#if it doesn’t spark joy then get rid of it

[oh-koenig-my-koenig]

building a pillowfort

(cw: age gap 25/41, hints of smut, nsfw, mdni)

Most days we stay in, after I get back from work. Cooking something together if König didn’t do that already before or ordering some take-out.

Like that one time when we converted half the living room into a giant pillow fort. Using the couch as the base, blankets shielding the fort off, all of the comfy pillows we could find lying on the ground, so we would be comfortable. We even ordered from my favourite sushi place, although sushi isn’t really his thing because he doesn’t really like fish and also because he’d need to eat so much of it for his calorie intake that it is expensive.

He almost tears down the painstakingly constructed pillowfort when he takes a seat inside and leans back, his head getting stuck on one of the blankets. We can prevent the worst and the fort is saved, but he sits back a little wearily and I can’t hold back the laughter.

His tall stature in the flimsy construction looks almost comical, the big man in something so childish like a pillowfort makes my heart dance with joy. And it feels like this little date thing, not just a evening like every other, even when we were just staying in.

We eat, sitting in our comfortable fort, and watch Scream, the original one from ’96. We both have seen it a bunch of times already. I mean, it’s a classic, right? I still flinch every time there is a loud noise or a jumpscare. And König laughs every time, his hearty chuckles making me look at him, because I can’t get enough of how his face lights up when he’s smiling bright, even at my expense.

"Aww, poor thing.", he coos with pretend pity.

"Shut up.", I tell him, equally pretending to be pouty, nudging him with my elbow.

His huge arms are closing around me as he pulls me into him, my cheek landing on his huge pec. I just love when he does that. The simple one-sided hug sitting next to each other, our size difference meaning that my face would get pressed into his chest, his calming scent engulfing me. When I’m snuggled against him like that, everything seems a little more like it’s going to be okay.

"Come here, I'll protect you from Ghostface.", he says, his voice beaming with protectiveness while I see the spark of mischief in his eyes as he is grinning down at me.

"You're so stupid.", I mutter, nuzzling into his shirt. He just laughs again, cuddling me closer.

The movie is quickly forgotten about because of course our hands start to wander. And it doesn’t take more than a few strokes over his bulge, that looks really delicious in his black sweatpants by the way, until his hand catches my wrist and turns the teasing touches around on me.

I shake with laughter as the whole pillowfort crashes down around us with the first few pushes of his dick into me, the blankets covering us – mostly hanging off of his head and shoulders. The fort is now completely destroyed, a grumpy expression on his face while he gets rid the blankets, cursing and grumbling.

“Wir kinan nur froh sei, dass i koa Maurer wordn bin.“ (We can count ourselves lucky that I didn’t become a mason.)

He mutters something to himself in his funny language while he makes sure that everything is out of the way and me comfortable and warm underneath himself, not willing to leave my warm wet pussy to do any of that. Kissing my face all over, starting to fuck me again with deep hard strokes, until the grin on my lips turns into an O, soft moans escaping my throat.

~ More in the Masterlist ~

[milliesfishes]

hiii! can you do like another part of the billy blurb where reader doesn’t like loud noises, and he catches someone yelling at her and is protective of her?🤍

⋆౨ৎbilly is protective when someone yells at you⋆౨ৎ fem reader x billy the kid

Always wary, Billy protected you like nothing he'd possessed before.

Any man would do the same if he had such a ray of sunshine all his to love. You brightened every facet of his life, introducing light and laughter to him in places he didn't know he could have it. Feelings that had gathered dust on the shelves of his heart were now pulled out by you for spring cleaning, scrubbed shiny and practically new by your smile.

He had worried that because he was unused to using said emotions that he would be inadequate in loving you in some way. But you were wonderfully happy in his presence, shining from the inside out. There was a special light in you that shone so bright that he could have been blinded. But instead, he looked straight into it and found such a love that he would never let go of.

Darling and innocent, your senses were heightened as you navigated the world around you, the one in particular being your hearing. He'd watched you wince when there was a gunshot, try to subtly cover your ears when thunder sounded in the sky. Billy was fully conscious of every little detail about you, even the ones you deemed unimportant. Every bit of you was important to him.

He was wary of taking you into the saloon, the thought of all the bustling noise potentially a problem for you, but you insisted, eager as could be to see it all. And so here you were now, in a crowded, hot bar under his arm, looking around wide-eyed and excited at all the commotion.

You bounced on your heels, looking up at him with the most darling smile. It always sparked his own, a conflagration of instant joy. The girl under his arm was the root of every good thing in the world, he was sure of it. Your delight in all that surrounded you was not idle, or besmirched by what little bad he allowed to cross your path. It was a river, flowing and rising with the rain.

It had only been a moment that he'd left you alone. Stood you at the bar and told you to stay there, that he'd be right back. With an eye-crinkling smile, you nodded, head bobbing up and down like a leaf in a stream. He'd been unable to stop his lips from turning up at the roseate sight of you, chucking you once under the chin before turning his back. Billy always made it a point to let you know he loved you before parting in any way, whether it be through his words or actions or both.

The conversation he was swept in lasted but a brief moment. He bid the man with whom he spoke farewell with a tip of the hat, nudging his way through the crowd to get back to you. The atmosphere was lively, and he hoped you were doing alright. Maybe it hadn't been the smartest move on his part to leave you alone in a roomful of men.

Spurred by the thought, Billy elbowed his way between the crowd, sandwiched against bodies too inebriated to notice he was in a hurry. Finally he spotted you much to his relief, but stopped clean in his tracks as more of the scene came into view.

A man was standing in front of you, obviously drunk. Billy could hear his raised voice over the buzz of all the surrounding people, unable to quite make out his words. You were shrunk back against the edge of the bar, eyes wider than the moon. He clocked your shaking hands, fingers twitching to cover your ears.

That was the final straw. Billy shoved his way over, mind blank as his fist flew forward, knocking your attacker straight in the nose. The man was intoxicated enough for it to send him sprawling, back hitting the floor, surrounding boots pulled aside as not to block his path.

Billy shook his fist once, as if ridding himself of the memory, then turned back to you. His expression flipped in a flash, morphing from fury to concern. The same hand that had rendered a man unconscious caressed your cheek, eyes roving over you for any sign of injury. When he found none he secured an arm around you, pressing a rough kiss to your head. "C'mon, baby. Let's get outta here."

He put one hand over your opposite ear, muffling the drowning noises and guiding you out of the saloon. You were the very opposite of the vibrant girl he'd brought in earlier tonight, bottom lip trembling like an earthquake, drawn in on yourself. Billy could read you better than literature, and he recognized that look immediately. Chief among sad and hurt, you were embarrassed.

Pulling you into the tight space between two buildings, Billy smoothed his hands over your hair, tucking a few stray strands behind your ears and thumbing the side of your face. Your cheeks were slightly tinted as you refused to look at him. His heart was sliced clean in half at the sight.

"Baby..." he breathed, rubbing the line of your jaw. "'s okay. You're okay. Didn't do anythin' wrong back there, promise-"

You sniffled, a dry sob escaping your lips as you leaned forward into him, arms finding their place around him. Billy was wordless as he held you to him, one hand finding the crown of your head, pressing your face into his chest. He rested his cheek on you, hoping his presence could comfort you the way you needed.

He didn't count the minutes you stayed there, tears soaking his shirt, sobs muffled by his chest. To your credit, you tried to stifle them, but they escaped anyways; soft cries that carved an anthem of protection into what was left of his heart. Outside the haven of the alleyway, the world still spun, passerby not sparing a glance at the outlaw soothing his girl. Chatter abounded along with the whinnies of horses, the evening soundtrack striking the night.

You pulled back after a long while, turning your head sideways against his heart and sniffling as the last of your tears trailed down your cheeks. He petted your hair once, arms still secure around you. Now that your body was no longer trembling, he tried murmuring, "What happened, back there, sweet girl?"

"He was trying to touch me and I said no." Your voice was edged with tears the way lace did the curtains at your bedside. "He got mad and started yelling."

Billy clicked his tongue, wanting to go back inside and finish the job, but knowing he wouldn't leave you. "Oh, baby. 'm so sorry." He settled one hand on the side of your face, just holding you comfortably to him. "Shouldn't have left you alone in there."

"I'm sorry," you whispered, and he shook your head though you couldn't see it.

"Ain't a damn thing for you to be sorry for," Billy promised, lightly stroking your back. He dropped his lips to the top of your head, letting them linger in the sweet scent of your hair. "Not a single thing that happened in there was your fault."

You were uncomfortable with his apologies- he knew it. The way you'd been brought up hadn't warranted many directed towards you, even though they rightfully should have been. But you were with him now, his girl. And he would make sure you got what you deserved.

Looking down at you now, hiding in his chest from the world, he knew there was scarcely a thing he wouldn't do to be your shelter like this forever. The love you shared was eternal, never a hint of a temporary thing. He gave himself to you in every possible way, paving the path of the future with a promise that he would always be there.

Nosing a final kiss into your hair, he carefully rubbed circles into your back. "Whaddya say we go home, hm? Get some kisses 'n cuddles in?"

You lifted your head, eyes slightly reddened from your tears. But in them he could see a glint of hope, of his happy girl. She was in there still, wholly you after all that had transpired tonight. Your gift was unique- all the bad in the world only heightened the good.

Billy would gift you every little pleasure in existence, lasso it in and tie it up at the foot of your bed for you to love. In the same manner you loved him, steadfast and true as the song of the stars.

[atsadi-shenanigans]

What Shall We Become 18 - Discomforted

The rogue is left to his thoughts.

On AO3.

He doesn’t hear her for the rest of the day. For half of the following. He wakes from his reverie and his arms work again. So he sits up as the kuo-toa enter with baskets of more fish. He shudders as he drains them. All darkness and cold and soggy detritus to gobble down, with those. No joy. Barely any spark of life. It’s disgusting.

But still better than a putrid, mushy rat.

When he does catch the sound of far off voices, he realizes she’s forsaken the potion of tongues. She only has another few, he thinks. Likely saving them.

That’s fine. They’ve little to discuss as it is.

She knows. She saw (rather felt) what he did, and came back. Like a fool. Like he was worth all that. And he isn’t providing her a single service. A few Chondathan lessons? Bah. Not that much of an investment. She should have carried on without him. It’s what he would have done. What he thought she was sensible enough to realize.

Or perhaps it’s only his plan succeeding? He needs someone willing to aid him. Shield him. Feed—

And he hasn’t had to sleep with her! He should be thrilled. To have hooked her devotion so easily. It’s a fine bargain, for him.

But he can’t. Because what she’s given him isn’t cheap, and that’s a problem. No one gives things away. Never once in his last two hundred years has he ever…won something. Not like this. And not without paying for it, and paying dearly.

He traces the raised line over his ribs, up over his chest. A steady diet of slimy fish blood should smooth that right off in another day or two, leaving him fresh and unmarred and beautiful. As all his other injuries have done.

Save for two.

His fingers brush up his neck. The punctures there. They feel large. Always have. Two pits in his neck, the edges rough and ragged (he knows he doesn’t leave such marks on his foolish leader; even then, at the beginning, that bastard had wanted to mark him).

But his targets never seem to notice them (at least, not unless that bastard invites them to Astarion knowing what he is, offering them the thrill of bedding a stunning, tamed vampire). He wears high collars, usually lurks in dim corners, goes after those whose wits are already slipping. But he rarely, so very rarely gets to keep those high collars in place. And they never say anything. Not about those marks. Not about his eyes. His pallor. His grave-chilled skin.

Too busy grabbing. Too busy taking. That’s the only explanation he’s ever been able to come up with.

And the other scars…

He can just manage to twist an aching arm around so his fingertips find the lowest lines. That bastard marks what’s his. Usually, his “gift” wipes all traces of previous such attentions, even on Astarion’s paltry diet. Not this one. He’d wanted this one to stay. A whole night’s work, so many revisions. He wanted that poem etched into Astarion’s flesh for all eternity. It had burned terribly when that bastard rubbed the oozing carvings with whatever godsforsaken salt concoction. Packed the tears in Astarion’s skin full, so vampiric healing or no, his body had no choice (never a choice, not in anything) but to lift up into ugly scar tissue.

Astarion will never be rid of it. Just as he’ll never be rid of that bastard—

No. No.

He reflexively shoves that down. Reaches around himself for something else to touch. Warped planks of wood. Scraps of cloth reeking of fish. The cold, metallic scent of aquatic blood.

He’s not in the kennels. Not even in the dorms. Not in that wretched palace and not even in the city. He’s in the Underdark, being nursed by fish pledged to his naive leader and he’s going to milk that for everything it’s worth.

“Hello, you out there!” he says. “I’d like more blood!”

It’s vile, but it’s something.

***

He lays about for another two days. He thinks it’s two days, anyway, judging from his leader’s sleep. She’s rigged up some kind of curtain and shelters in with him while she does that—after turning away most of the kuo-toa and their gracious gifts. The only thing she takes is the fish he’s emptied, and some kind of dried seaweed he can set on fire for her.

It smells atrocious as it burns. And she makes a concession to open the curtain while she does it. But she figures out how to clean and cook the fish, and the noise she makes when she takes her first bite almost does something to him. Reminds him of the very first taste of her own blood hitting his tongue.

She barely speaks. Seems content to grunt and, presumably, gesture at her devoted subjects. She only has three potions left, that he knows of. What she does when she’s not hiding in here with him, he has no idea. Likely hiding elsewhere.

She’s kept up her Chondathan lessons, at least. She threw her ultimatum at him so rudely, and then pretends she did nothing of the sort. So he falls back to patterns he knows, and also pretends she did nothing of the sort. He never cut her loose to die, and she never found out about it and then…forgave him for it.

She’s infuriating. Absolutely infuriating. She doesn’t react to anything like a normal person, and he doesn’t even know if the entirety of her people are just like that, or if she’s the aberrant specimen. That would be his luck.

As his body repairs itself, he repairs his clothing. Which doesn’t take long. Loses time for a while—his usual past time. And then, as she sleeps on their second day, his fingers find cool metal in his pack.

That necklace. They must have taken it off him at some point before hoisting him onto that sacrificial slab. Here it rests, in his pack. So he takes it out.

The links slip through his fingers like water. Jewels cascade down the front, rather like drops of rain. He imagines it’s a pretty thing. He hopes it complements his complexion.

He doesn’t remember actually learning the firebolt cantrip. Has no memory of lessons in a garden or sitting beside a tutor in his children’s short pants.

This one carries a spell upon it. That, he can tell. Beyond that…? He might as well be fumbling about in the dark, without sight, in the vast, echoing Underdark.

He drops the necklace into his pack.

Eventually she wakes. Greets him in Chondathan. Heads out to do…whatever it is she does.

She just chose to come back. If Astarion weren’t always on the precipice of starvation, he would consider vomiting out of sheer disgust. One doesn’t just choose to overlook a wrong like that. He used to be a magistrate, by the hells. There must be a punishment. There has to be.

Yet she just, just…forfeited it. Let him leave her and not only didn’t cast him aside, but came searching for him and then murdered what he now suspects was a redcap to save him. The absolute audacity. She can’t simply do things like that. She can’t make those decisions. No one else would. No one else ever has.

Mistakes are punished. Corrected. A wrong can only be made right when the perpetrator pays for it (through gold or flesh). She’s insane, is what she is. Rattled in the skull. An idiot.

Yet the fish obey her as a god, and the tent flap lifts as their reek washes over him. In they trundle, finned feet slapping against old wood, to lay yet another basket of flapping, gasping, dying fish at his side.

…and he still tastes the ghost of her blood. Can still sense it, out there in the dark. He left her to rot and she still guided him and talked to him and accepted his gifts. She knew the entire time. And still slept in his tent and loaned her staff and entertained him with lurid stories. She helped him escape the, whatever in the hells a “birdshark” is, and whatever rules a quake abides by.

She gave him her blood. Knowing all the while.

He’s been waiting for the other shoe to drop. It must. It always does.

Yet…yet this one. This one doesn’t seem inclined to budge. And he has absolutely no idea what to do with that.

[fizziepopangel]

Hey! I really liked your helluva boss headcanons, they're very interesting and realistic! Do you have any for Stolas? 😀

I do actually have a few! Ask and you shall receive, my friend! I hope you enjoy😋

“Oh shit. Am I in danger right now?”

When he was young, the prince built little communities for the toads and frogs that he found within the garden sometimes. This is what sparked his joy for being in the garden and he still tries his best to make the palace garden comfortable for the small amphibians that he sometimes comes across there.

Despite being a powerful demon, Stolas hates horror movies because he scares far easier than he cares to admit.

He has bald spots from where he's pulled out his feathers during panic attacks or times of overwhelming stress but learned to hide them well over the years.

Stolas is easily excited by small things which can easily be seen through his daughter’s social media where she frequently posts pictures of her father reacting in childlike wonder to things most people wouldn’t think twice about.

Baby Stolas was bathed in a bird bath the same way babies are bathed in the sink sometimes when they're really small.

Sometimes Stolas will sleep with his old stuffed animal. It brought him comfort as a child and though he's a bit embarrassed to admit it to most people, it still brings him comfort after nightmares.

He understands his duties as a member of the Goetia family, but he always wanted to be an artist or botanist rather than a prince.

Stolas’ primary love language is physical touch which tends to make him a wonderful, affectionate partner and friend…. Unfortunately, the prince also experiences touch starvation quite easily.

The abuse he took from Stella worsened after she became pregnant with Octavia because she soon found he would give in to any demand she had if it meant keeping their daughter safe if she even acted as if she might threaten the child in some way. 

He suffers from migraines due to poor vision because he's struggled with focusing both sets of his eyes at once since he was a kid. His father never took him seriously and he was often teased by others about having one set of eyes closed to both help him focus on things and get rid of his migraines…. He still does this sometimes when he's alone because he's still afraid of being teased or seen as weak.

He has a deep appreciation for classical music, but he loves dancing around to trashy pop music more than he likes listening to the classics people are used to hearing him listen to.

Blitz can be quite rough with him in bed and despite enjoying it for the most part, he wants something more… sensual sometimes. He had hoped it would be after their date at Ozzie's.

He's put off teaching Via magic because he doesn't want her to grow up just yet but he's found that their magic lessons are often some of their best bonding activities and he learns much more than he thought he would about his daughter with each lesson they stumble through. 

The demon prince is still afraid of the dark. Only his daughter knows.

He uses his human form to attend pride parades in the human realm. He loves it and has made many human friends in the years he’s attended.

Stolas doesn’t use his full demon form very often because despite how well he hides it, it takes a lot of energy and it leaves him fairly exhausted.

Unbeknownst to everyone aside from Blitz, Stolas keeps a journal of poetry he writes.

Despite the fact that they are one of the lowest classes species in hell, Stolas doesn’t necessarily view imps in that manner because he sees himself as having been raised by them since he was raised more so by the imps who served his family than his parents.

He has a major sweet tooth and chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and cherries on top is his favorite sweet treat.

Stolas tends to his garden daily and has named each and every one of the plants he cares for.

[multiplicity-positivity]

Hi. I'm going to send this ask to more than one blog because I want to check if I get different types of answers. (Please make sure this ask is anonymous) Do you have any advices for plurals how to clean / tidy your room/house and manage to not make it messy again? Important: nay tips for how to not regret getting rid of items you think aren't important now but still be able to get rid of many items to finally make your house clean?

🥔🥔🥔

Hello, this is an excellent question. Maintaining a clean living space can genuinely help improve and maintain positive mental health, but it can be challenging keeping up with these things as a system. We certainly do not keep our own home totally spotless, but here’s how we go about keeping our living space clean.

1) Chore Chart

We’ve made a list of all the chores we’d ideally like to get done, and assigned one or two chores to each day of the week. We’ll put a big chore list at the bottom of this post under a cut, so you can get some sort of idea about the amount of chores your system might need to do in order to keep your space tidy. Our own chore chart is written on a whiteboard left in our kitchen so we can see it every day.

2) Checklists

Many parts of our system are incredibly motivated by checklists. It feels amazing and productive to be able to check things off as you accomplish tasks. Individual chores can even be broken down into multiple steps so you can have more items to check off, if you’d like. Our chore chart mentioned above is in a checklist format, so parts can cross things off the list as they do them. If your system feels like a checklist might be useful, we cannot stress enough how incorporating a checklist into your routine might be beneficial.

3) Putting things away

This one is tough, particularly for the littles in our system, but putting things away when you’re done using them can have a huge impact on keeping your space clean. Things like:

- Hanging up coats and putting away shoes when you take them off

- Keeping dirty clothes in a bin or hamper

- Returning toys/art supplies/electronics/etc. to where they belong after using them

- Taking dishes, cups, and silverware to the sink/kitchen after eating or drinking

- Throwing away empty wrappers, broken things, and other trash items as you encounter them

And so on. This may be a difficult habit to get into, but if a few of your members who front in your home can commit to keeping this up, your whole system will start to feel the differences.

4) Divvying tasks

In all honesty, our system has a chores part who handles most of our housework. Soft likes it and it works for fluff. However, not every system has a specific headmate who handles or wants to complete domestic tasks. So dividing responsibilities among the willing members of your system can lighten everyone’s workload a bit. You can try making different charts or checklists for different headmates, or include those who want/are able to help out on any sort of chore chart or list you create.

Now, when it comes to getting rid of items… our system is POSIC, and can establish connections and relationships with all sorts of items which can make getting rid of them challenging. Still, this is a necessary part of life. Some things that have more or less worked for us are:

We’re not big minimalists, but we like Marie Kondo’s advice when it comes to getting rid of things to ask yourself: what sparks joy? If an item doesn’t spark joy for yourself or your headmates, consider getting rid of it. We like the idea of thanking the item for its service before letting it go.

We also have one alter who likes to take pictures of things before we get rid of them. Pup then makes little edits of them, pasting little digital stickers, and for us it works as a good way to keep items in our memory without keeping them around physically. This may be weird, but it works for us, so we thought might as well include it.

Also, donating items to thrift stores or charity causes may be easier and more fulfilling than flat-out throwing them away. In this way, you’re parting with items that can still find a good home with someone who could get more use out of it, and not sending a once treasured object off to a landfill.

Goodness, this post got quite long. We’ll go ahead and call it here so it doesn’t get even more carried away. We do hope that something here will be useful for your system. Good luck with keeping your home tidy in the future!

And here is a list of chores that might help you get a feel for how to create your own chore chart:

Kitchen

- Doing dishes

- Wiping countertops

- Scrubbing the sink

- Cleaning out the fridge and/or pantry

- Doing meal prep

Bedroom

- Making the bed

- Doing laundry (step one: gather clothes, step two: wash them, step three: dry them, step four: fold them, step five: put them away)

- Washing and changing out bedsheets

Bathroom

- Scrubbing the toilet

- Scrubbing the sink

- Scrubbing the shower or bathtub

- Washing the mirror

Misc/Any Room

- Sweeping

- Vacuuming

- Dusting

- Mopping

- Washing windows

- Putting away anything that isn’t where it belongs

We hope you and your system can brainstorm to figure out what chores will benefit your home life best. Again, good luck with your endeavors to maintain a clean space going forward!

[raksh-writes]

In diamonds and leather

Fandom: Kinnporsche the series (2022)

Pairing: VegasPete

Warnings/Tags: Sugar Baby/Sugar Daddy AU, older!Vegas, younger!Pete, businessman!Vegas, college student!Pete, Dom/sub

Been feeling a great need for a Sugar Baby/Sugar Daddy AU for VegasPete but since there doesn’t seem to be any and I’ve had this rattling around my brain for months, here’s a lil’ preview snippet. Might make it into an actual fic one day, who knows. For now, hope y’all will enjoy  this small thing 💗

.

At thirty years old, Vegas is pretty sure most would say he has it all.

Lucrative business in luxury markets earning him more than he could ever spend? Certainly. A sprawling penthouse at the top floor with the overview of the city some would kill for? Hm, yes, the view is nice, that he can admit. A wardrobe full of silk shirts, suits tailored to perfection, italian leather shoes and watches glinting gold in the light? He should probably get rid of half of them, to be honest. Expensive cars and sleek bikes he’s imported himself? Probably one too many than he should be keeping, but the speed and freedom they give him are one of the only joys Vegas still has left in life because:

What’s even the point?

His father is long dead and buried, no longer a whip of disgust and derision over Vegas’ back and bruised face, no longer sneering over every aspect of his life and chasing him from one deal to another until he barely had any time or will to live for himself. So long he’s lived under his father’s orders, so long he’s lived only to take care of his little brother, but now Gun is dead and Macau’s safe and happy in university, living on his own and surrounded by friends, and Vegas? With his thriving businesses, his expensive clothes, fast bikes and more money than he knows what to do with? Well...

At the end of the day, as he sits down in his favorite armchair after hours full of taking care of his various businesses, as he looks over the city, Vegas can’t help the questions creeping over his mind, relentless and bleak. What now? What’s the point? You have it all and you’re not doing anything with it. You should be ashamed of yourself. No drive, no ambition, not knowing what to do with yourself. How can you even look at yourself in the mirror? Pathetic. More often than not a note of his father’s sneer sneaking through the disembodied voice of his thoughts. And it’s the pitiful truth, unfortunately. 

Somewhere along the time of his newfound freedom, Vegas found a carved out void behind his ribs, echoing and endless in its numbness. No amount of too-fast bike rides, of throwing away money at random charities, of high-end balls and lucrative deals could ever even attempt to fill it, not even sex he used to find reprieve in proved successful.

Long gone are days when he went out to pick up random twinks at clubs with music loud enough to drown out his thoughts — they’re too loud now, setting his teeth on edge, the young things too eager and shallow, the sex barely a spark hot enough to do it for him. Even the times he decides to take a sub at one of the few BDSM places he sometimes visits leaves him feeling more hollow than fulfilled in the mornings. It barely scratches the itch that manages to rear its head from time to time — the need to see a pretty boy ruined under his palms. It’s nice, the moment it happens, but then the void howls behind his sternum and his jaw aches from the force he clenches it with, a traitorous whisper of what’s the point? bouncing inside his skull. Vegas doesn’t have the answer and the rope he’s threading is quickly coming to an abrupt end.

Then it comes, from the most unexpected place Vegas couldn’t have ever predicted.

An app. A simple message.

A struggling college student with big dreams and sunshine smile.

Soft-cheeked, with barely any experience and melting under Vegas’ hands like he’s been made for it, made for Vegas. For him and him only. And Vegas shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t.

It’s not about money, he could shower the pretty boy with far more than he’d ever need and still not make a dent in his account. It’s not about chemistry too, because to be frank, it actually sparks way too high and bright between them. And it’s not for the lack of time either  — at this point in his life, Vegas has more of it than he has responsibilities on most days. The thing is—

Vegas is not suited to take on a fresh sub. To train someone completely new to kink in the way he prefers his partners. He has no experience with that, always took on twinks either versed in the lifestyle or he’d disregard his more sadistic preferences for a night of simpler, rough sex. It’s been good enough, he tells himself, it was, but—

Pete looks up at him with his huge, teary eyes, mouth parted and bottom lip glistening under Vegas’ thumb and the long-slumbering beast in his chest awakens, uncurling in the void with teeth bared and bloodlust on its tongue. Vegas wants, and he wants so deeply and viciously it almost scares him well enough to refuse this pretty siren of a boy. Almost.

He looks at Pete on his knees and his brain stutters with countless images.

With Pete’s cupid-bow lips stretched over his cock. With Pete shackled to his bed and writhing in the binds while Vegas takes him again and again and again. Not letting him come or wringing out orgasm after orgasm until he's a crying, wrecked mess unable to even speak. With Pete in pretty lingerie and a rosy blush spread over the apple of his cheeks. With Pete’s brilliant smile peeking out from around a glass of champagne, a speck of chocolate on his lips. With Pete on the back of his bike or spread over the leather upholstery in one of his sports cars. With Pete spent and boneless and sated in his arms, warm and smiling and whispering his name like a prayer.

Vegas wants and, for the first time in years, his mind doesn’t poison his mind with the bleak whispers of what’s the point? Because this—

This might just be the whole entire point. Pete, happy and satisfied, in Vegas’ arms. Smiling like he means it.

[lightboundhellhound]

the elegang’s ACNH islands

i’m putting everyone’s gameplay styles and island details under the cut

elsie: 3 star island, blue airport, native fruit is apples. wants only the most interesting villager designs. currently dating coco, but their emotional support villager is stinky, who they named their cat after. their island aesthetic is cozy and pink, a little disorganized but still cute (trying so hard to get a 4 star island)

searra: 3 star island, orange airport, native fruit is peaches. wants cute villagers, doesn’t really care about personalities so long as she vibes with the character. chabwick randomly moved onto the island and he wanted to get rid of him, but eventually she got attached. island aesthetic is nonexistent ksjdkffk he tries to make things look good but doesn’t put that much effort in so

jessica: 3 star island, blue airport, native fruit is oranges. tried getting only aquatic themed villagers but eventually gave up on the game altogether lmao, spent several months looking for aquatic villagers before burning herself out. curly is her worst nightmare but he won’t leave. her island aesthetic is “mermaids in atlantis”. that’s what she calls it. seashell DIY stuff, blue things, stuff like that

aidan: 4 star island, yellow airport, native fruit is pears. wants only the grittiest villagers, but this is animal crossing, so theyre hard to come by. only has bluebear because she was xyr friends favorite villager, and when that friend died aidan vowed to have bluebear in every animal crossing game xe ever plays. also tipper is because he adores cows. his island aesthetic is super halloween themed, and he uses custom designs to add gore

keith: 2 star island, green airport, native fruit is cherries. doggie island <3 jitters was one of his starters that he couldn’t part with. his island aesthetic is. um. whatever sparks joy. its so cluttered but at least he’s happy

selene: 5 star island, blue airport, native fruit is peaches. selene is a hardcore crosser. she needs the cutest villagers and they have to be diverse personalities. the only duplicates allowed are sisterly, normal, smug, and cranky, and even then there can only be two. she also cant have two of the same species. also no jocks. ever. her island aesthetic is greek mythology, lots of statues and aesthetic paths and stuff. she’s worked very hard on her island and her five stars are well earned. also i know greek mythology is canon to the element trials and not mythology cos it’s real but. shut up kajdjfkf

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

Longass Crop Circles Notes (for Lately, I've Been Thinking and I Don't Think I've Changed Chapter One

Finally delivered to @spicymiilk our king. My apologies that these longass notes are not as detailed as last time. I shall endeavor to get more detailed as I read more of the fic. I will post my rage thoughts on chapter eight of for the nights and days of life by @mochalottie tomorrow though, and that shit will be novel length. Anyways:

Lately, I've Been Thinking:

-Me when Andrei says Spider will have a bad time: but does he ever have a good time for you??

-NORM CONTENT. *airhorn blares*

-I gotta love the tragic Shameless vibes you bring into my Spider fics, man. 

-Retweet, Spider, we all hate men. We are all scared of men. 

-Rip Paz, the fandom tries to tell me you weren’t a bitch but I don’t buy it. You totally were. Justice for Trudy, who was way cooler.

-Wait, did Spider do drugs too? The needles are around his bed? Or did he steal his moms bed?

-Lol, Paz is in and out, there is SO MUCH Shameless in this story. You can't hide from me, bastard.

-YESS, THE FAST FOOD AU. 

-Also, Andrei, what is it about beating the natural joy and zest for life out of Spider that gets u off?

-Neteyam will lOVE fixing this guy tho. Spider is his wet dream at this point. 

-I actually know a kid in my grade who was placed with one of my family friends when he was seventeen, he is fantastic. He’s the oldest of like, seven kids and the littlest ones go to the elementary school I work at now. My mom works there too and she always says you can tell when this kid is home because the little ones are showered and on time, and he takes them to get haircuts and stuff. He used to walk 45 minutes to work every day. He’s a great guy but he doesn’t stay. He doesn’t let them drag him down. :/

-Spider, on the brink of death, unloved and abused and neglected, dirty and with one single tangle of hair: hi

Neteyam: that is my soulmate. 

I Don't Think I've Changed Chapter One:

-WHATS YOUR DAMAGE THE FIC? That’s the one line I quote more from any other type of media. Every day I go “WHAT IS YOUR CHILDHOOD TRAUMA??” 

-N E T E Y A M VS SELF ESTEEM. MAN MANAGES TO HATE HIMSELF EVEN IN THE FACE OF SPIDER. 

-Also the fear I felt when I saw Miles and Norm are best friends actually, I’m comforting myself like “no no, he meant Spider it’s okay.”

-The hilarity of getting rid of Lo’ak and Kiri who are the canonically closest to Spider and leaving us with Tuk and Neteyam and Jeytiri. That excited me lITERALLY SO MUCH. The fast food au did start with only Tuk and Neteyam, and that’s juicy. We are forced to develop and explore relationships that are underdeveloped in canon and are harder to justify as instant sparks. You took away his natural in canon support systems so he has to learn to develop even faster with the other Sully's and that is a banger idea.

-W H E E L C H A I R J A K E. God I love wheelchair Jake aus, I love making them positive because I don’t like the way the first movie just fixed his disability. Give me Jake Sully being a positive disabled male father figure in his kids lives, just as present and happy and in love with his wife while paralyzed then he would be with mobility. What creative stuff has changed in their lives to accomidate? I need to know.

-Delighted by this Neytiri pov, my god. I feel like less people than I need in my life just let Neytiri have no bad blood at all with Spider in modern aus. She would be all over a neglected child.

-GET THE STICKY TOYS, thats so cute. And useful, I need him to get the magnets some kids got stuck to the ceiling in the gym at my work.

-Tuk is already bullying Neteyam about liking Spider and he isn’t even there yet. I’m lOVING the little bits of the fast food au I spot. She is going to be a menace. And clearly Neteyam is a lovesick clown.

-He is indeed about to get the shit loved out of him, and that is what every Spider Sully writer says before writing their fic. 

-WHAT DID THE MCCOSKERS DO SPIDER, NORM SHOULD KNOW, THEN HE WON’T PLACE OTHER KIDS WITH THEM BUDDY.

-Love the descriptions of how Spider feels when Norm’s body relaxes, just noting the way he backs off. So specific and accurate to any abused child. That tension and hypersensitivity to anyone's emotions, even people you implicitly trust, like never goes away.

-Norm thinking someone didn’t let Spider pee in the bathroom is so tragic and funny I feel bad for laughing. 

-Spider: heart palpitations upon seeing Neteyam

Spider: NORM YOU DIDN’T TELL ME YOU WERE WINGMANNING ME?

I am picturing Norm and Tuk in the back of a Burger King setting up an elaborate plan while Neteyam sighs and watches Spider from a booth while writing Neteyam Socorro on all of his notebooks.

-i am cACKLING. You’ve never seen rizz as strong or as intense as “MILES??” and “WHOS THAT? WHAT’S SCHOOL, I DON’T KNWO WHAT THAT IS?” Their dumb clown asses belong together.

-In all seriousness though, I can't imagine how humiliating it would feel to Spider to know some random acquaintance at school was now privy to all your personal problems and business.

-I want to know how often Neteyam frequents the local Burger King. He's probably so embarrassed at how ready he was to big brother this kid. He's gonna be like "looking hot today, uh, I mean, did you need help with your homework champ???"

-This is now like To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, Neteyam can call Kiri and Lo’ak on the phone and gossip about boy problems

-JAKE INTRODUCING HIMSELF AS A MILITARY MAN TO EVERY CHILD THAT GETS BROUGHT INTO THEIR HOUSE, NO ONE VETOED THAT SHIT?? Kiri hasn't been like "sTOP TELLING EVERYONE YOU LOVE THE MILITARY, YOU ARE EMBARASSING US."

-Also wow does Norm not know Spider’s dad was former military and he way not vibe with that at all?

-The way that Neteyam is still stalking Spider at McDonalds Or Burger King we can’t be sure. The mention of both places has sent me to space because it makes it seem like Spider used to work at McDonalds and then switched to Burger King and deeply obsessed stalker Neteyam Sully switched establishments to frequent.

-Spider’s fear of Tuk is hilarious and deeply sad, that is your bestie. 

-I LOVE love the idea of Kiri and Neteyam watching video essays. I love video essays, I wish my brothers did gOD. Also love a late night owl Neteyam head canon.

-Spider really is a wet rat. Have you ever actually seen a wet rat? The saying is so accurate. Kid was fed properly for the first time in years and then it killed him. Love kills Spider at first, as we have learned from all Spider Sully fics. He's like a dog eating chocolate, it's good, but at what cost.

[lokiiied]

Ayo do you have any headcanons about the marquis from jw4. PERSONALLY, I think he and chidi are a thing but I wanna hear your thoughts?

oh he definitely has a “right hand man for what? jerking you off?” dynamic w chidi lol but personally i imagine it’s not an exclusive relationship (for vincent anyways). the scenes w marquis and the tracker have a lot of sexual tension but i think the tracker fully despises him. he’s literally just a spoiled french boy twink and the tracker only has eyes for john (literally)

i haven’t really thought too much abt headcanons for him i’ll be honest but since i’m thinking about it now here’s a few:

• he’s definitely a coffee snob.

• he goes to/hosts parties just to find the sluttiest men to take to his bedroom. it’s fine if they don’t speak the same language (honestly better)

• he can be dominant, he likes having men on their knees for him but he also likes being up against the wall

• laughs at popular fashion trends & keeps a fairly consistent style but keeps up with some select designers and has a bit of a hyperfixation on them. he’s owned every collection piece he’s ever desired and goes through his wardrobe at the end of every year to get rid of anything that doesn’t spark joy anymore, but he keeps quite a lot of his clothes for years. he likes having the selection of old and new and bringing back attention to a popular piece from balmain 2016 fall collection when he decides to wear it for a dinner out. (i am laughing imagining him wearing that but it would also be kind of a serve)

thanks for the ask! i haven’t thought about him in a while so this was fun haha. i love seeing people find my john wick 4 posts and i always love talking about it!!!

[freefolkfightorflight]

Being a mom is weird.

I need to organize and purge. Just get rid of some of this STUFF. But my prev. Method of does this spark joy? It doesn’t work.

For me it’s like LOL NO #depression.

For my kids? LOL YES THIS PILE OF LITERAL TRASH SPARKS SO MUCH JOY IN THEM

[wulfnerd]

Looming Threat, sterek, g, 100w ◌ Stiles and Derek admire a gift from Cora. [ao3] @sterekdrabbles for 18/11 (spark, different, limit)

Stiles can’t look away from the rug Cora gifted them. Derek refused to toss it, and now it's in their bedroom. 

‘This does not spark joy.’ 

It’s white with red splotches and streaks. It reminds Stiles of a children’s hospital. 

Stiles is all for being different and non-conforming, but he has limits. Not that there are many options here. 

‘We can’t get rid of it.’ 

Derek’s tone makes it clear he now understands Stiles’ perspective but doesn’t want to offend Cora. 

‘I’m not sleeping here, Derek. It’s evil.’ 

‘Rugs can’t be evil, Stiles. I think.’ 

Maybe they can regift it. 

[aserendipityseason]

no buy (low buy) 2023

january edit

👉🏻 refrain from buying new clothing i have a lot of clothes, too many maybe and most i don’t even wear so i want to do a complete revamp of my wordrobe and sell a few of my clothing pieces and invest in pieces i will actually wear and that will last decades (i’m going to try buy second-hand)

👉🏻 no new perfumes unless i have finished a perfume from my ‘finish list’; flowerbomb, valentina, mon guerlain, and le parfume i love perfume and i don’t want to give up something that brings me so much joy and so this is the compromise and i also want to sell a few fragrances that i am not completely in-love with because i have close to 100... and i know i don’t need that many because i don’t use that many

👉🏻 skincare and beauty product categories are to be finished before repurchasing; if i’ve finished a cleanser and i still have a bottle somewhere, then that has to be used and finished before repurchasing anything, this applies to makeup too

👉🏻 no throwing away products just to buy something new! if i’d rather trash something than finish it, then i don’t really need that in my life (for example, if a shade of blush doesn’t suit me and i get rid of it then i can’t buy a new blush until then end of the month; this stops impulse buying and promotes try-before-you-buy and in turn more overall mindfulness to consuming products also will spark creativity)

👉🏻 focus on refining and perfect my routines i want to focus more on sticking to what i know and i want to be all quality not quantity (do i really need a ten-step skincare routine? or a bunch of hair serums? big no to both)

👉🏻 cannot buy anything on credit, on loans, no favours, no borrowing, no payment plans, no golden handshakes; if i can’t buy it out right on my own with my own money then it is not meant to be

👉🏻 take-out no buying food unless we’re actually leaving the house to go eat out; i still want to go on date nights with my boyfriend and not say no to dinner with friends

👉🏻 cash only this just makes keeping to a budget easier and will hopefully help me be more mindful and frugal  

[amousewithnocheese]

yeahh… i finally was able to cut off a friend i really haven’t liked at the end of last year, after my other friend broke up with him (they were dating) which was good. but i still have 2 friends that i don’t want to be friends with. one of which goes to the same school as me, and has 3 classes with me. thats the friend that broke up with the other friend. and we’ve been friends since 6th grade but she’s not who i want to hang around. i dunno, i just wish i could start over, you know? new friends, new me, ect.

-🏳️‍⚧️

hooray for getting rid of something that doesn’t spark joy in life!

yeah, i completely understand

that’s the good thing about hitting college/graduating high school/entering a new stage in life is that it’s much easier to define who you want to be, not letting others do that. i thought i had to wait to graduate to leave my friend group behind but we split during a school year, and it was all okay!!!

so maybe you can find some new people you like spending time with where you are now and time might just gradually drift you two apart?

[ansiandyou]

Minimalist Living: Decluttering Your Space and Mind

Minimalism isn't about removing things you love. It's about removing the things that distract you from what you love. - Joshua Becker In an era where consumerism often dictates our choices and lifestyles, minimalist living emerges as fresh air, offering a path to simplicity, clarity, and a more profound sense of satisfaction. Minimalism is about stripping away the unnecessary, focusing on what truly matters, and finding beauty and abundance in less. This article explores the essence of minimalist living, guiding you through decluttering your physical space and mind, thereby enhancing your overall well-being.

The Philosophy Behind Minimalism

Minimalism goes beyond just getting rid of things; it's a philosophy that encourages you to question what 'essentials' truly mean. It's about making more room for happiness, growth, and fulfillment by eliminating the excesses that clutter our homes and minds. Adopting a minimalist approach teaches you to value quality over quantity, experience over accumulation, and presence over possessions.

Decluttering Your Space

The journey towards minimalist living begins with decluttering your physical environment. Here's how to embark on this transformative process: 1. Start Small Begin with a single drawer, shelf, or corner of a room. The idea is to avoid feeling overwhelmed. As you experience the benefits of decluttering bit by bit, your motivation to tackle larger areas will naturally grow. 2. Use the Marie Kondo Method Marie Kondo's famous question, "Does this spark joy?" can be incredibly effective. Hold each item and ask yourself if it brings you joy or if you've used it in the last year. It might be time to let it go if it doesn't spark joy or serve a practical purpose. 3. Implement the One-In-One-Out Rule To maintain a decluttered space, for every new item you bring into your home, consider letting go of another. This practice helps prevent accumulation and encourages you to make more mindful purchasing decisions. 4. Digitize What You Can In our digital era, there's no need to hold onto physical copies of documents, photos, or even books unless they hold significant sentimental value. Digitizing these items can significantly reduce physical clutter. 5. Designate Spaces Assign a specific place for every item in your home. This not only helps in maintaining order but also makes it easier to identify and eliminate redundancies.

Decluttering Your Mind

Decluttering your mind is equally important for embracing minimalist living. A cluttered mind can lead to stress, anxiety, and a lack of focus, hindering your ability to enjoy life fully. 1. Limit Information Intake In the digital age, we're bombarded with information. Be selective about your consumption. Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails, limit social media time, and choose quality content over quantity. 2. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation Mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools for clearing the mind. Regular practice can help you stay present, reduce stress, and clarify what truly matters. 3. Set Priorities Identify what's most essential and allocate your time and energy accordingly. Learning to say no to lesser priorities frees up space for your true passions and interests. 4. Embrace Downtime In a culture that celebrates busyness, embracing doing nothing is revolutionary. Downtime is essential for creativity, reflection, and restoration. 5. Cultivate Gratitude Focusing on what you're thankful for can shift your perspective from scarcity to abundance. A daily gratitude practice can help declutter your mind from negative thoughts and focus on the positives.

Conclusion

Minimalist living is not about living with the bare minimum but finding richness in simplicity. Decluttering your space and mind will pave the way for a more intentional, fulfilling life. Remember, minimalism is a personal journey that looks different for everyone. It's not about perfection but progress towards a life filled with more of what truly matters. Read the full article

[spacebabe1]

The problem with ‘decluttering’ is that every self-help book/docu-series/influencer fails to recognize that it’s untimately so wasteful. I can’t bring myself to get rid of a perfectly good thing just because it doesn’t “spark joy” when I know it will most likely end up in a landfill. The guilt that come with contributing to over consumption and pollution sparks nothing but dread.

And to anyone who says you can just donate it, and somebody else will likely want it. If the tshirt I got from a high school blood drive doesn’t spark joy to me. Why would a stranger want it? Poor people aren’t your garbage cans.

[opencloset]

I’m trying to be kind of strategic about rebuilding a wardrobe I’m happy about, but I feel like I’m early enough in the process that I’m not sure if I’m succeeding or not yet. Here’s my general approach so far:

Trying to pay attention to what outfits I feel good about by photographing them.

Putting together some Pinterest boards to get an idea of looks I’m into right now and what pieces make them up.

Getting rid of anything that doesn’t fit anymore or doesn’t “spark joy.” I just shipped three boxes of clothes to ThredUp, and I feel significantly less stressed and guilty about the idea of buying new clothes now.

Shopping for new clothes!

I’ve been trying to prioritize getting fairly nice quality pieces. I’ve been using ThredUp for a few years because it’s been a great way to sort for fibers I really like, like silk and linen, without paying silk-and-linen prices (among the other reasons I enjoy thrifting). The big negative with shopping there is that their measurements are absolutely wild, and since I haven’t gotten a good idea at all of what my current “size” is, for what little good that does in women’s fashion, I’ve been taking shots in the dark. It’s been mostly successful, but it feels like a roulette every time. I’m also feeling cranky with the process because the new stuff I have is more fall-winter, and it’s going to be in the 90s all week. I’m really short on good hot-weather work outfits, so I’m feeling stuck.