#macs jealousy and little comments

[starlightsearches]

Yes, absolutely! So. Eddie x FemReader. They are best friends and have this special bond but all of a sudden Eddie pushes her aside for another girl he's dating or is interested in, letting her sit in the reader's seat, canceling traditions of years like movie night, etc. But somehow he wakes up and realizes he has been an ass to her (maybe because he actually wanted to get over his own feelings for her) but the reader isn't so quick to let it all go - she wants him to prove how sorry he is!

Jealousy, Jealousy

📼✨ mixtape milestone ✨📼 requests are open!

thanks for the request, bestie! and an even bigger thanks for your patience 😬 i hope you enjoy!

Eddie Munson x Fem! Reader

Comments likes and reblogs are always appreciated, let me know what you think 💖

Warnings: mostly just language and a little drama and angst and then fluff I think but let me know if I missed anything. I've always wanted to play around with POV switches like this, which is probably why it's taken me so long to finish this one 🙄

You're fuming in the front seat.

Eddie keeps his eyes on the road—more than he probably ever has while driving—afraid that if he even glances in your direction all the smoke you're letting off will start to fog up the windshield. Like he's driving around with a forest fire in his van.

"Listen," he says, even though he's not sure what's going to come after, "it's not even a big deal."

They're the first words out of his mouth since he told you, and they're definitely the wrong ones. Your eyes flash, smoldering at the center like cigarette ends.

Your look may be fire, but your voice is all ice.

"To you."

"What?"

"It's not that big of a deal to you, Eddie," you tell him, shifting against the dirty leather seat like you can't even stand to be near him, "but it is a big deal to me."

Valerie fucking Reed—just thinking her name has you seeing blood. Everything about her puts the wrath of god in you, from the fake-ass pitch of her voice to the way she flips her hair over her shoulder whenever she thinks she's said something clever.

You'd hated her from the moment you'd met her, after the painfully cliche the freaks sit over there cafeteria routine she'd put on for you your very first day in Hawkins. You were more prepared for that shit now—had educated yourself in the art of biting comebacks and fought only with words even when you wanted nothing more than to bash her head into the linoleum tile.

But at a brand new school when you were desperate to make friends? Absolutely devastating.

If you were held at gunpoint and forced to say one honest, nice thing about her, there'd only be one you could offer up: it was her fault you'd met Eddie. With tears still stinging in your eyes, you'd carried your lunch tray in the direction of her pointed finger, falling into the nearest empty chair and tucking your chin into your chest so no one would see you cry.

That was when Eddie swooped in, big doe eyes and denim vest rattling with pins, and a thousand stupid jokes—not exactly a knight in shining armor but you'd never wanted one of those anyway.

Now Valerie wants to take him away from you, too.

Eddie drums his hands on the wheel, fidgeting with the volume on the tape he'd let you choose to soften the blow. He let's Fleetwood Mac fill the empty space between you, all the words he should say replaced with Stevie's soft vocals.

He's not used to fighting with you. Your friendship has always been as easy as breathing—except when it's not.

. . . But you really can't be blamed for that. It's not your fault he feels all weird inside every time you smile.

He wishes you'd smile at him now.

"You know," you say, feet planted on his dash and your chair pushed all the way back, "I didn't say shit when you started ditching me at lunch to deal to her and her friends, or when you skipped on movie nights for all those parties she threw because I get why you had to go, but a fucking date?"

"She just needs a place to smoke . . ." Eddie mumbles, skin hot at the word date.

You roll your eyes with enough bite he actually feels the sting.

"Right. She just needs to get high with you at your place, because she has nowhere else to go.”

Your lips drip with venomous sarcasm—absolutely soaked through with the belief that he couldn't possibly sit in the same room as Valerie and not touch her.

Do you really have so little faith in him? Eddie's got way more self-control than either of you would give him credit for. There's never been a moment he hasn't wanted his hands on you, and he's alone with you all the time.

“Come on,” he says, swallowing so his voice won't crack, “we do that.”

“It’s different," you snap back quickly.

Yeah it fucking is, he thinks, but Eddie doesn't say a word. Maybe the silence will speak for itself—or maybe it could, if you'd let it.

You carve a frustrated hand through your hair, staring him down. “Like, how do you think it would feel for you if I went out with fucking Jason Carver?"

He resists the urge to gag. "It's not like that."

It's really not like that. Just the thought of it has Eddie feeling both sick and violent, unsure if he was more likely to throw a punch or throw up.

He takes the turn into your driveway, watching you collect your stuff with a brutal speed.

"Yes it is, Eddie," you tell him as you slide from your seat before he's even fully hit the breaks, "actually, it's worse. Because Jason is a dick to everybody, and Valerie's got some fucking target on my back. I wouldn't be surprised if this was all part of some evil plan of hers to make me jealous because—"

You cut yourself off immediately, words stoppered by some invisible dam, eyes wide. Eddie's body goes cold when you slam the door without saying goodbye, stomping off to your doorstep.

He scrambles for his seat belt, practically falling out of the van in attempt to catch up to you before you get inside.

"Wait a second," Eddie says, holding the door open with his hand and trying to catch his breath, "why would that make you jealous?"

You scuff the toe of your boot against the step. "Nothing, it's stupid."

Eddie raises a brow, but you can’t look at his big, brown, beautiful eyes right now, tracing down along his leather sleeve to where his hand is planted against the door, black-painted nails splayed wide and already chipping, although you only did them a few nights ago.

Rude that the only time you get to hold him is when you're doing him a favor.

"Stupid how?" he asks.

You shrug. "I dunno . . . she just thinks I have a crush on you or something."

It's a surprise he hadn't already heard; about half of the girl's locker room were still stripping out of their gym clothes when Valerie had to bring everybody's attention to your black lace bra, before sharing a few theories on who you were wearing it for.

"Like I said, stupid." You ignore the heat in your cheeks, gripping the door again and trying to force it shut, but Eddie's not finished.

You wouldn’t notice, but his chest is heaving under his black t-shirt, palm sweating against the door. A crush? On him?

Is Valerie as delusional as he is?

"Wait," —his mouth is on a roll before his brain has caught up— "do- do you?"

Your eyes go wide with surprise, and then shrink into slits as you push him back from the door, one hot hand planted against his chest.

"Fuck you, Eddie," —he catches the words just before the slam— "fuck you for real."

It wasn't a no.

He repeats the words in his mind like he’s casting a protection spell. Like it’s some kind of ward against your anger as he scales the tree outside your window.

It’s harder than it looks, and he’s already making it look pretty difficult—but one hand’s busy clinging to the greasy paper bag packed full with burgers and those crispy tater tots you love. He manages to wiggle his way up to your window sill without losing his pants, even though the tears at his knees got caught on every twig and branch he passed.

Eddie steals a glance of you through the sheer curtains, holding back his fist from knocking. Just so he can look at you properly, without all the static of having you look back.

You're stretched out on your bed, feet in the air and headphones caught over your ears while you flip through the pages of a book. He hasn't seen these pajamas before—the little shorts that just cup the edge of your ass, and a sheer tank top. His nails are leaving little indents in his palm.

Eddie hasn't made a sound, but with the way his eyes are tracing over you, you gotta feel it. You find him at the window, and he panics, rapping his knuckles against the glass a second too late.

You roll you eyes at him, but at least you let him in.

There are honest-to-god butterflies in Eddie's stomach when he flops beside you on the bed. And he wouldn't lie—at least not to himself—but he'd tried to feel something like this before, when Valerie first started paying all that attention to him.

Her manicured hand would brush over the sleeve of his jacket while he'd be getting her product and he'd wait for this same feeling, hoping he had a weakness for all pretty girls, that any attention would him stumbling over his words and these feelings didn't have to be the end of the best friendship he'd ever had.

But it's you.

You cross your arms over your chest, frowning. "What are you doing here?"

Eddie's smile is sheepish, but not nearly apologetic enough for your taste. He holds up the paper bag in his hand, dotted with dark splotches where the grease leaked through. It lets out the heavenly scent of fried food.

"I brought dinner, you know, for movie night."

He slips a tray of tater tots from the bag, and you're resolve falters. You hold back your hand from reaching for one even though you already know how incredible it would taste, the little rivulets of salt and shining grease coating the golden skin.

"What about Valerie?" you ask, stealing your eyes away from the junk food. You hate how petulant your voice sounds.

He just shrugs, pouring out some ketchup onto the tray, licking the excess off of his pinky finger. "Told her I had other plans."

Eddie pops a tater tot into his mouth and bites down with a heavy crunch, but it feels like your heart's the thing being popped between his teeth.

And what more were you expecting? That he'd tell her to fuck off and take her money and friends with her? She's the queen of Hawkins, and you're . . . not.

Maybe you and Eddie are both delusional—or stubborn—enough to pretend like you don't care about the politics of high school, but people had abandoned their morals for less.

“So you blew both of us off, then?”

He pauses mid-bite, like a prey animal, like if he doesn’t move you can’t be mad at him.

“What?” he mumbles through a mouthful of chewed-up potatoes.

You snatch a tater tot from the tray, chewing and swallowing even though your stomach is starting to churn because something bad is going to happen and you can feel it coming like a storm in the air.

“Why are you here, Eddie?”

“I- uh, to say sorry,” he stutters.

The food's getting cold in his hands before you respond.

“What’re you sorry for?”

What’s he sorry for? Eddie has a whole list: sorry for making a fool of myself, sorry for hanging out with Valerie because I thought it might make you jealous, sorry sorry sorry for trying so hard to get over you and doing such a bad job at it.

“I, you know . . . I shouldn’t have made other plans on movie night.”

Those were the wrong words again. Crazy how easy it is for him to fuck this up—like it was something he was born with.

For a second, Eddie thinks you'll yell at him, and he's comforted by that. If you yell at him, you still care.

You take in a deep breath, and Eddie braces himself. He can take whatever you give him, will shoulder any insults you hurl and forgive you for it the second it's over.

But your shoulders slump. You let out a heavy sigh.

And he knows he can't take that.

"I'm really, really tired, Eddie," —you won't even look him in the eyes when you say it, sliding the window open again,—"see you tomorrow?"

But Eddie doesn't see you for two whole days.

That's a fucking record.

He thought you might need space, you know. So he gave you Saturday to cool off, kicked around at the trailer and gave Wayne vague answers about why you weren't around and ignoring the look in the old man's eyes. Listening to sad records and getting high and trying not to stare at your smile in all the photos plastered on his wall.

Sunday, Eddie drove by your house with the volume all the way up on your favorite Rolling Stones album, windows down while he idled at the curb. There was a twitch in the curtains, but you weren't there to shout at him for all the noise before climbing in on the passenger side.

Eddie knocked at your door this morning, hoping at least you’d want a ride to school. Your mom opened it with a sad little frown, telling him you’d already taken your bike.

And really, the two days have only ended on a technicality. Eddie sees you right now, reading a book with your head bent low, sitting at the far end of another table.

"Hey—" Eddie twitches when the flying french fry lands against his cheek with a wet slap— "are you gonna go talk to her, or did you just wanna stare?"

Mike laughs at his own joke, and the other guys giggles along.

Eddie's used to the ribbing. He's never minded it—when you're not around. Kind of enjoyed it a little. Even with his heated cheeks and stammered shut ups that completely gave him away, he needed somebody to acknowledge what he was feeling. It made it more real.

But Eddie's not in the mood for jokes today. And he doesn't need anybody to remind him that he's in way over his head with you.

He shoots the freshmen a look that works just as well as throwing a hand over their mouths—without the risk of being licked—and brushes the potato chunks from his hair while the rest of Hellfire pick timidly at their lunches.

And Eddie goes back to staring.

This time, though, you're staring back.

He meets your eyes. Just for a second, wide with surprise before you snap your head back in the direction of your book, tucking your nose between the pages. Doesn't matter how quick you were though. Eddie caught the look you were giving him.

And his heart is beating hard, like it did on the day he first met you. His limbs all staticky and weird, palms sweating because even from the first second he knew you existed he's wondered what kissing you would feel like and the question never left his head.

Eddie's on his feet before he can think about how bad of an idea this is.

"Hey," Dustin calls to him through a mouthful of square pizza, "what're you doing?"

Eddie just shrugs.

"Probably something stupid."

You can see Eddie's long legs moving in your direction from the corner of your eye, and your stomach drops out of your ass like a dip on a roller coaster in the dark and you can't see the end. He says something to the guys—his lips are moving—but you can't make it out over the sound of the cafeteria rumble, the chatter of the other girls sitting at the same table as you, talking animatedly about all the dates they went on over the weekend and completely ignoring your presence.

You dip your head closer to the pages of your book, so close all the words blur together, trying to hide from Eddie like you've been hiding the past few days. You shouldn't have even glanced in his direction, should have let the burn of his presence so close and still too far away swallow you up.

It’s getting hotter with every step he takes toward you, and you’re getting smaller, body tight and your lips caught between your teeth.

He slides quietly into the seat beside you, fingers drumming against the table, and the sound feels louder now that the girls have quieted down, not-so-sneakily listening in on whatever's about to go down between you and Eddie—hungry like sharks for any new gossip, ready to spread the nitty-gritty about why the freaks are fighting.

Eddie dips his head down, eyes big and already so sorry it feels like a punch to the gut.

"Hey," he whispers, trying to smile and failing miserably, "come here often?"

You try to smile back, but it's not much better. "Hey, Eds."

It's quiet, but not the comfortable kind of quiet you're used to around Eddie. It's a hot and sweaty quiet, a trapped-in-a-car kind of summer burn that makes your lungs go shallow.

Eddie perks up, the first words he can think of spilling out of his mouth.

"The guys were thinking about going to the record store after school. Would you wanna come?"

You wouldn't have thought for a second about refusing an invite like that a week ago. Heaven was nothing compared to wandering around a music store with Eddie.

"I don't know if I can today," you say instead, and then when you see the look of hurt on his face, you soften the blow with, "I gotta go to the library for some . . . stuff."

He hums. "Stuff?"

You shrug, playing with the pages of your book. If you're quiet enough, maybe he'll give up.

But he doesn't go anywhere. His hands stay planted on the table, silent and still for once. The black nail polish is almost completely chipped off his nails—probably picked off and littered all over the linoleum.

Eddie's voice is a whisper when he breaks the silence. "Are we gonna talk about it?"

"About what, Eds?"

"Why you're so mad at me . . ."

You've seen Eddie through a lot of shit, but you've never seen a look like this on him—eyes like saucers and brimming with shiny tears.

And you thought being in love with him was rough, but hurting him is a thousand times worse.

"I'm not mad at you, Eddie," you admit, hiding your eyes in the palms of your hands and pressing down until you see stars, "it's just . . ."

You don't get to finish your sentence.

Valerie's calling Eddie's name from across the whole fucking cafeteria. You watch her waving, standing on her tip-toes like she's not the only place in the room anybody can look, like every facet of her doesn't already scream give me attention!

Eddie sandwiches his lips together, pressing until they turn white. You're not going to like whatever he has to say next.

So you slip the dagger from his fingers, standing from the table. He can't hurt you if you hurt yourself first on his behalf.

"Actually, we can talk about this later," you tell him, slipping your bag on over your shoulder.

"Hey—"

There's sparks in your hand where he holds you, an eruption of butterflies in your stomach. It's just your hand in his, but that's all it takes for you to forget yourself, eyes caught on his soft mouth and pink tongue.

Valerie's approaching. You can see her stalking toward you over Eddie's shoulder. There's no room for vulnerability within a mile radius of her. You've got to get away before she sees all the softest parts of you exposed and decides to go for the jugular.

The door's within reach when the room goes quiet. Quiet enough Eddie doesn't even have to raise his voice when he says your name.

He's no stranger to standing on tables, but it's the first time you've seen him look so awkward, hands swinging at his sides in tight fists.

"I- I think I might be in love with you," Eddie says, "and I'm really, really sorry."

There's a chorus of ooooooooooohs from the audience, and maybe a few confused whispers from all the people who passively assumed you were already dating. Then all eyes are on you, waiting.

It's too fucking hot in this room, and your vision's starting to blur at the edges, feeling like you're on a stage and you can't remember the next line after Eddie's verbal punch to your gut.

You mumble a sound, falling backwards through the door and into the safety of the hallway.

Eddie's down off the table as soon as you disappear from the cafeteria, totally ignorant to the laughter and the jeers from all the dickheads watching.

Valerie's in his line of sight when he hits the ground.

"That was weird," she says, and Eddie can't tell if she's purposefully getting in his way, or if she's just got that aura of somebody who could tackle you to the ground but would never bother because she doesn't have to. "I mean I always knew she was a freak but—"

"Fuck off."

Eddie really would like to get into it more with her, maybe mention that he's been up-charging Valerie every time she mentioned your name, or that half the stuff he's been selling her was mixed with ten-year old spices from the cupboard above the oven.

There's more noise, but nobody else trying to get in his way, the path clear all the way to the door.

It's quiet in the hallway, and that alone leaves Eddie disoriented, swinging his head wildly, unsure which way you went.

"I'm down here."

You're on the floor a few feet away, head rested back against one of the lockers, and all of the bad shit goes away. It's that simple—like a light-switch—Eddie's panicked, and then he's not.

You're looking up at him with a soft kind of smile, despite the tight look in your eyes and sheen over your skin.

He slides down to the floor, long legs stretched out into the empty hall, shoes leaving little scuff marks across the linoleum.

"I'm sorry,"—you tell him as soon as he hits the ground, "about, you know. It was just, um, a lot."

"Don't be," he laughs, "that wasn't the smartest idea I've ever had."

The smartest idea he ever had was talking to you that first day, snatching you up before anybody else could.

Your tongue snakes out from between your lips, and Eddie has to physically hold himself back from tasting you. Your eyes dropped to his lap, your voice is small when you ask, "did you mean it?"

"Yeah, honey,"—probably should've kept the nickname to himself— "meant every word."

He's about to mumble something like, but if you don't feel the same it's totally fine, even though it definitely wouldn't be, when your head drops onto his shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know . . . just felt like a personal problem."

You laugh, and the sound shakes through him.

"I dunno, Eds. You being in love with me kinda sounds like something that I'd wanna know."

"I'll keep that in mind, for next time," he whispers. You're looking up at him with those big, soft eyes, breath pillowing against his face.

"It's the same for me," you tell him, "in case you were wondering."

In all the time Eddie's thought about kissing you, he never imagined it happening like this—on the floor with somebody's combination lock digging into his back. With your hands in his hair and the dull roar of the lunchroom somewhere nearby and his thumb tracing along your jaw and you smiling against his lips.

He was definitely missing out.

There's the metal clank of the door, and a chorus of footsteps somewhere down the hall. Eddie recognizes Dustin's voice.

"Oh my god, dude. Fucking finally."

[dokidokidraft]

RODY SOUL HCS

@kimyoudraft because I promised you smth for him and I’ve been lazy. So I’m thinking of making a FANFIC for you later…we both know that’ll take a while but take these snacks for now

!!(NSFW once warned)!!

smut is clearly labeled below where it starts, but fluff first!!Fem!Reader

FLUFF

He’s so flirty! Kinda sero vibes tbh, but he knows just how to make you blush >_<

Will try to be so smooth, but Pino always gives him away

You'll kiss his cheek and he’ll roll his eyes playfully and pretends nothing happened

Meanwhile Pino has almost fainted, she’s a blushing mess and is practically jumping for joy

Babysitting his little siblings is unavoidable, but he’ll always pay you with kisses and hugs after

Doesn’t mind cuddles, but his siblings will always find someway to ruin the moment. Cuddles with him are just the 2 of you laying on his bed with Roro and Lala watching a movie on your laptop

Definitely teases you tons, poking your cheek and making such suggestive comments on your outfit (all praise ofc)

Can cook boxed Mac n cheese…instant ramen….that’s about it (°▽°)

Expect a decent amount of PDA from him, hes just an affectionate person about it

Doesn’t really get jealous easily, but will always have his hand around you/holding yours.

Big family dude!! Have you seen him with his siblings??? He’s amazing w kids!

Will ask for your help with his unruly hair! You got a hair curler? It’s been stolen. Hair clips? Roro and Lala have decorated his head with them.

Probably rents out (or steals) planes, and will take you out for joyrides in them. Definitely shows off as well, doing barrel rolls. I hope he gets to be in an air show some day!!

Big Nick Wilde energy from him that’s all I’ll say

.

SMUT

He’s a switch, leaning dom.

A M A Z I N G with his fingers. They’re like magic ig, but he’ll have you cumming so quickly you won’t believe it yourself

I feel like he loves quickies, probably because he doesn’t have a lot of free time bc of his siblings, never leaves you unsatisfied tho

Usually quick thrusts, he wants to get you to the edge as fast as possible

Such a ladies man, and doesn’t do the “no, I got a gf” he just kinda lets them flirt. That usually turns into jealousy sex. If he’s honest, he loves when you dom him when you’re jealous, it makes everything better.

Lovesss when you ride him. Grabs your hips while helping you a bit by slightly thrusting up.

Up for mild degradation. Won’t slut/whore shame at all but will call you bitch, good girl.

The type of guy to whisper soft praises before absolutely RUINING you. “Gonna do good for me, yeah?”

“cmon baby, one more…”

Aftercare is pretty decent. Cleans you up with a wet rag (or his tongue, depends on if he has time) loves making out with you after your neck is littered w hickeys. Definitely will give you those lip bruising kisses.

Loves face fucking as well. Seeing your pretty lips wrapped around his cock while your eyes fill with tears <3

Guys don’t worry he’s trained Pino to leave the room when yall are doing it…no birdie interrupting y’all’s fucking

This was so late mg…sorry!!!

[lacroixwh0r3]

The First Taste (p.2)

DBF!Joel Miller x F!Reader

Summary: It's the second day at the lake and you meet some people that live in the neighborhood.

Warnings: SMUT!!! DUB CON (sorta? Just gonna leave it to be safe), heavy sexual tension, pet names, age gap (Joel is 36 and reader is 21), masturbation (F and M), voyeurism, daddy kink, dom!Joel, Joel is a perv and an asshole, cursing, Bill, Frank, and Tess appearance, use of Y/N (1x), jealousy, degradation, no outbreak

Song inspo (feel free to read if you want): Skin by Mac Miller

PART 1 PART3

A/N: I am sooo sorry for taking so long with this one, life has been crazy and weird, but I already have plans for the next part hehe. Also, this is probably all over the place...I wrote some parts of this high lol

Please share, comment, like, and reblog...enjoy my pookies!<3

Trying to act normal around Joel was a bit of a struggle for you.

It was the second day of the trip and he was completely normal during breakfast—he laughed and joked with everyone, seeming a little more lively than the day before. It didn't seem like he had seen or heard anything last night. And if he did, he was being very closed—lipped about the whole thing, which you were grateful about that because you'd probably die from embarrassment.

Sarah had done the honors of waking up early and making breakfast this morning, which consisted of pancakes and eggs. It was something simple and everyone enjoyed it, meanwhile, you could hardly touch your plate. Not because the food wasn't good, but because you were too occupied with staring at Sarah's dad, the man you had fantasized about the night before. It seemed that no one was even paying attention so you assumed that no one would notice your lingering eyes.

Unbeknownst to you, Maria had quickly caught onto your crush on the older Miller brother, yet she never said anything. Not even to Tommy, her husband. She sat there quietly as she watched you watching him. She really thought nothing of it other than a simple crush and from what she could tell from Joel's stoic attitude, the feelings were not mutual. However, Maria didn't know that Joel was beginning to grow a desire for you—he could hide it better than you.

You were glad that Sarah has been too busy typing away on her phone to even pay attention.

“Y’all had fun last night?” Joel asked as he peered over at the three that went out last night, but mainly looking over at Maria. 

Joel was interested in their night, but he also knew how Tommy was after a few drinks. After Tommy and Maria had gotten married, it was obvious that he matured, but he still had his moments.

“It was lots of fun—there was good live music and good drinks there,” Maria said to him as the other two just nodded their heads in agreement.

"We actually ran into Bill and Frank while we were there, they were with a friend...what was her name again?" Tommy asked as he tried to recall the unknown woman's name.

Joel didn't know much about Bill and Frank outside of the fact that they were married and lived next door. During the very brief encounter with the two yesterday, he could tell that Frank was the outgoing one out of the two and Bill was more reserved and not too keen on strangers—Joel didn't blame him, he was the same way too.

"Her name was Tess." Your father reminded Tommy as he took a quick sip of his coffee.

"Right, it was Tess!" Tommy said before speaking up again, "I think you'd like her, Joel...she's your type." he said slowly to his older brother.

This instantly piqued everyone's interest—Sarah's head had snapped up from her phone, while your eyebrows raised with surprise. Joel didn't need any convincing because he instantly shook his head after Tommy said that, letting him know that he wasn't interested.

"Oh come on, Dad!"

"You can't be serious."

"Joel!"

With these responses from Sarah, your dad, and Tommy at the same, Joel scowled at them. Meanwhile, you just sat there silently as you picked at the food on your plate with your fork. For some reason, you were happy that Joel had turned down Tommy's suggestion.

"Tommy is right, Joel, I think you and her would get along well and she's beautiful," Maria shrugged at Joel. "You should meet her and get to know her first."

He hadn't dated in a very long time and hadn't been interested in dating either. He decided that he would agree to get everyone off his back

"Fine, I'll meet her," Joel said as he put his head down and looked up at you. From the corner of Joel's eyes, he can see his daughter and Tommy high-five each other from across the table, while you looked at him with an unreadable expression.

You didn't think that he would agree that easily, but it didn't matter. You couldn't get jealous over someone who isn't yours.

"Great! Tommy and I will go over there to invite them over for this evening and we'll be sure to tell them to invite Tess," Maria winks at Joel.

Before Joel could respond, he was interrupted by Sarah's phone. it began to blow up with messages by the second. Sorry—she said as tried to silence it until eventually, the person called her, making her answer the phone before telling the person on the other line to hold on. Joel was about to scold her until she cut him off, "I gotta take this, I'll be right back. Girl problems!" she tells him with a sheepish expression as she hopped off her chair and started to loudly to talk to the person on the phone as she walked up the stairs to her room.

You all heard her yell into the phone to her friend about some boy before her words became intelligible. You stifled your laugh as you watched the look of defeat washed over Joel's face and he shook his head.

"That girl," Joel whispered, making everyone at the table laugh a bit. When he heard you laugh, he looked at you with a cocked eyebrow, and you did the same.

The split moment between the two of you was briskly intervened by your dad.

"What did you two get into last night?"

You were about to make up some bullshit lie about what you had done last night before you stopped yourself and began to internally freak out because you remembered that Joel caught you smoking weed yesterday and he could easily tell your dad right now if he wanted to. You looked over at Joel with silent pleading eyes not to tell your dad what he saw, but he just looked at you with a blank stare as he proceeded to answer your dad's question.

"Nothing really, I think this one found out there's a balcony connected to her room, you should ask her about it," Joel said before finishing the rest of his food on his plate as he looked over at you. You felt everyone turn their attention to you, making you feel like your heart felt like it was going to jump out of your chest after Joel said that.

"Oh yeah? How was it, honey?" Your dad asked.

You felt like you had the words guilty written across your forehead, lying was not your strongest suit. You looked around the table and gulped down your spit, noting how amused Joel looked as he watched you become a nervous wreck.

You realized how insane you must've looked at that moment and cleared your throat before speaking up, "it was cool," you said in a composed manner.

"It was just 'cool'?" Your dad asked you, confused by your short response.

There you go again, embarrassing yourself in front of Joel.

"I mean the view was really nice from there, I liked it a lot," you shrugged. Your dad let out a hum, letting you know he was a little more satisfied with your response, making you relax. You looked over at Joel to see him looking at you with a discreet smug look on his face.

...

You had eventually finished their breakfast, to which Joel offered to wash everyone's dishes. Your dad got up from the table with a groan as he grumbled about going to the couch to rest for a bit, while Tommy and Maria headed over to Bill and Frank's house.

You decide to help Joel bring the dishes over to the sink.

"I can help you with that," You tell Joel as placed the mugs down and stood next to him by the sink, grabbing the drying towel that sat on the counter before looking up at him

"I got this, darlin'. You go sit and relax yourself," he said reassured you, yet you made no attempt to move. You shamelessly checked out Joel, watching as he focused on the dish, not even sparing you a glance. He could feel your gaze on him, but he said nothing to you. You peaked down and saw as he gripped the plate with his strong hand as the other rubbed the soap around the plate, the suds were dripping down his wet hand.

You pushed whatever thoughts that were about to appear in your head and looked back up at Joel. "It's fine, Joel. You wash, I'll dry," You tell him. He stops scrubbing before looking back at you, letting out a sigh, and going back to what he was doing.

You said nothing to him as you dried the dishes and Joel said nothing to you as well. There was this weird, awkward tension that lingered between you two. You got a feeling that Joel wanted to say something, he was just waiting on the right time to say it. You decided to break the silence first.

"Thanks for-um-for not saying anything to my dad, by the way,"

"That was nothing, sweetheart. Didn't wanna get you in trouble," was all he said. You weren't sure what to say after that so it went back to being silent.

Joel rinsed off the plate then passed it to you before clearing his throat and speaking up. "So, uh, how'd you sleep last night?" He asked you lowly and passed the plate to you. As you open your mouth to respond and go to reach for the plate, your body stills and your words get stuck in your throat. You had registered what he had said to you.

He was so casual with his words; to anyone else in this house, it didn't seem like anything, it was just Joel asking about you. However, you both knew there was a deeper meaning.

Joel new favorite thing was making you flustered-saying things to you that would catch you off guard and just leaving you hanging. He absolutely loved it.

"Oh come one, sweetheart, I asked you a question. It would be rude not to answer me," he said teasingly as he pushed the plate toward you some more so that you could take it.

You slowly reach for it as you watched him from the corner of your eyes, afraid to even turn your head to him. "I-I slept pretty well. Wha-what about you?" You asked him. You were nervous as hell and you could feel your hands shaking, so you decided to start drying the wet plate in your hand to cover it up.

"Me too, sweetheart," he said to you. You thought that was going to be the end of that conversation, but no, he kept going. "You know what though?" He asked you before turning to face you, got close, and bent his head down slightly to catch your eyes, but never did because your eyes were laser-focused on the now dry plate in your hand. You could feel his warm body close to yours.

"I was sitting on that balcony last night and heard some strange noises comin' from your room, had t'make sure you were alright before I went to bed." He said as he began to speak you again, "but I'm sure you were too busy to notice, right, darlin'?"

Kill me, you thought to yourself, just fucking kill me.

He was right, you were too busy too notice, but you refused to admit that to Joel. Just as you were about to lie to him again, you think back to the night before when he had called you out on lying to him about smoking.

You sat the plate down with the other plates and looked up at Joel, "I don't know what you're talking about," you say innocently as you turn your head to look at him and gave a tight, faux smile, which he returned as well.

This motherfucker.

"Mmm, I'm sure you don't, sweetheart." He says before the phony smile dropped from his face as he got closer to you. Your eyes flicker over to where your dad was sitting, making sure that he didn't see what was going on, before going back to Joel's dark ones.

"But I know what I saw when I looked in that room. I saw the way you fingering that wet cunt, moaning my name," he whispered to you menacingly. You suddenly feel his damp finger gliding across the back of your arm, causing goosebumps to spread around your body. You tried to move put some distance between the two of you, but he followed. "Cummin' all over those fingers while you thought of me."

There is no way your dad's friend is admitting that he watched you finger fuck yourself, while you moaned his name at that. It didn't feel real to you.

You had yet to say anything back to Joel, so he kept going. "Made me cum so hard in my hand. I couldn't help myself, you looked so perfect touching yourself." Instantly, you gasped loudly before looking over at your dad again, and luckily he wasn't paying a lick of attention. The sound of the running water must've covered it up.

Joel's confession should've disgusted you, but it didn't—in fact, it turned you on a lot. Some sick part of you liked that he jerked off while watching you.

Finally, you had gotten the courage to speak up. "You're a sick fucking bastard, Joel," you told him as you push his arm from you and your face scrunched with false disgust. "A sick pervert," You spit out at him as you turn your body to him and point close to his face.

You refused to feed his ego, which was already inflated.

Your words did nothing to him, not even a little bit. "Oh, honey..." he said as his large hand rested on your lower back, "You were the one moanin' my name last night, but I'm the pervert? Now that ain't fair," Joel smirked.

You scoff before you speak again. "Get your hands off me now before I tell my dad."

Instead of letting you go, Joel pulls you into his body, making your hands come up to his chest so you can push away. Still, he didn't budge and kept pulling you closer to the point you could feel the hardness of his cock against your stomach.

What a sick man he is.

"Do it, baby, and I'll tell 'em all about what I saw and heard last night," he says as his hand drifts down to get a quick squeeze of your ass.

"You liked thinkin' about me fuckin' you? Makin' you squirm while you cum all over my fat cock." He whispered. You saw how Joel's eyes darkened with desire as he said this. Truthfully, it was giving you a strong indescribable feeling deep down in your stomach, reaching your core.

For a brief moment, the disgusted expression on your face faltered, your eyes had batted open and shut, and you let out a shaky sigh as you looked up at Joel—hopeful that he hadn't seen your quick moment of weakness. Except, he did. You looked back up at him only to see him deeply observing your face with a small smirk on his face as if he had just accomplished something great.

"You liked that?" He asked you cockily with his hand still resting on your ass. You just rolled your eyes at him as you tried to push yourself away from him a second time. "You like it when I talk to you like that?"

You didn't even have to answer him because he already knew the answer.

"You need to let me go before someone catches us, Joel," You tried to change the subject, but this only made his smirk bigger.

"Aw come on, sweetheart, no one is gonna see us," Joel insisted before looking over at your dad. "They're all doin' their own thing

His actions after this had caught you off guard.

You can feel his big hand trail up your body, while his other one still rested on your ass to keep you close to him; going from the back of your waist to the front and going up to your breasts, giving them a quick, firm squeeze as he cupped them over your shirt. You whimpered as you looked down at the sight between you and looked back up at him.

Joel's hand moved up again, but this time he wrapped his fingers around your neck. He loved the softness of your neck against his rough calloused hand.

His long fingers flexed around your neck, growing firmer as he held your face up at an angle just under your jaw as he bent down. "Or I can take you upstairs if you want..." Joel's grip tightened some more. "Make sure to take my time with you, darlin'," He said as your eyes nearly rolled to the back of your head. Not because of his hand around your throat—Joel made sure he wasn't choking you to death, but because of his words.

Joel had this seductive nature about him and it was obvious that he knew how to use it to his full advantage. He could probably get you to do anything he wanted.

Fuck—you couldn't believe that you were actually thinking about saying yes to Joel after the way he spoke to you. But again, there was some sick part of you that got a kick out of the way he spoke to you. You weren't exactly sure what it was about Joel that you allowed him to speak to you this way, but if this were anyone else, you were sure that you would have absolutely freaked out on them.

"Fuck, Joel," you whined as you felt him inhale the scent of your perfume that you spritzed a little below your ear earlier this morning.

"Mmm, you smell so good, baby, just wanna taste you," He murmured, taking in your scent. His mouth was so close to your neck, you wanted him to place his plush lips onto it. You wanted to feel the prickly feeling of his facial hair on your neck while he sucked, licked, and kissed it.

"Sweetheart!" You heard your dad call out, instantly pulling you out of the half-conscious state that Joel had you in. Your eyes shot wide open as quickly pushed Joel away from you, making release your neck and causing him almost fall to the ground as he stumbled back. Shit—he cursed out as he caught himself. You really didn't mean to push him that hard, but you were deathly afraid of your dad catching sight of his closest friend choking his daughter behind his back.

"Uh-yeah? I mean, yes, dad?"" You said as you scrambled to fix your clothes and make yourself seem as normal as possible. The adrenaline rush made you feel like your heart was damn near beating out of your chest and made your hands shake with fear.

"Y'all still ain't done with the dishes yet?" He asked, making you tried to voice out some lame excuse, but was unable to. Instead, all you could do was make these odd sounds.

"Anyway, you don't mind gettin' me a glass of water, do you? This damn headache won't go away," he groaned out. You felt relief at the fact that he couldn't hear the nervousness in your voice.

"N-No, I'll-uh-get it for you in a sec," You told him as you looked over at Joel. He just looked at you with a faint worrisome expression on his face—his breathing was just as hard. You gave him an apologetic look before getting the glass of water for your dad.

You made no attempt to look at Joel as you brushed past him, you were too ashamed to look his way. Your hand was still trembling as you walked over to your dad, who was sprawled out on the couch, and handed him the water.

"Here you go,"

"Thanks, sweetheart!" He gave you a weak smile before downing the water, to which you returned as well. You plopped down next to your dad on the large couch as you heard Joel shut the water off in the kitchen and shuffled his way up the stairs.

You sat there feeling guilty as your dad talked to you about whatever was on his mind.

Even though you and Joel didn't go all the way, it still wasn't right to think of him in that way or allow him to do those things to you. You decided that you were going to stop thinking about joel for good.

...

Bill and Frank were great, though Frank was a little more lively. The moment you greeted them Frank gave you a quick side hug with a bright smile on his face, which caught you be surprise, and Bill just stood awkwardly next his husband as he introduced himself to everyone.

And then there was Tess.

You along with Sarah watched the painful sight in front of you as her and Joel introduced themselves to each other. You tried not to listen to their conversation, but you were curious and you couldn't help it. They barely speaking a word to each other besides saying their names and where they were from, which made you a little happy because it meant Joel wasn't interested.

Thank god.

"Well, that was a fail," you heard Sarah say not-so quietly, making you let out a chuckle.

Then Tess came over to us, making you both straighten up. From the moment you met her, she was nothing but nice to you and Sarah. She introduced herself to the two of you, smiled, and shook your hands.

"I'm Sarah, Joel's daughter," Sarah beamed at her.

"It's nice to meet you, Sarah," Tess smiled warmly at the young girl before turning to you, "And what's your name, sweetheart?" She asked. Her calling you sweetheart caught you by surprise honestly.

"Oh, i'm Y/N...that man right there is my dad," you said as you pointed to your father who was a little behind Tess, making her laugh a bit.

"Well, it's lovely meeting you as well." She softly stroked your arm, causing you to tremble with nervousness. Just as she finished her sentence, your dad and Tommy suggested that all the older adults go and hang out in the back while there was still light, to which they all agreed.

"Hopefully I'll catch up with you girls later?" she asked. Sarah and you just nodded your head before she gave the two of you one last smile before walking to the back.

That was weird, you thought for a moment.

"Tess seems nice," you said now that the house was completely silent, making Sarah nod her head in agreement.

"Yeah, she did, too bad my dad didn't seem interested in her," she shook her head, "anyway, what do you wanna do now that it's just us?"

"Mmm," You tried to think about what you could do with her, "I think Maria has some cookie dough in the fridge, you wanna bake cookies and play card games?" You asked the young girl.

"Sure!"

The two of you walked to the kitchen—you grabbed the cookie dough from the fridge and the baking sheet from the bottom cabinet. "You mind preheating the oven?"

Sarah walked over to the oven before staring at it, confused on how to use it. "Um, I think you're gonna have to do it. I'm not sure how to even work this thing," she turned to you.

You let out a giggle as you go to preheat the oven. After you did that, you stood next to Sarah as you both began to place cookies onto the baking sheet.

"You know we're gonna have to make a lot, right?" Sarah giggles out.

"And why is that?"

"My dad is obsessed with chocolate chip cookies," She confessed to you, "he'd probably eat them all if you let him."

This made you laugh.

Joel Miller liking chocolate chip cookies came to somewhat as a surprise to you. He didn't seem like the type to enjoy sweets, but according to his daughter he did and you found it cute.

Once you two had finished putting the last pieces of cookie dough on the sheet, you picked it up and went to open the oven. "Can you put on a time for 15 minutes, please?" You asked her as you place them into the oven.

"Sure," Sarah then began the timer for the cookies right as you closed the oven.

"So what was up with that phone call you got earlier? Sounded pretty serious," you asked her as you sat down at the island next to her.

Sarah lets out a loud sigh before talking, "where do I even start," she groaned. She began to tell you all about the drama amongst her friend group—supposedly, her best friend, Lillian, got with their ex-best friend's current boyfriend and now it's a whole situation. Sometimes you would ask a question or even give your two cents about the situation.

"And you wanna know the kicker to all this? Him and Lillian used to date last year and our ex-best friend got with him while they were dating, so we kicked her out the friend group," Sarah tells you. As soon as you let out a dramatic gasp, the alarm for the fifteen minutes had went off.

You got up and went to the oven, "wait, why would Lillian get back with him again? That doesn't seem smart," You say as you grab the mits from the countertop and took the cookies out the oven.

"I don't know," Sarah sighs out, you couldn't help but to laugh at her frustration at the situation.

Teenagers are so funny.

"You guys are crazy," You tell her as you, "You should tell your friend to leave him alone, he seems like bad news,"

"I have, but she doesn't listen," Sarah said in a disappointed tone.

You just shrugged your shoulders, "cookies are done, we just gotta let them cool for a bit,"

Just as you were letting the cookies cool down, Sarah asked you about your high school experience. You began to tell her all about it—your friend group was small and you mostly stayed to yourself throughout the whole time there. You made sure to focus on your school work rather than getting wrapped up in the silly drama or with boys.

Bill walks into the house and asked where the bathroom was, which you point him to the direction where it was and he went on with his business.

A few minutes later, as you and Sarah were munching on the soft chocolate chip cookies, Bill comes back from the bathroom, "It smells delicious in here," he mumbles as he makes his way to the door.

"You can have some if you would like, Bill? We made sure to make enough for everyone," You told him as you give him a small smile.

"I shouldn't," he said reluctantly, but you quickly reassured him that he could have some if he wanted.

"Well if you insist," Bill grabs a napkin before taking two cookies and said a low thanks as he made his way outside with them.

"I bet they're all gonna come in here to get cookies," Sarah laughs as she finished up her cookie.

And she was right.

They all eventually crowded into the kitchen around the island as they devoured the cookies, nearly eating them all. In between their chews, they spoke loudly to each other.

You tried to engage in with conversation with them, but you were too busy watching Joel. You watched as he had his right arm wrapped loosely around his daughter's shoulders while the other one brought cookies up to his mouth—he looked relax right now.

And sexy too.

You didn't see that Tess was next to you until she spoke up.

"Thank you for the cookies by the way, they were really good," She said to you with a kind smile on her face as she looked at you. Her eyes lingered on your face for a little

"Oh-thanks! I-It was nothing really, we were just really bored and needed something to do," You laughed awkwardly, squirming with nervousness. You couldn't even make eye contact with her while speaking to her.

Tess made you feel nervous in ways that you couldn't describe. Not as nervous as Joel makes you, but close.

"No problem, sweetie,"

...

You were starting to fucking hate this.

Sitting here and pretending to not be affected by watching Joel flirt with the hot, older woman made you want to flip your shit.

You hated to admit it, but your dad and Tommy was right—Tess absolutely was Joel's type. She's hot, smart, a tough woman, yet she was kind, and most importantly, she is close in age to Joel. She was also kind of like the female version of Joel.

At first, there was this awkward tension between Tess and Joel that was almost hilarious to you, but it quickly dissolved as the evening progressed and the drinks began going, making it no longer funny to you.

You had to remind yourself that you decided to back off of Joel that morning, but whatever was happening between the two quickly made you forget about it.

After a little while of being around them in the kitchen after baking the cookies, you sat down on the couch to unwind for a bit. However, that quickly ended when Joel and Tess decided to join on the couch right across from you.

While everyone was still sitting around the kitchen island, listening to music and laughing, you were sipping on your beer and looking at them with no expression on your face.

You didn't even like beer, you just needed something to drink on right now.

Joel was relaxed as he spoke to her, with his muscular thighs spread wide open as he held onto the beer in between them while the other arm rested on the head of the couch. He looked so relaxed and comfortable talking to her.

Sometimes, your eyes would sweep down his body, causing you to catch sight of his pants-covered bulge. You weren't going to lie and say that you weren't looking because you absolutely were.

Next to him was Tess, she sat closely to him with her legs folded up on the couch as she faced Joel, giving him her undivided attention. They both spoke in hushed whispers to each other, occasionally letting out some laughs.

She looked so beautiful as she sat there attentively listening to Joel as she gave him a smirk and flipped her long hair to the side, giving him a view of her neck.

God, you hated how jealous this made you.

And the worst part of this all is that he hadn't given you an ounce of attention since she got here. Ever since the incident in the kitchen this morning, he was distant and didn't pay you any mind—matter-of-fact, Joel just pretended that you didn't exist and that made you even more mad. Whenever you were around, he would avoid eye contact with you.

While you were staring down Joel and Tess, Sarah had suddenly appeared next to you as she plopped down on the seat next to you.

"You alright?" She asked you as you took another sip of your beer. "You look pissed right now."

Was it that obvious? If Sarah can notice the look on your face, that meant so did everyone else.

"Oh, me? I'm good, just some boy problems back at college," You lied to Sarah so she wouldn't know the real reason you looked mad.

Okay—was all she said to you, sounding unconvinced, but didn't push any further.

"My dad and Tess look pretty comfortable now," She leaned over and whispered to you. "Never seen him this way with a woman before,"

Honestly, this didn't seem surprising to you at all.

From the way Joel seemed reluctant to even get to know Tess earlier and the awkwardness when she had gotten here made it very apparent to you. Had you not seen any of this, you would've thought that he was quite the ladies man from the way he spoke to you whenever the two of you were alone.

"Interesting," was all you said as you took a sip of your beer again.

"Anyway, you wanna go to my room and watch a movie?" Sarah asked. "I'm gettin' bored of them already," You laughed and nodded your head in agreement and began to get off the couch, still watching the two across from you. Still, Joel continued to talk to the lady without even spairing you a glance.

You let out a scoff and roll your eyes as you make your way to the steps to go upstairs.

Fuck Joel.

...

It was getting late and Sarah eventually fell asleep a some time after you started the second movie. She was knocked out cold. You were tired as well, but not fully tired to the point that you were ready for bed—you didn't feel like hanging out with everyone down stairs and you didn't feel like seeing Joel and Tess all over each other either so you decided to go to your room for the night.

Before quietly slipping out of Sarah's room, you made sure to put the blanket over her and turn off the tv. Afterwards you brushed your teeth and changed into your pajamas, which was just a tank top and your underwear, before getting into bed.

For a while, you laid in the dark and scroll through Instagram while you blasting music through your headphones. You were tired, but not fully tired to the point that you were ready for bed—you didn't feel like hanging out with everyone down stairs and you didn't feel like seeing Joel and Tess all over each other either.

You suddenly felt the vibrations of a door slamming shut and heard the muffled sounds as well, making you yank your headphones off. It almost scared you to death.

You waited a moment to hear for any sounds that might follow up after. It was silent for the most part besides the sound of Joel's heavy footsteps next door, he must be getting ready for bed. You also assumed that Bill, Frank, and Tess had went back to their place because you didn't hear the music playing downstairs anymore or the sound of them talking loudly.

You were about to put your headphones back on until you heard Joel start to talk. You thought that he must've been on the phone or talking to himself until you heard the tone of a females voice—it was Tess. You couldn't make out what they were saying, but you hear them talking back and forth to each other.

At this point, you were holding your breath as you tried to eavesdrop, completely interested as to what they were doing in Joel's room together.

Joel must've said something funny to Tess because she laughed fairly loud at whatever he said.

He isn't that funny, you begrudgingly thought to yourself.

One of them flopped down on the bed, causing the bed to creak and the headboard hit against the wall. And because the beds were on the same wall, you could hear almost everything. They continued to talk for a while until it went completely silent and the bed creaked again.

You didn't want to jump to conclusions because you weren't sure what was going on in that room and you and Joel aren't anything so it really shouldn't matter to you. You also felt weird sitting there in the dark, snooping on Joel and Tess so you decided to try and get some sleep.

You readjusted in the bed and closed your eyes—occasionally tossing and turning because it felt like there was a million thoughts going through your mind right now.

Your eyes snapped open when you heard faint sounds of the bed screeching and the headboard thumping against the wall. The sounds were unbroken until Tess lets out a low moan, causing the noise to come to an abrupt stop and Joel shushes her.

He was fucking her and you were hearing it.

Joel says something to her and the noise continues again, this time it was a little fast. Your heart was beating against your chest just as fast, if not faster. The sound of your heart beating almost muted the sounds of Joel and Tess fucking.

Joel's grunts got a little louder as Tess lets out a few fucks here and there along with a couple moans. You listen closely to the plap-plap-plap sound that were smothered by the wall.

There's no way that you were the only one hearing this because they were not quiet.

It probably would've been best if you put your headphones back on, but you couldn't bring yourself to do it. There was something about it that made you furious, yet aroused. It shouldn't have, but it did and so much to the point that you felt a throb begin to form at your core.

You needed to relieve the ache somehow and suddenly this bright idea popped into your head. You slipped your underwear off and threw them somewhere off the bed before grabbing a pillow as you get onto your knees on the bed and tucked in the sides a bit, and straddled it.

You began to steadily rocking your hips back and forth, feeling your folds grind against the pillow and the wetness spreading as you became increasingly wet, as you tried to match the pace. Quiet whimpers escaped your mouth though you were trying to stay silent.

You felt like a creep listening to them and you knew you would feel ashamed of your actions later, but right now you didn't care, you just wanted to touch yourself.

At that moment, you thought back to earlier, remembering the way that Joel sat on the couch, sprawled out as he talked to Tess. You imagined him under you, seated the same way while you were on top of him grinding against his hard cock. His warm, rough hands would be gripping at your waist underneath your tank top, as he guided your hips. One of his hands would trail up to your braless breast and cup it while he would thumb at your erect nipple.

You grab onto the headboard, picturing it was his shoulders you were holding onto.

"Feel so good, daddy," You breathed out as if he were actually under you. "Makin' me feel soo good,"

"Atta girl, you like grindin' your pussy against this cock? Huh, baby?" he would ask you before letting out a loud grunt as he tried to hold back from cumming over his stomach and between your thighs.

Goosebumps trailed down your spine as you imagined this and your hips move faster against the pillow, making the headboard hit the wall harder.

"Yes, Joel," you moaned out as if he were actually there, not even realizing how loud you were.

You assumed you weren't being loud at all, but in actuality, you were. Tess and Joel had heard everything from the moment you started. Due to the wall and the fact that you were just so caught up in your own fantasies, you couldn't even hear them talking about you.

"S-she can hear us, Joel," Tess groaned out to Joel, but not once did Joel stop his thrust. He kept going because knowing that you were pleasuring yourself turned him on.

"Yeah? Let her hear," Joel purred as he felt Tess pulse around his cock. His thrust got faster, intensifying the harsh sound of the frame striking against the neighboring wall.

Just on the other side of the wall, you were hunched over listening to them and humping against the poor pillow. "P-Please, daddy, don't stop," You shook your head as you go to grip the pillow under you so you could get more friction. You could feel the sweat dripping down your face from how intense this whole thing was, but you didn't dare to stop.

You were barely listening to Joel and Tess anymore as you were close to your orgasm.

"Don't fuckin' stop," your torso was stiff as you opened your legs wider and pushed your core down on the pillow harder. Your toes wiggled and curled as you were seconds away from cumming. You whimpered Joel mindlessly the closer you got.

You needed this badly, you need him.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cumming," was the last thing you rasped before biting down on your lip. Not once did you stop nor slowed down the thrust of your hips as you shook with pleasure. You kept going as you chased your climax, hardly even breathing.

Right after you, Joel came shortly after.

"Aw, fuck!" he grunted loudly as he held onto Tess' hips. His seed spilling into the condom. Because his thoughts were so hazy at the moment and the only thing he could think of you, he nearly moaned out your name while fucking Tess, but thankfully he stopped himself before it could roll off his tongue.

"Shit, Joel," Tess groaned, cumming around his cock. Joel stayed behind her for a moment, still holding onto her buckling hips.

Eventually, Joel pulls out and collapses next to her before pulling the condom from his cock, tying it, and sat it on the nightstand. Tess does the same. They both say nothing to each other as they lay there.

Joel wondered what you were doing now.

Meanwhile, you were still trying to catch your breath, still holding onto the headboard as you tried to calm yourself.

You heard the talking as they got out the bed and moved around the room to put on their clothes you assumed.

Finally, Joel's door opens and you can hear them walking out of the room and go down stairs.

The front door opens as they quietly exchanged a few words to each other.

Joel eventually shuts the door and makes his way back upstairs. Once again, you could hear his heavy footsteps as he trot up the steps.

You decided that once he goes back in his room, you were going to dash to the bathroom to clean up the mess you made on yourself.

You were about to get out of the bed so you could clean yourself until heard Joel's feet about to shuffle past your door before he stopped right in front of it. You sat down on the middle of the bed, waiting for him to go to his room.

Joel hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether or not he should knock on your door, but he decided to do it anyway.

Joel's hard knuckles knocks at your door making your body go stiff. You were going to pull the blanket over your body and answer him, but you decided to pretend to act like you were sleeping.

You thought that this worked until your door suddenly swung open, revealing the large outline of Joel Miller. You scrambled to pull the duvet over the bare bottom-half of your body, hoping that he didn't see anything.

He stood there a moment before speaking up. "You good, sweetheart?" Joel asked you. He obviously knew you were awake.

It took you a few seconds before you replied as you were trying to calm your beating heart after he scared you. "Yeah, i'm fine, Joel," you said, thinking that he would just fuck off and go back to his room, he didn't. Instead, he came fully walked into the room and closed the door behind himself before making his way over to the bed.

"W-What the hell are you doing, Joel?" You asked him, caught off guard that he would just come in here.

Joel was going to speak until he realized something got caught onto his slipper as he approached the edge of your bed, making him suddenly stop and look down. Because it was dark in the room, he could tell what it was, but it was obvious that it was a piece of clothing. He bends down and grabs it, feeling a slight dampness to it before coming back up and holding the material out in front of him.

Joel goes to flick on the lights and your heart flutters when you see what he was holding. You look at Joel with a panic look on your face and see that he had this surprise, yet smug expression on his face.

It was your fucking underwear that you threw off.

"Look what we have here, sweetheart," He says as he walks closer to the bed, making you clutch the duvet closer to your body. "These yours?" He asked you even though he knew the answer.

"Can you put them down, please?" You pleaded with him silently as your face burned with embarrassment. He doesn't answer you, instead he brings the damp fabric up to his nose and inhales your scent, closing his eyes as he took it in. You let out a squeak, surprised that he was doing this.

Again, if this were anyone else you'd probably be creeped out by this, but there was something about Joel that made you want him badly.

"Smells so fuckin' good," he says as he pulled them away from his nose. You just look at him, mouth agape as he opens his eyes, balls up your panties into his hand, and sits on the edge of the bed. As if your grip couldn't get any tighter, you pull at the duvet again, hoping that Joel wasn't seeing anything under it. He immediately noticed you doing this and looked at you curiously with his dark eyes, making you feel nervous.

"What's under the blanket, baby?"Joel asked as he pointed at your lap.

You shook your head and avoided eye contact with him, "please don't make me do this, Joel," you begged him again, but he didn't budge one bit.

"Oh come on. Be a good girl and show me what you're hiding under there," He said sternly. You didn't need much convincing because you quickly gave into his demand. You slowly move the blanket off of you, shaking as the feeling the air hits between your legs.

Joel groans at the sight. "Baby, look at you," his deep southern voice says so softly as he brings his warm on on top of your thigh, making your thighs clench together.

"No no no, you don't close those legs unless I tell you, you understand me?" You nodded your head and let him pull your legs open.

"So beautiful up close," He groans out. His hand moved to the inside of your thigh and slid up, making you whimper. Your core throbbed again, longing for him, but he never did.

"Touch me, daddy, please." You whispered to him, so desperately.

"Mmm, not tonight, baby," He says, while his fingers continued to tease you. "Can you do somethin' for me?" He asked softly.

"Yes, Joel," you said and nodded your head without a second thought, ready to do anything he asked you.

"I want you to show me how you were touchin' yourself when you were listenin' to me and Tess,"

You stilled once he said this, you didn't know that he heard you moaning. "W-what?"

"Don't be so surprised, girl. You weren't bein' very quiet." He teased you before speaking up again. "Now, I want you to show me,"

You sat there for a moment, embarrassed that you were about to do this in front of Joel. You grab the cum-soaked pillow before getting up onto your knees on the bed and stradling it, trying not to look at him.

"Look at me." He orders. You look at him, feeling nervous as he watched you with his intense gaze. "Now, ride the pillow. Slowly."

At first, you were reluctant as you began to slowly grind against the pillow, so embarrassed at the moment that you couldn't even enjoy the pleasure. And the look on Joel's face made you want to die.

He brings his hand onto your thigh making your stop, "Relax yourself," he mutters.

You nod your head before you let out a loud sigh. You try to calm yourself down before you lean forward, making your back arch and held onto the pillow with one hand while the other kept you up.

You began to move your hips, this time feeling a little more comfortable as you did so. You let out a weak whine as the pillow grazed against your wet clit.

"Good, darlin', go a lil faster now,"

You didn't need any convincing with that, you instantly went faster, making the bed frame to knock against the wall.

Joel's cock jumped in his pants as he watched you with greed in his eyes. He wished he could take you right there, make you weep and bite into the pillow as he pounded into your wet pussy.

"Look at ya, humping that pillow like a slut," he groaned, thinking about you riding him the same way. "You like being a slut, don't you?" Joel asked you.

"Mmhmm—I love it so f-fucking much, Joel," You moaned as you convulse on the pillow, nearly cumming.

"P-please—" was all you said. You couldn't even get the words out of your mouth as the the uncontrollable waves of pleasure passed through your body.

"Please what, baby? What do you want?" He pressed for you to continue your sentence.

"Please touch me, I need to feel you right now," You grab Joel's hand from the bed and bring it up to your breast, taking him by surprise.

Such a needy girl, Joel thought as he felt your hard nipples through the cotton. He fumbled and teased at them before pinching your nipple, making you yelp loudly and your back arch more.

"Baby, you gotta be quiet or someone will hear you." He whispered to you, trying to get you to be quiet.

Instead of just being quiet, you shook your stubbornly, closed your eyes in pleasure, and bit your lips, loving the feeling you were experiencing right now.

"I don't give a fuck," You said as you breath out a humorless chuckle, after releasing your lip from your teeth.

The way you were acting right now in front of Joel surprised him a bit—it was different than the way you were this morning, even minutes ago. He didn't mind though, not one bit. Joel actually enjoyed seeing you this way. So wild, allowing your pleasure to take over.

"Oh shit, I'm gonna cum," You gasped out.

"Yeah? You gonna cum?" Joel teased. Mmhm, you whimpered in response as he releases your breast and starts to move his hand up your shirt, starting from your hips and going up your tank top. He palms your breast again, feeling the goosebumps rise on your skin, and flicks your nipple hard.

"Come on, cum for me, sweetheart. I wanna hear you moan for me," He eagerly said as he watched your body tremble, ready to fall apart for him. Your moans got louder and louder before your breathing hitched and got caught in your throat.

You came almost immediately, your body shook and your hand went to your clit as you keep on grinding on the pillow, intensifying your orgasm. "Daddy, oh fuu-shit!" you squeaked.

"Look at you, my pretty, slutty baby. Cummin' so hard f'me," he purred, but you couldn't get out your words. You were so overwhelmed that you nearly fell over as you tried to keep yourself up, but luckily you didn't.

Joel continued to spew out teasing comments as he egged on your climax, until you eventually calmed down a bit. He removed his hand from your shirt as your slumped against the bed with exhaustion.

He let out a chuckle as you face plant into the bed before giving your back some rubs as he tried to calm you down. You were breathing heavy as your body trembled and your hips rolled against the pillow, causing you to let out a dreamy moan.

"Oh darlin', come on, get up so you can lay down right...gonna hurt your back laying like that," Joel said to you softly. You were tired as hell and on the verge of falling asleep right there, so you stayed there for a little before getting up.

Once you did get up, you fell back into the soft pillows with your eyes closed as you felt yourself relax into them.

You can feel as Joel grabbed the pillow from that you humped from between your legs. You thought that he was going to put it to the side or something, but that wasn't the case at all.

"Oh, baby, look at the mess you made," you hear him say, almost moaning. Your eyes shoot open, which you catch him running his finger through your wetness on the pillow, bringing it to his mouth, and licking it off. He groaned the moment it touches his tongue, which made your eyes widen with shock and you let out a gasp.

To Joel, you tasted as good as you smelled and he loved it.

"Joel, why would you do that?" You asked him, shocked that he would do that.

He gives you a wide smirk, making your stomach flutter with butterflies. "Why not, baby? You taste so good."

You say nothing after this, feeling flustered by his actions.

It was quiet between the two of you until you remembered that you didn't have anything on from the waist down.

You were tired, but you gathered the strength to get up from the bed.

"Where you goin', sweet girl?" Joel asked you as you made your way to your bag.

There's that name again. You loved it when he called you that.

"Just grabbin' some shorts," you looked over at Joel as you bent down to grab your shorts and put them on, feeling his eyes on you, watching you so intensely. "I can feel you watching me, Mr. Miller," you tease him.

"Mr. Miller, huh?" You turned around and made your way back to the bed to find Joel still watching you.

You just nodded your head as you plopped down onto the bed a lay down. You pat the spot next to you, trying to get him to lay down next to you, which he obviously got the hint.

"Want me to lay with you, darlin'?" He looked over to you, searching your face for permission.

You quickly nodded your head as you scoot over to make room for Joel, making him crack a small smile on his hard face.

God he looked so handsome when he smiled.

"Alright, baby."

Joel laid on his back on the pillow next to you, making readjust yourself as you snuggled into him with your head and hand resting on his chest. He wraps his arm around your shoulder, pressing you closer to his body.

You laid there listening to his steady heart beat, your heavy eyelids almost closed.

You noticed that he had all the chances to touch you, even have sex with you, yet he never did and it made you wonder why.

Before you could stop yourself, you called his name."Joel?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?" He asked

You hesitated before speaking up again, afraid of what you might hear from him, but fuck it.

"Why won't you touch me?" You asked him curiously, the sleep was audible in your voice.

He was quiet for a moment, making your wrench with rejection, until he spoke up. "One day, baby. Just not right now, okay?"

You nodded your head against his chest before answering. "Okay," You said softly, feeling somewhat content with his response, but still feeling a little rejected.

At least he didn't say never, you thought to yourself.

"Good girl, now get some sleep." He said, making you nuzzle into his chest and close your eyes, almost instantly drifting to sleep as you felt his hard body under you.

============================================

[loganlermanstanaccount]

6K Followers Event - PRESS PLAY

Thank you all for 6k subs! It means the world to me that people enjoy my fics enough to give such consistent support - I really, really couldn't have done it without y'all ❤️❤️

To celebrate 6k, I will be taking requests (for fics/ drabbles based on songs! cuz it's fun lmfao) and writing a part 2 to at least one of my oneshots. This event will be in two parts: Requests and Voting!

(Main Masterlist) (Event Masterlist)

Requests

- Send me a request based on a song!

Tape 1, Side A: love, love, love,

(listen here)

my favourite straight-up love songs

tracklist

track 01: My Kind of Woman // Mac DeMarco

track 02: Daze // Steve Lacy

track 03: We Might Even Be Falling in Love // Victoria Monet

track 04: Romanticist // Yves Tumor

track 05: Amor Prohibido // Selena

track 06: Crush On You // Lil' Kim

track 07: Baby, This Love I Have // Minnie Riperton

track 08: Seaforth // King Krule

track 09: Fraulein // Chuck Berry

track 10: Pilot Jones // Frank Ocean

track 11: La Ciruela // Nico Play

Tape 1, Side B: ...and other stories.

(listen here)

angsty, heart-wrenching; songs that tell a different story about love.

tracklist

track 01: Lover, You Should've Come Over // Jeff Buckley

track 02: Baby Blue // King Krule

track 03: King // Dreamer Isioma

track 04: Shot My Baby // Daniel Caesar

track 05: Mojo Pin // Jeff Buckley

track 06: Jonny // Faye Webster

track 07: Seigfried // Frank Ocean

track 08: Carry Me Out // Mitski

track 09: No Me Queda Mas // Selena

track 10: Show You A Body // Haley Henderickx

Rules for Requests:

- You must: send in a song, from the tracklist or otherwise. I'm happy to take song requests and add to the tracklist - all I ask is that it fits the "vibe" of either Side A or Side B.

- You must: Specify which tape side, A or B. To clarify: Side A: fluff, mild angst with a happy ending, all about love! Side B: heavy angst, hurt / comfort, happy ending or otherwise.

I tried to pick songs with potential for different stories - so give my playlists a listen to understand the "vibes" and also cuz I spent so so long creating them, I'm begging y'all 😭

- You must: Provide an x reader pairing! I mainly write for Miguel O'Hara, Joel Miller and Finnick Odair, but I'm more than happy to write other pairings - check tags for the fandoms I'll write.

- Other than that, be as specific or vague as you'd like. Give me a specific line from the song, a trope / prompt, etc etc. or don't! go crazy lmfao.

- NSFW is allowed for either category, please specify, but as always: 18+ for those kind of requests.

- Most of these will be drabbles, around 500 words or so; but I tend to get carried away with prompts so no promises 🤞

- I will write as many that catch my eye, with a few of my own ideas as well :)

(i am still taking other requests, but prioritising the ones for this follower event for the time being)

Voting

Please vote for a oneshot of mine that you'd like to see a part 2 of! This does not mean I won't write a second part for the other fics at all, it just tells me what to prioritise.

(Main Masterlist) (Event Masterlist)

I already have some stuff planned, but please give me some time to write all of this up – unfortunately, I am a slow writer with a whole ass job. This will be an ongoing event, just a little project I will chip away at.

Reblogs are appreciated, thanks everyone!

_

-

-

[migueldiazrealgf]

Hii!! I was wondering if you could do Johnny Cade x fem reader who has a Spanish accent, I have one and I just thought it would be cute, thank youuu!💞

OMG YES ABSOLUTELY!! As a Spanish speaker myself this will be beautiful and fun haha! Also thank you for requesting!! 🫶🫶

Warning: VERY CHEESY. Fluffy!!

Johnny loved your beautiful Spanish accent. He will make sure to remind you how gorgeous your voice is especially the way it sounds when you say his name. Johnny would be very intrigued to learn Spanish that the first thing he asked you was “ hey sweets, how would do you say my love in Spanish?” He gazed at you with his beautiful brown puppy eyes. “Mi Amor.” You responded and with that one response drove him crazy. He calmed himself down and try to repeat the word you taught him. You giggled at his attempt finding it very cute. From that on he would use it as a pet name towards you even around his friends and them asking what that meant. He proudly would tell them making his buddies a little jealous but yet impressed even Dally can’t help but show a little jealousy and then brushing it off with a sigh. “Johnny man, she really drives you insane huh.” Johnny grinned nodding his head. “You bet she does.”

One night, Johnny helped you sneak out of your home and took you stargazing at the nearby park where the fountain was at since you lived four houses down from the Curtis brothers home. As you both arrived at the park you both instantly layed down on the grass watching the stars. You couldn’t help but look at your boyfriend especially how the moon shined down so beautifully on his dark brown puppy eyes. The moonlight made his eyes sparkle so beautiful. Johnny felt your eyes on him and in response he turned to look back at you and broke the silence by saying “I want to be very honest with you.” With his comment made you tilt your head confused and raised your eyebrow as a response. Your reaction made him chuckle and he instantly held your hands. “No, nothing bad sweets it’s just…well this may sound silly to you but for me it’s isn’t. Y/n, I hear horrible things everyday especially back home with my folks you know.” He paused clearing his throat to disguise his voice cracking. “ Every-time I hear your sweet voice with that beautiful accent of yours it feels like the world stops and it’s just you and me in this world. Your voice is what keeps me alive. For you maybe a small silly thing but for me it’s my desire to live ya’ know. “ he goes in to pull you into an embrace without breaking eye contact. “You know living with my folks before I met you, I couldn’t help but think that there’s no beautiful sound to exist out there. Sure, I hang out with my buddies a lot to escape from home but with you it’s very different.” His beautiful carmel cheeks quickly turn red. “Gosh, it does shows I hang out with ponyboy a lot don’t it?” You couldn’t help but teared up after what your boyfriend just confessed to you. You tried to cover it up by replying with a small giggle shaking your head. “Johnny Cade, you sure know how to make me feel like I’m the only girl in the world. I love you so much.” He couldn’t help but cup your face and pecking your lips. “ I love you more, y/n.. Mi Amor…Lets just hope real hard our future kids comes out with your accent.” You looked at your boyfriend with flushed cheeks. “Our what?”

🐰: leaving it at that LOL !! Sorry! I hope you love this!! I do apologize in advance for any errors!!

This is optional !! to set the mood while reading here’s some songs I would recommend listening while reading :

- falling in love by Elvis

- heart to heart by Mac DeMarco

- dreaming of you by Selena

** I know this is Daniel LaRusso but again this how I imagine Johnny would do when he talks to you!**

ALSO THANK YOU SO SO MCUH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR REQUESTING!! 🫶🫶🫶 I hope you love it!!

[lizardl0ver43]

dee day

i think the problem with this episode is like.... it was really shitty and racist, but it was all around more well written than the past two episodes have been imo. all the different sideplots, the bickering, the one liners, the nonsensical scheming...really do feel like old dumpster fire sunny. however, the racism and all the really bad moments just overshadowed that and made it uncomfortable. and heres where i wish !! they knew how to strike a balance. bc the past two episodes had actual social commentary (rather than this episode’s “ha remember dee’s racism, let’s do that again”), but it was all around just kind of bland, like they wanted to fit in all of this meta commentary but instead had the characters...just say it outright and then have a big punchline/moment, rather than weave in their message with actual funny jokes. like god looking at some of my favorite older episodes of sunny, they are all over the fucking place but the punchline really lands and the social commentary is subtle but usually fucking on the nose hilarious (prime ex: charlie goes america all over everybody’s ass) but this episode was on the entire other end of the spectrum, where it was all over the place...but the punchline was lame as shit, there wasn’t really any good satire, and it was racist!! like i dont have to emphasize how racist it was because the whole tag is like “uh gross,” it’s pretty much consensus lol. to me it’s like they tried to do an older style sunny ep and they remembered the racism (and kind of got the tone again) but couldn’t even deliver on the comedy... which i guess is why it resonated with the dudebros!

[dollmoth-productions]

@ablobwhowrites accidentally put this in the wrong blog I believe so I'll just write it on here I just platonic because Mac is only 17 and no King Hippo or balls balls since I can't really think of anything for him because I can't really think of a scenario for him

Platonic yandere boxers fighting for your attention

⚠️OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOR STALKING POSSESSIVE BEHAVIOR MURDER BLOOD I DO NOT DO THIS IS IS NOT GOOD ⚠️

Minor circuit

Glass joe

❤ although last Joe was pretty cowardice he was very nice to you when you first joined he admired your spunk he offered to be your first opponent actually although you were knocked out a few times you were obviously beaten up pretty severely but you always got up

❤ immediately after the fight he came up to you and and asked if you were okay you better get used to this reassurance from anyone besides Mac and Doc

❤ after that you too pretty close you two even started training together even though he refuse to lay a hand on you you would always hit him and well it would feel like a brick

❤ when it was your turn to fight disco kid he felt a sense of jealousy play she never felt before he would glare at this go to the point where he could feel something burning through his head

❤ let's just say that's not the first time or the last time something like that would happened

💙Disco kid💙

💙 when you first I'm there it was pretty obvious he would be instantly attracted to you in some way not in the way that you think but in a way of a you're interesting I like that

💙 when it was your turn to fight him you were a lot better than last time and actually landed a bunch of punches in a way you didn't want to hurt you but he knew he had to this was a point of boxing

💙 well let's just say that didn't last long when it was your turn to go against to Von Kaiser like glass Joey fellows sense of jealousy he never felt it was more malicious than he ever expected he was just trying his best the living do for the flow but he couldn't help but be passive aggressive at him

💙 he was always by your side at this point same with glass Joe but they were always at each other's throats making comments or even threatening each other you would always have to but them apart

💙 he started acting the same to almost everyone in the ring to the point where it became obvious

🖤 von Kaiser 🖤

🖤 he's pretty good at being a trainer but what shocked and it is how young you were yet you were so powerful he never met a kid with quite your strength can I hear you quite a lot even complimented you afterwards

🖤 but afterwards when you were getting ready to fight King Hippo he saw the two boxers fighting over your attention he thought it was childish until you started paying attention to someone that wasn't him he saw a sickening feeling down in his stomach

🖤 although he was usually a very tough teacher he gave you most of his praise mostly dragging you away from other people so you can be only by him it was very obvious that he was acting like the rest

🖤When was your turn to fight the Champions she's going to have to do it but you mostly just pushed him away like the rest he understood your curiosity to fight King Hippo but he didn't want you to be hurt

🖤 he soon started fighting with everyone like the rest it soon became a lot more violent than everyone expected it wasn't very pretty at all

Major circuit

Piston Hondo

❤ when you first came up to him he was shocked he thought that Little Mac was bad but you were strong and respectful and he felt a certain protective feeling about you she never wanted to leave your side no matter what you will knock down a lot but you always got back up

❤ surprisingly when he she was finally knocked down you could see a smile you didn't know if it was respectful malicious or even worse but it seemed off but you knew who was coming next bearhugger one of the toughest boxers around

❤ when you started training he applied to be your coach you tried to refuse but he was so convincing of course when you two started training it was very one-sided he would always let you win and you watching The Challenge you started pressuring him to start actually you know fighting

❤ of course when you really want to challenge he wouldn't give it to you he was too scared of harming you so he decided to sit back and let doc continue to train you

❤ once he was given the chance he sat down and watched your next fight but so did the rest of the minor circuit of course they were still fighting for your attention and wearing all your merch it was embarrassing to say the least but he was giving in he started fighting with the rest of them

Bearhugger

💙 first off this man is from Canada the North if you think he knows a lot about protection and fighting so he's really sweet really he really just stepped down so you can fight great tiger next

💙 if he is really a a very good cook and often brings you maple syrup and pancakes a lot of Pancakes you often can't even eat them all but the homemade maple syrup is very delicious

💙 soon he started following everyone else buying all your merch and basically just selling out all your tickets he loved your attention he love your smile your laugh everything he was basically like a dad to you but when you started paying attention to someone who wasn't him he became bitter and tyrannical

💙 it was obvious what was going on he was ending up like the rest jealousy and murderous he was a lot more on the violent side honestly one of the more scary ones

💙 you often got a lot of warm clothes from him he really expected the weather to be a lot like home but it was the thought that counts right

Great Tiger

🧡 actually he's pretty cool chill and sweet and actually lets you see his magic up front even though he's one of the least Jealous Ones he can be a little mean to the competitors he's actually one of the main competitors actually fight you

🧡 honestly he doesn't buy emerge besides a shirt but he does support you with your fight he's very tail because well he knows that you can do great things

🧡 although you were pretty tough he was definitely concerned with your with your health you always fought and you always got injured even more than mac

🧡 even though he's pretty to he's more on the violin side when it comes on he was jealousy he doesn't get jealous often but when he does it's dangerous

🧡 get ready for random hugs he will teleport behind you just to hug you and it will definitely be a shock but you don't mind it but it's scary to say the least how he knows where you are

Don Flamenco

❤ he's basically like the fun Uncle for you but he's very strict and probably one of the most jealous out of everyone it's very dangerous to make him angry and if he they even dare make you cry let's just say they won't come out alive

❤ it was pretty fun fighting him even though he got really angry and knocked off his toupee but you offered to buy him a new one with your money and she could only look at you with kindness afterwards

❤ but because I said he's the most jealous you feel like you're walking on eggshells half the time you can't even do anything without him glaring at the other boxer

❤ he is one of the many people who buys your merge and is very overly supportive to the point where it's a little embarrassing it's not even funny

❤ but this changed when you went to the world circuit he was becoming more angry and jealous and violent towards the other boxers

World circuit

Aran Ryan

💚 he always fights for your attention it's not even funny it is violent I mean if you thought Don Flamenco is bad get ready for him he will fall on pull you away from the other boxers or even headbutt them

💚 sense his lucky number is number seven he usually gets you 7 Things or seven clovers or anything seven

💚 but he does support you during your fights even though he's a little more crazy nothing gets kicked out he probably launched a firework in there one time

💚 no matter how you see it you're never getting rid of him literally he will pick you up and drag you away from everyone else just so he could have you for himself but this will lead into a severe fight

💚 he probably bite the people at this point it's very dangerous to even get him angry even though you're not walking on eggshells

Soda popinski

💜 he's really chill despite everything but not the chillest he'll probably drag you away like the rest he will support you and even give you some soda

💜 you couldn't describe the flavor but it was very sweet and you loved it it fills you with energy and you were able to fight your next round you were so tough it shocked and despite your age

💜 when you knocked him down you earned his respect and his admiration which led him to act like the rest jealous toxic Etc but despite that you tried to keep a good relationship with him even though he was ending up like the rest

💜 he would be the second most violent in the fight for your intention even trying to buy your attention with gifts Food House he'll even your own boxing ring but it didn't really work

💜 but you try your best to be sweet and kind to all of them but she will always be the nicest to you at least try to do it earlier affection

Super Macho Man

💙 he will buy you anything and everything you want he's Rich a app so you should really expect anything from him hell he'll even by McDonald's for you

💙 he would be the chillest out of everyone he will probably buy the most merch out of everybody because he can Flex she will buy the newest or unreleased months just to gloat to the other boxes to say that he's better

💙 and when you're even having meetups he will buy a bunch of tickets and possibly give it out to the other boxers if they beg but he will definitely brag to everyone that he knows much more about you than everyone else he is a little bit of a bastard at that

💙 even though they all hated each other they started planning something together

💙 but my God the idea that he had was Bloody amazing

Mr.Sandman

🖤 surprisingly she is in a yandere he's actually trying to get you out of the situation he's chill

🖤 it honestly was shocking to say the least you became really close with him afterwards because well he wasn't acting like a psychopath to you

🖤 but that all changed when the plan went into action the boxers cornered him and well they threatened him even though it wasn't talking to him he was still terrified

🖤 but he stepped back and stop talking to you out of his own safety even though it hurts him severely he had to do it his family was in danger it scared and to say the least why they were acting like this

Doc and little mac

❤ they are Duo and it is crazy how they worked with the plan because well Hender plan was they were going to share you even though it's scary

💚 Mac is the least violent but he does hunger for your attention most time the most the time you'll be very sweet and follow the rules of what they planned

❤ it's pretty scary how much doc knows about you in general and she did learn more about you especially with research pretend it's a lease that you wanted to quit boxing because of how everything was going it was scaring you in he couldn't have that so he had to tell everyone to calm down

💚 even back agreed that they were being a little scary and they all agreed to calm down but with the people who were working together to grab your attention they were planning on breaking you out so you would be safe

💚❤ that wasn't going to do not for anyone

I am never doing this again-

This was too many characters but it was fun

In a few years

[amyscascadingtabs]

this is sappy but whatever. i wrote most of this before the season started (which is why i come off as reasonable and somewhat mentally stable about all of this) but felt appropriate to post it now as a thank you. ❤️

i have vivid memories from the night b99 was cancelled. the news came late evening my time, and i had been editing fic and checked twitter and there it was. loud and clear. i don’t remember which site it was but the picture was jake and amy with their wedding cake and that made everything feel even worse.

i remember freaking out even though i had been prepared, because those last days before the news hit on tumblr were... panicked. but i still freaked out to the extent that i ran outside in my pajama pants and hoodie and blue plastic slippers and called my mom, and then i walked up and down the streets where i lived in the darkness and cried in frustration as she tried to talk me down. i remember there were random guys with motorcycles out? but i was too hysterical to care. i’m pretty sure i screamed something to my mom about ”HOW CAN BIG BANG THEORY GET A BILLION SEASONS BUT THIS SHOW GETS CANCELLED????”

i know everyone who was in the fandom at the time has their cancellation story. what played the biggest part in mine was the fact that i felt like i hadn’t had enough time. really, i had only just become active in the fandom, only just started interacting with people on here and writing my first few fics, but i was absolutely loving it. it was giving me happiness again after a long period of emptiness and depressive feelings. when it was cancelled, what made me feel the worst was the fact that i’d had so little time – to make friends, write fic and react to episodes together. i felt deeply jealous of everyone who’d gotten more.

thinking about it coming to an end now has made me remember that night and those feelings of jealousy. because i did get more time. i got three more years. that night, i remember asking for just one, for a half, for anything, and i got three years.

and these three years have been a whirlwind of emotions and feelings and episodes and debates and discussions and gifsets and fanfic and asks and having this as my safe space while pretty much everything changed around me in the outside world, and i just want you all to know that i have never taken a single day of them for granted. this show could have been taken from me before i’d ever gotten the chance to grow with it and alongside it, and instead it was part of my life for three whole years.

i have a really, really good memory (four time quiz champion anyone? just me?okay <3), and i remember so much of it in such detail, and it's so weird to think about how long it's been when it also feels like yesterday.

i remember my first comment on peraltiago parenting experience, my first episode-related fic, the insane high after the renewal, staying up all night to watch the wedding live. i remember writing fanfiction on the beach while on vacation in greece, on a plane to berlin, at home on my parents balcony late late at night. i remember the honeymoon episode title being released, s6 starting filming again, the excitement over every little piece of news and finding about the cast directing. i remember labor fic and christmas fics and when i scroll back to pictures of my paris trip in january 2019 it's interspersed with a billion pictures of andy at the golden globes. i remember lighting my fairy lights in my little basement room and watching season 6 in bed at 2.30 am if it was a big episode, and watching it in the morning before fridays in high school most days. i remember writing post-ep fics during classes and on my phone on subways and trains. i remember the s7 news, and the casecation nerves and debates, and fucking kissgate. being named "the class amy santiago" by my friends when we graduated and getting a little silver paper plate to show for it. i remember the first fic exchange and inventing julian and simon santiago and i remember meeting @johnny-and-dora and eating wagamamas in manchester and talking about how simon santiago was DEFINITELY on the stairs and buying a little fake plant that i named andy plantberg (he's still in a box somewhere). i remember writing fic during slow hours in the ice cream shop i worked at. moving and putting up my framed b99 poster in my own apartment (very much still up). finding out about trying and everyone going fucking crazy. infertility fic. melissa's pregnancy news. s7 promo and standing outside my job the very first day and texting siân "AMY HAS TO PEE!!!!!???" because that was in the promo and we knew there were pregnancy tests involved in the first episode. the crazy happiness of s7 finally premiering. everyone going crazy about jake and amy deciding to start trying and how i could quote the scene verbatim the next few days. the week leading up to trying, what turned out to be the last normal week before the pandemic. the fucking MESS i was after that. the following week and ding dong and crying with happiness. being dizzy with hyperfixation joy the following day and barely feeling aware of the covid pandemic for the first few days because i was just thinking about jake and amy having a baby. getting through the first few weeks mostly because of b99. admiral peralta and finding out we were having a BOY and not even being disappointed even though the headcanon had been the opposite for years because it was perfect. the iconic b99 quizzes. lights out and mac being born. somehow managing 475 days before season 8, coping together when we got the news about the final season, watching the cast do their final day of filming. the first stream being interrupted by a storm warning and cutting out several minutes because of course. getting to see parents peraltiago and MAC and the insane speed with which those few seconds were giffed. more b99 quizzes. the vow renewal. the finale.

i remember all of it and so much more and as much as my heart is breaking, i’m trying to remind myself that i could have gotten none of this.

brooklyn nine-nine has been such an important part of my life. and it always, always will be, forever. i could have lost it all that night, and instead i got three more years. if i'd known that when i was walking the streets outside my house in the darkness in complete panic, i would have cried with happiness.

so thank you. all of you. for everything. ❤️❤️❤️ for the friendships, the joy, the asks, the debates, the fic response, EVERYTHING. whether we've shared three years or one or less, just know that i'm so grateful.

have some random pictures i found and screenshots from my private instagram (which is inactive so don't bother) from when i started this hyperfixation. jesus lmao 😭😭😭😭 i am less insane now. no i'm not. but i express it less on instagram.

[sarahjkl82-blog]

Sarah! I have a request <3 A meet-cute with Frankie in a supermarket <3 That's it, that's the request

For you @bison-writes

Warning: language and tooth rotting fluff ❤️❤️❤️

Tag list from AI: Tag list of glory (as ever, please ask to be put on or dropped from the list): @astroboots @silverwolf319 @sirowsky @leonieb @disgruntledspacedad @bison-writes @the-ginger-hedge-witch @danniburgh @sugarontherims @green-socks @tardisfangurl @mouthymandalorian @mrsparknuts @zukoyonce @agirllovespancakes @yespolkadotkitty @lunaserenade @theravenreads @lv7867

No more being a vampire with the rest of the undead and their missing shadows, patrolling supermarket aisles with aching knees and thoughts of murdering Karen from HR for stealing their last Diet Coke from the shared fridge at work. Nope. Not you. No siree. You are currently at the barrier of a Foo Fighters gig - close enough to be blessed by the sweat of the god that is Dave Grohl. Gliding on the back of your trolley handles, singing along tunelessly to Everlong as you reach for another bag of Italian bistro salad that’ll more than likely go brown in the depths of your salad drawer - but hey, it’s good to pretend you can make grown up choices, right? Maybe for being such a sensible adult, you could treat yourself to a little something with more sugar than sense?

*****

Frankie is tired. So very, very tired.

There are days the tiredness inside comes in both forms, seeping through both the physical and mental - where his body needs to rest yet his mind needs it desperately to move, to help burn the anxiety right out - extinguishing it like a candle flame. Without physical exercise to get his blood pumping or mental exertion to keep him sharp, his mind will keep him up all night long, not allowing him any rest. He once thought his old man weak for falling into alcohol like he did, but, Frankie now gets it. Three years sober from the little twists of white powder - mostly thanks to the large, searching brown eyes of his little girl.

With her arrival imminent from her mom’s tomorrow, he needed to ensure that he had something to offer her with a little more nutritional value than endless bowls of Captain Crunch. He was there with a fixed list of ingredients. Breakfast would be eggs, milk and flour for airy pancakes that he layers with a mountain of blueberries and endless syrup. Lunches needed to be something that could be packed with snackable bits ready for building dens in the forest together but dinners would be taken care of via whatever diner he hit on the way home from their adventures - praying she didn’t fall asleep before he got something solid in her tummy.

As he winds his way through the aisles, he ticks off items from his hastily scribbled list. Hmmm. Dinner. Shit. He hasn’t thought of anything to feed himself tonight so he stands there in front of the half-emptied fridge stacked with microwaveable meals for one, wondering which would fill the emptiness inside him tonight. One hand rubs his bleary eyes - trying to get them to focus on something - as the other rubs out a knot in his lower back when a swoosh of wind whips behind him making him snap his head in the direction of your rapidly disappearing presence.

God, when was the last time he scooted on the back of a trolley?

Having left him with a pang of jealousy that he’d only grabbed a basket, he turns back to the food. Previously being utterly uninspired by the corporation’s offerings until your momentary presence, he spots a battered package towards the back of the fridge - hidden behind some fluorescently coloured Mac n Cheese. Hauling out a pack of Singapore noodles, a small smile twitches at the corner of his mouth. You - the supermarket witch, gliding down aisles as if on a broomstick - have blessed him with something he feels a pique of excitement about eating.

That is until tomorrow when he has a reason to cook again when his amor de vida will come to fill his heart with her giggles and cuddles.

*****

The Foos have now turned into the Pixies, with Black Francis and Kim Deal forcing you to bob your head and sway by the loo rolls, instead of moshing in between the fruit juice and milk. Grabbing all the essentials on your way through the shop, out of the corner of your eye, you catch the warmly illuminated display of bakery goods. Ooooh! You’ve been such a good girl with your sensible salads and proteins - you totally deserve something sugary to celebrate reaching the end of your first week teaching at a new school.

Not finding it too hard to convince yourself of how much you definitely need a treat, you kick off from the floor, press your tummy against the handles, gliding back through the supermarket as if you had wings. Just as you close in on the cabinet filled with sticky deliciousness, a tall, broad expanse of a man steps out in front of your trolley, causing you to slam on the emergency brake that is your sneakered foot.

“Holy shit! I am so sorry- I need to grow the fuck up and stop pretending I’m five! Are you ok?” hoiking the headphones from your ears, you question the poor almost victim of your cart as the tinny beats spew forth.

“That was impressive braking,” the man lifts his baseball cap to attempt to flatten the dark, unruly curls by dragging his fingers through the fluffy mess, “Not hurt - and a lot of adults could learn from pretending to be a bit more kid-like.”

“Braking by the baking - shit, I’m sorry, that was terrible,” you inwardly sigh at your awful dad joke as you drink in the details of the deep dimple in his right cheek that has revealed itself as his shoulders and soft tummy shake with laughter at your comment, “I’m sorry- it’s been a week of thirty 5 year olds all demanding me at once so I’m a little excited at the prospect of eating something entirely formed from sugar and fat!”

“Hah! You must be exhausted,” the stranger continues as he fiddles with the edges of his brushed cotton plaid shirt, “I just have one three year old half the week and that is pretty full on. What are you thinking of choosing?”

“Not sure - what would you choose?”

“Can’t go wrong with a doughnut,” he says, furrowing his brow and pouting his lips at the selection on offer.

Sucking in a short breath through your teeth, you nod your head in agreement, “Good thinking, Batman! Mmm, raspberry jam doughnut, it is.”

“Oh you’ve gone down in my estimations.”

“What?” You squeak through the giggles, “I go down in your estimations due to my doughnut preferences rather than the fact I almost ran you over?”

“Yeah,” he shakes his head teasingly, “Always go for the custard filling, never the jelly! I am sorry but ...kinda feel we should part ways now…”

“Ah, that’s a shame - I was just about to buy you an apology doughnut for stealing one of your nine lives this evening,” you bat back at him, your eyebrows arched up by your hairline.

“Apology doughnut? Ah - should be more of those in the world,” the handsome man gravely ponders the concept before concluding, “Well, I may have a solution to this disagreement- how about you get two jelly and I buy two custard and then we can compare over a coffee?”

“Deal. What’s your name, custard doughnut man?”

“Francisco Morales - Frankie,” he offers with his hand shyly outstretched.

“Ok, Frankie - let’s go get that coffee and I can prove just how wrong you are,” you grin with a wink - completely ignoring his palm to place a kiss on his flushed cheek before spinning on your heels to head to the checkout, “I might even let you have a spin on my trolley but watch out for sneak attacks from handsome men, who jump out in front of you.”

[dancingthesambaa]

The Smell of Plum Blossom Tea Ch 18

Summary: Just like a butterfly wing, a single act of kindness can change the course of the future, it certainly did for MK as a black furred monkey put out a hand towards him.

Rating: Teen and up

Chapter 18: Spiders, Demons, and People, Oh My!

“Just one more hour-”

“No, I’m putting my foot down you workaholic, you are shutting down and enjoying this festival with the rest of us,” Tang firmly said with arms crossed.

“But-”

“No.”

“It just-”

“Nope.”

“Sweetheart-”

“Love you too, but no.”

“Just give it up Pigsy, you know he’s not gonna budge,” Macaque called out as Wukong, in his human disguise snickered beside him.

“Shut it,” he barked back.

Tang decided to pull out the big guns as he clasped his hands together and said with wide eyes “If you don’t get your ass out of there and enjoy the festival, I will make sure you sleep on the couch for a week.”

“…fine!” He threw up his hands as everyone else cheered.

“Took you guys long enough,” Mei snorted.

“Just remember kids, threatening the couch is always a good way to get your partner in control,” the historian said with a wink.

“Don’t tell them that!” The pig demon shouted out.

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have opened on a holiday!”

“I can’t help it!”

“I know you can’t sweetheart, but this is why I’m here to remind you,” he said as he gave a kiss to his partner when he closed down.

“Awww, aren’t you both sweet,” Wukong teased.

“Can it!” Pigsy embarrassedly yelled.

“Doesn’t mean it’s not true,” he grinned to Wukong. No one besides those that already met him, knew that the monkey in disguise was the Monkey King and not just some dude called Wukong. Cause if they did, then the whole world would have shortly known by Tang fanboy screeches.

“Now that Pigsy has finally given in,” MK grinned as he ducked a rolling pin to the head, “we can finally meet up with everyone else!” He cheered as his bright purple sash, which was tied securely around his bright red changshan pants, flew behind him as Mei, who wore something similar to MK, but with a green dragon art wrapped around her shirt, charged after him.

“Man they sure are excited,” Sandy chuckled as Tang and Pigsy also followed the two children.

“Is he always like that,” Wukong asked as both monkeys slowly trailed behind them, easily knowing where the group was at all times.

“In a nutshell, this isn’t even his first time trying to work on Lunar New Year,” the other simian commented.

“I can scarcely believe it,” he muttered under his breath, not that it stopped the black monkey from hearing, as he forced himself out of his memories. “Also, have I mentioned that I’m loving the hairdo.” He smirked as he grabbed one of the two long strands from the monkey twin buns he was sporting.

“Blame Emerald, she wanted the both of us to match for some reason,” he rolled his eyes as he adjusted his bright red qipao adorned with flowers.

“I certainly will,” he teased. He was in a changshan as well, but in bright yellow that had clouds littered all around the front and he too had a sash tied around his waist, but in red. “Thanks for letting me borrow your sash by the way.”

“You would think that in your multitudes of outfits, you would have a red sash somewhere tucked in there. It’s even your favorite color,” he fondly huffed.

“I’m just as surprised as you are, I could have sworn I had one,” he lied with a smile on his face. Of course, he has red sashes, that’s his signature look, but he’s not gonna say that he wanted a piece of his friend’s clothing outright.

“Sure,” he rolled his eyes. “Well, we better catch up to them before they blow up the fireworks again.”

“Fireworks? You mean the one used during the parade?”

“Nope, I mean the ones they accidentally cause sometimes when they’re bored together,” he deadpanned as Wukong started to burst out laughing. “Not funny dumbass, there’s a reason there are now fire extinguishers at every other street lamp this time around.” He began to pick up the pace as he jumped onto a rooftop.

“Now I really have to know the full story!” He quaffed as he followed right behind.

“Not from me you're not, I swear I still have myokymia every time I think about it.”

“Man, I had almost forgotten just how good food stalls are,” Wukong said with his face stuffed with buns.

“Rethinking the shut in life,” Mac joked as he bounced the youngest of Yanyu siblings, Yuzu, in his arms.

“Oh yeah,” he eagerly nodded.

“We’ll just sit here and stuff your face, I need to hand Yu Yu back to one of her siblings,” he said as he went over to the group.

And that is precisely what he did as he continued his eating as he gazed upon the crowd of people and demons all enjoying the festival. He could see children running all around as they waved their puppet zodiac animals in the air, some couples were holding close to each other as they ventured from stall to stall, he could even see some mother, father, or guardian holding their child on their shoulders to get a better look.

“I should have come out here sooner,” he mused as he fiddled with the skewer stick in his mouth. “Really is nice out.”

“It really is, especially when the fireworks start,” he stopped when Mei finally announced her presence and sat next to him. He knew she was there and watching him, but he decided it was best if she made the first move.

“Well, how do you do on this fine night, little Miss. Stalker,” though that doesn’t mean he won’t still tease the hell out of her. He may be wary of her, but she is still vastly a child compared to him.

“Could be better, but since you're here I’ll guess I’ll settle,” she shot back and sat next to him.

“Ha, I could almost laugh, moon cake?” He held out a tray filled with mooncakes to the girl, who nodded in thanks as she took one. “They’re not as good as Moonshine, but they are pretty good.”

“The only cooks that can ever rival Pops is the chef that cooked for me when I was young and Pigsy.”

“If you say so,” he shrugged as he finished off the tray. “So what brings you around here.”

“Other than the festival?”

“Oh, that was a given, I mean here, with me as of this moment in time. I thought you still didn’t like me.”

“Still don’t,” she automatically said, “buttttt not as much as before.”

This made Wukong pause in his snacking as he looked towards Mei, “Oh? What changed? Was it witnessing my badassery? Beholding my awesomeness in all its glory? Or was it-”

“None of the above,” she promptly stopped him before he could get any more cringier, “You make Pops happy.”

“Oh,” he has to say that he was both not surprised, but still taken aback by her comment. “That's it?”

“Well, and you have stuck by his side when that creepy ass fucker showed up, so bonus points for that.”

“You should have seen Dad's face when you went absolute ham on his ass,” MK interjected as he latched onto Mei's back. “When he wasn’t all disgusted with the creep from hell, he was grinning the entire time. Especially when you landed those blows on him.”

“He was,” he couldn't help but perk up.

“Ugh, you both have it so bad for each other,” Mei said as MK nodded.

“What?!” He nervously said as he shot a look towards Macaque, who was talking to both Sandy and Yanyu, “I don’t have a-”

“You always try to go near him and cuddle a lot of time, all the affectionate nicknames, the goo goo eyes, jealousy towards Shun and your quick deflection of any mention of Dad boyfriend, stealing Dad clothing even though you had some of your own, I can go all day,” MK smirked as he listed off all the obvious ways the Sage monkey had a crush on the Doctor monkey.

“Don’t lie to us, it's so obvious,” Mei shared the same look.

It looked for a second that Wukong was going to rebuttal, but he sighed in defeat. “Is it really that obvious?”

“To everyone but Dad,” he chuckled and patted the monkey on the back.

“Greeatttt,” he groaned and put his face in his hands. “That’s just peachy.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t get too much grief over it, well at least not from us. I don’t know about the rest,” she shrugged.

“Really?” He peeks through the cracks of his hands.

“The two of us have been keeping an eye on you,” she gestured to both her and MK.

“MK, you too,” the Monkey King held a mock wounded look.

“Sorry, but I have to look out for dear ol Dad,” he scratched the back of his neck. “And to be fair, a part of me really didn’t want him to date anyone anytime soon after Shun and I didn’t know how the both of you would be like after the whole fight and everything.”

“Oh,” was all he could utter.

“But I can say that I don’t think I have ever seen Dad so happy than when he’s around you.”

“Now that’s a lie,” Wukong interjected, “You should see the way he lights up when he’s with you guys, his tail always swishes behind him when you're with him.”

“Ladies ladies, we’re all pretty,” Mei butted in before the two boys could go on to fight over the stupidest thing. “But at the end of the day, you make Pops happy so maybe you're not so bad and I guess you wouldn't be so bad as a partner.”

“It would definitely be weird,” MK couldn’t stop the images from intruding in his head.

“Thanks,” he couldn’t stop himself fondly rolling his eyes, but he paused when the implications hit him, “Wait? Did I just get your approval to court Macaque?”

“Court, who even says court these days?” The dragon successor says to herself.

“Red,” said the monkey's successor, “But yeah, you did. Though when it does happen, I’ll just let future me worry about that.”

“Thanks for the boost of confidence and approval, but those aren’t really necessary, I doubt Mac sees me as nothing more than a friend,” he gave a sad smile.

Both teenagers exchanged a look at the sheer stupidity of the monkey before MK sighed and stepped forward. “Well, I never thought I would be ever giving love advice to the Legendary Monkey King when mine is none existent.”

“Your Portay clone on the other hand is a huge flirt,” Mei called out.

“I still don’t know how that works!” He yelled back, he still can’t believe that his own clone would flirt with both of his crushes when he doesn’t even have the guts to say anything. He turned his attention back to the Monkey, “But what I can say is that you should tell him that you love him before it’s too late.”

“Kid, thank you for trying to encourage me, but I’m not going to do it,” he ruffled his child’s hair, “I don’t want to ruin what we managed to scrounge back together.”

“Dude, Pops still consider you his friend even after your big ass fight that went down in history,” Wukong’s eyes slightly widen at Mei’s words.

“Wha-”

“So, if you think that telling him would lead him to ditch you when not even physically fighting would? Then there is something seriously wrong with your head,” she bluntly finished.

The disguised monkey stayed quiet for a few more moments before grabbing both of their heads this time and fiercely ruffling it.

“Hey!”

“Not again! I just did it!”

“I’ll think about it,” he smiled down at both of them then scoped them in his arms as he walked towards Macaque. “Hey Moonlight! I saw this shooting game a few stalls back, I bet I can beat your ass on it!”

“Try me,” he smirked as he waved bye to the group and eyed the two squirming kids in his arms. “We’re they acting up?”

“Nah, just decided they needed a better view.”

“Your ass is not a better view!” Mei yelled out.

“Being upside down technically counts as a worse view,” MK shouted as well.

“What are you talking about it’s an amazing view!” He teased.

“No, it’s not!”

The black furred simian let out a laugh, “Keep them like this, Gods know it would be easier to keep an eye on them from doing anything stupid.”

“Aye Aye captain!” He mocks saluted as he held them steady and began to walk towards the stand together.

“Put us down!”

“Stop this is really humiliating!”

“Do you hear anything?”

“Nope, just little kids complaining.”

“We’re not kids!”

Everyone cheered as the parade was starting and they all gathered around in hopes to get a better look at all the different floats, with an extra cheer for their own zodiac.

“They sure are excited about the floats,” Wukong chuckled as he watched his student, Mei, and a bunch of other children stand on Sandy’s shoulder to get a better view.

“You should have seen the other year, they almost got onto the float,” he smiled as the two of them sat on a rooftop a little ways away.

“I can believe it…thanks for dragging my ass out here,” he slightly nudged him. “I really have forgotten just how amazing the festival is and spending time with people can be on this day.”

“Anytime Peaches, and if you want you can join us next year, though it won’t be in the city, but rather in the forest. We’ll be just eating round the table and lighting up lanterns with the whole forest, unfortunately not as exciting as the festival here,” he said.

“I would be more than happy to join in,” he instantly said. “I haven’t lit up a lantern in years and besides, anything with you guys is nothing less than fun.”

“Well I’ll make sure to let comet know to bring your ass around then,” he smirked as he looked up in time to see the first firework go off. At moments like these, he’s glad to have durable headphones, it was pure torture back then with ears like his.

“Yeah!” The disguised Monkey King stood up and cheered before sitting back down. “Fireworks are awesome no matter when.”

“I give it a 6/10, now lanterns on the other hand,” he said as he leaned against his friend.

“Don’t disrespect my lights like that,” he lightly shoved him before wrapping an arm around him and putting his head on his as the two of them watched the lights explode.

Everything was truly beautiful at this moment in time.

Unfortunately, the moment couldn’t last as the fireworks were cut short and before either one of them could comment on it, they heard screams and a voice that dominated.

“This is the Year of the Spiders!”

Neither monkey needed them to exchange looks before they both rushed to the scene and saw hundreds of robotic spiders spread all across, chasing and capturing people as they went.

“Shit Mind control!” Macaque cussed as he saw their eyes glow green when the spiders managed to snag someone.

“How in the fuck is the Spider Queen able to do that?!” Wukong muttered to himself as he already dropped his disguise and began to attack any spiders in his way.

“I don’t know, but I think something like that will have the answers,” he pointed to a large spider robot emerging from the ground. “At least Daiyu gonna have a real good time with this.”

“Damn, it’s like Bull King all over again.”

“I’m sorry what,” the black monkey blurted out. He heard the Bull became huge, but he thought it was an exaggeration, so he shook his head. “More on that later, I can already guess you're going to the spider robot of doom.”

“You know it,” he cracked his knuckles.

“You do that, I’ll try to find everyone else and destroy as many of these fuckers as I can,” he emphasized by breaking a few of the spiders on the humans and demons back. He summoned some clones and began to spread them out, “You better not get captured or mind controlled, I don’t feel like kicking your ass right now.”

“Trust me I won’t,” he cockily smirked as he summoned his cloud. “Be careful out there,” he yelled out as he flew off.

“I’m going to laugh in his face if he gets captured, now to find my kiddos and everyone else before I lose it” he muttered as his tail wrapped around the spider that tried to surprise attack him from behind and crushed it into pieces.

“Red!” Mei and MK rushed over to the fallen demon who had crashed land on their ship.

“That was a nasty fall you took there,” she continued as the both of them helped him up.

“What are you doing here?” MK asked once he was up.

“Escaping the Spider menace!” He hissed out to cover up the fact that his face was involuntarily heating up at his crushes arms holding him, “that Spider freak captured my father and she was going to do the same to me.”

“Shit she even captured the Bull King,” the Pig demon said.

“Yes, but luckily I know a way to cure the atrocious mind control that she had enslaved everyone in.”

“You do!” They all hopefully said.

“Yes, but I’ll need your help seeing that my own ride is currently,” he looked over towards the broken parts, “unavailable.”

“If it means saving them then count us in,” MK said determinately.

“But where are we going?” Sandy asked.

“The one place where we can only get the supplies,” he pointed upwards as everyone slowly realized what he meant.

“Space,” well almost everyone.

“No noodle brain! The Celestial Realm!” He loves him, but he can be a bit of an airhead at times.

“Fbiwbfowdjosbd The Celestial Realm! The home of heavenly deities and immortal beings!” Tang tried to go forward but was held back by his partner.

“Down Tang, down.”

“Yes,” he said unfazed, “so will you help me.”

They all exchanged looks with each other before MK stepped forward with a confident grin. “Guys, let’s help a demon steal from the Celestial Realm.”

“Macaque is so gonna laugh at me for this,” Wukong groaned as he tried to break free of the web. “So, so hard.”

“Seems there are things that even you can’t handle,” Spider Queen mocked as she stepped back into the room filled with tied up demons all being drained, some of them more tired than others.

“Can it little caterpillar!” Minsheng yelled out, they too were captured after they got surrounded. They're not as strong a fighter as everyone else, so it was needless to say they were hopelessly outgunned. “No one wants to hear you bitch! Seriously, I don’t know how Daiyu can even stand that voice!”

“You got that right!”

“I would rather die now than listen any longer!”

“Seriously just shut up!”

All the demons shouted out as they mouthed back to the Spider Queen.

“QUIET!” She yelled out in rage, “ Especially about that vulture. Lest you forget, you are all my prisoners now, you are nothing short of a battery for my darling. It’s best to remember that for the rest of your miserable lifespan.”

“I mean they're not wrong,” Wukong smirked, “You are getting really annoying.”

“I, unfortunately, can’t help but agree,” Bull King rolled his eyes at the supposed ‘Queen’ rage. “Your voice is grating enough that I wish to rip my horns from my head and seal them in my ears, but I know it wouldn’t be enough.”

“Why I outta-”

“And besides, you do know that this is not gonna work right?” Minsheng said.

“Now what are you blabbering on about now?” The spider demon was getting sick of this backtalk from these whelps.

“This plan, yeah it’s not gonna work.”

“Oh, now why is that? I suppose you mean of Monkey King protege and their needless efforts,” she smirked as she crawled up to him and leaned in close. “Well, I can assure you that those children are not prepared for my little spiders that are close behind ready to strike when they're down.” She backed up with that same malevolent smirk and was about to turn away when he spoke once more.

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about them.”

“What?” She turned back around, “Then who in the hell are you referring to?”

BOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM!

A series of crashes and explosions all happened simultaneously from the outside as it only subsided for a mere moment before continuing once more.

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOOOOM!!

“What in the hell!” She cried out as she caught herself on the wall.

“That, that is who I am talking about,” the rabbit demon said as the spider raced towards the monitor. She pulls up the screen to see a sight that even frightens some of the captured demons. Because there on center screen was a tall malevolent violent monkey with eyes that glow bright purple as it took down some of the larger spiders that have sprouted out. But what they all noticed is that the titanic demon looked pissed as he screamed.

“WHERE THE HELL ARE MY KIDS!”

“What the sweet hell is that!?” She screeched out at the sight.

“Congratulations! You have completely pissed off one enraged papa!” Minsheng smiled at her horror. “Now he will happily introduce you to your execution if you don’t do as he says.”

“What?!”

“Hah, not even I would trifle so lightly when it comes to the Six Eared demon and his claims,” the Bull King laughed loudly at her foolish actions.

Some of the demons were even nodding in agreement.

“You're telling me.”

“Even we know not to fuck with him.”

“Oof, you're really gonna get it now,” Yin laughed.

“Better hope you have some blessing saved up somewhere in that shriveled up place you got a soul,” Jin snorted, “cause you're gonna need it!”

Wukong was staring at the monstrous form of his crush in all of his crush with a slight blush and said with a happy sigh, “Oh you’re so fucking screwed now.”

“That’s Macaque!?” She shrieked as she turned and couldn’t help but give a silent gulp as each and every demon looked at her, whether they were exhausted or not, with a malicious grin.

“You're done Spider Bitch,” Minsheng gleefully said.

She didn’t say anything else as she scurried out of there and went to look for the little girl.

“Bye Bye little spider,” they called out as the door closed behind them leaving them with only the sound of mechanical parts churning and the sizzling noise of their energies being drained remaining.

“Of course you would be infatuated with the Six Eared doctor,” Bull King couldn’t help but sigh, breaking the silence.

“Oh come on, even you!” Wukong shouted back, thus putting the room in a burst of laughter as the demons, whether civilians, criminals, or anywhere in between, began to gossip like middle aged wives at the market when they spotted an old friend.

“Oooo, is that so?”

“Of course you would go after doc, he is quite the catch.”

“Tell me everything!”

“Spill the tea!”

“Now that is something I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“If you have lived as long as I have, you would have long guessed that this was a long time coming.”

“I’m surprised that it wasn’t sooner.”

“Please someone just kill me,” he groaned as the chattering just continued. “Death would be kinder at this point.”

“Sorry, but fresh out of deaths today,” Sheng laughed.

“And didn’t you get yourself like four times immortal?” Yin asked.

“Five, remember the Yama book situation,” Jin said.

“Oh right, I keep forgetting.”

“I regret that so much,” he groaned even louder, it didn’t help that even the Bull King was laughing at his misery. “So, so much.”

Somewhere high in the sky

“What the hell is that!” Pigsy pointed out the giant transparent demon.

They all looked in shock as Tang said, “Please don’t tell me that the Spider Queen made an ally!” He groaned.

While the three adults began to panic at the new situation that popped up, three people, two humans, and one demon smiled widely.

“DAD/POPS/UNCLE!” MK, Mei, and Red all yelled out as they witnessed the scene.

“SAY WHAT!” The three other adults spun towards them in shock.

“Wait,” Sandy squinted his eyes, “Now I may be getting old, but is that giant demon Macaque?”

“What/Excuse me,” both Pig and historian deadpanned.

“ It is! And he’s kicking butt!” MK cheered as the titan stomped on a hoard of spiders.

“Kick that spider ass!” Mei yelled out with a savage grin as the monkey tail threw a giant spider down and obliterated it.

“Of course this would be nothing less than what he can do,” Red smirked at the chaos that was firmly putting the wretched spiders in place.

If anyone was paying close attention, they would have seen both titan and monkey ears twitch. They didn’t move from their position, but a sigh of relief did emerge.

“Found em,” Ahmed asked after he crushed a spider in his jaw.

“Yeah, I don’t know how the fuck they got out of my radius of hearing so quickly, but I found them,” Macaque, who was puppeting his larger version, smiled.

“That’s one worry crossed off.”

“You're telling me, now all we have left is to finish off this shit,” the monkey growled as the lion kept a close watch on his back. While it wasn’t difficult to control his larger version for a short time frame, it was difficult trying to maintain both forms and making sure that there would be no excessive collateral damage. He may be angry, but even he doesn’t want to hurt any innocent people, so it was shortly decided before he began his shadow puppet that the lion would keep guard while the rest helped everyone else. He can even hear Daiyu manically laughing off in the background where there’s the most spiders and can hear the slaughtering of mechanical parts.

Back on the ship, the others were slowly freaking out.

“I thought he was a doctor?!” Tang exclaimed as he watched the monkey decimate the eight legged cretins.

“I thought so too!” Pigsy was just as confused as his partner.

“Dad was a fighter long before he was a doctor, he just doesn’t do it as often anymore. I mean he used to have sparred with the monkey king a lot,” the teenage boy explained.

“You mean to tell me this is him going easy?” The pig demon could feel his eye twitch.

“Yup!”

“I hate to see him at his peak,” the historian muttered, then he paused, “wait, he knows the monkey king?!”

“Uhhhhhh.” MK just realized what he had admitted and slowly began to back away.

“Oooo, you fucked up now,” Mei chortled while sporting a large grin.

It took a minute for it to fully sink in, but once it did, boy did Tang straighten up with his eyes blown wide as if he had just been electrocuted. “No way! No way! Is he the fucking Six Eared Macaque from the Journey to the west?!”

“Say what?!” Pigsy exclaimed.

“Maybe?!”

“Is that a question or an answer!” Tang demanded as he stalked closer to him.

“Yes!” He was officially freaked out.

“Oh this is funny,” Red grinned.

“Right,” Mei happily agreed.

“Are you saying that he is the legendary deity that managed to help so many lives, but he is also the enemy of the great monkey king and I am just now learning that I’ve been hanging out with that same legend and dneirbowdubeodosbsudbksd!” The book loving man's mind has been blown as his words have long passed him.

“Great, you broke my partner.”

“I’m sorry!”

“Wait are you just now figuring that out,” Sandy blinked, “I thought it was obvious.”

“You knew!” Everyone on the ship snapped towards the giant in shock.

“Yes? It’s not like he was trying to hide it,” he pointed out.

“He really wasn’t,” the biker woman was on the floor dying of laughter at that.

“Hey look scary, creepy, too many legged spiders in need of decimating right ahead!” MK diverted the attention back to the city ahead. “Talk later!

“Oh ho ho, believe me, there will be many, many talks ahead,” Tang hissed and stomped his way to the front of the ship.

“Welp that’s going to be Dad's problem right there,” he said.

“Gonna pin the blame on dear old Pops,” Mei snorted.

“Yup! This is payback for the needless anxiety this caused me,” the monkey's successor eye twitch.

“HA!”

She may be outnumbered and her pawns may have been taken out, but she will not back down after all.

“All of you together can’t beat me! I am the Queen of Spiders!” Spider Queen declared in hysteria as she took a step forward towards the monkey brat.

“Oh yeah,” they all turned to see the Monkey King casually walking down the wall as he picked up the staff and with a spin he declared, “Well I’m the King,” and with that statement, he freed his student.

He bent down and helped pick him back up with a sheepish grin, “Well you already know I’m not too hot on some things, apparently spiders are one of them too.” Then they all stood tall against the Spider Queen as if daring her to try to make the next move.

“Well if I can’t have this world, then no one can!” She cried out as she slung herself up to the Spider mech. l and started it up once more as the ground began to violently shake. “I’ll level this whole city!”

Right when she did that though, both student and mentor jumped up in the air.

“It’s now or never!” Wukong cried out as MK grabbed hold of the staff.

“Right!” The two began to spin and spin and spin even faster until they were a golden pinwheel of light.

“Here comes Monkey Kid!” Right after that last work, Wukong flung MK forward as the student shouted out facing the enemy head on and the proud mentor whispered as he watched his kid take that final strike.

The machine broke as everything shut down at that moment in, but before MK could feel proud, he had noticed that he was currently free falling.

“Shit!” He yelled out and quickly looked around to find any sort of platform he could get a hold of.

“I got you!” He felt his collar then his body quickly stop free falling as quickly as Wukong in bird form was holding him up.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite fast enough to fly far away enough from the incoming explosion in his small form, but luckily there was another as he quickly grabbed the both of them in his hands and jumped far away enough. Just in time as everything explodes.

BOOOOOM!

The machine shattered in millions of parts that it was spread far and wide throughout the city, finally bringing the Spider Queen's short, but deadly, reign to an end.

“Whew, thanks-DAD!” MK exclaimed as he finally noticed that he was in the hands of his father's titan form.

“Great catch Moonbeam!” Wukong beamed up when he got out of bird form.

The Monkey titan didn’t say a word as examined their bruised, injured, and bartered form and with a worried purr, he gently stood up and began to walk back to the group with them still cradled in his hands.

“Anddd I don’t think he is letting us go any time soon,” the student said as he slumped down, only to wince at his bruises.

“Nope,” Monkey King replied as he tried to relax, but both the memories and the wounds made it very hard to do so, it also didn’t help that there was a familiar smell in the air.

Their form eventually made its way to the rest of the group as they all stared up at the lumbering giant that towered over them all.

“I feel like I should be more frightened,” Tang mused as he stared up at the ominous titan with a glowing eye staring back at them.

“I don’t blame you,” Pigsy huffed as he had to stop him from instinctively standing in front of the group, even though the giant monkey was an ally.

“Just be glad he’s on our side,” Sandy smiled up.

“You're telling me,” Red nodded as he rubbed his hands from stopping the explosion alongside his father.

Bull King said nothing as he stared up at the titan.

“Hey guys!” MK shouted as he waved at them.

“Liking the view from up there!” Mei shouted back.

“It’s pretty nice! I never knew laying down on a giant monkey’s hand would feel good until now!”

“Maybe I’ll give you a ride on my war form then,” Wukong joked as he climbed up and sat on the titan's shoulder.

“Wait what?” Though he wasn’t able to ask anymore as the violent hand slowly came down and in front of the group.

“A ride! Count me in!” The dragon girl hopped in first as Sandy followed close behind.

“This might as well happen,” the pig demon sighed as he supported his partner's weight on him and sat down next to the others. But that didn't stop Tang from going starry eyed over the Monkey King and Macaque titan form.

“I’m not going,” Bull King growled when the hand still stood in front of both him and his son.

Red promptly halted in his step when he said that and looked almost longingly to his friends as he put his foot down.

The Bull demon saw his heir's morose expression and only took a moment before he sighed, “You may go if you wish…son.”

The Bull prince's eyes sparkled at his words and he lit up with glee as he rushed over to the rest of the group, getting one arm hugs from both his friends. Yet, the hand still hasn’t ascended.

“Nice teeth,” Mei commented as the Prince settled down and she noticed her other friend teeth.

“Huh?” MK saw her wordlessly take out her phone and show him his new sharpen teeth, his eyes sparkled with glee. “This is so cool! Hey Red, we match!”

“Indeed we do,” he gave a slight grin, “but mine are much more deadlier.”

“Give me a couple days to get used to this and we can find out,” he grinned back.

Before Red could shoot back a growl was heard.

“I said, I’m not going,” he emphasized his words and glared at the giant.

Giant Macaque only raised his brow as he used his free hand to pluck the Bull King firmly, but gently held him as he continued his way.

“Unhand me you insufferable cretin!” He yelled out as he tried to break free, but with him still being wounded and drained of his energy, the struggle was barely even noticeable.

“And you say I’m headstrong,” Monkey King snorted at the demon struggles.

“Oh I am so keeping this,” Mei smirked as she took so many photos.

“Send me that,” Pigsy and MK said.

“Will do!”

They were only put down when they finally reached their destination, which was Pigsy Noodle shop, and standing in front of the doors was a lion supporting a tired looking monkey.

“Thank fuck you all are alright,” he sighed as he released the titan puppet when everyone was off and he should probably be glad that Ahmed was supporting his sorry ass as he would have fallen straight down from the abrupt disperse of energy.

“Are you okay,” Wukong worriedly asked as he noticed his moon tired form and how the lion was helping him.

“Will be, but for now everyone gets your sorry asses inside so I can patch you up,” he pointed to some of the clones inside already holding materials in hand.

“I’ll help-” MK began to say, only to be stopped by his stare “-after I heal up,” he quickly added.

“Nice save,” Mei whispered as both of them and Red went inside.

“You and I are gonna have a long talk Mr. Six Eared Macaque,” Tang almost growled.

“Wasn’t really trying to hide it,” he smirked as the historian raised both his hands in exasperation.

“And that’s what’s pissing me off, ‘it came along the way,’ you weren’t even trying,” he huffed as he marched inside, but not before giving a stink eye to the lion. “And I bet you knew as well.”

“Guilty as charged,” he had to hold back his laughter as his friend gave another strangled yell.

“You're gonna have one hell of a lecture from him,” Pigsy smirked as he nudged the monkey.

“I have already accepted my fate,” he shrugged.

“Good call, also don’t really care about your past and whatnot, you have already shown me that you're a pretty decent demon no matter what history may say.”

“Thanks,” he gave a small smile.

The pig demon patted his shoulder and went inside as well. Macaque looked towards the blue giant who just smiled.

“I already knew.”

“And this is what makes you the smart one,” he smirked as the therapist gave a hearty laugh.

“You need help,” Wukong cautiously asked once more as he stepped forward.

“I am not doing shit except letting my clones do the bandaging and healing, I need to sit my ass down,” he grumbled before giving a slight smile, “but thanks for worrying about me dumbass.”

“Always,” he smiled back.

“Now go sit your ass inside before I make you,” he deadpanned.

“I mean I don’t really need it, you know I heal pretty-”

“I can easily tell that both you and Bull along over there had your energy drained,” Monkey King paled.

“Ah…so you know.”

“Oh I know,” he tail swished angrily behind him, “and I also know just how fucking dangerous energy transfers are when they’re not done properly! And I already know that it wasn’t really Spider Queen's main concern now is it?”

“Ummm,” he nervously hummed.

“Now, get your ass in there or else,” his eyes flickered.

“Aye Aye!” He quickly walked in and escaped the eyes of doom.

“So it seems that there is more to the story,” Tang muttered as he watched the interactions as a salve got put on his leg. “It seems that the two immortal monkeys aren’t enemies.”

“Oh there is a lot more,” MK wished he could rub his forehead, but his hands were currently occupied by the clone wrapping his hand. “So much more.”

No one could say anything else before they heard the Demon Bull speak.

“I’m not going in,” Bull King huffed, “I’m not so fragile that I need to worry about such items.”

“You know what no,” Bull demon raised his eyebrow at the doctor's tone. “I’m not even gonna argue with you, your ass is going in there and you are going to sit down and you are going to get checked over.”

“You dare speak to me like that!”

“Frankly I don’t care!” He barked out as he broke free of Ahmed’s hold and marched up to the larger demon. “I have long since run out of fucks to give and I simply don’t fucking care! I am already spread thin with clones all around making medicine, helping out at the hospital, checking for survivors, and other shit! I was spread thin when I made my Puppet Titan to obliterate the fucking spiders. I am so spread thin that even my own self control is waning as we fucking speak that it’s taking all in me not to just make your stupid ass go unconscious, just so I won’t have to fucking hear you! So. Go. In. The. Noodles. Shop!”

“You don’t have the power to stop me,” he growled and took a step forward, not even acknowledging the lion demon piercing eyes nor the monkey Sage's own ominous stare.

“If you don’t get your ass inside I will call Queen Iron Fan and tell her about your stupidity about your health,” he bluntly stated.

“You wouldn’t dare,” he took a step back in fear.

“Try me bitch.”

“…fine,” he let out a final huff and lumbered inside.

Mei whistled as the clone was getting some derbies out of her back, “Dannnggg, just one word of the mother and he just comes.”

“Mother does worry about our safety when she’s gone,” Red nodded.

“For good reason.”

“Okay!” Macaque said loudly as he plopped himself right next to Wukong, “While you guys are getting bandaged, how about you all tell me what the hell happened both inside the ship and how the hell did you get that antidote because I know the smell of immortal peaches from a mile away and that antidote had that in spades.”

“So that’s why the whole city smells like that,” the brown furred monkey eyes widened, “I thought I was going crazy.

“What is the point in that?” Bull King questioningly asked.

“Well, I thought that it would be better if we all figured out how not only she managed to get her hands on mind control potion that potent, but how almost all the demons, including you two, one of the strongest ones in the world, got captured by the Spider Queen.” He emphasized, it literally makes no sense how she was able to do that. Sure she may be strong with access to her minions that do her dirty work at times, but she’s not that strong to manage to take down so many villains, and she doesn’t have the connections to find a potion of that kind of caliber.”

“That is a fair point,” the Bull demon reluctantly agreed.

“Great! Now talk.”

“She caught the staff?” MK blurted out as he popped up from Mei's shoulder.

“I know! Caught me by surprise too,” Wukong huffed at his student surprise.

“To be fair, Lady Iron Fan did the same with me, but she had some sort of metal glove.”

“But not with pure energy,” Red leaned back into Mei side, “it took me countless centuries to find all the supplies to make that glove and the Spider Queen only used her energy, something is not adding up.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” she nodded as she subtly brought her two crushes, which she will happily keep to herself until both of them are comfortable, back to her. She could very much appreciate the fact that they both had very warm and comfortable bodies that she will happily take advantage of.

“So that’s where Minsheng was,” Ahmed hummed, “the others were worried about them.”

“He really did tell her off, but I saw him escape with the rest after they broke free,” the monkey explained.

“That’s one worry off then.”

“Son, how did you know the incantation and the symbol to enter the Celestial Realm?” Bull King asked when they got to the part where they were about to enter the realm.

“Umm well you see,” he nervously chuckled, “there are so many ways you can get inside the realm other than the main entrance and it’s not like it was hard to actually find another way once you know what the main one looks like. But don’t worry, I haven’t stepped foot inside the realm until today, so they shouldn’t know that it was me who entered!”

“To be honest I never knew that there were other ways you can get inside,” Wukong admitted, “Nice job.”

“Indeed, show me how exactly you managed this feat when we get home,” the giant Bull said. It is no easy task to accomplish something that no one else has done before, he didn’t acknowledge the pit of warm pride he felt.

“Yes father!” He excitedly said, not noticing that his two friends were eyeing the Bull King with disdain.

“Wait hold up, how the hell did you manage to sneak into the Celestial Realm almost undetected?” He questioned when his son finished telling them how they escaped the holy realm.

“Well there was like nobody there, the only real problem we encountered was the spiders, two lion statues that came to life, and perhaps my crippling anxiety,” he shrugged.

“Well get to that last bit later, but what do you mean no one?! You went to the Heavenly Orchard, Lao Tzu alchemy lab, the fucking Jade Emperor Throne Room! What the hell did you mean no one was there?!” His eyes twitch as he gets shrugs from almost everyone, he says almost as now Red son is realizing that what he said is true and is slightly paling at what that could mean. Even Wukong and Bull King are looking at the group in absolute confusion.

“That does raise a concerning question,” BK rumbled. “The Celestial Realm is never without the deities inside, especially the Jade Emperor himself. So if all the deities were gone on the same day then there must have been a deadly matter that needed to be taken care of…but everyone gone? That still makes no sense.”

“You're telling me, it wasn’t even that easy for me to cause havoc when I was up there. I had to disguise myself as so many people just to make it out to the courtyard,” Wukong nodded.

“It just doesn’t make sense on why-” he stopped himself as he looked towards the other monkey and then his son and a thought occurred. “No, that couldn’t be, hey flicker do they still have that Spirit detecting thing for when you enter the realm.”

“Indeed they still do,” he faces palmed as he completely had forgotten that they had been specially made after people, deities, and demons tried to break their way into the realm one too many times.

Macaque couldn’t stop his smile from growing as he finally realized what happened and he burst out into laughter. “No way! No fucking way! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

“Huh?” Everyone echoed as they watch the monkey burst out almost out of nowhere.

“Umm Dad?” He tried to call out, but he was too busy laughing.

“Pops? You good?” She tried, absolutely nothing in reply.

“Mango, moonlight, my other half,” Wukong grabbed him by the shoulder, which did make him pause, but still was sporting a wide grin. “What the hell did you figure out?”

“Srk, okay holy shit this is just way too funny,” he choked out and continued. “The reason why no one was there was because they sensed MK spirit energy and the staff, both of which had been imbued with your energy. I mean, I know that after sensing your energy was coiled around mine a few weeks ago, they did not want a second round with Wukong in any way shape, or form, especially his successor, so they just fucked off and left!”

Dead silence overtook the small restaurant as everyone's eyes slowly turned to the Monkey Sage, who was sporting both a cheeky and a sheepish grin.

“I feel like I should probably apologize to them one day.”

“The sad thing is that it sounds about right,” Red sighed. While he doesn't visit the celestial realm, he knows enough to know that many deities, including the Jade Emperor, would rather just up and leave than deal with Sun Wukong after what he last did no matter how many centuries may have passed. He does have to admit that out of everything he did, this may have been one of his biggest feats yet. “What is my life right now?”

“Let’s just continue,” Pigsy said as he was holding back his partner from asking so many questions.

“Evil laughter?”

“Shut up.”

“It was fun!”

“And highly entertaining.”

“Shut up!”

“And that’s all of it,” MK finished off.

“Crazy as usual, but that still doesn’t explain how she was able to do what she did,” he leaned back. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Wukong stiffen, but he kept that to himself. He will get it out of that monkey when they're alone.

“I heard the whispers again,” everyone's eyes whipped towards Bull King, but only Red son and Macaque knew what he was talking about.

“You mean the same ones that controlled you back then,” the doctor hissed out.

“Indeed.”

“You met Lady Bone Demon?!” Wukong blurted out but immediately regretted that as everyone's eyes were locked on him.

“You know that vile cretin!” Bull King growled.

“Wait Bone Demon! As in the same one you met in the Journey to the West! That one!” Tang wanted to lean forward, but both Pigsy and Sandy were holding him back.

Wukong said nothing as he gripped his fists under the table.

“Monkey King?” MK worriedly asked at the monkey's still expression.

“Sunbeam,” the monkey blinked at his friend's hand on his and looked up to see his concerned look, “what happened?”

“…okay,” he entwined his finger with his and looked at the group. “I met her on the ship.” He then began to explain his experience with the demon on the ship and the restaurant was silent as he talked.

“So,” Macaque broke the silence, “it seems that we were right on the idea that this was no ordinary spirit.”

“You’ve been investigating this?!” Wukong asked as everyone barring the Bull family and Ahmed looked in shock.

“Of course I have, Bull King got possessed and no one found that at all suspicious? I mean that’s why Queen Iron Fan is currently not even in the city right now, she is meeting some people over some enchanted artifacts and spells that will help. But now that we know who exactly we're dealing with, I think we can narrow that down by a lot. So, you’ll update her,” he said towards the Bull family.

“Already doing so,” Red’s son said as his eyes were glowing red.

“Good, now anything else you tell us?” He looked back to his dumbstruck friend.

“Just that I…encountered her a few times before and that there was a reason she was buried so deep underground,” he sighed as he rubbed his thumb on the black fur. “What she wants the most is to make herself known to the world and she wants to accomplish this by conquering the world, so she’ll be after me first and my powers.”

“And we will be ready,” MK determinedly said. “We know that she is alive and that she is probably planning something, but whatever it is, we'll be one step ahead of her.”

“You got that right, I mean who would ever expect this,” she gestured towards the room filled with people, demons, and immortals, “Wukong lives in isolation so in no way will he be interacting with mortals, supposed enemies with Pops and Bull family.”

“That part is still true,” Bull King grumbled.

“Mostly, but even then you can tolerate him and that is what she won’t be expecting!”

“But there still is the problem that we don’t know what she is planning after her plan failed,” Tang pointed out.

“Was it her plan at all?” They all turned to face Pigsy.

“What do you mean?” MK asked.

“Well, it just seems that with the whole spider theme going on, it was more of the Spider Queen plan and the Bone chick tagging along at the end, you know, like that one person in a group project. I always hated that guy, stupid Hans,” he growled.

“You…do make a point,” Red eyes flickered once he finished his talk. “And mother also said that she will be going to the highlands next after she’s finished dealing with the…unruly elves.”

“That’s one way to say it,” Bull King nodded.

“But since the plan with the Spider Queen failed, where would she go next?” Mei asked.

“We’ll hold on,” everyone looked to Sandy now as the giant looked at Wukong and Bull King, “You said that she was following the Spider Queen, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Indeed.”

“Well I may have only met the Spider Queen once, but it’s easily recognizable that she has a superiority complex that hinges more towards the self importance side, and judging by how you describe the Bone demon, she is very tactile and manipulative to use this to her advantage. So we already know it was Spider Queen's plan first, but it was the Bone demon who most likely approached her first as you said that the Queen was more hostile towards the other. But, even when the plan failed, I think that she will still stick with the Spider Queen as she is not only one of the strongest in the city, but maybe has the resources she needs at the moment,” he finished and took a sip of his tea.

“Holy shit,” Mei whispered out as MK nodded.

“Knew you were smart, but man you were hiding it in their big guy,” Pigsy smirked.

“Oh well just a guess based on what I know about their personality and actions,” he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“A well educated one it is,” Bull King said, “What is your profession?”

“I’m a therapist.”

“That makes sense,” he nodded.

“But for now, how about we hold this off until tomorrow,” Ahmed said as he looked at everyone’s bandaged bodies and drooping eyes, “I think we all deserve some shut eye.”

“But-”

“Their invasion just failed and they won’t be staring back up any time soon,” he cut MK off, “this can wait until tomorrow, where our minds would be fresher and perhaps our bodies a little lighter.”

“Agreed,” Macaque nodded.

“…okay,” MK gave in.

“Good, now everyone upstairs,” most of them began to trudge back up, the doctor eyed the Bull family, “I assume you have the teleportation spell?”

“Yep, prepped and ready,” Red confirmed.

“Then have a safe trip back,” and with final goodbyes, the Bull family left the restaurant, and with a flash, they were gone. Macaque watched them leave and promptly grabbed hold of the back of Wukong collar “And where do you think you're going?”

“Back to the mountain?” He questioned.

“No you're not, you're staying here.”

“Look Mac I really don’t feel like talking more about her,” he sighed once he knew everyone else was gone.

“And that is fine, but you are not leaving my sight anytime soon, now come on,” he pulled him up, “there is a hoard of blankets and pillows calling our names. So just relax, you are safe.”

It didn’t impact the monkey until he felt the warm coil of violet energy gently brush against his vigilant golden aura, did he finally settled down, and his nerves slowly relaxed and the next thing he knows is he is sitting on the rooftop surrounded by blankets and pillows and he is currently snuggled on Macaque shoulder as he hums softly and felt his soft hands groom his fur.

“Sleep Sunshine, we can deal with it all tomorrow,” he whispered and tucked him further underneath his chin.

He wished he could thank him for doing this, for watching over him during his blackout, for keeping him calm, but the words eluded him, and instead, he cuddled further into the hold. He stiffed when he heard soft footsteps approach, but relaxed at the familiar energy of both of his kids approaching him.

“Mind if we join,” MK asked as he took in the sight.

“Would you be up for that Sunspot?” Mac looked down.

Wukong didn’t say anything once more and just wordlessly nodded.

“Alright, you both can join, but right to bed.” He firmly told them both.

“Oh don’t worry, even my bones feel tired,” Mei said as she cuddled next to the black furred monkey and MK softly laid next to the brown furred simian.

Then there’s was silence once more as only the bustling from the streets could be heard as people reunited with each other once again, the whistle of winds, the steady breathing of the small group, and the soft humming of a six eared monkey lullabying them further and further into a deep sleep. And as Wukong listened, felt, and saw everything, only one thought was left as he closed his eyes for a long slumber.

He really loved his family.

As to why Mac didn’t get captured? Easy, he doesn’t have the same kind of cocky ego that both BK and Wukong shared. He actually likes to think before he acts.

Also, hey yeah remember how I said my longest chapter was like two chapters ago, welll I made a freakin new one and guess what? IT’S OVER 9000!! Like holy shit I need to sleep, but damn am I proud of how long I can make these XD

[battle-of-alberta]

CHARACTER BIO: MEDICINE HAT

[ Bio Page ] [ Relationships ] [ Trivia ]

(These relationships are based on a combination of my own impressions of current and historical events, shared interests, and supplied with a little personality horoscope-ing where information is lacking!)

Madeline’s Clubs

Canada Pacific Railway (CPR) Club

Northwest Mounted Police (NWMP) Club

Southern Alberta Club (Treaty 7)

Mid-Sized Cities Club

South Saskatchewan River Club

Transcription below the cut.

Relationships

Calgary / Calvin

Madeline discovered natural gas first, throwing Calvin into a fit of jealousy. She teased him a lot when they were younger and called him "piggy" for being loud and greedy, but their relationship has since mellowed a great deal and they consider each other friends.

Lethbridge / Lilith

Madeline and Lilith are close neighbours who anchor the two corners of Southern Alberta. Lilith is the most experienced at bringing Madeline out of her shell, while Madeline reminds her to slow down and savour things, making them a well balanced pair.

Edmonton / Edward

Madeline mostly knows Edward in work-related contexts and they are not particularly close in person. However, the two seem to like each other's text-based roasts. Madeline appreciates Ed's wry and mildly salty comments, even if she rarely says so.

Red Deer / Red

Madeline shares Red's enthusiasm for sports and automobiles as well as more crafty pursuits, making them fast friends in the mid-size city club. The two especially enjoy testing out new wheels at Madeline's local speedway.

Banff / Eleanor

Madeline and Eleanor are both very proud of their identities as cities who place the utmost importance on careful planning rather than rapid growth. Madeline enjoys unwinding with Eleanor in the ceramics studio or in the great outdoors.

Grande Prairie / Josephine

Madeline is usually ruffled a little by Josephine's brash nature and her tendency to dominate a conversation, and in many ways the two could not be more opposite. That said, Madeline does feel they have a lot in common and under the right circumstances would make a dynamic pair.

Fort McMurray / Mac

Madeline and Mac rarely cross paths much given the distance, and from afar it might look like they rarely talk at all. Madeline is one of the few people who recognizes Mac's erratic behaviours as masking his shyness, and rarely minds spending a quiet moment with him.

Other Relationships

Madeline shares the South Saskatchewan River with Saskatoon. The two cities are comparable in size and small-town feel. While Madeline is willing to step up and arbitrate between the two provinces, and is the most likely to be found chatting away with her Saskatchewan neighbours, she also takes her duties on rat patrol very seriously indeed.

[westfrosts]

Fluff ABCs - Colt x MC

A/N: it’s ya favourite colt writers! hehe, we whipped up a quick little something for Colt, some fluffy prompt ABCs, we got the lovely template from @pixelburied so thanks to them!

Tag List: y’all know the drill hehe @tabithacarlisle @lifeof314universe @flowerpowell @lady-dianelewis @confessionsofabrokegirl @drakewalkerdrunk @zeniamiii @i-am-clementine @gayplaychoices @marcela13mars @ladymarquess @claudevonstruke @stillafictosexual @wolfmckenzie @emomoustache @inkandfables @coltkaneko @thegardendiety @akrenich @ckanekos 

A – Anger (What was their first fight about? Any big or recurring arguments?)

Their first major fight was over a dangerous race that Colt had entered, perhaps for his father or simply to show off. MC doesn’t want Colt to participate in them, however, or at least wants him to participate less. At one point, they even fought over their fathers/families since they constantly have those troubles. Sometimes, Colt and MC find themselves wondering if they’ll ever be a ‘normal’ couple and if he’ll ever leave the MPC. Part of Colt wants to leave but the other half wants to remain and protect his father.

B – Best (What would they say is the other’s best trait?)

Colt loves MC’s humour, it’s so bizarre at times and so stupid at others, but it never fails to make him smile or laugh. MC loves Colt’s charm and witty banter, he can always lighten up a room or a situation by making one of his comments. They get on so well because of how similar their sense of humour is.

C – Camera (How do they document their relationships? Who likes to take pictures? Or videos?)

Colt takes sneaky photos of MC who thinks that he hates it and never has any of her but his camera roll is almost full to the brim with candid photos of MC. MC is a lot more open about it and openly snaps photos of him, something that Colt has slowly gotten used to. She loves it especially when he’s not wearing his jacket and manages to snag some shots of his arms. MC takes a lot of videos of Colt when he’s unaware, loving how he furrows his brow when he’s determined and focused on something.

D – Dates (What are their dates like?)

Colt loves astronomy and science so he’d make their first date be a picnic/late night meal that ends in stargazing. He points out constellations to MC and tells her everything he knows because it’s one of his favourite topics and things to learn about. MC stares at him the entire time with a smile on her face. Probably also go on study dates because they both like being the top of their class. Another date is where Colt takes her on a motorbike ride throughout town or the city he grew up in, pointing things out to her and being her tour guide. They normally go out to eat because that’s one of their favourite things to do. Sometimes they even go to those dance party sort of things with all the cars around, Colt is a great dancer and his hips move like you’ve never seen before.

E – Early (What was the first month of dating like?)

It was nervous, hesitant, neither one of them was too sure because Colt was in a gang and MC’s dad was the one trying to bust them. Eventually, they managed to work around it and through it and everything felt like normal. But there were many times in the beginning where MC doubted herself, Colt, everything. She couldn’t read him that well back then and never knew what he was thinking, never knew if he liked her as much as she liked him which really stressed her out at times. Colt was also in a similar position because he’d never loved/liked anyone this much before and it scared him.

F – Friends (How is their relationship with each other’s group of friends?)

They all get on with each other quite well, even though the MPC can have their little arguments and fights, they all care for each other, including Logan despite his whole ‘never sticking around long enough to make friends/family’ thing going on. Whenever Colt tags along on study dates, he gets on quite well with Darius and they both end up talking forever about all sorts of deep and wonderful topics.

G – Gifts (Do they like giving each other gifts? What kind?)

They most likely got each other some sort of charms related to vehicles/motorbikes what with their ongoing ‘bike/car’ rivalry. It’s their inside joke and they never go anywhere without their charms. When Colt sees MC eyeing something one day, he’ll make sure to buy it at a later date and try his hardest to wrap it up all nice and fancy for her. Then he’ll leave it laying around somewhere, conveniently at a time when he’s not there so she can’t bombard him and drown him in all that cheesy affection. .

H – Hugs (All things involving hugs)

MC and Colt love being hugged by one another. Colt hasn’t been loved as much so he needs all the warmth, hugs, love, everything! MC likes hugging Colt because he smells nice, he has a woody, piney smell with a hint of ocean breeze and cinnamon. Colt loves when MC hugs him and runs her hands through his hair, it calms him down and soothes him a lot.

I – Inside Jokes (Do they have any?)

MC and Colt buying each other a motorbike and car key-chain/charm of some sort because of their half-hearted vehicle rivalry. They also share jokes and make quips about their fathers and their family lives, something they’ve now come to bond over and actually be able to bounce back from thanks to the understanding they have of one another.

J – Jealousy (Who gets jealous easier? How do they show their jealousy?)

I feel like Colt would get jealous easier because he’s more insecure and stuff what with his childhood but he would never show his jealousy or he would try not to because he wouldn’t want to come off as too overprotective or insecure. If MC gets jealous she wouldn’t hesitate in showing her emotions and would walk right over, throwing her arm around Colt or something.

K – Kiss (How do they kiss? Who usually initiates?)

MC would probably be the one to initiate the kisses but Colt would then be the one who gets pulled in and can’t seem to let go. MC going in for a soft or chaste kiss and Colt decides to deepen them and make them more passionate. He kisses like he’ll lose her or she’ll disappear in front of him. MC’s kisses are chaste because she’s still doesn’t believe Colt likes her. She never thought she was anything special and hardly enough to catch the eye of someone like Colt, but he’s always vocal about how much he loves her or her subtle touches so there’s no room for doubt.

L – Love (How do they first say those three words?)

I feel like Colt fell in love with MC first but he never really said it out loud because the poor boy has never been able to properly articulate his thoughts surrounding love and those sorts of feelings. Once he knew him and MC were in it for the long run he would probably be the first to say the words because she was able to make him open up, to understand his feelings better and to understand love better, both receiving and giving that love.

M – Movies (What kinds of movies do they watch together? Is it a regular Netflix ritual?)

Hmm, I feel like Colt would like practical movies with plots that are not outrageous. I imagine if he watched an action or fantasy movie with MC, he'd point out plot holes or how dumb something is. MC loves rom-coms or feel good movies and Netflix binges are a ritual. It makes them feel normal despite everything that's going on.

N – Nicknames (Things they call each other)

A classic, but I feel like Colt calls MC a shortened version of their name that MC only lets him and her father get away with. Sometimes, baby or babe for both of them. MC calls Colt ‘Golden Child’ which is the actual meaning of his surname. She wanted something sweet but meaningful so she decided to look up the meaning of his name.

O – One (Tell us about the moment they realised they were with the one.)

I think MC knew early on, but she didn't know if Colt liked her back. He had so many walls up, it was scary for MC to show her feelings. The bond they shared over their parental problems made them closer and when it helped MC see him in a new light, that was the moment. There was so much more to him than his dry humour. Colt was hesitant to even come to terms that he liked MC, so he suppressed all his feelings because he thought it made him seem vulnerable. However, one day he saw MC just laughing with the gang, how carefree and beautiful she was and all his feelings came rushing towards him. That's when he realised he couldn't live without that light in his life.

P – Pizza (What is their favourite food to eat together?)

I feel like they’re a Mac n Cheese type of couple. Head-canon that Colt is the best cook and MC is always bugging him to make this or that. Sometimes, to treat him or surprise him, she decides to make something for him, whether or not the food is actually good doesn’t matter (at first) because Colt finds the gesture too sweet. But soon enough, he’ll be teasing her about what she made and how long she took.

Q – Quit (Do they break up? Almost break up? What happened?)

This would also be related to any dangerous decisions and threats that mostly Colt would receive as part of the MPC and also MC not wanting Colt to constantly go out on missions and whatnot. One day, MC gets threatened/put in danger and that makes their relationship rocky. MC and Colt break up, something MC instigates but they eventually come back together with the promise of being more careful.

R – Rainy Days (How do they comfort each other on dark days?)

MC gets stressed a lot with school and her overall relationship with her father (after he found out everything), so MC goes to Colt for comfort. He doesn't like to admit it, but he's touched-starved thanks to his childhood with Kaneko as a father, but it makes him give the best hugs because he just likes the feeling of MC in his arms. When Colt is having a frustrated day with the MPC or Kaneko his first instinct is to say nothing because growing up Kaneko never cared and made him feel like it was better to keep your feelings hidden. The more he’s around MC, he’s encouraged to tell her and not bottle it up. MC lets Colt rest his head on her lap while she runs her fingers through his hair, whispering reassuring words to him. This is how the MPC often find the two of them, with Colt asleep in MC’s lap and MC in an awkward position on the couch.

S – Soft (Something one of them did that turned the other into absolute mush.)

Colt low-key loves how MC is constantly showering him in love physically, she’s always trying to make sure she’s touching him at some point, whether that’s through a hug, holding hands or simply just leaning on one another. He secretly loves it and finds her sort of clingy behaviour cute. MC loves how Colt has opened up to her more and let his walls down. He’s a lot more affectionate in terms of how he speaks. He easily says ‘I love you’ to her and is often found admiring MC when she’s not looking, not afraid to stare at her anymore.

T – Texting (Do they text each other a lot? What do they usually talk about over the phone?)

MC hates calling people and prefers texts, so she texts Colt a lot, especially when she’s in awkward situations or when she’s alone. He probably snaps pics of the MPC gang looking dumb and sends it with a snarky text to make MC laugh. When they do talk over the phone, they always end with “I love you/I love you too” because they never want to take anything for granted especially with how unsafe being associated with MPC is.

U – Unique (Tell us about some of their odd habits that surprised one another.)

MC being surprised at his neat apartment and life, thinking he’d be a messy bad boy. She’s also quite taken aback by Colt’s ability to completely hog the sheets at night and often wakes up barely covered by the duvet, having to drag it all back from him. Colt being surprised at MC’s productive and innovative ways while being really lazy. She also has funny sleeping habits and he has a love-hate relationship with how MC always ends up suffocating him in her sleep somehow, whether that’s by lying on top of him in some way or throwing her limbs about haphazardly.

V – Vanity (Something they’re proud of in themselves and their partner.)

MC’s proud of how determined she is because she wants to do something important with her life because that’s what her mother would’ve wanted. Even though MPC isn’t entirely that, she does a lot in college to hopefully better her community. She’s also proud of how strong Colt became despite his childhood. His confidence is also alluring even if others think it’s narcissistic. Colt is proud of his development because before, he did everything to please his father, but now he knows his own worth. He’s proud of how far he’s come. He loves how MC sees the good in people, before he used to think it was naive of her. Now, he realises it makes him fall in love with MC all over again because she’s the goodness he needed his whole life. She believed in him when no one else did.

W – Wedding (Tell us about your wedding head canon if they’ve gotten that far. Or if not, have they talked about it?)

It was already a big step admitting their feelings for each other, so marriage is FAR from being on their minds. Personally, they don’t enjoy labels that much either or a contract of some sort. However, if they did get married, Colt would prefer the smallest most inconspicuous wedding possible, trying to keep it simple. MC and Colt would definitely entertain the idea of eloping because it seems like a very ‘them’ kind of thing to do, if anything, they wouldn’t be able to wait for the honeymoon stage and would want all the legalities out of the way to just be together.

X – X (Something they hate about the other.)

Colt tends to not tell MC about bad MPC related situations because he wants to keep her safe and handle it himself, but MC hates it because she doesn’t like to be out of the loop and they’re supposed to trust each other and should be able to tell each other everything. Colt doesn’t like how MC is willing to put herself the line for anyone. He doesn’t want her to get hurt, Colt himself does it for his dad but MC is ready to sacrifice herself and put herself in harm's way for just about anyone because she’s so selfless and compassionate.

Y – YouTube (What are they like online? Do they post about their relationship constantly?)

They are both the type of person that posts funny videos and memes that go viral every now and then on their social media. MC would probably post all types of pictures and videos mainly of Colt whereas he would be the type to post a photo of the two of them every now and then but with no caption which ends up getting a load of cheesy comments and the MPC gang teasing him too.

Z – Zoo (Are they into animals? Do they want pets? What kind?)

MC isn’t an animal person and never has been, but Colt loves huskies a lot. Plus, any animal around him naturally gravitates towards him, and they end up warming his heart and the witty, standoffish Colt turns into a big softie. Colt slowly converts MC to the animal loving side, with MC unable to resist the two puppy dog eyes staring back at her whenever Colt is around a dog. Soon enough, they’re taking monthly trips to the local shelters and end up becoming regulars with both the staff and the animals eager to see them.

By: Ifraah and Khadijah

[artificialqueens]

That’s Just The Way You Make Me Feel (Ninex) - Mac

AN: I started writing this a while ago when Mia and Meggie first started talking about Ninex being a thing. And here we are, after like three months.

Summary: Nina stumbles upon the wonderful world of fanfiction, and discovers the most unusual pairing.

She hadn’t meant to stumble upon it.

Really, she hadn’t. It was late, or was it early? She couldn’t remember. She does however remember how she felt seeing her name pull up over 100 works. She felt… proud. Proud wasn’t really the right word, but she couldn’t think of a better one.

In most of them she was a voice of reason or a plot device to force a love triangle. Which she was fine with. But some of them, some of them she was the main character. It followed her perspective and spoke in her voice.

It was weird and wrong. These people wrote her as if she were some kind of fragile thing that would break if the wind blew too hard.

It was so accurate it was unsettling.

The whole thing was unsettling now that she thought about it. People putting themselves where she was, as if they knew. As if they cared enough to know her.

Some of them did. Only a handful seemed to know her story. Seemed to get her voice. It was strange seeing herself be this utter force. This unstoppable being. This… desirable person. She stumbled across pairings she expected. Her and Brooke. Old news she thought to herself, ignoring the clawing in her chest to just read it. Then she stumbled upon a most unusual pairing. Her and Monet X Change.

She couldn’t help her curiosity and clicked the first link she saw. The setting was a bar and there was the usual trope of jealousy over someone dancing. They had an altercation in an alley that led to kissing.

It wasn’t anything remarkable.

Just a story.

However, the more Nina read and thought about it, the less unusual of a pairing it seemed.

They had great chemistry. When taping The View, they riffed back and forth with hardly any interruption or awkward silence. They were both Miss Congenialities. It kinda… made sense.

Monet was kind and funny and really cared about her-wait-no that wasn’t true. That was a line she read. Fuck. This had been a bad idea.

It proved to be even worse of an idea when they saw each other next. Nina felt the usual warm feeling she felt in the company of the younger queen. It was a familiarity. A kinship. They really did work well together.

Monet smiled and chatted animatedly with her fellow sisters. Nina watched her. She really was beautiful. In drag she was stunning, of course, but outside of drag she looked even more so. Monet had that charm about her that made anyone’s nerves fall away. Nina appreciated that, as she was the most anxious person she knew.

When Monet plopped herself down beside Nina to do her makeup, Nina tried not to think too hard about it. Tried to not let the voices of all the writers she had read plant any ideas in her head.

“What you doin all the way over here, Miss Thang?”

Nina nearly jumped at the sound of Monet’s voice next to her ear.

“Nothing, I just like being alone sometimes.”

“Oh, then do you want me to-” Monet made the motion to leave.

“No!” Nina spoke too quickly.

Fuck, that sounded desperate.

“I mean no… you don’t have to go… If you- If you don’t want to.” Nina was stumbling over her words like a goddamn middle schooler. She really needed to stop reading those fanfics.

They were turning her into a parody of herself.

“Okay.” Monet said, looking somewhat skeptically at Nina.

Nina put her foundation on quickly to hide the blush that was reddening her face and neck.

Monet stayed silent beside her, humming here and there to church songs that Nina recognized but couldn’t name.

Nina finished first and awkwardly got up to dress. Monet smiled up at her as she left.

The warm feeling in Nina’s stomach was starting to feel a little bit less like kinship and a lot more like butterflies.

The performances went off without a hitch, and Nina managed to get Monet’s phone number at the bar they went to afterwards to celebrate.

She thought nothing of it. It was a gesture of friendship and nothing more.

But the fanfics she read made it seem like more. She had this direct contact with Monet that no one else was privy to.

Nina sat awake in bed for a while, letting her mind spin intricate tales of future numbers and all the engagements she had to be up for tomorrow. She couldn’t sleep, so she opened her phone and paused when her most recent safari tab looked back at her.

She felt her face flush at the gnawing desire to read more.

She closed the tab and fell into a fitful sleep.

Nina read more fanfiction. She didn’t read a lot, but occasionally, when her sheets felt a little too much like a caress, or her heart felt a little too heavy in her chest, or she was lonely. She read stories about herself falling in love.

It was nice and it was weird. It was probably a little more weird than nice, but Nina didn’t care.

She didn’t see Monet again for a month.

It shouldn’t have meant anything, but it did.

Nina had opened her chat conversation with Monet nearly every night, words that weren’t hers begged to be typed, to be sent and received.

She never sent them.

She let the words stew in her head for a month until they met again.

It was another gig, but with less queens this time.

The local queens swarmed Monet, always the charmer, asked her about Drag Race and her numbers and her life.

Nina sat back and listened, making mental notes about particularly funny stories or comments.

She let them warm her from the inside out.

“You’ve been quiet all night. Everything good?”

Nina looked up to find the dressing room empty save for herself and Monet.

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” Nina tried to cover.

“Well when you decide to come out of Ninaland,” Monet tapped the side of Nina’s head gently. “and join the rest of us mere mortals, let me know.”

Nina smiled and nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

They did their makeup together again in silence, catching each other’s eyes in the mirror every now and then. Nina would blush and duck her head but look up a moment later to see Monet giving her a winning smile.

After the gig, Monet pulled her aside to the bar. They chatted for a bit, normal things, the future, Nina possibly going on AllStars, gossip they had learned from other queens.

It was a safe conversation. Safe and normal and not at all tinged with sexual tension.

Monet was three drinks in when she offered to show Nina the dress she was making. Nina, having been five drinks in, nodded a bit jerkily.

Nina thought they were just going back to the dressing room, but when she found herself on the street corner with Monet pulling her into an Uber, she realized her mistake.

Monet lead her by the hand to the elevator and up the six floors to her hotel room.

The dress was beautiful, but Nina hardly got a chance to look at it because she was being kissed within an inch of her life.

Monet pulled back when Nina didn’t immediately reciprocate. “Sorry, fuck I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

“No. Keep doing it, sorry I was-”

“No, we shouldn’t- I’m drunk, and I don’t want to pressure you- I just.” Monet sighed. “I thought I was picking up something… I’m stupid. You can leave if you want.”

Nina took Monet’s hands that were hiding her face. “No, hey… I’m supposed to be the nervous wreck here, okay?”

Monet looked up at Nina.

“I want to stay. We don’t have to… do anything, but I want to stay.” Nina looked at her seriously. “If you want me to, that is.” Nina added quickly.

Monet smiled a bit at Nina’s nervousness. “Okay then, Miss Nina West.” Monet stepped back a bit and held one of Nina’s hands to her chest. ‘Would you do me the honor of staying the night, and cuddling until the sun comes up, or until one or both of us has to wake up at an ungodly hour and catch a flight?”

Nina giggled, she felt like a thirteen-year-old with a crush. She didn’t mind the feeling. “Lead the way.” She teased back.

They curled up in bed and Nina tried not to think that they fit together like puzzle pieces, but they did.

When Nina went to plug her phone in, she closed the safari tab.

The real thing was much better than any fiction could ever hope to capture.

[kittymaverick]

MCF Moths to a Flame commentary part 2...

I really heavily underestimated how much jumping I was gonna do watching the gameplay alone... So, Eipex, good job on making me scared for the MD’s life... MD: LEMME OUT. If this weren’t so entertaining, I would honestly be screaming the same still...

1. Pazu: I remember these people Who doesn’t? MD: I wish I don’t! 2. Oh, THEY MOVED THE ENTIRE DOOR HERE??? MD: ...Okay, next time, I’m not just bringing a lighter. I’m bringing lighter, and gasoline, and kerosene, and napalm, AND A TONNE OF TNT JUST TO BE SURE NOTHING OF THAT MANOR EVER SURVIVES AGAIN. 3. MD: this room, it’s like all the Ravenhearst cases in one-- I’m gonna go pass out in the corner. Eipex, when I asked for Ravenhearst, I don’t think I meant like... give the MD a full room of it... Or maybe I did... MD: I knew this case was bad before we started whyyyyyyyyy did I come whyyyyyyyyyyy *sobbing* 4. There’s even a shrine-- wait, why does Gwen’s nest have... eggs... MD, which one of the twins was it that survived? MD: Um, let me check your posts... Okay, apparently, it was Charlotte. ...Are we absolutely, 100%ly, without any doubt whatsoever, certainty beyond all reasonable speculations that Gwen LEGIT DIED WHEN ALISTAIR STABBED HER? MD: ...Look, I checked her body, OKAY? RANSACKED IT EVEN. THE DALIMARS DON’T EXACTLY STAY DEAD THOUGH IF YOU HAVEN’T EXACTLY NOTICED. (Meanwhile, probably elsewhere in this museum, maybe... Dalimars: The Master Detective sure likes arguing with themselves nowadays... they’re never going to get to the end of this game at this rate...) 5. MD: I probably shouldn’t go into a fireplace that just showed up, but... I’m too curious-- Oh, good to know you’re just like a cat like me! Which life are you on now? MD: ...Considering Ankou gave me the feather, negative 2? 6. Complex puzzles actually seem doable and logical this time! Though it is hella creepy. 7. “All the cases are too easy! I’m gonna look into some of the Master Detective cases next. Maybe there’ll be a challenge in there.“ MD: I’m second hand embarrassed about this man’s ego. And other than the security breach your agency has, can I say... Your cases don’t so much have challenges in them as so much as loose ends that never tie up... MD: Look, I REALLY try with the fire, okay??? 8. Shoot all the evil ducks. If you shoot a wrong one, you’ll have to start again! MD: THIS IS THE NEW WHACK-A-TROLL I SWEAR. Pazu: I got this. *100% it* MD: See, in the hands of a good player, I still got it. ...First, how dare you diss me. Second, You do realize your adversary now know your shooting skills, right? MD: Shut up and let me have my small victories will you? 9. Hm, Raven badge, crystal badge... wonder if the last one is going to be death badge.... MD: If the Dalimars and that Scottish guy teamed up, I’m as good as dead... 10. ...is that... is that? MD: ...ISIS??? PLEASE LET US KEEP HER AS A PET. MD: Wait, HOW DID YOU GET CAUGHT? YOU’RE BASICALLY A GHOST CAT. Isis: *innocent kitty eyes* 11. Gargoyle chest with... Madame Fate’s Crystal Ball. MD: Please tell me that’s not the real thing because if it is, I’m breaking it right here and now. I think the pieces are under lock and key because they have Charles’ soul fragments in them right now, right? MD: EXACTLY MY POINT. 12. Video guy assumes you’re a guy. MD: I’m glad as least one part of my identity has been kept secret more than anything else... (Note: MD’s voice acting in this game suggests they are feminine) 13. And the final badge is revealed to be... the cog badge? Wha? (Even Pazu is confused lol.) ((I also just realized, we’re still in the Beta segment of the videos...I’m gonna cry in act 2 and 3, aren’t I?)) 14. MD: Should I be scared or honored that someone made rooms out of my old cases? Do you really want me to answer the obvious? MD: ...Okay, VERY SCARED. FREAKED OUT SCARED. ...BUT THEN YOU KEEP ON DOING THOSE PUZZLES. MD: I CAN’T HELP IT OKAY IT’S MY OCCUPATIONAL HABIT AT THIS POINT. 15. Cheating with weights on the hammer, MD? MD: Look, I walk around a lot solving cases, but that doesn’t exactly leave me time to work out, okay? 16. Oh, so MAC... was constructed by this guy-- MD: ARE YOU SAYING MY BADGE LITERALLY BETRAYED ME??? Well... MD: I CAN’T BELIEVE IT I CAN’T EVEN TRUST MY BADGE IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE. WHERE IS THE NEAREST CLIFF I’M GONNA YEET MYSELF OFF OF IT. (...I did say they were gonna give us a companion cube just to take it away, didn’t I?...) 17. MD, considering how well you know the queen... um, why didn’t you check before coming here whether it was fake or not? MD: ... Well? MD: Look, UK’s going through Brexit right now okay, I don’t think she wants to be disturbed when her country is in a crisis. 18. Okay, past the spire staircases! And behind door number three is-- OH NO. MD: OH THANK GOD THEY ARE ALIVE. NO THAT’S NOT GOOD WE HAVE HOSTAGES. REPEAT WE HAVE HOSTAGES! 19. Chloe: Thanks for freeing me-- MD: Okay, can I first say, how could you fall for this? Um, pot calling the kettle black here? MD: ...OKAY OKAY I’LL RESCUE YOU THREE THEN WE’LL REEVALUATE OUR METHODS, TOGETHER. Aiden: Make that Archivist pay for what he did to us! Blake: ...No pressure? MD: *sobbing* 20. MD: OKAY I GOT EVERYTHING, AND THIS IS... an apprentice badge? Archivist: Yo. Wassup? *Springs trap* MD: I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT WE KNEW IT WE KNEW IT WE KNEW IT Other detectives: Um, oops, sorry? Archivist: Really, though, how could you fall for that? And you call yourself a Master-- MD: I AM GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE AND HURT YOU SO BAD YOU WILL WISH YOU WERE DUMBER. Archivist: Um... that wasn’t... on the script-- Me and MD: SHUT UP WE HAVE A LOT OF FRUSTRATIONS AND PARANOIA BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS TO VENT OKAY. MD: And YOU just happen to be on the receiving end of it. Archivist: *drops trap several stories down* MD: DAMN YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-- [Here endith the Beta section!] 21. Hey, we awake? MD: Yeah... awake, ish. OW. Need, to, break, out, somehow. How convenient this guy left sharp objects in the cabinet here for us to use... MD: ...How did the glass not break from the fall? ...Hey, I’m supposed to be playing captain obvious here, not you! MD: Oh right, sorry. Anyway, to vandalism! 22. Archivist: You’re sloppy, aren’t you? MD: Says the guy who left sharp objects for me to break out of here with. Probably because he WANTS you to break out. Archivist: Remember Broken Hours, detective? Tick tock-- MD: I can’t believe I preferred the Dalimars as the villains. Me neither. At least they had some competence in their madness, minus Victor. 23. Blake: Take this Detective! Quick, I’m almost out of time-- OKAY WE ACTUALLY HAVE A HOSTAGE SITUATION HURRY UP! MD: If we take back the incompetence comment, will you give us more time? Archivist: No, of course not. MD: I thought so, you incompetent bastard. Archivist: You little...! Um, PUZZLES AND LIVES TO SAVE PLEASE??? 24. MD: Solving books puzzles gives me more books? Really now, that’s real creative-- Um... is that what I think it is? MD: It’s... It’s nitroglycerin. I’m... I’m so moved. Finally someone understands me. *sobs* Might I remind you this guy has your colleagues HOSTAGE??? 25. There are literally so many references to past games that I’m like overwhelmed with joy. MD: And I’m overwhelmed with HORROR. 26. Pazu: He’s going to get squashed. THAT’S WHAT I’M SAYING. MD: Nah, he’s gonna be fine. I hope. I wish. I mean, I usually turn out fine, right? Right??? ...I’m starting to think your agency is so broke because of all the health bills you guys need to get reimbursed afterwards. 27. Archivist: You fall into my traps again and again-- Let’s be honest, that’s just an MD thing, okay? The rest of the MCF crew-- well, actually... Okay, you know what MD, the Archivist is kind of right here. It’s like you guys are literally DRAWN to traps. MD: I’m sorry for being a bad role model and starting the trend? 28. Huh, this room, looks REALLY familiar. MD: I GET IT. THIS GUY, HE’S A COPYCAT. LITERALLY NONE OF HIS THINGS ORIGINATE FROM HIM. HE’S BEEN STEALING THEM FROM EVERYWHERE AND FRANKENSTEINING THEM TOGETHER. It’s almost kind of impressive in a very disturbing way... 29. MD: Oh hey, Parker, coming with? ...I think the reason why you didn’t get a partner for this mission now is because... they all got kidnapped. MD: Yeah, I’m starting to see that now. We REALLY need better security... 30. MD: Found the center of the mechanism! Now to stop it-- WAIT, THINK, THIS IS A TRAP? MD: Gosh I hate that I have to do that for everything now... 31. Pazu: what is this obsession with badges? Someone clearly didn’t get one and is salty. MD: Gods, all four of us agents are going to need new badges after this, aren’t we. Oh gods that’s gonna come out of our pay too, I’m sure... Speaking of badges, look! You get an agent badge! MD: Can’t believe I’m saying this but I really, really, really, much prefer solving the case involving STAIN as well as about the Hope Diamond to get my qualifications than this... massive puzzle tower... Wasn’t Huntsville how you got start on the whole MD path to begin with? And solving the Hope Diamond got the queen asking you to go to Ravenhearst? MD: ...*sighs* yes, this is a trip down memory lane in the worst way possible, I swear... 32. Um, someone’s calling. You gonna pick up? MD: You know, the least you could do is fix broken things after bringing them over, Archivist? Archivist: But if I did that, where’s the SURPRISE? MD: The last group of people that tried to surprise me got their asses kicked, you know. 33. MD: Draining people of their mind force, huh? I believe the Dalimars have officially been outranked on delusions of grandeur. If this note doesn’t scream trap, I don’t know WHAT does. MD: Honestly, considering how dumbly I fall into traps... I’ll like to see the guy try to drain my brain and see what he gets out of it. 34. Is that... THE PATH TO RAVENHEARST MANOR REPLICATED INDOORS? MD: I’m both impressed, and also feeling Charles’ jealousy emitting from whereever he is sealed. Let’s just hope this guy doesn’t propose at the end too. You have all of our blessings to defenestrate him if he does. 35. Awwww he didn’t have time to finish the rest of the manor. Only got up to the gate. MD: It’s like watching someone give up half way on their ambitious project. HEY GUY, AT LEAST ALISTER AND CHARLES FINISHED THEIR PROJECTS. DID YOU? Archivist: Did they build traps like these? *Trap Chloe* MD: ....You are rising up my shit list with record speed and that doesn’t happen often. ALSO CHLOE SERIOUSLY! 36. Archivist: Too bad for your companion, she paid the price. MD: ...I KNEW I should have kept some of that nitroglycerin! Oh hey look he even has a cable car ride for you! Don’t think we’ve seen that since Return or Escape from Ravenhearst? Archivist: If you want to get to the end of the ride, take a seat, NOW. MD: Oh I’ll seat, but only because I WANT TO. Also, your chair aren’t even replicas. 37. MD: Okay the box now... let’s open it-- Oh come ON! IT’S WHACK-A-TROLL!!!!!!! 8D MD: *Smash emergency exit button* Now ladies and gentlemen, please exit the ride into the next insane area. We hope you’ve enjoy the trip BECAUSE I SURE HAVE NOT-- Really? AN AMUSEMENT PARK NEXT? You did say you weren’t having fun... 38. Aiden: HEEEEEELP! MD: ...as much as I feel sorry for the old guy, I’m also glad I’m not the one stuck in that rocket ride... 40. Oh hey, it’s whack-a... detective. AND IT’S MORE FRUSTRATING THAN WHACK-A-TROLL. REALLY EIPEX? REALLY??? MD: ...Can’t believe this, but now, I miss Whack-a-troll. 41. Archivist: Can’t believe you made it this far without realizing I was one of the missing people? MD: ... Actually... Me: That makes sense, like, I was expecting it, honestly. There WERE four missing posters and we only found three. I was wondering WHEN that was going to come up. MD: See, some of the players don’t go through 19 cases and NOT develop SOME sense of paranoia that you’re going to be betrayed. 42. Archivist: Why don’t you step through the door to claim your prize? Me: How about, no? MD: No here as well. Aiden: Also no here. LET ME GO THROUGH INSTEAD! Archivist: WAIT NO THAT’S NOT HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO GO-- Me: ...Aaaand we’re out of the illusion. I KNEW IT! WHEN EVERYTHING WENT MISTY I KNEW SOMETHING WENT WRONG! MD: Okay, instead of celebrating you seeing this coming HOW ABOUT YOU GET ME OUT OF THIS CONTRAPTION THANK YOU. 43. Hey, you got your badge back. MD: I know. And it’s stabby. MD: I KNOW. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? MD: IT’S VANDALISM TIME! 44. Chloe: Hello? Anyone there? Blake: Um, same here? Aiden: AHA! Knew there was something fishy. MD: Okay, since we’re all awake, let’s do what we Master Detectives are great at doing. MDs: solving freakishly complicated puzzle panels. *sighs collectively* 45. Archivist: TOO MUCH BRAIN POWER! NOOOOO *Poofs* MD: THAT’S WHAT YOU GET FOR PLAYING GAMES WITH US-- Um, who, is, that? Basically everyone who remembers the sole survivor of the Dalimars: CHARLOTTE! [To be continue!]

[wtfzodiacsigns]

Sh*t for the signs to work on

Aries: Get. Your. Sh*t. Together. Your such a mess at times, like really, you’ll start so many projects and overflow with ideas, but learn to finish something for once, will ya? And stop trying to be the leader of everything, learn to work in a group, you’re not going to lead everything in your life, and you won’t alway be in control, and honey, you’ve gotta learn to accept it, the faster you start, the easier it will get over time. And believe me, you’ll get so many other opportunities and times to lead, but when you’re not in charge, learn to sit back, be part of the group. Stop holding yourself above others, you’re not the queen, you’re no better than anyone else, so stop acting like it. Also, there’s a line between confident with yourself, and being self obsessed or conceited, so stop, love yourself but don’t act like you’re the queen, not everyone has to obey your every order and drool over you. And on that note, stop assuming everyone wants you, news flash, they probably don’t you’re not the center of the universe so stop acting like it. Stop being so headstrong, listen to other people’s thoughts or opinions and don’t just shut everything out and be stuck on your own thought. It’s infuriating to others, and I’m sure you don’t enjoy when someone else is like that. Also learn to be patient, not everything in life will come in a snap, learn to wait for things.

Taurus: Stop being so stubborn. The first thing you’d expect to read when your talking about a Taurus’s negative traits. But seriously, stop having your mind set on one thing, listen to other people’s ideas and arguments. I can assure you, once you stop having your mind so set on one thing, people will enjoy hanging around you more. Learn to be open. If you want people to listen to you, then you sure as hell better listen to them. Also stop being so materialistic, there’s a lot more to life than possessions. Have you maybe thought about friendships or a life? I can tell you for certain that you won’t perish if you don’t get that new piece of Hayley Kiyoko merch. And stop worrying so much about your appearance, that’s not all that matters, have you maybe thought about just focusing on your personality, because I know I’d rather be friends with someone non attractive with a wonderful personality, than a supermodel with a shit personality. And with how you tend to act sometimes without thinking, potentially ruining relationships of any kind, maybe you should think about improve it. Lastly, you don’t rule the world, or anyone but yourself. So stop acting like everyone is obliged to listen to you, and don’t think everyone wants to. Everyone is they’re own person, and you have no right to try and take away their freedom, because you sure as hell wouldn’t enjoy having them taking away yours.

Gemini: Stick to shit in your life and stop giving up so easily. Stop changing your mind so much about every little thing, once you decide something how about you fucking stick to it. Do you honestly think you’ll ever be able to accomplish anything if you keep abandoning everything so quick? If you get bored of something just look into the aspects of it deeply, find something about whatever it is that you enjoy, and work on that. You can’t just keep giving up, just thought through things sometimes or just try your hardest to find something interesting, because no one is going to do all the work in your life for you. But at the same time, don’t shut people and take on all the work yourself. Learn to actually let people help you, you’d be surprised that people other than yourself can actually do things correctly. Spoilers: YOUR NOT THE ONLY ONE.  And stop focusing on all the physical aspects of yourself and others, does a Nyx or Mac lippie really tell you who a person actually is? What’s inside matters a whole fuck ton more than your appearance. So stop avoiding people just because you don’t like how they dress, or how they look. Open your eyes and don’t look just at the outer appearance of everything and everyone, and start thinking about what’s inside. (And I don’t fucking mean organs and shit.)

Cancer: Stop being so rude and moody, learn to lighten up about things. No one appreciates being around if all they have to deal with is your sour mood and attitude. Try not to let everything affect you so much. If someone has a sour comment about you, try to not think about it or let it affect you, though I won’t discourage that you send one right back at them. And stop being so down about everything, life isn’t out to get you. You don’t have to be so pessimistic about everything. Just hope for the best and try your hardest, you’d only win at something if you learned to belive in yourself, you can actually succeed at things in life if you put your mind to it and think you can do it, because hun, I know you can.  Also stop being so clingy when you’re in relationships. If someone actually loves you they won’t cheat on you, so stop getting so worried. If you want your partner to give you some space and freedom, you sure as hell better do the same for them. Learn to let go of things close to heart, whether it be people, possessions, or anything super close to them. Also stop being so scared about everything, everyone’s not trying to hurt you in life, so just relax and stop being so worried about everything. Stop doubting everyone in everything they do. And for fucks sake, stop taking every little thing to heart, stop being so emotional about every little thing. You need to learn how to have tougher skin and not let every little thing break you.

Leo: Just like an Aries, you are stupidly fucking headstrong. So it boggles me why you two can still be so compatible. Stop being so stubborn about every little thing, let other people change your mind from time to time because I’m sure they might have a better idea than you. You’re not the only one with a brain, so stop acting like it. You’re not the center of the universe, accept that. Your ego is fucking insane. You think you’re always right and no matter what anyone says, they can’t convince you otherwise. Do you know how fucking annoying that is? If you keep acting that way and not let anyone change your mind from time to time, then you’ll find you have no one that can stand you soon. And stop being so possessive of people, and don’t assume that everyone wants to follow behind you. Some like to follow and some like to lead, yes you may be on the leader spectrum of that, but learn that you can’t be the only one, or you’ll encounter a lot of conflict. Learn to just sit back sometimes, you’re not always going to be able to be in control of things. Stop being so impatient as well, you expect everything to happen so soon. But just lean back and enjoy things one step at a time. Stop worrying so much about deadlines and dates. And for fucks sake, stop being so self centered and think before you speak or act, didn’t you ever think about another person’s emotions other than your own?

Virgo: Stop being so overly critical about every little flaw in every little thing. You make everything seem like a production even though it could be something as simple as cleaning the kitchen. You have such a clear picture of how everything should be in your mind, but you need to learn  that not everything will always be perfect and you shouldn’t try to force it to be. And for fucks sake, your not always right, stop acting like you know best, everyone knows what’s best for themselves, but yet you think think you know them better. Stop. It’s frustrating, no one enjoys being bossed around. And I know you usually just want the best for people, but they’ll ask if they need help, so don’t just force it on them. And learn to think about people’s feelings a bit more. I know sometimes you have to say the complete truth, but it wouldn’t hurt to sugarcoat things from time to time, or at least throw in a couple strengths before you go straight for a flaw. And stop setting your standards so high, and when people don’t meet them completely, stop making such a fuss. People can try to impress you with all their heart, but you just put them down because you feel it wasn’t extravagant enough. Thats bullshit. And stop being so fucking conservative, give things a chance, sorry but there’s no reason for you to be stuck in 1960 while everyone else around you in modern day.

Libra: You easily get carried away by outer beauty, to the extent that you may ignore the beautiful inner qualities of other people. This can be extremely fucking problematic in most cases. Like imagine how many good relationships you’d be missing out on just because you’re only thinking of someone’s outer appearance rather than the great personality they might have. One of the most difficult things for a Libra is to make a decision. When faced with a choice, it is very tough for you to select what is best for them, which can become a big hurdle in their path. If you need help with big decisions in life, don’t be afraid to ask other people for help. I’m sure a friend would be more than happy to help you out. Just don’t rely on people for every little thing. Because you have a strong desire for material comforts, you may tend to waste a lot of money in unnecessary luxuries. I know you don’t need that Gucci purse. Libra are firm and strong, but they can also be detached and pretend to be happy sometimes as they don’t wish to displease anyone. Stop being so worried over what others think. You can easily be influenced by the views of other people and are prone to keep changing their minds. Remember, don’t focus so much on what other people think, and focus on what YOU want.

Scorpio: You tend to be extremely possessive and jealous. And the jealousy more often than not disturbs your relationships and affects their peace of mind. Stop focusing so much on what other people have and learn to appreciate everything that you have. Someone may have some really expensive computer, and you might think that they’re super lucky that they have it. But then think about everything that you have in your life, they most likely don’t have that best friend of yours, or someone close to you. Life isn’t about the materialistics. You find it extremely difficult to trust people and are therefore very secretive. You will not let people easily know what’s going on in their mind or life. While it is sometimes pretty useful to let people help you out sometimes. You are very sensitive and can get hurt easily by negative treatment and comments. So, you often will try to get even with those who dared to insult or harm them. Just fucking accept that people are like that sometimes, you don’t have to stoop to their level. Manipulative and domineering as you are, Scorpio have a knack of getting things done their way. Although they are sensitive and considerate, they can become extremely ruthless especially when they are supposed to take tough/ firm decisions, and so no emotions can delay them.

Sagittarius: You are prone to taking things for granted, and taking unnecessary risks. Your careless approach to life attracts criticism from everyone. Maybe try to fucking think before you act so you don’t end up in some deep shit. Your honesty can sometimes be too brutal, which hurts others. A lesson on how to speak tactfully can help you a great deal. Maybe try sugarcoating things just a little. Maybe give a couple compliments or good bits of news before you point out a flaw or give bad news. The people born under this Sign are prone to be restless and can push things too far, especially when your energy is not channelised properly. Outer looks mean a lot to them. This can be extremely fucking problematic in most cases. Like imagine how many good relationships you’d be missing out on just because you’re only thinking of someone’s outer appearance rather than the great personality they might have. You don’t have enough patience or inclination to look below the surface to see the actual substance. Your interest in things can be short-lived, and keeps fluctuating. Thus you end up being less efficient than you can be. You find it extremely difficult to deliver consistent performance. The Sagittarius can be over-confident. You tend to believe that they can do no wrong, and thus actually end up making many mistakes.

Capricorn: You are prone to becoming pessimistic because you find it difficult to go against the odds. Just hope for the best and try your hardest, you’d only win at something if you learned to belive in yourself, you can actually succeed at things in life if you put your mind to it and think you can do it, because hun, I know you can. But still no matter how much you achieve, you always think of yourself as a underachiever. Seriously learn to give yourself a little credit from time to time. Especially if you’ve put in a good amount of work to whatever it is. Capricorn have a strong feeling that their decisions and methods are perfect, and will rarely change their views. But you should always consider what other people think. You are good at communications but are fundamentally shy and normally take your own sweet time to open up to the best of friends. You are very conscious of how events will affect you, and this preoccupation with yourself make people think they are selfish. Capricorn can be very detached people who will not get close to others beyond a certain point. Emotional involvement doesn’t come easily to you. You can be witty and funny at one moment and grumpy at the very next. These mood swings can make you behave irresponsibly which can ruin things. No one appreciates being around if all they have to deal with is your sour mood and attitude. Try not to let everything affect you so much.

Aquarius: As ironic as it sounds, you're literally the definition of hipster. You’ll be in love with something for so long, but as soon as it’s popularity rises, you say you absolutely despise it. It is very difficult to predict what you will do next. You dislike monotony, and will never follow a fixed behavioural pattern. Maybe try sticking to one damn thing from time to time. Stop changing everything around so often. Your philosophy in life is to live and let live, and you will not let anyone get close to your heart beyond a point. You are scared of losing your freedom. Just try to talk to people about that, state how you need your freedom, don’t be silent about it or just tough through it. Be vocal of your opinions. Although you are good at listening, it is very difficult to make the you change your pattern of thinking. Maybe try listening to what other have to say because who knows, maybe they’re right or have some good ideas. Stop acting like your the only one who actually has a brain. You tend to cut yourself off from others whenever you wish, and become distant. Thus, you can miss out on some good opportunities. There seems to be no middle path for the you. It is always all or nothing for you. This is the reason why people in your circle think of you as an extremist.

Pisces: You tend to be an escapist. When things go wrong, you blame it on their bad luck or something else and avoid dealing with it fair and square. You seriously need to learn to just deal with things yourself, You can’t just rely on everyone else to help you. It’s not bad to ask for help from time to time, but if for every little thing you rely on others, it’s annoying and unnecessary. Learn to take control by yourself, you can go running back to people everyday for help. You get hurt and demoralised very easily, and you’ll be an emotional wreck from every little thing. Learn to get a little tougher skin, don’t take every little thing to heart. Especially if someone says it in more of a joke context. Not everyone’s out to get you even though it may seem that way to you. Even with all the talent and resources you possess, your low self-esteem becomes a hindrance in your path. You take everything to heart and become emotional in the extremes. If things don’t turn out as per your expectations, you can lose the motivation to carry on. You tend to look at the negative side more than the positive side of things. While looking at that negative side of things, try to pick out things to improve on, but be sure to find thoses you’ve done well, give yourself a treat or a pat on the back for them. Try to find things that interest you out of whatever you’re working on and focus on them for a while. You can be very lazy about things that don’t matter to you. Your enthusiasm and energy levels last only for a short time.

Source: missasstrological

[amyscascadingtabs]

rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky

It’s the perfect little getaway, exactly what they needed. It would be even better if she could only stop thinking.

“So, tell me.” Jake holds her hand over the table, forcing her back to reality. “Five top moments for us 2019, go. Countdown-stylez.”

Three different New Year's Eves, as celebrated by Jake and Amy (and Mac).

read on ao3 💕

december 31st, 2019.

The hotel guests checking in before Jake and Amy are a family. A little girl with blonde hair, maybe four or five years old, is carrying her own pink backpack and making up dance steps around her father’s feet as he goes through the information with the receptionist, and an even younger boy is hiding behind his mother’s legs as he watches the people in the lobby with wide eyes. Looking up, Amy realizes that the mother’s open coat is revealing a baby bump, too. She’d put her at six, maybe seven months pregnant. Three kids. Amy feels a pang of jealousy.

Even with the observation skills of an experienced detective, it shocks her how good she’s become at picking out families and pregnant women in any crowd. It’s an interesting talent, but measured against the pain it causes her, Amy wouldn’t call it a very useful one. She notices Jake looking at the kids as well, a daydreaming look on his face, and somehow, that makes her pain worse.

The idea behind going away to a hotel upstate for New Year’s was so they could get away from the stress for a moment; go somewhere else, rest and relax, forget about the pregnancy master calendar they’ve stared themselves blind at for a few days. Amy didn’t realize how impossible it would be to get away from all the other reminders.

She draws a breath of relief when the family in front of them gets the keys to their room, the little girl running first towards the elevator and her brother laughing as he chases after.

“Cute kids,” Jake whispers, watching them longingly.

“Yeah.” Amy tries not to think about the negative pregnancy test she threw away in the bathroom trashcan before they left. “Really cute.”

//

“I’m excited you said we could drink tonight.” Jake toasts his White Russian with her glass of Sauvignon. “It’s been a while.”

“I know, “ Amy feels the guilt wash over her. “Well, it’s not New Year’s Eve every day. I think we’ve earned it.” And I already took a negative test, she thinks.

“We sure have.” He gives her a closer look, pressing his lips together like he always does when he’s worried about her. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Just tired,” she says. It’s not technically a lie. “I didn’t sleep that well last night.”

“Lucky we have a huge hotel bed to help with that tonight, then. Seriously, this place rocks.”

Amy’s prepared to agree on that part – she did her research the moment it stood clear they would both get New Year’s Eve off. After getting their room, they’ve spent the evening getting massages in the hotel spa, dining at the surprisingly nice restaurant, and now they’re admiring the view from the bar on the top floor, waiting for the fireworks. It’s the perfect little getaway, exactly what they needed. It would be even better if she could only stop thinking.

“So, tell me.” Jake holds her hand over the table, forcing her back to reality. “Five top moments for us 2019, go. Countdown-stylez.”

“Number five!” She rolls the r and holds on the i, earning herself an amused look from the older couple next to them. “Okay, I’m going to go with… that date you took me on for my birthday. I can’t believe you got into the puzzle bar this time!”

“I might have convinced the guard to let me in because it was your birthday, but still a good one. Number fooo-uur… the Cinco de Mayo-heist. God, that was fun, even if the tasing hurt like a bitch.”

“Agreed. Number three – when Holt finally invited us to that dinner party and I almost didn’t lose my cool once.”

“You keep telling yourself that, babe. Number two… the Jake way. Seriously, I still think we should try that again. It was awesome.”

“It was, but also way inappropriate,” she reminds him, but he just shrugs. “Number one, then.”

“I know which one is mine, but you go first.”

Amy swallows, then sighs. “Mine is after the manhunt. When we decided to start trying. That’s still my favorite moment.”

“Mine, too.” Jake looks her in the eyes, and she knows the bittersweet feeling is shared. “It’s going to happen, Ames. I know it. Maybe this month’s the one.”

Amy doesn’t have the strength to correct him, tell him she’s already taken an early test and that she’s lacking any confidence there’s going to be a second line when she tests again in a couple of days. Luckily, she doesn’t have to, because right then, the fireworks that have been going off a few at a time in the distance begin to multiply as the countdown starts.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…

Amy leans forward so she can be kissing him already when the new year begins.

Three, two, one… happy new year!

The crowd around them erupts into cheers as the sky glows with colorful explosions when burning bits of metal lighting up the darkness outside. Jake kisses her deeper, seeming to forget that there are people around with a bit of alcohol in his system and his hands cupping her face. For a moment, Amy lets herself just be happy.

~

december 31st, 2020.

The instant Amy closes her eyes for the more-than-well-deserved nap Jake told her to take while he made dinner, Mac begins to cry from his crib again.

“McClane, please,” Amy pleads, as if reasoning with her two-month-old would solve his discontent. “You can't seriously be hungry again, that’s insane.”

She tries with the pacifier first, checking his diaper, even standing up and walking around with him for a bit to eliminate anything else, but Mac is still clenching his fists and only looking even more furious with her, so Amy gives in. She sits down with him again, unhooks one side of the bra and lets him find his grip, exhaling when the peaceful suckles begin and the desperate crying finally ceases. She swears it looks like her son is side-eyeing her for taking too long, but to her defense, she fed him for a good forty-five minutes only a little over an hour ago and it's exhausting being used like a human pacifier. Growth spurt, Camila Santiago said when Amy called her in tears yesterday, and the problem-shooting section in the 0-3 months baby-binder had agreed. Amy would argue that sounds way too innocent for something which is turning her otherwise happy and smiley baby into a constantly hungry and crying mini-monster who won't close his eyes for more than twenty minutes at a time.

There's a soft knock on the door after a few minutes, and Jake peeks in. He’s wearing his fancy kitchen apron, which Charles gave him for Christmas with the comment that there’s nothing sexier than a dad who can cook. It hasn’t magically improved his cooking skills, but Amy’s willing to admit that it does look good on him.

“You guys doing okay?”

“He is, for now. I’m going crazy. How’s our dinner going?”

“Well, I haven’t burnt it yet, but there’s still time,” he grimaces, sitting down at the foot of the bed. “Do you need anything, babe?”

“Sleep, but that’s not going to happen.” Amy rubs her eyes. “It’s fine. He’s got to fall asleep at some point, though, this is nuts.”

“Don’t challenge him, he’s breaking records,” Jake says, leaning forward to tickle Mac’s feet. Mac reacts by kicking at the boob he’s not currently feeding from, making Amy curse. “Oops, sorry. Anyway, I’m sure he will fall asleep at some point, and we can have a nice, calm New Year’s dinner. I mean, he has to be exhausted, right?”

“God, I hope so. I’m starving.” She can see Mac’s eyelids getting heavy, but every time she thinks they’re about to fall closed, it’s like he twitches and stares at her, wide awake. “He’s lucky he’s cute.”

Jake grins. “Lucky indeed.”

Mac starts pulling away at that moment, a little bit of milk still dribbling from his cheeks. Amy reaches for one of the muslin blankets that’s never more than a few feet away in their home nowadays, lifting him so he’s upright against her shoulder and patting him on the back. She expects a burp, but instead, she gets an unpleasant surprise when he spits up, managing to get sour baby puke down her back and in her already greasy hair. She groans, giving Jake an exhausted look when she sees him stifling a chuckle.

“Hey, I’ll take him. You go take a shower and I’ll put him in the BabyBjörn. Maybe that will do it.”

“That’s the hottest thing you’ve ever said,” Amy mumbles, and she’s not entirely kidding.

She makes the shower as long as she possibly can. Most days, she has to shower with Mac in the baby bouncer on the bathroom floor, so even the chance to be alone in the bathroom for more than five minutes feels like a luxury. She lets the shampoo really lather and the conditioner take its time to sink in, trying to massage the knots in her neck and shoulders under the hot water. She can hear Mac still fussing from the kitchen, and it makes her feel guilty even though he’s barely left her arms today.

“He’s fine,” she whispers to herself like a mantra. “He’s fine. Jake can handle it. He’s perfectly fine. Everything’s okay. You deserve this.”

She still skips the make-up and nicer clothes she had been planning to put on, throwing on a pair of maternity leggings and one of Jake’s old hoodies instead.

The dinner looks fantastic, some sort of chicken baked in the oven with rice and a lemon sauce, and Amy’s actually impressed. She imagines it would have been even nicer if she could have eaten it warm and together with Jake, but they only make it through toasting in orange soda and the first two bites before Mac wakes up from his ten-minute-nap, wailing as if he truly believed he’d just been abandoned. They end up having to take turns eating and walking laps around the living room with him, because he starts crying again if they stop moving for a second or as much as make an attempt to put him down. Amy is suddenly relieved they said no to her brother Tony’s New Year’s party-invite.

She can barely believe it when after what feels like the fiftieth or so feed of the day, Mac falls asleep. Curled up like a little frog on her chest and letting out the cutest of baby snores, he finally seems to relax, and Amy doesn’t even dare to breathe too sharply for the first ten minutes. Eventually, though, once it seems like he’s not going to wake up from the slightest movement or a raised voice anymore, Jake tucks them both in under a blanket and gets the Ben and Jerry’s from the freezer and orange soda from the fridge. Then he gets another blanket for himself, and they snuggle up together in the corner of the sofa in front of the tv. From live footage at Times Square, Amy can see crowds of people waiting for the ball to drop.

“Wishing you were there?” Jake winks, but she just laughs.

“Are you kidding? Cold, crowded, and you can never even get a good view. This is better in every way.” She strokes her thumb over Mac’s dark hair. “I have this one and you. That’s all I need. And ice cream,” she adds, digging out a piece of cookie dough from the tub.

“You’re right, it’s pretty damn close to perfection. Top five moments of 2020?”

Amy shakes her head, pointing to Mac. “No point. They’re all about him, anyway, and they’re all too good to compare.”

“True that.” Jake shakes his head. “Hey, isn’t it crazy that although he’s been kind of a nightmare today, I’ve already forgiven him?”

“No, it makes perfect sense, because I’ve almost wanted to give him away several times and now I can’t even remember why.”

“Having a baby makes us kind of crazy, huh?”

“Oh, absolutely. I wouldn’t change it for the world, though.”

“Me neither. Not even if I was offered a role in the next Die Hard-movie and Taylor Swift did the soundtrack.”

“That’s pretty big,” Amy laughs, leaning in for a quick kiss. “Would Taylor Swift do the soundtrack for Die Hard, though? Realistically speaking?”

“It’s a daydream, Ames!”

She has no time for a comeback, though, because right then, the countdown starts on the tv and Jake raises the volume a few bars so they can hear.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…

p;

“New Year’s kiss,” Amy says, holding Mac up slightly so they can both reach him.

Three, two, one… happy new year!

They both smother his cheeks with kisses at the same time as the fireworks explode over the sky in the distance outside their windows and the crowd begins to cheer on tv. Mac doesn’t even flinch, completely oblivious to the celebrations going on outside. Amy sighs.

“How can he magically sleep through all of this, but wake up the second I put him down in his crib at night?”

Jake shrugs. “Babies, man.”

~

december 31st, 2021.

Amy has only started to take off Mac’s winter overall before he starts trying to flee, kicking wildly with his boots and pointing towards the kitchen where he’s already spotted Rosa. Jake notices her struggle and is quick to help her, and the instant the toddler is free, he hurries off towards his best friend.

“Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo!”

“Mac! Hey, happy new year, man!” Before Amy can even take off her own jacket, Mac is already in Rosa’s arms and babbling excitedly as he plays with her gold necklace. Amy wonders how much of what Mac’s saying actually makes sense to Rosa, but she’s nodding and smiling and seems to have abandoned whoever she was previously talking to in favor of the one-year-old.

“Jake. Amy.” Kevin appears to take their coats, shaking their hands. “Welcome. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres are in the living room, and I see your small child has made himself at home.”

“He found Rosa, yep.” Jake grins. “And he has a name.”

“Ah, yes… McClane.” Kevin nods. “Very well. I have to go check on… the kitchen. Enjoy your evening.”

  “He’s never going to like me,” Jake whispers to Amy the moment he’s left.

“Well, I think we both might have lost a few points with the name choice, babe.”

“He’s one to talk names, he’s got a dog named after a cheese!”

“I know, but we can’t tell him that. Come on, Jake, I have to find something to chew on before I get sick.”

“You can always blame it on the alcohol, if you do.”

“Jake.”

“Just kidding,” he grins. “You go check on Mac and Rosa and I’ll locate the snacks.”

 It turns out Rosa is more than willing to guard Mac for the evening, currently showing him the model train she's found in the library. Mac is watching with focus as Rosa helps him turn on the button that makes the train drive around the tracks, laughing as it lets out a choo-choo sound.

“Your son is much cooler than the rest of these lame partygoers,” she shrugs when Amy asks her if she's sure it's fine. “He says what he's thinking, unlike the rest of all these dum-dums.”

“Dum-dums,” Mac repeats, proud. Rosa nods.

“Exactly. I’ll call you if something happens.”

 And so, in an unexpected turn of events, Amy finds herself able to sit down for most of the evening without having to chase a wild toddler around to keep him from whatever dangers he could somehow manage to get himself into in Holt’s and Kevin’s house. She supposes it looks quite antisocial of her, and maybe it is, but she’s six weeks pregnant and the early symptoms of nausea and fatigue seem to be coming on both stronger and faster the second time around, so Amy doesn’t really care. She’s got lemon sparkling water for a non-alcoholic drink, a paper plate of carrot sticks, salted crisps and almonds, and she’s not going to talk to anyone unless they sit down next to her. It’s practically heaven. Jake checks on her from time to time, assuring her multiple times that they can just leave early if she wants to, but however tired she feels, Amy doesn’t want to insult Holt that badly. They’re staying until midnight as per proper New Year’s party etiquette, and then — and not a second later — they can go home so she can crash in bed.

 Rosa finds her again when Mac begins to get sleepy, rubbing his eyes and yawning but still shaking his head when Amy asks if he's feeling a little tired. He crawls over to her arms anyway, laying his head on her shoulder and hugging his arms around her chest.

“Thanks for looking after him,” she tells Rosa, but she just shrugs.

“No worries. I don't get to hang out with him enough. Your kid is dope.”

“Douh,” Mac whispers, mimicking her, and Rosa laughs.

“Repeats every word you tell him, too,” Amy says. “Yeah, he’s pretty awesome. Come over to our apartment at five-thirty in the morning on any weekend and you can hang out with him all you want. I won't stop you.”

Rosa scrunches her nose. “I’ll consider it.”

“He’s in a great mood then, I can assure you that.”

“I'll take your word for it. Also, Jake was tipsy talking baby names with some etymology professor when I saw him last, and he seemed very intense about it for a guy who's not currently thinking of naming any new babies. Or?” She raises an eyebrow.

“No, he just get thats intense when somebody implies McClane is a weird name,” Amy says, and makes a note to herself to remind Jake about their agreement not to tell anyone else at least until the twelve-week mark. “Which, to be fair, I warned him that people would think. But here we are anyway.”

“It is a weird name. Couldn’t imagine him being called anything else, though, even if I still don’t understand why you agreed to it.”

“There was a really good PowerPoint involved.”

Rosa looks at her questioningly, but Amy shakes her head, knowing there’s no point in explaining the unexplainable.

“Hmm. You guys are weird. You make pretty great kids, though.”

“Yeah.” Mac has fallen asleep by now, drooling a little bit on Amy’s shoulder. She kisses the top of his head and thinks of the abstract idea of her second kid, the thump-thump of an already present heartbeat they got so lucky as to hear on an early ultrasound yesterday. “The best.”

 As midnight draws closer, most of the guests take on jackets, scarves and shoes to venture out into the garden to watch fireworks. Not wanting to be left out, Amy and Jake manage to get a half-sleeping Mac, who wakes up suddenly interested when he hears about the promise of fireworks, into his overall and join them. It’s a surprisingly good view from the garden, the cold winter air waking them up, and Jake points out the vibrant displays in the sky to a drowsy Mac, who blinks at them dazedly. It’s so cute it makes Amy tear up. Being both a mom and newly pregnant does that to her; she’s given up trying to fight it.

  It’s hard to believe that two years ago, she was toasting in champagne in a hotel bar and wondering if they would ever make a baby together, and now she’s standing in a garden watching Jake with their one-year-old son and knowing that next New Year’s, if all goes well, they’ll be parents of two.

“What are you thinking of?” Jake must see her tears, because he looks worried, but Amy just smiles.

“Just how quickly things can change. How happy I am. And how much I love you.”

“Love you, too. Top three-hundred-and-sixty-five moments of this year,” Jake says, hugging her close so they’re standing in a little family bubble. “Every single day I get to wake up with and then come home to my family.”

  Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…

  They both lean in so they can smother their son with kisses, and he laughs as he figures out what’s about to happen.

 Three, two, one… happy new year!

  The sky explodes with color, Jake and Amy attack their son with kisses, and as the new year begins, Amy thinks she might just be the luckiest person in the entire world.

~