#look riah

[simphic]

⛱

First day on the job for Yas.

Wasn't much to do regarding work just yet, only a home assignment until starting on the job Monday. It was a lazy Saturday for Yassah allowing time to get familiar with the community plans, friendly with some fellow conservationists, and snap a few pics of Sulani.

Making friends already, Hello Riah & Mina :)

[genderdotcom]

i would draw japhet with cat ears but their hairstyle is the way it is specifically to accommodate for ears so if they didnt have ears there it would look weird but if they did have ears there they would have 2 sets of ears which is still weird

[flickerbit]

Oug...i can feel myself getting so much worse

[bouncing-flowers]

Period boobs am I right 😏

[mswritergirl02]

Pure Paranoia 

Summary: Y/n smokes for the first time and gets too high

->Reader Advisory: This story involves themes related to marijuana use. Please proceed with caution if you are sensitive to or uncomfortable with such content.

A/N : This is my very first post ! I’m excited to see where this account goes.

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

Y/n sat on the edge of Riah's couch, her fingers nervously tapping against her thigh as she watched her friends pass around a joint. The sweet scent of marijuana filled the air, swirling around her like a seductive dance, tempting her to join in.

Riah noticed Y/n's hesitation and leaned in with a mischievous grin. "Come on, Y/n, don't be such a goody-two-shoes. Just one hit won't hurt."

 Zela nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. 

"Yeah, you've gotta try it at least once! It's not like you're doing anything wrong."

Y/n bit her lip, her heart racing with uncertainty. She had always been the innocent one of the group, never straying too far from her comfort zone. The thought of smoking weed for the first time sent a thrill of fear and excitement coursing through her veins.

"I don't know, guys. I've never smoked marijuana before," Y/n admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. 

Riah rolled her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief. "You can call it weed, Y/n come on, Live a little! You're always so uptight."

Zela chimed in, her voice gentle but persuasive. "It's not a big deal, Y/n. Just take a puff and see how you feel. You might like it."

With a shaky breath, Y/n reached out and accepted the joint, her fingers trembling slightly as she brought it to her lips. The smoke burned her throat, making her cough and sputter as she tried to inhale.

"Easy there, girl," Riah teased, patting her back as she handed her a soda can.

Five hits later Y/n found herself sipping on that same can, trying to calm her racing heart as the effects of the weed began to take hold.

At first, it was just a pleasant buzz, a feeling of warmth and relaxation washing over her like a gentle wave. But as the minutes ticked by, Y/n's world began to spin out of control. 

The room seemed to warp and distort around her, the colors bleeding together in a dizzying kaleidoscope of light and sound.

“Hey, have I told you about that guy I met last weekend?"

Zela's interest was piqued, and she turned to Riah with a grin. 

"No, spill the tea! What's his deal?"

Riah chuckled, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger. "Well, his name is Alex, and let me tell you, he's got some serious charm. We hit it off right away."

Zela's eyes widened in excitement. "Ooh, sounds promising. What's he like?"

Riah's smile widened, her cheeks flushing with color. "He's funny, for one thing. And he's got this way of looking at you that makes you feel like you're the only person in the room."

Zela nudged Riah playfully, a teasing grin on her face. "Sounds like someone's got a crush."

Riah's cheeks grew even redder, but she couldn't suppress the grin that spread across her face. "Maybe I do. But don't tell anyone, okay? I want to see where this goes first."

Zela winked, her smile knowing. "Your secret's safe with me. Just remember to play it cool, okay? You don't want to scare him off."

Y/n tried hard to focus on the conversation swirling around her, but the words seemed to slip through her fingers like grains of sand. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps as she struggled to keep her composure. She felt as if every part of her body was twitching. 

How does anyone enjoy this?

"Y/n, are you okay?" Riah's voice cut through the fog of Y/n's mind, filled with concern.

Shit speak you haven’t said anything in 10 minutes

Y/n nodded, her mouth dry as cotton as she tried to form words. Taking another sip of her soda she mumbled, "I'm fine, just...just a little lightheaded."

Oh god, I feel nauseous. 

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

Y/n's heart raced with panic as she sat in the backseat of her friend's car, the effects of the weed controlling her mind. What would she tell Harry? Would he notice? With his friends over, the thought of facing their judgment sent a shiver down her spine.

Of course, he’s going to know your high anyone in their right mind could see you’re tripping fucking balls. 

God, I wish Riah would roll up her window I’m freezing.

As they pulled up to her apartment building, Y/n plastered on a fake smile and told her friends goodbye, trying to hide the turmoil raging inside her. She took a deep breath, preparing herself. 

She dragged her now heavy feet up the stairs and pulled out her keychain trying to unlock the front door to her and Harry’s shared apartment but instead, her tangled keychain slipped from her trembling fingers and fell to the floor.

"Fuck," she cursed under her breath, pushing her now knotted hair from her face bending down to pick them up.

Why the fuck are there so many keys on this thing. I should really take some off... I don't even use half of these keys.

She finally managed to grasp the key and insert it into the lock, but her mind was so clouded with panic that she struggled to turn it.

Inside, Harry and his friends exchanged curious glances as they heard the commotion outside the door. 

Why won’t this fucking door op-

Before Harry could get up to investigate, the door swung open and Y/n stumbled inside, her hair messy and her bloodshot red eyes wide with panic.

As she entered, Harry's gaze met hers, and she saw the flicker of concern in his eyes. His raised eyebrow didn't escape her notice, sending a shiver of unease down her spine.

Act normal. Act fucking normal.

"Hey," she stammered, her voice barely audible as she tried to break the suffocating silence. She couldn’t help but feel as though all of their eyes were staring into her soul.

They know

Harry's expression softened slightly, but she could still see the worry etched into his features. "Welcome home love, you alright?," he questioned gently, his gentle british accent a soothing presence amidst the tension.

Y/n forced a smile, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Yeah, just had a bit of trouble with my keys," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze as she shuffled past him and his friends.

Harry frowned, but before he could press further, his friends' curious stares reminded him of their presence. Clearing his throat, he turned to face them with a forced grin. "Alright, lads, back to business. Who's up for another round of—"

But Y/n's voice cut through his words, her stomach growling loudly as she caught sight of the pizza box sitting on the kitchen table. Her mouth watered at the delicious aroma 

"Pizza?" she blurted out, her eyes widening with hunger as she made a beeline for the box.

Harry's friends exchanged amused glances, their lips quirking up in smirks as they watched Y/n's eager reaction. 

Harry chuckled, "Saved you a slice, pineapple ya favorite ," he said, his voice warm with affection. "Thought you might be hungry."

Y/n's eyes lit up with gratitude as she grabbed a slice, her fingers trembling slightly as she took a bite. The taste exploded on her tongue, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body as she savored every delicious bite.

"Thanks, Harry," she said between bites, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she realized how crazy she must look.

Soon she didn’t care as her taste buds were sent into a frenzy of delight. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before.

Fuck I could die happy right now 

Y/n couldn’t help but let out a soft moan of pleasure as pineapple juice filled her mouth and the second the sound escaped her lips, her eyes widened in horror, realizing she had made that sound out loud. She glanced around the room, and spotted Lucas, Harry's friend, standing in the kitchen, his gaze fixed on her.

Y/n's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with panic as she struggled to come up with an excuse.

Harry's warm laughter filled the air. "Enjoying the pizza, are we?" he teased, his voice filled with affection as he shot her a playful wink.

Lucas's voice cut through the air like a knife. "You look fucking stoned, Y/n," he exclaimed, a smirk playing on his lips.

By now y/n’s entire face was bright red with embarrassment as she averted her gaze, her heart racing with panic. Feeling the weight of Harry's curious gaze boring into her.

She rubbed her now sweaty hands on her jeans, once again struggling to find the right words to defend herself. "I-I'm fine," she insisted, her voice trembling slightly.

Just take a seat Y/n. 

Listening to her thoughts y/n made her way to take a seat, and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as now all eyes were actually on her.

Matt's eyes widened as she sat down . Her body carrying the heavy skunk like scent everywhere she went. "Dear God, Y/n, you smell like weed," he blurted out, his voice filled with disbelief.

Y/n's heart sank as she looked up, meeting Harry's curious gaze once again. She felt herself sinking deeper into the couch as if her body was not her own and someone else was controlling it.

"Love, you do smell like weed," Harry stated softly, as he placed a hand on her thigh. To be completely honest Harry knew Y/n was high from the moment she walked in. He could tell just by the way her eyes looked back at him. Of course he’d never accuse her of it.

Say something everyone is staring at you

 She was screaming at herself to open her mouth and speak but she simply couldn’t.

Sensing something was wrong with his usually calm girlfriend Harry made an announcement, "It's getting late, I'm a little tired”, his voice breaking the tension in the room.

Oh thank god.

Y/n felt a twinge of relief as Harry and his friends began cleaning up. Not bothering to help Y/n found herself lost in a trance, staring at the video game on the screen. The vibrant colors and lifelike characters captivated her, momentarily distracting her from the chaos swirling inside her mind.

So pretty 

Y/n's thoughts of the video game were interrupted by the sound of Harry closing the door behind his departing friends. 

Just tell him for fucks sake

With a rush of adrenaline, Y/n blurted out the truth she had been trying to conceal.

"I-I'm high," she confessed, her voice wavering as she looked up at Harry, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Harry's lips curved into a knowing smirk as he met her gaze. "I'm very aware, love," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Look at you, growing up."

Y/n's heart fluttered at his teasing tone, but her panic quickly resurfaced as she struggled to explain the overwhelming sensations coursing through her body.

"I-I don't know what's happening," she admitted, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I feel like... like I'm not in control."

“One minute I’m happy and the next I’m sucked into a deep black hole”

Harry's expression softened with understanding as he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "It's okay, Y/n," he murmured, his voice soothing to her frazzled nerves. "You're just having a bad trip. I've been there before."

Y/n buried her face in Harry's chest, trying to steady her racing heart. The smell of his cologne filled her nose and she felt a sense of relief wash over her, knowing that Harry was there to support her through the storm.

Harry lounged back on the couch, placing Y/n’s head in his lap. With a playful gleam in his eyes, he started telling stories of his most embarrassing high moments. Y/n leaning in, eager to hear, soon they were both laughing uncontrollably.

While drawing circles on her back Harry shared one ridiculous story after another, including the one where he thought he saw a UFO, and Y/n couldn't help but snort. Each story made her laugh harder, tears of amusement rolling down her cheeks.

"I can't believe you did that!" Y/n gasped between giggles, wiping away tears as she looked at Harry with admiration. The panic that had gripped her earlier seemed like a distant memory and a sense of peace wash over her. In that moment, nothing else mattered except the shared laughter and connection between them.

Masterlist

[pinepalm]

my boyfriend said this drawing looks like the way mint tastes

owed for riah on discord

[taintedcigs]

emmy my sweet sweet angel gf 💖

could i get a blurby about cuffing eddie to your bed frame and he’s being all whiny because he can’t touch you?? 🤭

MAR MAR MAR. MY SWEET SWEET RIAH. IM KISSING U FOR THIS. THIS IDEA JUST DOES THINGS TO MY BRAIN DJKFHKJH. i had to write this twice bc tumblr delete my draft bUT I HOPE YOU LIKE IT HONEY ILYY <33

warnings: SMUT SMUT minors dni or ill bite. fem!msturbation, switch!eddie, slight dom and sub!eddie, slight dom!reader, vv light sub/dom dynamics, praises, degrading, nicknames (sweetheart, honey, slut, etc.) cursing. thats all i think.

“What're you doin', sweetheart?” he grumbles, already whiny as you tightened his handcuffs.

“Shush,” you warn, and his eyes widen, pupils dilated, mouth almost hanging open with how quickly you became all mean. It's not like he wasn't enjoying it.

His bulge was pressing harder against his boxers, itching to be attended to. “You promised, you'd let me be in charge this time, but I knew you'd try to take over if I didn't restrain those grabby hands, so behave,” you cooed, enjoying the way he struggled against the tight cuffs, huffing, yet patiently awaiting your next move.

You lay down next to him, just slightly out of his reach. “Such a shame,” you hummed, hands playing with the hem of your panties, all teasing, and Eddie physically gulped.

You wouldn't fucking dare.

“Sweetheart...” He tries, tries to get you to look at him, to see how desperate he is already, but your eyes are squeezed shut, a mewl falling from your lips.

Your fingers dipped down your panties, and you actually whined at your slickness, Eddie could hear all of it, his brain going numb as he watched with hungry eyes. “P—please,” he stuttered, aching to touch you, his cock weeping at the sight in front of him.

With a tut, you ignore him, inserting a finger inside of your walls, exaggeratedly humming, as your panties hide the sight of your glistening pussy.

And Eddie groans, actually groans, feeling helpless, cuffs tightening around him the more struggles. “If you'd just learned to behave...” You mutter as you keep your gaze on him, fingers quickly working in and out of you.

“It might have been your fingers, curling inside'a me…” You tutted.

He’s desperate, tugging at the bedpost, cooing, whining, so fucking pathetic. “Baby, please… jus’ let me touch you for a bit,” He whines, but you pay no attention to it.

Your fingers curl inside of you, “Mmmmph, shit!” you mewl, dragging it out, eyes mirroring his, dangerous, filthy, and all the more fucking reason for Eddie’s cock to twitch violently, begging to be attended, weeping. 

You slowly remove your fingers with a slick sound, and Eddie groans at it, wanting nothing more than to be able to feel how wet you are, how fucking dirty you are for him. “Look how wet you made me, Eds,” you coo, a pout stretching on your lips, holding two of your fingers in front of him, all slicked with your juices, and he can’t help the ungodly moans that leave his lips. 

“You want a taste, Munson?” You are mocking him, but he’s too depraved to care, it’s fun, and it makes your stomach stir with excitement, this is the first time you have gotten this far teasing him with no repercussions, and you are relishing in it. 

“Suck,” You order, eyes glowing with a darkness that has Eddie gulping, your two index fingers held in front of him. He doesn't hesitate to wrap his lips around it, groaning at the sweet taste of you.

Licking your fingers clean, cock leaking with his pre-cum, thighs shaking with how depraved he is, pupils blown out, and face scrunched to the point of pain. “See what happens when you're good t'me Eds?” You mocked, again. A dangerous move, because with how desperate he was being, you were sure he was going to snap soon.

He nods, silent, all obedient, that is until you dip your fingers back again, adding a third one, the sounds that leave your lips are so lewd that Eddie bits on his lip, drawing blood, trying so hard not to fucking break. But you're making it impossible.

“Look at you, baby, c’mon, let me out of here, please.” The dam is about to break, you can hear it in the slight growl in his voice, and it only makes you fuck your fingers harder in and out of you.

“You really think your pathetic fingers can compare to mine?” He barks, almost. And you try to hide your grin. There he fucking is.

"You can’t even make yourself cum, look at how frustrated you look you little slut. You need me. You need my thick fingers, fillin’ you to the brim, sliding in and out of your walls, giving you exactly what you need. You need my tongue, you need me to fill your pathetic holes," He growls, it's inhumane, and you can't help the smirk on your face, the narrowed gaze.

He's so fucking desperate it makes him look stupid.

But he's also telling the truth, while you could get the job done, it would never compare to his ringed, thick digits, slipping in and out of you easily, padded thumb circling around your clit, all while he grinned at you, adding the flick of his tongue just for fun. Just because he enjoyed the way you squirmed under him.

“If you behave like this you’re never gonna touch me,” you shrugged, still appearing to be unfazed, and that's when you realized the switch, his desperate gaze darkening in a matter of seconds. Plushy lips spitting pure venom.

“Yeah?” He hums, all bold and cocky.

“Mhmm.”

“Once I get out of these cuffs, I’m gonna ruin you completely, gonna ruin you to your fuckin’ core, angel.” He speaks like you're the one in the cuffs, like he has you caged. It makes your tummy pool with excitement, your brain fuzzy and sweet.

With his hands still in those uncomfortable cuffs, he inches his face closer to you, not flinching. “I’m gonna fill all of your holes to the brim, make you desperate and whiny, make you go all dumb on my cock, just so you can scream out my name, know who fuckin owns you. Gonna play with you till you beg me to let you cum, sweetheart.” He barks out a laugh, it's evil, a warning, you can feel his heavy breath against your skin.

Fuck, he has you now.

And he knows he has you.

His smirk stretches wider once he notices the way you rub your thighs together with need, and your fingers stop their movement. You need him, you need him to make you cum.

“Then I’m gonna fuck all of your pathetic little holes, mark you as mine, fill you up real nice, you think you can get away with your stupid little games?” He almost barks, making your thighs shake, considering his helpless position, he’s still just as cocky, just as dominant. 

“Is that a threat?”

“No, it’s a fuckin’ promise, honey.”

[the-mountain-flower]

AUctober Day 5: Verbose

Characters are from my writing WIP "The Curse of Aya" (Nyssa (she/her) is intentionally written as AuDHD, and Riah (xe/xem) as autistic)

Riah didn’t think Nyssa knew just how much her passion showed when she talked about magic.

Sitting on the opposite side of the campfire, Nyssa spoke animatedly, punctuating her words with dramatic gestures and the occasional excited flame dancing from her fingertips. Her golden eyes were wide with excitement and reflected the fire in front of her, contrasting the pale moonlight that illuminated her silhouette. Riah never looked anyone in the eyes, but xe could get lost in hers.

Her voice was the true star of the show. Her words came so fast she kept having to pause mid-sentence when she ran out of breath. Riah could hear the time she’d spent focusing on making herself understandable, that was only still in her voice out of habit, overwhelmed by the sheer passion that made her so eager to share her knowledge.

She would often use large, academic words right alongside any slang she’d picked up on her travels. Riah didn’t understand most of what she said when they first met, but after knowing her for a few months, xe had picked up on enough to figure out what she was talking about most of the time.

Riah wasn’t sure what made her stop, but Nyssa abruptly looked down in what seemed like… embarrassment? She put her hands down, though quickly began fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.

“Sorry, is this too much? I know I can get a bit annoying with this kind of thing.” She asked quietly.

“What? No!” Riah insisted. What would make her think that?! “You can keep going, it’s okay! I, um,”

Riah xemself was terrible with words.

In a moment of courage, xe stood up, and moved to sit beside Nyssa.

“I like hearing you talk.” Riah practically whispered. Xer face was warm, and not from the fire, but xe didn’t move from xer new spot beside Nyssa.

Apparently that was all she needed, because Nyssa’s excited gesticulations and next bout of infodumping was almost immediate.

Riah could listen to her all night.

[letthemusicmoveyou28]

Stuck in Midnight Traffic by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

Rating: M (2.9k)

Written for @1dchristmasfest 2023!

The curly haired man sniffles again, but the tears seemed to have stopped for now at least. “I was supposed to spend Christmas Eve with my boyfriend, that is until we got into a horrible fight.” He seems to wince at his own words. “I guess I should start getting used to calling him my ex-boyfriend. But anyways, we just couldn’t stay there any longer. Kevin and I had to get out.”

Louis blinks before looking around the empty tube car confusedly. “Kevin?”

The man nods and then squeezes a little tighter to the little potted plant clutched in his arms. “Kevin is a Christmas Cactus, but he doesn’t bloom.” He quickly adds. “Which is completely fine, because I love him just as he is.”

Louis’ not sure what most of that means. All he does know is that he needs to make sure this strange, beautiful creature is never sad again.

(Or the one where two broken people meet in an empty tube car on Christmas Eve. Can they find a way to heal each other?)

Title from Heartbreak Magic by Riah

Read on Ao3!

[viking-raider]

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT > PART FOUR

Summary-> Alexa and Henry return to the villa after their hike, hot and tired, but Riah has a surprise for them.

Pairing-> Henry Cavill/OFC (Alexa)

Word Count-> 1.7k

Parts-> I II III

Warnings-> PG: Arranged Marriage, Fluff, Anxiety, Confession

Inspiration-> Nick and Vanessa Lachey’s Love is Blind on Netflix.

Author’s Note-> I hope you enjoy! Line divider by @FIREFLY-GRAPHICS!

-> If you would like to get notifications for my writing! Just follow my Tag List blog, @VIKING-RAIDER-TAGLIST as well as my @VIKING-RAIDER-LIBRARY and turn on the notifications for it! It’s that easy!’ Ao3->DRAGON_DWELLER

“So, lovebirds, how was your hike?” Riah asked as she met them in the driveway of the Villa.

“It was great.” Alexa answered, smiling over at Henry as they got out of the car. “Got to see a lot of the sights and enjoyed the hot springs.”

“Yeah, we had a lot of fun.” He agreed, his expression a soft gaze as he stared at her over the roof of their rental. “Could use a sound nap now, though.” He chuckled, heading to go inside. 

“Well, there's a few changes inside.” Riah announced, clapping her hands together.

Henry stopped and frowned at her over his shoulder. “What kind of changes?” He asked, suspicious.

“We added cameras in several of the rooms, and set up a private confessional in the hall bathroom, since it was the only room it could go in.” Riah explained to them, slipping inside before Henry could, waving for him and Alexa to follow.

Henry looked back at Alexa, his mouth slightly agape, seeing she had lost a little bit of the lighthearted happiness she had been filled with throughout the day. A look of slight unease at the thought of cameras now filming their every move, even when Jesse left them for the night, made both of them anxious.

“Hey.” He called out to her in a gentle whisper, turning back to give her his sole attention. “It's all right. Just because they're there, doesn't mean someone is actually watching them.”

“Yet.” Alexa squeaked, swallowing. "But, I need to get used to it. I signed up for it. For this.” She said, taking a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. “For us.” She added softer, meeting Henry's concerned, but supportive, blue eyes.

“We did.” Henry nodded, offering her his hand.

Alexa moved forward and took his hand, finding comfort in its strength and warmth, as well as Henry's smile. They entered their villa and found Riah waiting for them in the living room, her hands planted on her curvy hips.

“So, you have two cameras here, in the living room.” She started to explain without wasting a second. “One that captures a large portion of the room and one that covers the entry hallway.” She crossed the living room and entered the kitchen. “There are three in here, covering it and shooting into the backyard with a couple in the backyard. Then, there is one in your bedroom.” She said, making her way down the hall into the master.

“There's no camera in the bathroom, for obvious privacy reasons, or the closet, but you can sorta see into it from your bedroom camera.”

“And how exactly do you manage the camera in our bedroom?” Henry asked, folding his arms, a deep crease between his brows.

“There's three options.” Riah replied coolly. “There's a button on the side of it, where you can turn it off yourself, we can turn it off remotely ourselves or we can edit what footage we feel inappropriate or irrelevant out ahead of each episode.”

“And the confessional?” Alexa asked, biting her lip.

“Right this way!” Riah answered, motioning them out of the master and led them down the hall to the spare bathroom, where she and another crew member had set up the private confessional.

Sound-proofing the bathroom as much as possible, they removed the glass shower doors, adding a nice backdrop inside the spacious shower stall with a comfortable chair, while setting up the camera on its tripod over the toilet seat. The light from the long, narrow window above it was blacked out with a thick plastic and heavy gaffer's tape.

“Jesse will take whatever footage you did or didn't record with him at the end of the day and we'll store it to be added into the show later on.”

“That's fine.” Henry nodded, looking between Riah and Jesse with a tired expression. “Is there anything else you need from us?” He asked, glancing back at Alexa to see if she had anything she wanted to ask, but she shook her head.

“No, that's all I had for the two of you.” Riah nodded, her shaped brows lifted. “For now, at least. So, I'll leave you for the rest of the day.” She smiled, touching Jesse on the arm, before letting herself out.

“I'm going to take a nap.” Henry said, looking at Alexa. “You want to join me?” He asked, a slight smirk tugging up one side of his mouth with a sparkle in his eye.

Alexa chuckled, biting her lip. “Yeah, I think I'd like that.” She nodded, feeling the throb in her feet from all their walking, but felt the stronger rumble in the pit of her stomach. “I think I’m going to get something on my stomach first. So, I'm going to order a snack, then I'll join you, when I'm done.” She told him, lightly touching his side and kissing his cheek, before padding out to the kitchen; Jesse on her heels, to order something from room service.

Humming, Henry plopped down on his side of the bed and pulled off his sneakers, rubbing his arches for a moment, before reaching back to remove his tank top and tossed it aside. But he paused at his shorts, so used to sleeping in the nude, but didn't want to make Alexa uncomfortable. So he left them on. Getting up, pulling the curtains to balcony windows closed and plunging the room into a semi-darkness, he slipped into bed, intending to wait for Alexa.

Only to end up dozing off.

Checking her levels, Alexa ordered a light snack off the menu, side-eyeing Jesse as she did, until she hung up.

“Don't you want a break or something?” She asked, cocking her head at him. “I mean, we're in a fully CC'd villa, you could honestly go on a break without missing anything.”

Jesse lowered his camera. “Yeah, I could, until the pair of you decide to go out and do something.” He nodded, studying the piece of equipment. “You know what?” He suddenly decided, setting the camera on the island and took up the notepad that was beside the phone, scribbling on it. “This is my mobile number.” He said, tearing it off and holding it out. “Ring me, if the two of you decide to leave the house to do something. I'm just in a room at the main hotel of the resort.”

“We'll do that.” Alexa nodded, taking the paper and reading the line of numbers. “I doubt we'll be going anywhere else today, though.” She added, glancing towards the bedroom, while Jesse gathered up his stuff.

Her food arrived a few minutes after Jesse left and she nibbled on it for a moment, before breaking and tip-toeing into the confessional, locking the door behind her. Fumbling with the camera for a second, she sat down on the chair and stared blankly at it, struggling to grasp how to put her thoughts and emotions into words.

“I have no idea what to say, but I feel this absolute bubble of things inside of me.” She blurted out. “We had an amazing day today. Our hike, it was a load of fun. Henry is so...thoughtful and attentive.” She said, everything she had bottled up throughout the day was finally gushing forth. “He bought glucose tablets! He bought them, even though I have a pump that manages it, because he was worried something might happen to my sugars.”

Alexa paused, licking her lips and casting her glassy eyes to the ceiling for a moment, before taking a deep breath.

“It's our first, full day as a married couple, of just knowing each other.” She continued, focusing her eyes back on the red dot at the front of the camera. “However, at moments with him, I feel like we've known each other for years. I feel so safe with him, and comfortable. And that was one of the things I was really worried about, when I agreed to do this whole thing. That I wouldn't only not get along with the person they paired me up with, but I wouldn't have a connection with them, emotionally, physically or intellectually.”

“However, with Henry, it's all there.” She nervously twisted the ends of her hair, not caring that she made a mess of it. “I'm not used to feeling this way, so soon with a guy. I'm terrified that it's a false start." She admitted, the reality of it written all over her face, her eyes getting a lost in the distance gaze. “I guess I'll find out in the coming weeks.” She sighed, pressing her lips together and finally shrugging.

Sitting there for another long pause, Alexa stood and shut the camera off, before splashing some cold water into her face and staring at herself in the mirror for a moment. Sighing, she exited the bathroom-confessional and headed down to the master, finding Henry crashed out. He was flat on his stomach, arms folded under his head and tucked beneath his pillow, the blankets and duvet riding low on his waist, showing off the relaxed muscles of his broad back and shoulders. She smiled at him, moving into the walk-in and changing into a fresh tank top and pair of underwear, before joining him.

She eased in, careful not to jostle the bed too much, so she didn't disturb her resting husband. Sitting beside him, Alexa studied his slumbering face, a gentle smile pulling on her lips, seeing the small traces of silver at his temples. She slipped down onto her side, propping her head up on her fist and reached out to ghost her fingertips over the short hair of his temple. Several strands just in the start of its first turn into a curl, following suit with the curls not far above. Alexa dared to twist one of them around the tip of her index finger, admiring its silkiness with the pad of her thumb.

A sudden flash of children running loose about a house, their hair a wild mop of brown curls, a spitting image of their father's, falling in their eyes as they giggled and played, came rushing into Alexa's mind. She pulled away, heart pounding as she rolled onto her back, staring blankly at the vaulted ceiling above the bed. The image burned itself into her brain. Squeezing her eyes shut, in her best attempt to suppress the image, Alexa turned onto her side, towards Henry once again. She reached out, tugging the blanket up and a little bit over him, before letting her eyes fall shut, palm resting in the middle of his back, as she drifted off.

[cinamun]

Hey Cin. What overlays do u use for Jerriah, Jayde & Jackson to make them look so cute & chubby??

Oh! Hey friend! So this skin detail <- is what I used on Riah when she was a widdle baby (gif for tax)

I'm not using that one on Jayde and Jack, they are at max weight tho (they be eatin good in the Carruthers household feel me?) They use either Northernsiberiawinds or sims3melancholic skins if I'm not mistaken.

I have a little bit of tea under the cut if you're interested 👀

Hope's toddler overlay was my favorite ever! It had all the little chubby wrinkles, etc. But then the creator went bananas, deleted everything everywhere and was banished from simblr for being all the phobics (all because EA gave clarity on early access (moonchildlovesthenight) some of y'all who have been around long enough will remember. When infants came I tried desperately to convert it but didn't know wtf I was doing so I never did.

The end.

[isleofdarkness]

Dr Sweet was the first one (aside from Aurora and Xavier's bunch, who were there when Ginny handed Sunshine to the Isle kids) to know about the Isle kids having a baby in their room. He was just visiting to check up on Riah because he heard what happened in the courtyard and wanted to make sure he wasn't seriously injured after being thrown to the ground hours after a lung transplant surgery. Then Sunshine started crying from where Evie had hidden her (kitchen cabinet.) Decades as a doctor gave him the experience needed to keep the surprise off of his face. Okay, they'd clearly snuck a baby off of the Isle. Fine by him. Just one issue.

"You six got a bottle for that baby, or do you need me to grab some formula?"

The looks on their faces were priceless

[flickerbit]

My inner child feels like she got shot or something

[chaethewriter]

got a sweet asian chick

Jack Champion x South(east)Asian!reader

In which you and Jack have been dating for a while, and the two of you mutually agree to take the next step: meeting the family.

Word count: 4k

Warning: not proofread, english isn't my first language, rushed, lots of mistakes?

tagged: @viivvriv @genesis4545 @norrisgf @darkcrusadestrawberry @drxwstxrkxy

A/N: here you go Riah!! Enjoy reading everyone.🫶

"I think I'm sweating through my pants." Jack Champion was a confident man, usually able to mask his feelings with his goofy and silly behavior, but right for this instance, that silly demeanor was thrown out of the window as he stood in front of his home's mirror with shaking legs. He wore a black suit, the blazer a wrap plaid one as he topped it off with a black tie and dress shoes. "Baby, are you sure I shouldn't wear.. uhm.. your traditional clothing?" His lips were pursed as he forgot what it was called when he watched himself in the mirror. He was a white american, an entire different race than you and your family. Of course, that shouldn't matter at all, but he felt incredibly nervous. He was raised by his mother with respect and turned into a true gentleman, but he was afraid. Afraid he would fuck this up and make a fool out of himself. This was his first time meeting your relatives, after all. He felt nervous meeting your parents too, but they were quick to like him. Well, your mom. Your father was still protective when it came to you and boys, but that's how fathers will always be. Currently, the two of you were getting ready for your cousin's wedding. The loser of a cousin finally proposed to his now-fiancee, and you couldn't be happier for them. He was like a brother to you. This led to you asking Jack to be your date for the wedding, since he is your boyfriend and all. You understood that if he had declined, you had a huge family after all. You didn't even know 75% of the people, and you probably knew at least a hundred relatives. But to your surprise, Jack had agreed to accompany you, seeing it as the next step in your relationship. You saw your future in his eyes, after all. To say you were beyond excited was an understatement, finally sharing your culture with your boyfriend in the way it should be shown. Jack did know the basic stuff from visiting your home and eating with your parents, but they always tended to tone it down. This time, he could get the real experience. You were getting ready in his guestroom, as you had a ton of stuff to prepare for and needed all the space you could possibly use. From the other room, you replied to his question as you fixed your saree, "Jaanu (beloved), I'm sure of it. I would rather you introduce yourself as you, Jack Champion, my silly boyfriend. And that suit definitely screams your name." You looked at yourself in the mirror with the proudest look on your face as a few strands of your hair framed your face. The brown-beige colored shameen draped saree hugged your body as the jewelry on your wrists and neck were the cherry on top. Your earrings completed the outfit as a whole as they matched your makeup look. You bit your lip in satisfaction. You felt so beautiful in your own skin. But would Jack feel the same way?

"Wow," Jack stood in the dooropening, staring right into your reflection in the mirror as his jaw practically dropped to the floor. He was so used to you wearing acubi fashion: cargo pants, crop tops with half-zipped hoodies, that this side of you was such a shocker to him. Not a negative one, though. He walked up to you, still mesmerized by your beauty. His eyes checked you out from head to toe as he stood behind you, checking every curve and decoration on you. He slowly moved his hands to your waist, gripping your skin as he pushed you against him. The back of your head hit his chest as a blush covered your cheeks. You watched his expression through the mirror and his eyes held nothing but adoration and love, "You're so pretty. You're always so pretty and breathtaking, priya (beloved)." He had a funny American accent when he whispered the last part, but you couldn't help but blush. He took his time learning about your culture and your ways. Even though he was a busy man with his acting job, he always made time for you. Jack Champion was the man of everyone's dreams. And he was yours.

Your parents had picked you up from Jack's house, his mom begging him to take a lot of videos and pictures for her to relive the moment before the two of you had left. She couldn't help but make the two of you pose in front of the house, taking a ton of pictures of her son holding your waist as your hand were resting against his chest. Like the gentleman Jack was, he opened the cardoor for you to get seated. While in the car, you seated next to Jack in the backseat, your mother spoke up, "My dāmāda (son-in-law), how are you feeling? About the wedding?" A blush crept up on your cheeks at that nickname. Your mother took a liking to your boyfriend, and you couldn't be happier about how accepting she was. You had a feeling it happened after he told her about his job at such a young age, but the more he was around, the more she grew to like him for who he was. Your father thought different about it, though, as a grumble left his lips at the way your mother called your boyfriend. He did earn a smack from your mother in return. Jack brought his right hand to your thigh to caress it as his other hand moved to hold onto yours, his thumb rubbing your skin, "I can't lie. I'm pretty nervous, but also excited to get the real cultural experience with my girlfriend by my side." He was so cheesy, but you couldn't help but smile at his words.

From the rear mirror, your father watched how lovey dovey the two of you were being. Even though you tried your best to be as discreet as possible, your father would rather not have Jack in his car at all. Let alone him being so acceptable of the touches you shared. "Please keep your hands away from my d- ow priya (beloved)!" Your mother had slapped your father before he was able to finish his sentence. You shook your head as you gave Jack a reassuring smile, taking both his hands and holding them in your lap. He gave you a smile in return as he played with your fingers, something he did whenever he needed to calm down. You leaned closer to him as you pulled one of your hands away from his grip to stroke the strands of hair out of his eyesight. The two of you were acting like a cheesy, newly wedded couple, but you didn't care. As long as he was by your side, everything would be okay.

Being the gentleman Jack was, he had gotten out of the car the moment your father had parked to go ahead and open your door for you. You had blushed yet again at this action. You were easily swooned when it came to him. You grabbed onto his exchanged hand as you grabbed your sari with the other to lift the fabric off the floor as you stepped out of the car. A blush had covered Jack’s pale skin as he watched your every move. You looked, no, you were someone out of a fairy tale. You were beyond beautiful, breaking the scale as you were above it. “well thank you, my prince Naveen.” The both of you knew that ‘prince charming’ would have been the usual phrase, but you didn’t like that. Prince charming didn’t have any personality and Jack was the complete opposite of that, so you had decided to settle on Naveen, who was also your favorite Disney prince. Very ironic, considering your ethnicity. “Y/N!!” You were almost knocked on your butt at the sudden force running into, if that weren’t for Jack holding you by the small of your back. “My sweet boni (wild berry)!” You engulfed her in your arms as you held her against your hip, “for sure has been a while, hasn’t it?” You got a nod in response as she wrapped your arms around you, “missed you!” She had exclaimed, before she made direct eye contact with Jack, who had put on the brightest smile as he waved at her. She shyly waved in return, thinking the older boy in front of her was quite handsome.

“I knew she would be here. Assalamu Alaikum, bhanjee (sister’s daughter).” One of your hundred aunts came up to you, putting her hand on your arm as she leaned to press her cheek against yours. You smiled as you greeted her in return, “Wa’alaikum Salaam, auntie.” You felt Jack shift as his grip on the small of your back tightened. You put your cousin down, before putting your hand on Jack’s chest, the other hugging his arm close to you. “Auntie, this is my boyfriend, Jackson.” Your aunt had looked at the boy from head to toe, making him shake in his shoes. He put his hand on his chest as he nodded his head to greet her, “It’s nice to meet you, miss. And just Jack is alright with me.” You had looked at your aunt for approval, as she still analyzed his figure. “Aren’t you a tall handsome boy! What do your parents do, hm? Please call me auntie!”

If you could crumble through the ground, it would have happened right there and then. “Oh thank you, auntie! Uhm my mom studied bio-“

“Oh doctor!! When are the two of you getting married!”

A heavy blush had covered Jack’s cheeks as you basically pulled Jack with you towards the venue, “Auntie we are going to greet the others, please excuse us!” As you speed walked off with your boyfriend trailing behind you.

“I am so sorry for her,” you bit your lip as you looked down in shame. The two of you were still so young and for your auntie to start talking about marriage, “I’m sorry if you felt uncomfortable with that question.” You saw your future in him, even though the two of you were still so young, and you didn’t know if Jack felt the same way. Instead of an awkward response, a laugh had erupted from him, “It’s okay darling. After all, you having my last name doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?”

You had smacked his chest, “We aren’t even twenty, Jack!”

The two of you had walked around greeting other relatives, some you knew and most you didn’t. It was the usual ‘I held you when you were just a baby!’ and ‘I remember when you just learned how to walk’ moment, where you awkwardly smiled in response. The moment they saw Jack, they had all interviewed him like true interviewers whenever he was on press tours. He didn’t mind though, as he would try his hardest for you. Their defensive behavior disappeared the moment he had told them he was an actor, your relatives linking this to being rich. Word spread about you bringing in your white famous boyfriend, other people coming up to the two of you to ask you questions about your relationship. You already felt your social battery draining and the ceremony hadn’t even started yet, so you pulled Jack to the side as another storm of relatives flooded in, late as always cause everyone could never be on time. Luckily for them, the soon-to-be-married couple already counted on this. Once Asian, always Asian. “I have never seen a family this big before.” He had leaned down to whisper that in your ear, his lips pressed against your ear as his hot breath fanned against your skin. His hand was holding your waist as he pulled you closer, “did I already tell you that you look incredible tonight, babe.”

Your hands traveled to his chest, gripping onto his blazer as you looked around, “isn’t this kind of inappropriate of you to do at the wedding of your new family, sir Champion?”

His eyes sparkled as he pulled his face away to flash you a grin, “I can’t help it, mrs. Champion. I like the physical contact.” You chuckled in response, pressing a quick kiss against his plump lips before pulling yourself away from him, the only physical contact being your arm hooking into his. So far, you had mostly met aunties, uncles and distant cousins. Jack didn’t know what was about to come. The scariest part of meeting an Asian family: the older cousins. They were probably running late as always.

“Before you can call me mrs. Champion, you still have some obstacles to win, Jackson Champion.” You weren’t going to lie, you were incredibly worried about him meeting your grandparents and older cousins. You were one of the youngest, so they were extra protective when it came to you. “Which is?”

Before you could answer your dear boyfriend, one of your relatives had gotten on stage with a microphone in her hand, “Namaste, family, friends. We have come here together,” She did her introduction speech, before telling everyone to sit at one of the hundreds of round tables in the huge venue. You smiled at your boyfriend and pulled him along, looking for any familiar faces you could sit with. “(Y/N), here!” You heard your name being called as you looked around. Among the crowded tables, you spotted a few heads peeking out from the crowd. Your older cousins. All sitting together. Holding one chair free for you. You didn’t tell them about Jack coming. You gulped as you headed their way. This was it, the true judging of your boyfriend.

“well good day, rats.” You smirked as they all stood up to engulf you in a hug, or a handshake. Jack stood there awkwardly, waiting for you to introduce him. “Now who is this?” one of your cousins spoke up, walking over to one of the only white people in the room, being sweet Jack.

“guys, this is m-“

“how couldn’t you tell us?! You have been seeing someone all along?!”

“If you could shut up and let me speak, thank you.” You took a step towards Jack, hugging his arm in your chest as you smiled sweetly, “This is obviously my sweet and handsome boyfriend, Jack.” Your older cousins gaped at one another. Even though they had figured it out on their own the moment you walked in with a white boy, they still couldn’t believe it that their little cousin would grow up so early. “Your type differs so much from us, that’s not in a bad way of course! Nice to meet you Jack, I’m ….” Your only first female cousin had spoken up, making the decision to walk up to him with her hand extracted. Jack felt much more at ease, a bright smile on his face as they shook hands. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

You gave your other cousins a look, telling them to be nice to your boyfriend. They all groaned, but agreed. They didn’t want you unhappy, after all. All your cousins had greeted Jack, who felt delighted as he felt them opening up to him. You all took a seat, as you secretly stole a chair from the table next to you for Jack to sit down next to you. He put his hand on your thigh as your touch made him feel at ease. You smiled and put your hand on his. The table was decorated with flowers and a beautiful woven cloth, on top all kinds of snacks to eat from. Your relative prepared for her next speech, waiting for everyone to settle down in their seats, as you pulled a few bowls closer to the two of you. You faced Jack, who looked down at the three snacks. “What are these?” he had asked out of genuine curiosity, excited to try it. “So this is aloo tikki, it’s like a fried potato patty. This is banana chips, it’s basically fried overripen bananas. This last one is samosas, it’s my all time favorite. I’m sure you had this before, it’s the potato filled pastry.” You explained as you pointed to all the dishes, given them their easiest description for him. Jack took notice how it was all fried, in oil. He was sure he needed to go to the gym tomorrow, because of all the delicious food he will eat. He first went for the safe option, the one he already knew, the samosas. “warning baby, these are much spicier than the ones I made for you.” You got up from your seat, “let me go get you something to drink, alright? I’ll be back soon.”

“So Jack, what do you do?” one of your cousins had asked him once you went off to the other side of the venue.

“I’m an actor. I have been doing it since I was a child, and now I made my passion my career.” Jack explained, turning to your cousin as he used his hands while talking.

Your other cousin chimed in, “In what movies do you play? Like genre?”

“So far, horror and science fiction. My most recent role was one in scream s-“

Before Jack could finish his sentence, your female cousin chimed in, “OH MY GOD! YOU’RE THE HUMAN KID FROM AVATAR!” She almost fell off her chair as she did so, standing up from her seat and pointing at him, “You’re the bug! The one with the bug name!” her accent clear as she spoke out of pure excitement. In the meantime, your other cousins just stay quiet as they watch their cousin scream like a true Asian mom on the phone. God, this was embarrassing.

Jack tried his best to hold his laughter, “Yes, I play spider yes.”

“Do you plan on playing in romance movies?” the vibe suddenly got dark, as all your cousins stared right into his eyes. It made him nervous, but he knew he couldn’t do more than tell them the truth. “It would be interesting to be in one, as it’s different from what I usually do, but if (Y/N) feels uncomfortable with that thought, then I won’t. I don’t want my relationship to be in danger. There are a lot of other genres with good movie plots.”

Once you had returned with your drinks, it looked like your cousins had opened up just a tad. You didn’t know what they had talked about, but it must be good. You brought him a glass of water to neutralize his tastebuds as you brought a cola for yourself. He didn’t expect the spice to hit him this hard, his mouth on fire as he teared up. Your cousins had laughed at him as he sipped his water, holding onto your hand as he did so. You gently rubbed his cheeks as you grinned, “Now where is my Champion?”

The ceremony had started soon after. Your cousin looked so beautiful in her attire, almost making you tear up as your hand clasped over your mouth. Jack scooted closer to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders to bring you closer, his other hand rubbing your hand. It might be wishful thinking, but that could be Jack and you in a decade. Oh, how you couldn’t wait to see what the future had in stock for the two of you. Thank god that you wore waterproof mascara, because you bawled your eyes out the moment they had exchanged rings. “baby, it’s okay I’m here.” He had whispered as you sniffed, trying to get it together.

After the ceremony, the dancing began. First it started out as performance dancing, with professional dancers in cultural attires as they put on a show. Jack had taken his phone out to film the happening, so fascinated by the different approach of a wedding. Soon, couples gathered on the dance floor as the professional dancers left the floor. Thee newly wedded couple danced in the middle as the other pairs danced around them. You had gotten up, taking his hand in yours as you pulled him off your chair, “now come on!”

“babe, I don’t know the dance moves-“

“But you know how to dance! Come on!”

You pulled him on the dancefloor, for the sake of your social anxiety and him being in the presence of your huge family, you had decided to stay at the side. “Come on, lets just have fun. Doesn’t matter what we dance, you take the lead Champ.” He grinned at you as he took you in his arms. At first he was a little stiff, twirling you around and moving you from side to side. But as time passed, he grew more comfortable: more himself. The dances got more ‘Jack’ when he did his iconic dance, making you laugh as you threw your head back. The two of you forgot everyone around you as you were only focused on one another, enjoying the moment with the brightest smiles on your face. A sight captured by many.

Eventually, the two of you left the dancefloor, as food would be served soon. You went to the restroom to fix yourself up, Jack following you like a lost puppy as he held onto your hand. You were inside the restroom, touching your makeup and hair up as Jack stood outside, your hands linked together through the door crack. Then you proceeded to return to your table, food already ready and served. It was a plate filled with fresh roti: masala potatoes and chicken, eggs and green beans filling your nostrils. A side of madame jeanette to go with it. Jack had pulled your chair out for you to sit on, before taking a seat himself, “what’s this?” He had asked as he analyzed the plate in front of his nose.

“So this is my favorite dish actually, it’s roti with a bunch of side dishes you eat this with.” You explained as you opened the little wipe packet they gave you to go with, since it’s a dish you’re supposed to eat with your hands. You gave it to Jack as you opened your own wipe, “this is a dish you eat with your hands, so that’s what the wipes are for.” He copied your ways, wiping his fingers down with the wipe as well.

“Okay, so you rip some of the flatbread and you hold it like you’re going to scoop something, then you grab a little bit of everything and put it in your mouth.” You explained as you followed your own instructions, adding some of the madame jeanette to it as well. He had seen you done that, “What is the yellow sauce?” He asked as his eyes focused on his plate. He wasn’t used to eating at all. Of course he ate pizza and chicken wings with his hands, but this still felt different. This felt more cultural. You watched him struggle to split the potatoes in half without letting it fly through the sky. It was kind of cute?

Your gaze returned on his expression as you answered his question from earlier, “It’s spicy, I am not sure if you can handle it. Do you still want to try?”

He nodded, eager to do anything that has to do with your culture. Eager to learn.

“Say ah?”

“huh?”

“I said ‘ahh’ silly.”

“ahh?” Jack had opened his mouth in confusion, not knowing what you meant by it. You then fed him your portion, making him blush a dark shade of red as you pushed the food inside his mouth with your thumb. You pulled your hand away, looking at his expression with a bright grin. As he chewed, his eyes widened when the spice hit his tongue. It felt like his tastebuds were burning off. He had swallowed though, since the taste was exquisite. If only he could taste it better without the distracting spice. You quickly brought the glass of water to his lips, your hand under his chin as he eagerly gulped his drink done, his hand on yours to keep the cup steady.

This sure was an experience to tell at home.

[cleoluvrr]

The Last Days of Summer I (Rafe Cameron x Heyward!OC)

Warnings: violence, underage drinking, drug use, verbal abuse, jealousy, forbidden relationship, enemies to lovers, gaslighting + manipulation

Synopsis: Stuck in a situation she never dreamed of, Neriah Heyward blurs the line between Kook and Pogue; Rafe Cameron a witness.

masterlist

word count: 3k+

↠━ღ◆ღ━↞

I stand next to the shop, watching as my brother hops into a small, rinky-dink boat, profusely apologizing to our father as he drifts off with his friends up the canal. My father yells after him from the dock, assigning him with the unfavorable chore of cleaning the week’s catch. I shake my head and chuckle humorlessly, unamused by their antics once again. 

“What’s up, Riah?” I hear a voice call out from the boat. The disheveled looking blonde waves at me, smiling brightly as he looks in my direction. 

I tilt my head, pushing off the wall I was leaning against to step closer to the three boys attempting to avoid the wrath of my father.

“Hi, JJ.” I say sweetly, laughing as my sibling swats at the back of his friend’s head and my father curses at him.

“Don’t flirt with my sister-” “Don’t talk to my daughter you little bastard!” The two of them say simultaneously.

The group speeds off into the distance, John B. cackling at JJ getting chewed out by Pope and narrowly missing his barrage of hits. I turn back towards the shop, shaking my head as my father grumbles out his disdain for his son’s friends. I freeze in my place as my dad yells out my name from the dock.

“I don’t want you hanging around them kids. Ever.” He says, wagging his finger at me. “You understand me, Neriah Heyward?” 

 “I understand.” I reply, nodding my head as I continue the journey to my bedroom. “Wasn’t planning on it.” I add under my breath.

“Londyn, let’s be so forreal right now.” I deadpanned, staring across the table at my friend. “Kelce is an asshole.” 

I’m seated on the balcony of the country club, deep inside the Figure 8. I wore a white tennis skirt, the bottoms paired with a cropped, pink sweater I ordered from an inexpensive store online. My friends are dressed similarly, our attire reminding me somewhat of the Powerpuff Girls. The club is a common hangout spot for my friends and I, people watching and gossiping to fill our free time over the summer. 

While my brother runs around with the Pogues, likely doing something illegal, I spend my time on the high side of the island with the Kooks. Although we are siblings, the only thing we have in common is that. Our blood.

This didn’t happen out of nowhere, nor did it happen easily.

Pope and I are both very hardworking and intelligent, that I will admit we also have in common. We were always the smartest in our classes, envied for our perfect grades and work ethic. Not that we had much of a choice if we wanted a shot of getting off this island one day. 

Where we differ once again is our ability to make friends. Pope had his Pogue friends. JJ, Kie, and John B. They’re practically inseparable and have been for as long as I can remember. I, however, didn’t have that same luck.

I had a hard time making friends as a kid. I was shy, a bit abrasive, and a know-it-all. I made it a point to show everyone that I was better than them, and I’m sure that didn’t help my likeability amongst my classmates. I was a loner for 8 years of my schooling, many of my pre-teen years spent eating lunch alone and helping my parents at the shop while my brother was out enjoying life.

You can imagine why I jumped at the chance to go to the Kook academy in ninth grade. 

My brother was smarter than me by miles, I will also admit. However, his attendance was not so great, nor the reputation of his friends. Which is why when the scholarship offer came, it was my name on the letter instead of his. I’m sure he would have flat out rejected the offer, anyway, refusing to be separated from his best friends.

I started at the Kook academy my freshman year of high school, wide-eyed and innocent. Not so surprisingly, I was often picked on in the first semester of my time there. My scholarship student status, being a Pogue, being larger than the rest of the girls my age, both in height and weight. I was never bullied at my old school, despite being widely disliked, so this was something I had not been prepared for.

Once again, I spent my days in the back of the class and eating my lunches alone for months. The emotional torture was worth it if it meant I would get the hell off Kildare Island. Sometime in my second semester there, I met one of my closest friends. Practically my savior.

Londyn Woods. Youngest daughter of a Neurosurgeon and former runway model, sister to a lawyer brother living on the mainland, and my lifeline. 

She was loved by many and envied by many; her beauty could not be rivaled by anyone but her own mother. Despite her looks, status, and popularity, she was the farthest thing from shallow. Even knowing that, I wondered what drew her to me, why she would want to be friends with me.

The only things we have in common look wise are our heights, though she still stood three inches taller than me at five-eleven. The dark brown of my skin contrasted against her toffee-colored complexion. Her slim frame looked even smaller when next to me, dwarfed by my broad shoulders and thick thighs. Her face was chiseled, mine was round. She is so very headstrong, and I am so very not. I can’t help but wonder what the appeal was. However, we have everything else in common. Music taste, style, hobbies, future careers. If you know everything about me, you know everything about her.

She is my person, my protector in a way, and I suppose I am hers as well.

Eventually the Kooks began accepting me, not only because I was harmless but because Londyn began airing the dirty laundry of everyone that tried to pick on me. Everywhere I went, she went. Except the Cut. Not that she hasn’t tried, because she has, many times. But because it’s not safe for a girl like her to be there. Since she can’t come there, she drags me around Figure 8 with her like a puppy in a handbag. 

Which is exactly why I’m at the country club now, begging my friend to listen to my boy advice for once.

“Okay, but he’s so cute!” Londyn whines, stomping her feet like a young child. “And whenever he sees me, he smiles at me so sweetly, and he holds the door open for me, and I need you to please hear me out.” she pouts at me.

“I am hearing you out, and I’m not liking what I’m hearing.” I rub my temples, the effort of talking my hard-headed best friend out of making bad decisions draining my energy. “When has Kelce ever been nice to anyone?”

“He’s nice to me! And you!” She exclaims. I raise an eyebrow at that, looking at her skeptically. “Okay…well he’s never been mean to you. Please, Neriah. I beg of you!” She stands out of her seat, walking to my side of the table.

“Girl, don’t beg me for anything.” I say, rolling my eyes and taking a sip of the iced tea in front of me. 

“Do you promise to be nice to him? For me?”

“No.” I snort, shaking my head.

I watch as my friend gets down, her bare knees on the wooden floor of the balcony. She begins repeating the word ‘please’ numerous times, ignoring my pleas for her to get off the ground. Her antics draw the attention of the older people around us; their faces wearing looks of disapproval as they watch the two of us on the deck. I stood up, grabbing her hands away from my knees and tugging her upwards as heat took over my face.

“Okay, fine! I’ll be nice.” I speak. “Get your ass off the floor.” I whispered harshly.

“Yay! I love you so much.” She jumps up, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. I grumble, pushing her off me gently and sitting back down. She plops down in my lap, stealing my drink for herself despite my protests.

We sat like that for a while, me scrolling through my phone and Londyn toying with my braids in between her fingers while she watched me scroll through the device mindlessly. We hear multiple footsteps walking onto the balcony, neither of us looking up at the sound.

“Aw, how cute.” A familiar voice comments dryly. I lift my head slowly, something nasty itching to leave my tongue when I see the tall, blonde standing by our table, Kelce and Topper not too far away. 

“Rafe.” I say, just as dryly. “How are you? Laying off the coke?” I ask disinterestedly. Londyn tries to keep a straight face, turning her head away to hide her smile. Rafe chuckles humorlessly, tongue poking against his cheek.

“You should try it, Neriah. Maybe you’d lose a few.” He retorts, Thing #1 and Thing #2 laughing at his jab towards my weight. 

“Nice one, Rafe! You should apply for a job at the laugh factory, I know you need one.” I say. “Do you think they employ deadbeat drug addicts?” I ask Londyn who is now standing behind me, hands resting on the back of my chair. She shrugs, failing to stop the laugh crawling up her throat. She coughs and clears her throat, covering up the sound.

Rafe relents, scoffing as he walks to the other end of the deck, sitting at a table with his minions close behind. A small victory for me.

Rafe and I met at the Kook academy a few years ago, when I was a mere freshman and he was a junior. At first I was entranced by him, blinded by his charming smile and powerful aura. Everyone loved him or wanted to be him. I always kept my distance, knowing better than to ever let myself get anywhere near him to save myself the embarrassment of saying something stupid.

That didn’t last very long.

The summer of my freshman year, Londyn dragged me along with her to Midsummers despite my refusal. She actually sat outside my house with her driver and wouldn’t leave until I came out, all dolled up in the pink Selkie dress gifted to me by Londyn for Valentine’s Day. 

“You look so beautiful!” My friend says when I entered the vehicle, clunky, platform sandals banging against the side of the car as I climbed in. I felt strange, wearing clothes someone else bought for me and on the way to a place where only one person wants me.

We arrive at the venue, Londyn trying to hype me up the entire ride there with no results. The taller girl is handed two flower crowns as we walk through the country club, placing one of them on my head gently with the biggest grin on her face. She grabs my hand, pulling me through the crowd of people to the outdoor space where everyone else is mingling. She takes me to her parents, the two figures towering over the rest of the Kooks.

“Neriah! You look absolutely stunning.” Her mother greets, embracing me in a tight hug. “How have you been?” 

“Thank you, Mrs. Woods! You look gorgeous, as always.” I say sweetly, the model pulls away, patting my head endearingly. “I’ve been well, thank you for asking.”

“We haven’t seen you around lately. I’m sure we miss you just as much as our daughter has.” Mr. Woods says, giving me a welcoming side hug.

“It’s really busy at the shop this time of year, my parents have been working me to the bone.” I tell them dramatically, the three of them laughing at my demeanor. “Speaking of parents…if my father asks, you never saw me.” And with that, Londyn drags me off again to hang with other teenagers.

For a moment, I let myself forget about the ongoing class war. I let my guard down and had just as much fun as everyone else. I was just a normal teenager doing normal teen things. I got to dress up nice and be a Kook for a day. I stopped worrying about being careful.

That is where I went wrong. That is when the Devil struck.

I snuck off to the restroom, leaving my friend alone to mingle with the Kook kids. The halls were practically empty, most people outside on the patio. I walk around mindlessly, the music of the gathering outside leaking into the otherwise quiet building. I hear a door open, but ignore it, thinking it was a staff member or something. I continue, the restroom sign in my sight at the end of the hallway.

I was very mistaken.

A hand reached out and grabbed my forearm, dragging me into the door that had just opened. The door shut loudly behind us; my writhing frame roughly shoved against the wall. I try to scream, but a large, warm hand covers my mouth and nose. A body presses up against mine in the dark room, chuckling over my muffled screams. As my eyes adjust to the dark, I notice who it is that has caught me off guard.

Rafe Cameron. The Kook prince himself.

I stop fighting, my own hands grabbing at the one covering my only source of air. Rafe watches me struggle, pressing his hand harder against my face with a look of morbid curiosity. As if he wanted to see how long I could go without properly breathing. He turns on the light with his free hand, wanting a clearer look at my pleading frame and watering eyes. He tilts his head, finally releasing my mouth and nose. 

He doesn’t move, still standing close as my chest heaves and I take in more air than I’ve breathed in my entire life. He looks at me strangely, a mixture of wonder, disgust, and curiosity. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” I exclaim, shoving against his chest harshly. He doesn’t really move, my assault barely affecting him. 

“I think I should be the one asking you that.” He says, squinting at me. “What do you think you’re doing here?” 

“That’s literally none of your business.” I look up at him in disgust and confusion. “Are you insane?” All positive feelings I had for him were gone.

“You see,” He starts, running a hand through his blonde hair. “Everything that happens is my business, because I make it my business. Especially when it comes to rats running around on Figure 8 like they own it.”

“Wow, you are a fucking psycho.” I comment. “Why am I surprised?” He laughs dryly at my words, shaking his head. 

He grabs my face again, fingers tightly gripping my chin. My cheeks squish under his hold, lips forced into a pout. I swipe at his hand again, and he only grips me tighter. I wince, dropping my hands and looking up at him in frustration. He tuts at me, moving my head side to side with disappointment adorning his face.

“Poor little Pogue girl can’t remember her place and needs someone to remind her…” He brings his face closer to mine and I flinch back, my movements halted by the grip Rafe has on my jaw. “That’s okay, I can show you.”

“Rafe, you are fucking insane.” I say, words slurred together out of my forcefully parted lips. He jerks my head roughly, releasing a sound of disapproval. He shushes me, bringing a slender finger to his mouth.

“It’s my turn to talk, Okay?” I don’t respond, eying him warily. “Good girl. You see, life is just so much easier when you follow the rules. When you follow the status quo. But you? You simply refuse to do that. And I don’t like that. I don’t know what your little friend has told you, but you aren’t one of us. You never will be. It doesn’t matter if you go to the Kook school, if you have Kook friends, if you put on a pretty little dress and party with Kooks. You are always gonna be a disgusting gutter rat. Getting all dolled up won’t make me forget that. Make anyone forget that. Do you understand that?” He spits at me.

I nodded, just wanting to get out of that room as quickly as possible.

“I’m glad. Now, I don’t want to have to have this conversation with you again. I won’t be as nice.” He smiles at me, the look making my skin crawl. “Now run along.” He releases me and I shove him away, yanking at the door handle next to me furiously.

“You’re a piece of shit, Rafe. I won’t forget that either.” I say, turning around to face him as I exit the room.

“You look beautiful tonight.” He says, the compliment throwing me for a loop. “I wouldn’t want to have to change that.” At that, I storm out of the room and back to the party. The threat sat heavy on my mind for the rest of the night, spending my time watching over my shoulder to keep an eye out for the older guy.

It was that moment I no longer felt admiration for Rafe Cameron.

I didn’t fear him either, though I did that night. The most emotion I feel for him nowadays is disdain and annoyance. Occasionally anger, but I never show it because that’s exactly what he wants. I never told Londyn about our little confrontation, so it’s been a secret between the boy and I since then.

“God, Rafe is such a creep.” Londyn says annoyedly. I give no reaction other than raising my eyebrows slightly. “He’s been staring over here for, like, five minutes.”

 “Let him. He won’t do anything.”

I glance over in his direction, the two of us locking eyes. He mimics my raised eyebrows, waiting for me to give him a reaction. I keep a disinterested look on my face and look back at my friend, once again ignoring his presence. Everything he does is to get a reaction out of me so he can somehow use it as evidence to prove that I’m some kind of menace to Figure 8.

Londyn and I leave a short time later, the club becoming far too stuffy for the both of us.

[outcasts-redeemer]

David attempts magic

Frida: "Auugh! This spell is driving me crazy!" *Flops onto the bed next to David*

David: *Helping Hilda keep a wooden toothpick tower upright* "Hey! Watch it. We've been working for hours on this thing."

Hilda: *looks past David's shoulder* "What's wrong Frida? I am technically your familiar so maybe I can help."

Frida: Its this spell! Its apart of my advanced studies."

David: Shouldn't you focus on your regular studies? Like you were told to?"

Frida: *Waves him away* "Its fine. Kaisa gave me permission. Its not dangerous, just a simple facial metamorphic spell that's supposed to change little things like warts pimples and things like that."

David: "Why would you like to learn a spell like that?"

Frida: "Oh I don't know David. Maybe because we're teenagers now and have puberty to deal with?"

David: *Smirks at her* "Oh come on. I thought you would be better than that. I say just let nature take its course." *Leans back until he's resting on her back*

Frida: *eyes narrow and glow as she lifts him off her with a spell and drops him off the bed*

David: *Hits the ground* "Ow!" *Rubs his bum* "That hurt."

Hilda: "I think it's a great spell to learn. You could get rid of all sorts of things. Or even add them back!" *Rubs her cheeks* "I do miss those whiskers..." *Looks over to David* "Come on David don't you have anything you'd like removed or added on?"

David: *Rolls his eyes* "Right then. Try it on me."

Frida: *rolls over and sits up* "David you know I can't."

David: "Of course you can! You've done it loads of times. Look I'll do it." *Grabs Frida's wand and points it at his face and reads the spell* "Srae, spil, riah dna nihc, hteet, sworb, eson, dna skeehc, emoceb eht mrof taht I kees!" *gets blasted back to the door by a bolt of magic*

Frida and Hilda: "David!" *jumps off the bed and runs too him*

Frida: *Reaches David and waves away the smoke* "David. Are you ok? Oh why do you do these sorts of things."

David: *Grabs her hand mid wave* "My name isn't David anymore Frida." *Sits up* "Call me, The Stache!" *Turns to face the two of them showing his upper lip full of facial hair*

Frida: *eye twitch* "David. Give me my wand. I'm getting rid of that thing."

David: *clutches Frida's wand with both hands* "But it looks so cool!"

Frida and Hilda: "David!"