#it’s not Entirely new if i have to be totally honest… i’ve been thinking about writing a pirate novel for years. but i never had a plotline

[fingertipsmp3]

Someone on a NaNoWriMo prep thread: if you’re trying to win NaNo for the first time my advice is to pick the simplest idea

Me: yep, that seems smart. I’ll do that

Also me: *walks away from my first brainstorming session needing to research the golden age of piracy, the composition of the UK in the mid 17th century, the British navy in the mid 17th century, and the overall concept of a time loop*

[irisinluv]

Isekaied as the Yandere Villain!? PT 1

All I could do was stare at my reflection. This had to be a joke. I was going to wake up in my bed, right this instant.

“FUCK!”

Ok, so, pinching myself hurts. That’s fine. This is like. Some sort of lucid dream. What do they say to do if you’re lucid dreaming? Oh, that’s right, put your finger in your palm, it’ll phase through!

I resist the urge to scream as my finger meets solid flesh.

You see, I’m not in the right body. Or the right world from what I can tell. No, I’m supposed to be back home, waking up in a panic as I realize my alarm didn’t go off cuz my phone died after I stayed up way too late reading manga.

But of course, I’m not late to work, I’m in a lavish bedchamber right out of the latest webcomic I’d been reading! And by the looks of it…. I’m the crown princes crazy fiancé! As much as I love reading about the Isekai trope, I never wanted to be in one! And come on- as the Yandere Villain!? Couldn’t this at least be original? There’s hundred of stories just like “my next life as a villainess,” why couldn’t I be like… a stable hand or something? Ugh. Ok. Think!

I need to get home. Do the protagonists ever get back home in the stories I read? I pace around my room and rack my brain over every webcomic I’ve ever read, every manga I waited in line for, every anime I binged, even the unfinished manhwas! I can’t think of a single fucking one where they get home?

Well this isn’t going to stop me. I have a cat who’s going to absolutely flip if she’s not given fresh kibble in the morning. She has enough in her bowl for another 2 days but she needs it topped off ok! She’s a princess! I can’t be stuck here! Who’s going to throw her pompom toy for her if I’m not there???

What did all these have in common? What’s the barebones trope layout? Ok let’s see

1) person either died or falls asleep and wakes up in a new world…. Check

2) person is the villain!…. Check

3) to avoid the characters terrible death, person tries to change the story, ends up being new protagonist…

Ohhh… hey…. Do these Isekai characters ever just…. Play along? Even the “reincarnated as a baby” ones, they only play along till they’re old enough to try to run away or rework the political structure of the entire city. Maybe that’s it. Make it to the books natural end, and you’ll wake up where you belong. It’s like when you get part of a song stuck in your head. Play the whole song, and it’ll get out.

Ok, I’ve trained most of my adult life for this- I can totally ace this trope! I just have to stalk the crown prince, act totally in love with him, and be a bitch to the female lead. Then my finance will leave me, I’ll do some crazy dramatic act to try to kill the female lead, and then I’ll be exiled or executed, and wake up to feed my cat. How hard can it be?

Hard. It’s very hard.

Where the hell did he go!? My fiancé, the crown prince Eric, was JUST HERE. I swear! He turned that corner back there and then went down this hall… at least I think it was this hall? Ugh! This is impossible! For someone with such loud shoes and an armed escort, you’d think he’d be easier to follow! Now my feet just hurt. They don’t make these fancy shoes to run around the castle all day. They’re meant to daintily peek from beneath my many skirts as I host a tea party or some shit.

Ok. I’ve got this! I’ll just peek into each room until I find him, maybe I can get a better feel for the layout, or maybe find his office and see if he has a schedule or a day planner or something I can use to make this whole stalking thing easier.

I begin snooping, and it’s a bit of thrill to be honest! Back in my real life, I’m the kind of person to hide a wrapper deep in the trash can if I’m babysitting, sitting on the floor playing a game on my phone after the kid goes to bed rather than “making myself at home” the way the parents insisted as they showed me how to access Netflix. I’ve never been a snooper. Now…. Well. It’s totally on brand for this character! I’m not me, I’m a psycho lovesick fool! I giggle a bit at that as my fingers trail over a shelf of beautiful pottery in some sort of sitting room.

“What’s so amusing dearest?”

I practically screech as my heart leaps to my throat and I whirl around, and see the very person I’d been searching for has snuck up on ME…. That’s so unfair!

“W-what? O-oh! Nothing! I was just- uh, admiring the pottery?”

I stutter out as I try to recall how to act like a human being while simultaneously trying to stop feeling my own pulse in my ears. The idiot has the nerve to LAUGH! Full on snort and everything!

“What are you doing in this wing anyways? Weren’t you meant to be out riding today?”

Shit. I was so busy trying to figure out his schedule, I didn’t consider maybe the body I was shoved into had a schedule of her own. Ok. Play it cool- I’ve got this!

“Yes, well, I decided I wasn’t in the mood and wanted to stay in today instead.”

His brows furrow

“Oh, but you love riding? Are you feeling ill? I can fetch the royal physician for you if you-“

“No! That’s- that’s quite alright! I simply wanted a change of schedule, that is all. Um… what about you? What are your plans for the day?”

He looked a bit surprised at that, and a small smile danced on his lips.

“I was just going to the library to do some paperwork, boring stuff really, and then of course our dinner at its regular time.”

I nod like that means anything to me. Ok think, if I were crazy in love with this man, what would I say?

“Would you like some company? Reading in the library sounds really nice, maybe we could have some tea as well?”

Ok. I’m already fucking this up. He looks confused…. God damnit …. I knew I shouldn’t have skimmed over those early chapters- but the translation was shit ok!?

“Well… I’d actually love that. But are you sure? You haven’t exactly shown interest in reading, and you’ve never requested something like this before…. In fact I don’t think I can recall the last time we’ve interacted outside of dinner or a scheduled social event in… well. Ever.”

Wait…. What? Isn’t my character like goo-goo-ga-ga over him? Are you telling me she never asks to just… spend time with her lover? They only talk during dinner and parties or whatever?

“Of course, I think it’ll be relaxing! Just lead the way!”

My brain is working overtime as I smile politely at him as we reach the library and I pretend to browse for books. I’m missing something here. What is-

Oh. Shit. That’s right. I’m supposed to be really insecure and awkward about him. That’s why she stalks him- she spends all her free time obsessing over this man from the shadows, threatening the competition…. Yet chokes up when it comes to how to act natural. Her inferiority complex is what drives her entire character. And then to him, they’re just two nobles in an arranged marriage who speak on dull subjects like the weather and horse rides…. And who barely interact.

This must have been a real big shake up, she always stays out of sight, they never run into each other by chance. And she certainly never would ask to sit and read with him…. Maybe watch him do his work from a hidden keyhole somewhere, but that’s right…. She IS more of a traditional lady with her hobbies. She was raised to be the perfect noble wife, so naturally, her hobbies include things like dancing, needlepoint, and horse riding. The only studies she’s interested in are etiquette and things that noble ladies are supposed to know.

Well…. Shit. That’s so like me to already have fucked this up. But that’s ok. That’s ok- he’s going to meet the female lead and fall in love and so I just have to be the obstacle they need to overcome. Surely the details don’t matter too much…. It’s my first day in the job ok? Not everyone’s perfect!

I find a book that honestly actually sounds interesting, it’s historical, but it’s giving Hellen of Troy, the closest to a dark romance I think I’ll get from an academic personal library like this. I settle into what looks like the comfiest chair in the central area, and begin reading. The prince and I exist comfortably, the only sound being the scratch of his pen, and the occasional rustle of paper as he flips a document or I finish a page. We continue like this for several hours until he puts down his pen and clears his throat, getting my attention.

“I know it’s a long way from dinner…. But I was thinking I’d grab something light for a mid day meal and then take a walk about the gardens …. Would you care to join me?”

Honestly, some lunch and pretty royal gardens sounds like so much fun, so I agree. As we begin walking, I ponder how I can recover from all this.

You know what.. this can totally still go to plan. This is just me being the evil villain and sinking my claws into him! The female lead will appear, and I’ll reveal my true, nasty side to her! She’ll have to fight to save the prince from his marriage to me!

*insert evil laughter!*

“You’re smiling.”

“W-what?”

“A smile. It suits you. You’ve been doing that a lot today….. I like it.”

Ok and now I’m blushing. I go to reply when I suddenly find myself weightless for a moment, and then hit the ground with a hard thump.

“Ow! What the-!?”

My eyes snap up and glare at this pretty blonde girl who just rammed into me, and sent me flying

“Do you not know how to watch where you’re going!? Owww…. Ugh.”

Ok I’m sorry I’m usually a nice and understanding person but I’ve never been literally knocked over before! Who does that to a person?

Eric helps me to my feet and sends a reproachful glare toward the girl, asking me if I’m alright with most concerned look…. And the girl gasps and says,

“C-crown prince Eric! I apologize! I’d didn’t recognize you!”

She drops into a curtsy and lowers her eyes all demure and modest as if she hadn’t just bulldozed me. I send an incredulous look toward Eric…. She… didn’t see HIM? I’m the one she took out? He gives me an equally puzzled look and so I decide, you know what, fuck it. I’m this evil person in this world…. I need to act like it!

“And not recognizing his highness is an excuse for taking out the princess consort, soon to be crown princess? Are you blind or just daft?”

Oh my god I really just called someone daft! This feels like when you stay up late thinking all the witty comebacks you could’ve used against your high school bullies, except actually using them in the moment!

And Eric is being a sweetie and letting me handle this, waiting expectantly for blondie to answer me, just prompting her,

“Well?”

“Forgive me…. Princess consort…. You are right. My oversight in inexcusable. It appears neither of us were looking where we were going. I hope we can start fresh!”

I scoff- that’s it? Who does this bitch think she is? Yes, I was looking at Eric, but I was going a walking pace, who rounds a corner with so much force that you knock someone over?

Suddenly something clicks- oh shit! This is the female lead!!!! This scene happened in the story, just without the prince here. This is good, that means this is on track. Although I gotta say- I was much more on the female main characters side when reading it. Now, I just feel like she’s one of those mean girls in high school who’s not *technically* doing anything mean. Anyways- what was I supposed to say? That’s right.

“Yes…. Well. I’m sure we won’t be seeing much of each other anyways. If you’ll excuse me-“

Nailed ittttt…. Now her line?

“Well, actually…. My name is Lady Cressida, and I’ll be staying in the place for several months as my father is a foreign ambassador overseeing trade agreements with his highness the king. So I imagine we will be seeing *plenty* of each other. That goes for you too your highness! So please- forgive me, I look forward to getting to know each of you better!”

Oh that’s so cool, seeing her recite the lines from the story. But ok- I have a role to play as well. I scoff and grab Eric’s arm, pulling him behind me as I storm off, playing the part of entitled lover, stuck up and irritated at this ambassadors daughter who DARED to speak to my love.

Yea, this will work, Eric will think Cressida is a genuine sweetie, and see me as being the unreasonable bitch who’s refusing to accept her apology, or apologize for not looking where I was going either. And now I’m manhandling him- totally unlady like. God I’m killing this aren’t I? Minimum wage job and demanding cat, here I come!

What I don’t see, as I lead Eric by the arm, is the cold glare he shoots towards Cressida, before smiling down at our connected hands, an unreadable look in his eyes.

Part 2

[yunhoszn]

horses are still overrated

pairing jeong yunho x f!reader word count 2k genres fluff﹒smut warnings 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, mature language, established relationship, mentions of voyeurism, dirty talk, marking-ish, mutual masturbation, kissing, slight cum eating shhhhh don’t say anything, pet names: baby, babe, princess

summary new relationships always have room for experimenting, and well, you and yunho are no exception.

more ok so i tried doing these in ask format but i didn’t like it so we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming with a little update :P anyway,, this was for this request! it’s meant to be an extension of save a horse, ride a cowboy but can totally be read as a standalone! i kinda strayed from the initial req, but i hope this is still good… it’s still yunho day so <3 ALSO @bro-atz thank u for betaing my love i appreciate u so big!! pls reblog if u enjoyed!

@atzhouse

The few weeks that have passed since you and Yunho have confessed to each other have been nothing short of blissful. 

He makes you feel like you’re soaring, ensuring that your happiness is the top priority. He embraces you in a way that’s not only physical, but emotional too. Like his feelings for you are their own special hug of warmth that envelopes you when you need it most. You could never get tired of him, could never return to your life back home like this summer never happened. 

Because in all honesty, this summer was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to you. 

You have a small smile on your face as you reminisce about the wonderful time you’ve spent here so far, leaning back into the bench on the farmhouse porch. Initially, you were sitting here to openly gawk after Yunho as he rounded up the cattle, but now you were too giddy to pay attention to that. You don’t notice him walking towards you directly, Yeoreum tailing behind him. 

“What’s got you so cheesy today?” 

You blink at his question, feeling a bit bashful. You’ll never get used to this view. “I was just thinking about us, and how happy you make me.”

“That’s cute,” he mirrors your expression, one hand on the back of the bench to hold his weight and the other coming up to cup your jaw, lips pecking yours gently. “Ready for dinner?”

“I have a confession to make,” you start as you’re washing the dishes after dinner. 

“What’s up?” Yunho asks you from the other side of the kitchen, putting away the leftovers. He shuts the refrigerator and leans against it, arms crossed over his chest. You swallow thickly. 

“I’ve just had this on my chest for so long and I need to get it off before I explode,” you ramble, avoiding his eyes as you scrub a plate. “Promise you won’t judge?”

“I promise,” he chuckles, and you can hear his footsteps as he gets closer. “I won’t judge you.”

Your sigh comes out as more of a shudder, Yunho’s arms wrapping around your middle and his chin resting on your shoulder. The new proximity makes you ten times more nervous to say your piece, your heart beating erratically behind your rib cage. This is fine. This is great actually. (No it’s not!)

“Do— um— do you remember the day before Seojun and I broke up?” Your hands are trembling slightly. 

“When you gave Yeoreum a bath, right?” He nods, the movement bothering you slightly because it has his chin digging into your shoulder uncomfortably. “What about it?”

”So…” You have to pause the dishes, your hands clamming up so much that you think the handle of your sponge will fly out of your grasp. “That night, when my lightbulb went out, I actually went out to go grab you. But— uh— I saw something… else… instead…”

Your eyes squeeze shut, entirely too mortified to even think about what his reaction could be. It’s been a minute since the ordeal played out, so really you didn’t have to say anything. Part of you felt like you couldn’t continue this relationship in good conscience without being totally honest, though. 

Strong hands wrap gently around your wrists, turning you around to face him. He tsks, “Open your eyes, princess.”

His eyes are soft, no hint of disappointment or disgust on his features as he stares back at you. His lips curl into a smug smile after a couple seconds, cupping your jaw and caressing your cheek with his thumb. You blink at him, a little confused by the shift in atmosphere, but not complaining. 

“You’re not—?” 

“You watched me fuck my fist, is that right?” Yunho asks so bluntly, so vulgarly. “Tell me, what did you do after that?”

It’s easy to divert your gaze again, focusing on how interesting the material of his button up suddenly is. It’s one thing to admit that you stood there and watched for a bit, it’s another to admit you stuffed yourself with your own fingers not even fifteen minutes later. But you think he already knows that, based on your behavior and some good ol’ context clues. 

“I… I touched myself,” you whimper, ashamed of how you’re getting turned on. The worst part is the fact that he’s enjoying this. He’s enjoying the way he has you folding for him so quickly. “To the thought of you…”

Yunho’s grip on your chin tightens and his eyes flutter shut with a groan. “Fuck, baby, that’s so hot…”

You weren’t sure how this would go, and a piece of you genuinely thought he might even end things with you. Any other person would think you were sick and perverted, but not him. It makes you feel a lot better and a lot more secure in your relationship. 

Your tongue pokes out of the corner of your mouth, grazing the pad of his thumb. He hisses, cursing under his breath, letting you wrap your lips around and suck the finger. Yunho stares with not a single coherent thought behind his eyes. He’s losing his composure, pressing his thumb down on your tongue. 

“Do you think you can tell me? How exactly did you touch yourself?” He purses his lips, his free hand slipping into the opening of your overalls, dragging his finger along the exposed skin of your waist. You shake your head with a whine.

”Yun… That’s embarrassing…” 

He pulls his hand out of your overalls, hooking the digit into your belt loop and yanking you closer. His mouth is dangerously near your own, lips brushing yours when he speaks. “I wanna know. Need to picture my pretty princess fucking herself desperately ‘cause her fingers aren’t enough to get her off.”

Your legs feel like jelly, your cunt clenching around nothing just by his words alone. Yunho had always done such a good job at being the sweet and doting partner everyone wanted. He was attentive, praised you like you were a living, breathing goddess. But this dirty side of him is different. And you like it a lot more than you should.

“O-Okay…” You swallow thickly, and suddenly he’s spinning you so his chest is to your back. He urges you towards the bedroom, attaching his lips to your neck and sucking the supple skin gently, tenderly.

”Go on,” he says between kisses, still pushing you until you’re standing in the middle of his room. Your eyes already feel heavy and you haven’t done anything yet. “Tell me.”

”I— um— I thought about your hands and how big they are,” your tone is shaky, and you hope you don’t sound stupid. “Thought about how good it would feel to have them all over me. I pictured that it was your fingers inside of me. Imagined your cock, and how big it is.”

“Is that so? I’m just not getting the visual, babe. I think I need you to show me.” He hums, a hint of amusement in his voice. As if this couldn’t get more embarrassing, now he wants you to finger yourself in front of him? You’re about to protest, but he’s pressing your lower back to the mattress and talking against the corner of your mouth again, teasing you because he knows he can. “If you’re good for me, I’ll fuck you so well, you won’t be able to forget the shape of my cock.”

You nod with a whimper, hopping onto the bed and scooting all the way up to the pillows. Your hands are wobbly as you undress yourself, unbuckling your overalls and kicking them off your feet. Of course you chose the worst day to dress the part. Yunho sits at the edge, watching you with an unreadable expression. 

When you’re in nothing but your top and panties, he clears his throat, leaning back onto his palms. His tongue darts out to wet his lips. “Move your underwear to the side for me, princess. Let me see your pretty pussy.”

It’s almost impossible to hold back a moan, following his instructions. You glide your middle finger through your folds, showcasing how you’re practically dripping for him in the amount of time it’s taken you to get from the kitchen to here. He exhales through his nose, legs spreading to give you a glimpse of an uncomfortable looking bulge in his pants. 

You sigh deeply at the sight, circling your finger around your clit slowly. The thought of being the cause behind it, of getting Yunho so hot and bothered, drives you crazy and has you curling your toes. 

“Just like that,” he encourages, tossing his denim button up to the floor. He palms over his erection, tilting his head slightly. “Can you do some more for me?”

“Mhm,” is all you can manage to force out, doing what he asked. You shove your ring and middle fingers inside of yourself, finally releasing a moan at the intrusion. You keep pressure on your clit with the heel of your palm. There’s silence between you save for the occasional whine.

Yunho shivers, shimmying out of his pants so he can stroke himself freely. You gawk at him with bated breath, biting your lip as your fingers pick up their pace. There’s a knot that settles in the pit of your stomach, tightening and tightening in preparation for that special moment. 

The view of him spread out in front of you, fucking up into his hand with hooded eyes trained on your own playing with your cunt, is too much. He’s wearing that same godforsaken white tank top as he was the night you saw him, the muscles in his forearm and bicep flexing with each twist of his wrist, each pump of his cock. 

You feel like you’re drooling, ogling at him like he was a piece of meat. But you couldn’t help it. Yunho was the most attractive man you’d ever laid eyes on. The longer you stare, the further you fall. That’s a conclusion you’ve come to a little too late. 

“‘M close, Yun,” you moan, arching your back off of the pillows, head almost clunking against the headboard. “Wanna cum with you.”

“I’m almost there, too, baby,” he grunts, teeth gritted as he runs his thumb over his slit. That has a loud whine spilling from your lips, your feet digging into the mattress. You don’t know how much longer you can last. 

Your fingers try to reach that spongy, sensitive spot deep in your cunt, but you can’t. It seems that only Yunho’s long, thick fingers could accomplish that feat. No wonder you were so obsessed with his hands.

You opt for using the fingers of your free hand to swipe quickly at your clit while the others curl and thrust into you, inching you toward that steep cliff that has stars decorating your vision. Judging by the volume of his sounds getting higher and higher, you can tell Yunho’s right there with you. 

One particular absentminded curse from him has your brain short circuiting, that promise of release washing over you almost violently. Your body aches and quivers, orgasming harder than you ever had just with your own hand. (You’d like to think the presence of a certain cowboy had everything to do with it.)

He groans and follows behind shortly after, painting his hand in milky white. The two of you try to catch your breaths, laying there for a couple moments to recuperate. After a while, Yunho leans over to kiss you gently, squeezing your cheeks with his cum covered hand. You scrunch your nose. 

“You’re getting it on my face!”

“That was the goal,” he laughs, pressing another sweet kiss to your lips. You roll your eyes, licking away whatever was near your mouth. He groans again. “Fuck, are you trying to kill me? Purposely?”

“Maybe,” you shrug. “I remember being told you’d fuck me if I did good for you. Where’s my reward?”

“Trust me, I didn’t forget.”

© yunhoszn. do not steal, claim, or repost.

[f14fun]

lay all your love on me - op81 (C2)

synopsis: in which oscar piastri and a university student begging for her euro summer vacation collide in a steamy, abba-inspired romance

prose (6.1K words) ✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ profile | masterlist | series index ⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆

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02: Love, Sweat, and Secondhand Embarrassment

"Clemmy I swear I wanted to die that entire time. Whoever I offended in an alternate universe I am so so sorry, I truly believe karma is real now," I lamented, voice weak.

Burying my head in my pillow, I could finally appreciate the cool blast of AC (well, it was a little bit of air conditioning but a little is better than nothing) I scratched my right leg that was hoisted up onto the blue duvet cover. If not for the horrible comedic timing of everything, in that moment, I might have said that I was enjoying myself.

On the other line of the phone, thousands of miles away, it was a completely different story.

"What the fuck," Clementine could barely muster out because she was laughing so hard.

"I still don't think any part of this story is funny, Clem," I roll my eyes and trail off.

"But it is! You genuinely should consider a career in stand-up comedy. If you recounted all of this in front of a paying live audience, I'm just saying it could make you a millionaire overnight," Clementine wheezed.

"Oh, shut up, bitch," I retorted, trying to suppress a smile despite my mortification.

"You know it's true though!" Her girlish giggles rang through my room. I could see her face through the screen and it looked like visible tears were streaming down her face from how funny she found this to be.

"I am completely and utterly humiliated. There is no way I can go downstairs and face everyone right now," I whined. It was true, as twenty minutes ago, mid-Facetime with Clementine, I heard the door to the foyer open and heard a lot of new noises.

New people. The neighbors. The rest of the Australians.

Crikey, mate.

There was no way I could face them. And since Oscar was probably their son (he looked way too young to be a father) he had probably already told them about the wretched and humiliating mishap.

"Seriously, Clemmy, you don’t get it," I said, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice but failing miserably. "This is not just some embarrassing story. This is my life, and I have to face these people now."

Clementine’s laughter finally started to subside, and she took a deep breath. "Okay, okay, I get it. But you have to admit, this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of disaster. You can’t just ignore it. It’s like the universe is telling you to embrace the chaos."

I sighed, feeling a bit more grounded with her calming tone. "Yeah, well, I’m not exactly feeling the universe’s love right now. I feel like I’ve been dropped into some kind of sitcom. And what if they think I’m a total klutz? I can’t even begin to imagine how Oscar must’ve described me."

"It'll be fine. You are a pro at handling horrible situations. I mean, I can really only think that you have had more bad experiences with guys than good ones!" Clem tried to reassure me.

"Wow, thanks," I deadpanned. "Way to make a girl feel special."

Clementine's voice was full of playful sympathy. "Hey, I’m just saying, you’ve survived everything life’s thrown at you so far. Besides, look at it this way: if they’re judging you based on this one incident, they’re missing out on getting to know the amazing person you are."

"Yeah, because nothing says 'amazing' like face-planting into a pile of shampoo and knocking over a bunch of cleaning supplies," I said, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

Clementine laughed. "Exactly! And let’s be honest, if they do judge you for this, they’re definitely not worth your time. Besides, Oscar might even think you’re charming in a clumsy, endearing kind of way. You never know."

"You should really consider a career in therapy. If I lay here and close my eyes for a bit and sleep for three hours surely your advice will work," I retorted.

"Oh be so serious with me now,"

"I am! Now I can add a new skill to my LinkedIn profile," I said, trying to stifle a giggle. "How about 'Expert in Catastrophic Bathroom Mishaps: Master of Turning Shower Encounters into Slapstick Comedy'?"

Clementine burst into laughter. “That’s quite a title! It’s like you’ve got a whole new niche market for yourself.”

“Right? I’m just waiting for the endorsement from ‘The Association of Embarrassing Bathroom Incidents,’” I said, imagining a badge with that exact title. What a big, fat, fucking joke.

“Or maybe you'll become the keynote speaker for the 'International Conference on Unexpected Water-Based Accidents,’” Clementine added, her voice full of amusement.

“I’ll make sure to include a workshop on ‘How to Survive a Bathroom Collision with Dignity and Humor,’” I said with a chuckle. “And don’t forget the seminar on ‘Turning Slip-and-Fall Disasters into Networking Opportunities.’”

“A career to consider!” Clementine laughed. “And you know what? I’ll be your first fan. Just remember to keep me updated on how your new ‘disastrous bathroom mishap’ career is going.”

“I’ll make sure to do that,” I promised with a smile. “Thanks for the laugh. It’s nice to know that even in the middle of a fiasco, I can count on you to turn it into a comedy show.”

"What can I say, I will never turn down listening to a free shit show," Clementine winked at me through the camera.

"Clem! What the hell!" I waved my manicured pointed nail at her.

"Bye! Don't die from embarrassment before you come back!" She quipped, then promptly hung up.

I lay sprawled on my bed, dreading the thought of going downstairs and facing the group of new neighbors. The whole idea made me cringe. I was just about to mentally prepare myself for the awkward introductions when a sudden knock on my door jolted me upright. My heart raced as I called out lazily, “Come in.”

The door creaked open, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Oscar standing there. His eyebrow was raised, and he wore a cheeky grin that did nothing to ease my nerves.

"Well, well, well," he said with an amused smirk. "Looks like you’ve been having quite the chat with 'dearest Clemmy,' haven’t you?"

My face flushed beet red, and I stuttered, struggling to find my words. “W-What are you doing here?”

Oscar leaned casually against the doorframe, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Oh, you know, just overheard you and Clemmy talking about our little mishap. I believe you mentioned something about me being ‘a charming yet infuriating Aussie who managed to turn your bathroom break into a comedy skit.’”

I blinked, stunned into silence. My mouth opened and closed, but no coherent words came out. The sheer embarrassment was overwhelming. Oscar’s casual demeanor and his cheeky grin only made things worse.

“What can I say, my name was called,” Oscar continued with a mischievous glint in his eye. “If someone keeps calling you hot, I mean, wouldn’t you be too curious to listen?”

His smirk only made my breath hitch and my fingers tremble a little more. I could feel my cheeks burning, and I struggled to come up with a response. The playful glint in his eye and his casual attitude did nothing to alleviate my embarrassment. Instead, they only made me feel more flustered.

I took a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “W-Well, I guess I didn’t think anyone would be actually listening.”

Oscar raised an eyebrow playfully, his smirk widening. “Oh, I’m sure you didn’t. But it was too good to pass up. Especially the part where you called me a ‘human wrecking ball.’”

My face flushed a deeper shade of crimson. “Great. Just great,” I muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m sure I’ve made a fantastic first impression.”

Oscar chuckled, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Look, it’s all good. I’ve seen worse first impressions. Trust me. At least you didn’t accidentally set off the fire alarm or flood the place.”

I managed a weak smile, still feeling the sting of embarrassment. “Yeah, well, I’ll try to keep any future disasters to a minimum.”

Look at me, constantly embarrassing myself in front of hot guys. This was the exact reason why I was still bitchless and socially awkward at the ripe age of twenty-one. I could navigate a spreadsheet like a pro, ace exams, and even master the perfect contour, but put me in a room with a cute guy, and I turned into a walking calamity.

I sighed internally, already dreading the inevitable teasing I’d get from Clemmy once she found out I had, yet again, failed to keep my cool around a guy. Maybe I should’ve just stayed in the bathroom and let the ground swallow me whole.

Oscar raised an eyebrow, studying me with a curious look. “You know, you seem like a completely different person right now. Way quieter, more shy… less daring.”

My face flushed with a mix of irritation and embarrassment. “That’s not true,” I snapped, crossing my arms defensively. “I’m exactly the same as I was before.”

Oscar’s grin widened, clearly enjoying the effect his words had on me. “Sure, if you say so. But the girl who almost took me down like a rugby player in the bathroom seemed a lot more fearless.”

My nose flared as I shot him a glare, feeling the fire of indignation rise within me. Who did he think he was, making assumptions about me? I’ll show him just how brave I can be, I thought, my fists clenching. If he wanted to see daring, then I’d make sure he regretted ever doubting me. The nerve of this guy! He might have been hot, but that didn’t give him the right to push my buttons like this.

Oscar gave me a lopsided grin, clearly pleased with himself. "Anyway, everyone’s heading downstairs to meet each other. Figured I’d let you know, since, you know, it’s probably not the best idea to hide out up here forever."

My stomach twisted with nerves at the thought of facing everyone after that humiliating encounter. The idea of meeting new people while still reeling from my disastrous introduction to Oscar was daunting. But there was no way I was going to let him see how nervous I actually was. I took a deep breath, nodding stiffly. "Fine, let’s get this over with."

As we walked out of the room and toward the stairs, I could feel Oscar’s presence behind me—large, imposing, and annoyingly close. My face heated up, and I silently cursed myself for blushing yet again. Why did this guy have to make everything so difficult?

It was like shooting a sitting duck. A little small talk, a smile, and baby, I was stuck. I was a grown woman, for god’s sake, not some teenager swooning over a crush. But there I was, getting flustered over a guy I barely knew. Get a grip, I told myself, trying to shake off the absurdity of the situation. This wasn’t supposed to happen—I wasn’t supposed to be this easily charmed.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I hesitated, gripping the railing a little longer than usual. I could feel Oscar’s gaze on me, and it only made my nerves worse. Just as I was about to take the first step down, his hand brushed against mine. The contact was brief but enough to send a jolt of awareness through me. His hand was rough with calluses, moderately enveloping mine in a way that felt both comforting and disarming.

What was it about this guy that made me feel so uncharacteristically off-balance? As I tried to steady my racing thoughts, I reminded myself that I had to keep it together. After all, I wasn’t about to let some smooth-talking Aussie turn me into a lovesick fool—no matter how much my traitorous heart seemed to enjoy the challenge.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, my eyes were drawn to two adults who were deep in conversation with my mom. Their warm, friendly demeanor and unmistakable Australian accents told me they were Oscar’s parents. They seemed just as lively and outgoing as he was, which only added to the strangeness of this entire situation.

Then, I spotted Oscar’s siblings—a trio of sisters who looked like carbon copies of him, yet each had her own distinct vibe, like different fonts of the same typeface. They were laughing and joking with each other, their bond evident in the way they effortlessly engaged in light-hearted banter. I felt a pang of envy, wishing I had siblings to share that kind of closeness with.

My daydream was abruptly shattered when Oscar’s large, warm hand clasped onto my shoulder, his fingers pressing gently but firmly against my skin. The unexpected touch sent a jolt through me, making me jump slightly as a flush of heat rushed to my cheeks. His chuckle, deep and amused, rumbled behind me, the sound wrapping around me like a teasing caress. He was standing on the step just above me, close enough that I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. His presence was unmistakably felt—broad, solid, and way too close for comfort, yet somehow not close enough.

His fingers lingered on my shoulder, almost as if he was testing my reaction, and I could feel the warmth radiating from his touch, seeping into my skin. The space between us seemed to shrink with every passing second, and I could barely concentrate on anything but the weight of his hand and the steady beat of my heart hammering in my chest.

Oscar leaned in slightly, his voice low and smooth as honey. “Jumpier than I thought,” he drawled, his tone dripping with playful mischief. “Didn’t take you for the shy type. Especially not after our little bathroom tango.” His grin widened, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a way that was both infuriating and ridiculously charming.

My pulse quickened at the way he was looking at me—those eyes sparkling with amusement, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. I swallowed hard, my mind racing to come up with a retort, but all I could focus on was how his hand, still resting on my shoulder, felt both protective and possessive. The air between us crackled with a tension that was impossible to ignore, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

I could quite literally cut the sexual tension with the dullest fucking butterknife in the world.

I tried to muster a sharp retort, something that would wipe that smug grin off his face, but my brain was too busy short-circuiting to cooperate. All I could manage was a stuttered, “I-I’m not shy! You just—caught me off guard, that’s all.” The words tumbled out, weak and unconvincing, and I mentally cringed at how feeble they sounded.

Oscar’s grin only grew, clearly enjoying my flustered state. He leaned in a little closer, his gaze locked on mine with a playful intensity that made my heart skip a beat. “Off guard, huh?” he murmured, his voice dipping lower. “So, you’re saying if I hadn’t surprised you, you’d be able to keep up?”

I opened my mouth to respond, determined to regain some semblance of dignity, but nothing clever came out. Instead, I just stood there, caught between wanting to pull away from his teasing and feeling inexplicably drawn to his warmth. His hand slid from my shoulder, and the absence of his touch left a surprising chill in its wake.

Realizing that my window for a comeback was closing, I finally managed to sputter, “Y-Yeah, exactly.” I immediately cursed myself for sounding so pathetic. Not exactly the sharp comeback I was hoping for. His smirk deepened, and I could tell he wasn’t buying it for a second.

“Sure, whatever you say,” Oscar replied, his tone still dripping with amusement. He straightened up, giving me a quick wink before stepping down to the next stair. The playful glint in his eyes told me he knew exactly how much he was getting under my skin, and he was loving every second of it.

As he moved past me, I finally found my voice—too little, too late—and muttered under my breath, “Cocky bastard.” But it was quiet enough that I hoped he didn’t hear it. To my dismay, Oscar paused, turning back with a raised eyebrow and an even wider grin.

“Sorry, didn’t catch that,” he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Care to repeat it?”

My cheeks flamed as I quickly shook my head. “Nope, nothing. Let’s just… go meet everyone.”

Oscar’s grin didn’t falter as he took a step closer, still looming above me. “You know,” he began, his voice casual but with that familiar teasing edge, “I’ve already met everyone else. Your mom, too. And I’ve gotta say, you two seem like complete opposites.”

I blinked up at him, caught off guard again. “Opposites?”

He nodded, leaning against the wall with that effortless ease he seemed to have perfected. “Yep. Your mom’s all smiles and warm welcomes. You, on the other hand… well, you’ve got this whole ‘ready to throw punches’ vibe going on.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to gauge whether he was being serious or just messing with me again. “I do not have a ‘ready to throw punches’ vibe.”

Oscar’s lips twitched like he was holding back a laugh. “Oh, you totally do. But don’t worry,” he added with a playful smirk, “it’s kind of endearing. Keeps things interesting.”

I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “Glad to know I’m so entertaining for you.”

He shrugged, unfazed. “Hey, I’m just saying, opposites attract, right? Besides, your mom already likes me. You could take a few notes.”

His comment sent a fresh wave of warmth to my cheeks, both from irritation and something I couldn’t quite place. “I don’t need notes from you,” I shot back, though my voice lacked its usual bite.

Oscar just chuckled, giving me one last teasing wink before turning to head down the stairs. “Whatever you say, mate. Just try not to tackle anyone else while you’re at it.”

"Well well well, what do we have here?" A girl with short hair and a devious grin matching Oscar's grinned at me as well entered the kitchen. Shimmering her hands like "jazz hands", she rolled her eyes and rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

I turned to face the new arrival, immediately recognizing her as one of Oscar’s sisters—one of the three siblings who seemed to share his penchant for mischief. Her cropped hair and sharp, playful eyes made her look like she’d just stepped out of a rom-com where she was the resident troublemaker, always stirring the pot and having a laugh at everyone else’s expense.

“Hey, party people,” she said, her voice dripping with a teasing lilt. She shot me a grin that was almost a mirror image of Oscar’s, mischievous and knowing, like she was in on some inside joke I hadn’t been let in on yet. I could feel the same heat from before creeping up my neck. Why did it feel like these siblings were reading me like an open book?

“Looks like someone’s already made a grand entrance,” she continued, flicking her eyes between me and Oscar with an amused smirk. “Oscar’s been talking about you nonstop since we got here. Said something about a ‘bathroom fiasco’ that deserves an award?”

I shot a glare at Oscar, who was leaning casually against the counter, looking far too pleased with himself. “Did he now?” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the mortification clawing at me.

The girl laughed, light and musical, but with an edge that told me she was fully enjoying every bit of this. “Oh yeah, he’s been filling us in. But don’t worry, we’re used to his tall tales. I’m Hattie, by the way,” she added, extending a hand with exaggerated enthusiasm as if we were meeting on the set of a game show rather than in my kitchen.

I hesitated for a beat before shaking her hand, trying to muster a smile that didn’t look too forced. “Nice to meet you, Hattie. I’m—”

“Oh, I know who you are,” she interrupted, her grin widening. “You’re the girl who almost took out my brother. Honestly, I’m impressed. No one’s ever managed to knock him off his game quite like that.”

I glanced at Oscar, who was watching the exchange with an infuriatingly smug look on his face. Maisie’s comment hung in the air, both a compliment and a lighthearted jab. I couldn’t help but feel like I was once again the butt of some inside joke between the siblings.

“Yeah, well, it’s a special talent of mine,” I said, trying to sound casual but feeling like every word was being scrutinized. “Guess I just have that effect.”

Hattie laughed, the sound bright and unapologetically amused. “Oh, I like you already. But hey, if you’re gonna hang out with us, you better be ready for a little friendly chaos. And maybe a few more unexpected collisions.”

Oscar gave a soft snort of laughter, and I could feel his eyes still on me, assessing, teasing, and—annoyingly—almost impressed. I tried to ignore the butterflies that seemed to be staging a full-on rebellion in my stomach. Clearly, this family thrived on playful torment, and I had somehow found myself right in the middle of it.

“Don’t worry,” I said, straightening up and forcing a confident smile. “I think I can handle whatever you guys throw at me.”

Hattie's eyes sparkled with mischief, and she gave me a mock salute. “That’s the spirit. Welcome to the chaos, mate.”

Oscar chuckled again, giving me that damn wink before pushing off from the counter. “Oh, she’s ready for it. Trust me, she’s already made quite the impression.”

The other two girls strolled in, each with their own distinct energy that filled the room. One had a fierce, confident look, dark hair tied up in a messy bun, and a leather jacket that screamed ‘cooler-than-you’ vibes. The youngest, a curly-haired, bright-eyed whirlwind, practically bounced into the kitchen, her infectious smile lighting up the space.

“So,” I said, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the sudden influx of new faces. “I’ve met Oscar, obviously, and… Hattie, right?” I glanced at the girl who had first greeted me, who nodded with a playful smile. “But I’m afraid I haven’t gotten your names yet,” I continued, pointing between the other two sisters.

The girl with the leather jacket gave me a wry grin, leaning casually against the counter. “I’m Edie,” she said, her voice dripping with casual confidence. “The cooler, smarter middle child.”

Mae, the youngest, immediately chimed in, rolling her eyes at her sister. “And I’m Mae, the fun one,” she said with a giggle, her curls bouncing as she hopped up onto a stool. “Edie’s just mad she wasn’t born with my charm.”

Edie snorted, pretending to be offended. “Please, you’re like a tiny tornado of chaos. But yeah, I guess she’s not wrong,” she added, shooting me a smirk. “Mae’s got a way of making everything a little… livelier.”

I couldn’t help but smile at their playful back-and-forth. “Nice to officially meet you all. And thanks for the heads-up on your brother’s antics,” I said, glancing at Oscar, who was watching the exchange with an amused glint in his eye.

“Oh, trust me,” Hattie added, her grin widening as she nudged Oscar with her elbow. “We’ve got years of experience keeping this one in line. You’re welcome to join the effort.”

Oscar threw his hands up in mock surrender. “Wow, ganging up on me already? This is why I never bring girls home,” he joked, though there was a hint of genuine warmth in his voice, like he was more than used to—and secretly enjoyed—their teasing.

Mae leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Just wait till we start telling you all the embarrassing stories. Oscar’s got quite a few, and we’ve got no problem spilling the tea.”

Oscar smirked, shifting his weight just enough to close the distance between us, his presence suddenly feeling a lot closer, a lot warmer. He leaned in with a casual ease, his movements smooth and unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world to make me squirm. His voice dropped into a playful, low tone, rich and velvety, each word dripping with deliberate charm. “Oh, don’t worry about them,” he murmured, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. “I’d much rather hear your stories. You’re far more interesting than anything they could say about me.”

The way he looked at me was like I was the only person in the room, his eyes lingering on mine with a bold, flirtatious glint that sent a shiver down my spine. His grin was maddeningly confident, a little crooked, and devastatingly irresistible—the kind of smile that made it clear he knew exactly what he was doing. It was teasing, suggestive, and far too charming for its own good, like he was daring me to blush, daring me to react.

I felt the heat creeping up my neck, a slow burn that spread across my cheeks, making my skin prickle with the sudden awareness of how close he was. My mind scrambled for something clever to say, but his flirtatious tone, the way his eyes roved over my face as if he was reading every reaction, left me tongue-tied. It was like he was peeling back layers with just a look, searching for the part of me that he could fluster with a few well-placed words and that infuriating smile.

I tried to steady my breath, but his proximity was overwhelming. I could catch the faint scent of his cologne—fresh, with a hint of something spicy—and the subtle shift of his body as he leaned closer sent my senses into overdrive. Every nerve seemed to hum in response to his nearness, and I could feel my face burning hotter, betraying me with every second that I failed to look away.

Edie made a gagging noise, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Ew, Oscar, seriously? Can you not flirt for like five seconds? It’s embarrassing.”

Mae giggled, giving Oscar a playful shove. “Yeah, gross. No one wants to see that. Save it for when we’re not around, Romeo.”

Hattie snorted, shaking her head as she watched Oscar with a mix of amusement and exasperation. “He’s always like this. Thinks he’s Mr. Smooth. Don’t let him get to you.”

But Oscar only chuckled, clearly unfazed by his sisters’ teasing. He turned back to me, his grin widening as he caught sight of my flushed cheeks. “Aww, look at that,” he said, his voice soft and teasing. “Did I make you blush? How cute.”

I quickly tried to hide my face, mortification bubbling up as I realized there was no escaping the heat radiating from my cheeks. “N-No, you didn’t,” I stammered, though the pink tint on my face said otherwise.

Oscar’s smirk deepened, and he leaned in just a little closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re not very good at hiding it, you know. It’s kind of endearing.”

I could practically feel my cheeks getting even more red, if that was even possible. His sisters snickered behind us, enjoying the show as much as they enjoyed tormenting him.

Mae nudged Hattie, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear, “He’s really laying it on thick, huh? Someone needs to put a leash on this one.”

Hattie snickered and turned to me, giving me an exaggeratedly sympathetic look. “Don’t worry, he does this to everyone. It’s part of his ‘charm offensive.’ Just don’t let him get away with it too easily.”

“Yeah, make him work for it,” Edie added with a laugh. “And don’t let that blush fool you. He’s got enough of an ego without you feeding it.”

Oscar just shrugged, clearly unbothered by his sisters’ ribbing. He kept his eyes on me, his smile softening just slightly. “They’re just jealous because they know I’m right. You really are something else.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to fight the smile that was creeping onto my face despite my best efforts. “You’re impossible,” I muttered, crossing my arms in an attempt to compose myself.

Oscar leaned back, finally giving me a bit of space but not without one last wink. “Impossible’s my specialty,” he said, the playful challenge hanging in the air.

Hattie clapped her hands together, breaking the charged silence that had wrapped around us. “Alright, lovebirds, let’s change the scene before this kitchen gets any steamier,” she said with a sly grin, glancing between Oscar and me. “What do you say we all head out to the pool? It’s hot as hell today, and I could use a swim.”

Mae’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, and she bounced on her toes with excitement. “Yes, please! I’ve been dying to jump in all morning. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Edie shrugged, pushing off the counter. “Sounds like a plan. Beats sitting around here watching Oscar make a fool of himself,” she said, shooting her brother a pointed look that he brushed off with a careless smirk.

I hesitated, caught off guard by the sudden change in plans. The thought of the pool—cool water, bright sun, and lounging with these new, vibrant personalities—was tempting, but my mind immediately jumped to what that would mean: changing into a bikini, being under the sun's scrutiny, and, worse, the idea of Oscar’s eyes on me again, but this time with even less to hide behind.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” I said, trying to sound casual, though my heart was starting to race for an entirely different reason now. “Just give me a minute to get changed.”

As I slipped back into my room, I rummaged through my suitcase, finding the bright bikini I had packed on a whim but hadn’t quite planned on wearing in front of a whole audience of strangers. It was a pretty number—a little more revealing than I was used to—but suddenly, the idea of wearing it around Oscar felt daunting. My insecurities bubbled up: the nagging thoughts of whether my stomach was flat enough, if my thighs looked alright, or if the faint stretch marks I tried so hard to ignore would be too noticeable under the bright afternoon sun.

I took a deep breath, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I tugged at the fabric, trying to adjust it in a way that made me feel more comfortable, but the nerves wouldn’t settle. I could already imagine Oscar’s eyes lingering on me, his playful smirk turning into something more appraising, and the thought sent a rush of heat to my cheeks. God, why was I letting this get to me? It was just a pool. Just a bikini. Just Oscar. But the more I tried to rationalize, the more those little fears crept in, whispering doubts that made my stomach churn.

I was so lost in my own thoughts, adjusting and readjusting the strings and trying to silence the negative self-talk, that I nearly jumped out of my skin when a sudden knock rattled my door. My heart leaped into my throat, and I spun around, my breath catching as I called out, “W-Who is it?”

“It’s me,” came Oscar’s familiar voice, muffled but still clear enough to send a jolt of nerves through me. “Just checking to see if you’re alright in there. You’ve been quiet, and, well, didn’t want you chickening out on us.”

His tone was light, but there was something softer in it, something that caught me off guard. It wasn’t the usual teasing or the cocky one-liners I’d grown accustomed to in the short time I’d known him. This felt… genuine. A flicker of concern threaded through his words, almost like he actually cared if I was okay. My cheeks flushed anew, this time from the unexpected warmth of his attention rather than embarrassment.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my cover-up as I tried to piece together my swirling thoughts. Was this the same Oscar who had been smirking at me in the kitchen, flirting shamelessly in front of his sisters? The same Oscar who seemed to relish every moment he made me blush or stumble over my words? It was strange, almost disarming, to hear him like this—concerned, attentive, with none of his usual bravado.

My heart fluttered at the thought. What if there was more to him than just the cheeky guy who lived for teasing? I couldn’t help but feel a small, unexpected tug in my chest, an urge to believe that this side of him was real and not just some act. But then, just as quickly, my rational side kicked in, reminding me that I’d known Oscar for all of three hours, most of which had been spent flustered and caught up in his whirlwind of charm.

Was I reading too much into this? Was I letting my own insecurities and wishful thinking color my perception of him? It was hard not to, especially when he swung so easily between flirty and sincere, keeping me constantly off-balance. I barely knew this guy, yet here I was, letting my mind wander into dangerous territory, imagining depth and sincerity that might not even be there.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to steady my thoughts. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions—didn’t want to let a few kind words make me think I’d seen some hidden side of him. But it was hard not to feel flustered when his voice had softened like that, when he’d taken the time to check on me instead of just joking about how long I was taking.

The knock on my door, the concern in his tone—it all felt so different from the playful Oscar who’d swaggered into my life just a few hours ago. Maybe it was nothing, just a moment of decency, a brief glimpse of something real behind the jokes and teasing. Or maybe I was just overthinking, desperate to see something more in him because he’d managed to get under my skin in a way I wasn’t quite prepared for.

I sighed, feeling my cheeks heat up once more as the realization hit me—I was blushing again, and not just from embarrassment this time. There was something about Oscar, something that made me want to believe he was more than the carefree charmer he projected. But whether that was true or just wishful thinking, I couldn’t be sure. Not yet.

“I-I’m fine!” I called back, trying to steady my voice, but it came out shaky, betraying the mix of anxiety and embarrassment that had settled in my chest. “Just… getting ready.”

There was a pause on the other side of the door, long enough that I thought he might have walked away. But then, Oscar’s voice cut through again, softer this time, and with a teasing edge. “You sure? I promise no one’s gonna judge you out there. Least of all me.”

The reassurance felt sincere, but I couldn’t help the way my mind raced with all the what-ifs. What if he did look? What if I didn’t look good enough? What if this stupid bikini made me feel more exposed than I could handle? I glanced at myself one last time in the mirror, trying to summon the confidence that I usually wore so easily, but right now felt like it was hiding somewhere I couldn’t reach.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I finally managed, forcing a smile I hoped he couldn’t hear through the door. “Just... give me a sec. I’ll be right out.”

“Take your time,” Oscar said, his voice fading as he finally moved away from the door. “But don’t take too long. You don’t wanna miss the fun.”

As his footsteps retreated, I let out a shaky breath, trying to collect myself. I ran a hand through my hair, giving myself one last pep talk before heading out. It was just a pool day, I reminded myself. Just a stupid pool day with some new people and a guy who was way too good at making me blush. And maybe, just maybe, it would be fun—if I could get out of my own head long enough to let it be.

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taglist! @mingyusbigrighttoe @theblueblub @demandealalune @linnygirl09

[gavalaa]

Sketches of all my redone designs for my Phantom Thieves from my AU, Icarus! Lots of info down below on the cut, so if you want to know more about the details and inspiration, feel free to keep reading!

This includes Akechi’s design for his Princely/Robin Hood attire, BEFORE his Icarus attire you might have seen from my other posts! Check out the Icarus AU tag for more info! Icarus has a main focus on Akechi and his relationship to the thieves, but the AU is actually an entire rewrite with new designs, 3rd semester and epilogue/strikers/tactica stories, hence Zenkichi and Sophia’s inclusion.

Read below for individual info:

I decided to include more motifs towards their persona’s and general vibes; and also just my own personal touches haha.

AKIRA - Not much has changed, I really like his design overall. I raised his boots to be like Arsene’s and changed his neck area.

MORGANA - I hate the OG pill shaped head, his new design is based heavily on the shape of Palico’s from Monster Hunter. Added a little more nod to Zorro/His persona motifs and also just made him cuter! Little hamburger headed cat.

RYUJI - I made him a little bulkier and gave some more weight to his outfit overall. I gave him heavier boots and a slightly buffer build to relate back more to his sporty style.

ANN - honestly was never too big on her latex outfit, I wanted to call back to a personal favorite female lead; Christine Daae, and used one of the versions of her Don Juan costume as inspiration. I remember seeing Phantom live and in many stage versions of her character, the Don Juan scene was a pure moment of female control, and she was truly working the Phantom and controlling every movement on the stage. Her presence is commanding, and I thought it was a very fitting tribute to Ann’s character as feminine strength. (I’m absolutely not referring to the movie iteration of Daae btw.)

YUSUKE - I referred to some historical art and legend of Goemon to add more elements of design to his outfit. When I color them, I want to add some really strong pops of color to his clothing to really drive the aesthetics and artistry home.

MAKOTO - Another totally redid outfit, I opted to give her a design which relates back to Popess Joan, and also Anat. I gave her a clawed hand on her right side and an uncovered hand on her left as both a nod to Anat’s hand raised in iconography of her from art history, but also to show the duality of Anat’s title as both a goddess of war, and of love. It also relates to the mythology of Joan and her nature as both a leader and a martyr. I changed her mask to a Venetian Commedia mask as well.

FUTABA - ok. I’ll be honest. I never liked her skin-tight outfit, it just doesn’t match her personality at all. Also, the high tech Egyptian feel never really sold me. I totally understand the tomb thing, but I truthfully think a dungeon/palace which was more like… tech/nerd themed would have been much more “futaba” the inspiration for this new outfit relates back to her persona, the Necromomicon, as well as her nerdy personality, and her affiliation as Alibaba (Ali Baba.) I wanted to go more lovecraftian, long sleeves and patterning designed to look more like lovecraftian tendrils, and big baggy pants and her classic shoes to match. The patterning on her undershirt will resemble a rib cage, both as a reference to her deathly “tomb” iconography, but also to Lovecraftian and Necronomicon lore. I think she matches the description of a nerdy, techie DND dungeon master more than the initial outfit, so that’s the route I took personally.

HARU - relating back to some fashions from 17th c France, where Milady’s story (the three musketeers) takes place, I kept her design relatively similar. I just gave her a little more iconography relating to the three musketeers and that general timeframe.

AKECHI - in his pre-Icarus outfit, I’ve given him a princely sort of outfit befitting of his two faced nature, and edited it to relate to Robin Hood a little more. I tried to keep it sleek and just generally very concealing and layered.

SUMIRE - i gave her some iconography relating back to one of her personas, who is an inference to Freya. I also included some more nods to classic Cinderella, with fantasy gown elements. Overall, relatively similar.

ZENKICHI - again, relatively similar, I really like his outfit. I just opened up the face some to show more personality and spiced up the outfit generally to keep it matching. honestly, les mis/Valjean was a hard one, but I also think his character could be heavily related back to Edmond Dante (Monte Cristo.) so I gave some nods to that as well.

SOPHIA - I turned her into a FINGIE!!!! I made her whole dress as a nod to her persona/to pandora’s tiles around her/the pillars. I wanted to make her small and almost unnatural since she’s an AI, and I thought having a little guy on the team would add some more variation.

[hannigramislife]

Thoughts on this idea I’ve seen people spout?

“Dazai has to treat Akutagawa the way he still does and he can’t make nice and give him approval because he promised Aku a reason to live and if he gave him that approval Aku wouldn’t have a reason to live anymore.”

It’s normally used to semi-excuse Dazai’s current behavior, but not totally since it’s normally preceded by a “I’m not justifying his behavior! But”

Well op, lemme tell you what I think about this take.

I think it's the biggest load of bullshit I've heard while in this fandom, and I've heard a lot. What does that even mean?? I don't even know where to start, to be honest.

Firstly, since when was that an acceptable reason of living to give to a 14 year old orphan? Since when did Dazai promise that the reason he'd give would be his own approval– more so, how fucking arrogant and conceited and disgusting would it be, to believe your approval is worth being someone's entire reason to live? If Dazai really thinks of it that way, it would be horrible and disturbing.

Secondly, if that is Dazai's true reason for his behavior, even a tiny bit, he still left. For four years he was gone. I don't remember if him faking his death is canon or not, but nonetheless, dead or missing, he was gone and had no plans to come back. How could he have been Akutagawa's reason to live then? I don't think that even featured as a thought in his mind at the time, so why would it now? Obviously Akutagawa can get by without him.

Thirdly, if Dazai gave a fuck about Akutagawa's emotional wellbeing, about his mental health and what's best for him, he would try to rip out Akutagawa's admiration of him from its roots. He'd be honest and say that at the time of their promise, Dazai hadn't had a reason to live himself. That there was actually no such thing, and that a reason to live should be whatever causes you not to kill yourself each morning. He would encourage Akutagawa to find his own meaning, in his own people, instead of withholding praise and affection and acknowledgment and all the positive feedback he so easily offers Atsushi.

Finally, I'll say this. The reason why this is, as I mentioned, the biggest load of bullshit ever, is because Dazai actually uses Akutagawa's admiration for him. Why would he get rid of it when it's so convenient? Season 5 showed us that. I will admit that Dazai probably is planning for Akutagawa's progress, and wants to help him grow. If that weren't true, he wouldn't partner him with Atsushi, he wouldn't be trying to cultivate a new Double Black, he wouldn't bother with him at all.

But that's not because he cares about Akutagawa personally. I am quite certain he doesn't even like Akutagawa. There are plenty of other reasons he could be doing this; because he wants to make up for the past, because Oda told him to save the orphans, because him and Atsushi are so compatible–

“Dazai has to treat Akutagawa the way he still does and–" Dazai has to do no such thing. Dazai has never manned up and faced his problems head on a day in his life. Man runs from his past and his issues and his feelings, so why would this be any different? He chose the easier option, which would be to keep Akutagawa tethered to him, and simply went with it.

That's all.

[laundrybiscuits]

Just cleaning up some of the snippets that have been lingering in my drafts, partly to take a wee break from posting massively self-indulgent experimental weirdness! This is from the matchmaking fic I was messing around with a little while ago.

So: the Vickie thing. Or, as Robin privately thinks of it, The Vickie Thing, capital letters and all. 

Thinking about it makes her feel incredibly stupid and pathetic, so obviously she can’t think about anything else. It’s fine, though—it’ll be fine. Steve keeps telling her that it doesn’t really count, which feels good and bad at the same time. 

She’s not even actually allowed to be mad about it, because Vickie was always totally honest with her and Robin lied all the time. Not big lies, obviously, just stuff like yeah of course I’d love to help you pick out an outfit for your date and of course it doesn’t mean anything and no it’s totally fine. 

It’s just—a girl had wanted to sleep in her bed and hold her hand and gaze into her eyes late at night, trading meaningless secrets back and forth. A cute girl with a sweet smile and really cool taste in music, who was trying really hard to be vegetarian but kept sneaking bites of Panda Express orange chicken when she thought Robin wasn’t looking. 

It had been so easy, when she was with Vickie, to just chase that effervescent feeling any way she could. Easy to say yes to whatever Vickie wanted, because Vickie was never pushy about anything; Vickie would only ever ask hesitantly, like she didn’t know what was allowed, and Robin just wanted to give Vickie everything in the world. Sometimes Robin had felt like she’d claw her own lungs out if Vickie would just say she wanted them. 

Robin had spent a lot of time wondering if she was making it all up in her head. But Vickie had a way of looking at her, of smiling at her, that made the air between them feel heavy and copper-bright. Vickie had told her I don’t think I’ve ever had a—a friend like you before. Like, a girl friend.

And in Robin’s head, the space between girl and friend had been like an inhale; a vacuum. A space that wasn’t a space at all, until it turned out that it was.

———

After Robin helps Eden get the book down from the top shelf, she thinks that’s going to be the end of it. Just another day embarrassing herself in front of pretty girls; what’s new? 

But Eden sticks around for some reason, wants to know if Robin’s read the book—Candide, by Voltaire—and when Robin blurts out that she’s read it in the original French like a pretentious asshole, Eden just rolls her eyes and says okay, genius, and shoves at Robin’s arm in a way that makes Robin think it’s not that big a disaster after all. 

And before Robin knows what’s happening, they have plans to hang out the next day, because Eden’s apparently got nothing else to do and doesn’t want to hang around with her ex-boyfriend and the entire Hopper-Byers household. She just comes out and says it like it’s obvious. Maybe it is, but nobody Robin knows ever talks like that, no apologies or anything. 

Eden’s so different from just about everyone in Hawkins. She’s real in a way Robin doesn’t know what to do with. She talks like she’s just passing through on her way to something big and bright. 

“Like…New York?”

Eden shrugs, loose shirt collar slipping a little over one shoulder. Not all the way, just—it’s a really big shirt for her to be wearing. It looks like a grown man’s shirt, even though it’s got a tacky, faded skull with what looks like angel wings on the back and some tattered lettering that Robin can’t make out. 

“Maybe,” says Eden. “New York sounds cool. I just gotta turn eighteen first. I was going to hitchhike to LA when I turned sixteen last year, but it—there’s, y’know, the kids.”

“You must really care about them,” says Robin. She’s always wanted siblings. It sounds nice, having a bunch of other kids around all the time, rolling their eyes at their parents together and sharing secrets. Like a built-in set of friends. 

“Nah. I mean, I guess, kinda. Not really.” Eden glances down, picking at her cuticles. One starts to bleed, and she makes a face and jams her hands into her armpits. It’s probably going to stain her shirt.

“Where I’m from…” Eden tips her head back, rocking back on her heels a little. “Everyone’s just, I don’t know. Stuck. They can’t even look up from their stupid pointless freaking lives where they never go anywhere or do anything. They’re all going to get pregnant with a million babies, and those babies are going to have a million babies, and nothing will ever change. It’s a shithole. It’ll always be a shithole, forever and ever until the end of the universe.”

“Dark,” says Robin.

“Yep.” Eden smiles at her. The afternoon sun draws a bright, precise curve on her cheek. “Mistress of Darkness, that’s me. C’mon, Robin Buckley—let’s go see what else Hawkins has going on. I wanna taste the forbidden delights of a whole different shithole.”

———

Eddie sacrifices a notebook to the cause, because obviously Steve Harrington did not actually bring any supplies for this little planning session. Eddie would bet all his worldly possessions that Steve was the kind of guy who never even took out his pen in group projects.

“What do we know about Tammy Thompson?” he asks, gnawing on the end of his Bic. 

“She wants to be a singer,” says Steve decisively. 

Eddie writes CAN’T SING under her name and underlines it twice. Steve screws up his face like he’s trying not to laugh. 

“She’s got, uh. Ambitions? She’s ambitious?” Steve tries, but Eddie can tell his heart’s not in it, so he ignores that and writes BLONDE instead.

“Is blonde important?” 

Eddie shrugs. “If that’s Robin’s type, maybe.”

“I think she bleaches it. She was more, like, strawberry blonde in school. And hey, Vickie’s a redhead, so…”

Eddie crosses out BLONDE and writes EX-REDHEAD???

“Hey Harrington, next time you see her, maybe you should suggest she dye it back. Maybe Robin will be overcome with lust and the problem will solve itself.”

“Huh, you think?”

There’s a denim jacket crumpled at the end of the bed; Eddie picks it up and lobs it directly at Steve’s head. Devastatingly, Steve snatches it out of the air and shrugs it on like it’s no big thing, smirking.

“No, you fucking asshole,” groans Eddie. “I do not think Buckley is capable of making any kind of move. She’s like a skittish woodland creature. How come she never picked up any of, like…your whole deal?” 

“My…deal?”

“Yeah, you know.” Eddie flops down on the bed with a gusty sigh. “Your Casanova thing. Bet you’ve never even thought twice about pulling out the charm at some poor unsuspecting set of tits.”

“Girls like my charm!” squawks Steve. “I was Prom King!”

“How far’s that get you with college girls lately?”

Steve scowls and prods at Eddie’s ribs with his big toe. “I’m just saying, I’ve got—moves.”

“Okay, okay, you’ve got moves.” Eddie sits up and grabs his hair, bunching it into two sloppy pigtails. He pitches his voice up an octave. “Ooh, look, Harrington, I’m Tammy Thompson and I never met a key change I couldn’t fuck up, how are you gonna put your famous moves on me?”

Steve’s rolling his eyes, but he shifts closer on the bed. “Hey, Tammy,” he says. “That’s a really cool, uh, shirt you’re wearing.”

“British Steel defined thrash and paved the way for Metallica,” says Eddie, still in Tammy’s voice. “You utter philistine.”

“Huh,” says Steve, smiling. He’s good; it looks real. “Sounds like it was, uh, pretty important. Maybe we could give it a listen sometime? You could tell me all about it.”

“Take me now, big boy,” Eddie warbles, throwing himself dramatically over Steve’s lap. 

Steve laughs, but doesn’t shove Eddie off onto the floor like he’d been expecting. “No, for real, what’s the album about?”

“You better be careful, Steve Harrington,” says Eddie, sliding back into his real octave. “Charm like that, you’re gonna have me falling in love with you too.”

Eddie can feel Steve freeze up, eyes going wide. He sits up, putting a little space back between them, and busies himself picking some fluff out of his hair. “Come on, take a joke, man. Promise your virtue’s safe from me.”

Christ, he needs a smoke.

[poppyseed799]

I see a lot of people disliking secret life and that’s fine having ur own opinion and all but since I’m a little baby who cries whenever someone vaguely suggests they might not totally like what I like, I simply MUST say something about it

… All I’ve gotta say is that the entire life series has ALWAYS been an experimental series. It’s good that they’re trying something drastically different this time. It’s not close enough to the other ones? Well, that’s cuz they’re experimenting with it.

Also many of the complaints on the series would not exist if not for the fans. The tasks would NOT be so stressful if the fans didn’t harass people for not following them exactly as they interpreted. It’s been said multiple times in the season that it is up to the person doing the task to determine if they did it correctly or not. We have to trust them on it. Even if they blatantly failed, if they see it as a success then it is, because they wouldn’t lie about that. They would be honest if they genuinely think they failed. However I’m seeing them now say things like “I don’t want people to harass me for it so I’m just going to hit fail” no!!! Fans stop it 😭

But on its own it’s a fun challenge. Seems like a fun series to be in, if the fans don’t bother you. So I wouldn’t say the gimmick is the issue. People just need to lay off.

I personally am not sure how well this season will end? I feel like at some point they’ll have to drop the gimmick. But that’s part of the fun of the life series, how experimental it is. I love that they keep randomly adding rules in the middle of the season. They’re experimenting to figure out what works! That’s always been the life series. And this one is a big change, a big test. And you may not like it. Next season they’ll just create a new gimmick accordingly, taking note of what did and didn’t work out well in this one (if there IS a next season…)

I just don’t get the “it doesn’t feel like the life series” thing when all the seasons were meant to be different anyways lol.

[mcromwell]

Ayo! New follower here. I love your art and your mind set of just messing around to make cool stuff. but I’ve also seen you love been to at least one convention (I didn’t scroll far enough to see more about conventions) and I wanted to ask. How you did it? I really enjoy making art and I would love to make it a career so this boils down to :

how did you do it? And how can I do it too?

not just like first steps but what happens after that? I’m young enough that if this doesn’t work out I have plenty of time to look into other careers before worrying about paying for rent or necessities with money from my future occupation. I know that everyone’s experience is different but I still hoping you can give me a somewhat clear answer.

thank you for inspiring me

(sorry this ask was so long)

Hello there! Thank you for your message.

These questions are large and hard to answer. Being more specific in your questions helps. "How I did it" is very... large in scope. That question could be answered just by saying, "I did it by never wanting anything else and never losing sight of my goal." But that doesn't help you much. So I'll just try to touch on some key points and contexts.

I'm 32. Only in the last couple years has my practice been enough to make a living doing it. I've always wanted this and literally everything I've done in my life has been to get here. I've worked two jobs my entire working life (age 19-now): retail/customer service and art stuff on the side. Because of the pandemic, I got double unemployment and stimulus checks, which became my initial investment into merch and savings safety net to get started. I started therapy to address my fears of asking for help, my negative self-talk, and catastrophic thinking. (Therapy has helped me with my art so much.) Then I was laid off for real in 2020 and hit the ground running with art. I split rent with roommates, I live very very cheaply, and art is my passion. If art for a living is what you want to do and you're happy to make lots of concessions to get it, this career works. It takes a while to get momentum and regular sales/attention-- just don't quit. The more stuff you do the more people will recognize you and like your work.

It would be dishonest to not address my privilege here, too. My parents have always emotionally supported my practice, my friends too, and I got to go to art school with no debt. I did outside of school art mentorships. My art education experiences taught me a lot of art techniques and self-employed skills and that only happened due to the support of my folks. I had resources a lot of people don't. (Which is why I want to help new artists learn this stuff as much as I can; not everyone is as lucky as I am.)

My advice for you if you want to do what I do, which is being self-employed making and selling art and art merchandise for a living:

Get used to making concessions right at first. Your art career will probably not start out gangbusters, so get used to low sales and saving money and working hard. Make things within your means and grow from there.

Fuck around and find out. Try making merch, try making videos, try things you see other artists doing, try everything and see if it works for how you like to make stuff. I learn so much from YouTube, to be totally honest. Artists are good sharers.

Follow a shit ton of artists and see what works for them. Join artist groups and ask thoughtful, specific questions to learn from those already doing it.

Learn how to write about your art. Write about why you make it. It helps make it more compelling to others. "How to Sell Your Art Online" by Cory Huff is a good book to read for tips on this.

Develop a healthy relationship with art-making. If you sit down at a blank page and it terrifies you: address that first. Don't try to start a business if you're still struggling with making art regularly.

In fact, don't start a business until you're really ready. Art comes first. You can easily do art and build skills and do commissions and run an online shop along with working a job that pays bills reliably while you grow into the artist you're meant to be.

Don't pigeon-hole yourself into only one channel: don't JUST apply to cons, try street fairs too. Don't JUST sell online, get your work into cafes as well. You'll see which routes are more profitable/worth the time as you try them out. Eggs in many baskets, you know.

There's probably a whole essay I could write on this. And you're right--mileage varies between person to person vastly. The part of the world you live in, your access to transportation, education, your mental health, what type of work you like to make, etc. Art careers almost never look the same 1:1 even in fandom spaces like furry/anime. If you're self-made, it will reflect that.

I recommend the YouTube channels Rafi Was Here, Robin Sealark, Cat Graffam, and the website The Abundant Artist (again by Cory Huff) for more resources.

Don't be afraid to take leaps of faith. Try everything. Be true to what works for you and what doesn't feel sustainable. Be authentic with your art and stay true to your interests. And good luck.

[yikesharringrove]

I think a lot about Steve and Billy becoming foster parents.

I think about them, mid-thirties, welcoming two kids into their home. A brother and a sister. A fifteen year old boy, and a two year old girl.

And clearly, they’ve been through some shit.

The baby is easy. She’s shy at first, and clings to her brother for the first few weeks, but she warms up easily to Steve and Billy. (Especially when Billy sneaks her cookies and Steve is always down for a little snuggle.

It’s the boy who is hard to crack.

He’s been in and out of foster situations his entire life. If it weren’t for his sister, and the fact that his social worker was actually doing a good job of not splitting them up, he feels like he’d be in his on. Our in a boys’ home.

But he’s seen foster parents that seem kind, but have some ulterior motive. Or call the social worker when they can’t handle his trauma.

So he pushes back.

The first day he’s at Steve and Billy’s, he throws a plate at the wall.

He doesn’t miss the way Billy has a white knuckled grip on the kitchen counter, or the way he leaves the room the second it looks like Steve’s got it under control.

And he assumes, that Billy was trying to hold himself back from smacking him. That he left to call social services.

He doesn’t bother to unpack.

But the next day, no one comes to take him away.

In fact, he startled awake to a soft tap on his bedroom door, and a voice telling him that breakfast is ready, please come downstairs when you’re ready.

He doesn’t. He doesn’t go downstairs all day.

And every few hours there’s a knock and a voice telling him to come down for some food.

He only leaves when the voice tells him that his sister keeps asking for him.

And there’s a plate of food for him in the microwave, and Steve gives Billy a knowing look before taking his sister off to bed.

He knew it was a fucking rouse.

And he wolfs down his meal, expecting Billy to tell him they’ve spoken with the agency, and they’re keeping his sister but kicking him to the curb.

“I need to tell you that you’re not going anywhere. No matter how much you push against us, we promised to care for you. You’re staying here.”

“Is that a threat?”

Billy smiled.

“Nah. It’s just true. You would never leave your sister anywhere without you.”

“Yeah? How the fuck do you know?”

And he wanted that stupid smile to fall off Billy’s face. But it didn’t.

“Because I was you. It didn’t matter how often my dad beat the shit outta me. I stayed there to make sure he never did it to my sister. We’d never, ever, do anything to hurt either of you, but you’ve been hurt too many times to trust that yet. So what you can do, is stop acting out. You don’t have to let us in. You don’t have to start calling us your dads and shit, but please. Accept that we want you here. That we want to take care of you.”

And he’s fucking stunned, because this is not at all what he thought this conversation was gonna be.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I assume the worst.”

“That’s okay. You’ve been through a lot. We won’t push, and like I said. You don’t have to let us in, but we’re here for you.”

He sniffed, and Billy’s hands flexed on the table, like he wanted to reach out and touch him.

“I thought you were gonna tear me a new one about last night. I thought you were gonna send me back.”

“No. I mean, Im not exactly excited about the glass I had to clean up. And your sister was scared shitless, she’s been freaked out all day, make sure you go see her before bed. But, I understand. I know what it’s like to feel like everyone will give up on you, so you might as well push them away. And I’m sorry I left. To be honest, the plate thing, it really freaked me out.”

And that made sense, because of what Billy told him about his own father.

He’s been on the receiving end of a broken dish before, too.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. I mean, Please, never do it again, but your anger and your fear is totally okay. I can help you cope. I’ve been in more therapy than you could even dream.”

And billy kind of had a spark in his eye, one that said it’s really okay.

I just think it’s be neat.

[haziel-luz]

His Priority {Donnie x Reader}

Alright people, I'm back with some more tea! Let's get straight to it. I hope you like it.

Chapter 5: The Bar Under the City

The air wasn't your favorite when you walked around the city. You're only lucky to be surrounded by food. That’s where you are, surrounded by food in an unknown society that Raph dragged you and Casey into. Mutants and few humans walking around without a care in the world. How this was under your nose this entire time was a total mystery to you. Yet Raph walked as if he had known this place for a while.

“What is this place?” Casey asks in disbelief, he doesn’t know what to concentrate on, the way humans are coexisting with mutants, or the fact that there were even more mutants. You were just as astonished and confused as Casey.

“Welcome to the Mutant City, a place for mutants and humans.” Raph gestures to a whole new world while we follow behind him. “Even if there are more mutants than humans here.”

Just last week you were in a heated argument with April, and now you get whiplashed by the amount of new information that none of the turtles even mentioned. You wouldn’t be surprised if April knew, of course.

“Since when? I’ve never heard of this.” You finally asked after gazing at the unfamiliar environment.

“Remember a few years back when we mentioned how we found other mutants like us?” Raph turns back around to you both.

“Yeah, and some of them thought that humans were enemies, but how did this happen?” Casey frowns, still not understanding how this place came to be.

“Well, it’s kind of a long story. Come on,” Raph gestures for us to keep walking. We continue following him while he explains. “To keep the story short, their beef with each other was getting serious, and I’m not just talking about the conflict between the humans and mutants. Some mutants have a hatred for humans, others strongly want to defend them.” 

“All that, and years later you guys just kept this to yourselves?” Casey raises an eyebrow. He’s not wrong, so much has happened without us noticing. Knowing us, we would probably try to get involved, and if you’re honest with yourself, it hurts that they didn’t rely on either one of you.

“Yeah, it’s not one of our best adventure stories, but this place turned out better than it did years ago.” Raph took a look around and genuinely smiled at the change and clapped his hands together. “Alright, that’s enough history, how about that bar?” He begins to walk along without an answer, and we continue to follow.

The bar wasn’t that far, coming into the city, everything was pretty much within reach. You even passed a small pizza place nearby, this place amazes you. You enter the bar and Raph greets some mutants, his friendly behavior surprises you. This city might’ve made him completely soft, and the residents here solidified that. You and Casey stand next to each other while Raph openly greets everyone.

“To think that out of the four of them, he would be the popular one.” Casey huffs in disbelief at the scene in front of him and you chuckle at his jab.

“These two are the ones that I’ve been talking about.” Raph comes behind you both to put his hands on your and Casey’s shoulder as he does the introduction. Everyone greets the both of you and you happily return the greeting along with Casey. After you learn some names and realize they know yours, the interaction flows quite smoothly. No awkward small talk, just a respectful ‘hello’ and a couple of handshakes.

Once they know you, they go back to their own thing. Raph leads the both of you to the bar counter and he orders the three of you some drinks. You sit down on the stool and admire the design of the bar. It’s not the fanciest thing on earth but it had its charm. You wondered if the guys visited the city to help around every once in a while.

“Is that Angry Bird and Michael Myers?” A familiar voice pointed out your boys, and you're so happy to hear their voice.

“Hey, it’s my day off, don’t make me come after you.” Raph scoffs lightly and picks up his drink.

“It’s good to see you again man!” Casey gives him a pat on the back. You use this moment to peek your head behind Raph’s shell, and there he is. Michelangelo, the sweetest and funniest brother you ever met. You made eye contact with him, he gasped and his eyes widened. He almost shoved Raph out of the way to hug you tight.

“There’s my little peach! It’s been too long!” Mikey was filled with joy at the sight of you, and you laughed at his outburst. You missed him so much.

“Way too long! I’ve been meaning to contact you, but I was kind of struggling with- you know…” Your excitement was slowly fading but Mikey pulled away with a genuine smile. 

“Don’t beat yourself up, we’re here now.” He rubbed your arms in a calming way as if he knew your nerves were creeping up on you. Mikey might be known as someone who couldn’t take things seriously before, but now he’s a natural at reading others.

“Got your round of shots right here Raph.” The bartender lined up the shot glasses and poured each of them with precision. This mutant bartender looks kinda cute with his clean uniform, and his rolled-up sleeves that show how firm his arms look. You felt a poke on your cheek, and you turned to see Mikey grinning at you. Your face flushed knowing you got caught.

“Thanks, man, he’s paying.” Raph pats Casey’s back with a smirk.

“Shit, I was this close..” Casey grumbles and gives the bartender some cash.

“I bet he can get you close,” Mikey whispers, bouncing his non-existent eyebrows.

“Mikey, no!” You whisper back and nudge his shoulder with yours, you can’t contain your giggle. Everyone grabs their shot glass and raises it.

“Alright, let’s each say a short sweet toast.” Mikey suggests, “Raph first.” He called out quickly, making you chuckle. Casey agrees and encourages Raph.

“Here’s to our first underground bar, a bar where disguises and risks of being exposed aren’t needed.” Raph toasts with an eye roll.

“Aw, how sweet of you.” Casey leans his arm on Raph’s shoulder. Raph shrugs his arm off with a scoff.

“Now me. Here’s to a nice night of fun and luck, and I don’t need to explain the luck part.” Mikey gives a charming smile to a group of ladies across the room.

“I still can’t get over the fact that you’re…active?” You try to use a word that wouldn’t feel weird, but turns out it doesn’t matter what you call it as long as you know the meaning.

“Just for that, I’m counting it as your toast. Casey?” Raph wants to change the subject before Mikey even starts that topic. You just had to laugh at how uncomfortable he got when you mentioned it.

“Uh, ok, here’s to a new night for the new singles,” Casey reaches his shot to your glass, “and with this fresh start we can enjoy this amazing night.”

You're smiling, grateful for his toast, and everyone clinks their glasses together. With a swig of that shot, you realize just how long it’s been since you had hard liquor. Yet you stayed strong despite the burning taste, you can’t let them know how soft you’ve gotten.

There was an area of the bar you hadn’t noticed yet, and it was a dancefloor, filled with music. A specific music came on and Mikey’s eyes lit up. He turns to you and gives you puppy eyes.

“Will you dance with me for a bit?” Mikey pleads in his voice while holding your hand.

“You mean, be your wingman?” You smirk when you notice how there are more women on the dance floor.

“Why not have both? Come on.” Mikey pulls you to stand up and observes your coat. “Hiding something under there?”

“Oh right, where do I put this coat?” You took it off and immediately you felt more eyes stare at you, Mikey’s mouth was open in shock.

“Okay, everyone is fired as my wingman! I’m calling you from now on. Where the hell have you been hiding this ?” Mikey raises your arm and slowly spins you around, even though his praise is platonic, it still makes you blush.

“Don’t make me spray you with a hose.” Raph pulled your arm away from him and turned to the bartender. “You have one, right Liam?” He asks to make sure he can make good on his threat.

“If you want I’ll even do it for you.” The bartender, Liam, suggests with a mischievous smile. You wish you could say how that smile didn’t affect you.

You laugh lightly and pat Raph's arm, “In Mikey’s defense, I’m usually in comfortable clothing. This is a special night, so hold this for me.” You hand Raph your coat and link your arm with Mikey’s.

“Atta girl!” Mikey laughs and leads you to the dance floor. The shot is starting to work its magic, so goodbye common sense.

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

The night is fantastic, and very well deserved. The dance with Mikey won him some women who were either mutants or humans. Mikey didn’t need much help from a wingman, if anything he was a natural. 

You ended up drinking with Raph and Casey as well, you even tried to have Raph dance with you. His dance moves make you laugh because you know how awkward he can be, yet it’s still sweet how he tries. Casey joins in to help Raph not feel so pressured, also giving him a drink to have an excuse not to move much on the dance floor.

The boots you're wearing have been hurting a little, but overall you feel tired from so much movement, so you sit at the bar. You watch them have fun from a distance with a soft smile.

Your mind slowly drifted off to what happened earlier today before you went out with the boys.

Looking through your closet, you found a fine short dress that was meant for your anniversary with Donnie. You might as well use it for this occasion, this dress can’t go to waste. As you hold the dress proudly against you in front of the mirror. A notification from your phone chimed, and you picked it up confused. 

Who else is going to text you other than Raph this late at night? Mikey maybe? You thought to yourself as you unlocked your phone. You instantly regret not reading the notification on your lock screen first, because it turned out to be your ex.

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, you didn’t want your thoughts going through chaos.

‘Can we talk? Whenever the day and time suits you best.’

A talk or an apology? Last time his apology was genuine but it wasn’t enough to fix his problem. Did he find out what he needed to do or how to manage it? Hell, even you didn’t know how to analyze his little obsession with April. Friendship or not, it wasn’t healthy for them, and especially for you or Casey.

You clicked your phone back off, you were not ready to answer him even through text. Coming back to organize your thoughts, you need to do this logically. Even if a really small part of you wanted to talk to him and see where the conversation takes off. Your whole being needed to go out tonight and have fun. April was enough drama last week.

“Need some extra fuel to keep up with them?” Liam stands in front of you, cleaning an empty glass. You turn your attention to him, suddenly aware that you’re not alone.

“Against two ninjas and a cop? It wasn’t a fair fight to begin with.” You playfully huffed and propped your cheek on your palm. Liam chuckles while putting the glass away.

“You got a point. Need some water instead?” He pulls out a glass and places it in front of you.

“Do you come with it?” You respond before you can even think. He stays quiet for a bit, and you're confused until you replay your words in your mind again. “Wait-I didn’t mean that! Not like that.” You cover your face, cringing at yourself. What the hell!

“Don’t worry about it.” Liam laughs as he pours you some water. “The offer was tempting, if it wasn’t for the liquor I would've let it happen.” He gives a small smirk when he slides the water to you. You bit your bottom lip gently at his honesty.

“If I drink this, would it be enough for something smaller than that ?” You have no idea where this confidence came from.

“ Oh ? So how small are we talking?” Liam leans forward with his arms on the bar counter. The liquor running through your veins right now is telling you to kiss him. Thanks to the thrill of your surroundings, you’ve noticed the tension you’ve been holding on to for a while now. The type of tension that could only be loosened by someone willing to wreck you under the sheets. Yet, a part of you isn’t willing to give in to someone you just met.

You don’t answer, but only maintain eye contact while you start to drink your water in three gulps. Liam’s eyes widen a bit, suddenly feeling flustered from your wordless response. Putting the empty glass down in front of him, your lips give a cheeky grin. “How about a dance first?”

He bursts into laughter and hangs his head down while his shoulders shake. His contagious laughter has you joining him within seconds. It’s pretty rare for you to make a cute stranger laugh. This is the first time you flirted this playfully, it’s different from what you were used to. With Donnie, it was just cute at first, but it went stale ever since his April “thing” came back.

“That I can do, my shift ended anyway. I’ll be right back.” Liam placed the towel away and disappeared through a door behind the bar. As you wait for him, you take another look around the place with a relaxed smile on your face. The boys were enjoying their night, and it was a nice sight. The goal tonight was to give yourself peace, and that was a success.

“Ready for that dance?” You didn’t realize Liam was already beside you with his hand out. You smile and place your hand on his. As he leads you to the dance floor, you notice Mikey looking amused with non-existent arched eyebrows. The speakers played a slow passionate song, right on cue.

Everyone on the dance floor either left or found someone to dance with. Liam respectfully placed his hand on your back, while his other held yours close to his chest. His movement was translating the music, increasing the closeness between you. Giving in to your instinct, you rest your head on his chest, firm and comfortable.

“Thank you, I honestly didn’t think I was gonna get through the night.” You were the first to break the pleasant silence.

“Had a rough day?” His chest rumbled against you as he spoke, it was soothing.

“A couple of weeks.” You spoke gently, enjoying the company you had with you.

“May I ask how someone as delightful as you, would be suffering?” He gently rubs your back and his comfort reassures you that you can trust him.

“I broke up with my boyfri- ex-boyfriend. I came to realize that he had someone more important than me in his life. He didn’t cheat, but I knew that deep down, he wanted to know ‘what could’ve been’.” Explaining this to Liam didn’t make your stomach turn. The reason behind the breakup did hurt, but it’s numb now. Dancing with Liam didn’t make you uncomfortable. Letting another man hold you close is proof that you can move on, or at least capable of doing so.

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

“Aww, look at her go.” Mikey stood next to Raph and Casey in awe. He hasn’t seen you look so peaceful, slow dancing, and graceful too. You weren’t one for dancing in general, but after letting yourself give in to tonight's new experience, it seemed natural.

“Guess it was a good thing I forced her out tonight.” Raph gently smiled at the scene before him. Sure, it was weird seeing you dancing with someone else other than his nerdy brother. He remembered a time when you would bother him for dancing lessons, just so you wouldn’t step on Donnie’s feet on your first dance. Looks like time does continue even for people with a broken heart.

“Remember how shy she used to be?” Casey observes you with a small smile. You weren’t the life of the party until tonight. Took you long enough. He’s proud to see you out in the open for once. However…Casey does miss your shyness and the way you used to cling to him or Raph when there was a huge crowd. It was cute. Then again, he’s happy to see you socially grow on your own.

“Oh yeah, that’s exactly how she got the nickname ‘bug’. Always hid behind me and capable of being annoying despite how small she seemed to everyone else.” Raph gently laughed at the memory, how angry you got when he called you ‘bug’ the first time.

“Hey guys, I know I drank more than I should and cut me off if I’m tripping. Lookey over there.” Mikey pointed to the entrance of the bar, and both of them turned their heads.

“Please tell me that’s your cousin.” Casey instantly responded, putting his drink down.

“Shit.” Raph grumbles and clenches his jaw for what he’s about to witness.

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

Liam gives you a small spin and pulls you close, making you smile at his gentleness.

“You know it’s not every day I meet someone new and be comfortable with it.” You say as you move your head up and see his charming smile.

“Then I’m honored to be the first one you're willing to be yourself around.” He moves his hand to caress your cheek, and you lean into his hand. He eyed your lips for a few seconds, debating whether to kiss you or not. After flirting and dancing for a while, he remains respectful.

You can blame it on the alcohol later, so you move in, deciding for him. Before your lips connect, an aggressive force moves Liam away from you in the blink of an eye. A loud thud stops the music, and you see him on the floor with arms up as if he blocked an attack. It happened so fast.

“What the hell was that ?” Behind you is a voice you know so well, and he was furious to the core. A shiver made its way down your spine at how low and menacing his voice sounded. You slowly turned around and met face-to-face with Donatello. He does look different…

“Don!” You heard Leo’s voice coming through the entrance. The leader sounds frustrated at Donnie after watching him brutally attack someone so suddenly.

“You better take a step back,” Raph warned him, he was quick to move you behind him. You glance behind you to see Mikey and Casey helping Liam stand steady. Of all the moments to run into your ex, it had to be like this.

You felt a little shaken and very confused. What was he doing here? How did he know where you were? Was he always capable of being this angry?

“I asked a question.” Donnie ignored Raph and kept his eye on you. This was so out of character for him and it worried you.

“She doesn’t owe you an answer.” Raph blocked you from his view and turned to Leo. “You had one job, fearless.”

“In my defense, it was going well. Come on Donnie, let’s not make this difficult.” Leo reached for his arm, but Donnie was quick to snatch it away.

“So this is how it’s going to be? Just avoid each other every day so she can do whatever she wants?” Donnie held his ground, and that hit a nerve.

“At least I can now without all the extra bullshit.” You finally processed the position you're in, and no, you didn’t deserve that slap-in-the-face comment.

“Extra bullshit? I’ve been trying to understand why this happened in the first place while this asshole is all over you.” Donnie was seeing red, his posture was so tense that it made Raph more irritated.

“Alright, maybe you both need a conversation to finally clean up this mess, but that’s not gonna be today.” Raph surprisingly has a calm voice, but you know it’s his last string of patience. He continues, “Let’s call it a night and-”

“Donnie, why did you suddenly leave like that?” April appeared through the entrance and instantly stopped herself to look at the scene. Her eyes landed on Casey and flinched as a reaction. You looked back to see how Casey's eyes reflected anger.

“I think she got it down to a T. How the hell does April know about this place and we’re the last to know? This whole thing was bullshit from the beginning, and neither of you had any respect for us whatsoever.” Casey raised his voice and stood beside you, supporting your claims.

“Casey, it’s not what you think. This place used to be dangerous-” April wanted to explain herself, but Casey wasn’t having any of it.

“And that makes you Superman, right? Risking your own life at every turn just because you can by trusting him, but you don’t trust me enough to protect you. Now that’s some extra bullshit.” He spit out his truth and you so badly wanted to applaud.

“Don’t be mad at her just because-” Donnie glared at Casey and not even the genius was capable of stopping this ‘bonehead’.

“Fuck you! What were you two doing together anyway? Isn’t that how you ended up alone to begin with?” Casey was livid, and he was ready to go toe to toe with Donnie but you held him back.

“Casey, let’s get out of here. It’s not worth it.” You calmly told him as you stood in front of him to make sure he wouldn’t make a move. He took a moment to look at you and saw how your anger was fading into tears, your hand on his chest trembled a bit. The one thing that Donnie wasn’t able to witness, was your strength fading away. Casey knows how angry you can be, but he also knows how certain situations can overwhelm you, but only if it hits you to the core. 

Obviously, with April here, it just confirms that there’s more to their close friendship. Neither of them brought you to this new society between humans and mutants. It never occurred to them to even talk about what was going on.

Casey takes a deep breath in and out while rubbing his face, “Fine. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

You were relieved and went to get your coat and on your way back you faced Liam with an apology. He responded with a sheepish smile and rubbed your arm for reassurance that it was alright. You hugged Mikey, promising him that you would definitely keep in touch with him.

“We’re ready to go Raph.” You told him, completely ignoring your ex. Raph looks around and notices a crowd forming because of the scene.

“Alright, nothing to see here everyone, move it along.” Raph dismissed everyone with a glare, and most of them went back to minding their own business. He turns back to Donnie and points to the entrance of the bar. “So, are we leaving here in peace or you wanna make this difficult?”

Donnie takes one last glance at you, even if you were actively ignoring him. It hurt him even more now that he witnessed how unattached you are to him. Dancing with another man you barely knew, and going as far as trying to kiss him. He wants to blame the alcohol, or maybe that asshole, but if it wasn’t for tonight, he wouldn’t have realized how broken this relationship was. 

At first, he believed it was jealousy, or maybe you felt insecure knowing how he used to feel for April, which could explain your lack of trust. No. This was something more, and he was desperate to understand why.

With a defeated sigh, Donnie turns around and makes his way out of the bar, shrugging off Leo’s sympathetic hand from his shoulder. Leo rolled his eyes and followed close behind while waving April to go along with them. Raph turns his head to look at you over his shoulder.

“I mean what I said about the talk,” Raph’s suggestion makes you frown a bit, “and I know you don’t want to, but if you want to move on, tell him. If not, then try figuring it out with him. I’m not just saying this for him, but for you too bug.” You would give his words some thought, but you only nodded in response.

You and Casey followed Raph, while Mikey stayed behind to make sure Liam was okay. You couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for putting him in that position, even if you didn’t know how Donatello would react like this. Hell, you didn’t predict that you would see him this abruptly. It was a surprise that you would trust a stranger you just met. Liam was a gentleman, he made you feel seen and heard, and it felt nice.

You wrapped your arms around yourself, feeling the material of your dress. This damn dress was just a reminder of what could’ve been if Donnie had just…just what? Stopped his unnecessary lies? Confided in you more? Be in the present with you and only you? No…you just wanted him to stop himself from figuring out that he never wanted you. He wanted April.

Love is funny and unpleasant that way. No matter how much you wanted to be angry or avoid him…deep down you wanted Liam to be Donnie on that dancefloor. The way he held you close, how he calmed you from your worries and sadness. Liam reminded you of him, and it hurts realizing that now.

Why should you still love him?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next => Chapter 6: ??? (Coming Soon)

Previous <= Chapter 4: Let Him Go

Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had to rewrite and rearrange some of the things I previously wrote because it just didn't feel good enough.

Also, I passed my exam with flying colors! In all honestly, the beginning of this week was me catching up on sleep. I didn't know my brain needed that much rest.

🥰 Thank you for supporting my writing and I'm sorry for the long wait, I appreciate all of you.

[senualothbrok]

I am completely and embarrassingly obsessed with Gale’s nipples. I’ve been indifferent to nipples in the past but Gale? Totally feral for his. What is WRONG with me?

Absolutely nothing, my friend. 👍 Gale's entire being is laced with addictive properties. Every single part of his body is perfect and designed to drive us feral. Rabid. Foaming at the mouth with yearns.

I don't think I've ever been so horny for or in love with anyone, real or fictional, to be honest. As if being my pixel soul mate isn't enough, Gale has also opened up a whole new world of body part related and sexual kinks that I never knew I had. 🫠 (Hands / fingers / tongues etc etc)

Like you, I was also previously indifferent to the nipple. But, to quote our good friend @hotnerdywizard , I would like to chew on Gale's nipples like Haribo Starmix.

And if we're talking about Gale's nipples we also need to talk about the perfect pecs on which those nipples are adorned. How are they so firm and chiselled? They look like they were sculpted in ancient Greek or some shit. I want to rub myself all over them.

Also, the chest hair peppering his perfect nipples. I have never been into body hair of any sort. But Gale's chest hair 🫠 not too much, not too little. A treasure trail leading to some very lovely places to lick and suck...

In conclusion. There is nothing wrong with you. 🫠 Or if there is, there's something wrong with us all 🙌

[wambsgansshoelaces]

I have a blurb request (or it can be headcanons it’s up to you and it’s totally no rush like take your time ily.) but Youngest Adopted Roy sibling, Tom, and Greg being the trio that everyone thought Kendall, Shiv, and Rome would be. Like you have three underdogs, three people that most would never place bets on just absolutely proving ppl wrong.

honestly idk if I did this the way you were envisioning it but it’s here :0 if you want me to redo it just tell me what you want to change and it’ll happen :P

the first non x reader on my profile, what have you done to me… /lh

thank you for requesting anon, I love uuuuu

word count: 999 (completion and new beginnings!!!)

CEO, COO, MPH

“Fucking move, Gregory.”

“I would if I had space, but I don’t!”

You’re crammed in between the two of them as they bicker. “It’s a small ass elevator, and that’s fine,” you hiss, the elevator finally coming to a halt on the sixtieth floor. The three of you were here on a mission: get them to sell. You were meeting with the heads of a company Logan’s been lusting after, and it was imperative that you got them to fork over their rights.

It’s not that you were so good at your job that Kendall had decided to send you with Tom and Greg, it’s that Logan wants the sellers to think that they’re not taking this seriously. So they send two randoms along with the head of some department at Waystar. You feel oh so important.

Tom smooths his tie down as you walk slowly through the hall. “I know this is all just pretend for Logan, but I’m going to actually try.” He glances back at you. “You help me do the talking. Greg gets to just sit there and look pretty.”

“But I- I have things to say, too,” Greg protests quietly, Tom shouldering open the conference room door.

“Just don’t say anything stupid,” Tom replies quickly before pasting a dazzling smile on his face, turning to the few people gathered in the room. “Gentlemen. How are you, how are you? I haven’t seen you fine folks in a while.”

You and Greg exchange a glance. You nudge him forward into a few handshakes, following suit as the sellers and their lawyers go from Tom, to Greg, to you. You take your seat in between the two, across from all of the other men.

“I don’t think I’ve seen either of you before,” the CEO says, awkwardly smiling. He gestures vaguely in the direction of you and Greg.

“They’re two of my most trusted, and between you and me, my most favorite,” Tom says smoothly.

“I handle all relations, communications, and media,” you supply, keeping your face passively sweet. “I was the one you were emailing with before all of this.”

The CEO’s eyebrows raise in recognition. “Oh, you! I don't know why I didn't recognize your face. I've read all of your work, actually been to all of your press conferences. You're so delightedly and properly educated, unlike your siblings. You were much more pleasant than the first person we spoke to.” He leans in conspiratorially, glancing at Greg when he speaks his next bit. “I know you’re technically both Roys, but Siobhan was less than pleasant to interact with. I don’t know how either of you do it. You don’t understand the relief the lot of us felt when they said we’d be meeting with you all instead. The first sit down we had?” He shakes his head.

“Yeah, uh, they can be intense,” Greg replies, eyes brightening. “Sometimes it feels like I’m in over my head, you know?”

The CEO nods, sighing. “I think we’re all friends here, and friends can be honest.” His eyes flick over the three of you. “And if I’m honest, we’re a little… apprehensive about this entire thing.”

Tom leans forward in his seat, his brow furrowing in concern. “Is it the money? Because I can assure you, the number isn’t the issue.”

The CEO shakes his head, a hand running over his chin. “No, no. The money is… it’s amazing, what can we say?” Polite laughter echoes through the room. “It’s just… the management.”

Tom nods, shifting back into an upright position. “Well, that can be sorted, can’t it? What are we thinking?”

“What was offered to us, Mr. Wambsgans, is that Roman Roy takes over the company from us for whatever number we thought appropriate. We like the money, we just need someone different at the helm.”

Tom hums. “I think for us to rearrange things, we’d have to give you a number. And it’ll probably be much lower than you want it to be, just because of… personnel issues.”

“See, I think the three of you would do a fantastic job, based on how we’ve interacted over the last month.” The CEO leans back in his chair. He points at Tom, then Greg, then you. “I see a CEO, a COO, and a Media and Press Head. At least, ones I’d be happy with handing my company to. And as long as we’re still over the seven figures, as initially agreed, then I suppose the money isn’t an issue.”

“We’ll relay the message,” Greg tells him, smile on his face.

“Ah, I know where I know you from, now!” The CEO’s face lightens. “You’re the fellow that helped out with the shareholder issues we were having back in October! You were a ray of fucking sunlight, I tell you. I thought the shareholders were going to dump us, I have no idea how you did it.”

Greg looks surprised. “Oh, I, uh, didn’t know you knew about that. I was kind of just given the order, and, um, I got involved, yeah.”

“I’m quite glad you did. Well, now I’m sure. I trust the three of you with my life, and I trust the old geezer as far as I can throw him. If he can come to terms with the three of you leading the troops into war, the company’s good as yours. Retirement’s on the horizon, for me…”

The CEO drones on for what feels like several more years, talking about his new young girlfriend and all the things he planned on doing once he’s retired. The vacations he’d take, the people he’d meet… You checked out after twenty minutes.

When you’re finally done and out in the hall, and nobody’s around, Tom pumps his fist in the air. “Fuck yes!”

“Did that just happen? Did we just do that?” Greg asks.

Tom doesn’t respond, just loops an arm around both you and Greg, and hoists you both into the air in victory.

[sknnytarot]

Long distance boyfriend thinspo imagine

It’s time, it’s really time. After waiting months, it’s finally time for my long distance boyfriend to come visit me. This is something I’ve been looking forward too, for the longest time now. About 9 months in the making, this was a huge decision that I had to work my way towards, as did he. This is so exciting.

Since we started talking about him coming to visit, since about 2 months into the relationship, I’ve been wanting to look my best for when that day did come. To start with, I weighed about 150 pounds around when we started talking. I was honest with him that I wasn’t okay with my body or with how fat I looked, and even though he tried telling me that he ‘likes bigger girls’, that only fueled my motivation even more to lose weight.

At first, I only wanted to lose maybe 20 pounds, get to 130 and be fine there. But that only took about 1.5 months to get there and it still didn’t feel like I’d lost enough weight. So my next goal was 110 pounds, 20 more lost. I started working out as much as I could, 3x a week at the time, and I started a low restriction diet as I wasn’t new to liquid fasting or eating a little during the day and nothing else. The highest I went calorie wise was 500 calories total and even that started to seem like it was just too much.

Once I reached 110 pounds, I could fit into some smaller pairs of jeans and they defined my now smaller waist. Definitely a lot smaller than 40 pounds ago, but when I looked in the mirror, I still saw a sloppy bag of fat…my reflection. 110 pounds definitely wasn’t good enough for me, so why would it be good enough for him to see in person? I decided I’d start losing weight until I was comfortable with how I looked, even though I knew I might never get there.

As the days passed, with me eating less than 500 calories every day while still working out on top of that, plus working a physical job and eating only fruits and vegetables and eggs for protein, I started to lose weight at a steady but fast pace. Soon enough, I’d lost 10 pounds more and weighed in at 100 pounds. ‘Just a little more’ I thought to myself. Maybe 5 pounds.

I lost those 5 pounds, then decided on 10 more and I’d be done. I had to get back in control of my weight so I didn’t end up dead before getting to meet him. It had been 4 months since we’d first started talking about him coming to visit me, from 4,000 miles away. That meant that I only had 3 months or so left to reach my goal weight and maintain it to regulate my body to that weight. After doing some research, I figured that the perfect BMI for me is 16.1…basically an underweight BMI.

I started to lose the last 10 pounds, bringing me down to 85 pounds total. That took me about a month, so that meant I had 2 months left to work on maintaining that weight so I could eat a little bit more when he came to visit so he wouldn’t get suspicious of me not eating as much as a normal person. I knew it wasn’t healthy to lose weight this way, and if I wasn’t careful enough, that I’d balloon back to my starting weight.

The two months flew past so quickly you’d only think it had been 2 weeks. I was looking forward to him coming to visit me and seeing my new body. I’d only sent him pictures of my face, and only my body when I was wearing super baggy clothes so he couldn’t see what I actually looked like before the big reveal. I’d lost about 65 pounds total, and that’s such a huge difference. I now have a thigh gap, a tiny waist, my ribs show, my collarbones and chest bones are so defined, and people treat me so amazingly nice it’s definitely a skinny privilege.

I drove to the airport to go pick him up as his flight was going to land in about an hour…okay so maybe I’d gotten there a bit early, but who could blame me? I was super excited. I waited the entire hour by walking around the airport, getting in as many steps as I could, counting the calories I burned. After the hour was up, I went to the gate he’d be landing at, and I held up the handmade sign I had for him so he could see it and I could hide behind it at first.

As the plane landed, and as people started filing off, I didn’t see him at all. As more people started to come off the plane, I was starting to get really worried, but then….then I saw his face through the crowd of people. He was looking around for me, and I shook the sign slightly, calling his name, and he finally noticed me.

His jaw dropped as he saw my dyed blonde hair, my big doe eyes, my sharp jawline. I laughed slightly to myself, starting to walk towards him. A few steps in and I couldn’t control my excitement or my pace anymore, and I started to run towards him. I got to him, jumped into his arms, and to my joy he was able to pick me up like nothing and spin me around.

“You’re so tiny love, I almost couldn’t see you behind the sign. You’ve lost so much weight from the pictures you sent me, I’m so proud of you. We’ve gotta take a picture and show our size difference for sure, you look absolutely tiny next to me, so small I could snap you like a twig” he said, looking me up and down, eyes scanning my entire body.

I made sure to dress super cute today, in something that defined my body shape. A pair of skinny jeans that were high waisted, a long sleeved crop top that showed my stomach at a perfect length, and a choker necklace to accentuate my slim neck. I had my blonde hair up in a ponytail to show off my sharp jawline, and I did a small amount of makeup because I didn’t want to clog my pores because I’d put in so much work to get my skin as clear as it was by doing my skincare routine every single day.

I hugged him again once he’d put me down, and then we started walking towards the exit. We got in my car, and I drove us back to my apartment, so we could enjoy the next 2 weeks he was here together, and I’d gotten off of work for this as well. I’m so excited to be able to spend the time with him, dressing however I want, knowing I look like I deserve a boyfriend so perfect for me. We were perfect together, and I loved knowing that.

[youmakemyhearthowl]

Punk Princess

Ao3| Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4| Part 5 | Part 6| Part 7| Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10| Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 (Next Part)

Gareth was so tired.

He loved Eddie, really he did, the dude was his other half, but god he could be so dense sometimes it made Gareth want to slam his head into a wall, repeatedly . 

Eddie had been acting like everything was fine for a week now, and he never really thought of his best friend as stupid before, but here he was, mumbling the sentiment to himself multiple times a day when he’d watch Eddie try to interact with Steve. Even he knew the apology Eddie had given wasn’t enough for the way he’d treated Steve. He could understand why Eddie might have, in the beginning. They had been friends so long that just an ‘I’m sorry’ covered all the biases when they fought, for every one of the Hellfire members. But that only happens when you’ve solidified a friendship over a decade and knew each other since before you were potty trained.

Steve was new to their dynamic. Hell, Steve was new to being who he was now, and Eddie had practically told him he wasn’t who, even Gareth could see, he was trying so hard to be now. 

People who weren’t weird, or punk, didn’t blossom the way Steve had in his new identity. 

Any idiot could see that this was the real Steve, the Steve he was too afraid to be in the past. Gareth thought for sure Eddie had known that too, but the absolute shit show the campaign session had been today just goes to show that his best friend was in fact, an idiot.

Gareth was already lighting a joint in the back of Eddie’s van when he came stumbling up and threw the back doors open, reaching for the joint with grabby hands as soon as his eyes landed on it. Sighing out the smoke in his lungs Gareth offered it to him and watched as shaking hands brought the joint up and took a long hit.

The lull of silence that followed didn’t really bother him, Eddie was loud unless he was trying to collect his thoughts, so he sat patiently waiting for him to get them organized enough to form sentences. 

“I fucked up really badly with Steve.” Gareth huffs, taking the joint back form Eddie and hitting it while he waits for him to elaborate. "I didn’t really think about what I was saying when I ripped into him, and if I’m being totally honest I don’t remember much of what I had said, but Robin was… angry enough to bring it to my attention.” He clambers into the back of the van, pulling the doors shut and settling in across from Gareth, chewing on the bed of his thumb nail.

“How do I fix it Gareth? It’s been a week I don’t… I don’t know how to apologize for this. Why didn’t he say anything sooner?” Gareth could visibly see the anguish on Eddie’s face, his entire body shrinking in on itself, becoming smaller.

“Probably for the same reason he let you get away with the bullshit apology in the first place.” He hands the joint back, placing his hand on Eddie's knee. “He cares about you and wants you in his life, in any way you’ll give him.”  Eddie freezes at that, taking another long pull and holding it before breathing the smoke out loudly, pulling at his hair, unshed tears giving a glassy look to his soft eyes.

“So how do I fix it, Gar? I’m not.. I’m not good at this kind of thing. It’s easy with you and the guys.”

“Yeah, it is. But Steve isn’t one of the guys, and I know you don’t want him to be just one of the guys either. You guys have an insane connection Eddie. I’ve never really seen anything like it before, and you’ve put a massive rip in it. So you’re gonna need to do something from the heart, with feeling, to fix it.” Eddie pulls at his hair again, chewing his lip while he thinks. And he’s smart. Gareth knows he’s smart, knows he can figure this out if he’s given the space, so he sits quietly, waiting for Eddie to find his footing.

“Robin said me calling him Princess was his honorific from me.” He’s thinking out loud now, Gareth knows he doesn’t have to answer whatever he’s saying, so he nods softly, watching every gear turning in his best friend's head.

“So, maybe I should apologize in… in that language.” 

Gareth had no idea what that means, he’s not well versed in whatever ‘language’ had honorifics in it, but he does know that a lot of Eddie’s personality is spoken in that language, that its an important language to speak between two people that requires a very powerful kind of trust, so he knows Eddies on the right path to a real apology that Steve will understand is from the heart.

“Gareth, what if I’ve ruined everything?” And it’s the way he says it, like they’re 8 again and Eddie yelled at Wayne that he wasn’t his real dad and Eddie was terrified that Wayne was going to hate him forever and never want to see him again.

Gareth's heart aches. 

“If you mean it, and you really show that you mean it, I think he’ll forgive you a lot easier than you think.”  He watches as Eddie takes one last hit off the joint before snuffing it out. His shoulders squaring and a determined nod shaking his whole body.

“What would I do without you man?”

“Probably die.”

Eddies echoing laugh makes his heart feel full and warm, light washing the van from the very presence of it in the space. He’ll never get tired of hearing it.

(Sorry this one is short, but It's so important, and I wanted to show Gareth and Eddies dynamic a little closer.

The apology is next, and its gonna be so worth the wait.

I'm probably going to be going to an every other day update schedule so I don't catch up to myself on what I've already written. But if you want sneak peaks at the chapters the day before, follow my Tik Tok,(same username as here) and you can see little snippets of the chapters the day before.

My chapters are going to be getting longer I think from here on out. Thank you guys so much for all the love you've been showing this fic. There's still plenty left of it and I can't wait for you to see where it goes <3

Love you guys <3)

Ao3| Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4| Part 5 | Part 6| Part 7| Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10| Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 (Next Part)

[mandg-readings]

I’m a new listener and I think your readings are so amazing. I often read to my husband on long road trips while he’s driving, so I have a little experience trying to show when different characters are speaking. It’s so hard! You do such an excellent job, particularly when the four of them are together. I can always tell the difference between Draco, Ron, and Harry which I think is extremely talented of you. Not to mention the mixing! And sound effects! I can’t even imagine beginning to do such a thing.

I’m really really thankful that you’re recording Lionheart! I’ve been really wanting to re-read it soso badly, but just can’t justify spending the time when I have such a long reading list and so little time to read. So thank you thank you thank you! You and GT are both so talented, and I’m in disbelief all the time that y’all gift us things like this.

Thanks again 🧡

OMG I'm so jealous of your husband! I wish my partner would read to me... he must love road trips with you. Have you thought about becoming a podficcer? 👀 we can always do with more, with the ever expanding catalogue of fics. Totally agree with you on the difficulty in making characters sound different, especially with big scenes and a large cast of characters. When the Golden Quartet are in the same room as similar sounding voiced characters it can be hellish. E.g. the Christmas Party chapter was SO much fun but the only difference between Hermione and Daphne is the slight posher enunciations, then you've got Lupin, a deeper Harry gravel voice, with Harry...and Draco with Sirius, who is just a deeper Draco voice 😂 If characters aren't regular cameos then I tend to just throw whatever comes out of my mouth tbh, if I can't remember what it was, then the listener can't - is what I tell myself so I can sleep at night.

And thank you for saying so about their voices, I worked really hard on Ron's because he sounded too similar to Draco in my initial practice recordings. Sound effects aren't too bad to be honest! It's just a case of finding something that matches the little movie in your brain, and then if you can't find a royalty free sound, there's the effort and task of re-creating one with household items or yourself. For example, I'm the pistons of the Hogwarts Express, just slowed my "tshh tshh tshh" down gradually and lowered the pitch. Did the same inhaling into the mic up close for the Dementors. As for the werewolf scream/howl in CH20 something, make like Hermione and "awooo", play with the tempo a bit, find a royalty free male scream of agony and mix the two together. It's more time consuming than anything, to be honest with you!

Haha, this fandom is a bit like throwing Netflix on and scrolling endlessly till you find something to watch, but then all of a sudden there's 50 shows you want to watch, all at the same time. Too much bloody choice but I say that lovingly because we're never going to be starved. One of my favourite romance manga has a dead fandom, there's like 40 fics for it, most are in Spanish and I've read them all. So Dramione fans do not know how lucky they are to have such a thriving community!

The entire collective mind of the Dramione fandom is so generous and talented, it's mind boggling, and over a year in I'll be reading something and be overcome with that feeling of "holy shit, this is free to read." We can thank a mixture of "wow I can do whatever the fuck I want" and insane levels of passion for that. And YES, totally not biased of me to say that GT is one of my favourite writers, and Lionheart is not just the one of the best fanfic I've read, it tops anything published I've ever read, the beautiful prose, the amazing characterisations and depth, so much depth to every single character, among many other things I could gush about, and I'm so grateful to them for allowing me make the experience more accessible to people.

Thanks so much again for your kind words and for listening to my podfic, apologies if I rambled on a bit. I was clearly feeling talkative today. 🤗