standing dead center in the lion’s den.

Melissa Schemmenti’s place.

You adjust your fedora, tugging it lower to hide just enough of your face. The bouncer barely gives you a glance when you walk in, which is good. You’ve been in and out of enough of these places to know how to blend in, how to move like you belong. Still, your fingers twitch toward your side, where your revolver sits snug beneath your vest. Not your only weapon.

Strapped to your thigh, hidden beneath the folds of your slacks, is a dagger, small, sharp, and ready if things go south.

You push through the crowd, eyes scanning the room. The joint is alive with movement—flappers twirling in their beaded dresses, men in pressed suits laughing over cigars and high-stakes poker. Someone’s luck is running out at one of the tables; you can hear the frustration in his voice. You don’t care. You’re not here for games.

You’re here for her.

And just like that, you spot her.

Melissa Schemmenti sits in the far corner, sprawled out in a way that tells you she owns the damn place. One leg crossed over the other, cigarette in hand, red curls framing her face like firelight. Her lips are painted that deep, dangerous red, same color as the silk dress hugging her like a second skin. She laughs at something someone says, but you can tell she’s not really listening.

Because she’s looking at you.

Your breath stalls for half a second. You force yourself to look away, playing it cool. You’re not here for her. Not really. You’re here for information — names, deals, anything that can give you an edge.

But her gaze is a weight you can feel even when you’re not meeting it.

You make your way to the bar, sliding onto a stool. The bartender eyes you for a second before grabbing a glass, his voice low.

“She noticed you.”

“I noticed.”

He smirks and pours your drink — scotch, neat. Expensive, older than you are, and smooth as hell when you take a sip. The burn slides down your throat, warming you from the inside out. You focus on that, on the job.

But then

A presence. Close.

“You know, doll,” a voice purrs beside you, rich and teasing, “if you’re gonna keep starin’, you might as well buy me a drink.”

Melissa.

You don’t turn right away. You take another sip, letting the moment stretch just to see if she’ll wait. When you finally glance over, she’s closer than you expected, leaning in just enough that you catch the faintest hint of her perfume. Something warm, heady, like vanilla and smoke.

Up close, she’s even more stunning, green eyes flickering with something unreadable. Amusement, maybe. Curiosity.

Trouble.

“Didn’t realize I was staring,” you say, setting your glass down.

Melissa chuckles, and damn, it’s a nice sound. “Oh, honey, you were. But I don’t mind.” She tilts her head slightly, dragging her gaze over you, slow and deliberate. “Nice suit.”

You smirk. “Nice dress.”

She lifts a brow, clearly entertained. “Oh, I know it is.”

It’s a game now, and you both know it. She leans in a little more, the tips of her fingers grazing the rim of your glass. Then, without breaking eye contact, she picks it up—your scotch—and takes a slow, deliberate sip.

She makes a damn show of it, too.

When she sets the glass back down, her lipstick is stamped against the rim, deep red against the crystal. “Good choice,” she murmurs, licking a stray drop from her lower lip. “I like a girl with taste.”

Your pulse kicks up.

You should walk away.

But you don’t.

Instead, you match her smirk, fingers curling loosely around the glass. “Didn’t take you for the type to steal drinks from strangers.”

She hums, eyes flicking down to your lips, then back up. “You ain’t a stranger, are you, detective?”

Your stomach tightens. You don’t react—don’t let it show—but she knows. Of course she does.

She leans in just a little closer, her breath warm against your skin. “Be careful in a place like this, sweetheart,” she murmurs, voice dripping with something just shy of a warning. “Somebody might think you’re up to somethin’.”

Then, before you can fire back, she presses a kiss to your cheek—soft, fleeting, but leaving behind the faintest trace of whiskey and lipstick.

And just like that, she pulls back, turning on her heel. The silk of her dress clings to her in all the right ways as she moves through the crowd, hips swaying like she knows you’re watching.

Hell, you are.

Your teeth sink into your bottom lip as you exhale, gripping your glass a little tighter.

Then, just as you’re getting your head straight again, a figure slides into the seat Melissa just left.

Your informant.

“Pretty little moment you two had there,” he mutters, scratching at his beard. “Almost forgot you were workin’.”

You shoot him a look. “Tell me you’ve got something.”

He grins, tapping his fingers against the bar. “Depends. What’s it worth to ya?”

You reach into your coat and slide over a bottle of whiskey — top shelf, expensive.

He whistles low. “Ain’t you just my favorite.”

You lean in. “Start talking.”

And he does. A drop spot. A shipment. A drug handoff, set to go down in two nights.

Bingo.

You take a slow sip of your scotch, feeling the pieces start to slide into place. When the informant finishes, you nod, slipping him the bottle before standing.

Time to get to work.

You tug your fedora back into place and step out into the cool night air, already running through a plan in your head. You’ll go back to your office, lay it all out, start mapping the raid.

But as you walk, your mind drifts back to red curls, green eyes, the ghost of whiskey and lipstick on your cheek.

Trouble.

And yet, you can’t shake the feeling that you want just a little more of it.

The night air bites at your skin as you step out onto the street, the glow from the speakeasy still flickering behind you like a half-whispered invitation. Smoke clings to your clothes, cigarettes, whiskey, a hint of something floral, something warm. Melissa.

You roll your shoulders, trying to shake it off, but the weight of her lingers. The smirk, the sip of your drink, the press of her lips against your cheek like a goddamn brand. You should be pissed. Should be focused on the job, on the lead burning a hole in your pocket. But your mind keeps playing the same scene over and over, like a record you can’t quite pull the needle from.

You exhale sharply and pull a cigarette from the pack in your pocket, tucking it between your lips before striking a match against the brick wall beside you.

The flame flickers, casting sharp shadows across your face as you take the first slow drag. Smoke fills your lungs, bitter and warm, curling lazily in the cool night air. It settles something in you. Not much, but enough to get your feet moving.

The city is quieter out here, away from the music and the laughter, but it never really sleeps. A car rumbles past, headlights sweeping across the pavement. Somewhere down the block, a couple argues in hushed tones, their voices rising and falling like waves. You let the sounds wash over you, the cigarette dangling from your fingers as you turn down a narrow alley and make your way toward your office.

It’s a small place, tucked above a tailor shop that does good work if you know how to ask for it. The old man downstairs barely acknowledges you when you pass through the back entrance, too wrapped up in his own business to care about yours. The stairs creak under your boots as you climb, and by the time you push the door open, your cigarette is burned down to the filter.

You stub it out in the tray on your desk, then toss your fedora beside it. The room is a mess of papers, maps, half-empty glasses, and case files stacked too high for comfort. You ignore it all, pulling the slip of paper from your pocket instead, letting your eyes run over the words for the tenth time.

Friday night. The docks.

You exhale, slow.

You should’ve seen it coming. The docks were prime real estate for a drop. Plenty of places to stash cargo, easy routes in and out. And it wasn’t just any territory. It was Schemmenti territory. Which meant if Melissa wasn’t there personally, she’d have her best people watching it.

Some of those people? Probably your people.

You rub a hand over your jaw, already feeling the headache creeping in. Family meant something in this city. Blood was blood, and no matter how far you tried to step outside of it, there were always threads pulling you back in. You had cousins, uncles, maybe even a couple of old friends who worked for Melissa. Maybe not in the high ranks, maybe not in the rooms where the real power sat, but they were there. And if they were there Friday night?

That was gonna make things complicated.

You sigh, rolling your shoulders before reaching for the bourbon tucked in your bottom drawer. You don’t bother with a glass this time, just twist the cap off and take a slow pull. The burn is a welcome distraction, something to pull your focus back where it needs to be.

You walk to your desk, shoving some papers aside until the old city map underneath is fully visible. The docks stretch along the edge, a mess of warehouses, shipping crates, and alleyways that could swallow a person whole. You press your fingers against the paper, tracing possible entry points, trying to think three steps ahead.

You’ll need backup. Cops you trust, which isn’t exactly a long list. There are plenty on the force who’d sell information for the right price, and if you make the wrong call, this whole thing is over before it starts.

You take another swig of bourbon, letting the heat settle in your chest.

This is gonna be messy.

But you knew that the second you stepped into that damn speakeasy tonight.

You sit back in your chair, dragging a hand through your hair. You should be thinking about the job. About Friday. About the fact that this could be the moment that actually lands you something real—something that could crack the Schemmenti family open and leave them bleeding.

Instead, your thoughts drift.

Back to the bar. Back to her.

Melissa fucking Schemmenti.

The way she leaned in, all confidence and heat, like she already knew exactly how you’d react to her. The way she dragged her gaze over you, slow and deliberate, like she was taking her time. The way she lifted your glass and took a sip without breaking eye contact, her lipstick marking the rim, her tongue sweeping over her lower lip afterward.

She had known. The whole damn time, she had known.

You exhale through your nose, flipping your lighter open and shut absentmindedly, the soft metallic click filling the quiet of the room.

Melissa was dangerous. Not just because of the power she held, not just because she could make one phone call and have you buried in the river by sunrise. No, she was dangerous because she knew exactly how to play you.

And that should piss you off.

But all you can think about is the way her lips felt against your skin.

You groan, reaching for another cigarette, striking a match against the table’s edge.

Focus.

Friday night. The docks.

No distractions.

No mistakes.

You take a deep drag, the smoke curling lazily in the air as you let the plan settle into place.

No matter what the hell Melissa Schemmenti thought this was. No matter what game she thought she was playing. This ends your way.

And if she gets in your way?

Well.

You’ll deal with that when the time comes.

CHAPTER TWO

[daydreams-after-dark]

After Hours

Felix; personal assistant | You; Corporate Boss |

You're a corporate boss, he is your personal assistant. You're his boss by day, but after hours his soft dom side gets you weak.

18+ fanfic // (soft dom) Felix + sub reader // vaginal fingering // oral sex (f rec) // toys // handcuffs // vaginal sex// orgasms // declaration of love // sex where someone might see // boss/subordinate relationship

Approx 1.9k words

The moon illuminates your high rise office just enough that you don’t need any additional lighting. Felix can still see everything as he presses the front of your naked body against the glass window of behind your desk. The glass is cold against your skin making you shudder.

“A little cold is it, boss?” your assistant, Felix says. There is a kindness in his voice even though he is whispering. You can feel his hot breath on your exposed neck. He retreats back for a moment and your not sure where he’s gone.

But then you feel him push against the back of your body. He’s naked. You can feel his hard erection against the back of your ass. 

Yes, you both liked to play risky games with each other after hours, happily wandering around naked and "sensually fucking", as Felix likes to call it.

“God Felix you’re so hard.” you gasp as he rubs the head of his cock through your lips, guiding it with one hand. His other hand caresses your ass, sliding it up to follow the curve of your back, and eventually tangling his fingers in your hair.

“It’s all because of you, you know?” He smirks against your neck, and tips your head back to expose more of your skin. "I've wanted you all day." 

A small squeak escapes your lips when he bites your neck hard, but still playfully. 

“Spread your legs a little for me, gorgeous.” He instructs. As always you oblige, stepping your feet apart to allow Felix access your entrance. How can you refuse your Felix. You may be his boss, but the boy makes you melt.

You’re expecting to feel the tip of his glorious dick prodding against you, but Felix is playful and full of unexpected surprises. Instead, he lets go of his cock and snakes his hand between your legs to find your clit.

You let out a long moan as he sucks on your pulse and applies pressure between you legs.

“You’re so wet for me.” He notes.

You lean back against Felix’s strong body and your head rests on his shoulder. He removes the hand in your hair, snaking around to squeeze your breasts. You’re chest is heaving, as you whimper at Felix’s touch. You close your eyes, losing yourself to the sensations. Felix’s hand makes it’s way down your stomach and down between your legs. With two fingers he spreads your lips apart, exposing your clitoris, and allowing the fingers of his other hand more access to deliver concentrated pressure.

“Fuck.” You cry out. You start to writhe against him, whimpering his name over and over as your climax builds. Felix slides his fingers from your clit to your entrance now, pushing two fingers into your pussy. His other hand now taking over working on your clit.

“You look so stunning right now. Like this.” Felix says in awe. 

You can feel the pressure building between your legs, and you start to rock your hips again Felix’s hand. His fingers slide so easily in and out of you. The slick, wet noises from your pussy accompanied with your low moans and sweet whimpers is sending Felix crazy. “I think you’re about to come on my fingers any minute now.” He said. “Can I put another one in?” He said closing his eyes and pressing his lips to your shoulder. 

“Mmm hmm.” You muttered, lost in the pleasure.

Felix pushed a third finger into you making you gasp at the stretch. “Yes yes yes… like that.. yes.” you cry. 

You are held against him, secure and safe, as Felix directs his fingers into your g-spot. He becomes absolutely relentless, not easing up for a moment as you squirm against him. 

“I can feel you’re so close… just let go, love…I’ve got you.” He whispers in your ear.

The pressure inside you explodes, and your legs shake as your orgasm crashes over you. “Yes that’s it…love… good girl… let go. Let go.” He bit his lip as he watches your legs give way, and he wraps an arm around your waist to hold you up. 

Felix doesn’t even let you recover from your orgasm before he’s spun you around, lifting you up and pressing you against the glass. You wrap your legs around his waist and he pushes his cock inside you with a groan.

“Felix… you’re hitting me so deep”. You protest. 

“Oh my God am I hurting you?” He stops and looks at you with concern, but you shake your head. “It’s fucking incredible.” You pant. 

His mouth attacks yours, biting and tugging your lip, then kissing and nibbling your neck. His breathy moans letting you know how much you’re driving him crazy. 

“Arms up.” He says gruffly. You do as he says, raising your arm above your head, and he uses one of his hands to pin your arms against the glass. His other hand supports your ass while he fucks you slow and deep. 

All you can hear is yours and Felix’s heavy, laboured breathing and your wet pussy as his cock moves in and out of you.

Eventually, Felix peels you off the glass and carries you over to your desk, laying you down and thrusting into you a few times before pulling out entirely.

“Felix,” you whined “where are you going?” You close your eyes, your neediness overwhelming you. 

“It’s okay. I’m still here.” His face appears over yours and he kisses you deeply. “I’ve got a surprise… something I want to try. If that’s okay.” He smiles brightly.

You smile back and push a strand of hair out of his face. “Okay.” You say, and he scurries off and switches on a lamp. Then he is back a moment later dangling a pair of black fluffy handcuffs and grinning deviously.

“I want to restrain you.” His grin turns into a cheeky smirk, making your heart melt. 

“Fuck, Felix. Have you had these hiding in your desk drawer all day. You're so bad.” You squint at him.

Felix raises and eyebrow “Yes? And I've been imagining this all day.” He pokes the inside of his cheek with his tongue.

“Legs up.” He suddenly demands. A rush of excitement courses through you and you fold your legs up towards your chest.

“Wrists around the back of your thighs, love.” He instructs you to hook your legs over your forearms, and to hold your arms around your thighs. Your feet dangle up around your ears.

“That’s it.” He says as he handcuffs your wrists, securing you in just the way he wants you.

“One more surprise.” Felix then holds up a butt plug with a black fluffy tail attached. “Can you wear this for me?” He asks with a feigned shyness. “I think you’ll look adorable with this in your pretty hole.” His naughty words are arousing you immensely and you nod your head “Yes, Felix… please… I’ll wear that for you. Can you help me put it in?” You coo.

Felix tries his best to hide his eagerness and it makes you bite your lip to try and hide your stupid grin.

You feel the cold metal against your vagina entrance, as Felix gathers your wetness to use as lubricant. “I’m feeling a little impatient,” he meets your eye, “so you’re going to have to take it in one go for me?” He decides. 

You feel a burning stretch as Felix pushes the plug into you in a slow but continuous motion.

You cry out. It hurts for a moment but then the stretch feels incredible. 

Felix stands back and admires you. “Such a pretty little kitty.” He smirks satisfied with his idea.

Then his head disappears and you feel his wet tongue lick a stripe up from your entrance to your  clit.

“Felix! Please just… I need your cock…” you toss your head around in frustration, all you want is for him to be inside you again.

“You want my cock, do you baby?” Felix tries to taunt you, but he’s lining himself up with you in a heartbeat, and sinking back into you.

“God you’re extra tight with that in your ass.” He chokes.

You desperately need to see his face so you try to move your legs slightly to one side as you tilt your neck to look around your legs.

You watch Felix as he watches himself moving in and out of you. His pace is steady. He might have been impatient to be back inside of you, but now he’s where he wants to be he doesn’t want it to end.

He feels so big. He’s pushing into you further than you thought was possible. The stretch feeling more intense too, thanks to the plug up your ass. You were slowly falling apart.

“Please, please… faster.” You whine desperately. 

Felix catches your eyes and smiles. “I’m not in a hurry, sweet-pea”. He’s so cute, but frustrating.

He doesn’t change his pace, just continues the long, slow thrusts, keeping you on the precipice of your second orgasm.

He keeps you there, right on the edge for a good five minutes, until you are sobbing and begging him to take you over. Felix is loving it. You’re so wet for him, responding just the way he likes. The way the tears are running down your cheeks, the way your eyes are unfocused, the way you crying his name. He fucking loves it. And then he’s ready for you to come. A finger lands on your clitoris and his hips snap faster, harder, giving you that friction you need. “That’s it beautiful. Come on my cock.” 

Your orgasm makes you scream, the release the most intense you’ve ever felt before. Your legs shake and your walls clench causing Felix to let out a long growl as he comes inside of you. Your still pulsing around him as his breath slows back to a normal rate.

He pulls out and removes the plug, then releases you from the handcuffs.

“Felix!” You sob as he holds you close. You feel safe in his arms. 

“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He soothes. "You did so good, boss babe." he chuckles.

You take your time dressing, kiss each other goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Felix. Don't forget you have a performance review tomorrow." you remind him and head off in the direction of your car.

"Oh, I thought we just had the performance review?" he calls after you.

@channieandhisgoonsquad @noellllslut @kangnina @itshannjisung @felixs-voice-makes-me-wanna @newhope8 @weareapackofstrays @queen-in-the-shadows @queenmea604

[tetrakys]

A few thoughts on the Halloween event

The first event of New Gen was released today, and as usual there are some positives and negatives. I'll start with the negative and put everything under spoiler.

Negatives

The system in my opinion isn't well calibrated. I personally hate gatcha, years ago I swore to myself I would never play another gatcha game in my life. But alas most games have some form of gatcha embedded mechanic, and I know generally people are not as negative toward them as I am. However, even if I want to set my personal feelings aside and try to be completely objective, there are some issues.

I think it all boils down to: games should either have a luck component or a timing/difficulty component. At the moment the event relies both on luck (the gatcha and the minigame) and timing (it's too short). This means that while it's impossible for f2p players to complete the event in full, it's also extremely expensive for them (and everyone else) to catch up.

Side note: I don't think it's outrageous that f2p can't complete the event in full. If we look at other games it's basically the case everywhere (I'm thinking of Ikemen games especially, but also MLQC and other similar mobile games). Companies have to make money somehow so it makes sense that they incentivise people to invest in the game with additional rewards. The issue here is that by adding too many obstacles what is achieved isn't a desire to invest some money to keep playing, but only a feeling of frustration that puts people off completely.

I did the math, f2p players by entering the event every day will only be able to obtain around 10-12 items when the total is 25 (including clothes, room elements and moments with the crushes), which makes for only 40% of the event. The gap is too large. If it had been 70-80% instead, maybe some players would've felt encouraged to spend something on the event to complete it, but when you're missing more than half and would need around 650-750 gems the feeling is instead anger mixed to a resigned 'what's the point?'.

Of course there is the possibility of someone being extremely lucky and obtaining perfect scores at the minigame and also unlocking all the dates and items they really care about in those free rolls they are able to obtain. It is true that not everyone wants to maximise the event and unlock all clothes and scenes. In which case yes, the event would be very convenient to them. But 40% odds of obtaining exactly what you want are still too low in my opinion.

Hence why I think this would be solved by either making the minigame easier, or extending the event for a few extra days.

Positives

There are indeed some very positive aspects. The outfits and items are all really pretty in my opinion, plus I already mentioned being a fan of how the crushes look like in their Halloween attire.

But what I think is the main improvement of this event is the scenes spent with the crushes, they seem to be much longer than what we used to have in the old game. Plus personally I really liked these scenes, they were both funny, cute and a bit romantic/hot. I can tell it's an early days event because there's nothing overtly romantic going on, but it feels right for the pace of the game. Also, I think all illustrations are 10/10 chef's kiss (I wiiiish Jason's illu had been a bit darker, with a dangerous/spicy undertone, but alas that's just my personal taste).

Also, what really sold me on these scenes is that they are all saved in our library, and we can replay them in full whenever we want and even pick different choices. This gives my completionist soul so much relief, I've always hated that I couldn't test different choices in past events without spending most of the event currency.

So, in conclusion, there are both things that work and don't work in this event, I hope for Christmas and Valentine the high quality of art and scenes will be kept and the system will be reworked to make it less frustrating for everyone.

[lovelykil]

─Headcanons─

kenny x reader older ver.

hc; horny reader dating Kenny

cw; nsfw :3

note; nothing like 2 horny fucks dating each other 😊.. this will cause chaos also literally this appeared in my head and I just had to write it. Kenny is literally me ⤵

Before you guys started dating you two regularly made sex jokes, laughing your asses off together as Kyle planned murder, side eyeing the fuck out of yall.

You guys were perfect, making obscure jokes with no shame and laughing afterwards together? Couple goals

Definitely you guys were a friends with benefits type shit before the dating happen. You guys didn't even talk about being fwb it just kinda happened

He'd always sneak up behind you and wrap his hands around your waist while you were talking to your friends, you found this so normal you paid no attention but definitely your lower region did.

More normal occurrences were sitting on his lap, because he forced you to with a charming smirk, really drove you crazy to be fair. You'd sometimes tease him, moving your hips on him for fun whenever you guys were out.

And oh my god he's always taken by surprise by this despite him practically ASKING FOR IT– his grip on your hip tightens, letting out a low grunt into your ear.

Yeah a heart beat down there was definitely present.

Oh wow how you were always HORNY around him

By the way you guys were at Kyle's house so when he saw you two together he IMMEDIATELY separated you two and scolded the shit out of you two.

"Stop RUBBING GENITALS IN MY HOUSE, you guys are always so fucking horny."

"No we're not"

"Then what were you two just doing?"

"...okay well to be fair NOTHING really but-"

"I swear to god."

There are no rubbing genitals at such a house as Kyles

Anyway after that day it was clear as day you guys had a thing or maybe a sex thing.. maybe it was both. Anywho things got heated nonetheless, things lead to another then all of a sudden you're being pinned down by him as he stared intently into your eyes, the lustful tension between him and you growing rapidly.

"Y/n I-"

"Just fuck me already Kenny, I've been waiting."

after that he spent no time doing your request 🤗

After you guys finally FUCKED getting that out of the way he asked to be your boyfriend.

Yes he asked for HIM to be YOUR boyfriend

You looked over at him under the sheets, almost shocked and buttnaked. He was staring at the ceiling but soon turned his head at you, panting still.

You obviously said yes cause whaat, that was a weirdly sweet moment LMAO

plus he fucked you really good, who can say no to good dick? ☺️.

Now you two were a couple.. the horniess was real.

You guys both touched starved, his hand always holding yours or around your waist while you held onto his arm or held his hand inside his hoodie pocket.

Either way you never let go of him and that's what he really loved and turned him on.

You guys like to whisper lewd things in each other's ear at random times 🤭 one time you whispered something so sexy you could practically see Kenny's face go red.

awwh he's so cute when he's flustered, hides his face and everything then tries to act tough again.

There's a game that you two play called 'whisper and fold' where at random times you whisper something in his ear or he whispers something in your ear and tries to make you fold/give up, whomever loses obviously is left a hot mess and at times has to go find a near bathroom/ empty space and fulfill the winners request 🤗

It's a tough battle sometimes, you yourself have a high tolerance rate but it could just be easily broken with the right words by your boyfriend.

Most of them are the lovely words "My good girl"

"Princess"

And "(my) pretty mama or 'girl'

He likes to abuse the fuck out of these 3 words it drives you insane kinda pisses you off how easily he found out too.

You were once again at Kyle's house, sitting next to each other on the couch watching Kyle and Stan play guitar hero.

They are such dorks.

You were watching them, silently rooting for Kyle when Kenny decided to play the game.

His hands sneaked around you, pulling you towards him slowly. You were soon against his warm chest feeling his breath on your neck. You shifted in his embrace, growing nervous but you still remained calm.

"Hey Y/nn."

"Hey Ken." You whispered with a smile, caressing his arms. He took a second before muttering something.

"can you feel it? I'm so horny for you baby." His low voice sent a shiver down your spine, feeling something poke you from behind. You lightly giggled to yourself from the butterflies roaming around in your stomach, licking your lips to continue the game he started.

"What, you want me to get on my knees right behind our friends back and stroke your cock for you?" You adjusted in your spot on him, placing yourself on him carefully.

A light whimper escaped from his mouth near your ear, you almost folded but caught yourself quickly before he noticed. You grinned to yourself when he hadn't replied for a few seconds, going in to claim your win.

"Oh? You alright Kenny? You haven't said anything.. it sounds like I wi–"

"oh fuck please princess, start moving your hips on me can.. you do that for me my pretty girl?" Kenny held onto your hips tightly. He whined into your ear, his slow panting right behind you immediately sent a shock wave of butterflies inside your stomach then fluttered downward to create an aching hot heartbeat on his clothed cock.

Your cheeks grew warm, along with the rest of your body from his sudden submissive state you couldn't say anything but feel yourself grow hot.

You heard a slight snicker and felt something wet on your neck, his hands ventured beneath your shirt.

that damn fucking asshole.

"What's wrong? Can't say anything mama? Mmh, sounds like I win." He kissed your neck softly, his hands traveling underneath your bra.

You mentally cursed to yourself, you couldn't muster up a word to stay in the game it was clear you had to acknowledge your defeat.

"Alright fine you win." in a quiet voice you admitted, pissed off a little.

Kenny kissed the side of your face, holding you tightly. "Don't worry I'll make sure it feels like you won."

"Hey it's a tie! We're getting better at this game dude, it's been so long."

"I'm glad I found it laying around in my closet, anyway Kenny, Y/n do you wanna play?" Kyle high-fived Stan before turning his head to see you and Kenny very close together, most importantly you on his lap.

That's when you knew you were about to get yelled at.

"Oh shi–"

"STOP RUBBING GENITALS IN MY HOUSE"

"We're NOTT."

You two are banned from Kyle's house for a week now. Sucks cause his mom makes the best food.

Alright now sexting is a thing.

Why wouldn't it be

It just comes soo naturally like one moment you're talking about how your parents need to get off your shit or whatever then all of a sudden mf is telling you how he wants to spread your legs out and devour your cunt while you are all giggly and kicking your feet sending shit like

SAME THING WITH HIM, he'll be telling you how Eric got beaten by Wendy for the 30th time and how funny it was or something about him finding a dead raccon in the bathroom urinal then all of a sudden you're saying how you want his dick inside your mouth, letting him let out his semen in your warmth to make him feel good.

On his end he's smiley, giggling like a WHORE, with butterflies in his stomach sending shit like

Ending with a "really? :3"

😭😭.

I can't make this up I see so it vividly, this is real (I am Kenny McCormick)

You two are probably the best horny couple in south park,, what a couple !!😟🤗

[dross-the-fish]

Why do you dislike Musical!PoTO?

I've heard that there are better versions than the ones I've seen (a couple of clips of boots on youtube, the 25th royal albert hall performance and the 2004 movie) so take my ranting with a grain of salt. I've said it before and if you've followed me you probably know by now that I don't care much for Andrew Lloyd Webber, I feel like he's very hit or miss and for every Jesus Christ Superstar he writes there's a Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (pure shit, irredeemable, possibly the worst musical I've ever had to sit through) Something about Webber's music rubs me the wrong way, it seems like it's trying to be tongue-in-cheek but it just comes off as smug. Characters tend to feel extremely one-note. I HATE madam Giry in the musical. They kind of gave her the Daroga's role and it DOES NOT WORK. She says something early on in the film about how she thinks of Christine as a daughter but she doesn't do a fucking thing to protect her from Erik for the bulk of the musical? Like, you know what's going on, you know who her teacher is but your complicit in helping him deceive her? Why are you protecting him? It's not that you don't think he's dangerous, you clearly know he's capable of murder. I also hate how they handle Carlotta, she's not really a major character in the book and her singing is lacking not because she's bad but because she doesn't have any passion for her performances and she's wonderfully ruthless and calculating about ousting her competition. The depiction of a spoiled past her prime, primadonna who also can't sing and is too old for the roles she cast in is just another example of ALW being needlessly mean spirited. In the book she was actively manipulative about trying to kill Christine's career. There was something really villainous about the way she would use her popularity and her friends in high places to bribe the managers with flattery and gifts. She made newspapers stop giving Christine publicity to prevent her from getting her name out, then she filled the opera house with her own fans and supporters to outnumber anyone who was there for Christine. This woman has been in the game for a long time and she knows how to play it, probably because she's worked for years to build up her career and isn't ready to hand it over to some nobody from nowhere who happened to pop up on the one night Carlotta couldn't perform. You could write Carlotta with so much nuance and give her layers, make her an INTERESTING antagonist and ALW just doesn't. He goes for the low hanging fruit. The laziest trope he could have picked. Spoiled, vain and no actual talent. Given how much creative control over the movie he had I'm going to count that as his official adaptation of the musical and it takes everything I already don't like about the musical and makes it WORSE. Also I said before ALW writes music like someone who enjoys rock but doesn't actually understand it? "We needed somebody who has a bit of rock and roll sensibility in him. He's got to be a bit rough, a bit dangerous; not a conventional singer. Christine is attracted to the Phantom because he's the right side of danger." -Andrew Lloyd Webber on the character of Erik for the 2004 film. Honestly, no? No he doesn't, he has no rock and roll sensibility. Not in your musical, not in the book, not in the movie. What are you talking about Andy? That ridiculous guitar riff during the song The Phantom of the Opera? Because that meshed about as well with your hokey showtune style as eating cole slaw with your Chinese takeout. You CAN do it but you really shouldn't. "The film looks and sounds fabulous and I think it's an extraordinarily fine document of the stage show. While it doesn't deviate much from the stage material, the film has given it an even deeper emotional centre. It's not based on the theatre visually or direction-wise, but it's still got exactly the same essence. And that's all I could have ever hoped for." – Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andy you're full of crap. Go home. That said there are moments and songs I really like. Wishing you Were Somehow Here Again is heartbreaking and I like to think that she's talking about Erik and the broken pedestal of their relationship as much as she is her father. I don't know if that was intentional but I like the angle of Christine feeling heartbroken at the loss of a friend and father. But well, ALW ships Erik and Christine so of course that angle is never really considered. We get one moment where Christine is upset and says she gave Erik her mind blindly and one where she admits to being frightened of him before the performance of Don Juan, but I feel like as much as Christine is verbally resistant to him and clearly terrified of him the musical doesn't really validate her and takes every opportunity to build up the sexual tension between her and the phantom. The supporting characters don't really help either, Madam Giry is complicit in Erik's manipulations, Raoul seems largely dismissive and more focused on hunting down Erik when he finally believes her than protecting Christine (AllI Ask of You is a nice song but Raoul's actions and attitude before and after make it feel a bit hollow). In some weird ways I get why people watch the musical and think Erik is the better choice despite...the stalking, kidnapping and murder. No one is really committed to protecting this girl, not even the people who claim to love her. I can easily see how she'd still feel a need to cling to her angel of music even after the mask comes off given how completely ALONE she seems while surrounded by people who allegedly care about her. I also don't like how Raoul is depicted. Maybe it's the actors but I feel like he and Christine don't have chemistry and half the time he seems annoyed with her. Especially Hadley Frasier feels like he's ten minutes from being completely done, he has no patience. I don't buy that this is a man who ran into the sea to fetch her scarf or would run into a dangerous underground lair to rescue her but I do buy that he's going to become a drunken asshole in 10 years so I guess what they did with him in LND is predictable even if it is completely stupid. If you made it to the bottom of this rant congratulations, I hope that explains why I am not among the musical's phans and why I don't like how much it eclipses the book or other versions. I do think it's good but overrated and the flaws are more than I can over look. And yet I still seek it out from time to time, I still like the parts of it that I like and that I think do work. It's like a toxic ex I can't fully break up with, which I suppose is kind of fitting given the subject matter.

[misses-steal-ya-girl]

Tales from a slutty younger me

My step dad used to have a football and Euchre night when I was a teenager. It was just 2 of his friends and his brother in law. One of his friends was fucking hot. He was in his late 30's early 40's. I was 16-17 ish.

When ever he would host these parties, I would always make sure to be home and to wear extra slutty clothes. Usually a tight low-cut dress that just barely covered my ass. Whenever my dad and his other friend would go out for a cigarette I would always find something to "normal" to do so Dave could see my goods. Sometimes I would reach up to the top of the entertainment center to "get something" so my ass cheeks would be exposed to him. Or sit on the couch and accidentally drop something so when I picked it up he could see my tits. But as I did these things, I would look back at him and give him a little smile. He would always be looking at me with a smirk on his face and wink at me.

The one time when I turned around he was using his index finger to trace the outline of his dick. This instantly sent a jolt straight to my pussy. I walked over to him, sat next to him and said, "You have a lucky wife." I then put my hand on his dick and said, "you're also lucky everyone is outside and I can take this moment to grope your dick and tell you that on the nights you come over, I get so horny fantasizing about you, I always have to go to the bathroom and play with my clit."

I licked his earlobe as I caressed his dick through his jeans.

I spread my legs and said, "would you like to feel how tight and wet I am"

He slides his hand up my dress and moves my panties to the side. He takes one finger and slides it in me so gently. Then he said, "fuck girl, you are so naughty, and I think we're both lucky we're not completely alone because I would be doing more than using my finger on you." He pulls his finger out of me, sucks it clean, and asks, "Have you ever had someone who isn't in high school, like a real man?"

I reply, "no, everyone I've been with has been a teenager. Why are you asking? I know you're married and by feeling how hard you are for me, would you ever consider...maybe...just once...having sex with me?"

As soon as I asked that, my dad and his friends walked back inside. It was time for the Euchre game. Ive never played cards with them, nor did I know how to play the game, but I had an idea.

I asked my dad if I could play too. He laughed, said no and told me he didn't feel like teaching me how to play.

Dave told me to come sit next him and he'd teach me. So I pulled a chair up next him and I had to get real close to see his cards. Then I had another idea, so I ran to the bathroom and took my panties off. When I came back, I snuggled up next to him to look at his hand in Euchre, and I put my hand right on his dick and started to softly rub his bulge.

I looked at him and said, "I hope this doesn't distract you, you know, you trying to explain to me how to play while you're also playing. I do appreciate it though, you probably have more patience with me than my dad would."

I spread my legs and guided his left hand to my exposed pussy. He knew exactly what to do. He took his finger and started to rub circles around my clit, then running it down the slit between my lips, not putting his finger in my hole but stopping to tap the outside of it. He was touching me so inappropriately under the table and acting as if nothing is happening to everyone else that is there. It was so fucking hot.

He then slowly slides his finger inside me and I let out a little gasp and I hear him chuckle. He doesn't finger fuck me, he just holds it there still. Occasionally wiggling it a little bit while he played his game. I think he enjoyed feeling me ever so lightly fucking myself on his finger. At one point when he was wiggling his finger it felt so incredibly good. I had to put my head down on the table so no one could see my face. I didn't realize at that time I was about to cum. This man knew exactly what he was doing and he could tell I was about to cum. He didn't move his finger in or out at all, just wiggled it inside me. After I nutted all over his hand, I expected him to pull his finger out. He did not. He kept it in me until the game was over and my dad his friend left to go outside for a smoke break.

He looked at me and said, "man, I felt you cumming on my finger. You are so incredibly sexy. I am so horny for you. I might have to go to the bathroom and take care of this." He unzips his pants and pulls his dick out.

I don't even think, my mouth goes straight to his dick. He puts his hand on top of my head and starts guiding me up and down. After about 2 minutes of sucking he stops me and says, "you're a cock hungry little girl, and as bad as I want to give it to you, I think you forgot that your dad can walk in in a minute."

And he takes his dick and puts it back in his pants.

I looked up and said I have an idea, "Let's go for a ride. I'll tell my dad you're going to take me to a friends house. I can suck you off while you drive...unless if you'd rather fuck me. I know a spot where we can go."

He said, "you don't have to do this. You're a minor and I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything sexual with me or feel pressured into anything. I'll go masturbate in the bathroom and when I get home, I'll fuck my wife imagining it's you."

Me as I grab his dick through his pants- "ugh, fine. I understand, but I promise I won't say anything to anyone. What if I ask you nicely?Please, Dave? Please take me for a ride and spread my pussy with your cock. I need to feel how big you are. I want hear the sound you make when you first slide your dick in me. In a pussy that's only been fucked 4 times before. Please, Dave, let me have you."

He said, "fuck, I'm going to go to hell for this one. Go tell your dad I'm taking you to your friend's house."

[howlingday]

Just woke up in a cold sweat remembering the brawl Eren and Jean have halfway through S3 of AoT and then reimagining it as Nora and Yang.

Cue Nora getting absolutely clocked by Yang for making a horse face joke.

"Look, I'm not saying joining Beacon without aura was a good idea, but I mean, I like to this of it as another learning experience to make me into a better huntsman. After all, if I learned it earlier, I would have just relied on it..."

Nora glared across the table as her leader prattled on. His voice was annoying, but not as annoying as the two sisters sitting on the other side, gossiping and giggling about becoming huntresses. Every word the older sister said made her want to puke.

"See, if you use low-impact rounds to take off and shift to high-impact in mid-air as you land, you can conserve ammo for when the real fight stars!"

"Wow... That's pretty advanced, even for me..." The younger of the two said.

"What can I say, I've got a sixth sense for these kinds of things." She leaned over, putting her attention on Ren as he quietly ate. "Among other things~." She got louder as she boasted even more. "You gotta do the strut to make the cut! Only the best of the best get assigned to Beacon Academy staff!"

"Yeah." Ruby smiled, her cheeks flushing with joy. "Working here, helping the next generation become better huntresses than we are. There's nothing more noble than that." She lifted her mug of milk to her lips.

"Man, shut up, Ruby!" With a heavy hand, Yang slapped her sister's back, making her spill milk onto herself. "We're not at Signal anymore, so you can cut the childish bullshit. Nobody cares about things like nobility and honor around here. You just want to work at Beacon so you can have the easy life, kicking back while you let everyone else do all the heavy lifting~."

"Th-That's not true!" Ruby yelped, milk dripping down her chin. "That's not me at all~!"

"You're both so fucking pathetic." Ruby and Yang turned to Nora. "Heavy lifting? The only heavy lifting you've ever done was pick up a text-book. My heavy lifting was pushing a support beam off of me so I didn't get crushed after the Grimm destroyed my village. And where were your Beacon staff then?"

"Oh, yeah?" Yang sneered as Nora lifted her mug of juice to her lips. "Got somethin' to say, sweetheart? I'm right here."

"Yang Xiao Long, the girl with more boobs than brains... Besides," Nora gave a snarky grin, "I don't think the students would care for that horse-face of yours~."

Students from other tables heard this and snickered. Yang wasn't laugh. "Cute."

"You've got it backwards. You want to get the best grades for killing Grimm so Beacon will hire you to never see one!"

"What, and getting ripped apart on the outside is much better? Thanks, but I'll pass. Better to play the game then get played with by the Grimm."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" If Nora was angry before, she was livid now, standing as she slammed her palms and rose to challenge her opponent. "YOU FUCKING TRAMP?!"

"BRING IT ON, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" Yang met the challenge with her own barking, getting in Nora's face.

"N-Nora, calm down!" Jaune weakly called as Nora grabbed Yang's uniform.

"Ladies, please," Ren placed his arms between the two warring women, "this is hardly the time or place." He gingerly took Nora's hand from Yang's lapel, something Yang took notice of. Nora seemed to calm under her partner's gaze.

"YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME?!" Yang grabbed hold of Nora's uniform.

"RIP UP MY COAT AND YOU'RE DEAD!" Nora shouted back.

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOUR UNIFORM! YOU PISSED ME OFF!"

"WHAT, ARE YOU ACTUALLY CRAZY?!" Suddenly, Nora noticed the other students staring at her. Cardin, Coco, Blake; they were all sizing her up- No, sizing THEM up, her and Yang. Yang had something to prove to these people, to herself. And if that didn't sound too damn familiar to her. She'd apologize later for this.

Stepping away and lowering her body, Nora grabbed hold of the off-balance Yang, twisting herself before throwing the blonde girl overhead and slamming her into the ground. Blake gave a small gasp as she recognized her move being used by the same person she used it on not long ago.

"Damn..." Yang picked herself up, rubbing her head. "What the hell was that move?!"

"Little something I picked up this afternoon while you were stuffing yourself with your hay and oats." Nora answered, glaring down at the brawler beneath her. "You actually think being on Beacon's staff is your ticket to the good life? You're not huntress. You're not even a horse. YOU'RE A YORSE-FACED PET."

The tension was thick in the air as no one spoke about what just happened. It wasn't broken until the door to the cafeteria opened slightly, a grisly green eye glaring at the girls and boys. Professor Goodwitch's voice cut the air like her crop.

"Would someone care to explain what all the noise I heard just now was?" She asked, her anger smothering any sweet tone she tried to pass off. "I do hope everything is alright."

Yang and Nora quickly returned to their seats, but Goodwitch remained. If the room was quiet before, it was silent as the grave now. Eventually, the professor would enter, demanding the students to answer her, slapping her crop hard enough to break the table, until someone broke and confessed. And the one to do it was Ren.

"Pyrrha shit herself just now, ma'am." Pyrrha gasped in horror.

"I should have know." Pyrrha gasped even more so in horror. "Learn some self-control, for Brother's sakes."

[basedkikuenjoyer]

Conspicuous Absence

Do I get to have this moment? The Two-Week Void. Right as we're pulling away. I just want to take a moment to really break down the structure of what we're seeing here. First, I'll just get it out of the way by pointing out if it bleeds into two weeks ago specifically for the Straw Hats...that would be roughly around when they're playing with armor in the grove and such. This is not a new concept to us with Egghead & Wano, it was the same with York's POV on all this. How it lined up well with the existing confluence of the Samurai's and Straw Hats's timeline. We're also doing this at the end of an arc that opens with rewriting a scene from Wano.

When these scattered threads start to make sense, time will be rewoven. I still have that vibe that line in "Us" is a promise. Remember I was looking at the arc this way before we saw the anime theme. Our first flurry of scenes that cleared misconceptions about known events ended and gave way to the revelation we skipped last night. Our mid-arc massive flashback that showed off the structure gave way to a reminder of that through showing Vega/Bonney apart from it. Now? Vegapunk's broadcast has concluded and we are seemingly getting away but taking the bulk of the chapter to go backwards. Fill in the gaps to re-contextualize the events of Egghead Island. It's my time to shine. Yay.

How much more will we see this style of storytelling going forward? Who knows, this could be the only chapter. If you've been following along with me though, you probably know what I'll say here. There's a lot of sides to Egghead you could do this with to great effect...and if you wanted to actually moonshot this shit into crazy twist territory Wano sorta left us with the perfect character to play these games around in Okiku. This is why I care about Drake so much, because he's a bridge too. And one that is well suited to have a chapter just like this right now. Stussy's kinda the same way; we got a great taste at the start of the broadcast that has been left hanging.

Last time we talked a bit about the connections to Whitebeard and by extension Oden/Izo in Emeth's sacrifice. Did anyone else get a tone of Yasuie out of Vegapunk's decision here? I could have done the "If I must die, I'll sell my life dearly" panel to really nail that. But it was the overall tone around that I couldn't unsee. How much it hammers the sides of Oden I've always compared Vegapunk to. We undercut some of the very serious element to all this and that type of storytelling invites comparison to another big Wano face who you can find on the cover.

This moment right here was where it all really hit what I was seeing. First off, that bit in the letter is ironically very amusing. Between that and Vega Coffee...Vegapunk is a man of the highest highs and lowest lows. This shit is soooo funny to me. The latter side though is on display too.

Anyone else get really annoyed at how quick he was to assume Lilith? That was scummy and it felt like the scene was highlighting that. Vega Prime was aggressive about accusing Lilith. That, undercutting the death speech, only a little self-reflection when you learned it was York, and even this letter like, contradicting somewhat the point of wiping your memory. In the exact same way your message whipped people up. It feels like the theme of this chapter is showing Vegapunk's flawed side very clearly. Seeing this after Oden by the way reminds me of a very iconic Brook line, death isn't an apology. It's not this panel by the way that does it, but the end of this letter does get cut off. A concept we've looked at a lot here and is also used...

It's subtle and could be a dead end, but this bit about preserving the cloud loft last minute was interesting because it is doing something special. Introducing a goal that was always there but we're only now learning about it.

I'll be watching Lilith and potentially Stussy closely going forward, but this chapter really did put us squarely in the territory I wanted to see right as we're finally coming out of the transmission.

[cadybear420]

Holy shit it's already been 4 years since I first discovered Choices. Excuse me while I try to keep my brain from exploding

On February 2, 2021, I found the app while idly searching random shit on the Google Play store. I downloaded it expecting it to be as trashy as the ads portrayed those kinds of games as. So I planned to spend my time mocking the game and its ridiculousness that I expected from it, and then delete it once I had my fill.

One hour later, in my bed at 5:30 AM, I was playing TRR Book 1 and already at the end of chapter 1, I was swooning over Prince Liam because he was just the sweetest, and thinking to myself that this game probably has some substance.

Then after I completed TRR 1 chapter 1 I noticed TNA Book 1. That cover looked exactly like the normative kind of stuff I'd love to mock. I started playing it and it had a lot of normative mock-worthy things but it was also kind of fun in a way. It's exactly what it was on the cover and it was interesting, and it did have some genuine positives.

A couple of weeks later, later in February, TNA 1 would be the first Choices book I ever completed. Again, mock-worthy but fun and interesting. I think I either tried out Foreign Affairs or Open Heart next, though I didn't really binge through those because they felt more low-key compared to the insanity wild ride that was TNA.

I don't remember when exactly I started HSS. My earliest screenshot is from Book 1 Ch 6 and goes back to March 11, 2021 but I know I started it earlier than that. And believe you me, I was fully expecting it to be a very corny Disney Channel high school style story. Instead I got the motherfucking demon child that would rework my entire brain chemistry for the next four years and almost certainly counting.

HSS was definitely playing on some tropes and very larger than life yet at the same time, it still felt real and it played up the tropes well. I was definitely invested after the first 2-3 chapters, and I think by chapter 5 after that premium scene where you can listen to Aiden playing piano I was full-on hooked. That's when I knew for sure I was never getting rid of this app. No matter how much bullshit AI crap or whatever PB is doing nowadays, they can't take HSS away from me.

It also helped that I was feeling like utter shit early in February, partly due to my older fandom RWBY being a shitshow (do not ask). Choices and HSS was one of quite a handful of good, refreshing things that came along and gave me a sort of a fresh start.

I'm not going to go over my nostalgia for all the books because as fond as those memories are, if I did that we'd be here forever so maybe another time. But I will say that I spent the first year and a half on Choices Reddit and a couple of Discords and had some fun times there. Then sometime in June 2022 I made my blog. I was unsure about the Tumblr fandom so I joined to mainly just reblog Aiden-related stuff and mind my own business not really talking to people much.

Eventually I decided to start posting some of the edits I'd been working on in my spare time but not really sharing them much. My first ever edit I posted was the first version of Aiden's swimsuit redesign. I was really nervous about sharing it at first.

Later on I started posting a few more edits, HSS incorrect quotes and also getting involved in some of the critical discourse because it was making my brain run at 5000000 mph.

For the following year and a half I would be more active but still mostly reblogging stuff with the occasional discourse post of my own or edit. I was still very nervous about some things like more suggestive HSS headcanons and I've witnessed a couple of the arguably worse sides of the Choices fandom. Social anxiety is a bitch.

It wasn't until around October 2023 ish... or maybe July 2023 ish actually, that I started getting more immersed into more of the community. Around that point I did kind of want to start actually sharing my creations with people and not just dumping them onto my blog. I was still a bit anxious but I also hated being lonely.

And then by December 2023, I participated in my first ever Secret Pal Exchange and I greatly enjoyed it. From there, I began gradually meeting new people, new amazing friends and creators, and I began feeling more comfortable sharing ideas and things I liked.

Heh, who knew that me idly searching random shit on Google play out of boredom and feeling forlorn would lead to all this. So in honor of me having been invested in this game for four years, I want to say thank you to each and every one of you who I have met in the fandom for being a wonderful friend, for supporting my art and my edits and my fics and my headcanons and my MCs and all the rest, for creating such amazing works and MCs and headcanons of your own, and for creating such a welcoming community. I am certainly looking forward to continuing these amazing memories.

Long live the Choices fandom, HSS, and Aiden Zhou with all his class, sass, and ass.

[bridgeportbritt]

Okay, so. First of all this is an awesome question, Sarah! Thank you for sending this. Now, I promise that I had every intention of being chill with this. First I'm like just answer it normally. Then, I thought I could throw some cute little covers together with pics I already had, then it just continued to spiral out of control lol so in true me fashion here are the full covers I created just for this ask hahahah

VOGUE - Ella

So I started with photos I had and this one of Ella from Simblreen last year is one of my favs. I feel like Vogue is very artsy with fashion but loves to highlight women doing the damn thing. So, here's Ella fitting right in with that.

This is long so the rest are under the cut!

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED - Emmitt

So, I've mentioned this before but Emmitt used to be a soccer pro back in his day. He played on his high school's soccer team. There was even talk of him going pro, but his soon after acting out ruined that chance. But, Sports Illustrated def would've been apart of the hyping up of Emmitt's soccer career.

TIME - Diana

Time is known for featuring influential people and who's more influential than a Queen? I got some asks about Royals doing interviews and it got me thinking how rare that is. Things like this happen often without the person's involvement. As you can see, all these photos are from public portraits she's done. Nothing new.

PEOPLE - Bria/Kendall

I really needed an excuse to use these photos I took recently of Bria's first visit to SimDonia for fashion week lol but People is all about gossip and two Simerican influencers visiting or Fashion week makes good gossip. It was hard to think of the side pieces because my worldbuilding was not as fleshed out back then as it is now so enjoy some random stuff lol

FORBES - Bria

This one is kinda sad!!! But, our girl has that business mindset so it only made sense for her to be on this cover. Again, this would be a profile of her, not an interview. The photo is a pap shot of her.

WOMEN'S HEALTH - Olivia

Here's when things took a turn. I did not have a good photo of Olivia for this, so in game we went lol. Next thing you know I'm looking up the exact fonts used for the titles omg. Anyway, Olivia's culinary classes have taught her how to eat better and living with Bria has her working out more. Liv is looking good! But, she's also not about crazy diets so she made sure the cover reflected that. Normally this mag is all about dieting and hating your body garbage. Our good Liv said absolutely not and we love her for it.

MEN'S HEALTH - Gerhard

Poor Gerhard is often getting lost in the background of my story but a lot of his causes are about fitness and health. So, here he is on Men's Health. He did not choose the King of Quads lol Something like this a royal would participate in so they could talk about their charity work.

US WEEKLY - Gianni

Another gossip magazine and this time Gianni is caught in the crossfire. The boys aren't in the tabloids very often especially Grayson as you can see he keeps things very low profile. But, every once in a while something like this will happen. Luckily it's cute and exciting and makes us want to read more!!!

Okay, thank you goodbye.

[bandedbulbussnarfblat]

I had a rough week last week. Tuesday my dog gets sick, so I look up her symptoms. And bc I'm a crazy person, my mind automatically latched onto the worst possibility. So I spent three hours crying hysterically and having panic attacks bc I was so scared she would die. Then Wednesday I had to take my dog to vet and was still super stressed out. Thursday and Friday I have to deal with medicaid and disability paperwork. Saturday I had a panic attack so bad that I couldn't stop it and had to text my brother to come help me (he lives with me. we're too poor to live without a roommate, and we've basically lived together our whole lives, so it was whatever). Sunday morning I have a panic attack and can't leave my house to play my weekly dnd game bc the thought of spending hours with other people away from home was...bad. Sunday night, I got completely (and irrationally) terrified of being alone. I was so afraid that I called my mom, and of course she offers to come over. And I'm freaking out so bad I let her, even though it was late and I know she has to get up early for work. (She only stayed until my brother got back around 10:30)

BUT, today is a new day. I managed to get my blood work done today, and talk on the phone to my case worker, and pick up a pair of contacts from my eye doctor to wear until my order comes in. And I didn't have a panic attack. I mean, I still had to have my dad take me, bc leaving home alone isn't something I can do right now. (Mentally or physically. My brother's car broke down, and since he's the one who has a job, he's been using mine. i stg it's like a fucking family curse; every time someone is already in a financial bind, their car will break down.)

So I have decided to take the next few days to just relax. My two besties that I've been friends with since middle school both have kids with autism and they said I'm probably going through autistic burn-out. I'm pretty sure I'm autistic and my doctor thinks I'm somewhere on the spectrum, though on the lower support side. I'm gonna play bg3, and unwind. And try to work on some fic. (bc I have the next chapter of 16 Days damn near finished, and it's the last chapter that ties up the current plot, then there's an epilogue that takes place later that played out like a movie in my head, so writing it will be a breeze.)

Side note, did y'all know that some school systems still use 'high/low functioning'. I've had to say to my coworkers that autistic people would prefer not to use those terms. But it isn't surprising; one of my cousin's kids was literally diagnosed with Asperger's. Which has fallen under the autism spectrum disorder since like, forever ago. And also there was a TA in the autism classroom I worked in once who literally told me that autism was caused by demonic possession. I'm so glad I left the school system. Bc I eventually was going to fucking explode with rage after the way my kids were treated. (My students, not my actual kids. I don't have or want any)

Working in EC has really shown me how little the school system actually cares about helping the disabled; they will cut corners and do shit that 'technically' meets a kid's IEP, but doesn't do a damn thing to help them. And if you say something like, 'i don't think that counts' your coworkers will not be happy. But to a certain degree you can't be too mad, bc there is literally not enough time or resources to meet every child's needs, bc they cram as many kids in one EC classroom as possible, hire the minimum amount of TAs required by law and expect one teacher to be able to magically meet all their needs. My last job had 3 kids in wheelchairs in those tiny ass mobile units schools started using, that literally did not have room to move around, unless the other students stood up to let them get by, and sometimes even move their desk. We had multiple kids with autism. One of them stimmed by screaming, another was triggered by loud noises.

This post kinda went off on a tangent. Anyway, heads up to any parents who have kids starting school, make sure you get a copy of your child's IEP. If you think they aren't being serviced, contact your local Board of Education, and tell them that you have a child with an IEP who isn't receiving adequate services. Then threaten to sue them if they don't start providing your kid their services. It does not matter if you can actually afford to sue them or not, an IEP is a legally binding document. You have the right to sue, and most of the time the threat alone is enough to kick their ass into gear.

[sunset-peril]

Villain here. Yeah fr. I was kind of a jerk in my post/tags but only because (especially on that day) I was quite frustrated and fed up of the "m*phlink happens in aoc" "um aksually m*phlink is canon in aoc ☝""zelink can never happen in aoc" arguments I kept seeing online in various places.

I do understand wishful thinking and all but it has felt like nobody saying these things actually played the game (or watched the cutscenes all the way through), just purely repeating what others said and running with the fact the champions are alive while ignoring the actual content presented in hwaoc.

Like, if I was a writer setting out to make m*phlink canon, I would not give her a single scene of focus (her introduction) and then have her in the background for the rest of the game, while writing zelink scenes like that castle hallway moment that feel pulled straight from a fan's pre-calamity zelink fanfic lol. Koei Techmo/Nintendo's intent seems pretty obvious (especially since they went and added an entire extra zelink montage in DLC content), so I really don't know how "m*phlink canon in aoc" became such a popular idea?

There's also the robot in the room: Terrako. The name means "earth child" and becomes glued to both Zelda and Link as if they're his parents. I mean one of the DLC scenes even makes them both look like out-of-breath parents who have been searching high and low for their missing toddler (the comedy of the moment being that Terrako is actually more than fully capable of handling himself and they just missed the intense battle that happened)

NOTE: If anyone decided to reblog this, please do not add any ship tags for anyone. That's gonna be my policy moving forward for content like this.

~~~

Completely and entirely understandable. No judgement here. Can't judge actually, I'm a problem sometimes. I've been guilting of misinterpretations too. I had my crap called on my characterizations of Rhoam called out this year, and I've had to revisit both BotW and AoC to fix it. If I blocked everyone who had One of Those Days where they decided to pick a fight against the Fandom, especially for a mischaracterization, I'd be blocking all my mutuals, a lot of people I respect in the Fandom, and also I'd be blocking myself. We're human it happens. So long as you don't endorse being a butt.

I lose my lid on misinterpretations a lot more than I really want to admit. Especially when they have that real coercive wording of "accept the thing as canon or else," or just refuse to acknowledge itself as a headcanon, then get butthurt when they are (very politely or gently) fact checked by someone else. Both of which could have been entirely avoided if people were upfront with whether the Canon had been regarded or not (which is usually what sinks my battleship).

I've sniffed both ends of the skunk (does that saying work?) concerning this whole mess with AoC and BotW and all that jazz just from fic writing alone. Having ZeLink be canon and have there be a true reason for the Zora Armor's existence? Yikes. Piss keyboard warriors on both sides off. (the gist of it being that Link was part of a dying sub-tribe to the Hylians and agreed to an arranged marriage to Mipha to prevent himself from having to commit inc*st, however, Mipha was clear that she knew Link didn't love her and that he only agreed in order to save his sister, and also willingly dissolved their contract when he fell in love with Zelda instead. But that's another post)

But I'd never try to coerce someone into accepting that as the reason for BotW's semi-confusing set up. For all canon purposes, I blame the Zora themselves for not critically thinking about Link's current situation, and believe that they may have been unintentionally manipulative to him simple because they weren't really thinking about Link's complete absence of memory/sense of self. Yet again, not something I'd force somebody to believe as canon. And emphasis on "unintentionally," because I really don't see malice in any of them. Especially Sidon (and whoo, he's a whole other dumpster fire)

As someone who would easily place Age of Calamity into the My Top 3 Zelda Games (shoot me, I know), I've spent a stupid amount of time analyzing that game. The idea for ZeLink being pregnant at the time of Calamity innocently enough came from me and my cousins analyzing the game together and actually making fun of the sheer waistline difference between the white Prayer/Priestess Dress and her pre-Calamity armor. And don't you know that would make people boil if I tried to present that as canon 😂

I fully believe Terrako is 10/10 intended and written to be Zelda and Link's "son." But I wouldn't use any fanon discourse to try and prove that. I don't think I need to with the game in hand. There can be a bit of "stretch" I think that ZeLink fans pull in determining how early in the game Terrako "decides" Link's his dad (I don't believe this happened in the cutscene where Link defends Zelda from the Yiga and Terrako beeps a ton and kind of bites at his ankles, which is where I've seen a lot of ZeLink-ers say it happens). But to me there's absolutely no doubt that Nintendo and Koei intended for Terrako to be their child. And some fans' decisions to try and define One Instance™️ that Zelda/Link/Terrako became one family doesn't detract from the fact that the game heavily appears to be going in that direction. I mean, Zelda is clearly his mom, don't need a degree in Nintendo to figure that one out, which raises the question of why Terrako is almost always following Link around instead of his "mom." I also won't force people to accept that if they don't want to, as long as they at least acknowledge what the canon is actually saying and not what their fanon desires. Points for the newbie fans/offline fans for that one because they're not in this discourse mud all the live long day! (I also watched the Restoring Terrako cutscene again to make sure I'm not accidentally lying, and when Terrako wakes back up and recognizes Zelda, Link does that nod + very slight smile thing that he does to Zelda when Calamity is defeated. He nods a lot in the game of course, but I think those are the only two times he's nodded and smiled. Don't quote me I didn't rewatch the entire game)

The DLC at times definitely feels like Link and Zelda dealing with their little toddler, haha. That picture he takes of them both at the end OOF.

Honestly, it really feels like Mipha is ignored once the Zora Princess plotline is over. Unless I'm severely miscounting, she has about as many "alone" moments with Daruk as she does with Link. And ain't nobody shipping them in AoC! (as far as I'm aware, I'm sure there's someone)

I feel like if Link was supposed to have any chance of falling in love with Mipha in the BotW storyline/universe at ALL, they would have made that astoundingly clear in Age of Calamity. But they don't. It feels even more like a joke in AoC than it did in BotW/TotK. The DLC slams the lid on those fingers even harder.

In fact, we could sit here for the whole night debating about whether or not any ZeLinkness in TotK was already written/known to Nintendo when this game was made AND whether or not they specifically made this game Heavy on the ZeLink or Not Heavy on the ZeLink simply because of whether or not there would be ZeLink in TotK. Because there was at least some time where there was production overlap between the two games. No clue how much, but there was some.

Actually, despite whether or not I wanted to make Link end up with Zelda/Mipha, I still wouldn't have cast her aside like it did. After the Zora Princess plot when Mipha bonds with Ruta, it starts feeling like her only driving motive is her affections for Link. Which we know from Champion's Ballad, the Zora Princess plotline, AND when Sidon/Riju/Yunobo/Teba fall out of the sky that her love for her brother, father and people equates (I would actually say "exceeds") any Link-related motives or personality points that Mipha had. So I would force the story/game to put Mipha in places where Link is completely out of sight out of mind. Because there are some parts of BotW/AoC where it acts like Link's her only purpose in life. Which is a problem.

If I wanted to make sure the public knew that Link was supposed to love her and not Zelda, I would have made it dang sure it was obvious. And the only thing I really find obvious in AoC is that her affections are played almost like a joke (or at best a subplot where everything but the beginning and end were cut from the game last minute). I can't remember how to unlock the Zora Armor in AoC, what quests you have to do, but I do remember it was a LOT. Like, the fact that you have to do a LOT of mediocre side quests (I think you have to be post-game to unlock it? I cant remember, but it raises more points if you do) to unlock it instead of it being accessed through the main story says something about Nintendo's intentions, and to me that "something" smells like "included for reference/fanservice only". It was actually one of the last clothing items I got simply because there were a lot of hoops to go through to get it. (I mainly wanted to unlock it to read the description, and the description almost sounds like Link is making a joke of it, or if he's actually concerned that he could GET IN TROUBLE for having it which... raises a lot of flags).

I would have made sure Link got that armor during the main story if he was supposed to love Mipha. I would've made sure to include a part with Zelda and Terrako that more or less says "I know you like him, but he's not your dad" if he wasn't supposed to end up with Zelda. However, neither of those things exist. And they would HAVE to exist (or something very similar) to outweigh everything else occurring in that game.

The whole rest of the game smells so heavily of a ZeLink fanfiction, I actually want to laugh. I couldn't have based ZeLink fanfiction so heavily off this game if there was no ZeLink.

What also makes me want to laugh? Every interaction Urbosa and Revali have in that game. HYLIA she seems so done with him.

[3dgamefe]

PLAYER TYPES- IMMERSION

When I think about what type of 'gamer' I am, I think I mostly fit into the immersion category.

Whilst I love playing games such as 'Mortal Kombat' and 'Call Of Duty', which I'd argue fit more into the 'social' or 'action' category- story based games have always held a special place in my heart.

These are the gamer types that I have been referencing. As a person who enjoys video games, what I tend to look for are games with a good plot. Experiences that tell a story, and allow you to immerse yourself within those stories as though you yourself are a part of them.

I love character building in story games, getting emotionally invested in a character and their story is honestly my favorite part. When you connect with a character so deeply that you see yourself in them is honestly a wonderful thing. And then the character dies and suddenly you're hollow and void of life for a week on end (looking at Arthur Morgan specifically.)

But its these experiences that make games memorable, that draw me to story driven and immersive experiences more then any other games. Anyways, here's my analysis on three 'immersive' games and why players might love them so much:

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

This is my favourite game of all time.

I don't think I've ever met someone who doesn't like Red Dead Redemption. And I wholeheartedly believe that its so enjoyable because there is something for everybody in this game. Everything about this game to me is the ideal experience. I love the stories, the world design, the characters, the lore, how all of these different things mesh together so perfectly to create an ultimately very enjoyable experience.

From the moment you meet Arthur, I feel most people become attached to him- as is the norm when playing as a protagonist for most games (see Leon Kennedy, or Link LOZ.) And you can choose how you play as him- there is scarcely a predetermined outcome for your game this way. In the way of immersion, I think RDR2 is very much up there for how invested you can get. You can choose how you view the world, how you want Arthur to experience the world. Whether you go high or low honor, there is an a story for everyone.

And Arthur is such a good character. He's complex and so human, it makes him relatable and fun to play as. To me, a good gaming experience is really just determined on how invested you are in the characters themselves. They make up a majority of the game, so this makes sense. In my opinion, Arthur is the perfect example of this.

If you cant tell, I really like Arthur Morgan.

Of course, there are other characters to enjoy that you cant necessarily play as, minus John Marston. I think that every character in this game is so well thought out, and very well fleshed out- for every flaw and everything good about them.

Another thing about this game are the incredible visuals. Every crevice of the world built here is fun to explore. Its so well made that it makes you want to see everything, to discover every secret location or fun little side quest. There is rarely ever a dull moment, especially with how amazing the scenery and the sound design for RDR2 is.

A lot of passion and thought went into this game, and I love Rockstar for that. I hate them for everything else, though.

THE EVIL WITHIN

Personally, I am a huge fan of The Evil Within. I like a lot about this game, especially the environment and design of the world given to us. It's always so eerie, and the player pretty much always feels tense and at the edge of their seat.

But its never bad to look at. Its creepy, and its done very well- not really over exaggerating the gross or scary parts too much to the point that it loses anything to it. Every environment is really cool, and I think it holds up well despite its graphics obviously not being up to modern standards. If anything, I think that the 2014 graphics add to the overall creepiness factor. Its always very tense, and I definitely thinks it succeeds in immersing the player into the world in this way.

I also think another place where The Evil Within excels well in immersion the player is character design and story. I think its very easy to get invested in the characters you meet and their stories, e.g. Ruvik- who is the big bad. Its obvious that he was well thought out, his motivations and story becoming apparent by the end of the game.

Another character I like is the man that you plays as- Sebastian Castellanos (another white male, moody ass protagonist, I fear. ladies watch out.) He's another interesting character that we learn little tidbits of information about as the story progresses. Its fascinating to learn how each of these characters are weaved into these stories, into each others existence and how they interact.

Overall, I really love this game. Its like resident evil, but honestly I find it a little more scary then most of the resident evil's. Maybe even all of them.

And if The Evil Within 2 sucks? I don't know, I haven't played. But I love the first one!

ASSASSINS CREED - EZIO'S COLLECTION

I love assassins creed. I think even though these are some of the older games, they still hold up very well in terms of graphics. At least, for me they do. It's all so pretty to look at, and I love the way the buildings are laid out for easy parkour and action. Its all crafted so well to give the player the best experience playing, and just allowing for a fun time being an assassin.

I love the sound design and soundtrack for these games in particular, although I may just be blinded by nostalgia. I think it's all really great, and it all works well with the environments.

And yet again, I love the characters in this game. Ezio is still my favourite assassin to this day. I think Ubisoft did a great job with his character, and helping their players nurture a fondness for him and making him likeable. You can't have a really good game without a good protagonist in my opinion.

[0pticblast]

Day 1

I woke up and my business partner did not wake up on time to go to the gym. I used that time to rest before I went to work early. I still have my job, but I'm currently looking for one in order to be able to support my family more and my business. Work wasn't bad for once, maybe it's because we didn't have a meeting, maybe it's because my boss and I talked about trading cards, I just hate meetings and not knowing what to say.

My direct deposit didn't go through, it got delayed because our payday is next Tuesday. It's tough, but I'll try my best to just eat at home. There's so much food in the fridge, I have to stop being lazy and cook. I was able to pay off some expenses from my trading card business from my part-time job. I got to try the roast duck chow mein at Phoenix as well, it was okay.

There was a social at work, usually I wouldn't go because work is so busy but all my f*cks are gone and I need a break. I went outside for 10 minutes and drank a cider with my coworker. I'm gonna miss the friends I made, the crushes I've had, and the work besties who'll stick around in my life hopefully later down the line.

I competed at One Piece last night with a new Leader. I didn't win a single game and that's okay. As bitter as it felt, people were giving me props for piloting a different deck. Regionals is in two weeks, I'm no way prepared at all and I don't know how people do it. I'm honestly way more focused on reselling cards than actually competing now, which is not a bad thing. I got a bad offer for a card that I was trying to sell, he wasn't meeting me halfway and his offers/counteroffers were way low. On the plus side, we sold all 7 of our tournament packs. It's crazy to think that we're actually getting s*it done. A month and a half ago I said f*ck it let's sell these for $5 each. I was about to give up, one day we sold 5 packs and for a good while no one wanted our other stuff. It's a lot of highs and lows, nothing in between but the thrill of finally selling something feels great.

When I got home I wanted to work more, but my body said no and rested. I watched an episode of Spy X Family, posted content on Slabs, and fell asleep on the couch after getting food coma from Denny's. My Amazon package came in, I pulled Yunjin from the LE SSERAFIM album I got. My bias wrecker be wrecking me, what a good start to my journey.

During lunch all I could think about is Brenda, she makes good content and I hope her and I give it another shot one day. Me being me, I fall hard which is a blessing and a curse. It's like, why would I half a** liking someone? I can't help how I feel and how much I can feel emotionally. I do know I have to keep myself on check externally, but nowadays I'm just very direct and transparent with what I say and do because we don't need to play this waiting game. I recently started reading this book, "Single: On Purpose" by John Kim. Listening to the audiobook driving back home from LA last weekend gave me alot of perspective and it's something that I want to finish reading and take notes with. I'll also document what I learned from each section so I don't forget what I got from it.

[littleroaes]

Enchanted ( to meet you ), l.jy

‘ Y/n practices to confess to her friend she has crossed path with once again the day before the match. But she finds him teared at the edges in the downpour. Will she mend their heavy hearts? ’

PAIRING ⏵ ( 3rd pov, she/ her ) lee juyeon x fem!reader

GENRE ⏵ fluff, friends to lovers, one sided pining (in context of 2k words), sappy / soft angst, happy ending, college!au, (american) football player!juyeon, hurt/ comfort ( literally ), treating juyeon's wounds, juyeon needs a hug

WARNINGS ⏵ none major, juyeon has small bruises, they kiss, im not american or know anything about the highs and lows of highschool football american football more than people look good in the uniform, proofread once

WORD COUNT ⏵ 2.8 k

a short one-shot I worked on back when I wrote on boys in cats clothing part 1! I've been working on my hyunjae fic, but since its a longer project, I decided to finish this one! It's a shorter one since I will be working on my sunwoo fic for december! ( also feels like a crime to not write at least one fic about christmassy juyeon as the juyeon enthusiast I am )

like and reblog are highly encouraged if you enjoyed!

HER REFLECTION IN THE RECTANGULAR MIRROR AT THE CENTER OF THE SUN VISOR.

Y/n force it up once the last streak of color line itself beneath her eyes. As she opens the car door to step out over the concrete with rain in between the cracks, a wind from west forces the last centimeters of the door open and her navy shirt in nylon lets every part of the cold weather collide with her skin. Y/n quickly locks the door behind her and opens the backseat. At the center of the two seats lies a cardboard sign with letters. She takes it out and holds it close to her chest so as to not let the weather grasp it from her. 

Away from the parking lot, cornered in white lines, stands a barricade seven times taller than herself. And when she comes to the side of it, where the stairs lead the way up to the highest rows, she sees the green field and yellow constructions. How the color of the red running track encapsulates the green mit contrasts the heavy sky and its dull complexion. 

Another wind dares to take the sign with it and her hair tied in ribbons flies before her eyes. Y/n lowers the sign to her hip and walks with eyes barely open to the bleachers. Well up on the second row, Y/n spends the next forty minutes pacing up and down the seven rows. The wind threatens to bend the sides of her board as she angles it over the field. At last, at the highest seat on the bleachers where one stands over the field and its entirety without detail, Y/n sits down for a last time. Her arms are weak from having them in the air, and her makeup has started to smudge at its sides and her hair beautifully wrapped in silk ribbon, has fallen onto her back and shoulder.

As the highest row is covered by an extended edge, she watches how the rain washes away fallen leaves across the concrete. And she thinks of her worries in that way as she falls all the deeper into the plastic seat. 

Her handwritten words on the cardboard sign has been on her mind. Between the seasons and years, she has been whispering the words under the moonlight and hoping that they will cause an effect on the real world, outside her dreams. Juyeon has been a present part of her life since the day in middle school, where they got to be seatmates for a single autumn. They played word games together and drew the appearances of characters they’ve just read in books. But on a Wednesday morning when a new name stod written on her desk, they hardly ever exchanged words again. But even then, his name would cross her mind when life wasn’t about time, and one can stand before the window without worries for tomorrow. But as she has navigated the beginning of her young adult life, they have once again crossed paths. 

Y/n sees two leaves follow the tides of the stream down the drain, and how the two meet as the water falls down. At the city cinema, they work the same shifts. Spend time talking when no one’s at the register and fall asleep in the break room. It all decorates her home ceiling above her bed in cosmic constellations. 

Tomorrow, in less than twenty four hours, the empty rain soaked seats will be filled with people from the city as they watch the same grass field she’s before. Y/n plays the video film from her mind over the scenery. As if the action of imagining it will somehow affect real life and control its events. 

And as she sits with her cardboard sign and navy shirt darker than before, she sees a single silhouette walk towards the green field. Walking in from the entrance at the other diagonal from where Y/n was, she sees him in sports uniform and a ball in the other hand. And despite the distance, she just needs him to step one foot over the grass to recognize him. His distinct steps and contrasting silhouette takes her out of her own world. Y/n looks around the rows of plastic seats around her. And as Juyeon near the middle of the field, Y/n bends down behind the sixth row, let the backrest cover her hair and force the sign to the ground. While at eye length with the concrete, she sees how the rainwater soaks and spreads through the end corners of her sign. 

When her socks have become wet and turn cold against her skin, Y/n dares to peak over the red plastic. The edges cover corners of the playing field, and Juyeon disappears behind them as time passes. 

Minutes pass them by, and the gray clouds won’t seem to take drift. Instead, she sees how the wind catches the edges of Juyeon’s shirt even stronger than before. At this point, he stands clearly in her sight. At the very center of her vision, he aligns between the two plastic seats before her. Juyeon stands in one spot with his hands on his thighs. The strands of his fringe fall forward as his head faces the ground and the rain continues pouring down on him. The sight is rather bleak. He stands in perfect emotion towards the weather above them, she thinks. Then, Juyeon slowly falls down. Sitting down with his arms resting on his knees. Juyeon’s face is hidden in the empty space created by his arms. 

Somehow, his presence in this form falls heavier on her than the downpour. As the sight seeps into the creaks in her heart, Y/n stands up from her row. She holds the sign in her left hand, yellow letters smudged from the very center out to the sharp edges, similar to the paint on her cheeks. 

Y/n slowly walks down the bleachers, so as to not fall. Her shoes shatter the puddles as she tread down until the very last platform. As Y/n takes her first step onto the grass field, she feels the water in the high grass seep into the thin fabric of her sneakers. She comes all the closer to him on the field, all for the bleachers to see. 

Juyeon stares at the grass beneath him, arms covering whatever scenery before him. His hands have gone numb from the cold and the clothes tight against his skin makes it red and itchy. Though, as he feels the cold rain seep through the open clothing, it suddenly stops. As if to see where the clouds have gone. Juyeon takes his head up from his embrace and sees a dark colored board much closer than  the sky. As the hand holding the sign leads his eyes to another silhouette. Juyeon holds his head high as Y/n holds the sign over his essence. The rain continues to pour down on her as she lets it wash away every last bit of color off her board. 

“Are you okay?” Y/n asks when Juyeon silently watches her. 

The moment words wash over the quiet space between them, Juyeon takes his eyes off her and lets his chin fall back down onto his arms, “Yeah, it’s okay. I’m just resting.” 

“Why are you here, even?” His words come out muffled. 

Another wind passes the sportsfield, locks itself into her hair strands. Y/n doesn’t say anything for a while before she sits down, “I was just practicing for something.” 

The place beside Juyeon is colder than the weather above them. She leaves a distance between the two where the rain is free to fall. When in all truth, Y/n would’ve closed it. Her arms start to hurt as she continues to hold the sign over their heads. 

“I’m nervous.” Y/n admits suddenly, in which Juyeon answers; 

“Me too.” 

Once again, silence. 

“For tomorrow?” She looks at him. His chin still lies on his arms as he nods. 

Y/n bites her lip as she can’t seem to lift the heavy weight off their hearts. She wants to say something so that the sun would reveal itself and dry its tears, but another cloud comes to flood the parts of the world who haven’t felt it. When she looks at him again, a point underneath her collarbone turns with ache, her fingers grip the cardboard all the tighter, so it withers at the edges. Y/n licks her lips and it feels cold. Suddenly, she’s afraid that it will soon taste of salt. 

“You’re really cold, Juyeon.” He looks at her to see her eyes examine his features below his own. 

“Your lips are blue.” She continues. Juyeon doesn’t give any answer back, instead sits in the same position as when she first came to find him. As another wind passes through the gaps between the grass, Y/n sits up. He looks up towards her figure as the gray sky with its textures works as a background. Though, Y/n stays in that place, before the weather and looks down on him. The cardboard is over them both as she holds it and before any words leave his mouth, Y/n reaches her hand down towards him. 

“I have my car." "You're cold.” 

The entire world is in motion as the wind forces between each space. But the two of them, in the center of the world, stand in complete serenity. When Juyeon looks up at her with eyes without glisten and hair strands wet of rain, she desperately spreads her fingers a bit wider as if to reach him. 

“Please, Juyeon.” The words can only be heard under the rectangular space where rain doesn’t reach. And finally, Juyeon extends out his hand. Y/n feels a cold sensation grow from where he touches her, before spreading out over her lower arm. His hand is slightly red and his knuckles an even deeper shade as it falls down to his nails and mixes with rain water. 

When their fingers intertwine, Juyeon lays his other hand onto the grass behind him. One from above forces the other up, and he pushes his weight off the ground. As they stand before one another, Juyeon once again is about to reach the ground. His knees bend when Y/n grabs onto his upper arms and forces him closer to her. 

“Are you okay?” Y/n asks his arm comes over her shoulder and Y/n’s under his own. He only hisses as his left feet touch the grass to bear off some weight again. 

“Let’s go to the car.” She says worriedly. 

And when they cross the field, out of the center, the weather refuses to let down. Y/n has given up on the board and lets it hang by her side as she forces Juyeon up. When they finally reach her car, Juyeon’s voice is low and his breath warms her left side. Y/n desperately fiddles with the car handle before the backseat stands open, and Juyeon sits down. His head rests against the black leather and his hair leaves off a darker spot when he tilts it to the other side. 

Y/n closes the door before running forward to the driverseat where she turns the car on and drives heat up to the highest. To look behind her seat, she sees his sunken silhouette once again. Covered in exhaustion as he has his eyes closed. 

A part of heart feels colder than her hands out in the rain. It becomes stronger as she sees him breathe heavily in her backseat. Juyeon can only listen as Y/n walks out of the car once again and opens the tailgate. At the point where he takes some power to open his own eyes, Y/n comes through the opposite side of him. In her hands is a navy blanket with white patterns, a green box with rounded edges. 

“I need to treat your bruises.” She stops at the seat and closes the door behind her, “I’m gonna have to touch you.” 

She somehow feels impatient as she looks at his figure in the corner of her car. She catches how the blood has formed patterns over his fingers and he finally nods. 

“It’s okay.” 

Y/n sits without motion for a second, before she comes closer to his side. Their legs touch as she lies the blanket in between the car seat and herself and opens the kit in her lap. Her hand reaches for his own and Juyeon looks down where their bodies intertwine. A green sealed package Y/n rips open, reveals a wet white fabric that she folds out. Carefully she brings the piece to his hands and starts gently rubbing the spots between his knuckles. He hisses slightly. 

After wrapping his hands in bandages, she moves down to his leg. Y/n force the white fabric up. As she has taken off his shoes, she wraps it in thicker fabric. When she comes up, they’re at eye length again. Y/n observes his face, her expression with no clear emotion. Juyeon senses the distance she takes from him, even when the warmth of her leg spreads to his own. 

As she looks at his features, she sees the details come back to paint his face. His eyes glisten slightly and the slight lilac tint on his lips has faded, as if it was never there. Her heart that was cold and tired of running, slows down in beats and feels a sort of relief reach her outer corners. 

At last, Y/n reaches forward, to close the little distance left between them. The blanket in her hands as she lets the fabric fall over his shoulders. Her arms come to close around his neck as she secure the blanket around him. As she slowly lets go off the corners of the navy fabric, she feels his cold hands on her waist. Y/n already sits with a higher posture, as to reach over his figure, therefore, the humid sensation of his close breath around her neck becomes all the clearer. 

“Don’t let go.” He says weakly.  

A sensation in her chest makes her even wearier of the rain that plummets towards her windows and he fully rests his head on her shoulder. 

“Okay.” Y/n says quietly and lets her arms slowly fall in a rigid manner. 

After some seconds, the water of his shirt has spread across the blanket. And Y/n slowly lifts her hands off her side to return to the point behind his neck. As Juyeon only pulls her closer and further down the seat, her arms close around him fully and they let the other’s breath enclose, to melt the cold over their frozen fragments. 

Though, the thoughts change like tidal waves in her mind and Y/n slowly moves up, “Juyeon, the blanket will become even wetter.” 

“I don’t care.” His voice is wrapped in silk and he looks up from his spot in the backseat with eyes moon made, “I just want us.” 

And how the world tilted on its axis stops once again. How the cold sensations of the weather fades from her mind as her heart pulsates in a tight space. 

And when he looks at her so softly, as to picture every detail to recreate, Y/n smiles just slightly. As she nods her head, to tell him she's received his every word. Juyeon smiles and it feels as if it’s the first time. Only the rain dares to make itself heard when they sit in the car. She destroys and deconstructs the sentence in her head and opens her mouth to speak. But nothing utters when Juyeon takes his hand up to her face. His hands are still cold and contrast to the warmth of her cheek. The sun might as well have gone down to the end line of the earth, when he asks her; 

“Can I kiss you?” 

She grabs his shoulder a little tighter before answering, “Yes, yes you can.” 

Finally, he forces her back a centimeter further down to let his lips touch hers. The sensation of cold clothes and water dripping from the ends of their hair fade from their minds. Instead, it replaces lovely stars connected in white lining. The last letter on her sign, falls its last yellow streak as one tilts their head to whisper in between the kiss. 

“I love you.” 

© littleroaes, written and all

[tejvirani]

The moody expressions lobbed at Tej once had a completely different effect. Like a dark chocolate kulfi with a pinch of sea salt, the eye roll only enhanced how delicious Zaid's theatrical annoyance could be. Now, it seemed self-centered, badly behaved. Bitchy. And especially out of pocket in the moment.

No more remarks for the cameras, however another thing stuck. "He was a great help?" Tej repeated. The words curdled as soon as they left his mouth, with an scrunched brow and nose, like he'd just caught the scent of something vile. "The hell is that supposed to mean. A great help, how?" Couples break up, and they split everything. Including friends, in Tej's opinion. All that time, he thought Steve got the memo.

"Terrible things, yeah. I suppose it's the only truth I've ever got from you." Because he'd convinced himself it was all a lie. One-sided. Or worse, all in Tej's imagination.

Still Zaid took up too much space in Tej's mind. He used to be okay with it. Now, he couldn't bear it. Time to swallow the yearning in his gut. Stop falling in love with Zaid all over again, with his skin and lips and words. Stop the salvage of what Zaid already threw away.

"Yes, Z. I do feel better," low and unbothered, and lined with a dash of smart ass. "Thanks ever so much for showing me the light, my love."

And then Zaid launched a new offensive. The game of 'rescue' they frivolously played. Tej was king of placing himself in potentially hairy and sometimes semi-questionable situations, all to set off Zaid's protective I-can-fix-anything alarm bells.

But Zaid, dangling precariously, struck the perfect manipulative position to corner Tej for help. Impressive, deception, sort of hot and aggravating. Emotions that pulled and burned at all the physical and mental muscles necessary to "save" Zaid.

Even blindfolded by the dark, he found Zaid. Grabbed, held on, and then pushed aside much in the way he wished to do with any lingering (and misplaced!) feelings.

Zaid cried, high-pitched and wet with an unanchored frenzy heard before, on a beach at dusk. An audible sound left Tej's surprised mouth. "Wh-- I help you, but I'm still the villain somehow?! You're out of your mind, Zaid." An angry huff as he scooted further away. "Unbelievable!"

"I'm not doing anything!" The response did not align with what Zaid asked. A trickle of paranoia ran down the back of Tej's neck. Undeniably, someone was out there, the handprint probably still on the window.

Where did they go? Why did a certain dread cling to him, tied as tight as the darkness?

Tej plied the shadows in the past, pulled them like taffy to fool the robo-hornet. But this wasn't his doing, it couldn't be...

"Zaid. You're... you're glowing." Not a compliment either. The most destructive power charged inside Zaid. Now, he could see where Zaid stood, and yet wished he couldn't.

Zaid was an eerie beacon in the black sea they were submerged in. Zaid almost translucent, skeleton in a disturbing x-ray type of detail, the beating of Zaid's heart like a dark raincloud in an otherwise cloudless sky. Teeth and whites of the eyes washed too-bright and fluorescent, as if under a UV light.

It was horrifying. With Tej on his feet, he scrambled back to the window. Just as he arrived, the pane slammed shut, locked from within. "No!" Tej fruitlessly fought with the handle. "I can't get it open! It's stuck or, or locked now, I dunno!"

And behind Zaid, a figure emerged again like the sun and moon in the same sky. Tej took a few steps back and implored with his hands up. "You're going to kill us both up here!" (Was it what Zaid wanted? Or Tej, to go out like this. Together?) Tej's voice rose louder, worried. "Please, you've got to stop this! Turn it off, or something!" His steps kept a slow creep backwards. Looking for another window, searching for something to smash the glass, or anything else to help.

The shadow-figure still behind the glow wrapped large hands around Zaid's illuminated neck. Shit, Tej was doing it. Like another part of him, a hand in a glove. The quick and shallow breaths in his chest. He began to see his own control in the shape behind Zaid. Was this a way to stop Zaid from destroying them both? Maybe. And maybe it would only make things worse.

"They're behind you," he whispered. In doing so, Tej wondered if Zaid could feel its breath on his neck. Tej's breath. "Can you feel them?" They were in a wild and untested area with the mechanism of Zaid's power. "If you can't stop the plasma, turn it against it. Turn it against this thing."

If Zaid were less emotionally excitable he would've pressed the subject more, demanded a definitive answer. Or, maybe he didn't want a definitive answer, too afraid of some awful truth. So Tej's grumbly, restless side-bar was sufficient. Zaid graciously chose not to interpret anything from it but simply...ignore it altogether. Keep going. Keep going as long as Tej would.

Zaid hated how much he missed Tej, in all these long, dreary months apart. Why did he feel it strongly, seeing the man again. Why couldn't it just be easy.

"Ugh," Zaid rolled his eyes and looked childish. "No, there's nothing wrong with Steve. He was a great help after we split, actually." He sighed and stared up dolefully at the camera trained on them. "You mean they're unbreakable? Shatterproof? Even for you??"

So you leave. Zaid had the audacity to look both shocked and hurt by Tej's words, as if they weren't true. As if, in a honeyed past, Tej wasn't sweet and attentive, had never coddled Zaid's temperaments and tenderly indulged workaholic nature. And Zaid never grown irritated by the affection, pushed the boundaries of Tej's patience. Dragged at Tej's yielding elasticity simply to make it snap. Rejected Tej, only to fly into raging fits when Tej drifted away from Zaid, to become secretive, to find attention and fun elsewhere.

But here and now, Zaid was stunned by the force of Tej's rejection of him. Zaid's ego bruised, a familiar yet still such a fresh strike. "We've said a lot of terrible things to each other when we're angry. Haven't we," Zaid murmured, his tone calm (slightly patronizing). "We still keep saying it. Does it make you feel better, sweetheart?"

Unaware of how Zaid's baked piety made Tej's blood boil, the mysterious figure made for a good distraction - until Zaid found himself bodily hauled out, and catapulted over the edge of the railing. He knew he was going to die. He couldn't die like this. He kept ending up in ways to die on this bloody island. Twice now, with Tej around. The other times...messy and horrid. Tej was the one who'd bravely faced-off with a mega-hornet robot in a bloody volcano and lived to tell the tale. Tej got impaled with a stinger in a vicious attack, came out with battle scars.

Zaid...Zaid just hung on. Clinging uselessly, saving no one but himself. Harming others in the process. Everything got dark around him, like one of those freaky summer electric storms where everything smelled like ozone and rain.

Just drop. It felt like a whisper. It even sounded like Tej's voice. Or maybe Inika's voice, soft and babylike. He could've hauled himself back up, but maybe he didn't want to. Maybe...

... hands wrapped around his aching arms, and Zaid's body kicked back into survival-mode, assisting Tej as they hauled him back to safety. Painfully dramatic. Zaid gasped a slightly hysterical laugh at that, as he tumbled back on the right side of the railing. Tej was strong, so strong and capable when he wanted to be. In this, he wanted to be.

A wretched part of Zaid's mind countered that glimmer of hope: of course Tej would save him. It would be inconvenient for Tej to have to deal with Zaid's splattered, broken body, after all. Better if Zaid had just rid himself alone, and far, far away from Tej, right?

Another part of Zaid's terrible mind (how many terrible sides did he have? Fucking hell) countered: but getting killed would fit Tej's lifelong aesthetic of death. Tej's beautiful, tragic, real grief as yet another person leaves Tej alone to keep on living.

So you leave.

And yet, Zaid tried to reach for Tej again, hold on a little longer even as Tej kept berating from. But Tej was already shoving him back, rejecting him even after saving him. "Why didn't you just let me drop, then!" Zaid managed to scream, though his voice was wild and unsteady. The adrenalin and panic from his near-death fall still whipping through his body, a borderline hysteria now that he was technically safe.

"Someone - something - someone dragged me out and threw me over the fucking edge, and maybe they were right to do it!" Zaid didn't mean that last bit to be said out loud; he kept talking to distract from it.

"And why is it so fucking dark, what is going on?!" Zaid himself began to glow, his entire body illuminating crackly and white from the inside, like a filament bulb. Trying to stave the darkness around them. "Tej, is someone else here with us? Is - is something else here? With us?! Be careful. Get back inside. It might attack you, too!"