#like do-able fun but not fun so close to you that you’re always spending money but you can plan a long weekend or whatever out and about

[milo-is-rambling]

Whoop whoop it’s cold enough to use the blanket that smells like a mix between my dog and kettle corn hell yeah

[gucciforasushirestaurant]

Handle It

summary: Harry tests your endurance with a new toy.

word count: 1.9k

read time: 8 min

content warning ⚠️: nonfamous!harry x f!reader, pwp, kissing, sex toys, cunnilingus, pet names (babe, baby)

a/n: i had a dream....and now we're here lol. enjoy!

What started as an innocent cuddle during movie night has turned into moans and slow dry humping as you straddle Harry’s hips. And as much fun as you were having, as much as you love the feeling of his lips on yours, and his tongue in your mouth, he could tell that you needed something more. And he knew just the thing that could scratch that itch. 

He pulls away just enough to look at your kiss swollen pout, cradling your face. He smirks at you, stroking your cheek and pecking your pout away. 

“Want to take this to the bedroom?” You nod, biting your lip. “Okay, up.” he says playfully tapping your ass. You’re quick to get off of his lap and he’s quicker to lead you to your shared bedroom. As soon as the door closes behind him, you're wrapped around him again, arms around his neck, fingers tangled in his curls, as you pull him in for a kiss. He pulls away, too quickly for your liking, and rests his hands on your hips.  

“Get up on the bed for me.” Harry demands softly, “I need to grab something.” you tilt your head, eyes narrowed making him chuckle. “You’ll like it, I promise.” He smiles, kissing your forehead,  fingers playing with the elastic of your panties at your hip. “Get on the bed,  bottoms off . But keep your panties on, okay?”

Still unsure you take a step away from him, doing as you were told, stripping yourself of your lounge shorts and getting comfortable amongst the pillows. You watch as Harry disappears into your walk-in closet, for a little too long. 

“Harry,” you whine.  

“Aww. Needy baby. I’m coming,” Harry chuckles from inside the closet, before finally emerging with his hands behind his back. He smiles at the sight of you laid up in your bed, knees bent and feet planted, in nothing but your panties and his old band-tee just like he’d requested.  “You follow instructions so well, babe.” He smiles at you as he slowly approaches your side of the bed. “I’ve got something for you.” 

You lift up on your elbows trying to get a peak behind his back at what he was hiding, but he turns too quickly for you to see. 

“What is it?”  

Harry chuckles at how eager you are, and pulls a large box from behind his back. It’s a toy. Specifically your dream toy, a vibrator that you’d been eyeing for months. You’d showed him the toy one night curled up in bed, after  he’d introduced the idea of the two of you throwing toys into the mix of your typical bedroom play. It was way out of your budget, but it had rave reviews and a few friends had sung its praises. You never thought you’d be able to have one of your own, and knowing how much you hated spending money on yourself, Harry went ahead and decided to surprise you with it.

“You got it.” Your eyes widen and you let out a little gasp. Before looking up at him with the sweetest most innocent eyes. 

“I did.” He smiles proudly. “Thought we could try." What do you think?” He asks, eyes filled with lust. You nod, biting your lip. 

“Y- yeah. Let’s try it.” 

“Alright. But I have a little challenge for you.” 

“Okay.” You say swallowing thickly. 

“Wanna see how many settings you can get through without coming.” 

You let out a little whimper, but nod accepting the challenge anyway, “Okay.”  

 “Think you can get through all of them?” He smirks 

“Maybe.” you lie, biting your lip. You’re rarely able to beat Harry’s little ‘challenges’. They were always for fun, and never came with any real punishment, but still you always tried your best anyway, for the fun of it. And for the look of pride on Harry's face for the rare occasions you're able to beat his challenge. 

“Alright,” Harry smiles, situating himself between your legs. “Now, lay back.”

You do as you're told as Harry opens the box, taking the toy out of its packaging, laying on his stomach between your legs, face inches away from your pussy. He places a peck on either of your thighs before pressing a few buttons on the toy. It purrs to life, and your skin warms, heat pooling between your legs at the sound. Harry teases the toy up and down your inner thighs, and you jolt at the contact. 

“That’s the lowest?” you moan. 

“Yep.” Harry smirks, “You’ll be alright.” he encourages with a kiss to your inner thigh, “If at any point it gets too much just tell me okay?” 

“Okay.” 

He teases the toy some more, placing it above your mound up your stomach before finally landing right over your clothed clit. The sensation causes you to jolt slightly, but Harry soothes you, kissing at your hip. 

“Oh,” you moan. 

“Yeah?” he asks, kissing along your panty line, pressing the toy further into you. “‘S it nice?” 

“‘S really nice.”  

“Good.” 

He lets you enjoy the first setting for a few moments, and once he feels like you're tolerating it okay he looks up at you, “I’m gonna turn it up one more okay?” 

“Okay.” you whine before you hear and feel the vibrator increase in speed, and it’s a jump from the last setting to say the lease.

“Shit.” you moan, throwing your head back against the pillows. 

“Good?” 

“Yeah.” you paint, writhing your hips up into the toy, “But -”  

“What do you need?” 

“Off. I need these off.” you say tugging at the elastic of your panties. Harry kisses your hand removing them from the elastic. 

“No, not yet.” he coos, “Just a little longer, okay?”

“Okay.” you pout. Harry kisses at your inner thighs and hips, wetly and the sensation adds something that you can’t quite put your finger on, but you know it’s becoming harder to think straight. 

“Good girl, baby. You’re doing so well.” He praises. 

Just as you get comfortable with the medium buzz between your legs it comes to a sudden stop. Your eyes snap open, as you look down at Harry from between your legs, but his eyes are locked on your pussy. He sets the toy down, beside you, before running a finger up and down the front of your panties, drawing out a whine. 

“Look at that.” He coos, “You’ve soaked through your panties, baby.” He hooks his fingers into the elastic of your panties, “Think it’s time we take these off, hm?”  You nod feverishly, with a whine. You lift your hips up, helping him shimmy you out of the thin material. As they shimmy down your legs you shiver at the cool air of the room finally hitting your pussy. 

“Can I have a taste, baby?” he asks, eyes locked on your pussy. 

He had plans on getting you off with just the toy. But when it comes to you, and your pleasure, Harry was selfish. He’ll gladly admit it. 

“Mhmm, please.” 

Harry smiles, leaning forward slowly, landing a soft peck to your clit before licking one broad stripe up your pussy with a flat tongue. You moan out, rolling your hips into his face, begging for more and he gives it to you. He cups his lips around your clit sucking it into his mouth working his tongue over the sensitive bundle of nerves, moaning into your folds. 

“Mmm. So sweet baby.” He purred, against you as your hand flew to his hair, tangling into the curls. “And so fucking wet.” He laps at your pussy messily, saliva running down his chin as he works up a pace. 

“Harry.” you whimpered, pushing his face further into you, “Oh my god.” You could feel your skin heat up, the coil in your lower belly tightening, you were so close. 

“No,” Harry taunts, pulling away. “No coming yet.” before he pulls away with a smirk, and your juices all over his face. He wipes his chin, with the back of his hand, looking up at you. “We still have a few settings left. Let's see if you can handle it.” He smirks, reaching  over and grabs the toy again, placing it on the setting he had before, “Ready?” 

You nod fervently,  biting your lip. He obliges, placing the buzzing wand back where you needed it most. The medium speed had you jolt again but you quickly became accustomed to the vibrations again, whimpering and writhing about on the sheets. 

“You're doing so good, baby.” Harry smiles up at you, “Going to turn it up some more okay?” 

“Okay.” you pant, hands gripping at your chest. Harry sees the desperation on your face, can hear it in your voice. You needed him close. So without moving the toy too much, he moves from between your legs, leaning on his side, nestled next to you, one arm above your head, cradling you close to him. 

Once he's settled next to you, you hear two clicks and the toy nearly triples in speed. 

“Oh fuck.” you huff,  as Harry's hand comes down to cradle the side of your face, nuzzling into your neck placing a few sloppy kisses there. 

“You can take it baby, I know you can.” he praises, sucking your earlobe into his mouth. 

You're a moaning mess now, whimpering and moving your hips against the toy, trying to stay grounded , but with Harry kissing at your neck, it's becoming harder and harder to think straight. And it is getting harder and harder to keep yourself from falling over the edge. 

“Breathe baby.” Harry smirks into your cheek with a kiss. “Come on.” He says demonstrating a deep breath for you to copy. You do, trying your best to stave off your orgasm. 

“Oh god - Harry. I’m so -”  and just like that another click and an even faster buzz starts between your legs. 

“I know. But, you can handle it. Can’t you baby?” Harry asks into your temple, nosing at your hair. 

“Yeah. I - I can handle it.” you say breath hitching. 

“Good girl.” Harry growls, “You're almost there. One more, okay? You're doing so good, holding it for me.” 

He lets you get settled with the current setting for a few more minutes, rubbing the toy in tight circles on your clit as you focus on your breathing.  When you hear the final click it takes everything in you to withhold from coming in a second. 

“Harry - I’m going to -.” 

“You can come baby, I want you to.” He leans close to your ear, sucking your earlobe into his mouth. He presses the toy harder into your clit. “Come for me baby.” 

You roll your hips up into the toy, and just like that, your body tightens as you come in a white hot flash, gripping onto his forearm, and turning your face into his for a searing kiss. 

“Oh fuck.” You huff out into his mouth. 

“There you go!” Harry praises,  “Good girl, just like that.” He keeps pushing the vibrator against you, moving it from side to side. “Keep coming, baby. Give me one more.” He urges, and your body responds on its own, coming once more against the toy.  

“Okay okay okay.” you pant, “I’m done.” 

He takes the vibe away kissing you anywhere he can reach. “Alright, okay. You're okay. I got you.” He cradles your face in his, bringing your lips to his, “You did so good, baby. I’m so proud of you.” 

Harry pulls you into his chest, a hand stroking up and down your back as you catch your breath, “That was…wow.” you giggle looking up at him. 

“Yeah? Good investment?” He chuckles

“Amazing investment.” You smile, eyes heavy, “Might put me to sleep.” you joke, through a yawn. 

“Oh that was just a warm up baby.” Harry smirks, “I’m not finished with you yet.” 

✨masterlist✨ ∣ ✨yap & request box✨

[rebouks]

Previous // Next

Hiiiii Robin aka Bird Boy!

Sorry I took a bit longer than usual to reply but dad suddenly decided he’d had enough of the forest and we went back home! I thought maybe it’d be fun to wait a bit longer and show you our house and stuff. I don’t really like moving around all the time but I guess it kinda gives you lots of new stuff to talk about so that’s something.

This is our house! It’s not as big as yours looks but there’s only two of us and we’re not always here so it makes sense that it’s not massive. Dad usually rents it out whilst we’re not here cos he says it’s better for the house that it’s looked after but I know he means it’s better for his bank too lol!! I guess it works out for me though cos he says I can put as many plants as I want in my room as long as I keep them alive so they’d die if we left it empty every time we left. He says it’s like I brought the jungle inside hahaaha, I like it though!

The last person who rented the house was one of dad’s old work friends and he left this cool telescope for me to play with since I’m “so keen about the stars and shit” HIS WORDS! I know you’re supposed to use it at night but it’s kinda fun to spy on people during the day too. Like I’m pretty sure our neighbours are getting a divorce cos I overheard the guy moaning about the lady to my dad once and sometimes you can hear them yelling and see them waving their arms at each other through the window or on the balcony (don’t tell anyone though hahaa!)

I think dad’s kinda happy to be back (look how bushy his eyebrows are though ahahhhahah) he spends a lot of time fishing but I know it’s only a matter of time until he gets itchy and runs out of money again. Half of me wishes he’d get a good job here so we wouldn’t have to move around all the time but the other half is glad to leave. I guess it’s kinda nice here AND I was born here but I don’t even like swimming and there’s water and beaches EVERYWHERE ugh..

I guess I don’t really think Sulani feels like home anymore, not since mom died. It’s pretty and it’s nice but something is always missing so it’s kinda lame too if that makes sense. Maybe that’s why dad likes to leave sometimes too, I’d ask him but he’d probably get upset so maybe not! I was gonna leave that part out cos it’s a bummer but we don’t really keep many secrets from each other so I said it…

Anyway, dad’s a pig and never cleans ANYTHING and I think he got bored of me complaining about how big and heavy the vacuum is cos he got me a cool mini one (it’s a “sorry we move around so much but here’s a present so shh” present but I’ll take it hahaa) he took it off me for a few days after I hoovered some crumbs out of his bed and sucked up his headphones by accident but that’s his fault for eating cookies in bed when he should be sleeping.

Oh and since there’s not many fun rocks to find or dig up here I decided to start up my shell collection again. I found a few nice ones I guess but I really want to find a conch! Dad said they’re pretty rare but you’d think with all the stupid sand and beaches around here that I’d be able to find at least ONE even if it was a tiny one but not yet! I’ll let you know if I do though!

Anyway, I’m kinda sad we left Granite Falls in the end cos it was so close to the holidays I hoped maybe your family would go camping again and we’d be able to explore together again. Hopefully next time we move we’ll move even closer to where you live so there’s more chance we’ll get to see each other! A bird pooped on me the other day though which dad said is supposed to be lucky so I decided to believe him and hope we get to hang out again one day SOON (after I had a shower anyway because EUGH!)

Hope you’re okay and glad to be done with school for the summer!

Love Alex :)

[katyswrites]

put on your records (and regret me)

PART 3 | SERIES

Pairing: Steve Harrington/fem!reader

Warnings: asshole!Steve, rivals-to-lovers, swearing, alcohol use, recreational weed use, descriptions of puking/hangovers, no use of y/n, not quite smut but we're getting close folks

Wordcount: 4.3k

Playlist

You love WAMC-Hawkins, Indiana’s top college radio station. It’s your safe space, your niche. It’s where you’ve made your friends, your favorite place to be when the rest of the world gets to be just a bit too much. Well, with one exception.

Steve Harrington is a thorn in your side. And just as well - he thinks you’re a royal pain in the ass. But in your senior year, you’re both on the e-board, so you have to work together. You love to hate him. So why can’t you get him out of your head? And, why do you find yourself going to see his band, each and every weekend?

Underground basement concerts, spinning old records, and screaming matches in the vinyl library with the boy you love to hate. An enemies-to-lovers college radio station 90s AU.

TRACK 3

You don’t see Steve for nearly a week after that - you hang around the radio station quite a bit, as you usually do, but never manage to run into him. You should be thankful for that - for how peaceful it is. It’s not even like you want to see him - no, why would you? He’s a pain in your ass, and you should be thankful that you can do your job in peace. 

No, it’s not actually at the station that you see him next - though, it’s tangentially related. You’re at perhaps your second-favorite place in the world - Varsity Vinyl, the local record shop downtown. It has some of the best selection you’d seen, and you always find yourself there - buying for your own growing record collection, or rooting through the used and discounted bin to help stock the station’s vinyl library. It’s where you find yourself on a Saturday afternoon, flipping through records while figuring how much money you actually realistically are able to spend.

You don’t see him, not at first. He’s standing further down the aisle, and when you finally look up and spot him, you nearly jump - he’s just staring at you, eyes wide. You straighten up, just holding eye contact - you feel like two wild animals sizing each other up, deciding whether to run or fight. You’re truly deciding between those two options when he clears his throat.

“Oh - uh, hey,” he says, quieter than you had expected.

“Hey.”

You shift uncomfortably on your feet, a beat of silence passing between you. Then, you both find yourselves speaking at once:

“Your party was fun the other night -”

“Are you okay -”

You both pause, and you awkwardly laugh.

“Sorry, uh - the party was fun last weekend. Thanks,” you say quietly.

Steve shrugs.

“Oh, yeah - glad you came. You… you seemed like you were having a good time.”

Like I made an absolute fool of yourself, more like, you think to yourself.

“Oh! I mean - I guess. Sorry if I got a little - uh -”

“It’s fine, don’t worry - we’ve had worse,” Steve assures.

He hasn’t said anything about bringing you home. Part of you is convinced that Eddie was misinformed, and Steve didn’t actually bring you home that night - that is, if it wasn’t for that stupid note. The note you probably should have thrown out, but stuck into a desk drawer instead - to refer to later, just to make sure you weren’t crazy, you had reasoned.

But now, Steve is standing in front of you, more quiet and withdrawn than you’ve ever seen in the past four years of knowing him.

“So, uh - thanks,” you say quickly, almost mumbling.

“For what?” he asks, confused.

“For, um, getting me home safe - I don’t really remember it, but -”

He waves you off. “Oh, that - don’t worry about it. The hardest part was getting you to tell me your address,” he says, laughing. “You were wasted.”

You groan. “That’s…embarrassing.”

He smirks. “Honestly, yeah, a little bit. But most people were gone by then, so… your secret’s safe with me.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“I mean - I’m surprised you didn’t tell everybody - how I was, you know, throwing up all over your apartment, being a drunk idiot -”

Why didn’t he? It’s leverage - a way to make people lose respect for you, and gain more for him. A part of this stupid, pointless power battle you two seem to always be involved in, seeing how far you can push one another. His response is unexpected.

“You don’t actually think that little of me, do you?”

You don’t really know how to answer that.

He scoffs. “Look, it’s not my fault that you can’t hold your alcohol for shit. But, I’m not going to go around telling everyone that, okay? Christ -”

He trails off, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re welcome, though.”

You suddenly feel like a bit of an asshole - Steve is used to you throwing insults his way, but this time, it seems to have struck a chord with him.

“I was in a really bad way, wasn’t I?” you ask quietly, avoiding eye contact.

He nods. “Honestly? Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. You really don’t remember?”

You shake your head, face feeling flushed with embarrassment. He just sighs.

“What do you remember?”

You rack your brain for a moment, biting your lip absentmindedly as you think.

“Um - I remember playing Kings with everyone… and, uh…”

I remember you coming in from the porch with what’s-her-face on your arm -

“-and it gets fuzzy after that,” you say quickly.

“Oh, okay - wow, that’s pretty early on. Well, you did some shots with Eddie and Robin - you got on the kitchen table at one point ... I think you threw up over my balcony… and after that I, uh, hung out with you in the bathroom while you threw up some more, and brought you home.”

You freeze. “Wait - you babysat me, like, the whole time? I thought that was Eddie -”

“No way, Eddie was too high to help anyone. I was stone-cold sober by that point, thanks to you.”

“Oh,” you say, wishing you could sink into the floor. Steve fucking Harrington knew what you looked like keeled over a toilet and puking your guts out… dammit.

“It was pretty gnarly, but… it’s fine. Really, it’s okay.”

For maybe the first time in his life, it sounds like Steve is being sincere with you. Another beat of silence passes, then he’s clearing his throat again.

“So… you have any big plans tonight? A repeat of last weekend, maybe?” he asks casually. You furrow your brow, confused.

“Um - do you actually care?”

He shrugs. “So what if I do?”

“Well - no, after last weekend I’m not sure if I ever want to drink again -”

“The most famous lie ever told,” he cuts in, grinning. You just roll your eyes, and pretend to be interested in perusing the records as you return to flipping through the crates.

“-but it just so happens that I do have plans tonight,” you say quietly.

“Hot date?”

You scoff. “I’m going to Fuze Box. Nancy’s covering some bands for an article for the campus paper, and I figured I’d check out who's playing tonight.”

WAMC has a long-standing relationship with Fuze Box, a small music venue for local artists and college bands. A lot of students and station members play there, and shows at the Box get advertised a lot on the air. You try to go to local gigs as much as you can - though, you haven’t made as much of an effort lately, too overwhelmed by other responsibilities as station manager. Nancy’s article is a good excuse to go, for the first time all semester.

“So, you don’t know any of the bands playing tonight?” he asks, leaning against a shelf and crossing his arms.

You shake your head. “Nope - just figured I’d check it out, go in blind. Maybe I’ll even put some of the bands in my radio slot next week, if they’re selling CDs or something.”

Steve grins mischievously.

“Right - well, have fun, sweetheart.”

You roll your eyes at the nickname, and know that any semblance of an awkward peace between you two is gone - the Steve you know and love (to hate) is back. You turn to make a clever retort, but he’s gone, having stalked off to a different aisle.

You’re not sure what he’s up to, but part of you now has a sneaking suspicion that he might show up at the venue tonight just to piss you off - it’s such a Steve move.

As you go to the checkout, you do your best to shake it - after all, what’s the worst that can happen?

*****

“Thank you - we’ve been Lime of Decision - goodnight!” the lead singer shouts, a collection of hollers and applause following. The lights go up a bit, some venue staff coming out to the stage to adjust the equipment for the next band.

“Lime Of Decision is… a choice,” Nancy says, scribbling something into her notebook.

“Yeah, that’s because their name is literally meant to be a joke,” you say absentmindedly.

“What?”

“Jason, the lead singer? His ex-girlfriend is in a band called Lemon Of Choice, so it’s like…funny. I think.”

Nancy chuckles, shaking her head.

“Which band is better?”

“Definitely hers,” you say immediately.

You and Nancy both stare at each other for a moment, and break into a fit of giggles.

“I’m going to get another drink, you want anything?” she asks.

You shake your head, holding up the cup of beer you’re still nursing from the beginning of the last band’s set.

She disappears into the crowd, and you sigh, taking a drink as you once again survey the room. If Steve actually is here, you haven’t spotted him yet - maybe he decided that getting on your nerves wasn’t worth actually paying the cover at the door. Or, maybe he actually had more important plans - maybe even with that girl he was all cozy with at the party -

You stop yourself - why do you care? If anything, it should be a good thing that he doesn’t seem to be here. 

There’s two more bands left to go - you had glanced at the flier on the way in, but only recognized Lime Of Decision in the lineup. So, when Nancy returns with a new drink and the lights begin to dim again, you just hope the next band is better - it can really be hit or miss at these sorts of shows.

Darius, the radio station’s tech engineer, is emceeing the show. He steps out on stage to introduce the next band, earning a smattering of cheers and hollers thrown in his direction.

“Alright, alright everyone! Settle down - that includes you, Hagan - Jesus Christ, okay - can we give it up for the amazing bands we’ve heard so far tonight?”

You clap along with the rest of the crowd, rolling our eyes at the sound of particularly rowdy hollers from the back that you just know comes from Eddie and the rest of Corroded Coffin.

Darius’ eyes narrow.

“Dammit, Munson - when I said a month-long ban, I meant it -”

You glance back to see Eddie flipping Darius off - famously, Corroded Coffin got a temporary suspension from Fuze Box for smoking weed in the green room. But, the ban actually being enforced… not likely.

Darius rolls his eyes, struggling to get the room back on track as he taps the microphone.

“Okay, okay - everyone, can we please - if you all can shut the fuck up - okay, whatever. The next band up tonight - you guys know and love. They’re a Fuze Box favorite - and no, they are not promising anything with the name. Give it up for Free Beer!

You can’t help but laugh at the band’s name - you instinctively turn to Nancy, who is doing her best to stifle a giggle as she writes something on her notepad, squinting in the dark.

It’s during those few seconds while you’re looking away that the band takes the stage - which is why, when you glance back, you freeze as you see who’s standing front-and-center.

Steve stands at the mic stand, an electric guitar slung over his shoulders as he smiles at the crowd.

You freeze. Other band members - including Robin and Argyle, who you know all too well from the radio station - come out onto the stage behind him. But you’re just staring at Steve, dumbfounded.

You knew he had a band - scheduling them to perform on the air was always a nightmare for you, which you knew Steve did on purpose. So, you had never learned anything about them on-principle. You hadn’t heard a lick of music, didn’t know who else was in it, or even the goddamn name - until right now.

Nancy’s eyes are on you, you can feel it. You turn briefly to look at her.

“Do you want to leave?” she asks, glancing at where Steve stands on stage. You shake your head.

“God, no! I - I’m an adult, I can be in the same room as Harrington,” you say, laughing nervously. You’re not sure how much you believe yourself. She stares at you for a moment, then just nods, turning her attention back to the stage, where Steve is stepping up to the mic.

“Hey guys - we’re Free Beer. I’m Steve -”

A few feminine voices cheer from the back. Your eyes roll so far to the back of your head that you’re worried you’ll go blind.

“Thanks, ladies, love the enthusiasm. So - let’s just get into it. Ready to hear some songs?”

There’s an eruption of cheers through the audience - one of the biggest reactions of the night so far.

“Alright - this one is called ‘Closer,’ I hope you enjoy.”

From the moment he plays the first chord, something shifts in the room. The crowd becomes less rowdy, less chatty. No - everyone is really listening. Some are even singing along - how the fuck do this many people know the words? 

You want to hate it - you want the set to be something you’re tolerating, something that makes you look forward to the next band coming out. But, despite your efforts, that’s not what happens. Because the band is good. Robin is killer on bass, and Argyle is a formidable drummer, despite his perpetually laid-back persona. And Steve - it’s like he was born to do this.

Aside from having a pretty good voice, and being an excellent guitarist, he’s actually a good frontman. He’s charismatic, knows how to work the crowd, and somehow, he makes the tiny stage of the Fuze Box feel as exciting as Live Aid. 

You want to scream - of course he’s good. You catch yourself moving along to the music every now and then, and immediately stop yourself, hoping nobody sees. At one point, you swear Steve sees you. His eyes land on yours - or, at least, in your direction. You think you imagine it - it’s a big enough crowd, and you’re far enough back that he probably can’t see past the first few rows. That is, until he smirks, in the way that you know he reserves only to taunt you, to challenge you.

Fuck.

*****

You find yourself heading down the hallway after Steve’s set - you’re looking for the bathroom, shouldering through the bodies packed into the narrow passage. Part of it is because your beer has finally gone through you, and more so because you need a minute of peace and quiet, just to stare at yourself in the mirror and talk some sense into yourself. Steve’s band can’t be good - that would be a problem. If you didn’t know who was part of it, they’re the kind of band you would buy records for, keep a spare CD in your car, and even include as part of your radio show. But…it's Steve.

You had purposely never gone to any of his shows - you never listened to any in-studio sessions they did at the station, and God knows you would never ask Steve about his music. What the fuck?

Part of you also wants to smack him - of course he was performing here tonight - he looked you in the eye at the record store today, heard you were coming here tonight, and said nothing. Next time you see him, you decide, you’ll ignore him - you won’t even acknowledge that you saw him perform. If he asks, you’ll tell him you left the show early, long before he came on stage. You won’t give him the satisfaction of thinking you sat through his whole set, let alone enjoyed it.

You can’t exactly remember where the bathroom is - was it all the way at the end of the hallway? None of the doors are really labeled, which tracks for Fuze Box.

You knock on a few doors and jiggle the handles - one is an electrical closet, the other is locked and seemingly empty. You finally reach a door at the end, and give it a gentle knock - nobody responds. You try the knob, and it gives way. After shouldering your way inside, you wish you hadn’t.

Apparently, instead of the bathroom, you’ve managed to find the green room - although, to call the backstage area of the Fuze Box a green room is generous. It’s really a tiny room with a worn out couch, a cracked glass coffee table littered with ashtrays, and lighting so dim that you have to squint to figure out exactly where you are as you slip through the door.

It’s only once you’re inside, when it’s too late, that you realize you’ve walked in on Steve.

His back is turned to you, but he jumps slightly and turns when he hears the door open. He’s wiping his brow with a towel, and he grins when he sees you.

“Hey, sweetheart - wasn’t expecting to see you back here.”

You stand in the doorway awkwardly - why couldn’t the rest of his band be hanging out here with him? That way, you could throw out a blanket ‘you guys were great’ statement. But now it’s just him, staring at you, his face saying why the fuck are you here?

“Oh - sorry - I’m in the wrong room,” you say quickly, your face feeling hot as you start to back away.

“Okay - sure you are,” Steve says sarcastically.

“What does that mean?” you ask, stopping your retreat.

He shrugs. “Don’t know - you just seem to always conveniently stumble into me, don’t you sweetheart?”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Try to stop me.”

There’s a moment of silence, and you just groan with frustration, taking a few steps towards him.

“Jesus, I - I don’t know if it’s like, a weird sick game to you, or you’re just always trying to piss me off - or if you just can’t help and flirt with everyone -”

“You think I’m flirting with you?” he asks, grinning mischievously.

You stop, folding your arms in indignation.

“No - I mean, kind of, but probably as a joke - I know what you’re up to, Harrington.”

“And what exactly am I up to?”

“This bullshit you keep pulling,” you say, gesturing between you two. “This - like, always sabotaging my shit, and getting in my way - but then like, this stupid nice-guy thing, where you drive me home when I’m drunk and don’t tell anyone, but then like you trick me into watching your stupid band perform -”

He scoffs. “Trick you? Be serious -”

“You knew I’d be here tonight - you knew, and didn’t say anything -”

“Well given your track record, sweetheart, if you had known I’d be playing, I’m sure you would’ve been front row!”

You stop mid-sentence, mouth hanging open as you try to search inwardly for a reply. Your face feels hot all of a sudden.

He’s smirking now, just like he did on stage. As always, he’s too confident, too sarcastic, too Steve. He’s taken away your ability to even come up with a halfway decent retort. It pisses you off.

“I - that’s not -”

Your blood is rushing to your head, roaring in your ears, too enraged to even let you think straight anymore. You’re marching right up to him now, prodding his chest with your finger.

“I don’t like you,” you say. 

“You don’t say?” he drawls, still smiling. Why is he smiling?

“Stop doing that -”

“Doing what?” he asks, feigning innocence.

“Stop distracting me -”

“I distract you?”

You want to kick yourself.

“I - well - only because you’re so -”

“Devilishly handsome?”

“-fucking annoying.”

He cocks his head, like you’ve only mildly piqued his curiosity instead of insulted him.

You sigh. “What?”

“It’s just - you didn’t seem to find me very annoying last weekend when you tried to kiss me.”

A beat. You just stand there, jaw agape as his words hang in the air between you like smoke on a hazy summer’s day.

“That’s not funny,” you manage to say.

“Does it look like I’m laughing?”

You’re suddenly aware of how close you are to him - the next band has started outside, a distant din that should be distracting. But all you can focus on is Steve - the beads of sweat on his forehead, the way you’re close enough to smell that he had just had a cigarette.

“I didn’t -”

“Sweetheart - right before you puked your guts up in my bathroom, you tried to stick your tongue down my throat. Don’t worry - I didn’t let you. I really thought you would’ve remembered, until I saw you in the record store - then I realized you didn’t remember jack shit.”

You feel like you’re making this up. He’s just saying this to get under your skin - he must be. It’s the only explanation. Because you’d never - 

“You’re lying.”

But he’s just staring at you, and you’re starting to get the sickening suspicion that this isn’t a joke.

“You’re lying,” you repeat, though it sounds more like a question this time.

He’s taking another step towards you, shaking his head.

“You know what they say, sweetheart - in vino vesco, or whatever. You know - how people say and do what they’re really thinking when they’re drunk -”

“Veritas.”

He stops, furrowing his brow.

“I - what?”

You can’t help yourself - you just can’t.

“The phrase is in vino veritas - it means truth. I think vesco means food or something, you’re missing the whole  -”

“Shut up,” he says. “You’re always such a -”

You don’t let him finish. Instead, you’re kissing him. You don’t mean to do it, you swear - but he had gotten so close, the heat radiating off of him too much to ignore. And, he was really pissing you off - you didn’t need to hear another word out of his mouth.

You fist your hands in his t-shirt, your lips on his, messy and desperate, like you’re trying to prove a point. And he’s kissing you back.

Steve kisses the same way he argues - he’s aggressive, his hands coming up to grab your face and pull you closer. He tastes like cigarettes and cheap beer, his aura hot and desperate as it envelops you. 

The band plays out in the venue, the audience cheering and singing along - but, all you can hear is Steve’s labored breath against your lips, your own heart thudding in your chest.

The kiss was all teeth and tongue, another argument you were both desperate to win. But, right now, you’re losing. Because he’s guiding your body, and you’re responding, stepping backwards until your back is hitting the cinderblock wall.

No words are spoken, just breathy moans and the sounds of your lips moving in unison. It’s not remotely romantic - it feels more like fuck you, I’m trying so hard to hate you, why can’t you let me -

One of his hands has traveled down to your waist, gripping it firmly enough to tell you that he wanted more. You feel his hand start to move, slipping under the hem of your shirt and gently brushing the warm skin of your lower back. His hands are calloused, rough against the softness of your skin. You let him start to explore, unable to stop yourself from quietly moaning against his lips. 

You know you should stop - but you can’t. It’s addicting, the way he’s still fighting with you as his tongue enters your mouth. Is this really happening? Maybe this could’ve gone on for hours. That is, until -

The knock on the door makes you both jump, pulling apart as quickly as you had crashed together. Steve is staring at you, breathing heavily, his pupils blown and lips a bit swollen. You imagine you look similarly. He takes a step back, separately himself from where you’re still frozen against the wall.

“Yeah?” Steve calls, voice rougher than before.

“Are you decent?” a voice asks from the other side of the door, barely audible over the sound of the band currently on stage.

Steve looks like he’s fighting laughter, but he just shakes his head, back facing the doorway.

“Nope - you’re good,” he says, his eyes meeting yours again.

He doesn’t need to say it - the look he’s shooting your way is enough.

Not a word.

Robin enters, grinning.

“Hey, we were just going to - oh, hi.”

She’s spotted you, and you just know she has questions.

“Hey, Robin,” you say quietly. “I, uh - I was looking for the bathroom. Ended up in here - I was just telling Steve how much I liked your set.”

Robin beams. “Thanks! It’s fun to see that you came out - haven’t seen you at a gig in a while!”

You nod. “Oh, yeah - I’ve been trying to get myself out there more -”

Steve scoffs, and you want to slap him. If Robin notices, she doesn’t say anything.

“- but, um - I should go.”

Robin nods. 

“Yeah - I was just coming to find Steve, we’re all going to head to WT’s for a drink - uh, do you want to come?”

She’s probably just being polite. But, you shake your head vigorously.

“No, I’m good - sounds like it’s a band thing. I should get going anyway - I’ll catch the end of this set,” you say, gesturing towards the sound of the band on stage echoing from down the hall. You still haven’t made eye contact with Steve, not since Robin entered the room. So, you just give her a curt nod, and do everything in your power to head out the door without looking like you’re bolting.  You’re screwed.

author's note: thanks for your patience y'all! I'm going away to Ireland on a work trip for about 3 weeks starting tomorrow, so I'm hoping to do some writing while I'm there, but no promises! As always, reblogs and likes are appreciated!

[red-pill-to-swallow]

How to be attractive to men and my goals

Hey babes,

like I said – I want to incorporate RPT (Red Pill Theories) into my daily life immediately.

A few things that every women within the community seemed to be content with were:

1. You are never finished with glowing or leveling up. Never stop learning. Never stop trying to better yourself.

2. Pretty privilege is real.

I agree that pretty privilege is very real. I mean, I get affected by pretty people like everybody else, even if I don’t do it on purpose. It’s just something that is ingrained in our brains and I need to learn how to take this to my advantage.

I think I have a decent starting base, because I’m a skinny white woman in her twenties with long blonde hair. I am not really tall – even short men are at least 5-7cms taller than me – but I’m also not extremely short.

I have a petite frame but my body-shape is something between an hourglass and a peach. My face is average – I don’t really have striking features or am a natural beauty model – but my features also aren’t hideous. It’s really just something you can look at without thinking too much.

On a scale, I would rate myself a 5,5-6/10 on an average day and I guess that’s great!

But how can I make myself look better on a daily basis? I really took hours to research how I could make myself more attractive to wealthy and high value men.

Obviously, no man is like the other and every man prefers something different. One man might like tattoos and piercings while another man with the same social status thinks they are hideous. I don’t want to completely change who I am and I don’t want to spend thousands of dollars for it.

However, I really like this whole clean girl and old money aesthetic that is going viral on Tiktok right now – and I think those two aesthetics could fit me and my personality really well.

Most wealthy men seem to like this traits in women:

1. great skin without obvious pimples or enlarged pores

2. long and healthy hair in a natural color

3. straight white teeth

4. clean nails on both hands and feet

5. hairless legs, armpits and at least trimmed pubic hair

6. wearing clean and wrinkle free clothes without any holes

7. wearing a nice smell that is fitting to your overall appearance

I think those are the basics and they can be achieved by almost anyone. If you can’t afford braces make sure that your teeth are always perfectly brushed and that you’re keeping up with your dental hygiene in general.

In fact – if you have problems affording certain beauty procedures, research how to get as close as possible to them with DIYs.

For years, I always wanted to be the mysterious woman in the room. The woman with a dark aura, the woman that doesn’t speak much and remains most of her life a secret.

Well, I am not this woman even if I’m trying very hard. It would be an act that I would put on and I am sure that everyone in the room would notice.

I am naturally very bubbly and I love having conversations with people in general. I would also say that I have a broad knowledge on different topics and that I’m able to talk to almost everyone.

I am also very welcoming and I enjoy making people laugh and have fun in my presence. I tend to have strong opinions and I’m not afraid to take on a discussion.

With everything that I know about myself now, I made some points that I need to tackle in order to level up:

1. stop oversharing. Being bubbly is great but not everyone needs to know everything about my business. Sometimes it’s just better to be silent and to listen.

2. start with exercise again. I am happy with my weight but I am extremely weak and I have almost zero muscle mass. My breath is getting heavy if I have to take the stairs and my legs start to hurt after roughly 15 minutes of walking. I plan on going for a walk every day and doing pilates 3x a week.

3. start doing my hair and makeup again. My hair is long and blonde – so it is an eyecatcher. It’s also very healthy but I usually just throw it up in a bun or in a clawclip, so no one is really seeing it. I have multiple styling tools at home and I need to start using them. The same applies to makeup. I have so much great stuff that looks really beautiful and natural but I am just too lazy to use it. I plan on taking 20 minutes every day to do my makeup and to suck it up – because I usually always do a double cleanse at night, so it’s not really a struggle to take it off in the evening. It’s just inconvenient in the morning.

4. taking better care of my skin and of my dental health. I have high quality skincare and I love doing my skincare but sometimes I’m just too lazy. Let me just say that it doesn’t happen often – but still too much for my liking. Also my dental health – I need to make a dentist appointment asap. I think the last time I went was around 3 years ago!

5. buying better fitting clothes. I don’t like shopping for clothes but it is what it is. Right now I only have cute lounge sets for being at home but when I go out I usually only wear jeans with a basic top and sneakers. I want to look more polished and feminine. I want to stop wearing jeans and focus more on pants, skirts and dresses. Also literally any other shoes than sneakers.

6. go out more. I’m your typical homebody. Movie night? Reading a book? Ordering food? Count me in! I always have fun when I go out but I’m still mostly at home and I want to change that. I want to have a group of like minded friends that want to hang out with me. Maybe even at home. Lol.

I really thought hard about those six points but I think those are the first things that I need to tackle down.

In the end – I was asking myself: what could I do to feel the most comfortable with spontaneous outgoings and meeting new people?

It came down to wanting to look my best. Obviously. I want to make a good first impression and maybe even profit off of pretty privilege.

I’m sure we all know those times when we’re dressed like slobs and suddenly an opportunity to go out arises and we decline because it would take hours to get ready.

That’s the reason why I want to get ready in the morning – so I would only need to touch up if anything came up.

see you soon!

[circle-with-me]

Will Ramos In Love (headcanons)

**Disclaimer: These headcanons are purely fictional. They're not intended to describe Will in real life in any shape or form. These are just for fun!

Wrote these with @concretenoah because this golden retriever jersey boy has rotted our brains <3 thank you bb for working with me on this. I had a blast!

tag list: @deathblacksmoke, @malice-ov-mercy, @meekahy, @cookiesupplier, @lacktoesandtoddlerants, @midnight-eternals, @sammyjoeee, @collective-heartbreak, @lyschko666

Will has big emotions and he’d be very vocal about them too. He’d always be telling you or doing little things to show you how he feels.

He pays attention to things you like and love and makes sure to keep them in mind and use them when he wants to make you feel special.

For example: making your favorite food, bringing your fav snacks home, taking notice of what movies you seem interested in when you see movie trailers so he can take you to see them.

If you see a clothing item you really want but don’t wanna spend the money on yourself, he’s buying it for you. Even if it’s a cheap $15 t-shirt.

You argue with him and tell him not to buy it but he wants his baby to have whatever she wants.

He takes you to get your nails and toes done. He’ll hint strongly that you should get acrylics if you don't have long nails because he loves it when you scratch his back or sides. 

If you text him and tell him you’ve had a long/bad day at work he’s using his key (if you don’t already live together) to take the dogs out and feed them so you don’t have to.

He’s also making sure your apartment is clean so you don’t have to worry about a thing when you come home but cuddling up on the couch with him and watching anime/movies all night.

When he’s in love, he’s very touchy-feely. He smothers your face with kisses. He’s always holding your hand and has his hand on your leg or thigh when you’re sitting together. He wants to be in your space one way or another.

He loves to cuddle but you notice how cuddling with Will changes when he’s in love with you. At first, you cuddle together on the couch or in bed with your head on his chest and his arm around your shoulder. The more time you spend together, cuddling turns into more of a connection. He’s enveloping you completely, turned towards you, your legs are intertwined. 

He’ll ask you to lay on top of him so he can feel your entire body weight on him. It’s not sexual, it’s purely for the sake of being close to you and to feel connected to you. He rubs your back gently and kisses your head. You lay there together and talk quietly or just enjoy the sound of each other’s heartbeats.

He also loves to just crawl between your legs and lay his head on your tummy and chest. Once again, it’s not sexual. It’s intimate but in a bonding way. When you wrap your arms around him, he feels safe and happy. 

Will dance with you in the kitchen while you’re cooking together, when you’re doing chores together, or anytime the mood strikes him. He sings to you, smiling and pushing the hair out of your face. He’ll twirl you around and pull you back in, dipping you down and kissing your lips softly.

He’s always taking photos or silly videos of you to keep for when he’s not with you or on tour. He wants to be able to see your face or hear your voice when he's away.

If the photos/videos are appropriate he’ll send them to his friends to brag about how great his girl is.

Will calls his cats his “little chickens” and you made a comment about how you wanted to be his chicken too. He thought it was so adorable he HAD to start calling you his chicken too.

His cats are VERY important to him. He loves them and it’s important you love them and vice versa. When he comes home and sees you laying on the couch asleep with them cuddled up to you, he has to stifle his cuteness aggression noises (iykyk), and he’s probably going to wake you up anyway because he’s sliding in to cuddle up with the three of you.

Speaking of his cuteness aggression noises, he makes them whenever you send cute snaps or wear something cute, like matching pj’s with him on Christmas (yes, he’d do this with you because he loves you hehe)

He sends you cute texts messages:  “I love you, chicken. Have a good day ♥️” “Need to see your pretty face, baby 🥺" “Look at my pretty girl. I can’t wait to wife you up one day 😍” “Good morning beautiful ♥ ️about to head over, do you want a coffee?”

When he’s missing you really bad, he’ll start with the baby talking. He’ll send messages like “wuv you 🥺”.

Speaking of baby talk, that’s another indicator he’s falling HARD for you. 

He will make playlists with songs that remind you of him and send them to you. Or just playlists of his favorite songs in general. Music is important to him and he wants you to listen to his favorite songs to get to know him better.

NSFW HC’s under the cut

When Will is in love, sex changes between the two of you as well. 

This doesn’t mean that sex with him at the beginning of your relationship would be meaningless but once he’s falling in love with you it shifts much like cuddling does. It’s less about the need/want to fuck and more about him pleasuring you. 

There’s a lot of body worship, he’s taking his time with you, and it’s not so rushed. Sex becomes more passionate because he wants to enjoy every moment and learn everything that makes you feel good.

He wants to memorize every little noise you make so he can remember what he did that caused it and do it every time.

After a long night of making you orgasm so many times you can’t remember, he asks you for one more. He’s had you repeatedly but can’t get enough of you. Afterwards, you’re sore and shaking. He whispers soothingly, “Shhh, baby, you’re okay. I’m gonna kiss it better.” He leaves kisses all over your body….on your breasts, your tummy, your hips, your inner thighs. He spreads your trembling legs open and places soft kisses on your pussy, praising you for how well you take him, how good you were for him, and how much he loves you. 

dividers by @cafekitsune

[solomons-poison]

Home Dates with Leonardo HC

Leonardo x reader

: ̗̀➛ A/N: This was a commission! @rinaririr requested some stay-at-home date ideas with Leonardo. I can definitely see him being able to create a fun date no matter where you are, no money or travel needed. I hope you enjoy!

: ̗̀➛ Warnings: fluff, domestic cuteness, just Leo romancing you every way he knows how lol

: ̗̀➛ Word count: 1089

Leonardo is well-known to history as the Renaissance man, but he often still surprises others with just how much he can do. For the days when you don’t want to go out and spend money for a date, or there’s nothing particularly interesting in town, Leonardo has no trouble with making up for it with stay-at-home dates. He’s always a wealth of ideas and skills that you’re still discovering well into your relationship together, but he’s happy to either follow your suggestions or assist you with finding something to do together.

If you mention wanting to bake or cook with Leonardo, he is all for it. Even coming from a pureblood family and not having to eat to live, the man was still an Italian first, through and through. There’s plenty of cooking experience under his belt, recipes passed down in his family over the centuries as well as recipes he picked up from all the humans he’s befriended over time. He’s more than happy to teach you all the cooking or baking secrets passed down to him, everything from pasta dishes and soups to warm, herby bread and soft cakes.

Although he doesn’t seem like a cook from the get-go, he gets around the kitchen with practiced ease, ending up with a whole pile of delicious, homemade foods for the two of you to indulge in, not to mention that having two sets of hands makes the process go faster. It also lets him get closer to you, learning about your particular food tastes, your favorite dishes, favorite seasonings, etc., which he’s sure to memorize for next time. It definitely doesn’t escape you that he will be much flirtier than usual, calling you the usual “cara mia” but slipping in plenty of other endearing terms and compliments, too. Just the intimacy and the romance of it all will have you feeling like a married couple.

After food has been made, a painting picnic is in order. Although Vincent is typically the resident artist, Leo has no problems reminding you that he’s just as talented at the arts as anything else. He’ll pack supplies for your date, a couple small canvases, paints, brushes, easels, and of course some of the foods you two had made together. If the weather is good, he’ll take you to an open field to paint the wildflowers together, giving you painting tips or even giving you a painting challenge to see who can paint something the quickest. Of course, it’s not long before that challenge results in smudged paintings and plenty of laughs at your warped creations. You may or may not end up with some paint on your face or your clothes after some teasing jabs with the paintbrush.

If the weather is poor and rainy, then he’ll settle for painting at home. He’ll plan to either borrow Vincent’s room for the space or risk painting under the gazebo with you, listening to the sounds of the rain around you as he shows you some of his painting techniques. It may result in getting up close and personal, Leonardo coming up close behind you and guiding your hand, stating he’s only doing this to demonstrate effectively, teasing you if you get flustered. He’ll definitely let the sounds of the rain cover up any sneaky kisses he gives you.

It’s easy to get lost in the world of art with Leonardo as he keeps you distracted with plenty of town gossip and discussing plans for projects or what have you. As the day moves into evening, his next plan is for backyard camping. He’s always aware of the messy state of his room, so the camping idea is partly to avoid his room but also an excuse to keep you to himself. No need for fancy hotels or traveling very far, just a tent and some pillows and blankets brought out to a remote corner of the property to have some privacy.

There, hidden away from the world– and particularly, the other residents– Leonardo can cuddle with you as much as he’d like without any interruptions. He can complain about Comte to you, or silly things that the other mansion residents have done when they thought he wasn’t looking. Or he may borrow an instrument from Mozart and serenade you, give you your own mini concert. He’s picked up plenty of romantic songs over time, and it becomes his mission to woo you so completely until you’re thinking of nothing but him.

As it gets darker outside, he may borrow Isaac’s telescope to do some star watching with you. He’s learned about numerous constellations, both from his own studies as well as from the many books he’s read, and the difference in light pollution from this era versus modern day means you can see the stars wonderfully. If you’re interested, he’ll even tell you about some of the mythology connected to the constellations, surprising you with his boundless knowledge on Greek myths, Egyptian myths, etc. Regardless of whether you can see those particular constellations from where you are, his descriptions of the stars are enough to make an image in your mind. You can definitely tell when he steers towards any romantic mythology, but for the most part, he gets absorbed into sharing his knowledge with you, just rambling on until he’s done.

Finally, as the night gets cold and he’s run out of things to share with you, he of course recommends finishing your home date with a visit to Le Thermae. It’s practically like a spa date, with Leonardo bringing you scented items such as oils to make you smell good and help you relax. He even has a pair of fluffy robes to wear afterwards, the very height of luxury. Whether you two want it to end on a spicy note or not, he’s okay with either, but mostly, he just wants to hold you close in his arms as the water warms you both up from the chilly night air. However, if things between you two start to get a little handsy, he’s not complaining. Regardless, so long as the night ends with you two warmed to the core and in each other’s arms, he’s happy. And once you two are out of the bath, clean and dry, he’s making sure to bundle up with you in either his room or yours, delivering some final kisses before settling in to sleep. All in all, he’s making sure that your stay-at-home date is as fulfilling as anything you could do outdoors.

Comments and reblogs are appreciated! If you'd like to commission me, please send me a DM!

[robinhuntr]

Teen Titans (Mini) Sims 4 Legacy Challenge

This is my take on a Teen Titans-themed legacy challenge. I decided to make it short and only 5 generations based on the original 5 members :) It involves something’s that aren’t base game but I added base game substitutions if your don’t have the packs!

For this challenge completing the aspiration and career is optional unless otherwise specified in the requirements for that generation. If people actually like this I might the New Teen Titans (and Bumblebee!) as the second half of a full 10-generation legacy challenge.

Teen Titans Mini Generation Challenge

Generation 1: Roy Harper/Speedy/Red Arrow/Arsenal

You’re a genius with big ideas but no way to act on them since you’re a bit down on your luck and out of money so you turn to some sketchy methods of making money to fund your ideas. You also seem to have terrible luck with love. When you have a kid though your life changes and you change everything about your life in order to give your kid the best life possible by yourself. 

Aspiration: Super Parent/Big Happy Family

Traits: Family Oriented, Creative, Genius

Career: Criminal, Switch to Secret Agent/Engineer after you have a kid

Requirements: 

Start with no money and in a needs TLC house/apartment

Have 1 Kid with a sim you are not married to

Never marry

Complete Aspiration (only if you’re able to do super parent)

Master: Parenting, Engineering/Rocket Science, Handiness

Generation 2: Donna Troy/Wonder Girl

Your parent did everything they could to give you the best childhood ever and they did, but you always wanted to go out to explore the world and see everything that it has to offer. You spend your young adult years traveling everywhere you can, making friends everywhere you go. Because you’re always on the go, it's a bit hard for you to settle down with one person and you find yourself in the middle of a stick love triangle

Aspiration: Friend of the World

Traits: Adventurous/Ambitious, Outgoing, Romantic

Career: Artist or Spy

Requirements: 

Join Scouts as a kid

Be in love triangle

Master Fitness, and 2 other exciting/daredevil skills of your choice (ex: mischief, archaeology, ski/snowboard, rock climbing etc) 

Have at max 2 kids

Marry one of the sims in love triangle

Take family on beach vacation

Generation 3: Garth/Aqualad/Tempest 

Your family was always on the move and never knew how to sit still but you preferred to live a more calm and quiet lifestyle. As a kid you fell in love with nature and as you grew up you decided you wanted to do whatever you could to protect it. You love your time at the beach/around water…maybe a little too much

Aspiration: Angling Ace

Traits: Child of the Oceans, Loves the Outdoors, Loner

Career: Conservationist/Self Employed (Fishing)

Requirements:

Don’t make more than 2 friends until Young Adult

Go on family vacation to beach as kid

Master mental skill as kid

Master fitness and Fishing

Become a Mermaid (if you have island living)

Complete aspiration

Only have one kid

Generation 4: Wally West/Kid Flash/The Flash

Even though your parents were more calm and stationary, you inherited your grandparents itchy feet and you want to go everywhere and do everything. You love playing new sports and going to new places. When you’re a teen you meet your perfect travel partner and together with your family you get to do everything you wanted to

Aspiration: Body Builder

Traits: Active, Goofball, Bro

Career: Athlete

Requirements:

Master movement and motor skills as toddler/child

Master fitness as an adult

Be close friends or better with grandparent sim from Gen 2

Spend time in every sims world available

Have 3 kids

(bonus points if you can have your sim run/jog every day) 

Generation 5: Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing

As a kid it seemed like your parents wanted to have fun more than they wanted to be responsible so you alway felt like it was up to you as the oldest. By the time you're a child you already seem to be the leader of the family and you make it your goal to help your siblings thrive. By the time you’re an adult, leadership comes as natural to you as putting on your pants so you decide to go for the most important leadership position of all. 

Aspiration: Academic/Friend of the World

Traits: Loyal, Self Assured, Ambitious

Career: Politician/Business

Requirements: 

Be the oldest child

Master all toddler and childhood skills

Get straight A’s in school

Be good friends or better with siblings

Go to university (if you have Discover University) 

Major in History or Communications

Complete career

[aisclosed]

Match Found ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ - 9. #Jungwon1stWin

Synopsis: Jungwon is sick of his friends' constant teasing over his lack of gaming skills. Determined to secretly improve and prove enha wrong, Jungwon sets out to learn to play, except he has no clue where to begin. Luckily for him, y/n is a girl with too much time on her hands, a desperate need for distraction and is more than happy to indulge him. Only, things are never that simple and Jungwon soon finds it difficult to explain exactly what the pair have become.

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smau + (1.7k) written work (ok i didn't go that overboard )

warnings: mentions of injury, cursing, uhhhh semi suggestive? nothing fun rlly, playfighting? mentions of throwing up, idk bruh

“Yang Jungwon, why must you make my life so difficult.” You look up from your screen with an deep exhale. Your phone is discarded with a careless toss, landing somewhere in the dunes of your blankets. You fix an accusing glare onto Jungwon who's snuggled happily into your bed, looking quite pleased with himself.

He shrugs back at you, widening his eyes sarcastically in faux confusion, “ I have no idea what you mean Y/N? I was only pointing out that you didn't need to tweet me back?”

You hate the way that you almost want to believe him. Because how could someone with eyes that shine so bright want anything but the best for you? Especially when he's leaning in closer, blinking at you so innocently. It was so easy to almost disregard the shit eating grin he was fighting off his lips.

“Fuck you, don't pull that innocent shit with me you devious cat boy, I know exactly what you are,” you shudder, pushing his face away. “Hyuck is literally never gonna let me hear the end of this.”

Jungwon drops the act with a snort, smirking back at you smugly. “Good, it's what you deserve.”

You eye him suspiciously, “What’s your issue with me helping you out with the makeup for the festival anyways? Is it because you don't want me to watch you perform? I can go home after you're ready if that's what you want.”

He almost looks offended that you would suggest so, flicking your forehead with a scoff. “No you idiot, I was going to invite you to come anyways. I just didn't want to put you through the trouble.

I’m the leader, I should be able to handle it myself.” Jungwon mumbles the last part, playing with the free strands of your hair.

You shoot him an incredulous look. “Don't be ridiculous Garden, it’s not any trouble at all. Plus a good leader knows how to allocate and use his resources. I'm always here to help you.” You poke his sides until he relents, giving you a smile as he fends off your hands.

“Yeah well I still don’t feel comfortable leeching off your money,” Jungwon continues, before you cut him off with a sharp laugh.

“That's cute Won, but it's not like I worked hard for the money, it's all my dad’s so all the more reason to spend it.

It's going to a good place and trust me it's barely gonna make a scratch, much less a dent, in my funds. So that’s another invalid excuse,” you raise your brow with a challenging smirk.

Jungwon sighs, shaking his head in defeat, “Alright, fine, we can hire a shop. But don't worry about having to do our makeup yourself."

“Wait why?!! I swear I’m good at doing people’s makeup I've done it on Haechan and Yenny so many times!!” You protest, sitting up onto your elbows to look at Jungwon properly.

He only dismisses you with a wave of his hands “You’re injured, plus there’s no need if you're hiring professionals.”

“You’re so full of shit! Look!” You whine, flexing your fingers and moving your hand around, disregarding the slight sting as your skin strains under the bandage. “It's a cut, it's not like my hand is broken.”

Jungwon watches your antics with an amused smile, ruffling your hair teasingly, “Why do you wanna do my makeup so bad anyways huh? You tryna get all up close and personal Y/N? If you want to kiss me so bad just ask”

You respond with a low chuckle, “Oh yeah definitely Yang Jungwon, I’m dying to get my grimy paws all over your cute face. Who said I wanted to do your makeup anyways? Maybe I just want to do Sunoo's makeup or any of your other very handsome members.

Perhaps Heeseung was right, maybe you just don’t want me to help because you don't want me doing the same with all your friends? You jealoussss Wonnie?” you mock him with a wiggle of your brows.

“You fucking wish” Jungwon scoffs, shoving your head down into your pillows, paying no heed to your muffled yells.

Your phone begins to ring loudly, the tell tale sign of an incoming FaceTime and you both pause, lifting your heads to look over at your phone.

Hyuck 🤢💖 would like to FaceTime… glows brightly on the display.

Jungwon and you exchange looks in frozen silence for a second before instantly springing into action. Unfortunately, Jungwon’s much faster than you and he snatches your phone, grinning as you plead 'no no no no Wonnie please don't.'

Brandishing your phone just out of reach, he adjusts his hair answering the call with a bright smile.

“Haechannie oppa!!! How absolutely lovely it is to speak to you again.” He says smugly, ignoring the way you groan and burrow under the blankets, hiding from the camera.

“Ahhh Jungwonnie~~ my replacement! I see your tweet wasn’t just a fib. Don't you look cozy and comfortable.” Hyuck responds brightly, winking at Jungwon.

“Not just a replacement Haechannie~ an improvement too I think,” Jungwon winks comically back.

Haechan responds with a hearty laugh wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, “Oh I like you so much already Jungwonnie. Where's my baby at?”

Jungwon lies down next to where you’ve hidden, tilting the camera towards your bundled figure, “Say hi baby~” he coos teasingly.

You gingerly lift the blankets off of your face, giving a grimacing smile at the screen. “Heyyyyyy Hyuck, nice to see you buddy.”

He snorts in response, “Hi darling, nice to see you looking so well rested and comfy. Have a nice night of sleep? Certainly looks like it.”

You feel the heat rise in your cheeks and you cough, “Was just like any other night of sleep really. Nothing to phone home about,” you insist stubbornly, ignoring the way Jungwon grins at you knowingly.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure it was.” Haechan sneers. These two idiots don't even realize I can literally see him looking at her like she hung the stars in the sky right now. And they're all cuddled up in her bed at 11 AM in the morning. This is so obviously domestic, I’m gonna puke. I hate idiots in love, I'm redownloading Tinder tonight.

Rolling his eyes at his own internal monologue, Hyuck clears his throat and continues, “Anyways, y/nnie can I say the B-word now? Or is that still a taboo”

“Bitch?” You say quizzically as Jungwon simultaneously asks “Boyfriend?”

You both pause, turning to look at each other in bewilderment, Jungwon sputtering as he tries to defend his slip of tongue.

Haechan looks entirely tickled at your interaction, Oh I can't wait to tell Yunjin and Chenle about this.

“Uh… I was talking about birthday actually but both of those were wonderful guesses,” he snickers.

“Yes, you can say birthday Hyuck,” you interject quickly before he can begin his mocking you. Haechan yields, spending the next 5 minutes giving a series of corny and overwhelmingly sweet birthday wishes, complete with an theatrical song.

Jungwon and you applaud him heartily, as Hyuck soaks in your praises with several bows and waves.

“Anyways Chenle's too pussy to ask but I'm dying to know, what was so important that your Dad flew in to discuss with you? Is he sending you abroad to study or something?” Haechan prods.

You wet your lips in rumination as you figure out how to formulate a response, eyes flickering to Jungwon’s searching stare.

“No, well. I mean that was an option but he didn’t specifically say that. A lot of it was just paperwork and addendums to the will and company now that I’m of age and I have unrestricted access to my trust fund.

Basically he was just telling me about possible partnership or mergers with another company. And he suggested that I decide soon if I want to actually have an active part in the running of the company. I have a couple of options, like picking back up CEO / CFO training, going to university or just looking into being a board member and primary shareholder.” you list off, rubbing at your forehead wearily. Just thinking about all the possible choices made your temples throb.

Jungwon rubs your knee soothingly, “Don’t stress yourself too much about it. You have time to figure out what you want to do.”

“Jungwonnie’s right, honestly you can just live the rest of your life being a deadbeat and still have enough to support all of your kids so there’s no pressure okay Y/N? Just keep us updated, you know Chenle, Yunjin and I are always here to help you.” Haechan says soothingly.

“And me,” Jungwon butts in, snaking an arm around your waist.

“Yeah and you have yourself Jungwonnie now too,” Haechan agrees readily. “See, you're in great hands."

"Alright, I gotta start the stream now baby, it's been nice talking to you both. Let me know if you wanna join in okay? Chat misses you.”

“I think we’re good for the day,” you look up at Jungwon who nods at you in confirmation, “We have some work to do, but we’ll talk to you another time. Bye Haechannie,” you blow him a fond kiss which he catches through the screen and pockets it with a wink.

After several more minutes of prolonged goodbyes and cheesy aegyo hearts from all three participants, you hang up, cheeks aching from the pressure of smiling.

“Well, that was nice,” Jungwon says pleasantly, echoing the first time he had spoken to Haechan.

“Yeah it was,” you agree quietly, turning to look at Jungwon properly. “I’m glad you get along with my friends, you’re all really important to me and it makes me happy that they like you nearly as much as I do.”

Jungwon lip twitches at how easily the admission escapes you, but before he can think too deeply about the sentiment behind your words, you’ve already moved on, rambling about the different options for the makeup shops.

So he slots your words away in a folder in the back of his mind, one that he revisits when the moon is high, and sleep refuses to take him. And for now he settles for affectionately pinching your cheek, before nestling next to you, resting his head onto yours and scrolling through your phone together.

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a/n: jungwon but all he does is junglose. not this chapter tho! hope u enjoyed, some extra haechan for u all bc i am seeing DREAM TMR!! AHHHH jaemin come home <33333

ch 10 will prob either be late or just some smau w no writing, we shall see

taglist: open! send me an ask to be added! <3

@woncloudie @itsactuallylina @ifearjwn @fadedluvv @mangowonyo @xiaoderrrr @shinsou-rii @aki1e @makiswrld @jaehaki @criyiy @ilovewonyo @zeraaax @climbingmandevillas @pkjay @flower-lise @koudnd @beomgyusonlywife @dimplewonie @lelamochi @enhacatalog @llama-lyna

[ssruis]

Idk the treatment of saki’s disability by the writers just irritates me bc like (& full disclosure this is written by someone who’s chronically ill but able to live w/o major symptoms) there’s so little thought put into how her disability specifically intersects with her mental health & overall life beyond a general Inspirational Look At Her Go She Can Overcome Anything type of take.

I dislike fully articulating my thoughts but to sum it up my experience with my own chronic illness was manifestation at 18 -> horrifically managed for 2 years bc doctors/parents did not take it seriously -> in so much pain that I couldn’t really move until i was put on immunosuppressants during peak covid and I watched close friends treat me like a burden for wanting the group to take covid precautions/abandon me because I couldn’t Party Hard anymore (to the point where one friend brought me somewhere where her friend fucking had Covid and sat next to me & then she texted me the next day like whoops heehee) -> severe depression & life ruining ensued. My family had to deny a good insurance opportunity bc my RA was an existing condition & they wouldn’t pay for my meds for two years and I had the fun side effect of my mom implying it was my fault/it was a burden over it. Etc etc. I don’t want to get into the full story because it’s unfun and also lengthy but I want to provide context for why saki’s treatment bugs me.

Her not really caring about honami/shiho not visiting bugs me. I get that life gets in the way but them going (semi?) no contact is a little shitty. Being disabled & not being allowed to be upset about the treatment you receive from your loved ones because you know they don’t see it as a big deal is. So frustrating. She deserves to be upset with them for that and have a conversation about it. There’s so much pressure on people w disabilities to essentially go “yeah I am a burden it’s my fault so I’m grateful you’re even spending time with me” that’s reflected in saki’s story and never challenged.

I’m too tired to articulate the complexity of her dynamic w tsukasa but it also frustrates me that it’s only touched upon that saki feels like she inconveniences him by being sick/she thinks him going out of his way for her is a burden. I love tsukasa and I’m obsessed w how much he cares about his sister but I also think saki deserves to be frustrated with how neurotic he is about an illness that isn’t his own.

So much abt being disabled (especially for those who are more affected than I am - I want to make that clear) is being told by society that you are a burden for needing accommodations/costing your family money/struggling with things able bodied people can do/etc. & saki very clearly feels a lot of that but it never gets challenged. Something that’s always stuck with me was seeing a tiktok where someone was like “actually I AM a burden bc I cost my parents money for antidepressants/adhd meds” which was so…. Buddy as someone on those meds and also 4/5 other drugs to manage the chronic illness I don’t want to hear shit from you abt being a burden. Imagine having panic attacks over career choices & fucking up your schooling permanently because you’re petrified of not having stable insurance to pay for the overpriced meds that keep you from being in agony and your friends/family don’t take it seriously because you look fine even though you can barely move without extreme pain and nobody in your life understands it or attempts to do so and you feel like the doctors don’t care because they give you meds & no diagnosis and you’re still in a pain that defies description. And your disability gets in the way of your passions and you can’t just muscle through it because doing so would fuck your body up even more. & then get back to me. Whatever. Doesn’t matter. Moving on.

I don’t know if the colopale writing team has anyone w a disability but I feel like saki’s chronic illness essentially being a thing of the past & she’s just like “I’m fine now” is shitty. Ig it fits with her character but also she’s a fictional character and the writers are capable of addressing this. and they’re not. I want to see saki being told that she’s allowed to be mad and she’s allowed to feel unwell and she’s allowed to not be inspiration porn and she’s allowed to have ugly feelings and address those & that she’s not a burden and it’s ok to rely on others when you’re struggling.

[lightcreators]

@sukareo continue from here

    A ‘ tch ‘ noise elicited itself out of him, that’s the seventh pull he did and not getting jack shit on it really annoyed him. Nagi’s thinking if he should spend his own money or stock up once again on gems. Free pulls are supposed to grant wishes, right? Things that he wanted. If that was the case, playing GBF really was a hassle to do— his luck is either hit or miss, and lastly he wasn’t that desperate to spend money on this new SSR. “ Hm ?” He didn’t lower his phone from his face, his free hand had held onto his cheek, propping an elbow onto the table. Reo’s being a bit weird today, isn’t he? But he’s always weird… that’s what draws him to his friend. They’re both weird in their own little ways.

       “ Reo, what does that mean? “ A pretty brain? Is that such a thing? He’s been called a genius countless of times, which to be fair he gets ‘ why ‘ yet at the same time that doesn't mean he understands it. Nagi works differently than most people; instead of dwelling, putting energy into things ( that wasn’t soccer or video games ), he’d rather just go with the flow automatically than thinking. Why waste energy on that? Wouldn’t it just cause more of a problem? “ I think Reo’s the one that has a pretty brain,” he says, closing out the app to pull up another one. “ You’re more of a intellectual than I am,” which was true, yeah, Nagi thinks the heir is more than just ‘ being a rich boy who can get anything he wants ‘. That’s possibly why all the girls in their school tend to flock to Reo for pointless study dates so they can get into his wallet. He wasn’t dumb to notice that either. 

            “ Everyone likes you, too. You’re basically a girl’s desired prince,” Nagi spares a side glance at Reo then goes back to his phone. Who wouldn’t want to be near Mikage Reo? It still confused him that his friend really would spend his time with him, a lazy guy with a laissez-faire attitude than be with someone else who’s way more productive. Fun. Open. Lastly, a great asset to use. Huh… someday he knows Reo will find someone else more suitable, enjoyable to be around instead of him. Did that bother him? Not specifically… Nagi had his doubts and worries tucked further back into his mind. “ Besides—  my brain isn’t all that interesting to most people. “

Brightful  expression  remained  always  as  admirative  to  perceiving  Nagi  playing  with  his  game.  It  was  one  of  his  little  pleasures  when  they  were  passing  time  together  ---  whatever  in  middle  of  the  classroom  in  which  his  focus  had  to  stayed  conscious  upon  the  other  girls  who  wanted  having  his  attention  for  themselves,  or  afterwards  some  soccer  game  where  the  day's  stage  had  been  finalized,  and  he  was  going  to  be  able  to  experience  happiness  on  his  face  !  It  was  always  interesting,  once  in  a  while,  to  perceiving  where  he  had  move  on  since  last  time.  It  was  always  interesting,  to  having  an  partial  perspective  of  the  game  he  was  enjoying  himself  with.  This  wasn't  really  part  of  his  world.  Hell,  even  his  complete  devotion  concerning  sorccer,  in  which  he  would  grad  some  magnificient  gift  himself  would  achieving  with  Nagi  to  get  together,  was  coming  back  with  immediate  repercussions,  consequences  and  expectations  coming  from  his  father.  Everything  he  could  do  outside  what  was  expected  from  him  demanded  expectations  in  return,  only  possibility  of  keeping  freedom  over  what  he  wanted  to  do  !  Internally,  as  much  Nagi's  situation  was  worse  than  himself,  at  least,  he  could  do  whatever  he  wanted  …  Faces  Nagi  giving  him  in  the  moment  inscreased  further  an  presented  enthusiasm  while  taking  the  opportunity  to  stretch.  There  has  been  an  silent  understanding  he  didn't  expect  him  to  express  such  sentence  to  his  face,  who  simply  exploded  an  amusement  he  has  been  so  far  unable  to  contain  only  for  himself.  He  would  have  loved  giving  him  pieces  of  advives  concerning  the  game  he  was  eyeing  from  time  to  time,  nevertheless,  wasn't  sure  on  that  topic,  what  he  could  say  concerning  best  decisions  to  take.  As  much  first  meeting  has  been  exposed  towards  sudden  realization  of  the  genius  he  had  in  front  him,  Nagi  on  himself,  was  someone  he  wanted  to  be  happy,  having  his  best  of  friends  enjoy  himself  without  having  too  much  to  think  about,  meanwhile  having  his  little  discover  concerning  that  huge  outside  world  he  was  living.  ❝  It  means  your  mind  is  admirable.  Beautiful.  Interesting.  ❞   He  reached  another  adjective  that  it  wouldn't  seem  weird  to  say.  ❝  I  like  that  brain  of  yours.  ❞   Finally,  he  admitted  out  of  blue.  Maybe  he  didn't  considered  himself  best  on  that  domain,  but  he  was  intelligent,  he  was  brilliant,  he  had  manners  to  be  smart.  He  proved  that  day  after  day  on  an  soccer  ground.  Compared  to  him,  his  grey  cells  had  to  work  hard  to  be  up  to task,  and  never  feel  beaten  down  by  anyone  else,  and  the  risk  of  being  eaten  by  someone  stronger  than  him  constantly  threatened  him.  It  was  instead  an  constant  issue  he  had.  If  he  wasn't  stronger  than  the  others,  if  he  wasn't  as  perfect  as  he  could  be,  whether  academically  or  on  the  field,  he  would  be  reclassified  immediately,  someone  else  would  steal  the  place  he  wanted.  He  had  to  deserve  Nagi's  genius,  even  if  he  was  the  one  who  had  discovered  him and his genius.

Returned  compliment  then  generated  an  laugh.  He  really  appreciated  he  was  feeling  same  for  him  ---  but  he  was  merely  try  to  have  such  an  beauty  brain  like  him.  Genius  was  something  either  he  was,  or  he  wasn't,  and  oh,  he  knew  pretty  well  how  much  he  wasn't  from  the  same  category  of  Nagi.  Amused  current  app  has  been  ended  for  another,  he  remained  flattered  by  the  sentence.  ❝  It's  the  only  way  to  get  what  I  want.  I  can't  throw  tantrums  anymore,  and  have  everything  I  want  at  my  feet.  ❞   Nagi  included  on  it,  of  course.  He  had  this  need  for  Nagi  to  want  him  just  as  much  as  he  wanted  him,  and  it  wasn't  something  he  could  force.  He  could  have  any  college  he  wanted  as  long  as  he  didn't  bring  any  disgrace  on  his  family  regarding  his  academic  performance,  any  girl  would  want  him,  he  could  buy  anything  ---  but  the  importance  of  a  friendship,  a  World  Cup  won  in  the  sweat  of  their  hands,  that  was  priceless,  and  it  was  something  that  mom  and  dad  didn't  appreciate,  wanting  to  know  their  son  in  something  else,  wanting  to  reassure  themselves  that  he  would  move  on.  ❝  Anyway,  my  parents  would  be  ready  to  disgrace  me  if  I  was  academically  lagging  behind,  but  as  on  the  field,  I  can  have  the  danger  of  an  opponent  who  wants  to  crush  me,  so  I  have  to  make  sure  I  always  have  the  upper  hand.  ❞   He  knew  Nagi's  parents  didn't  given  lot  of  shit,  hence  he  expected  he  wouldn't  take  it  bad,  as  for  sure,  he  might  empathizing  upon  the  feeling.  ❝  I  want  to  becoming  stronger,  stronger,  stronger,  always  stronger  to  stay  on  track  and  not  worry.  ❞   He  confessed  before  reasssuring  towards  his  dear  friend  almost  immedietly,  insisting  upon  his  words.  ❞  You  underestimate  yourself  too  much.  You  have  the  right  to  be  unmotivated  when  it  comes  to  school,  but  as  soon  as  you  put  your  effort  into  it,  even  in  a  tiny  way,  you  break  all  records.  Your  brain  may  be  different  from  mine,  but  you  know  how  to  react,  without  having  to  think,  without  having  to  stress,  and  that  is  a  talent.  You  are  a  wonderful  guy,  Nagi,  I  will  never  stop  telling  you  that.  ❞   Good  opportunity  he  expressed  that  considering  the  returned  sentence,  laughing  over  that  treatment  of  prince.  Too  bad,  he  wasn't  interested  anymore.  ❝  Yeah,  I've  got  my  fan  club  waiting  for  me,  and  I  have  a  nice  personality  for  someone  high  class.  ❞   He  complimented  himself,  passing  an  hand  of  his  hair.  Swallowing  back  whatever  unpleasant  feeling  concerning  how  he  wasn't  blind  some  people  were  more  interested  in  his  wealth.  ❝  I  prefer  to  spend  my  time  with  you,  far  from  this  superficiality  in  which  I  wouldn't  have  what  I  want,  anyway.  Although  I  hope  that  one  day  you  experience  what  I  experience,  Nagi,  all  this  admiration,  all  this  love  just  for  you.  ❞   He  mused  as  he  smiled  towards  his  friend  once  more.  Towards  last  remark,  one  hand  touched  his  forehead  for  a  little  impromptu  touch.  ❝  It's  is  for  me,  that's  most  important  thing,  Nagi.  No  matter  what  others  think.  ❞ 

[i-me-mine]

As time goes by | Chapter 5: The gift

Pairings: Eddie Munson x fem!reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | AO3

“Shit, shit, shit!” Eddie whispers. 

It’s almost 8:50 am, and Eddie is supposed to be at Gareth’s place for band practice by 9 am, so he knows he will be late. 

When he enters the kitchen, he looks at you with widened eyes. “Jesus, you scared the hell out of me! Give me a goddamn warning!” he screams, his voice high-pitched.

“Wow, I know I’m scary-looking, Eds, but thanks for the reminder,” you chuckle, and Wayne, who is also there, laughs a bit.

“Idiot,” he says, rolling his eyes. “What’s for breakfast?” he asks.

“Pancakes” 

“Smells good! I’d love to eat, but I’m late” he seems disappointed.

“I know; I packed some so you can eat later.” 

His hip bumps against yours. “You’re the best, sweetheart! I have to go, band practice now; a couple of deals later, I’ll stop by Reefer Rick; my stock is getting dangerously low… you two take care, ok?” 

He kisses you on the cheek before going out, and you hope he has not seen you blush while Wayne says, “Take care, son.” 

You take your pancakes and sit in front of Wayne, who is still eating his. “Now that he is gone, we can talk…” 

“What happened, kiddo?” Wayne’s voice was suddenly urgent; he was worried something terrible had happened.

“You know our graduation gift idea? We may have a problem… Eddie doesn’t think he is graduating at all this year” you wait to see if Wayne will react or say something, but he is still looking at you, waiting for you to complete your line of thought, with no interruptions or judgments. 

“And I know we are not exactly in our best behavior mode, and I’d understand if you change your mind… but I really want to do this.” 

“I want the best for you two, and I know you are just trying to have fun… but people here don’t see it like that. I just want you to be safe and happy, try not to get in more trouble for now, will ya? 

“We’ll try not to get caught.” 

“That’s not what I said, kiddo,” he replies, trying to sound serious, but you can see the hint of a smile there. 

You dodge his comment, changing the focus of the conversation again. “But what about the gift? Will you still help me with it? I can use my flirting skills and get us a discount…”

“No way, I’ll handle it! But don’t you wanna wait for next year then? I know that you are not getting many shifts lately.”

“My money for that is already saved up…, and it’s just because Ben is leaving for college after this summer, so they are training Keith to work at the arcade and can’t pay us all at the same time… but I’ll get my shifts back later, so no worries.” 

“I wish I could help more; It doesn’t feel right to let you spend all that money…” 

You smile warmly while reaching out to rub Wayne’s arm gently. It’s ironic to think that he wants to help more when he has already done much more than expected, not only for Eddie but for you as well. He saved you both and is the best caretaker you could have asked for. It seems that both Wayne and Eddie need to learn to recognize how incredible they really are. Better than most of the closed-minded people living in Hawkins, having to deal with being misunderstood by them. 

“I would not be able to do this without you; you are already helping a lot. You always help. You do a lot for us, and I appreciate that.” 

“You are so kind to us.” He gets up and pets your head. “Fine, I’ll speak with Miller again soon.” 

“Thank you, uncle Wayne! Once you get it, remember to keep it out of sight… we don’t want to spoil the surprise!” you say in a cheerful voice. 

“I just don’t know what she sees in him.” Jonathan shrugs.

“Bob is nice; give him a chance…” 

You and Jonathan are spending the afternoon at one of the picnic tables at the trailer park, he occasionally taking pictures and you scribbling in your notebook when the subject of the conversation changed to his mother’s new boyfriend, Bob Newby.

“There is something wrong with him… that whole over-friendly attitude is not normal.”

“He is just a bit different than us; that’s not exactly a problem. It’s easy to see how devoted to her he is. I think that’s cute.” 

Jonathan had seen firsthand how his father, Lonnie, was different from Bob, how he mistreated the whole family. He had worked extra hard to shield Will from it. And now Bob is much healthier to Joyce, but he also absolutely adores Will - which is not hard, as Will is such a sweet boy. You are the one that doesn’t get why Jonathan is so against Bob. 

“If you think about it, it just doesn’t make sense; how did they become a couple?” 

“Jonathan, love just doesn’t make any sense, and you have no control over it… but they love each other, which means they are luckier than most of us; let them enjoy it.” 

You can’t help but think that you would like Eddie to love you as intensely as Bob seems to love Joyce. And speaking of the devil, you see Eddie passing in the back; he smiles and waves at you, making you wave and smile back, and right after it, you are startled by the flash of Jonathan’s camera.

“What’s wrong with you? You almost scared me to death!” you scolded.

“You’re in love with him.” It wasn’t a question, and his voice sounded like he was suppressing laughter. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” you say, throwing your pencil at him.

“Hey bunny, I know you, and I recognize that facial expression. Will I need the photo to show you concrete proof?”

He knows that using the pet name warms you; he is not playing fair. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” you murmur.

“Really? C’mon, you know you can tell me. You know I’ll understand.” 

And he is right. If there is someone that you could trust that would understand how you are feeling and the conflicts that fill your mind, that someone would be Jonathan. But neither of you is good at talking about feelings. 

“I didn’t want it to happen. It wasn’t exactly planned, Jonathan…” 

“Love never is… so you do love him, right?”

“I love everything about him… except that he is not mine.” 

“Yet! When are you telling him?” he throws the pencil back at you.

You catch it before replying, “Never, of course. I fell in love knowing there was never any chance of being with him, so no need to bring more misery into my life.” 

“Knowing that something won’t happen doesn’t make you want it less.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” 

There was a bag of nuts on the table. You start eating them absently, staring out the trailer park. The idea of you telling how you feel to Eddie crossed your mind a couple of times, and the tiny hope that he would be willing to give you a chance burns in the corner of your heart, but the risk of rejection is too imminent. He sees you as his best friend only, maybe as a sister. You already have so many great moments together; you are afraid of being too greedy by making a move and losing everything. 

So no, you will wait patiently, and maybe someday you’ll learn how to live in peace with your feelings, or they will simply vanish. Then, as if he could read your mind, Jonathan says:

“The feelings, the yearning, that connection you have with him… it won’t just go away like magic just because you don’t want it to be there… it will only grow. Trust me, I know. So you should tell him if you want to save yourself from suffering.”

“The same way you are telling Nance?” 

He stares blankly at nothing, but you see the glimpse of pain crossing his eyes, which makes you regret saying that - because you know it hurts, and it’s not fair to push him like that. It’s not even the same scenario - Eddie is still single, while Jonathan has to see Nancy being happy with Steve every day and live with that. The guilt goes into a spiral mode within you. “I’m sorry, let’s call it a stalemate and drop the subject, shall we?”

Being pros at the art of hiding feelings, you engage in conversation without touching on this topic again. 

Time is flying by. Everything seemed to be happening faster than usual, and before you knew it, it was the last day of your school year. You were exhausted by all the exams and happy when the end of the day finally came. Standing at your locker, you grab your things and notice Eddie approaching you with a smile and wave.

“Hi.” You say wearily, a soft smile on your face.

“So… did you pass?” he asks cheerfully.

“Yes, sir! Senior year, here I come.” 

“That’s my girl!” he pulls you into a bear hug, and without warning, he throws you over his shoulders and runs to the exit door. “So long, fuckers!! We are getting out of here. We are freeee!” Just another loud and theatrical glory demonstration of despise for Hawkins High School by Eddie Munson.

“P-put me d-do-wn, Eds!” You try to tell him, but you are laughing so hard that you are unsure if he understands it. When you are at the parking lot, he finally puts you down, patiently waiting for you to stop laughing and start breathing again. 

“You can thank me for the ride now, M’lady,” he says with a soft, enchanting laugh.

“Not very comfortable, you know.” 

He hesitates a bit but then says: “Well, I can offer you a very comfortable movie session tonight at Munson’s trailer as compensation. Would that be enough?” He looks at you with hopeful eyes. 

You usually have an end-of-school-year celebratory bonfire by the lake, and as some of the boys from Hellfire are graduating this will be their last one, and they will be probably overly excited about it. But Eddie is asking you to stay at home with him, watching movies. By looking into his eyes, you think that maybe he has not yet settled his issues related to not graduating this year and is not yet ready to face his friends celebrating graduation while he is not. 

“That’s an irresistible offer, I take it!” 

“Awesome! Wanna come with me to choose the movie?”

“I better make sure chores are all done back home to ensure my father won’t spoil our night. But I’ll see you later!” 

“See ya!” he stroked your cheek gently before leaving, making you feel like your blood was on fire. 

Doing laundry, cleaning, and tidying up the house took quite some time, but you additionally prepared dinner - you weren’t sure if your father was coming back home that night but wanted to ensure that he would have something to eat if he came. Once everything was ready, you showered and chose something cozy to wear. 

You are brushing your hair, lost in thought. While you are still within the safety of your bedroom, you allow yourself to daydream how a movie night with Eddie could be if you were together, imagining the warmth of his embrace, his lips molding into yours, his firm touch and the contrast of his cold rings against your warm body, he sighing your name, you tangled together while the movie is playing in the background, forgotten as you both are too into each other to pay attention to it. You can’t help but smile before bottling up this feeling and getting ready to face reality. 

Eddie opens the door as soon as you knock with a wide smile, making your heart flutter when you see him. 

“I’m so glad you came, sweetheart!”

As you enter, you notice the clean trailer,  and there are snacks, candy, orange juice, and beer at the table. 

“I wouldn’t miss the chance of getting free food!” 

He happily serves you, and you start chatting, updating each other on your whereabouts that afternoon. He reaches out to give your shoulder a nudge in the middle of the conversation, but due to his clumsiness, he spills his beer over your shirt. 

He immediately apologizes and rushes to pick a dishcloth, and in an attempt to clean your shirt, he starts scrubbing it, touching your boobs while doing it, making your face scarlet. It takes him 2 seconds to realize what he is doing, and he drops the dishcloth. 

“Ow, I’m so, SO sorry!” his eyes are wide, and he looks embarrassed.

“That’s ok, Eds. It’s just a T-shirt… mind if I borrow one?” 

He seems so relieved that you are not angry.

“Go ahead, what’s mine is yours, remember?” he replies. Of course, you are both trying to laugh it off. 

You are hyperventilating when you arrive in his bedroom, trying to bury the memories of what happened and how you felt when he touched you by accident in the back of your mind. “Not now, save it for later.” you think. You take deep breaths to calm yourself. When you return to the living room, now wearing one of his shirts, you see that he is waiting for you on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in his hand.

“So, what are we watching?” you say, climbing up the sofa and eating some of the popcorn.

“Graduation day. A slasher movie of a masked killer murdering senior students,” he replied playfully, seeming proud of the ironic movie choice. 

Here is the thing, you don’t hate horror movies, you usually like them, but they could also scare the shit out of you, making you tense or sitting on the edge of the couch expecting a jump scare or something else to happen. 

The movie starts, and soon you both eat all the popcorn. Finally, Eddie puts the bowl aside and picks up the blanket, wrapping it around you both. This would be something for you to think of as cute, just the two of you curled up on the couch, sharing a blanket, but right now, you notice your knuckles turning white due to how hard you are gripping the blanket due to tension while watching the movie.

“What the fuuuuuuuck!” you mumble in disgust as you see one of the characters being stabbed through the neck with a sword. Meanwhile, Eddie is just laughing and having the time of his life.

Later in the movie, you are not that afraid anymore, so each time you get scared or see something disgusting, you take the opportunity to squeeze Eddie tighter or hide your face in the crook of his neck. Just because he is not yours does not mean you won’t take the chances you have to get closer to him. 

Wayne arrives home in the morning after a long night shift at the plant. The TV is still on, and you both are laying on the couch, you half-dozing, Eddie fast asleep. He gently speaks with you:

“Hey, kiddo, sorry to wake you up, but it’s important,” he hands you a small package. “Keep this. It’s here, at the end of the trailer park. You can show him today if you want.”

This makes you go fully awake mode, jumping out of the couch. “You’re the best!!” you say, hugging Wayne. Eddie opens his eyes, still sleepy and looking confused. 

“Give me 30 min; I’ll be right back… be ready; we’ll take a walk,” you say, giving him a kiss on the forehead before storming out of the trailer, returning home to shower and change clothes.

Eddie is already waiting for you at his door when you come back. 

“What’s going on, sweetheart?”

“I want to show you something,” you say, fighting the urge to give small jumps of excitement. 

“Cool, let’s go.”

You come closer, wanting to clap your hand over his eyes to cover his sight before taking him but quickly notice that it would not work as you intended. 

“Do you trust me?” you ask, your lips curling up mischievously. 

“Absolutely not. Look at that face.”

“C’mon, Eddie… would you please borrow me your bandana?”

“What for?” the arc of his brow rising in suspicion.

“So I can cover your eyes with it.”

“No. Nope,” he says, raising his hand and moving it widely to demonstrate his dissatisfaction clearly. 

So you put on your best puppy eyes and smile, hoping this helps. “Pleeease?”. It works; he takes out the bandana from his back pocket. You use it to blindfold him, thinking how much more attractive his lips are now, and a crazy thought of stealing a kiss from him comes to your mind.

“Is this really necessary?” he asks, interrupting your thoughts. 

“Yes! Now come,” you say, taking his hand and leading him down the path, taking care not to let him stumble upon anything. He is curious, and a little confused but is going along with it.

After a quick walk, you stop and put the key from the package Wayne gave you this morning in Eddie’s hand. “Here we are,” you say, moving behind him to remove the bandana, revealing the surprise. “It’s yours. I hope you like it.”

“Are you shitting me?” he replies, but without moving a muscle, no other words are spoken after that. 

You expected a more energetic and vibrant reaction from Eddie upon seeing the 1971 Chevrolet Van parked in from of you. But, on the other hand, he might not understand what was happening.

“Wayne and I thought you would like your own car, so we decided to give you one.” 

Silence. 

“I know it’s not black; we can work on that.” 

You pause. Eddie was still frozen. You were afraid that maybe he thought that it was a gift too expensive.

“You know, this Van is going to need a lot of help before it runs again,” you warn him. “Miller would charge more to fix it than we paid for it; that’s exactly why he sold us so cheap... But I believe you can get it running again.”  

The lack of reaction from Eddie’s side is making you nervous. You are on the verge of crying, but you try to say something funny to see if he says something.

“Don’t think I’m doing it for a selfless reason; you’ll drive me to school every day during our senior year.” 

You are starting to freak out, wondering if this was a terrible mistake. 

“I thought a Van would be a good idea because you could transport the band instruments and equipment, you would have the freedom to move around, do the band practices somewhere else, and even take them to play somewhere someday…” 

You are sure you heard him gulp before he starts to turn to you slowly. 

“This car is so…” he starts.

You sigh deeply. “Boring?” 

“Perfect. The car is perfect. And so are you.” His voice is beautiful, high, clear, and filled with life, like melting honey and washing your worries away. 

He gives you a massive, heartfelt hug. “You can’t keep giving me things. I don’t have anything to give you back.”

You roll your eyes in annoyance, but he can’t see it. Of course, being only friends with him causes you pain, but having him in your life, no matter how, gives you infinitely more joy, and that he should know. You would do anything for him because he would do the same for you. You treasure him more than anything. 

“Now don’t you dare say you never gave me anything, Eds… because you have. You’ve given me an amazing life, reasons to smile, and good times to laugh about… you’ve given me memories I will never forget. You help make my life easier to deal with, and that’s something I’ll never be able to repay.” 

You pet his hair, running your fingers through his curls, and he clings to you tightly. You can feel his heartbeat and breath on your skin; it feels so good. The sense of warmth and safety you feel is almost inebriating, making you feel protected and loved, wishing you could stay in that embrace forever. 

“I never thought I deserved something like this. Dammit, I don’t deserve you,” he whispers.

“Eds,” you sigh, “you deserve all the good things in the world.”

“Don’t be melodramatic, sweetheart,” he replies

“Don’t you be so ridiculous, then,” you say jokingly. 

Laughing softly, he lifts you off your feet and put you back on the ground before letting go of the hug, which almost makes you sad because you were in such bliss right there. Then, he runs to the van, checking every inch of it. 

“Do you really think you can fix it?” you ask.

His face glows when he replies, “You’ll see, M’lady. All it needs is a little love and attention… and it will become our pride and joy. We’ll have such a fun summer!”

He seems genuinely pleased by the challenge, overjoyed and excited even. That is the reaction you were hoping for. He looks like a child that just received his favorite gift from Santa Claus.

You smile with high hopes that you’ll have a fun summer indeed.

Read next chapter

Notes: As promised, a chapter with a happier tone :) Thank you for reading; feedback is always appreciated! Please bear with me, as English is not my first language, and this had no proofreading - feel free to let me know if you find any major errors.

@sidthedollface2 @bimbobaggins69 @roxy9295 @aftermidnightwriting @ghosttownwherenoonegoes

[intoxicatingimmediacy]

Daveed Diggs and Ethan Hawke Just Want You to Feel Something

[...] HAWKE: Your life before you were a big shot and your life after you were a big shot, right? In what way do you feel a demarcation in your life? And has it changed the way you moved through space? 

DIGGS: It has. I mean, I have money, which is cool, that was not true before and it is true now. So my vacations have gotten better. I did things like buy a house. Those sorts of financial stresses have been replaced by new, more existential stresses. But in terms of how I move through the world, I don’t know that it’s changed a lot. I think I work with so many of the same people most of the time. You know what I’m saying? So really, the way we work certainly hasn’t changed. I still talk to Rafael Casal every day about the ten to fifteen ideas we have at any given time together. Probably the majority of the time I spend thinking about art is thinking about it with that guy. My close friends are still my close friends.  It’s just sort of interrupted by these moments of press tours and things that feel like I’m inhabiting a different person’s life for a while.

HAWKE: First of all, we’ve got to say, I mean, what a wonderful man that guy is. I meet very few grown-ups in the world, and I know he is a young man, but he has always carried himself. He takes care of others on set. A lot of people get extremely selfish when they’re creating, and they feel like they have to get selfish, and the world will give you permission to be selfish. I’ve been moved by your friendship.

DIGGS: I mean, he’s obviously among the best people I know. And yeah, he does do that. He’s a real creatives’ creative, and he’s been in all those spaces. It’s why he’s a good showrunner. It’s the way he works on Blindspotting, people leave there feeling like they’re able to be their best selves on that show, and that has a ton to do with the atmosphere he creates.

[...] HAWKE: When you make music, do you think about who you’re singing for?

DIGGS: Well, I think about the audience, right? I do think about how I want to elicit a feeling from people. I am going for that. I’m not just making it for myself. I’m aware that I want other people to listen to this. But it’s also guided by my band, it is guided by our own impulse and excitement. I don’t think of myself as one of those artists who doesn’t want care whether people listen to the thing. I do care, I definitely care. The fun part is that at some point I’m going to share this with somebody and I do hope they like it. I’m not going to be devastated if they don’t. Generally speaking, if they don’t, I understand. I’m making choices with that in mind. “I think this bridge feels cool here. I think I chose these words because they sound cool to say.” I want you to sing along.

[cringe--is--dead]

Hiya scarlet darling! Hope you’re doing well and that the weather is just how you like it (since everyone’s got a different favorite kinda weather) I’m here for a matchup if that’s alright! Please and thank you uwu)/

About me hmmm I’m always running around doing something whether it’s working or finding another hobby (that i have way too many of) I’m really relaxed (despite the chaotic schedule) and easy going and I love to take care of people!

Hobbies-wise I like to travel the most but baking and gardening are close seconds! Special interests are animals probably? I know a ton about them and tons of fun facts. Also I could talk about baking, eating, food for days and days.

I have a cat that is so clingy I could throw him and he’d shoot back like a boomerang lol. My style is girly and colorful i guess? and anything sparkly is good! a wonderful mix of cute but comfortable so there’s gotta be pockets on everything. I love a good overall too but…😩 im getting off track

I actually love period pieces like bridgerton or the gilded age and old black and white movies are so fun! I love fantasy too especially in books (i read TONS) and theres a movie called stardust that’s also a book? One of my all time favs. But old 80’s movies with the special effects are also delightful for me (and another special interest i forgot.)

important stuff ahh I’m affectionate with the people i love but when people show it back i get all flustered about it I’m like what do mean you love me 🫣 how bold despite clinging to them and gushing praises at them on the regular. I do end up blushing a lot even just when I get excited talking about what I like and I don’t come up for air while chatting a mile a minute. I love spending time with the people I care about to the point where I’ll drag them everywhere with me if im able to. I also tend to worry about them quite a lot even when there’s really nothing to worry about. I’m a little airheaded and daydream-y when I’m not busy doing something. Thats probably the only time I’m quiet tbh

SORRY IF I WROTE TOO MUCH I hope something in it was helpful ヽ(；▽；)ノ anyways I love you you’re the sweetest!!!<3 have a seriously awesome day!

NEVER APOLOGISE FOR WRITING! There can never be too much! (*＾▽＾)／

Also Stardust? Literally changed my life when I first watched it! Amazing movie! Never read the book but I'm adding that to my list!

MOVING ON!

I match you... with Umemiya!

The gardening hobby definitely caught my attention, but there are other reasons! Umemiya strikes me as the type of guy who takes care of everyone first before even thinking about himself, so having someone who cares for others means he has someone who will care for him! Making sure he rests, making sure he takes his glasses off before he sleeps, helping him in the garden, helping him style his hair, etc. All the little things you do to help him has his heart fluttering!

He loves hearing you talk about animals, even listens about different birds in the area and what their diets are, researches different veggies and seeds to add to the garden to try and get more birds visiting so you can see them!

Plus someone who loves cooking? He sends you home with fresh veggies almost weekly! You're saving money whenever you go grocery shopping, and if you bring him bentos with that food he eats it all! He brags about it to everyone too!

He would love your cat, but he would also have silent stare-downs with said cat for your affection. He goes to lay his head in your lap, but your cat's already there. Now they're silently staring at each other, neither blinking. You have to adjust both of these big babies to cuddle both of them.

I also can see you getting him to watch Bridgeton with you, and he is SO enthralled! You have nights where you eat snacks and binge episodes, he plays the soundtrack when on the roof tending to the garden. You created a monster, that's what you've done!

Ume also would love someone as clingy as he is, and even more so if he can fluster you while the affection happens! He gives me cute aggression energy, so if you're blushing whenever he proclaims he loves you or you two share a kiss, expect to have your cheeks squished between his hands.

I hope you enjoyed this! HAVE A GREAT DAY!

[vilgramcrimeandpunishment]

Mai Akagi's First Voice Drama (Rosa Xanthina)

E: *walking towards the interrogation room* Hello—……huh? Where—ACK!

M: Shhhhh. I ain’t playing, gimme your money and your keys

E: Gh—w-what are you, crazy?! 

M: Hehe, you be—A-Ah?! 

E: *gets out of her grasp* What the hell was that?! Mai Akagi, you idiot! 

M: Heh….sorry….I thought it’d be fun to play a little joke on you is all

E: By trying to restrain me and demand my valuables? 

M: Yeahhhh…? My friends and I did that sorta stuff at school all the time, hehe

E: I’m quite scared to know where you attended…..

M: Hey, I’m sorry. I really am. Promise, I mean no harm

E: Well, you were quite strong, I’ll give you that. Still a stupid mistake on your part

M: *sighs* You’re telling me. It was easy at first, but I felt myself getting weaker by the second you were in my headlock

E: Let this be a lesson to you, Mai Akagi. Prisoners cannot physically harm the guard, let alone, even touch them

M: Ahhh…well, would’ve been nice to know that from the start

E: Why? So you could carry out the attack swiftly and better prepare for an ambush against me?

M: Of course not, warden-san! It was a joke. Pinky promise~

E: Pinky promise? A women of your age still indulges in something so childish?

M: It’s not childish! My friends at school and I did it all the time and I never broke a promise that way! 

E: So let me get this straight. Because of something so trivial and child-like, you never broke a promise with your friends?

M: Nuh-uh! 

E: What a weirdo….

M: Anyways, I’m happy to be friends with you too, warden-san!

E: F-Friends? With me? 

M: Oooooooo, warming up to the idea I see?

E: No! The hell you mean friends with me? I’m your prison guard and you’re in prison for a murder! Get your priorities straight

M: Awwww, how sad. Well, can’t force you, so it’s fine! It doesn’t mean that we still can’t chat though. Isn’t it why this interrogation is taking place now?

E: I’m here to ask a few questions, that’s it. I’m not here to be all buddy-buddy with a murderer

M: Well, ask away then! What do you wanna know?

E: You’ve been in VILGRAM for a few weeks now. How is your life here?

M: Everyone here is so nice! Especially Akari and Kasumi! I love being friends with everyone! 

E: You seem to have adapted to the situation quite nicely then

M: Mhmm!! I enjoy talking to the others. They all seem to cool in their own ways! 

E: Even the less agreeable ones like Daisuke?

M: He’s so cool! And while he’s cold, it’s understandable! I think juuuusssttttt maybe I was able to break that ice in his heart, along with Akari

E: Oh? Anything interesting in terms of results?

M: He said *imitates his voice* “I’d rather be hog-tied and thrown into battery acid than waste time with a bunch of human pieces of rubbish. Don’t bother me again, you bitch”

E: And that’s ‘breaking the ice’ in his heart?

M: Hey! He didn’t say no that time!

E:…….I see….Anyways, I take it that Kasumi and Akari are the ones you spend the most time with?

M: Well they approach me more than anyone, but spending the most time with? I’d say I try to make it so I get to chat with everyone 

E: Any hobbies?

M: Hobbies? Talking with the others! 

E: Quite the extrovert, I see

M: Hehe, I suppose! I’m just want to get along with everyone! 

E: I bet you were quite popular in your school then

M: Popular? Ehehe….well….

E: Surely the friends you speak about—

M: I only had a few close friends in a very tight group of people

E: Eh?

M: See….I like to be on good terms with everyone, but as for real friends? I chose them in a very picky manner

E: Well, that’s just being cautious then….

M: I suppose. Still, I was always more interested in listening to others than talking about myself….

E: Well, hate to break it to you, but I’ll be invading your memories soon, so I’ll be learning about you whether you like it or not

M: For the murder thingy, right?

E: Never heard someone refer taking someone else’s life as a ‘thingy’

M: Oh! I didn’t mean it like that! 

E: Do you or do you not think of your murder as just an everyday thing?

M: No, of course not! It was just….something that happened

E: Of course it was ‘just something that happened’. Someone is dead because of you. And you still have the gall to act all cheery and playful

M: It’s just how I am. Besides, dwelling on it will only make me look pathetic, right? Totally not a cute look, heh

E: Kasumi said something similar to me and she was also playing weird mind games with her innocent act

M: You can’t blame me for something Kasumi said, warden-san

E: Who said I’m blaming you? I’m simply making an observation in similiaries 

M: Ah, but I’m not admitting I didn’t do anything wrong. Killing someone is something I indeed do

E: And you can still manage to be friends with these people?

M:…..But that’s where you don’t get it….warden….

E: !!!

M: What’s wrong?

E: Is it just me…or did your demeanor just get serious all of a sudden?

M: When you don’t get what I do to protect my friends….I tend to get a little frank. Apologies if I become blunt

E: Honesty is all I need. If you’re rude, I’ll just smack ya until you’re all compliant like Kurosaki

M: Shut it…

E: …!

M: If it’s for my friends….I’ll do whatever it takes….

E: Were they struggling?

M:…..very much…..

E: I assume they were the delinquent types?

M: The opposite, actually….you can consider them….’nerds’

E: Unpopular then?

M: *smirks coyly* What a harsh stereotype

E: And calling your friends nerds aren’t?

M: I’d even go as far as considering myself one, to be honest

E: You look too preppy to be an outcast like that

M: Awwww, you don’t think I’m intelligent? Wow….how rude….*playfully whimpers*

E: Shush, cry me a river

M: I’m joking! Well, I’d like to believe we were a smart pack, but yes…we were outcasted 

E: And when you said they were struggling a lot….were they bullied?

M:…..bullied….is….putting is lightly….

E: And what made you think killing them would be the right answer?

M:…..disgusting….human…piece of—

M:!!!

E: Eh?

M: Ah, apologies, warden-san! Did I get off topic?

E: H-Huh? Hold it, what was that?

M: I…showed a side that was rather unpleasant, didn’t I?

E: More straightforward than unpleasant. No denying that is still a part of you, Mai Akagi

M: I can’t feign remorse for murdering that person, but I won’t deny it either

E: You don’t feel bad? At all for what you did?

M: I was told that a person’s feelings towards their actions is what makes them human and defines them as such…though, maybe that’s just an excuse for my own apathy

E: You seem to cheery to even call yourself apathetic

M: I try to be happy for the sake of my friends. Really, I—

(Bells ring, machinery whirling)

E: Already?

M:….I’m not

E: Huh? 

M: Warden-san…..I’m not happy….

E: Like I give a damn about your feelings?

M: No….just care about everyone but me

E: What the—

M: I’ve only cared about my friends….I get better for them….not for myself….

E: What does that even mean?

M: It means I want you to know….if it’s for my friends…I’ll do whatever it takes

E: But why? To go as far as to kill someone? For people that could leave you in a heartbeat?

M: *chuckles*

E: What’s so funny?

M: They would never. I have faith in them….and if they did….the memories will be forever cherished by me….it’s the least bit of happiness I can feel

E: Mai…

M: One more thing, warden-san. If I can?

E: What?

M:……..You can choose to not forgive me….ya know…

E:….What?

M: I decided I can’t please everyone…..but I’ll still try my best. Even so, it’s your choice. So go ahead

E: Nutjob…..Prisoner number 4! Mai Akagi, sing your sins! 

[houseofcameliard]

What Happens Next: Saoirse + William

After school, Saoirse attended St Phillips University in Cameliard, studying Art History. Her first year was fairly uneventful. She went on a few dates, some men, some women, but nothing really stuck. Living out of home and being able to be a little bit more independent did wonders for Saoirse’s confidence, and she truly began to blossom. 

When Dom joined her at University the next year they were sharing an apartment, where Dom would bring over his friends a lot of the time, and irritate Saoirse by being very loud and boisterous. One friend always annoyed her because he always seemed to go out of the way to talk to her and annoy her by asking questions and teasing her. The Friend? None other than William Alnwick-Grimalldi. Dom and Will were on the St Phillips rugby team together, and Saoirse was convinced that William was just a dumb, rugby boy, who was only interested in sleeping with girls. Even if Dom was constantly insisting that Will really was a nice guy, and “He just teases you because he thinks you’re fun. He’s a triplet he’s got two sisters. He’s used to teasing” so very slowly Saoirse began to soften, and they actually became friends.  

In an attempt to get along with her brother’s best friend, Saoirse offered to study with Will in the library one day. It was there that Will discovered his favourite joke, teasing Saoirse that she had a crush on him. Was it because he wanted it to be true? Maybe, but he also he found it funny to see Saoirse get flustered and all pink in the cheeks. “Do you want to see me in uniform?” he says when she asks when he’s next playing rugby, “Saoirse, Dom is just in the bathroom! Behave!” he calls out when she asks if he wants a sweet from the packet she’s eating. Finally after months of back and forth, everything culminated at a house party. 

“I think I know why you like me.” Will smirks over the top of a beer bottle, two too many drinks deep, Saoirse rolls her eyes and decides to humour him. “Oh really? And what makes you so confident?” She replies, lifting her drink and taking another sip. “You’re a gold-digger” He grins, Saoirse nearly spits her drink out in disbelief.  “Excuse me? A gold digger?” she sputters. “A gold digger. A dirty little gold digger. You want my share of the Alnwick-Grimalldi fortune, you’re not interested in me at all. Not me as a person.” William couldn’t hide his chagrin at the success of his quip. “Right, because it’s not like I’ve got my own or anything. I’m not hanging out with you because of your money, Will” Saoirse laughs and rolls her eyes, not realising this was the first time she’d not denied her crush, or that she enjoyed spending time with him. “Gold diggers can still be rich in their own right.” He shrugs. “I’m not a gold digger!” She says, becoming exasperated, looking away from him. “You’re a friggin gold digger, Saoirse” He grins, taking a step so she was looking right at him again, standing closer than he had before. “Shut up! No I’m not!” her voice breaks slightly as she realises how close he is standing. “Then prove it.” The two lock eyes, Will smirking, challenging. Saoirse breathing heavily, feeling as though time had slowed down. Then leant up and kissed the boy she had been wanting to kiss all night. 

After that night their relationship followed the route that most do. A few dates, then they made it official. They dated for a few years until just before Graduation when Saoirse was having a bit of an identity crisis. Everything felt so good and easy with Will. But she was beginning to learn from Aisling and Michael how she would govern a country, her country, and she somehow got it caught in her mind that someone as carefree and easy as Will might not be the person she should have by her side. Will was heartbroken. They stayed broken up for about six months, where very quickly Saoirse knew her mistake. It was at a dinner party where they reconnected, awkward at first, but later were found in the study of the apartment sitting very close and talking. Saoirse apologised for breaking up with him, Will apologised for not showing her that he could be the support she would need. And they never looked back from there.

Will asked Michael for his permission to marry Saoirse almost immediately after they got back together, but didn't propose until a year later when he knew Saoirse was ready for it. They were engaged for a year and then were married.

Another two years and Maeve was born, and she wasn't the only child for long, because just two years later the twins Cillian and Aine were born. Frederick was able to meet his great-grandson and great-granddaughter before passing away a few months later at 85. 

The Duke and Duchess of Waterford and their children lived a perfectly happy, and practically fairy-tale life from then on. They had the struggles that any family does, especially one that rules a country. But they were happy. Aisling is Queen until she dies at the age of 89, Michael becomes king at 62, and Saoirse is 36. Michael rules for a few years but is forced to abdicate at 68 due to health issues, having had issues with his heart. Saoirse takes the throne at the age of 42, with William as her King Consort, ruling beside her as per her wishes.