#its a competitive sport! its not always nice and friendly and welcoming!

[rolandkaros]

need to be so clear this is not a joke this is not sarcasm blah blah blah NO. i really dont give a fuck is qinwen actually is unpleasant or unlikable in the locker room. we get constant "access" to these people, where they are expected to be more than just tennis players but must also be public personalities, role models, marketing angels..........like i really dont give a fuck if a player decides they dont want to constantly have to cater to other people......the people in the locker room are literally your competition there isnt anything in the job description of "tennis player" that says you have to be nice to them.

[snookerclub]

What Makes a Snooker Club Your Go-To Place for Recreation and Relaxation?

When existence becomes busy, every person needs a move-to spot where they can unwind, have amusement, and recharge. For snooker fans, a great snooker club gives just that—an excellent combination of exercise and rest. But what precisely makes a snooker club stand out as the correct location to get away from the everyday grind? At The Cue Connection, a leading snooker club and academy in Bangalore, we've crafted surroundings that offer greater than simply a place to play—it's an experience that continues our individuals coming back. 

Here's what makes The Cue Connection your final destination for exercise and rest.

1. A Welcoming Atmosphere

One of the most crucial factors of any snooker club is its environment. Whether you're there to exercise your shots, compete with buddies, or, in reality, revel in a comfortable sport, the atmosphere needs to make your experience relaxing. At The Cue Connection, we've designed our club to be a haven for players of all degrees. From the instant you step in, you're greeted by means of a calm, inviting place that encourages consciousness and entertainment.

Our membership's format, lighting, and interior layout are thoughtfully curated to provide a calming but expert vibe. Whether you are an experienced participant or a novice, the atmosphere guarantees you are comfortable and prepared to enjoy the game.

2. State-of-the-Art Facilities

For critical snooker enthusiasts, the fine of gadgets and tables is fundamental. Nothing kills the temper faster than worn-out tables or low-pleasant cues. That's why The Cue Connection is prepared with present-day snooker tables, professional lighting, and top-notch add-ons. Our commitment to the nice manner you can count on the identical excessive standards every time you go to, making sure a top rate is playing revel in.

A good device doesn't simply enhance the game—it makes it more enjoyable. Knowing which you're playing on the great tables and using exquisite cues provides a layer of delight, making every go to greater profitability.

3. A Place to Connect and Socialize

For many, a snooker club isn't the game; it's additionally about the community. Snooker brings human beings together collectively, and at The Cue Connection, we accept as true in growing a pleasant and inclusive environment where gamers can interact, make percentage recommendations, and build friendships. Whether you're taking elements in a friendly fit or competing in one of our in-house tournaments, there's always a possibility to socialize and connect with like-minded humans.

Our Snooker club and academy in Bangalore serve as hubs for every recreation and competition, where gamers of all tiers come together. The supportive network complements the general revelry, whether you are engaging in informal conversations or getting to know experienced gamers.

4. Expert Coaching for Growth

At The Cue Connection, we don't simply provide an area to play; we assist you grow as a player. Our professional coaches are to offer guidance, whether or not you are a novice learning the fundamentals or a complicated player honing your competencies. The opportunity to teach in an expert putting makes our snooker club and academy in Bangalore a treasured resource for anyone looking to enhance their sport.

This mixture of relaxation and skill-building makes us the ideal cross-to-identifier. You can experience leisurely recreation these days and go back for focused training the next day—all within the same welcoming environment.

5. An Escape from the Everyday

Life in a bustling city like Bangalore may be irritating, and on occasion, you need a smash. The Cue Connection gives more than just an area to play snooker—it's a getaway from the pressures of each day's existence. The quiet attention of the sport, the point of interest in precision, and the satisfaction of a nicely performed shot all contribute to developing a nonviolent, meditative level.

For those seeking rest, snooker offers a way to unwind. You can immerse yourself in the game, overlook the outdoor world for some time, and depart the club feeling refreshed and recharged.

6. Recreational Fun for All Skill Levels

What makes The Cue Connection sincerely particular is its appeal to gamers of all talent stages. Whether you're a pro seeking to perfect your sport or an informal participant enjoying a weekend break, our club offers an area that caters to all of us. The sort of players you meet additionally adds to the revelry, growing a rich and diverse network.

Whether you're in it for a laugh or severe competition, you'll discover the whole thing you need below one roof, making The Cue Connection your pass-to snooker club.

7. Regular Tournaments and Events

For folks who revel in an aggressive aspect, we often host in-residence tournaments and activities, supplying you with the chance to test your abilities in a friendly but hard environment. This adds a further layer of pleasure for your time at The Cue Connection, making it more than only a recreational spot—it's a place in which you can grow as a player or even win some bragging rights alongside the manner.

8. A Complete Experience

What sets The Cue Connection apart is that it offers a whole snooker experience. From modern centers and professional coaching and a comfortable ecosystem, we've built a club that caters to all of your needs. It's not pretty much gambling the game; it's about playing the entire experience.

Whether you're here to play competitively or to loosen up after an extended day, The Cue Connection is the appropriate region for you. 

Conclusion

In the heart of Bangalore, The Cue Connection stands proud as more than just a Snooker club and academy in Bangalore —it's a destination for endeavor, relaxation, and increase. Our combination of first-rate centers, expert coaching, and a welcoming network makes it the perfect cross-to location for snooker enthusiasts of all ranges.

If you're seeking out a niche to enjoy the sport, hone your competencies, and connect to fellow players, there's no higher area than The Cue Connection. Visit us and make us your favored retreat for snooker, rest, and a laugh.

[writerpeach]

Club Mimosa [Ch 3] - Sweet as a Strawberry

---

Read on AFF

Read on AO3

Read on Wattpad

It had been two days since you had last seen Momo.

Two long days. It was safe to say you had grown rather fond of the attractive Japanese hostess, and it had been over 48 hours since you had seen that gorgeous body, that incredibly attractive face, and heard that cute playful laugh. Not that you were counting.

There wasn’t anything stopping you from visiting Club Mimosa every night. Nothing other than you didn’t want to be the needy type, and a date was just a date, even if it ended rather...special. You knew how things went in this industry, and knew you most likely weren’t the only one that had a date with Momo, probably not even the only one that week. Your wallet could use a much needed rest as well.

But two days felt like an eternity.

It wasn’t that you needed to see Momo but well...you needed to see her. Club Mimosa opened its doors at 8 pm sharp, and you showed up the next night exactly one minute after that. With nothing but Hirai Momo on the brain you approached the club’s doors, excited thoughts turned foul as a sharp tug on the handle of the doors proved useless. They didn’t budge, locked tight. You tried again, not that anything would change. No luck.

You looked around confused as you snapped from your haze to see an absence of the usual. No hostesses scantily clad in outfits unsuitable for the cold weather doing their best to bring in new customers, no flashing lights and thumping music, and you soon realized that not even the bright gaudy Club Mimosa sign was lit up, something you weren’t sure how you missed.

You waited for half an hour, and then a little longer, maybe there was something inside that was causing the club not to open? Japanese culture generally wasn’t one to delay things without notice though. You looked around for signs of life, squinting as you tried to get a glimpse inside. Nothing but darkness.

You checked the time - already 8:45. You sighed deeply and felt defeated.

“Hey.”

An unfamiliar voice caused you to turn around. When you made your way around you were met by one of the club’s hostesses that you had seen before, one that was on the shorter side but still very attractive. Her short hairstyle looked perfect on her and matched the frame of her face well, as did the black dress that hugged her small body perfectly.

“Clubs closed.”

“I see that now,” you frowned.

“Pipe broke this morning, flooded the whole damn place. Be at least a few days before we’re up and running again.” You couldn’t tell if she was happy or upset for the club’s shutdown.

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Shit happens,” she said, her tone a bit crude and bitter.

“Guess it does.”

The short-haired hostess had a layer of attitude, something that you found yourself uniquely attracted to. She had a sudden realization as to just who you were and why you had a familiar such face to her.

“Ah, You’re one of Momo’s clients right? Want me to get a hold of her?”

“No thanks, that’s not necessary. I don’t want to bother her if she isn’t working.”

“Suit yourself,” she said, nonchalantly.

“Thank you for the information, you’ve been very helpful.”

“No problem,” she said, and you turned to leave. “Since you made it all the way here, wanna get a drink?”

“Do I have to pay to drink with you?” you teased, and her blank expression turned into a hint of a grin.

“Funny. Nah, not this time.”

“Then sure.” You didn’t have anything else to do now, and drinking with somebody attractive was always a plus.

“Follow me then. I’m Chaeyoung.”

It didn’t take long until she led you towards her destination into a small Japanese styled Izakaya, opening the sliding door as you both stepped inside.

“Welcome!” Greeted a boisterous man behind the bar. The building was small but offered a sense of coziness and comfort. The place was packed, there was one open booth left, but Chaeyoung opted for a seat up front at the bar, and you occupied the last remaining spot and pulled up a chair beside her.

“What can I get you two?” The man behind the counter asked with a friendly look upon his face.

Chaeyoung looked at you. “You okay with beer?”

“I’m fine with whatever.”

“Two beers please,” she said to the bartender, flashing a pearly white smile. “I”m not a big beer drinker but its the easiest thing to get once this place gets busy.”

“Anything with alcohol sounds great right now. Been one of those weeks,” you said, as you sighed. The week wasn’t even over.

“Same here. Ever been to this type of place before?” Chaeyoung asked.

“Not really. My Japanese needs work and I freeze up at these types of places even if I’m with somebody.”

She chuckled. “That’s cute. I’ll order everything then. You hungry?”

“Very.”

Chaeyoung ordered several dishes, some foods you had heard and tried before and a couple you hadn’t. You had the sudden realization that she had subconsciously slipped into hostess mode, and you couldn’t help but laugh.

“What?”

“Even when you’re not at work, you’re still at work.”

She pouted once she realized what you meant. “Guess I’m just so used to it.”

Two large frosty mugs of beer came out alongside several small plates of food. Chaeyoung took a huge gulp while you dove into the food first. The food was different from what was typical bar food, even though this wasn’t exactly a typical bar. It paired nicely with the cold beer, and the food felt like actual food and not just plates of grease.

“Everything is good here, Chaeyoung. You picked well.”

“Almost like I do this for a living,” she smirked.

You sipped your beer as you looked around the room, taking in the lively atmosphere. “Do you like being a hostess?” you asked, as she took another long gulp and put the almost empty beer on the bar’s counter, almost louder than she was expecting. The difference in fullness between your mugs was almost embarrassing, but you had to remind yourself this was no competition.

“I’ve never really thought about it, but yes. I love it,” she said. “It’s easy money. I don’t have to be stuck in an office for 12 hours a day and men buy me drinks all night. Plus I get to look pretty every night.”

“When you put it that way, it sounds appealing. Except maybe the non-stop drinking.”

Chaeyoung smiled. “You get used to it or you find other ways of dealing with it.”

“You do look pretty though.”

Chaeyoung gave out an unamused smile. “Your cheesy lines may work on Momo, but sorry to tell you they have no effect on me.”

“Damn. What works on you then?”

“You can start by buying me some dessert,” she said, as she pointed to a menu.

“Anything you want, Chaeyoung.”

“I like ice cream. Strawberry.”

You looked to the man behind the bar. “Give this lady the biggest bowl of strawberry ice cream you have.”

“Right away, sir!”

Chaeyoung’s smile might as well have been permanently glued when her delicious looking bowl of ice cream came, her eyes glowing as bright as the sun. Just one spoonful and she was in heaven, a half-lidded amusement of pleasure on her face with every bite. You had managed to finish down half of your beer as you watched the enjoyment in Chaeyoung as she ate.

“Got any plans tonight? Chaeyoung asked, as she came up for air from her ice cream.

“Not anymore. You?”

“Not for the new few days. Sure will be quiet lonely at my place.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something to occupy your time.”

Get the hint you idiot, Chaeyoung thought to herself as she looked down at an empty bowl and and an emptier mug, sporting a frown on her empty lips. Chaeyoung seemingly stared at you with a blank reaction, and you noticed those full cherry lips she sported. You could have kissed her right then and there if she let you.

“I lied.”

“You lied? About what?”

“About not having plans.”

“Oh. Well congratulations,” you said, continuing to be oblivious to the not subtle hints she was dropping.

“I plan on taking somebody attractive back to my place and make them moan my name.”

You caught eyes, and the abruptness of her words made you lose your breath. The realization sunk in and you finally realized she was coming onto you, but you wanted to pretend ignorance for just a while longer.

“That person sounds like they’re very lucky then,” you said, smirking. Chaeyoung huffed.

“Do I really have to spell it out to you?” she said, the frustration getting to her.  

“No you don’t, you’ve been less than subtle. Ice cream really did that much to get you going?” you teased.

Chaeyoung’s eyes rolled back. “It’s not just the ice cream, but it helped. I just want….to show Momo up at something.”

“Show her up? Am I just part of your competition?”

“No, if I didn’t like you I wouldn’t want this. It’s just...Momo is so good at everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s just so perfect,” Chaeyoung sighed. “She’s the number 1 hostess, and I’m not even in the top ten. “

“Well then clearly your club is fucking up their rankings then. And no, that’s not a line,” you said. Chaeyoung let out a small relieved smile.

“T-thank you, that really means a lot. I...I just get discouraged. This job is nothing but competition. Momo has a better body than me, she’s taller than me, she has bigger tits than me.”

“I understand, but you’re still fucking hot, Chaeyoung. Small girls are just as good as tall girls. You have really nice legs and you have incredibly sexy lips.”

“Really?” She asked as her cheeks grew red.

“Really. Any man would be lucky to bang a hostess as hot as you.”

“Then how about you be that lucky man?” she said, not wasting any time getting to the point.

“I’d fucking love that.”

“Then let’s get out of here. I’d love nothing more than to one-up Momo for once by being able to fuck you before her. And I don’t have any of her dumbass rules. Plus I give better blowjobs.” she said convinced, her full lips forming a devilish grin.

“Let’s go then.” You paid for your drinks and food, thanked the bartender and you were off.

Chaeyoung’s apartment was fancy to say the least. Just the living room itself was twice the size as your entire place, even the bathroom was large and extravagant. She might not have been a top ten girl yet, but she sure did seem to rake in the money.

The bedroom was just as large and fanciful as the rest of the place. Front and center in the middle was a canopy bed, something you hadn’t really seen before but were more than happy to make use of. Clothes were casually thrown in a few places, sweaters on a wooden chair, pants hanging off a hamper, and a few sets of underwear and bras were sprinkled on the carpet. The room was messy, but not too messy, just enough to let you know Chaeyoung didn’t take things too seriously.

“Sorry about the mess, don’t get too many guests here.”

“I don’t mind. This is nice place,” you said, as you looked around and tried to gather a glimpse of her personality.

“Thanks,” she said with a nervous smile as she walked towards the bed with her back towards it. Her bare feet pushed into the carpet, and followed her as you met her gaze, able to fully take in her beauty.

"Take me,” Chaeyoung said, her words hungry and filled with desire as her hands wrapped around your neck. You leaned down to kiss her, feeling her lips soft as could be as you held on to her slender waist and pulled her in closer. Her lips tasted fruity, and Chaeyoung returned your advances and smacked her lips against your own. She let you take the lead, but soon after you felt her tongue entering your mouth and wandered around your mouth.

“You’re so sexy,” you told her, breaking the kiss and looking straight into her lust-glazed eyes.

“So are you. Take this off me.”

“Not yet. I wanna fuck you in it first.”

Chaeyoung smirked. “Have it your way then.”

"I will," you responded, and abruptly grabbed her ass and lifted her body into the air, causing a gasp to escape from her lips. You dove into her mouth once more before sitting both of you down on the edge of the bed with her tight body against yours.

“Aggressive. I like it.” Chaeyoung was quick and lifted your shirt over your head, kissing your chest before looking into your eyes with a deadly look.

"I want to suck your cock,” she said sternly. You loved how Chaeyoung didn’t hold anything back.

"Then suck my cock."

Chaeyoung pushed herself off of your body and dropped to her knees, running her hands up and down your thighs. Her hands went to the crotch of your pants, unbuttoning them in a flash and yanking them off hastily.

Her eyes stared at the obvious bulge poking through your boxers, giving your crotch a firm squeeze as her fingertips traced the outline of your shaft. She grabbed the waistband of your underwear and pulled them off you, her eyes went wide and grew excited as she saw your unleashed hard cock throbbing to meet her, feeling herself becoming wet already at the sight of your manhood.

She looked at your erect leaking cock with admiration as she wrapped her slim fingers around it and formed a tight grip, squeezing as she jerked you off slowly up and down with broad strokes.

"No wonder Momo likes you," Chaeyoung teased, as she licked her lips and planted them on your tip, giving a loud kiss and the hot breath of her mouth drove you crazy. Her mouth travelled south as she kissed every inch of your cock until her mouth met your base, using her tongue to move back up your shaft.

“Promise me something.”

“What?”

“Promise me that you’ll put every inch of this nice big cock inside me.”

“I promise.”

With a satisfied smile Chaeyoung used her tongue and swirled it around your sensitive head, tasting the fluid leaking from it and giving one more peck.

“I’m going to make you feel really good. That’s my promise.” She smiled, looked into your eyes and wrapped her full soft lips around your cock as it entered the warmth of her mouth, the sharp pleasure caused you to moan loudly.

“Oh fuck, Chaeyoung,” you moaned, as you felt her lips pushing forward, taking more of you inside. She kept her attention on you as her mouth performed magic on your cock, her full soft lips felt heavenly as they slid with ease back and forth on your shaft, leaving a coating of saliva in their path.

“Do you like that? Does that feel good?”

“Fuck yes, you have no idea. It feels really good.”

Chaeyoung jerked off your cock furiously, spitting on it to make it wetter before returning it into her mouth, taking it deeper down her throat. Her lips gradually became wetter as her blowjob became sloppier and louder and everything she was doing to you felt fucking incredible.

She knew what she was doing as her head bobbed up and down in between your spread legs, the sensual slurping sounds of her warm mouth drove you absolutely wild and made you moan with every sensation she was giving you. She went went deeper and deeper until you felt the her throat tightening around your shaft and held you all the way into the back of throat for as long as she could, looking into your eyes to see the absolute satisfaction she was giving.

When she came up for air she gasped and smiled proudly as her hands worked your messy shaft, pumping you as fast as she could.

“Like I said, I give better blowjobs.”

She changed it up a bit, using her wet tongue to slather each of your balls in spit before taking them into her mouth one at a time and sucking on them, slowly at first and then gradually slurping on them while her hand worked your shaft slowly, your moans letting her know she was hitting all your spots as her lips maintained a firm pressure on your full sensitive balls.

“God, that feels amazing.”

“That’s what i like to hear. I love hearing you moan,” she smirked, and if that wasn’t enough she began to slip the straps off her dress down while still jerking off your cock, one at a time off each pale shoulder.

Chaeyoung slowly pulled the top of her dress down her body, and she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath which exposed her bare breasts to you. Her tits were small but cute and with one additional benefit - beautiful pierced nipples.

“Holy shit,” you said. Chaeyoung smiled wide at her newly exposed chest. “You’re so fucking hot.”

You pulled her to her feet and immediately dove into her breasts as you kissed them. You noticed the mole just above her left breast as your tongue worked around each of her sensitive nipples, feeling the coldness of the the metal barbs as you licked and sucked at her nubs, causing Chaeyoung to whine cutely.

As you released her slippery nipples from your lips, you noticed the ink on her arm and directed your attention to them. “Those are cute.”

“I know! I have to cover them up every time I work though. I hate it.”

“That’s silly.”

“Mmhmm.”

With a brief pause in your action you knew what you needed next. She had pleased you so perfectly, and you wanted to return the favor.

“I want to taste you Chaeyoung.”

“And I still want to suck your cock.”

“You still can.”

The two of you grinned together as you moved backwards on the bed. Chaeyoung hiked her dress up and slipped her panties down before joining you. She crawled on top of your naked body and It didn’t take long before she maneuvered around so her round ass was in plain view and the prettiest set of pink pussy lips was inches away from your face, wet and appetizing.

Before you could even give a taste you felt Chaeyoung’s mouth on your cock again, hungrily slurping away. Her full thighs had surrounded your face, with her feet just behind your head. You were eager to give her the same pleasure that you felt between your thighs, and using just your tongue you traced the outline of her pussy before diving in and licking between her folds to clean her wet tasty juices.

She moaned and you felt her mouth vibrating around your cock. While you couldn’t see you could certainly feel Chaeyoung’s wet warm mouth sucking you off even messier than before, sucking you off hungrily and taking most you of down her throat while she had a handful of your balls that were quickly becoming drenched from the drool that had escaped from her messy blowjob.

“That feels so fucking good, Chaeyoung,” you said. She didn’t answer, only intending on focusing on your pleasure as tight lips slid up and and down your shaft with ease, making sure to pleasure your balls at the same time. The room filled with sounds of your two bodies trading moans as you both pleasured each other, Chaeyoung’s soft lips and tongue surrounded your shaft, and your tongue was buried inside her wet pussy and her juices were coating your mouth and tongue, it was an absolute feeling of heaven.

The sensations of trying to pleasure Chae as she sucked your cock was like nothing else, her tight warm body pressed against yours heightened your pleasure and Chaeyoung tasted so damn good. You couldn’t get enough of her and grabbed on to her ass, kneading her soft cheeks as you pushed her pussy down on your face more, doing anything you could to taste more of her as you fucked her wet dripping hole with your tongue, driving both of you insane with the feeling.

She moaned loudly around your cock and in response took every inch of you inside her mouth. You wanted to up the ante as well and used the tip of your middle finger and teased the rim of her tight asshole, testing her reaction.

She gave no qualms for you to stop, and while you continued to eat her pussy you slipped a finger inside her asshole began fingering her to her delight, she moaned even more at the new sensation.

As your tongue brushed alongside her clit, Chaeyoung began to squirm and you felt her juices running out of her pussy and staining your lips. You kept a firm pressure on that pink hardened nub, and with the continued stimulation as you fingered her asshole, Chaeyoung came immediately without warning, drenching your face as she climaxed all over you.

You cleaned up Chaeyoung, licking her thighs and pussy clean as she trembled around your face, riding out her orgasm and your cock became slowly vacant from her mouth as she released it with a loud pop.

“Fuck, Momo is missing out for not fucking you yet. You eat pussy so fucking well.”

“What can I say, you’re delicious, Chaeyoung.”

Chaeyoung smiled cutely, but that cuteness only lasted for a moment. “Now, how about you put this inside me?” she said, as she gave your cock handful of fast strokes.

“I’d love to.”

She repositioned on her back and willingly spread her legs for you, splaying her slickened pussy lips for you invitingly with an eager smile. You took that moment to admire her small tight body, the only thing left on her mostly naked body were the remnants of the dress you insisted she stayed in. She was gorgeous from head to toe, but your eyes mostly fixated on the wet glistening lips in between her thighs.

“Come fill this pussy up,” Chaeyoung beckoned, quickly becoming impatient and with a hint of demand. You had no intention to make either of you wait much longer, and you positioned in between her legs, taking your cock into your own hand and rubbing it in between her drenched folds, heightening the desire in her eyes.

“God, just put it inside me already.” Chaeyoung’s lust turned into need, her body was pleading for you to enter her.

You felt the warmth of her entrance as you pushed against it, and with your eyes on her own you slowly pushed into her tight hole and entered Chaeyoung for the first time. She was drenched, and the first few inches of your shaft entered the warm walls of her pussy with ease, hugging your cock tightly.

“More. Put it all inside me.”

You obliged without any hesitation and pushed deeper into her pussy, feeling her warmth and wetness smothering your shaft, making sure you belonged inside her. Chaeyoung gasped loudly as every bit of your shaft entered her and rested there, waiting for further instructions.

“Oh fuck, that’s it. You’re so fucking big, god. Momo doesn’t deserve this dick.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it is. Now fuck me, please. Fuck me as hard as you’d like.”

“Oh, I will.”

You were going to take her up on that as you withdrew your cock from Chaeyoung’s tight dripping pussy until only the tip of your cock was still inside her, watching the slick juices that had stained your shaft already with both of you ready for more.

Unable to wait even just a second, you popped your hips and slammed back inside Chaeyoung, feeling her warmth and tightness grabbing hold of your cock as you quickly settled into a rhythm and began to fuck the impossibly hot woman, earning a sinful groan from her deliciously pretty lips.

“Fuck me, fuck me senseless with that big fucking cock.”

You grabbed onto to her slender waist with both hands, holding tight as you drove yourself into Chaeyoung’s tight cunt, feeling the bed shaking already at the result of your vigorous thrusts. A flood of steady gasps and sensual moans escaped the lips of Chaeyoung as you kept the pace steady, watching the pleasure overtaking her pretty face.

As your thrusts became deeper and harsher, Chaeyoung’s moans become louder and drawn out. You couldn’t believe how tight she was, and the way her juices lubricated your shaft made it easy to thrust as deep inside her as you could. But you still needed more of her, you wanted to fuck her as deep as humanly possible, so you lifted her legs up until her ankles were on your shoulders and pistoned into her roughly.

“Oh! Oh my god, you’re deep! Fuck me deep!”

The wet sounds of her pussy were an absolute delight to hear as you pounded into her, feeling the entire bed moving at the same time. Her tight dripping hole was absolutely sensational, the the hotness of her pink flesh wrapped around your cock you never wanted anything more than to just live inside her forever.

“You’re so fucking hot Chaeyoung. You feel so good, god, I love your pussy.”

“And I love your dick. I love you stretching me so wide, fuck! I’m going to feel it tomorrow and I don’t even care.”

You hugged Chaeyoung’s toned legs as you drilled into her, fast and deep as you had the strength to, staring into her lust-filled eyes with every thrust deep into her tight body, feeling her lips gripping your cock every single time.

You fucked Chaeyoung in this position for what felt like hours, every thrust was deep as could be and the pace was merciless, both of you becoming speechless for several minutes as you both enjoyed the pleasure of each other’s bodies, listening to each other’s loud satisfied moans and groans.

You gradually slowed the tempo down until you were slowly moving inside Chaeyoung. You felt the sweat forming on your forehead, and felt the perspiration on her smooth warm skin as you kept your cock deep inside her for just a while longer.

You pulled out of Chaeyoung entirely and grabbed on to her hips, finally pulling her dress off completely and turned her over on her stomach. She got the hint and got into position onto her hands and knees, that delightful round plump ass raised into the air in front of you. Before you inserted yourself inside her again you gave each of her cheeks a squeeze and a hard slap, the jiggling flesh delighting you to no end.

“You have such a nice ass, Chaeyoung.”

“Glad you like it. I work hard on it.”

You didn’t keep your cock outside of Chaeyoung for long, shoving your cock back inside the comfort of her warm tight pussy and grabbing a handful of her ass with both of your hands as you fucked her from behind. She had gotten wetter as she beautifully arched her back and from this position that allowed for deeper penetration she felt that much more tighter, and you loved the view of her firm ass as you slipped deep in between those thighs and filled her pussy to the hilt.

“I fucking love your cock. God, you feel so fucking deep. I love being filled and I love you fucking me balls deep. Don’t you fucking stop”

Chaeyoung’s tight body was rocked with every harsh thrust, the warm flesh of her delicious ass felt heavenly to the touch and heightened your arousal as you pounded her pussy, her loud moans and sensual gasps let you know that you were doing everything right to pleasure her perfectly.

You felt a grin plastered on your face as you watched Chaeyoung’s hands grabbing full handfull of the sheets, and she buried her pretty face into the pillows in an attempt to dampen her moans. You weren’t having any of it though and grabbed onto her pretty smooth shoulders and pulled her back up, slamming hard into her pretty tight hole as the harsh loud sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the room.

“I want you to be loud for me Chaeyoung, don’t hold back.”

“O-okay, I will, fuck!” she yelped, after a particularly hard thrust. You continued to feel the sweat building on Chaeyoung’s skin, only turning you on more as you fucked her and pulled her back until she was almost completely upright. You hooked both of your arms around the crook of her arms and brought her sweaty hot body to your chest, feeling the new intimate position bringing you closer together

Chaeyoung’s beautiful ass bounced hypnotically as you fucked her hard, your hips slamming against her body as she tilted her head back in deep pleasure, moaning louder than ever.

She felt overwhelmed in this position, without the ability to grab on to anything she felt absolutely crazy. You wrapped one arm around her chest and carefully played with her hard nipples, feeling the metal of her piercings as you pinched and pulled them. Her warm walls tightening more around your cock in response and her hips instinctively pushed backwards against your body, trying to force you deep inside her pussy.

“Fuck...oh my god, you feel so fucking good! Your hard thick cock is going to make me fucking cum again, fuck!”

“Then fucking cum, Chaeyoung.”

You maintained the current position and tempo as you slammed your cock incessantly into Chaeyoung’s tight hungry cunt, feeling her tightening even more and her body tensing up. You continued playing with her sensitive nipples, only driving her to climax that much faster.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna cum, I’m gonna fucking cum!”

Chaeyoung screamed as she climaxed, her body shaking hard as her orgasm took total control of her body and you struggled to keep her upright through it, continuing to fuck her through each intense second of it. You felt the pulsating walls of her pussy squeezing your cock tightly, threatening to force you outside of her body and it took everything you had to keep yourself inside her.

As her orgasm mercifully subsided you let go of the hold you had of her upper body and she crashed to the bed, spent and heavily panting. You didn’t let her relax for a second though as you continued pumping inside her, the pressure from her orgasm being too much and you felt your own orgasm was not far off.

You grabbed onto her hips tightly as you thrusted harshly inside her, pulling her slim body back towards your own as you absolutely drilled your cock into her, savoring those last few moments before your own impending climax. The wet squelch of her pussy and tired moans of Chaeyoung absolutely music to your ears, and you couldn’t take it anymore.

“Chaeyoung...I’m going to cum too.”

The room fell silent except for the sounds of the bed and the loud noises of pleasure from Chaeyoung’s body.

“Chaeyoung…”

“Inside. Cum inside me, please don’t pull out. I want to be filled. I want to feel your cum dripping inside me.”

It was everything you wanted to hear. You fucked Chaeyoung for as long as you could last, hearing her screams and moans as you used all your strength and energy to pump hard inside her.

“Fuck, I’m cumming,” you announced, and within seconds you filled her tight walls with your thick hot load, your body jerking uncontrollably as you filled her pussy to the very brim with your hot seed. Chaeyoung moaned together with you as you finished emptying your balls inside her, filling her cunt with thick spurt after thick spurt as you gave her everything you had left, trapping your cum deep inside her body.

You felt weak and powerless for a moment as your shaft remained buried inside Chaeyoung, her tight body milking you for each and every drop.

As you recovered your senses you gently withdrew your spent cock an inch at a time, squeezing her ass and spreading her pussy open wide and with completely and utter exhaustion you watched the thick dripping creampie slowly escaping from her pink splayed lips and leaking out of her body.

You watched intently the mess you left inside Chaeyoung’s now creamy pussy, she brought a hand in between her folds and collected a bit of your load on her fingertip, bringing it to her lips and tasting it with absolute satisfaction.

“Mmm. Momo did say you tasted good.”

You couldn’t help smile while you crashed against the pillows at the head of the bed, Chaeyoung followed and plopped against your body, draping an arm around your chest. Both of you shared gasps and pants and tired smiles.

“Stay the night,” Chaeyoung demanded, looking up at you her hair now completely out of place and disheveled, sweat on her forehead and eyes glazed over.

You didn’t answer right away, instead focusing on how pretty she looked in the afterglow of sex.

“I can’t. I have work in the morning and my place is on the other side of the city.”

“Then call in sick,” she said, smiling and tracing circles into your chest.

“Trust me, I would love nothing better, but people depend on me for whatever reason. I basically keep that place running.”

Chaeyoung pouted, and then hesitated before speaking again. “It’s not...it’s not because you’re attached to Momo is it?”

The question caught you by surprise. “Momo? No, it’s nothing like that. She’s very attractive, but...no. I’m just a client. I really do have to be at work in the morning.”

Chaeyoung sighed loudly. “Damn you for being responsible.”

“I don’t like it anymore than you do.”

“At least take a shower with me. You owe me that after the pounding you gave me.”

“That I can do. I’d love to shower with you, Chaeyoung.”

“You better. I’ll go start the water.”

Chaeyoung rose out of the bed and you watched her exit, unable to take your eyes off her backside as she disappeared into the bathroom. You knew you were going to regret not waking up to that beautiful face first thing in the morning. Work was important, but not that important.

You couldn’t quite figure out the reason you weren’t staying. Maybe you were attached to Momo, but maybe you weren’t. Chaeyoung certainly was one of the hottest women you had the pleasure of sharing a bed with, but something was holding you back. You didn’t have enough time to process it as you heard Chaeyoung calling to you.

“Come on!”

You would figure it out in the morning. For now you had a hot shower to share with a beautiful woman, and that’s all that mattered in that very moment.

[exquisitley-obsessed]

Scars - Part One (Fred Weasley x OC)

Author: @exquisitley-obsessed

Summary: Scarlett Black, daughter of Sirius Black, has been invited along with Harry and Hermione to the Weasley's Bungalow for the summer before their 5th year. Whilst nice in theory, Scarlett would normally be spending her summer in her father's empty, old flat and finds herself missing the familiarity of that dingy apartment, and feels estranged with the unrelenting love of the Weasley Household. Fred Weasley is the unlikely friend who she finds distracting her from her unique homesickness, and the two find themselves falling into something a little bit bigger and a little more complicated then they could've ever expected.

Word Count: 3412

Pairings: Fred Weasley x OC

Warnings: None

A/N: I’m writing this story on my wattpad account, so if you like it and want early updates then I suggest you go read it over there!

MY MAIN MASTERLIST

It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was nice, arguably more than she deserved, but it wasn't supposed to be like this.

The girl watched as morning light strengthened along the walls, semi in denial that she was even awake. What light that did tumble in from the window was tainted somewhat green form the overwhelming amount of shrubbery outside - it wasn't supposed to be like that. She was used to a navy hum that would sporadically ache through her bruised and battered window, the one that didn't even open. But the one she had now did, and last night someone had thrown it open, unable to cope in the relentless summer heat, and now she could hear the birds as she awoke and even the chatter of her friends in the garden.

It was meant to be comforting, a sentiment that she was now somewhere safe and surrounded by people she loved - but all she seemed to feel was a dull lonely ache sitting in her chest.

"Fine. I'll get up." She whispered, it seemed she could ignore her consciousness no longer and so she sat up and turned to face the dreaded window and the promise that came with it. It was a perfect day, of course. It was day one of the summer holidays, the longest break you get from Hogwarts Wizardry School of Magic and it was late June. Of course, it would be perfect. The sun was sitting proudly in the sky and showed no sign of going anywhere nor weakening in its relentless heat. The green of the hills rolled up and down until they merged with the hazy blue horizon line. It was perfect and warm and welcome - and she hated it.

Looking down she was wearing a sweater that Molly Weasley had made for her last winter - another thing she didn't deserve. Not to mention the bed, though creaky and missing a few planks of wood, it was coated in more homemade blankets and ties of aged cloths, a thousand little scars of love. It seemed as though she were surrounded by so much warmth and kindness, and she didn't know what to do with it. The room was already empty, Hermione and Ginny had already made it downstairs for breakfast. Ginny, the name came with a twinge in her gut. This was her room that she was taking up space in, and she would be for nearly seven weeks.

Pulling on someone's blue sweatpants, the girl took several long breaths before she finally decided to brace the world. The 'world' being the hallway of the Weasley's Bungalow just outside Ginny's room, to which there was no one even there.

Day One, Scarlett thought as she began winding her way down a series of crooked steps, lowering herself closer and closer to the heart of the house, the bubbling kitchen and sitting room which the rest of the house appeared to be occupying. Day One.

The worst part about hating her stay here was the guilt that came with the hatred. She loved the Weasleys, not to mention the fact that both Harry and Hermione were here, it should be heaven for her. Scarlett didn't want to hate being at the Weasley's and in many ways, she didn't hate it here. But the alternative to spending her summer here was spending her summer in the dingy flat her father had somehow managed to buy for her before he was sent away.

In many ways, it was all she had of him, and even though her summer normally consisted of shunning herself away, sleeping her father's bed and quietly getting ahead in all her schoolwork - it was the only time she ever got to appreciate him. When your father is Sirius Black, that's not something you get to speak of casually with others, not even friends she'd realised. Even Harry Potter whom Sirius had taken a great liking to when they were in their third year couldn't seem to relate to how Scarlett felt.

"Scar!" Hermione smiled from where she was squashed between Ron and Harry at the kitchen table, all of them hunkered over a book. "You're awake! Come have a read of this!"

"Finally!" Ginny muttered, rolling her eyes as she shoved a spoonful of cereal in her mouth and leaning against the cabinets. "Are those my sweatpants?"

"Scar!" An overexcited voice tore through the blubber of the kitchen where the entire household, parents and siblings alike, appeared to be gathering - well, not everyone. The latest voice to call her attention luckily prevented Scarlett from having to respond to either party. It was Geroge who was her saviour, half-dressed in quidditch gear and holding a bat in his right hand. "We've got a game of quidditch but the numbers are odd!"

"Oh no," Scarlett muttered dryly.

"Please Scar. It's me versus Bill and Fred."

"George you can't play quidditch with four people."

"'Course y'can, don't be daft."

"George I'm not-"

"Did she say no?" Fred's voice echoed over the returned chatter of the kitchen only seconds before he appeared next to his twin. Fred too was dressed in moth-eaten quidditch year and was sporting an unfazed, dopey grin. "You automatically lose if she won't play Georgie." He proceeded to gloat to his twin as he leaned back against the doorframe, bending his head to the side as he didn't quite fit.

"Oh, no one told me those were the stakes." The sight of Fred appeared to awaken a competitive edge in Scarlett, she had always been closer with him than his brother, but purely in a friendly way. "Oh, George you should've said." Goerge positively gleamed at her change in heart and Scarlett quietly excused herself from the kitchen before slipping away into the early morning sunshine.

"I still don't understand how this works." Scarlett followed the twins looming statures out into the luminous field, squinting through the sun at their lean forms.

"Well, I 'suppose it's not really Quidditch, more of a race really." Fred hung back a bit to fall into step with Scarlett, standing to her right as to block out the sun for her.

"How d'you play?"

"Well, two people from opposing teams take a quaffle and have to go from one end of the pitch to the other, try and score and then loop back around. The other two will be trying to knock 'em down with bludgers. We played it once in practice."

"Must've been off." Scarlett shuddered off her jumper and wrapped it around her waist. She was one of the lesser-known players of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, having only joined after poor Alicia Spinnet got that nasty bludger straight to the face, her nose was never sat quite right after that and she decided to give up quidditch for the time being. Scarlett had only gone along to trials as a joke, turns out she's rather good at running away.

"We'll only do a few rounds."

"You mean, we'll only go until one of us is severely injured." Fred merely grinned down at Scarlett as they entered Bill and Geroge's little step up under the oak tree. At that moment the sun had lit up Fred's blue eyes so that they turned a watery orange and his freckles appeared to glow across his pale skin.

"Oh, Lettie, I love having you around. It's like every day's a gift." Scarlett rolled her eyes, brushing off his personal nickname for her by leaning down and plucking her broom from the stack.

"Right you got the rules?" Bill asked - he was only here for another day or so before he was off to see Fleur in London.

"Think so." Scarlett passed the broom from palm to palm.

"Good. First, it's me and Scar flying whilst the twin's shoot. Then swap, then alternate."

"Yeah, yeah," George muttered, already swinging his beater back and forth. "Let's play."

Scarlett won against Bill, then Fred against George, George also lost to Bill, and then finally, Fred versus Scar. It was nice to be in the air for a change, it was so rare that you ever got such a clean sweep of the field with a quaffle in quidditch. Especially since in recent years the game had upped in competitiveness given the newfound rivalry between Malfoy and Potter. It had been ages since Scarlett could genuinely say she had had a nice game of quidditch.

"Don't go easy on me pretty boy," Scarlett muttered as she set herself up, still rubbing her shoulder from where rather a nasty bludger from Fred hit her on her first round.

"Oh, you think I'm pretty." Fred batted his eyelashes at her, whilst he straddled the branch between his legs, his cotton trousers revealing his thighs as they clenched and re-clenched as he gained his balance.

"Oh for God's-just play." Scarlett kicked off before circling around to the starting point just above the willow trees. Fred was quick to join her, he was incredibly apt on a broom. Scarlett liked quidditch in theory more than in practice, she had taken a fancy to it in her second year when she had had more free time, and she would study different flying styles when she could. Fred was nearly a text-book perfect lean flyer. He was clean and precise and very clearly knew how to manipulate and dominate the broom to fit his needs.

"Play nice with me Lettie, okay?" Scarlett merely scoffed at Fred's faux-innocence.

"In your dreams, Freddie."

And they were off. Had the weather maybe been a bit damper and the pitch a bit more sustainable, Scarlett may as well have been back at Hogwarts on the quidditch pitch, practising with the twins, Harry and Ginny, and on the odd occasion, Ron too. But it was nicer here at the Weasley's Bungalow. The rolling fields were idyllic and the sun-light splashed everything in a clear bright light, not to mention how clean the air was when you were flying, almost like water as it gushed around you.

Scarlett had the upper hand most of the mini-game since she was a trained chaser whilst Fred was for more apt as a beater. Still, Fred liked to play a little dirty since he knew he probably couldn't win naturally. This resulted in Fred sporadically swerving in closer to Scarlett and trying to even circle her as to throw her off course.

Scarlett merely spluttered colourful insults whilst she allowed her body to naturally swerve her this way and that as to avoid him. She couldn't help but be a bit more distracted with Fred flying next to her, he was no longer just an annoying boy but a young man. His newfound height wasn't all that had changed with Fred, he was leaner with quidditch practise, so much so that his old shirts were now just a little to tight the shoulders. His hair was in this soft middle-ground between short and long that usually meant that he was due for a haircut. Not to mention the fact that as he flew he only kept one arm on the broom whilst the other stayed relaxed by his side, the ribbons of muscle-flexing sporadically as he shifted course.

Whether it was Fred's distractions or the distraction of Fred, the bludger that Bill had just launched from her left nearly went entirely unnoticed by Scarlett. It was only when it was metres away that she seemed to notice the oncoming black shadow, pelting towards her, and this resulted in a rather messy dodge that as it turns out, wasn't a dodge at all. The bludger, though missing her, managed to catch the front of her broom which sent her balance entirely off. Suddenly the broom was wild underneath her as it tried to jump itself back into equilibrium. Up, down, left, right - soon Scarlett didn't know which way was up and which way was down.

"Shit, shit, shit-" Scarlett barely heard Fred's voice as he veered closer towards her, she was too concerned over the world spinning around her to take notice of him. Next thing she knew the broom had clearly given up and was now plummeting downwards towards the grassy, yet solid, earth. When that approaching green shadow was only metres away, Scarlett felt a weight colliding with her right side, knocking her off her broom so she fell the last metre before rolling several times with the object in tow.

When the world finally came to a sudden and rather brutal stop, the first and only thing Scarlett seemed to notice was a pair of hands gripping the exposed skin of her waist. It seemed as though in the fall her shirt had somehow ridden up, and the person who had pulled her to safety was now holding the exposed skin. Looking down she saw two freckle-speckled hands holding her against her saviour's chest, three of the fingers had slipped under the fabric of her shirt and were gripping dangerously high on her ribs.

"Sorry!" A voice jolted her, some part of her mind loosely recognised the voice as belonging to Bill who no doubt had been the one to throw the bludger.

"My fault," Scarlett replied, shuffling a little so that she could hide her flushed cheeks by brushing down the grass stains on Ginny's sweatpants. As she moved the hands seemed to realise they were gripping her and slowly disentangled themselves with her shirt.

As Bill and George made their way over Scarlett snuck a look over her shoulder at Fred. He was leaning back on his hands as he sat, his legs outstretched in front of him. He wasn't really looking at anything, just squinting in the sunlight. Scarlett noticed the messy tufting of his hair and the way his shirt had somewhat rolled up near the waistband of his trousers so she could just see the toned, freckled flesh that was hidden there.

"Whoops!" George laughed as he ran up to Fred and Scarlett, reaching down and helping his twin up.

"Good thinking Fred, we almost broke our new house guest." Bill was the one who reached out to help Scarlett up and as he did so he sent her a playful wink and a shake of the hand before he turned and slapped his brother on the back. Fred, in turn, appeared to now be sporting a rather bitter expression towards his brother, as though his kind words were nothing but slander.

"Yeah well, someone's gotta look out for her, she's not used to how you two play quidditch," Fred muttered, and Scarlett was surprised to hear an angry lilt in his voice. He never got annoyed, or angry - and if he did he would normally always play it off with a joke.

"Sorry Scar that's my fault," Bill said again, pulling her in for a half-hug.

"Ugh, would you guys stop worrying. It was nothing! I'm not even hurt." Scarlett rolled her eyes and turned to retrieve her broom, praying with everything she had that it wasn't damaged - God knows she couldn't afford a new one. "It was basically like a wake-me-up."

"Still, we'll be more careful in the future." Fred finally smiled at her, and that dark cloud above him seemed to pass.

"Don't you dare. God knows the other houses won't go easy on us, why the hell should we go easy on each other."

"Fair point, fair point," George muttered, and with that, the party appeared to decide that that was enough Quidditch for one day - well, at least for one morning.

Bill and George decided that to make up for their meanness and to be 'gentlemen' they'd be the ones to take the kit back to the shed whilst Fred and Scarlett could wind their way back to the Bungalow. For a small while the two didn't speak as they fell into step with one another, and Scarlett couldn't help but wonder if Fred was thinking the same as her - thinking about how it felt to have Fred clutching her bare skin, whilst he was flushed against her back, pinning her to the floor.

"You want to tell me what's been getting you down." Fred eventually spoke and Scarlett couldn't help but blush, some part of her was worried Fred could hear her gushing thoughts.

"What?"

"Oh please, ever since you found out you were spending summer here you've been positively miserable."

"Shut up."

"I'm being serious, hey-" Fred jumped forward and twisted so that he was now standing in front of her, looking down at her with a suddenly serious glare. "I don't mean to take the piss, I know sometimes me and George can take things too far but if you're really upset then-"

"Fred I'm fine." Scarlett squinted up at him, Fred's sudden mood change had taken her by surprise. "Just homesick y'know." Even though Scarlett by no means wanted to continue the conversation, at least not yet, she didn't want to move on and disrupt the moment. It was quite nice to have a few personal seconds with Fred, she had never really had a chance to before, not if you count passing comments in the Gryffindor changing room. It was just, nice.

"Shit, that doesn't look fine." Fred's eyes at some point must have trailed southwards as he was now wincing at the sight of Scarlett's shoulder, only semi-covered by a tank top. There on her shoulder was a flowering pink bruise that no doubt was going to blacken over the next few days.

"Eh, you know I've had worse." The Gryffindor rule was that if you didn't come out with an in injury then you clearly weren't playing hard enough.

"Still..." Fred muttered. "I did that?" Without thinking Fred reached out and pulled the strap of her tank top an inch off her shoulder to get a better look at the flushed skin. The movement appeared perfectly natural to him and he merely continued to study the injury he'd caused, his finger fluttering lightly over the colourful pattern the bludger had painted. But Scarlett seemed frozen in place, all of sudden, it was like a million things hit her.

The golden light that was bouncing of his skin, the way he had some pale grass stuck in the orange tufts of his hair, the less prominent freckles that clustered across his nose and temples. Not only that but right then and there, she could smell him, and it was Fred's smell. It was warm and welcoming, a familiar musk that had been around her every time she'd been near him, she had just never noticed it.

"I'm fine," Scarlett whispered once more, not trusting her voice to speak much louder. How long had this feeling been there, how many times had she confused it for something else? All these years she'd watch him fall in and out with girls and just thought he saw her as a little sister to him. She herself had been with other boys but, Fred had always been a shoulder to cry on. Was this even possible?

Fred's eyes came back to hers for just a moment and another thousand questions lurched in Scarlett's mind.

"Okay." Fred eyed her warily, as though he were not convinced, but he slipped the strap of her tank top delicately back over her shoulder.

"I'm fine!" She laughed throwing her hands in the air.

"Whatever you say, Lettie." He turned back around and started pacing again, and Scarlett couldn't help but feel her heart drop a little. Didn't he want to stay out here a bit longer where there was no one to eavesdrop on their conversation? Clearly not.

"Can't believe it's my first day here and I'm already battered and bruised."

"Did you really expect anything different?"

"No...can't say that I did." She smiled up at him and he smiled down at her. And then all of a sudden they were back in the brimming kitchen and someone was pushing a plate of food in Scarlett's hands and Molly was scolding her for playing on an empty stomach and everything was normal.

And then Fred sent Scarlett a wink over his shoulder before he disappeared upstairs to get changed and Scarlett felt a warmness flush throughout her chest. Maybe everything wasn't normal - maybe Scarlett had just found something to make this summer, bearable.

[parisa-astra15]

~♪ Rhythm of Your Heart ♪~ (Days 3-7)

Summary: A series of compilation  stories set in my College Alternate Universe, where the  Lolirock cast are just normal  teenagers heading off to college trying to figure out life while settling into adulthood. Musically set to the tunes of Marianas Trench. 

Ships: Talisto, Levyna, NatIris,ZackPrax, Rorissa and MattAuri a few others sprinkled in there. 

*If it’s not your cup of Tea that’s 100% fair, go enjoy  all the other awesome content from the fandom ~

**If you are here for Talisto week 2020, welcome! Hope you like  the stories!

Day 3: First Kiss 

The sound of music and dancing was the universal sign of a good time. She had come out tonight to feel normal again. Enough time had passed and yet here she was.

Talia blended into the crowd and began to sneak out of a party, purposely avoiding her friends, taking the route off the roof by using the fire escape. She frowns as tears stung her eyes as she hugs her arms softly. After a few steps she sighed leaning against  the wall taking a  seat outside of Lev’s apartment. She wanted to leave, but it was a shitty thing to leave without saying anything to Iris and Auriana. This only made the pressure of anger in her lower abdomen  knot and twist as she took a seat on the steps of  the fire escape.

What  brought on this mixture of melancholy and angry frustration? A stupid song, her ex’s favorite song, it had been a month since she and Kyle had broken up.  And some dumb song shouldn't make her feel so many emotions all once, it was like remembering something she had desperately to forget and bury yet couldn't.

Suddenly there was a click from the sliding  door opening and a surprise gaze of a young burgundy hair man holding a bowl of chips. He looked surprised to find her there.

She knew him vaguely from campus, he was in the drama department with Lev, and he noticed her  crying because his first words to her were. 

"Hey… are you okay?"  He asked softly, looking at her. "You like you've been crying…"

Talia gave half a sigh mixed with a dry laugh "....Just… heard my Ex's favorite song play...I don't  know  its stupid" he took a seat across from her and gave a small smile.  "Hey, no… it's not dumb...I'm a theater kid… if there's one thing we know is a broken heart… Now unless you want to belt out a ballad of  self empowerment, Talking about it usually  helps. And who better than someone you probably won't see again" he winks at her which made her smile, the  joke helped to ease any tension or embarrassment she felt. There was something in his eyes that gave an air of kindness. She gave a nod "he was my highschool sweetheart…. " she started 

The hours passed and she told him, her story,  of how she was with this guy for years and all of the sudden he just broke up with her because her college was too far away and long distance relationships don't work. They passed around the snacks till the empty bowl was all that was left. Finally when she finished Talia took a deep sigh of relief, she had no idea how long she  had kept that inside her chest. Locked up under the guise of self control and keeping up appearances that she was fine. To share it with someone felt nice, she felt heard and looked at Mephisto who had processed the whole ordeal with her. 

At first he frowns "Wow…that's such a jerk move….just everything he did it sounds like he was just looking for a excuse to break up and instead of talking to you and not completely blindsiding you he just one day decided to be jerk and make up an excuse…." He said sighing deeply as he ran his fingers through his hair and looking at her with a soft gaze.  "He genuinely doesn't deserve you. When he grows up and realizes that. I hope he has enough backbone to apologize for what he's done…as for you feeling sad…. It happened a month ago. You should let yourself grieve, However you want to. It was a long  relationship, a relationship you put a lot of your heart into loving them and that doesn't just go away… It may have been for him, but that took a while and he had his time to figure his feelings. So should you. You didn't wake up one day with the thought that everything was leading up to a break up. You genuinely thought things were okay between you two and suddenly they weren't, you need time to process that. You know?"

"I…. Thank you…." She whispers and nods "that's really solid advice… and I never considered letting myself do that… I'm the tough one you know… nothing gets to me…." She sniffles a bit wiping her face with the back of her hand.

He shook his head "no one can be okay after that…it's okay to feel and recover…"

Talia made a small noise of agreement "Hey, let's get out here and enjoy the party….could I know your name?" She asked as she got up, he gave a nod and smiled getting up too. "Mephisto, it's an honor to make your acquaintance milady " he said in a dramatic manner making her laugh  "I'm Talia, thanks for hearing me out." She leans over and kisses his cheek softly, just an innocent kiss on the cheek as they headed upstairs to the party. Mephisto felt a small blush on his cheeks "aw, it's no biggie… I'd do it any time… hey do know the Coffee place on Bartley street?"

"Yeah, the book shop?"

"I hang out there, mostly to read scripts and drink coffee if you ever want to hang out?"

Talia smiles "sounds like fun"

They were unaware of it at the time but a friendship was made that night on the fire escape.

Day 4: Retro Fashion 

Talia had never considered performing  in a fashion  show before but Lyna had put in so much effort into her  final project. Lyna had sat in several of Talia’s american history courses  to learn about the 1920’s. Her professors were surprised to find out the curious young lady with the lengthy notes wasn’t actually enrolled in the courses and was actually a  fashion major. 

Throughout the  semester  Lyna would come over  with revised  sketches of the gowns she was making. Asking Talia for advice on accessories and accuracy. Which was more than happy to give feedback but she was  genuinely caught off guard and  flattered when Lyna asked her to model  the stunning gown inspired by the ever glamorous Josphine Baker.  “Of course” She smiles. It was a strapless  black and white ball gown decorated and accessorized with her signature pearls. 

The collection  was something  her friend had worked so hard on. Talia was happy to support her.

Later that afternoon, she sat on the  counter top as Mephisto chopped vegetables for dinner. 

“So are you free next Saturday afternoon?”  She asked. Mephisto glances over as he  reaches over his head  for a  bowl on the shelf. “ Yeah I  should be  done with  finals”

“Do you want to come to a fashion show?” 

“Fashion show?” He smiles “ Are you modeling  for Lyna’s  Final?”

“Yeah.” She blushes a bit “ Do you think it's silly” 

“ Now why would I  ever think that? I think it's gonna be awesome” He kisses her pouty cheek. “ I’m going to take so many pictures~”

“Oh my  god” 

“ and Facetime Izira.” 

She laughs burying her face into his shoulder blade “You are such a  dork” 

“ You love it” He grins.

Day 5: Sport AU

Author’s note:  I know nothing about  sports, Zero. Nada.  My knowledge  of sports comes from sports animes and I watch them for the cute boys and nothing else.So! Instead  have   Praxina, Mephisto and Talia trying out Auriana’s  pilates’s class.

Praxina’s frown deepens as she glares at her brother “ You have  5 minutes to explain why I’m here.” Talia looked  equally exasperated at her  boyfriend who, being the only morning person of the trio grins. “ I figured finals  stressed us  out and Auriana is teaching her  first  pilates  class so let's go be good friends and get some exercise too!.” He said  with a grin as the girls gave a groan  “ You are  making us  breakfast  after this”  Praxina yawns.  “ yeah” Talia smiles softly “ you  do know  Auriana’s  classes aren’t  beginner friendly  right… She’s tough.” 

Mephisto pales a bit realizing he  might have made a  mistake. ”Oh-”  They headed up to the studio  greeted warmly by the  chipper redhead who claps  her hand together. “ Alright  Class!  Lets have an awesome  warm up!”   While Talia and Praxina both being  dancers could easily  keep up with the beat and tempo  set by Auriana. Mephisto was having trouble just keeping his breathing in  check. 

This was just a warm up. He was doomed. After the  class, the group  ended up in the small apartment where  Praxina  lived with her  dog  Brutus. Mephisto lays on his sister's couch his body feeling like  jelly as Brutus the  pomeranian lays on his back.  “  You should have just sat down after  the warm up”  Talia said sips  on her water. Watching him from her seat  on the love seat across  the  coffee table from him.

“No that was quitter talk, Can’t stop, won’t stop!” He said muttering into the couch cushions as  Praxina  laughs walking over picking up Brutus  “ He just hates being  wrong, I don’t know where he gets this competitive  attitude from~”  Praxina comments to Talia before she grins and leans over to his ear and says “ I’m the alpha twin, now~”  “Ahhh” His muffled groan came from the couch making the  girls laugh as they order breakfast off their phones since their  cook was down  count.  Overall the  stress of test week is long  forgotten.

Day 6+7 Gift Giving at the School Festival

Author’s  note: Roark belongs to Kireiscorner~ I asked her before borrowing him~ 

It was a silly  campus  tradition, past over from one  generation to the next.  On the evening of the School Festival, to  give a  gift to your  significant other before the firework’s show. Mephisto had always thought his  mother’s  story  was a little corny, but the romantic in him  had also found  it a little  sweet.

He wanders around the shopping  district, his  eyes  looking in the  different stores looking  for the  right  gift. He had his heart set on finding a pair of earrings that match her  favorite  bracelet.  “ Young man!”  A  sing-song  voice  called from a small  stall. “ You look like a  crafty  gentleman~ Would like to buy our  jewelry crafting set! Only  3 installments  of 29.99!” 

Mephisto pointed to himself and gave a thought he must look  desperate by now because he was actually  walking  over. “ Hold it” A  familiar  voice  stopped him.  “ yikes man… you  weren’t actually  going to buy  kiosk  craft kits-” Lev said walking over wrapping an arm around his best friend and  shaking his head at  sales girl “ Sorry  sweetheart, not today” He winks at her as the  kiosk sale girl glares at him. 

Mephisto sighs “ I’m a little desperate… I’ve been looking for a  gift for Talia all morning and I’ve come up empty... Please tell me your Father owns a discount jewelry shop?” 

“Nope, my old man owns and sells engagement rings and high end jewelry… but I know a man who might be able to help”  Lev grins as they head out of the  bustling  area to a quiet shop.  It was an antique shop  designed on  restoring metal pieces.  “ Hey Roark buddy, you in?”  Lev called out as a massive man  walked out from the back.  He gave a small grunt  greeting them  with a welcome.  “ Roark buddy,  this is  Mephisto.  Mephisto, this is my  buddy  Roark.  He’s  in the robotics  department with me.   His  family owns this  shop. Bud, we are in a bit  of  a time  crunch. Do you mind if  Mephisto here looks around the  jewelry  section?”   Roark  gave a  shrug and  continued working on the counter as  Lev showed him over to the  section of the counter  where the  restored  jewelry  was found.   Mephisto’s  eyes  light up when he spotted them,  sapphire  earrings  restored from old gold.  “ How  much?!”  Roark  gave a tired  look as he got up and  fetched the  earrings  they were around 95. Mephisto  looked at everything  he had saved up.  That would leave him with 30 in pocket for anything at the  festival.  He nodded “ Okay… Could I get  wrapped in a box?  Blue please!”  

Lev watched him with a small smile “ You really like this  girl, huh…” 

Mephisto blushes “ Yeah… I do… I just want to make her smile.” 

Lev chuckles “ It’s  nice to see you this  happy again.”  Roark came out the back, the earrings wrapped up in a  small box, tucked neatly in a paper shopping bag.  “ Thank you for your purchase,”  Roark said.  “ Thanks  Roark you’re  the  best  buddy”  Lev winks as  Roark rolled his eyes with a small grin. 

 Mephisto  paid and  thanked him too.  

Hours passed and Mephisto couldn’t help but  enjoy  every moment he spent with Talia, this whole  year by her side had been  special to him.  He helps her over to a nice spot to watch the  fireworks where it wasn’t too crowded. “ Hey… So… It's… kind of a  corny tradition but tonight some  couples exchange  gifts… and I wanted to give you  something…” He pulled out the small box from his  jacket pocket.  

“It's a thank you for being you and  sharing yourself with me.”   Talia eyes  widen and a blush  spread  all over her  face “ Thank you… but I didn’t know-”

“Yeah it's okay  you aren’t  from here so I figured you wouldn’t  exactly know the  stories… But It wouldn’t  have  felt  right to  celebrate  without telling you how I felt.”   

She blushes brightly as she  kisses him “ You idiot... I  love you… Thank you… I can’t  wait to celebrate with you  next year…”  She  whispers hugging him close. 

“That’s a  promise” He smiles holding her  close as the  fireworks begin.

===========The  End============

Author’s Note:  And that was  Talisto week 2020  everyone!~ As always  thanks  for your  support! It was awesome to see everyone  again~  and to  celebrate with you all - Lots of love as always, Kikki~

[readingsbylibramc]

birth chart reading for @kapists

hello! welcome to your reading. I’m gonna give you a quick overview of what I’m going to analyze about your natal chart. feel free to ask me anything if something isn’t clear, of course. you’ll find out your dominants’ influence on your persona, your physical appearance, impression on others and the way you approach the world; your ego, identity, the real you; your reactions, your desires, inner emotions; your way of expressing your feelings, your mind and ideas; your desires and approach to love; your energy tank, instincts and temperament; in-depth analysis of each house with their rulers and analysis of heavy aspects; love life + soulmates/karmic partners interpretation; your relationship with your friends; your family life; your approach to career and work in general + possible jobs suggestion; your style, fashion sense analysis; life purpose and past life description; basic transits’ analysis to describe your current mood and, last but not least, your secret skills, how to make the most out of your soul and manifest what you desire based on your birth chart.

🦋 chart shape, dominants

your chart is a splay shape, meaning that your planets are located randomly in different groups in your chart. people with this type of chart are usually very talented at different things. they can focus their attention on different matters, from family, to work, to love. everything is important for you, and you try to live your life to the fullest. you may be particularly talented at things that require action, it doesn’t matter whether it’s physical or mental. you may be very good at sports, dancing… or maybe you’re good at leading, you could easily be the boss on your work place. since you’re interested in so many things, you could easily be skilled at all of them to be honest. my advice would be to pick the hobby that is most important for you and care about it more than the others. that’s because people with this chart usually tend to do so many things that they may lack precision. it’s better to give all of yourself to what’s important for you.

your dominant planets are the sun, uranus and venus. you're an easy-going and bubbly person with great goals for life. you're probably an avid dreamer, and you want to be recognized for your success and skills in life. you probably love having fun, you're very creative and also romantic as well.

your dominant sign is capricorn. you're hard-working and stubborn, once you have something in your mind no one can stop you. you strive to be the best at what you care about, especially in work. you're very polite, and this may even make you seem snob sometimes. actually, you're a very loyal person, who's also a great listener.

your dominant element is fire. you have a warm heart, even though it may be covered by your confidence and indipendence at first. in fact, you always strive for the first place. people may be intimidated by your presence, as you're a serious competitor. thanks to this competitive nature of yours you may be very positive and optimistic, making you a good and supportive friend/partner.

🌎 ascendant in capricorn, 13° / 2nd decan ruled by saturn and venus

the most affectionate and approachable capricorn decan. you're a vivacious person, yet your heavy capricorn influence may make you feel restricted to share your vitality with others. others' first impression of you is that you look like some sort of authority, someone who needs to be respected. even when you're joking, you still have this seriousness to your aura that is hard to go unnoticed. you care about your manners, and just your overall impression in general. you may take extra care of your clothes, your hair etc. you don't want to look disorganized, in fact you probably own an agenda or even just write your appointments somewhere. you have a cautious approach to the world, you're very responsible, especially when people you love are involved. you may have a resting bitch face, even though your jupiter conjunct the ascendant and your sun dominance probably help you mitigate this. generally speaking, you still have a serious look on your face that looks quite intimidating. you also look introverted, and you most probably are. you're very modest, and that's because you're secretly kind of insecure about your appearance. you always feel like you're not enough, and that you constantly have to improve yourself to be accepted. this gets better with time, though. physically, you're probably very attractive and don't realize it! especially with your scorpio midheaven. you may have an amazing bone structure, with high cheeckbones, a defined jawline and naturally straight, pleasant teeth. you may probably also have an amazing posture and walk, even though you may suffer from scoliosis or other bones diseases in your early years. you may also have an olive skintone or any kind of warm undertones, together with very fluffy, flowy and thick hair.

capricorn ascendant square libra moon: you may have troubles understanding others’ real feelings for you. you may feel as if everyone hates you, like everyone is talking behind your back when it’s the opposite. the ascendant being in capricorn doens’t help either, as this aspect enhances its trust issues even more. you’re particularly sensitive about others’ view and opinion of you, you may get deeply hurt when people criticize you. you could have the tendency to act differently than you usually do, in order to preserve your feelings. this is obviously a toxic behaviour, that fills you up with your own stress and doubles it. due to that, you may become very moody and nervous, ending up hurting others yourself. or maybe, it’s the other way around; your feelings are so overwhelming that you can’t hide them, and that could put you in embarrassing, unpleasant situations. you may show all of your emotions on your face, ready to be read, therefore you end up feeling ashamed of your own emotions. the way to cope with this placement is finding someone similiar to you; someone who’s trust-worthy, and very sensitive and empathetic too. someone who’d never judge you for what you think or say, and that would always help you becoming the best version of yourself. someone that understands you, without having to explain all of your behaviours and habits.

capricorn ascendant conjunct capricorn jupiter: this is a placement that I find extra beneficial considering your saturn dominance. you're very benevolent and supportive of others, you're probably the type of friend who would do anything to help their mates, and you'd do also defend them if necessary. you are fun to be around, you have a nice sense of humor and people just love being around you, you have this particular charisma to you that makes everyone want to stick around you. you're extremely fun to be around, and you may also be very sociable, or at least you have the potential to be. you're probably very lucky, you may come across extremely beneficial opportunities in your life, and that's actually your way to achieve the best success you could ask for. you need to step out of your comfort-zone and challenge yourself in what life offers you. it was all meant to be, but with jupiter in this position you mostly attract beneficial situations to you.

capricorn ascendant square aries saturn: you may be shy and have self-esteem issues, especially during your early years. because of that, you may often appear as insecure to others, or even unreliable. you have a strong desire to be with someone and commit to them, you despise superficial bonds, but at the same time you may find yourself being too shy to approach others, especially during your early years. luckily, I feel like the effect of this aspect is mitigated by your sun in leo, which makes you more confident. you may not be the most confident person on earth, but you're not the most insecure either. this may apply more to the younger you, actually. you don't feel much comfortable around other people, and others can sense that; your insecurity is exposed to the world, and some may take advantage of that to hurt your feelings. you're afraid of being judged, whether it's for your appearance, or maybe because of your ideals or interests. hence, you end up becoming reserved. this is something that will be solved through growth and time; the older you get, the easier you'll be on yourself. also, thanks to this aspect, you're a responsible person with defined values. to cope with this placement, I'd suggest you to do what makes you feel the best. there are different ways to boost your self-esteem, so maybe you can work on that and then start expressing yourself freely; if you do it without the fear of being judged, you will shine even more.

🌞 sun in leo, 0° / 1st decan ruled by the sun

just like the sun, you shine brightly. you're confident, independent, brave and friendly. you're the only who can handle your life, no one can tell you who you are, what you want or what you need. sometimes you can get insecure, as you feel pressured to always be perfect. you try to be nice and kind to everyone, as you don't wanna be seen as someone unpleasant to be with. even though you may be into gossip and rumors, you try to avoid being involved with them at every cost. the thing with leo is, you're either loved or hated. no inbetween. some may admire your confidence, assertiveness and determination, others may be jealous of you. you have celebrity-like presence, you don't go overlooked. you're most probably the life of the party, and you enjoy living a life full of fun and amusement. you're also amazingly creative. with your heavy leo influence, you have the potential to do and achieve whatever you want, you're very resolute. even though you look very open to getting to know new people, you're secretly very picky about who you call your friends, or even when choosing a partner. you always try to be perfect, and hence you want someone that looks and tries just like you do.

🌙 moon in libra, 17° / 2nd decan ruled by venus and uranus

the most independent and creative libra decan. in life, you strive for equality and fairness. for example, you don’t want to give less than someone else, you would feel guilty about it. at the same time, you don’t want to be the one that gives more either; you’re afraid that people could take advantage of you. therefore, balance is what you find the most pleasant. ironically, you struggle to keep the same balance in yourself, though. you may appear a bit emotionally cold, as you don’t feel comfortable showing your true self due to your secrecy. you come off as kind of analytical, but you’re actually very romantic. you wish the world was just filled with love and peace, and you that you didn’t have to worry about malice or anything of that type. you hate vulgarity, and you try to be as kind as possible with your words, even though you may be too straight-forward and fail at that. even if you’re an introvert, you may know a lot of people. yet, you have troubles actually creating close bonds with others. you basically have more acquaintances than friends. you’re a nice mediator, you know how to get along with others and make others get along.

libra moon square capricorn jupiter: you enjoy making different experiences and living your life to the fullest, making you also a risk-taker. you may lack self-control, especially with your luxury-loving libra moon. with this trait you get bored easily, and you may have a reputation for being flaky. you tend to overindulge; you may spend too much money, or even develop eating disorders like binge-eating. at least, you're able to build your life again and have a fresh start, but you risk to get stuck in this cycle. you have the potential to master different talents, but you may struggle to develop them due to this placement. you're a procrastinator, and you find it hard to focus on more things at the same time. you may also attract people with different beliefs and ideas from you, causing you to fall out with them easily. there are also positive sides to this placement, though! you're probably naturally lucky, even though luck may not always be by your side. you have a nice sense of humor, making you more likeable to contrast your capricorn rising.

🗣 mercury in leo, 12° / 2nd decan ruled by the sun and jupiter

you take a lot of pride in your intellect and ideas. leo is a fixed sign, hence you’re quite stubborn with your thoughts. you have a spectacular way of speaking, almost dramatic, that could make you come off as a know-it-all. when telling stories, you may exaggerate a bit, but at least you’re entertaining to listen. you could also gesticulate a lot while speaking, and maybe you like mimicking voices as well. you aim to express your feelings through creativity, it’s very important for you to write poetry, songs, drawings etc., it’s also a way to relieve stress and worries. your way of speaking is very attractive, it’s like a magnet. with this charisma of yours, it’s impossibile not to listen to you, you most likely have an extremely soothing and entertaining tone of voice. you would do amazing as a teacher or even as a (voice) actor, especially with your leo dominance too, as you’re able to fully convey your emotions in your speech.

❤️ venus in gemini, 18° / 2nd decan ruled by mercury and venus

this is the flirtiest, most romantic gemini decan, but also the flakiest and most indecisive. your flirting style most probably includes jokes, teasing… stuff like that. even though you may seem flaky, as you like experiencing romance with different types of people, you’re actually quite picky. in fact, in order to fall for someone, you need to feel mentally attracted to them, not just physically. someone ignorant and stubborn that doesn’t care about learning something more definitely isn’t for you. you’re not the type to be super romantic and sweet with your partner or just people in general. you show your affection for example by sending them memes, making ironic jokes about them etc. also, when you’re into someone, you probably get very talkative! you start asking them simple questions about their life, even things like 'did you have lunch?’. also, you talk about them with all of your friends, and you find yourself thinking costantly about them. you’re very curious of nature, but you’re only interested in getting to know what catches your eye.

☄️ mars in gemini, 27° / 3rd decan ruled by mercury and uranus

you’re driven by the sense of intelligence. your intellect is your greatest strenght, it’s your energy tank. you’re interested in a bunch of things, and hence you may have troubles staying focused on one thing at the time. you probably have tons of hobbies, and you may end up not being much precise since you have tons of things that you have and want to do. you can’t stand boredom, you need your day-to-day life to be exciting and, above all, offer you something new to learn and / or experience. you probably fancy being very active: you go out often, you workout, you may also be the type to love partying and things like that. you’re extremely witty and curious, and you want to live your life to the fullest. you may often change your style, your opinions, maybe even your personality, and that could make you seem confusing and / or unreliable.

gemini mars square aries saturn: this is placement indicates that something or someone is trying to restrict you, they're trying to prevent you from following your dreams and taking your own choices for your life. that someone is most likely an individual that has a lot on impact on you, it's someone very authoritative. or perhaps, it may even be a bully or abuser of any sort. as a result, you either rebel and get extremely angry, or you hide all of your disappointment inside of you. but soon or after, all of your intense feelings are going to eat you alive if you keep going like this, it's a very unhealthy behaviour. you could find it extra hard to achieve your goals, as when you try you always come across some hardships. what matters the most, is that you try to be more positive, you could even try manifesting more patience or serenity. you can't hold onto anger so much, or it will just fill you with negativity that could damage you. let it all go, focus on your goals and try to understand how to be more patient. in fact, you may often feel like you need to do everything as soon as possible, when it's not like that. you can allow yourself to be more calm and live life as it comes, it will make you feel much better with yourself and you'll also get more mature, which is crucial to learn your saturnian lessons and increase your self-confidence.

🏡 houses, interceptions

your 1st house is in capricorn. neptune and uranus are both here as well. with these two planets here, you seem less intimidating than the typical capricorn rising. in fact, you may look more on the dreamy, reserved side. uranus also makes you stand out from the crowd, you’re very charismatic in your own way. you could be of average height or even tall, or at least you have long arms, legs and / or fingers. with your first house in capricorn, you care a lot about your status and about your goals. you always give the best of yourself, and you want to be acknowledged and praised for your achievements. it helps boosting your self-esteem, even though you may have the tendency to think that the compliments you receive aren’t honest. with the ruler of the 1st house being in the 2nd house, you fully embrace your identity when you feel stable, both emotionally and financially. you could feel happy and confident when you can go shopping, when you take care of yourself, or perhaps when you see the results of something, like losing weight after working out. you base your self-esteem more on concrete things rather than emotional support.

your 2nd house is intercepted in the sign of pisces, with the cusp falling in aquarius. saturn is also intercepted. I feel like you’re the type of person to daydream about having a lot of money, self-esteem… perhaps, you’d love to workout or do something to change your appearance, yet you struggle to take action and try to do what you want to do. you may even idealize your possessions too much, which eventually lets you down, as you realize that you need to work hard to achieve much less than what you dream about. overall, you constantly overlook your skills and worth, and that makes you act more submissive, like a victim. with also intercepted saturn being in this house, you may be particularly sensitive to criticism, you’re afraid that others may see you as weird or different from them. I find that this placement connects well with your other placements; probably, your insecurity comes from an authoritative figure in your life that didn’t show you the right way. someone that has a big influence on you taught you some wrong ideals, and this makes you lack some sort of piece in you that makes you understand your own value. this can only be solved as you grow up, as you’ll make more experiences that will allow you to understand that you’re worth it. also, since aquarius is in the house cusp, you can also rely on rebellion. of course it doesn’t have to be fiery, but being independent would be highly benenficial both for your self-confidence and even financial matters.

your 3rd house is in aries. when you communicate, you take a lot of pride in your opinions. you hate admitting that you’re wrong, especially since you’re a perfectionist. you could be quite impulsive, and you may speak with a naturally loud tone of voice. you’re extremely good at coming up with plans easily, even though I feel like you may struggle to stick to them due to your heavy gemini presence in your chart. with the ruler of the 3rd house in the 6th house, you may make money out of communication. hence, you could be a teacher, a therapist, a psychologist… everything that involves the use of words in some way. this is a placement that indicates that your future career involves not only communication, but also healing someone in some way. you could become a writer or a musician, as art can heal people in an indirect way. or maybe, you would also do well as a counselor or as a nurse, as they’re more challenging jobs where you need to communicate in order to help someone out.

your 4th house is in taurus. your childhood wasn’t very turbulent, it was actually quite serene. your parents were most likely a bit strict with you, possibly even violent, but nothing too serious. you most probably were a very artistic and creative child, but maybe your parents didn’t want you to focus so much on your creativity, and in general they could have interferred in pretty much most of your choices. the ruler of the 4th house, venus, is in the 5th house: you may end up following your parents’ same steps when it comes to hobbies and / or fun. you might have also been a very creative and bubbly kid, perhaps you used to eat a lot and didn’t gain weight, or you’ve always had lots of hobbies in your life that you still enjoy. you may also feel comfortable around children or in any fun situation in general, like a vacation. you may adapt very easily.

your 5th house is in gemini, with also venus placed there. you feel able to express yourself and your creativity through communication and media. probably, when you were a child you used to love puzzles. your hobbies are quite different from each other, and they have the goal to stimulate your mind in some way. in fact, since gemini is ruled by mercury, you’re probably interested in anything that involves communication. you may love reading or even writing yourself, and perhaps you could also be talented at acting or at least voice acting, you’re very expressive. you’re able to convey your thoughts clearly in your speech, and you may actually be good at mimicking others’ voices as well. you could also be a talented singer. also, since you share the same ruler, gemini, in both the fifth and sixth house, I’d truly recommend you to turn a hobby of yours into a job. hence, if you’re into acting, you should try becoming an actress; if you like singing, you may become a singer, if you’re into writing, you should become a writer, and so on. it’d be the most pleasant and suitable job for you. the 5th house is already about arts, love and fun, but the presence of venus here enhances this even more; you're probably fond of romance, you like being liked by someone and loving someone else yourself.

your 6th house is also in gemini. in your daily routine, especially at work, you have to communicate a lot. you come in contact with lots of people, or maybe you write stuff like blogs or books. generally, you have a very hectic schedule, as you have different hobbies and appointments that you can’t abandon. your mars is also placed in this house: this placement indicates that you may be prone to overwork yourself, as you put a lot energy in your job. you could be quite superficial in a certain sense, and you’d risk to waste your potential with as you may take your job as a challenge, for example, you need to feel mentally stimulated to like it. in fact, your ideal career has to include something that allows you to express your personal taste, ideas and interests. in this way, it won’t feel too heavy to you, and you’ll find pleasure in working. side note, but this placement also indicates that you may often date co-workers. you may also be prone to hurt yourself easily, perhaps you may trip often or find yourself having random bruises and / or scratches all over your body. or maybe, you may actually suffer from some disease. the ruler of the 6th house is in the 7th house: this placement indicates thay you may work in an environment filled with people, you may have to communicate directly to others. or perhaps, you may often date your co-workers or people you meet at your work place in general. you will most likely get to meet your future spouse there.

your 7th house is in cancer. in marriage, you’re looking for an affectionate and caring partner who’s willing to nurture you. you’re also the type to like younger people to nurture by yourself, even though your heavy leo dominance points out that you’d rather be in a relationship where your partner is older and can be the one to take care of you. you can’t have the burden of controlling someone else, especially if you have yet to solve your identity issues caused by your interceptions. your future spouse most likely comes from your same city or at least from your country, you most likely share the same religion, culture, language, etc. they’ll literally feel like home to you, perhaps you’ll have a more serene family with them rather than with your parents. also, in a partner you value feelings above all. you probably don’t have a high sex drive, or at least you don’t care about physical affection as much as your feelings. also, mercury here indicates that your future spouse will be someone very intelligent and talkative, someone that is always down for deep talks. you will feel comfortable sharing your private thoughts and feelings with them.

your 8th house is intercepted in the sign of virgo, with the cusp falling in leo. you may be too critical and pragamatic when it comes to taboo topics, such as sex or spirits. you may be skeptical, even though you’re intrigued by them, and hence you can’t make up your mind. you’re critical about these topics, and hence you may attract critical people too. for example, since the cusp of the house falls in leo, it’s possible that you may attract people that appear as very sunny and bubbly, yet they reveal themselves to be your enemies, talking behind your back. also, since mars is also intercepted, I feel like you also have troubles being intimate with someone on an emotional level. you struggle to create long-lasting bonds, perhaps exactly because you may be too picky or critical of others. you value honesty above all, yet people may often lie to you. to cope with this intense interception, you need to understand your value and gain self-confidence. people take advantage of you because they notice your insecurity; if you show a bold yet bright presence, no one will try to betray you again. love yourself first.

your 9th house is in libra. your beliefs and life philosophies were shaped by the outside world. that doesn’t mean you’re basic; you just don’t look enough in yourself, you prefer taking inspiration from others. in fact, when you realize that you don’t feel attached to a certain topic or opinion, you just leave it behind and seek other truth. you hate being told what to do, you want to be free in the decisions you make. your libra moon is also placed in this house; it could be that your family is bilingual / foreign, or perhaps they have a different religion / culture. you could also live abroad, possibly with them. or at least, your childhood was filled with experiences, you might have travelled a lot. your parents may also be academically successful, and you may have to travel a lot in your life, perhaps for your marriage. you could possibly meet your spouse abroad. the ruler of the 9th house is in the 5th house: you may enjoy hobbies that involve travelling, foreign languages, culture, etc. for example, you may prefer watching a movie in its original language rather than your own. perhaps you may have to travel a lot for work, or maybe you’ll actually move abroad to pursue your career. you may also write poetry or philosophy or even teach something as a hobby.

your 10th house is in scorpio. you may have a reputation for looking mysterious, as you’re probably not very sociable, or at least not during your early years. you’re extremely motivated to achieve your goals, even though you may feel lost and confused due to your hard aspects and interceptions. you’ll pursue a career that involves looking for the truth, hence you may be a detective, a scientist, a poet etc. your career will give you a major change in your life, and you’ll finally be able to embrace your self-esteem and indipendence thanks to it. overall, once you find your true vocation, you’ll have no problems working, especially if you decide to pursue a creative career that is the most indicated for you, even though it may take you a while to find the right job for you due to your midheaven being in scorpio. I feel like you may receive and earn a lot of money that mostly comes from other people, like customers or even fans, but you probably won’t work under a boss, you’ll be independent. you may even open a shop by yourself, for example.

your 11th house is in sagittarius. your friends may be very open-minded, and you might have met them in school. they could also come from a different cultural background, or maybe they’re directly from abroad. at first, you struggled to make friends, as you were very secretive. with time, you’re learning to trust people and to transform and grow up through them. you’re particularly fond of your friendships as they play a big role in your growth and fortune. you could get popular easily, or at least you’re very benevolent of others that it’s easy for you to be likeable and get to know new people if you try, even if you’re an introvert. this placement also indicates that people may admire you, and you may even be seen as someone wise, a role model. in fact, it’s a perfect placement for a celebrity, as you may naturally attract fame and fans to you. the ruler of the 11th house is in the 12th house: you may have very spiritual friends, or perhaps your friends were a part of your past lives, and hence they’re your soulmates. you may also dream of them often.

lastly, your 12th house is in sagittarius again. you’re particularly interested in religion and higher beliefs, hence meditation would be effective for you. yet, you need to get enough sleep, or you could not be able to fully embrace the spirituality of this placement. you may also be able to have prophetic dreams, or at least they have a strong moral beyond them. jupiter is also placed here, and hence you may find luck and relief in neptunian topics, such as meditation, dreams, astrology, religion, psychology etc. you may have a special bond with your pets, you’re extremely intuitive, you could even be able to predict the future, perhaps through day-dreams or even through your sleeping dreams. I’d definitely recommend you to get closer to your higher self in this lifetime, as it’s the key for you to find joy and pleasure. to do that, you may get into spiritual topics like astrology, tarots, psychology, meditation, yoga, religion… anything that allows you to detach from your everyday life is the key for your soul’s ease and peace.

❤️ love life, soulmates

in love, you attract cancer, leo, libra, taurus, gemini and virgo. your future spouse will most probably have leo and aries placements, hence they’ll be very outgoing, bright and confident, but also very loyal and stubborn. they’ll be more sociable than you, and they’ll probably love travelling. you could actually meet them abroad, or perhaps they’re foreign. they could also be a part of your group of friends, or perhaps you could be friends with them before starting a relationship. your children will be heavy in gemini/virgo placements, as well as libra and taurus, hence they’ll be very intelligent and talkative, maybe even too chatty. yet, they’ll be pretty ambitious, polite and serious individuals as well. they'll also be very beautiful and charming.

👶🏻 family life

your mother was very caring and affectionate with you, even though she could’ve been a bit too protective and/or materialistic. she’s probably a taurus or a libra, or she has at least some placement in those signs. your father is way more dominant than your mother, and he could be more scary. he’s very honest, but he may also be too possessive and controlling of you and the rest of your family in general. hence, he was the dominant figure in your house. he’s probably a scorpio or any other water sign, possibly an aries. if you have siblings, they’re probably aries or scorpio. you might fight a lot for control, especially during childhood. you’re also quite possessive of your things, but overall you also have a deep bond. even though you may argue quite a bit, you still have affection for each other.

📊 career

your chart points out that your future career could involve communication, as well as philosophy, foreign languages etc. my take on this, is that you may become a teacher of any kind, and you may also be able to speak more than only a language. you could teach a foreign language for example, or perhaps you could work abroad. or again, you could work in a place where you have to interact with people from all over the world, allowing you to get to know new cultures and languages and hence open your mind. you may also work in a field related to arts and beauty, like fashion, music, theatre, etc. also, since the ruler of your midheaven is squaring both saturn and your part of fortune, I feel like it may take you a while to find the right job for you, but once you do, you'll become very successful. you may earn a great income, and you may actually become some sort of leader or boss in your work environment.

👚 fashion sense, style analysis

I imagine you put a lot of effort into your outifts, yet you don’t show it. you want to look effortlessly good, you don’t want to give the impression that you tried. your style may be quite minimalistic and simple, with lots of jeans, sweatshirts, plain t-shirts… I see you being more into natural shades, like white, grey, beige etc. you’re also not very fond of using too many accessories, you’re stylish but still very simple. you have this natural charm to you, hence you still look good even though your outfits may not be too complex.

👁 past life, life purpose

during your past life, you probably didn't have as many challenges as in this life. you most likely used to depend on someone else; perhaps, you married someone rich, hence you didn't really have to work for your resources. this lifetime, you need to step up your game and detach from material things. instead, you should focus on creating stable bonds with others. another goal in your life would involve taboo topics, hence getting closer to things like astrology and spirituality are also part of your soul's purpose in this lifetime. basically, since you've booked a reading I assume you've already found your path in life.

🤔 major transits analysis / september 29th

this year, your focus is on your persona. you might feel new, like you’re born again. you’ve probably gone through a few hardships last year that made you question your value, but now you’re back on track. this year, together with 2021, will be crucial for your self-esteem. even though you may feel pressured to always look at your best, you’re finally learning how to accept and love yourself. also, the north node is transiting your 5th house, and most importantly it’s conjunct your venus, so you may meet someone who can have a big impact in your life romantically! keep your eyes open, especially in your work place/academy. I don’t see it being necessarily your future spouse, but they may be very helpful to find a better job or clear your mind about your vocation.

🧿 manifest what you want, secret skills

your secret skills revolve around finances and just security in general. with a positive attitude, you may attract material luck: money, clothes, houses… everything that you desire. since you’re a logical person, I assume the most efficient way for you to manifest through the LOA is writing! take a notebook and just write down positive affirmations, such as 'I have the car of my dreams’ etc. you may also write them on post-its and glue them around your house, so that you can accelerate the progress. you can also try to idealize your wish before trying to manifest it. for example, if you want a new sweatshirt, try to imagine yourself wearing it. you could also go into a shop and actually try that sweatshirt it on; being in contact with it will boost the law of attraction even more.

this is the end! thank you again for booking a reading, hope it resonated with you :)

check my pinned post to book a reading!!!

[sandersstudies]

Quirky - Chapter 6

A High School Superhero AU - Sanders Sides

(Will add tag list in a reblog! If I miss you, please let me know ASAP - As always, asks, comments, messages, reblogs, and keysmashes are more than welcome.)

Chapter Seven ->

<- Chapter Five

<<- Chapter One

You can now also find the fic with the same username and title on AO3 :) Fell free to stop by and leave kudos!

***

Logan leaned over the edge of the guardrail to gaze into the ruined city below. He squinted, but without his glasses he couldn’t see much more than the blurry shapes of the buildings. Virgil and Roman were just smudges on the ground, and both vanished from sight as they walked under overhanging beams.

A moment later there was a faint groaning from below which rose suddenly to a roar as one of the massive beams began to slide to one side. Logan felt a cry rising in his throat just as the beam suddenly froze in its path and went lumbering through the air in the other direction and smashing against a building, where it broke and fell to the ground as rubble. A cloud of dust and debris rose so wide that Virgil and Roman were totally hidden from view. Logan turned to look for Mx. Stokes and Mr. Picani, but several other students were already screaming for them

Logan squinted, but there was no chance of seeing to the ground. He started down the stairs as quickly as he could. It was difficult to see where each step ended, so he ran with a guess. He tripped once, but caught himself with a wild flailing of his arms. He could hear the teachers trying to restore calm, and hoped they weren’t watching him. Without his glasses even his quirk was weak. Well, even weaker than usual.

The dust was beginning to settle when Logan reached the bottom of the steps, but it didn’t help much with his blurry vision. The beam had made a depression in one of the buildings, but the other damage was minor. Logan resisted a cough.

“Virgil? Roman?”

A sudden blast of light emerged from the buildings, and Logan saw Virgil’s silhouette (too short to be Roman’s) illuminated for a moment before Roman followed his glowing hand into the open. He was using one arm to shield his mouth and nose, and the other to light his way; he seemed otherwise unharmed.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he yelled through his arm after two throat-clearing coughs. The dust was settling, and Logan could see Virgil standing between him and Roman. Both boys were so dirty from the settling dust that their blue uniform jackets were now khaki in color. “What the hell did you do?” Roman insisted. He dropped his arm and even through his blurry vision Logan could tell that the other boy looked vaguely shell-shocked.

Virgil was shaking wildly as he tried to gesticulate an answer. “You..you hit the buildi— you knocked down the beam.”

“Knocked down?” Roman yelled. “That thing went flying through the air, you maniac! You could have killed somebody!”

“I saw it,” Logan said.

“Oh, so you’re here now,” Roman said, noticing Logan for the first time. “You didn’t see jack shit without these.” He chucked a blob at Logan, who caught it and looked down to recognize his glasses inside a sphere of Kai’s polypeptide gel. The durable nature of the material made it difficult to break into, but the glasses seemed unharmed

“Logan, what did you see?” Virgil asked.

Logan tried to break through the outer layer of gel to his glasses. “Unfortunately, not much. I was at a height of multiple stories and without my usual lenses. The beam did certainly behave outside the law of gravity. It began to slide downward, and then suddenly jerked upward and into that building.”

“Mess up halfway through trying to crush me, huh?” Roman growled. “The hell kind of quirk do you have?” He was very near Virgil, and had one finger raised as if to jab him.

Virgil was bristling. “Shut up, lightbulb,” he said, still unsteady but no longer stuttering. “I just saved your stupid life.”

“You just better stay out of my way, pipsqueak,” Roman said. “And you.” He reversed his finger to point to Logan. “Don’t lose your damn glasses again, okay?”

Logan didn’t have a moment to come up with a response before he was interrupted by a shout from above. Mr. Picani was almost falling down the stairs, and came to the base out of breath.

“You boys okay?” he asked, hands extended as if prepared to shield them. “Mx. Stokes said that all the safety settings are still in operation, no idea what happened.”

“We’re fi-,” Virgil said.

“We don’t know what happened either,” Roman said over Virgil. “But we got the glasses back. Sir.”

“All that matters is that everybody’s fine,” Mr. Picani insisted, ushering them toward the stairs. “We can replace glasses, but we can’t replace our students.”

Virgil and Roman didn’t speak on the trek back up the stairs, but even without his glasses Logan could see the tension between the two.

“Are you really all right?” he asked Virgil once they’d come out of the building and Roman had jogged a few steps ahead. Mx. Stokes has quelled the students’ panic and was escorting them onto the bus.

“Fine,” Virgil said. “Just real sick of Roman.”

“I can tell you don’t like him very much,” Logan said. He finally ripped his glasses free of their gooey prison and then leaned down in a confidential whisper. “To be completely frank, I share your sentiments.”

Virgil stifled a laugh. “Thanks.”

Mx. Stokes repeated Mr. Picani’s concerns as they got to the bus, and then smiled broadly once they confirmed they were all right.

“You kids will get to play in the zones soon enough,” Mx. Stokes promised, brushing dust off of Virgil’s shoulder. “But I don’t need you guys down there without training.” They checked the boys off their checklist and gave a friendly wave. “Last thing we need is another UA accident!”

Mr. Picani paused outside the bus to say something to the other teacher as Logan and Virgil climbed on. There was only one empty pair of seats left near the front of the bus, and Logan stepped aside in the aisle. Virgil paused, and then slid in first.

“You don’t want the window?” he asked.

“You didn’t seem to like the aisle on the ride here,” Logan said. “Would you like to switch?”

“No, that’s fine.” Virgil shrunk a little and stared out the window. Logan hoped he wasn’t offended. He glanced out the door of the bus. Mx. Stokes was patting Mr. Picani on the shoulder, and the two parted as the bus’ engine started.

Logan wasn’t sure if the other students thought the same, but it was nice to see two professional heros with such a friendship. In the media heroes were often in hot competition, or at the best participated in work-required teams. In the real world, however, Logan had now seen the great Glass pat Mesmerman on the shoulder like an old friend.

He settled against his seat as the bus pulled away. He was tempted to ask Virgil more about what had happened in the Ruins Zone, but wasn’t sure how to begin, so they rode in silence for several minutes as the students behind them babbled about the visit.

“Hey,” Virgil said after a while.

Logan glanced up.

“You have…” Virgil tapped his temple. “Some goo on your glasses, still.”

***

Despite the unanticipated loss of Logan’s glasses and collapse in the Ruins Zone, the class arrived back at UA just as lunch was beginning, and Logan and Virgil were joined by Remigius, who offered them sticks of gum which they refused before he popped three into his own mouth.

“Pretty wild what happened down there,” he said. “I saw that beam go flying. You got your glasses back though, I see.” This last part was to Logan, who nodded. Remy blew a bubble, and there was a moment of pause before it popped. “You must have some quirk, little dude,” he said to Virgil. “Because I know that wasn’t Ro’s handiwork by a long shot.”

Virgil shrunk and laughed stiffly.

“Let’s get in the line before it gets too long,” Logan suggested, and Virgil followed. Remigius had a paper bag in one hand, and split off to seat himself at a table.

“You don’t seem to like Remigius asking too many questions,” Logan said as they waited.

“He’s a fine guy,” Virgil said. “Just...yeah.”

“I understand.”

“Thanks.”

When they filed back into the classroom after lunch, Mr. Picani was writing in large strokes on the board: UA SPORTS FESTIVAL. A few students oohed and ahhed.

“Before you begin your final classes of the day,” Mr. Picani said, “I wanted to remind you all that next week begins the annual sports festival here at UA. I’m sure you’re all familiar with it, but we’ll be going over a few details today and discussing it in more length in your Hero Studies classes this week.”

The UA Sports Festival was televised every year; with the most prestigious hero program in the country, it was hardly surprising that so many people tuned in. Professional heroes and scouts often contacted the school following the festival with early offers for apprenticeships and nominations to high-ranking students.

“Preliminaries will be after lunch on Monday,” Mr. Picani said. “The top forty-two students to complete the preliminaries will pass into the main festival rounds. Remember that not only hero students, but also students in your grade from the support, management, and general courses will be participating. Therefore, no hero suits will be permitted on the field.” Several hands had flown into the air. “Hold your questions for now, as we’re a little short on time,” Mr. Picani said. “But begin thinking about your plans for the festival; as first-year students, you’ll be presented as heroes-in-training to the public for the first time.” He underlined the words he’d written on the board. “I’ll get out of the way of Mx. Talyn for your science class now.”

Logan found that even he had trouble focusing on biology while thinking about the sports festival. He stared at a Bunsen burner on the windowsill and began drawing its component parts absentmindedly in his notebook. He began making lines to start labeling the drawing, and realized that they looked like a sports bracket. He turned the page. He usually enjoyed Mx. Talyn’s lessons, but now he could only hear a vague chattering in the background as he drew a full bracket, beginning with sixteen contenders. Of the forty-two entrants to the first round, only sixteen proceeded on to the one-on-one rounds. Those would be the students to receive the most media attention.

The hero course was divided into two sections, 1-A and 1-B, with 1-A being Logan’s class and both classes containing twenty students. The support, management, and general classes were of the same size and almost equally prestigious, but didn’t focus on hero techniques or quirk use. There were occasionally dramatic underdog stories, like a strong-quirked general student making it into the semifinals, but usually the other classes were trumped by the hero students. Logan tapped his pen against his desk. If classes 1-C through 1-K contained twenty students each as well, then there was a total of 220 students attending UA, and only forty-two slots in the festival.

“Putnett squares are an excellent display for genetic odds,” Mx. Talyn said, drawing a two-by-two chart on the board. “We can see how likely an outcome is using this visual.”

If we’re going to talk odds… Removing other benefits and deficiencies, any individual student had a 19% chance to conquer the preliminaries, and a 7% chance to enter the one-on-one rounds. Logan tried to remember previous years. Hero students were far more likely to pass the preliminaries, but that was no guarantee. He also had no idea about the quality of the second hero class, 1-B, who had the benefit of not losing their homeroom teacher in the first week of the school year. Logan wished he had the previous years’ data in front of him. Making it to the festival would be an excellent initial promotion into his hero career.

Of course, Logan mused, every other student would be thinking the same thing. Virgil was splaying pencil spirals in his notebook, and Roman had spaced out in the direction of the board. Kai’s nose was running again. Logan sporadically took off his glasses to clean them against his shirt.

The rest of the school day was much the same. Students were quiet but unfocused in class, and loud and with a single goal between classes. Roman’s posse sans Roman were an especial contributor.

“My mom remembers seeing Mr. Picani at the festival when I was a baby!” Rafaela announced. “She told me as soon as she heard he was one of our teachers.”

“That’s crazy, Mr. Picani and the other teachers were just like us not so long ago,” Kenny responded.

“That was the year the villain Spite threatened the city,” Kai said. “That was what first made Multiman famous.”

“He’d only just graduated, too,” Rafaela said.

Virgil turned in his seat to stare at Logan. “Sports festival, huh?”

“It’s a great opportunity,” Logan said. “What are you thinking?”

“Thinking I’ll be lucky to make it past the preliminaries.” He swung his feet back and forth under the desk and swiveled to look at the empty seat behind him. “Too bad Terrence is sick, he won’t hear about it.”

“We’ll fill him in tomorrow,” Logan said. “He and I are from the same neighborhood. We walk home together and I can tell him about it.”

“So you won’t be walking with him today, then,” Virgil said.

“Not today, I’ll miss him.”

“Well...I wouldn’t want to replace Terrence or anything, but I’ll walk with you. If you want.”

Logan blinked. It was a kind offer, but Virgil always left the school in the opposite direction; they weren’t from the same neighborhood. “Don’t you go west when school ends?

“Right, nevermind, sorry,” Virgil said. “I was just thinking I could walk you home and then...turn around and go back. It’s silly.”

Logan suspected the arrangement was not for Virgil’s convenience, and supposed that the only alternative motivation was that Virgil enjoyed spending time with Logan. It would be rude to crush his suggestion. “You can’t live too far from school,” he said. “Are you near West Midoriya Hospital?”

“Just a few blocks from there,” Virgil said.

“My mother’s studio is near there,” Logan said. “We could walk to your house and she could come to get me when she leaves work.”

“Oh, you don’t want to come to my place,” Virgil raised his hands defensively.

“Well, you wanted to come to mine.”

“Isn’t that a little out of your way?”

“Not as far out of the way as your walking me home and turning around would be.”

“You got me.”

***

Logan didn’t walk often on the west side of town, so he tried to take in the route Virgil walked by rote, in case he ever needed to find his way again. A text from his mother confirmed she could pick him up at five, so he only regretted he hadn’t put a snack in his backpack in the morning.

He and Virgil had plenty to talk about with the upcoming sports festival, so the subject of the strange event in the Ruins Zone did not come up again, and the walk — longer than Logan’s usual one — did not seem long at all, and they soon arrived at a small brick apartment building. Logan followed Virgil through the lobby and up a flight of stairs, where Virgil let himself into apartment 208.

There were many photos on the walls of the apartment, most of them of Virgil and a women Logan assumed was Virgil’s mother. One recent picture, of Virgil’s middle school graduation, was placed prominently near the front door. The other photos stretched back through Virgil’s childhood. There was one of him staring grumpily at the camera in corduroy overalls and a fresh haircut on his first day of kindergarten, and a photo of the haircut itself; young Virgil’s eyes squinted at the clippers as they sheared off several inches of his dark hair and left behind buzzed sides. There was a photo of his first birthday, his mother crouched over his shoulder to blow out the candle of a cupcake for him. Baby Virgil’s eyes were wide in admiration of the tiny flame, the same color as his lacey birthday dress.

“Ugh, ignore those,” the teenage version of Virgil said to Logan. “My mom sure likes taking photos.” Virgil’s mother looked a lot like her son, with dark hair and a thin but lively face.

“They’re nice,” Logan said. “Thanks again for having me over.”

“It’s no big deal.” Virgil slumped his backpack off next to a coat rack before wandering toward the kitchen. “Do you want, uh...soda?”

“Sure,” Logan said, following. The kitchen connected to a small living room and held a two-chair table with folded leaves. There were two doors across the room, one slightly ajar to reveal part of a bathroom sink and mirror. More photos were on the wall, some of a younger version of Virgil’s mother sans Virgil. Her hair had been longer back then. There were also some of Virgil’s childhood drawings in frames and two pride flags pinned on the closed door, one bisexual and one, smaller and newer, trans.

“Sorry, I don’t host much,” Virgil said. “That’s the bedroom over there, and I sleep on the foldout. That’s about it. Do you want a cream soda or a Hero-Cola?” He squatted in front of the fridge.

“Cream soda,” Logan said. “Thank you.” He glanced back at the photos on the wall, trying to think how to continue the conversation. “What’s your mother like?”

“She’s cool,” Virgil said, getting a Hero-Cola for himself. “She’s just busy. She went back to school and all a couple years ago, so now she studies and writes her management thesis every night after work.” He snapped his soda open with a satisfying crack. “She wants to build a better life for us and all, you know?”

Logan nodded. “She sounds very nice.” He fumbled again for a way to continue the conversation. “My mother is a photographer too.”

“That’s cool,” Virgil said as he sunk into one of the two chair seats. “Do you want to…”

“Sure,” Logan was already moving to sit, and set his backpack on the floor. “Um...is that one yours?” He pointed at the bisexual flag.

“My mom’s,” Virgil said.

“Oh.” Logan’s brief playground romance with Corbin meant he’d never “come out” to his middle school friends, but besides Terrence he wasn’t sure how many of his A-1 classmates had taken the hint yet.

“I’m actually gay,” Virgil said suddenly, shattering Logan’s mental image of strutting into UA wearing a rainbow flag as a cape.

“Oh!” Logan said, so loud that Virgil flinched. “No, that’s great! No, no, I mean, me too!”

“Oh,” Virgil said, quieter and longer than Logan had.

Logan felt heat rising in his ears. “So, about the festival, I think you said you taped last year’s competition?”

“Yeah,” Virgil said, leaping onto this new topic. “On a VHS, can you believe it? Surprised the machine even still works. Want to watch it?”

“I was just thinking today how helpful it would be for my notes if I could analyze previous competitions.” Logan reached into his backpack and fumbled for a minute. “I was running the numbers today and — oh here it is.” He produced the notebook and flipped a few pages. “Any individual student has a 19% chance to pass the preliminaries, but as hero students, I’m almost certain the chance is much higher, but I just don’t have the data.”

“Eleven years ago, only seven non-hero students passed, and only two made it to the one-on-one,” Virgil mused.

“Eleven years ago?”

Virgil rolled his eyes as he stood to cross into the living room. “My mom taped that one for me when I was little. I watched it so many times the tape broke, but I remember every detail. Picani was in his final year then, you know. He’s only twenty-nine now.” He knelt down and shuffled DVDs under the TV. “Here’s the one from last year.” Virgil glanced over his shoulder. “We can watch it for uh...your notes.”

“That would be excellent.”

[tgai-spock]

Lines of ice from rolling waves and subtle villains

A strange boy

Chapter 4

“It is my honour to welcome you here today. I am Mr Daimon, the headmaster. I’d also like to welcome you to the cafe. It isn’t usually this busy, but at times like this, the stage is necessary. This will be where you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is closed the rest of the time but if you are the snacking sort you can always take away some fruit, or find the vending machines across campus, although we don’t sell chocolates and crisps anymore, after we raised the obesity rating in our area several years ago, there are several good snacks in the vending machines, nuts, cereal bars, cup noodles, and fruit.”

“I’m sure you all know this is a school that prizes our diversity, in all its shapes and forms, whether its species, religion or sexuality. In this school, we truly put our minority first. I will now leave you in the capable headmistress Mrs MacDougal.” 

A human woman, older wrinkled like a pitbull, and with a crazed spark to her eye, took the microphone and somehow, while her glazed look danced across the group, looked each of the new years in the eye.

“Good morning children” a thick Scottish accent wrapped its way around the room, almost comforting, almost terrifying “in a moment, I will call your name, and you will then you will go to the back of the room and stand near our prefect in the bright yellow vest…” she points. There were several people standing at the back of the room, several of them Spock recognised from outside. One of them put up a hand and waved.

“Alice Anderson” Mrs McDougal cooed, and a girl stood up with her bags and walked towards the prefect. This continued with all the names. Eventually, and sooner than he expected she called Spock’s name.

“Spock” she sighs “I’m slaughtering this, don’t correct me right now. Too guy, Schiin.” God she really did slaughter his name. Spock stood and walked across like the others had done. She stood next to the prefect, and Jim, who had already been called. Then a moment happened. One Spock would never forget. Mrs MacDougal looked to her list and into the microphone she spoke.

“Pavel Chekov.” A gasp sounded in the hallway, and on that far from table Spock had come from, Moriarty stood up.

“That’s my name, that’s my name. I’m Pavel.” Pavel who had previously claimed his name was Moriarty said as he walked over to stand next to Spock.

“….thats a nice name” Spock said quietly.

“I thought your name was Moriarty.” Jim said.

“It’s not. I forgot my name, it’s Pavel.” They said. Jim frowned and averted her eyes.

“Okay…”

When Mrs MacDougal finally stopped for a moment, she waved at the small group, of about 40 people, and the prefect spoke loudly and lively.

“Right guys follow me” the prefect said, and as if by magic, the doors behind them opened, but it wasn’t magic it was electricity, a sensor on the door.

* * *

He didn’t talk until they’d walked far enough down the corridor, to the point where Mrs MacDougal’s echoing voice finally vanished. Then he started talking.

“I’m supposed to give you folks a tour, welcome to the Red house. I’m Tyler the prefect, and I will nark on you. The headmaster gives me money every time I do, given there’s proof. History lesson 1, this entire school exists because of our current headmaster, so have some respect. History lesson 2, the headmaster originally tried to make enough houses for every colour of the rainbow, he was hitting diversity from more of a gay angle rather than alien, but then he found out that was way too many houses, so our schools house’s colours are now red, orange, yellow and green. The other houses tend to pick on green, but thats just because we’re jealous they got the good colour. If you go outside wearing our house’s colour you’re going to look like a real neon bitch. I f**ked John Harrison in that room” he points to a room labeled library.

“Is there anytime we need to wear our house colours?” Pavel asked.

“Sports day, spelling bees and quizzes. Our houses don’t matter the rest of time, despite teachers trying to encourage some friendly competitiveness between us. We do get house points, at the end of each week the winner of the individual week get some sweets or a treat brought to their form. Sometimes its food, sometimes it’s a film thats just been released, you know something you’d want. At the end of the year the house with the most gets 5 school days to take off during the year. A lot of folks just use this to extend their half term holidays, others use them as mental health days, or for times they’ve forgot to do their homework. The year before yellow won, most of their group saved their days until the end of the year and then had a 3 day summer holiday party before they left.” Tyler points to another room labelled ‘secret library.’ 

“Made out with Galia Eric in that room.”

“Why is it called the secret library?” Trisha a girl with a blonde pony tail sharply pulled back asked. Since Spock had watched them all stand up he had memorised their names.

“It’s just to let you know that those books are known for being racist, or sexist anything along that line. It’s more of a hey, maybe don’t say you want a relationship like ‘Lolita’, thats from the secret library so you probably haven’t understood it Christina. We got ‘Lolita’ and ‘Mein Kampf’ stored at the back, below it is ’50 shades of grey’ I’m telling you now, the librarians terrible, don’t mention it to the librarian though, she’ll take your guts out. Top tip if you’re going to read ‘Mein Kampf’ do it in the library and don’t take it out. The teachers will watch you for days unless you’re a history student. Hot tip: judge on the book, but research an author before you give them your heart. I’ve recently secretly moved a book from the library into the secret library.”

“Why?”

“I came in here a young whippersnapper alone and found a friend in a book. I researched the author and it all looked clear, they even appeared to support the ‘gays’, but it was a lie. God I purchased so much merchandise. The author has every opportunity to educate themselves. My bezzie Alexia has never done anything to speak over the abuse suffered by women, but now her words are just one more excuse for a transphobe to hold up. Broke my heart. F**k her.” He pulls his hair back and then shrugs “thats just how learning to live begins. Sometimes growing up is about allowing fandoms to die, it’s nice to visit them occasionally but if the artist of your work turns out to be evil, supporting a fandom even when they’ve stopped publishing work is supporting them. You’ve got to learn that it’s okay to mistake evil people for good. Countless people, even countries have done it. Save things that are dear to your heart but put it in a box for when your down, so you remember that, and move on. There are new creators around every corner looking for love, and deserving of it. It’s bit different when the creators are already dead or if it had more than one creator, but if not you’ve really just got to let it go.” Spock, had no idea what Tyler was talking about. He had enjoyed many works before but the term ‘fandom’ was completely lost on him. Then Tyler shrugged with a grin.

“If you don’t you’ll be Frozen.”

Tyler pointed to the right, and to the left, sometimes pointing at walls, sometimes pointing at doors.

“This whole hallways full of extra curricula's, the signs are self explanatory” Tyler points to the computer room “those all run ‘doom’. Lost my virginity under those desks.”

“Oh for gods sake” Christine a short girl with grey dyed hair, a fringe at the front and pony tail at the back with teeth that overlapped in a cute way said “do we need to-”

“Child, it is absolutely necessary you know what rooms I’ve made out in” Tyler points to the next room labelled music room “you do not want to know what I’ve done with some of those drumsticks.”

“Are all the prefects as slutty as you?” Christine asked.

“I don’t know, are all you bitches slut shamers?”

“Where’s our dorm?” Pavel asked “my bags kind of heavy .”

“The other side of school. Probably should have gone there first, but I need y’all to listen to my tour first.” The group groaned.

[Chapter 1]         [Chapter 2]         [Chapter 3]          [Chapter 4]

[Chapter 5]         [Chapter 6]

[moonbeambucky]

The Price of Gold (Part 6)

Pairing: Lance Tucker x Reader Word Count: 3720 Warnings: Flashbacks with some heavy stuff (touching without consent, attempted sexual assault, drug use/being drugged, underage drinking), mention of cancer

Summary: As a sports journalist you’ve traveled the world interviewing famous athletes. You’ve loved your job up until you find out your next article is on the last person in the world you ever wanted to talk to, Lance Tucker.

A/N: This doesn’t follow The Bronze canon though some film details are mixed with real world events. Written for @green-eyeddragonfanfiction Dragon’s 3k Follower Creative Content Challenge. My prompt was “I can’t be in love with you!” gif source (x)

PART 5 | THE PRICE OF GOLD MASTERLIST

The following morning Lance asked to run a few errands alone, he didn’t say they were for his mother though he did mention your greeting and for a brief moment her eyes flashed with a joy he hadn’t seen in a very long time. It was a relief to see and hearing her say your name felt like he was pulled back to a time when you meant so much to him and Dorothy. It was nice while it lasted and just as quickly the memory faded, and real life needed his attention again.

The invitation was given for Lance to come to your hotel room when he was done to continue talking. His office space was unavailable for the next few days as the crew was working on transforming the unfinished area into two separate locker rooms so it wouldn’t be the best place to for conversation. Though your balcony was small it felt better sitting out there than inside your small room. From the small refrigerator you grabbed a few bottles of water– Fiji, not bothering the disgusting brand anymore– and placed them on the table.

You decided to wear casual clothes today, throwing on some jeans and choosing an olive green shirt over a blue that reminded you a little too much of Lance’s eyes. This is just business. Don’t get too close. You needed that reminder. Things with Lance were better yesterday but it doesn’t mean he’s forgiven.

He texted asking if you’d like him to bring lunch over which led to you joke about how you were always eating together. Shit was that too friendly? You were able to sleep better last night, parting ways on good terms but you felt like you should be mean. You argued with yourself over what to do until he responded with a laughing emoji, with tears in its eyes. What you said wasn’t that funny. Shit, this felt so weird; being friendly with each other was something that had been absent for so long but it was… nice you regretfully admitted. Screw it, your head hurts from all this, finally deciding that you’re not going to act in any way other than being yourself.

Less than an hour later you heard a knock at your door. It was a little strange inviting Lance into your hotel room but you pushed the thought aside and welcomed him in.

“Didn’t feel like getting dressed for work today?” he joked and you rolled your eyes, laughing at him.

He followed you to the balcony, handing over your lunch. It was comfortable outside with a surprisingly cool breeze blowing making the napkins fly off the table, the action easing the slightly awkward tension between you. Lance began to talk and you listened, occasionally setting your food aside to make some notes on your laptop.

“Maggie was acting like me,” he said, pausing to drink some water. “When I won my gold I had a bit of an ego.”

“You don’t say.” Lance’s eyes locked with yours for a brief moment and seeing the light dim in his eyes made your stomach twist with regret at your sarcastic comment.

“I’m not proud of that. I was a cocky little kid who got too much thrown into his lap… thought I could handle it.”

He explained how after Toronto Maggie thought she was too good for everything. She was rude to her other teammates, was skipping practice and going out a lot.

“I wanted to talk to her, give her one last shot since she was gonna be kicked off the team. That’s when she told me she was pregnant,” he said, looking disappointed as he reflected on the memory. “I was shocked to be honest.”

Lance spoke about Maggie’s mom Janice, who reminded him of his own mother. After his parent’s divorce Dorothy worked hard to provide for Lance, doing anything she could to make sure his dreams would come true.

“Maggie knew how much her mom struggled, a single woman, cleaning toilets and shit but she did everything for her, everything to support her and she fucked it all up by getting knocked up.” He shook his head. “Maggie tried to hide the pregnancy… didn’t want to lose her endorsements but that didn’t last. An unwed pregnant teen Olympian is not the image USA Gymnastics wanted to portray.”

“Seems pretty normal to me,” you interjected, thinking how common her situation was, minus the “Olympian” part.

“Maggie lost her deals, had blown the rest of her savings on garbage and her loser boyfriend. She didn’t think. She thought the money would always be there. That’s when she went to People magazine.”

You remembered the cover of Maggie, her hand across her swollen belly, her gold medal around her neck with the bold caption “My trainer is the father!”

“That fucking ruined my life!” he exclaimed. He grimaced thinking about it, the hurt worn on his face. “I did a lot of fucked up things,” he said as you shared an awkward glance, “but never like this. It opened the door for everything.”

Lance ran his hands through his hair. “There was nothing I could do until the kid was born,” he sighed.

Lance had asked for a paternity test before she gave birth but Maggie wouldn’t consent, wanting to milk her pregnancy for as long as she could, even using Lance’s request for more tabloid stories painting him as a “deadbeat dad.”

After that a lot of people came forward to accuse him, believing if he had an inappropriate relationship with Maggie then why not them? Girls claimed he had harassed them or touched them without consent. Lance may have been a douche but he wasn’t an idiot, he respected people and knew boundaries.

Most accusations were easily disproved, some of his accusers had never actually met him. “Except for Karen Otero,” he reflected. She was a former gymnast on the team who was very angry she was let go.

“She said I spiked her drink and raped her. I would never, EVER, do that!” he stressed, staring into your eyes.

You had just turned sixteen and your parents bought you your first cell phone. You loved that Nokia. You texted Lance, your boyfriend of three years (yes it finally happened, like everyone said it would), letting him know you were at Mike’s party. He was a friend of a friend of Lance’s, and checking the time on the dashboard Lance hoped he would be back in time to make it. He was heading back from an out of state competition which he won another gold medal for.

You were upset you couldn’t go, you rarely missed his competitions but since getting a part time job you found you couldn’t call out as easily as you hoped. It was a sacrifice you made, deciding that your perfect work attendance would be an excellent bargaining chip to use so you could take time off for the upcoming Junior Prom and Nationals next year.

Being at the house of a senior was a little intimidating. You knew a couple of people, some shared your lunch period, others you knew through Lance before he left to homeschool. You mingled throughout the house with a Smirnoff Ice in hand. You had only gotten drunk once before last year with your friend Christina. She took a bottle of rum from her parent’s liquor cabinet and stashed it along with a bottle of flat soda in the back of her closet. You drank it when you thought her parents were out, not realizing– because you were both extremely loud– that they had come home.

When they realized you were drunk her parents called yours to pick you up. Both of you ended up grounded for two months. Lance stopped by the next day but he couldn’t stay for long; your Dad kindly let him have a few minutes with you before your Mom came home.

Lance didn’t feel bad that you were grounded, he was always a bit of a goody two shoes growing up, but when you ran towards the bathroom to vomit he felt awful. He rushed to your side to hold back your hair, rubbing your back and bringing you some water. You stayed away from hard liquor ever since, experimenting here and there with beer but you didn’t really like it.

Christina was at the party with her boyfriend Dimitri so you said hello to them before making your way to watch a group playing beer pong.

A short guy named Jason came over saying hello to some people. “Hey Y/N, I see you’re out,” he said noticing the empty bottle you were still holding onto. “I’ll grab you another,” he offered. You were too preoccupied in a conversation with a girl named Shana you had gym with to notice the bottle he handed you was already opened.

Not long after Lance had pulled up to the house with blaring music. He’s greeted by a couple of friends outside, asking people if they’ve seen you, a little worried since you didn’t respond to his last text. Lance entered the house, making eye contact with Brendan Murphy, a guy on the varsity baseball team that gave you the creeps when you interviewed him for your school’s newspaper. Brendan ducked into a room and something told Lance to follow him.

Your body was buzzing, feeling the beat of the music pulsing through you, from the bottom of your toes to the top of your head. Your eyes were shut and you smiled, running your hands up and down your body. You wanted to move, to become part of the rhythm. You grabbed Jason’s hands, placing them on your hips, swaying to the sounds.

Any worries you had disappeared, any anxieties you felt were gone. You were bubbly and happy, you felt magical, like an ethereal goddess, a mythical figure. You were a mermaid, swimming in a sea of love.

Brendan entered the room as Jason grabbed the hem of your tank top, pulling it over your arms. You pulled his body closer to yours, desperate for contact. You felt more alive than you ever have and it was so mind blowing it didn’t feel real. You needed to reach out to someone, to touch them, to bring them into the world you felt.

Brendan came up behind you, running his hands over the cups of your bra, down your sides and over the curve of your ass. He then began to unbuckle his belt as Jason undid the button of your jeans.

“Get away from her!” Lance snarled.

Lunging forward he pushed Jason off of you and he fell to the ground. You stood there, giddy and excited to see Lance but you couldn’t climb through the fog to truly know what was going on.

Brendan threw a punch at Lance that landed on his jaw but it didn’t faze him. Tackling him to the ground, Lance delivered punch after punch to the pale boy’s face until his nose was bloodied.

“You fucking scumbags, what did you give her?” Lance screamed as he punched Brendan again.

“E,” Brendan coughed out, his pink face turning redder the longer Lance maintained the tight grip on his collar.

Jason got courageous and wrapped his arm around Lance’s neck and dragging him off his friend from behind. He didn’t anticipate Lance’s strength, quickly breaking free of the hold and knocking Jason out with a swift punch.

Lance rushed over to you, checking if you were hurt but truth be told you felt really good and he was starting to bring you down. You wanted to feel good, the music was calling you and you wanted to be surrounded by it again. You gently pushed Lance to the side, gliding towards the door, the light from the other room calling you to it before he caught your arm and pulled you back.

Lance felt the heat of your skin and saw the beads of sweat that pooled around your hairline. He tried to keep you in the room until he could find your shirt. Once he did he fought with you to get it on but you didn’t want it, it was too constricting, you wanted to be free to let the music touch you and flow through your body. He forced your tank top back on, lacing his arm through yours, dragging you out of the house to his car, pausing briefly to yell at Mike and tell him what Jason and Brendan did.

You were defiant with Lance, unbuckling your seatbelt because you wanted to be free. He did his best to drive safely while keeping you in the car, clenching his jaw with worry. For as carefree and happy you were feeling Lance was anxious and upset; this shouldn’t have happened to you.

A couple of his friends have tried ecstasy before so he knew the effects would dissipate in a few hours. Lance brought you back to his house, doing his best to get you inside quickly and quietly so you wouldn’t wake up the neighborhood, or worse, your parents who didn’t give you permission to go to any party. He knocked on the door of his mother’s bedroom, asking her for help as he explained what happened.

Dorothy had seen a recent news program on the dangers of ecstasy. “Get her some water and Gatorade now,” she said, taking you in Lance’s room. She bit her lip as she examined you quickly, seeing your pupils blown wide.

“Please don’t tell her parents,” Lance begged as he entered the room.

Dorothy urged you to drink and you did, unaware of the conversation she and Lance had.

“You’re sure they didn’t…” Dorothy implied assault, unable to picture you, the little girl she’s known for so long, being put in such a terrible situation.

“I’m sure,” he confirmed.

“Make sure she drinks these. If she’s still too warm or hyper, or anything else happens get me and we’re going to the hospital.”

Lance had brought you some food to eat but you weren’t hungry. Going through his drawers he pulled out a t-shirt and sweatpants for you to sleep in. You began to undress and he turned his back to you to give you privacy. He assumed you were finished when he heard you nuzzling yourself onto his mattress, the feel of his smooth comforter felt amazing against your skin. Your clothes were on the end of his bed, along with the sweatpants you didn’t put on.

He looked at them, wondering why they were on his bed and not your body. “Too hot,” you said, a content smile settling on your face as you sank into the soft mattress, wearing only his large t-shirt that went down to your thighs.

Lance grabbed your hands urging you to eat. You sat up, cupping his cheeks with your hands and pulling him in for a kiss. You were needy and wanting more, wanting everything from him, to feel his hands all over your body that burned and ached in the way that only he could ease.

“S-stop, stop,” he said, pulling away.

You’ve had your fair share of heavy makeout sessions before and hands may have begun to roam during them but that was it. You didn’t want to pressure yourselves, believing you would know when the right time was to go further.

“Not now, not like this Y/N. Please, please just eat something.”

You gave in, picking at a package of Pop-Tarts he brought in, getting crumbs all over the bed. Lance put the air conditioner on, keeping his room cool for you, dabbing your forehead with a wet washcloth and forcing you to drink more liquids. You made a few trips to the bathroom to pee in the few hours you stayed up and slowly but surely your body calmed down.

Lance pushed himself to stay up for as long as he could, making sure that you were safe. You weren’t just his girlfriend, you were his soulmate and he loved you. If anyone asked he would tell them he’s loved you since the first day he laid eyes on you, the girl with the bright red bow in her hair with a contagious laugh who asked if he could be her friend and he always would be.

Dorothy checked in on you both in the early morning, unable to sleep as she was up with worry all night. She slowly opened the door, finding Lance unchanged from the clothes she last saw him in, sleeping above the covers with your body curled against him and his arm protectively drawn over you.

You woke up the next day feeling awful. Your head felt heavy and in a fog. You smelled gross, like you ran for miles in the hot and humid sun without using deodorant. And now you were freezing, pulling the blanket up to cover your shoulders. You looked down and realized this wasn’t your blanket, nor was it your room. The large Britney Spears poster and various medals hanging on the wall informed you that you were in Lance’s room, though you don’t remember getting here.

Scrunching your eyes shut you took a deep breath and tried to remember what happened last night. You shot up, pulling your knees to your chest as fragments of the party came back to you. Lance walked in just as you were crying. He set aside the glass of orange juice he was bringing you and jumped by your side, wrapping his arms around your shaking body.

“I’m so sorry, Lance, I’m sorry. I’m so…” you bawled.

“Shhh, it’s okay Y/N,” he said, rocking you in his arms. He placed a kiss on your forehead, his lips lingering before he spoke, “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Through your tearful vision you looked up at Lance, seeing the streaks of his own tears down his cheeks. “If you weren’t there…” you began and he held you tighter.

“You’re okay Y/N. You’re okay,” he repeated.

You sat back to wipe your eyes, taking in deep breaths to calm your shaking body. You looked into his eyes, the rosy veins stretching across like cherry blossom stems, the blue of his eyes bright yet unsteady like a river. Concern was etched onto his face as he reached out to gently cup your cheek.

Pressing into his hand you closed your eyes, focusing on his touch and that’s when you felt it. You’ve said “I love you” plenty of times before but now you truly felt the impact of those words. The love Lance had was running through his veins, pumping in his body with every beat of his heart.  

“I love you Lance,” you declared but it was more than that, you felt more than the three words could express. Staring into the eyes of the boy who was kind enough to be your friend, who later became the man you knew in your heart you would grow old with, warts and all; you were in love with Lance Tucker.

“I love you too Y/N,” he replied, pressing his lips to yours briefly and pulling you close to his chest.

You were both silent as you laid back on his bed, listening to the sound of his heart beating, savoring the moment together for as long as you could.

You changed back into your jeans, keeping Lance’s large t-shirt on as you went to the kitchen. Dorothy was making breakfast but dropped everything to wrap you into her arms. Lance offered to continue cooking in her place but she insisted she was almost done, plating eggs and toast along with sausage for everyone.

The conversation over breakfast was as awkward as one thinks it might be when you’re discussing being drugged. Lance held your hand, giving reassuring squeezes as you spoke about what it. In the end you decided not to say anything, feeling embarrassed enough that it happened though you understood it was not your fault.

Brendan and Jason were seniors and graduating in a few months. Lance had beat them both up pretty good which you hated to admit made you feel great, and they knew to stay away from both of you. You just wanted to forget them and let the school year end without all the drama that would come with telling on them. Lance never took advantage of you and he beat the shit out of those that tried and you never forgot it.

“I know,” you said, placing a firm hand over his, “I know you wouldn’t do that.”

Lance explained that the gymnastics committee suspended him pending the investigation. In the meanwhile all of his sponsors dropped him and once again he was on the cover of tabloids, with TMZ following him everywhere.

“Someone came forward, saying they heard Frank, Karen’s dad, talking about how they could get back at me– like it was my fault Karen got cut.” He paused to take a drink, his throat becoming increasingly scratchy. “I mean yeah, I made the decision but it wasn’t personal, we didn’t have a spot for her anymore.”

Lance stopped to clear his throat before continuing. “I never recovered from it. The reporters still hounded me even though I was cleared.” He cleared his throat once more, croaking out, “Then they went after my mom.” He looked up to you sorrowfully, tears brimming his eyes.

“She was getting a lot of phone calls harassing her for comments. People started following her when she left work. She got so flustered one day she panicked and backed into a car instead of driving forward. That didn’t help.” He braced his elbows on his thighs, his hands clasped together in front of his mouth.

“She was real stressed out, got bad headaches. Then I get a call from the neighbor saying she had a seizure.”

His shoulders were hunched over now, his body tensing as he continued. “Turns out, she uh…” He stopped to clear his throat again, struggling to speak, “The seizures, the headaches, even the car accident, it was all related t-to…”

You place your hand on his knee, feeling his trembling muscles underneath your touch. Tears escaped down his cheeks as he sighed, “My mom has cancer.”

PART 7

[yourdreamscenarios]

In A Heartbeat I Part 1

Characters: Jungkook / OC Genre: High school AU Word count: 2,951

“It was good, but if you want to break your own record we’ll have to spice up your trainings.Three times a week instead of twice, more intense, more cardio. The competition is nearing fast, we don’t have time to wait and see.” Your coach said, causing you to pull a face at her.  Winter time was coming, if there was one thing you weren’t up for it was freezing outside for so many times a week. There was of course truth in her words, but at this moment, and most moments, you were unable to hear it or unwilling to listen to it. You weren’t an easy one to deal with. “So, I’ll see you back on Wednesday, now get to class before you’re late.” She said, as she had moved past the point of trying to be friendly with you for today. 

She stove off, leaving you by yourself in the dressing room. You didn’t understand why you had to train three times a week, while you knew your team mates only had two training sessions. Each week you had one individual training, where your coach could focus on every single one of you personally and give you the right advice. You usually hated them, because then she always found the chance to go down on you and tell you about all your flaws. When the other were around she had many things going on in her mind and she usually left you alone. Heaving a deep sigh you hoisted your bag on your shoulder, feeling the strap cut into your skin. It had been a long day, and it still had to start. Your muscles were burning, lactic acid building up inside of them after your intense work out. 

Since you had been a child your parents had decided that you should be an active part of the community. They would motivate you to join as many groups as you could and you had had many different hobbies over the years. Until the time had come that you’d started to develop yourself and you had stuck to one thing, running. You’d never thought of yourself as an athlete and you didn’t have any goals to become a big person in the industry. Honestly, there was a big chance you would stop sporting next year, as you went off to college. It seemed impossible to combine all of that stuff together. But so far you’d found yourself a passion in it, placing one foot in front of the other, the route mapped out, making as much speed as you could. You enjoyed the feeling of pure exhaustion after you’d run five miles without stopping a single time, the way the air would burn your lungs. 

Except for that you had also made a few great friends, who were with you every step of the way. Your parents were your biggest fans, cheering for you each time you had a game going on, or within a few weeks, when the competition would start. Sport teams from different school would face each other, trying to give their best, trying to beat each other. It was like playing football, but to you, it was much more interesting. Your school was very active in the sport world, you had a soccer team, a football team, basketball team, swimming team, volleyball team, and then there was you. It wasn’t like that was the reason you had picked out this high school, but it did play a very big part in it. This way you didn’t have to join different sport clubs to do what you loved doing most. You barely had time left to do your homework, leave alone do other stuff. 

As soon as you got outside you hugged your jacket a little closer around you, trying to shield yourself from the icy wind. The summer had been great, days had been smoking hot, nights had been pleasantly cool and it had lasted for so long. Now, autumn was closing in on you and soon enough winter would be there, so slowly the days were turning colder, daylight was getting pourer and the nights were lasting longer. You hated winter the most out of all seasons, you hated the cold. Walking across the sport field you watched as students ran into the main building, all trying to prevent they would be late in class. You knew you didn’t have to hurry, since your teacher would mostly tolerate it if you’d be late by a few minutes. They knew you had trainings in the morning and that sometimes they would run late, they usually let you in without mocking you, knowing you had a proper excuse. 

Yet, you still managed to get your speed up as you sprinted up the stairs, walking into the hallway. The amount of students was already lacking as you raced over towards your locker and gave in your code. “Personal training?” Elena asked, her voice coming from behind you. You turned your head to see her fiddling with her own locker, clearly stressed out because she was late. Your teachers did tolerate you, on days they knew you had a reason to be late, on the days you didn’t, they would scold you never the less. “Yeah, don’t laugh to hard. You’ll have your own fair share tomorrow.” You reminded her, and you heard her chuckle behind you. Saying goodbye you ran through the hall, stopping in front of the door of your class room for this period and gave it a soft knock. 

“Come in.” The teacher’s voice resounded through the wood of the door and as soon as you opened the door and pushed your head around the corner, his stern expression softened slightly. “Miss _____________, please join us and take your seat.” Mister Kim muttered softly and you slipped inside quietly while your eyes rested on the unfamiliar boy who was standing beside him. His gaze drilled into yours, even though the unreadable expression on his face didn’t change. Though, there was something about his eyes that made it almost unable for you to look away. Quickly you walked towards your table, almost knocking over someone’s bag pack, causing you to mutter a soft apology before you finally slipped into your seat. You were quick to notice that today the only empty chair seemed to be the one next to yours. 

“So, I was introducing our newest student. Jeon Jungkook will be joining you for chemistry classes from now on and I’m sure some of you will have different classes with him as well. I expect you to treat him well, show him around and make sure that if he has any questions to answer them. You’re very welcome here Jungkook, I hope you’ll feel at home soon.” Mister Kim said, shooting him a friendly smile. You tugged up your eyebrows, remarking that the man was barely as nice to the most of you. He sent the new boy in your direction and he skillfully avoided your stare and he slipped behind the desk beside you. Most of the girls stared at him, their gazes locked on him because no one could deny, he was handsome. Most of them were already claiming him as their next boyfriend. 

Mostly, you weren’t someone who let yourself get fooled by good looks and a bad boy charisma. You’d had your own experience with that after dating your ex boyfriend for a few months. He’d seemed all great and amazing, swooping you off of your feet and as soon as he’d had the chance he’d gone around your back and he had found himself someone else. Yet, you noticed the way he easily grabbed his note book, ignoring all of them as he looked down on the paper as if no one else was present inside of the room. The aura around him told you that he definitely didn’t want you to talk to him. So you didn’t and you simply focussed yourself back on the teacher in the front of the room, because it seemed as if he wasn’t done yet. Still, the strange cologne made its way into your nose, making you feel uncomfortable. 

“Okay, it’s time for group projects. I want you all to pair up with the person who’s sitting next to you for the next few weeks and you’re going to work out a formula and you’re going to write a paper about it. This will be your final work for this year, so there’s a lot depending on it. In other words, don’t screw this up.” Mister Kim continued and you quickly turned your head to the left, praying to god that the person on your left side was still available. But Taehyung had already turned himself towards Amanda, who was sitting beside him. Your heart dropped into your stomach at the sight and you tried not to look hurt. Your teammate shrugged your shoulders at you before starting a conversation with her new partner. Your shoulders tensed as soon as the thought hit you, the new student was sitting next to you. Inwardly you groaned. It wasn’t like you didn’t want to work with him, it was just obvious that he didn’t want to work with anyone. Also, it was easier for you to work with someone who was aware of your busy schedule. 

Taking a deep breath you turned towards Jungkook, who was already looking at you. His glare was dark enough to make all of the hairs on your arms stand on edge. “Alright, since you all found yourself a companion you can sit together and then I’ll give all of you an assignment. You can read through it together, in SILENCE.” Mister Kim raised his voice as two guys in the front already started to make a fuss. Though, you were too busy debating if you should ask your teacher for a new partner or man up and give Jungkook a chance, to notice. He didn’t want to work with you, that much was for sure. In the end you sniffed, no one had the chance to decide who they were working with, so he didn’t have the right to stare you down like this. He didn’t know you, and in case he was interested, you were actually quite good at these kinds of things. 

When all of this was over he’d be grateful that he was partnered with you and not someone who sucked at this course. Telling yourself that this wouldn’t work if you wouldn’t try you tried not to let him see how intimidated you felt by him and you let a smile appear on your face. “Hi, I’m ______________.” You mumbled, keeping your voice down as you waited for a response. A deep frown appeared in between his eyebrows and for a second you weren’t afraid he didn’t speak your language, he looked as if he had no idea what you were saying. “How’s your first day going so far?” You asked, trying again. He was probably just nervous, after all a first day could be stressful. This time he sniffed and rolled his eyes at you, and you were taken aback by his hostile reaction. “Like you care.” He grumbled before crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against his chair, not even looking at you. 

What the hell was wrong with this guy? You were trying to be friendly, and what was he doing? He was being rude as fuck. You really tried to fight it, but in the end your head turned red out of embarrassment and anger. Not knowing what else to say you waited for the teacher to near your table with the assignment. You couldn’t get to know him better if he wouldn’t let you talk to him. Was he always like this? How were you every supposed to finish this project if you had to work with such an ass? Was it because you had interrupted him when he’d been introducing himself this morning? You hadn’t wanted to be rude. Your thoughts were running in circles as you pulled your hoodie straight, feeling the need to tug the cap over your head and hide. There weren’t many people who were able to make you feel that way. And you knew that it was wrong for you to let him, because he had no idea who you were and he didn’t have the right to treat you like this. 

This was nothing you could blame yourself for, and he was the one who had to apologize for being so mean to you. Still, you couldn’t help but try to find another reason behind it. It was his first day, everything was new for him, maybe he was just overwhelmed? Mister Kim walked up to your desks, standing in front of it quietly, letting his gaze linger between the two of you, as if he knew something was happening but he wasn’t sure what it was. “This is your assignment.” He said, putting a paper down on each of your tables, and you looked down on the paper reading it before waiting for him to continue. “Jungkook, I’ve checked your grades, and I’m sure the two of you won’t have a problem putting this together. As long as you can work your way past the busy training schedules, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” He said, sending you a stern look before disappearing towards the next couple. 

A deep sigh left your lips as you got reminded of that. It wasn’t easy to combine all of this together, especially since these kinds of things usually had to happen after class. You’d have to hope that your coach would try to understand that maybe you should stick with two trainings a week until this was over. Noticing Jungkook’s eyes pointing on you, you turned your head towards him and demanded yourself to smile. You weren’t going to let him force you into being cruel as well, he might be, but you weren’t lowering yourself to his level. You weren’t going to give him an actual reason to hate you. “I’m in the sport team.” You explained to him, in case he didn’t know what the teacher had meant with all of that. You swore you could feel your blood boiling inside of your veins because of his mocking tone when he spoke up. “Sure you are.” He muttered, grabbing the paper and looking down on it. 

Staring at the side of his face while he ignored you, you felt like screaming at him. No one was aware of the distressed state you were in as they were all busy trying to figure out how to handle this assignment. The two of you should be doing the same thing, instead, you were ready to pull your hair from your skull. Making sure no one could hear you above the whispers you made sure to speak softly to him. If he thought you would let him get away with this he was wrong, you weren’t going to let him walk over you like this. “Listen, mister grumpy face. I don’t care if you want to be a brad, you go on if you wish. But I’m not planning on failing this course because of you. I don’t want you to treat me like we’re best friends, I don’t have to know your deepest thoughts and feelings. But I’m not taking this kind of bullshit.” You whispered rigorously, and even though his expression didn’t change, you could see the surprise written inside of his eyes as he stared back at you. 

If he hadn’t acted the way he had, you were sure you could have gotten lost inside of those dark brown oceans. Out of all the things he had expected he clearly hadn’t thought that you would speak up against him. Unlike everyone you weren’t planning on flattering him and if he wanted to hate you than that was fine, but you could hate him just as much. It was clear he was thinking about your words as his eyes turned into slits. He was so antagonistic, it didn’t fit with his looks at all. “Fine….” He eventually muttered, the tension slowly slipped out of his shoulders and for the first time since you had entered the classroom he didn’t look as if he would run out of it any second. You didn’t know anything about this guy and his past, you didn’t know why he had changed schools in the middle of the year and you weren’t planning on asking him. 

But you tried to keep in mind that whatever had happened, it might be the cause of his behavior and maybe you’d be able to understand if you would know about his situation. But you weren’t going to let him take it out on you. “Let’s meet up in the library, or at one of our places after school. If we work on this thing for a few days a week then I’m sure we’ll get it finished long before the deadline.” You suggested, realizing that there wasn’t coming much leadership or action from him. This partnership was already tiring you and it had barely started. He was not going to be an easy person to work with, seeing how he seemed to hate everyone around him. He shrugged his shoulders, rolling his pen in between his fingers. 

His mind seemed to be elsewhere as you brushed your hands down your face and tried not to scold him again. “You can meet me at the sport field at five tonight, we’ll get going from there.” When the bell rang it felt like a gift and you didn’t take the effort to bid him goodbye as you got up from your seat and grabbed your bag, trying to get a break from Jeon Jungkook for as long as you could before you had to see him again. 

Part 2

BTS Masterlist

[sport9s]

26% OFF ON LACE BRAS SEXY PUSH UP BRA. DON'T MISS IT! Score from the best selection of products available online. Our store is gladly offering you the Lace Bras Sexy Push Up Bra at a 26% discount! Shop now, as this item won't last forever! Buy from us and be guaranteed: Premium-quality products Fast, worldwide delivery A friendly customer service team ready to answer any product or order inquiries A flexible return policy FEATURES OF LACE BRAS SEXY PUSH UP BRA Feature: Breathable As you can see, the goods in our Women sports bra category have exceptional consumer properties due to the careful approach to their production, because in manufacturing, we use only the best materials and tools. If you want to learn about other features of this product, you’re more than welcome to ask any questions: our experienced support managers are always ready to help you. PRODUCT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Do the colors in the photos match the real ones? The photos of the Lace Bras Sexy Push Up Bra match the actual product colors. However, your device might display a slightly different shade depending on its screen calibration. How can I be sure the Thin Bralette Comfort Underwear Lingerie Tops CD Cup Brasieres can beat the competition? It’s a good choice if you want value for money because we keep an eye on the market and what other web stores have, and we know we’re offering an attractive price for the Lace Bras Sexy Push Up Bra. If I order your Thin Bralette Comfort Underwear Lingerie Tops CD Cup Brasieres, will any extra fees apply? When placing an order, you can see the final price. After that, no extra fees are necessary. Are you sure this product is affordable? $14 isn’t as high as other online stores charge for similar products. I’d like to leave a review. Can I do that? We will be happy to see your product reviews shared on social media or any other feedback resources, so you're good to go! What if it doesn’t suit me? If the items you purchase leave you unhappy, just let us know, so that we could take note for our future actions and provide you with a refund. ORDERING & STORE POLICIES Can I get my Thin Bralette Comfort Underwear Lingerie Tops CD Cup Brasieres delivered to another address? I mean, not the place of my residence? If your personal address doesn’t match the delivery address, it’s not a problem! Despite that, we will send the package to any location you specify for us. Can I put several products in a single order? When placing an order, you can choose the number of units, so you can order as many products as you want. Can I buy your Thin Bralette Comfort Underwear Lingerie Tops CD Cup Brasieres right now? The product is available for purchase, that’s why use ADD TO CART button to order it. How can I learn more about the terms of purchase? I can’t find the info page. You are welcome to use our support service. Take a look at the contact details listed at the bottom of the page, and use the channel that is most convenient to you. We will gladly answer any questions. You've got some really nice products, but can I trust your store? All the transactions in this store are processed securely, with respect to your personal and financial privacy. As you can see it from our previous buyers’ experience, we deliver what we promise! I want to buy this offline. In a simple store, for example. Is it possible? As far as we know, the similar items sold in offline stores have a more limited range of variations and less appealing prices. https://sport9s.com/lace-bras-sexy-push-up-bra-thin-bralette-comfort-underwear-lingerie-tops-cd-cup-brasieres/?feed_id=2018&_unique_id=6284fac6b5d46

[indieks]

One-Life Stand 💫 Jungkook [0.1]

🛏 Pairing : Jeon Jungkook x Reader

🛏 Genre : Fluff, Humor, Minimal angst

🛏 Warnings : none for this part

🛏 Synopsis : Getting attracted to your long-time best friend, is something classical. Having a one-night stand with him though, is something alarming. While you get scared of your feelings and try to forget about it with the sake of your friendship as an excuse, Jeon Jungkook finally opens his eyes on his own and gets determined to turn this one-night thing into a real relationship.

0.1 || 0.2 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 0.6 || 0.7 || 0.8 || 0.9 || 1 [END]

🛏 A/N : I started to write this story in my notes and decided to take this further, so now I’m publishing it! A short texts and written series with my lovely, sexy and talented bias, the one and only Jeon Jungkook… I hope you like it, and thanks for reading! 

   "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

That's what the students' association made you swear once you arrived in front of the party's gates, and it made you laugh quietly before you resolutely took your oath with a hand on the heart. But you should have known better than thinking it would be a simple and funny Harry Potter’s reference to put you in the right and perfect mood to party, ready to go crazy till the end... As what had been supposed to be a fake oath, was really going to define all of your night.

Tonight, you shouldn't have stayed with your best friend as you always did ; you shouldn't have drank that much ; you shouldn't have left the party with him instead of your roommate ; you shouldn't have listened to him convincing you to do so... A lot of regrets and what ifs in just one night. But big school implies big parties ; a lot of people implies a lot of stories ; a lot of friends can become a lot of enemies ; and in the middle of all this mess, your best friend turned into the worst of your choices.

You entered the party with the will to kick Jeon Jungkook in the ass for having abandoned you and let you lost on your own, making you feel quite pathetic and insecure when you arrived – even if you were never going to admit it before him. You need to have pride, ladies and gentlemen, just pride.

"Ouch! Ya! You didn't have to hit me so hard!" your best friend whined, rubbing the spot your hand had smashed perfectly.

"You didn't have to be a proud asshole by leaving me!" you shrugged before greeting your friends laughing around the both of you.

"I'm going to kill you some day" he smiled, headlocking you and dragging you to the bar.

Oh god that headlock. You were so used to it that it didn't even bother you nor embarrass you anymore. Jeon Jungkook had headlocked you since the year you met in 7th grade, both of you put in each corner at the back of the class because you were listed as the "perturbing ones". What a smart move they had made, at least for the both of you, as instead of finally listening to class, you had settled a competition of the most badass one, making you hate each other at first, before becoming friendly. Opponents became true friends, disturbing and agitated loners became forever allies, and with time stupid children became young adults having walked through puberty together.

You had experienced so many things with Jungkook, from your teenager's crises, your fights with your parents, your runaways from home during night, your bad and good grades, and also your heartbreaks. Speaking of more-than-friendly relationships, you had at some point developped a crush on him and so had he, as a lot of best friends do because they feel like they can't be closer to another person, making them comfortable, making them want more just to see what it'd be, making them curious to check if love was in the air, or if definitely they only have a siblings-like relationship.

So you got curious, and you checked, during your first high school year. You had been having one of your movie nights – or more correctly anime nights –, seating lazily on Jungkook's bed with no other light in the room except for the one coming from the computer's screen. And suddenly, you had seen your best friend's chest turn towards yours, your eyes then distracting themselves from the colorful drawings moving fast before you, to land on his face that had been closer than what you had expected. And suddenly, you had kissed. It had been quick, but you still remembered his lips were soft and tasted like caramel with a tint of honey, probably from the popcorn you had been engulfing in your mouths before. Jungkook had retired and you had seen him frown, then shaking his head from the left to the right.

"Ew no. No no no. Definitely not. This isn't right." he had stated before tilting his head as he always did and he had smiled to himself, his nose crunching and his bunny teeth showing cutely.

While you had stared at his face you had been starting to find more and more attractive the past months, then in the emptiness because you, on the other hand, had been flustered. Shit.

Anywayyyy as any good best friend would have done, you quickly suppressed your growing feelings and never thought about them again, successfully. You didn't get jealous when he had girlfriends – except for one who had tried to exclude you from his life the year after your kiss – ; you didn't look at him in a doubtful way anymore ; you ignored the numb sensation you felt when he hugged or kissed you on the forehead – convincing yourself it was due to discomfort and disgust as always.

Jungkook grew up and became even more handsome, but you tried your best on putting a blind and thick filter before your eyes so that they would still see him like the little coconut he always had been for you, and not the manly man he was becoming. Successfully, successfully. Until you both attended the same college, last year. With all its dangerous parties and gatherings, its recrudescence of new faces for your own pleasure, but also of girls to turn around your best friend, making him smile cockily like a fool and become the #1 target of the university.

Jungkook had always been good at everything, ever since he was born, from perfect homework even without listening to classes, to sports, dancing, drawing, singing – you had heard him only a few times under his shower while waiting for him, and it had surprised you it was one thing he had never showed off about. So when he arrived at the university, his excellence pushed him towards fame with a nickname following him everywhere : "Golden boy". Jungkook had always been the #1 target of girls, in every grade and every school you went to, but he used to ignore it, more interested in games and silly friendships ; yet, while he had become the #1 freshman of a whole university, he slowly was retaking the place of the #1 boy and man in your life without you being able to control it as you yourself couldn't deny how almost perfect he was. And tonight, his safe but secret place in your heart was about to blow in your face at once.

    "Wow, you sure needed time to get yourself ready like that" Jungkook suddenly giggled, shaking you out of your thoughts as you both were waiting for your drinks behind the bar.

"What? Does that mean I'm pretty?"

"No, it means I can see you've put a lot of effort because you've upgraded from a toad to a frog, that's great!"

Another kick, and another time, Jungkook winced in pain.

"Fuck. You. I'm going to dance with my friends, don't talk to me 'til the end of the party you scumbag" you spat, grabbing your order and leaving your best friend laughing behind your back.

The party went on as usual, a very good one as always with your university, as it had a good group cohesion between all the students, no one caring about the major you were taking or the year you were in. This easiness of meeting new people and the good ambiance led your friends and you to chat with a group of guys in the same year as yours outside, with one you had already spotted during classes. And for your great pleasure, you felt something was in the air between the both of you and that wasn't one-sided, as you clearly caught the gazes he gave you from time to time even when you were not talking, and it made you confident.

So confident you let yourself be carried by the flirt-thing or whatever was going on between the both of you, drinking more at the bar in his pleasant company – the guy was nice, clever and funny, how lucky – then back on the dancefloor where you danced together. Some time passed by, and you finally hooked up in some dark corner of the room, with soft kisses at first that became more passionate second by second, but without him having misplaced gestures – how luckyyy. However, in the eyes of your best friend that had spied your whereabouts and doings, it wasn't as welcomed.

So Jungkook ditched the girl he was talking to – and that, in reality, you also had left him for as you had caught her looking at him during all the beginning of the party but clearly blocked by your presence –, and he went through the crowd. He sped his pace straight to you and your crush as the latter was taking you by the hand and leading you outside where you could both be less disturbed by the people around. Jungkook was almost suffocating when he finally reached the both of you, the vision of a boy taking you somewhere still being a trauma in his head ever since the event that had happened a few months ago.

You gasped when you felt a second hand grabbing yours and snatching it from your crush's grasp, that turned around with confusion and anger in his eyes.

"What do you want Jungkook?" the boy sighed.

Oh? They know each other?

"What did I tell you last time Y/N?!" Jungkook ignored, shouting over the music and looking only at you with his eyes wide open.

Why is he bringing that up again?

You mirrored his stare but with your brows furrowed, not getting what was going on with him and more than embarrassed before your crush that crossed his arms, clearly in frustration.

"What are you doing Jungkook?" you asked through gritted teeth, pushing him slightly with your hand to signal him to go away.

"Don't you remember last time, huh? Do I have to remind you? What did I tell you?!"

You looked at your crush from the corner of your eye, pleading him to excuse you through your pupils only and, thankfully, the smart guy nodded in understanding.

"Hey, I know what I'm doing, you're embarrassing me right now!" you lowered your voice so that only your best friend could hear you.

You turned away from him and were about to follow the handsome boy once again, but Jungkook had decided otherwise, and when Jeon Jungkook wanted something to be the way he'd like it to be, it was bound to become that exact way without discussing. So he grabbed you by the arm and he pulled you behind him, leaving you speechless but mostly pissed off at him as you saw that your crush was looking at the both of you and probably making assumptions.

"I'm sorry I'll talk to him and-" you tried.

"She won't go anywhere with you" Jungkook opposed and you sighed, slapping his arm for the third time of the night but the boy didn't budge ; instead, his firm grip on your wrist only tightened to the point it started to hurt.

What was wrong with him?

"Okay Y/N I'll let the both of you alone for now, let's talk later…" your crush said in a monotone, annoyance and confusion clear on his face, and then he disappeared behind the doors.

"Let go of me. Before I kill you right this instant." you threatened.

"I wouldn't have to embarrass you like this if you'd listen to me!" Jungkook exclaimed, turning to you and you got surprised by the furious gaze he directed at you.

And oddly, it made your heart flutter. You felt impressed but also overwhelmed in a good way, as Jungkook was rarely mad at you but when he was, your weak girl's heart couldn't deny how handsome he was. Like that event last time. Still, you were even madder at him so you shook your arm to free yourself from his grasp, and you crossed your arms on your chest.

"I have the right to flirt with guys Jeon! You're not my father! So go and live your life!"

"NOT WITH WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME! I DON'T TRUST YOU OR GUYS ANYMORE!" he suddenly burst out, catching the attention of a few people around and you wished you could disappear into the ground.

What were they going to think? You looked like a couple fighting right now, and by tomorrow, you knew there would be rumors running in the hallways about you if he'd continue. Not like it would be the first time, no, it would be the third of the month actually, and the umpteenth since you've arrived at the university, because it looked like a guy and a girl couldn't be best friends without people shipping them or assuming things.

"Let's go home" he suddenly commanded and you shook your head from the left to the right.

However, from the way Jungkook was poking his cheek and looking at you with his chin leveled-up, you recognized his ready-to-fight face and you knew deep down that you were risking triggering his bad temper if you didn't oblige.

"It's not even three in the morning… And I saw you were with a girl before, what about her?"

"I don't care; I'm not in the mood anymore. Blame yourself. We're going to the dorms."

His shining hair was falling on his squinted eyes that were killing you more than scaring you, and it upset you to feel things just from his gaze, distracting you from your original anger against him.

"Jungkook let me live, please…" you pleaded weakly one last time.

"Not in my plans." he shortly answered in an irritated tone, before he grabbed your hand forcefully.

You were dragged to the exit with your hand in a guy's hand another time, but it felt so different. Earlier, you had been so excited to finally go outside with your crush, looking for some kind of intimacy ; now, if you had been about to murder your best friend that was walking fiercely outside, your body was curiously tingling everywhere, and your heartbeat was beating ten times faster. It probably was out of frustration, right? It should be.

Everything felt so familiar from this scene. You trailing your feet behind him but also you feeling flustered by him being mad. Everything seemed to be repeating itself, except that tonight, nothing had actually happened to you, reason why you still felt upset among your other forbidden feelings right now.

    "I don't like you playing the father or big brother with me Jungkook, I was fine!" you still were protesting as you had arrived at the dorms by foot, the party location only a few blocks away.

"You're coming to mine" he ignored, still pulling you but this time you resisted, making him finally stop in his tracks.

"I'm not! I want you to think back of how annoying you have been, and that all by yourself! Let me be! I don't want to see your fucking face for the rest of the night!"

"So what? You're going to return to him? You're more than tipsy you know, I felt it while walking with you, so no, you're coming with me because right now I can't be sure you won't do anything stupid!" he almost screamed at you.

That lecture was so familiar. Jungkook sounded like a scratched disk. The same arguments as last time, but still, one thing was different : you crush had been so nice and you were actually having a good time.

So what the fuck was happening to him?!

You looked at him with big eyes and your mouth agape, and when you felt a vibrant headache winning your brain the second his voice got louder, you knew he was right about you being drunk. You hadn't counted your drinks nor felt like it until now, too carried by the heat of the moment with your crush, but now that you were away from the party where being drunk supposedly makes the night more enjoyable, you clearly felt some weird sensations getting the best of you.

"A-And you, huh? Aren't you drunk and doing something stupid right now?! Nothing has happened to me like last time but you're still crazily mad, what's wrong with you, huh?!" you retorted in a way less convinced tone.

And as an answer, Jungkook breathed out and started walking again, not listening to you nagging repeatedly behind him as you were entering his empty dorm. You stopped before his door and he finally freed you to search for his keys, mumbling nonsense to himself and having a hard time finding them, and it signaled you your best friend wasn't in his clear mind no more.

"I don't understand why you're that mad. It happened months ago. I know what I was doing tonight…" you still were ranting on your own, waiting for him to answer the questions he had planted into your confused brain.

Jungkook slowly turned around to face you who were leaning against the wall, and you swore your heart had been about to jump out of your throat the second he landed his eyes on you. At first, they still seemed to be lightened by anger, but you quickly discovered that it was darkening into something lustful the more he was staring at you, giving you the chills and making you feel so small.

"What? What? You're going to scream at me again Jungkook oppa?" you teased as he hated being called like that, but you were more than desperate to trigger whatever reaction from him as he had given you the silent treatment for five minutes straight.

But you hadn't expected that kind of reaction. The one that implied him stepping dangerously closer. The one that involved him placing his hands on each side of your head, locking you into the human cage that was his toned body. The one that was followed by a deep and passionate kiss he unexpectedly gave you and that, even more surprisingly, you gave back and even prolonged.

  To be continued...

  A/N : Part 0.2 will be up in two days normally! only if you like it haha

[lostflyingfish]

I’m still feeling really heated

about the how there isn’t a single female player in the Overwatch league. 

So I’m going to keep talking about it, because that’s what I always do when something is bothering me. 

The league has 12 teams that need a minimum of 6 players and max of 12 to a team, that means there are at least 72 players spots with the potential to have up to 144. And yet it appears* that none of the teams have any women, like I’m not sure if they even tried to sign a female player.

Like tell me that’s not ridiculous. Try it. 

I commented on a post earlier with a link to a Kotoku article, basically saying that teams didn’t want to deal with the “drama” of signing a female player. The article quoted specifically

“The Houston Outlaws, for example, spent a solid chunk of their 20-minute conference engaging with the question, noting that Geguri wasn’t a good fit for them because of the language barrier and concerns over co-ed player housing, and that other women hoping to join the scene face a serious uphill battle. “You have to go through all these hurdles, like if you pick up a player, is the press gonna call it a PR stunt, or is it because she was the best?” said Outlaws general manager Matt Rodriguez.”

So the Outlaws were one of the few teams that did not sign on any Korean players, but they do have a players from Finland, Sweden, Canada, and Belgium. They are owned by a professional eSports organization that has competitive teams for CoD, Halo, and CS:GO (there’s more but idc, also are Halo tournaments still a thing?). Again most of these players are from the US with a few exceptions. But I want you to guess how many women I found listed on their rosters? Their website? 

None.

The article goes on to say that the London team, which is composed of all Korean players, didn’t even think to sign a female player. New York, also all have an all Korean team, said that they thought “she just doesn’t fit their current goals.”

A PR STUNT, THAT’S WHAT THEY’RE CONCERNED WITH, NOT WINNING P-FUCKING-R. 

YOU KNOW HOW YOU PROVE IT’S NOT A PR STUNT? LET HER PLAY AND WATCH HER WIN. 

Being the first to sign a female player, could be seen as a PR stunt, but why is that bad? You overlook a whole group of potential candidates because you can’t handle a few “hurdles”. The hurdle being a language barrier, co-ed housing, team synergy. Language can’t be something you use to excuse not signing a female player when most teams sign a player from any where if he’s good enough. There are players from Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Ethiopia (well one player from each of those places at any rate). This also sort of implies that 1) Koreans don’t know English?? and 2) players are too stupid to figure out how to communicate with each other. Team synergy is also not something they can blame solely on gender. I can’t tell if they’re talking about the staff and/or players figuring out how to get along with women, but either way it’s a HUGE giveaway about their actual stance on women. 

If theses are actual problems then what the ever loving fuck DO THEY PAY YOU FOR? 

The article continues to have quotes from GM’s and owners about how it be nice to one day not have an all-male team, and they readily acknowledge that it’s harder for women to be here, in this field, this environment. They acknowledge the need for change, and yet….

“…Dan Fiden, president of Cloud9, the esports organization that London Spitfire is a part of, acknowledged that organizations need to play a role in making esports more welcoming and less toxic for players who aren’t men. He believes that involves starting from “the beginning.” 

Are they going to do anything about it? Are any of them going to use the millions of dollars of influence to change anything? 

Probably not.

This is stupid, and to me, this says that they don’t want us here. They are trying to push us off into a separate space. Sound familiar? How about every women’s sports league ever? They don’t want to make space for us. They want us to just fuck off, except now they excuse is even weaker. They can’t point to our physical stature (because what else about us matters anyway) and say “that would be unfair, this is too rough for you, you’ll get hurt” 

They aren’t wrong, but they made it that way.  It’s only rough because they don’t want us here. It’s not really anything new. They were already hurting us. They push and shove and hope that we leave because it’s not worth the trouble. 

Sometimes I think that, I’m tried and everything hurts and I just want to rest. But then I remember I have chronic depression and that’s the time I take for a rest and recovery. I think if you don’t want to deal with this, I get it. I’m not really even angry about my own chances about getting in the big leagues so to speak, because quite honestly I’m a terrible shot. 

Quite honestly I just want to see one of us make it. I want to validate my anger and I want to kick these guys in the balls but I think having women on a winning team would do just as well. (no it won’t and I know violence isn’t the answer but still...) 

We’re not asking for special privileges; we’re asking to be treated like people, as equals. Letting us in the door shouldn’t be some special fucking favor.   

The article sums it up quite nicely, 

“For now, though, Overwatch League is still in an awkward spot. Since the very beginning, Blizzard has touted Overwatch as a game of inclusivity and diversity, with a selection of characters that includes everything from multiple women of color to a moon ape. And yet, as Overwatch makes its debut on its biggest stage ever, the pro scene’s most accomplished woman player is nowhere to be found. Instead, there’s only chatter that uncritically echoes the allegedly meritocratic points of view we’ve heard from other esports scenes for years. Yes, women have it harder, players, coaches, and owners admit, but they’ll win out in the end. Just, you know, later.”

I know this was mostly me repeating/reiterating parts of the article, but it was infuriating how true it all was, to hear these men spout useless platitudes. 

Just to spice things up 

So this Mashable article cites Kotaku as well (tbh I just think this guy was looking to put something out there bc he doesn’t really add any insight or any new information, but hey, it agrees with me) 

Here’s another lady that has some thoughts - she seems hopeful, and also more in touch with the professional side of Overwatch. 

I know change takes time, but there was an opportunity to make those changes, instead they were cowards. 

(NEXT UP ON MY ANGER TOPICS: Find more on the media day interview, do more research on the teams, the owners, and staff, and if there are women at all)

*I say “appears” because I don’t know if any of the current players personally, so if they happen to be like a closeted transgendered person, then obviously that counts but like I wouldn’t know it. And of course that doesn’t make them any less of a woman, I’m just not omnipotent. Listen gaming spaces aren’t friendly, I just want people to live their best life. 

[danielmason]

Does 10bet Free Bet Deserve Your Attention?

Experienced punters have probably heard about 10bet, for this is a leading bookie in the online sports betting industry. 10bet has a wide range of great features, a nice mobile app and an extensive sportsbook. This is a well-known and respected betting site, one that goes to great length to improve its platform and its betting selection. If you are wondering whether this is the best option for you or not, you should know that it has regular price boosts, a diversified sportsbook and great offers such as the 10bet free bet. When it comes to welcome bonuses, it is worth mentioning the Fansbet free bet.

Why Opt for 10bet Free Bet?

10bet is a wonderful choice for punters who like live betting. Also, it offers punters the possibility to opt for a partial or full cash out and this is available for a wide range of events. As far as the 10bet free bet is concerned, the first deposit bonus for new members is worth 100% up to £50. This is definitely more impressive than other offers available on the market but it comes with a drawback: its wagering requirements.

To qualify for the  10bet free bet you have to: • Create the account • Make the initial deposit of at least £15 • Accept the bonus • The bonus should be wagered 8 times within 30 days • Minimum single odds should be 4/5 • There are certain bet types and payment methods that do not qualify for this promotion.

If you would like to join 10bet, you might be required to send verification documentation such as utility bill less than three months old, passport, driving license or ID and the front and back of your debit card. This bookie has customers across the globe and its sportsbook covers 60 sports. When it comes to football betting, punters can enjoy an impressive selection of bets for 10bet has over 150 different football leagues that customer can bet on. This bookie is a wonderful choice for those who appreciate live betting for it allows customers to select from different views. Its odds are above the average compared to those offered by other major players in this field. The live betting feature is impressive and it enables punters to follow live events and see graphics, statistics and odds.

Would You Like to Avail the Fansbet Free Bet?

Fansbet is a popular name among punters in UK, for it has an impressive selection of sports and leagues, competitive odds and attractive bonuses. The Fansbet free bet is available to new members only. If you would like to join Fansbet you will be able to place wagers on football, cricket, rugby, tennis, American leagues, water polo, darts and others. It has a live betting feature but it is not available for all sports, a mobile application that functions perfectly and a wide range of deposit and withdrawal methods.

Fansbet should be one of your top choices when it comes to online betting for it: • Provides everything you need for an enjoyable betting experience • It allows you to bet on a wide range of matches • It has a new platform that works perfect on mobile and desktop • It has an impressive selection of bets • It has new promotions every week • It has top-notch customer service

When it comes to the  Fansbet free bet, punters can bet £10 and get £10 provided they create a new account, click on the claim button and make a deposit of at least £10. It is useful to know that the deposit must be wagered once, the minimum odds are ½ and the bonus does not come with any wagering requirements, which is great. Fansbet was founded in 2006 and it has continued to grow ever since. This bookie places a great emphasis on football odds and it provides the best odds for major leagues. For a Premier League match, punters can choose from more than 100 different betting options such as 1x2, correct result, corners and cards, over total goals, under total goals and others. You can also place bets on tennis, water polo, chess, beach football, darts, badminton, volleyball, cycling, skiing and many other sports.

Why Check Out Fansbet Free Bet?

When it comes to Fansbet betting features, we should mention live-betting. Its live-betting platform is well-optimized for live bets, allowing you to place a bet faster than you imagined. Furthermore, you always have access to live statistics. The cash out feature is available only for selected matches and it depends on the type of bet you have placed. This website is fully optimized for mobile use and it also has an app that can be used hassle free. The app works perfectly and it is reliable. Nonetheless, it is important to have it updated regularly so that you have a great user experience and you have access to its latest functions.

As you can see, the Fansbet free bet does not come with any wagering requirements and it is easy to claim. 10 bet also has an excellent mobile app and the website is optimized for mobile use. Via the app users have access to all the odds, games, offers and price boosts. The design is attractive and simple. Placing bets has become much easier thanks to the Internet and to online bookies that put at your disposal user-friendly websites and mobile apps that enable you to place your wagers easily.

Whether you would like to avail the 10bet free bet or another welcome bonus from a reliable bookie, chances are you will have an enjoyable gambling experience, one you will be looking forward to repeat. The fact of the matter is that if you are interested in making money, it is worth it to do your research and see which bookies have the best odds, the best offers and the features you are interested in. By doing so you increase your chances of winning. 

[metazensae]

Everyone’s Apprentice OCs are so great, so I kinda want to add to mine lol

SO HERE WE GO:

Basics

Name: Izzy Age: 19 Sign: Capricorn Pronouns: They/them - preferred; She/her - ok Familiar: Chukar Partridge named Samer Love interest: Asra

Personality

Izzy has two separate personas; a public face and a private face. 

In public, they are sunny and bright, friendly, welcoming, and open. Izzy thrives off of helping people in need and will go waaaaay out of their way to help even the strangest of strangers. Izzy also has an incredibly forgiving nature, even if it is to their detriment. 

In private, they are serious and critical, anxious, lonely, and constantly worried about the future. Plagued with constant self-doubt and the unending drive for perfection, Izzy is prone to self-isolation where they can work on eliminating their flaws and weaknesses. Because of this, Izzy is never satisfied with themself and constantly (yet silently and passively) seeks approval from others.

Notable features:

Physical:  - 5′1″  - short, wavy, light brown hair  - large light brown/amber eyes  - baby face  - honey thighs  - nice, wide smile

Style:  - Tops: light colored pirate blouses or sleeveless shirts, vests  - Bottoms: SHORTS, suspenders, tights with patterns (cold weather only)  - Shoes: leather ONLY - boots & booties; ALWAYS barefoot indoors

Likes

Artistic endeavors, passionate people, scholars or people who are masters at their craft, learning new theories, studying people and cultures, kindness, relaxing, snuggling animals, quiet, rainy days, social distance, cheering others on, sharing knowledge with others, playful trolling, necromancy

Dislikes

People fighting/yelling, competitions, explosions/fireworks, maths, receiving compliments, loneliness, being controlled, gendered expectations, making decisions, SPORTS OF ANY KINDS FUCK THOSE, ANXIETY

History

EARLY LIFE

Izzy was born as the youngest child to a conservative, religious family. Frustrated by endless comparisons between their siblings and the general restrictiveness of an authoritarian parenting style, Izzy sought recognition and approval by excelling in matters of the mind and artistic talent. This excellence always pleased their parents, for it was their favorite topic to discuss in polite conversation. However, Izzy’s other interests were not so well-received. Being an anxious child and with limited social exposure, Izzy sought to pursue the art of necromancy in order to glean knowledge from the experiences of those who had passed on.

FAMILY ISSUES

However, necromancy - or any sort of communion with the dead - was absolutely disallowed by their parents, claiming it was a blasphemous practice reserved for those whose souls were committed to the darkest region of the Beyond. So Izzy kept their studies a secret, practicing only at night and using their own coin to procure the supplies necessary to complete the rituals. Unfortunately, one fateful day, Izzy’s secret was exposed by the butcher, who in passing, told their parents about how Izzy was their favorite and most loyal customer. Their parents rushed home, went through Izzy’s things, and burned every scroll and resource related to necromancy that Izzy had accumulated over the years. Izzy was distraught, but acknowledging they had brought such an unholy practice into their parents’ home, Izzy accepted their fate begrudgingly. That was the beginning of the end of Izzy’s relationship with their parents.

Another area for discrepancy was the gendered expectations their parents placed on them. Izzy’s inability to adhere to traditionally accepted female roles endlessly frustrated their mother, but it was always assumed Izzy would grow out of it and conform as they grew. Feeling powerless and wanting to avoid conflict, Izzy typically found it easier to passively accept their parents’ wishes. It wasn’t until later when their parents began arranging a marriage contract for Izzy that these issues surfaced. Not knowing what to do, Izzy defied their parents’ wishes and consulted the dead for the first time in years. The invoked spirit advised Izzy to run. 

So run, they did. Izzy gathered their most precious belongings and fled their hometown, ending up ultimately on the streets of Vesuvia.

ESTABLISHING A TRADE

The times of the Red Plague proved to be the ideal springboard for Izzy’s necromancy craft to flourish. At first, Izzy simply offered their talents pro bono, wanting to help assuage the mourning of those around them, but rumors of their talents spread, and soon they found themself steadily servicing a number of clients. They were able to eventually save up enough to purchase a permanent residence, converting the main area to a shop. Izzy’s trade saw success for a number of years before public interest in it began to decline.

A TRADE IN DECLINE & SHIFT TO DIVINATION

As the threat of the Red Plague and its resulting deaths lessened, so did the frequency of visits for Izzy’s clientele. Izzy soon became consumed with worry over their stability in the future. Should they choose a different craft to pursue now that their services were no longer in demand? 

Being a homebody, Izzy typically spent their days in isolation, but the walls of the shop soon became stifling, a constant reminder that their trade would soon be as dead as the spirits they invoked. After months of worry, a paralyzing depression set in; Izzy could only be compelled to feed themself when their familiar, a gecko named Reuel, needed feeding as well. 

One fateful day, Izzy meets Asra in the marketplace and has their fortune read. Izzy then impresses Asra by incidentally reading Asra’s fortune as well. Asra claims that Izzy is a natural and takes them as a student of divination in exchange for room and board. It is then that Izzy adds the much more profitable fortunetelling to the services they offer at the shop.

┏┓ ┃┃╱╲ In this ┃╱╱╲╲ house ╱╱╭╮╲╲ we love ▔▏┗┛▕▔ & appreciate ╱▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╲  🔮Asra ♊️ & Faust 🐍 ╱╱┏┳┓╭╮┏┳┓ ╲╲ ▔▏┗┻┛┃┃┗┻┛▕▔

EPISODE - MEETING ASRA

One day, Izzy leaves the shop to buy crickets for Reuel and finds themself uncharacteristically wandering the city for hours after. They move from shop to shop, stand to stand, hoping for something to strike inspiration or distract them from their worries. It is then that Izzy happens upon a certain magician’s fortunetelling stand. 

Though Izzy has always doubted the credibility of any fortunetellers’ predictions, they are totally arrested by the display of this particular magician. Or rather, his aura -  carefree spontaneous, gentle, masterful ... it is an overwhelmingly reassuring aura which Izzy finds themself drawn to. Despite their best efforts, Izzy is unable to look away, utterly dazed and enraptured. 

The magician notices Izzy’s interest and beckons to them. “Would you like to know what tomorrow brings?” he says cheerfully.

Flustered, Izzy answers with a small self-disapproving scoff, “I’m merely trying to get through today.”

A cat-like smile then pinches into the magician’s lips. “Then would you like to know what tonight brings?” A card flashes as he works his deck onto the table. “Death.” The Magician looks up at them expectantly.

This time, Izzy releases a magician-disapproving scoff. “Should I be impressed? That could apply to anyone. The Red Plague has claimed so many lives-”

“Not a physical death. You are ending something, changing your mind, ending a chapter of your life?”

Izzy freezes momentarily. It is a moment before they find words again. “That’s too vague-”

“Temperance. You’re considering moving from one trade to another.” His purple eyes smile up at Izzy. “Don’t worry. You’ll be good at it, whatever it is. I have that feeling.” When Izzy doesn’t reply, the magician continues by turning a third card. “The Hermit, reversed. You’ve been in hiding for a while, haven’t you?”

A gulp of air tightens in Izzy’s throat. “... how...?”

“The cards are saying the time for hiding is over, Hermit. It’s time to come out and share your knowledge with others.” The magician leans forward and rests his chin atop interlocked fingers. 

Finding the jar of crickets slipping from their hands, Izzy snaps back into reality.  A dark look crosses their eyes. “... Is this a prank? Have you been spying on me? Death? Temperance? Hermit?”  With each word, they take a heavy step towards the magician’s table. “Mighty coincidental to just be assumptions, magician. Trickery at best.”

The magician shrugs. “It was in the cards-”

“THE CARDS?!” Izzy snaps. They grab the deck of cards. “And what’s in the cards for someone like you?! Someone who begs and-” Izzy turns the first card over, but their rage is immediately sidelined when they read the words at the bottom of the card. The face of a beggar stares back at them. They drop the card wordlessly on the table.

“... the Fool...” the Magician says. “You’re good at this.” He raises his hand, gesturing to take the cards back. “Come on. Give them back.”

But Izzy pulls away, overturning another card - just as the magician’s hand closes over it. For a moment, they stay like that, both holding either end of the card. Izzy blinks, feeling their face flushing pink. 

This card reads the Lovers. 

Flustered, Izzy releases the card. The Magician says nothing, studying the card for a moment. His eyes roll upwards along with his empty hand. “The rest of them. Please. These cards are special.”

But Izzy is already in the process of turning over another card. The Tower. Their face blanches, seeing the destructive vision affixed to it - fire climbing the tower’s walls, people falling to their deaths. The magician’s thumb closes over the falling bricks, and he takes the deck back.

“I...I’m sorry...” they offer, unable to make eye contact.

The magician shakes his head wearing a strained smile. “It’s alright. No harm done...” his voice trails off as he shuffles the cards together. When he is finished, he rests his chin smugly on his upraised fist. “You are surprisingly good at divination. Have you ever-”

“No-” Izzy shouts, suprising themself.

The magician blinks, taken aback at the abruptness of their answer. A dark smile works its way onto his face. He moves to pack up the rest of the artifacts on his stand. His face dips below the table. “On second thought, a little harm done...”

“W-what...?”

When he raises again, a beautiful white snake is climbing his arm. “But you could make it up to me by offering me and Faust a hot meal? I think I saw that in the cards too, just before I put them away.” He winks.

Izzy laughs, already feeling forgiven for their outburst. “Now that’s trickery at its finest.”

The magician shrugs again, “Might be~”

Izzy finds themself charmed. “Alright. It’s only fair. But I’ll warn you. I’m a horrible cook.”

“I can eat anything-,” the magician says in a singsong voice. What Izzy thought was a drape on the table transforms into a scarf, which the magician ties around his shoulders. “-No matter how awful.” He winks.

Izzy can’t help but fight back a blush. Honestly, there’s something special about this magician. They feel so safe next to him, like everything will be alright. Does he know some secret to happiness? Is it because he can divine the future with those cards? Is that why he seems so carefree? Izzy decides it would be worth it to spend the next hour or so finding out. “Alright.”

The magician smiles and gestures for Izzy to lead the way. They do.

“What’s your name, by the way?”

“Izzy. Yours?”

“Asra. And as I said, this is Faust.” He indicates the snake, now barely visibly peeking out of his shirt collar.

“She’s lovely~”

“Thank you.”

“I love reptiles too. I have a gecko at home - Reuel. You’ll meet him soon!”

“Can’t wait,” Asra beams.

They walk awkwardly together the rest of the way to the shop, talking about this and that in passing. Their small talk deepens after reaching the shop, breaching topics like the current state of the world, the origins of the Red Plague, and the existence of ghosts... They chat through dinner - some unfortunate cabbage soup that Izzy managed not to burn, and as if finding his aura attractive was not enough, Izzy finds themself thoroughly charmed by Asra’s intelligence and sense of humor. It’s nice having someone, a living person, in one’s home. 

And... they liked him especially. 

Izzy resolves to invite him over again. They need to see him again. “So, do you live around here?” Izzy asks as they clear the table.

“‘Around here,’ is a bit... nondescript, isn’t it?” He laughs. “Technically, yes?”

“Technically?” Izzy responds, puzzled. They dip the dirty dishes into the wash basin and turn to face him.

His smile turns downwards towards Faust, who is snuggled in his lap. “Here. There. Anywhere. I don’t live anywhere. Not anymore.”

Izzy snaps their fingers and points at him playfully. “Ah-HAH! You really ARE a beggar!”

“The card is called The Fool.” Asra smiles. “I told you were good at divination. A natural, even. You’ve really never done it before?”

“Is it similar to necromancy?” Izzy laughs indicating the macabre effects on their walls.

“Oh, is that what you do?” Asra laughs. “It might be. Do you want to learn about the cards?”

“Well, you said it yourself, I am looking to change trades. I ran into you at the right time, apparently.”

“I could teach you,” Asra answers with a serious look.

Izzy blushes and tucks a tuft of hair behind her ear. “... that is... kind of you, but I don’t have the resources to pay for lessons like that.”

“Do you have a spare room?” His cat-like smile works into the corners of his mouth.

Their eyes narrow in a knowing smile. “That’s presumptuous-”

“-Offer this Fool a room, then?” His smile spreads across his face playfully. “And a meal after each lesson? I think that would cover it.” He leans back in his chair, folding his arms behind his white hair. “And, I’ll teach you everything I know, Hermit.”

Izzy chokes on a laugh. 

Gosh. They liked him. 

They center themself, straightening out their blouse and clearing their throat. “... ok. I’ll get the room ready if you tell me about the cards.”

Asra beams back at them. 

“I’d be glad to.”

[clarencenicholsonata]

4 Travel Contests & Lessons for Your Next Campaign

The savvy content marketer knows that the most direct path to a consumer’s conscious awareness is through offering them what they both want and need to see.

For some, that’s information. For others, that’s humor. For many, that’s great deals.

For almost everybody, that’s an escape.

Travel contests, therefore, have become hugely popular with brands looking to boost their following and reward their consumers. With trends in consumption leaning more towards experiences than things, customers flock to them. They’re a smart marketing move, they’re a very good way to get a wide base of appeal and engagement, give information about your brand, win loyal customers and showcase testimonials.

Four companies’ travel contests reveal a lot about how to leverage travel contests for maximum ROI: before, during, and after a contest.

These four contests offer brilliant insight for companies wondering if launching a travel contest is the right move for them and those who just want to understand the psychology of contests, customers and engagement.

Read on for four case studies to see four real-life examples and takeaways for running your own travel contests.

Lesson One: Don’t Underestimate the Value of an Experience.

Company: Reo Rafting

What it was: Enter to win, $500 credit towards an adventure package (yoga, glamping, rafting, massage).

What to learn: Reo Rafting understood that people don’t always need a fully paid trip to an overseas hotel: sometimes, they just need a little encouragement to take the leap and go on that adventure.

Reo Rafting’s competition appealed to a wide base, and their travel contest allowed customers to see they offered much more than just the sport. With glamping, yoga, and massage added, even non-winners were now aware that the company catered to a much bigger market than their name alone suggested.

With a $500 credit reward, the company minimized the cost of their giveaway, and their customers still got an amazing deal on an unforgettable wilderness getaway. (Sounds like everybody won!)

Lesson Two: A Happy Customer is the Best Promotion.

Company: Fonte Travel

What it was: Enter-to-win, flights, accommodation, activities and transportation to the Azores.

What to learn: Fonte travel shows that, particularly for companies that cater to tourists or travelers, travel competitions can offer ongoing returns. The dividends aren’t just the leads or the increased engagement (although those are great in and of themselves).

As an additional reward for a well-run contest, your winners can also become stellar brand ambassadors - without doing anything.

Check out the reviews of the trip on the contest landing page, which don’t only talk about the destination, but about Fonte’s impeccable customer service and planning.

This is the most valuable promotion a company could ask for: authentic and positive reviews that potential customers will be bound to see (as they’ll be searching the page for more information about this prize and how to get it!)

Travel marketers, are you looking for more insight into ways to design your online experience to cater to today’s digitally savvy, globetrotting consumers? Read our free ebook, The Complete Guide to Online Marketing for Traveling Marketers!

Lesson Three: Let Your Users Do The Talking

Company: Honua Kai

What it was: Photo contest, five-night visit, daily breakfast with an ocean view, $300 credit

What to learn: Honua Kai cleverly targeted former guests for this competition, asking them to share their best memories from their time at their resort for the chance at a five-night return trip. The result was a user-generated gallery of personal snapshots of crystal clear oceans, turtles gliding underwater, striking sunsets, cocktails by the pool, and happy families soaking in the island sun.

Consumers trust few things more than other consumer experiences. Travelers are especially likely to check reviews, as they’re concerned not only about the money they’re spending, but their safety and enjoyment over hours, days or weeks.

Honua Kai’s photo competition not only raised engagement and secured the loyalty of a set of customers but provided them with valuable user-generated content, social proof they can use and re-use and powerful free promotion for the duration of the contest. Their ‘ask to vote’ feature ensured that their guests’ friends and family saw the resort’s offerings (and everyone else’s top photos) as well.

Lesson Four: Tap Into Your Local Audience

Company: Reader’s Digest

What it was: Nominate, then vote-to-win contest. The ‘Nicest Places’ contest asked American readers to send in their candidates for the “Nicest Place in America”, with stories and pictures to prove why. (Their definition of ‘nice’ being, “It’s a place where the people believe in kindness, civility, and each other, neighbors help each other out, and strangers are welcomed as friends.”)

Winning place would be on the cover of Reader’s Digest.

What to learn: When we think ‘travel contest’, we often think exotic and expensive - all-expense-paid trips to places like Bali, New Zealand, or Paris. However, Reader’s Digest turned the idea on its head by asking their readers to vie for a prize much closer to home (quite literally). They proved that a travel contest doesn’t have to be exotic and expensive to be effective. It doesn’t even have to involve moving! Rather, companies can tap into hometown pride.

Personal gain is a primary motivator, but people are also driven by altruism, pride, friendship, and gratitude, and these are less catered to. Reader’s Digest managed to tap into that for its ‘Nicest Place’ contest, winning itself greater exposure and a fanbase that would return to see their town on the cover of Reader’s Digest.

Summary

Running a travel contest can have a great ROI, but it isn’t just a matter of offering a prize and drawing a lucky winner. Use these tips to help you design and run a travel contest that works for both you and your customers.

Don’t Underestimate the Value of an Experience

A Happy Customer is the Best Promotion

Let Your Users Do The Talking

Tap Into Your Local Audience

Looking for more about the nuts and bolts about running contests? Check out our free courses on Wishpond Academy!

Need Help With Your Travel Contest?

Book a free call to learn how our team of contest experts can help you create high converting travel contests today.

Whether we’re sending your contestants on an African safari, on a yoga retreat, to the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, or for a five-star meal at their local restaurant, our friendly expert team is excited to bring your next contest to your customers.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230801 https://ift.tt/2M3qosB via IFTTT